Transformers (comics)
There have been four 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 titled 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 and fourth series have been published by IDW Publishing with the third series starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006 to November 2018. The fourth series started in March 2019 with issue #1 and concluded in June 2022. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well. Skybound Entertainment began publishing Transformers comics starting in June 2023, kicking off the Energon Universe. In addition to these four main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success.
Overview
Marvel Comics
''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 Budiansky, 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, including Ultra Magnus, Springer, Arcee, and Metroplex. 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.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 to 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 to 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 reprinted numerous Marvel issues as well, as part of the Transformers: Generations series that ran 12 issues and a collected trade paperback from 2006 to 2007. Issues were also reprinted in The Transformers Magazine, that ran four issues in 2007, while other collections were published in 2008 and 2009. IDW began publishing another new series of reprints called Transformers Classics. This six volume series started getting published in June 2011. Meanwhile, 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. In March 2014, the first issue of the series was reprinted as 100 Penny Press: Transformers #1
In July 2012, to prepare the new series Transformers: Regeneration One, IDW Publishing released Transformers: Regeneration One 100-Page Spectacular. This one-shot reprinted issues 76–80 of the Marvel series.
In August 2013, IDW published the hardcover Transformers: 30th Anniversary Collection. This deluxe book celebrated the 30th anniversary of The Transformers franchise, and as such, many of the original Marvel books were reprinted.
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 Furman. 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 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, Dinobots, Space Pirates, Time Wars, City of Fear, and Prey. A new 8 volume reprint collection called Transformers Classics: UK started getting released in October 2011.
''The Transformers: The Movie'', Marvel, U.S., 1986
A three-issue mini-series adaptation of the feature film, 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.''Transformers Universe'', Marvel, U.S., 1986
A four-issue limited series in the style of Marvel Universe and G.I. Joe: Order of 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 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 Movie, including characters that were not made as toys at the time.The series was collected as a trade paperback in July 1987.
''G.I. Joe and The Transformers'', Marvel, U.S., 1987
A four-issue limited series written by Michael Higgins, G.I. Joe and the Transformers teamed-up the Transformers with the other popular Hasbro property of the 1980s, G.I. Joe. The Joes, the Autobots, and Cobra 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, and the absence of several key characters from both franchises, including Cobra Commander, Optimus Prime, and Megatron, as the three characters were presumed dead at the time of the mini-series' publication. The story featured Bumblebee being destroyed by G.I. Joe forces and rebuilt as Goldbug. This plot point was 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 change the character into his "Goldbug" persona.
Marvel UK also featured a crossover between these two properties. 'Ancient Relics' began in Issue 125 of the UK comic and continued within issues #24-#27 of Action Force,.
''The Transformers: Headmasters'', Marvel, U.S., 1987–1988
The Transformers: Headmasters is a four-issue mini-series introducing new characters that were incorporated into the ongoing series at the conclusion of the mini-series. The series introduces the Headmasters, Targetmasters, some of the movie Transformers, Monsterbots, Horrorcons, Technobots and Terrorcons.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 remainder 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 the Autobots able to drive off the Decepticons, all Galen had succeeded in doing was re-igniting the Transformers' war on Nebulos. After Scorponok and now-captive Lord Zarak developed a way to duplicate the 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 series 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 which was published in 2005.