Hero-X, the Japanese publisher who is releasing the classic Marvel Transformers comics in Japanese, now gives us a nice surprise with the announcement The Transformers: Headmasters (Marvel Comic) To Be Released In Japan.
Via Twitter, Hero X revealed the amazing cover of their “Transformers Classics Special: Head Masters”, drawn by artist Guido Guidi. This should collect the four-part mini-series published in 1987 by Marvel Comics.
You can click on the bar to check the mirrored cover, and then share your impressions on the 2005 Boards!
FAKER II
Yeah, I admit "ignore" was probably a poor choice of words on my part. I guess what I meant was that I don't see why someone in Japan would favor the US story more than the Japanese story.
I guess my point was that there is more incentive for fans in the West to embrace the Japanese story. If we like animation more than comics, we get far more episodes to enjoy by ignoring Rebirth. I just don't see the draw for them on their side of the water to favor Rebirth over Headmasters.
But in regards to comics, I'm not sure how it compares as I don't know how many issues of the Headmasters manga were produced. Not being familiar with the manga, I don't know if you can start with the Japanese manga for series 1-3 stories and then switch to Marvel for series 4 on up. Would you have to take the entire Marvel run as a whole over the manga?
GizmoTron
I don't think they have to ignore the Headmasters episodes in order to enjoy the Rebirth/Marvel versions of these characters. Both are viable in their own right and take place in different continuities, just like we accept both in the West the Japanese fans will accept both for what they are (with some just like here being more fascinated with seeing the version they never received because it's new and different).
Thundershot
To be fair, the Headmasters comic is where the Nebulons got any characterization. It continued in Transformers 38, but after that, most of the Nebulons were forgotten, but the characters continued in the series until the end.
But yeah, the Marvel Headmasters are still my go to canon, if I had to choose a favorite.
FAKER II
I’m not sure what I said that you are unclear about.
Though I realize I made a mistake about Headmasters only being in the 4 issue mini series. I initially thought they only appeared in the mini series and not the main comic. I got that confused with the comic adaption of Transformers the Movie, which only existed as a separate story not part of the comic continuity. I follow the cartoon continuity, so I’m not all that knowledgeable about the comic continuity.
SparkPlug24
Exactly. They're offering Guido Guidi's art in five forms: T-shirt, oversized "jumbo" cup (maybe it's a soup bowl), iPhone case, a case for your IC card / metro train pass, and embedded for display in an "acrylic panelboard."
Smitty.1981
via Imgflip Meme Generator
FAKER II
I can understand fans in the West preferring Rebirth or Marvel because it’s what we grew up with. But for me, trading 3 episodes/4 comics for 35 additional episodes is a great trade. I personally acknowledge the Japanese Headmaster origin and ignore Rebirth.
But I have a hard time imagining that someone in Japan would not only go against nostalgia, but also just ignore the entire 35 episode run of Headmasters in favor of a measly 3 episodes/4 comics. I’m not saying it’s impossible. But I find it far more unlikely than the number of fans in the West who prefer the Japanese series.
Thundershot
I don’t know… it looks like it’s embedded in the panel or something.
View attachment 28185787
SparkPlug24
Wowee! That's item number 5 according to the advertisment on the back of the book. The ¥10800 price tage matches, and I can read a bit of the label of item 5. That's no poster, pal, it's apparently an "acrylic panelboard." I guess depending on how you display your comics art pieces, it's either better or worse than a good old print on glossy paper.
Thundershot
Surely someone in Japan could help out? I managed to translate the page but they won’t ship outside of Japan.. here’s the link to the poster (though the price likely means it’s more than a poster).
【予約注文商品】【特製ステッカー付】HERO-X PIT「トランスフォーマークラシックス・スペシャル:ヘッドマスターズ」アクリルパネル | funstore on the BASE
Gaastra
Would love to have a poster of that also.
Thundershot
Well crap. I just happened to look at the back… and they DO make a poster (and other items) How does someone in the US order this??
View attachment 28140143
The website is funstore on the BASE but it’s all in Japanese. Anyone that can help me get the poster will get my gratitude.
Thanks!
Thundershot
Got this today…
View attachment 28139985 View attachment 28139986
I really want the full page spread as a wall poster…
KFGatri
Next up from Takara, a "Marvel Edition" Fortress Maximus, with Cerebros/Fortress remolded to transform into a giant version of his own head. Since half the time in this series Fortress Maximus walked around with Cerebros' head instead of his own …
Gaastra
Also that cover would make great wallpaper if that annoying white block wasn't there. Anyone have a version of the cover without that?
Gaastra
Why didn't they just do a book with the uk stories like they did gijoe?
Shepard Prime
They planned to spin-off Headmasters into their own series? I didn't know that. Yeah, I would've been all over that. At one point, I was reading Special Missions more than the mainline Gi Joe title.
The only real issue I have with the Marvel Headmasters is how they work logistically. I love both takes (Japan's Headmaster Transtectors and the US bioengineered binary bonded versions) but it just makes more sense to have a robot become the head of a bigger bot than a human sized organic being cyber-engineered to become the head of a robot (particularly because, due to shortcuts taken, they were drawn like humans wearing armor and not humans permanently altered into being transformers).
Thundershot
I totally would have bought an ongoing Headmasters book
Michael Payton
While I prefer the approach of the Headmasters mythology in Japan, the actual show was dreadful. Budiansky and Springer definitely had the advantage here.
It's really a shame that it didn't sell well enough to have become an ongoing as Marvel US had hoped. GI Joe Special Missions was a modestly successful Bimonthly spinoff. This was Marvel US's attempt to recreate that approach for Transformers.
Story wise, the characters become rather lost in their migration to the main monthly with its regular cast. The Nebulans totally disappeared from the story.
The novelty of a totally alien world every other month would have been a fun switch from the normal Earth based adventures in their main monthly. It would have also been interesting to see the toys split between two titles, since the Nebula based toys would obviously have stayed in Headmasters book. At least until they needed to introduce Power Master Optimus Prime. Definitely a good chance for a crossover.
Gaastra
Well there is a few American comics stores in japan.
Here is one. Pretty sure they are not as big as the manga stores there.