Generation 1  Generation 1 / Comics

Interview - James Roberts Talks The Origins of More Than Meets The Eye, and How Optimism Informs His Work

The Sequart Organization has sit down with MTMTE creator James Roberts to talk about the creation of the book, its underlying themes, and much more as part of their "Transformers Week" series of articles to tie in with the release of Age of Extinction. Not a lot of shocking new information, but it's interesting to read and puts the point on More Than Meets The Eye's perspective on life in a way you may not have considered. Click through for a quote and a link!

First and foremost, MTMTE is supposed to be fun. ‘Fun’ doesn’t mean it has to be lighthearted all the time, and it doesn’t mean we can’t have moments of real horror. We can, at times, be bleak and shocking and terrifying. But underpinning it all – and acting as a sort of narrative rocket fuel – is a sense of adventure and – dare I say it, in these grim-dark times? – joy. The main crew are all emotionally damaged, but, by and large, they face the universe with a smile on their face – a crooked smile, a thin-lipped smile, a mad-eyed grin, whatever. But as awful as things get at times, they brush themselves down and hope for the best. Building a likeable (if flawed) cast is key to infusing the title with a sense of fun, I think. The whole point of the series – the fact that they’re heading off into the stars on a weird, potentially open-ended adventure – also helps keep things bright. It’s not like Rodimus has set out to hunt down the people who killed his race or anything like that. It’s not a revenge fantasy. And the set up (while allowing for lots of action-packed incidents, mysteries, heroism and derring-do) does not lend itself to endless stories about killing. No, in MTMTE world, the war’s ended (sort of) and the crew of the Lost Light are looking for the promised land, essentially. It’s an optimistic quest, and optimism is at the heart of the book. True, you might sometimes have to dig through layers of cynicism and even nihilism to get to it, but underpinning the broader story arc, as unfashionable as it may be, is that sense of hope. Most of us are a bit misshapen, personality wise; we’re scuffed around the edges and (even if it’s only deep down) we don’t think too much of ourselves. But we recognise that the world around us is more good than bad, we keep faith in other people, and we soldier on.

Data Center

Member Comments

~ NO MEMBER COMMENTS YET ~
start the coversation with yours

ADD YOUR COMMENT NOW
(Membership Required)

Transformers Shops

Advertise Here on TFormers.com

Shop Online for Transformers United

Transformers Shopping



More Generation 1 News & Reviews



Advertise on TFormers.com








This site uses cookies for site configuration, advertising, and analysis. By using this site you accept our policies - Read Full Site Policy OK
Sign Up For The TNI Newsletter And Have The News Delivered To You!


Forums Communities: Toy Fans - Marvel Fans - Transformers Fans

@ToyNewsI Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@MarvelousNews Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@Tformers Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@JediInsider Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

Entertainment News International (ENI) is the #1 popular culture network for adult fans all around the world.
Get the scoop on all the popular comics, games, movies, toys, and more every day!

Contact and Support

Advertising | Submit News | Contact ENI | Privacy Policy

©Entertainment News International - All images, trademarks, logos, video, brands and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies and owners. All Rights Reserved. Data has been shared for news reporting purposes only. All content sourced by fans, online websites, and or other fan community sources. Entertainment News International is not responsible for reporting errors, inaccuracies, omissions, and or other liablities related to news shared here. We do our best to keep tabs on infringements. If some of your content was shared by accident. Contact us about any infringements right away - CLICK HERE