Transformers vs. G.I. JOE #13: Armageddon
Tom Scioli & John Barber (w) • Tom Scioli (a & c)
THE END IS NIGH! Final battle erupts—the forces of G.I. JOE and the AUTOBOTS head-to-head (or head-to-toe, depending on the size difference) with the DECEPTICOBRA alliance! The fate of the universe hangs on every decision!
FC • 48 pages • $7.99
Transformers vs G.I. JOE #12
Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)
WELCOME TO THE TERROR DROME! As the forces of COBRA plot a treacherous move, OPTIMUS PRIME descends in to CYBERTRONIAN hell in search of the MATRIX. They say the sun also rises… but will it be friend or foe?!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Transformers vs G.I. JOE #11
Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)
ESCAPE FROM PRIMUS! With Earth no more, the G.I. JOE team battles to make CYBERTRON their new home—but MEGATRON has something to say about that. Hint: it’s “no, I’m not going to let you do that.” Plus: the secret history of DUKE!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Transformers vs G.I. JOE #10
Tom Scioli, John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)
REMEMBER US?! The most titanic tale of the twenty-first century takes an unexpected twist—BUT WHEN HAS TRANSFORMERS VS. G.I. JOE DONE ANY LESS?! Expect the unexpected—then throw your expectations out the window!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Growing up, I used to love watching Saturday morning cartoon TV shows, as any child of my generation, knew that it was the only time we got to watch what we wanted and for hours and n multiple TV channels. I remember waking up at 6:00 in the morning to watch what was on, everything from Gargoyles to Zorro to MASK. I remembered this is the exact medium where I was introduced to high fantasy, everything from Thundarr the Barbarian to He-Man and Masters of the Universe. From that point, I was hooked, I started reaching for everything that was similar, anything to do with dragons and warriors and princesses, all at the same time, seemed like a magical world that one could get swept up in an instance.
Tom Scioli, is a master storyteller, whose talents I believe are nowhere as appreciated as his contemporaries, as I was introduced to his talents in the superb modern classic, Godland. His prior work had been excellent up to this point as his skills as a writer remind of Jim Steranko in so many ways. When I heard that he was using his talents to not only draw but write a series that was based in high fantasy, I was instantly interested in how the end product would turn out. He not only excels in American Barbarian, but his love for everything “Saturday morning cartoons,” exudes throughout the series.
Within American Barbarian, we are introduced to Yoosamon and his seven sons, whose hair, is colored in American Red, White and Blue, who are taking part in a fate ceremony, where they must pull a sword to determine their destiny, as they are protectors of the Lionhorn Dynasty, in a place called New Earthsea, defending against robots, rising dead, genetic supermen, dinosaurs, etc. One is chosen to be the American Barbarian, through this ceremony, and must be the ultimate savior for the kingdom. All seems to fine, until they are attacked by the Two Tank Omen, Ancient Egyptian like creatures who have tanks and invade the kingdom, ultimately killing most of the Yoosamon family except for American Barbarian. He plots his revenge by joining the Two Tank Omen, where he plans to infiltrate them and destroy them from within, ending the series with more than a satisfying end, reminiscent of those Saturday morning cartoons where it draws its inspirations from.
Ultimately, the series is a fun romp through high fantasy, equal parts Turok the Dinosaur Hunter and Heavy Metal, eventually becoming something not only nostalgic but exceptional. Scioli’s story is nothing but love for high fantasy, not only of those Saturday Morning cartoons, but also of authors like Ursula Le Guin. Scioli’s art is the main reason why I loved his work on GI Joe and is the reason why I love his work on this series. Overall, a fun time, that will not only feel reminiscent of the best fantasy out there, but just like any good fiction, will take you away.
Story: Tom Scioli Art: Tom Scioli
Story: 10 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This July, artist and co-author of the critically acclaimed Transformers vs. G.I. JOE, Tom Scioli unleashes his anarchic comic-book odyssey, American Barbarian. This new edition from IDW Publishing collects the complete series with exclusive, behind-the-scenes bonus material and an all-new introduction by comics legend Rob Liefeld.
Conceived and executed as only Scoli can, American Barbarian stretches the comics medium to its limits. American Barbarian tells the complete tale of Meric, the last American on a revenge quest across the POST-post-apocalyptic landscape of New Earthea. The half-tank/half-mummy Two-Tank Omen murdered Meric’s family and payback is due. The young barbarian will fight every zombie, mutant motorcycle gang, and robosaur (robotic dinosaur) if that’s what it takes to keep the American Dream alive.
American Barbarian: The Complete Series collects Scioli’s experimental webcomic in its entirety along with the never-seen-before process section “American Barbarian Apocrypha.” The story changes gears and shifts tone both in its writing and in its artwork. Kirbyesque cartooning gives way to watercolor and photocollage. It’s Jack Kirby meets Robert E. Howard meets Chuck Jones.
Edited by Erik Larsen and Bruce Timm—and just in time to take San Diego Comic-Con by storm—comes Giant-Size Kung Fu Bible Stories, a deluxe limited edition collection featuring the original stories of the world’s greatest cartoonists.
This treasury edition format includes seven eye-popping, mind-melting stories from Erik Larsen, Bruce Timm, Adam Warren, Tom Scioli, Ryan Ottley, Andy Kuhn, and Arthur Adams. A collection years-in-the making, readers won’t want to miss out on this amazing special collector’s issue, an Image Treasury Edition.
A limited number of Giant-Size Kung Fu Bible Stories will be available exclusively at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. It can be purchased at the Image Comics booth (#2729) for $20 each. Snap them up before they’re gone!
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wo of the most popular comic book franchises of all-time, Transformers and G.I. Joe, will be going head-to-head in a brand-new ongoing series debuting next summer! Written and drawn by comic luminary Tom Scioli with co-writer and Transformers veteran John Barber, these classic characters will explode off the page like never before!
Based on the iconic Hasbro brands, this stand-alone series is set to explore the intriguing encounter between these starkly different teams. Cosmic in scale, the series will utilize Scioli’s unique artwork to traverse the perils of space and pit the G.I. Joe team against the ominous threats of Cybertron. Featuring the characters synonymous with both Transformers and G.I. Joethis will be a team-up for the ages!
Scioli has hinted at some pretty weighty topics for the series:
This feels like the comic I was born to make. We’re asking big questions. Is war an inevitable condition of life? What is free will? What is the future of man and machine as the line between them becomes increasingly blurred? The G.I. Joe team is trained to deal with dangerous situations and this is the ultimate test of their training. The Transformers characters push the boundaries of what shapes life can take in this infinite universe of ours. Perhaps it will be a machine that teaches us what it is to be human.
Both brands have found immense success over the decades with action figures, feature films, cartoons, comics and more; and have each found unique and avid fanbases. With influential and iconic characters, the Transformers and G.I. Joe brands are globally renowned as multi-media powerhouses.
The event of the year begins next summer only at IDW!
Ryan Browne‘s God Hates Astronauts, coming this October from Image Comics, is outrageous, raunchy, absurd, violent, extremely popular, and everything you could want in a comic. NASA hires the Power Persons 5 to keep the nation’s farmers from launching themselves into space in homemade rocket ships. The bad news is that NASA is wasting their money, because this gang of hooligans is going to hang out, get drunk, have extra-marital affairs, and occasionally save the day in spite of themselves.
God Hates Astronauts began life six years ago as a comic written and drawn over the course of 24 hours, resulting in a madcap and free-wheeling pace and approach to storytelling. After that, Browne published God Hates Astronauts as a webcomic. Now, the softcover collection of God Hates Astronauts includes not just a fully remastered edition of the original webcomic, but one hundred pages of rare and all-new material not available on the web.
There are 21 pin-ups from artists like Chris Burnham, Rebekah Isaacs, Tom Fowler, Mike Norton, and more. The two original 24-hour comics are included, along with a reference guide that explains the parodies and inside jokes, and 18 all-new two-page origin stories written by Browne and drawn by some of the best talent in comics, including Tradd Moore, Tim Seeley, Riley Rossmo, Tom Scioli, Nick Pitarra, C.P. Wilson III, Zander Cannon, Jenny Frison, Chris Mitten, and Hilary Barta.
God Hates Astronauts will be in stores on October 9 and is currently available to pre-order from the August issue of Previews (Diamond Code AUG130620).
Gødland, the long-running Image Comics series that launched in 2005, comes to its long-awaited end in the Gødland Finale, a 72-page one-shot to be released in November. Man of Action Studios‘ Joe Casey and artist Tom Scioli have created an epilogue story that takes the cosmic grandeur of the Eisner-nominated series to incredible new heights. It’s been more than a year since the last issue, #36, was released, but Casey and Scioli will address the passage of time in a much more dramatic way.
The issue jumps one hundred years ahead into the future and shows a world significantly transformed by Adam Archer’s ‘GØD-like’ actions as seen in issue #36. But, once again, humanity is teetering on another major evolutionary brink… and what ultimately occurs in the final pages is the true culmination of everything the book has been about from the very first issue.
The Gødland Finale will be in stores on November 27 and can be pre-ordered in the September issue of Previews.
