Editing The Transformers: Spotlight

[[Image:TF Spotlight v1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Extremely logical that I was given the first ''Spotlight''!]]
'''''The Transformers: Spotlight''''' (later '''''The Transformers Spotlight'''''), published since [[2006]], is an ongoing series of one-shot comics published by [[IDW Publishing]] and set in the primary [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]. Each issue focuses on a particular ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Transformer]]. The series was originally only to consist of 5 issues, but has since evolved into an annual set of 5 produced per year, at least through 2009. Due to the launch of their [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', and ''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee]]'' miniseries, it was briefly put on hold. The last Spotlight, "[[Spotlight: Prowl]]", was published in April [[2010]].<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/idw-publishings-andy-schmidt-answers-your-questions-about-idws-transformers-comics-168880/</ref>.

{{chapters|align=left|style=3|title=''Transformers: Spotlight'' issues:|content=
<div class="list-header">v1:</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">v2:</div>
* [[Spotlight: Soundwave|Soundwave]]
* [[Spotlight: Kup|Kup]]
* [[Spotlight: Galvatron|Galvatron]]
* [[Spotlight: Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Spotlight: Ramjet|Ramjet]]

<br/><div class="list-header">v3:</div>
* [[Spotlight: Blaster|Blaster]]
* [[Spotlight: Arcee|Arcee]]
* [[Spotlight: Mirage|Mirage]]
* [[Spotlight: Grimlock|Grimlock]]
* [[Spotlight: Wheelie|Wheelie]]

<br/><div class="list-header">[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]:</div>
* [[Spotlight: Cyclonus|Cyclonus]]
* [[Spotlight: Hardhead|Hardhead]]
* [[Spotlight: Doubledealer|Doubledealer]]
* [[Spotlight: Sideswipe|Sideswipe]]

<br/><div class="list-header">[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]] v3:</div>
* [[Spotlight: Blurr|Blurr]]
* [[Spotlight: Jazz|Jazz]]
* [[Spotlight: Drift|Drift]]
* [[Spotlight: Cliffjumper|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Spotlight: Metroplex|Metroplex]]

<br/><div class="list-header">v4:</div>
* [[Spotlight: Prowl|Prowl]]
}}

==Overview==
The ''Spotlight'' series is set within the main IDW storyline. The format allows more free-ranging story settings—many issues are set on alien worlds—and serve to give a wider view of the overall IDW Transformers universe. The issues set up future story ideas and plot points for the main IDW miniseries; many have eventually tied-in directly with the main storyline, with others obviously set to do so in the future.

Most of the issues have prominent co-stars, such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s in Shockwave's spotlight, and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] in Optimus Prime's story.

There is no absolute chronological order for all of the issues. Some, such as Galvatron and Optimus Prime, are set after specific events in the main story; others like Hot Rod and Nightbeat are not so clearly delineated, having happened an unspecified time ago. Still others (Shockwave, Soundwave) are flashbacks to a specific point in the recent or distant past.

A spotlight for [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] was planned but canceled. ''Spotlight'' will continue in 2010, starting off with "[[Spotlight: Prowl|Prowl]]".

===''Revelation Saga''===
{{main|Revelation (IDW)}}
The follow-up to ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'', ''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]'' was played out through four ''Spotlight''s, focusing on [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Doubledealer]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]. This four-parter marked the end of the "-tion" series "for the foreseeable".<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=3599</ref>

===''All Hail Megatron'' Vol. 3===
{{main|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron}}
Though much more loosely connected than the ''Revelation'' collection, the ''Spotlight''s for [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] were collected under the banner of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' Vol 3. This was likely done to cash in on the popular (yet highly dividing) series. These stories provide some background of a few characters that appeared in the series, as well as things yet to come (in the case of Metroplex).

==Creative teams==
* Most of the ''Spotlight''s through volume 4 were written by [[Simon Furman]]. Exceptions are "Spotlight: Kup", written by [[Nick Roche]], "Spotlight: Ramjet", written by [[Stuart Moore]] and "Spotlight: Mirage", written by [[George Strayton]]. [[Klaus Scherwinski]] co-wrote "Spotlight: Wheelie" with Furman. When [[Shane McCarthy]] was brought on for ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', Furman's run seems to be in indefinite hiatus, with "Spotlight: Blurr", "Spotlight: Drift" and "Spotlight: Cliffjumper" being written by Shane McCarthy, ''Spotlight: Jazz'' by [[Josh van Reyk]] & [[Shaun Knowler]] and "Spotlight: Metroplex" by [[Andy Schmidt]]. The writer of the ongoing series, [[Mike Costa]], wrote "Spotlight: Prowl" The list of artists throughout the series is diverse (please see each issue for credits).

==Collections==
* ''The Transformers: Spotlight, Vol. 1'' TPB <small>([[May 30]], [[2007]]) ISBN 1600100686 / ISBN 978-1600100680</small>
:Collects Shockwave through Ultra Magnus. The spine bears the number '''1.'''
* ''The Transformers: Spotlight, Vol. 2'' TPB <small>([[February 20]], [[2008]]) ISBN 1600101542 / ISBN 978-1600101540</small>
:Collects Soundwave through Ramjet. The spine bears the number '''2.'''
:Includes covers art for each issue and bonus art for each issue.
* ''The Transformers: Spotlight, Vol. 3'' TPB <small>([[September 29]], 2008) ISBN 160010245X / ISBN 978-1600102455</small>
:Collects Blaster through Wheelie. The spine bears the number '''3.'''
:Includes covers art for each issue and bonus art for each issue. The cover is an unused incentive cover from "Spotlight: Grimlock".
* ''The Transformers Spotlight: Revelation'' TPB <small>([[February 4]], [[2009]]) ISBN 1600104215 / ISBN 978-1600104213</small>
:Collects Cyclonus through Sideswipe. The spine bears the number '''4,''' putting it clearly in the ''Spotlight'' series rather than in the "-ation" series.
:Bonus material includes each A and B cover, and sketches of the 4-part image, Cyclonus, Nightbeat, Doubledealer (including a dragon-like alternate mode), [[Grindcore (G1)|Grindcore]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] (the last 2 in robot and alt mode).
* ''All Hail Megatron, Vol. 3'' TPB <small>([[October 28]], 2009) ISBN 1600105416 / ISBN 978-1600105418</small>
:Collects Blurr through Metroplex. Instead of being Volume 5 of the Spotlights, the TPB is labeled as part of the ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' series. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=6344 IDW's October Solicitations]</ref>
:Bonus material includes the alternate covers of each issue, as well as art of each Throttlebot my Marcelo Matare. For some reason, the Drift and Cliffjumper issues were swapped from their original order.
* ''[[The Transformers: The Premiere Collection|The Transformers: The Premiere Collection]]'' Volume 1
:Includes the contents of ''Spotlight'' Volume 1 <small>([[December 12]], 2007) ISBN 1600101186 / ISBN 978-1600101182</small>
* ''The Transformers: The Premiere Collection'' Volume 2 <small>([[July 1]], 2009) ISBN 1600104371 / ISBN 978-1600104374</small>
:Includes the contents of ''Spotlight'' Volumes 2,3 and ''Revelation''.
* ''The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One'' <small>(May 26, 2010) ISBN 978-1600106675</small>
:Collects Blurr, Cliffjumper, Shockwave, Nightbeat, Hot Rod, and Soundwave.
* ''The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Two'' <small>(October 6, 2010) ISBN 978-1600107511</small>
:Collects Sixshot, Ramjet, Ultra Magnus, Kup, Mirage, and Optimus Prime.
* ''The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Three'' <small>(March 2, 2011) ISBN 978-1600108563</small>
:Collects Galvatron, Blaster, Arcee, Grimlock, and Wheelie.
* ''The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Four'' <small>(May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-1600109386</small>
:Collects Cyclonus, Hardhead, Doubledealer, Sideswipe, Drift, Metroplex, and Jazz.
* ''The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Six'' <small>(May 1, 2012)<!-- ISBN ???--></small>
:Collects Prowl.
* Six ''Spotlight'' issues were also library bound and available for sale through [[ABDO Publishing Group]] and its aptly named subsidiary, Spotlight.

==TPB covers (5)==
* '''Volume 1:''' A menacing Shockwave; re-use of [[Nick Roche]] and [[Rob Ruffolo]]'s art from the Retailer Summit cover for "Spotlight: Shockwave".
* '''Volume 2:''' Optimus Prime; re-use of [[Gabriel Rodriguez]]'s art from cover B of "Spotlight: Optimus Prime".
* '''Volume 3:''' T-Rex Grimlock bursts through an image of the Dynobots; unused art by [[Marcelo Matere]] from "Spotlight: Grimlock".
* '''Volume 4:''' Sideswipe and ''Revelation''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s major players; art by [[Nick Roche]]. Reuse of cover B art from "Spotlight: Sideswipe".
* '''''All Hail Megatron'' Volume 3:''' New art by [[Trevor Hutchison]] featuring the subject of each ''Spotlight'' (Blurr, Jazz, Drift, Cliffjumper and Metroplex). The blue parts were originally shown to be red in early solicitations but were changed just prior to the release.
<gallery>
Image:TF Spotlight v1.jpg|Volume 1
Image:TF Spotlight v2.jpg|Volume 2
Image:TF Spotlight v3.jpg|Volume 3
Image:TF Spotlight v4.jpg|Volume 4
Image:AHM v3.jpg|''All Hail Megatron'' Vol. 3
</gallery>

== References ==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spotlight}}
[[Category:Generation 1 comic series]]
[[Category:IDW titles]]