FCBD Interview: Barber and Tramontano Reveal the True Form of Transformers: Robots In Disguise # 0

With Optimus Prime gone missing, the Deceptacons are out in full force and ready to wreak havoc on Earth! But all hope isn't lost just yet, as Bumblebee and elite group of Autobots are ready to track down and take on the troublemakers before their destruction can spread any further! It's an all-new adventure inspired by the new animated series!

Free Comic Book Day talked with comic creators John Barber and Priscilla Tramontano about Transformers: Robots In Disguise #0, IDW's 2015 Free Comic Book Day offering.

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Free Comic Book Day: For those who might be new to your comic book, give a quick rundown. What can we expect to see in terms of story and art?

John Barber: Transformers: Robots In Disguise #0 is based on the world created in Hasbro Studio’s Transformers: Robots in Disguise animated series on Cartoon Network—so we’re taking the same fun, exciting, funny, bouncy storytelling as the new show, but we’ve brought in a pretty cool twist to the comics that’ll get long-time Transformers fans and brand-new fans talking!

Plus, I get to work with the amazing Priscilla Tramontano, who’s been coloring Transformers brand comics for a while but who’s just made the leap into doing full art. We’ve actually known each other for years; we started working together in, what, 2010? So it’s really exciting to see her come out and really take the visuals from the TV show and make it come to life on the comics page.

Priscilla Tramontano: Well, John is a really good storyteller, so you can expect having a fun time reading it. What I love about Transformers stories is the combination of action, a more serious plot, but with a light-hearted narrative and some charming characters—and that’s exactly what this issue is about.

As for the art, I did my best to not only capture the style, but the spirit of the upcoming show. Since this is my first time ever doing interior pages, I’m hoping I won’t let anyone down.

Free Comic Book Day: What has been your favorite part of the book or character to tackle?

John Barber: I really liked getting to write Bumblebee again, and working in a Transformers world that’s so much fun. I think our Transformers comics are fun in general, but they can also get a little dark sometimes. I’m happy to have something I’ll enjoy, but so will my kid.

Priscilla Tramontano: Grimlock is an old favorite of mine and he’s finally part of the main team, so there’s that. Also, I love the interaction between Strongarm and Sideswipe.

Free Comic Book Day: Tell FCBD fans why they should pick your book first on Free Comic Book Day!

John Barber: Everybody knows the Transformers characters, so there’s a particular fun in seeing them do something new and exciting, which I think we have have here. Plus, Priscilla’s art is just amazing, like an animated cartoon coming alive on the page, but using the tools unique to comics to tell the story.

Oh, plus an exclusive Transformers Vs. G.I. Joe 2-page strip by Tom Scioli (with a tiny bit of help from me) that is mind-blowingly great.

Priscilla Tramontano: GRIMLOCK! And I think the comic is a great gateway for those who are looking forward to or already are fans of the show. Besides, if you’re like me, a fan of these badass-yet-adorable robots, you should not pass on any of the IDW/Hasbro Transformers brand titles.

Free Comic Book Day: What are you most looking forward to for Free Comic Book Day?

John Barber: Getting to see fans getting excited about comics, and seeing people coming in, people who maybe know this stuff from movies and TV and games, coming in and trying out the comics and becoming fans. Plus, picking up all the great FCBD comics everybody’s putting out!

Free Comic Book Day: What other titles would you associate with your FCBD book? “If a comic reader likes _______ , they should pick up my title"?

John Barber: Well, if you like Transformers at all, do yourself a favor and check this one out! It’s free!

But if you like adventure, a little comedy, great drawing and coloring, Transformers: Robots In Disguise #0 is for you. You don’t have to know anything about Transformers to get in on this comic—this is the ground floor! 

Priscilla Tramontano:

Free Comic Book Day: What do you think is the best part about Free Comic Book Day?

Priscilla Tramontano: I couldn’t tell because I live in Brazil where there’s no such thing as a Free Comic Day... yet, I hope. But I can tell from the testimonies/photos I see over my friends’ pages that the best part is the celebration of not only comics and its creators, but your local comic shops, which deserve to be loved too! I get the feeling it’s an outdoors Comic-Con. And yeah, great comics for free, what's not to love?

John Barber: Aw, that’s sad. Hopefully somebody will get in there and do FCBD in Brazil.

The coolest thing, I think, is seeing parents there with their kids, and all of ’em picking up comics. I love seeing parents introducing their kids to comics—and vice versa, kids dragging their mom or dad to the stores and mom or dad finding that comics offer something for everybody. But I do love seeing the kids grabbing comics and getting into my favorite medium.

Free Comic Book Day: What’s your favorite thing about working in comics?

Priscilla Tramontano: Oh boy, it’s hard to choose only one thing. My favorite-favorite thing is the opportunity to work with the people I admire—artists, writers, editors, etc. Second best thing, though, is that, as a comic book nerd since forever, making comics for a living, being part of the creative process, is pretty great.

John Barber: Yeah—getting to work with so many people that are so talented—getting to work with Priscilla on this and collaborate and create something that didn’t exist before, and to learn each other’s strengths and what we like doing… it’s a lot of fun. And in this comic, getting to professionally do what I used to do for fun when I was a kid—making up stuff Transformers do—can’t be beat.

Free Comic Book Day: Where will you be for this year’s FCBD? Do you have any annual FCBD traditions?

John Barber: At presstime, I’m still figuring this out. Maybe I can Skype you in wherever I am, Priscilla! 

Free Comic Book Day: Many newcomers will pick up comics for the first time on FCBD—what was the first comic you remember reading?

Priscilla Tramontano: My father had a comic collection. I remember sneaking into his office to read Spawn when I was 6 or 7. Not the most appropriate read for a kid but, hey. He eventually found out and granted me access to his Asterix pile, and those were the first books that got me interested in comics.

John Barber: That’s awesome—that’s a great story. I had a couple comics floating around—a Star Wars issue here, Avengers or X-Men there. But G.I. Joe was the first comic I really regularly started reading, and Transformers was the first comic I started on from issue #1.

Free Comic Book Day: Looking to the future of the book, is there anything you can tease about what's upcoming?

John Barber: This comic follows the characters from the new Transformers: Robots in Disguise animated series, but we’ve got a really big, really unique angle in the comic, that will be revealed in the FCBD issue. There are characters in the comic that you’ll only see in the comic—characters that will definitely please longtime fans, and new fans will (I think!) enjoy meeting!

Free Comic Book Day: Tell us why everyone should read comic books?

Priscilla Tramontano: Because comics have unlimited possibilities. There's nothing you can't find within those pages. There's always a story for everyone, no matter what your tastes are. You can always count on comics to find something to be inspired by.

John Barber: Yeah! I couldn’t agree more!

Find a comic shop near you to celebrate Free Comic Book Day 2015!