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Post by Omega Steve on Feb 10, 2008 16:45:42 GMT
Chris Ryall has posted sketch images on his blog of an upcoming spotlight, out in June. It looks an awful lot like Wheelie, and confirms for me that the IDW crew have decided to accept the challenge from fans to take this somewhat derided character and make him cool. Judging by the massive gun 'Wheelie' is carrying he may be developing a gritty edge... and then some! See what you think - ryalltime.blogspot.com/ |
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Post by sandhog on Feb 10, 2008 19:55:48 GMT
Yeah that is Wheelie. I think it will be a good idea to revamp him in the IDW conitnuity. In the Transformers Movie he was annoying and irritating (like Jar Jar Binks in phantom menace  ). I also think with the Spotlight Grimlock coming out in March there could be a possibility of his link to the dinobots being explored and using this G1 element of his background. So where are the decepticon spotlights? Maybe we will get five of them in a row  |
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Post by Omega Steve on Feb 14, 2008 9:19:56 GMT
There's not really anything that irritated me about the original movie, including Wheelie. The film was very gimmicky, think Arcee (token female), fast-talking blurr, old timer Kup, impetuous youth Hot Rod, quintessons with court/sentencing preoccupation, TV-talking Junkions etc. Wheelie with his talking in rhymes is just another gimmick. I'm sure somebody at Hasbro/Sunbow thought he was cute and would appeal to the younger demographic.
Seems to me he got targetted a little unfairly. It could just as easily be Wreck-gar and his TV talk that p*ssed people off. I seem to remember Furman saying once how he hated writing Wreck-gar dialogue.
That said there is a big negative that has built up around Wheelie and that's why he's a perfect subject for IDW to tackle. A challenge even. My guess is that the character will be viewed in a whole different light after this spotlight and a good indication will be how they handle spotlight Arcee.
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Post by sandhog on Mar 15, 2008 0:08:09 GMT
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Post by Omega Steve on Mar 16, 2008 10:25:11 GMT
Coolio. I'm personally looking forward to this one because Wheelie has been the fandom's collective whipping boy for some time now, and I want to see if IDW can make him cool.
The premise for the story is that he's stranded on a planet, which sounds a lot like his role in the original TF Movie and a bit like Spotlight Kup too. Is that Trypticon's shadow?
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Post by sandhog on Mar 16, 2008 12:07:12 GMT
I got to agree he was the whipping boy and I whipped him along with others. I agree with what you say about the many gimmicks for the movie but this struck a hatred pang with me. Well emotions are usually far from rational  I must admit I am looking forward to this one. The cover is very well done. I had a similar thought regarding the shadow but I do not think it is trypticon. I think it is an alien monster on the world Wheelie is stranded on. What I am really interested in is seeing how they bring Kup back into the story, will Wheelie play a part in this? |
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Post by s2h6 on Mar 17, 2008 14:37:39 GMT
My first thought was a Sharkticon
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Post by Omega Steve on Mar 17, 2008 21:35:24 GMT
No its a bit too Godzilla for a Sharkticon. It could be one of the Firecons I suppose. That rings true with something Simon F says on his blog about there being a trio of Decepticons making their debut in this spotlight. Of course the trio could turn out to be the Insecticons. Extract from said blog reprinted below.
Wheelie is possibly the last Transformers character many (myself included) thought would ever merit a Spotlight, my involvement (as writer) is far more backseat than usual. This is very much a team effort with artist/colourist Klaus Scherwinski, who came up with the original premise for the story, convinced me to get involved (no mean feat) and worked with me closely on developing the idea into a working and well-rounded story. In fact, it’s fair to say that Klaus has been the driving force behind the whole project, and his sheer enthusiasm for the character (not to mention artistic skill) got me trying my absolute best to make it one no one should miss, both in terms of the story itself and it’s place in the wider scheme of things....
So what can you expect from Spotlight: Wheelie? Well, a really solid, character-led story for a start. For a large part, it’s just Wheelie, doing his level best to survive against all the odds. Then there’s a certain trio of Decepticons making their debut, plus a last-but-one page shocker that’ll just floor you! And ties into stuff that’s in the works for 09 and beyond! Oh, and we even get into why (by the end of the issue at least) Wheelie talks in rhyming couplets. As far as Spotlights go, we really think this one is the full ticket. Who’da thunk it!!
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Post by chrisp500 on Mar 23, 2008 22:47:24 GMT
Seems to me he got targetted a little unfairly. It could just as easily be Wreck-gar and his TV talk that p*ssed people off. I seem to remember Furman saying once how he hated writing Wreck-gar dialogue. Hmmm, a reworked Wreck-Gar Spotlight would be interesting..... |
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Post by Omegastoopreme on Mar 24, 2008 11:31:38 GMT
I think Wheelie was far more annoying in Headmasters, whether subbed or dubbed. The Wheelie in the movie was mild by comparison. Will be curious to see a new take on him. Seems to me he got targetted a little unfairly. It could just as easily be Wreck-gar and his TV talk that p*ssed people off. I seem to remember Furman saying once how he hated writing Wreck-gar dialogue. Hmmm, a reworked Wreck-Gar Spotlight would be interesting..... I agree a new take on Wreck-Gar could be cool. I'd like a spotlight on one of the larger more unique bots like Metroplex, or maybe Sky Lynx. |
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Post by s2h6 on Mar 25, 2008 14:44:04 GMT
Yes metroplex would be excellent but I don't see that happening for quite sometime, especially since the Autobots are leaving Earth, maybe when they get back they could make him.
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Post by s2h6 on Jun 24, 2008 11:45:00 GMT
Readd last night, was quite interesting and certainly made wheelie a better character although I don't think that was hard to do. It will be interesting to see how the Quintessons and Sharkticons fit into the IDW universe
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Post by Omega Steve on Jun 24, 2008 22:57:40 GMT
Yeah, I really enjoyed this one too. I think everyone can identify with Wheelie being a small and seemingly insignificant cog in a machine and wanting to be more. His superiors (Hotspot and Jetfire) have so little faith in him that I really enjoyed seeming him grow in stature the longer he survived on that planet. By the end he's as heroic as any Autobot I felt.
The two Reflector thugs worked out well as the villains. I wasn't sure if they would, but fair play to Simon and Klaus for featuring Reflector - even if their first appearance is their last I enjoyed seeing them in a comic. My only (slight) dislike was the rhyming speak towards the end which seemed a bit unnecessary to me. I'd have rather done without it.
Overall though Spotlight Wheelie is a success in my book.
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Post by sandhog on Aug 1, 2008 10:19:32 GMT
I thought they did a good job with this one and as a stand alone story it has been my favourite. The beginning was very funny where he is bottom of the list under roller and hubcap. I liked his acceptance and naivety of this and how he jumped at a chance to prove himself. The rhyming speak I thought was a clever way to do it so he could talk to his stranded alien companion (maybe you disliked the gimmik more than you thought mate  ). I thought the very last panel was intriguing; do you think in upcoming series we could see these as the next transformers big menace/threat? Would be a cool way to bring Wheelie back into the story especially if these beings are already on the same planet. |
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). I also think with the Spotlight Grimlock coming out in March there could be a possibility of his link to the dinobots being explored and using this G1 element of his background.
