Thanks to General Tekno of the 2005 Boards for pointing us to this Bleeding Cool interview with Simon Furman about the upcoming conclusion to ReGeneration One. In this interview Simon discusses how the story has progressed compared to what they might have come up with way back in 1991, what it has been like working with Guido Guidi, and surprises with his comments about the death count for issue #100.
You can check out the full interview here and be sure to hit the discussion after the jump.
Galva-Cannon
Pull that trigger! Regen One is definitely divisive on these boards, but those of us who like it, really love it. At the very least, you'll find out what all the fuss is about.
Me too! I'm still in denial that Regeneration One is coming to a conclusion. It's just so much fun having the original Marvel characters back again. I wish it could keep running for as long as possible, then get randomly cancelled again. I know that's exactly the situation that Furman doesn't want to be put in, yet again, but as a G1 obsessive, I just want as many new Marvel-continuity stories as possible.
All the characters have really hit the mark now, and you can feel they're the same 'bots as the ones we left behind, in 1991. Why do they have to go away again, so soon?
Regeneration 2 would be awesome.
Another thing that I'd love to see, would be getting JP Bove to go back and recolour every issue, from the FCBD #80.5 to #100, in a full-on retro style. I know there's probably very little chance of that happening, but it would make a great "special edition" collected version of the full 22 issues.
I really like Bove's colouring job on Regen One, and it probably was the right decision to go with a blend of retro/modern. Some of the colouring work on the most recent issues has just been fantastic. I really love the way Jhiaxus comes to life, with the metallic effect… his wings really look like green chrome. However, personally I would have preferred if the comic had gone all the way with the retro theme. It seems a shame to have such slavish 90s-style art from Wildman, Guidi and Baskerville, but never get to see how it would have been coloured back then.
Hopefully it doesn't sound like I'm knocking the colouring, because it's really good stuff. I'm sure it's made the comic much more attractive to a younger generation. And hey, I'm lobbying to help a guy get more paid work.
BB Shockwave
Try explaining this to the newbies… It's hilarious how little they know of the Marvel comics altogether. Most never even read them, just harp on about what they heard about them on message boards, which is sad – to this day the Marvel US/UK universe is my favourite one, next to the TF Animated one.
Shin-Gouki
I am so glad I am not the only one
dirtweed
Simon Furman is by far my favorite TF comic book writer. I've tried so many times to get into TF comic written by someone else and I always read a few issues and then give up but with Simon's stuff I buy/read/save all of his stuff. Hope to see him back into the TF comic fold some time soon.
Generation 2 is still my favorite TF comic series to date.
He should do a Regenerations 2 next with Derek Yaniger that starts with issue #13.
Oracle_Aesir
Um…back in the Marvel days characters weren't killed off to draw in big crowds for events…they were killed off because their toys weren't on the shelves any more so they weren't marketable for Hasbro to keep in their adverts/comics any more.
emptythreat
A shame your prejudice stops you from actually learning anything new or leaving your mind open to challenge a narrow-mided POV. The "living God" quote was not Furman referring to himself but the interviewer using a quote from Furman's work and applying it back to him. He isn't saying it about himself. To say the guy that has largely defined TF described as "ruining" it is genuinely bizarre. Roberts cites Furman as his main influence though I prefer a character death with meaning as opposed to fake-outs where a meaningful death is undermined. But to each their own.
Unicron9
You're right, I didn't read it, because like I said, I really have always hated this guy. Can't stand his smug annoying voice or how high and mighty he thinks he is to be the God that kills off transformer characters at will. I know I come across as taking TF comics and shows too seriously but for 20 years I've watched this guy mess up transformers, and he ruined the end of Beast Wars. That's hard to forgive and forget.
But your excerpts from the interview very much prove my point. Killing of main characters is his thing.
I find excellent storytelling with good humor and writing to be a much better "thing" to have, like IDW's LSOTW and MTMTE crew. Furman wants to draw interest by making fans wonder who will be killed off next. Lame.
Gridlock1987
Because the sales dropped like crazy from Infiltration (over 30k I think) to Revelations (around 12k), and they thought that with AHM making everthing simplier, they will get new readers onboard.
Turns out that was not the case, and I think it's fair to speculate that if Furman kept writing, they would still have those loyal 10-12k readers. But in the end I'm happy that it happened, because, even thought it was a bumpy road to get there, it ended with MTMTE and RID. :3
BB Shockwave
I have posted this before Tekno, waaay nice that everybody ignored that.
http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans…eneration-one-100-interview-simon-furman.html
DJW107PRIME
I liked his old stuff Target:2006 was fantastic back in the day and I loved certain characters like Nightbeat, Thunderwing, Deathshead and Impactor. I'm sad to say I find his new stuff disapointing. I never really felt the love for his IDW Ation stuff, or his DW war within though the art made up for what I thought was just plain dull writing. When I was a teen I never liked the way Beast wars concluded either. I feel bad saying this but I wish RG1 had never happened, they should have listened to the crowd at Botcon when they said they wanted more Animated. Also I have a question does anyone know why he was taken off the IDW main universe books after Revelations?
omegafix
agreed, after 51 awesome episodes of Beast Wars this HACK had no right to write the final episode, I wish Furman would just go away already
artiepants
looking forward to reading this run when it's all done, hopefully they will have a comixology sale!
Tux Chaos X
"Please tell me you kill Wheelie"
Let it go Indiana.
Bass X0
I think I'd prefer "Regeneration One: Coda". A series of short stories, expanding upon certain events that happened during Regeneration One.
Shin-Gouki
Personally I have loved this entire run. Now PLEASE give us Regeneration 2! There are so many hanging threads there!
Acteon
Furman was at his best when he answered to an Editor. His UK stuff was superb, ReGen has been somewhat lacklustre. Its had some good, solid moments, but inconsistent pacing and throwaway plotlines haven't helped it. Subsequently the final arc, which has been pretty damn good, feels rushed. Shame.
iamalternated
Sad to say Mr. Furman has gone the way of Chris Clearmont post X-men #3 1991 (or whatever year that was). Ill just enjoy the stuff he did in Marvel U.K. Which to me is some of the best TF comics ever. Regeneration One just wasn't my cup of tea.
blackconvoy_D01
My advice so far, dont pay full price.
Coffee
I find it much more difficult to get behind his death toll than with G2, at least then it came with the mindset that comic characters never really died. Here you know these guys won't be coming back…
Still, I'm glad he's not going crazy with the deaths for this last issue.
Dark Jedi
Wow alot of criticism in this thread, are these books really bad? I had Vols 1-3 in my cart but hesitated to pull the trigger now.