Don Figueroa Interview: Done with Transformers?

I dont blame him. Hasbro jips him and ruins his designs. Also they dont give him enough credit or let any of his toys come out. Which the Grimlock was awsome!

Dead Metal wrote:so NovaPrime is actually Optimus Prime?!

That was a shocker for you????I noticed the simularties the first time I saw his alt mode.

First Gen wrote:Cool eh? And whats cooler is that Nova is actually Nemesis Prime.

They didnt say it yet but its starting to look that way.

Dead Metal wrote:Since when is that so?

Since Simon said so.

That Megatron Scarface image made my day!

Yeah his megatron is badass

It's a bummer he's not working on Transformers as much. But creator-owned stuff? Awesome news!

This is pretty unfortunate is it really is true. Don is a great TF artist, we've had some of the best pieces from him, I mean come on, ho doesn't love the G1 or Multiverse lithos!? All I have to say about his concept of the first Megatron is......I can't come up w/a word that describes that kind of awesomeness. His face is more the Decepticon insignia that Soundwave, & Soundwave is already pretty mcuh the Decepticon insignia.

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:so NovaPrime is actually Optimus Prime?!

That was a shocker for you????I noticed the simularties the first time I saw his alt mode.

First Gen wrote:Cool eh? And whats cooler is that Nova is actually Nemesis Prime.

They didnt say it yet but its starting to look that way.

I haven't seen him jet, just pic someone posted as the OP spotlight came out.
I have to wait till cHristmas to read it

Don is, was and always will be THE best TF artist that I have ever seen. That's not to say everyone else sucks or anything - it's just that Don's style and insane attention to detail is exactly how I have always wanted TF to look, and it wasn't until I seen his stuff that I even knew that kind of grown-up look was possible.

By the tone of his answers, I get the distinct impression that he was seriously overworked but underpaid & underappreciated. Sounds like both IDW and Hasbro had a very "take it or leave it" attitude with him, and certainly didn't give the attention to his designs that he undoubtedly deserved. I guess that point is more than proven with how they released his WW Megatron without the sword, and never released his WW Grimlock, WW Prowl, second WW Seeker design, G1 Shockwave, G1/WW Cosmos, WW Bumblebee/Cliffjumper, etc. at all.

I'm glad he was given the opportunity to rise from comic artist to Hasbro designer since we got a few kick ass figures out of it (WW Prime & Classics Jetfire in particular), but it's a crying shame that we won't see more of his stuff in print or in three dimensional toy form.

Dead Metal wrote:Wow, that was a nice interview, so NovaPrime is actually Optimus Prime?!

Yeah, DonFig posted that in the Optimus Spotlight Discussion thread awhile ago.

I wonder what line the Optimus Design was for?

what??!! done??! nooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you guys are overreacting, so Don wants to move on and do other things. I mean, you cant force him to keep drawing Transformers forever, heck even I get tired of constantly drawing the same thing over and over

Maybe he need just a break of all this stuff, and even I say it's never been finished when he got a good moneycontract again, maybe just maybe he comes back for 6 new comics. Besides we always have Guido Guidi and EJ Su.

The guy deserves a break, I can understand him not wanting to do Transformers for a while. I really like his original mechs (not being restricted by G1), I'm more excited for what he's doing next.

Blitzwing the warrior wrote:so Don wants to move on and do other things. I mean, you cant force him to keep drawing Transformers forever

I don't want him to keep drawing Transformers forever. I just want him to finish "The Ascending" before he goes. His artwork has been one of, if not the, only good thing I've been able to say about it.

A shame. But I think Don will be back. He truly is the greatest TF artist of all time!

It does suck major, cause Pat Lee's fat blocky style of TF drawing doesnt appeal to me that much.

On to bigger and better things. And who knows, maybe a whole new TF universe when Don gets his own comic company.

Ok, thats super optimistic but it doesnt hurt to dream.

First Gen wrote:It does suck major, cause Pat Lee's fat blocky style of TF drawing doesnt appeal to me that much.

Well, good thing his ass has been off the property for years now.

Darth Bombshell wrote:

Blitzwing the warrior wrote:so Don wants to move on and do other things. I mean, you cant force him to keep drawing Transformers forever

I don't want him to keep drawing Transformers forever. I just want him to finish "The Ascending" before he goes. His artwork has been one of, if not the, only good thing I've been able to say about it.

That is finished I would say.

i love the way people seem to think he's dead or something

the guys been doing the books for YEARS! how many other artists have stuck with a property this long lately?

i think don just needs a break and after his turnout i cant blame him. just look at that work load. the guy obviously loves TF so he'll be back someday but he deserves the break and hey that can result in a revitalised fig chomping at the bit to get stuck in. personally , and i dont want to seem like im attacking him, but i wasnt that pushed on his ascending stuff. it just seemed pumped out by the numbers and lacked the style he had in stormbringer for instance so long term this could be a good thing.

and hey what artist doesnt want to do his own comic? if anyone deserves that its don

Well, I didn't gather that he's DONE with Transformers, He's just taking a well-deserved sabbatical. I think that Don was originally hired because he was in it for the Love of the game, not to make a ton of money. He got noticed, and got offered a job. I'm sure anyone that has been offered a job making a career out of their hobby would agree that you get a little bit chafed by doing something you love under someone else's terms. Don's Transformers art got him into the world of being a professional Artist, and don't think HE'LL ever forget that. He seems to genuinely LOVE transformers just as much as the rest of us-He STILL makes kitbashes! That was the coolest bit that I read. He(well, and TFMaster) inspired me to start my kitbashing! He's made a world of difference in the Transformers world, and he still seems to be the same humble dude that Signed my WWI holofoil cover at OTFCC 2003! That speaks a lot of his Character and his Humanity.

Anyways, he's just taking a break. He's long overdue for one. When the time is right for him, as well as the powers-that-be, he'll be back. I have no doubt of that. In the meantime, I salute you, Don! Enjoy working on your new adventures!

Truly is sad, but he deserves a break. Btw, where can I see his name on Optimus, and where can I see his combiner?

partholon wrote:the guys been doing the books for YEARS! how many other artists have stuck with a property this long lately?

Mark Bagely on Spider-Man, more specifically Ultimate Spider-Man

First Gen wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Wow, that was a nice interview, so NovaPrime is actually Optimus Prime?!

Cool eh? And whats cooler is that Nova is actually Nemesis Prime.

So there all one person/bot?

Man, I do love Don's work, and I love the other artists like Guido Guidi, Alex Milne, E.J. Su, etc too, but I'm going to miss Don.

NightFall wrote:

First Gen wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Wow, that was a nice interview, so NovaPrime is actually Optimus Prime?!

Cool eh? And whats cooler is that Nova is actually Nemesis Prime.

So there all one person/bot?

Man, I do love Don's work, and I love the other artists like Guido Guidi, Alex Milne, E.J. Su, etc too, but I'm going to miss Don.

More like evolved. It started in Spotlight OP, went in to Escalation #3 and Megatron Origins.

This is TERRIBLE news. Don is the best artist we ever had. Guess I'm really not gonna find a reason to buy comics now.

If don was the only reason to buy the comics, then you my friend, have been one relativly deprived TF Fan. I mean at most 8 issues a year of goodness out of the 20 or so the rest of us get. Plus not being able to follow the story because he's used sporadically. Sorry to hear that. The death of DW must have been even harder on you than it was me. And i spent months trying to get people to send me comics i didn't even know were being delayed.

Repair Bay wrote:Truly is sad, but he deserves a break. Btw, where can I see his name on Optimus, and where can I see his combiner?

The rifle of 6 inch Titanium War Within Optimus Prime clearly has details that spell DON out. It's rather cool.

wow im completly confused with IDW's timline

Whatever Don decides to do, I support him and wish him the very best of luck.

Thanks Don!

1337W422102 wrote:Whatever Don decides to do, I support him and wish him the very best of luck.

Thanks Don!

Certainly, Don is in inspiration. My small collection represents years of his work which I am very appreciative of.
Resisting change is futile, but I hope he comes back someday.
I also put in my thanks.