Editing The Transformers (IDW)

{{disambig3|Transformers}}
[[Image:IDW_TF_vol1.jpg|thumb|250px|You know you love it!]]
'''''The Transformers''''' is an ongoing series published by [[IDW Publishing]], set in the main [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]. It is set three years after the events of the ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' miniseries.

Published monthly from November [[2009]], it went bi-weekly from July [[2011]] until December [[2011]], alternating between two stories as part of the '''CHAOS''' event. After that wraps up in issue #31, a one-shot (formerly labeled Issue #125) entitled ''[[The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' will be published, and then the title will be replaced by two new monthly ongoings, ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets the Eye]]''. 

Although it was not included within the main run when published as individual issues, the collected edition of the ''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness|Heart of Darkness]]'' is numbered as volume 4 in the Ongoing series.

''[[Spotlight: Prowl]]'' will also be collected in a volume of the ongoing, due to the cancellation of the Spotlight series. It was also originally intended to be included within the ongoing run, but was brought forward due to negative fan reaction to Prowl's characterisation in the first arc of the ongoing series.

{{chapters |style=3 |prev=The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|next=|title=''The Transformers'' issues:|align=left|content=
<div class="list-header">v1:</div>
* [[...For All Mankind|#1]]
* [[New Arrivals, Old Encounters|#2]]
* [[A Rude Awakening|#3]]
* [[Seasons in Flight|#4]]
* [[Enemies of the System|#5]]
* [[Earthworks|#6]]
<br><div class="list-header">v2:</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">v3:</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">v4:</div>
* see article: ''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness|Heart of Darkness]]''
<br><div class="list-header">v5:</div>
* [[Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination|#19]]
* [[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|#20]]
* [[Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|#21]]
* [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]
* [[Chaos Theory Part 2|#23]]
<br><div class="list-header">v6:</div>
* [[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|#24]]
* [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]]
* [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]]
* [[Chaos Part Four|#30]]
* [[Chaos Epilogue|#31]]
<br><div class="list-header">v7:</div>
* ''[[Spotlight: Prowl]]''
* [[Police Action: Part 1|#25]]
* [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|#27]]
* [[Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|#29]]
* ''[[The Death of Optimus Prime]]''
}}

{{quote|noquote=true|"It's been three years since the devastating events of ''All Hail Megatron''. The Earth has been rebuilt, the AUTOBOTS are in hiding, and the next great era in the Transformers saga is about to begin!"|'''IDW solicitation'''}}

==Overview==
{{ongoing}}
With their members running low on energon and slowly being captured by [[Skywatch]], tension is high amongst the [[Autobot]]s. After a rescue raid led by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] results in [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]'s death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] surrenders to Skywatch. Hot Rod takes the opportunity to try and leave the planet, and several others join him. Those who remain elect [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] as their new leader. Hot Rod's group is attacked by Decepticons who were left behind or who arrived on Earth after their main force left. However, they decide that fighting is senseless and agree to work together to try and escape from Earth. Meanwhile, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrives to investigate the death of Ironhide and surrender of Optimus. More Autobots, fearing they will be arrested by Magnus, also go AWOL, but most of them are captured by Skywatch and used as a bargaining tool by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] to force information out of Optimus Prime. Ultra Magnus decides to go after Hot Rod. [[Thundercracker (G1) |Thundercracker]], having been shot down by [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] [[All Hail Megatron issue 12|three years previously]], starts to develop admiration for Earth and its inhabitants. Meanwhile, Magnus arrives at Hot Rod's camp and attempts to capture [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], but is stopped by Hot Rod. He also fails in trying to get Hot Rod to disassemble the ship his party is building to get off Earth.

==Creative team==
The series is mainly written by [[Mike Costa]], who penned two of the stories in ''All Hail Megatron Coda''. Issues #22 and #23 will be written by [[James Roberts]], and 4-part "Chaos" arc (#24, #26, #28 and #30) will be co-credited to Costa and Roberts.

Line-art for the first 6-issue story-arc was provided by fan-favorite, [[Don Figueroa]], officially marking his return from Transformers hiatus. Don's art was modified somewhat to make the Transformers more technically complex (more like the [[live-action film series|movie 'bots]]) but still recognizable to their classic designs. [[James Brown]] provides colors. Alternate covers for issues 2–7 were by Transformers veteran [[Andrew Wildman]].

Volume 2 (issues 7–12) had a bit more variation. "-Ations" artist [[E. J. Su]] and [[Javier Saltares]] illustrated issues 7 and 8 respectively. ''All Hail Megatron'' artist [[Guido Guidi]] returned to draw the 4-part arc, ''International Incident'', running from issues 9–12.

Volume 3 started with [[Nick Roche]] drawing issue 13, while Figueroa returned, intending to illustrate the following arc, titled "Revenge of the Decepticons". Alternate covers for this were provided by Roche. However, Figueroa again stepped away from the comic due to a new job after #15, and was replaced by [[Alex Milne]] for the remainder of the arc (issues 16–18). Milne kept Don's designs, but tweaked them to his own style, and gave the faces a more traditional appearance.

Volumes 5 and 6 will also have a variety of artists. Issue 21 ("Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix") was drawn by Guido Guidi and [[Brendan Cahill]], while Milne will return for the 2-part "Chaos Theory" (issues 22 and 23). The 4-part "Chaos" (even-numbered issues 24–30) will be drawn by [[Livio Ramondelli]] and the 3-part "The Last Earth Story" (issues 25, 27 and 29) will by Brendan Cahill. "Chaos Epilogue" (issue 31) will be drawn by [[Casey Coller]] <ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=9451&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135</ref>.

==Collections==
* ''The Transformers: Volume 1: For All Mankind'' <small>([[June 9]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106846 / ISBN 978-1600106842</small>
:* Bonus material includes: art from all covers, including design sketches from [[Don Figueroa]].

* ''The Transformers: Volume 2: International Incident'' <small>([[December 8]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600108040 / ISBN 978-1600108044</small>
:* Bonus material includes: art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa.

* ''The Transformers: Volume 3: Revenge of the Decepticons'' <small>([[July 27]], [[2011]]) ISBN 1600109810 / ISBN 978-1600109812</small>
:* Bonus material includes art from all covers and ???

* ''The Transformers: Volume 4: Heart of Darkness'' <small>([[September 27]], [[2011]]) ISBN 1613770510 / ISBN 978-1613770511</small>
**Included extras are unknown at this time.

* ''The Transformers: Volume 5: Chaos Theory'' <small>([[November 2]], [[2011]] ''Scheduled'') ISBN 1613770901 / ISBN 978-1613770900</small>
**Included extras are unknown at this time.

* ''The Transformers: Volume 6: Police Action'' <small>([[February 21]], [[2012]], ''Scheduled'') ISBN 1613771649 / ISBN 978-1613771648</small>
**Included extras are unknown at this time.

* ''The Transformers: Volume 7: Chaos'' <small>([[March 20]], [[2012]] ''Scheduled'') ISBN 1613771401 / ISBN 978-1613771402</small>
**Included extras are unknown at this time.

==Notes==
* In early November 2009, IDW released a three page preview of the first issue... from the ''end'' of the comic, instead of the front like they normally do. That's right, the company ''itself'' released major spoilers that blew the ending of the first issue. <ref>http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23587</ref> Head editor [[Andy Schmidt]] stated the reason for this was "we realized that we need to let people know why this book is important." <ref>http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23606</ref>

* ''The Transformers'' is constantly advertised as IDW's first ongoing ''Transformers'' comic series, which is weird considering that IDW stressed over and over after the release of [[Infiltration issue 0|''Infiltration'' #0]] that that was the start of an ongoing series and not just a miniseries.{{fact}}

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers (IDW), The}}
[[Category:Generation 1 comic series]]
[[Category:IDW titles]]