IDW Launches Transformers/G.I. Joe Ongoing Series in 2014
G.I. Joe and the Transformers have met in the comics before and, most recently, in Hasbro’s San Diego Comic-Con exclusives. In 2014 they’ll meet again in an ongoing comic from IDW
Next year marks the 50th anniversary for G.I. Joe as a brand, 31 years for the Real American Hero incarnation, and 30 years for Transformers. The comic will be co-written by John Barber and Tom Scioli with Scioli also providing the art.
Check out the full press release below.
Worlds Collide In New TRANSFORMERS/G.I. JOE Ongoing Series!
The Crossover Of The Century At IDW In 2014
San Diego, CA (October 11, 2013) – Two 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 (Godland, American Barbarian) with co-writer and TRANSFORMERS veteran John Barber (TRANSFORMERS: ROBOTS IN DISGUISE, FALL OF CYBERTRON), 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. JOE this will be a team-up for the ages!
“This is a dream project for me,” says Barber, “and I’m blown away by the imagination and the unique take that Tom Scioli is bringing to this project. It harkens back to classic comic traditions—and to the origins of the TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE characters—but feels constantly, irrepressibly new!”
“This feels like the comic I was born to make,” says Scioli. “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.
“We’ve been waiting for the right opportunity for this event, and the anniversary of both TRANSFORMERS and G.I.JOE in 2014 is definitely the perfect time,” said Michael Kelly, Hasbro’s Director of Global Publishing. “We are very excited to be working with IDW on this project, and I for one can’t wait to read the next chapter of this adventure.”
The event of the year begins next summer only at IDW!
About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 170 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on Hub Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Through the company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.
About IDW
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE and MY LITTLE PONY; Paramount’s Star Trek; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 2000AD’s Judge Dredd; The Rocketeer; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio, and the multiple award-winning Artist’s Edition imprint.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Warner Brothers are producing a film based on Ashley Wood’s Lore; and Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.