Transformers Comics: Post Dreamwave

Well, it was a fun ride while it lasted but now Dreamwave is no more. Fortunately, we won't have to wait several years to get our fix of Transformers comics. As we speak (well, probably not as I speak since it's 4 am over at Casa de Smooth) Hasbro is talking with other publishers about the Transformers comic book license. Speculation runs rampant and the rumor mill begins turning, who's going to have the license?


DC? Probably not. Why? Because DC has never had anything to do with Transformers in the 21 year history of the brand. Sure, they might try something new, but this is the company that kept us waiting nearly 60 years for Lois and Clark to tie the knot!
Marvel? Perhaps. They did have great luck for a couple years back in the 80's with The Transformers. They also had terrible luck with them in the 90's. Marvel big-shot Joe Quesada has said that he'd be interested. Quesada's "Daredevil: Father" is currently even later than any Dreamwave Transformers book had ever been, so if Hasbro wants to continue Dreamwave's tradition, Marvel could be a place to start.


Image? Say it with me, Transformers Volume 4 issue 1 Todd McFarlane incentive cover. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?


Dream Engine? The new company that's owned by Pat Lee's brother, Roger. It seems to me that this would be like shooting yourself in the foot then thinking that maybe shooting yourself in the other foot wouldn't be so bad. Sure, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but nor does releasing three parts of a combiner several months before the other two.


Wildfur? Simon Furman and Andrew Wildman had their second War Within title butchered both art and storyline wise by Dreamwave; could we see these two writing and drawing Transformers the way they damn-well should be? No. It's not gonna happen.


Devil's Due? The company that's making a go of the GI:Joe license has already put out 10 different Transformers-related comics in the past year or so. It would not shock me if Devil's Due snagged the license and hired James and Adam to write while actually paying guys like Joe and Don to fill pencil their stories. It would also not surprise me if they also brought in Simon Furman to continue his run on Energon/Cybertron.


Whatever happens, I'm sure that I'm not alone in hoping that everyone who contributed to Dreamwave's run with the Transformers license, as well as those who worked on DW's other titles (Yes, they existed) the best of luck in the future. While it's a shame that we might not get many Transformers books in 2005, at least we won't have to keep watching Pat Lee draw Optimus Prime with huge robot breasts!

Credit(s): Every message board, news group, and e-mail you've ever heard of. Yes. Even that one.