THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

MARVEL TRANSFORMERS COMICS GUIDE

A quick guide to the Guide

| Preamble | Entry Format | Credits |

Preamble

This was all originally written and intended for another site, and donated to us in a very complete state in 2005.

So, what does that mean? Well, chiefly that the final editing and throwing stuff together into pages got done by me. I also don't know anything like as much about the comics, so I'm not a particularly good person to be maintaining, checking for the kind of typos where one name got substituted for another, etc.

Which brings us to the community approach that the rest of this site is based on. If you have any feedback, new info, spotted a broken link, or anything similar, please do stop by the forums and let us know.

—Denyer

Entry Format

The format is pinched from Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping's Doctor Who - The Discontinuity Guide, via Ratbat's Virgin Guide to Transformers UK. A brief overview of the format for each comic: -

The cover image.

Cover Date: The date as shown on the cover. Story etc.: All credits. These are generally taken from the issues, unless any are verified to be incorrect [by verified, I mean by some official source - such as a correction in later issue. Not because some guy emailed me and claimed to create Transformers or anything]. Originally Printed In: If the story has appeared elsewhere first, you can find it's original appearance here. Later Reprinted In: If the story has been reprinted, either in another comic or a TPB, you'll find where here.

Synopsis: A brief run-down of what happens in this issue. Notes: General observations. It could be a bit of history, a character ability, a theory as to certain actions, a fact... interesting stuff that isn't mentioned in the synopsis. Any theories discussed here are just that, and should not be accepted as 'canon', even if they can be bloody good. Errors: The cock-ups, basically. Anything from a total breakdown of logic to Nel getting confused and colouring all the Throttlebots the wrong colours. Please note that I don't include anything inaccurate on the covers as an error - comic covers are meant to simply make us want the purchase the comic, they don't represent an extension of the narrative. Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: What it says on the tin. The character must have a known name, and be a Transformer [obviously]. Any additional information [e.g. whether it'sa debut, or flashback] is featured in brackets. Notable Others: Notable non-Transformers characters. This is something a little bit arbitrary, but I've tried to list anything that appeared in more than one story. Production Notes: Any bits of trivia on the actual comic issue itself. Letters Page: Any interesting trivia that arises from the letters page. Back-Up Strip: For Transformers UK, there was a back-up strip from another series. Review: A brief summing up of the issue, whether I like it and a rating out of 10. Please note this bit is purely my opinion...

Credits

Best First - For various [unwitting] pieces of theoretical input, and the hard work conducted on Operation Volcano, from which the archive of UK letters pages has been very helpful.

Brendan Reilly - Whose provision of US comic scans via the Transformers Archive has been the backbone of the reviews, and who pays for the TF Archive bulletin board where lots of helpful discussion has taken place.

Brendocon - Who has carried out strenuous research of the TF UK back-up strips and cover artist credits that have helped immensely.

Crespo - Whose sadly short-lived UK scans archive helped fill a number of gaps.

Denyer - For constant ideas and input on comic stories over the years, and several original issues that have made research an awful lot easier, not to mention web help and all sorts of scans.

James Wilson - Whose "Rise and Fall of Transformers UK" essay was a vital research text.

Jetfire 2.0 - For sending me several Dreamwave G1 comics when supplies were hard to come by in the UK, and theoretical input.

Josh Maki - For sending me a number of War Within and Armada comics when there was a drought in the UK, and helpful theoretical input. And nagging me into reading Stormwatch, even though it's not especially relevant...

Legion - Huge amount of interesting data from the UK comic, again unwittingly given in discussions at Transfans.

Liam Kavanagh - Who started it all again for me with his site containing some great scans, and has proved exceptionally helpful via email discussion since.

Osku - Masses of theoretical input, plus all sorts of scans, including the elusive Action Force #27

Ozz - Helpfully cynical, with great working knowledge of the comic.

Papa Snarl - Another victim of thought-theft from the Transfans board. Also the supplier of scans for G.I. Joe #139-142.

Prowl - For Generation 2 #7-12 scans.

Rapido - For UK Generation 2 scans.

Ratbat - For the Virgin's Guide, which not only inspired this, but gave some great starting points.

Rebis - For various theoretical input, again via Transfans.

Senex Prime - For taking the time to email me a number of scans when I really needed to read them.

Tengu - For TF Multiverse, which helped restart it all for me.

The Comix Shoppe - For quick, patient, reasonable supplies of comics!