List of Transformers comic book series
Encyclopedia
There have been three main publishers of the comic book
series bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines
of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics
from 1984 to 1991, which ran for 80 issues and produced four spin-off
miniseries. This was followed by a second volume entitled Transformers: Generation 2
, which ran for 12 issues starting in 1993. The second major series was produced by Dreamwave Productions
from 2002 to 2004 with multiple limited series as well, and within multiple story continuities, until the company became bankrupt in 2005. The third series is currently being produced by IDW Publishing
starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well.
In addition to these three main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success. Please see List of minor Transformers comics for more information.
, with Marvel UK writer Simon Furman
taking over for the remainder of the comic. The comic did not attempt to follow the show and some elements and characters were completely absent. Most notably was the absence of characters from season 3 like Ultra Magnus
, Springer
, Arcee
, Metroplex
and the Quintessons
(with the exception of a stand alone issue which adapted "The Big Broadcast of 2006"). The comic started much the same as the show; a crew crash landing the Ark on Earth in the distant past. They are befriended by Buster Witwicky. His brother Spike eventually joins the cause as Autobot leader when he became the head of commander Fortress Maximus
. There occurs a considerable amount of fractioning and in-fighting in both the Autobots and Decepticons. However the series climax occurs when both sides, Autobots and Decepticons, form an uneasy peace to defend Cybertron from Unicron
. Simon Furman
himself says the final issues of the US Transformers comic are his favourite.
A few of the early issues were reprinted by Marvel in a digest sized magazine called The Transformers Comics Magazine that ran 10 issues from 1987-1988. Marvel had also reprinted some of these early issues in 1985, as the Transformers Collected Comics which ran 2 issues.
In latter years, when various other companies were able to obtain the license for the Transformers, they were able to gain access to the Marvel series and reprinted a lot of the issues. From 2001-2003, Titan Books
reprinted numerous Marvel issues in a series of 14 trade paperbacks. Years later they were able to do more reprints but only in the U.K market.
IDW Publishing
(the current rights holders to the Transformers comic property) reprinted numerous Marvel issues as well, as part of the Transformers: Generations series that ran 12 issues and a collected trade paperback from 2006-2007. Issues were also reprinted in The Transformers Magazine, that ran four issues in 2007, while other collections were published (most notably the Classic Transformers collections) in 2008 and 2009. Another new volume called Transformers Classics Vol. 1 was published in June 2011, with Vol. 2 in December 2011, while a 100 Penny Press: Transformers Classics #1 mini edition was also published in June 2011. Some issues were also reprinted in the hardcover book Transformers: The Best Of Simon Furman in July 2007.
. At the start, it had a more serious science fiction approach. Because of the weekly approach, the UK comic was able to flesh out characters and ideas more; in the US comic, the Aerialbots
and Stunticons are first shown having just been built and being given life by the Creation Matrix program, whereas the UK comic fleshed it out more and showed the two teams as being created out of new technology created by Shockwave
after scanning Buster Witwicky while he had the Matrix downloaded into his brain. Furman also tried to maintain continuity with The Transformers: The Movie
, and wrote several stories set in the future after the movie's ending, as well as bringing characters from the future (i.e. Galvatron
) into the present day. Due to his epic and mythological approach, he was highly praised and succeeded Bob Budiansky on the US title at issue 56. The mythic tone continued to influence Furman's work on the Dreamwave
and IDW
comics.
Numerous issues and stories from this series would eventually be reprinted. Marvel UK themselves would reprint some stories in Transformers-The Complete Works Part 1 and Part 2, Plague of the Insecticons and The Transformers Universe Vol. One.
In latter years reprints were done courtesy of Titan Books
who published reprints in 14 volumes.
When IDW Publishing
acquired the licence to the property, they published various reprints in the hardcover book The Best Of Simon Furman and in the Best of UK Omnibus. Other reprints were featured in mini-series collections such as Target 2006 (#1-5), Dinobots (#1-6), Space Pirates (#1-5), Time Wars (#1-5), City of Fear (#1-5), and Prey (#1-5). A new 8 volume reprint collection called Transformers Classics: UK started getting released in October 2011.
property of the 1980s, G.I. Joe
. The Joes, the Autobot
s, and Cobra (after being betrayed by the Decepticons) must join forces to stop the Decepticons from activating an energy drill device to suck up energy from the Earth's core, which would destroy the planet in the process.
The story was hampered by continuity issues (though the storyline was only referenced in the pages of the Transformers comics, as G.I. Joe writer Larry Hama
opted to ignore the mini-series), and the absence of several key characters from both franchises, most notably Cobra Commander
, Optimus Prime
, and Megatron as the three characters were presumed dead at the time of the mini-series' publication. The series does have some importance towards it though, as the story featured Bumblebee
being destroyed by G.I. Joe forces and rebuilt as Goldbug (a plot point that is ignored in the UK comic, where the story was not reprinted until much later in the comic's run, and resulted in an alternate story being conceived to transition the character into his "Goldbug" persona). The series was reprinted as a trade paperback in 1993.
Marvel UK
also featured a crossover between these two properties. Rather than a separate miniseries, the Transformers simply appeared within the pages of the G.I. Joe
comic series (which was called Action Force in England). The story occurred in Action Force issues #24-#27.
s, some of the movie Transformers, Monsterbots
, Horrorcons
, Technobots
and Terrorcon
s.
The plot of this series focuses on Cybertronian Autobot Fortress Maximus, who despite his success as a military commander, longs to find peace by leaving Cybertron
's civil war
altogether. To that end, he gathers a large crew of followers, and they rocket off to the planet Nebulos, which has not seen war in over 10,000 years. Unfortunately, the Autobots' first encounters with the Nebulans are misinterpreted. Intimidated by the robots' size, the Nebulans initiate aggressions against the Autobots. To end hostilities and show his willingness to protect the planet's fragile peace, Fortress Maximus and a few of his followers discard their weapons in front of the Nebulan capital. When that failed to dissuade them, he made the ultimate sacrifice by offering them his head. Four more Autobots did the same, while the remained returned to their camp unarmed.
Intending to use the situation to his advantage, corrupt Nebulan politician Lord Zarak learned more about the Autobots and the war they left behind and used this information to contact Cybertron. Zarak's message was received by Fortress Maximus's Decepticon equal, Scorponok. After lying to Zarak about the intentions of the Autobots, Scorponok led an invasion force to the planet. Armed only with weapons that had not seen use in millennia, the Nebulan defense were no match for the intentionally aggressive Decepticons. With little options left, Galen, leader of the Nebulan world council, made arrangements for himself and others to become Autobot Headmasters. Although the Headmaster process made them able to drive of the Decepticons, all Galen had succeeded in doing was re-igniting the Transformers' war on Nebulous. After Scorponok and now-captive Lord Zarak developed a way to duplicate the process (as well as a later Targetmaster
Process), the Nebulos theatre of the Transformers' war escalated. After casualties and collateral damage mounted, Galen eventually convinced Zarak to take their conflict off-world, with nearly all Transformers from both factions following a distress beacon sent by Goldbug from Earth.
Because the was bi-monthly, very little time passed after its end before a smaller group returned to Nebulos, using resources there and the Powermaster Process to rebuild and empower Optimus Prime.
The entire miniseries was reprinted by Titan Books
as part of their series of trade paperback collections based on the Marvel series. This reprint occurred in Vol.7 (Trial by Fire) which was published in 2005.
, with no continuity ties to the regular comic series. Differences to the animated feature include the original designs for the Autobot Matrix of Leadership and Ultra Magnus' original death at the hand of Scourge
and his Sweeps
.
(1986), including characters that were not made as toys at the time.
The series was collected as a trade paperback in July 1987.
A 12-issue series, the series expanded the original G1 mythos from the small war on Earth and Cybertron to enclose the whole of the Galaxy
that was fast being altered into a likeness of Cybertron itself by the Cybertronian Empire, a race of later generation Transformers that evolved while the earthbound Autobots and Decepticons were deactivated. The events of this series were actually set in motion with a crossover from the G.I. Joe comic books #138–142, in 1993. Megatron returns in his new tank body to reclaim his leadership from Bludgeon
and by the end of the series joins with Optimus Prime to fight against the G2 Decepticons and their genetic offshoot, the Swarm
. The series ended with an epic battle between the "Generation 1" Transformers, the Cybertronians and the Swarm. It also introduces the Liege Maximo. However, the series was cancelled with issue #12 due to low sales, forcing a quick conclusion to the series' various plot threads. Outside of the 12 issue series, Marvel published a free 8 page comic that was given away at various stores selling the G2 toyline called The Transformers Generation 2: Halloween Special Edition in 1993.
The series was reprinted as 2 trade paperbacks courtesy of Titan Books
in 2003. As well some stories were reprinted in the hardcover book Transformers: The Best Of Simon Furman in July 2007.
As they had done with the Generation 1 series, Marvel published a series based on Generation 2 in England. Because their Marvel UK
imprint had folded at this point, Marvel struck a deal with the British comic company Fleetway
to handle the series in the English market for them. The series only lasted 5 issues as well as one annual in 1995.
, this series takes place in both Marvel's ongoing continuity, (pre-Civil War), and IDW's G1 continuity, set in between Infiltration and Escalation. The 4-issue series is written by Stuart Moore
and drawn by Tyler Kirkman. Captain America
, Iron Man
, Wolverine
, and Spider-Man
all appear, as well as many of the Transformers cast of Escalation.
The series was collected as a trade paperback in January 2008.
, a character created by Simon Furman, appeared in certain Marvel UK Transformers stories. In the third issue of the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
A–Z (released on March 22, 2006), the entry for Death's Head's describes his encounters with the Transformers to have taken place in an alternate reality, referred to as Earth-120185, thus separating these stories from existence in standard Marvel Universe continuity. This raises the question of whether or not any of the Marvel Comics Transformers stories take place in the Marvel Universe
"proper" (Earth-616
), despite such tie-ins as Spider-Man
's guest-starring appearance in the original Marvel limited series and Circuit Breaker
, a character that originated in the Transformers comics, having a cameo appearance in Marvel's Secret Wars II
limited series, which featured nearly every character then existing in the continuity of Earth-616. A case can be made that only the stories that featured Death's Head are separate from standard Marvel continuity, since the character's adventures often involved travel across time and dimensions, not to mention genres; Death's Head also encountered the British science fiction
icon the Doctor
from Doctor Who
on occasion.
acquired the Transformers comics license and went on to produce a highly successful return of Transformers to the comic world. They started with a limited series focusing on the Generation 1 characters and a monthly series dedicated to Transformers: Armada
. The G1 stories were not bound by the previous Marvel stories nor the animated series. Dreamwave produced a large amount of material, but would go bankrupt and lose the Transformers license in early 2005.
, Dreamwave Productions
initially produced a six-issue mini-series, written by Chris Saccarini and drawn by company President Pat Lee
, entitled Prime Directive. Despite mixed critical reaction and the late shipping of several issues, the series was a huge sales success. Encouraged by this, Dreamwave produced a second series, this time written by Brad Mick, called War and Peace. When the second series emulated the sales of the first, Dreamwave decided to upgrade the Generation One to an ongoing series focusing on the Earthbound Autobots and Decepticons, written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk, and drawn by Don Figueroa
(although Lee and Joe Ng helped draw the preview issue, and issue #4 featured a back-up story drawn by James Raiz). However, Dreamwave's eventual bankruptcy meant that the series would never be concluded past issue #10. It is notable that this is the first piece of Transformers fiction to use the term Generation One in the title. After Dreamwave's bankruptcy, the first two miniseries were redistributed in trade paperback form through IDW Publishing
.
Of note: there is a magazine that published a 10-page preview in b/w of what was to have been the 11th issue of the series had Dreamwave not gone into bankruptcy, but was of a very low print run.
. The second volume is notable for introducing The Fallen
, an outcast member of the original thirteen Transformers
. A third volume, called The Age of Wrath, written by Furman and drawn by Joe Ng, was released up through issue #3, but due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy it was never completed. The first two series are due for re-release in trade paperback form by IDW Publishing in March and May 2007.
, the series focused on the history of the titular Micromasters
and the discovery of a mysterious Golden Disk
with links to the origins of the Transformers. Despite some vocal readers' complaints regarding the series and its art, it also received its share of praise and sold well to the direct market.
television series. The series proved to be popular, and a subsequent More Than Meets The Eye miniseries debuted the next year, this time covering Transformers: Armada. However, in light of the comic's success, there was some negative reception by fans who felt that more biographies of characters in the Generation One cartoon series (more notably the female Autobots and Devcon) should have been added to the comics. In contrast, many characters from the 1986 movie
(later added to the cartoon series' third season) were added, such as the Quintessons
, their Sharkticons, and amphibious Allicons.
. The continuity, while following elements from the cartoon series of the same name, was wholly its own continuity. Differences included the Mini-Con
s' ability to talk in a normal way rather than the beeps and boops from the cartoon series. Also, the resolution to the Armada saga was quite different and involved cross-dimensional travel and several Generation 1 characters. The series ended at issue #18 and was retitled as Transformers: Energon
with the following issue. Originally written by Sarracini, Simon Furman came onboard to do a 2-part filler story and ended up as the ongoing writer as a result.
Issues 1–5, written by Chris Saccarini and drawn by James Raiz, would give some background to the original war on Cybertron, detailing how Megatron's campaign started on Cybertron and how the Mini-Cons originally came to Earth, escaping Megatron's grasp. One million years later the arc would introduce the three main human characters (Rad
, Alexis and Carlos) and see both sides battle and gain Mini-Cons for the first time.
Issues 6–7 would see Furman take over the scripting, with Pat Lee on art, detailing the discovery of several more Mini-Con teams on Earth. Issues 8–11, with Guido Guidi
taking over on art, would see the discovery of a mysterious Mini-Con monolith that would assemble all the Mini-Cons on a base on the moon, leading the Decepticons to attempt a full-scale assault to capture them all. Issues 12-13 would see Megatron construct a superweapon, a powerful laser focusing satellite, in an attempt to destroy the Autobots, as well as capturing enough Mini-Cons to overload Cyclonus
's power.
With the series coming to a close and Energon due to take over as the active franchise comic, issues 14-18 were dedicated to the coming of Unicron
, with cameo appearances by several G1 characters. With Don Figueroa
on art, it detailed the coming of the Heralds of Unicron into the Armada dimension to secure the Mini-Con Matrix and kill all of Unicron's enemies. The arc introduced Jetfire
and the concept of Powerlink
ing, as well as having a battle between Armada Megatron and G1 Galvatron
, Unicron's chief Herald. The final issue, again drawn by Guidi, served as a bridge between the Armada and Energon series, detailing Unicron's defeat and Megatron's disappearance.
picks up ten years after events in Armada. The Engergon title written by Simon Furman and drawn by Guido Guidi
and Joe Ng. The first issue was #19 since Armada was not cancelled but rather retitled. The series was discontinued at issue #30 due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy.
Launched in December 2003 Energon would retain the numbering system from Armada, as well as the creative team of Furman and Guidi. Issue 19 would pick up where Armada left off, reintroducing the main cast - as well as Unicron and the new threat of the Terrorcon
s. Issues 20–23 (drawn by Guidi and Joe Ng) saw the introduction of Unicron's Four Horsemen and most of the relevant cast (Prime, Hot Shot
, etc.) receiving their Energon Powerlinking bodies, as well as establishing that Megatron's Spark
was trapped within Unicron. It also saw the Terrorcons journey to Earth and saw the return of the principal human cast, as well as the introduction of Kicker. Issue #24, drawn by James Raiz, focused on the past relationship between Ironhide
and Tidal Wave
. Issue #25, again drawn by Ng, introduced the Omnicon
s and Snow Cat
. Issues 26–29, drawn by Alex Milne, saw a full scale Terrorcon attack on Earth, Prime aiding Megatron's rebirth and Starscream's return in his Energon form. Issue 30 saw a confrontation between Megatron and Scorponok
—but the bankruptcy of Dreamwave prevented this story from being finished.
characters released as toys in the United States. Written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk with art by many Dreamwave artists (including the interlocking covers by Joe Ng), the layout was similar to the Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye mini-series released in 2003, and included separate character bios for the Minicons as well as for the other Transformers.
The first pages of issue one and the last pages of issue three feature a mini-comic of the human character Alexis studying the history of the Transformers. The comic was set sometime between the events of the Transformers: Armada and Transformers: Energon
Dreamwave comics.
Before Dreamwave's bankruptcy, an Energon edition of More Than Meets The Eye was also planned but not released.
. Here, Cobra had discovered and awakened the Decepticons, reformatting their vehicle modes into 1940s era war vehicles and weapons. The two evil forces conquered much of Europe in an alternative version of World War II
. G.I. Joe, here a group of American infantry men, find the Autobots who aid them in stopping both Cobra and the Decepticons.
The Generation 1 segment, written by the main G1 creative team of Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk and drawn by Pat Lee and Joe Ng, focused on Megatron and the Predacons. The Predacons were once warlords on Cybertron who were cast into exile in space. Settling on Planet Beest, (a homage to the Battle Beasts
toy line), the Predacons sank into a feral state, and lived as inhabitants of that world for untold years, until Megatron arrived. Having been jettisoned into space by Starscream
and restored from the brink of death by Wreck-Gar
, Megatron now had his sights set on reclaiming the Decepticon leadership, and required the Predacons to bolster his army. Abandoning his personal weaponry, Megatron pursued Razorclaw through the jungle and soundly defeated him in hand-to-hand combat. Subsequently, he re-engineered the Predacons to give them the ability to combine into Predaking. This would later impact the ongoing Generation 1 comic when Megatron brought them to Cybertron to help defeat Shockwave and later to Earth.
There were three other stories, including a Transformers: Energon
tale written by Simon Furman and drawn by James Raiz. The tale focused on Slugslinger, Sharkticon
and Snow Cat
, who had been defeated in an assault by Omega Supreme
, telling lies to Megatron in order to excuse their failure. Megatron eventually appoints Slugslinger as his lieutenant, as his lie was the most impressive.
The other two, both written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk, focused around Beast Wars
and Transformers: Robots in Disguise
. The RiD tale, drawn by Rob Ruffolo, focused on Scourge
and Sky-Byte
stealing a nuclear reactor, while Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus learn the value of teamwork to stop them. The Beast Wars tale, drawn by Don Figueroa
, focused on Rattrap reminiscing on a time when he was attacked by Dinobot 2
, only to be saved by a trio of mysterious Maximals
.
the following spring with plans to relaunch the property. Two miniseries were initially planned: one featuring the Generation One characters and the other focusing on the Beast Wars. The success of these has led to several other projects as listed below. Long-time Transformers writer Simon Furman
was brought aboard and given the creative reigns over both series, as well as their spin-offs
. He took the opportunity to reboot the Generation One universe, going in a new direction from any previous incarnation, though retaining key elements such as character personalities and paint schemes.
wrote and E. J. Su
penciled a new six-issue re-imagining of the Transformers arriving on Earth
. The story concluded in July to be continued by The Transformers: Escalation (see below). A trade paperback of Infiltration has since been released, as well as a pocket sized Manga edition.
A recent press release indicated that The Transformers: Infiltration #0 set a record in the five-year history of IDW Publishing, surpassing over 100,000 copies in initial pre-orders.
, and key protagonists include Jetfire
and the Technobots
. The mini-series was promoted with the tagline "No Humans on Cybertron!", referring to many fans' discontent over the human cast of Infiltration. The four-issue series was written by Simon Furman and drawn by Don Figueroa
. The two had previously collaborated on several projects for Dreamwave, as well as IDW's own Beast Wars: The Gathering.
The first issue of Stormbringer contains the number 7 on the UPC
, continuing from Infiltration numbering, meaning that despite being sold as mini-series, the G1 comics by Furman are essentially being considered by IDW as a single comic series. This also is continued in Escalation which starts at #10 on the UPC.
, Nightbeat
, Hot Rod, Sixshot
, Ultra Magnus
, Soundwave
, Kup
, Galvatron
, Optimus Prime
, Ramjet
, Blaster
, Arcee
, Mirage
, Grimlock
, and Wheelie
; four more Spotlight issues are part of the Revelation mini-series and include Cyclonus
, Hardhead
, Doubledealer
, and Sideswipe.
captured by the Machination. The story will be followed by The Transformers: Devastation (see below).
and drawn by Alex Milne
, was published in the gap between Escalation and Devastation. Serving as a prequel story to the current IDW Generation One universe Megatron Origin detail the rise of Megatron to power, the origin of the Decepticons and the beginning of the civil war on Cybertron. The series was due to begin in May, with alternative covers by Milne and Marcelo Matere, but began in June due to artist Alex Milne's illness.
. Issue 1 of Devastation was released on October 3, 2007, and was published monthly through March 2008. A follow-up entitled The Transformers: Revelation
was also released as part of the Spotlight series (see above).
wrote the first four-part series "Hearts of Steel", revolving around steam-powered Transformers on Earth in the 19th Century, with art by former Dreamwave artist Guido Guidi
. It premiered in July 2006. At its conclusion, the publishers warned that they needed to be conservative with alternate-reality stories, because both they and Hasbro
did not want to make things too confusing before the 2007 movie is released. For this reason, the series is on hold until after the movie premieres, but a trade paperback has been released.
in correspondence with the 20th anniversary of the film's release. The first issue was released in October 2006 and the run coincided with the release of the Sony/BMG 20th Anniversary The Transformers: The Movie Special Edition DVD, released on November 7, 2006. The adaptation was written by former Marvel Transformers writer Bob Budiansky
and illustrated by Don Figueroa. The series included scenes and characters in the comic that did not make it into the movie.
series by IDW Publishing
, based upon the 2007 Transformers movie.
comic and IDW's own The Transformers: Stormbringer
series. Spotlight artist Robby Musso provides original covers. The first issue came due out in June 2007.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines
Transformers (toy line)
The is a line of toys produced by the American toy company Hasbro. The Transformers toyline was created from toy molds mostly produced by Japanese company Takara in the toylines Diaclone and Microman. Other toy molds from other companies such as Bandai were used as well...
of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
from 1984 to 1991, which ran for 80 issues and produced four spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
miniseries. This was followed by a second volume entitled Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2 is the name used to refer to a Transformers toy line, television series and comic book series which ran from 1993-1995...
, which ran for 12 issues starting in 1993. The second major series was produced by Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
from 2002 to 2004 with multiple limited series as well, and within multiple story continuities, until the company became bankrupt in 2005. The third series is currently being produced by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well.
In addition to these three main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success. Please see List of minor Transformers comics for more information.
The Transformers (Generation 1), Marvel, U.S.
The Transformers comic by Marvel was the first and arguably the best known Transformers comic. Although it was originally intended to be a 4-issue limited series, it expanded into an ongoing series, which ran for 80 issues before being cancelled. The final cover read "80 in a 4 issue limited series". Issues #5–15, 17-32, 35-42 and 44-56 were written by Bob BudianskyBob Budiansky
Bob Budiansky is an American comic book writer, editor, and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel's Transformers comic. He also created the Marvel character Sleepwalker and wrote all 33 issues of that comic.-Career:...
, with Marvel UK writer Simon Furman
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
taking over for the remainder of the comic. The comic did not attempt to follow the show and some elements and characters were completely absent. Most notably was the absence of characters from season 3 like Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
, Springer
Springer (Transformers)
Springer is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, many toys of the character are named Autobot Springer.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, Arcee
Arcee
Arcee is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. She is a female Autobot, usually pink in color. Being the most famous of the Female Transformers, she has two primary forms...
, Metroplex
Metroplex (Transformers)
Metroplex is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series.-Transformers: Generation 1:Metroplex is capable of transforming into a battle station or a giant robot...
and the Quintessons
Quintessons
Quintessons are fictional aliens from the Transformers universe. Within the TV series, they are the creators of the Transformers, although in most other fictional universes featuring the Transformers, they have no such status...
(with the exception of a stand alone issue which adapted "The Big Broadcast of 2006"). The comic started much the same as the show; a crew crash landing the Ark on Earth in the distant past. They are befriended by Buster Witwicky. His brother Spike eventually joins the cause as Autobot leader when he became the head of commander Fortress Maximus
Fortress Maximus
Fortress Maximus is the name of several fictional characters from several of the various Transformers universes. Fortress Maximus appeared in the season 4 finale of the US Transformers animated series voiced by Stephen Keener. He was one of the stars of the Japanese Transformers: Headmasters...
. There occurs a considerable amount of fractioning and in-fighting in both the Autobots and Decepticons. However the series climax occurs when both sides, Autobots and Decepticons, form an uneasy peace to defend Cybertron from Unicron
Unicron
Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...
. Simon Furman
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
himself says the final issues of the US Transformers comic are his favourite.
A few of the early issues were reprinted by Marvel in a digest sized magazine called The Transformers Comics Magazine that ran 10 issues from 1987-1988. Marvel had also reprinted some of these early issues in 1985, as the Transformers Collected Comics which ran 2 issues.
In latter years, when various other companies were able to obtain the license for the Transformers, they were able to gain access to the Marvel series and reprinted a lot of the issues. From 2001-2003, Titan Books
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
reprinted numerous Marvel issues in a series of 14 trade paperbacks. Years later they were able to do more reprints but only in the U.K market.
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
(the current rights holders to the Transformers comic property) reprinted numerous Marvel issues as well, as part of the Transformers: Generations series that ran 12 issues and a collected trade paperback from 2006-2007. Issues were also reprinted in The Transformers Magazine, that ran four issues in 2007, while other collections were published (most notably the Classic Transformers collections) in 2008 and 2009. Another new volume called Transformers Classics Vol. 1 was published in June 2011, with Vol. 2 in December 2011, while a 100 Penny Press: Transformers Classics #1 mini edition was also published in June 2011. Some issues were also reprinted in the hardcover book Transformers: The Best Of Simon Furman in July 2007.
Marvel UK
The sister title in the UK, this series ran for 332 issues, as well as spawning 7 annuals and 28 specials. It was a weekly publication that spliced original stories into the continuity of the reprinted US issues, and was mostly written by Simon FurmanSimon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
. At the start, it had a more serious science fiction approach. Because of the weekly approach, the UK comic was able to flesh out characters and ideas more; in the US comic, the Aerialbots
Aerialbots
The Aerialbots are a group of Autobots that transform into aircraft and combine to form the giant robot Superion. They were introduced into the Transformers toyline in 1985 and sold as a Superion gift set, and then sold separately in 1986 in most department stores...
and Stunticons are first shown having just been built and being given life by the Creation Matrix program, whereas the UK comic fleshed it out more and showed the two teams as being created out of new technology created by Shockwave
Shockwave (Transformers)
Shockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Throughout his incarnations, he is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye...
after scanning Buster Witwicky while he had the Matrix downloaded into his brain. Furman also tried to maintain continuity with The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
, and wrote several stories set in the future after the movie's ending, as well as bringing characters from the future (i.e. Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
) into the present day. Due to his epic and mythological approach, he was highly praised and succeeded Bob Budiansky on the US title at issue 56. The mythic tone continued to influence Furman's work on the Dreamwave
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
and IDW
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
comics.
Numerous issues and stories from this series would eventually be reprinted. Marvel UK themselves would reprint some stories in Transformers-The Complete Works Part 1 and Part 2, Plague of the Insecticons and The Transformers Universe Vol. One.
In latter years reprints were done courtesy of Titan Books
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
who published reprints in 14 volumes.
When IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
acquired the licence to the property, they published various reprints in the hardcover book The Best Of Simon Furman and in the Best of UK Omnibus. Other reprints were featured in mini-series collections such as Target 2006 (#1-5), Dinobots (#1-6), Space Pirates (#1-5), Time Wars (#1-5), City of Fear (#1-5), and Prey (#1-5). A new 8 volume reprint collection called Transformers Classics: UK started getting released in October 2011.
G.I. Joe and The Transformers, Marvel, U.S., 1986
A four-issue limited series written by Michael Higgins, which teamed-up the Transformers with the other popular HasbroHasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
property of the 1980s, G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
. The Joes, the Autobot
Autobot
Autobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...
s, and Cobra (after being betrayed by the Decepticons) must join forces to stop the Decepticons from activating an energy drill device to suck up energy from the Earth's core, which would destroy the planet in the process.
The story was hampered by continuity issues (though the storyline was only referenced in the pages of the Transformers comics, as G.I. Joe writer Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
opted to ignore the mini-series), and the absence of several key characters from both franchises, most notably Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
, Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
, and Megatron as the three characters were presumed dead at the time of the mini-series' publication. The series does have some importance towards it though, as the story featured Bumblebee
Bumblebee (Transformers)
Bumblebee is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. In most incarnations, Bumblebee is a small, yellow Autobot with the altmode of a compact car.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
being destroyed by G.I. Joe forces and rebuilt as Goldbug (a plot point that is ignored in the UK comic, where the story was not reprinted until much later in the comic's run, and resulted in an alternate story being conceived to transition the character into his "Goldbug" persona). The series was reprinted as a trade paperback in 1993.
Marvel UK
Marvel UK
Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
also featured a crossover between these two properties. Rather than a separate miniseries, the Transformers simply appeared within the pages of the G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
comic series (which was called Action Force in England). The story occurred in Action Force issues #24-#27.
The Transformers: Headmasters, Marvel, U.S., 1987–1988
A four-issue mini-series introducing new characters that were incorporated into the ongoing series (issue #38) at the conclusion of the mini-series. The series introduces the Headmasters, TargetmasterTargetmaster
Targetmaster is a subline of the Transformers toyline that include Nebulan sidekicks who can transform into the Transformers' weapons.-1987 Targetmasters:...
s, some of the movie Transformers, Monsterbots
Monsterbots
The Monsterbots is the name for a sub-group of three fictional characters from the Transformers universes. Released in 1987, the unifying characteristic of the three Monsterbots - Doublecross, Grotusque and Repugnus - is evident from the group's name: they all transform into monstrous creatures of...
, Horrorcons
Horrorcons
The Horrorcons are a subgroup of the Headmasters group in the Transformers toy line.The Horrorcons consist of two Decepticons: Apeface and Snapdragon, both of which transform into three modes: humanoid robot, aeroplane and animal and have very obnoxius, repellent personalities.-Apeface:Apeface is...
, Technobots
Technobots
The Technobots are a subgroup of five Autobots that transform into futuristic vehicles in the Transformers universe. Their counterparts are the Terrorcons.-Transformers: Generation 1:The five Technobots combine into Computron....
and Terrorcon
Terrorcon
The name Terrorcons refers to several different groups in the Transformers toyline. They are referred to as Terrortrons in Japan.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
s.
The plot of this series focuses on Cybertronian Autobot Fortress Maximus, who despite his success as a military commander, longs to find peace by leaving Cybertron
Cybertron
Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...
's civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
altogether. To that end, he gathers a large crew of followers, and they rocket off to the planet Nebulos, which has not seen war in over 10,000 years. Unfortunately, the Autobots' first encounters with the Nebulans are misinterpreted. Intimidated by the robots' size, the Nebulans initiate aggressions against the Autobots. To end hostilities and show his willingness to protect the planet's fragile peace, Fortress Maximus and a few of his followers discard their weapons in front of the Nebulan capital. When that failed to dissuade them, he made the ultimate sacrifice by offering them his head. Four more Autobots did the same, while the remained returned to their camp unarmed.
Intending to use the situation to his advantage, corrupt Nebulan politician Lord Zarak learned more about the Autobots and the war they left behind and used this information to contact Cybertron. Zarak's message was received by Fortress Maximus's Decepticon equal, Scorponok. After lying to Zarak about the intentions of the Autobots, Scorponok led an invasion force to the planet. Armed only with weapons that had not seen use in millennia, the Nebulan defense were no match for the intentionally aggressive Decepticons. With little options left, Galen, leader of the Nebulan world council, made arrangements for himself and others to become Autobot Headmasters. Although the Headmaster process made them able to drive of the Decepticons, all Galen had succeeded in doing was re-igniting the Transformers' war on Nebulous. After Scorponok and now-captive Lord Zarak developed a way to duplicate the process (as well as a later Targetmaster
Targetmaster
Targetmaster is a subline of the Transformers toyline that include Nebulan sidekicks who can transform into the Transformers' weapons.-1987 Targetmasters:...
Process), the Nebulos theatre of the Transformers' war escalated. After casualties and collateral damage mounted, Galen eventually convinced Zarak to take their conflict off-world, with nearly all Transformers from both factions following a distress beacon sent by Goldbug from Earth.
Because the was bi-monthly, very little time passed after its end before a smaller group returned to Nebulos, using resources there and the Powermaster Process to rebuild and empower Optimus Prime.
The entire miniseries was reprinted by Titan Books
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
as part of their series of trade paperback collections based on the Marvel series. This reprint occurred in Vol.7 (Trial by Fire) which was published in 2005.
The Transformers: The Movie, Marvel, U.S., 1986
A three-issue mini-series adaptation of the feature filmThe Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
, with no continuity ties to the regular comic series. Differences to the animated feature include the original designs for the Autobot Matrix of Leadership and Ultra Magnus' original death at the hand of Scourge
Scourge (Transformers)
Scourge is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. He first appeared as one of the central villains in the 1986 film The Transformers, voiced by Stan Jones. He also regularly appeared in the animated Transformers series and Transformers comic books. Since then other...
and his Sweeps
Sweeps (Transformers)
The Sweeps are the names of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. They are often depicted as Heralds of Unicron.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
.
Transformers Universe, Marvel, U.S., 1986
A four-issue limited series in the style of Marvel Universe and G.I. Joe: Order of the Battle, featuring lengthy bios of nearly all of the Transformers of the period. Most of the text was the same as the tech specs found on the toy boxes, only much more expanded. The first three issues (as well as the first portion of the fourth) contained all of the first, second and third year Transformers. The latter half of the fourth issue dealt with characters new to The Transformers: The MovieThe Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
(1986), including characters that were not made as toys at the time.
The series was collected as a trade paperback in July 1987.
Transformers Generation 2, Marvel, U.S., 1993
A 12-issue series, the series expanded the original G1 mythos from the small war on Earth and Cybertron to enclose the whole of the Galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
that was fast being altered into a likeness of Cybertron itself by the Cybertronian Empire, a race of later generation Transformers that evolved while the earthbound Autobots and Decepticons were deactivated. The events of this series were actually set in motion with a crossover from the G.I. Joe comic books #138–142, in 1993. Megatron returns in his new tank body to reclaim his leadership from Bludgeon
Bludgeon (Transformers)
Bludgeon is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, he is now marketed by Hasbro as Decepticon Bludgeon. They are all Decepticon warriors who turn into tanks.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and by the end of the series joins with Optimus Prime to fight against the G2 Decepticons and their genetic offshoot, the Swarm
Swarm (Transformers)
The Swarm is a creature in the fictional world of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic by Marvel Comics.The Swarm is a large, amorphous, black mass of particulate sized, corrosive organisms that travel from planet to planet, seeking out cybernetic life forms. Upon contact with other life forms, the...
. The series ended with an epic battle between the "Generation 1" Transformers, the Cybertronians and the Swarm. It also introduces the Liege Maximo. However, the series was cancelled with issue #12 due to low sales, forcing a quick conclusion to the series' various plot threads. Outside of the 12 issue series, Marvel published a free 8 page comic that was given away at various stores selling the G2 toyline called The Transformers Generation 2: Halloween Special Edition in 1993.
The series was reprinted as 2 trade paperbacks courtesy of Titan Books
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
in 2003. As well some stories were reprinted in the hardcover book Transformers: The Best Of Simon Furman in July 2007.
As they had done with the Generation 1 series, Marvel published a series based on Generation 2 in England. Because their Marvel UK
Marvel UK
Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
imprint had folded at this point, Marvel struck a deal with the British comic company Fleetway
Fleetway
Fleetway, also known as Fleetway Publications and Fleetway Editions, was a UK publishing company which mainly produced comic magazines. For a time owned by IPC Media, they are now a division of Egmont Publishing....
to handle the series in the English market for them. The series only lasted 5 issues as well as one annual in 1995.
New Avengers/Transformers
A crossover with the original holders of the Transformers license, Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, this series takes place in both Marvel's ongoing continuity, (pre-Civil War), and IDW's G1 continuity, set in between Infiltration and Escalation. The 4-issue series is written by Stuart Moore
Stuart Moore
Stuart Moore is a writer and editor of comic books and novels.-Career:Moore's writing includes the original science-fiction series Earthlight and PARA; Iron Man, New Avengers/Transformers, and Wolverine ; Firestorm and Detective Comics ; the multicultural superhero team The 99; the comics...
and drawn by Tyler Kirkman. Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
all appear, as well as many of the Transformers cast of Escalation.
The series was collected as a trade paperback in January 2008.
Note
The Marvel Comics character Death's HeadDeath's Head
Death's Head is a fictional comic book character, a robotic bounty hunter appearing in the books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Simon Furman and artist Geoff Senior for the company's Marvel UK imprint...
, a character created by Simon Furman, appeared in certain Marvel UK Transformers stories. In the third issue of the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
A–Z (released on March 22, 2006), the entry for Death's Head's describes his encounters with the Transformers to have taken place in an alternate reality, referred to as Earth-120185, thus separating these stories from existence in standard Marvel Universe continuity. This raises the question of whether or not any of the Marvel Comics Transformers stories take place in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
"proper" (Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
), despite such tie-ins as Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's guest-starring appearance in the original Marvel limited series and Circuit Breaker
Circuit Breaker (Transformers)
Circuit Breaker is a fictional comic book character in the 1980s Marvel Comics Transformers series.-Fictional character biography:After being severely injured in a raid for Earth oil by the Decepticon Shockwave, computer genius Josie Beller was left paralyzed in both legs and one arm...
, a character that originated in the Transformers comics, having a cameo appearance in Marvel's Secret Wars II
Secret Wars II
Secret Wars II is a nine-issue comic book limited series and crossover published from 1985 to 1986 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Marvel's then Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and primarily pencilled by Al Milgrom....
limited series, which featured nearly every character then existing in the continuity of Earth-616. A case can be made that only the stories that featured Death's Head are separate from standard Marvel continuity, since the character's adventures often involved travel across time and dimensions, not to mention genres; Death's Head also encountered the British science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
icon the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
from Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
on occasion.
Dreamwave Productions
In early 2002, Dreamwave ProductionsDreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
acquired the Transformers comics license and went on to produce a highly successful return of Transformers to the comic world. They started with a limited series focusing on the Generation 1 characters and a monthly series dedicated to Transformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as , is a Transformers animated series, comic series and toy line which ran from 2002–2003. It was originally scheduled for 2001, however was delayed until early-2002...
. The G1 stories were not bound by the previous Marvel stories nor the animated series. Dreamwave produced a large amount of material, but would go bankrupt and lose the Transformers license in early 2005.
Transformers: Generation 1
When they acquired the Transformers licence from HasbroHasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
initially produced a six-issue mini-series, written by Chris Saccarini and drawn by company President Pat Lee
Pat Lee
Patrick "Pat" C.K. Lee is a Canadian comic book artist, publisher, former President and co-founder of the now defunct Dreamwave Productions.-Biography:...
, entitled Prime Directive. Despite mixed critical reaction and the late shipping of several issues, the series was a huge sales success. Encouraged by this, Dreamwave produced a second series, this time written by Brad Mick, called War and Peace. When the second series emulated the sales of the first, Dreamwave decided to upgrade the Generation One to an ongoing series focusing on the Earthbound Autobots and Decepticons, written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk, and drawn by Don Figueroa
Don Figueroa
Don Allan Figueroa is a Filipino American comic book artist and toy designer. He is best known for his work on many different Transformers designs, for both the defunct Dreamwave Productions and with IDW Publishing.-Dreamwave Productions:...
(although Lee and Joe Ng helped draw the preview issue, and issue #4 featured a back-up story drawn by James Raiz). However, Dreamwave's eventual bankruptcy meant that the series would never be concluded past issue #10. It is notable that this is the first piece of Transformers fiction to use the term Generation One in the title. After Dreamwave's bankruptcy, the first two miniseries were redistributed in trade paperback form through IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
.
Of note: there is a magazine that published a 10-page preview in b/w of what was to have been the 11th issue of the series had Dreamwave not gone into bankruptcy, but was of a very low print run.
Transformers: The War Within
After the success of their Generation One series, Dreamwave decided to do a series focusing on the war on Cybertron before the Transformers came to Earth, and recruited Marvel Transformers writer Simon Furman and former fan artist Don Figueroa for a six-issue series focusing on the rise of Optimus Prime. Later, a second volume appeared entitled The Dark Ages, again written by Furman and drawn by regular Marvel Transformers artist Andrew WildmanAndrew Wildman
Andrew Wildman is a British artist, best known for his work in comics, mainly for Marvel Comics. Wildman cut his teeth on Marvel UK's titles in the late 1980s, including Galaxy Rangers, Thundercats, The Real Ghostbusters and, perhaps most notably, Transformers...
. The second volume is notable for introducing The Fallen
The Fallen
The Fallen may refer to:* "The Fallen", a song by the rock band Franz Ferdinand* "The Fallen", a song by the metal band Suicide Silence* The Fallen , a series of novels authored by Thomas E...
, an outcast member of the original thirteen Transformers
Original thirteen Transformers
In the fictional Transformers universe, there were Thirteen Primes created by the Transformer deity Primus before he went on to create the rest of the Transformers race...
. A third volume, called The Age of Wrath, written by Furman and drawn by Joe Ng, was released up through issue #3, but due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy it was never completed. The first two series are due for re-release in trade paperback form by IDW Publishing in March and May 2007.
Transformers: Micromasters
Micromasters was a four-issue mini-series written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk and drawn by Rob Ruffolo. Set on Cybertron after the disappearance of the ArkArk (Transformers)
The Ark is an Autobot spacecraft in the Transformers Universe. It has appeared as a central fixture of the Transformers storyline ever since its creation, as the Autobots main method of transport to Earth and as a base once they arrive....
, the series focused on the history of the titular Micromasters
Micromasters
Micromasters is a Transformers subline composed of small figures that came packaged in groups and with bases that interacted with the figures. They were sold at the peak of Galoob's Micro Machines craze and were packaged in groups of four just like Micro Machines...
and the discovery of a mysterious Golden Disk
Golden Disk
-Beast Wars:The Golden Disk is a relic from the Beast Wars Transformers timeline, and a key plot device for the events of the show. Considered a revered artifact, it is actually the Voyager Golden Record, which includes information on Earth and humanity, and is presumably the only source of...
with links to the origins of the Transformers. Despite some vocal readers' complaints regarding the series and its art, it also received its share of praise and sold well to the direct market.
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye
An eight-issue limited series from 2003 written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk (the shapers of Dreamwave's G1 title and its overall Transformers continuity) with art by most of the Dreamwave artists, it featured bios of all the Transformers released as toys in the United States (with the exception of several of the Action Masters). The character entries were done in the same style as the 1986 Marvel limited series, Transformers Universe, with page long bios and art of the characters in both their robot and alternate forms. The character bios included expanded information from the original toys' tech specs, as well as new character development from the Dreamwave Transformers continuity. Issues one through seven contain the character bios, while issue number eight contains entries for key Transformer locations, ideas and technology. The first pages of issue one and the last pages of issue eight feature a mini-comic about where all the information presented in the limited series is coming from, and who is accessing it, which was a prequel story to the Beast WarsBeast Wars
Transformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
television series. The series proved to be popular, and a subsequent More Than Meets The Eye miniseries debuted the next year, this time covering Transformers: Armada. However, in light of the comic's success, there was some negative reception by fans who felt that more biographies of characters in the Generation One cartoon series (more notably the female Autobots and Devcon) should have been added to the comics. In contrast, many characters from the 1986 movie
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
(later added to the cartoon series' third season) were added, such as the Quintessons
Quintessons
Quintessons are fictional aliens from the Transformers universe. Within the TV series, they are the creators of the Transformers, although in most other fictional universes featuring the Transformers, they have no such status...
, their Sharkticons, and amphibious Allicons.
Transformers: Armada (2002–2003)
This comic series was based on the new Transformers toyline of that year, Transformers: ArmadaTransformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as , is a Transformers animated series, comic series and toy line which ran from 2002–2003. It was originally scheduled for 2001, however was delayed until early-2002...
. The continuity, while following elements from the cartoon series of the same name, was wholly its own continuity. Differences included the Mini-Con
Mini-Con
Mini-Cons are a human-sized race and faction of power-enhancing transforming robots in the Transformers: Armada universe and its sequels, one of the assorted universes in Transformers fiction...
s' ability to talk in a normal way rather than the beeps and boops from the cartoon series. Also, the resolution to the Armada saga was quite different and involved cross-dimensional travel and several Generation 1 characters. The series ended at issue #18 and was retitled as Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon, known in Japan as , is the 2004–2005 Transformers toyline, animated series and comic book series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara and a direct sequel to Transformers: Armada...
with the following issue. Originally written by Sarracini, Simon Furman came onboard to do a 2-part filler story and ended up as the ongoing writer as a result.
Issues 1–5, written by Chris Saccarini and drawn by James Raiz, would give some background to the original war on Cybertron, detailing how Megatron's campaign started on Cybertron and how the Mini-Cons originally came to Earth, escaping Megatron's grasp. One million years later the arc would introduce the three main human characters (Rad
Rad (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1:Rad is an Autobot Action Master. He has a Targetmaster partner named Lionizer.With more moves than an all-pro halfback, this clever, cool-headed daredevil is equally adept at combating Decepticons or calculating the coefficient of friction for a rocket booster...
, Alexis and Carlos) and see both sides battle and gain Mini-Cons for the first time.
Issues 6–7 would see Furman take over the scripting, with Pat Lee on art, detailing the discovery of several more Mini-Con teams on Earth. Issues 8–11, with Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi is an Italian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Transformers comics.-Dreamwave Productions:A longtime Transformers fan, Guidi was brought in by Dreamwave Productions to be artist for their Transformers: Armada comic, doing issues #8-13 and returning for...
taking over on art, would see the discovery of a mysterious Mini-Con monolith that would assemble all the Mini-Cons on a base on the moon, leading the Decepticons to attempt a full-scale assault to capture them all. Issues 12-13 would see Megatron construct a superweapon, a powerful laser focusing satellite, in an attempt to destroy the Autobots, as well as capturing enough Mini-Cons to overload Cyclonus
Cyclonus
Cyclonus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The tech spec from the box art of the Cyclonus toy describes him as a compassionless Decepticon air warrior and saboteur...
's power.
With the series coming to a close and Energon due to take over as the active franchise comic, issues 14-18 were dedicated to the coming of Unicron
Unicron
Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...
, with cameo appearances by several G1 characters. With Don Figueroa
Don Figueroa
Don Allan Figueroa is a Filipino American comic book artist and toy designer. He is best known for his work on many different Transformers designs, for both the defunct Dreamwave Productions and with IDW Publishing.-Dreamwave Productions:...
on art, it detailed the coming of the Heralds of Unicron into the Armada dimension to secure the Mini-Con Matrix and kill all of Unicron's enemies. The arc introduced Jetfire
Jetfire
Jetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. He is nearly always depicted as an Autobot with jet or space shuttle alternate mode.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and the concept of Powerlink
Powerlink
Powerlink is a term from Transformers Armada and Transformers Energon that refers to a combination between two or more Transformers, or a Transformer and a robotic object.-Transformers: Armada:...
ing, as well as having a battle between Armada Megatron and G1 Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
, Unicron's chief Herald. The final issue, again drawn by Guidi, served as a bridge between the Armada and Energon series, detailing Unicron's defeat and Megatron's disappearance.
Transformers: Energon (2003–2004)
The story to Transformers: EnergonTransformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon, known in Japan as , is the 2004–2005 Transformers toyline, animated series and comic book series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara and a direct sequel to Transformers: Armada...
picks up ten years after events in Armada. The Engergon title written by Simon Furman and drawn by Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi is an Italian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Transformers comics.-Dreamwave Productions:A longtime Transformers fan, Guidi was brought in by Dreamwave Productions to be artist for their Transformers: Armada comic, doing issues #8-13 and returning for...
and Joe Ng. The first issue was #19 since Armada was not cancelled but rather retitled. The series was discontinued at issue #30 due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy.
Launched in December 2003 Energon would retain the numbering system from Armada, as well as the creative team of Furman and Guidi. Issue 19 would pick up where Armada left off, reintroducing the main cast - as well as Unicron and the new threat of the Terrorcon
Terrorcon
The name Terrorcons refers to several different groups in the Transformers toyline. They are referred to as Terrortrons in Japan.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
s. Issues 20–23 (drawn by Guidi and Joe Ng) saw the introduction of Unicron's Four Horsemen and most of the relevant cast (Prime, Hot Shot
Hot Shot (Transformers)
Hot Shot is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are young Autobot cars.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:In Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Hot Shot is the leader of the Spy Changer team....
, etc.) receiving their Energon Powerlinking bodies, as well as establishing that Megatron's Spark
Spark (Transformers)
Spark can refer to several objects in the fictional Transformers universe. A spark is usually the "soul" of a Transformer. It is also the name of several Transformers characters. An AllSpark is a term for two different objects within the Transformers media franchise. In the Beast Machines...
was trapped within Unicron. It also saw the Terrorcons journey to Earth and saw the return of the principal human cast, as well as the introduction of Kicker. Issue #24, drawn by James Raiz, focused on the past relationship between Ironhide
Ironhide
Ironhide is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the television series Ironside.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and Tidal Wave
Tidal Wave (Transformers)
Tidal Wave is the name of a fictional character from Transformers: Armada and Transformers: Energon. He is a Decepticon, and at one point of the Energon series, he was rebuilt as Mirage....
. Issue #25, again drawn by Ng, introduced the Omnicon
Omnicon
-Transformers: Energon:Omnicons were a main group of characters Transformers: Energon series allied with the Autobots. They were opposition of to the Decepticon allied Terrorcons.The Omnicons include:...
s and Snow Cat
Cyclonus
Cyclonus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The tech spec from the box art of the Cyclonus toy describes him as a compassionless Decepticon air warrior and saboteur...
. Issues 26–29, drawn by Alex Milne, saw a full scale Terrorcon attack on Earth, Prime aiding Megatron's rebirth and Starscream's return in his Energon form. Issue 30 saw a confrontation between Megatron and Scorponok
Scorponok
Scorponok is the name shared by several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons that turn into Scorpoins.- Transformers: Generation 1:...
—but the bankruptcy of Dreamwave prevented this story from being finished.
Transformers Armada: More Than Meets the Eye
In 2004 Dreamwave released a three-issue version of the More Than Meets The Eye series featuring all the Transformers: ArmadaTransformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as , is a Transformers animated series, comic series and toy line which ran from 2002–2003. It was originally scheduled for 2001, however was delayed until early-2002...
characters released as toys in the United States. Written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk with art by many Dreamwave artists (including the interlocking covers by Joe Ng), the layout was similar to the Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye mini-series released in 2003, and included separate character bios for the Minicons as well as for the other Transformers.
The first pages of issue one and the last pages of issue three feature a mini-comic of the human character Alexis studying the history of the Transformers. The comic was set sometime between the events of the Transformers: Armada and Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon, known in Japan as , is the 2004–2005 Transformers toyline, animated series and comic book series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara and a direct sequel to Transformers: Armada...
Dreamwave comics.
Before Dreamwave's bankruptcy, an Energon edition of More Than Meets The Eye was also planned but not released.
Transformers/G.I. Joe
Dreamwave and Devil's Due, owner of the G.I. Joe license, each produced their own six-issue mini-series and with separate continuities. Dreamwave's approach, rather than follow the previous efforts of Marvel Comics, had the story set in an alternate continuity, and was written by John Ney Reiber and drawn by Jae LeeJae Lee
Jae Lee is an American comic book artist best known for his work on Inhumans and The Sentry, both with Paul Jenkins.-Career:Lee first rose to prominence in the industry for his work on Marvel's Namor the Sub-Mariner, Inhumans , and The Sentry, as well as his creator-owned character Hellshock at...
. Here, Cobra had discovered and awakened the Decepticons, reformatting their vehicle modes into 1940s era war vehicles and weapons. The two evil forces conquered much of Europe in an alternative version of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. G.I. Joe, here a group of American infantry men, find the Autobots who aid them in stopping both Cobra and the Decepticons.
Transformers/G.I. Joe: Divided Front
A second volume, Divided Front, was produced. It was written by the writing team of James McDonough and Adam Patyk (who also worked to develop the story treatment for the first volume) and drawn by Pat Lee. Despite strong initial sales of over 44 thousand copies and positive reviews stating the series "exceeded expectations," Dreamwave released only one issue before their financial troubles put a halt to their operations. The story followed Transformers/G.I. Joe, but took place 40 years later in 1985, and was intended to have explained the connection to the first volume's story.Transformers Summer Special
The Transformers Summer Special was a one-shot produced in the summer of 2004 that featured stories from Generation 1, Energon, Robots in Disguise, and Beast Wars. The latter two were put to a vote by fans, and the winner (Beast Wars) was to be the next Transformers comic series (see Beast Wars (Unreleased) and Beast Wars (IDW Publishing) Background for more information). The Summer Special was to be an annual mini-series, but due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy only one issue was published.The Generation 1 segment, written by the main G1 creative team of Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk and drawn by Pat Lee and Joe Ng, focused on Megatron and the Predacons. The Predacons were once warlords on Cybertron who were cast into exile in space. Settling on Planet Beest, (a homage to the Battle Beasts
Battle Beasts
is a line of small 2" tall action figure toys, in the form of an anthropomorphised animal with body armor and a unique weapon. Several figures have their left hand replaced by a weapon of some kind...
toy line), the Predacons sank into a feral state, and lived as inhabitants of that world for untold years, until Megatron arrived. Having been jettisoned into space by Starscream
Starscream (Transformers)
Starscream is a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. He is one of the most prolific characters in the Transformers fictional work, appearing in almost all incarnations of the story. Starscream is usually portrayed with the same characterization...
and restored from the brink of death by Wreck-Gar
Wreck-Gar
Wreck-Gar is the name of two characters from the Transformers universes. Both are unpredictable good-aligned characters who provide comic relief in their series.-Transformers: Generation 1:Wreck-gar is the idiosyncratic leader of the Junkions....
, Megatron now had his sights set on reclaiming the Decepticon leadership, and required the Predacons to bolster his army. Abandoning his personal weaponry, Megatron pursued Razorclaw through the jungle and soundly defeated him in hand-to-hand combat. Subsequently, he re-engineered the Predacons to give them the ability to combine into Predaking. This would later impact the ongoing Generation 1 comic when Megatron brought them to Cybertron to help defeat Shockwave and later to Earth.
There were three other stories, including a Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Energon, known in Japan as , is the 2004–2005 Transformers toyline, animated series and comic book series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara and a direct sequel to Transformers: Armada...
tale written by Simon Furman and drawn by James Raiz. The tale focused on Slugslinger, Sharkticon
Sharkticon
-Transformers: Generation One:The ravenous Sharkticons, the most famous and deadly of the Quintessons' slaves, are rotund robots capable of transforming into ferocious, amphibious creatures...
and Snow Cat
Cyclonus
Cyclonus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The tech spec from the box art of the Cyclonus toy describes him as a compassionless Decepticon air warrior and saboteur...
, who had been defeated in an assault by Omega Supreme
Omega Supreme
Omega Supreme is the name of a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is always an Autobot and is often depicted as a gigantic transformer with vast strength and/or overwhelming firepower.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, telling lies to Megatron in order to excuse their failure. Megatron eventually appoints Slugslinger as his lieutenant, as his lie was the most impressive.
The other two, both written by Brad Mick aka James McDonough and Adam Patyk, focused around Beast Wars
Beast Wars
Transformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
and Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Robots in Disguise, known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime television series and serves as a self-contained universe separate from any of the other existing Transformers universes...
. The RiD tale, drawn by Rob Ruffolo, focused on Scourge
Scourge (Transformers)
Scourge is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. He first appeared as one of the central villains in the 1986 film The Transformers, voiced by Stan Jones. He also regularly appeared in the animated Transformers series and Transformers comic books. Since then other...
and Sky-Byte
Sky-Byte
Sky-Byte is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. He is usually a Predacon who turns in a mechanical shark.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:...
stealing a nuclear reactor, while Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus learn the value of teamwork to stop them. The Beast Wars tale, drawn by Don Figueroa
Don Figueroa
Don Allan Figueroa is a Filipino American comic book artist and toy designer. He is best known for his work on many different Transformers designs, for both the defunct Dreamwave Productions and with IDW Publishing.-Dreamwave Productions:...
, focused on Rattrap reminiscing on a time when he was attacked by Dinobot 2
Dinobot
Dinobot is a fictional character from the Beast Wars Transformers universe.-Beast Wars:Dinobot originally debuts in the series' premiere as a subordinate of Megatron, leader of the villainous Predacons. However, Dinobot challenges Megatron's leadership, and is shortly expelled from his crew. He...
, only to be saved by a trio of mysterious Maximals
Maximal (Transformers)
Maximals are a faction in the Transformers series by Hasbro. They are generally depicted as respecting all life and following a path of peace before war. They follow the tenets of the Pax Cybertronia. The Maximals are opposed by the Predacons...
.
Beast Wars (unreleased)
In the Summer Special, a competition was run to choose whether the next Dreamwave Transformers series would be Beast Wars or Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Beast Wars won, and the Generation One team of writers James McDonough and Adam Patyk and artist Don Figueroa were slated as the creative team. However, Dreamwave's bankruptcy would mean that no issues were ever published, although images and issue synopses have appeared on the Internet. After McDonough and Patyk left Dreamwave due to the company's non-payment, writer Simon Furman was added to the series with Figueroa. They would eventually become the creative team on IDW Publishing's Beast Wars series.IDW Publishing
After Dreamwave's collapse in the winter of 2004, Hasbro awarded the Transformers comic license to IDW PublishingIDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
the following spring with plans to relaunch the property. Two miniseries were initially planned: one featuring the Generation One characters and the other focusing on the Beast Wars. The success of these has led to several other projects as listed below. Long-time Transformers writer Simon Furman
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
was brought aboard and given the creative reigns over both series, as well as their spin-offs
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
. He took the opportunity to reboot the Generation One universe, going in a new direction from any previous incarnation, though retaining key elements such as character personalities and paint schemes.
The Transformers: Infiltration
The Transformers: Infiltration premiered in October 2005 with issue #0 and properly launched with issue #1 in January 2006. Simon FurmanSimon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
wrote and E. J. Su
E. J. Su
E.J. Su is an American comic book artist and penciller. He was born in Taiwan and moved to the United States at the age of 14. He is best known for his work on IDW Publishing's Transformers comic book....
penciled a new six-issue re-imagining of the Transformers arriving on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. The story concluded in July to be continued by The Transformers: Escalation (see below). A trade paperback of Infiltration has since been released, as well as a pocket sized Manga edition.
A recent press release indicated that The Transformers: Infiltration #0 set a record in the five-year history of IDW Publishing, surpassing over 100,000 copies in initial pre-orders.
The Transformers: Stormbringer
Stormbringer debuted in July 2006 and is set during the same time frame as Infiltration as in the first issue, Optimus Prime receives Ironhide's message from Infiltration. The setting is far from Earth, and the Transformers are scattered across the universe since Cybertron had been made uninhabitable by war. The series' main villain is ThunderwingThunderwing
Thunderwing is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. Introduced in 1989, he was a major villain in the Marvel Comics Transformers series. Although Thunderwing was created after the US Transformers television series ended, the character of Black Shadow did appear in...
, and key protagonists include Jetfire
Jetfire
Jetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. He is nearly always depicted as an Autobot with jet or space shuttle alternate mode.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and the Technobots
Technobots
The Technobots are a subgroup of five Autobots that transform into futuristic vehicles in the Transformers universe. Their counterparts are the Terrorcons.-Transformers: Generation 1:The five Technobots combine into Computron....
. The mini-series was promoted with the tagline "No Humans on Cybertron!", referring to many fans' discontent over the human cast of Infiltration. The four-issue series was written by Simon Furman and drawn by Don Figueroa
Don Figueroa
Don Allan Figueroa is a Filipino American comic book artist and toy designer. He is best known for his work on many different Transformers designs, for both the defunct Dreamwave Productions and with IDW Publishing.-Dreamwave Productions:...
. The two had previously collaborated on several projects for Dreamwave, as well as IDW's own Beast Wars: The Gathering.
The first issue of Stormbringer contains the number 7 on the UPC
Universal Product Code
The Universal Product Code is a barcode symbology , that is widely used in North America, and in countries including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand for tracking trade items in stores. Its most common form, the UPC-A, consists of 12 numerical digits, which are uniquely assigned to each trade item...
, continuing from Infiltration numbering, meaning that despite being sold as mini-series, the G1 comics by Furman are essentially being considered by IDW as a single comic series. This also is continued in Escalation which starts at #10 on the UPC.
The Transformers: Spotlight
The Spotlight series is also set in IDW's new Generation One universe and consists of one-shots focusing on characters who have not yet appeared in IDW's main series. However, their tales will have repercussions on the main story, setting up future events or explaining the history behinds events already seen. All issues have so far been written by Simon Furman, except for the issue for Kup which was written by artist Nick Roche. Released Spotlights have included ShockwaveShockwave (Transformers)
Shockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Throughout his incarnations, he is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye...
, Nightbeat
Nightbeat (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1:Nightbeat is described as a tough, street-hardened detective who is not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations...
, Hot Rod, Sixshot
Sixshot
Sixshot is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers series. Introduced in 1987, Sixshot appeared in the last few episodes of the original US Transformers animated series, voiced by Neil Ross. His defining gimmick was that he had six different forms, not two like a normal...
, Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
, Soundwave
Soundwave (Transformers)
Soundwave is the name of several characters in the various series Transformers series. His most famous disguise is that of a microcassette recorder and has an iconic voice done by a vocoder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, Kup
Kup
Kup is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universe. All are older Autobots who are members of the Elite Guard. Wired Magazine once nominated him as one 12 most ridiculous Transformers of all time...
, Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
, Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
, Ramjet
Ramjet (Transformers)
Ramjet is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All have been Decepticon aligned characters who turn into jets, usually white.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, Blaster
Blaster (Transformers)
Blaster is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara Tomy and Hasbro. Due to trademark reasons, he is sometimes called Autobot Blaster...
, Arcee
Arcee
Arcee is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. She is a female Autobot, usually pink in color. Being the most famous of the Female Transformers, she has two primary forms...
, Mirage
Mirage (Transformers)
Mirage is any of several distinct fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Mirage is one of the single most re-used names in the Transformers series, and is almost entirely synonymous with characters possessing Formula One racing car alternate modes.-Transformers Generation 1:Some...
, Grimlock
Grimlock
Grimlock is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a tough leader who turns into a mechanical dinosaur...
, and Wheelie
Wheelie (Transformers)
Wheelie is the name of two different fictional characters in the Transformers series.-Generation 1:The first Wheelie is a young Autobot who turns into a car. He has a distinctive style of speech, in which he rhymes his sentences while speaking in a high pitched voice, making him sound like a child....
; four more Spotlight issues are part of the Revelation mini-series and include Cyclonus
Cyclonus
Cyclonus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The tech spec from the box art of the Cyclonus toy describes him as a compassionless Decepticon air warrior and saboteur...
, Hardhead
Hardhead (Transformers)
Hardhead is the name of two fictional characters in the Transformers universes. The first is a stubborn Autobot tank, the second a simple minded Predacon dinosaur.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
, Doubledealer
Doubledealer
Doubledealer is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He is a Decepticon Powermaster who can disguise himself as an Autobot. He should not be confused with Doubleclouder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, and Sideswipe.
The Transformers: Escalation
The sequel series to Infiltration. Escalation (again written by Furman and drawn by Su) focuses on the Machination, an organization dedicated to capturing Transformer technology, and on Optimus Prime attempting to stop Megatron's attempts to bring about a war which will decimate humanity. The story began in November 2006 and concluded in April 2007, with Megatron's plans stalled and SunstreakerSunstreaker
Sunstreaker is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. The first is one of the main Autobot cars from the original Transformers series...
captured by the Machination. The story will be followed by The Transformers: Devastation (see below).
The Transformers: Megatron Origin
This 4-issue mini-series, written by Eric HolmesEric Holmes
Eric Holmes in Escalon, California), is an American race car driver and three time K&N Pro Series West champion. He currently drives for Bill McAnally in the #20 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in the K&N Pro Series West.-Racing Career:...
and drawn by Alex Milne
Alex Milne
Alex Milne is a Canadian comic book artist, best known for his work on various Transformers comic books.-Career:Graduating from Sheridan College, Milne debuted on the comics scene after being hired by Dreamwave Productions to pencil their Transformers: Energon series...
, was published in the gap between Escalation and Devastation. Serving as a prequel story to the current IDW Generation One universe Megatron Origin detail the rise of Megatron to power, the origin of the Decepticons and the beginning of the civil war on Cybertron. The series was due to begin in May, with alternative covers by Milne and Marcelo Matere, but began in June due to artist Alex Milne's illness.
The Transformers: Devastation
Devastation picked up where Escalation left off. It is another six-issue miniseriesMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
. Issue 1 of Devastation was released on October 3, 2007, and was published monthly through March 2008. A follow-up entitled The Transformers: Revelation
The Transformers: Revelation
The Transformers: Revelation is a comic book miniseries, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Generation One Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Devastation...
was also released as part of the Spotlight series (see above).
Other series
In addition to their main Generation 1 continuity, IDW has also created a variety of material based on the various Transformers universes, both the original animated series as well as original material and the 2007 live-action movie.Beast Wars
Beast Wars: The Gathering was released in 2006 as a four-issue series written by the Stormbringer team of Furman and Figueroa. The series takes place after season 2 of the Beast Wars animated series and features characters that had toys produced but were not featured in the cartoon. The trade paperback was released in August 2006. A second series called The Ascending is due in August 2007. with a 3-issue bi-monthly series of More Than Meets The Eye-style profile books titled Beast Wars: Sourcebook also due in August. The continuity is separate from the new IDW Generation One universe, and is set in-continuity with the original show.The Transformers: Generations
Generations is a series that reprints key or best-of issues from the Marvel series but with new cover art. Issues containing Marvel characters (such as the original issue #3, which featured Spider-Man) could not be reprinted for this series. Also, using any Dreamwave material is not possible at this time due to legal ramifications from their bankruptcy. After issue #12 was released in March 2007, the series began to reprint the Marvel UK arc Target: 2006 in condensed form, beginning in April, although the Target: 2006 reprints do not feature the Generations title on the cover. Following this there will be a Best of UK series focusing on the Dinobots.The Transformers: Evolutions
Evolutions is a title that features stand-alone, out-of-continuity tales from rotating creative teams. Chuck DixonChuck Dixon
Charles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
wrote the first four-part series "Hearts of Steel", revolving around steam-powered Transformers on Earth in the 19th Century, with art by former Dreamwave artist Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi
Guido Guidi is an Italian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Transformers comics.-Dreamwave Productions:A longtime Transformers fan, Guidi was brought in by Dreamwave Productions to be artist for their Transformers: Armada comic, doing issues #8-13 and returning for...
. It premiered in July 2006. At its conclusion, the publishers warned that they needed to be conservative with alternate-reality stories, because both they and Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
did not want to make things too confusing before the 2007 movie is released. For this reason, the series is on hold until after the movie premieres, but a trade paperback has been released.
Transformers: The Animated Movie
Transformers: The Animated Movie is a four-issue comic book adaptation of the classic 1986 Transformers movieThe Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
in correspondence with the 20th anniversary of the film's release. The first issue was released in October 2006 and the run coincided with the release of the Sony/BMG 20th Anniversary The Transformers: The Movie Special Edition DVD, released on November 7, 2006. The adaptation was written by former Marvel Transformers writer Bob Budiansky
Bob Budiansky
Bob Budiansky is an American comic book writer, editor, and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel's Transformers comic. He also created the Marvel character Sleepwalker and wrote all 33 issues of that comic.-Career:...
and illustrated by Don Figueroa. The series included scenes and characters in the comic that did not make it into the movie.
2007 film
Transformers is a comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
, based upon the 2007 Transformers movie.
Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act
Balancing Act, released by IDW in April 2007, is a collection of stories from the Hasbro Collector's Club Magazine that were published from 2005–2006. The stories were written by Forrest Lee and illustrated by Dan Khanna.The Transformers Magazine
IDW also published a bimonthly Transformers Magazine. It features strips from the original Marvel US The Transformers series, Dreamwave's Transformers: ArmadaTransformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as , is a Transformers animated series, comic series and toy line which ran from 2002–2003. It was originally scheduled for 2001, however was delayed until early-2002...
comic and IDW's own The Transformers: Stormbringer
The Transformers: Stormbringer
The Transformers: Stormbringer is a comic book mini-series, published by IDW Publishing.The series debuted in July, 2006 and is set during the same time frame as The Transformers: Infiltration...
series. Spotlight artist Robby Musso provides original covers. The first issue came due out in June 2007.
Other publishers
There have been some promotional comics by various small publishers, often lacking a cohesive fictional universe.External links
- IDW Transformers title - Current Transformers comic.
- Transformers comics checklist
- Transformers Archive - Features issue summaries and scans.
- Transfans - Comic reviews and discussion.
- Robert Jung's Transformers Comics Guide - A guide to the various Transformers comic book series. Includes issue summaries, annotations, and cross-references.
- Target: 2006 - A guide to the two Marvel comics series. Includes The Transformers Chronology Project.
- Steve's Transformers Fansite
- Transformers @ The Moon - Largest Transformers toy gallery on the web and a huge Transformers resource, founded in 1999.