Interview with IDW's Senior Editor!!!

Some very exciting news tonight! I emailed Andy Schmidt over at IDW today. He is a Senior Editor at IDW and works with the Transformers comics, so I gave him a shout for a short interview. Much to my delight, he replied! There is quite a bit in here that hasn't been released on other sites, so remember, you saw it here first!

Here we go:

Thanks very much! I realize that there are probably some things you'll have to be closemouthed about, and that's perfectly fine. I also apologize for the fact that this did not turn out to be "very short"...

No problem, Sam. Happy to help.

I really enjoy the way you portray Jazz and Prowl's friendship in All Hail Megatron, as well as the strange dynamic between Megatron and Starscream, which was very well written. Were there any friendships or brotherly relationships that you wanted to deepen within the IDW storyline?

My tenure on the books as editor is really just ramping up. I do believe that Shane McCarthy and Denton Tipton wanted to strengthen the bond between Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.
As for me and where the books are going while I work on them. I think you'll see a different focus in terms of who we focus on and what they're doing. Tough to say now, but there's lots of good character beats headed your way.

Drift is a very mysterious character indeed-- there's a lot of speculation as to whether he's playing for both sides. Did he truly defect to the 'Bots? (And this is probably more of a question for Hasbro, but is a Deluxe Drift figure really in the works?) Also in conjunction with Drift, is there anything planned for the neutral faction storyline we saw with Drift?

Drift is an Autobot through and through, my friend. Toy? No comment. There are no plans for a neutral faction story-line at this time. But I wouldn't say never on that one.

Perceptor's character has changed very drastically in AHM (which, by the way, I enjoyed very much). Did you specifically want to portray him differently?

Again, that was before my time, but yes, if I may speak on behalf of Shane, that was intentional. And you'll see more of this Perceptor in the months ahead--specifically, ALL HAIL MEGATRON #15.

Word is that IDW will be putting out movie Spotlights after Coda ends. Any characters you can spill?

Actually, it's a mini-series featuring spotlight-style issues, but there is connective tissue in all of them to the movie and some of them will connect to each other, to really build the fabric of the movie universe tapestry.

But to answer your question: Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Jetfire, The Fallen, Arcee, and Ravage, but not necessarily in that order...

What after the Spotlights? Is IDW planning on continuing the storyline straight on from AHM, or is there another that will pick up? (I also heard a rumor of a storyline concerning the Thirteen-- is there anything in the works with them or no?)

In order: I can't talk about Fight Club.
Sort of.
Maybe.
I've heard that rumor too.

There was also a rumor of a "moving graphic novel" idea proposed to IDW and supported by Michael Bell. Is there any plan to take that forwards and produce it?

Nope. It's just plain too expensive. It would be impossible to recoup costs on the project. (Damn.)

And, a small personal question: Who's your favorite character to work with?

I hate saying the obvious, but I really do love Optimus Prime. That said, I have a real soft spot for Blue Streak since he was the first TF I got as a kid and I was sucked in by him into this whole strange world. I'm also an Omega Supreme fan. I got him for Christmas one year and it was like the clouds parted and that big honking box shot down straight from the heavens. It was glorious!

Since you like Bluestreak so much (he's my favorite as well, by the way), do you think there will be a Spotlight for him?

I'd like to, just need a great story. And I'll be really critical of anything about him since he IS my favorite.

And also-- Sunstreaker's taken a hell of a beating in IDW--is it really over for him?

No fat lady sang that I remember seeing or hearing... (Check out ALL HAIL MEGATRON #14!)


.... SUNNY!!!
Thank the lord.
Anyway, that is all!