problem with the comics

[Dominic]

I just want to say that I think it is hilarious that a thread called "problem with comics" ended up being about David "Wanky" Willis.

Just sayin.....

Okay, screw talking about consistent character model. Bashing Willis is more fun.

And he's what, the creator of TFwiki? That's a letdown.

Not sure if he is the creator. But, he is one of the owners.

Willis has pull partly due to the Wikie and partly due to the fact he is one of the "old guard" from the UseNet days. The fact that he has a smidge of talent kind of puts him over with the Fan Club, which has little enough real talent to begin with. (He attention whoring ensures that nobody can ever forget these things.

Are you familiar with wrestling? Willis is like the Hulk Hogan of the fandom. Most everyone knows he is a sack of shit. But, for some reason, he sticks around.

think people just overreact to this kind of thing. Yeah, there was the one line about Sideways heading off for another dimension, but I don't know if it's worth filing that away as a total serious fact. So then when "drama" erupts over something so minor, it just kind of makes me shake my head. Sheesh.

And, here is where I defend the orange clad asshole. (Willis has a fetish for orange.)

The whole point of an official sourcebook is to clear up stuff like "which character is a a rehash of what character". Sorenson put it on the page, giving good reason for people to assume that yes, Sideways was Sideways was Sideways. Willis changed the relevant pages on the wiki to reflect this. Then a pack of self-indulgent fans decided to scream and yell about it, *before* Sorenson came out and said "ohohohoho not reallY'. Frankly, that kind of stunting puts the "Allspark Almanac" below the BW sourcebooks in my estimation.

It's right up there with the thing in the Drift series, wherein Milne drew in a couple cameos of dead Transformers that sure could look like UT Hot Shot and SG Ravage

More little kid bullshit.

I am almost certain Milne was taking a shot at Willis. And, all he was actually doing was giving the little orange terd more attention. And, as Prowl pointed out, when Andy Schmidt tried to solve the problem through an editorial fiat, Willis complained and then ignored Schmidt. (Last time I checked the wiki, it played up the "cameos".

I like what Costa's doing and where his head's at, but I feel like if the comic was more tied to the toyline, it could only help both parts of the franchise.

Okay, we can talk about character models.

I can see what you are saying. But, the flip-side to that arguement is that keeping the two consistent makes things harder for both Hasbro (who would have to design and release toys in conjunction with the comics) and IDW (who would have to use early line art as reference for their comics).


Dom
-why are people asking me to work when I am off the clock?

[Shockwave]

In that case, I think they should do what they've been doing, use a G1 model (or G1 esque) until a version of that character is made in the CHUG style.

Shockwave
-Wonders how long till perceptor looks like his RTS counterpart.

[BWprowl]

The whole point of an official sourcebook is to clear up stuff like "which character is a a rehash of what character". Sorenson put it on the page, giving good reason for people to assume that yes, Sideways was Sideways was Sideways. Willis changed the relevant pages on the wiki to reflect this. Then a pack of self-indulgent fans decided to scream and yell about it, *before* Sorenson came out and said "ohohohoho not reallY'. Frankly, that kind of stunting puts the "Allspark Almanac" below the BW sourcebooks in my estimation.

See, I think you're off here. The point of the Allspark Almanac was to publish all the character models with names and profiles attached to them, along with providing episode summaries and a smattering of background information and behind-the-scenes stuff. It's not an "Official Sourcebook" (and doesn't claim to be anywhere) so much as it's a big, cleverly written chunk of TFA trivia.

Pretty much every character in Animated is a reference to/rehash of a previous Transformers character. Animated Sideways hops dimensions and hangs out in Shanghai because that's what Sidewayses do. You don't see anyone trying to argue that Animated Soundwave is literally the same guy as G1 Soundwave just because they both have animal minions named Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Ratbat, do you? Or that Animated Cyclonus is the same guy as G1 Cyclonus because he comes from the future and is made from a reformatted Decepticon?* No, because those are just cute references to other versions of characters with the same name. You,

Spoiler

like Willis

, are just reading *way* too much into this little line to try and see what you want in it, in this case, something to be mad and drop a series over.

Reading Sideways's wiki entry right now. Christ, they even contend that RiD Sideways is the same guy as UT and TFA Sideways? Where's the precedent for that other than shameless self-indulgence! "Pretty clearly the same individual" my ass, it's a goddamn mythology gag!

*or like arguing that "Classics" Leo Prime is the same guy as BWII LioConvoy because they have similar altmodes and color schemes and thus "Leo Prime" must be LioConvoy's english-localized name yes I am still angry about that.

[Onslaught Six]

Reading Sideways's wiki entry right now. Christ, they even contend that RiD Sideways is the same guy as UT and TFA Sideways? Where's the precedent for that other than shameless self-indulgence! "Pretty clearly the same individual" my ass, it's a goddamn mythology gag!

It sorta made sense when RID Sideways' bio said he came from another dimension or whatever (but then, what RID character *didn't?*) and then Armada Sideways had a reputation for doing the same thing. That's the basis for the whole thing--that Sideways is the same guy throughout continuities. And it almost kind of held up until ROTF happened. Then Sorensen made a bad joke and people made it into a big thing.

*or like arguing that "Classics" Leo Prime is the same guy as BWII LioConvoy because they have similar altmodes and color schemes and thus "Leo Prime" must be LioConvoy's english-localized name yes I am still angry about that.

Thank God for IDW; one of the few things that series didn't fuck up horribly. (And it gave the Wiki precendent to shut the fuck up about that.)

[Sydew]

Okay, screw talking about consistent character model. Bashing Willis is more fun

Cool

One thing I'll say is that I like the designs Don Figueroa did me they still retain the G1 feel but with a very cybernetic emphasis, though I'm not that crazy about all white Jazz.

[Dominic]

I would love to see a toyline that looked like Figueroa's designs from about 2 years back.

It's not an "Official Sourcebook" (and doesn't claim to be anywhere) so much as it's a big, cleverly written chunk of TFA trivia.

It is still a reference of the sort that fans would use to settle questions about the characters and settings. It is not the place for the writer's whimsy, especially about things that there are bound to be "teh dramaz" about.

The phrasing, and associations with the name and character of Sideways, of the entry were bound to stir up trouble.

are just reading *way* too much into this little line to try and see what you want in it, in this case, something to be mad and drop a series over.

I wanted to like TFA though. In fact, i did until it started getting all wanky and self-reverential. At this point, it is just delivering on the worst asperger stereotypes about the hobby and fandom. (And, for the record, living down to stereotypes is a peeve of mine.)

Christ, they even contend that RiD Sideways is the same guy as UT and TFA Sideways? Where's the precedent for that other than shameless self-indulgence!

It started off as a fan meme. But, I want to say it was Sipher who made it official in an issue of the Fan Club newsletter. And, that is when I stopped liking my RiD motorcycles quite as much.

Thank God for IDW; one of the few things that series didn't fuck up horribly. (And it gave the Wiki precendent to shut the fuck up about that.)

Please explain. In fact, I am pretty sure the toy packaging implies that the two are one and the same, even referencing the IDW comic.


Dom

[Shockwave]

I forget, who's MSipher and why should I give a shit?

[Gomess]

I forget, who's MSipher and why should I give a shit?

When I occasionally sign my posts like this:

Go "Big Name Fan" Mess

I'm taking the piss out of him. That's all you need to know! =p

[BWprowl]

I wanted to like TFA though. In fact, i did until it started getting all wanky and self-reverential. At this point, it is just delivering on the worst asperger stereotypes about the hobby and fandom. (And, for the record, living down to stereotypes is a peeve of mine.)

Well I'll admit that if it wasn't before, it certainly will now that the latest addition to the canon will be a Botcon comic and Club stories.

Thank God for IDW; one of the few things that series didn't fuck up horribly. (And it gave the Wiki precendent to shut the fuck up about that.)

Please explain. In fact, I am pretty sure the toy packaging implies that the two are one and the same, even referencing the IDW comic.

No see, this is about the Legends class "Leo Prime" that was released in "Classics" packaging waaaay back during that era, just about when the second BW comic series was getting under way. As a Legends class toy, "Leo Prime" had no package bio, and no connection to LioConvoy other than a color scheme and a feline altmode (which I'll just point out here, wasn't even a lion). Well David "The Wiki" Willis sees this, and immediately changes the top of, the name on, LioConvoy's wiki article to "Leo Prime", leaving "LioConvoy" as a mere footnote listed as his "Japanese Name". I'm sure you could see the problem here. I was half-tempted myself to change G1 Wheeljack's page to read "Downshift" in retaliation (Why not? He may be from a totally different series/toyline, but Downshift kinda looks like Wheeljack. Wheeljack's name must be Downshift now!).

Anyway, eventually LioConvoy got his named debut in the BW comics, as "LioConvoy". This, along with a lot of pressure, prompted TFWalky to change the name on the page back to "LioConvoy" and simply note that he is sometimes called "Leo Prime" (Much in the same way that Octane is sometimes called "Tankor"). Frankly, I personally was still dissatisfied with that since there was still a total lack of evidence showing that "Leo Prime" and "LioConvoy" were the same guy, but then Universe came out with that Voyager "Leo Prime" (that wasn't even in the proper colors the first time!) whose bio pretty much cemented him as LioConvoy. So whatever.

[Dominic]

I was actually willing to give Willis that one as well. He was trying to make sense of capricious naming conventions. If he was not such a capricous twit himself...

Dom