2018 Masterforce TF Nation fanzine

[Fortmax2020]

A Pretenders theme should also include suitable nods to their MasterFORCE interpretations as well. And it should go the other way. A Masterforce theme should include coverage of the 'Traditional' Marvel/Hasbro version to serve as a hook for those not familiar with MF. Could be an interesting article in there itself.

[Gav]

I'm a sucker for Masterforce so that's my vote. I think you've done really well with more obscure things like Rock Lords and Masterforce (to me at least) is the most visually interesting. It also already has a butt-ton of Pretender stuff in it.

[The Huff]

It's definitely between Masterforce & Pretenders. I think perhaps a poll in needed to decide between the two.

(Although I think Matt M wants to do Masterforce, and as it's mostly his hard work that makes these things happen, he should decide).

[Pinwig]

Do both with a different cover front and back? Although that wouldn't work so well with the dual shell/robot cover idea which is much better.

[Jim]

Initial and final pages = Pretenders
Middle pages = Masterforce

?

-Jim

[Fortmax2020]

One theme better or it will loose coherence and flow.

[Gav]

I feel like you can showcase Pretenders within a Masterforce 'zine, since they play a big part in that series. It'd seem natural.

If you did a Pretenders 'zine, you'd be kinda restricted thematically to only focus on the Masterforce Pretenders and everything else would take a back seat, which would be a shame.

I'm hugely biased towards Masterforce in all TF Media though, haha.

[Philip Ayres]

I think it might be doable if you get the overall narrative of the zine right.

Possibly something in the middle looking at Pretenders in Masterforce, the Japanese toys and Metal Hawk to transition between the two halves?

[Benn]

I think Masterforce the way to go. People know about Pretenders, the novelty/niche isn't there. It's with Masterforce, which most Westerners only know about vaguely from Metalhawk and Overlord.

You can tab in with "You may recognise Blood, Diver... etc from their western versions..." but use that as an intro, not a segue halfway through when it looks like you've run out ideas.

[blueshift]

Aug 24, 2017 16:17:54 GMT Benn said:

I think Masterforce the way to go. People know about Pretenders, the novelty/niche isn't there. It's with Masterforce, which most Westerners only know about vaguely from Metalhawk and Overlord.

How can I argue with the Dayman? MASTERFORCE it is!

I'll write up a post with the concept and details and what we need in the next few days!

[Pinwig]

MAH-TAH FORTS!

[Fortmax2020]

I hope the cover will come with movable searchlights over the title.

[Gav]

One of those 90's covers that splits down the middle - Overlord in the centre - when you open the cover, his chest is open revealing Mega & Giga. They'll fly off the shelves. Each book will cost £56 to print.

[Pinwig]

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S PRETENDER.

[blueshift]

Okay guys, as decided by YOU THE PEOPLE, we're doing MASTERFORCE!

Masterforce is the best Transformers series, it's got a lot of characters people know but at the same time a lot of people only vaguely know of it! Good opportunity!

Ethos: Fun and informative like our previous two fanzines. Family friendly - there will be kids at the convention, so no articles full of swearing or violence!
2016: Rock Lords - goo.gl/Su4Usf
2017: Armada - goo.gl/e1f5FE


Deadline:
Okay, let's say end of January again. Even though everyone went way over!
Reason I say this is for two reasons:
i) It takes a really long time to pull and edit everything together and I keep nearly killing myself sorting it out every year with stuff coming up to the wire. I mean you honestly wouldn't believe the lack of sleep involved!
ii) Big restructure at work in winter, so I'd rather start dumping cash into this whilst I can definitely afford it!


Who gets to do what?
First come first served. Let me know so I can co-ordinate, and be realistic with what you can achieve / by when


Current contributions (check here first!!!)

• Cover - Turnbull sorting
• Bits of art - Urzu
• Something on Stardub - Sensational (chap I know elsewhere) - DONE
• Some writing about Turtler - DV (guy who did the Rock Roller profile, yaay)
• Seacon art- Gav
• GET ON GOD HEAD ON (I have no idea what this is, neither does Arc)- Arcanium
• Something explanatory on Pretenders/Godmasters 'in' universe - Fortmax 2002
• Decepticon Pretenders art - Matt D
• Comic - Matt Dallas (maybe?)
• Badges - Gav
• Fiction - story about the boat from ep 1?? - Ralph
• Manga article - Chris McFeely
• First time viewer article - Jim - DRAFTED
• Metaphysics of Masterforce - Karl
• Decepticon human group art - Nate Hammond

Format:
28 pages black and white, colour cover
NOW, here's the thing - looks like printing prices have come down enough that I might be able to print the whole lot in colour and ready-bound for the cost that it takes to do by hand, plus less effort. But I know you all like the hand-made approach! Something to look into... but for now it's black and white (and no massive black blocks please, that's a great way to increase my ink cost!!


Cover
I really like the idea of doing a 'pretender shell' cover with an image printed on an envelope, though looks like the original quotes I got were lowballed, it'd actually cost like... £60 for full printed envelopes! Maybe I can get some A5 prints done and paste them onto the front for cheaper?

ANYWAY maybe this is also a good collaborative idea between two artists? The current concept is one scene with everyone in human form (this could include Pretenders, Headmasters and Godmasters) and one identical scene with everyone in robot mode. Maybe something homaging the Justice League International #1 cover (or MTMTE #1 to you heathens?)

Even if I fail miserably, we can always put one on the front and one on the back/inside cover.

What I would ask is if the cover could be done early-ish to allow time for me to work out printing options/experiment


Name:
No idea, any suggestions?


Badges:
Badges would be fun again! Anyone up for designing a selection (thinking we need to cover the characters people would be interested in, ie Overlord, Ginrai, Seacons, Metalhawk etc. No limit to the number of designs but eh, 6-10 is a good number I guess.


Other stuff?
If we go the envelope route, maybe we can put some little cheapo gift things inside, like uh, a bookmark. I don't know. It'd have to be cheap though. This could end up costly and it depends how deep my pockets are! Any ideas welcome!
Maybe we could make some Masterforce bracelets out of a bit of laminated card and thread?


Internal contents:

• Colour art: two pieces, one for the back, one for the inside back cover (if I can sort out doing the whole thing colour then we can revisit, but for the moment that's what it's at!)
• General Masterforce guide/explanation (I can do this!)
• Toy guide?
• Comic?
• Letters page?
• Fun activities?
• Drawings?
• Some specific stuff about Pretenders/Godmasters/Headmasters in and out of universe?
• Maybe something on how Pretenders have been used over the years?
• History of Gold Plastic Syndrome?
• Sea-sea-seacons?
• Anyone got a copy of the Masterforce Manga to review?
• Bogatan could talk about his experience of owning a Metalhawk/tracking down all those Japanese figures generally?
• Character profiles?

Length?
Submissions should be three pages max. If it's this length it'll need pictures too, I want to avoid big blocks of text. If your submission is a big block of text, let us know and we'll try to pair you up with an artist!

A page of text is around 550 words.


BLUESHIFT WHAT IS THIS RUBBISH I DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT
Yes you do! Tut tut.
DVD set is about £20 on ebay still. There's some fandubs about - these are all awful, avoid them!

There are lots of characters you know including:

• Overlord
• God Ginrai (Powermaster Optimus Prime to us)
• Year 1 Pretenders
• Metalhawk
• Headmaster Jrs (The year 2 Headmasters)
• Sixknight (Japanese Quickswitch)
• Sea-Sea-Seacon
• Grand Maximus (Fort Max's brother who has a PRETENDER SHELL)
• Powermasters (including that naughty Getaway but he is cool here )
• Black Zarak (Scorponok repaint that crumbles to gold dust if you glance at him)
• Devil-Z!!!!

Remember YOU TOO CAN USE THE MASTERFORCE TO TRANSFORM!

[Gav]

Happy to help however I can. I will call dibs on Seacons though, haha. Need any help otherwise I'm down for whatever

[Pinwig]

I will ponder. Despite having watched Masterforce a couple of years ago I don't know it or its mythology very well, but I'll absolutely do something.

[Andy Turnbull]

Matt I twitter dm'd you!

Andy

[Fortmax2020]

I could write something explanatory on Pretenders/Godmasters 'in' universe as it were.

And some character profiles as need be.

[Fortmax2020]

If the envelope idea is a no go we could just do humans on front cover and robot version on the rear. Might be easier for folk to keep them together as well rather than losing the envelope over time.

[arcainum]

I don't know what I'm doing yet but I bagsy the title "GET ON GOD HEAD ON"

[Pinwig]

How about a sleeve rather than an envelope? Then it'd be an A4 print wraparound secured with a sticky label dot on the back.

[blueshift]

Aug 26, 2017 21:27:31 GMT Pinwig said:

How about a sleeve rather than an envelope? Then it'd be an A4 print wraparound secured with a sticky label dot on the back.

Just measured. The fanzines are A5, so A4 in half would be too small unless I trimmed them a lot more! Which I guess I could do...

[Kingoji]

Title suggestion: "Super, Great, Masterful"?

[Andy Turnbull]

THE COVER IS IN HAND.

Although I will be press-ganging some of you to pitch in. Matt and I have been dm'ing about it.

Andy

[Pinwig]

Aug 26, 2017 21:30:36 GMT blueshift said:

Aug 26, 2017 21:27:31 GMT Pinwig said:

How about a sleeve rather than an envelope? Then it'd be an A4 print wraparound secured with a sticky label dot on the back.

Just measured. The fanzines are A5, so A4 in half would be too small unless I trimmed them a lot more! Which I guess I could do...

Doh, course, sorry. US letter size is a bit longer.

[Jim]

Oh wow, though the cover is already in-hand, I had the exact same idea as Blueshift when it comes to homaging JLI #1, I even sketched some ideas! The image of these human heads mixed with Skullgrin / Bludgeon / Octopunch et al tickled me.

I am going to hold off claiming anything because starting tomorrow I am tearing the plastic from my Masterforce box set and finally starting to watch it! I will take notes, and maybe post a bit in the Masterforce thread.

-Jim

[inflatabledalek]

*Has a Think*


...


Something about being a western fan in the early-noughties first discovering Masterforce (and the other two) via bootleg DVDs of the Star TV dub? And then journey I think a lot of people who first saw the show that way went on of "This is shit, but all the more experienced fans online say it is good and only the dub ruins it" through "30 episodes in and the dub is actually brillaint" through "An official DVD! With proper professional subtitles! Now the true majesty of this show will be revealed... Ohhh, it's more shit than with the dub" into "Blueshift has told me to end this with a paragraph about how Masterforce is really great regardless of dubbing".

[Benn]

I will start on drawing random bits and bobs at the moment, if that's cool? Spitball some writing ideas, see if anything sticks with me long enough to write a page or two.

[blueshift]

Aug 27, 2017 3:07:08 GMT inflatabledalek said:

*Has a Think*


...


Something about being a western fan in the early-noughties first discovering Masterforce (and the other two) via bootleg DVDs of the Star TV dub? And then journey I think a lot of people who first saw the show that way went on of "This is shit, but all the more experienced fans online say it is good and only the dub ruins it" through "30 episodes in and the dub is actually brillaint" through "An official DVD! With proper professional subtitles! Now the true majesty of this show will be revealed... Ohhh, it's more shit than with the dub" into "Blueshift has told me to end this with a paragraph about how Masterforce is really great regardless of dubbing".

Ha ha ha. You know very well that's the story of the Victory experience!!

But seriously some sort of 'fan journey' thing would be interesting