This seems like such an obvious solution, I'm not sure why no one has approached it more seriously. Why can't Hasbro greenlight a continuation of the TRANSFORMERS: ANIMATED continuity as a comic book series? It worked for BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (Season 8) and ANGEL (Season 6), didn't it? The sky would be the limit: No voice actors to pay off, no tight animation budget, no breakneck television schedule. Is there a reason why this hasn't come to pass?
IDW literally tried to make this the butt of a joke when they revealed their Regeneration One comic. Despite the fact they were thoroughly embarrassed when the mere mention of Animated got a standing ovation, Hasbro refuses to put out any new content for their past ventures, unless they see easy money. Which is why we're seeing such a huge oversaturation of G1 content.
Because if it's not G1, Hasbro's not going to give a shit about it. If we're lucky, maybe we'll get some token Masterpiece figures in another decade or so. Besides, IDW would be doing the comics and they can barely do G1 right, I wouldn't trust them to handle Animated.
For crying out loud, making a comic book series out of TFAS4 is easy money! They actually saw a standing ovation! The only believable reason they'd refuse to put out any new TFA content is a bizarre sense of spite. (It's not unprecedented; Marvel has been treating its own fanbase with contempt for decades.)
I would assume it's also just a financial decision. If G1 is the "most popular" iteration and it bleeds money, there's just no justification to do a "lesser" property, no matter how beloved. In the post-Covid survival, I doubt we see many chances get taken for awhile.
Sadly the chances of us getting a season 4 TFA comic series is about as big as the Dreamwave Unicron Trilogy getting some closure,as well as us actually exploring a time period between the G1 and BW eras which is another word for never gonna happen. I also agree that the way IDW trolled us with us getting a S4 TFA comic series only to get RG1 is truly an a-hole move.
So I guess there's no other choice aside from going back into the realm of fanfiction and fanart once again. Sigh...
To be honest even if COVID-19 never happened Hasbro still wouldn't take chances with anything that doesn't even resemble a bit of anything that isn't G1 in terms of comics at least. We'd be lucky enough if we got so much as even a one shot issue of anything non G1 in 10 to 20 years. Unless we see a miracle happen that makes that wish come true that's sadly the only choice to have. It really stinks to be a non G1 TF era fan nowadays.
Just for the record, I'm a G1 fan myself (NOBODY will ever outcool Peter Cullen's Optimus Prime), although TFA surprised me with some of its unique subplots, Blackarachnia's in particular. The fact Hasbro and IDW are going to leave them permanently unresolved gives me a really big ulcer.
IDW G1 "bleeds money" because it's boring and hideously drawn dog shit. I'd absolutely buy an Animated comic but they'd have to hire writers and artists.
I doubt it. Hasbro has little interest in anything other than G1 and whatever current TF brand they're pushing, and IDW can't be bothered to adapt the current shows into comics, let alone ones that were cancelled over a decade ago. Still, with the 15th anniversary coming up soon maybe Derrick Wyatt or Marty Isenberg can pitch a mini-series or a graphic novel or something.
I’d definitely prefer an actual season 4, but if we for sure can’t get it in tv show form, then I guess a comic would be better than nothing
I believe one of the major hurdles in creating any new Animated-related content is that the rights to the series are partially owned by Cartoon Network. So until those rights are returned to Hasbro in full, nothing official, with any intent of monetary gain, will be done with that continuity.
