INFINITY AND BEYOND

The first issue of Terminator 2 - Infinity, the five-issue miniseries written by myself with art by Nigel Raynor, hits the stands next week (July 18th in the US, 19th in the UK). Dynamite Entertainment have kindly provided me with preview images (cover and interior page), which can be viewed in all their glory by clicking on the thumbnails below. The series charts the next stage (post-Judgment Day) in the life and times of John Connor, pitting him and, um, ‘Uncle Bob’ against an all new Skynet killing machine, the T-Infinity. It’s post-apocalyptic pandemonium from cover-to-cover. Don’t miss it.

INTERVIEWS, MYSPACE AND MORE

So much happening out there in wide, wide world of media right now. Several interviews and so forth (with me, of course, and others) to watch out for. Right now, the Sci-Fi Channel website has an exclusive interview with myself and Steve White (discussing the new Titan UK Transformers comic/mag and more). You can check this out here. And on the subject Titan’s TF comic/mag, the title has its very own MySpace page, with interviews, art and more. Go here for a whole heap of exclusives. And as if that wasn’t enough, here’s three more to watch out for. Comics International, via their online presence, has a filmed interview with myself and IDW editor in chief Chris Ryall due to air very soon in their The Reel Thing webcast. Keep an eye out for that here. And Resonance FM have an interview with myself and Geoff Senior scheduled to air on July 23rd. Visit their website here for more details. And finally, good old fashioned print gets a look-in as the next issue (#4, I believe, out the end of this month) of sci-fi mag Death Ray presents a feature on Transformers plus interviews with myself, Geoff and Steve. For more information go here. Phew!

MOVIE MAG-ATRON

You’ve seen (in previous posts) some of Nick Roche amazing art from issue #2 of Titan’s Transformers (UK) comic/magazine, now feast your eyes on some just released (from the good folk at Titan) colour art from the same lead story, featuring Megatron. Colours by Liam Shalloo. Click on the thumbnails below for the larger images. Just a reminder that the first issue hits the stands next week (Thursday July 19th) and issue #2 hits on August 16th. For more information and subscription details visit the Titan Magazines website here.

SCRIPT (W)RAP

What I like about four-issue series, as opposed to the more current (trade-friendly) six-issue arcs, is that they really push the pace of the story. There’s room in Infiltration/Escalation/Devastation et al to sidetrack into ‘B’ stories and subplots (in itself a very gratifying pursuit), but with a four-issue story you pretty much have to get in, tell the story, and get out, with not much in the way of diversions. So it is with Beast Wars The Ascending, and I can’t help but feel—having just wrapped issue #3 of the series—it’s a good thing. No sooner, it seems, you’ve set up the characters, threats, etc, than you’re racing breathlessly towards the epic conclusion. Not that there’s not much to The Ascending. Quite the opposite in fact. The series is packed, both with story and characters, and set (far more than The Gathering was) on two worlds (prehistoric Earth and Cybertron). Poor Don (Figueroa). It’s not just that he’s got to squeeze in the entire cast of The Gathering along with a host of characters previously exclusive to the Japanese Beast Wars line, he’s got to retro-design about half of them (or more) so they appear in robot/alt. forms suitable for Cybertron. So what can I tell you about issue #3, while keeping things as spoiler-free as possible? Well, on the Earthbound side of the equation, heroic Maximal Razorbeast is engaged in some decidedly unheroic acts, forcing his team-mates into drastic (and quite possibly tragic) action. Conversely, self-serving Predacon Ravage is doing some uncharacteristically altruistic deeds, risking life and limb to broker a truce between the Predacons and The Pack. Seriously! Everything’s turned on its head in issue #3. Oh, and on Cybertron, those who’ve been craving some full on Big Convoy action (against The Ascending’s main ‘big bad’) will not be disappointed. Although you might want to look away on page 9! And then, as the issue comes to a close, just as Lio Convoy’s thinking things can’t get any worse and Don’s thinking, “thank God he can’t squeeze any more characters in here,” another quintet of bad guys make their comic book debut (although, thinking about it, one has previously featured in a Transformers comic book!!). Beast Wars The Ascending #3 is scheduled for October. For more information on all IDW’s Transformers titles, visit their website here.

COVER STORY

As previously reported, Comics International #203 features not only a comprehensive feature article on Transformers in comics (from 1984 to the present day) but also a review of the all-new, all box office record breaking Transformers live action movie, both by written by me (hence the unashamed plug). The issue is scheduled to hit your local comic book store sometime shortly after the 16th of July, but in the meantime here’s a sneak peek (click on the thumbnail for the larger image) at the Transformers goodness to be found on the cover of the issue:

COUGAR HAPPENINGS (UPDATE)

What began as a humble mascot for Transformers auction website, TFAuctions, is about to explode into the worlds of Web and comics. Cougar, the roving robotic dealer in all things rare and perilous, is set for his own dedicated website and a monthly comic series, both of which will introduce Cougar (in full) and his all-new cast of characters. Cougar himself hit the Web a year or so back, co-created by myself, artist Guido Guidi and TFAuctions webmaster David Ravenscroft. He got an alt. mode, a full bio and now he’s got the lot, including arch nemesis Fenrir and (sort of) sidekick Kick-Start. Cougar’s official website is due to go live any time now, and the comic incarnation is set to hit in late 07 (with scripts by me). In meantime, click on the images below for a taster. There’s a new one of Cougar himself and a first look at Fenrir. Keep checking back in for further updates over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Cougar

Fenrir

STOP PRESS

Just a couple of links to a couple of Transformers features from the growing press coverage surrounding Transformers in general and the movie in particular, both of which feature soundbites from yours truly. For the USA Today article, click here, and the Star-Telegram article click here.