Well, apart from the similarities that you mention (which, whilst they may be broad, they're still deliberate and still similarities) there's vision, method and belief. His rise from obscurity was something I tied in with Hitler. His 'warrior king' mentality I tied in with Khan. His 'might makes right' vision belongs to Hitler, Khan, Alexander. His experimentation to create the 'super soldier' at the cost of his moralities I tied in with Hitler.
The biggest and most specific link to history, being one to communism/Nazism is a feature of my next series.
On story revelations:
Omega was deliberate. When Hotrod made his comment in #4(?) I knew full well that OS would come in 'out of the blue'. I can get why people don't like it, I love it. But again, it was a deliberate out of the blue.
As for Streaker, it depends on how you class 'out of the blue'. Almost ever time he appears there's deliberate subtext going on that, when you reread the issues after the reveal in #8 they should be glaringly obvious. Right back to #1 where there's a split in the room because of Mirage and Streaker is looking at Sideswipe in the way he does because he's finding him particularly annoying. Why is Streaker looking so down in #4? Why is he "going crazy just sitting here"? Why is he so eager to get out and away from the others?
I'll admit for first time readers it'll be a bit of a jump (evidence has shown not too much of one...and it's encouraged people to buy the previous trades) but for long time readers you have to take into account everything that happened before.
I've been criticised time and again for ignoring Simon's work but this particular story point, more than any other, was written with the knowledge that long time fans would be asking a lot of questions concerning Sunstreaker and would be expecting something from him considering what he'd gone through.
I really don't see Streaker as out of the blue at all.
On the 'old' Perceptor:
The way I see it is, the intellect and 'old Perceptor' is still in there, buried for the moment. He didn't refuse and the assumption can be made that Ratchet would be able to handle it fine. But for now Perceptor has 'gone walkabout'. Does that mean he's a 'dick'? Maybe. It's not unheard of for people to be 'dicks'. However I don't think we can be judgmental until we're all shot in the face and chest, take a walk in his shoes Wink
Again this plays into the knowledge that I'm writing for a shared universe. I made the changes to Perceptor in response to the themes I was dealing with. Could I have spent more time on Perceptor? For sure, I could have easily written a six issue mini series on that alone. However the series is dealing with 30+ characters each vying for screen time. I gave Perceptor the amount I thought he was due knowing full well someone else would take up the journey after me.
Could I have explained more? Maybe. However I wanted readers to meet me halfway, I hate works that spoon feed and I wanted the readers to think, argue and debate.
There's plenty of works out there where the audience continues to wonder what the writer meant with any particular character. I'm not saying that makes it 'right' but that I thoroughly enjoy any work that causes an audience to have to think beyond the page.
Might not work for everyone, I know, but that's my thought process.
On Sunstreaker's death:
If it facilitates story then do it. In this instance it was the path the character (I felt) had to take. I don't force my characters into situations or decisions that only serve 'plot' (and my feelings on 'plot' are a whole other subject) I try to follow them 'organically' to their conclusion. Sunstreaker was on a abusive downward spiral that, in his mind, only had one possible outcome. Could there have been another? Maybe. But not from his point of view. We can all find alternatives from our comfortable positions but for him that was the way 'out'. Right or wrong, it was his decision.
Deluge and Dirge:
He sent them ahead to check the area and keep the Bots in check. What if the Swarm were there? Well there's a reason those two were chosen.
And yes, Megs was planning on following them through. Nothing like some good old fashioned gloating.
They're out there, somewhere. Think Castaway meets Thelma and Louise...
on foreshadowing about Sunstreaker:
This is where I'll stop you to point out that readers did. I've seen it posted online and I've received mail from people that called it and called it well. Hell, Hutch made a joke, "quick! change it!" when it was called early by someone.
I know not everyone did but I'm not writing Murder She Wrote where we need to keep it oh so simple so those at home can solve the murder before Jessica does.
Let me quote you from earlier: "but the build-up still has to be there on first read through, so that when the dramatic reveal happens, even if the reader doesn't see it coming, he gets the sense that the clues were all there."
And now I'll make a point of readers responding to the reveal with "argh! of course!" reactions to 'answer'.
There's plenty of times I'll watch movies with friends that didn't notice something was 'up' with a certain character whilst it was obvious to me. Does that mean it was bad 'mechanics'? No.
There's a difference between foreshadowing and beating someone over the head, "Hey kids, don't tell anyone but does anyone think something is up with THAT guy? Shhh."
Did I play it close to the vest? Yes. Too close? Debatable. I don't think so.
Again, it's all on the page.
On not picking up every plot thread from Furman's work:
And the "almost" is the clincher here. Why didn't I focus on every single thread? Because AHM is set beyond what Simon did. Why didn't I answer every question posed by the jump? Because that would take a series in itself, one that Simon went on to write.
The clincher is that there were definitely signs to show this was in continuity (apart from us saying it time and again in interviews and being called liars for it), signs that should lead readers to know that what happened before is still in play and, indeed, what happened to Sunstreaker is still a factor.
I should also point out those points weren't 'dropped', I focused on what was relevant to AHM. The lack of phases? Considering what the story is about I think it's very clear why he's moved on from phased infiltration; the move to do so is even seen as bad choice by Starscream. The change in tactics is referenced and plays a major part in the story.
On Prime's sudden return:
Nothing was cut.
We're told the operation won't be easy and that Kup should prepare himself for the eventuality that Prime might not make it, yes. It's established Ratchet and Wheeljack are hard at work on fixing him but the real point of the scene is the low morale and how important Prime will be to the outcome.
Several scenes later, after he'd been undergoing repairs off camera, Prime makes his 'triumphant' return at the moment he's needed most, when the morale is at its lowest.
I hate to be pedantic but it's not just a few pages later, it's one page off the final page in the book. It's half the comic later.
On the inclusion of Dropshot:
Hasbro sent us the new line of toys and asked if there were any in there we thought we could include for them. From that I thought came up with the idea of slotting them in in the background.
Drift's function in the story:
To represent another facet of the war and also to play into the themes of forgiveness (or lack there of). Even the heroes of the story (well, some of them) don't accept him or his place in their ranks. Regardless of how often he proves his worth (which he risks a great deal and goes to great lengths in order to do) he still isn't accepted by all (the reason he was asked to stay outside after carrying Ironhide to safety).
on continuity with the rest of IDW:
And the winner is...
DecepticonsRule wrote:
And just my two cents, but self-contained does not = out of continuity. I think that's where some confusion is coming from. I think of self-contained as meaning you don't have to have read previous series to understand what's going on in AHM. Everything you need to know about AHM is explained within the pages of AHM which = self-contained. That doesn't mean AHM is not supposed to tie into the overall continuity. Shane and IDW have always said from day 1 that AHM was a continuation of the overall continuity. For me, I've had no problem following it as such.
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