The Energon Pub

[Randomhero]

I want to get into the transformers comics but I have no idea where to start I read till all are one issue one last night and I had no idea what was going on can anyone tell me how to start reading and what comics are related like I know robots in disguise and combiner wars are in the same time line(I think) I don't know.

There are 2 main timelines... sort of... it's now 3.

EDIT: making an image to go here because text formatting sucks.

Most people recommend starting at 'Death of Optimus Prime', this is what IDW officially considers the start of "Phase 2"

As a hardcore comics fan, it's my media now with Tranformers, start from the beginning. Start with infiltration, use tfwiki as your guide and start from where it all began. It's worth it. Physical copies would be difficult to get, the big books are fine but I appreciate rwading everything in order of release than order of continuity(it's not that hard to follow). if you have a tablet just buy on comixology. It's all there and the old stuff is pretty cheap now on there.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I want to get into the transformers comics but I have no idea where to start I read till all are one issue one last night and I had no idea what was going on can anyone tell me how to start reading and what comics are related like I know robots in disguise and combiner wars are in the same time line(I think) I don't know.

Depends how early you want to start. I you have the time and money, start at the very beginning by getting the large hardcover books like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-IDW ... +hardcover

The first 8 take you through the end of the war and everyone returning to Cybertron. (It really helped me understand everything). Then comes the whole Death of Optimus Prim and RiD/MTMTE series, with a couple crossovers and miniseries thrown in there.

I recommend the beginning, but if you can't or don't want to, do what Memphis said and start at Death of Optimus Prime (which is easier and cheaper to buy MTMTE volume 1 as it includes it and the whole volume is cheaper than getting Death of OP as a single issue)

[Randomhero]

The problem with starting with RID and MTMTE in my opinion is the fact the first couple years leading up to Dark Cybertron are very heavy with stuff that happened in Simons -ation series. Both books do a lot of call backs to what came pre all hail megatron and RID post dark cybertron deals with a lot of what happened during all hail megatron and costas ongoing.

If anything no matter what you need to read spotlight shockwave very first.

[MemphisR56]

IDW Timeline

Based on the fact I left out stuff like Drift: Empire of Stone, LSotW, SotW and Spotlights, I may make a revised version of this later on tonight trying to encompass the whole of the timeline. Can I call on a bit of help from other people? since I started with Death of optimus prime and bled backwards as I moved forwards, so I'm not sure on the canon timeline of the earlier IDW stuff.

[Randomhero]

rubbish.png

Based on the fact I left out stuff like Drift: Empire of Stone, LSotW, SotW and Spotlights, I may make a revised version of this later on tonight trying to encompass the whole of the timeline. Can I call on a bit of help from other people? since I started with Death of optimus prime and bled backwards as I moved forwards, so I'm not sure on the canon timeline of the earlier IDW stuff.

Megatron origin
Infiltration
Spotlight vol1
Stormbringer
Escalation
Spotlight vol2
Devastation
Spotlight vol3
Revelation/spotlight vol4
Maximum Dinobots
All hail megatron vol 1-4

That's the order I give friends when they want to start getting into the comics.

I skip travafotmers vs avengers because nobody should read that

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Dr. Va'al has a whole thread dedicated to the timeline somewhere...

the-transformers-idwverse-a-chronology-t105238.php

[MemphisR56]

rubbish.png

Based on the fact I left out stuff like Drift: Empire of Stone, LSotW, SotW and Spotlights, I may make a revised version of this later on tonight trying to encompass the whole of the timeline. Can I call on a bit of help from other people? since I started with Death of optimus prime and bled backwards as I moved forwards, so I'm not sure on the canon timeline of the earlier IDW stuff.

Megatron origin
Infiltration
Spotlight vol1
Stormbringer
Escalation
Spotlight vol2
Devastation
Spotlight vol3
Revelation/spotlight vol4
Maximum Dinobots
All hail megatron vol 1-4

That's the order I give friends when they want to start getting into the comics.

I skip transformers vs avengers because nobody should read that

Interesting order for the fact that Megatron Origin is up first, but it was published later.

Should I do a recommended read order, a publishing order, or an actual timeline, since if we're doing that, things like Chaos Theory and Shadowplay will be all over the shop. Individual spotlight issues will the same story.

[Randomhero]

After that I recommend

drift
Ongoing vol1 stop halfway, read bumblebee
Ongoing vol2
Ongoing volume 3
Ironhide miniseries
Vol4-6
MTMTE vol 1
RID vol1

Then just do that motion of both volumes of both RID and MTMTE because some of them mingle with each other till dark cybertron

Skip autocracy, monstrosity and primacy. They're not needed and contribute nothing to IDWs universe as part of yeah big picture.

[Randomhero]

I always recommend megatron origin first. It's not a great book but it is the foundation of the universe and sets up a lot of what megatron is and James contributes in MTMTE

[Randomhero]

I wouldn't recommend reading chaos theory and shadow play of their order in MTMTE and ongoing because that's all flash backs and story telling. It has a present day component in the the story its not a period piece like the autocracy trilogy or megatron origins

[Fenrir Prime]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

[MemphisR56]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

And especially whenMegatron just marched into battle for the sole reason of wanting to protect his crew and specifically ravage, a lower caste cybertronian. Your theory is not without merit! Not at all.

[MrBlack]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

Agreed.

Plus, he just saw Megatron rescue an injured comrade and order his other troops out of danger. I think we will end up seeing Deathsaurus, Megatron, and the remaining members of Team Rodimus versus Overlord and the DJD next issue.

Rung and Nightbeat are still MIA too...

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

And especially whenMegatron just marched into battle for the sole reason of wanting to protect his crew and specifically ravage, a lower caste cybertronian. Your theory is not without merit! Not at all.

My thoughts to a T

[Fenrir Prime]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

And especially whenMegatron just marched into battle for the sole reason of wanting to protect his crew and specifically ravage, a lower caste cybertronian. Your theory is not without merit! Not at all.

Exactly! Tarn just acted like how Megatron used to during the war, at his worst; while Megatron actually embodied the ideals he originally stood for.

[Randomhero]

Personally I feel likeDeathsaurus is at least partially a source of the "chooms". He specifically told Tarn how much he detested Megatron for using soldiers as fodder and what did Tarn just do?

And especially whenMegatron just marched into battle for the sole reason of wanting to protect his crew and specifically ravage, a lower caste cybertronian. Your theory is not without merit! Not at all.

Exactly! Tarn just acted like how Megatron used to during the war, at his worst; while Megatron actually embodied the ideals he originally stood for.

Chooms actually used to be shockwaves signature fun sound in comics. Now almost everyone's weapons make the noise so don't let that be clues

[ebonyleopard]

Nobody is going to mention the real stars of the issue. The Autobot badges? I swear the facial expression Easter eggs of the badges crack me up each issue. I want Reprolables to make badges like that.

[Noideaforaname]

Gotta love that new eBay rover making a mockery of spoiler tags...

[MemphisR56]

Gotta love that new eBay rover making a mockery of spoiler tags...

QFT. While annoying, ot's sort of only picking out names though, so it's not having a huge impact.

[DarkEnergon]

I want to get into the transformers comics but I have no idea where to start I read till all are one issue one last night and I had no idea what was going on can anyone tell me how to start reading and what comics are related like I know robots in disguise and combiner wars are in the same time line(I think) I don't know.

Well, while there is a long chronology that is very satisfying to read, if you aren't ready to jump in with both feet, or, you don't have unlimited time and money, I'd suggest starting with some of the books after the Dark Cybertron event - megatron turns good, starscream wrests control of cybertron (mostly), earth starts getting involved, windblade introduced, etc. etc.

Also, use tfwiki to help confirm what comes next, or get some context. Here's a great sequence for grasping combiner wars:

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Combiner_Wars

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Nobody is going to mention the real stars of the issue. The Autobot badges? I swear the facial expression Easter eggs of the badges crack me up each issue. I want Reprolables to make badges like that.

I personally think Milne does a far better job with the badges than anyone else. they are all hand drawn whereas pretty much everyone else prints them on. The expressive badges are really awesome and now I regret forgetting to mention them in at least a review

[shauyaun]

GOD!now I'm more confused then before cuz I thought it was gona be quite straightforward but man I've learned ALOT including the fact that I know so little!
Thanks for all your help.
I've got time it's SUMMER and "only in summer time" can I really show my love for Tramsfomrers!
Thanks again

[Randomhero]

Nobody is going to mention the real stars of the issue. The Autobot badges? I swear the facial expression Easter eggs of the badges crack me up each issue. I want Reprolables to make badges like that.

I personally think Milne does a far better job with the badges than anyone else. they are all hand drawn whereas pretty much everyone else prints them on. The expressive badges are really awesome and now I regret forgetting to mention them in at least a review

I only noticed the one when when Rodimus is on fire but didn't think to much of it. I just asked Alex on Twitter, he said they've always been very expressive

[Big Grim]

Thank you to everyone using spoiler tags! Looking forward to re-reading this thread once I've read the comic!

[Mr Skram]

I'm gonna have to come back and re-read this arc as a whole for sure. It does nothing for me issue by issue other than mostly annoy me. Plus Skids' death bummed me out and I couldn't get into the rest of the issue.
I suppose I did get into the series at a time when there was a very large backlog and I could read large chunks at a time. Probably just more to do with that being my preferred method of reading than anything else.