Mike's Top Ten Favorite Transformers Continuities!
Being a fan of any long-running franchise nowadays means accepting that fictional properties sometimes need to reboot, to restart canon and start fresh. It wasn’t always that way; stuff like Star Wars and Star Trek maintained fairly strict, if messy continuities for decades and there was the inevitable wailing and gnashing of teeth when they had to eventually reset.
I guess I was lucky in that Transformers started this cycle earlier than almost any other fictional franchise I was a fan of and so I got used to it pretty quickly. Transformers fans basically get at least one new continuity every year on average and because of this, I can pretty comfortably make this list.
These are my top ten favorite Transformers continuities and you can bet I’m going be fairly specific in what they include in my eyes. I’ll also include my favorite versions of characters from that continuity, plus an honorable mention and my LEAST favorite Transformers continuity at the end!
So here we go with the HONORABLE MENTION!
HONORABLE MENTION- Kid’s Stuff
(The “Mr. Science” One)
This is a nostalgic pick mostly, but there are some memorably-bizzare elements to this series of six listen-and-listen books released in 1985. I owned the first two books and cassettes, written by John Braden and narrated and voice-acted by him and who sounds like an uncredited Earl Hammond.
Probably the most memorable aspect of this series of books IS that Megatron (at least for the first couple installments) sounds EXACTLY like Mumm-Ra (Megg-Ra? Mumatron?) and it kind of seems like Hammond is voicing Optimus Prime too, although this has never been strictly confirmed.
This is a continuity where Megatron is obsessed with drilling for oil, causing mass-casualty events amongst human populations in the doing, and creatively belittling Soundwave at every opportunity. Seriously, he’s got some sick burns on Soundwave in here- my favorites being “You blundering, tape-filled idiot!” and “You cassette-stuffed wimp!”
Conversely, Optimus Prime solves most of the problems from behind a computer screen, using scientific ingenuity and non-violent methods to foil Megatron’s plots. Prowl serves as the “Robin” to his Adam West-flavored Batman, eagerly digesting Prime’s detailed explanations about the density of liquefied razon gas compared to that of crude oil.
One time, Megatron and Soundwave bribe a single human to help them doom humanity to extinction in exchange for… a new jeep. Suffice to say… these stories are a trip and I have a nostalgic affection for this micro-continuity despite its… unique properties.
10. Scioli-Verse
(The Kirby One)
I’ve talked about this series before, and as far as continuity goes, it’s a literal toy box of Transformers and G.I. Joe elements thrown together in a way that is beautiful to some and maddening to others. I will give Tom Scioli all due credit in that this is the first Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover (and still the only, really) where I was equally engrossed in both participating franchises.
I’m not nearly as big a fan of G.I. Joe as I am of Transformers, but for my money, characters like Scarlett and Destro outshine even my favorite Transformers characters herein thanks to Scioli’s compelling and straight-to-the-point storytelling.
I enjoy the child-like imagination that goes into this continuity’s internal logic. The G.I. Joes need to fly to Cybertron, so they immediately do so on the Defiant. There’s no question whether that man-made spacecraft can actually make it to another planet- it’s a spaceship so of course it can! This continuity is littered with instances like this one where you just turn off the embittered, logical part of your brain and just embrace the rule of cool.
Scioli draws from the full histories of both Transformers and Joe and even ties in other Hasbro properties like My Little Pony, which ends up being another universe that Megatron lands in after falling through a black hole at the end of the series!
Hell, this continuity is so bonkers that not only are GoBots canon to it, but they actually are the precursor to the Transformers! Scioli’s GoBots mini-series more or less confirms that the Cybertron of this universe was created by an effort to seed Gobotrons across the multiverse! And Cy-Kill and Leader-1 are basically Starscream’s parents! What insanity is this???
Favorite character in this continuity?
Like I said, I may have to go with Scarlett! Scioli puts a lot of work into her character development and her spotlight issue (# 7) is my favorite installment of the thirteen issue run. His take on Destro is also a great one and Destro’s kinship with Megatron is a perfect example of the simple, but effective logic that makes this continuity so fun and compelling.
9. Cyberverse-uh...Verse
(The More With Less One)
The animated series Cyberverse delivered its episodes in ten minute installments, necessitating a rapid pace and plot most times. It seemed intended for a generation of fans that had grown up on Youtube and used to digesting media in comparatively more bite-sized chunks. The creators of the show managed to make this format work with lean, mean, and sometimes not-so-mean storytelling that pulled few punches, and Cyberverse ascended to my third favorite Transformers cartoon ever when all was said and done.
While the first season actually seemed a bit slow and more focused on smaller, character-driven episodes, the second and third seasons had more overarching and epic plots that had less time and space to cook. Thankfully, the balance of character development, serious plot progression, and humor was being expertly handled by the time the writers settled into the second season. This show managed to function and function well, despite limitations in its overall presentation and I’ll always be impressed by that.
Cyberverse as a continuity feels like a streamlined version of the original IDW comics main continuity, and it does take a lot of inspiration from that in several places, albeit with a lighter tone most of the time. It can be serious but never dips into “grim”, and the humorous and heartwarming aspects weaved in also manage to land without coming across as too saccharine or overdone.
Cyberverse as a series is a breezy watch that still feels consequential and weighty when it is addressing the more serious elements of its universe… but always remembers to smile and wink at the audience at some point too.
Favorite character in this continuity-
Like I said, there are some great takes on existing characters here, but this has definitely got to be my favorite version of Arcee ever for one. Her friendship with Grimlock, obsession with taking selfies, and love of giant weaponry are all fun and hilarious foibles that amuse whenever she is the spotlight of a story.
A runner-up would be Cyberverse’s version of Sludge, who only appeared in the last two movie specials, but made me laugh every time he was on screen.
8. Animated-Verse
(The Chin One)
I’d rank Cyberverse as a show slightly over Animated, but Animated definitely has the more fleshed-out and expansive continuity. Part of that is because Animated has a bunch of ancillary material that is in canon and expands the world, like the Allspark Almanacs- giant tomes that literally lay out the entire history of this continuity. However, the creators of the show sketched out a pretty complete world from the get-go, even if the story started from a “ground-level” perspective.
Animated was really the first continuity to really just go nuts in including anything and everything from preceding (and concurrent) Transformers lore in it. Previous continuities had name reuses and homages, but Animated pushed it farther than ever before. There are Animated versions of G1, Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Robots in Disguise, Unicron Trilogy, and Bay movie characters running around and co-existing and interacting.
IDW comics would soon follow suit with this method not long after, and it has become a norm since then in following series. The feeling that anyone could show up and be rendered in that distinct Animated style was always something to take note of and be excited by.
Speaking of, the art style of this universe is probably its key marker and the late great Derrick J. Wyatt certainly made sure that Animated’s visual look would stand out among what had come before. Exaggerated character proportions were the order of the day, with Transformers’ chins in particularly being prominent and a point of contention for some. It was an adjustment, but one I certainly grew to enjoy and nowadays when I see a character design that originated in Animated that DOESN’T have Wyatt’s aesthetic, I think it usually looks a little off.
Most people would say that Animated ended its run with a lot more gas left in its tank. While it had a good finale, the world it occupied was so expansive and well-established that there was so much more that could have been done in it. In fact, I feel like I see many more fan projects that continue the story of Animated than almost any other corner of the Transformers continuum. It certainly carved out a giant chin-sized place in the history of the franchise and I always welcome any revisitations of it.
Favorite character in this continuity?
Animated Megatron might be my favorite version of the character anywhere, combining a nice mix of G1 and Beast Wars vibes with even a bit of Bay-verse Megatron thrown in. Corey Burton gives him a distinct voice and presence that is chilling, charming and menacing even when he’s reduced to nothing but a head.
Special mention to Lockdown, another strong presence, performance and role that was distinct enough to carry on into future Transformers continuities, even if he was never as memorable as he was here. I mean, if you can’t get someone of Lance Henrikson’s caliber to voice him again, then maybe don’t bother using him!
7. Armadagon-Verse (Dreamwave)
(The Ran Out Of Money One)
I am talking specifically about the 30 issues of the Armada/Energon comic that Dreamwave produced (plus a couple ancillary stories) here. Armada was really the first time Hasbro and Takara collaborated closely on a Transformers series, but their fictional takes ended up vastly differing. In Japan, Armada was “Micron Legend” and since Transformers in Japan always targeted a slightly lower age range than the West, their take was… a bit more simplistic to say the least.
Dreamwave comics on the other hand, were given free reign to interpret the material as they saw fit and we wound up with a more high-concept take on Armada and the stars of the show...the diminutive Mini-Cons. Whereas Micron Legend treated the Mini-Cons as glorified Pokemon who couldn’t even speak, the Dreamwave comics crafted memorable characters out of many of them.
Chris Sarracini opened the Armada comic with a strong five-issue arc, then old faithful Simon Furman took over the series until the end, applying his tried-and-trusted “don’t write down to the audience” mentality to the series. The result was a compelling narrative that continued as the series transitioned into the following year’s toy line “Energon” and would have gone into the third installment “Cybertron” had Dreamwave not collapsed as a company.
Yes, the sad tale of this continuity is to remain ever-unfinished, although we fans have been made privy to Simon Furman’s future scripts and the unpublished art that we WOULD have seen in proper form had the company survived. It really did leave a wound though, as “Energon” was my favorite Transformers comic among Dreamwave’s offerings when they went belly-up.
Still, there’s plenty to enjoy from what we did get from this continuity, including Armada’s finale story arc “Worlds Collide” and everything that Energon was ramping up to. There was a sense of creative freedom that Simon Furman had no trouble expressing in Energon towards its untimely end and I’d welcome a return to this continuity one day, as unlikely as that would be.
Favorite character in this continuity?
While I do prefer some takes on characters the animated series had (like Scavenger), the comic continuity had just-as-valid, if not superior takes on others, like Energon Ironhide. I always had a soft spot for Dualor, the chief Mini-Con antagonist of the “Moonbase” arc of the comic. He tied kid identification uh...kid Rad to a mine, after all.
Furman seemed to really enjoy this version of Megatron too, giving him lots of personality and the starring role in basically all the best fight scenes in the entire run. Megatron’s battle against G1 Galvatron in “Worlds Collide”, his mass-slaughter of the Terrorcons in Energon’s “Multiplicity” arc, and his leadership battle with Scorponok in the final issue of the series are all stand-out moments.
Also, it kind of seemed like Furman was writing him with David Kaye’s voice acting in mind most times, which was only appropriate. I guess Mini-Cons give Megatron a big boost of confidence!
6. Ruckley-Verse (IDW 2.0)
(The Novella One)
A criminally-underrated one, IDW comics’ second “main” original Transformers continuity that followed up their original was mostly engineered and guided by novelist Brian Ruckley. This was his first attempt at writing in the medium of comics and it kind of showed with the extremely slow pacing and methodical plotting.
The uneven art didn’t help, with multiple differing pencilers contributing to every issue, making for a somewhat-inconsistent stylistic flow at times. These factors combined with several others made a lot of people turn their noses up at this rebooted universe initially, but I feel like a second look in hindsight really brings out its hidden strengths.
This continuity consisted of a 43-issue ongoing series, several mini-series, one-shots, and a secondary title that told more character-focused side-stories. Not all of it was written by Ruckley, but the vast majority was and he made sure to actually address and pay off things that other writers wrote in the secondary “Galaxies” title.
All told, it is a pretty tightly-connected universe thanks to Ruckley’s guiding hand and I always felt rewarded by his dramatic pay-offs despite the long roads getting to them. This is a continuity probably best experienced through binging, as many people I know who read it really enjoyed it when it could be consumed in larger chunks.
One thing Brian Ruckley excelled in was characterization, and he seemed to make sure that every character he used, no matter how small the role, had their own voice and impact. He seemed to delight in picking exceedingly-obscure Transformers characters and giving them starring roles that felt unique or suited to them.
Previous nobodies like Javelin, Subsea, and Jumpstream all had fulfilling character mini-arcs throughout Ruckley’s run, and his takes on more-established characters were usually right on the money as well. Despite some having played major roles in the previous IDW main continuity, I ended up preferring Ruckley’s takes on characters like Nautica, Cyclonus, and Pyra Magna when all was said and done. He even made me feel bad for noted serial jerk Sentinel Prime once the guy met his always-inevitable end in this universe!
Brian Ruckley also did something I’ve barely ever experienced in Transformers fiction; proper gender representation. Ruckley did have to dig deep into the bench to pull forth more female Transformers characters that fit the story, but about seven or eight issues in, I realized I lost track of how many female characters had appeared so far!
In most Transformers fiction, you can usually count the token “girls” in the main cast on one hand, but it’s not an issue here. There were a near-equal amount of male and female characters regularly appearing, and neither gender overshadowed the other. It wasn’t a “statement” or some “woke” thing, it was a humanizing element that the author seamlessly integrated without any fuss.
Much like Animated, I feel this continuity ended with a lot more gas in its tank, but it did end solidly enough. There are so many elements here that I felt were a gold mine for other writers to exploit or poach in future Transformers continuities, like the concept of mentorship for younger Transformers in an analogy to fostering children for organic species. Or the fact that Ruckley’s Cybertron was a hub and refuge for other species and had countless other aliens, organic and otherwise, running around its surface in a very “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” kind of way.
There were some big brain ideas in this continuity, alongside fantastic characterization and world-building, and I encourage anyone who let it pass them by to give it a second look.
Favorite character in this continuity?
Like I said above, I really liked this continuity’s take on Nautica and Pyra Magna especially. However, I think I’m gonna have to say that this continuity has the best version of Skywarp EVER. Ruckley’s Skywarp leans heavily into that “trickster/prankster” role that is mentioned in his original write-up but never really explored anywhere else.
If someone did possess the power of near-unlimited teleportation, OF COURSE they’d use it at every opportunity and be an annoying prick about it! Ruckley introduced Skywarp relatively late into the run, but he was entertaining in every scene he showed up in and his rivalry with fellow teleporter Jumpstream was a fun bit.
5. Uprising-Verse
(The Hunger Games One)
I’ve championed this continuity many times before, and I do consider it the best Beast Wars continuity outside of the original animated series. Uprising is fairly obscure, being contained in a multitude of prose stories and a handful of comic stories only released through the now-defunct Transformers Fan Club.
It really has very few toys that are directly inspired by or meant to tie-in to it, but that’s fine since the creators re-purpose so many other toys and characters to use here. The primary architects of this universe, Jim Sorenson and David Bishop, delighted in world-building and pull bits from all over the Transformers continuum to craft the world of Uprising.
Speaking OF the world of Uprising, it’s a dystopian future where the Autobots and Decepticons have largely become the decrepit and immobile “Builders” and rulers of Cybertron. They have their descendant races, the Maximals and Predacons, fight a proxy conflict for them. At first, the Maximals and Predacons are forced to compete in “The Games”, rigged gladiatorial-style bouts and skirmishes that maintain the fragile balance between factions. Soon, a revolution is spearheaded by Lio Convoy and others to overthrow the Builders and the entire planet becomes a real warzone again.
Yeah, as mentioned, it basically starts off as “Transformers meets The Hunger Games” but within a couple stories, it evolves into much more than that. Uprising is a fascinating continuity that rewards fans who enjoy deep cuts remixed in interesting ways, but it’s perfectly accessible to more casual readers too. It also breaks the “Beast Wars” curse of trying to chain itself too tightly to the events of the beloved cartoon of the same name and hobbling its overall narrative. There’s just enough familiar here for cartoon Beast Wars fans to enjoy, but Uprising definitely goes in its own direction.
Sadly, with the death of the Transformers Fan Club, Uprising is another continuity that will probably never be revisited. It did have a solid conclusion that still hinted at future stories to be told and unfinished threads to be weaved. It kind of reminds me of the 90s cartoon Exosquad, which also had a solid conclusion but left plot threads hanging for another season that never happened. You can still enjoy it on its own merits, but you do wonder what could have been.
Favorite character in this continuity?
Definitely Beast Wars era Rampage, who is a sort of anti-hero here thanks to the differing circumstances. He basically fulfills the role of “Wolverine” here- a guy named “Protoform X” who has a healing factor and claws. He’s still completely in-character with his memorable cartoon self, but the circumstances of the universe force him (reluctantly) on the side of the “angels”, as it were. Not that ANY side in this conflict is particularly angelic though...
Speaking of, Lio Convoy would be a runner-up favorite character. Take the same upstanding guy from the Beast Wars II cartoon and add a ton of Benjamin Sisko-style moral ambiguity and you get Lio here.
4. Sunbow-Verse
(The Famous One)
Here’s where I have to get specific, because there are different versions of this continuity that include different things. This entry represents the original 98 episodes of the original Transformers cartoon aired in the US, plus the ‘86 Movie and that’s it. You’ve also got the Japanese version of this continuity that continues this one and includes all manner of tie-in and supplementary manga and material.
You’ve also got various comics in the US that have continued this universe or told stories within its borders and some other cartoons that could have a claim of connecting to the original cartoon. However, like I said; this entry is strictly for the 98 original episodes and the ‘86 Movie and that’s it.
This is probably the most well-known Transformers continuity (well, you could make a case for the Michael Bay movies, but let’s not) and what most people of my age range think of when they think “Generation 1”. It’s really no surprise; this was a beloved cartoon released at the height of eighties toy property domination and ran in repeats (or repackages like the Tommy Kennedy episodes or Generation 2) on US television for nearly ten years. No other Transformers cartoon can claim that and the influence this one has on the brand and nostalgia in general is immense.
The stories were not always the most sophisticated, the animation quality was all over the board, and the show’s internal continuity was not always the most consistent. Still, I’d say it ranks pretty highly in terms of all of those categories when compared with its contemporaries of the time.
I’d always credit the stellar voice-acting throughout the series as the secret ingredient in its success. No matter what ridiculous thing Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Chris Latta, or dozens of others had to say, they always sold the shit out of it and that in turn sold how seriously fans respected those characters.
Season 1 established the world, Season 2 played inside of it, the Movie broke the world, and Seasons 3 and 4 rebuilt it again. While over-arching or serialized plots were rare, they did exist, and viewers were rewarded for paying attention to the rich mythology built by the writers.
Season 3’s “space opera”-style plots are a personal high point to me, but all seasons have something to enjoy. Of course, the ‘86 Movie is a high point and a damn ballsy move in terms of upending the franchise that still has repercussions in today’s Transformers fiction.
Some more jaded fans might claim The Movie “killed” Generation 1, but I prefer to think that it just forced the franchise to transform and reinvent itself, which it would do with increasing regularity to this day. All told, I consider The Movie to be my singular favorite Transformers story experience at that, warts and all.
While I can’t claim to love everything this cartoon did and it obviously isn’t my favorite Transformers continuity, I still respect it a great deal and find new things to enjoy every time I revisit it. Maybe it’s just nostalgia talking but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I think the Sunbow continuity has aged gracefully for the most part and is a huge part of the reason Transformers survives as an evergreen property to this day.
Favorite character in this continuity?
This is a toughie, because there honestly AREN’T many versions of characters here that are my favorite, definite incarnation of the character. I’d say Chris Latta’s Starscream has never been replicated and every other version of the character is just taking off in lateral directions from his portrayal.
I’m gonna go with Brawn. Sunbow Brawn is definitely my favorite version of a Brawn, thanks in no small part again to Corey Burton’s stellar voice performance of him. All his one-liners land, his machismo is endearing instead of annoying, and people argue to this day about his death scene in The Movie because he made such a strong impression in the series before that.
3. Mainframe-Verse (Beast Wars)
(The Even When Bad It’s Good One)
I gotta be specific again for this entry. This continuity is the Mainframe cartoon, which...sigh, I guess also contains Beast Machines too. Look, I’m not a big fan of Beast Machines, but while I consider it a bad sequel to Beast Wars, I don’t consider it a bad Transformers show altogether.
Beast Machines tried something new, there’s some strong concepts and moments in it, and some characters I really like (Obsidian and Strika, specifically.) I don’t like the direction it took many of the returning Beast Wars characters, and I’m unsure of the more spiritual stuff in it, but I’m not gonna say it wasn’t a high quality production in many areas. It just… wasn’t to my liking and that’s all I’m gonna say about Beast Machines here.
Let’s talk about Beast WARS, the OG Mainframe one! Now, some of you might raise an eyebrow at me considering this its own continuity. There are certain concrete links between this Beast Era and the Sunbow cartoon, but then there are also other links to the Marvel comics.
I think in hindsight, many people consider Beast Wars to take place in a continuity where a smattering and a mix of events from both previous G1 continuities took place. I think that “looseness” in terms of the past was to the show’s benefit and added to the almost “mythical” feeling of G1 whenever it was referenced in Beast Wars. Not that Beast Wars doesn’t stand on its own, because it absolutely does.
The creators of Beast Wars crafted a compelling Transformers continuity and we were only really exposed to a microcosm of it. Maximal and Predacon politics and worldviews played out in the Petri dish that was prehistoric Earth, where and when-upon the cast was stranded. Transformers from the future stranded in the past, and the conflict spanned from interpersonal rivalries to events that could reshape the time-space continuum.
This model of a smaller cast would be replicated many times in future Transformers series to great effect, allowing for more richly-developed characters and a sharper contrast when the stakes became Earth-shatteringly epic.
Anyone who’s watched Beast Wars in its entirety knows that Season 2 is where it’s at; some of the greatest animated storytelling ever put to screen in that latter half. Season 1 was more episodic and fleshed out the world a great deal, even if there were teething pains towards the beginning.
I think Season 3 is honestly the weakest season, but as I subtitled up above; even when Beast Wars was weak, it was still fairly strong. It represented a paradigm shift that was sorely needed at the time for Transformers to not fade away, and nurtured the property long enough for it to become the global juggernaut it is today.
Much like Sunbow, there’s other off-shoots and versions of this continuity that exist. The Japanese version specifically follows the original G1 cartoon and all of their sequels and spawned the spin-offs Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo. There are plenty of ancillary US comics that tell stories at the corners and in the gaps of both Beast Wars and Beast Machines. The problem with many of these vestigial limbs are that they can’t match the high standard that Beast Wars set and thus are easily-ignorable by anyone who chooses to do so (like me, for the most part.)
Beast Wars continuity has become as much of a “pick-and-choose” as G1 has at this point. However, the strengths of the original Mainframe cartoon are such that it alone can function in this spot as one of my absolute favorite Transformers continuities. Yes, even with Beast Machines attached. Sigh.
Favorite character in this continuity?
Gotta go with Tarantulas, love that creepy, scheme-y spider-dude. Almost as much a mover-and-shaker of events as Megatron and just as entertaining to watch to boot. Plus his Transmetal design is so damn cool.
Runner-up would be Rhinox, the steady backbone of the Maximals and low-key the MVP of the Beast Wars. Seriously, the Maximals wouldn’t have lasted a week without him consistently being the miracle worker he jokingly referred to himself as in one episode. And he’s got the coolest weapons, the “Chainguns of Doom”. Also one time he beat the Predacons with a nuclear fart. Which is deadlier? YOU decide.
2. IDW-Verse (1.0)
(The Anything Goes One)
The longest-running uninterrupted Transformers continuity is in fact this one- the universe originated by IDW comics. It ran from 2005 until 2018 with consistent releases every year until they decided to end it and reboot. It goes without saying that this one is sprawling and has various peaks and valleys throughout, but it is shockingly good at keeping its own internal continuity straight for the most part. That’s probably mostly in part to the fact that each main writer during each era kept their own house in order, and whatever bumps in-between were usually smoothed out by the following writers.
Many people describe IDW comics as having two “phases”- the first from 2005-2012, and the second from 2012-2018. I’d say there are FOUR “eras” of IDW comics, and I’ll list them now.
The Furman Era- Simon Furman was the architect of this universe and indulged in some heavy world-building, laying the strong foundations for this continuity. There were a few narrative hiccups and bad takes and his run was forced to conclude abruptly thanks to editorial shake-ups, but Furman’s material is generally looked upon favorably.
The Dark Years- Shane McCarthy and Mike Costa took their turns at the helm of this continuity, with very mixed results. McCarthy’s “All Hail Megatron” and Costa’s ongoing series have their fans, but probably an equal or greater amount of detractors. The only universal bright spot for anyone in this time period was Nick Roche and James Roberts’ “Last Stand of the Wreckers”, which is in my top five favorite Transformers stories of all time.
The Renaissance- IDW comics enter an era of their highest critical acclaim as James Roberts and John Barber helm an ongoing book a piece, with Barber acting as overall editor on both books. Barber’s also a continuity hound, so not only do the stories have tight consistency with each other but Barber goes BACK and starts fixing continuity errors from previous writers’ eras! James Roberts’ book “More Than Meets The Eye” becomes a critical darling and widely considered the best Transformers comic ever by a vocal portion of the fanbase.
This era lasts the longest, riding the positive buzz from fans. Both Roberts’ and Barber’s books surpass 50 issues alongside numerous other side-projects and one-shots, an eventual third Transformers ongoing written by Mairghread Scott, and a concentrated effort to tie in various other Hasbro properties into a larger shared universe.
The Wind-Down- Comic sales flag again as they often do, so both Roberts and Barber’s books reboot with new #1s, now retitled “Lost Light” and “Optimus Prime”. Both books lasted for 25 more issues and wrapped up their long-running storylines, with Barber’s Transformers: Unicron mini-series serving as a larger ending for the Hasbro shared Universe in general.
As you can tell, the OG IDW continuity was expansive and featured a wide range of storytelling. It started out as a way to do new things under Furman, to remix the property into something different but familiar. The “Dark Years” of McCarthy and Costa tried to pull it back to grab at simpler or more nostalgic takes on Transformers. Finally, the Roberts and Barber years saw a healthy mix of both takes, innovating boldly but respecting the past without rehashing it. It was quite the ride for those like me who followed it the whole way through and I think the spirit of innovating and trying new things is the greatest legacy of this continuity.
While this continuity started out primarily G1-centric, it eventually expanded so that nearly any version of any character from any iteration of the franchise could conceivably show up. There was a joyful creative freedom evident when it was at its best, especially in the latter years.
Things like making Megatron an Autobot or pushing Prowl’s moral ambiguity as far as it could go kept things “on the edge” as it were and ensured readers kept coming back. While the Hasbro shared Universe stuff didn’t all land, the fact that the creators felt enabled to try it was a testament to the free range they had.
The impact this continuity has had on the franchise is not inconsiderable, and it is still referenced and mined today for elements in subsequent iterations of the Transformers franchise. New toys are still made based on specific character designs from IDW 1.0, despite them no longer having the license to produce new comics. Elements and characters from these comics have gone on to appear in new cartoons and movies and many fans consider many of these takes to be THE definite ones in all of Transformers history.
Furman, Roberts, Barber, Scott and others like Nick Roche made this universe a fun and compelling place to visit every month. Reading James Roberts’ More Than Meets The Eye book was the last time I was so excited to read a monthly comic that I’d actually go and read it in the car after buying a physical copy at the store. It’s a feeling that I’m not sure will ever be replicated again for me, and for that I’ll always appreciate IDW 1.0 continuity.
Favorite character in this continuity?
Without a doubt, Shockwave, and he’s almost definitely the most important character in the continuity too. Shockwave’s usually portrayed as a schemer and chessmaster, but John Barber took it ridiculously far in this universe in one of the most “shocking” reveals in all of Transformers fiction.
Shockwave’s debut in IDW 1.0 in his self-titled “Spotlight” issue written by Simon Furman also might be my favorite single IDW comic too. James Roberts also managed a shoc- er, (okay enough…) “surprising” reveal involving the character too. Shockwave basically had no “weak” eras in IDW 1.0 and remained a compelling character throughout its entire run.
Runner-up would be Thundercracker, most specifically under John Barber. The most well-developed version of the character in ANY incarnation, and a major contender for the most amusing character in IDW altogether. Whenever him and his dog Buster show up, you know you’re in for a good time.
1. Marvel-Verse
(The Foundational One)
The original Transformers continuity! Yes, the Marvel Comics continuity beat the Sunbow cartoon to the punch by nearly three months, even if it was rapidly outpaced in popularity after the cartoon aired. Still, the influence of Marvel’s work on this franchise cannot be understated and I prefer a great deal of fictional takes on things in the original comics to the cartoon. I gotta be specific here again; I’m talking about the original US, UK, and US Generation 2 comics here, which form a messy, but more-or-less coherent continuity.
The UK Earthforce stuff is a bit iffy in terms of timeline placement, but you can KINDA slot it in somehow if you want to selectively ignore some things. Hell, this continuity even technically includes my favorite bit of the Sunbow cartoon, the ‘86 Movie, in it via time-travel/alternate future shenanigans by Simon Furman!
Speaking of, this continuity is really the handiwork of two main writers; Bob Budiansky and Simon Furman. There are others who contributed, but it mostly comes down to Bob and Simon. Budiansky laid much of the bedrock for the Transformers mythos in general; most particularly the characters, having written all the profile write-ups for nearly six years of toy product. His run on the Marvel US comic probably contains as many highs as lows, but when he was good, he was really good and I think people unfairly lambaste him sometimes.
Simon Furman started on the UK Marvel material, telling stories in the gaps of Budiansky’s stories, and quickly spun out an entire parallel ongoing plot that quickly eclipsed Budiansky’s work in popularity among the UK readership.
When Budiansky became burned out on writing the US comic, he handed its reins over to Furman, who then produced some of the most well-regarded and definitive Transformers tales ever for its pages. Budiansky preferred smaller, more character-driven stories (which he excelled in) and Furman was always aiming for cosmic, long-running epics involving complex sci-fi concepts like time travel and cosmic entities. Whatever your preference was, there was something for everyone within Marvel Transformers and the tremendous influence both writers had on this franchise is still felt today.
There are many continuations and off-shoot continuities that take off from various points in the original Marvel continuity. Generation 2 is my personal “official” ending for Marvel continuity, although you have the alternate path of Regeneration One, the continuation that Simon Furman wrote decades later. Then you have the “Classics” continuity spin-off from the Transformers Fan Club comic strips, which eventually itself spun off the popular “Shattered Glass” Transformers mirror-verse concept.
The Marvel continuity has a lot of branching paths, and that’s part of the fun of it. My “one true path” is the original US, UK, and G2 run, but someone else might prefer another and I appreciate the options at least!
The Marvel Transformers continuity also guest-starred my favorite Marvel Comics character Spider-Man in an issue (back when Transformers was briefly considered to be in regular Marvel continuity before they decided that was a bad idea) and spun-off one of my favorite obscure Marvel characters, Simon Furman’s Death’s Head. Stories like Matrix Quest, the Unicron Saga, and Generation 2 are some of my absolute favorite Transformers tales of all time.
Marvel continuity has such a rich tapestry of characters, ideas, and mythology that I always hold it up as comparison to new Transformers fiction as THE standard-bearer. Sure, the Sunbow universe may be more mass-appealing and easier to consume, but the Marvel universe is where it started for this franchise AND for me in general and it’s my favorite Transformers continuity.
Favorite character in this continuity?
This continuity has my favorite versions of three of my top five favorite Transformers characters of all, Prowl, Shockwave, and Thunderwing. There’s plenty of other takes I consider to be a preferred version of the character over the Sunbow cartoons as well, like Soundwave, Grimlock, and Blaster. But yeah, I usually judge any new versions of Prowl, Shockwave, or Thunderwing against their Marvel portrayals.
So that’s that! My top ten favorite Transformers continuities! Am I done?
OF COURSE NOT!
Here's my usual “0” entry, for my LEAST FAVORITE TRANSFORMERS CONTINUITY!
0. Netflix-Verse
(The AI one)
Okay, I don’t think AI wrote these cartoons, but it certainly feels like it sometimes. These three six-episode installments (Siege, Earthrise, and Kingdom) were exclusive to Netflix and meant to promote the self-same toy lines at the time. Handled mostly by the same creatives that were in charge of the “Machinima” trilogy of cartoons, they’re a depressing cocktail of stiff, lifeless animation, voice acting, and writing.
At the very least, the Machinima stuff fell into that “fascinatingly bad” category that is sort of fun to hate-watch. The Netflix trilogy is just kind of exhausting, flaccid, and pretty art-less.
There’s really nothing but lateral moves in terms of storytelling here, with the writers seemingly trying to recapture old Transformers tropes, character development and moments without any of the build-up or weight they originally had. This is a Transformers continuity without “spark”, as it were.
It certainly has many ingredients to be successful, but they’re in the hands of people who don’t know how to properly cook with them. The pacing is terrible, with not enough plot to stretch across each six-episode “season”, and the numerous action scenes can’t help fill the gaps there thanks to the stiff animation and poor staging.
I don’t want to go into a deep dive here, because I have before and just end up weary and frustrated at this continuity. One of the same writers on this cartoon also wrote the equally-bad Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance Netflix series, and so I wonder if it’s just the Netflix creative filter that is the failure here. Like I joked above, it certainly feels produced on every level by an algorithm or something. There’s just something very crucial lacking in this, some kind of feeling that is nearly impossible to describe unless you experience it.
I’m just gonna say that if you think this stuff was great, you either lack experience or just have bad taste. Sorry.
Best character in this continuity?
Uh, no one, really. Maybe Cog? This is the first time Cog’s gotten to do anything. And I suppose Jason Marnocha’s Megatron is a fine performance, even if it’s lacking the sense of fun he had previously in the Machinima stuff.
Worst character in this continuity?
Uh, everyone really. You could make a case for virtually any character here as being inferior to almost any other take. However, this incarnation of Beast Wars Megatron easily takes the cake. An insult to the character that even people who liked these cartoons freely mocked.
And that's that. I'll always take interest in any new fiction that revisits these continuities (except Netflix, obviously), and hopefully... maybe someday there will be another Transformers fictional universe that becomes worthy of inclusion among my favorites. Don't hold yer breath, Energon Universe.
-Mike
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