Transformers Timelines (fiction)
| The name or term "Timeline" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Timeline (disambiguation). |
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Timelines is the franchise under which much of Fun Publications' Transformers fiction is published. It encompasses most of the stories released in conjunction with BotCon and the Transformers Collectors' Club. Some stories build on existing continuities, while others create new ones from scratch.
Timelines began in 2005 with the release of Fun Publications' first BotCon fiction, and it denoted a new approach to convention-based fiction. The previous convention organizers, 3H Productions, had released lengthy storylines with complex ties to existing mainstream stories; these stories sluggishly unfolded across various years' conventions. Timelines instead promised a series of unconnected stand-alone stories, starting with a short comic accompanying the 2005 boxed toy set.
The brand has since expanded to include various other stories in multiple formats, primarily text stories with illustrations made available through the Transformers Club web site, but also script readings and even a computer-animated short feature. Despite the focus on stand-alone tales, many Timelines stories have tied in to the larger ongoing story told through the fan club magazine's monthly comic (which is not itself branded as part of the Timelines umbrella.)
The only stories under the Timelines banner to receive a numbering system are the hard-copy-published comic book issues, listed below.
| Timelines issues: |
|---|
| Volume 1 #1 | Volume 2 #1 | Volume 2 #2 | Volume 2 #3 Spring Special |
BotCon stories
Most of the Timelines stories have been made available at the BotCon convention, and mostly feature the characters available as convention exclusive toys that year.
BotCon 2005
Format: comic book
Continuity: Indeterminate Generation 1
Story: Ironhide and a team of Autobots attempt to stop Deathsaurus from reviving the Decepticon Empire with a clone army of Insecticons.
Format: Live-action script reading.
Continuity: Indeterminate Generation 1 (as above)
Story: Several Predacons test the loyalty of Flamewar.
BotCon 2006
Format: Comic book
Continuity: Beast Wars
Story: A Maximal relic has been stolen, and a team of explorers is called to catch the thieves.
BotCon 2007
Format: Comic book
Continuity: Generation 1 (Classics)
Story: A team of Autobots led by Ultra Magnus and Grimlock face the mysterious Decepticon Bug Bite and his crew of mind-controlled followers. Games directly follows up on the ongoing story of the Fan Club comics.
Format: Computer animation.
Continuity: Beast Wars
Story: Megatron and his flunkies match wits with Cryotek.
BotCon 2008
Format: Comic book
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: Cliffjumper is transported to a mad world where the bad guys are the good guys.
Format: Live action script reading
Continuity: Animated / TransTech
Story: Optimus, Bumblebee, and Sari are accidentally teleported to Axiom Nexus, and hilarity follows close behind.
BotCon 2009
Format: Comic book
Continuity: Alternate version of the Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Story: Kup tells a story about one of his earliest missions at the beginning of the war.
Club stories
Text stories
Some club stories were made available via the Transformers Collectors' Club in prose form with illustrations, usually about then-recent toys and/or Club exclusives.
2007
Continuity: Unicron Trilogy
Story: Cannonball pursues an artifact.
Continuity: Beast Wars
Story: Airazor does some stuff.
Continuity: Classics
Story: Strife emerges among the Mini-Cons on the newly reformed Cybertron.
Continuity: Universe
Story: The conclusion of the Beast Era Wreckers' adventures.
2008
Continuity: TransTech
Story: Deep in the outworlder city of Axiom Nexus, Jackpot and Hubcap get caught up in the locals' intrigues.
Continuity: Unicron Trilogy
Story: A team of Autobots, searching for the Cyber Planet Keys, finds a dead colony world with some dark secrets.
Continuity: TransTech
Story: Six explorers from a doomed dimension wind up in Axiom Nexus.
Continuity: TransTech
Story: Power Master Bulletbike goes on a homicidal rampage.
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: A new intellect within Grimlock is awakened by mysterious forces.
2009
- "Do Over"
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: The Autobots try to fly their Ark to Earth once more.
- "The Desert Heat!" (2-page comic)
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: Heatwave and Soundwave have some adjustment problems after landing on Earth. Prelude to "Eye in the Sky".
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: The Autobots and Decepticons have their first round of clashes on Earth.
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: Blitzwing gets turned into a broadcast transmitter that could be deadly to both factions.
Continuity: Classics
Story: The Decepticon Civil War comes to a close as Megatron advances on Bludgeon.
2010
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: Not yet released
Continuity: Shattered Glass
Story: Not yet released
Comic book stories
In early 2008, plans were announced to publish a quarterly Timelines comic book series, available at comic book stores. The first issue, a "Spring Special", arrived in fall 2008. Oops!
2008
Continuity: Classics
Story: Nightbeat and his crew search for a kidnapped pilot.
