IDW Publishing
Idea and Design Works, LLC currently owns the Transformers comic book license as of May 2005, following the financial collapse of the previous license holder, Dreamwave, at the tail-end of 2004. The flagship title is a rebooted G1 continuity written by longtime Transformers scribe Simon Furman, with art by E.J. Su (who's previously worked on G.I. Joe/Transformers Vol. 2 for Devil's Due).
Series published
G1 rebooted
IDW's main Transformers comic line is overseen by Simon Furman, who has taken a fresh approach to Generation 1 continuity. All the familiar faces are present (although some have slightly different forms), but emphasis is given to character over action and as a result the details of the continuity are more sophisticated.
Instead of an ongoing civil war on Cybertron which spills over to Earth by accident, Furman presents us with an interstellar cold war between the Autobots and Decepticons, where Energon is the stakes and both sides disguise their actions from each other amongst each planet's native population until it's too late. However, a surprising development on Earth promises to heat up the war and turn our planet from just another proxy battleground into the ultimate prize...
- Infiltration - Establishes the presence of the Transformers on modern-day Earth and re-establishes the theme of "robots in disguise" as central to the new continuity. A seven-issue story arc (issues #0 to #6).
- Stormbringer - Companion four-issue mini-series tie-in to Infiltration, establishing Cybertron's current situation in the re-boot and focusing squarely on the Transformers.
- Escalation - Sequel to Infiltration. A six-issue story arc.
- Spotlight - Series of one-shot stories focusing on a single Transformer per issue.
- Devastation - Reportedly the sequel to Infiltration and Escalation.
- Megatron: Origins - Details the events surrounding Megatron's rise to power and the founding of the Decepticon faction.
- New Avengers/Transformers - A collaboration between Marvel Comics and IDW featuring the first ever crossover between the Transformers and New Avengers. Though it will have minimal effects on the overall universe it is specifically designed to fit into continuity between Infiltration and Escalation
Beast Wars
Taking place within the Beast Wars Cartoon universe this line eschews the previous 3H fan club comics that previously continued the show's story to strike out in a new direction focusing mainly on the non-show toy characters.
- Beast Wars: The Gathering - Marking the 10th anniversary of the Beast Wars franchise.
- Beast Wars: The Ascending - A new Beast Wars story planned for release in August 2007.
- A Beast Wars profile series is also due August 2007.
Evolutions
A series of Elseworlds-like stories that exist in their own separate continuities, each taking different takes on Transformers.
- Hearts of Steel - Places the Transformers in the American west during the Industrial Revolution.
Other
- Generations - Reprints old Marvel comics, specifically ones that did not feature Marvel-owned characters such as Circuit Breaker.
- Transformers: The Animated Movie - An adaptation of the original Transformers film, 1986's The Transformers: The Movie.
