­­Titan Publications have sent out the following press release regarding the 25 years of Transformers

­25 years of Transformers comic!

Simon Furman, one of the best known Transformers comic writers, tells Totalscifionline.com why Transformers has remained so popular over the past 25 years

From the classic 80s versions of the characters to Beast Wars to the movie universe and beyond, Transformers is always keeping pace with each successive generation of kids, and many of those kids stay engrossed and excited by Transformers all the way into adulthood. Why? Because of the amount of detailed and loving background work and story content that goes into each reinvention, both from Hasbro and the creators involved in comics, animation and movies. There's a real three-dimensional nature to both the characters and the world(s) they inhabit. ­

Back when we doing the UK Transformers comic in the 80s, my approach was never to write down to kids or pull punches with the nature and reach of the stories we were telling. Our audience responded very positively to that, and it's another part of why, I think, those young fans kept reading, watching and enjoying Transformers as they grew up. I still try bring those 'adult' sensibilities to my Transformers work today, because the movies have brought another new generation of kids into the fold and my aim is to keep them reading!"

Source:
http://totalscifionline.com/news/3475-25-years-of-transformers-comic

Thanks to Simon Furman for submitting timely reminder that he will be in London this weekend at Forbidden Planet doing some signings. 

"Just a sneaky reminder that I'll be at London's Forbidden Planet Megastore this coming Saturday (25th April) between 1-2PM, ostensibly signing Torchwood graphic novels but in reality signing anything anyone wants signed (within reason). So, if you're in the area, pop down and get your copies of Maximum Dinobots (or whatever) signed. Be great to see/chat to one and all.

Cheers

Simon Furman"

IDW's Chris Ryall has updated his blog with an image and a bit of information for the upcoming Transformers Spotlight Metroplex comic.

The preview image contain one frame which spans two pages.

Simon Furman posted a new blog entry yesterday regarding his 2009 signing / convention schedule.  Visit his blog for the full entry or read the quote below for a rough idea.

"The ‘when’ is Saturday, April 25th (from 1-2PM or thereabouts). For more details, check out FP’s signing schedule here, and don’t feel too limited by the Torchwood tag. If you can make it along, I’ll be happy to sign copies of Transformers, Terminator or whatever else you care to thrust under my nose (within limits!). After that, it’s to Bristol for Comics Expo on May 9th, then onwards to Derry in June and the San Diego Comicon in July. More details, right here, on all those (and probably more) nearer the time or as they get firmed up!"

Makoto Ono has posted lineart from Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part 3 from Titan Magazine Transformers Issue 11

The lineart starts from page 1 of Starscream versus Elita and Autobots, to Bumblebee versus Megatron, to Ironhide and Ratchet versus Bonecrusher and a bunch of clones!

Start from page 1 here and don't forget to scope out the rest of Makoto's gallery!

We received our copy of Transformers Animated issue 3 today from Titan Magazines.  The comic contains two stories as usual an introduces another new character, Crossroads.   Crossroads is a human super villain character, whom the Autobots send Prowl, Bulkhead and Afterburn after him.

The story uses an interesting "focus" technique in some of the frames, which works well, and the colouring of Jason Cardy is top notch (as always).  The drawings, by TFA artist John McCrea follow the previous issues, and there is still something odd about the way Afterburn is drawn.  The style is unique to the UK Transformers Animated comic, giving it it's own style.

Issue 3 of the UK Transformers Animated Comic is released UK wide tomorrow.

Jim Sorenson has updated his blog with another design sheet that did not make it into the The Ark Addendum.  This time it is for a background model of the Quantum Compound.

"In honor of Iván's nifty Day of the Machines movie poster, I bring you The Ark Addendum: Day of the Machines. It features some of the background models from that episode. The Quantum Compound, home to Quantum Laboratories, is where TORQ III resides. It's defenses proved woefully inadequate against Megatron. Once Megatron overwrote TORQ III 's personality with his own, he was able to use it to take command of machines remotely. Given the Decepticon's omnipresent need for energon, he took control of many oil tankers and directed them to a Cybertronian oil base."

Simon Furman has updated his blog with information on Maximum Binobots, a five part story on everyone's favoritie transforming dinosaurs.

Out this week, Wednesday December 10th in the US, 11th in the UK, is the first issue (of five) of Maximum Dinobots, the no-holds barred return of Grimlock, Sludge, Slag, Snarl and Swoop. Plus Scorponok, Sunstreaker, Hot Rod, Headmasters and more! And though issue #1 picks up on story strands laid in various Spotlights and Escalation/Devastation, this one kicks off from the ground level, bringing the five Dinobots—last seen together way back in Spotlight Shockwave—back together again in a raging battle-filled storyline that pulls no punches. Featuring Nick Roche’s amazing art and Josh Burcham’s scintillating colours, Maximum Dinobots is just a must-have. We confidently predict a roaring success! Click on the thumbnail below for a look at #1’s cover and check out the IDW website here for more news on upcoming Transformers comics releases.

Transformers guru Simon Furman has updated his blog with a new post regarding the out-tomorrow Maximum Dinobots issue one comic from IDW.  The post contains the cover art for the issue (which you can find on his blog), but you can read the text below. 

"Out this week, Wednesday December 10th in the US, 11th in the UK, is the first issue (of five) of Maximum Dinobots, the no-holds barred return of Grimlock, Sludge, Slag, Snarl and Swoop. Plus Scorponok, Sunstreaker, Hot Rod, Headmasters and more! And though issue #1 picks up on story strands laid in various Spotlights and Escalation/Devastation, this one kicks off from the ground level, bringing the five Dinobots—last seen together way back in Spotlight Shockwave—back together again in a raging battle-filled storyline that pulls no punches. Featuring Nick Roche’s amazing art and Josh Burcham’s scintillating colours, Maximum Dinobots is just a must-have. We confidently predict a roaring success! Click on the thumbnail below for a look at #1’s cover and check out the IDW website here for more news on upcoming Transformers comics releases."

Simon Furman has published his answers to the latest batch of 20 questions raised to him on the IDW boards. You can view the first 15 questions on the IDW forum and the last 5 on his message board, as well as below.

Seibertron.com have a nice summary of the Transformers comics released this week.

This week sees the release of a Trade Paperback, reprints of the transformers Animated Cinemanga, and a reprint of Spotlight Prime that comes in 3 Dimensions.

The full release listing is as follows:
- Transformers: Reign of Starscream TPB, which is packed with extras.
- Transformers: Animated Vol. 1 [3rd printing]
- Transformers: Animated Vol. 3 [2nd printing]
- Transformers: Animated Vol. 4 [2nd printing]
- Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime 3-D.

And thanks to From the Tip, the blog of IDW's Transformers Editor Denton Tipton, it looks like next week, the 26th of November 2008 will be a quieter week with only one Transformers release:
- All Hail Megatron #5.