The Transformers: Infiltration

This article is about the IDW comic series. For the protocol out of the Decepticon invasion handbook, see infiltration protocol.

Wraps around and around!

The Transformers: Infiltration was the first in a line of miniseries by IDW Publishing set in a re-booted Generation 1 continuity. The series brought the Transformers' presence on Earth into the present day and places the "robots in disguise" concept firmly in the forefront of its narrative.

It is issues #0–6 in the IDW overarching "sub-numbering" (shown in later series by a number in an Autobot-sigil shaped shield beside the bar code on each issue—Stormbringer picks up with #7), and was originally published between October, 2005 and July, 2006.

	The Transformers: Infiltration issues:	»
#0 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6

Overview

The most immediate shift from original continuity is the nature of the Transformers' presence on Earth. In this continuity, there was no ancient starship crash, nor robots awakening from a four million-year slumber; the Autobots and Decepticons have arrived on Earth fairly recently and on purpose, operating undercover for at least four years. The story is told through the eyes of four main characters: Verity Carlo, a young drifter; Hunter O'Nion, a conspiracy theorist; Jimmy Pink, mechanic and Verity's net-friend; and Ratchet, a medic who puts his conscience over his mission.

The series quickly and consistently establishes a strong Cold War, cloak-and-dagger theme, where secrecy and rules of espionage are as important as, or perhaps even more than, vanquishing the enemy. Thundercracker and the Battlechargers attack the humans and Ratchet to retrieve data on a palmtop PC that might reveal their existence; Ratchet is arrested by Prowl for breaking cover to rescue the humans; both Autobot and Decepticon operations are small cells instead of full-fledged armies. Also, a third faction is at work: a secret human organization known only as the Machination which appears to be aware of the Transformers' presence on Earth and has its own plans, as yet unknown, for the robots. Finally, it becomes evident to the Autobots that the Decepticon operation is up to something unusual, and their new human allies may have a part in unraveling the mystery.

The series has taken an interesting and rather unique approach to the standard Transformers story: introducing only a few new characters with each issue. This enables each issue to focus on a small selection of leads (Ratchet, the humans and later Bumblebee) without overwhelming them and gives each issue space to explore their characters.

The series culminates in a battle between Starscream, who leads the Decepticons on Earth, and the recently arrived Megatron attempting to put his house in order. Their animosity seems to be a constant in any Transformers continuity!

Creative team

Infiltration was scripted by long-time Transformer writer Simon Furman and penciled by E. J. Su. The two also worked together on multiple follow-up miniseries including The Transformers: Escalation and The Transformers: Devastation. Colors were provided primarily by John Rauch, with help from Josh Burcham on issue #1 and assists on issue #6 by Simon Bork, Mark Englert, Aaron Myers, Sunder Raj, and Kevin Senft.

Notes

• Each of Infiltration's seven issues were released in a choice of multiple covers—some issues had as many as ten. As this was apparently too many to include in the normal trade paperback, IDW released an Infiltration Cover Gallery book which included every cover. This was actually released prior to the normal TPB collection of the series' issues.

Collections

• The Transformers: Infiltration Cover Gallery (August 16, 2006) ASIN: B0039GX7BG

• Includes (almost) all covers from the series.

• The Transformers: Infiltration TPB (September 13, 2006) ISBN 1600100104 / ISBN 978-1600100109

• Collects Infiltration #0–6.
• Bonus material includes sketch art by E. J. Su. It bears the number #1 on its side.

• The Transformers: Infiltration Manga (November 29, 2006) ISBN 1600100198 / ISBN 978-1600100192

• Collects Infiltration #0–6.
• Small size format: 5 x 0.5 x 7 inches.

• The Transformers: The Premiere Collection Volume 1 HC (December 5, 2007) ISBN 1600101186 / ISBN 978-1600101182

• Hardcover collection of Infiltration, Escalation, Stormbringer and the first 5 Spotlights.

• The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One HC (May 26, 2010) ISBN 1600106676 / ISBN 978-1600106675

• Another hardcover collection of Infiltration along with the Megatron Origin series and Spotlights for "Blurr", "Cliffjumper", "Shockwave", "Nightbeat", "Hot Rod" and "Soundwave".

• The Transformers: Phase One Omnibus TPB (September 10, 2014) ISBN 1631401130 / ISBN 978-1631401138

• Smaller-sized TPB collection of Infiltration, Escalation and Devastation.

• 
  Infiltration Cover Gallery; cover art by E. J. Su
• 
  Infiltration TPB; cover art by E. J. Su
• 
  Infiltration "Manga" TPB; cover art by E. J. Su
• 
  Premiere Collection Vol 1; cover art by Klaus Scherwinski
• 
  IDW Collection Vol 1; cover art by E. J. Su
• 
  Phase One Omnibus; cover art by Klaus Scherwinski

• The Transformers: The IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1 (July 6, 2016) ISBN 163140637X / ISBN 978-1631406379

• Reprints the IDW Collection Volume One and Two.

• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection, Volume 32: Infiltration (September 5, 2018)

• Collects Infiltration #0–6.
• Bonus material includes an article on "Creating the IDW-Verse: From the Ground Up", "The Pitch" — Furman's original pitch to IDW for Infiltration, sketch art by E. J. Su., a cover gallery and an intro by Simon Furman.

• Transformers: Best of Starscream (September 21, 2022)

• Contains Infiltration #6, Robots in Disguise #20, "Choose Me" (from The Transformers Holiday Special), Till All Are One #12, and Shattered Glass #3.

• 
  Collection Compendium; cover art by Jeffrey Veregge
• 
  Definitive G1 Collection, Vol. 32: Infiltration; cover art by Don Figueroa and E. J. Su
• 
  Transformers: Best of Starscream; cover art by James Biggie

International printings

Spain

The Transformers: Infiltration was translated and released in Spain by NORMA Editorial.

• ISBN 978-84-9847-595-1