Death's Head

jboyler · Post by **jboyler** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:53 pm

The first time I read the Marvel UK series I thought they were good but I found Death's Head to be rather intrusive. He was a non-Transformer character that just showed up, stole the show, and started kicking everyone's butts. I read that he was always intended to star in his own comic, and that the TF series was being used as a sort of 'launch pad' to show him off before giving him his own book. Despite his apparent popularity among TF fans, it took me a while to warm up to him. I always thought he should have been in 2000 AD instead of TF.

On the other hand, this sort of thing is SOP for the comic industry. Some of todays A-list characters (such as Wolverine and the Punisher) started off as antagonists or supporting cast in an established character's comic. If you take a look at the comic stands today, the great majority of books on the shelf are characters that were spun off of another comic.

So the question is:

Death's Head - Was an important part of the TF universe or just an advertisement for the newest flavor of the month?

Post by **Denyer** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:28 pm

Could've been a new TF (as with Impactor, Rack 'n' Ruin, Xaaron, etc) and it wouldn't have made any difference.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:29 pm

Death's head was fantastic, but I guess there is no real reason why another Transformer couldnt have filled his role within the comics. He added some depth to the series though, as in there are more than just TFs and Humans in the galaxy.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:10 pm

cosndiering his involvement spanned some 40 issues i woudl say it was far more than a quick promo.

If i ercall corrcetly Furman scoped outthe role of a Bounty Hunter in Wanet: Galvy Dead or Alive and then realsied DH would fir the bill, rather than any cyncial showhorning of DH into the comic.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:17 pm

*Moved to G1* (Okay, so Death's Head encompassed a lot more than G1, but this is where most of his fans lurk)

DH is a genius character, one of Furman's greatest achievements. Yes he stole the show because he was a leading character and deserved his own comic (still does). Have you read the Death's Head comics? Witty, clever, engrossing... he's a star.

As far as the TF comic is concerned, DH's presence really enhanced the Wanted: Galvatron arc and put a real different slant on things (some real black humour, and a bona fide anti-hero). Now by Legacy of Unicron I think that was wearing thin a bit - the guest star was showing up the rest of the cast and had to be moved to pastures new.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:26 pm

I would have prefered his power lvl toned down slightly, and used more tricks to capture his man/TF - bit more, well bounty huntish

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:54 pm

I think part of the appeal of the character for me was that he did seem like he belonged in 2000AD. That's the appeal of British kids comics (Transformers included) - wanton death and mindless destruction all in the name of humour.

kevinjohnson999 · Post by **kevinjohnson999** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:32 am

Deaths Head was a great character, he may not have been a TF but he added a new element to stories like'Wanted: Galvatron' and the one where he is hunting Prime, coc.ks it up and then he is reassingned to hunt Cyclonus and Scourge. However, I was gutted when he killed my favourite 'Con, old Shockers, at the end of that story!

bobaprime85 · Post by **bobaprime85** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:58 pm

Death's Head..... he's an interesting character, and certainly made the TFs all the more memorable for his appearances, but I've never felt any strong liking towards him. Not to say that I have anything against him, but he never made quite the impact on me. Maybe I have to be British, or something.....

Still, I highly enjoy his appearances through the 'Fallen Angel' storyline, and he did make the most of his on-panel time. He certainly deserves an action figure, that I know.

DarkConvoy · Post by **DarkConvoy** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:52 pm

Death's head to me was not needed. He was made by Furman to promote his own character. Funny thing though in the US Death's Head got his own comic. Failed BAD!!! And he was Human size at that. hmmmm guess he shrunk.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:21 pm

DarkConvoy wrote:He was made by Furman to promote his own character.

He made Death's Head to promote Death's Head?

Smart guy that Simon...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:34 pm

DarkConvoy wrote:hmmmm guess he shrunk.

Good guess.

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:31 pm

Rebis wrote:
DarkConvoy wrote:hmmmm guess he shrunk.
Good guess.

Yeah, that was very perceptive of him.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:53 pm

I want Death's Head back in some form. I really liked him and his appearance in the TF comics was better than just another generic transforming robot clone being introduced to fill the role (alot of those non-transformer transforming robots, ie. 'not a Cybertronian' popped up in the TF movie too - Junkions, Sharkticons).
I collected loads of UK and US comics with him in and even got a Minion tattoo on my arm (about two weeks before his US title folded - Boooo!).
Of couse, I should have got a DH1 tat really as I like that version of the character better - pity I only ever found t-shirts of Minion.
I've already suggested a DH movie on the forum, but I'd be happy with a new comicbook - based on the original DH. Any fan titles out there?

Dead Head · Post by **Dead Head** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:28 pm

I very much like the original "Death's Head" character. Especially the 'Transformer-sized', 'green-booted' design as drawn by the equally excellent Geoffrey Senior.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:29 pm

DarkConvoy wrote:Funny thing though in the US Death's Head got his own comic. Failed BAD!!!

Death's Head was a limited series.

Unless you mean Death's Head II, which Furman had nothing to do with.

I like you, you're entertaining.

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:56 pm

There was Incomplete Death's Head in US, right?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:05 am

Which had a limited 12 issue run.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:22 am

And was mostly reprints of the original Death's Head limited series.

jboyler · Post by **jboyler** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:21 am

Best First wrote:
DarkConvoy wrote:He was made by Furman to promote his own character.
He made Death's Head to promote Death's Head?

I read that DH originally appeared in TF in order to make him popular before launching his own title. It's easier to sell with an established fan base. As I said above, this is standard practice for the comics industry.

Anyway, please allow me to shift fire just a little bit.

New question: If Death's Head had an alternate mode, what would it be?

I imagine him being some sort large warthog, because of his teeth; or perhaps a military vehicle like a Hind Gunship... something really big and just bristling with all kinds of different weapons.

Ideas?

Optimus Prime Rib · Post by **Optimus Prime Rib** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:25 am

My Little Pony, Yes?

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:46 am

Furman required a bounty hunter character for his upcoming 'Wanted: Galvatron...' arc, but when he saw Senior's art designs, decided he looked too good for a hi-then-die role, which was originally intended.

In order to keep the character out of the hands of Hasbro, Furman previewed him in a one-page strip, much like the adverts for the series that followed ("Do you take candy card?") called Hi-Noon-Tex.

To get the best from the character, read his TF appearances, his own series, his various crossovers (What If..., Fantastic Four, She-Hulk, Dragon's Claws) and most definitely the Original Graphic Novel "The Body in Question", which reveals his origins (he couldn't be a transformer, really) and has the absolute bestGeoff Senior artwork (fully airbrushed) ever seen.

And avoid Death's Head 2. As it is crap.

Edit:

but I'd be happy with a new comicbook - based on the original DH. Any fan titles out there?

Missed this. Myself and a fellow called Mark Stevenson did a strip called 'Dead Letter Day' for Transmasters UK, set pre-movie, with Death's Head having only recently arrived on Cybertron.

You can read it here (I apologise for some of the artwork - it was about five years ago, now...):

http://www.cyberpulp2.netfirms.com/comi ... d/dead.htm

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:40 pm

Nicely done DH. I wouldn't worry too much about the artwork - some professional stuff can have the best pics in the world but suck due to bad story. I could hear the old Death's Head's voice in my - well, HEAD - as I read it, so you got his personality right.
We need more people just churning this stuff out for fun - makes me tempted to dig out all my old strips I did about ten or more years ago. There's Death's Head getting turned into an armoured human by a funky alien stone (way before 'The Body In Question' turned up), a new version of Beast Wars which takes place partly in the G1 universe (two Ops, two megs - bliss. T-Rex Megs takes Starscream's arm off for a laugh, and Wheeljack asks where the fuel pump nozzle goes on a Maximal) - pity I only did about three four-part pages of that - it was cool. there's ninety-odd pages of another superhero character I did, and reams of half projects - I much preferred the writing to the artwork (although my pics didn't suck), which is why I'm just finishing my first novel (OL10).
Now I'm tempted to start a site so all you people can see my old efforts.

Sorry, got off the topic a bit there.
Yeah, more people should just grab a pencil and go for it. Well done!

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:00 pm

Death's Head wrote:
http://www.cyberpulp2.netfirms.com/comi ... d/dead.htm

Thanks for that. Was fun.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 12:41 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Death's Head wrote:
http://www.cyberpulp2.netfirms.com/comi ... d/dead.htm
Thanks for that. Was fun.

Agreed, well done Death's Head .....makes you realise that when Death's head is done properly, the humour works as a comic short - like a lot of the 'flashbacks' in the early DH original series (probably issue 1 if I remember).

It would be cool to see more DH flashbacks of his various jobs, eapcially when you get the DH commentary......its almost like SF meets film noir

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:37 pm

Glad you liked it fellas - alas, I can't take credit for the words, but you're right, Mark nailed the character perfectly there. Far better than Dan 'DH2' Abnett ever did.

For a few years now we've been batting the idea around of doing another one, only with him drawing and me writing. I've been thinking....Death's Head versus Shockaract!

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:52 pm

Cool, that looks like possible pre "Legacy of Unicron" story.

Very good

Bouncelot · Post by **Bouncelot** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:18 pm

Stormwolf wrote:Cool, that looks like possible pre "Legacy of Unicron" story.

Given that it says Megatron's in charge of the Decepticons, it'd have to be pre-Wanted:Galvatron./ Pre-Movie

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:27 pm

It's set in the year it was written (a la the present day stories of Marvel UK), so about 1999, 2000. Ah, for those halcyon days once more...