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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) |
TRANSFORMERS TITLES FROM TITAN BOOKS / MAGAZINES
Transformers [UK] from Titan Magazines, Year Three
| #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11 | #12 | #13 |
Revenge of the Fallen #1 [UK]: Training Day
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of issue 1 of All Hail Megatron. Script: Simon Furman. Art: Jon Davis-Hunt. Letters: Andrew James. |
Elsewhere, the Fallen communicates with Starscream and is told his army is almost ready. The Fallen is pleased at this news, soon they will have the Matrix and Earth will burn.
As the twins prepare to race again, they marvel at how their comrades could ever have left such a beautiful planet. But the race can barely start before stray cobalt missiles hit them. They realise they’re no longer alone, and soon discover Starscream is putting his new troops through their paces. From the vantage point of a high building, they hear Starscream promise that when the Star Harvester is activated a new Decepticon Empire will rise.
Realising the importance of this news and that a sub-space signal would take to long, the Twins realise they have no choice but to do what they’ve been avoiding… leave Cybertron and meet up with the other Autobots. But before they can face the decision to go, they’re noticed and attacked by drones. They manage to outwit them, and, changing to their protoforms they blast off in the direction of the signal they detected from Optimus Prime, coming from Earth…
Characters Featured: Skids, Mudflap, The Fallen, Starscream, Drones and Company. The following appear as heads over Earth: Bumblebee, Ratchet, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Sideswipe.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #2 [UK]: Deadlock
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 1-14 of issue 2 of All Hail Megatron. Script: Simon Furman. Art: John Davis-Hunt. Lettering: Andrew James. |
Synopsis: Toronto: The twins arrive on Earth in typically low-key fashion, nearly crashing into the CN tower. Quickly taking new alternate modes, they head in the direction of the nearest spark trace, on the Eastern seaboard of the continent.
On Cybertron, Starscream informs the Fallen of the Autobot’s escape. The Fallen decides to contact one of his Earth agents, and breaks off the transmission with a warning for Starscream never to fail again.
As the twins drive south through some cornfields, an old fashioned biplane, the Decepticon Seeker Ransack, suddenly attacks them. Luckily Bumblebee has picked up their radio communications in New York as he watches Sam look around his new University. The Autobot quickly drives off in the direction of Canada.
The Twins are soon run to ground in a field, and Ransack gloatingly tells them the Fallen’s will shall be done. Before he can finish the Autobots off however, Bumblebee arrives and drives him away. This leaves the three Autobots reunited, and aware that trouble is coming.
Characters Featured: Skids, Mudflap, Starscream, The Fallen, Ransack, Sam Witwicky, Ron Witwicky, Judy Witwicky, Bumblebee.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #3 [UK]: Learning Curve
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 15-22 of issue 2 and 1-8 of issue 3 of All Hail Megatron. |
Synopsis: Edwards Airforce Base, California: Ironhide catches the recently arrived Skids and Mudflap trying to sneak into a hanger to try and deliver their warning about the Star Harvester to Optimus Prime. But Prime isn’t there, and Ironhide is getting tired of their refusal to respect the chain of command and give the message to him rather than going straight to the top dog. A NEST soldier who reports a Decepticon Spark trace has been detected in Las Vegas interrupts the argument. Ironhide leads a team, expressly ordering the Twins to stay behind. They ignore the order and drive off in the direction of Vegas as soon as Ironhide is gone.
In Las Vegas, Grindor is being directed by Soundwave from orbit. His mission is to go to a second hand car lot and download information from what seems to be a normal old car, but is a now dead shell of a Transformer.
Ironhide and NEST arrive and nearly stop Grindor returning to Soundwave with the information, but when the Twin’s arrive their random firing cuts the cable holding Grindor in place allowing him to escape. An annoyed Ironhide tells them it’s time they started learning from their mistakes.
Characters Featured: Ironhide, Skids, Mudflap, Soundwave, Grindor.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #4 [UK]: New Tricks
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 9-22 of issue 3 of All Hail Megatron, under the title Going Underground. |
Synopsis: Soundwave has sent Ravage to silence Skids and Mudflap before they can tell anyone about the Fallen. This brings him to a NEST base in the Orkney Islands, where as punishment for their failure with Grindor [Last issue] they’re being put back through basic training by Sideswipe.
The twins are doing well, by Sideswipe remains sceptical, especially as he thinks they may have let Grindor escape deliberately. He has them prep for another session, but is knocked out from behind by Ravage before he can start it. The twins find the cat too big a challenge, and so lure him into the training room where the automated weapons incapacitate him.
However, when they bring a recovered Sideswipe to see the captive he’s escaped, and as he saw nothing Sideswipe’s now convinced the twin’s knocked him out to avoid training and is now even more convinced they can’t be trusted. Listening up in space Soundwave finds this interesting…
Characters Featured: Ravage, Soundwave, Skids, Mudflap, Sideswipe.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #5 [UK]: Reversal of Furtune
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 1-13 of issue 4 of All Hail Megatron, under the title Rock Bottom. |
Synopsis:
NEST Base; Diego Garcia: The twins are excited to learn Optimus Prime is in the neighbourhood and think they’ll finally get to tell him their information. Sideswipe explains that he’s not there for that at all, but is chasing down a Decepticon contact in the Australian Northern Territories.
In Australia Prime and Arcee are pursuing Sideways. The Decepticon can out perform them on tarmac, a problem Prime deals with by blowing the entire road up. Taking the prisoner to NEST Prime finds Skids and Mudflap arguing over who gets to talk to him, which leaves him unimpressed.
Before things can get any further Scorponok suddenly emerges from the ground and frees Sideways. In the heat of battle not only does Skids manage to trip up Optimus Prime but Mudflap has the piece of concrete he was using as a weapon snatched off him by Sideways thrown through the human troops.
With Scorponok and Sideways escaped Prime is deeply confused by how such an infiltration of their security could have occurred. Sideswipe declares it could only have been Skids and Mudflap, who clearly attacked Prime and gave Sideways a weapon in addition to their other misdemeanours over the last few issues. Elsewhere Soundwave is watching the action on his security screens, and gloats that this entire set up is deliberate, and is only the beginning…
Characters Featured: Optimus Prime, Arcee*, Sideways, Sideswipe, Skids, Mudflap, Scorponok.
*The three-bike version from the film. For more see notes.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #6 [UK]: Outlaw Blues
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 14-22 of issue 4 and 1-6 of issue 5 of All Hail Megatron, under the title Long Shadows. |
Synopsis: Skids and Mudflap have been found guilty of treason and have been brought back to America in order to be blasted off into space as a form of exile. As they’re being driven across Florida Starscream blows out the bridge their convoy is crossing and then drops Wheelie, who takes care of the guards and frees the twins bonds before telling them they can lay low with the Decepticons anytime.
Realising how guilty they now look, the twins decide to run for it. Two days later they turn up at Sam’s house where they take him for a ride whilst they try to explain their innocence. Meanwhile, Optimus has been anonymously warned by Soundwave as to their location and calls Bumblebee, who sets off in pursuit from Sam’s garage.
When he catches up with them the twins’ efforts to explain are hampered by Soundwave arriving and blasting the cram out of Bumblebee. He offers the twins a future with the Decepticons, something the rest of the planet won’t have. They accept.
Characters Featured: Skids, Mudflap, Soundwave, Starscream, Wheelie, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Sideswipe, Sam, Bumblebee.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Revenge of the Fallen #7 [UK]: Turnabout
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Note: This issues also includes a reprint of pages 7-22 of issue 5 of All Hail Megatron, under the title Family Strife! . |
Synopsis: Phobos: At a Decepticon base on the Martian moon Skids and Mudflap are instructed by Soundwave to go to Earth and hunt down and grab a Seeker he’s tracked in order to get hold of his information. After the twins depart Soundwave explains to Grindor and Sideways he just wants to use them to soften up the Seeker before the two more loyal Decepticons finish him off. If the twins surrvie they’re to be killed.
Carolina: As they drive to the farmhouse where the Seeker signal was detected the twins discuss their plan, knowing Sideways or Grindor will likely follow them they’ll capture whichever one it is as proof to the Autobots they’re on the level.
At the farmhouse they find Ransack, who refuses to give up his information as he answers only to the Fallen, but the twins manage to convince him the Fallen sent them.
Surprised at this peacable solution Sidways and Grindor decide to attack, starting a fight that severly wounds Sideways. From above a USAF plane with Ironhide and Sideswipe observe this fight, and the Autobots are confused by the seeming breakdown in relations between the new allies.
On the ground Grindor has had enough, grabbing Ransack and running for it. The twins have their scalp in Sideways and now plan deal with Soundwave once and for all.
Characters Featured: Skids, Mudflap, Soundwave, Grindor, Ravage, Sideways [Taken out by Mudflap], Ransack, Ironhide, Sideswipe.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #8 [UK]: Back-to-Back
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Note: This issue also includes a reprint of the following pages from All Hail Megatron under the title Darkness Falls: |
Synopsis: Phobos: Soundwave is beating the slag out of Ransack in an attempt to find the location of the Tomb of the Primes for himself. Even with Starscream’s help Ransack won’t talk, mocking them for thinking they control their own destiny just because the Fallen is currently incapacitated.
Outside the Decepticon base the twins are waiting. They don’t have any sort of plan, but hopes that by taking out Sounwave they’ll not only get some payback but might also prove to the other Autobots they’re innocent.
Blasting their way in they quickly deal with Ravage, but find Starscream and Soundwave more of a problem. They’re helped by Ransack who blasts Starscream before leaving to report what’s being going on to the Fallen, which makes Starscream and Soundwave fly off in pursuit.
Just as the twins think they’re safe they have a new problem. The Decepticon Army they saw back on Cybertron [Vol. 2, issue 1] has arrived to begin the advance towards Earth. The twins decide to take as many down as they can, but are surprised to be rescued by the appearance of a group of Autobots led by Optimus Prime. They quickly deal with the troops, and the twins even get an apology from Ironhide for doubting them. The twins however decide not to push their luck and privately agree never to mention the Fallen again.
Characters Featured: Soundwave, Ransack, Starscream, Ravage, Skids, Mudflap, Buggerloads of Decepticon Drones [All Killed], Optimus Prime, Sideswipe, Ironhide, Arcee, Ratchet.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #9 [UK]: Culture Shock
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Script: Simon Furman. |
Synopsis: Los Angeles: A NEST/Autobot mission to catch a Decepticon goes awry when impulsive new recruit Jolt breaks orders to go after the fugitive, causing chaos and destruction as he brings him down.
At Andrews Air Force base Galloway gleefully tells Lennox about the ten million dollars worth of damages and civil suits they’re going to have to pay, and how he intends to use this to get NEST shut down as revenge for being pushed off a plane. Jolt promises Prime it’ll never happen again.
Two days latter in Las Vegas Jolt is again out on his own, this time against Bludgeon. The Decepticon gloats that Jolt must like playing up to the crowd more than saving them as the Autobot could have waited for him to leave the city with what he came for and then attack in the empty desert.
Jolt however had another reason for fighting in a populated area, he needs the local electricity grid to use his full powers. He fires Bludgeon, but as a side effect creates a massive power cut.
Back at Andrews Jolt apologies again to Prime and is restricted to base. But sometime later a garbled message from a team under “Cybertronian” attack makes him consider breaking orders…
Characters Featured: Jolt, Reverb [Fried by Jolt], Ironhide, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Galloway, Lennox, Bludgeon [Fried by Jolt]
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #10 [UK]: Bring Me The Head of Optimus Prime
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Script: Robin Etherington. |
Synopsis: Optimus Prime is dropped in on the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana after a garbled distress call mentioning giant robots. The evidence on site is conflicting though, the weapons damage looks human but the extent of the destruction and death implies the Decepticons.
Following an oil trail to the Canadian boarder Prime walks into a trap where a EMP bomb explodes and disables his circuitry. A day later he awakens tied to a post in a compound where a militant is mounting his latest kill, an endangered Grey wolf.
With NEST engaged hunting Seekers Epps and Bumblebee and the only troopers available to go follow up on Prime's disappearance. Finding the same trail and Prime and an inventory telling them an non-nuclear EMP device was taken from the base they set off in pursuit.
The militant introduces himself to Prime as Tyler White, aka Trophy, leader of the Free Men Militia. He loves hunting and has the heads of many wild species on his wall, and now he plans to add that of Prime. However, before he can Bumblebee and Epps storm the compound, and Prime breaks out of his chains. White begs for mercy but Prime goes at him with his sword... destroying Trophy's animal head trophies.
Prime then explained he new about the EMP all along and had walked into the trap on purpose so it wouldn't be used near humans. He could also have broken out of his chains at any time, but decided to wait until it was funniest.
Characters Featured: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Epps
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #11 [UK]: Spare Parts
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Script:Simon Furman. |
Synopsis: Death Valley, California: Jolt, Rollbar and Dune Runner, as the newest Autobots on Earth, are having to carry out a training mission. They feel somewhat redundant on the planet now the war has become a case of just mopping up rogue Decepticons but still plan to try their best. As they search for a abandoned town where an emergency recharge pack is hidden to boost their low power reserves they are unaware they are being followed by a deranged and damaged Decepticon hunting for spare parts.
Having found the ghost town Jolt also discovers the pack, before he can use it however the Decepticon attacks and rips off his arm. Rollbar and Dune Runner try to help but without power they quickly also lose limbs. Jolt manages to use the pack to recharge himself and takes out the Decepticon with his electro whip. Though they're tempted to finish him off permanently they decide that they're still Autobots and take him back to base.
Back at Diego Garcia Ratchet explains Dead End (as the Decepticon is called) was the result of a freakish experiment to create a regeneration circuit that would heal wounds in battle instantly. Instead it drove him mad and damaged his body, sending him off looking for new parts. Ratchet compliments the cadets on not killing him and declares they have what it takes to be Autobots.
Characters Featured: Jolt, Dune Runner, Rollbar, Dead End, Sideswipe [Flashback], Ironhide [Flashback], Hoist [Flashback, see Notes], Ratchet.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #12 [UK]: Rules of Engagement
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Script: Simon Furman. Art: Jon Davis-Hunt. Colours: Hi-Fi Design. Lettering: Den Patrick. |
Synopsis: Utah: Rollbar and company are being put through their paces by the veteran Springer. He teaches them the importance of doing the unexpected, but Jolt is more annoyed that they're still being treated as raw recruits when he thinks they're ready for mainstream action.
Three days later he gets his wish as Tankor attacks a secret NEST weaponry base under the Alamo, ending up with ten hostages. Springer instructs the recruits to make the humans their priority whilst he attacks Tankor, but it turns out the Decepticon hasn't come alone and Dirge attacks Springer from behind. Jolt decides to do the unexpected and takes out Tankor. When Dirge is wounded he does a runner, leaving Springer to berate Jolt for disobeying orders only to have his own earlier words thrown back at him.
Characters Featured: Springer, Rollbar, Dune Runner, Jolt, Tankor, Dirge.
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
Transformers #13 [UK]: Inside Out
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Written by: Simon Furman. |
Synopsis: Bloemfontein, South Africa: As the World Cup final plays nearby Bludgeon is held, along with all the other Decepticons NEST have captured, in a maximum security facility. However, Bludgeon's capture was part of a plot on his part to get put in with a large group of embittered troops keen to escape.
Releasing Scalpel from a hidden compartment in his body Bludgeon is soon free, and sets about releasing his fellow prisoners. Breakdown however is only let out to be killed, as he'd mocked Bludgeon earlier.
NEST quickly scramble the base's Autobot troops, Wideload, Brawn and Smokescreen. They're quickly out-gunned however, and are forced back into the football stadium. Springer arrives with reinforcements, but he hasn't come to fight, but to tell the other Autobots to stand down and let the Decepticons leave. This may make them look bad in the eyes of the worlds media, but Optimus doesn't want a fire-fight right on top of the thousands watching the game. Sometimes the toughest thing is to do nothing.
Characters Featured: Bludgeon, Reverb, Breakdown [Killed], Scalpel, Wideload, Smokescreen, Brawn, Lockdown, Tankor, Thundercracker (? Would make sense in light of last issue but if so he's miscoloured as Skywarp. There's also a sports car, but it might be a highly stylised take on Lockdown's alt mode).
Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek
| Year Two [#14-16] | Titan Comics Guide | Year Four [#14-21] |