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Aligned continuity family

2017-07-12T09:47:55Z

Pritchie45: added comic book section

{{cleanup|December 2014|Several parts of the "continuities" section waaay out of date.}}
[[File:Hasbrobible-OPrimedescription.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|Optimus Prime's depiction in Hasbro's brand bible at the center of the aligned continuity family.]]
The '''Aligned continuity family''' was launched in 2010 with the intention of being the foundation of most ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' projects for the decade to come.<ref name="decade">[[Hasbro Q&A/January 2011: Answers|TFWiki.net Hasbro Q&A, Jan. 2011]]</ref> Its core is the "[[Binder of Revelation]]",<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/botcon-2011-coverage-hasbro-intellectual-property-panel/21870/ Seibertron.com Botcon 2011 Coverage: Hasbro Intellectual Property Panel]</ref> a 354-page<ref>[http://www.figures.com/forums/news/13305-botcon-2011-hasbro-panel-report.html Figures.com recap of Hasbro BotCon 2011 panel]</ref> [[production bible|brand bible]] co-written by [[Aaron Archer]], [[Rik Alvarez]] and other Transformer experts from [[Hasbro]] and the [[fandom]], charting billions of years worth of history for the Transformers.<ref>''[[Transformers Vault]]''.</ref> The [[Continuity family|family]] currently comprises the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'', ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Prime]]'', ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Rescue Bots]]'', and [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 franchise)|2015 ''Robots in Disguise'']] franchises,<ref name="aligned">[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/8189/20/ Hasbro continuity declaration]</ref> and it has some influence on [[Transformers Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] character portrayal.<ref name="newaligned">[http://www.tfviews.com/news/main/hasbro-q-and-a/1024 TFviews.com Hasbro Q&A, July 2010]</ref>

Hasbro has not given this family an official title. We have derived the name "Aligned" from Hasbro statements referring to this as a new "aligned continuity".<ref name="aligned" /><ref name="newaligned" /> Hasbro considered the whole continuity "a bit of an animal to define."<ref name="allspark2011botcon"/>

==Creative vision==
The Aligned venture appears to be Hasbro's attempt at synthesizing a grand unified [[continuity]] out of all of the previous lore. An expression of this can be seen in the Hall of Fame profiles, one of which was officially confirmed as being "based off of" Aligned continuity.<ref name="newaligned" /> That one and several others present each character as an amalgam of traits from disparate continuities, ranging from ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' to the [[Unicron Trilogy]] to the [[live-action film series]] and more (see [[#Hall of Fame profiles|below]]).

This is a significant departure from Hasbro's [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|previous]] [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|forays]] into meta-continuity, which preserved the integrity of old timelines as separate, coexistent universes within a single [[multiverse]]. In that schema, the Aligned family would be simply one more [[universal stream]] added to the mix, beholden to preestablished concepts like [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]]. But when asked about how [[The Fallen|a certain singularity]] would relate to the new fiction, Hasbro replied, "Anything you know from past generations of the brand may or may not be factual in the new continuity."<ref name="fallen">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=74182&view=findpost&p=1675011 Allspark.com Hasbro Q&A, Nov. 2010]</ref> At [[BotCon 2011]], the multiverse was referred to as a "separate universe."<ref name="allspark2011botcon">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=79726 AllSpark.com live transcript of Archer and Alvarez's 2011 BotCon panel]</ref>

Where, exactly, this left the Aligned fiction in relation to the rest of the multiverse was unclear. [[Movie continuity|Other]] [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|contemporary]] [[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|fiction]] continued to tell stories set in older universes, so it seemed at least that Aligned material was never meant to supersede the continuities from which it drew upon. The Aligned universe had also been involved in [[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|crossovers]] with [[The War to End All Wars, Part 5|older universes]], meaning that it was not entirely separate from the rest of Transformers fiction.

In 2015, ''[[The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]'' and the Facebook blogs [[Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter]] and [[Ask Vector Prime]] gave the Aligned continuity family the in-story designation of "[[Uniend]]" and an in-fiction explanation as to why this particular universal cluster had been separate from the rest of the multiverse. This explanation essentially [[retcon]]ned out most of the earlier statements made about the Aligned continuity; for all intents and purposes Aligned fiction is now just a "normal" universal cluster.

==Continuities==
{{See also|Aligned timeline}}

Hasbro consistently refers to all Aligned fiction as one "continuity," and while different storylines may appear to contradict each other, "reasons for the confusion will be revealed."<ref name="decade" /> However, that ideal is hampered by the fact that various elements of the fiction have separate creative teams with distinct visions that sometimes conflict. For that reason, this wiki takes the more cautious route of calling it a "continuity family." The brand bible's description in ''Transformers Vault'' states it paints the Transformers history in broad strokes, so as to give creators the necessary flexibility when crafting their stories, a belief echoed by statements made at [[BotCon 2011]]: Archer spoke of a "squint test" where everything can be seen as one family of stories, where only fans would see differences.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-hasbro-story-building-panel-172316/ TFW coverage of Botcon 2011 Hasbro Story Building Panel]</ref> Branches of fiction include:

===Hall of Fame profiles===
In May 2010, before any Aligned franchises had launched, Hasbro announced a "Transformers Hall of Fame" honoring characters and people associated with the ''Transformers'' brand. The spot for one inductee was put to a fan-vote: [[Transformers Hall of Fame#Nominees|Five character profiles]] were published on Hasbro.com, and users could cast a vote for one of them. Most of them were described with a combination of traits from various continuities; for example, [[Jazz (disambiguation)|Jazz]] is pictured in [[Jazz (G1)|his ''Generation 1'' form]] but described as a "[[Cyber-Ninja Corps|Cyber-Ninja]]" like [[Jazz (Animated)|his ''Animated'' incarnation]].<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-3.cfm Jazz's Hall of Fame profile]</ref> [[Soundwave (disambiguation)|Soundwave]], also looking like [[Soundwave (G1)|his ''Generation 1'' self]], is said to have a mysterious origin like [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|his ''Cybertron'' counterpart]], his partners are called "[[Mini-Con]]s" instead of "[[Mini-Cassette]]s," and he has [[Soundwave (ROTF)|his live-action movie incarnation]]'s vulnerability to simultaneous sonic booms.<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-1.cfm Soundwave's Hall of Fame profile]</ref> Later, a [[Hasbro Q&A]] answer stated that Jazz's entry is based on Aligned continuity.<ref name="newaligned" /> [[Jazz (WFC)|The character does appear in ''War for Cybertron'' fiction]], but with no particularly Cyber-Ninja-like attributes.

===''War for Cybertron'', ''Rise of the Dark Spark'', and ''Fall of Cybertron'' video games===
Created by [[High Moon Studios]] under Game Director [[Matt Tieger]] with tie-in games by [[Next Level Games]] and [[Vicarious Visions]], [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|''War for Cybertron'']]'s aesthetics and characterizations are heavily based on [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]; for example, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] speak words, despite both being quasi-mute in the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Prime'' cartoon]]. Set in the ancient days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]ian war, the games' plot focuses on [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s quest to harness [[Dark Energon]], which ends up corrupting the planet itself and leaving it uninhabitable for millions of years. Those events overlap a large portion of the simultaneously-released ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel, but they [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)#Synopsis|differ in many details]]. Two years later, ''War for Cybertron'' was followed by its sequel, ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''. Two years later still saw the release of the ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark]]'' [[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|games]], which cross over with the ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' cast.

===Comic Books===
*''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'' (2010) — A partial adaptation of the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|Transformers: Prime]]'' (2010) — A graphic novel prequel to the television series, later released as four issues.
*''[[Transformers: Prime (comic series)|Transformers: Prime]]'' (2011) — A ''Prime'' cartoon adaptation series with screenshots from the series.
*''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' (2012) — A digital-first prequel/tie-in to the video game, focusing on the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].
*''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]'' (2012–2013) — A four-part mini-series which continues the Dinobots' story and leads into the television series' third season.
*''[[Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters (comic)|Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters]]'' (2013) — An eight-part maxi-series depicting the Dinobots' efforts to survive on a desolate Cybertron.
*''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' (2015–2016) — An six-issue series tying in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|second]] ''Robots in Disguise'' TV series.

===Novels===
Written by [[Alex Irvine]], ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' describes the beginning of the war and then, as mentioned above, covers the same ground as the ''War for Cybertron'' games with many differing details. (Hasbro did take a small stab at reconciliation by declaring [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'s predecessor in the games, "Zeta Prime," and the one in the novel, "Sentinel Prime," to be the same individual, "[[Sentinel Zeta Prime]].")<ref>[http://www.ripten.com/2010/06/26/creators-talk-transformers-war-for-cybertron-at-botcon-2010-panel-lbd416/ Ripten.com's coverage of the BotCon 2010 Activision panel]</ref> Irvine also wrote the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|''War for Cybertron'' comic]] and the apocryphal short story [[Bumblebee at Tyger Pax]], both set in the novel's pre-game period. The comic contains no major discrepancies, other than maintaining the "Sentinel Prime" name, but the short story features [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] losing his ability to speak words before the game events. ''[[Transformers: Exiles]]'' continues the saga immediately post-Cybertron, as ''Exodus'' ends shortly after the events of ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', while ''[[Transformers: Retribution]]'' continues to explore the gap between the ''Cybertron'' games and ''Prime'' series. Meanwhile, the [[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus]] book presents much of the ancient history of Cybertron in the Aligned continuity, including the history of the Aligned [[Thirteen]].

===''Generations'' toy bios===
[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)#Toys|A handful of toys]] were created directly from ''War for Cybertron'' designs and sold as part of the [[Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' toyline]]. While lacking the phrase "War for Cybertron" on their packaging, the release of the first wave was timed within days of the games and novel,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69812 Allspark.com toy-sighting forum reports]</ref> and their on-package [[bio]]s are basically in sync with that fiction as well. Megatron's, for example, focuses on his penchant for upgrading his body with "bleeding-edge" technology,<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/images/toys/files/127/cybertronian-megatron-011.jpg Cybertronian Megatron's on-package bio]</ref> which may be an allusion to his lustful utilization of Dark Energon. Bumblebee's says he was once a "chatterbox" but is now a "silent warrior",<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/images/toys/files/127/wfc-bumblebee-009.jpg Cybertronian Bumblebee's on-package bio]</ref> which appears to be a bridge between his ''War for Cybertron'' and then-upcoming ''Prime'' portrayals; however, it's not strictly accurate because in ''Prime'' he can still vocalize, just [[R2-D2|not in words]]. Later Generations toys made from ''Fall of Cybertron'' designs WOULD feature the phrase "Fall of Cybertron."

===''Prime'' cartoon===
Overseen by the team of [[Jeff Kline]], [[Duane Capizzi]], [[Roberto Orci]], and [[Alex Kurtzman]], [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|this show]] is set on modern-day [[Earth]] with a unique aesthetic somewhere between the [[live-action film series]] and ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]''. Released five months after ''War for Cybertron'', it also features Dark Energon as a primary plot element, but it seems to be a more mysterious substance with the added quality of being able to [[Terrorcon (Prime)|reanimate corpses]].<ref>[[Darkness Rising, Part 2|''Prime'' episode "Darkness Rising, Part 2"]]</ref> Also, strangely, Megatron is able to create an army of such creatures by crashing Dark Energon into the dead world of Cybertron,<ref>[[Darkness Rising, Part 2|''Prime'' episode "Darkness Rising, Part 5"]]</ref> despite the reason for the planet's demise in ''War for Cybertron'' being its complete infection with the stuff. It was stated at [[BotCon 2011]] that Dark Energon's nature differed because of the modern era of the show, as opposed to the ancient setting of the novel and games. The producers also iterated that while they strive to maintain continuity, ultimately leeway was allowed if it served the story.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-transformers-prime-panel-172315/ TFW coverage of Hasbro Studios panel at BotCon 2011]</ref>

A [[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|prequel comic]] written by [[Mike Johnson]] shows events on Cybertron immediately before the cartoon, incorporating the ''Exodus'' notion of [[space bridge]]s being a lost art and Megatron's backstory as a [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]ian miner. [[Titan Books|Titan Comics]] also published a [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|magazine]] tied in to the cartoon.

===''Online'' and ''Universe'' online games===
Developed by [[NetDragon]] and [[Jagex]] for their respective Eastern and Western markets, the ''[[Transformers Online]]'' and ''[[Transformers Universe]]'' online games were to tie into ''Prime'' aesthetically and broaden the universe. However, both games were discontinued shortly after their initial release, leaving them largely unconnected to the rest of the Aligned continuity family outside of a few passing references.

===''Prime'' game===
''[[Transformers: Prime - The Game]]'' was published by [[Activision Blizzard|Activision]] for Nintendo gaming systems. It was released on [[October 30]], [[2012]].

===''Rescue Bots'' cartoon===
Developed by [[Nicole Dubuc]], [[Brian Hohlfeld]] and [[Jeff Kline]], [[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|this series]] is aimed at a much younger audience than the ''Prime'' cartoon, though according to Jeff Kline, the two shows inhabit the same continuity. It follows a team of [[Rescue Bot]]s who land on Earth and are assigned by Optimus Prime to work with a human family of rescue workers on [[Griffin Rock|an island off the coast of Maine]]. This setting was chosen so that the much darker themes of ''Prime'' could play out without affecting the events of Rescue Bots. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee occasionally make guest appearances, apparently taking time out from the events of ''Prime'' to do so. There is a timeskip between seasons 3 and 4, done in part to avoid having to deal with certain events in the ''Prime'' cartoon that would have been difficult to ignore otherwise.

===2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' is a direct sequel to the ''Prime'' cartoon. It follows Bumblebee leading a new team of Autobots back to Earth to re-capture Decepticon criminals.

{{stub}}

==Clashing visions==

At a 2015 convention in Charlotte, Rik Alvarez claimed that the Aligned plan had been compromised from the start: while [[High Moon Studios]] were on board, the ''Prime'' creators didn't want to be tied to previous material (and have themselves said they wanted to get away from the "[[Binder of Revelation]]" and do their own thing<ref>[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/10/25/transformers-prime-producer-talks-beasts-mythology-michael-bay/ ‘Transformers: Prime’ producer talks Beasts, mythology, Michael Bay]: "We got that 300- or 400-page document and a good chunk of our time was spent trying to figure out what we wanted to use and how we wanted to use it. At some point we wanted to be done with that and go on our own path. We couldn’t have predicted where we started to do that"</ref> and the studio, not fully controlled by Hasbro, was unfamiliar with most of the lore); IDW Publishing couldn't shift to a mostly-Aligned schedule for logistical reasons. The original idea for the MMOG fell apart due to constant team changes; ''Universe'' made it into beta testing three years late and never got off the ground; the ''Universe'' team later declared that their game was not part of the Aligned continuity at all. He made a further claim that ''Prime'' was going overbudget and that ''Rescue Bots'' was plonked into Aligned continuity by the studio against the "[[Binder of Revelation]]".<ref name="See fan photos">Rik Alvarez panel, slide show on [[Beast Hunters]] - [http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131368170623/and-if-you-were-wondering-why-beast-hunters-was See fan photos]</ref>

''Prime''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> staff had plotted out three years of material and done them all ''before'' the end of season 2 ("Which is pretty typical") so they had to reconfigure. The ''Beast Hunters'' revamp was given to them late in the day<ref>[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/10/25/transformers-prime-producer-talks-beasts-mythology-michael-bay/ ‘Transformers: Prime’ producer talks Beasts, mythology, Michael Bay]</ref> and they weren't too happy about it. A perfect storm of this bad blood, major changes to what the third season was originally planned to do,<ref>[http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131384199723/hey-all-getting-a-lot-of-questions-about-those Fan report of panel]: "Actual Maximals and Predacons were set to appear on a revitalized Cybertron in season 3 (he described it as a ‘taming the wild west’ setting)."</ref> [[Aaron Archer]] moving up and being replaced by a new guy with new ideas, miscommunication and bad blood between toy designers and ''Prime'' team, and ballooning ''Prime'' budget led to an early demise for the show. Alvarez claims it also killed the "Binder" and future show plans.<ref name="See fan photos"/> [[Andrew Hall]] weighed in to confirm this lined up with what he'd heard from other people and that much of this is part of the big ball o' fun that comes from working for large corporations.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/121416-everything-that-went-wrong-with-the-transformers-prime-show-panel-at-tfcon-charlotte/?p=3060551 AllSpark forum:] "No, the aspects of it that people are seeing as complaining was pretty much stuff I heard after he had left.

The information lines up with what he'd told me at the time.

So I just wanted to say that it's definitely not fabricated. ... I'm just sympathetic because I've seen very clearly that working in a large corporation can be like being wrapped up in a massive war, where you're only in control of your own little unit (if that), and not the entire battlefield. I know plenty of really talented people who had their careers swept away with the tide, due to no fault of their own. I'm not even being slightly dramatic here."</ref>

Following the end of the ''Prime'' show, future writers have abandoned the Binder of Revelation altogether, forging a radically different direction for the continuity timeline than originally intended. ''Robots in Disguise'', the first show produced since the demise of ''Prime'', chose to disregard auxiliary works of fiction such as the ''War for Cybertron'' games in favour of a new narrative based entirely on continuing forward from the ''Prime'' cartoon. Most prominently, this led to the introduction of a [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] whose appearance and personality varied wildly from the [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] introduced in the video games, an irreconcilable dichotomy that carried over to other characters who reused names such as [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] and [[Kickback (RID)|Kickback]] (See [[Grimlock_(RID_2015)#Notes|Grimlock's page]] for more on this). While this change led to greater narrative freedom moving into the future, it also created no small amount of controversy among fans, who were initially confused at how these radically different characterizations were supposed to fit into what had been a tightly plotted universe.

==Notes==
* Instead of giving this continuity family an official name, Hasbro has instead referred to it with brief descriptors such as "new aligned,"<ref name="newaligned" /> "aligned,"<ref name="aligned" /> "modern,"<ref name="decade" /><ref name="fallen" /> and "War for Cybertron/Exodus."<ref name="newaligned" /> VP of Intellectual Property Development [[Aaron Archer]] said at a [[BotCon 2010]] panel that he had considered naming it "Epochs" but then decided not to.
* The [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|subtitle-less ''Transformers'' toyline launched in 2010]] and its companion line, ''Generations'', share some of the Aligned spirit, since they likewise contain characters and concepts from previous franchises with little separation. But the only real connection between those toylines and Aligned material is the small number of [[#Generations toy bios|previously-mentioned]] ''War for Cybertron''-inspired toys. Hasbro has referred to the [[Power Core Combiners]] subline as "exist[ing] in the modern world continuity,"<ref>[[Hasbro Q&A/November 2010: Answers|TFWiki.net Hasbro Q&A, Nov. 2010]]</ref> but the context of that statement doesn't suggest a specific reference to Aligned.
* The ''Hubworld Transformers: Prime'' TV special featured footage of BotCon attendees taking a ''Transformers'' quiz, with the questions being what Optimus Prime's original name was, what his job had been, and which soap opera was the Autobots' favorite. The soap opera (''[[As the Kitchen Sinks]]'') is from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], but the "correct" answers to the first two questions were said to be "Orion Pax" and "data clerk." Aligned continuity is the only source where both of those ideas are true. This seems to reflect Hasbro's current policy of treating Aligned material as the default ''Transformers'' "truth." Something similar occurred during the [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] era, where [[DK Publishing|DK]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' treated that continuity as the default "truth," so this is not a completely new phenomenon.
* By surface appearances, the Aligned continuity appears to have influenced the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]], with [[James Roberts]] introducing elements into his work such as the Optimus-Megatron backstory, with Optimus as a civil servant swayed by Megatron's rhetoric, a [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] starting to feel his advanced age, and the idea of [[alternate mode]] determining social and racial position. Amazingly, however, this is all ''complete coincidence''; Roberts is not overly familiar with what's going on in the Aligned universe, and originated these ideas on his own.
**On the other hand, the use of ''War for Cybertron'' character designs in the ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' series ''is'' intentional, and given how closely editor [[John Barber]] and Hasbro work together, some cross-pollination of ideas would be unsurprising.<ref>[http://www.newsarama.com/21865-big-boys-come-to-play-in-transformers-combiner-wars-crossover.html Newsarama: Big Boys Come To Play in TRANSFORMERS’ COMBINER WARS Crossover]</ref>

==See also==

* [[Aligned timeline]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Aligned| ]]
[[Category:Continuity families]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

IDW Publishing

2017-07-12T09:42:58Z

Pritchie45: Added see also in the Aligned Continuity Section similar to the above Gen 1 section

[[File:IDW Logo2.svg|thumb|right]]
'''Idea and Design Works, LLC''' currently owns the [[Transformers brand|Transformers]] [[Comics|comic book]] license as of May [[2005]], following the financial collapse of the previous license holder, [[Dreamwave Productions]], at the tail-end of 2004.

IDW's flagship storyline is a [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|rebooted Generation 1 continuity]], which started out being written by longtime Transformers scribe [[Simon Furman]] and told through a succession of mini-series and one-shot [[The Transformers: Spotlight|''Spotlight''s]], before finally producing a monthly comic in [[2009]]. IDW has also been authorized to re-release trade paperbacks published by [[Dreamwave Productions]], such as the ''[[War and Peace]]'' mini-series and ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages]]''. In May 2008, IDW's relationship with [[Hasbro]] proved to be quite healthy indeed as they snapped up the ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' comic book license as well, and in 2010 obtained the license to ''Dungeons & Dragons''. Then in 2012 they started publishing ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' comics. Hasbro definitely seems to like them.

For a few years IDW used to mock your nerdy belief that writers and editors should be able to remember things that happened in previous issues, but then they hired [[John Barber]]. Now they [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|expect ''us'']] to remember things.

"Phase Three" of the [[Aligned]] continuity was going to be IDW doing comics with [[Aligned]] backstories instead of the established ones. Hasbro first proposed a "[[Dan DiDio|New 52]]" reboot event (uh oh)... and then ''instead'' agreed that IDW had put five years of work in, upcoming plans would have to be cancelled, and it'd be too confusing for readers to do another reboot, so they let IDW carry on. Hasbro ''definitely'' seems to like them.<ref>[[Rik Alvarez]] panel at TFcon Charlotte in 2015 - [http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131367083128/that-explains-a-lot-of-the-mess-that-was See fan photos] of the slides.</ref>

==Series published==
=== G1 rebooted ===
Initial ideas for IDW's Transformer line included a ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''-style story crossing over with the new [[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|''Cybertron'' toyline]], starting ongoings in both G1 and ''Cybertron'' continuity. The G1 cast would suffer Cybertron's destruction and learn [[Unicron]]'s death had destabilized the entire [[omniverse]], forcing them to try and assemble an artifact called the "Decepticon Matrix" in order to ''resurrect'' Unicron. This would parallel with the ''Cybertron'' plot, in which the Autobots seek out the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s to revive [[Primus]], and [[Vector Prime]] would have appeared as a guide in both series. It seems that series would then have come together with the concurrent ''Cybertron'' comic as Transformers from across the [[multiverse]] were brought together for a final, epic clash.<ref>Pitch printed in ''[[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman]]''</ref>

This was considered too confusing for new readers, however, and dropped for a [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|continuity reboot of ''Generation 1'']]. Furman mostly oversaw this, creating a more sophisticated universe around the familiar characters and tropes: Marvel Comics' ''Ultimate'' line was the inspiration, and Furman deliberately borrowed the more leisurely pacing of Ultimate Marvel.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSyBtqe67uk Moonbase 2m AA2010 interview]</ref>

Instead of an ongoing civil war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] which spills over to [[Earth]] by accident, Furman presented us with an interstellar war between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, a war of [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]] and alt-form-and-dagger covert operations, with [[energon]] the prize and whole planets at stake. A surprising development on Earth heats up the war and turns our planet from just another proxy battleground into the ultimate prize.

This slow, measured storyline was eventually abandoned in an attempt to bring in more casual fans with a more G1 cartoon-inspired revamp in ''All Hail Megatron''. This failed to have the desired effect both in terms of sales and fan-response, so ''another'' revamp was attempted with the start of ''The Transformers'' ongoing series. It was met with sharp fan criticism as well. Yet '''another''' revamp was attempted with two concurrent ongoing series, ''More Than Meets The Eye'' and ''Robots In Disguise''. Positive fan response came at last.

The general order of publications to date is as follows:

*''[[The Transformers: Infiltration]]'' ([[2005]]–[[2006]]) Establishes the presence of the Transformers on modern-day Earth and re-establishes the theme of "robots in disguise" as central to the new continuity; a seven-issue story arc (issues #0 to #6).
*''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' (2006–present) Series of one-shot stories focusing on a single Transformer per issue; this series has no fixed publication format and is ongoing. It went on hiatus after "[[Spotlight: Metroplex]]" while the new ongoing series was getting established, but has since returned, although at a greatly reduced pace.
*''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer]]'' (2006) A four-issue miniseries tie-in to ''Infiltration'', establishing Cybertron's current situation in the re-boot and focusing squarely on the Transformers.
*''[[The Transformers: Escalation]]'' (2006–[[2007]]) Sequel to ''Infiltration''; a six-issue story arc detailing a conflict with the Decepticons in [[Brasnya]] and the abduction of [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]].
*''[[New Avengers/Transformers]]'' (2007) A collaboration between [[Marvel Comics]] and IDW featuring the first ever crossover between the Transformers and New [[Avengers]]. Though it has minimal effects on the overall universe, it was specifically designed to fit into continuity between ''Infiltration'' and ''Escalation''.
*''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin]]'' (2007) A four-issue story arc detailing the events surrounding [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s rise to power and the founding of the Decepticon faction.
*''[[The Transformers: Devastation]]'' (2007–[[2008]]) Sequel to ''Escalation''; a six-issue story arc following up on what happened to Sunstreaker, as well as the Decepticons' battle with the [[Reaper]]s and seeds are planted for the upcoming [[Dead Universe]] arc.
*''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]'' (2008) Sequel to ''Devastation''; composed of 4 ''Spotlight''s; [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Doubledealer]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]. This series wraps up the first set of [[Dead Universe]]-related events.
*''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' (2008–[[2009]]) A twelve-issue maxi-series, extended to sixteen to include the ''All Hail Megatron Coda'' series. It chronicles the aftermath of the defeat of the Autobots and the Decepticon conquest of Earth. The publication schedule overlaps with ''Revelation'' and ''Maximum Dinobots''. Issues 13–16 each consist of two 11-page stories that help strengthen the flaws in ''All Hail Megatron'' and tie into the ongoing series.
*''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots]]'' (2008–2009) A five-issue which takes place chronologically between ''Revelation'' and ''All Hail Megatron'' (which it was published concurrently with). The series wraps up Furman's story arcs with the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]], Sunstreaker, the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]], [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], [[Skywatch]] and the [[Machination]].
*''[[The Transformers Continuum]]'' (2009) — A one-shot intended as a 'catch-up' for new readers, ahead of the new ongoing series.
*''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' (2009–[[2011]]) An ongoing series which began in November 2009 [http://www.tfarchive.com/comics/idw/guide.php?s=ongoing]. The series is penned by [[Mike Costa]] with art on the first arc by [[Don Figueroa]]. Different artists have contributed as well.
*''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee]]'' (2009–[[2010]]) A four-issue miniseries chronicling Bumblebee's journey on Earth after the events of ''All Hail Megatron'', focusing on the conflicts and decisions 'Bee makes (sort of like a ''Spotlight''). It began in December 2009, written by [[Zander Cannon]] with art by [[Chee Yang Ong]] (the team that worked on the second story of [[All Hail Megatron issue 16|''All Hail Megatron'' #16]]).
*''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' (2010) A five-issue miniseries which began in January 2010, written by [[Nick Roche]] and [[James Roberts]] and drawn by Roche with colors by [[Josh Burcham]]. It chronicles the actions of the [[Wrecker]]s in deep space after ''All Hail Megatron''.
*''[[The Transformers: Ironhide]]'' (2010) A four-issue miniseries covering Ironhide, with story by Mike Costa and art by [[Casey Coller]]. It was published from May through August, 2010.
*''[[The Transformers: Drift]]'' (2010) A four-issue miniseries that chronicles [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s origins as the Decepticon Deadlock to becoming an Autobot. It's written by Shane McCarthy, with art by Alex Milne and colors by Josh Perez. It was released bi-weekly in September, 2010.
*''[[Infestation (IDW)|The Transformers: Infestation]]'' (2011) A two-issue story set within the larger ''Infestation'', a cross-over in which zombies invade multiple IDW properties. In addition to ''Transformers'', ''[[Star Trek]]'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''Ghostbusters'' are all invaded by the cross-dimensional zombies. The Transformers segment involves the Autobots teaming up with [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron's]] crew to stop the menace. It is written by [[Dan Abnett]] and [[Andy Lanning]], with art by Nick Roche and colors by Joana Lafuente and Josh Perez. The entire series was released weekly over 10 weeks, starting in February, 2011.
*''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness]]'' (2011) A four-issue miniseries featuring Galvatron and crew, following the events in ''Infestation''. It's written by Abnett and Lanning, with art by [[Ulises Farinas]]. Released March through June, 2011.
*''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' ([[2011]]) IDW #125 written by James Roberts and John Barber, with art by Nick Roche. Optimus Prime makes a decision about his role in a post-Great War Cybertron.
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]'' ([[2012]]–2016) [Ongoing] Written by James Roberts, with art by Alex Milne. Following the revitalization of Cybertron and the departure of Optimus Prime, Rodimus sets out to find the legendary Knights of Cybertron with a crew of like-minded Autobots aboard the ''Lost Light''. Ended after issue #57 and rebranded as ''The Transformers: Lost Light''.
*''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]'' (2012) A twelve-issue digital comic starring Orion Pax and featuring his transformation into Optimus Prime. It's written by [[Flint Dille]] and [[Chris Metzen]], with art by [[Livio Ramondelli]], and was released bi-weekly from January to June, 2012.
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' (2012–2016) [Ongoing] Written by [[John Barber]], with art by [[Andrew Griffith]]. Bumblebee, Starscream, and Metalhawk attempt to forge a government and maintain control on the revitalized Cybertron, while personal mistrusts, old grudges, and new problems seek to shatter the fragile peace. This title was renamed to ''The Transformers'' vol. 2 starting with issue #35 to avoid confusion with the ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|new Robots In Disguise]]'' franchise, including [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)|an IDW tie-in comic]]. Ended as issue #57 and rebranded as ''Optimus Prime''.
*''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity]]'' ([[2013]]) The sequel to ''Autocracy'' by the same creative team.
*''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]'' (2013–2014) — [12 issues] A maxi-series largely within the ongoing series focusing on Shockwave's machinations to change the universe and the powerful repercussions; written by John Barber and James Roberts with a variety of artists.
*''[[The Transformers: Windblade]]'' ([[2014]]) — [4 issues] A miniseries focusing on [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] in the wake of the "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" crossover event, written by [[Mairghread Scott]] and drawn by [[Sarah Stone]].
*''[[The Transformers: Punishment]]'' (2014) — [5 issues] A motion comic miniseries starring Optimus Prime investigating a series of murders on Cybertron after the events of "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]", written by John Barber and illustrated by Livio Ramondelli.
*''[[The Transformers: Primacy]]'' (2014) The sequel to ''Monstrosity'' by the same creative team. Concludes the trilogy.
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' (2014–2015) — [4 issues] As Drift rights wrongs in the galaxy, he is joined by Ratchet and winds up facing an old enemy. Written by [[Shane McCarthy]] with artwork by the ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' team of penciller [[Guido Guidi]], inker [[Stephen Baskerville]], and colorist [[John-Paul Bove]].
*''[[The Transformers: Windblade]]'' vol. 2 ([[2015]]) — [7 issues] Windblade returns in a story advancing the ''[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]'', trading issues with the main series; at the conclusion of the event, the Cityspeaker helps Starscream seek out the lost colony worlds while trying to prevent the ruler of Cybertron from forming an empire. Written by Mairghread Scott and drawn by [[Corin Howell]].
*''[[An Uneventful Night|The Transformers: Combiner Hunters]]'' (2015) — [One-shot] On the trail of the stolen [[Enigma of Combination]], Windblade and Chromia run afoul of the [[Torchbearer|Torchbearers]]; written by Mairghread Scott and drawn by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]].
*''[[The Transformers: Redemption]]'' (2015) — [One-shot] The Dinobots head out into the post-apocalyptic Cybertronian wilderness on a secret mission. Written by John Barber and drawn by Livio Ramondelli.
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers]]'' (2015–2016) — [5 issues] Dark secrets come to light when a mission to rescue the kidnapped [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] leads the Wreckers into a sinister web of shocking revelations. Written and drawn by Nick Roche.
*''[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]'' (2015) — [One-shot] An anthology of holiday-themed tales set on Earth, Cybertron, and deep space.
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One]]'' ([[2016]]–2017) — [Ongoing] Windblade tries to maintain the peace on Cybertron while dealing with the colony worlds and the [[Council of Worlds]]. Written by Mairghread Scott and drawn by Sara Pitre-Durocher. Cancelled after issue #12.
*''[[The Last Autobot|Titans Return]]'' (2016) — [One-shot] [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] returns, but he's unhappy with what Cybertron has become in his absence. Written by Mairghread Scott, James Roberts, and John Barber, and drawn by Livio Ramondelli.
*''[[Revolution]]'' (2016) — [5 issues + associated one-shots] [[Hasbro]]'s greatest heroes and villains collide in a battle for Earth's [[Ore-13]]. Written by John Barber and [[Cullen Bunn]], and drawn by [[Fico Ossio]].
*''[[Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime]]'' (2016–present) — [Ongoing] The retitled continuation of ''Robots in Disguise''. Optimus Prime grapples with what it means to be a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] as he defends his adopted homeworld of Earth. Written by Jon Barber and drawn by [[Kei Zama]].
*''[[The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' (2016–present) — [Ongoing] The retitled continuation of ''More than Meets the Eye''. The marooned crew of the ''Lost Light'' deal with new allies and surprising new enemies as they try to get back home. Written by James Roberts and illustrated by [[Jack Lawrence]].
*''[[G.I. Joe vol. 5]]'' (2016–2017) — [Ongoing] G.I. Joe's adventures continue as the team recruits the strangest member they've ever seen: the Decepticon [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]]! Written by Aubrey Sitterson and drawn by Giannis Milonogiannis. Ends at issue #9 and will be rebranded as ''G.I. Joe: Unmasked''.
*''[[Revolutionaries]]'' ([[2017]]) — [8 issues] Kup, [[G.B. Blackrock]], [[Action Man]], and [[Ayana Jones]]s embark on a globetrotting adventure in search of an ancient [[Talisman]] and uncover an ancient conspiracy in the process. Written by John Barber and drawn by Fico Ossio.
*''[[Micronauts: Wrath of Karza]]'' (2017) — [5 issues] Wielding Cybertronian technology, Baron Karza returns to Earth to turn it into a new home for his people. Written by Cullen Bunn and [[Jimmy Johnston]] and drawn by Andrew Griffith.
*''[[Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor]]'' (2017) — [2 issues] Two hundred years ago, the [[Solstar Order]] and its one-of-a-kind warrior [[Stardrive]] finds itself caught up in the Cybertronian Great War. Written by John Barber and [[Christos Gage]], and drawn by Alex Milne.
*''[[First Strike]]'' (2017) — [6 issues + associated one-shots] Multi-brand crossover. The time has finally come for Earth to formally join the Council of Worlds... that is, if the Transformers and G.I. Joe can defeat the villainous [[Baron Ironblood]] in time! Written by Mairghread Scott and [[David Rodriguez]] and drawn by [[Max Dunbar]].

====See also====
*[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
*[[IDW timeline]]
*[[Hasbro Universe]]

===''Beast Wars''===
Taking place within the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon universe, this line eschews the previous [[3H Productions]] fiction that previously continued the show's story to strike out in a new direction, focusing mainly on the non-show toy characters.

*''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering]]'' (2006) A four-issue mini-series marking the 10th anniversary of the ''Beast Wars'' franchise.
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars: The Ascending]]'' (2007–08) A four-issue sequel to ''The Gathering'' that began publication in October 2007.
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' (2007) profile series of the Beast Era.

====See also====
*[[Beast Wars timeline (IDW)]]

===''Evolutions''===
''Evolutions'' was originally intended to be a series of [[wikipedia:Elseworlds|Elseworlds]]-like stories that existed in their own separate continuities, each taking different takes on Transformers. Only one miniseries – ''Hearts of Steel'' – was ever produced; reportedly, Hasbro asked IDW to hold back on ''Evolutions'' as to not confuse customers looking for merchandise based on the live action films.{{fact}} [[Chris Ryall]] stated that the subsequent focus on Movie and ''Animated'' meant that it was unlikely that ''Evolutions'' would continue further<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=3845&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30 Post by Chris Ryall at IDW's forums]</ref>, though various comic stories over the years have sporadically revisited the ''Hearts of Steel'' universe.

*''[[Hearts of Steel]]'' (2006) Places the Generation 1 Transformers in the American West during the Industrial Revolution.
*''[[Infestation 2]]'' (2012) The sequel to ''Infestation''. This time, it's Lovecraftian demons that invade the various licensed properties. The Transformers-specific issues take place in the ''Hearts of Steel'' universe.
*''[[The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers|The X-Files: Conspiracy]]'' (2014) Another multi-brand crossover, this time involving ''The X-Files'' series, whose Transformers-specific issue takes place in the present day of the ''Hearts of Steel'' universe.

===Live-action film series===
*''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (2007) A four-part series detailing the lead-up to the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' movie]].
*"[[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]" and "[[Interlude]]" (2007) [[Target]] [[exclusive]] prequel comics for the 2007 film.
*''[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation]]'' (2007) A four-part comic adaptation of the film, released weekly in June 2007.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream]]'' (2008) IDW's official sequel to the 2007 film, continuing where the ''Movie Adaptation'' left off. It began in May 2008. In the wake of the film, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] returns to Cybertron to take his place as new Decepticons leader.
*''[[Transformers: Saga of the Allspark]]'' (2008) Reprinting the [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|UK Movie comics]] from Titan Magazine.
*''[[Transformers: Destiny]]'' (2008–2009) The 2-miniseries prequel to ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
**''[[Transformers: Alliance]]'' (2008-2009) A 4-issue prequel to ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'' chronicling the formation of [[NEST]] in response to new waves of Decepticons arriving on Earth.
**''[[Transformers: Defiance]]'' (2008–2009) A 4-issue prequel to ''Revenge of the Fallen''. In the distant past on Cybertron, Megatron comes under the sway of The Fallen and declares war on his former comrade Optimus.
*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]'' (2009) A four-part comic adaptation of the film, released weekly in May and June 2009.
*''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen]]'' (2009–2010) A series of spotlights for six ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' characters.
*''[[Transformers: Nefarious]]'' (2010) A 6-issue sequel to ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' dealing with a group of humans trying to create their own AllSpark.
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]'' (2010-2011) A 5-issue series telling the history of Sector 7. The first prequel to ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]'' (2011) A 4-issue series telling the history of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] on Cybertron. Second prequel to ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' (2011) A 4-issue series. Third prequel to ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''. [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] is tasked with reassembling the fractured Decepticons.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]'' (2011) A four-part comic adaptation of the film released in July 2011.
**''[[Transformers: Convergence]]'' (2011) A prose story published in the adaptation's individual issues chronicling some of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave's]] adventures and also filling in some loose ends in preparation for what was assumed to be, at the time, the end of the live-action film series.
*''[[How to Ride a Dinobot!]]'' (2014) One-shot digital comic based on a series of [[How to Ride Your Dinobot|web videos]] loosely related to ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''.
*''[[A New Friend|Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers]]'' (2017) One-shot digital promotional comic tying in to ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]''.

===''Transformers Animated''===
*''[[Transformers Animated (IDW)|Transformers Animated]]'' (2008) — An ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' cartoon adaptation series with screenshots from the series.
*''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival]]'' (2008) — A six-issue mini-series set in the same continuity as the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' cartoon.
*''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac]]'' (2009) — Covers ''The Arrival'' and seasons 1 and 2 of the cartoon.
*''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'' (2010) — Covers season 3 of the cartoon and other information.
*''[[Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]'' (2015) — An omnibus volume containing the two books and ''[[The AllSpark Almanac Addendum]]'' with some new information added.

===''Regeneration One''===
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One]]'' (2012–2014) — A limited series set in the main [[Marvel Comics continuity]] that continues on from the [[End of the Road! (US)|final issue]] of the Marvel's original ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Transformers]]'' series 21 years later, ignoring the events of both of the Marvel UK material and the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comics.

===Aligned continuity family===
*''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'' (2010) — A partial adaptation of the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|Transformers: Prime]]'' (2010) — A graphic novel prequel to the television series, later released as four issues.
*''[[Transformers: Prime (comic series)|Transformers: Prime]]'' (2011) — A ''Prime'' cartoon adaptation series with screenshots from the series.
*''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' (2012) — A digital-first prequel/tie-in to the video game, focusing on the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].
*''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]'' (2012–2013) — A four-part mini-series which continues the Dinobots' story and leads into the television series' third season.
*''[[Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters (comic)|Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters]]'' (2013) — An eight-part maxi-series depicting the Dinobots' efforts to survive on a desolate Cybertron.
*''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' (2015–2016) — An six-issue series tying in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|second]] ''Robots in Disguise'' TV series.

====See also====
*[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]]
*[[Aligned timeline]]

===Reprint series===
*'''''[[The Transformers: Generations]]''''' (2006–2007) — [12 issues] Reprints old [[Marvel Comics]] issues, specifically ones that did not feature Marvel-owned characters such as [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]].
*'''''[[The Transformers: Target: 2006]]''''' (2007) — [5 issues] Reprints the titular Marvel UK story.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron]]''''' (2007) — TPB reprinting Prime vs Megatron fights from the Marvel, [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]], and IDW runs.
*'''''[[Transformers: Magazine]]''''' (2007) — [5 issues] Reprints three comics per issue from the Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW runs.
*'''''[[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman]]''''' (2007) — Hardcover collection reprinting [[Simon Furman]]-written stories from Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: The Best of Don Figueroa]]''''' (2007) — Hardcover collection reprinting [[Don Figueroa]]-illustrated stories from Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: The Premiere Collection#Volume 1|The Transformers: The Premiere Collection, Volume 1]]''''' (2007) — Hardcover reprinting IDW's first three arcs plus the first volume of ''Spotlight''.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: Dinobots]]''''' (2007–2008) — [6 issues] Reprints of UK Dinobot stories.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: Space Pirates]]''''' (2008) — [5 issues] Reprints the UK "[[Space Pirates!]]" saga and other stories.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: Time Wars]]''''' (2008) — [5 issues] Reprints the UK "[[Time Wars]]" saga and other stories.
*'''''[[Classic Transformers]]''''' (2008–2010) — [6 volumes] Collects old [[Marvel Comics]] issues in trade paperback format, starting with [[The Transformers (issue)|Transformers #1]] and summarizing those featuring Marvel-owned characters such as [[Spider-Man]] and [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]] (until Volume 5, by which point the Marvel-owned characters are allowed).
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: City of Fear]]''''' (2009) — [5 issues] Reprints the UK "[[City of Fear!]]" saga and related stories.
*'''''[[Transformers: War Within Omnibus]]''''' (2009) — Smaller sized TPB reprinting Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' (including [[The War Within Preview|the preview]]) and ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages]]''.
*'''''[[The Transformers: The Premiere Collection#Volume 2|The Transformers: The Premiere Collection, Volume 2]]''''' (2009) — Hardcover reprinting IDW's ''Devastation'', ''Revelation'' and volumes 2 and 3 of ''Spotlight''.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: Prey]]''''' (2009) — [5 issues] Reprints the UK "[[Prey!]]" and related stories.
*'''''[[Transformers Movie Collection Volume 1]]''''' (Hardcover 2010), (TPB 2013) — Collects ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]'', the 2007 ''[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|Movie Adaptation]]'' and ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]''.
*'''''[[Transformers Movie Collection Volume 2]]''''' (Hardcover 2010), (TPB 2013) — Collects ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'', ''[[Transformers: Alliance|Alliance]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation]]''.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime]]''''' (2010) — TPB collection reprinting Optimus Prime stories from Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of Megatron]]''''' (2010) — TPB collection reprinting Megatron stories from Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of Grimlock]]''''' (2010) — TPB collection reprinting Grimlock stories from Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of Starscream]]''''' (2010) — TPB collection reprinting Starscream stories from Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW.
*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection]]''''' (2010–2013) — [8 volumes] Hardcover collection reprinting the IDW Transformers stories in a "suggested reading order" up through the end of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|Ongoing series]].
*'''''[[The Transformers Classics]]''''' (2011–2015) — [8 volumes] Second run of ''Classic Transformers'' with the missing issues restored.
*'''''[[The Transformers Classics UK]]''''' (2011–???) — [5 volumes to date] Reprints the Marvel UK stories in order of publication, including the [[The_Transformers_(Marvel_comic)#Marvel_UK#Marvel UK Annuals|Annuals]].
*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection|The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two]]''''' (2014–???) — [??? volumes] Hardcover collection reprinting the IDW Transformers stories in a "suggested reading order" starting with the one-shot "[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime]]".
*'''''[[The Transformers: Phase One Omnibus]]''''' (2014) — Smaller sized TPB reprinting IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]'', and ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]''.

===Others===
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]'' (2014–2015) Four-issue limited series based on the crossover [[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|video game]].
*''[[Mars Attacks: The Transformers]]'' (2013) One-shot crossover comic with the trading card franchise.
*''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' (2006) A four-issue adaptation of the original ''Transformers'' film, 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''; marks the film's 20th anniversary and new DVD release.
*''[[Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act]]'' (2007)
*''[[Transformers: The Ark]]'' (2007) — A Complete Compendium Of Transformers Animation Models
*''[[The Art of IDW's Transformers]]'' (2007)
*''[[Transformers: The Ark II]]'' (2008) — A Compendium of Japanese Character Designs
*''[[Transformers: The Complete Ark]]'' (2009) — Combines the first and second volumes.
*''[[Alex Milne Sketchbook: The Transformers]]'' (2011)
*''[[The Art of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' (2012)
*''[[Transformers: The Art of Prime]]'' (2013)
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' (2014–2017) — Crossover maxi-series set in a separate continuity.
*''[[Transformers: Deviations]]'' (2016) — One-shot taking place in an alternate version of the G1 cartoon continuity.
*''[[Aw Yeah Revolution!]]'' (2017) — Limited series goofing on the ''Revolution'' event with the distinguishing writing and art style of its creator, Art Baltazar.

==External links==
*[http://www.idwpublishing.com/ IDW Publishing]
*[http://www.tfarchive.com/comics/idw/guide.php?s=ongoing TF Archive's guide to the Ongoing ''Transformers'' comic]

==Footnotes==
<references />

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