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THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

Marvel Comics
(1984-1994)
Japanese
Manga
Other Books
and Titles
Titan Books
(2001-2010)
Club/Con
(2001-2016)
Dreamwave
(2002-2004)
Devil's Due
(2003-2007)
IDW Publishing
(2005-now)

DEVIL'S DUE TRANSFORMERS COMIC ISSUE GUIDES

G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers

|#1|#2|#3|#4|#5|#6|

#1

[cover] [cover]
Cover A: Mike S. Miller
Cover B: J. Scott Campbell

Cover Date: June 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Armando Durruthy
Colours: Lynx Studios w. HI FI Colour Design
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis:The terrorist group Cobra discover the crashed Ark after a tip-off from an arms dealer, and it's full of deactivated robots. Initially they believe them to be automatons, but then realise they are sentient aliens. They make their move by using the modified robots to attack a UN summit, where a promising young Colonel Abernathy is head of security. Initially the US troops are able to hold the Cobra hardware, until it reveals its secondary function of being able to convert into robots. However, one of these, which is based on Optimus Prime, malfunctions, and Cobra opt to withdraw rather than have their new weapons fall into government hands. One solider, nicknamed Snake-Eyes, is horribly mutilated by a parting blast from the robots. Meanwhile, Abernathy is introduced to Dashielle Faireborn and Alison Burnett, and given the task to lead a counter-strike force to deal with Cobra, named GIJoe.

Notes:This is obviously a totally different continuity to any seen before in either Transformers, or GIJoe. Cobra are seen to convert Thundercracker, Skywarp and Starscream into jets, and Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet into HISS tanks, with the secondary function of Battle Android Troopers [BATs]. Cobra at the time of the discovery definitely includes Cobra Commander and the Baroness. Megatron is under the physical, if not mental control of Cobra Commander.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Starscream, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Soundwave, Jazz, Cosmos, Cliffjumper and Sideswipe are all seen deactivated on the Ark. There are others scattered around, but I'm damned if I can recognise any of the character models.

Notable Others: Cobra Commander, the Baroness, Diamond Back and Major Bludd, plus pre-Joe Hawk, Roadblock, Snake-Eyes, Cover Girl, Ace, Flint and Lady Jaye. Plus one General Flagg.

Review: A bit of a disappointment. Given Blaylock's success with Devil's Due's GIJoe revival series, it wouldn't be overly optimistic to look for this to be the best post-Marvel TF comic, especially once it became clear that it wouldn't be tied to Dreamwave's continuity. But it just feels limp, cursory, unoriginal and in places very hokey. Things seem to happen in bursts, with a choppy narrative - we get five pages on the wreck of the Ark, including a rather indulgent two-page spread of Cobra troops which while competent, is hardly dramatic or interesting enough to merit this space, and then on page six - bang! - we're somewhere else. The battle is similarly confused - we are given little snippets of information, but generally we have little idea of how that battle is actually progressing, which means Cobra's sudden withdrawal seems rather convenient. The art's passable, though the faces especially tend to be a bit Indenti-Kit. The character models are a mixed bag - the first appearance of Thundercracker is breathtaking, but the HISS tanks look horribly forced, as if several decent character models were drawn up, and the rest were then hurriedly shoehorned into any old Cobra vehicle - Prime looks like a Gundam bar the head, and if all of the HISS tanks are going to be identical bar the original head design, it's going to be a dull ride visually. The series also falls into the recent Transformers trend of recycling, and it's not even an old storyline - Cobra Commander's control of both factions to terrorise humans is horribly reminiscent of Lazarus' similar plan in the first Dreamwave Generation 1 mini, with similar hints that Megatron could be on his way to breaking free. And I'll bet that Op is able to break though the control procedures either through his "strength of character" or that most tired of plot devices, the Matrix. Disappointing.

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#2

[cover]
Cover: Mike S. Miller

Cover Date: July 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Armando Durruthy & Cory Hamscher
Colours: Lynx Studios w. HI FI Colour Design
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis: At Cobra's Caribbean island base, the technicians are still trying to sort the malfunctioning Prime. Meanwhile, GIJoe are preparing to defend themselves against Cobra's new weapon. Elsewhere, Bumblebee and Wheeljack are free, and are trying to find Cobra's next attack so they can begin sorting the whole mess out. Back at Cobra, Optimus, coded HISS-14, continues to reject programming, and Dr Mindbender is forced to stop his work when the robot nearly downloads a virus into the Cobra computer network. He has sent a coded e-mail which is received by a government technician nicknamed Mainframe. Meanwhile, GIJoe are given vital information by a Cobra defector named Mercer, who also informs them of Cobra's next attack. Cobra are ready too, with new robots added to their assault.

Notes: Cliffjumper is seen as another HISS. Jazz is now a STUN. Dirge is a jet like Skywarp and Thundercracker. Soundwave and the cassettes are unchanged aside from the new logos. Not really much else of interest, just establishing Snake-Eyes is maybe a bit ticked off with Cobra, who in addition to scarring him up real good killed his parents, sister, best friend from high-school, lifelong sweetheart, pet goldfish, favourite footballer, long-lost aunt, peed in his pool and changed all the settings on his car radio. Bastards.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Cliffjumper, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Starscream, Thundercracker, Dirge, Jazz, Frenzy, Ravage, Rumble, Ratbat, Soundwave, Laserbeak.

Notable Others: Cobra Commander, Hawk, Snake-Eyes, Doc, Scarlett, Gung Ho, Rock 'n' Roll, Lady Jaye, Flint, Dr. Mindbender, Mainframe, Quick Kick, Roadblock, Clutch, Shipwreck, Mercer, Duke, Destro, Major Bludd.

Review: Yawn. This series is, like its' Marvel predecessor, very much a GIJoe series with the Transformers grafted on as k3wl hardware. There's still no imagination whatsoever on the character designs, and devoting the last two pages to a splash on Soundwave and his cassettes [because these things can't be independent characters - this is Image, for God's sake] looking exactly the same as normal, but with Cobra logos. d00d +#@+ r0xx0r1111! The art by-and-large is competent, though the plot is treacle-slow and about as subtle as Jordan's chest [non-UKers - turn off Google Child Protection and do an image search...]. There's lacings of bad humour and clichés, and some big holes, such as Bumblebee and Wheeljack being on the loose [judging by their bodies, Cobra never even got their mitts on them] for convenience's sake, and Mercer's appearance [he leaves Cobra just as they're getting somewhere... "Hmm, I'll hang around while we're stuck on an island fixing robots, but as soon as we start heading in the right direction, I'm defecting"] also stinks of plot expediency. Not very good.

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#3

[cover] [cover]
Cover A: Mike S. Miller
Cover B: Mark Brooks

Cover Date: August 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colours: Lynx Studios w/ HI FI Colour Design
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis: Preparations continue for Cobra's attack on the SPS centre, where they hope to get material to make Energon and refuel their new weapons. However, when they get there they find that the Joes are waiting, with sufficient firepower to fend them off. Wheeljack and Bumblebee also turn up and help. Firefly and Zartan are able to get what Cobra wants, however, and the terrorists withdraw. The Autobots return to GIJoe HQ, where Wheeljack is able to decode the e-mail Prime sent. He is able to link to the Cobra computers, and free the Transformers there.

Notes: Devil's Due are using the cartoon schemes - Rumble is lavender, Frenzy is red and black. The bodies of Rumble, Laserbeak and Ratbat are captured by the Joes. The Constructicons look the same as they always do. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are both armoured cars.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Soundwave, Megatron, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Ratbat [shot down by Bazooka, Roadblock and Rock 'n' Roll], Rumble, Frenzy [shot through the face by Sci-Fi], Ravage, Laserbeak [decapitated by Snake-Eyes], Wheeljack, Bumblebee, Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Mixmaster, Hook, Optimus Prime.

Notable Others: Destro, Dr. Mindbender, Cobra Commander, Flint, Lady Jaye, Hawk, Duke, Zartan, Firefly, Flash, Sci-Fi, Rock 'n' Roll, Roadblock, Bazooka, Gung Ho, Clutch, Scarlett, Mercer, Quick Kick, Mutt, Cover Girl, Barbecue, Doc, Breaker, Dialtone, Mainframe.

Review: Gah. Even worse that before... Most of the issue is an idiotic, largely pointless fight scene. Only Blaylock and rabid Snake-Eyes fanboys will think the idea of S-E decapitating Laserbeak was cool, and not in actuality, bloody stupid. Fine line, but you leapt over it there, Josh. I eagerly await the concluding issue featuring Quick Kick drop-kicking Trypticon into Mars and Destro nutting Prime to death. Talking of Destro, did someone honestly think all those reflections in his mask actually looked great? Or anything other than pitiful? More fool them. On the whole, the art is competent, if about as exciting as NASCAR, but the clichéd dialogue and jolting, serendipitty-riddled storyline is totally disposable, and missable. Technology aside, this is probably worse than the Marvel original...

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#4

[cover] [cover]
Cover A: Mike S. Miller
Cover B: Mark Brooks

Cover Date: September 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colours: Lynx Studios w. HI FI Colour Design
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis: The Decepticons run riot on Cobra Island, and Megatron is freed. Meanwhile, after higher orders, Duke neutralises Bumblebee and Wheeljack as the US military prepares for a nuclear strike on the island. However, a semiconscious Wheeljack warns of the dire consequences if a nuclear bomb hits Energon. Cobra regroup, using the S.N.A.K.E. battlesuits to mount a counterattack on the Transformers. Elsewhere, the Joes are attacking Cobra Island themselves, against orders.

Notes: Reflector uses the cartoon models, with the Decepti-Cobra logo added. Mirage turns into a quad bike. Gears and Brawn turn into those hover-pod things.

Errors: Rumble is with Soundwave despite being captured by GIJoe last issue. Ironhide is spelt "Iron Hide"

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Wheeljack, Mixmaster, Scrapper, Scavenger, Hook, Bonecrusher, Soundwave, Ravage, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Reflector, Ironhide, Mirage, Jazz, Ratchet, Thundercracker, Bumblebee, Starscream, Gears, Brawn, Long Haul.

Notable Others: Hawk, Duke, Dialtone, Mainframe, Dr. Mindbender, Firefly, Destro, Zartan, Cobra Commander, Major Bludd [killed by Thundercracker], Flint, Flash, Bazooka, Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Wild Bill, Rock 'n' Roll.

Review: Argh. On the plus side, there's more Transformers action. On the other hand, most of it's bollocks. The S.N.A.K.E. feels like a horrible plot device so the Transformers don't just wipe Cobra out, the Joes doing something against orders is a terrible cliché, the explanation for Bumblebee and Wheeljack's escape from Cobra is diabolical, Starscream's all treacherous in a stupid way and there's a lame joke nicked from the 'Clerks' animated series. The plot's so simplistic it makes the Marvel original look like 'Lost Highway', and Miller's art is so bland that Jeff Anderson is Pablo Picasso by comparison. Dreamwave are going to have to really stuff up their series to hand Devil's Due the crossover honours.

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#5

[cover] [cover]
Cover A: Mike S. Miller
Cover B: Dan Norton

Cover Date: October 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colours: Lynx Studios
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis: GIJoe arrive at Cobra Island to find the terrorist group being routed by the Transformers. They land, and begin to aid the Autobots. The Decepticons, meanwhile, force Dr. Mindbender into giving them Energon. Running fights continue around the island, with casualties on both sides, while Prime chases Megatron. However, the government confirms the nuclear strike.

Notes: The splash page is the first time I've seen block colouring in years.

Errors: On the final page, the submarine commander declares the authentication "genuines". When Prowl & co attack the BATS, what the Hell happens to Zartan and the Baroness?

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Wheeljack, Bumblebee, Sunstreaker, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Sideswipe, Cliffjumper, Dirge, Soundwave, Reflector, Hook, Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Mixmaster, Devastator [killed by Wheeljack, Bumblebee and assorted Joes], Hound [killed by Devastator], Starscream, Ironhide, Jazz, Mirage, Ratchet, Gears, Bluestreak, Prowl, Trailbreaker [killed by Storm Shadow], Ravage [crushed by Optimus Prime], Brawn.

Notable Others: Duke, Hawk, Mercer, Flint, Scarlett, Lady Jaye, Doc, Snake-Eyes, Dr. Mindbender, Storm Shadow.

Review: Utterly worthless. More of Blaylock's Wizard-friendly posing, with all the imagination of a Pierce Brosnan James Bond film. The pacing's terrible, and any hopes that the writer's research went beyond the first DW mini for Transformers resources are dashed when we have the out-of-touch generals nuking the problem in a desperate attempt to inject some suspense into the last issue. Add into this the pointless deaths for two characters we've barely seen, in Hound and Trailbreaker, the ridiculously stilted Prime, another clinically designed GIJoe fanboy pant-creaming moment with Snake Eyes slashing up Starscream, the barest remnant of a plot, Mike S. Miller's painfully bland art and some of the most diabolical dialogue I've read in a post-Golden Age comic ["It's like Jurassic Park... if all the dinosaurs had big honkin' guns..."; "The Cons are as thick as astro-ticks on Ravage's behind..." - everyone knows it's genuine Transformers dialogue if you stick 'astro' in front of a few words - Christ, Blaylock doesn't even have the excuse that he's a middle-aged, cigar-chomping, cardigan wearing, sexist Reaganite hack who's writing half a dozen other crap cartoons in the same week...] and you've got one Hell of a mess. I haven't read the Marvel crossover mini in an age, but I really can't remember it being so idiotically pointless as this sad bit of profiteering. All the worst elements from Transformers, GIJoe and Image mashed together in one septic tank. If you bought both covers, you'll be up for crimes against humanity, mark my words.

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#6

[cover] [cover]
Cover A: Dan Norton
Cover B: Mike S. Miller

Cover Date: November 2003

Script: Josh Blaylock
Pencils: Mike S. Miller
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colours: Lynx Studios
Letters: Dreamer Design

Synopsis: Wheeljack is able to hack a satellite with Dr. Mindbender and Mainframe's help, using it to shoot down the nuclear missiles. However, it then fires randomly on the island. Meanwhile, the injured Starscream tries to make a bargain with Cobra Commander, while Megaton is defeated by Prime, who then destroys the satellite. With it all tied up, the Autobots set off for Cybertron after exchanging tech with the Joes. Elsewhere, Cobra Commander and Starscream have escaped, while the Decepticons have been taken over by a dodgy military group or something.

Notes: There's nothing of interest here.

Errors: Bumblebee transports Mainframe to the SPS beam in car mode to save time, which is made pointless by Wheeljack jogging alongside. What on Earth is wrong with Bumblebee's face in the top frame of page 6? The explosives left in the SPS room by Firefly should have detonated the two bloody Energon cubes knocked around by the explosion, surely? Why exactly Bumblebee shoulder-charges Storm Shadow's armour instead of just squashing the exposed ninja is unknown. The randomly-firing SPS hits no good guys whatsoever, and stays conveniently away from most of the action. On page 12, Trailbreaker is alive and well. How does Starscream get Cobra Commander away when he's apparently low on fuel?

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Wheeljack, Bumblebee, Prowl, Dirge [hit by SPS], Bluestreak, Skywarp [hit by SPS], Starscream, Megatron, Optimus Prime. Soundwave and Devastator's bodies are seen.

Notable Others: Hawk, Mercer [killed by Megatron], Mainframe, Shipwreck, Cover Girl, Sci-Fi, Dr. Mindbender, Storm Shadow, Firefly, Bazooka, Flint, Duke, Lady Jaye, Barbecue, Quick Kick, Snake-Eyes.

Review: I don't think I've read such utter nonsense in all my life. It's derivative of Dreamwave's terrible first G1 mini, with no better ideas for a successful conclusion that lobbing some nukes at the protagonists. There's no characterisation, the art's totally flavourless, there are scores of fanboy moments [notably the Chris Latta pair-up], a pathetic sequel-hunting ending, the horribly pat dismissal of Megatron and the SBS... I can't think of a single page in this comic that isn't stupid and pointless. Final proof that the most talented part of Josh Blaylock dried on his mother's thigh...

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