WHEEL I NEVER! Saturday April 5th, 2008 Regular readers of (IDW boss) Chris Ryall's blog were fooled into thinking the company had launched a line of ultra-expensive Wheelie clothes. But the products, including an orange jumpsuit, baseball cap, pendant, a 'You are Wheelie Cool' t-shirt, were an April fools gag. One posting fan questioned "is this real or a joke", while another, nuclearconvoy said: "Honestly, I was very dissapointed(sic) to find out this was a joke. I liked a lot of those t-shirt designs." To make up for any 'disappointment' to Wheelie's newfound appreciators Ryall posted new art from June's Spotlight Wheelie here
MEGATRON'S TOTAL VICTORY? Saturday March 22nd, 2008 The revolution is coming.. In July the Earth will tremble under the iron rule of Megatron - and there's barely an Autobot in sight. All Hail Megatron will be a year-long comic series exploring the ramifications of Optimus Prime's decision to abandon Earth to the Decepticons while the Autobots avert a catastrophe in deep space. Only Sunstreaker, Hot Rod and the Dinobots will remain to challenge Megatron's evil? Check out the covers and order your subscription to this new series. It's by Batman-writer Shane McCarthy with art from Guido Guidi. here
RYALL'S REVELATION: NEW SPOTLIGHTS COMING! Tuesday March 11th, 2008 IDW boss Chris Ryall has made an, um, revelation about 'TF Revelation'. He says the comic - a sequel to Devastation and out in June - will break from the established format and be told over four Spotlights with 'interlocking covers'. Cyclonus and Hardhead will be two of the Spotlights. Ryall will reveal more in a Q&A on the IDW boards. Go here for more.
DECEPTICON MIRAGE? Thursday March 5th, 2008 The Autobot infiltrator Mirage makes his IDW debut in the latest TF Spotlight comic. Following a severe systems shock, he is shunted to parallel universe where he experiences life as a Decepticon! Will he destory the last of the Autobots or risk everything to save them? Spotlight Mirage is in stock now.
PLUS: Also in stock is the eagerly awaited Doctor Who #1. It's not available to UK shops so snap it up while stocks last!
HAIL AND FAIRWELL! Sunday February 17th, 2008 Simon Furman has proved he can write Transformers over 22 pages, but it turns out he can deliver the goods when restricted to a single page too. He's created his own 'TF Mosiac' (mini strips by fans) and this one is firmly 'in continuity'. It stars Hunter O'Nion and Sunstreaker and contains spoilers. Show me
WILL IT BE WHEELIE? Sunday February 10th, 2008 IDW editor in chief Chris Ryall has used his blog to tease about an up-coming spotlight. It's out in June and Chris is challenging fans to guess the character and the artist based on sketches he's posted. Most think it will be Spotlight Wheelie, a project rumoured for a while now. Can IDW make him cool? Discuss
SPOTLIGHT BLASTER ARRIVES IN STOCK Sunday January 27th, 2008 The first of the 2008 spotlights is in stock in the shape of Blaster! Once the morale-boosting voice of the Autobot war effort, he's been blasted in the chest and left for dead, but now Blaster is back and must discover whodunnit before the assassin strikes again. Pick up your copy of Spotlight Blaster here. From Autobots to mechanical beings of another kind. IDW's one-off tribute to Star Trek's The Borg is also in stock. Resistance is futile!
MOVIE ENDING IS UNRAVELING! Saturday January 26th, 2008 Titan's UK Transformers comic may not be a intertwined with the 2007 movie as first thought. Simon Furman has dropped a big hint that events will deviate from issue #9 (out in Feb), when a five part story called Twilight's Last Gleaming launches. It'll be based on the premise that the Megatron and the Decepticons conquered Earth at the end of the film, and Prime is their helpless captive. Whether this is alternate universe or the shape of things to come remains to be seen.
DEVASTATION #4 IN STOCK NOW Thursday January 17th, 2008 It's the collective might of the Earthbound Autobots and Optimus Prime versus Sixshot, and still the bots are in big trouble. Get ready for sparks and circuits to fly in TF Devastation #4, plus did we mention the return of Ravage, Laserbeak and Soundwave? Both regular covers and the dealer incentive are in stock.
TF ANIMATED ON YOUTUBE Tuesday January 15th, 2008 Transformers G1 is back in cartoon form for a new generation of kids to enjoy (and let's face it a lot of adults too!). Is it any good? Have a watch of the first few minutes of the pilot episode and make up your mind. Don't forget there's also volumes I and II of the TF the Animated Series comic available in Jan/Feb.
BEAST WARS ASCENDING #4 IN STOCK Thursday January 10th, 2008 Shockeract and his four heralds of the apocalypse unleash chaos in the fourth and final instalment of Beast Wars: The Ascending, by Simon Furman. The comic is now in stock in a choice of regular and incentive covers.
REVIEWS: SPOTLIGHTS KUP & RAMJET January 3rd 2008 Kup is hooked on crystals and under attack from zombies - but is any of it real or is he losing his marbles. We review Nick Roche's Spotlight Kup and also Spotlight Ramjet by Stuart Moore in the IDW reviews section. More
FREE COMICS COMPETITION: WINNERS REVEALED January 1st 2008 Happy New Year one and all - we hope you had a better start to 2008 than these guys. As promised the names of OneShallStand customers were placed in a hat today and 12 winners were drawn. This lucky dozen will each receive a month's free comics during the year. Click here for the winners.
NOT AN ILLUSION - IT'S SPOTLIGHT MIRAGE! December 20th 2007 Looks like we'll all be seeing double in March 2008, as IDW is putting out not one, but two TF Spotlights that month. Spotlight Grimlock will be followed by a one-off story about Mirage, in which his doubts about whether he'd rather be a Decepticon are explored. There's also Focus on Decepticons - a new title priced £2. Preorder them from OneShallStand.com
NEW LOOK FRONT PAGE December 15th 2007 At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious OneShallStand has a new look home page. We've adopted a more blog-style front for greater flexibility and should lead to a more regular updates in '08. Got any views on it? Post here
SIMON FURMAN Q&A December 14th 2007 The man, the legend, Simon Furman has kindly offered to answer the fandom's burning questions (must be Christmas or something). The first part is on IDW's boards with the rest on Simon's very own blog. The Dynobots are coming back in '08. Yay!
DEVASTATION'S ACTION-PACKED END December 1st, 2007 Simon Furman has been talking up Devastation #6 on his blog. He reckons its a "packed end of arc issue" with the Decepticons and the Reapers battling one another to a standstill, Galvatron on Earth and 'first full appearances' for Jhiaxus (big bad from G2 comics) and Nemesis Prime. Plus Hunter and Sunstreaker versus the Head of the Machination. Furman says: "Expect casualties. Carnage! Shocks!"
ANIMATED AND IN COMIC FORM 21/10 - Episodes of the upcoming Transformers Animated cartoon are to be released in comic form by IDW. Two double-sized book (out in January 2008) will use actual frames from episodes. Fans will see Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Jazz, and new additions created for the show, plus Decepticons - Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave (with a vehicle mode!) and Laserbeak transforming into a guitar.
SPOTLIGHTS GET GIRL POWER 21/10 - Simon Furman has updated his blog with details of his latest project - Spotlight Arcee. But unlike the pink and fiesty fembot from TF the Animated Movie, this Arcee will be "mad, bad and dangerous" says Furman. The comic will guest star Jhiaxus (of G2 comic fame) and possibly Fortress Maximus too. Artist Alex Milne, doing the interiors, will have a chance to win over critics of his work on Megatron Origin.
WHOSE BLASTER IS IT ANYWAY? 30/09 - It's official - the first Spotlight of 2008 will star Blaster. Chris Ryall revealed the news on the IDW forum and posted pictures. And Simon Furman said this Blaster will not be the cartoon version nor Bob Budiansky's "harder edged but compassionate warrior". Instead he maybe an amalgam of the two. The Spotlight will guest star Silverbolt and centre around a possible traitor in the Autobot Command Hub. Tell me more
SIXSHOT TAKES AIM AT THE ARK 09/09 - Fractal Matters website has posted an advanced review of Transformers Devastation #1. The reviewer says we'll see a Prime "hungry for war" and unrest in the Decepticon camp over Megatron's decision to summon Sixshot. The living weapon will have the Ark in his sights, and apparently Ravage will be loose too. Reviewer Nick Carroll said: "The last page is a piece of pure Transformers gold."
EXPANDING THE TF UNIVERSE 08/09 - Simon Furman has let slip the name of the 'fifth' major story arc - Expansion! Speaking to fans via his blog he said: "There’ll still be a gap between Devastation and Revelation, and then a gap between Revelation and Expansion (and so on). Oops, did I just give something away there?" Speculation is that it will refer to Nova Prime's machinations, which were hinted at in Spotlight Optimus Prime.
SPOTLIGHT RAMJET PREVIEW PAGES 18/08 - Kamikaze Decepticon Ramjet will be the star of IDW's 10th Transformers Spotlight comic. Reports say the story will tie-in with the current Transformers/New Avengers crossover and will see the protagonist adopting Starscream tactics by plotting to overthrow Megatron. The comic will be written by Stuart Moore with the artist behind Spotlight Ultra Magnus, Robby Musso, returning to penciling duties and its out in November. See a preview here.
IDW PLANS MOVIE SEQUEL COMICS 29/07 - First there were the Movie Prequels, then the film adaptations, and now IDW is to launch a comic series telling what happened after the film. Editor in chief Chris Ryall announced the project at San Diego Comic Con in late July and said the first story will be called 'The Search for Starscream'. He also named the star of the tenth TF Spotlight as Ramjet, apparently in a story spinning out of the TF/New Avengers crossover.
LIVING WEAPON GUNS FOR RATCHET 25/06 - Ratchet will square-up against the planet-smashing Decepticon, Sixshot, in an upcoming TF Devasation comic. The distinctly one-sided battle will occur in issue #3 of the series, due out in Autumn '07, according to writer Simon Furman. He said fans can also expect to see Wheeljack and Hot Rod taking a lead and Hunter O'Nion will be faced a "shocking request" from fellow Machination-captive Sunstreaker.
THEIR WAR OUR COMIC 25/06 - It's been 15 years since the last UK Transformers comic came to an end. But on July 19th Titan publishers will release their new Movie Continuity comic. Unconfirmed reports say it will cost £2.60, be 52pages and include a mix of IDW reprints and fresh material. Simon Furman is writing the stories and Geoff Senior has been coaxed out of his 16 year TF retirement to provide the art. Check out a preview page
LONDON WELCOMES IDW CREATORS 10/06 - Leading lights of the TF comics world - Simon Furman, Chris Ryall and Nick Roche - meet fans in London on June 9. The trio signed copies of their books at Orbital Manga near Leicester Square comics and let slip some tantalising hints about upcoming stories. OneShallStand's roving reporter went along to meet them and you can find out what happened and see pictures. More
FURMAN TALKS DEVASTATION #2 02/06 - Simon Furman has finished the script for TF Devastation #2. Speaking in his blog he said the comic, out in October, will centre on two main plot threads. One is Sixshot, who is going "blow things wide open", and we'll also see Hot Rod and Wheeljack on their own mission that will see them targeted by the Machination. Readers are also being promised the full debut of the IDW-verse Headmasters.
DEVASTATION SPOILERS REVEALED 21/04 - IDW has released advance details of the next chapter in its G1 saga. TF Devastation, which launches in September, will see the Decepticon's leveler-of-worlds Sixshot arriving on Earth to cause mayhem. While human groups, the Machination and Skywatch will make their play (aided by Cybertronian technology). It's no wonder the Autobots will be forced to flee! All six parts are available to order from the OneShallStand shop.
BEAST WARS IN ASCENDANCE 06/04 - SIMON Furman is whetting fans' appetites for a new Beast Wars comic he's just finished writing. He updated his blog on Wednesday with details of Beast Wars: The Ascending, telling people to expect a "lot more Cybertron", and a chance to meet its major players, as well as catching-up with Magmatron and the time-displaced Maximals, and a new "big bad enemy". The series is out around September with Don Figueroa doing the art.
MOVIE PREQUELS SELL OUT! 04/04 - ISSUES 1+2 of IDW's TF Movie Prequels have sold out. The comic enticed readers with the first look at the characters and story from the upcoming blockbuster film. Writer and IDW editor-in-chief Chris Ryall called the news that Diamond Distributors had shifted all-copies "especially gratifying". He added: I've seen how fan interest in the movie has turned from wariness to absolute fervor." Issue #3 will be released around April 11.
UK TF COMIC SET FOR COMEBACK 18/03 - TITAN publishers are to launch a UK Transformers comic in July, it has been revealed. Former Action Force editor and ex-Marvel UK colourist, Steve White, made the announcement on the Transfans website. He said the comic would be based on the summer's Transformers Live Action Movie with new 10-page strips by Simon Furman. Fans-favourite Geoff Senior has been tempted out of TF-retirement to draw the first issue.
JUNE TO BE A BUMPER MONTH! 18/03 - FANS should brace their wallets for an onslaught in June following news of a bumper crop of comics from IDW. The company will be releasing four comics in 28 days serialising TF the Movie, in addition to Megatron Origins #2 and trade paperbacks of Escalation, Spotlights and Movie Prequels. A black-and-white magazine reprinting classic stories is also in the works.
TF TEAMS UP WITH AVENGERS! 26/02 - Transformers are to go head-to-head with The Avengers in a new four-part comic. IDW's Chris Ryall unveiled plans this week after sounding out Marvel about combining the two franchises. The deal will see Earth's mightest heroes - Spider-man, Iron Man, Captain America and Wolverine, in action alongside the bots and cons, but whether the story becomes official continuity will be up to fans. The comic's release is likely to be July.
MEGATRON: THE EARLY YEARS! 25/02 - Game designer Eric Holmes from Scotland is to write the upcoming Megatron Origins four parter. Set in Cybertron's past, it will show us Megatron former 'day job' and how his dissatisfaction with Autobot society led him to form the Decepticons. Soundwave and Starscream will also star. Eric said: "You'll see evolution at a personal, political, and - they’re mechanoids - at a technical level." Preorder your copy in time for it's May release.
GALVATRON SPOTLIGHT CONFIRMED 03/02 - IDW has confirmed speculation that the Autobots' arch-enemy Galvatron is to get his own spotlight. The comic is slated for a July release and you can see the cover here Dreamwave veteran Guido Guidi will be handling the pencils, and there's a chance Hound will appear too. IDW editor-in-chief Chris Ryall said: "Just read Simon's script. Ohhh, is this one gonna please some people."
NEWS: MOVIE PREQUEL REVIEWED 03/02 - Stuart Denyer of TFArchive has posted a review of the eagerly awaited TF Movie Prequel #1. The comic, written by IDW supremo Chris Ryall and drawn by Don Figueroa, comes out in mid-Feb. Readers are offered a fresh take on the Prime/Megatron rivalry, as it turns out they once co-ruled Cybertron until Megs tried to seize control of the 'All Spark' an alien power that created the Transformers. More
NEWS: FIRST TF COMIC OF 2007 NOW IN STOCK! 06/01/07 - The first Transformers comic of 2007 has arrived in stock in the form of GI Joe vs The Transformers Volume IV: Black Horizon. The two-parter from Devils Due stars Unicron as the arch-villain as well as Bludgeon, the Pretender Monsters and mysterious Cobra Las. Set a year after Art of War it sees Hawk now resigned from GI Joe and struggling to cope with powers given to him by the Creation Matrix. It also boasts a battle between Bludgeon and Optimus Prime. The comic was previously solicited as a four-parter but has been released as two double-sized issues.
