Transformers comics

[Whofan]

Anybody ever read the comics from Marvel/IDW/Dreamwave etc?

Although still pretty much toy commercials, the storylines were less episodic and more mature than the TV show counterpart. Also the continuity was very different-there was a different "Witwicky" (Who didn't wear a hard hat all the time) and several of the Transformers were characterized in a different way-the most radical being Shockwave, who instead of the somewhat ineffective guardian of Cybertron was Megatron's rival for leadership of the decepticons (instead of Starscream).

In fact, this seems to be

Spoiler: Transformers 3 spoilers

an inspiration for the third film, which reportedly has Shockwave as the main bad guy.

Like with a lot of Marvel's licensed comics at the time-Shogun Warriors, Godzilla, Rom:Space Knight etc. there was an attempt to make things fit into the larger Marvel universe-Spider-Man appears in an issue, and the Dinobots are stated to be modeled on the Savage Land dinosaurs.


Later Transformers comics mainly draw their influence more from the cartoon, although some vestiges of Marvel still remain. They also have some anime/manga influence, as well, with sleeker robot designs, digital color and big-eyed humans.
They've also influenced Bay's films, and there have been in-between comics based on those films (Being published right now is Nefarious, which takes place after ROTF). The Fallen itself is a comic concept, although it became very muddled in the film.

 

[Unicron]

I have the collections of Marvel's original run, minus most of the issues that IDW was unable to reprint due to the inclusion of non-Transformer characters that Marvel owns (chiefly Circuit Breaker ). I also have most of IDW's arc, from Infiltration to Last Stand of the Wreckers. Overall I think they've done a pretty decent job, with a few misses along the way.

 

[SeerSGB]

If they go with the Shockwave vs Megatron angle, and base it around the Marvel comics, then we have to have the Dinobots show up. And they need to use the Marvel Origins just tweaked a little since there's no Ark (yet?) in the movies- which would work in the current LA-MovieVerse considering how much Cybertronian tech seems to end up on Earth throughout history.

 

[MNM]

Marvel's Transformers is generally pretty great. IDW's is generaly underwhelming.

 

[Holdfast]

If they go with the Shockwave vs Megatron angle, and base it around the Marvel comics, then we have to have the Dinobots show up. And they need to use the Marvel Origins just tweaked a little since there's no Ark (yet?) in the movies- which would work in the current LA-MovieVerse considering how much Cybertronian tech seems to end up on Earth throughout history.

Dinobots vs Shockwave on the big screen? Unlikely... but potentially totally amazingly awesome!

 

[SeerSGB]

If they go with the Shockwave vs Megatron angle, and base it around the Marvel comics, then we have to have the Dinobots show up. And they need to use the Marvel Origins just tweaked a little since there's no Ark (yet?) in the movies- which would work in the current LA-MovieVerse considering how much Cybertronian tech seems to end up on Earth throughout history.

Dinobots vs Shockwave on the big screen? Unlikely... but potentially totally amazingly awesome!

What was it that was said a while back about the Dinobots by one of the production team, "They're not believable". Yeah, massive robotic dinosaurs, not believable; giant fucking robots out to destroy the sun, that's believable.

Meet one of my issues with LA-Movies: They're fun, for the most part. But they just can't hit all the right notes; they flounder here and there and miss the heart of the franchise.

Marvel's Transformers is generally pretty great. IDW's is generaly underwhelming.

IDW's Transformers (Like a lot of their comics) lacks (no pun intended) the spark that a lot of older comics got when it came to Transformers. I think part of the problem is the revamped origins of the Decepticons (a beaten down worker/slave class rising up to take out the oppressive autobots) and the fact that the fact that the stories are not the that impressive. "All Hail Megatron" felt like a waste and a massive retread.

 

[Holdfast]

If they go with the Shockwave vs Megatron angle, and base it around the Marvel comics, then we have to have the Dinobots show up. And they need to use the Marvel Origins just tweaked a little since there's no Ark (yet?) in the movies- which would work in the current LA-MovieVerse considering how much Cybertronian tech seems to end up on Earth throughout history.

Dinobots vs Shockwave on the big screen? Unlikely... but potentially totally amazingly awesome!

What was it that was said a while back about the Dinobots by one of the production team, "They're not believable". Yeah, massive robotic dinosaurs, not believable; giant fucking robots out to destroy the sun, that's believable.

Talking of Dinobots, I'd love to see a story like Dinobot Hunt compressed a bit and done on the big screen. Complete with Soundwave laughing at his victory at the end.

 

[captcalhoun]

Marvel UK's Transformers is fucking awesome and made of win. stories like Target 2006, Legacy of Unicron, Galvatron: Wanted Dead or Alive, Time Wars and Dinobot Hunt shit all over the crap of 'Car Wash of Doom' or 'The Underbase Saga'.

and then of course, the bloody Yanks hired Furman to write their comic and WITNESS THE EXCELLENCE! Matrix Quest, Rythmes of Darkness, End of the Road! Fucking brilliant!

 

[SeerSGB]

You know if Shockwave appears, he'll be neutered somehow. Or they've give him some dumbass backstory (aka Megatron & Prime are brothers), instead of just letting him be a cold, logical, bad ass that's out to take over...well everything.

And here's hoping he's gets a Earth Mode and not, yet another, Cybertronian mode. Something future-tank conceptish. Or go with the "Big Bertha" WWII type Shockwave.

 

[Sykonee]

I managed to collect nearly all the original Marvel comics (only missing #10 and #16), including all the supplement/cross-over releases from the period. And yeah, they were much better than the cartoon. Megatron had many great moments in the early issues (taking on the Predacons, and winning; managing to out-logic Shockwave in #19). Things then got kind of silly as it was clear Budinsky was haplessly trying to cram in all these new toys into interesting stories, all the while the Delbo artwork got stale.

Furman really turned that original run around (not to mention Wildman's artwork!). It's like he got what Transformers could potentially be, and went all out.

 

[CaptainWacky]

Loved the Marvel UK stuff and the US stuff once Simon Furman took over. Have been re-reading Target 2006, Time Wars etc recently, in fact.

Have tried some of the IDW stuff but it didn't really grab me, but recently read the Last Stand Of The Wreckers story and it was actually really good. So I'd be interested in future stuff by the creative team responsible for that story. Would be more interested in the IDW stuff on the whole if they got Andy Wildman and Geoff Senior drawing it, of course.

Thought Transformers 2 was the worst movie ever made so can't say I'm excited about Shockwave in Transformers 3. He'll never be as cool as this anyway...

 

[milo bloom]

Loved the Marvel UK stuff and the US stuff once Simon Furman took over. Have been re-reading Target 2006, Time Wars etc recently, in fact.

Have tried some of the IDW stuff but it didn't really grab me, but recently read the Last Stand Of The Wreckers story and it was actually really good. So I'd be interested in future stuff by the creative team responsible for that story. Would be more interested in the IDW stuff on the whole if they got Andy Wildman and Geoff Senior drawing it, of course.

Thought Transformers 2 was the worst movie ever made so can't say I'm excited about Shockwave in Transformers 3. He'll never be as cool as this anyway...

I was a big fan back in the 80's, I have a lot of the comics, had some of the toys and loved the first animated series, I have not seen either of the two new movies yet because I look at a picture like this and then I look at a still from one of Bay's projects and I can see right away that they have no idea what they're doing with the franchise.


Unicron, are there any reprint/collections that have all the issues?

 

[Unicron]

IDW has reprinted most of the Marvel run in 6 volumes as Classic Transformers. They include, with certain exceptions, all of the original issues, the 4-part Headmaster collection (which chronologically take place between issues #37 and #38 in the main run) and the 3-part adaptation of the animated movie.

This adaptation doesn't really fit that well into the overall Marvel continuity, as it followed a different direction from the cartoon continuity and the movie adaptation includes elements from an early version of the movie script - Metroplex is referred to as Fortress Maximus for example, and the Matrix is shown as a glowing crystal. Some parts of the film are omitted entirely so that it would be easier to produce the comic.

Certain issues are missing, chiefly #3 (which includes a cameo by Spider-Man and several other links to Marvel's general continuity) and some of the later stories featuring Circuit Breaker. This is because Marvel owns the rights to those characters and is apparently reluctant to allow IDW to reprint the Transformers stories so they can use them elsewhere in the Marvelverse, even though as mentioned CB was created primarily for Transformers. V6 does reprint several of her later appearances though, so it seems they were able to work around that somewhat.

At the time the comic first started, it was intended to take place in the normal Marvel universe with characters like Spider-Man being present and so forth. However, it quickly became clear that including a race like the Transformers would be very difficult, as their size and power would preclude most villains from threatening them. Issue 3 is the only issue to contain direct references to other parts of the Marvelverse and the intended link was dropped thereafter.

Circuit Breaker technically appeared first as a character in the Secret Wars crossover, but the events which led to her gaining electrical powers (effectively a chance accident after being electrocuted by Shockwave) were described very early on in the run (Transformers #5). The accident gave Circuit Breaker the ability to manipulate electricity and overcome her paralyzed body via a suit, but also left her with a pathological hatred for all Transformers. She made sporadic appearances in later issues, usually as a threat to both the Autobots and Decepticons since she rarely drew a distinction.

 

[Jono]

Really enjoyed Dreamwave's short run with their G1 and War Within stories. Vastly preferred their art style over IDW's stuff, especially their consistency. Pity they hit financial ruin.

 

[Whofan]

Spoiler: Transformers 3

A reference head for Shockwave (For the actors to look at) has been spotted in TF3 filming. Basically it's recognizably Soundwave but has the Bayformers asthetic of sharp edges and stuff. Apparentally Shockwave will also have a scene with Soundwave, who will appear on Earth.

As for the Bayverse, I think Furman has done some decent work with it IMO (in the comics set between the movies, mainly). He focuses more on the Transformers and the more likable characters like Captain Lennox, for the most part.

 

[captcalhoun]

he did a cool alt-Bayformers story in the UK Transformers mag, where Sam died attempting to Kill Megatron and megs survived and the 'cons are taking over Earth. it even featured Unicron and Cybertron.

 

[SeerSGB]

he did a cool alt-Bayformers story in the UK Transformers mag, where Sam died attempting to Kill Megatron and megs survived and the 'cons are taking over Earth. it even featured Unicron and Cybertron.

AKA How it should have really ended

 

[milo bloom]

IDW has reprinted most of the Marvel run in 6 volumes as Classic Transformers. They include, with certain exceptions, all of the original issues, the 4-part Headmaster collection (which chronologically take place between issues #37 and #38 in the main run) and the 3-part adaptation of the animated movie.

This adaptation doesn't really fit that well into the overall Marvel continuity, as it followed a different direction from the cartoon continuity and the movie adaptation includes elements from an early version of the movie script - Metroplex is referred to as Fortress Maximus for example, and the Matrix is shown as a glowing crystal. Some parts of the film are omitted entirely so that it would be easier to produce the comic.

Certain issues are missing, chiefly #3 (which includes a cameo by Spider-Man and several other links to Marvel's general continuity) and some of the later stories featuring Circuit Breaker. This is because Marvel owns the rights to those characters and is apparently reluctant to allow IDW to reprint the Transformers stories so they can use them elsewhere in the Marvelverse, even though as mentioned CB was created primarily for Transformers. V6 does reprint several of her later appearances though, so it seems they were able to work around that somewhat.

At the time the comic first started, it was intended to take place in the normal Marvel universe with characters like Spider-Man being present and so forth. However, it quickly became clear that including a race like the Transformers would be very difficult, as their size and power would preclude most villains from threatening them. Issue 3 is the only issue to contain direct references to other parts of the Marvelverse and the intended link was dropped thereafter.

Circuit Breaker technically appeared first as a character in the Secret Wars crossover, but the events which led to her gaining electrical powers (effectively a chance accident after being electrocuted by Shockwave) were described very early on in the run (Transformers #5). The accident gave Circuit Breaker the ability to manipulate electricity and overcome her paralyzed body via a suit, but also left her with a pathological hatred for all Transformers. She made sporadic appearances in later issues, usually as a threat to both the Autobots and Decepticons since she rarely drew a distinction.

I don't suppose Marvel has put out their own collections with all the issues intact then? I have no interest in owning a "partial" collection if I'm going to be investing in a bunch TPB's.

thanks for the info

 

[Unicron]

Not that I know of; IDW is the current license holder for the Transformers comics. However, my own recommendation is that they are worth getting if you want the Marvel series, because it had a long run and finding the omitted issues wouldn't be that difficult. A fellow poster even gave me a good link the other day to a comics site where you can order individual issues, so I'd be glad to send you that. All in all, I think the IDW collections are nice.

One of them also includes some of the character profiles which originally appeared scattered throughout the old issues, but I'm a little puzzled over that because it's only a small number of characters (mainly Headmasters, Targetmasters etc). Why they'd include those characters and not more of the regular cast is strange to me. * shrugs *

 

[captcalhoun]

you could also try looking into the trades that Titan has done for Transformers. in addition to the US stories, they've collected the UK ones.