There isn't enough squee in the country.
So. My copy of The Allspark Almanac, the Transformers: Animated guidebook, arrived today.
It is probably the most awesome Transformer-related thing I currently own. There's over 200 wonderfully glossy pages of episode synopses as written by the characters (Fanzone types his reports with a typewriter), and concept art with most of the characters getting both front and back shorts, and art of every single character that has ever appeared in the background for a single scene or more. Even humans and pets. I'm guessing they put in all the designs they had.
The profiles are great too, also written by the characters. The little universe details are amazing (apparently Blackarachnia built Blitzwing into a triplechanger, the Autobots don't use outright weapons as a matter of historical tradition to distance themselves from the Decepticons and Fanzone's first name is Carmine), the entire thing's a fanfic writer or fan artist's dream. The TFA-verse is clearly a labor of snarky, well-thought out, creative love.
And the references, dear god the references. If we ever needed proof that the writers are gigantic fanboys, it's right here. It's not just G1 either, there are little references to favored Botcon foods and Marty Isenburg's daughters. There are references to things from other fandoms, like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer band "Dingos Ate My Baby." There is a Last Action Hero reference. I have never seen anything this magnificently geeky set to print and I love it forever.
The only real disappointment is that it doesn't have anything Season 3 related (not that it will necessarily stay that way with enough support, *coughcough*), but it's completely compliant with it as far as I can tell.
If you're a TFA fan, or know a TFA fan, or want to support TFA and its writers, or have at one point sat next to someone who might have watched TFA, BUY THIS BOOK. It is absolutely amazing.
It is probably the most awesome Transformer-related thing I currently own. There's over 200 wonderfully glossy pages of episode synopses as written by the characters (Fanzone types his reports with a typewriter), and concept art with most of the characters getting both front and back shorts, and art of every single character that has ever appeared in the background for a single scene or more. Even humans and pets. I'm guessing they put in all the designs they had.
The profiles are great too, also written by the characters. The little universe details are amazing (apparently Blackarachnia built Blitzwing into a triplechanger, the Autobots don't use outright weapons as a matter of historical tradition to distance themselves from the Decepticons and Fanzone's first name is Carmine), the entire thing's a fanfic writer or fan artist's dream. The TFA-verse is clearly a labor of snarky, well-thought out, creative love.
And the references, dear god the references. If we ever needed proof that the writers are gigantic fanboys, it's right here. It's not just G1 either, there are little references to favored Botcon foods and Marty Isenburg's daughters. There are references to things from other fandoms, like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer band "Dingos Ate My Baby." There is a Last Action Hero reference. I have never seen anything this magnificently geeky set to print and I love it forever.
The only real disappointment is that it doesn't have anything Season 3 related (not that it will necessarily stay that way with enough support, *coughcough*), but it's completely compliant with it as far as I can tell.
If you're a TFA fan, or know a TFA fan, or want to support TFA and its writers, or have at one point sat next to someone who might have watched TFA, BUY THIS BOOK. It is absolutely amazing.