Transformers AtoZ

Transformers AtoZ is a series of profiles that was serialised in the The Transformers UK comics by Marvel Comics between 1987 and 1989 which followed on from the previous series of Fact File Interfaces. Originally little more than a snazzier-designed reprint of the Marvel US Transformers Universe series, in later issues and annuals it branched out and featured new characters (and new versions of characters) not originally covered by the American books.

The earlier, Universe-based entries were redesigned so that the majority of them could fit two per page (in the US printing each character had their own separate page). The most significant details changed were the first appearance entries, which were adjusted from US issue numbers to UK issue numbers, and the decision to designate the characteristic quotes as "mottoes" (despite not originally being identified as such).

Those AtoZ profiles published in the Annuals (and in the main comic from issue #311 onwards) were for the most part based on the second Transformers Universe series that started in 1988 and dealt with the 1987-1988 characters. They usually had the same format as the regular issue AtoZ profile, but now each character took up a whole page. In the Annuals, package art was generally used as the profile image rather than the Transformers Universe art.

Furthermore, some of the UK profiles were re-written to tie them directly into the contemporary storylines, even referencing plot-points within the text (for example the entries for Megatron and the "Classic Heroes").

In addition to Transformers AtoZ, Marvel UK also published a handful of exclusive profiles written specifically for the Marvel UK continuity.

Transformers AtoZ profiles

• The Transformers #89 - Air Raid and Astrotrain
• The Transformers #93 - Beachcomber and Blades
• The Transformers #101 - Blaster and Blast Off
• The Transformers #108 - Bluestreak and Blitzwing
• The Transformers #116 - Bombshell and Bonecrusher
• The Transformers #117 - Brawl and Brawn
• The Transformers #119 - Breakdown and Bruticus
• Transformers Annual 1987 - Brainstorm, Chromedome, Hardhead, Highbrow, Mindwipe, Skullcruncher, Weirdwolf
• The Transformers #124 - Buzzsaw and Cliffjumper
• The Transformers #128 - Cosmos and Dead End
• The Transformers #133 - Defensor and Devastator
• The Transformers #138 - Dirge and Divebomb
• The Transformers #139 - Drag Strip and Fireflight
• The Transformers #143 - First Aid and Frenzy
• The Transformers #146 - Gears and Grapple
• The Transformers #148 - Grimlock and Groove
• The Transformers #150 - Rodimus Prime
• The Transformers #151 - Headstrong and Hoist
• The Transformers #155 - Hook and Hotspot
• The Transformers #158 - Huffer and Hound
• The Transformers #166 - Inferno and Ironhide
• The Transformers #174 - Jazz and Jetfire
• The Transformers #177 - Optimus Prime
• Transformers Annual 1989 - Nautilator, Seawing, Skalor, Snaptrap, Tentakil, Jawbreaker
• The Transformers #190 - Kickback and Laserbeak
• The Transformers #195 - Long Haul and Menasor
• The Transformers #196 - Megatron
• The Transformers #211 - Metroplex
• The Transformers #213 - Mirage and Mixmaster
• The Transformers #215 - Motormaster and Octane
• The Transformers #220 - Omega Supreme
• The Transformers #221 - Onslaught and Outback
• The Transformers #222 - Perceptor and Pipes
• The Transformers #223 - Powerglide and Predaking
• Collected Comics No. 13 - Apeface and Brainstorm
• The Transformers #227 - Prowl and Ramhorn
• The Transformers #233 - Rampage and Ratbat
• The Transformers #239 - Ratchet and Ravage
• The Transformers #249 - Razorclaw and Red Alert
• The Transformers #250 - Rewind and Rumble
• Transformers Annual 1990 - Race Car Patrol, Off Road Patrol, Air Strike Patrol, Sports Car Patrol, Rescue Patrol, Battle Patrol
• The Transformers #251 - Runabout and Runamuck
• The Transformers #252 - Sandstorm and Scavenger
• The Transformers #253 - Scrapper and Seaspray
• The Transformers #265 - Shockwave
• The Transformers #267 - Shrapnel and Sideswipe
• The Transformers #269 - Silverbolt and Skids
• The Transformers #271 - Skydive and Sky Lynx
• The Transformers #273 - Skywarp and Slag
• The Transformers #276 - Slingshot and Sludge
• The Transformers #277 - Smokescreen and Snarl
• The Transformers #278 - Soundwave and Starscream
• The Transformers #279 - Streetwise and Sunstreaker
• The Transformers #280 - Steeljaw and Superion
• The Transformers #281 - Swindle and Swoop
• The Transformers #282 - Tailgate and Tantrum
• The Transformers #283 - Thundercracker and Thrust
• The Transformers #284 - Topspin and Tracks
• The Transformers #285 - Trailbreaker and Trypticon
• The Transformers #286 - Twin Twist and Ultra Magnus
• The Transformers #287 - Unicron
• The Transformers #288 - Vortex and Warpath
• The Transformers #289 - Wheelie and Wheeljack
• The Transformers #290 - Wildrider and Windcharger
• Transformers Annual 1991 - Classic Hero bio update: Inferno, Ironhide, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Prowl, Wheeljack
• The Transformers #309 - Thundercracker and Thrust
• The Transformers #310 - Optimus Prime update
• The Transformers #311 - Getaway and Joyride
• The Transformers #313 - Slapdash
• The Transformers #314 - Punch and Counterpunch
• The Transformers #315 - Landmine
• The Transformers #317 - Dreadwind
• The Transformers #318 - Darkwing
• The Transformers #319 - Fangry
• The Transformers #320 - Squeezeplay
• The Transformers #321 - Siren
• The Transformers #322 - Kup
• The Transformers #323 - Grotusque
• The Transformers #324 - Horri-Bull
• The Transformers #325 - Weirdwolf
• The Transformers #326 - Skullcruncher
• The Transformers #327 - Pounce
• The Transformers #328 - Repugnus
• The Transformers #329 - Fortress Maximus
• Summer Special (1992) - Skywarp, Slag, Rampage, and Ratbat
• Winter Special (1994) - Defensor, Devastator, Bombshell, and Bonecrusher

Other Marvel UK-only profiles

• Transformers Annual 1986 - Datafile: Optimus Prime and Megatron

Notes

• The publication schedule of the Transformers AtoZ was quite irregular. A box on the Transformation page of issue #243 noted:

ALAS POOR AtoZ! There's not much sign of the AtoZ these days, basically because of the lack of room. We'll try and get it in somewhere - promise!

• True to their word, the feature returned in issue #249, though they had petered out again by issue #262, when another box read:

What AtoZ?! Yes, we know we said there would be more AtoZs'[sic], but with all these epics going on, there just hasn't been enough room for them recently. But we'll see what we can do from now on - promise! We'll be carrying on from where with left off with a full-page profile on Shockwave. Wow!

This would appear in issue #265.

• The profiles for Thundercracker and Thrust in issue #283 were the only ones to be printed in black and white. They were reprinted in colour in issue #309.
• The entry for Bluestreak rendered the character's name as "Blue Streak".
• For some reason, the five smaller Seacons' entries in the 1989 annual were rewritten from their Universe profiles to remove any reference to their third Targetmaster mode:
  • Nautilator also possesses a heat-seeking torpedo cannon.
  • Seawing carries a dual proton blaster in robot mode.
  • Skalor carries a twin-barrelled, corrosive slime shooter in sub-aqua mode.
  • In robot mode, Tentakil carries a 50,000 volt lightning gun alongside a dual slime laser.
  • Overbite's Universe profile states that his Targetmaster mode is an upgrade of his robot mode's jawbreaker cannon and so its omission here isn't so much of an issue, although because the AtoZ was a UK publication Overbite is confusingly called "Jawbreaker" instead; see Overbite (G1)#Notes for more details.
• In addition to the Seacons' issues above, Snaptrap is described as possessing eight turret-mounted photon beam ports; this seems to be a holdover from his Universe profile based on an early version of his toy from which the turret was dropped before production.
• Although written and designed in the style of the AtoZ series, the Micromaster entries in the 1990 annual were not actually named as such; the usual "Transformers A To Z" backdrop was replaced with one that simply read "Micromasters". These profiles were exclusive to the UK.
• The "Classic Hero bio update" feature was also written exclusively for the UK; much like the "Earthforce" stories, it existed to promote the European Classics reissues.
• The Fortress Maximus profile in issue #329 is a straight reprint of his Transformers Universe entry, with none of the usual changes to the formatting.
• Apeface is the only profile to be exclusively printed in an issue of Collected Comics.
• A complete list of characters who received Universe profiles but not AtoZ profiles is as follows:
  • Broadside, Bumblebee, Eject and Ramjet were all omitted.
  • Many of the movie characters who received profiles in Universe #4 were omitted: Arblus, Arcee, Blurr, Cyclonus, Galvatron, Hot Rod, Kranix, the Quintessons, Scourge, the Sharkticons, Springer and Wreck-Gar.
  • Of the second run of profiles featuring 1987-1988 characters, a sizeable portion (specifically, the vast majority of those published in US issues #47-72) were missed: Snapdragon, the new-character Targetmasters (all twelve of them), the Throttlebots, the Autobot Clones, Slugfest and Overkill, the Technobots (plus Computron), Piranacon, Nightbeat and Hosehead, the Triggerbots and Triggercons, Battletrap, Blot, Cutthroat, and Skullgrin.

See also

• Fact File
• The Transformers Universe
• Who's Who