The Top Fifteen WORST Transformers Things IDW Produced!

 

 

IDW Publishing’s almost done with Transformers after eighteen years producing content for the franchise and the license to make Transformers comics will rest with some other publisher very soon.  The second Shattered Glass mini-series was currently still going as of the writing of this list, but for all intents and purposes, we’ve seen all we’re gonna see from IDW in terms of Transformers.

The influence IDW’s comics have had on the brand is quite significant, introducing or solidifying characters, story elements, and mythology that will undoubtedly be permanent fixtures in future Transformers fiction for years to come. Just about everyone who has read IDW Transformers at some length has a beloved story or preferred take on a classic or new character or even a favorite toy directly influenced by the IDW comics.

BUT.

IDW’s also produced some stinkers in their time. Bad stories, bad takes, misreads of the fandom, and utter misfires of projects. This is what I’d like to talk about for a little while because I’m in a mood. What follows is my personal bottom fifteen WORST things IDW ever produced, and they’re not all stories. Also, there’s a dis-honorable mention and a “0” entry, as usual with my lists.

One last thing… SPOILERS- Tom Scioli’s work is not on this list because it’s awesome and you’re bad for not liking it.

Mike's Favorite TF Comic Covers! (IDW Edition)

Time for another list for people who like lists!  These are my top TWENTY-FIVE favorite comic covers put out by IDW (thus far).  I've looked at EVERY cover to EVERY TF comic IDW has ever put out, and picked out my top twenty-five favorites.

Two things before I start. One, these won't be in any preferred order, but rather in backwards order of when they were released. I decided there wasn't a whole lot of point in trying to rank them further beyond deciding that these twenty-five were the tops.

And two, and I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but this list doesn't necessarily reflect my thoughts on the actual CONTENT of the comics. A lousy comic book can still have an awesome cover, and vice-versa. These are my favorite covers based on the image itself and what it makes me think and feel.  So let's go!

Mike's Favorite IDW Transformers "Phase 2" Moments: Part 3, Mairghread Scott and Nick Roche

In the final part of this list, I will run down my top five favorite Mairghread Scott moments and my top three Nick Roche moments, as well as dishonorable mentions for both.  These two may not have been as prolific in terms of writing as James Roberts and John Barber were in "Phase 2", but they both still certainly contributed some very noteworthy stories and moments!

First up, the third "main" writer for Phase 2, Mairghread Scott!

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5. LIEGE MAXIMO STEPS OUT FOR A SPELL
(Till All Are One # 8, 2017 )

With a horde of undead Titans descending upon Cybertron, Windblade has no time for Elita One’s refusal to have her own Titan Carcer transform to robot mode and lend a hand. Windblade leads a strike team into Carcer to force Elita’s hand and gain an edge against the attacking enemy city-formers. Elita has constantly said that Carcer must never transform and that her people are dedicated to never allowing their Titan to do so, but hasn’t provided a reason why.

As Elita’s generals Obsidian and Strika try and repel Windblade’s infiltration team, Windblade manages to get into Carcer’s brain chamber and activate the slumbering Titan with her telepathic Cityspeaker abilities. However, she discovers a terrible truth when she does; that Carcer is actually the Titan Vigilem in disguise… loyal guardian of the dreaded Prime of Lies- Liege Maximo!

While Windblade manages to get Vigilem to fight and destroy his undead brothers, the malevolent Titan takes the opportunity to free the captive Liege Maximo from a chamber within himself. Elita One tries to prevent Vigilem’s master from escaping by destroying the Titan’s massive brain module. However since Windblade was still connected to Vigilem’s brain, Elita’s act nearly fries Windblade’s own mind. And it’s all for naught… because Liege Maximo has already been released!

4. ASTRAL PLANE(S)
(TAAO # 12, 2017)

Just before Elita One destroyed Vigilem’s brain module, the malevolent Titan managed to download his brain patterns into Windblade’s mind. Now in a coma, Windblade is constantly engaged in a mental struggle with Vigilem as he tries to overtake her on the astral plane. While she is managing to hold him at bay, it’s only a matter of time before the Titan finds a weakness to exploit.

Enter Starscream, who has decided against his better judgment to interface with Windblade’s mind and give her a helping mental hand against Vigilem. However, Starscream isn’t as well-versed in psychic combat as Windblade is, and Vigilem quickly shifts focus to attacking him, exposing his greatest fears and insecurities and stripping him down to an image of his virtual spark.  Windblade grabs Starscream’s “spark” and learns of his artificial “cold construction”, realizing that the Seeker has never felt comfortable in his own metal skin.

She mentally forges a true spark and body for Starscream- the idealized image of what he felt he should have been all along. Strengthened by Windblade’s psychic “rebuilding” of him, Starscream repels Vigilem from his mind and Windblade seals the screaming Titan within a mental prison in her own mind.

The two awaken in the physical world with a new understanding of each other, although Starscream is distinctly uncomfortable with what he witnessed in his own psyche. Windblade thanks him for coming to help and tells him that from now on, she won’t be participating in any political subterfuge or compromise, desiring only to speak her truth. Her resolve and Starscream’s own new understanding of himself will inform both of their decisions for the rest of the IDW universe and was truly a turning point for both characters.


3. CYBERTRON, ATTACK!
(TAAO # 5, 2016)

Starscream’s not the most popular leader around, or the most honest, but when the stakes are no less than the survival of the planet itself, there’s no time to be picky. A horde of undead city-sized Titans unleashed by Sentinel Prime looms over Cybertron, and everyone must put aside their differences and rally behind Starscream. Every spaceship is conscripted to either attack or ferry civilians away from danger, Windblade boards Metroplex to optimize his combat abilities, and all colonist representatives pledge their support to the planet's adamant leader.

Starscream gives a pretty epic speech before things kick off and it galvanizes the population. Politics are cast aside and for the first time, Starscream directs the entire population towards a singular goal; DEFEND CYBERTRON. Even in this post-war landscape, it was exceedingly rare to see everyone working together and even moreso following Starscream’s orders. While the battle against the undead Titans would have a lot of complications tossed in along the way, it at least began with a finally-united Cybertron speaking in one voice… Starscream’s voice.

2. THE REVENGE OF BRUTICUS
(TAAO # 3-# 4, 2016)

Onslaught and the Combaticons aren’t happy with Starscream’s leadership of Cybertron nor his apparent killing of Swindle. In order to get revenge, the Combaticons kidnap Wheeljack and Rattrap after learning that they spirited Swindle’s body away after his apparent death. Swindle had dirt on Starscream’s illegitimate dealings while in office, and if it could somehow be retrieved, the Combaticons could topple Starscream's entire regime. They discover that Swindle is still alive, but brain-dead and kept on life support. Onslaught forces Rattrap to retrieve the one object that could let them access Swindle’s dormant memory banks… the mythical Enigma of Combination.

Using the Enigma, Onslaught and the other Combaticons merge with the brain-dead Swindle into the gestalt Bruticus, who immediately lashes out in fury. We see events from the perspective of Bruticus’ shared mindscape, as each Combaticon reacts to being part of the entity differently. While Onslaught single-mindedly rifles through Swindle’s memories, Vortex revels in the power that Bruticus provides.

Brawl is dragged into Swindle’s void of a mind and forced to relive his “death” at the hands of Starscream. Blast Off desperately tries to keep his comrades coherent as in the physical world, Bruticus rampages and clashes with Ironhide’s security forces. Onslaught finally obtains the proof he needs to take Starscream down, and Vortex and Brawl manage to latch onto Onslaught’s resolve as well. Only Blast Off’s reluctance to continue fighting prevents a tragedy, as his doubt gives Bruticus pause long enough for Ironhide to take the combiner out.

While a suitably-dramatic action sequence on its own, what really makes this scene special are the renderings of Bruticus’ mind and how each Combaticon reacts to being linked to each other. The two-page spread you see above is one of my absolute favorite images in any Transformers comic EVER- there’s just so much going on in there! Their time as Bruticus will also affect Brawl and Blast Off’s character development later on in this series and lead to some surprising choices from them down the line.


1. THE CHOSEN ONE UNITES CYBERTRON
(TAAO Annual 2017)

Ever since Starscream and Windblade shared mind-space and Starscream got a glimpse of his “idealized” self, the former Decepticon has had a confidence in himself and his leadership that is at an all-time high. He’s even allowing and fast-tracking free elections on Cybertron, assured that he can win the hearts and minds of the people. What’s more, Starscream’s plans to improve Cybertron’s infrastructure, energy production, and alliances with the other colonies are borne of a place of a legitimate desire to serve his people. With this new confident, borderline-altruistic air about Starscream, some of his biggest doubters are starting to question if they should even stand in his way.

One such doubter is Rattrap, who despite being Starscream’s one-time adviser, has quietly gathered evidence on all the various criminal activities perpetrated during the former Decepticon’s leadership of Cybertron. However, since he’s unsure if he’d be doing more damage than good to Cybertron by releasing it, Rattrap hands over all the evidence to Windblade, who is currently running against Starscream in the upcoming election.

Just before a public debate, Windblade furiously confronts Starscream after examining the evidence, leaving it all with him and telling him that he’d better have a good defense for it as she plans on telling the truth no matter what.

Starscream panics and prepares to throw up his usual smokescreen of misdirection, denials and lies, distraught that all his good intentions will mean nothing if the truth of his previous crimes come out. He believes that the warlike Elita One, who is the third candidate in this election, will spell ruin for Cybertron and desperately tries to think up a way to prevail against both her and Windblade.

At the debate, Windblade gives an impassioned, yet humble speech that simply asks for everyone to vote their conscience and that she’ll do the best she can if elected. Starscream is up next, and when the spotlight shines on him, he pauses… and…

Starscream confesses to all his crimes since taking office. He throws the election to give Windblade the votes she needs to win over Elita One. In a way, Starscream effectively fulfills the (later revealed as false) prophecy that was told to him by the overzealous Scoop and misguided Metrotitan- the “Chosen One” unites Cybertron… against him.

Later, having been locked away in his cell and given life imprisonment for his crimes, Windblade visits Starscream and gives him a holo-image of the “true self” he saw in their shared minds. She completely understands the choice Starscream made and who he decided to be. Even though Starscream’s motivations and ideals would zig and zag a few times more after this point in IDW continuity, this was probably his most defining moment. It turns out, the most unexpected and powerful thing Starscream could do was tell the truth.

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Dishonorable Mention- YOU’RE MY COMBATICON FANTASY
(TAAO # 9, 2017)

We all know why THIS is dumb…

-Onslaught doesn’t even have a mouth!

No, but seriously, this is more jarring than truly offensive to me. The scene in question is actually a mental projection in Blast Off’s mind, so it is literal Tumblr-shipping fan fiction on his part. And it makes perfect sense for Blast Off as a character to have a crush on Onslaught (read his original tech specs, he’s so lonely!)

I think this is just weird because I’ve never conceived of the words “Combaticons” and “romantic relationship” being in the same sentence. Furthermore, while the concept of Transformers having romantic relationships is one I’m down with, I always thought it was weird that they’d be physical in the same way humans would. Going all the way back to Blackarachnia and Silverbolt smooching in Beast Wars or (shudder) Rattrap and Botanica swapping sap in Beast Machines, it just seems… a little MUCH to me, I guess.

Hey, so this relationship's shipping name would be "OnOff", right?

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Now, we conclude this list with my top three favorite Nick Roche moments/scenes/things.  Roche actually contributed a chunk of material for "Phase 1" of IDW Transformers, most notably the universally-acclaimed "Last Stand of the Wreckers."  "Last Stand" would be on my list of favorite Transformers stories ever PERIOD, but this list is limited to offerings from Phase 2, so here we go!

3. DECEPTICONS REASSEMBLED 
(Spotlight: Megatron, 2014)

After Megatron is left near death after a battle with Optimus Prime during the Decepticons’ first attempted conquest of Earth, Starscream seizes command. His tenure as leader is an embarrassing farce that leads to the Decepticon army fracturing across the galaxy and over a hundred of them taking refuge on a barren asteroid for nearly two years. With no resources to pilfer and Starscream unable to organize them in any meaningful fashion, the Decepticons fall to disrepair and cannibalism. Fortunately, Soundwave and Shockwave have been secretly toiling day and night to revive the comatose Megatron in a new, more powerful body.

Upon awakening and finding his empire in utter disarray, Megatron wastes no time in seeking out the despondent Starscream for some “course-correction” (and to work some resentment off.) Delivering a vicious physical and verbal beatdown to Starscream, Megatron ultimately spares him (as always), explaining why he never kills his treacherous subordinate. Starscream’s presence always reminds Megatron of the need to keep on his toes, to never stop watching his own back, and to maintain his edge.

He then addresses his haggard troops, and with customary sound, fury and ironclad conviction, does in less than a minute what Starscream could not do in two years. Megatron reforges the Decepticons into an army, an empire, an IDEAL again with mere words.

That second-to-last panel is a perfect encapsulation of the “classic” G1 Decepticon command structure and everyone’s place in it- “Soundwave lurks, Shockwave plots, and Starscream lives to scheme again.” Along with Megatron, these characters are the four main pillars of the organization in just about every G1-themed Transformers continuity, and Roche brilliantly captures that at the end of this excellent issue.


2. SPRINGER: ENDGAME
(Requiem of the Wreckers, 2018)

Springer’s one of the most heroic and decent Autobots there is; an impressive distinction considering he’s the leader of the Wreckers, the legendary squad of down-and-dirty commandos called in when the situation has reached beyond “FUBAR.” Springer spent nearly five years in a coma thanks to hideous injuries suffered at the hands of Overlord, reawakened to discover that he is an artificial Cybertronian created by the mad scientist Tarantulas, and then shortly thereafter had to cope with the death of his beloved mentor-figure Kup. Time and task have certainly worn on Springer and he retires to Earth to reevaluate his life alongside the Autobots’ human ally Verity Carlo.

Springer and Verity are abruptly and violently dragged into another tangled plot involving infiltration, assassination, and time travel thanks to the former leader of the Wreckers and his OTHER mentor-figure Impactor. Stumbling upon an alliance between Overlord and his progenitor Tarantulas, Springer and Impactor saddle up one last time to take the villains down.

In the end, Tarantulas dies trying to protect his “son” and Impactor sacrifices his life to give Springer a shot at beating Overlord. Springer and Verity manage to send Overlord’s two components to separate ends of history via a time-window, ending the Decepticon Phase-Sixer’s threat for good.
  
Afterwards, Springer decides to use the time-window and return to a point before the Autobot/Decepticon war. He’s not intending on trying to change the events of history at large; that’s simply too big in scope for him to consider. Instead, Springer decides to focus on changing a person at a time, and hopes that he can make enough of a positive difference to alter the fates of those he cares about and perhaps avert the war. After a heartfelt goodbye to Verity, he sets off on his next and final quest, but leaves a message for those he has left behind.

In addition to the surviving Wreckers, it’s nice to see that Springer cared enough to send the message to Prowl (who could be considered something of a godfather to him, despite their fractious relationship), Carnivac (a former rival), and even some rookie Wreckers (“Wrookies”) he had been remotely training. Springer’s message to erase the current, oil-stained legacy of the Wreckers and start a new one is a lovely cap on the entire mini-saga of the team that Nick Roche started back in 2010.


1. SPIDER/COP

(Sins of the Wreckers, 2015-2016)

In the earliest days of the Decepticon uprising, Prowl secretly worked with an extraordinarily-gifted neutral scientist by the name of Mesothulas to produce weapons and technology for the Autobots. Something of a socially-stunted eccentric, Mesothulas thrilled at providing whatever Prowl’s cunning, logical mind could concoct. Moreover, he started to see the whole of Cybertronian society as a Petri dish, and considered the Autobot/Decepticon conflict itself a living organism that he and Prowl were experimenting on. Prowl knew that Mesothulas had these unhealthy appetites, but the results of their collaborations were simply too valuable and groundbreaking for him to walk away from.

Finally, Prowl’s conscience caught up with him, and determined Mesothulas was simply too dangerous to keep around. He had Impactor toss Mesothulas into the Noisemaze- an extra-dimensional prison of the scientist’s own creation. The Noisemaze’s mind-bending atmosphere drove Mesothulas insane and kept him stranded there for centuries. When he finally managed to free himself, he found that the war was still in full swing and he had been forgotten by Prowl… and history.

Mesothulas set to work planning his reunion with/revenge on Prowl. He examined and improved on technology and scientific advancements that had been developed in his absence, notably those by the amoral logician Shockwave. Mesothulas adapted mass-shifting technology to work in concert with bestial transformations, and chose the form of an Earthen spider as his new size-changing alternate mode. Mesothulas had become… Tarantulas.

Tarantulas went on to kidnap and blackmail Prowl, setting up the events of “Sins of the Wreckers”. Leaving aside how that story played out, I really just loved the concept of Prowl and Tarantulas being linked in this way. My favorite G1 character and my favorite Beast Wars character sharing a rivalry/friendship/whatever weird thing they had seemed tailor-made for me, and it was nice to see Nick Roche and I were on the same wavelength in this regard. The fact that Tarantulas was also linked in the story to Shockwave and Roadbuster, two of my other favorite G1 characters, was something I also appreciated.

The tangled sort-of “family tree” of Tarantulas, Prowl, Springer, Impactor, Verity, and Kup that was revealed added extra layers to each character involved and enriched them all in the final analysis. Tarantulas’ being Springer’s creator also added an element of tragedy and depth to the creepy spider-bot that you would never expect from him in previous incarnations. Nick Roche made me feel terribly sad for Tarantulas, despite all he had done, and exposing a new, interesting facet to one of my favorite characters will always be something I take notice of.

Of course, Prowl’s end of the relationship would also expose something I didn’t so much appreciate, as we move on to...

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Dishonorable Mention- MORALLY-BLACK PROWL

(Sins of the Wreckers # 3, 2015-2016)

I’ve always enjoyed the shadier, devious Prowl that began to develop in the latter stages of IDW continuity’s “Phase 1.” Nick Roche pioneered this approach to the character, starting back in “All Hail Megatron” # 15 with his story “Everything In Its Right Place.” Casting Prowl as someone unafraid to “cross the line” to get things done and win the war for the Autobots, it was a portrayal that struck a chord with me and added a nice edge to a character who is usually thought of as “straight-laced” to a fault. I always enjoy when this sort of thing is applied to this particular character archetype in fiction, whether it is Cyclops of the X-Men or Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in the Buffyverse.

The thing with skirting the line and being all morally-gray is; you’ve got to maintain a fine balance with the character or you risk them going to a place where your audience suddenly can’t follow them. Prowl had done some truly questionable and terrible things in IDW continuity, but for the most part, you could see the logic behind them and still understand he was making a hard choice for the greater good.

I had always felt Nick Roche handled Prowl in this manner with the most care out of all the IDW writers. John Barber’s Prowl was a bit too angry and volatile, and James Roberts’ Prowl seemed a bit too spiteful and bitter. However, Roche virtually leaped off the moral tightrope that Prowl had been maneuvering on in the third issue of Sins of the Wreckers, where he revealed that Prowl and Mesothulas had perpetrated a “false-flag” operation in the early stages of the war.

Forget “morally-gray” or “for the greater good”, something like this just makes Prowl a complete monster. Killing thousands of innocents just to pin the blame on the Decepticons and score a propaganda victory is just not something I want my favorite character to be involved with. In fact, I basically have to head-canon this scene just to make it slightly more palatable to my sensibilities.

Perhaps Mesothulas went ahead with this operation anonymously and behind Prowl’s back after the two had brainstormed it, and after Prowl had rejected the notion. It’s still a horrible thing for Prowl to concoct, but I really don’t want to believe he actually signed off on executing it. The way he flatly reports on it to Mesothulas and the fact that he very shortly thereafter has the scientist disposed of makes me think the situation simply spiraled out of his control.

In whatever case, this is a moment I cringe at re-reading, and I think Roche should have pulled back a tic before deciding to include it in the story. Prowl’s still a “good guy”, despite it all, and something like this makes it impossible for you to relate to him anymore.

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And that's that! Maybe one day I'll go back and do a list for "Phase 1" of IDW Transformers 1.0, but for now, thanks for reading!

-Mike

 

Mike's Top Ten Favorite Transformers Comic Artists

 
The comics are usually my favored source of Transformers fiction, so here's a countdown of my top ten favorite artists on Transformers comic books and manga!  The only criteria was that they have to had done some kind of official sequential storytelling for the franchise, so no one who has solely drawn covers, character designs, storybook art, or any other kind of promotional material is included.

Fanholes Transformers Tuesdays # 31: Sins of the Wreckers

The Fanholes discuss the IDW mini-series Sins of the Wreckers! Will any of them survive??



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Fanholes Transformers Tuesdays Episode 9: Spotlight: Kup

In this special post-Halloween TF Tuesdays, Mike and Tony review the always-chilling Spotlight: Kup!



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Mike's Top Twenty Favorite Transformers Comics

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Transformers and the release of Age of Extinction, Fanholes is doing a month of nothing but Transformers-related material.

This is a list of my top TWENTY favorite Transformers comics of the past thirty years. I did a top fifteen list some years ago, but I've revamped, restructured, and rewrote it for the world of tomorrow! Or today. Whatever.

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20. Beast Wars: The Gathering # 1



Just before Dreamwave imploded, they had promised a Beast Wars comic, written by Simon Furman and drawn by Don Figueroa. At the time, it seemed like a dream (ha!) come true. Beast Wars was less than a decade old at the time, and everyone was itching to return to that era. Furman and Figueroa were the A-team as far as TF comics were concerned at the time. Tantalizing hints of the story-to-be were dropped, and preview art began pouring in. I was excited. Everyone was.

Of course, before anything could be released, Dreamwave died and the dream (ha!) died with it. Flash-forward a few years later, and IDW has the Transformers license. And they announce Beast Wars: The Gathering, with Furman and Figueroa still at the helm. We got a second chance at that promised awesomeness that slipped away.

The story was altered somewhat from Furman's original treatment (the first script of which IS available somewhere on the net) to mostly excise the show cast and focus on the Beast Wars characters that had existed as scarcely anything but toys and bio cards up until this point. And a great many would agree that The Gathering and its follow-up The Ascending certainly did not live up to the hype.

Still, this first issue of The Gathering makes it onto the list because the promise of a Furman-Figueroa Beast Wars comic was dangled in front of us...cruelly-snatched away, and then returned to us. Perhaps lesser than it would have been, but still finally ours to behold.

And don't get me wrong either; for whatever else IDW did with Beast Wars, this is a pretty good inaugural issue. Don Figueroa showcases his reliable talent and really makes those toy-only characters come alive on the page. Furman crafts a competent and menacing villain in Magmatron and an unlikely protagonist in Razorbeast. Who'd have thought that ugly little warthog toy that everyone passed by would be so compelling under Simon's pen and look so dynamic under Don's pencils? I myself took from these books another new favorite character in Razorbeast. He seemed to me to be “Bumblebee done right”- an espionage agent too focused on being damn good at his job to worry about being anyone's “little brother”.

So yeah, The Gathering # 1 makes my list. For being a solid issue, for introducing a new favorite character of mine, and most notably...for returning from the grave.

19. “King of the Hill!” (Marvel US # 27)



What kid doesn't like dinosaurs? Let's take that a step further; what kid wouldn't like ROBOT dinosaurs? Okay, one more step...what kid wouldn't like robot dinosaurs fighting an even LARGER ROBOT DINOSAUR???

Basically, that's what the cover to this issue promises, and it delivers. We get Trypticon's debut, and he fights the Dinobots...now THAT'S marketing! This was my first and strongest impression of Trypticon- not as the clumsy Godzilla-like dolt from the cartoon, but as an intelligent, sadistic war machine who actually is quite charming in how he goes about his destructive business. I'm happy this take on Trypticon was retained for War Within: The Dark Ages, and the War For Cybertron video game.

This issue is also a nice character piece for Grimlock, who undergoes a convincing change of heart regarding humans and the Autobot cause in the end. Unfortunately, all that growth is thrown out the window in the very next issue, but contained just within this story, it is very nice.

18. Stormbringer # 3



This is mostly an action issue and I love it because the action is very well-executed.

We get Thunderwing totally ruining the Decepticon infiltration unit on Nebulos, Darkwing and Dreadwind’s amusing and totally in-character self-preservation plan aside, and the Wreckers clearly being the team of professional badasses they are always sold as for about…oh, the very first time ever.

There’s also Bludgeon’s new clothes, Prime and Springer’s “Picard and Riker” back and forth, and a very nice, understated moment where Prime offers a hand of comfort to the dying Iguanus.

And top that off with a jolting cliffhanger. All bagged and tagged with beautiful “Classic” Don Figueroa art.

17. “Chaos Theory, Part 1” (IDW Ongoing # 22)



This issue was eagerly anticipated as James Roberts' first solo work on a Transformers comic. I was already a big fan of his epic “Eugenesis” fan-novel, and his work on Last Stand of the Wreckers with Nick Roche was also greatly appreciated. The fanbase was decidedly-split on Mike Costa's then current run on Transformers; some liked it, but I'd say the majority were quite dissatisfied with it. We all hoped Roberts, whose enthusiasm and love for the property was all too apparent, would “rescue” the book from itself. Heck, even Mike Costa later claimed that he assumed the more verbal fans would “have to like it” because Roberts' name was on it.

And we did. This is a great first part to a great two-parter, and a nice tease as to the level of quality and depth we would come to expect from Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE. I've never been a huge fan of Optimus Prime or Megatron as characters, but Roberts explores their relationship here in a way that is very compelling. He also seeds a bunch of plot elements that would later become important in MTMTE and fleshes out the IDW Transformers universe in so many ways in the span of just one issue.

Alex Milne also makes a strong showing handling the art duties here. While I had felt his previous IDW work on Megatron: Origin and the Drift mini-series had been kind of weak, he began showing marked improvement in my eyes, starting with his work on the ongoing. He would go on to become one of my personal absolute favorite Transformers artists for his work on MTMTE, showcasing an adaptability that he had perhaps not been allowed to fully-exercise until that point.

So this issue is important and on the list for not only being a great issue, but for formally solidifying Roberts and Milne as the “team-to-beat” on Transformers comics for the following few years.

16. “Rhythms of Darkness” (Marvel US # 67)



I love “alternate universe” one-offs where everyone dies. And this is pretty much the quintessential Transformers one.

Awesome cover by Jim Lee (Yup, THAT Jim Lee) and what is probably Jose Delbo’s best interior artwork on Transformers all-around. Galvatron strutting about narrating to himself and screaming at Rodimus Prime’s corpse like a loon as the Pretender Monsters nervously walk on eggshells is a treat. And of course, the doomed final attack by the resistance where near everyone gets killed and which is essential to every alternate universe one-off tale. But hey, my main 'bot Prowl lives through it at the end!

It also ends on a somewhat hopeful note, although one wonders what three Autobots and a pack of humans are going to do now against the rest of the Decepticon army.

15. War Within (Vol. 1) # 5



Lots of great moments packed into this issue; Grimlock’s infamous “Me Grimlock badass!” discussion with Kup, Shockwave downing two Omega Sentinels with one shot, Prowl giving an actually GOOD and rousing motivational speech to the troops, and Optimus and Megatron’s realization that they’ll be dancing their dance for a looooong time to come.

An excellent penultimate chapter to War Within by Simon Furman and Don Figueroa. Furman always excels at “penultimate”, in my book, even if his record of conclusions is a bit more spotty.

14. “Interiors” (More Than Meets The Eye # 6)



More Than Meets The Eye had already proven itself as the Transformers comic every fan never knew they wanted by this point, but issue # 6 is what I think is the best representation of it and James Roberts as a whole.

One of the opening scenes in Swerve's bar, focusing on many of the main characters simply...chatting over drinks showcases Roberts' particular brand of humor. The mood swiftly turns to shock and terror as the unhinged, PTSD-suffering Fortress Maximus goes on a shooting spree. We then get possibly our first take on a Transformers hostage situation as Max barricades himself in Rung's office, holding the psychiatrist and Whirl at gunpoint.

Whirl had always been a character I liked even before Roberts began writing him, just based on his unique design. So it was very nice to see his backstory to be fleshed out further here and to show that he was more than just “quirky psychopath”. And of course, Rung gets to shine as he gets to the root of Fort Max's problem and acts as the voice of reason and compassion.

Proving twice in the same issue that he's the master of mood whiplash, Roberts ends the hostage situation in the most tragic way possible- with the accidental and apparent death of Rung. By this point, we know Rung managed to pull through, but when the issue ended it seemed to everyone who had read it that he was irreparably dead. I was initially impressed that Roberts killed his “own” character off after building him up as one of the main cast. And even though it turned out to be a big misdirect, I couldn't really hold it against Roberts, because Rung had already become a likeable and developed character in a short time. The fact that Rung would be sticking around totally outweighed any possible “cheated” feeling I may have had. That's what I call good writing.

And of course, this issue ends on quite the cliffhanger, with Red Alert discovering the monster in the Lost Light's basement; Overlord. And things would only go on to get crazier from there. This issue is the best representation of James Roberts' solo pro work in my opinion, and another winner in the art category with Nick Roche's signature pencils and Josh Burcham's vibrant colors.

13. “Starting Over!” (Marvel UK # 261)



I love this little story that kicks off the “Earthforce” era.

We’ve got Prowl and Wheeljack walking around in the desert, complaining about how complicated the war has become and listing all the dumb gimmicks that have come to prominence since they’ve come back online. Then they are attacked by Long Haul and Mixmaster, and are completely elated to realize “We know these guys!”, before defeating them.

While wondering what the Decepticons are up to at the top of a mountain, Wheeljack speculates that a “Microheadtargetmaster with a Pretender shell” is behind it. They find out it is Megatron, who gleefully explains to them his extremely overwrought plan to launch a rocket into the sun to accelerate the polar ice caps melting, which will help create more Energon. Far from being horrified, Prowl and Wheeljack are simply glad things are “back to normal” and leap into action.

Classic. Pun intended.

12. “Totaled!” (Marvel US # 41)



This is one of those issues that I loved as a kid just because there’s a massive battle with dozens of toys being thrown at each other. It still remains a sentimental favorite to this day, and there’s a lot of good stuff in it anyhow.

We get the first meet-up between Fortress Maximus’ Autobots and Grimlock’s Autobots, the return of Blaster, Grimlock’s hilarious and continuous mangling of Fort Max’s name (Fruitloop Multipuck!), and two favorite characters of mine- Prowl and Onslaught, getting minor but visible moments of coolness.

Also, there was the long awaited fight between Blaster and Grimlock, and a dramatic ending line from Fort Max that always stuck with me- "For amid the smoke of the battlefield, it suddenly became clear to me that whatever future the Autobots have...lies encoded on a single magnetic disk labeled 'Optimus Prime'.”

Just a fun issue all around, and Jose Delbo’s art wasn’t even that shabby.

11. “Worlds Collide, Part 3” (DW Armada # 16)



Another Furman-Figueroa classic, another dense action issue with some nice quirks tossed in.

The centerpiece of the issue is the fight between (Armada) Megatron and (G1) Galvatron, and it is pretty intense. Megatron had just steamrolled over the Autobots easily and suddenly he’s on the losing end of a fight, with Galvatron relentlessly, remorselessly coming at him. The intervention of the Air Defense Team, giving Megatron an edge in the form of the Star Saber was a great moment, and one I didn’t expect upon the initial reading. Most readers had assumed that with the Armada comic transitioning into Energon soon, Megatron was on his way out. So it was a legitimate surprise ending when, with the Star Saber on his side, Megatron managed to kill Galvatron.

We’ve also got Jetfire’s Autobots on Cybertron versus Bludgeon, which was a pretty neat fight. Plus, there’s the amusing “This is bad!” joke that runs through the issue.

Simon, you are just a cutup.

10. Last Stand of the Wreckers # 5



Obviously, Last Stand of the Wreckers was an oasis of depth and quality during a time when most were dissatisfied with IDW's Transformers output. The Costa ongoing and Bumblebee mini-series garnered a lukewarm response at BEST. Those books seemed more concerned from the get-go to grasp at the mythical “new” readers, ignoring previous comic continuity and borrowing elements from the then-popular first Bay movie.

But Last Stand was aimed directly at the diehard fan, not just of IDW- but Transformers comics in general. Nick Roche was already a reliable and fan-loved entity at that point, and James Roberts being brought on as co-writer excited those who were familiar with his fan-works. And you know what else worked in its favor? The fact that Last Stand of the Wreckers ended up being a GREAT COMIC SERIES. Its conclusion sealed the deal, providing both a sterling ending to the immediate story and filling fans with hope for stories to come.

Pyro's denouement, the TRUE story of what happened on Pova, and Overlord's three-tiered defeat by Ironfist, Verity Carlo, and Impactor are all standout moments. But the aftermath of the story really sticks with you too, particularly when you learn that Ironfist died on the way back from Garrus-9. This was quite the gut-punch, considering that the page before made it seem that the likeable audience-surrogate had managed to survive the entire harrowing series.

The final scenes, which revealed the real reason for the Wreckers' mission and the extent of Prowl's involvement also work perfectly. While he had only been mentioned in passing and limited to a brief cameo before the last three pages, Prowl suddenly seemed like a part of the proceedings from the outset, simply having remained in the shadows. How utterly right for the character- especially as Roche and Roberts tend to portray him.

In the final summation, a great conclusion to a great story and well-deserved of its accolades.

9. “Primal Scream” (Marvel US # 61)



This is a fairly significant issue; the first US comic to introduce the Primus/Unicron mythology. It was also the first time I saw Geoff Senior’s art, and was duly impressed by its simple expressiveness and dynamism. Not that the man can’t do detail- the design for the Keeper is awesome, and the whole Primus/Unicron tale is illustrated and told with appropriate weight.

Plus, this is a great issue besides all that. Great fight between Bumblebee and Bludgeon’s teams in the Primus chamber. Grimlock’s utter refusal to believe the Keeper’s story, Bumblebee overcoming his doubt in his abilities as a leader, Bludgeon being schooled by Jazz, then Bumblebee, then Seawatch in short order, and finally Primus’ explosive reawakening and the subsequent reveal of Unicron...

So much awesomeness. And Furman was really just getting started at this point.

8. Spotlight: Shockwave



The Spotlight series has always been one of, if not THE best idea IDW’s had for their Transformers comic line. And it started off cracking with this “everything old is new again” style story.

There are some really familiar beats here- Shockwave fighting the Dinobots on a prehistoric Earth being the most obvious one. But Simon manages to make it seem just as fresh as it was when Budiansky wrote it a few decades before. This issue also formally introduced me to the art of Nick Roche, who rapidly graduated to my second-favorite Transformers artist of all time. This issue also pretty much sold me on IDW’s Transformers universe in general, and for a long time after it, they could do virtually no wrong with me.

A scene I’d like to highlight is when Shockwave is traipsing around Earth, seeding ore for his Regenesis project and noting the plight of the indigenous species that are just coming out of the Ice Age. A wooly mammoth keels over and dies, and Nick Roche actually makes me FEEL SORRY for it with his art. Amongst all the classic Transformers stuff in this issue, the fact that this scene sticks with me is a testament to Nick’s talent as an artist.

7. “Time Wars, Part 5” (Marvel UK # 203)



This issue has some sentimental value for me; when I was about ten, my older cousin had procured for me a few of the original large Marvel UK Transformers comics and this was one of them. I didn’t get to read the whole Marvel UK series properly until much, much later, but this little bit of Time Wars impressed on me the need to somehow find the rest of the series some day.

We’re right in the middle of the action here and as a kid, the thought of Megatron and Galvatron teaming-up was mind-blowing to me. Even though I didn’t quite understand it at the time, having no access to the surrounding issues, comic book violence is a universal language for ten year olds. And this is a pretty violent issue (although ironically not as violent as the previous and following issue).

We get Sandstorm being blown to pieces by Galvatron, Roadbuster shearing off half of Galvatron’s face with the Pathblaster before dying in an explosion himself, and Cyclonus’ desecrated corpse hung on a wall. The opening scene with Scourge confronting the shattered and gibbering Shockwave is great, as is Carnivac’s change of heart regarding Springer.

Dan Reed will never be my favorite Transformers artist, but his style was essential to convey the grit and violence of this issue and sear it firmly in my mind. And even though Roadbuster died in the attempt, his Pathblaster shot on Galvatron cemented him as one of my personal favorite Transformers characters.

6. “The Worse of Two Evils!” (Marvel US # 6)



One of the first issues I ever received as a kid and some of the earliest Transformers fiction I’d ever read. This issue made me a lifelong fan of Shockwave and Transformers in general.

Shockwave totally owns this issue, destroying G.B. Blackrock’s oil drilling platform in the beginning. A convalescing Megatron can only fume as Shockwave proves more adept at leading the Decepticons than he is. It culminates in the centerpiece of the issue- Shockwave and Megatron’s first and best fight with each other. Kicks off with an excellent moment (“Shockwave, you are relieved of command.”) that sends Shockwave hurtling out of Mount St. Hilary by way of fusion cannon. And the way that Shockwave easily and coolly takes advantage of Megatron’s still-healing wounds, earning him the victory firmly made him one of my favorite characters.

And great art from Alan Kupperberg and a good cliffhanger to boot!

5. “A Rage in Heaven!” (Marvel US Generation 2 # 12)



The conclusion of the short-lived but excellent Gen 2 series, I just wish so much of it wasn’t drawn by Manny Galan. But even he manages to put in a tolerable performance, even if that just might be a knock-on effect of Geoff Senior’s pages dragging his up a little.

Anyhow, this is an epic conclusion to the series, and Simon has always had a bit of trouble with conclusions. There’s no faltering here though; the stakes are appropriately high, no one is safe, and boy does Furman run with that. This issue hits almost all the right beats (except for Nightbeat; he’s killed off rather unceremoniously for such a memorable character) as the Transformers fight for their very existence against both the Cybertronian Empire and the encroaching Swarm.

Geoff Senior’s art is as always, a pleasure to behold. Optimus Prime being consumed by the Swarm is one of the most beautifully-rendered scenes in Transformers comic history. And the ending, with the Autobots and Decepticons apparently on the verge of actual sustained cooperation and possible peace was rather appropriate and satisfying.

Of course, IT NEVER ENDS, and Simon covers his bets with another cliffhanger epilogue, introducing the Liege Maximo and teasing the reader with what could have been. It's a shame the comic finished here, but at least the conclusion was a great one.

4. “All Fall Down” (Marvel US # 66)



The conclusion of the Matrix Quest storyline, and yet another strong Geoff Senior-drawn issue.

As a kid reading this, the idea of a Decepticon using the Matrix as a weapon was pretty darn awesome to me. And I hadn’t seen “Burden Hardest to Bear” yet, so Thunderwing was the only one who I thought had done it at that point. This made Thunderwing distinctly awesome to me and he remains a sentimental favorite character to this day (obviously).

Beyond that, this is a great issue anyhow and another suitably-epic conclusion on Furman’s part. Lots of great moments- Landmine’s horrific death, Prime’s verbal and physical thrashing of Thunderwing, Thunderwing’s struggle for control with the corrupted Creation Matrix, and Nightbeat being generally awesome in word and deed.

3. “War Without End!” (Marvel US Generation 2 # 1)



This is not your father’s Autobot! Hoo-boy, they weren’t kidding!

Around the time this issue was released, I had been making regular stops to the comic shop and buying up handfuls of Transformers back issues. Then one day I notice there’s a NEW Transformers comic on the rack! It was this issue and I think I may have had my first fangasm that day. Above and beyond that, this is a great start to a great series.

While it took me awhile to get used to it, Derek Yaniger’s art has stuck with me (joints made of wires!) and there’s a lot of iconic imagery to be found here. We’ve got Sideswipe being an actual badass and not an imaginary one, Grimlock being consistently awesome (as per usual Furman Grimlock), the introduction of Jhiaxus and the Second Gen Cybertronians, and the overall set-up of some really cool stuff that will actually pay off in the next eleven issues.

Of course, the 90s grit and EXTREME!-ness is on full display here, but it actually makes sense in context of the story. At the time, Gen 2 # 1 showed me that Transformers were still alive and kicking and that’ll always make it a personal fave of mine.

2. “The Pri¢e of Life!” (Marvel US # 70)



This issue has one of the most memorable covers in Transformers comic history. Maybe not as memorable as “All Are Dead”, but in all likelihood it is the second most. The sight of a horrifically-fused Megatron and Ratchet, holding up a simple sheet of notebook paper that reads “Help Us”, actually gave me nightmares back in the day. Hell, I can recall being wary of actually opening this issue and reading the contents! But I’m glad I did, because this issue is a gem.

Grimlock’s hunt to find the Nucleon well on Hydrus Four is an entertaining side-quest, but the meat of the issue is the Megatron/Ratchet situation. Back when Optimus Prime’s moral hand-wringing wasn’t tiresome and played-out to me, it was rather gripping to see him struggle with what to do about the Ratchet/Megatron creature. As a great counterpoint, we get Kup up in Prime’s face about the danger the creature represents. And an amazingly-intense scene where Kup tells Prime that he’ll relieve him of command if he doesn’t do something about the creature immediately.

The scene where Prime is about to execute the creature, only to back off yet again always gets me. Particularly the part where the creature grabs Prime’s gun and press it to its forehead, pleading for Prime to kill it. Of course, Prime doesn’t and makes another decision of dubious merit when he tells Fixit to save both Ratchet and Megatron’s lives. But this was very consistent with Marvel Optimus Prime’s character, a dude who killed himself over a VIDEO GAME.

This issue is also what I personally think is Andy Wildman’s very best work on Transformers- he completely sells both the horrifying and piteous nature of the Megs/Ratchet beast, Kup’s anger, Grimlock’s frustration, and Prime’s inner conflict and anguish.

1. “On the Edge of Extinction!” (Marvel US # 75)



The most epic battle ever portrayed in a Transformers comic book and easily the best depiction of a battle with Unicron that has yet been portrayed in Transformers fiction.

While the sense of scale is never quite consistent from page to page, everything is so full of impact and weight that it barely matters. The Transformers initially react appropriately to a giant planet-sized robot attacking them; they crap their collective robo-pants. Then when they finally find their bearings, they begin throwing themselves at Unicron in earnest, trying to topple this seemingly unfathomable foe.

Many moments of awesome here; Unicron redefining “finger food” with Brainstorm, Shockwave’s inability to logically comprehend the situation, Galvatron’s ballsy attack on his creator, “Blasted youth element!”, Highbrow’s doomed charge, Scorponok’s character arc ending beautifully with his very touching death scene, Grimlock punching Unicron in the face with the Ark, the corrupted Creation Matrix versus Unicron, and finally Optimus Prime’s ultimate (well, second really…well, not ultimate really…) sacrifice.

Even the Neo-Knights feel like a key part of the story, although Circuit Breaker giving Unicron pause is a little hard to swallow for some. Geoff Senior’s art is perfectly suited to the story and Furman caps what he’s been building to for the last fifteen or so issues off perfectly. And then once again, because IT NEVER ENDS, he gives us a cliffhanger epilogue to keep us around. Heh-heh.

While there may be more satisfying endings to stories in Transformers, maybe more dramatic ones…this is by far the most epic. And it is my favorite Transformers comic of all time.

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Mike P.