Project Encyclopedia & Overview
What is Hydraulic Harmonic?
Hydraulic Harmonic is an original, conceptual extension of the Transformers One universe featuring an entirely fresh cast of characters. While the project was originally envisioned as an episodic animated series, a realistic pivot was made to match my creative skillset: the current goal is to forge this world into a fully realized comic book series! At present, the archive primarily consists of character blueprints, environmental concept art, and completed scene scripts.
Though many comic pages exist as rough, fragmented sketches spanning different eras of the timeline, the comprehensive narrative arcs and character developments are completely mapped out. Staying true to traditional mediums, this entire comic series is exclusively on paper, penciled then traced with lineart ink, and brought to life with markers.
What Inspired the Project?
Transformers One served as my definitive gateway into the franchise. Its striking art direction, the vivid environmental design of Cybertron, and the rich, complex web of lore captivated me unlike any other modern animated film in a very long time. When news broke that the anticipated cinematic sequel had been cancelled, I was heartbroken... but that creative vacuum quickly sparked a series of questions and theories about what lay ahead for Iacon City.
How would ordinary Cybertronians adapt to suddenly inheriting the power to transform after an entire lifetime of engineered powerlessness? How would Iacon heal or fracture in the wake of catastrophic civil division, now that the totalitarian demand for mining is dead? What kind of political climate rises from the ashes of a corrupt dictatorship once a fabricated caste system is completely turned on its head?
Instead of focusing on the iconic leaders of the war, I wanted to explore these systemic questions through the lenses of everyday citizens. The entire universe expanded outward from my very first design concept: Sonata, a steam-engine Cybertronian permanently locked in train form, bound to circle Iacon for thousands of years. From , I began designing the passengers who rely on Sonata for transit, employment, and sanctuary from Decepticon threats. What emerged is a sprawling cast of characters, all simply trying to survive, adapt, and find their place in a rapidly evolving Iacon.
