The Transformers: Autocracy

That look was sooo last year

The Transformers: Autocracy is a twelve-part miniseries, published by IDW Publishing in 2012. The series focuses on the days just before the Great War. It is set after Megatron Origin, and presents the Decepticons as an established force, sowing dissent across Cybertron primarily through terrorist actions. The series focuses on Orion Pax, an Autobot commander charged with rooting out these cells.

The series is written by Chris Metzen and Flint Dille, with Livio Ramondelli providing art.

	The Transformers: Autocracy issues:	»
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12

"Before Optimus became a Prime... he fought for order. Before Megatron became a conqueror... he fought for freedom. Before they were enemies... They stood against - AUTOCRACY"Trailer

Overview

The Decepticons have taken the city-state of Kaon. They now work to sow dissent across Cybertron via terrorist cells. Orion Pax leads a team in an effort to stop them, while confronting the true nature of what it means to be an Autobot.

Collections

• The Transformers: Autocracy (July 25, 2012) ISBN 1613772904 / ISBN 978-1613772904
  • Collects Autocracy issues #1–12.
  • Bonus material includes a foreword by Chris Metzen.
  • Trade paperback format.

• The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2 (August 4, 2015) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
  • Collects Autocracy issues #1–12, Spotlight: Trailcutter, Hoist & Orion Pax, Robots in Disguise issues #7 & #8–9, and More than Meets the Eye issues #6–8.
  • Bonus material unknown at this time.
  • Hardcover format.

• The Transformers: Autocracy Trilogy (March 1, 2017) ISBN 1631408070 / ISBN 978-1631408076
  • Collects Autocracy issues #1–12, Monstrosity issues #1–4, and Primacy issues #1–4.
  • Bonus material includes an art gallery, featuring works of Andrew Griffith, Saren Stone, and Livio Ramondelli.
  • Hardcover format.

• The Transformers: Rise of the Autobots (June 21, 2017) ISBN 1684050766 / ISBN 978-1684050765
  • A reissue of Autocracy under a new title, in a smaller format.
  • Trade paperback format.

• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 34: Autocracy (October 16, 2019)
  • Collects Autocracy issues #1–12, and Spotlight: Thundercracker.
  • Bonus material includes "Creating the IDW-Verse — Optimus Origin", a one-page article on Autocracy, including an interview with co-writer Chris Metzen, a cover gallery, and an introduction by Simon Furman.
  • Hardcover format.

• Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime (January 5, 2022)
  • Collects The Transformers (2009) #23: "Chaos Theory Part 2", Autocracy #9: "Transformation", Transformers (2019) #6: "Orion Pax: Free Fall", Optimus Prime #25: "Post", and The Transformers (1984) #24: "Afterdeath!".
  • Bonus material includes an art gallery.
  • One-shot format.

• 
  Autocracy – cover art by Livio Ramondelli.
• 
  The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2 – cover art by Saren Stone.
• 
  Autocracy Trilogy – cover art by Livio Ramondelli.
• 
  Rise of the Autobots – cover art by Livio Ramondelli.
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 34: Autocracy – cover art by Dreamwave (Thundercracker) and Livio Ramondelli
• 
  Best of Optimus Prime – cover art by James Biggie

• Transformers: Best of Megatron (March 2, 2022)
  • Collects The Transformers (1984) #70: "The Pri¢e of Life!", Megatron Origin #1, The Transformers (2009) #22: "Chaos Theory Part 1", Autocracy #7: "Choices", and More than Meets the Eye #32: "slaughterhouse"
  • Bonus material includes an art gallery.
  • One-shot format.

• Transformers: Best of Hot Rod (May 4, 2022)
  • Collects Autocracy #10: "Rise", Spotlight: Hot Rod, The Transformers (1984) #254: "White Fire", Lost Light #20: "Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre", Regeneration One #100: "The War to End All Wars, Part 5", and Transformers Annual 1989: "Peace".
  • Bonus material includes an art gallery.
  • One-shot format.

• 
  Best of Megatron – cover art by James Biggie
• 
  Best of Hot Rod – cover art by James Biggie

Notes

• It is the first digital-only Transformers title, released as a series of biweekly, low price chapters of eight pages.
• The project had been thought up for years and would originally have been a present-day character piece with a lot of flashbacks. Since some of the ideas and themes were similar to "Chaos Theory" (which hadn't come out yet), Andy Schmidt walked them through what James Roberts was doing and that led to Metzen and Dille going full-on flashback.

External links

• Official trailer
• IDW Site