IDW Announce Back to the Future x Transformers Crossover Miniseries

Already sold out and on eBay at 1000% markup.

Correct me if I am wrong... but wasn't this already announced? On the same day 'Gigawatt' was revealed and available to pre-order?

We knew it was coming but we didn't know who was writing or drawing it

The first page of the first issue of Transformers / Back to the Future contains a letter from Doc Brown telling you, in so many words, to not take it too seriously. This is wisdom to take to heart, as this is another G1 crossover with a pop-culture franchise that's a quick read meant just for fun. Will you have fun reading it? Read on in this review to see if you, from the future, will tell you.


As mentioned, and as most readers probably expected after similar crossover books like Star Trek vs Transformers, Transformers Ghostbusters and Transformers vs Terminator, a Transformers cast very close to their G1 cartoon incarnations is back for more adventure. If you enjoyed those books you're almost certain to enjoy this as well, because the overall tone delivered by writer Cavan Scott is basically identical. The plot beats a drum somewhere between the aforementioned Ghostbusters and Terminator books so far, mingling lighthearted buddy comedy with Doc Brown and Marty with jumps around in spacetime to possible apocalyptic futures.


The focus feels like it skews heavier to the Back to the Future cast, but this is likely due to a somewhat limited Autobot presence throughout this initial issue. Whether or not the BttF cast is portrayed effectively or faithfully is outside of this reviewer's expertise, but I can say that what I remember of Marty, Biff and the others comes across here as expected. There does seem to be some expectation of reader familiarity with those characters moreso than with the Transformers, which is probably fair but readers of this site are in the one audience where that's not really a positive.


Juan Samu returns to drawing the occasional Transformer here, as the other three of you that read IDW's M.A.S.K. series may recall. The linework is good overall though inconsistent, with one example being the two Soundwaves encountered one right after the other. Samu shows definite talent in depicting the transformation sequences in particular, so I'll be watching to see if he can nail down consistency in character proportions and tone down some of the overly exuberant facial expressions. David Garcia Cruz provides the colors with lighting and effects jumping out as a fantastic addition to the visual presentation of some scenes. Neil Uyetake's letter work never stood in the way and was easy to follow, though some of Gigawatt's narration was a bit confusing - there were times I thought it was Marty. The editorial duo of David Mariotte and Chase Marotz kept this initial issue's scope in appropriate check, as it features just enough progression to set up the rest of the mini-series while providing a hook for readers to return next month.

Samu and Garcia Cruz provide the art for the "A" cover which is featured in this review's news story thumbnail. Past crossover artists Philip Murphy and Dan Schoening deliver the "B" cover and 10 copy retail incentive cover, respectively, while a nameless Hasbro photographer's promo shot of the Gigawatt toy graces the 25 copy incentive. As always, you can find all the cover images, full credits for the issue and a list of all the characters that appear in the book through our Vector Sigma Database page for Transformers / Back to the Future #1.


Whether or not you'll enjoy this probably comes down to your attitude towards crossovers, affinity for the franchises aside. If you enjoy them and enjoyed books like the Ghostbusters, Star Trek and Terminator crossovers, you'll enjoy this. If you don't, or are starting to get fatigued by the constant appearance of only the G1 cartoon cast in these types of books, you may want to steer clear as I don't suspect this is going to do anything for you which earlier crossovers didn't. For this reason, two scores are presented below:





Look out for this issue today, October 7th, where you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.

Marty saying Van Halen.

R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen.

Soundwave design in comic looked pretty similar to music label soundwave

LordBludgeon wrote:Marty saying Van Halen.

R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen.

how cool would it be to have a tribute to EVH
as a robot that could turn into his guitar

Bought it. Seems like harmless fun, same as other IDW crossovers. Hope it's a little more satisfying than Terminator.

~ Grim

We have a 5 page preview for the second issue of the Back to the Future x Transformers mini series. We will have a review of this book for you as well later this week so keep an eye out for that if you are curious of our thoughts on it.

Here is the summary of this issue:

Great Scott! Marty McFly's woken up to a present where Hill Valley has been enslaved by the Decepticons! And not only that, but when a time machine arrives from the future to help, Marty finds out that Doc Brown isn't the only one with a flux capacitor... Gigawatt, an Autobot, has one built in! To discover the secrets of his present, Marty will have to trust this mysterious stranger on a trip... to the future!
In Shops: Dec 23, 2020

Creator credits: Cavan Scott (Author), Juan Samu (Artist, Cover Artist), Phil Murphy (Cover Artist), David Garcia Cruz (Colorist)

Didn't see that coming, did you, Starscream?

Skilz? SKILZ We have a perfectly good Skateboard Minicon called Grindor and they come up with Skilz.

Flashwave wrote:Skilz? SKILZ We have a perfectly good Skateboard Minicon called Grindor and they come up with Skilz.

Methinks a certain website has made the name Grindor not as appealing of a name as it was in the early 2000’s.

The final TF reveal will be 'Town Clock'. [BTTF 1]

concrusher792 wrote:

Flashwave wrote:Skilz? SKILZ We have a perfectly good Skateboard Minicon called Grindor and they come up with Skilz.

Methinks a certain website has made the name Grindor not as appealing of a name as it was in the early 2000’s.

I'm not sure what you mean, but okay. I think the name was last used in the 09 movie for the Blackout double?

Flashwave wrote:

concrusher792 wrote:

Flashwave wrote:Skilz? SKILZ We have a perfectly good Skateboard Minicon called Grindor and they come up with Skilz.

Methinks a certain website has made the name Grindor not as appealing of a name as it was in the early 2000’s.

I'm not sure what you mean, but okay. I think the name was last used in the 09 movie for the Blackout double?

Theres a dating app called Grindr, if I'm not getting my wires crossed its used by the LQBTG+ community.

ZeroWolf wrote:

Flashwave wrote:

concrusher792 wrote:

Flashwave wrote:Skilz? SKILZ We have a perfectly good Skateboard Minicon called Grindor and they come up with Skilz.

Methinks a certain website has made the name Grindor not as appealing of a name as it was in the early 2000’s.

I'm not sure what you mean, but okay. I think the name was last used in the 09 movie for the Blackout double?

Theres a dating app called Grindr, if I'm not getting my wires crossed its used by the LQBTG+ community.

There's also a handy tool called a "Grinder" so you know ... one word, multiple spellings, multiple uses.

Ah well, who knows. I was just trying to think of a reason why they wouldn’t use Grindor (similar to how Nexus Prime’s original name was scrapped due its association with a different type of toy). Probably just the writers wanted to come up with a newly named character.

Ok so two issues in and this series is perfectly fine for what it is: a Transformers/Back to the Future Crossover. The first issue had an extra fun feel since it basically replayed the events of the first film but in a chronological manner in the point of view of someone watching the DeLorean disappear in the 80s, setting up the story brilliantly since anyone who saw the film can just fill in any blank easily, and ending in not one but two great cliffhangers.



I was rather excited to read this one and while the cliffhangers are explained, it takes practically the entire issue to do so, meaning that you are in for flashbacks for 75% of the issue. We learn all about Gigawatt and how the Decepticons became as dominant as they are now and it's fun for the most part. I most especially love how Megatron is portrayed. They strike a nice balance of ruthlessness with an over the top ego, where we even see him sport a regal cape.



Once the backstory is explained, we are back to the present just in time to end the issue on another cliffhanger and that's it. Story-wise, there are no false beats here, it's just fun and anyone liking these two franchises and the idea of having fiction serve as a toy commercial will enjoy this.

On the art front, it does the job but only passably. Megatron, Gigawatt and Rumble are drawn fine but there is a rather big shot of Rodimus Prime (you read that right) that does not look right. The proportions are off, it looks like a failed attempt at a perspective shot, and a dull surprise look serves as the icing on top.



Overall, it doesn't negate from the fun experience of the comic but it doesn't go in the plus column either. If you are a fan of fun crossovers, or G1 Megatron, or the idea of Rodimus being the leader of the Autobots rather than Prime, then I'd recommend giving this a shot.


out of

I preferred issue 2 a lot better than issue 1 though the art is a little cartoony.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Rodimus Prime, my favourite Autobot.

Why does Megs bother to wear human-style ermine robes? LAZY TROPE! Also, consider the difficulty of finding and processing so many little ermine pelts!

snavej wrote:Why does Megs bother to wear human-style ermine robes?

For the same reason Starscream wore a cape and crown for his coronation.

Of all the places to find a homage to the Costa era, I didn't think it would be here.

Agreed on that one panel of Rodimus entirely. It's just a terrible hiccup in otherwise ok art.

Greetings Seibertronians! For those who are collecting the Back to the Future Transformers crossover, we have a treat for you!

From the folks over at PreviewsWorld, we can see what the B Cover of the crossover's finale will look like! This Cover shows Gigawatt on a blueprint background, doing the famous Back to the Future pose. The Cover was created by artist Phil Murphy.



That's not all though, as the artist of the RI Cover (Retailer Incentive), Dan Schoening, has revealed it to the world. This Cover shows Marty McFly rocking out as the assembled Autobots (plus Doc Brown and Einstein the dog) watch on.



The issue is due for release May 19th, but don't forget you can pick it, many more issues, up from the Seibertron Store, stocked up with all the best Transformers Comics.

Here is the credits and description for this issue:

PreviewsWorld wrote:(W) Cavan Scott (A) Juan Samu (Cover A) Juan Samu (Cover B) Phil Murphy (Cover RI) Dan Schoening.

Outmatched by the Decepticons, running on empty, and on the ropes, Marty McFly and the Autobot Gigawatt show why nobody calls them chicken! Will the final confrontation be in Marty's future, or will he and his companions make it back to fix the timestream before the Decepticons win? Find out in the heaviest issue of the whole series!

Have you been reading this issue? What do you think of this series? Has it made you want to get Gigawatt?

Shout out in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!

The final entry in the Transformers / Back to the Future mini-series from IDW Publishing will release tomorrow, the fourth part in the four part story. That's right, nearly nine months after the release of the book's first issue, the series finally concludes the adventures of Marty, Doc Brown, Hot Rod and more of your Transformers favorites as they combat Biff and the Decepticons.

Check out the preview below and look out for this book digitally, at your local comic shop, or on the Seibertron.com eBay store tomorrow.

Poor hot rod...

Forget Gigawatt, when are we getting a figure of that Decepticon?

ZeroWolf wrote:Poor hot rod...

That's Rodimus Prime, actually. But at least he stood strong to the very end.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I make of this series. It's felt a bit of a mess to be honest. Enjoyable enough I guess but I dunno. Like I said, not sure what to make of it.

Big Grim wrote:Honestly, I'm not sure what I make of this series. It's felt a bit of a mess to be honest. Enjoyable enough I guess but I dunno. Like I said, not sure what to make of it.

Indeed. I read a couple issues on comixology. Other than to sell Gigawatt, I'm not sure what purpose this serves? The only one of these crossovers that even had an interesting premise was the Terminator one.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Indeed. I read a couple issues on comixology. Other than to sell Gigawatt, I'm not sure what purpose this serves? The only one of these crossovers that even had an interesting premise was the Terminator one.

The Terminator one was good fun and beautifully drawn but had some stupid plot holes. The Autobots REALLY didn't notice the Terminator planting explosives in and around the Ark? Even as he was throwing them out the window of one of them in car mode? Okay....

I did really enjoy the Ghostbusters one but that's likely because their GBs comics were consistantly excellent and it's a shame they were all pulled off comixology.

This one? I dunno. I just sorta exists without being the same kinda harmless fun of the TF/MLP ones.

~ Grim

Big Grim wrote:

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Indeed. I read a couple issues on comixology. Other than to sell Gigawatt, I'm not sure what purpose this serves? The only one of these crossovers that even had an interesting premise was the Terminator one.

The Terminator one was good fun and beautifully drawn but had some stupid plot holes. The Autobots REALLY didn't notice the Terminator planting explosives in and around the Ark? Even as he was throwing them out the window of one of them in car mode? Okay....

I did really enjoy the Ghostbusters one but that's likely because their GBs comics were consistantly excellent and it's a shame they were all pulled off comixology.

This one? I dunno. I just sorta exists without being the same kinda harmless fun of the TF/MLP ones.

~ Grim

The Ghostbusters one was fantastic and set a high standard, while the mlp/tf have been pure fun, perfect light material

Is there a book on the horizon for the Top Gun crossover? Because I think that would be a harder sell than this one.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Is there a book on the horizon for the Top Gun crossover? Because I think that would be a harder sell than this one.

Nope, and I don't think there will be one either.

Just as well, I suppose. I've heard a lot of people complain about how visually bland Maverick is. I'd say the X-Men one is similarly doubtful, to be fair.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Just as well, I suppose. I've heard a lot of people complain about how visually bland Maverick is. I'd say the X-Men one is similarly doubtful, to be fair.

Yup, I'll also doubt that the Jurassic Park x Transformers crossover will get one either

I guess it would be different if there was some overall plan to all these crossovers. Like some... "shared universe" (I hate that term) or unifying narrative. But 'throw Transformers at random 80's properties to sell a single new toy' seems like a really thin mission statement.