Ladybird Books
Ladybird Books is a British publishing company which released several Transformers storybooks and audio cassettes under their "Tell-A-Tale" line from 1985 to 1988, all written by John Grant. Not based in any of the major existing Generation 1 continuities, the books merge their own ideas with inspiration drawn from various sources to create their own "micro-continuity."
The illustrations for the books, provided by a variety of different artists, are strictly based on the toys of the characters, down to headless Ratchet and Ironhide and trigger-crotch Megatron. Although the art style was at best inconsistent, at worst wildly off with regard to the robot designs, the stories were well written with exciting plots that delved quite thoroughly into the secrecy of the Transformers' conflict on Earth. The books were also notable for an opening blurb printed in each story and modified slightly for context. The blurb was also read out at the beginning of the first audio adaptation by a Victor Caroli-esque narrator, and in all subsequent audio adaptations by voice actor Peter Marinker, set to a synthesizer theme that contains elements of the classic "Transformers! More than meets the eye" leitmotif.
Books
1985
Then, the energy set in motion by a powerful volcanic eruption gives them life once more, and the war starts all over again here on Earth. Among the robots' many strange powers is the ability to transform into other shapes, and they use this to disguise themselves to fit in among the civilisation they find on Earth.
The Autobots have to defend themselves. They must protect this planet, with all its valuable resources and the people who live here, and they must also build a new spaceship if they are ever to get back to Cyberton—THE TRANSFORMERS!The 1985 books specifically draw some themes and concepts from the original cartoon pilot, "More than Meets the Eye", such as the continuing repair work being done by the Autobots and Decepticons on their ships, Spike keeping a journal, Decepticon catchphrases like "Scramble!" and "Prepare the energon cubes!", and in a slightly odder turn, Rumble acting as a hench-thug for Starscream, presumably borne out of their discussion on treachery in the first episode.
The books were not, however, above doing their own thing. Of particular note is the characterisation of Megatron and Starscream; the former is portrayed as a very aged, wily character, to contrast with the latter’s rendition as a user of clumsy, brute strength. The books also remain one of the few early Generation 1 continuities to consistently employ the principle of "robots in disguise" above most other things; one of the major points of these early books is the Autobots’ desire to carry out their war with a maximum of secrecy, preventing humans from even becoming aware of their existence.
Brief character bios were also provided on the inside front and back covers of the 1985 books, profiling Optimus Prime, Hound, Sideswipe, Huffer, Jazz, Gears, Megatron, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Starscream, Rumble and Ravage.
1986
To the 1985 opening blurb, the 1986 appended the following:
This, the initiated will realize, is the plot of the Marvel UK serial "Target: 2006", used as an explanation for Ultra Magnus and Galvatron replacing Prime and Megatron. Addtionally, the character profiles were dropped from the inside covers, and replaced with a battlefield illustration featuring Galvatron, Astrotrain, Ramjet, Scourge, Jazz, Jetfire and Ultra Magnus.
Also in 1986, Ladybird released an adaptation of The Transformers: The Movie, also by Grant, which was not part of the larger continuity.
1987
Over many centuries, leaders have come and gone. Now the fight continues in a far-flung corner of the galaxy, on the planet Nebulos. Both Autobots and Decepticons have formed new alliances, each with a rival group of Nebulans.
The Decepticons are determined to destroy the Autobots and reign supreme. Will they succeed?In 1987, Ladybird moved the war to Nebulos, defying convention by mostly ignoring the Headmaster concept and establishing that in their continuity, Nebulons were a race of small robots. Furthering the atypical nature of the setup, Hot Rod and Cyclonus led the Autobots and Decepticons, and were featured prominently in the new inside-cover illustration.
1988
The 1988 books re-used the opening blurb from 1987, introduced more appropriate leader-figures in Powermaster Optimus Prime and Scorponok. Truly the most distinguishing feature of these two books, however, was their use of characters who received very little attention in other fiction, such as Quickswitch and the Double Targetmasters, in starring roles; these characters shared the new inside-cover illustration with Prime and Highbrow.
Trivia
- In all of the books featuring Transformers with Nebulan companions, no mention is ever made of their binary bonding in the text. (In Autobots Strike Oil, Hardhead is even said to transform into robot mode and look around while Duros is absent, so the illustrator tries to cope by just showing Hardhead without a head in this scene.)
- Ladybirds are known as "ladybugs" in North America.
- This book series gave fans perhaps the most misused line in Transformer's history, when a deranged Megatron decided to tell Starscream that he was OLD because he was HARD. And so a thousand snickering fans had something to put on their internet signatures.
