THE FULL MOWRY

GODZILLA LEGENDS #4 - PRE-ORDER INFO!

2012-01-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

GODZILLA LEGENDS #4 - FEBRUARY 2012!

2011-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

So maybe I talked about it before, but in case nobody knew, I have an issue of Godzilla Legends coming out in February. It's being drawn by E.J. Su, with colors by Priscilla Tramontano. I've seen E.J.'s roughs for the issue and they are simply mind-blowing. And when Priscilla add her skills to the book, I think it's going to be something really special.

It's a lifelong dream to be able to do something for the franchise that I've loved all of my life, and to be able to work with two people I consider to be not only talented, but good friends, makes it all that more special.

But how about I show something? Well, I can't show any interiors yet, but here's one of the covers by the legendary Art Adams, featuring the main bad guy in the book, HEDORAH (aka The Smog Monster)!

If you like this image, be ready for a nice surprise later this month from Godzilla Legends series editor, Bobby Curnow!

I'M WRITING GODZILLA... well, at least for an issue.

2011-11-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

So, in doing my usual thing of waiting for over a year to update anything, I have reached a point where I finally have something news-related to share and it's pretty big news to me. I'll finally be writing a Godzilla comic! Better yet, I'll be working with two people that I've been wanting to work with for a long time.

GODZILLA LEGENDS #4 will be out in February and features a story by me, artwork by the extraordinary E.J. SU, and colors by PRISCILLA TRAMONTANO! Both are big Godzilla fans and even cooler people, so I really wanted this to be the team on the book. Thanks to series editor Bobby Curnow, it's now a reality. I'll take the opportunity to promote Bobby's issue (Godzilla Legends #5 in March), too. Good stuff... you'll see.

Back to #4, though. Not to give away any potential spoilers in the story, the monster roster features GODZILLA, MECHAGODZILLA (Heisei version), and HEDORAH (aka, the Smog Monster)! I love Hedorah and was really happy that I was allowed to do some of the things that I wanted to in the script. The story takes place in China and is not meant to be in any real continuity with the films, just a standalone tale.

So, there you have it. To say that I'm excited is a huge understatement. Working on the Godzilla franchise has been a true dream come true for me. I've been a fan of the series for as long as I can remember and while the collecting has tapered off a bit over the years, I'm still always on the lookout for the next item to add to the collection. I'm happy that a book I wrote will eventually be one of those things.

More to come... like artwork! Stay tuned.

MONSTER-SIZED UPDATE

2010-07-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, finally there's some kind of update for you. I'll be back soon to talk about stuff, but here it is... the first official image from the Legendary Pictures GODZILLA movie. This was from a t-shirt that was given out at Comic-Con. I think us Godzilla fans will appreciate that they're using a classic design for this one.

Counting down until 2012... SKREEEONGK!

I'M ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT REIGNS

2010-04-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

Available now on the PSP are issues #1-3 of TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM. Now with audio commentary by series editor, DENTON J. TIPTON!

Don't have them yet? What are you waiting for? Think you heard all there was to hear from the trade paperback? Not a chance. There's a lot more to hear.

So if you have the means, check 'em out!

Monster Fun

2010-03-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

So with the announcement that they are indeed making a new American-made GODZILLA movie, I thought it would be funny to see if I could get 50 people to say that I'd play the part of Godzilla well. It all started as a joke, but now it's over 130 members so I said, what the hell, why not keep it going?

So if you're on the Book of Faces, please drop by and join up! It's all for fun, but you never know what could happen if enough people get a crazy idea. Here's the group link:

I'll bet 50 people think Chris Mowry should play Godzilla in the new movie.

Here's some artwork that has been created for the event, too. The tall one is by Lauren Baker and the wider one is by Josh Perez. Both are awesome... thanks!

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #1 - NOW ON SALE FOR THE PSP!

2010-03-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

The first issue of TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM is now on sale for the PSP! That's the PlayStation® Portable for those of you that are either non-gamers or friends of my mother. Either way, it's now on sale and it includes audio commentary recorded by yours truly along with series artist Alex Milne and colorist Josh Perez! You get to hear about all of the fun hidden gags and references, homages, etc. that went into this first issue.

Available right here!

So pick it up, tell a friend, and let me know what you think!

-Chris

AND THEN THERE WERE NINE...

2010-03-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wanted to take the opportunity to let you know that (for most of us) TRANSFORMERS: LAST STAND OF THE WRECKERS #3 is on sale tomorrow (March 24)! Nick and James have really been wowing just about everyone, so make sure you pick this one up. I threw this thing together based on an idea Nick had, so as you can see, one of them isn't going to see Page 22.

So feel free to repost this image, and pass it along to as many people as you can. But most importantly, do yourself a favor and BUY THIS BOOK!

PSP COMICS ARE GO!

2010-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention that I have comics available for the PSP. Wow, working at the company and I find out from a fan. Regardless, they are available for purchase through the PlayStation Comics site at http://us.playstationcomics.com/main/digital-comics/issues.html#/catalog?searchTerm=mowry&scrollToResult=1

So far, there are the four issues of ALLIANCE and DEFIANCE (which this kick-ass image from Dan Khanna is from), as well as TALES OF THE FALLEN #1 which was just released this week.

But what about REIGN OF STARSCREAM, you may ask? Well, for the past two weeks, I've been recording commentary for each issue. They'll be available soon, issue-by-issue. So far we've recorded commentary for the first two issues and it's not only me that blabbing in your ear. We've also got series artist Alex Milne and colorist Josh Perez sharing their thoughts and comments about the series for you, too. So although you may have read the comments in the trade paperback, there are definitely some new tidbits you might find interesting. Plus, just having Alex and Josh able to talk about things makes it worth the purchase.

I'll let you know when REIGN is available, but in the meantime, check out the other titles. Thanks!

UNUSED MOVIE UNIVERSE IDEA #1 - ARCEE'S FIRST ORIGIN

2010-03-02T01:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, all. I wanted to post a little info for you regarding Arcee and Flatline. For one, thanks for the reaction to Flatline. It's good to hear. Also, there are a few people that I need to post their images. One was a guy who had a very similar idea and it's only fair that his idea is seen as well. Also, there's a Boo sketch, and a really fun Josh Burcham piece, too.

But this brings me to the title of this post... unused movie universe idea #1 - ARCEE IN ALLIANCE.

As you may (or may not) know, Arcee left to find Starscream in the last issue of REIGN OF STARSCREAM. What was originally supposed to happen in ALLIANCE, was that Arcee is caught in a fight on Earth between Starscream and Wreckage. Issue #2's fight in Alliance was supposed to be Issue #4, with Arcee being the casualty of war on the Autobot side of things. Sector Seven (what's left of them) joins the fight with the Autobots and takes out Starscream (sending him fleeing into space in search of a crashed ship capable of holding Decepticon soldiers). In the battle, though, Arcee is killed... actually blown into three pieces.

With the battle ended, Optimus Prime is distraught. He feels that his war and his decisions have pushed feelings of mistrust on the humans. The humans want the Allspark fragment Prime took from Megatron's body, but when the humans offer to restore Arcee, that's when Prime begins to realize that the humans are far more intelligent than the Autobots have known.

Arcee's remains are taken to the Hoover Dam facility. You'll remember that the facility housed "the box" before. This was the small operating bay that Agent Simmons put the cell phone in. They choose to disconnect the delivery devices that send the Allspark radiation into the box, and this leaves the room as one giant box, if you will. Arcee's remains are brought into the room and a wave of replicated radiation is sent into the room. Arcee is restored, but as three separate robots, each with no clue as to who they are or what has happened.

The Autobots are shocked that the humans are capable of doing this, basically creating lifeforms on their own, without the use of the Allspark. Quite displeased, Optimus Prime offers the humans a most puzzling offer. He will give them the Allspark shard, if they destroy the technology he has just witnessed. The human forces agree and the facility is shut down. The Allspark shard goes to Diego Garcia, and the NEST forces are formed.

This ending was rejected because the humans seemed to be a bit too powerful and had technology that seemed a bit too advanced for them. I agree, and I'm happy that a new origin for Arcee was able to be created, but I think this idea could have been pretty cool for the characters and definitely had made Alliance better.

So with that, I leave you with a question. I have a few things to talk about, ideas I had, reasons for some things, etc. But what would you rather have... blog postings, some Q&A threads, live chat room Q&A, or some YouTube postings? Let me know what you think and I'll get something going in the next few weeks.

-Chris

FLATLINE

2010-01-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

With Tales of The Fallen #6 set to hit stores tomorrow, I'm glad to see such a positive reaction to the new character, FLATLINE. Truth is that Flatline was originally going to make his appearance in the Reign of Starscream story's first draft. Basically, he would operate on the monstrosity that was Devastator (who was made with the fused bodies of some construction bots like Mixmaster, Huffer, etc.), turning him into the first gestalt. Since that idea was not approved, he had to wait.

The character stuck with me and while I was kicking around ideas and trying to figure out a way to get into the G1 universe with a story, I asked artist-extraordinaire, Ben Templesmith, if he wouldn't mind sketching up a rough of what Flatline might look like. Ben has a wicked sense of a humor and a taste for the macabre, so he was perfect. What you see here is that G1 version. Based on a 1960's model Hearse, Flatline is ready for some battlefield resurrection.

Oh, and a well-deserved plug for Ben. If you haven't checked out Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse or Welcome To Hoxford, do it. You don't know what you're missing. Besides, they're the perfect appetizers for his upcoming Choker series by Image.

Enjoy.

ARCEE - 5 PAGES

2010-01-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone. To start this new year, and new decade off, here's the first 5 pages of the upcoming Tales of The Fallen #6: ARCEE story. Artwork is by Alex Milne with colors by Josh Perez. Can't say how happy I was to be able to work with these two again.

This issue also features a new character I created named FLATLINE. He's a Decepticon medic, basically their version of Ratchet. While Ratchet may work to save lives, Flatline merely gets his soldiers operational again. Because as I'd like to think of him saying "to cease to serve, is to cease to function."

The story takes place after Reign of Starscream #5 and before the Alliance series. Set on a remote Decepticon outpost on a distant planet, Thundercracker is left thinking that he's one of a few Decepticons left. With the help of Flatline, some protoform "hatchlings," and a few unlucky Autotbot "donors," their aim is to create their own platoon and eventually take the fight back to Cybertron.

ROLLING OUT

2009-11-27T12:10:00.000-08:00

The final issue of TALES OF THE FALLEN has been approved to print and will show up on shelves sometime in January. Shown here is Alex Milne's (who is also doing the interior art!) awesome cover. So what is so special about this issue you may ask? For me, a few things.

First off, this is my final TF issue for the time being. Second, this book wraps up the REIGN OF STARSCREAM storyline by showing us what happened to ARCEE and THUNDERCRACKER after that last issue. Finally, it's allowed me to introduce a new character to the already vast TF universe.

This character was originally set to appear in the REIGN OF STARSCREAM book, but was left out when the ending was changed. For those of you that have the trade, the ending that featured this character was the one that featured a mutated DEVASTATOR basically tearing up the city. When STARSCREAM finally "saves" the day, this new character helps to refine and create the combiner technology for future use. Basically, a semi-nod to the "Starscream's Brigade" episode of the original cartoon series.

So who is this character? Well, it's going to be a bit longer before he's revealed, but in the meantime, I'll give you his name: FLATLINE.

Updates Coming

2009-11-10T10:55:00.001-08:00

It's been far too long since I've updated this thing, but that will change soon. The script for Tales of The Fallen #6 is done. That's the one featuring Arcee, if you didn't know. It was a lot of fun to work on because of how much Arcee changed for the film. It allowed me to introduce an original character into the mix, while at the same time finishing off the Reign of Starscream storyline. It's fitting that the RoS story ends with this issue because it will also feature Alex Milne on art duties with Josh Perez doing the colors.

So what does the future hold? Unfortunately, nothing Transformers-related for me. TOTF #6 will be my last issue for the foreseeable future. But there are a few projects in the works that I might be attached to. One of which you could say would be a dream come true.

If you haven't yet, pick up Tales of The Fallen #3. It's the story featuring JETFIRE (the covers are up top) and how he managed to end up on Earth and why he chose to fight for good, rather than do those evil things like destroying planets and what not. After issue #4 is out, I'll be happy to answer any questions... just don't want to spoil anything for anyone.

Hi, I'm a Mac...

2009-06-19T22:07:00.001-07:00

...and TRANSFORMERS: ALLIANCE and TRANSFORMERS: DEFIANCE are kicking ass on the iTunes store! Yeah, yeah, it's all because of the new movie, but what's most surprising is that people seem to enjoy the format. Could this be a new door opening to comics as we know them? Who knows, but in the meantime, I'll just enjoy the stories doing well for as long as I can. Major kudos to the teams on these books (and a special shout out to Gilberto Lazcano—the guy at IDW who's been piecing these books together), without them it just isn't possible. Plus, all that delicious artwork transfers over so well! We'll just have to watch the overlapping panels in the future.

In somewhat related news, Starscream returns! Well, kind of. Just found out today that TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM is going back to press. I'm seriously stoked about that because not only is the first thing I ever wrote professionally, but it's also my favorite story. I just love that guy and have some great memories of working on that. Heh, there's some not -so-great ones, too, but we'll save those.

Matter of fact, I was toying around with the idea of getting another tattoo and having it be Starscream (movie version), but then the idea of some of his tattoos from the new movie instead was kicked around. What do you think?

NEW YORK TIMES

2009-06-12T10:03:00.001-07:00

So I found out today that both prequels are on the New York Times Best Seller list for Graphic Books (fancy speak for trade paperback). While this is absolutely because of the franchise, I wanted to take a moment and imagine that it's not and that it's really because of the great team I've been able to work with. Let's just say that it's really because of these people (in no particular order):

Josh Perez: The guy amazes me and has grown to be one of my best friends that I hardly talk to. Seriously, his talent is only matched by his passion for the franchise. What can I say? I love the guy. It's hard not to.

Alex Milne: The other third of "Team Scream," Alex continues to deliver art that blows me away. The detail, the thought that goes into the designs, it's all there. Doesn't smile as often as he should though. If I were him, I'd be grinning ear-to-ear.

Dan Khanna: This was the first time Dan and I worked together and I couldn't be more pleased. Dan took some very tight deadlines and laid out some fine work. I still remember getting that first Defiance splash page and having to pick my jaw up off of the floor. Nice job, Dan.

Andrew Griffith: I think somewhere, somehow, Andrew and I were separated at birth. We like the same music (mostly), same art styles, it's quite amazing. But for someone that is new to the comic book industry (and HATES the movie), he's done some fine work so far. Be on the lookout for him in the future I'm sure.

Don Figueroa: What can you say that hasn't been said about Don before? He's a god, a legend, and one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. It was a great honor to work with someone that I admire so much finally. The day that Denton told me Don would be doing an issue, was one of the best.

Denton J. Tipton: Last but certainly not least, Denton. I couldn't ask for a better editor (say it five times fast). When there were problems arising, Denton handled it. When things were tough for me and I was ready to walk away (back in Issue #2 of Alliance, #1 of Defiance), he was ready to talk me through it and get me back on track. And by the way, he's a hell of a storyteller, too. You'll see.

Kris Carter, John Wycough, and Andy Schmidt. Please know that every contribution you made to the projects were not only needed (as in saving our butts), but very, very appreciated. Hats off to you all and a very sincere "thank you."

And finally, Chris Ryall. Without whom none of this would have happened. Although we differ in height, I'm always looking up to him. Sorry, had to go there.

Great job,everyone!
Wow. The New York Times Best Seller list. Crazy. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

-Chris

BACK FROM BOTCON

2009-06-02T01:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a fun show. Seriously, it was the best one yet. It's always so cool to get to meet new fans and see familar faces once again. Highlights were definitely meeting Josh Van Reyk & Shaun Knowler. These two guys have been some of the most supportive and critical friends I've had. The biggest surprise for me had to have been the really nice things that people had to say to me. Hard to believe that this time last year, we were premiering Transformers: Reign of Starscream #1 at Botcon. This year, I've officially written 15 issues as of the show. What a blur last year was.

It's late here, so I'll have to continue this later. But in leaving, I'll leave you with a photo of me, Nick Roche, and Jetfire (not really Jetfire, but it's an SR-71 here in San Diego) that was taken this evening.

Homesick Alien

2009-05-26T20:57:00.001-07:00

Yeah, the title is a play on Radiohead's "Subterranean Homesick Alien," just modified for this post. This here is my first Mosaic (http://transformers-mosaic.deviantart.com/). For those of you that don't know, the Mosaics are fan-made creations of single page stories telling basically anything you want in the Transformers universe. I wrote this on the plane up to Wondercon a few weeks back, and it was an idea that I've had for a while. Cosmos, the poor little Transformer who tends to daydream. But how can you really daydream in space anyway? Regardless, he's a favorite of mine and I had a lot of fun doing this.

Andrew Griffith (http://glovestudios.deviantart.com/) completely nails the artwork and colors on this one. Seriously, he took a very horrid pencil sketch by me and turned it into this. Nice job, Andrew. Now if only we can get that Spotlight approved (yes, that's a hint for whatever arm-twisting, letter-writing, blackmail photo exploitation campaigns people want to start). I'll be at Botcon this weekend along with pretty much everyone involved in the IDW side of things. I'll be at our booth the whole time, so make sure to stop by and say hello to us. Hope to see you there.

-Chris

RANDOM UPDATE

2009-05-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

So I got the advances for the Alliance and Defiance trades and they look pretty good. There's not much by way of extras for them, but you'll find a few sketches in each, rough comps, that kind of thing. I did what I could. Either way, look for them on June 4th, but I'm going to see if we can get a few copies to Botcon, too. I'll be there the whole time, so I look forward to meeting and seeing people again. Pretty much everyone from IDW who's involved with the franchise will be there, so don't be a stranger if you're going. We have a pretty cool exclusive that will be available at the show, but I'll let one of the editors talk about that.

In single issue news, issues #3 and #4 of both Alliance and Defiance have sold out. The other issues are dwindling down and only a few are left of those. So thanks to all that bought them, and I'll post a commentary sometime after the movie is released.

Last week I finished the second script of a new project I'm involved with. Still can't say anything about it (I'm sure the info will come out any day now), but I'm very happy to be working with one of the people involved. You could say that I'm still buzzing over it.

Only a few short weeks until Botcon!

Long time...

2009-03-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it really been over two months since I posted anything? Well, I'll try to be a bit more punctual now if at all possible.

So what's been going on? Nothing other than being busy it seems. Moving to a new place here in sunny San Diego, making a trip up to Wondercon (thanks to the fans that stopped by to show their support), going to Vegas for a friend's birthday, and work in general. It's been a busy time indeed.

The "Destiny" prequels are done and have been printed. Of the two, I'm far more fond of Defiance. Something about not having certain restrictions really helps. Not that I think Alliance is bad, but it could have been much better in my opinion. Either way, it sets things up for the next movie at least, and I think you'll find that Defiance fits in to the overall universe a bit more in the final issue. They were both a lot of fun to work on and I really can't thank everyone involved enough for their hard work they put into the stories.

I'll post some info about the trade paperbacks for the two series soon. Due to cost reasons, or perhaps something else entirely, they're not as packed with materials that The Reign of Starscream trade paperback was. Not even close. But I'll do an issue-by-issue commentary on this blog in the next few days. Maybe an issue a day or something like that. Turns out that the artists really didn't have many sketches to include, either, so I guess I can honestly say that we put all that we could into them.

And for those that are interested, I just turned in the first draft of my next project. Can't say what it is yet, but I can tell you that it's Transformers-related. I also turned in my first piece for the Mosaic team, with Andrew Griffith on the art duties. More on that soon.

-Chris

DEFIANCE

2009-01-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot of posts regarding the upcoming TRANSFORMERS: DEFIANCE series and a lot of the speculation is way off. So I think it's time to finally fill everyone in.

The series takes place before the events of the first TRANSFORMERS movie. It expands on the events from the first movie and this summer's sequel. If all goes well, it'll help expand upon the movie universe and set the stage for future stories as well.

It's an origin that's a bit different. Cybertron isn't the same planet that we know. It's flourishing. Characters are working together and not killing one another. The society is based upon peace and the expansion of their knowledge. Megatron serves as the planet's protector. With his soldiers, the planet has enjoyed peace for a long time. Optimus heads up the science and construction division. He's the "blue collar" character who will eventually find himself thrust into a situation that he's never been in before. It's a different time and a very different place, but it all goes horribly wrong.

It's a very ambitious story and one that I hope people enjoy. Josh Perez will once again be doing the colors and I can't say how much I enjoy working with him. He's so full of energy and it really shows. Dan Khanna and newcomer Andrew Griffith are handling the art chores and they've been doing great. There's some awesome stuff in there. Defiance has also allowed me to work with someone I've always dreamt of working with. The one, the only.... (credit here to Denton for saying it first!)!!!! He'll fill in for the art duties on Issue #3 (due in March some time).

So there you have it. A different story for a different universe. Hopefully people like it. There'll be a 5-page preview soon, too.

Thanks for stopping by.

-Chris

ALLIANCE #2 - OUT TODAY!

2009-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that TRANSFORMERS: ALLIANCE #2 is out in stores today! This issue features a reuniting of Decepticons Starscream and Wreckage. Needless to say, one of them is going to have a very bad day.

ALLIANCE #2 PREVIEW

2009-01-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

Been really busy lately, but I wanted to post the link to a five-page preview of TRANSFORMERS: ALLIANCE #2 on the IDW forums.

Look for some info on the other "Destiny" series DEFIANCE soon.

http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=114498#114498

THE PAST AND FUTURE

2008-11-18T17:41:00.000-08:00

So tomorrow, the collected edition (what some call a trade paperback) of TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM will be released. I'm very happy with how it turned out and I was very glad to have been able to include a lot of the extra material. From Alex's detailed sketches, to the 33 character bios (written by myself, Josh Van Reyk, Shaun Knowler, and Andrew Griffith), to my commentary, it all came together pretty well. Seriously, it's $19.99, too. Cheaper if you get it online, but there you have it. So that story was in the past... now the future.

Next month will see the debut issue of the first of two prequel miniseries for TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, ALLIANCE. While the first cover has been online for a while now, here's the first peek at the wonderful cover for Issue #2. This cover was done by none other than Josh Nizzi.

Street date for Issue #1 is scheduled for December 17th. Story by me, artwork by Alex Milne, colors by Josh Perez. The issue is at the printer now and we should be posting a 5-page preview soon. The Alliance storyline takes place after the first film, during the Reign of Starscream story arc, and concludes right where the next film begins.

Keep watching the usual channels for info on the second miniseries, DEFIANCE. That info will be coming very soon, with an exclusive first look at another Josh Nizzi cover.

Thanks,
Chris

REIGN OF STARSCREAM TRADE PAPERBACK DETAILS

2008-10-25T01:21:00.000-07:00

Hello there.

Long time... no talk. Very sorry about that, but things have been busy and somewhat "complicated" if you will. There was a time where I didn't think I would ever get around to posting again. But here I am, and like that line in that Supersuckers song, it all rolled off like water off a duck's back.

So my first comic book work came and went. Thank you very much to the fans that not only enjoyed it, but those that felt the need to email and post their comments. Regardless of good or bad, your opinions were great to read and I'm happy you at least gave the series a shot. But the good thing is that reviews were overwhelmingly positive. And now, ready for release on November 19, is the collected, trade paperback version of the book. Now the listing on Amazon is wrong, and we've really packed this thing with extras. Here are the details:

• 152 pages

• Cover gallery featuring unpublished cover concepts (including an awesome Ben Templesmith one!)

• 33 character bios written by myself, Josh Van Reyk, Shaun Knowler, and Andrew Griffith

• 11 pages of never-before-seen sketches and designs by Alex Milne

• Commentary by me covering story references, easter eggs, and early draft concepts

All of this for $19.99 (and cheaper if you get it online probably)! I got my advance the other day and it really did turn out nice. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Hope to talk about the "Destiny" mini-series soon. Both of them. Stay tuned.

-Chris

REIGN OF STARSCREAM WINNERS!

2008-08-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Very sorry for the delay everyone. Things have been very, very busy lately.

The judges consisted of IDW employees, and I did not vote. I asked everyone to vote for their top 3 and a runner-up. Points were given based on their answers (4 points for First, 3 points for Second, 2 points for Third, 1 point for the Runner-Up). The entry with the most points was the winner.

But without further delay, here are the winners:

FIRST PLACE: TRUPSOR DENIS
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l122/zosan73/STARSCREAM%20CONTEST%201/DSC02511.jpg

SECOND PLACE: WARREN WRIGHT
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l122/zosan73/STARSCREAM%20CONTEST%201/StarscreamatBigBoy.jpg

THIRD PLACE: JILL PETERS
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l122/zosan73/STARSCREAM%20CONTEST%201/Contestentry.jpg

SPECIAL MERIT RUNNER-UP: DEB MARKLEY
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l122/zosan73/STARSCREAM%20CONTEST%201/Markley.jpg

Prize packs will be sent out next week!

Thanks to everyone who entered. There were a lot of votes and the judges thought it was very hard to pick their favorites. Great job and hopefully we can get another contest around the time of the trade paperback's release.

Thanks again and thanks for reading the story!

-Chris

REIGN OF STARSCREAM CONTEST WINNERS....

2008-08-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

...will have to wait another day or two.

I'm really, really sorry, but I've been swamped lately. Working on new projects, working in general, and dealing with some other stuff. I've got all of the votes in and just need to tally them.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone that entered. There are definitely some very talented and funny people out there. Even the judges repeatedly said that it was very cool to see so many creative people and how it was tough to nail down their favorites.

So nice job everyone. I promise that we'll get the winners posted today or tomorrow.

And here's proof that there's signed books! That's me, Josh Perez, and Alex Milne signing them at Comic-Con.

REIGN OF STARSCREAM CONTEST - ENDS TONIGHT!!!

2008-07-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the contest ends tonight at 9pm PST!

Thanks for all of the entries so far, there's some very talented and funny people out there!

Winners will be announced on the day that Issue #4 is released... AUGUST 13th!

Thanks and good luck!

-Chris

ISSUE #5 - APPROVED TO PRINT

2008-07-21T21:44:00.001-07:00

Issue #5 was approved to print today. Not sure what the in-store date will be, but I'm sure I'll find it out sometime in the next week or two.

Thanks to everyone who's been following the series, and especially those that have taken the time to give their comments on it. I don't think you'll be disappointed in how it all "ends."

Speaking of things that are days away, it's Comic Con time again. This year I'll be working the IDW booth Wednesday night through Friday. Feel free to stop by and chat. Also, be sure to check out IDW's Transformers panel on Friday at 4pm. There'll be A LOT of surprises in store.

Thanks again!
Chris

THANKS NERCM.COM!

2008-07-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

RECOMMENDED READING!!!

Just wanted to share a cool review I found tonight with everyone.

http://www.nercm.com/2008/07/recommended-reading-2/

REIGN OF STARSCREAM - CONTEST #1

2008-07-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

We all know that Starscream escaped being captured by Sector Seven. But what if he never made it into space? Where on Earth would he have gone to?

So that's the contest! Send me your photos of Starscream (in toy form... any version) visiting somewhere on our planet. Would he go back to Ohio to seek out the fembots of Botcon? Would he be hiding at a local coffee shop? Finally learning about human physiology at the beach with Barricade? Of course, he wouldn't travel far without a copy of his comic book, now would he? IT'S UP TO YOU!!!

The Deadline for the contest is July 31st.

Simply send your photo to this email address: zosan73@yahoo.com and use the subject line STARSCREAM CONTEST.

After the contest closes, a panel of judges (from IDW) will select the winner and two runner-ups (Honorable Mentions). For this first contest, the winners will receive:

FIRST PLACE:
The ORIGINAL proofs and editing materials (lettering guides, script, revisions, etc.) for REIGN OF STARSCREAM #1. These materials include dialog and layout changes never-before-seen. The winner will also receive copies of Issues #1, #2, and #3, along with the scripts for those issues. The issues will be signed by myself, Alex Milne, Josh Perez, and Denton Tipton.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Honorable Mention winners will receive copies of Issues #1, #2, and #3, as well as a copy of the scripts for those issues. Signed, of course.

So get out there with your toys and comics and take some pictures!!!

For example, here's one of him admiring my designs in the TRANSFORMERS: PREMIERE EDITION VOLUME 1.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

RULES:

• One entry per person (entries must include your full name).

• Toys should be in the movie style and can include the FAB and Robot Heroes, too. If you don't have one, any version of Starscream will do. You can use other toys if the scene allows it, but Starscream MUST be the focal point. He'd have it no other way.

• Be creative and HAVE FUN!

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #3 - EXCLUSIVE REVIEW

2008-07-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

User ENERGON has been kind enough to post her exclusive review of Issue #3 on the Seibertron.com forums.

Here's the link:
http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=41914

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #4 - APPROVED TO PRINT

2008-07-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update for you regarding Reign of Starscream #4. It was approved to print today by Hasbro and sent out to our printer in Korea. Can't guess at an in-store date just yet, but we should find out soon. First two weeks in August is what I'd say.

Oh, and this panel is from that issue. Enjoy.

THANKS, PAPERBACK READER!

2008-07-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

Great review of Issue #2 of "Reign of Starscream" on Paperbackreader.com I wanted to share. It's great to see that they "get it" and are excited for the rest of the series.

There's also a nice review of Tom Waltz's final issue of "Silent Hill: Sinner's Reward" on there, too.

www.paperbackreader.com/newcolumn2.php?ColumnID=642

LIVE TO SERVE HIM

2008-07-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

Way back when Reign of Starscream first started moving forward, I wanted to somehow get a viral marketing campaign going to help promote the book. There was a website that I had (www.livetoservehim.com, doesn't work now, though) that I would post clues and have people track down artwork, exclusives, things of that nature. But you'll remember that in the movie, "I live to serve you, Lord Megatron" was one of the two (d'oh!) lines that Starscream had.

But because with most things (simply not enough time) we had to scrap it. What was funny is that here in the States, 2008 is an election year. At IDW, we've got this series that focuses on Starscream and then All Hail Megatron. So the thought was that we'd be able to have these two characters and people could vote throughout the year on who their favorite Decepticon leader would be. At the end, that character would get some kind of exclusive artwork or something along those lines.

Either way, this was one of the "teaser" images that I was going to have around. Thinking that someone might type those words into a browser, find the site, solve the puzzles, blah, blah, blah.

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #3 - PREVIEW

2008-06-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

Finally, here's a 5-page preview for Issue #3. As you recall, at the end of Issue #2, Starscream and Thundercracker are reunited at the Decepticon camp on Mars. Starscream was weakened from his exploits on Earth, but was slowly recovering. Much to their amazement, a group of Autobots had been patrolling the planet and had been alerted to their location.

ISSUE #4 COVER

2008-06-25T00:23:00.001-07:00

Wow, he might have actually done it! Can't really say much more about this cover than AWESOME. Alex really nailed all of the details of this scene, and Josh really added to the mood of it. Great job (as usual) by them both. All of this, and we don't even have a 5-page preview for Issue #3, yet!

Have to give a big thanks to everyone that has been reading the book and passing on their comments to me. I'm glad to hear that so many of you are enjoying it, and there's so much more on the horizon.

I won't post anything that happens in #4 just yet. After all, we have to get through Issue #3!

TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM #4
Art by Alex Milne • Colors by Josh Perez • Words by Me

ISSUE #3

2008-06-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

IN STORES JULY 16.

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #3 - COVER

2008-06-08T10:37:00.001-07:00

Cover Art by Alex Milne
Cover Colors by Espen Grundetjern

Wanted to share the cover to the third issue of the book with everyone. In this issue, Arcee and her combat team (consisting of Air Raid, Cliffjumper, Smokescreen, and Camshaft) launch their offensive on the Decepticon assault ship on Mars. Little do they know however, that Starscream is not alone.

This one is going to be a bit late. Not sure of an exact in-store date, but sometime in mid-late July is what I'd guess at. The other issues are on the fast track though, so the series will wrap up at the originally scheduled time. I'd really like to thank Josh Perez for absolutely kicking ass on this book and helping us out when we really needed some help. Thanks, too, to Alex for doing another fantastic job with the art.

REIGN OF STARSCREAM: TIME FRAME

2008-06-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

I've been asked before about when the Reign of Starscream story takes place. So, being one to enjoy talking about such things, I'll expand upon that now if I may.

Issue #1: All of the events lead up to the movie, right up to where Frenzy locates Megatron and the roll call happens.

MOVIE: Megatron is freed, acts like a selfish jerk. Starscream is fighting the jets. Sam kills Megatron.

Issue #1 (pg17)-5: Starscream pauses to think about what happened, gets hit by another missile from a new squadron of jets, goes into the remainder of the story.

Now, in my mind the film ends when Bumblebee talks. Keller is giving the press conference about disposing of the aliens and disbanding Sector Seven. This (again, in my opinion) is happening after the events of RoS, as these things would take some time to occur.

Maybe later I can elaborate more upon what Sector Seven may have been doing during that time and how Starscream ends up going into space—from Earth—in that final shot during the closing credits.

REIGN OF STARSCREAM #2 - ON SALE TODAY!

2008-06-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Just a friendly reminder that TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM #2 is on sale today!

In this issue, Starscream makes it back to Hoover Dam to recover the remains of Frenzy. Waiting for him though, are the enforcement arm of Sector Seven (you know, that shadowy, uber-secret division of the government), and they're determined to capture him. Let's just say that things won't bode well for them... or their squad leader, Agent Salazar. And yes, that's Landmine on the truck's trailer.

Art by Alex Milne • Colors by Josh Perez • Edits by Denton J. Tipton • Words by me

R.I.P. - King Kong: The Ride (1986-2008)

2008-06-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that most everyone has heard about the fire that devastated a number of buildings in the Universal Studios lot on Sunday. In addition to some of the sets that were used in countless films, some of the film archives were destroyed, too. What really sucks for me, given my love of giant monster movies, was that the "King Kong: The Ride" attraction was destroyed. Hopefully they'll rebuild the attraction, or an updated one based off of Peter Jackson's film. Maybe one where you're on a raft or something could be cool. So while I'm off to dream of V. Rexes and Skull Island, take a moment to remember what is no longer with us.

Oh, how I'll miss that banana breath.

TF: ROS #4 - Script Fixes

2008-05-25T01:29:00.000-07:00

Had a great night tonight. Went to Ben and Lorelei's for L's birthday bbq extravaganza, which was filled with great food, great drink, and great friends. Once I got home, I felt like doing some polishing of the Issue #4 script.

Mostly dealing with moving the story from the "TF meets SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" action in Issue #3 (and that quote was from Hasbro, btw), to the big finish of Issue #5. There's a lot of new characters to introduce that will play a big role in the last act of the series, so I think there's room to improve a bit for the script to accommodate their roles.

That's it for tonight, but I'll be posting a bit more regarding the finer details of the story. You know, those things that can't quite fit into 22 pages.

-Chris

TF: ROS #5 - Underway

2008-05-23T02:45:00.001-07:00

That's TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM by the way.

I'm not sure how Simon Furman does it, or Peter David, or anyone for that matter. Who finds the time to write? Most of the work for ROS was done in the wee hours of the morning, with a quiet house and lots of Cure and Radiohead in the background. In addition to that, I've just finished another semester of school. Finished it at 2:11am, actually. But now that it's over, issue #5 is underway.

Since nobody (well, almost nobody) has seen issues #2-4 yet, there's a lot in store. The return trip to Cybertron, a brief stop on Mars, and lots of new characters never seen before in the movie style. Issue #5 is the last issue of the series, but it won't disappoint. There's going to be a lot of action in this one. More so than any other issue, I think.

-Chris

Beware! The Blog

2008-05-23T02:31:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that title was a nod to the Blob. Probably one of the cooler movie monsters out there, well barring Godzilla and the mighty Kong, of course.

So I finally got off of my butt and decided to throw this thing together. Probably looks very thrown together, too, but on to other things...

In addition to talking about how things are going with my book, TRANSFORMERS: THE REIGN OF STARSCREAM, I'll be talking about pretty much anything that inspires me enough to write about it, and in turn, hopefully talking to you about it as well.

But I'll be adding the usual amount of work-related stuff to this page that my co-workers, Chris Ryall and Denton Tipton do. In fact, I might be adding a bit more.

-Chris