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Post by Bogatan on Sept 26, 2009 15:02:08 GMT
Hmm, love, christmas, multiple storylines in different settings. This sounds like Love Actually with robots.
Martin, I like your idea, but while I know that Marvel is TMUK core storytelling universe not making use of modern characters seems a shame. Even if its just characters from other line introduced into TMUK stories. There are characters from RID through Animated that are too much fun to ignore. But then I wont be writing anything so really its about what the writers feel comfortable with.
Andy
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Rich
Protoform
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Post by Rich on Sept 26, 2009 15:21:57 GMT
By'new' I don't necessarily mean 'big', although I also don't necessarily not mean big as well.
If that makes any sense.
I think TMUK needs a non-knowing, non-ironic, story-driven direction where the reader's entertainment is all, which enthuses the members to create similar stories in the way that other stories have in the past. Maybe that's not possible any more, or maybe nobody else wants that, but that's what I'd like.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 26, 2009 17:57:19 GMT
Martin, I like your idea, but while I know that Marvel is TMUK core storytelling universe not making use of modern characters seems a shame. Even if its just characters from other line introduced into TMUK stories. There are characters from RID through Animated that are too much fun to ignore. No reason that TFs not seen in the Marvel comics can't exist in the Marvel comics universe. But, as a general rule in storytelling, new characters should justify their introduction by bringing something original that wasn't there in characters you already had, i.e. they should fill a niche that was previously empty. Most TFs shoehorned into the Marvel comics by Hasbro were redundant in the sense that existing characters could have filled the role just as well, so their introduction harmed rather than enriched the storyline because it stopped characters getting fully developed. A minority added something new and enriched the universe. With every new iteration of TFs, it's harder and harder to be original. Maybe there are some characters in recent lines who add something new that all previous characters lacked. I don't know, 'cos generally I don't follow them any more. Agree with Rich that there's been too much knowing irony stuff. (I think it started with Beast Wars.) But that's the way kids' entertainment in general has gone. Martin |
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 26, 2009 19:56:45 GMT
The number of variations of TF seems to be making for increasingly shallow storytelling, which retreads old ground again and again. Yes indeed. Well, the TMUK universe has done the big events to death - we've done gods and aliens and empires and origins and deaths and resurrections and new generations and worlds ending and what-not. What I think TMUK hasn't done enough of (and I am as guilty of this as anyone) is good solid robots-in-disguise-amongst-us stories. The very first TF annual had a good story of this type, called 'Missing in Action', in which an injured Tracks was commandeered as a getaway car by some bank robbers. You can read it here. Budiansky did quite a bit of this stuff in his run. But TMUK, generally speaking, has ignored the core concept. It would be a nice change of pace from all the galaxy-spanning stuff if TMUK did a fan special consisting of a mixture of standalone text and strip stories (in the Marvel continuity, but without strong ties to the larger story arcs) all set on Earth and featuring only Transformers with Earth disguises, using their disguise modes to the full to fight their secret war in our midst. I'm not saying it would all have to be 1984-5-based - the stories could be set in any time period in the Marvel TF universe and feature any TFs with Earth disguises (Constructicons, Stunticons, Throttlebots, Micromasters, down-sized Pretenders and Pretender Beasts, whoever). Thoughts? Martin It's an intriguing idea, and one that Ralph, Karl and I have batted about somewhere and it does have legs. I'll elaborate in another thread as I think a one-off special might be a little cramped. I also have some art related to it. Andy |
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 26, 2009 20:02:03 GMT
A multi-generational christmas special would be relatively easy to do. The stories themselves can be as separate as they need to be. We already have an excellent framing device/character at our disposal and we could also squeeze in the Waspinator as Santa without doing too much.
Mirage in the hands of Martin evolved into The Storyteller. Using his holographic capabilities he spoke to the Maximals and Predacons and told them tales of the great war. He could be sitting amongst them post Beast Machines but pre Graham destroys them all as humanity is about to come back. Someone asks what's so good about humanity and what have they ever done to the Transformers except get in the way. Mirage gently chides them and tells them that is true, but they have this strange thing called Christmas....
Queue everybody's short stories
Cut back at the end to Waspinator as he was at the end of BM, Thrust head on the Waspinator body buzzing around and Mirage looking at him, nodding and then turning back and telling the audience about what Christmas means to Waspinator and the camera pulls away before he tells them of Waspinator.
Christmas special ends.
Andy
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 26, 2009 20:19:05 GMT
Mirage was Storyteller on the real Cybertron, ruled by Shokaract.
Graham's stuff and Beast Machines are set on the fake Cybertron (Earth).
Easy to get 'em confused, since they both have Maximals and Predacons running around on them in the future.
Martin
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 26, 2009 20:21:30 GMT
No reason Mirage can't have travelled there. Particularly if he might know what impending doom could befall them. Perhaps a kindness on his part and make it part of why he is there.
Andy
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 26, 2009 20:27:10 GMT
Fair enough.  Martin |
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Post by charlesrocketboy on Sept 26, 2009 20:32:29 GMT
Alternatively, Waspinator crosses to the Shokaract Cybertron. It just seems you could get both comedy and drama out of post-BM Waspy trying to deliver pressies which he can barely lift across a oppressed gun-covered dystopia.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 26, 2009 20:35:33 GMT
Alternatively, Waspinator crosses to the Shokaract Cybertron. It just seems you could get both comedy and drama out of post-BM Waspy trying to deliver pressies which he can barely lift across a oppressed gun-covered dystopia. To be honest a long story with that I don't think would have anywhere near the impact a shorter one would have. Always leave em wanting more! Andy |
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Post by charlesrocketboy on Sept 26, 2009 22:58:48 GMT
Meant it as an end story rather than the whole thing!
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Post by charlesrocketboy on Sept 26, 2009 23:11:12 GMT
If we wanted to do small scale robots-in-disguise stuff, wouldn't the films make more sense for this? You've got the Real Gear guys turning into electronic kit, vending machine robots, Appliancebots, the regular car/jet guys... |
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Sept 27, 2009 6:34:12 GMT
I think you're right, Charles, an ROTF annual would have huge potential for aleins-hidden-in-our-midst stories. But too many people here seem to dislike the film itself so much that they wouldn't want to write in its universe, so setting it in Marvel would probably get more writers on board.
But there's nothing to stop people writing ROTF toys into the Marvel comics universe, particularly if they turn into things that nothing before turned into (such as toasters).
Martin
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 27, 2009 10:12:55 GMT
There already was a toaster in Marvel TF. You see it on on Ark scanner in flashback in 'Cold Comfort and Joy'. The toaster is also glimpsed amongst the piles of TF's Galvatron stands on on the cover of #205.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Sept 27, 2009 21:49:38 GMT
Meant it as an end story rather than the whole thing! It's certainly make for a nice light hearted ending. Andy |
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