THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

Synopsis: On Cybertron, Optimus Prime and the Autobots are fighting a desperate battle against the Decepticons, led by Megatron. However, the latter have Mini-Cons boosting their power, and have the upper hand. Most of the planet's Mini-Con population has departed in a ship that, unknown to both sides, has crashed on Earth. Two kids named Rad and Carlos are exploring underground on Earth, and stumble across the Mini-Con ship. They activate the ship's beacon, alerting the Autobots and Decepticons. The pair are found by their friend Alexis, but emerge with a Mini-Con in tow, that begins to try and communicate with them. Megatron appears on Earth and attacks them, but is stopped by the newly arrived Optimus Prime. Prime is no match for Megatron, though, and as the onlookers are joined by the other Mini-Cons, Sureshock explains how the Mini-Cons fled Cybertron to avoid abuse at the hands of the Decepticons. They explain that they're not getting involved in the fight, and leave Prime to face Megatron alone.

Notes: At first this seems like a quick retelling of US Armada #1-3, but there are some interesting differences. First of all, the one million year dormancy of the Mini-Cons becomes four million years. The arrival of the Transformers on Earth is also different, with seemingly just Optimus Prime and Megatron arriving.

Errors: In the very first frame, Cybertron looks absolutely dreadful. Hot Shot's Autobot logo is white on page 1, and yellow on page 2. Starscream's 'Con logos are red as Prime shoots him down, and he transforms. Would Billy really start an cavern-fall on Rad and Carlos? If Alexis doesn't know about the cave, isn't it lucky she's just wandering past? What the Hell is going on with High Wire having that handy three-people third mode? It kind of makes his scanning of the bike a bit irrelevant, doesn't it? Sureshock has one leg throughout.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, Red Alert, Starscream, Cyclonus, Megatron.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Swindle [Powerlinked to Starscream], High Wire, Sureshock, Sparkplug, Leader-1 [Powerlinked to Megatron] Grindor, Jolt, Longarm.

Notable Others: Rad, Carlos, Billy, Fred, Alexis.

Letters Page: There is one, "Hot Shot's Hot Mail!". The credibility of which takes a knock thanks to letters from Daniel Whitwicky and Terry Henry of Woolwich...

Extras: The free gift is Panini's new Transformers Generation 1 sticker album, and a pack of stickers. Pretty poor, considering it's a mix of shoddy cartoon stills, box art and some terrible original work. Plus Datafiles on Optimus Prime and Sparkplug.

Review: Argh. Ugly writing, ugly art. Furman must have written this on the back of a napkin or something, and Mitchell simply can't draw Transformers - Megatron is especially abysmal. The frame where Megs rips Swindle from Starscream could have been drawn by a four-year old. Pretty terrible stuff, the book's padded out by Datafiles about as in-depth as a European Gen 2 tech-spec, puzzle pages and, humorously, a "How to Draw Megatron" feature illustrated by Mitchell, who can't draw Megatron. Okay, so it's aimed at kids, but then wasn't the Marvel comic? Very disappointing, and if you're outside Panini's distribution net, don't go wild trying to import. The whole thing makes you wish for Dreamwave reprints...

Synopsis: Megatron easily beats Prime, and summons his fellow Decepticons to search for the Mini-Cons. Rad tries to reason with the Mini-Cons to aid Prime, and goes off by himself when they won't listen. He attempts to distract Megatron by claiming he knows where to find more Mini-Cons. Just as the Decepticon is about to lose patience, High Wire saves him, and the rest of the Mini-Cons help buy Prime enough time to summon Hot Shot and Red Alert. Sparkplug, Jolt and Longarm Powerlink with Optimus, Hot Shot and Red Alert respectively. Megatron has escaped, but then Carlos arrives with news from the Mini-Cons' cave.

Notes: Sparkplug Powerlinks to Optimus, Jolt to Hot Shot and Longarm to Red Alert. Because you hadn't guessed that, nosiree.

Errors: Where the Hell does Demolisher go? There's another abysmal rendering of Cybertron on page 1.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Cyclonus, Starscream, Red Alert, Hot Shot, Megatron, Optimus Prime, Demolisher.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Jolt, High Wire, Sureshock, Sparkplug, Leader-1, Longarm, Sparkplug, Grindor.

Notable Others: Rad, Carlos, Alexis.

Extras: A free "Cyber-Sketch Console"! How cool is that? Well, not very, seeing as it's one of those crappy wipe-clean 'reusable' slate things you get with your poorer service station meal, but with an Autobot symbol slapped on. There is, however, a very nice A1 poster of the Armada toy range. Oh, and the "Power Poster" is by Lee Sullivan. Datafiles for this issue are Megatron and Leader-1.

Review: It's better than #1, at least. The pace is fairly quick, though it's still very bland and flat - same old story, and from the first two issues I can't help thinking American reprints would have been a much better way to go, and would probably be equally appealing to the target audience... The much-trumpeted return of Andrew Wildman falls flat, his work suffocated by bombastic inking and loud colouring - though the original pencils indicate the heights of his acclaimed Marvel run are beyond him now.

Cover Date: 16th July 2003

"Deep Trouble!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Bambos Georgiou
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Just A Memory!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Keiron Ward
Inks: Bambos Georgiou
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Deep Trouble!"

Synopsis: The Street Action Team and the kids are searching for more Mini-Cons in the cave, but are jumped by Demolisher. He takes out the Mini-Cons. Rad grabs the locator log from the ship, and runs for it. He tricks Demolisher into causing a cave-in on himself, but loses the log.

Notes: It would seem there were other Mini-Cons on the same ship as those awakened in #1.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Hot Shot, Demolisher.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Sureshock, Grindor, High Wire, Longarm [flashback].

Notable Others: Rad, Carlos, Alexis.

Review: A dull, uninteresting little story, to be honest. Closer to the dire Armada TV series, with its open-close Mini-Con related capers, than Dreamwave's superior comic. On the plus side, Wildman seems to be finding a little form, and Demolisher's good fun.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Just A Memory!"

Synopsis: At school, the Street Action Patrol follow the kids around. High Wire clobbers two of Rad's classmates when they ruin his experiment, which reminded the Mini-Con of how the Decepticons misused his work on Cybertron. Grindor remembers his feats of strength back home, and tries to help Carlos impress his friends with a skateboarding trick. However, he overdoes it, and Carlos has to escape before his classmates realise something's up. Sureshock, meanwhile, managed to overload the observatory mainframe. However, the two groups remain friends.

Notes: High Wire was a scientist on Cybertron. He designed a new way of processing waste fuel, but the Decepticons perverted its use. Rad and Alexis [and presumably Carlos, who we only see at the Mall] go to Lincoln High School.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: High Wire, Grindor, Sparkplug [flashback], Longarm [flashback], Sureshock.

Notable Others: Rad, Billy, Fred, Carlos, Alexis.

Extras: The free gift is a super-soaker watch. Which is rubbish. The Datafiles are for Demolisher and Blackout.

Review: Poor. The simplistic storyline is matched by some astonishingly primitive art from Keiron Ward, and the whole thing looks ugly. "Tales of the Mini-Cons" is a great idea for expanding on the faction and individual characters, but this isn't a good start at all.

Cover Date: 13th August 2003

"No Way Back!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Bambos Georgiou
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Into the Lions' Den!"
Script: Simon Furman
Art: Lee Sullivan
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"No Way Back!"

Synopsis: The Mini-Cons are preparing to head back to Cybertron at Prime's behest, but the Decepticons turn up. The Mini-Cons change their mind, and boost the Autobots' power. The Decepticons retreat, but destroy the Spacebridge, meaning the Mini-Cons are stuck on Earth.

Errors: Prime appears to have eyelids, most prominently on page 2. On page 3, Starscream and Demolisher are rendered incredibly badly - the last page, especially the charged-up Autobots, is also terrible.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Hot Shot, Cyclonus, Starscream, Demolisher, Red Alert.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Grindor, Sureshock, Sparkplug, Jolt, High Wire, Longarm, Leader-1 [Powerlinked to Megatron].

Notable Others: Rad, Carlos, Alexis.

Review: Another stupid, simplistic, obvious story by numbers, with bright, gaudy malformed art.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Into the Lions' Den!"

Synopsis: Sparkplug, Jolt and Longarm break into the Decepticon HQ, intent on freeing Crumplezone, Leader-1, Blackout and Swindle. However, the quartet are happy working with the Decepticons, and try to capture them. They manage to escape, leaving the other Mini-Cons to their own choice.

Notes: The Decepticons are based at the old mining settlement in Silver Ridge, North Dakota.

Errors: Jolt says it's the middle of the night, but it's daylight above the base. As the Mini-Cons climb down into the base, there's a huge red Decepticon insignia on the wall.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Sparkplug, Longarm, Jolt, Crumplezone, Leader-1, Blackout, Swindle.

Notable Others: Rad.

Extras: A free Disc Blaster, plus Datafiles on Hot Shot and Jolt.

Review: A nice improvement. It's still a by-the-numbers plot, but considering the age range this is aimed at, having a group of the Mini-Cons choose evil is pretty hard-line. Sadly, though, this will preclude the interesting characterisation Leader-1 and, to a lesser extent, Swindle, received in the Dreamwave series. Lee Sullivan makes the best return yet of the Marvel UK old boys.

Cover Date: 10th September 2003

"Devices and Desires!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Bambos Georgiou
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - We Are Not Alone!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Keiron Ward
Inks: Lee Townsend
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Devices and Desires!"

Synopsis: The Air Defence Team, who have been performing rescues on Earth, are lured out by Starscream. The Autobots arrive, and bail them out. The Team turn down the chance to join up with the Autobots, but Starscream has placed a tracking device on them.

Notes: The Air Defence Team have been active on Earth for a while, running philanthropic missions.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Starscream, Red Alert, Optimus Prime, Hot Shot.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Sonar, Runway, Jetstorm.

Review: Still the kind of depth you get from the toy freebie comics, but at least this is well executed. Wildman's pencils are slowly starting to look like he cares, and the Air Defence Team are nicely defined.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - We Are Not Alone!"

Synopsis: The Air Defence Team break into a NASA research facility to find technology to help them leave the planet. However, they're knocked out by mysterious guards. The team awakens soon after, and hacks into the NASA computers, finding that the Land Military Team had been captured in the 1950s. They set off to find them.

Notes: Mini-Cons can go into system lock voluntarily. They can also be rebooted easily via their auxiliary processors. The Land Military Team were in a section of the Mini-Con ship that broke off.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Jetstorm, Runway, Sonar.

Extras: Free Astro Flyer - a polystyrene glider. Quite nifty, and available in three schemes - Autobot, Decepticon and Mini-Con. Also Datafiles on Starscream and Swindle.

Review: For the first time, something approaching a new angle for the UK Armada series. The idea that a spook organisation would find and be interested in the Mini-Cons is great, even if it is a little kiddified. Ward's simplistic art is less exposed without any human faces to cover, and it's a great little read.

Cover Date: 8th October 2003

"Between Two Worlds!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Lee Townsend
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Blast from the Past!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Keiron Ward
Inks: Lee Townsend
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Between Two Worlds!"

Synopsis: Megatron is on the moon with Starscream and Cyclonus, searching for Mini-Cons. The Autobots' Earth Spacebridge is out of action, so Jetfire sends Smokescreen and Scavenger go to stop him, from Cybertron. Meanwhile, Prime also sends a probe to check the moon for Mini-Cons. One named Liftor finds Smokescreen, and helps him defeat Demolisher, while Rollbar aids Scavenger. Megatron then withdraws.

Notes: The Autobots' Earth Spacebridge was destroyed in #4. I have no idea why the American flag was changed on the first page.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Demolisher, Cyclonus, Jetfire, Optimus Prime, Laserbeak, Smokescreen, Scavenger.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Sparkplug, Jolt, Longarm, Liftor, Rollbar.

Review: Adequately done, though Wildman's art takes another step back - especially his dismal take on Scavenger. It's still hardly fantastic, though, and seems rather rushed.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Blast from the Past!"

Synopsis: Area 54, Nevada, 1959. The US military are putting the Land Military Team through their paces, when the team suddenly heads to the town of Stillwater. Wreckage is able to get a message to a local reverend, Amos Hume, before they're recaptured. 2003, and Hume hears of the Air Defence Team's activities, and sets off to find them and deliver his message.

Notes: The Air Defence team saved Chicago from a falling satellite in #5.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Bonecrusher, Knock Out, Wreckage.

Notable Others: Amos.

Letters Page: Changes to "Starscream's Hate Mail!".

Extras: Free Mini-Con Holding Cell. Cheap, but actually rather cool. Also Datafiles on Smokescreen and Liftor.

Review: Interesting, if obvious. Once again Ward's style doesn't fit the slightly darker tone, but again it's a nice enough idea.

Cover Date: 5th November 2003

"The Two-Edged Blade"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Lee Townsend
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Sale of the Century!"
Script: Simon Furman
Art: Lee Sullivan
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"The Two-Edged Blade"

Synopsis: Starscream tracks and knocks out the Air Defence Team, forming them into the mighty Star Saber. He then goes to collect the Street Action Team, who form Perceptor to battle him. However, the power of the Saber begins to cause problems. Prime arrives, and makes Starscream revive them. They disassemble, saving the day, and Starscream escapes. Meanwhile, Father Hume has caught up with them.

Notes: Starscream put a tracer on Jetstorm in #5. This is the first comic to feature Perceptor, the combined form of the Street Action Team.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Starscream, Optimus Prime.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Jetstorm, Runway, Sonar.

Notable Others: Rad, Carlos, Alexis, Amos.

Review: A decent story, with a nice follow-up on an early coda, a bearable Starscream, and a decent resolution. Wildman's art is on the climb again, with a fair amount of detail, and only the very sudden arrival of Prime doesn't really rub.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Sale of the Century!"

Synopsis: Area 54 is being shut down, and the scientists there are attempting to sell the Land Military Team first. However, the team begins malfunctioning. Thankfully, Hot Shot and the Air Defence Team arrive, thanks to Reverend Hume's message, and rescue and repair them. The Mini-Cons head out, leaving the head of Area 54 to the US military.

Notes: Hume received Hume's message in #6.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Hot Shot.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Bonecrusher, Knock Out, Wreckage, Runway, Jetstorm, Sonar.

Extras: Free glow-in-the-dark faces. Really nifty! Also Datafiles on Cyclonus and Crumplezone.

Review: A fair conclusion to the Land Military arc, a nice divergence from the cartoon-influenced fare that's been par for the series for too long, while also exploring an area not touched on by the Dreamwave series. Lee Sullivan's art raises this above the mire.

Cover Date: 3rd December 2003

"Earthshaker!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Lee Townsend
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Lost in Space!"
Script: Simon Furman
Art: Lee Sullivan
Letters: Nicholas Norman
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Earthshaker!"

Synopsis: The Decepticons have established a base on the moon, and prepare to launch their missiles at Earth. In order to buy the Autobots some time, Sparkplug, Longarm, Jolt and the Street Action Team surrender to Megatron. Meanwhile, Smokescreen and Scavenger break into the Moonbase. Cyclonus collects the Mini-Cons, but as expected the Decepticons fire their missiles anyway. The Autobots are able to repair their Earth Spacebridge enough to send the missiles right back to the Moonbase.

Notes: The Autobots' Earth Spacebridge was destroyed in #4.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Starscream, Cyclonus, Demolisher, Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, Red Alert, Smokescreen, Scavenger.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Longarm, High Wire, Sparkplug, Sureshock, Grindor.

Review: Another adequate, unspectacular story. At least there's a little ingenuity on show, and some of the art is genuinely quite good.

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Lost in Space!"

Synopsis: The Street Action Team, Sparkplug, Longarm and Jolt are being transported to the Decepticons. They break out, and severe the cable attaching them to Cyclonus. Jolt takes out the Decepticon, and the Mini-Cons glide back to Earth.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Cyclonus.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Longarm, High Wire, Sparkplug, Jolt, Grindor, Sureshock.

Extras: Glittery stickers. Oooooh. Also Datafiles on Red Alert and Longarm.

Review: Very straightforward and rather unengaging. Once again an interesting foundation is undermined by the need to tie things up as soon as possible.

"Dawn of Destruction!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Andrew Wildman
Inks: Stephen Baskerville
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Nigel Dobbyn

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Counter-Strike!"
Script: Simon Furman
Pencils: Simon Williams
Inks: Bambos Georgiou
Letters: Neil Porter
Colours: Junior Tomblin

"Dawn of Destruction!"

Synopsis: Following the attack from Jolt, Cyclonus crashes on the moon. He's found by the Destruction Team. They use him to attack the Decepticons' base. Starscream is able to disengage them from Cyclonus, and they withdraw. However, Starscream contacts them later to propose an alliance.

Notes: Cyclonus was damaged by Jolt in #8. Megatron's labs on Cybertron were known as the Mecha-Pits. Sonic weapons can force Mini-Cons to disengage from Transformers.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Cyclonus, Starscream, Demolisher, Megatron.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Buzzsaw, Dualor, Drillbit, Leader-1, Blackout, Swindle.

Review: A quite amazing transformation. The plot is a parallel with the story in issues #12-13 of Dreamwave's series, but it's arguably better handled. Baskerville's inks work well with Wildman's art, though the basic pencils do seem to markedly improved. What really helps, though, is Dobbyn's colours, which are much more accomplished than Junior Tomblin's, and don't overpower the art. It's a shame the series chose here to end, really...

"Tales of the Mini-Cons - Counter-Strike!"

Synopsis: On Cybertron, Dualor arranges a counterattack against the rampaging Decepticons - to lure them to Autobot Command HQ, and then blow it up. The Decepticons promptly break into the HQ, while the Destruction Team lay the charges. However, Sparkplug tips Optimus Prime off, and the Autobots escape - though the Decepticons also escape the blast radius, much to Dualor's chagrin.

Notes: This story takes place before #1.

Transformers featured [in rough order of appearance]: Thrust, Demolisher, Cyclonus, Starscream, Hot Shot, Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Smokescreen, Megatron.

Mini-Cons featured [in rough order of appearance]: Dirtboss, Jolt, Mirage, Dualor, Spiral, Comettor, Skyblast, Liftor, Sparkplug, Ransack, Drillbit, Buzzsaw.

Extras: A free Marble Shooter, which ties in with a game inside the comic - available in both Hot Shot and Demolisher variants. Also the last pair of Datafiles - Jetfire and Comettor.

Review: Another nice, if straightforward, story. There's some good characterisation for both Sparkplug and Dualor, and while the resolution is obvious, the story's well-paced. Williams makes a very useful debut on pencils, and once again it's a shame it had to end here, just as things were starting to look up.

Date: October 2003
Contents:
"Battle Stations!" [Reprint of DW Armada #1]
"Invasion!" [Reprint of DW Armada #2]
"Rise of the Decepticons!" [Reprint of DW Armada #6]
Production Notes: Large-format pages, hardcover. The cover is adapted from that of DW Armada #6, by Pat Lee.