AND THEN THERE WERE NINE...

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.