Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation is a 4-part comic series published by IDW Publishing adaptation the Dark of the Moon feature film. The individual issues of the series also include a serialized prose story titled Transformers: Convergence.

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Overview

Differences from the movie

• Like the other movie adaptations from IDW, there are also differences between this comic series and the finished film itself. In a unique move for this series, however, they fall into two distinct groups: differences that exist because the comics were written based on an earlier version of the script that was later revised, and deliberately-created differences in the form of additional scenes that are not present in the movie to forge greater continuity links with other IDW movie comics, and to explain away any potential continuity conflicts.
• Nearly all the humorous elements from the movie, whether offensive or otherwise, are missing, presenting itself as straightforward "Serious Business" all the way. barring very, very few exceptions.
• Optimus Prime's Trailer doesn't convert into the Armored Weapons Platform, he don't have the Mega Striker, the Energon-axe, the shield or the knuckle-spikes, he uses the Ion blaster most of the time, his swords are not handheld, his jetwing is toy accurate, and his chest and forearms design are the same from the first two movies.
• The Autobots use a human rocket, the Ares V rather than the Xantium to get to the Moon. Also the Dreads are among the Decepticons hidden on the Moon, and secretly hitch a ride back to Earth by clinging to the outside of the rocket.
• Despite his legs having been broken, Simmons is still able to walk perfectly, and so he don't use a wheelchair.
• The Mexican standoff between Ironhide, Sideswipe and the dreads doesn't happen.
• Sentinel Prime's Rust cannon is in the form of his shield, rather than looking like a normal blaster.
• Skids and Mudflap are present, alongside with their deaths at the hands of Sentinel.
• Igor is simply a bouncing disembodied head, lacking the stumpy arms and legs he has to move. Also here is shown that he followed his master to Chicago, while his fate was unknown in the movie.
• The Decepticons are shown tearing a building apart and making a fortress out of it while occupying Chicago.
• Both Topspin and Shockwave speak, with the latter speaking more often in Earth-language, just like in his previous IDW appearances. In the film, he spoke in Earth-language only in Chernobyl, returning to speak in Cybertronian-language when he arrived in Chicago.
• Starscream attacks Sam and the others when they are in the building about to shoot at the pillars.
• Bumblebee doesn't save Sam when Starscream dies.
• The Autobots are in chains during the execution, rather than simply being restrained.
• Both Wheeljack and Mirage are called by their names rather than "Que" and "Dino". On top of that, Wheeljack lives while Mirage is killed by Soundwave.
• Optimus' rampage is omitted, and Shockwave is killed by simply being stabbed in the chest as opposed to having his throat ripped out.
• The final battle between Optimus, Sentinel and Megatron takes place up in a large, destroyed building, Sentinel doesn't sever Optimus's arm and Megatron provides a distraction so Optimus can use Sentinel's rust cannon against him.
• Cybertron isn't destroyed when the space-bridge is deactivated.
• The ending is left ambiguous, splitting the difference between the movie and the novelization. Sentinel dies first, both Megatron and Optimus stare at each other as Cybertron fades away following the bridge's deactivation. Megatron doesn't offer a truce, he wonders to himself if such a thing would even be possible. The final scene of the comic, where Igor is wondering what happened to his master, is not in the movie or novel, furthering this ambiguity.

Creative team

The series is written by John Barber, author of IDW's previous Dark of the Moon prequels, Sector 7, Foundation and Rising Storm, adapting Ehren Kruger's screenplay with numerous added references and caveats to forge tighter connections—and explain away any apparent contradictions—with pre-established IDW stories. Art for the adaptation is provided by newcomer Jorge Jimenez Moreno, who brings a manga-style flavor to the live-action movie universe.

Notes

• Months before the film's actual release, a large chunk of this comic was leaked by Amazon, spoiling a large number of fans about the major twist of Sentinel Prime's betrayal that the entire film hinged on. (The fact that the trade paperback was officially released a mere six days after said leak probably didn't help either.) In fact, it was this leak that convinced Michael Bay to enforce an executive order, forbidding any prequel or adaptation of Age of Extinction to prevent a similar incident from happening again. However, John Barber later challenged this claim, suggesting that IDW had made the decision to focus more on their own continuity. Ultimately, IDW didn't publish another movie tie-in comic until seven years later, after Michael Bay was no longer directing the films, in the form of 2018's Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Prequel.

Collections

• Transformers: Dark of the Moon TPB (released May 11, 2011) ISBN 1600109179 / ISBN 978-1600109171

Bonus material includes all cover art from each issue.

Atypically, this trade paperback was published before the individual issues of the series. The prose story Convergence is not included in the collected edition, having been produced for the subsequently-released issues as bonus content for supporting readers.