Dark Cybertron (IDW)
"Dark Cybertron" is an "event" storyline published across 2013–2014 by IDW Publishing. A simultaneous celebration of the Transformers brand's 30th anniversary and the second anniversary of IDW's most recent relaunch of their Transformers comic books, the storyline takes place in alternating issues of More than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise, with special one-shots released for the first and final chapters. It was produced in conjunction with Hasbro's Transformers: Generations toyline, with many new action figures from the series appearing in both the build-up to the event and the story itself, while the comics themselves are also being made available as pack-ins with the figures.
| “ | THE END OF EVERYTHING! SHOCKWAVE makes a move millions of years in the planning—an ultimate plan to remake Cybertron and destroy both the Autobots and Decepticons! The biggest Transformers event in comic book history! | ” |
—IDW's hyperbolic promotion for "Dark Cybertron" makes some big promises! | ||
| "Dark Cybertron" chapters: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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"Syndromica"
"Dark Prelude"
"Dark Cybertron Prelude"
"Dark Cybertron"
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Prequels
The storyline of "Dark Cybertron" was built to almost from the inception of the More than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise comics—specifically, in "Syndromica", the side-plot occurring in occasional issues of Robots in Disguise which focused on Orion Pax as he pursued Jhiaxus across the galaxy. In these issues, unexplored and unfinished plot threads from Simon Furman's time as chief architect of the IDW universe six years prior came to the fore, as the extent of Shockwave's Regenesis program was explored and characters that had fallen by the wayside like Bludgeon and Monstructor returned.
Build-up increased at the end of 2012 with the return of the Spotlight series of one-shots, which soon revealed themselves to be pack-ins for upcoming Generations toys. That these issues were preludes to "Dark Cybertron" was not immediately apparent, with all that seemed to link them being a common theme of the Metrotitans and their space bridge capabilities (serving to promote the new Generations Metroplex toy). Once the crossover was underway, however, it became apparent that in addition to the Titans, the Spotlights had been used as a means of stealth-introducing to toy-buying readers unfamiliar with the IDW universe several characters and concepts that would play important roles in Dark Cybertron, such as Alpha Trion and Nightbeat, Megatron's internal space bridge, and perhaps most significantly, the introduction of Metroplex's severed thumb.
Following the conclusion of Robots in Disguise's first long-form story arc with its sixteenth issue, active promotion for the story's imminent beginning commenced, with all six of the subsequent issues of the title bearing a "Dark Cybertron Prelude" cover box, three of which were used as pack-ins for the next wave of Generations figures. In addition to introducing this new batch of toy characters into the storyline, these issues returned to the Prime side-plot and expanded on Shockwave's involvement in it, and moved other characters into position for the event. Further still, like the Spotlights before them, the issues used as pack-ins also served to provide for buyers a pocket summary of all the relevant IDW history needed to fully appreciate Dark Cybertron—Shockwave's Regenesis program, the general history of Nova Prime and Jhiaxus's era, a basic recap of Robots in Disguise's story up to that point, the Dead Universe, and more. At the same time as this was happening, More than Meets the Eye brought its own first "season" to a close, then followed up with a single "Dark Cybertron Prelude" issue of its own (also a pack-in, introducing new elements that would be key to the event's story) before both series dived into the crossover.
Overview
Creative team
"Dark Cybertron" is co-written by Robots in Disguise and More than Meets the Eye authors John Barber and James Roberts. The nature of the issues as toy pack-ins necessitated that work begin on them at the same time as other regular issues of the two ongoings were being produced; as such, with regular artists Andrew Griffith and Alex Milne occupied on their normal issues, artistic duties for the event were primarily divided up between Atilio Rojo, who drew the scenes set on Cybertron, James Raiz, who covered scenes featuring the Lost Light crew, and Livio Ramondelli, who illustrated the portion of the story set in the Dead Universe. Brendan Cahill contributed pages to the first and last chapters, while Nick Roche and newcomer Robert Gill chipped in towards the mid-point of the story; their schedules freed, Milne and Griffith then returned to provide art for the final few chapters.
Much was made of the involvement of preeminent mainstream comic book artist Phil Jimenez, who collaborated with Roberts and Barber on the plot, provided layouts for Chapter 1 (finished by Griffith), and drew several pieces of package art for the Generations toys that were used as "Retailer Incentive" or subscription variant covers for each of the twelve issues. Jiminez's covers initially corresponded to the toy with which each comic came packaged, but this wavered as the crossover went on; this, coupled with some evidently mis-matched pack-ins (Rattrap's and Skywarp's issues were almost certainly switched) suggests that Hasbro may have reshuffled the toyline's wave assortments after the storyline had been organized in advance.
Casey Coller provides a cover for each issue, usually in the regular cover slot, with additional subscription and RI covers provided by a variety of artists, including Griffith, Milne, Raiz, Cahill, Roche, Ramondelli, E. J. Su and Marcelo Matere.
Collections
- The Transformers: Dark Prelude (August 14, 2013) ISBN 1613777167 / ISBN 978-1613777169
- Collects Orion Pax, Thundercracker, Megatron, Bumblebee, Trailcutter and Hoist.
- New cover art by Nick Roche and Josh Perez.
- Each of the characters receiving the Spotlight also had new Deluxe Class toys as part of the 2012–2013 Generations line, 'Thrilling 30'.
- Cover gallery
- The Transformers: Dark Cybertron Volume 1 (April 22, 2014 Amazon scheduled date) ISBN 1613778910 / ISBN 978-1613778913
- Contains Dark Cybertron issue #1, More than Meets the Eye issues #23–#25, and Robots in Disguise issues #23–#24.
- Bonus content is not known at this time.
- The Transformers: Dark Cybertron Volume 2 (June 24, 2014 Amazon scheduled date) ISBN 1613779984 / ISBN 978-1613779989
- Bonus content is not known at this time.
