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In [[2002]], Dreamwave splintered off from Image and became a publishing company in their own right following their attainment of the license to the popular [[Hasbro]] toyline, Transformers. The first miniseries, featuring art by Lee and writing by [[Chris Sarracini]], based on the classic Transformers "[[Transformers series|G1]]" characters, was the top-selling book on the sales charts for its entire run. More series followed, expanding their G1 stories to shape a brand new universe, covering the current toyline, ''[[Transformers: Armada]]'', and famed Transformers scibe [[Simon Furman]] came on board to produce [[Transformers series|The War Within]], a series detailing previously-undocumented aspects of the Transformers' past. Many artistic members of the fan community, such as [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Guido Guidi]] were hired by the company, entering the professional word of comics via their hobby. |
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Three years later, signs of trouble began to appear when G1 writers [[James McDonough]] and [[Adam Patyk]] left the company over pay disputes. Subsequently, despite plans for their replacement, it was announced that Dreamwave had gone out of business. They cited "the shrinking comic book market combined with a weak U.S. dollar" as the cause of their closure on [[January 4,]] [[2005]], after a month of rumours and speculation had all but made this a foregone conclusion amongst readers. The final Dreamwave comic was published in December 2004, leaving multiple ongoing and limited series unfinished. |
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==Controversy== |
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Much of the controversy surrounding Dreamwave suddenly appeared in its closing days, when it became apparent that the company had been neglecting to pay many of its employees, not just McDonough and Patyk. When a list of the company's debts surfaced online, it became apparent that combined, they owed in excess of a million dollars. Saying a lot about their business practises and what company money was spent on, two of the very few items on the list marked "secured" were Pat and Roger's [[BMW]]s. Several artists, including Figueroa and Guidi, having previously remained genial on the matter, have recently aired their grievances with the company, which as of [[April 2005]], include having to pay [[FedEx]] for shipment of art they never got paid for in the first place. |
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Detractors of the comics themselves have tried to cite the falling sales of Dreamwave's books for their financial failure, but it should be noted that the Generation 1 comic book always outsold the G.I. Joe comics published by "rivals" [[Devil's Due]], and that company is still in existence. If nothing else, the colossal windfall from the incredible, unpredicted sales of the first miniseries, properly managed, should have been enough to sustain the company. It is clear that chronic mismanagement played the biggest role in the closure of Dreamwave. |
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In Pat Lee's own words "TO ME DREAMWAVE WAS MORE THAN JUST A WORD. IT'S MEANING TO ME FULLFILLS ALL OF WHAT I BELIEVE IN. SUCCESS, LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, HOPES ANS WISHES. WHEN ALL IS BAD HUMANS EXCLUDE THEMSELVES FROM REALITY ONLY TO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE REALM OF DREAMS. BECAUSE HERE IN OUR DREAMS WE FIND THE FREEDOM FROM THE SHACKLES THAT THIS SOCIETY HAS LOCKED US IN REALITY." [http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/infrarred4.html] |
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Pat Lee has permanently earned himself the ire of most, if not all fans, due to his ego - constantly identified as a "superstar artist" in DW press releases (when in actuality, his art is viewed as disproportionate, inconsistent and poorly laid out), his final words on Dreamwave essentially consisted of him saying he was fine, because he was still getting work from other companies. |
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==List of Dreamwave Transformers comics== |
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In 2002, Pat Lee's artistic rendition of Transformers landed Dreamwave the license to [[Hasbro]]'s popular toyline, and the first miniseries was number one on comic book sales charts for several months. |
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===Mini-series=== |
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* ''Generation 1'' |
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* ''Generation 1 volume II: War and Peace'' |
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* ''The War Within'' |
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* ''The War Within volume II: The Dark Ages'' |
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* ''The War Within volume III: The Age of Wrath'' (cancelled after issue #3) |
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* ''Micromasters'' |
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* ''Summer Special'' (was to be an irregular mini-series, only one issue was published) |
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* ''Transformers vs. GI Joe'' |
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* ''Transformers vs. GI Joe II: Divided Front'' (cancelled after issue #1) |
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* ''More than meets the eye'' (character profile series) |
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===Ongoing series=== |
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* ''Generation 1 ongoing series'' (cancelled after issue #10) |
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However, three years and several Transformers comic book series later, there were signs of trouble. Writers and artists were not being paid, and even [[James McDonough]] (Brad Mick) and [[Adam Patyk]], the writers of Dreamwave's best-selling Transformers book parted ways due to lack of pay. Dreamwave lost the Transformers license and closed its doors in December 2004, due to "the shrinking comic book market combined with a weak U.S. dollar." |
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* ''Armada'', later ''Energon'' (cancelled after issue #30) |
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== External Links == |
== External Links == |
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*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2102 Dreamwave's financial debts] |
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[http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/ Infrarred] |
*[http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/ Infrarred] |
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[[Category:Comic book publishers]] |
[[Category:Comic book publishers]] |
Revision as of 04:54, 21 July 2005
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher, best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series.
History
In 1996, Pat Lee and Roger Lee founded Dreamwave Productions under the Image Comics imprint and published their first miniseries, Darkminds, quickly making their manga-influenced style their trademark, merging the look of an animated film with sequential art.
In 2002, Dreamwave splintered off from Image and became a publishing company in their own right following their attainment of the license to the popular Hasbro toyline, Transformers. The first miniseries, featuring art by Lee and writing by Chris Sarracini, based on the classic Transformers "G1" characters, was the top-selling book on the sales charts for its entire run. More series followed, expanding their G1 stories to shape a brand new universe, covering the current toyline, Transformers: Armada, and famed Transformers scibe Simon Furman came on board to produce The War Within, a series detailing previously-undocumented aspects of the Transformers' past. Many artistic members of the fan community, such as Don Figueroa and Guido Guidi were hired by the company, entering the professional word of comics via their hobby.
Three years later, signs of trouble began to appear when G1 writers James McDonough and Adam Patyk left the company over pay disputes. Subsequently, despite plans for their replacement, it was announced that Dreamwave had gone out of business. They cited "the shrinking comic book market combined with a weak U.S. dollar" as the cause of their closure on January 4, 2005, after a month of rumours and speculation had all but made this a foregone conclusion amongst readers. The final Dreamwave comic was published in December 2004, leaving multiple ongoing and limited series unfinished.
As Dreamwave's website was shut down, a new site, Dreamengine, registered by Roger Lee, was launched.
Controversy
Much of the controversy surrounding Dreamwave suddenly appeared in its closing days, when it became apparent that the company had been neglecting to pay many of its employees, not just McDonough and Patyk. When a list of the company's debts surfaced online, it became apparent that combined, they owed in excess of a million dollars. Saying a lot about their business practises and what company money was spent on, two of the very few items on the list marked "secured" were Pat and Roger's BMWs. Several artists, including Figueroa and Guidi, having previously remained genial on the matter, have recently aired their grievances with the company, which as of April 2005, include having to pay FedEx for shipment of art they never got paid for in the first place.
Detractors of the comics themselves have tried to cite the falling sales of Dreamwave's books for their financial failure, but it should be noted that the Generation 1 comic book always outsold the G.I. Joe comics published by "rivals" Devil's Due, and that company is still in existence. If nothing else, the colossal windfall from the incredible, unpredicted sales of the first miniseries, properly managed, should have been enough to sustain the company. It is clear that chronic mismanagement played the biggest role in the closure of Dreamwave.
Pat Lee has permanently earned himself the ire of most, if not all fans, due to his ego - constantly identified as a "superstar artist" in DW press releases (when in actuality, his art is viewed as disproportionate, inconsistent and poorly laid out), his final words on Dreamwave essentially consisted of him saying he was fine, because he was still getting work from other companies.
List of Dreamwave Transformers comics
Mini-series
- Generation 1
- Generation 1 volume II: War and Peace
- The War Within
- The War Within volume II: The Dark Ages
- The War Within volume III: The Age of Wrath (cancelled after issue #3)
- Micromasters
- Summer Special (was to be an irregular mini-series, only one issue was published)
- Transformers vs. GI Joe
- Transformers vs. GI Joe II: Divided Front (cancelled after issue #1)
- More than meets the eye (character profile series)
Ongoing series
- Generation 1 ongoing series (cancelled after issue #10)
- Armada, later Energon (cancelled after issue #30)