Coming to us by way of Bleeding Cool is an unexpected rumor about the future of IDW’s Transformers license.
The site – which was recently correct in reporting IDW’s loss of some Marvel and Star Wars lines earlier this year – now reports that word had broken at SDCC 2021 that IDW will be losing the license of not only Transformers, but also GI Joe too:
“Over the weekend at San Diego Comic-Con 2021: Special Edition, there was plenty to talk about the state of the comic book industry as it stands, as well as the many moves that have been happening of late and will be happening in the very near future. And as big publishers chose not to attend the show, it meant that there was much less management of the information that flowed. One such nugget was the news that IDW Publishing, based just up the road in San Diego, is to lose their licence to produce comic books based on the Transformers franchise from Hasbro.
Back in August, Bleeding Cool broke the news on IDW losing the Marvel Action kids line of titles, which IDW then confirmed, and the Star Wars All-Ages line – which IDW did not reply to, but that Dark Horse Comics claimed last month.
IDW did not respond to inquiries made earlier today, on this, or a number of related stories. If true, there is also no date as to when this may occur but on current form, I would expect in the summer of 2022.”
Again, we stress that this should be taken as a rumor until official word is received. But until then, you can sound off with your thoughts on the boards.
Shin Densetsu
Discussion can continue here:
The New Home for Transformers and G.I. Joe Comics Revealed
Pcsolyar
Image seems to be getting back into the whole shared universe thing. First
showing up in Supermassive 2023, now this. I wonder if this will crossover with the Massiveverse like the above-mentioned just did or be its own self-contained shared universe.
Hoffman
I will probably just read it online, and then pick up any eventual TPBs.
TargetmasterJoe
One sec…
(*gets a glass of water, sips from it, and spits it out in an over-the-top manner to express surprise*)
Wait, WHAT?! REALLY?
Homina homina homina…
To elaborate, Void Rivals was established as being about two rivals whose worlds were engulfed by a black hole trying to survive a desolate planet without killing each other (because they're rivals) and that it was the start of some storytelling universe. Kirkman and Co. were particularly secretive about it and revealed it only to comic shop owners and explicitly told them to be quiet about it.
And it looks like we now know why.
Skreeonk
Well this is interesting. I do wish and hope that they keep GI Joe and Transformers separate, I personally don't see the need for them to always have to put them together. I think I'll get a copy of #1, but I will probably wait until we actually get a Transformers ongoing and go from there.
dj_convoy II
It's a confirmation. Void Rivals is out next week.
Chris McFeely
It's more likely that "Void Rivals" is the series launching the new universe, and that a separate, dedicated TF series will follow – probably by Daniel Warren Johnson, if other rumours are to be believed.
I've said this elsewhere, but this is the kind of bold move TF comics needed to launch big – a headline-grabbing surprise tactic, and a big-name creative team, doing something wild. Sure, they could've just announced and launched a new TF comic straightforwardly, and the same 10,000 or so people who reliably turn up for TF comics would've turned up again, but this is an attention-getter, targeted squarely at getting the general comics audience, rather than TF fans specifically, to take notice and check the book out. And the hype is working; the book has already pre-sold physical numbers higher than any TF comic since Dreamwave. I'm eager to see what they do with it.
TF Hot Rod
Codename for their TF book
drmick
What is Void Rivals- a quick google isn't helping me find the answer to my satisfaction.
AcademyofDrX
I know this isn't official and there aren't any images yet, but based on Johnston's track record here, I think this is newsworthy.
Rakzo
Finally!
I really want to see what they're going to do with the franchise. Hopefully something actually NEW since IDW2.0 was a big disappoinment in that regard.
AcademyofDrX
Bleeding Cool is running a confirmation today:
SCOOP: Transformers & GI Joe at Image Comics In Void Rivals #1
TargetmasterJoe
ICYMI, Skybound's Void Rivals #1, which is rumored to be how Skybound reveals they've netted the comic license for Transformers, is coming Wednesday June 14, which is the Wednesday coming up next.
Will it actually be Transformers, though? We're just gonna have to see because they've been doing a good job not leaking this one. Unlike Zeb Wells' Amazing Spider-Man, HEY-O!
AcademyofDrX
Sorry, I'm not trying to be a jerk, I apologize if that came off like a personal attack or like I know better. Personally I've always felt there's never been a better time to be reading comics than right now, but that's just my perspective.
G.B. Blackrock
Maybe you shouldn't presume to tell me what I need to read.
AcademyofDrX
See that tells me that you need to read different comics, not fewer, but I'm also not managing your budget. Between Comixology Unlimited, Shonen Jump, Viz, new books, the occasional digital sale, and even KManga now, I'm spending plenty.
I should probably unsubscribe from CU now that I think about it, but I'm usually getting my subscription back in discounts anyway.
CeramicPigs
My bad, I'm not familiar with British comics
G.B. Blackrock
I'll not get into the debate about generalizations about styles of comics (I certainly agree that there's a wide variety, and any generalization we might make… and some are still perfectly appropriate to make… will have numerous exceptions). But to the point about needing to read more comics…. the whole point of my own comment earlier was that, to the extent that comics often tell stories in a way that I find aren't worth the money spent on them, I'm really not likely to read even more of them….
Hoffman
Some US comics are biweekly as well.
Nemesis Scar
Does this mean that British comics are not comics?