TFW2005 Interviews Mike Costa and Livio Ramondelli

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:35 pm

Transformers CHAOS - TFW2005 Interviews Mike Costa and Livio Ramondelli

TFW2005: What has James Roberts brought to the table in writing and co-writing certain stories during the Chaos arc?

Mike Costa: James brought his incredible understanding of IDW-continuity history to the two issues he wrote solo, delving into the pasts of Prime and Megatron to define their relationship in the present in a way that only he could do. As for his co-plotting with me on the CHAOS storyline, I'd had the basic concept for this story since I wrote issue #1, but James was great at helping me shape it into something even more epic by suggesting certain characters and past-events that I had never even considered. Also, when I finish a script I often leave certain character-names blank and then E-mail it over to James for suggestions. That might not make a whole lot of sense the way I described it, but it all comes together in the finished product and greatly enriches it.

I assume "greatly enriches it" means "saves me time so I can go do other **** and leave Roberts my mess".

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:01 am

There you go. That last line right there, in bold, should tell us all something.

There's loving to write Transformers and then there's loving Transformers.

If you have the love of TF, you won't have to send your work to anyone else to "fill in the ******* blanks".

But, did you see the interior samples from CHAOS?

I haven't seen that level of work since E.J. on Revelations:Sideswipe.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:10 am

I have a hard time being confident in James' contributions when Mike seems to be saying, "He checks on continuity" instead of "he writes some of the dialogue and some of the plot."

That's not co-writing.

Post by **snarl** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:20 am

Here's a question they probably didn't ask:

"Mike, when are you going to stop doing Transformers wrong?"

I've not read his GI Joe stuff but apparently it's decent. Fair ****s, but I don't really like what he's done no TFs at all.

Tag the geezer out.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:56 am

Seriously, how can you say something like this in an interview and expect it to be well recieved?

Why not leave all the character names blank? that way if the script is rejected by IDW you can probably flog it as an X-men story instead?

Not a good X-Men story, natch, but hey - its a livin'!

AND NOTHING ELSE.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:08 pm

The art does look frikking sweet tho (if a bit inconsitant in places)

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:11 pm

I just can't believe that more people aren't pissed about that interview (or the follow up response elsewhere). It seems people really are buying into the idea that bringing James on board as a third wheel* is somehow going to magically fix everything that's wrong with the book.

*Read as: Guy who actually knows something about Transformers

Post by **Best First** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:37 pm

Yeah, Andy seems a great guy but his attempt to explain it away seems somewhat... reachy.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:52 pm

Well, he's been on the defensive since the beginning, I guess. But it's like he'll pay lip service to problems... but do very little toward fixing the problems.

I dunno. It seems like his handling of TFs has been... misguided, at best. But what's the alternative?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:11 pm

I feel his hands are tied. Ultimately, he's going to side with the creators, at least publicly. I don't think the higher ups at IDW would approve of Andy bashing any of the creative work.

Not to mention, as editor, he'd essentially be bashing himself as well.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:24 pm

Absolutely- I don't expect him to say "Yo, I know Costa is the pits." But he does say "I know there are problems and not everything has clicked as well as we would like and etc." but nothing changes. I honestly think that James is being brought in as a placebo to make lapsed readers like me happy... nothing, really, has changed.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:39 pm

Yeah it breaks my robotic heart when he says "it hasn't been perfect, but overall i think we can be really proud of it"

Cos that tells me he just doesn't see how broken the implimentation of this idea, which may have had some merits as an idea, is.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:51 pm

And then he's fairly nice, so you kind of want to rip into him, but then he's all "Gee, you have nice, well-reasoned points."

Well, if I have well-reasoned points, could'ja, I dunno, LISTEN TO THEM?! *pant*

Hook2 · Post by **Hook2** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:07 pm

Can I just give some credit to Dj here, who braved the wrath of hell itself over on the Idw boards in his bold attempt to get the regulars to take a Subjective look at the interview with Costa and even fought like a titan to try to get a reasonable response from Andy? Seriously, any attempt to get someone's head out of the sand over there is met with total war from the apologists circle, and Dj fought like a champ to get the truth out.

Myself, I was stunned to see the types of reasoning some people have infected themselves with to overlook this interview and some of Costa's comments from other boards.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:11 pm

Thanks. It's just sad that such drastic measures need to be taken.

We shouldn't have to struggle over a friggin' comic book. One that we should all be pre-disposed to like! We should be able to buy it, say it's good or that it isn't, and why. If someone listens? Great. But when honest opinions get shouted down in a sea of ass-kissing sycophants, it's distressing.

Hook2 · Post by **Hook2** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:23 pm

DJ_Convoy wrote:Thanks. It's just sad that such drastic measures need to be taken.

We shouldn't have to struggle over a friggin' comic book. One that we should all be pre-disposed to like! We should be able to buy it, say it's good or that it isn't, and why. If someone listens? Great. But when honest opinions get shouted down in a sea of ass-kissing sycophants, it's distressing.

That's exactly what happened, too. And what a perfect way to describe squee and the drowning dogs...

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:27 pm

Corporate loyalty is a weird thing. IDW's mods encourage the words of praise, but I think a lot of the sycophants--"stop being so negative!"--just have this weird complex in which they must praise their DaddyBaby Transformers and cannot conceive of the value of negative feedback.

None of us can get rid of our ingrained need to love robots. I rant once in a while about Hasbro's despicable manufacturing practices, but I still buy those hunks of toxic plastic.

They're blind to anything bad in the product they faithfully pay for. Methinks the entire IDW board needs to read some Marx.

Hook2 · Post by **Hook2** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:37 pm

bumblemusprime wrote:Corporate loyalty is a weird thing. IDW's mods encourage the words of praise, but I think a lot of the sycophants--"stop being so negative!"--just have this weird complex in which they must praise their DaddyBaby Transformers and cannot conceive of the value of negative praise.

None of us can get rid of our ingrained need to love robots. I rant once in a while about Hasbro's despicable manufacturing practices, but I still buy those hunks of toxic plastic.

They're blind to anything bad in the product they faithfully pay for. Methinks the entire IDW board needs to read some Marx.

Absolutely. I was called everything from A PLEB TO A TROLL for trying to say back in oct that International Incident sucked and then recently for being disappointed to learn that apparently we don't need to see Optimus Prime and Megatron fight anymore.

I knew I needed a new home after seeing the responses to Costa's interview, but damn, after seeing people say things like "fight,smite" or "we don't need to see Megatron beat Prime. It's not necessary to the story", I realized that the boards over there are pretty much like Invasion of the Body Snatchers or something.