The Energon Pub

by **ZealixAlpha** » Tue Jul 18, 2017 11:10 pm

Hi Everyone,

I've been collecting the transformer toys for years and watching the shows and felt that its only right that I start reading the comics too.

I was hoping that a few of you could help point me in the right direction and tell me where a good spot to start reading from. I really like the combiner wars toy line and wanted to read about their adventures. From my understanding, there is a comic series for the combiner wars but it's not the 1st in the series. I know that windblade has her own comics but wasn't quite sure how it all fits together and what order they're in.

What comics should I start reading and in what order? I would talk to the people who run the local comic shop but they're not exactly reliable.

Cheers!

News Credits: 16 · by **Daniel Adkins** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 6:09 am

Check out this video from Chris McFeely. https://youtu.be/gx0TDMWphOU

News Credits: 22 · by **Rodimus Prime** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:03 am

There is a sticky thread in the comics section which lists the IDW comics in chronological order. You can scan the list and pick up wherever you want. 8-)

News Credits: 295 · by **WreckerJack** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:39 pm

Rodimus Prime wrote:There is a sticky thread in the comics section which lists the IDW comics in chronological order. You can scan the list and pick up wherever you want.

The link is here - the-transformers-idwverse-a-chronology-t105238.php

I didn't know we had this until I saw this thread to be honest. The threat title never grabbed my eye I guess.

News Credits: 16 · by **Daniel Adkins** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:10 am

As someone who hates "chronological" reading orders, I would not recommend reading that way. I'd recommend reading via publication order, starting from either Phase 1 or Phase 2, as outlined in the link I posted.

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:22 am

I'd also recommend starting from Death of Optimus Prime as it's essentially a soft reboot of IDW, introducing a wildly different creative team, series drive, setting and themes.

News Credits: 6188 · by **Va'al** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:29 am

WreckerJack wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:There is a sticky thread in the comics section which lists the IDW comics in chronological order. You can scan the list and pick up wherever you want.

The link is here - the-transformers-idwverse-a-chronology-t105238.php

I didn't know we had this until I saw this thread to be honest. The threat title never grabbed my eye I guess.

Replying to Daniel and Kurona, in a way, too:

The Chronology is not a reading order exaclty - it's a chronology. It can be seen as a reading order, sure, but that was not my intention when I first started it!

I endorse the Death of Optimus Prime starting point (MTMTE volume 1), and eventually moving back from there. If you just want to dip your toes in the IDW comics verse, try Last Stand of the Wreckers, as McFeely also suggests.

This thread is probably also useful, as Rodimus mentioned but didn't link: comics-forum-faqs-read-this-before-starting-a-new-comics-thread-t105789.php

by **ZealixAlpha** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 6:03 pm

Thanks for the info guys.

I was looking through my old comics last night when I came across a comic I got on free comic book day a few years back.

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Catalog/JAN120008

Since I'm looking for a good starting point to start reading from, I was wondering if this comic was the start of a new saga or something else? I couldn't find it in the list of comics that Rod Rodimus Prime mentioned. I know it's important to read the comics in order but I'm also looking for somewhere to start reading from. The one thing I've noticed is that the big list of comics didn't have any dates or years of when the comics where published. This makes it a bit hard for me to figure out how far back this list goes. I'm more of a fan of the more modern drawing style as opposed to the classical style and wanted to read something a little bit more recent.

thanks again!

News Credits: 16 · by **Daniel Adkins** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:38 pm

ZealixAlpha wrote:Thanks for the info guys.

I was looking through my old comics last night when I came across a comic I got on free comic book day a few years back.

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Catalog/JAN120008

Since I'm looking for a good starting point to start reading from, I was wondering if this comic was the start of a new saga or something else? I couldn't find it in the list of comics that Rod Rodimus Prime mentioned. I know it's important to read the comics in order but I'm also looking for somewhere to start reading from. The one thing I've noticed is that the big list of comics didn't have any dates or years of when the comics where published. This makes it a bit hard for me to figure out how far back this list goes. I'm more of a fan of the more modern drawing style as opposed to the classical style and wanted to read something a little bit more recent.

thanks again!

Regeneration One is not in the IDW universe, but rather is a continuation of the Marvel US series (hence it being numbered 80.5). If you're interested in reading the IDW universe, ignore Regenration One entirely.

by **ZealixAlpha** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:03 pm

Daniel Adkins wrote:Regeneration One is not in the IDW universe, but rather is a continuation of the Marvel US series (hence it being numbered 80.5). If you're interested in reading the IDW universe, ignore Regenration One entirely.

Ok, now I'm confused. So there's more than one publisher making the comics? I knew that there were stand alone graphic novels done by a few different groups but thought that the main cannon saga was just done by IDW.

So which comics should I be reading then and where should I start? Is everything cannon or just different universes like Marvel?

News Credits: 22 · by **Rodimus Prime** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:46 pm

I also say start with The Death of Optimus Prime, then start reading MTMTE if you're interested in more recent stories. You can also start reading Transformers, which ran concurrent to MTMTE starting in 2012.

As for Regeneration One, it was published by IDW but wasn't part of the IDW continuity, rather continuing the original (and in my opinion superior to IDW) Marvel comics from the 80s, but it was overall a disappointment, no doubt due to IDW's involvement as well as Simon Furman losing his touch over the years.

by **ZealixAlpha** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:08 am

Rodimus Prime wrote:I also say start with The Death of Optimus Prime, then start reading MTMTE if you're interested in more recent stories. You can also start reading Transformers, which ran concurrent to MTMTE starting in 2012.

Awesome, I'll have a look and see what I can find. I did a quick search and found this page regarding the order of reading the comics.

http://www.howtolovecomics.com/2016/10/17/idws-transformers-reading-order/

According to this website, The Death of Optimus Prime is the 2nd series in "phase 2". would it be worth starting with Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy or not really?

I think I've got Autocracy at home but not sure. I have seen it before somewhere but can't remember.

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:35 am

Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy are prequel comics about the war that can basically be read any time. Read 'em if you want.

by **ZealixAlpha** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:07 am

Kurona wrote:Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy are prequel comics about the war that can basically be read any time. Read 'em if you want.

Ah ok. Thanks for that. Are they worth reading?

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:09 am

ZealixAlpha wrote:
Kurona wrote:Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy are prequel comics about the war that can basically be read any time. Read 'em if you want.

Ah ok. Thanks for that. Are they worth reading?

If you're asking about quality, in my opinion they're okay but that's about it. No great feat of storytelling or character development; but if you want a look at how the war started they do the job. Not amazing, but not terrible either.