Editing 2005 IDW continuity

{{nav-G1|logo=IDWTheTransformers 2014 logo.png}}
[[File:ChaosTheory1 montage.jpg|thumb|upright=2|This is less than ''half'' of what happens.]]
The '''IDW Generation 1 continuity''' is the storyline of [[IDW Publishing]]'s [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] reboot comic-book series, launched in [[2005]] and running until [[2018]]. A heavily re-imagined version of the traditional Generation 1 continuity, it initially re-imagined the [[Autobot]]-[[Decepticon]] [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] as a galaxy-spanning conflict, with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] abandoned as a dead husk and teams from both sides covertly operating on various alien worlds to defend or destroy the native populations—including [[Earth]].

Later stories would abandon the cloak-and-dagger conflict in favor of a more traditional take on the Cybertronian war, before ending the war entirely. While early stories stuck to a small cast consisting mostly of the more familiar 1984/85 Transformers, as the universe progressed its scope slowly expanded to cover more and more characters and concepts from late Generation 1 and beyond. In addition to adapting characters from other continuities (such as [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]), authors felt free to introduce entirely new characters (such as [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Aileron]]) with substantive roles. The IDW Generation 1 continuity proved to be one of the most unique and enduring ''Transformers'' stories to date.

A 2016 retcon/expansion established that this continuity was part of the shared [[Hasbro Universe]].

==Overview==
===Simon Furman and the "-ations" era===
[[File:TF Spotlight v1.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The [[Furmanism|down-to-earth one — literally.]]]]
{{chapters|title=''-ations'':|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''Infiltration''</div>
* [[Infiltration issue 0|#0]]
* [[Infiltration issue 1|#1]]
* [[Infiltration issue 2|#2]]
* [[Infiltration issue 3|#3]]
* [[Infiltration issue 4|#4]]
* [[Infiltration issue 5|#5]]
* [[Infiltration issue 6|#6]] 
<br/><div class="list-header">''Spotlight'' Volume 1</div>
* [[Spotlight: Shockwave|Shockwave]]
* [[Spotlight: Nightbeat|Nightbeat]]
* [[Spotlight: Hot Rod|Hot Rod]]
* [[Spotlight: Sixshot|Sixshot]]
* [[Spotlight: Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Stormbringer''</div>
* [[Stormbringer issue 1|#1]]
* [[Stormbringer issue 2|#2]]
* [[Stormbringer issue 3|#3]]
* [[Stormbringer issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''New Avengers/Transformers''</div>
*[[Man and Machine, Part One|#1]]
*[[Man and Machine, Part Two|#2]]
*[[Man and Machine, Part Three|#3]]
*[[Man and Machine, Part Four|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Escalation''</div>
* [[Escalation issue 1|#1]]
* [[Escalation issue 2|#2]]
* [[Escalation issue 3|#3]]
* [[Escalation issue 4|#4]]
* [[Escalation issue 5|#5]]
* [[Escalation issue 6|#6]] 
<br/><div class="list-header">''Spotlight'' Volume 2</div>
* [[Spotlight: Soundwave|Soundwave]]
* [[Spotlight: Kup|Kup]]
* [[Spotlight: Galvatron|Galvatron]]
* [[Spotlight: Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Spotlight: Ramjet|Ramjet]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Devastation''</div>
*[[Devastation issue 1|#1]]
*[[Devastation issue 2|#2]]
*[[Devastation issue 3|#3]]
*[[Devastation issue 4|#4]]
*[[Devastation issue 5|#5]]
*[[Devastation issue 6|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Spotlight'' Volume 3</div>
* [[Spotlight: Blaster|Blaster]]
* [[Spotlight: Arcee|Arcee]]
* [[Spotlight: Mirage|Mirage]]
* [[Spotlight: Grimlock|Grimlock]]
* [[Spotlight: Wheelie|Wheelie]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Spotlight'' Volume 4 / ''Revelation''</div>
* [[Spotlight: Cyclonus|Cyclonus]]
* [[Spotlight: Hardhead|Hardhead]]
* [[Spotlight: Doubledealer|Doubledealer]]
* [[Spotlight: Sideswipe|Sideswipe]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Maximum Dinobots''</div>
*[[Maximum Dinobots issue 1|#1]]
*[[Maximum Dinobots issue 2|#2]]
*[[Maximum Dinobots issue 3|#3]]
*[[Maximum Dinobots issue 4|#4]]
*[[Maximum Dinobots issue 5|#5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Megatron Origin''</div>
*[[Megatron Origin issue 1|#1]]
*[[Megatron Origin issue 2|#2]]
*[[Megatron Origin issue 3|#3]]
*[[Megatron Origin issue 4|#4]]
}}

Veteran ''Transformers'' writer Simon Furman helmed the IDW continuity in its infancy, writing almost every series and one-shot to be released in its first few years. ''[[Spotlight: Shockwave]]'' serves as an excellent prologue leading into [[2005]]'s seven-issue ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' (including an introductory issue #0). In this series, Furman did away with the traditional "crashed on Earth 4 million years ago" origin in favour of a slow-burning "hiding in plain sight" storyline with emphasis on human characters, not dissimilar to the approach that would be taken two years later by the [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]]. After ''Infiltration'', the four-issue ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' miniseries checked in on the wasteland that is [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The rest of the first volume of ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' issues ([[Spotlight: Nightbeat|Nightbeat]], [[Spotlight: Hot Rod|Hot Rod]], [[Spotlight: Sixshot|Sixshot]] and [[Spotlight: Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus]]) are mostly standalone, but should probably be read before [[2006]]'s six-issue ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]'' miniseries. The ''Spotlight'' issues for [[Spotlight: Soundwave|Soundwave]], [[Spotlight: Galvatron|Galvatron]], [[Spotlight: Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]], [[Spotlight: Blaster|Blaster]] and [[Spotlight: Arcee|Arcee]], on the other hand, should probably be read after. The conflict reached a climax in [[2007]]'s six-issue ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' miniseries. ''[[Spotlight: Grimlock]]'' takes place after this mini-series, with the Transformers having revealed themselves to the public. Furman had planned for another twelve issues to wrap up his story, but in the end only got nine across [[2008]]'s ''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'' miniseries.

A few other writers contributed to the universe in its infancy:
*[[Nick Roche]] created ''[[Spotlight: Kup]]'', taking place sometime between ''Stormbringer'' and ''Spotlight: Optimus Prime''.
*[[Stuart Moore]] wrote a pair of titles loosely tying into ''Escalation'':
**''[[New Avengers/Transformers]]'', a four-issue crossover taking place just before that miniseries;
**''[[Spotlight: Ramjet]]'', which takes place in its immediate aftermath.
*[[George Strayton]] wrote ''[[Spotlight: Mirage]]'' (originally planned to be released after ''Spotlight Grimlock'', in chronological order), which takes place mostly in a parallel dimension - however, a portion of the story is set in the main universe some time after ''Maximum Dinobots''.
*[[Klaus Scherwinski]] co-wrote the standalone ''[[Spotlight: Wheelie]]'' with Furman.
*[[Eric Holmes]] wrote ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin]]'' - this four-issue miniseries was originally written with Dreamwave's Generation 1 continuity in mind, but [[Chaos Theory Part 1|later stories]] [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|massaged it]] [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|into place]] as the earliest dedicated flashback series in the IDW continuity.
{{--}}
====Chuck Dixon and "Evolutions"====
[[File:Hearts of Steel 1ri.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The "look what they turn into in this" one.]]
{{chapters|title=''Evolutions'':|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''Hearts of Steel'' Volume 1</div>
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|#1]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 2|#2]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 3|#3]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Infestation 2'' Volume 2</div>
*[[Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 1|#1]]
*[[Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 2|#2]]
}}

In the early days of IDW's Transformers comics, plans were made for a full line of Elseworlds-style miniseries under the title "''[[The Transformers: Evolutions|Evolutions]]''", planned to run alongside the main IDW continuity. The first of these, the four-issue ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'', took place in an alternate timeline where the Transformers' first contact with humanity was in the late 19th century. This plan was shelved as focus shifted to comics based on the live action movies, but the later ''[[Infestation 2]]'' tie-in returned to this timeline. Both of these stories were written by [[Chuck Dixon]] with art by [[Guido Guidi]]. They would be little more than a footnote, were it not for the fact that [[Revolutionaries|much, ''much'' later]], a version of the events of these titles was folded into the mainstream continuity.
{{-}}

===Shane McCarthy and "All Hail Megatron"===
[[File:All Hail Megatron TPB vol1.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The [[GEEWUN|Gee-one.]]]]
{{chapters|title=''All Hail Megatron'':|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''All Hail Megatron'' Volume 1</div>
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 1|#1]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 2|#2]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 3|#3]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 4|#4]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 5|#5]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 6|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''All Hail Megatron'' Volume 2</div>
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 7|#7]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 8|#8]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 9|#9]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 10|#10]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 11|#11]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 12|#12]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''All Hail Megatron'' Volume 3 / ''Spotlight'' Volume 5</div>
* [[Spotlight: Blurr|Blurr]]
* [[Spotlight: Jazz|Jazz]]
* [[Spotlight: Drift|Drift]]
* [[Spotlight: Cliffjumper|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Spotlight: Metroplex|Metroplex]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''All Hail Megatron'' Volume 4</div>
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 13|#13]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 14|#14]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 15|#15]]
*[[All Hail Megatron issue 16|#16]]
}}

During 2008, in an attempt to entice new readers, IDW brought on new writer [[Shane McCarthy]] for a twelve-issue maxiseries titled ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' and another run of five mostly-standalone ''Spotlight'' issues ([[Spotlight: Blurr|Blurr]], [[Spotlight: Cliffjumper|Cliffjumper]], [[Spotlight: Drift|Drift]], [[Spotlight: Metroplex|Metroplex]] (by [[Andy Schmidt]]) and [[Spotlight: Jazz|Jazz]] (by [[Josh van Reyk]] & [[Shaun Knowler]]). When the established fanbase's reaction to this new direction was... lukewarm, IDW released a four-issue "Coda" to bring some of Furman's ideas back to the fore. Each issue of the Coda contains two different stories by various authors and is set after the main series, with the exception of the two stories in issue #15 which respectively take place before and after ''Spotlight: Drift''. McCarthy later returned with a four-issue ''[[The Transformers: Drift]]'' miniseries, set before that same ''Spotlight'' issue.

[[File:FCBD 2009 coverB.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.8|The Serious Realistic Military Fiction™ one.]]
====IDW Publishing's ''G.I. Joe''====
Late in 2008, IDW acquired the license to publish ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' comics from the previous holder, [[Devil's Due Press]]. Though their new G.I. Joe continuity — spearheaded by Chuck Dixon, [[Mike Costa]], [[Christos Gage]] and ''Joe'' alumnus [[Larry Hama]], with later contributions coming from writers like {{w|Fred Van Lente}} and {{w|Karen Traviss}} — took a similar approach to IDW's Transformers continuity, with a modernised, more "realistic" take on the original '80s premise, the two were not initially intended to take place in the same universe — indeed, the apocalyptic aftermath of ''All Hail Megatron'' seemingly left that impossible.

More than half a decade later, however, it was established via retcon that the events of both IDW's Transformers and G.I. Joe were part of a wider, shared "Hasbro Universe"; [[#"Revolution"|see below]] for details. While the majority of IDW's G.I. Joe comics aren't under this wiki's remit, and they certainly aren't required reading for later series in this continuity, you can see a full list of their titles on the {{i|G.I. Joe (franchise)#IDW G.I. Joe series|''G.I. Joe'' franchise page}} at our sister {{i|Main Page|IDW Hasbro Wiki}}.
{{-}}

===Mike Costa and "The Transformers"===
[[File:IDW TF vol1.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|action movie]] one.]]
{{chapters|title=''The Transformers'':|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''Drift''</div>
*[[Drift issue 1|#1]]
*[[Drift issue 2|#2]]
*[[Drift issue 3|#3]]
*[[Drift issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Last Stand of the Wreckers''</div>
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]]
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|#3]]
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|#4]]
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 1: "For All Mankind"</div>
*[[...For All Mankind|#1]]
*[[Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|#2]]
*[[Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|#3]]
*[[Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|#4]]
*[[Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|#5]]
*[[Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Bumblebee''</div>
* [[The Hanging Sword|#1]]
* [[The Impossible Knot|#2]]
* [[The Gift Horse|#3]]
* [[Wings of Wax|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Ironhide''</div>
*[[The Iron Age|#1]]
*[[Iron in the Blood|#2]]
*[[Ironing Out the Details|#3]]
*[[Any Old Iron|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 2: "International Incident"</div>
*[[All His Engines‎|#7]]
*[[Scrapper (issue)|#8]]
*[[International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|#9]]
*[[International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|#10]]
*[[International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|#11]]
*[[International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|#12]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 3: "Revenge of the Decepticons"</div>
*[[Heart Like a Wheel‎|#13]]
*[[Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|#14]]
*[[Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|#15]]
*[[Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies‎|#16]]
*[[Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome‎|#17]] 
*[[Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|#18]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Infestation'' Volume 1</div>
*[[The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|#1]]
*[[The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|#2]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 4: ''Heart of Darkness''</div>
*[[Heart of Darkness issue 1|#1]]
*[[Heart of Darkness issue 2|#2]]
*[[Heart of Darkness issue 3|#3]]
*[[Heart of Darkness issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 5: "Chaos Theory"</div>
*[[Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination|#19]]
*[[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|#20]]
*[[The Transformers issue 21|#21]]
*[[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]
*[[Chaos Theory Part 2|#23]]
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 6: "Police Action"</div>
*[[Police Action: Part 1|#25]]
*[[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|#27]]
*[[Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|#29]]
*''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]''
<br/><div class="list-header">Volume 7: "Chaos"</div>
*[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|#24]]
*[[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]]
*[[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]]
*[[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]]
*[[Pax Cybertronia (issue)|#31]]
}}

Another major change in direction came in late [[2009]], and "[[The Transformers Continuum]]" was released to bring new readers up to speed. This error-ridden summary proved... less than effective. New writer [[Mike Costa]] (already known for his critically acclaimed work on IDW's ''{{i|G.I. Joe: Cobra}}'') was brought onboard to spearhead a brand new ongoing series, titled simply ''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]''. This series ran throughout [[2010]] and [[2011]] for thirty-one issues telling a continuous story, though several other spinoffs were released during this time:
*Fan-favourite writer/artist Nick Roche (''Spotlight: Kup'' and "Everything in Its Right Place" from [[All Hail Megatron issue 15|''All Hail Megatron'' #15]]) returned alongside new writer [[James Roberts]] with the five-issue ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' miniseries, set in deep space at the beginning of this new ongoing series.
*[[Zander Cannon]] wrote ''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee]]'', a four-issue miniseries taking place between issues #3 and #5 of the ongoing series and aimed at a slightly younger audience than usual.
*Mike Costa himself wrote two additional titles:
**''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]'', a one-shot told mostly in post-''All Hail Megatron'' flashback but with a framing device set after issue #6 of the ongoing series;
**''[[The Transformers: Ironhide]]'', another four-issue miniseries set on Cybertron some time before [[Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination|the later "Space Opera" story arc]].
*McCarthy returned for the aforementioned ''The Transformers: Drift'' miniseries, set before his previous ''Spotlight'' issue.
*[[Dan Abnett]] and [[Andy Lanning]] wrote a pair of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]-centric titles:
**''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'', two issues set between issues #8 and #9 of the ongoing series and tying into IDW's otherwise-disconnected multi-franchise "zombie invasion" crossover;
**''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness]]'', a poorly-received four-issue mini-series starring Galvatron and tying into the events of ''Infestation''.
{{-}}
===James Roberts, John Barber and "Phase Two"===
[[File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|upright=1|thumb|left|The sad gay space one.]]
[[File:RID vol3.jpg|upright=1|thumb|right|The [[John Barber|continuity fixing]] one.]]
{{chapters|title="Season 1":|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 1</div>
*[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|"The Death of Optimus Prime"]]
*[[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]]
*[[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|#2]]
*[[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 2</div>
*[[Life After the Big Bang|#4]]
*[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]]
*[[Interiors|#6]]
*[[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]]
*[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 3</div>
*[[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]]
*[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]
*[[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]]
*[[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|#11]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 4</div>
*[[Before & After|#12]]
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|#13]]
*[[Remembrance Day|#14]]
*[[Under Cold Blue Stars|#15]]
*[[The Gloaming|#16]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 5</div>
*[[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|#17]]
*[[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|#18]]
*[[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|#19]]
*[[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|#20]]
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 21|#21]]
*[[Little Victories|#22]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 1</div>
*[[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]
*[[The World & Everything in It|#2]]
*[[Stick Together|#3]]
*[[Devisive|#4]]
*[[A Better Tomorrow|#5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 2</div>
*[[Syndromica (1)|#6]]
*[[Interference Patterns|#7]]
*[[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]
*[[Night and the City|#9]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 3</div>
*[[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]]
*[[Syndromica (2)|#10]]
*[[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 4</div>
*[[City on Fire|#12]]
*[[The Verge|#13]]
*[[Before the Dawn|#14]]
*[[Plan for Everything|#15]]
*[[Heavy Is the Head|#16]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 5</div>
*[[Shockwaves|#17]]
*[[Second Exodus|#18]]
*[[Homecoming (IDW)|#19]]
*[[Three Monologues|#20]]
*[[Shockpoint|#21]]
*[[Soundwaves (issue)|#22]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Dark Prelude''</div>
*[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]
*[[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]
*[[The Question|Bumblebee]]
*[[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]
*[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Dark Cybertron'' Volume 1</div>
*[[Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|#1]]
*[[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|#2]]
*[[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|#3]]
*[[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|#4]]
*[[Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|#5]]
*[[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Dark Cybertron'' Volume 2</div>
*[[The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|#7]]
*[[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|#8]]
*[[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|#9]]
*[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|#10]]
*[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|#11]]
*[[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|#12]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Autocracy''</div>
*[[Law and Disorder|#1]]
*[[Parasites|#2]]
*[[The Hunt for Soundwave|#3]]
*[[Cause and Effect|#4]]
*[[Ruins|#5]]
*[[Purge|#6]]
*[[Choices|#7]]
*[[Overthrown|#8]]
*[[Transformation (issue)|#9]]
*[[Rise|#10]]
*[[Broadcast|#11]]
*[[Endgame|#12]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Monstrosity''</div>
*[[Derelicts|#1]]
*[[Wreckage (issue)|#2]]
*[[Faces of Darkness|#3]]
*[[Rage (IDW)|#4]]
*[[Fallout (issue)|#5]]
*[[Underworld (IDW)|#6]]
*[[Prey (issue)|#7]]
*[[Massacre|#8]]
*[[Unleashed|#9]]
*[[The Illusion of Control|#10]]
*[[Annihilation|#11]]
*[[Belly of the Beast (issue)|#12]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Primacy''</div>
*[[Primacy issue 1|1]]
*[[Primacy issue 2|2]]
*[[Primacy issue 3|3]]
*[[Primacy issue 4|4]]
}}

[[2012]] ushered in not one but ''two'' new ongoing series as successors to the previous series, kicking off with a one-shot titled "[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime]]" and beginning what many fans would come to describe as a "golden age" of Transformers comics. In [[The Transformers: The IDW Collection|their hardback compendiums]], IDW themselves distinguished these titles from everything that had come before by labeling them "Phase Two".

This new era was helmed two writers:
*[[James Roberts]] (having made a name for himself with ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'') wrote ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]'', in which [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] leads the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' into space to find the mystical [[Knights of Cybertron]].
*[[John Barber]] (writer of [[IDW Publishing#Live-action film series|IDW's tie-ins to the live-action movies]]) wrote ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'', in which [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] leads those remaining on Cybertron through the aftermath of the [[Great War (G1)#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Great War]].
The plots of these series ran in parallel for twenty-two issues each before colliding in [[2013]]'s twelve-issue ''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]'' crossover. Additionally, a "Primus" Annual was released for each series, creating a loose two-part story - [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the ''MTMTE'' Annual]] takes place concurrently with its [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|seventh]] and [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|eighth]] issues, while [[Primus: All Good Things|the ''RiD'' Annual]] takes place after [[Night and the City|its ninth issue]].

Much of this crossover was written with the intent that individual issues might be packed in with [[Hasbro]]'s [[Transformers: Generations#Thrilling 30 (2013–2014)|figures]], and to this end a new batch of six ''Spotlight'' issues was released:
*''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]'', written by James Roberts and taking place some time before ''[[Spotlight: Blurr]]''
*''[[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Spotlight: Thundercracker]]'', written by John Barber and taking place some time before ''[[Spotlight: Metroplex]]''
*''[[Spotlight: Megatron]]'', created by Nick Roche and taking place immediately after [[Heart Like a Wheel|issue #13]] of [[The Transformers (IDW)|the previous ongoing series]]
*''[[The Question|Spotlight: Bumblebee]]'', taking place in the background of the [[Police Action: Part 1|"Police Action"]] [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|story]] [[Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|arc]] of the previous ongoing series
*''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'' and ''[[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]]'', written by James Roberts and taking place between [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issues #5]] [[Interiors|and #6]] of ''More than Meets the Eye''.
These six issues were collected as "Dark Prelude". All six tie together with appearances of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], leading into his role in the crossover.

Around this time [[Chris Metzen]] and [[Flint Dille]] (the latter of whom wrote for [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original Generation 1 animated series]]) wrote a trio of connected prequel stories: ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity]]'', and ''[[The Transformers: Primacy]]''. These ostensibly take place sometime after ''Megatron Origin'', ''Spotlight: Orion Pax'' and ''Spotlight: Blurr'', but Metzen and Dille treated continuity rather loosely (apparently having planned to write a prequel to ''the original cartoon'', not the IDW comics) and few ideas from these series were picked up in any significant capacity by the other writers.

===Post-''Dark Cybertron'', Mairghread Scott and "Windblade"===
[[File:IDWCountdownTo50RetailerIncentiveMilnePerez.jpg|upright=3|thumb|centre|The increasingly author appeal-y ones.]]
{{chapters|title="Season 2":|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 6</div>
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|#28]]
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|#29]]
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|#30]]
*[[Twenty Plus One|#31]]
*[[Slaughterhouse|#32]]
*[[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|#33]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 7</div>
*[[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|#34]]
*[[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|#35]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|#37]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|#38]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 8</div>
*[[The Permanent Revolution|#39]]
*[[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|#40]]
*[[The Sensuous Frame|#41]]
*[[The Frail Gaze|#42]]
*[[The One Where They Go to Earth|#43]]
*[[The Not Knowing|#44]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 9</div>
*[[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|#45]]
*[[Animals|#46]]
*[[The Lopsided Triangle|#47]]
*[[Speak, Memory: Part 1|#48]]
*[[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''More Than Meets The Eye'' Volume 10</div>
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 50|#50]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|#51]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|#52]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|#53]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|#54]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|#55]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Windblade''</div>
*[[A 'Bot and Her City|#1]]
*[[A Long Way Down|#2]]
*[[Windblade issue 3|#3]]
*[[Windblade issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 6</div>
*[[Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|#28]]
*[[Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|#29]]
*[[Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|#30]]
*[[Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|#31]]
*[[Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|#32]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 7</div>
*[[The World of Tomorrow|#33]]
*[[The Crucible|#34]]
*[[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|#35]]
*[[Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.|#36]]
*[[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|#37]]
*[[The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati|#38]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Combiner Wars''</div>
*[[First Contact (IDW)|Opening Salvo]]
*[[The Sum and Its Parts|Part 1]]
*[[The Possible Light|Part 2]]
*[[Mistakes and Mayhem|Part 3]]
*[[You, Me, and the Universe|Part 4]]
*[[All That Remains|Part 5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Windblade: Distant Stars''</div>
*[[Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|#4]]
*[[Race Against the Light|#5]]
*[[Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|#6]]
*[[The Will of the Few|#7]]
*[[An Uneventful Night|"Combiner Hunters"]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 8</div>
*[[Now and On Earth|#42]]
*[[South of Heaven|#43]]
*[[The Transgressors|#44]]
*[[The Nothing Man|#45]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 9</div>
*[[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|#46]]
*[[Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|#47]]
*[[Conquerors Part 3: Helden|#48]]
*[[Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|#49]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Robots in Disguise'' Volume 10</div>
*[[The Transformers issue 50|#50]]
*[[All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|#51]]
*[[All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|#52]]
*[[All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|#53]]
*[[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|#54]]
*[[All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|#55]]

<br/><div class="list-header">Drift - Empire of Stone''</div>
*[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|#1]]
*[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|#2]]
*[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|#3]]
*[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|#4]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Redemption of the Dinobots''</div>
*[[City of Steel (issue)|''Punishment'' #1]]
*[[Fight or Flee (issue)|#2]]
*[[Quest for Fire|#3]]
*[[The Killing Jar (issue)|#4]]
*[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|#5]]
*[[The Transformers: Redemption|"Redemption"]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Sins of the Wreckers''</div>
* [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]
* [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]]
* [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|#3]]
* [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 4|#4]]
* [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Till All Are One'' Volume 1</div>
*[[07:00:00|#1]]
*[[Applicable Skills|#2]]
*[[Things We Said We'd Never Do|#3]]
*[[The Line Between Us|#4]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Titans Return''</div>
*[[The Last Autobot|"Titans Return"]]
*[[White Light|''The Transformers'' #56]]
*[[White Heat|#57]]
*[[Ten to Midnight|''More than Meets the Eye'' #56]]
*[[Last Light|#57]]
}}

[[File:TAAO-V1.jpg|upright=1|thumb|right|The Till All Are one.]]
In [[2014]], after ''Dark Cybertron'', the two ongoings split back off in their own directions. Instead of heading back to Cybertron, the story of ''Robots in Disguise'' moved once more to Earth and [[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|shortly thereafter]] the series changed its name to "''The Transformers''" to prevent confusion with [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|a new animated series]] (and causing a great deal of confusion with [[The Transformers (IDW)|Mike Costa's ongoing series]]). [[Mairghread Scott]], previously known for her work on ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]'', was brought onboard for ''[[The Transformers: Windblade]]'' - a four-issue miniseries. This series starred [[Windblade (G1)|a new female Autobot]], the result of Hasbro's "Fan-Built Bot" poll, and continued with intrigue on Cybertron.

Meanwhile, ''More than Meets the Eye'' continued mostly without interruption through [[2015]] until [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|issue #55]]. [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] briefly departed the main cast in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]] to take part in the four-issue ''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' miniseries (written, of course, by Shane McCarthy) and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] departed after [[The One Where They Go to Earth|issue #43]] to participate in IDW's next big event - ''[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]''. 

John Barber teamed up with Livio Ramondelli on "[[The Transformers: Punishment]]", a digital-first comic that would lead directly into this new event. ''Combiner Wars'' was told in alternating issues of ''The Transformers'' (starting with [[First Contact (IDW)|issue #39]]) and a renewed ''Windblade'' series (renumbered back to [[The Sum and Its Parts|#1]]). A "[[An Uneventful Night|Combiner Hunters]]" one shot was released, taking place between the first epilogue to the event (in [[Now and On Earth|''The Transformers'' #42]]) and the second (in [[Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|''Windblade'' #4]]). As with ''Dark Cybertron'', these comics were packed in with various figures. Windblade's story continued for [[Race Against the Light|another]] [[Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|three]] [[The Will of the Few|issues]], creating a combined total of eleven issues across two miniseries.

''The Transformers'' plowed ahead, with four brief sidetracks: 
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers]]'', Nick Roche's five-issue sequel to ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', taking place between [[The Transgressors|issues #44]] [[The Nothing Man|and #45]];
*"[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]" containing three stories by Scott, Roberts and Barber taking place between issues #45 [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|and #46]];
*"[[The Transformers: Redemption]]", Barber's sequel to "Punishment" taking place parallel to issues #46-[[Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|49]];
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One]]'', a new Windblade-centric ongoing series by Scott - the first four issues of which take place parallel to issues #[[The Transformers issue 50|50]]-[[All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|55]].

Eventually, the three ongoings briefly converged for ''[[Titans Return (comic)|Titans Return]]''. This event consisted of [[The Last Autobot|a one-shot]] followed by a pair of stories told in ''The Transformers'' issues #[[White Light|56]]-[[White Heat|57]] and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #[[Ten to Midnight|56]]-[[Last Light|57]].

==="Revolution"===
[[File:Rev4 HasbroUniverse.jpg|upright=3.5|thumb|centre|The "tip out the toybox" one.]]
{{chapters|title="Season 3":|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">''ROM'' Volume 1</div>
*{{i|Earthfall: Prelude|#0}}
*{{i|Earthfall: Part One|#1}}
*{{i|Earthfall: Part Two|#2}}
*{{i|Earthfall: Part Three|#3}}
*{{i|Earthfall: Part Four|#4}}
*{{i|ROM: Revolution|Revolution}}

<br/><div class="list-header">''Micronauts'' Volume 1</div>
*{{i|Micronauts issue 1|#1}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 2|#2}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 3|#3}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 4|#4}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 5|#5}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 6|#6}}

<br/><div class="list-header">''Action Man''</div>
*{{i|To the Victors the Spoils|Prologue}}
*{{i|Absolute Beginners|#1}}
*{{i|England, Half English|#2}}
*{{i|Out of the Way|#3}}
*{{i|Mr Love and Justice|#4}}
*[[The Modern World|Revolution]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Revolution''</div>
*[[Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|#0]]
*[[Concorde Hymn|#1]]
*[[The Divine Source of Liberty|#2]]
*[[O Ship of State|#3]]
*[[The New Colossus|#4]]
*[[Valley Forge|#5]]
<br><div class="list-header">''Revolution: Heroes''</div>
*''{{i|Field Test|ROM}}''
*''{{i|M.A.S.K.: Revolution|M.A.S.K.}}''
*''{{i|Micronauts: Revolution|Micronauts}}''
*''[[D.T.A.|G.I. Joe]]''
*''[[The Modern World|Action Man]]''
<br/><div class="list-header">''Revolution: Transformers''</div>
*[[Informed|''Till All Are One'']]
*[[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|''The Transformers'']]
*[[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|''More than Meets the Eye'']]
*[[The Transformers Holiday Special|Holiday Special]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Till All Are One'' Volume 2</div>
*[[Informed|Revolution]]
*[[Ping|#5]]
*[[Desperate Times|#6]]
*[[Desperate Measures (Till All Are One)|#7]]
*[[Rubicon|#8]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Till All Are One'' Volume 3</div>
*[[Heavy|#9]]
*[[The Price of You|#10]]
*[[If I Know You|#11]]
*[[Your First Mistake|#12]]
*[[The Chosen One|Annual]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Lost Light'' Volume 1</div>
*[[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|#1]]
*[[Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|#2]]
*[[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|#3]]
*[[Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|#4]]
*[[Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|#5]]
*[[Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Lost Light'' Volume 2</div>
*[[After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|#7]]
*[[An Axe to Break the Ice|#8]]
*[[Chasing the Infinite|#9]]
*[[The Plotters' Club (Part 1): Full Circle|#10]]
*[[The Plotters' Club (Part 2): Filling in the Blanks|#11]]
*[[The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|#12]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Lost Light'' Volume 3</div>
*[[Sardines|#13]]
*[[The Ties That Bind|#14]]
*[[Kill All 'Cons|#15]]
*[[The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|#16]]
*[[The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|#17]]
*[[The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|#18]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Lost Light'' Volume 4</div>
*[[Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|#19]]
*[[Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|#20]]
*[[Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|#21]]
*[[Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|#22]]
*[[Lost Light issue 23|#23]]
*[[Lost Light issue 24|#24]]
*[[Lost Light issue 25|#25]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Revolutionaries'' Volume 1</div>
*[[Crisis Intervention|#1]]
*[[Enter The Shadow|#2]]
*[[The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb|#3]]
*[[The Iron Klaw|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Revolutionaries'' Volume 2</div>
*[[Strange Visitors|#5]]
*[[Power and Glory|#6]]
*[[When Eagles Scream|#7]]
*[[Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|#8]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''ROM'' Volume 2</div>
*{{i|Reinforcements, Part 1|#5}}
*{{i|Reinforcements, Part 2|#6}}
*{{i|Reinforcements, Part 3|#7}}
*{{i|Reinforcements, Part 4|#8}}
*{{i|Reinforcements, Part 5|#9}}
*{{i|Cold Fire|Annual}}
<br/><div class="list-header">''Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor''</div>
*[[Shining Armor issue 1|#1]]
*[[Shining Armor issue 2|#2]]
*[[Shining Armor issue 3|#3]]
*[[Shining Armor issue 4|#4]]
*[[Shining Armor issue 5|#5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''ROM'' Volume 3</div>
*{{i|Interlude|#10}}
*{{i|ROM issue 11|#11}}
*{{i|ROM issue 12|#12}}
*{{i|ROM issue 13|#13}}
*{{i|ROM issue 14|#14}}

<br/><div class="list-header">''Micronauts'' Volume 2</div>
*{{i|Micronauts: Revolution|Revolution}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 7|#7}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 8|#8}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 9|#9}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 10|#10}}
*{{i|Micronauts issue 11|#11}}
<br/><div class="list-header">''Micronauts: Into the Microspace''</div>
*{{i|Micronauts Annual 2017|Annual}}
<br/><div class="list-header">''Micronauts: Wrath of Karza''</div>
*[[Wrath of Karza issue 1|#1]]
*{{i|Wrath of Karza issue 2|#2}}
*{{i|Wrath of Karza issue 3|#3}}
*[[Wrath of Karza issue 4|#4]]
*[[Wrath of Karza issue 5|#5]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''G.I. Joe'' Volume 1</div>
*[[D.T.A.|Revolution]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 1|#1]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 2|#2]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 3|#3]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 4|#4]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''G.I. Joe'' Volume 2</div>
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 5|#5]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 6|#6]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 7|#7]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 8|#8]]
*[[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 9|#9]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''M.A.S.K.'' Volume 1</div>
*{{i|M.A.S.K.: Revolution|Revolution}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 1|#1}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 2|#2}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 3|#3}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 4|#4}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 5|#5}}
<br/><div class="list-header">''M.A.S.K.'' Volume 2</div>
*{{i|M.A.S.K. Annual 2017|Annual}}
*{{i|The Origin of V.E.N.O.M. Part 1|#6}}
*{{i|The Origin of V.E.N.O.M. Part 2|#7}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 8|#8}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 9|#9}}
*{{i|M.A.S.K. issue 10|#10}}

<br/><div class="list-header">''Optimus Prime'' Volume 1</div>
*[[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|#1]]
*[[New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|#2]]
*[[New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|#3]]
*[[New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|#4]]
*[[New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|#5]]
*[[New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|#6]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Optimus Prime'' Volume 2</div>
*[[The Next Day, and the Next|#7]]
*[[What It's Really Like|#8]]
*[[Ghost Stories|Annual]]
*[[The Life of Sideswipe|#9]]
*[[Origin Myths|#10]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Redemption of the Dinobots''</div>
*"[[The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation]]"

<br/><div class="list-header">''Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook''</div>
*[[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 1|#1]]
*[[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 2|#2]]
*[[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 3|#3]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Transformers/G.I. JOE: First Strike''</div>
*[[First Strike issue 0|#0]]
*[[First Strike issue 1|#1]]
*[[First Strike issue 2|#2]]
*[[First Strike issue 3|#3]]
*[[First Strike issue 4|#4]]
*[[First Strike issue 5|#5]]
*[[First Strike issue 6|#6]]
*''[[The Origins of Evil]]''

<br/><div class="list-header">''ROM & the Micronauts''</div>
*''{{i|Micronauts: First Strike}}''
*''{{i|ROM: First Strike}}''
*{{i|Small World|#1}}
*{{i|Microspace Knight|#2}}
*{{i|Entropy|#3}}
*{{i|Asymmetric Warfare|#4}}
*{{i|Gods and Monsters|#5}}
<br/><div class="list-header">''Scarlett's Strike Force''</div>
*''[[G.I. Joe: First Strike]]''
*''[[M.A.S.K.: First Strike]]''
*[[Scarlett's Strike Force issue 1|#1]]
*[[Scarlett's Strike Force issue 2|#2]]
*[[Scarlett's Strike Force issue 3|#3]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Optimus Prime'' Volume 3</div>
*[[Unification Day: Dawn|''Optimus Prime: First Strike'']]
*[[Unification Day: Dusk|''The Transformers: First Strike'']]
*[[Primeless, Part 1|#11]]
*[[Primeless, Part 2|#12]]
*[[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|#13]]
*[[The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|#14]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''Optimus Prime'' Volume 4</div>
*[[The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|#15]]
*[[The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|#16]]
*[[The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|#17]]
*[[The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|#18]]
*[[The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|#19]]
*[[The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|#20]]
*[[The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|#21]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Transformers vs. Visionaries''</div>
*[[Schismatic|#1]]
*[[Cybertron No More|#2]]
*[[Desperate Measures (Transformers vs. Visionaries)|#3]]
*[[Good Men|#4]]
*[[The Curtain|#5]]
<br/><div class="list-header">''The Wreckers Saga''</div>
*"[[Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers|Requiem of the Wreckers]]"

<br/><div class="list-header">''Optimus Prime'' Volume 5</div>
*[[Unstopped and Unstoppable|#22]]
*[[Optimus Prime issue 23|#23]]
*[[Optimus Prime issue 24|#24]]
*[[Optimus Prime issue 25|#25]]
*[[Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Annual 2018]]

<br/><div class="list-header">''Unicron''</div>
*[[Our Darkest|#0]]
*[[Unicron issue 1|#1]]
*[[Stranger Eons|#2]]
*[[Our Finest|#3]]
*[[Unicron issue 4|#4]]
*[[Unicron issue 5|#5]]
*[[Unicron issue 6|#6]]
}}

[[File:Revolution-TPB.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The ''[[Ninja Gladiator]]'' one.]]
This was when things got reaaally crazy.

In [[2016]], IDW announced the "[[Hasbro Universe]]" - a new direction for the Transformers continuity that will slowly bring other Hasbro properties into the fold. The first steps in building this new shared universe came in the form of a new six-issue series for the ''{{i|Micronauts (comic)|Micronauts}}'', written by [[Cullen Bunn]], and later for ''{{i|ROM (comic)|ROM}}'' (issues #0-4 courtesy of [[Chris Ryall]] and [[Christos Gage]]) and ''{{i|Action Man (comic)|Action Man}}'' (a four-issue miniseries from John Barber). IDW's previous ''{{i|G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe}}'' comics were retroactively folded into the continuity, supposedly having taken place in the time since ''All Hail Megatron''. Barber and Bunn teamed up to set these properties on a collision course in ''[[Revolution]]'', the most ambitious [[Crossover|crossover]] event in history.

IDW presented a certain reading order for this event in a checklist at the back of each issue, but some issues were placed out-of-order and various delays ended up producing a ''publication order'' that was borderline incomprehensible. The ''chronological order'' is roughly as follows:
*[[Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|''Revolution'' #0]]
*''{{i|Field Test|ROM: Revolution}}'' (originally placed after Revolution #1)
*[[Concorde Hymn|''Revolution'' #1]]
*''[[Informed|Till All Are One: Revolution]]'' (originally placed after G.I.Joe: Revolution)
*''{{i|M.A.S.K.: Revolution|M.A.S.K.: Revolution}}'' (originally placed after Revolution #2)
*[[The Divine Source of Liberty|''Revolution'' #2]]
*''{{i|Micronauts: Revolution|Micronauts: Revolution}}''
*[[O Ship of State|''Revolution'' #3]]
*''[[D.T.A.|G.I. Joe: Revolution]]''
*''[[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|The Transformers: Revolution]]''
*''[[The Modern World|Action Man: Revolution]]''
*[[The New Colossus|''Revolution'' #4]] (originally placed before The Transformers: Revolution)
*''[[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|More than Meets the Eye: Revolution]]'' (almost entirely standalone, and more comedic in tone)
*[[Valley Forge|''Revolution'' #5]]

[[File:FirstStrike TPBcvr.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|left|The "go buy ''Visionaries''" one.]]
After the event, ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'' continued to run from issues #5-12, while ''More than Meets the Eye'' was relaunched as ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light]]''. Roberts' story was still playing catch-up, chronologically speaking, but was so disconnected from everything else that it ran until issue #25 without interruption. Scott's plans, however, were to be truncated by IDW's next crossover.

Plot threads from ''The Transformers'', ''Action Man'', and ''Revolution'' led to the team book ''[[Revolutionaries]]'', with a larger ensemble cast and frequent guest-stars from the other series. This series formed the backbone of the post-''Revolution'' comics.

''ROM'' continued until issue #14, with issue #5 taking place after ''Revolutionaries'' #1. A pair of flashback stories focused on the Space Knight were also released: {{i|Cold Fire|an annual}} and a five-issue ''[[Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor]]'' crossover miniseries. These stories are probably best read between issues #9 and #10, as this was when the annual was published. Similarly, ''Micronauts'' continued until issue #11, with {{i|Micronauts Annual 2017|an additional annual}} taking place between issues #9 and #10. A five-issue miniseries titled ''[[Micronauts: Wrath of Karza]]'' was then released, set some time after ''Revolutionaries'' #2.

New [[G.I. Joe vol. 5|''G.I. Joe'']] and {{i|M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand|''M.A.S.K.''}} series were launched. [[Aubrey Sitterson]]'s ''G.I. Joe'' ran for nine issues; eschewing the "realistic" approaches of earlier authors, Sitterson's take on the premise was one that incorporated overt science-fiction and fantasy elements, including the surprise introduction of [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] as a supporting character. Meanwhile, {{i|Brandon Easton}}'s ''M.A.S.K.'' ran for ten issues, with {{i|M.A.S.K. Annual 2017|an additional annual}} taking place between the fifth and sixth.

''The Transformers'' was relaunched as ''[[Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime]]''. Optimus made an appearance in ''Revolutionaries'' #8, set after issue #6 of this ongoing. [[Ghost Stories|An annual]] was published under a generic ''The Transformers'' label, taking place between issues #8 and #9. John Barber also released "[[The Transformers: Salvation]]", the final part of his ''Redemption of the Dinobots'' trilogy (the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s would later show up in issue #13). After issue #10, IDW's next crossover began.

Three issues of [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook]] profile series were released - in addition to profiles on various characters in the universe, each issue included a four-page comic story. [[2017]]'s ''[[First Strike]]'' event, written by Mairghread Scott and David A. Rodriguez, brought the Transformers and G.I. Joe together in a six-issue miniseries. A series of backup strips titled ''[[The Origins of Evil]]'' ran alongside the event. Meanwhile, three pairs of connected tie-ins were published for other series:
*''{{i|Micronauts: First Strike|Micronauts: First Strike}}'' & ''{{i|ROM: First Strike|ROM: First Strike}}'' (set concurrently with the main event)
*''[[Unification Day: Dawn|Optimus Prime: First Strike]]'' & ''[[Unification Day: Dusk|Transformers: First Strike]]'' (set immediately before and concurrently with issues #1-4)
*''[[G.I. Joe: First Strike|G.I. Joe: First Strike]]'' & ''[[M.A.S.K.: First Strike|M.A.S.K.: First Strike]]'' (set between issues #3 and #4)
[[File:Unicron-Bcovers-JamesRaiz.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The Unicron-eats-every-one.]]
These tie-ins were themselves only loosely connected to the main story. In addition, issues #11-12 of ''Optimus Prime'' (titled "Primeless") take place concurrently with the crossover, and might be considered a fourth tie-in pair.

Following the event, the non-Transformers books were relaunched as ''{{i|ROM & The Micronauts}}'' by Gage and ''[[Scarlett's Strike Force]]'' by Sitterson. Sitterson's story was cancelled prematurely, ending on a cliffhanger in issue #3. Gage fared a little better, releasing the planned five issues of the miniseries.

Another ''Optimus Prime'' two-parter, #13 and #14's "The Dead Come Home", picked up where the event left off. Scott returned one final time to tie up her dangling plot threads in a ''Till All Are One'' annual; Barber wrote another annual set roughly concurrently with hers and leading into his next six-issue arc, "The Falling". The five-issue ''[[Transformers vs. Visionaries]]'' miniseries introduced another old Hasbro property to the universe, and Roche returned in its immediate aftermath for "[[Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers]]", the final part of his ''Wreckers Saga''.

The IDW Generation 1 continuity finally drew to a close in [[2018]] with Barber's six-issue ''[[Transformers: Unicron]]''  crossover. An additional issue #0 was released a little out-of sequence for [[Free Comic Book Day]]; the events of ''Optimus Prime'' #22, released three months later, bookend those of that issue and are intended to be read afterwards. To check in on the Hasbro Universe at large, a series of four-page back-up strips (mostly by those books' creative teams) were printed alongside the event.

A new series set in a fully-rebooted continuity is scheduled to begin in [[2019]].
{{-}}

==Collected editions==
[[File:IDWCollection1.jpg|upright=1|thumb|right|The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume one.]]
Every single comic published as part of the IDW Generation 1 continuity has been collected in at least one trade paperback. Each trade paperback typically collects four to six issues, usually forming one or more complete arcs.

Since 2010 IDW has also been collecting stories in hardback with ''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection]]'', which presents stories in a "suggested reading order" that ultimately leaves much to be desired. Phase One was collected across eight volumes, the first two of which were also collected together in [[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1|a paperback compendium]]. Phase Two's collections are still being released at a glacial pace, with a reading order that haphazardly jumps back and forth between the two ongoings. Still, these collections remain the only way of getting many of the older series new in print.

If you live in the UK, [[Hatchette]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]'' is similarly attempting to print every story in hardback along with previous [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] and [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] series. The reading order presented in this partwork, however, is every bit as baffling as that of ''The IDW Collection'' and is further complicated by the fact that individual volumes are ''themselves'' being released out of order in order to keep people subscribed for the full duration of the run.

It is worth noting that "Requiem of the Wreckers" and {{i|Micronauts Annual 2017|the 2017 ''Micronauts'' annual}} were only collected as part of larger trade paperbacks - ''[[Transformers: The Wreckers Saga]]'' and ''[[Micronauts: Into the Microspace]]'' respectively - each containing over ten issues that had already seen release in prior collections.

==Timeline==
''See main article: [[IDW timeline]].''
{{note|As information about the IDW universe was slowly revealed in non-chronological order, this timeline is intended mainly as a reference for people who are already familiar with it.}}

==Artists==
{{Creatorstub|accurate information on more artists and colourists.}}
Many artists contributed to the IDW Generation 1 continuity across its thirteen-year run.

===Line art===
[[File:Infiltration EJ covers.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The "{{w|Ultimate Marvel}}" one.]]
*[[Guido Guidi]] illustrated 722 pages for ''Hearts of Steel'', ''Infestation 2'', ''All Hail Megatron'', ''Spotlight: Galvatron'', ''Spotlight: Mirage'', ''Drift - Empire of Stone'', ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', ''The Transformers'', ''More than Meets the Eye'', ''Robots in Disguise'', ''Revolutionaries'' and ''Optimus Prime: First Strike''.
*[[Nick Roche]] illustrated 603 pages, including ''Spotlight'' issues for Shockwave, Hot Rod, Kup, Hardhead and Megatron along with ''Infestation'' and ''The Death of Optimus Prime''. He was the main artist on ''Maximum Dinobots'', and also contributed to ''Devastation'', the ''All Hail Megatron'' Coda, ''The Transformers'' and ''More than Meets the Eye''. He was the creative force behind IDW's ''Wreckers'' stories.
*[[E. J. Su]] illustrated 511 pages. He was the main artist for ''Infiltration'', ''Escalation'', ''Devastation'' and ''Revelation'', in which he redesigned many G1 characters with a sense of realism and updated, modern alternate modes, while still being relatively faithful to the originals. He also illustrated ''Spotlight: Jazz'', ''Spotlight: Prowl'', the flashback sequences in ''All Hail Megatron'' #7 and ''The Transformers'' #7. Years later, he would return to the IDW comics for the final arc of ''Lost Light''.
[[File:Earthworks menasor vs autobots.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|The "[[:File:IDWongoing1 dons new style.jpg|Oh Primus, Rodimus, what happened to your face?]]" one.]]
*[[Don Figueroa]] illustrated 297 pages including the entirety of ''Stormbringer'' and ''Spotlight: Optimus Prime''. He also contributed [[All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|a story]] to the ''All Hail Megatron'' Coda. For the 2009 ongoing series, to which he contributed eight issues, Don brought an entirely new (and controversial) aesthetic, with detailed and complex designs that were evocative of those used in [[Live-action film series|the live-action film series]].  He was also responsible for designing [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s stealth bomber form.
*[[Brendan Cahill]] illustrated 270 pages including the entirety of the "Police Action" storyline in ''The Transformers'' and several contributions to ''Robots in Disguise'', ''More than Meets the Eye'', ''Lost Light'' and "Requiem of the Wreckers".
*[[Casey Coller]] illustrated 205 pages, including ''Spotlight: Blurr'', ''Spotlight: Drift'', the entirety of ''Ironhide'', and a couple of contributions to ''All Hail Megatron'', ''The Transformers'' and Barber's various ongoings. He regularly provided variant covers.
*[[Sarah Stone]] created 132 pages for ''Windblade'' and ''Robots in Disguise''.
*[[Ulises Farinas]] created 88 pages for ''Heart of Darkness''. He was clearly unfamiliar with Transformers and his artwork did no favours for the already-disjointed writing,  resulting in perhaps the most-reviled miniseries in IDW ''Transformers'' history.
*[[Emiliano Santalucia]] illustrated 52 pages across ''Spotlight: Blaster'' and ''All Hail'' Megatron #9, #10 and #14.
*[[James Raiz]] illustrated 41 pages - a few for ''Maximum Dinobots'', and the entirety of ''More than Meets the Eye'' #22.
*[[Jimbo Salgado]] and [[Emil Cabaltierra]] contributed 37 pages total in the ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual.
*[[Robert Deas]] illustrated 14 pages of ''All Hail Megatron'' #9.
*[[Marcelo Ferreira]] pencilled 6 pages of the last issue of ''Drift - Empire of Stone''.

===Colors===

==Other titles==
[[File:MarsAttacksTF cvr.jpg|upright=0.66|thumb|right|The ACK ACK one.]]
In addition to their main Generation 1 continuity and their various tie-ins to non-Generation 1 media, IDW occasionally dabbled in other Generation 1 stories set in original mini-continuities. Many of these came in the form of one-shots for IDW's annual multi-franchise events, or as larger crossover miniseries, but make no mistake - the following stories are all standalone:
*''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'', a four-issue adaptation of [[The Transformers: The Movie|the original 1986 animated movie]] from [[Bob Budiansky]] (who wrote much of [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|the original Marvel US series]]) released in 2006-2007 for its 20th anniversary;
*''[[Mars Attacks: The Transformers]]'', a 2013 crossover one-shot by Shane McCarthy set in some version of [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|the Generation 1 cartoon continuity]];
*''[[The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers]]'', a 2014 crossover one-shot by [[Paul Crilley]] set in the present day of the ''Hearts of Steel'' universe (despite retcons made in ''Revolutionaries'', this issue did ''not'' follow the other ''Evolutions'' titles into the main IDW continuity);
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]'', a four-issue 2014 miniseries by John Barber tying into [[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|the mobile game of the same name]] and IDW's existing ''Angry Birds'' comics;
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'', a twelve-issue maxiseries by [[Tom Scioli]] set in a brand new continuity emulating the look and feel of the {{w|Silver Age of Comic Books}};
*''[[Transformers: Deviations]]'', a ''"{{w|What If (comics)|What If}}"''-style one-shot by Brandon Easton (who would later write the ''M.A.S.K.'' series), providing an alternate version of the '86 animated movie;
*''[[Aw Yeah Revolution!]]'', a non-canon three-issue spoof of ''Revolution'' by [[Art Baltazar]] released in 2017.

==Notes==
[[File:Spotlight Octane unused.jpg|upright=0.66|thumb|right|The [[Octane#TitansReturn|Oct-one]].]]
*The IDW continuity overtook the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics US continuity]] in terms of raw issue count with issue #6 of the 2009 ongoing series. [[Primus]] only knows how many more issues there are now.
*When IDW first picked up the ''Transformers'' license, Simon Furman pitched a story that would have tied in to his idea for a ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' ongoing comic, and would possibly have been in continuity with the [[Dreamwave Productions]] comics. The G1 story would have begun with the destruction of Cybertron and the discovery that the destruction of [[Unicron]] in the [[universal stream|Aurex cluster]] had destabilized the entire [[omniverse]]. To save all of existence, the Autobots travel across the galaxy attempting to reassemble an artifact called the 'Decepticon Matrix', which would have resurrected Unicron - a plot which parallels that of ''Cybertron'', in which the Autobots seek out the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s to revive [[Primus]]. [[Vector Prime]] would have appeared in both series, travelling between universes to guide both groups of Autobots in their quest. 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>
*A couple of other ultimately-unused pitches are known to the public:
**In [[2007]], [[Nick Roche]] and [[James Roberts]] pitched an [[Octane]]-based issue of ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' to IDW.<ref>[https://twitter.com/NickRoche/status/737318150660886529 Nick Roche on Twitter]</ref> Some of the concepts from the pitch were later used in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''.<ref>[https://twitter.com/NickRoche/status/737321240428486656 Nick Roche on Twitter]</ref>
**A four-issue miniseries titled ''[[Legacy of Rust]]'' was planned at some point, starring [[Punch (G1)|Punch/Counterpunch]] and [[Jimmy Pink]].<ref>http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=15437</ref> It was announced as being in development by [[Andy Schmidt]] at [[San Diego Comic-Con|San Diego Comic-Con 2010]],<ref>http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=27527</ref> and brought up again at [[BotCon 2011]].<ref>http://tformers.com/transformers-botcon-2011-idw-publishing-chaos-begins-panel/15843/news.html</ref> All four issues were written by [[Stuart Moore]]<ref>http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2015/02/27/windblade-returns-in-transformers-combiner-wars/</ref>, but the title was delayed<ref>http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=15437</ref> until changes in the IDW universe meant that it could no longer be released without significant rewrites to fit the new status quo.
*It was originally unclear whether {{i|Kelly Thompson}}'s ''{{i|Jem and the Holograms (comic)|Jem and the Holograms}}'' comics were part of the Hasbro Universe or not. Some version of the band was shown to exist there, but later information meant that events in that series were incompatible with those that took place in the Hasbro Universe at large.
*{{i|Paul Allor}}'s ''{{i|Clue (comic)|Clue}}'' miniseries was in a similar situation, as its story gave no indication that it was taking place in the Hasbro Universe. However, the [[Hasbro Tribune]] was printed in the back of the first issue, and [[Sarah Gaydos]] later "officially confirmed" that it was indeed part of the continuity, so... we ''guess'' it's canon?<ref>[https://twitter.com/PaulAllor/status/969761848399548417 Paul Allor on Twitter]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}