THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

TRANSFORMERS TITLES FROM TITAN BOOKS / MAGAZINES

Titan Transformers Universe #25
Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek

Review: Revolution Part 3

As is sadly so often the case with Furman, there’s a feeling of things being rushed here. The notes section offers a theory as to why this might be but it doesn’t stop the way President Allen is reduced to an afterthought, making for a slightly dissatisfying conclusion.

This is a shame, as Prime’s plan to get the Decepticons out of his hair is well thought through and smartly executed. His ruthlessness in dealing Stockade the same fate despite their deal is also nicely ruthless and in keeping with film Prime’s character.

Stockade himself continues to be hugely entertaining, and can be considered Titan’s big success. A shame leaving the alternate timeline means we’re unlikely to see him again.

The Starscream/Megatron subplot is less satisfying, mainly because there’s no pay off to it. After he gets his mind back and is horrified at bringing Megatron back, Starscream is just a non speaking background extra. No doubt another sign of things being a little rushed at the end.

All in all though, this is a satisfying conclusion that will make me miss this micro continuity, the final shot of Bumblebee driving off into the sunset is a lovely bittersweet ending.

Having finally got rid of Afterburner, the Animated comic settles down to doing what it does best, silly slapstick nonsense.

There’s nothing here that isn’t completely predictable from start to finish, but it’s well done with the pay off gag with Bulkhead especially nice. It’s a shame they seem to have found their feet just as the strip ends, but at least it gets an amusing send off.



An important issue this one, featuring several lasts for the title. It’s the last issue before the rebranding and relaunching as Revenge of the Fallen #1 (which means the rebranding as Transformers Universe only lasted four issues), the last issue for the alternate timeline began way back in issue #9, the last ever UK Animated strip, the last in the current IDW reprints, the last Starscreams and of course the last issue before the release of the second film in the UK. For the immediate future it’s the last drawn cover and the last issue with two reprint strips.

In order to try and wrap things up, the main Movieverse strip is 15 pages, with an 11 Animated strip. That means we have more UK original material in this issue than any other Transformers comic has ever had. Add in what’s basically the equivalent of an entire American issue’s worth of reprints and there’s probably more pages of Transformer comic here than any other UK title has managed full stop. A side effect of this is the activity pages are very much on the thin side for the second issue in a row.

Despite the extra page count, there are still some loose ends left hanging. Most obviously, President Allen is still under Decepticon control at the end, even if Tom and Mikaela promise to go sort him and the others out. Indeed, despite being the main human villain of the alternate Universe storyline he’s been absent from the last two issues. The other major lose end is Jazz’ heart of darkness storyline. It’s likely that when this storyline was conceived it was assumed the second film would come out exactly two years after the first one did, instead the UK got it a month earlier suggesting at least one planned issue in this continuity has been lost along the way.

Tom Banachek makes his first appearance since issue #16, though here we learn he’s been working behind the scenes in that time.

The idea of tagging people before being able to teleport them is similar to one in Star Trek Insurrection (you know, the one where Troi and Crusher compare their saggy boobs). The end of the original cartoon likely inspires the Decepticons being blown off into deepest space with two rival leaders amongst them.

With this issue, John Davis-Hunt will be taking over art chores for the foreseeable future. To mark this momentous occasion the D-H Diner is likely named in his honour.

The Animated Autobots either have a new base since last issue or continuity is going a bit off by this point.

Prime can be seen advertising Coca Cola on an advertising billboard in Detroit at one point (though the logo is mostly obscured, the can design is unmistakable). This means, following the Pepsi repaint of the original toy, Optimus has now plugged both major American cola brands.

As he crosses the finish line, Bumblebee seems to be misquoting the theme tune to Dangermouse, “I’m the greatest, I’m the best…”

With the unfinished strips from the cancelled comics now used up, this is the end of Titan’s Animated strip. The last panel is a close up of Bulkhead's arse.




Megatron’s body is exactly where it fell back in issue 13. Did no one think to move it to a more secure location, or to, say, drop in a deep dark sea trench and then bomb it? It’s not as if Starscream had his government stooges to prevent it at that stage.

The D-H Diner has no staff [Because Davis-Hunt is to busy drawing this issue to serve].

Misplaced speech bubbles ahoy! Stockade’s “Overcast-get this tied up” is given to Blackout, Fracture shouts “Stormsurge-Move!” whilst pushing Incinerator out of the way and Strongarm answers Prime’s question to Ironhide.

Everyone forgets Megatron has a vehicle mode capable of inter system travel, so exile to deep space isn’t going to hold him back for long.

The “Previously…” recap has a few embarrassing typos (“victioms” and “bfut”).

The back issues page attributes the wrong issue numbers to several covers.

They’re reprinting Megatron: Origin. And it’s with a heavy heart we say goodbye to that running gag. Wait… what’s that Skippy? They’re starting All Hail Megatron from next issue? Excellent.


Movie fridge magnets, and an Animated pencil pod, originally advertised with the lost issue four of that comic. Leave it on the kitchen table and marvel at the dirty looks it gets.



Top Gear, competitions for the Rhythm Paradise DS game, plus T.I.M. Defender of the Earth and George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt books,
Starscreams and Arcee’s Soulmates, both for the final time.

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