OAAH! and TFBOoG@LoO! @ OTFCC 2004

25.JUL.2004

In conjunction with our good buddies over at No Brand Con (Wisconsin's Premiere Anime Convention!), we're bringing you some Funn in the circular shape and form of this swank Lost Episodes CD!

What is it, you ask?  It is merely the complete run of Beast Machines: The Lost Episodes and The Misadventures of Phil Bond: Accidental Secret Agent.  But wait, I hear you saying "I can get that online!  In fact, I can get that at this very site!"  True, these stories are posted for free on this site.  True, if you're already a fan, this disc won't do you much good.  Except for two things!  First, not everyone knows how awesome the Lost Episodes are.  Only the lucky few, like yourself, are privy to this knowledge!  Second, even if you are a fan this is a pretty sweet looking disc.  AND, it has a special extra on it that you can find few places else.  What am I talking about?  Hmm, I wonder...

The only way you can get one is to be at OTFCC 2004 in Chicago next weekend.  Starting on July 31, you'll see TheOrange traipsing about the convention grounds making mischief and probably talking about this "No Brand Con" thing or something called "OAAH!" that no one can pronounce.  That's why he'll be wearing a swank OAAH! shirt to help you out!  If you're lucky, you might even be invited to a Soul Calibur 2 tournament!  Okay, it's open to everyone, and if you end up placing in the top 3 you get some cool prizes.  How cool?  Very cool.

If you're one of the lucky souls who picked up one of these discs at OTFCC 2004, tell us what you thought about it!  Email us at lostepisodes@tfboogaloo.com and give us the skinny on your thoughts!  We won't give you a penny, but next time we hit the con scene we might have something even better waiting on the wings.

Also, make sure you have the DivX codec installed on your machine in order to use the disc properly.  Why do I say that?  Oh... no reason...

May Allspark Fanfic of the Month!

12.MAY.2004

Very cool thing!  I wasn't expecting anything at all from it, but Raksha's Brigade has been named the Allspark's Fanfic of the Month for May!  Totally surprised me -- I was looking for the thread with the Lost OAV stories in it to see how well the hit count was doing, but I couldn't find it!  Thinking it had been deleted, I was about to move on when I saw it had been marked important.  "This has to be a mistake," I thought.  No mistake!  Someone somewhere thought the story was plenty decent!  Thanks, everyone!

I find it a little funny because coming down the pike are stories I find far more interesting.  I was going to release episode 4 this month (I still might).  I guess the Lost OAV as a whole is being elected and not just episode 3, but it's less than a week after that story came out.  I guess people really like it!

The Allspark used to be an old stomping ground for many old fogies such as myself, and I think I even mentioned it in on of the the Phil Bond stories.  Anyway, several "interesting" political events either drove us out directly or enticed us to go elsewhere for a time.  Feels like a totally different place now.  Odd.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, check out the thread at the Allspark, or read the story on the site in the Lost OAV section! 

The Lost Episodes are Back, Baby!

01.MAY.2004

First and most importantly, the final three episodes of Beast Machines: Battle for the Manhole are on their way!  Episodes 24-26 are all contained in a multi-part extravaganza called "The End of the Beginning of the End".  Some may notice the striking similarity to the final episodes of World's Worst, called "The End of the Beginning".  This was purely accidental -- the Lost Episodes title is derived from Megatron's line in Episode 22 where he claims "This is the beginning... the beginning of the end!"  So, now the beginning of the end is... ending.  So, why isn't the last episode called "The End"?  I had thought about it, but I like Plot Hole better.  I wasn't even going to make the last episode part of the multi-parter, but it really, really is, and it's a nice parallel to the end of the actual Beast Machines series.  But we can't NOT have an ending, so the final installment of Tales of Cybertron will be called "The End?"  There's a damn good reason for that question mark, believe me.  Don't be confused, though -- once it's over for Beast Machines, it's OVER.

Secondly, but just as importantly, Robots in Disguise: The Lost OAV is back in full swing as well.  It was only supposed to be a six-episode throwaway side story when I started it, but somehow I got stuck despite the stupidly simple premise and totally mapped-out storyline.  The stuff I was writing just wasn't very good.  But that's all fixed now.  Episode 3 is coming along nicely, and Episode 2 received a minor revision to its ending.

I know I made a similar update almost a year ago (April 30th, to be exact), spurred by some favorable mentions in last year's Trannies (awards for Transformers, dufus!).  Well, I noticed this year there was NO MENTION WHATSOEVER, so I've decided to remedy that by writing nine new stories between Beast Machines and RiD.  How do you like THAT?

Well, don't get too comfy, because once they're done they won't be coming very much any more, if at all.  There will be a reason for that, as you will see when The Lost OAV, Episode 6 (the last one) finally hits.  Lots of changes, less to play around with, and hopefully more focus.  But I have plans.  I ALWAYS have plans...  For one thing, these stories have gotten too damned long.  Expect shorter stuff in the future... after the current crop of stories are done.

You kids like the new site?  I made it while in Japan.  It still needs a lot of tweaking and added features, but I really like it, and I hope you do too!  Check out the rather robust Cast guide, your definitive resource for just about any Lost Episodes character anywhere and anywhen ever!  Eventually I want to add a time-line that will aid in alleviating the confusion of Lost Episodes continuity, Phil Bond's relationship to it all, and what exactly RiD is doing in there.  It's all part of one big story, but that's all I'll say for now.  You'll just have to read it for yourself!  I really hope The Lost OAV, Episode 5 knocks everyone on their ass (as opposed to the last episode of Beast Machines, where everyone will be saying, including me, "THANK GOD IT'S FINALLY OVER!!").

Until then, kids.

~TheOrange