McCarthy Interview

Mr_Tigg · Post by **Mr_Tigg** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:21 pm

http://www.oneshallstand.com/articles/s ... arthy.html

It's an interesting read that's for sure. Always comes across as a nice guy, pity about AHM destroying my confidence in his writing ability. Spotlight Blue was entertaining, but one out of seven just isn't good enough.

The best thing about AHM has been Trevor H's covers. Didn't realise McCarthy had brought him to IDWs attention. Good move IMO.

Manchester Devil · Post by **Manchester Devil** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:40 pm

Hutchinson's are indeed the one good point of AHM and Spotlight: Blurr was good for a McCarthy written comic, which is above average in terms of Spotlights. Never thought McCarthy was the one who bought him in for the covers.

Not like McCarthy deserves any credit mind, but still.

But as you said Tigg, one out of seven isn't good enough and the thought of McCarthy given more TF issues doesn't inspire any conidence in me and the fact he's going to have another spotlight makes for grim reading.

His answers regarding character redesigns, characterisation, melding with Furman's stories and the reasoning behind Cybertron and Earth just don't ring true.

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:53 am

That interview is quite an exercise in issue-dodging! Two points of particular note:

* He emphasises that nothing was done out of disrespect - surely the point is the effect, not the motivation?

* He gets told that people think the story could be compressed, and he's like, "Oh, I'm sure it can because all stories can be, but the question is should it be?" For [composite word including 'f*ck']'s sake, does he seriously think the criticism is anything but that it should be?

Unsurprising, as I guess you can't do an Anne Rice when answering your critics, but you can't easily concede that their criticisms are right either.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:16 am

So, from that I got "In AHM 8 we'll find out Drift is the traitor and Spotlight: Drift will show how he tried to off Prime."

KJ · Post by KJ » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:12 pm

Rebis wrote:So, from that I got "In AHM 8 we'll find out Drift is the traitor and Spotlight: Drift will show how he tried to off Prime."

Optimus tried to pass the Matrix onto Drift, but Drift couldn't take it, as the slot for that was already occupied with more swords.

Then Megatron nabbed the Matrix from Drift while he was trying to work out just how many dozen swords he really needed to be carrying all the time.

The rest is history...

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:03 pm

DOesnt Drift have an xbox 360 in his chest or somthing?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:33 pm

The most annoying thing to me is this idea that receiving negative criticisms as well as the positive criticisms is somehow exciting for a writer.

Unless you're someone into self-flagulation, what kind of writer likes to see a negative response to their work?

If I'm a writer, I want every person who picks it up to enjoy it and praise it. I don't go looking for a varied response. To those who don't like it, I would say "sorry you don't dig it, wish you did", not "hey, that's great, that's what's great about writing!"

I understand that you can't please everyone, but this polarization that we're seeing amongst TF comic fans is not something I would describe as "exciting". I'd say it's a pretty sad state to be in, really.

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:49 pm

Well, he's kind of hijacking this idea that applies to serious literature that you're not doing the job right unless you're challenging people's lazy expectations. Thing is, that doesn't apply to pulp and light entertainment. The only purpose of AHM is that it's supposed to entertain readers - but he's failing on loads of basic levels while titillating a fraction of the possible audience with fanservice and - more often - promises. It's called flattering to deceive, isn't it? It *will* be exciting when we find out this, or when the **** hits the fan. It's all coming in the future.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:27 pm

Yaya wrote:The most annoying thing to me is this idea that receiving negative criticisms as well as the positive criticisms is somehow exciting for a writer.

I think it's more how the writer deals with it. We've been calling Simon on his plotholes for years, and he's all like "oops, that was his little-seen brother" or "yeah, Ultra Magnus did completely disappear after Deadly Games...he got married and raised Scraplets".

Having said that I think McCarthy comes across as likeable in the interview, I just don't think AHM is a particularly good series so far.

Rebis wrote:So, from that I got "In AHM 8 we'll find out Drift is the traitor and Spotlight: Drift will show how he tried to off Prime."

He's said on IDW somewhere that Drift is emphatically not the traitor. Which does lead to the interesting question of what then is Hasbro's reason for needing a new character...presumably Drift dies?

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:56 pm

I really wouldn't put too much stock in this idea that the reason why a new character had to be invented will be made clear. It just gets added to the stack of questionable decisions that we've been assured will all make sense in the long run.

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:01 pm

Metal Vendetta wrote: He's said on IDW somewhere that Drift is emphatically not the traitor.

He also said there was an in story reason for the Seekers being re-designed, before Guido let it slip it was a Hasbro thing.

All his interviews have been the same so far. He loves the love, he loves the hate, hasbro are happy, drift is cool, and wait and see; it will all come together. Honest.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:07 pm

drift dies fighting megatron, recovering the matrix and bring OP back,
Thankfully Drift returns in the sequall to AHM, Live Optimus Live! (LOL), Drift makes a comback of Impactor proportions, but gos one step further and is actually revealed to be the Son of Primus and Arcee!!!

Seriously!

Manchester Devil · Post by **Manchester Devil** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:31 pm

And made people wished Nova Prime had succeed in bringing forth the Expansion.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:44 pm

Manchester Devil wrote:And made people wished Nova Prime had succeed in bringing forth the Expansion.

Amen.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:00 am

Fair play to oneshallstand for trying to ask the jard questions, but the answers all do a fine job of not addressing the point.

I know its not a big deal but things like being told there would be a sensical in story reason for the seekers form changes and this then failing to manifest just don't give me much faith in the guys that are putting this together (which in turn leads me to have no faith in things like the need for a new character like Drift - then again maybe that's just a reaction to the dreadful way in which his intro has been trumpetted).

If the truth is "we wanted the characters to be more recognisable in the hope it would increase sales" then as much as i would not have liked it at least they would have been playing it straight - the answer to that question in particular is so evasive - "we just wanted it to be fun" - what the heck has that got to do with it? Much like the answer about condensing the story - should it be? Yes, because the pacing is atrocious and makes the story lacklustre and frustrating to read. Next question.

There's also lots of glum platitudes like "There's something for everyone" which as far as i am concerned is a euphemism for a universe that now lacks internal cohesion.

I did like the comment about taking a new look at Roadbuster - he now has a weight problem.

Also notable - a difficult question that was not asked - why, in a visual medium, has the writer adopted for repatedly using tell rather than show as a story telling mechanism? Whether its Megs being a military genuis or worlds falling all we get is a word balloon.

Be interesting to see how many people jump off after the 6 month point.

Post by **snarl** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:49 pm

I think he should have been asked:

Who's the bigger ****?

a) You

b) Sol Campbell

c) Darren Bent

That would have made for an interesting answer.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:30 pm

d) Harry Redknapp

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:37 pm

It's also very condescending, isn't it? It echoes Denton's interview technique (insofar as he was asked anything that wasn't about the technical, behind-the-scenes side) which assumes that people somehow can't cope with actual viewpoints. Contrast it with Peter David, who, in a recent interview, initially refused to be interviewed, then proceeded to intimate that he thought the whole spoiler-trading Internet forum culture ruined the comic-reading experience and ask his readers that they dissent from it.

Now, I don't entirely agree with his views on that - there's a limit to how much I think writers should seek to 'manipulate' audiences through age-old storytelling tropes. I like to look ahead to see which people die in my favourite TV series because I prefer adjusting to the shock before it happens on-screen, and I wouldn't be terribly impressed at the creative team getting in a tizzy over my doing that just because it's not how they 'intended' me to experience it.

*But* David speaking out like that, from the heart and head, really does make him come across as a writer of stature and vision, whereas McCarthy comes across as someone who doesn't even care that much about what he's doing but has been told to enthuse about it for the cameras. It's not a given that just because we don't like his writing he can't win in an interview. If he'd said, "We really didn't think that continuity stuff would matter to anyone, so we just got on with the story we wanted to tell," it would at least have come across as honest. If he'd said, "I appreciate that the pace has been slow so far, I've taken that on board and I'm going to sort my ship out," it would have given me some hope for the series.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:26 pm

Feh, I tried to post a reasoned article at IDW and got Swedge in response.

Some of what Shane says is encouraging, but I'm more concerned by what he doesn't address or glosses over. He seems like a decent enough guy but I don't really think AHM is delivering on any of the fronts I'm after.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:10 pm

Jack Cade wrote: If he'd said, "I appreciate that the pace has been slow so far, I've taken that on board and I'm going to sort my ship out," it would have given me some hope for the series.

Or, just say, i disagree and here's why (in true IDW forum style).

Acknowledging criticism doesn't mean have to mean agreeing with it.

But it would be nice if it meant agreeing or disagreeing with it, rather than "well it could, or it could not, should it, i'm not sure"

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