They’ve crossed over with G.I. Joe, MASK, the Micronauts, Star Wars, and even the Avengers, but this September, IDW is taking the Transformers where no ‘bot has gone before in a crossover across the final frontier. It’s Star Trek vs Transformers!
Gizmodo reports that the crossover will run for four issues, and will be penned by John Barber and Mike Johnson, with art by Philip Murphy and colors by Leonardo Ito. The premise starts like many a classic Trek story – the Enterprise answers a distress signal close to Klingon space, only to find something strange and unexplained. In this case, what they find are 20th century aircraft attacking a dilithium mine – and then Optimus Prime shows up to help out.
What is great about this crossover, is that the artwork is specifically referencing the animated version of Star Trek, with characters like Lieutenant M’Ress and Lieutenant Arex represented in the cover artwork. The art also shows a very Generation 1 cartoon inspired Optimus Prime and Bumblebee – along with a distinctly not Generation 1 looking Windblade sticking out like an Ewok in a room full of Tribbles – and the plot sounds like a fun and very organic mash-up of two great franchises that made up a good chunk of our Saturday mornings growing up.
We’ll be looking forward to beaming up this crossover this September.
mcart
I don't think anyone born in the 80's (like me) could ever truly "get" TOS. We grew up with a lot of the science fiction technology they have we weren't at the dawn of the civil Rights movement and close enough to wwII and in the dawn of a cold war to be truly inspired at the message of respecting an African American woman, trusting a Japanese man and a Russian man and having them treated as heros.
The kiss between Uhura and Kirk was the first interracial kiss and they made sure it aired as a kiss.
Star Trek was about so much more than Star Trek, it was about changing the way we see each other, reminding us that we are all people.
Still a long way to go but I think star trek helped some get there a little sooner.
My rant over was just to say that TOS doesn't have the shock value and punch it once did. And that is a good thing because it is that, in part, we've moved forward as a people. Ever closer towards unity. Till all are one.
Deathcatg
Can V'ger take on Unicron?
Deathcatg
Will Megatron transform into a phaser? Will Perceptor turn into a tricorder?
BB Shockwave
I guess other than furries, no-one remembers Lt. M'Ress these days? I do only 'cause I just watched ST TAS last year (and it was a grueling watch, Filmation sure was limited in animation back in 1974 or so – though being animated let them to actually use aliens and ships and effects they never had the budget for on TOS).
M'Ress
I'd have thought she is more popular amongst trekkies, I mean why else did Star Trek Online make Caitians a playeable race? She was like the only Caitian who ever appeared in the show (and only the animated one of course).
For me it was the lack of good secondary characters, it's really just the Kirk-Bones-Spock show, even Scotty or Uhura barely get an episode that's about them. In retrospect, kinda explains why Shatner's ego grew so large later…
The other problem is how so many plots were the same, recycled – they encountered godlike "we moved past your puny physical forms' needs" aliens every week (Q would have fit right in), and far-flung alien cultures based on cowboys, romans, nazis, 1950s america… just 'cause they had some cheap set they could use that week.
I am sorry to admit but I could never make it through Season 3 of TOS. I rank it and Enterprise as my least favourite Trek shows. TOS may have started the phenomenon of Trek, but for me it was TNG that made me a Trekkie and the one I love the best to this day.
MegaMoonMan
The movies aren't bad at all. When they have an actual budget going, it's great- but those cardboard sets and rubber monster suits just ruined the show for me.
skywarp-2
What is cool about this, is that the STAS universe is what is being used here. The Filmation Trek, not the actual TOS. So that makes this super fun! The original 80s Transformers versus ans staring in a book about them meeting Humanity when our tech is way beyond even the Transformers, as we have now achieved Warp drive! I mean, Megatron sees the potential in that I am sure. It's gonna be a fun ride! I wonder if the God like Kulculcan will return and sacrifice himself to save Star Fleet or something. That would be cool to see, an epilogue on him, like with the Organians.
Thundershot
I grew on the reruns of the originals, but I kinda agree about the camp. I love them though like I love 1966 Batman.
The real gems, however, are watching Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, and Voyage Home together… great movies with the original cast..
Max Tower
Some one on Deviant Art has a bunch of tht sort of thing – like Ecto-1, The Enterprise, Batmobiles etc.. with robot modes.
There was even talk at one time of someone making a 3rd party toy of Ecto-1 as a Transformer.
Spontificus
If Cosmos scans the Enterprise for an alt mode, this will officially be the best crossover ever.
Haywired
The retailer incentive cover
is a masterpiece. Perfectly captures the style. However, I expect modern comic art for interiors. I'd love to be proven wrong, though.
NONONONONONONONONONONONONO!!!
Thank goodness he's gone.
[Wing_Saber-X]
yep. OG is the best.
GizmoTron
IDW's excuse is probably because the character choices were based on the current Evergreen line-up and not necessarily the original G1 cast, and also maybe as parallel to the equally out of place cat lady lieutenant on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Also like when Star Trek crossed over with other modern characters like the X-Men, some sort of time travel/displacement or parallel dimension is inevitably involved here, so the Transformers will most likely be from someplace that is still the 20th/21st Century.
Blam320
They didn't bother to update them by the "far-flung" future of 2006, which had hover-cars and whatnot.
Max Tower
I like the idea of Windblade more than the actuallity – she's like an Elephant – the idea of owning an Elephant is exciting – the reality is you have to deal with a lot of s***.
So if they'd made her more likeable (Like Chromia is) then I'd not mind – she seems to get worse with ever version though and less likeable and gains even more outlandish super abilities too.
Like I say though – the idea of windblade is good and I enjoy buying toys of her and making up a better personality in my own head than what IDW and others inflicted on the poor girl.
My specific eyebrow was raised here though simply as they do not really have a terribly good excuse to place her here – if they wanted to put a unusual character in for variety or to change the focus from the 1984 core cast – i'd have rather seen that "Outsider" be Devcon or even Tracks.
Now if they find a way to use her in the story that makes sense I'll withdrew the complaint – but considering she often isn't even from Cybertron but is often a colonial – that would be taking time out from the story to explain her being there. As well as requiring everyone to pretend to not notice she's a girl when none of them have seen a girl for 4 million years (depending on when this is set).
If it's actually supposed to be the 23rd Century then that asks some awkward questions such as why Optimus and co have not updated their alt modes since 1984. (unless they have and they just left the robot modes the same). One has to say things like OK if these Autobots have lived those exta Centuries then why isn't Bumblebee Goldbug or G2 Bumblebee or even a Pretender ?
So in a way the more I think about it the more questions I have. But Windblade being crowbarred in aside – Visually it looks fun.
scrapmetaru
So basically, any opinion you find inconvenient is rigged fake bias from the vocal "few". How convenient for you.
ron8675309
Can I just get a transforming Enterprise out of this?
RodimusRex
I think it's likelier to be a fun Star Trek story than a great Transformers story. TAS Trek is the one version where Transformers make sense (they had a giant dragon too!).
My sense is S3 would be a better fit with Trek but I am pretty convinced this book will tease a Rodimus/Picard crossover that will probably never happen unless it's contained in this book like the Tom Baker Doctor Who/Kirk crossover bookended in the Matt Smith Doctor Who/TNG crossover.
And, no, we've never seen an animated style Picard but my sense is kind of that's what's going on with Windblade as well, that they'll grab characters from elsewhere. Like maybe David Warner's Klingon Chancellor Gorkon from the movies could turn up in a pink and purple simplified costume.
They'll almost certainly take the opportunity to fold outside characters in just like the Batman '66 comics worked in Bane and Killer Croc and Harley Quinn.
hardlurk
if the autobot/decepticon civil war is still a thing i think it would disqualify cybertron from joining the federation
but caminus still could
windblade could then become the federation ambassador to cybertron