G1 Marvel Comic Collections

[Shadewing]

Didn't IDW reprint much of the G1 Marvel comics in several graphic novel like collections? I have a friend wanting to find them, or a good place to get the orginal for non-insane prices.

 

[Sabrblade]

Yes, IDW did several reprints of the Marvel G1 comics during its tenure as a Transformers comic licensee.


The Transformers: Generations (2006-2007)
A 12-issue run of random Marvel US issues reprinted with brand new covers, consisting of #7, #13, #14, #16, #17, #18, #24, #25, #27, #29, #30, and #31.


Classic Transformers (2008-2010)
IDW's first attempt at reprinting the entire Marvel US run in collected omnibus form, but sadly editing or even omitting certain issues featuring Marvel-owned characters like Spider-Man and Circuit Breaker (up until they were allowed to use them for the final two volumes). This run featured six volumes:

• Volume 1 - Reprints #1-2, #4-8, and #10-16 (#3 and #9 are summarized)
• Volume 2 - Reprints #17-21 and #24-32 (#22-23 are summarized)
• Volume 3 - Reprints #33-44 and #46 (#45 is summarized)
• Volume 4 - Reprints #47-61
• Volume 5 - Reprints #62-74
• Volume 6 - Reprints #75-80, Headmasters #1-4, and Transformers: The Movie #1-3

The Transformers Classics (2011-2015)
IDW's second attempt at reprinting the entire Marvel US run, this time including everything and more that was left out of the first attempt, and remastering all the issues (these are the ones I personally own). This run featured eight volumes:

• Volume 1 - Reprints #1-13
• Volume 2 - Reprints #14-25
• Volume 3 - Reprints #26-38
• Volume 4 - Reprints #39-50
• Volume 5 - Reprints #51-64
• Volume 6 - Reprints #65-76
• Volume 7 - Reprints #78-80, Headmasters #1-4, and Transformers: The Movie #1-3
• Volume 8 - Reprints every single Transformers: Universe character profile in alphabetical order, and G.I. Joe and the Transformers #1-4

There is more to cover, but I'm pressed for time at the moment. I'll come back to finish the rest of it later.

 

[lastmaximal]

I was so glad to get Classics volume 8. I'd always wanted the Universe profiles all in one collection, and in better quality than the somewhat meh condition floppies I'd bought in the interim. Plus those would be lacking the follow-up profiles published in the comics later on.

 

[Agent X]

I can't be the only one bothered by "TF+G.I. Joe" and "Headmasters" never being included in volumes where they'd fit chronologically.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

The older Titan Books reprints included Headmasters, but (probably for rights reasons) left out GI Joe.

Actually found that volume a couple of months ago. I think that was the only Titan reprint I was missing. Don't think they ever did the profiles.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

You're not the only one. The way Marvel reprints get handled is just terrible.

I'd also prefer to have the UK stories collected alongside the US stories they were written around instead of being wholly punted off into their own books.

 

[Sabrblade]

Back to finish off what I started.


Transformers Magazine (2007)
Four magazine issues that each reprinted one story from all three companies: Marvel, Dreamwave, and IDW. Below are the Marvel reprints included therein:

• Transformers Magazine #1 - Reprints #42
• Transformers Magazine #2 - Reprints #44
• Transformers Magazine #3 - Reprints #56
• Transformers Magazine #2 - Reprints #57

G.I. Joe/Transformers (2012-2013)
Three volumes that reprinted the crossovers between Transformers and G.I. Joe that were originally produced by Marvel and Devil's Due Press. Thus, only the first volume is relevant here:

• G.I. Joe/Transformers Volume 1 - Reprints G.I. Joe and the Transformers #1-4, three pages from G.I. Joe #138 (just the pages with Transformers on them, the rest of the issue is summarized), and G.I. Joe #139-142 (the crossover that led into the Marvel G2 comics).

The Transformers Classics Compendium, Vol. 1 (2016)
The first four volumes of The Transformers Classics were released together in this one big compilation release, with a monster page count of 1148. As such, it reprints Issues #1-50! There was no second compendium after this one to complete the run, alas.


Now for the Marvel UK content.


The Transformers: Best of UK (2007-2009)
Similar to the aforementioned The Transformers: Generations, this was a series of reprints for select Marvel UK stories (and the odd Marvel US story mixed in). There were multiple mini-series with multiple stories contained therein:

• The Transformers: Target: 2006 - Reprints all 11 parts of "Target: 2006" reprinted across five issues
• The Transformers: Best of UK: Dinobots - Six issues reprinting "The Icarus Theory", "Dinobot Hunt!", "Victory!", "In the National Interest", and Marvel US #8
• The Transformers: Best of UK: Space Pirates - Five issues reprinting "Space Pirates!", "Worlds Apart!", and "Wrecking Havoc!"
• The Transformers: Best of UK: Time Wars - Five issues reprinting "Dry Run!", "Altered Image!", "All in the Minds!", "Firebug!", and "Time Wars"
• The Transformers: Best of UK: City of Fear - Five issues reprinting "City of Fear!", "Legion of the Lost!", "Meltdown!", "Enemy Action!", and "Deadly Games!"
• The Transformers: Best of UK: Prey - Five issues reprinting "Prey!", "...The Harder They Die!, "Under Fire!", "Distant Thunder!", "What's in a Name?", "Resurrection!" and "Grudge Match!"

Omnibuses
Smaller-format TPBs containing various reprinted Transformers comics from IDW, Marvel, and Dreamwave. Below is the only one that reprinted any Marvel stories:

• Transformers: Best of UK Omnibus (2009) - Reprints the contents of the aforementioned Best of UK: Dinobots, Best of UK: Space Pirates, and Best of UK: Time Wars

The Transformers Classics UK (2011-2014)
The crown jewel of IDW's Marvel UK reprints, James Roberts personally spearheaded this series that aimed to reprint EVERY single Marvel UK story, both from the comics and the Annuals (including the prose stories). As the title implies, it was a companion series to The Transformers Classics series of Marvel US reprints. Included within the pages of these volumes weren't just the UK stories but also a huge number of extra special bonus content, including vintage adverts and ephemera, extensive interviews with as many of the original creatives involved in the production of these UK stories, Roberts's own personal recollections of his childhood experiences reading these stories when they were first released back in the 80s, and an in-depth history of Marvel UK itself in relation to its production of the UK Transformers comics year-by-year. Sadly, this series was canceled after only five volumes due to Roberts's departure from IDW and the company's own financial woes at the time, leaving the solicited Volume 6 unreleased and Volumes 7 and 8 never even conceived.

• Volume 1 - Reprints "Man of Iron!", "The Enemy Within!", "Raiders of the Last Ark", "Robot War!", "Decepticon Dam-Busters!", "The Wrath of Guardian!", "The Wrath of Grimlock!" "Robot War II", "Christmas Breaker!", "Crisis of Command!", "Plague of the Insecticons!", "And There Shall Come...a Leader!", "Missing in Action", and "Hunted!"
• Volume 2 - Reprints "The Icarus Theory", "Dinobot Hunt!", "Victory!", Optimus Prime fact file from the 1986 Annual, "The Special Teams Have Arrived", "Robot Buster!", "Devastation Derby!", "Robot War III", "Second Generation!", Megatron fact file from the 1986 Annual, "And Now... The Dinobots" fact file, "In the National Interest", "In the Beginning...", "To a Power Unknown!", "The Return of the Transformers", "The Mission", and "State Games"
• Volume 3 - Reprints "Target: 2006", "Cybertron: The Middle Years!", "Prey!", "...The Harder They Die!", "Under Fire!", "Distant Thunder!", "The Gift", "Fallen Angel", and "Resurrection!"
• Volume 4 - Reprints "Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!", "Burning Sky!", "Hunters", "Fire on High!", "Vicious Circle!", "Ancient Relics!", "Worlds Apart!", "Kup's Story!", "Headhunt", "What's in a Name?", "Grudge Match!", "Ladies' Night", "Stargazing", "Ark Duty", and the "Headmasters Saga" ("Doomsday for Nebulos", "Stylor's Story", and "The Final Conflict")
• Volume 5 - Reprints "The Legacy of Unicron!", "Enemy Action!", "Salvage!", "City of Fear!", "Legion of the Lost", "Meltdown", "Deadly Games!", "Wrecking Havoc", "The Saga of the Transformers So Far", "Prime Bomb!", "Peace", and the German version of the catalog comic released by Milton Bradley in mainland Europe
  
  
• Volume 6 - Was supposed to reprint "The Big Broadcast of 2006", "Space Pirates!", "Firebug!", "Dry Run!", "Cold Comfort and Joy!", "Altered Image!", "All in the Minds!", "Time Wars", and "The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire."

Now for the reprints that mixed US and UK issues, as well as some G2 issues.


Themed collections
Assorted Transformers comic reprint collections centered around a particular theme. Below are the ones with reprinted Marvel stories:

• The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron (2007) - Reprints Marvel US G1 #4 and #24, and Marvel G2 #6
• The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman (2007) - Reprints Parts 3 and 8 of the UK comic story "Target: 2006", Marvel US G1 #62, #70, #71, and #75, and the "Tales of Earth" portions of Marvel G2 #7-8
• The Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime (2010) - Reprints Marvel US #48 and the UK annual comic story "And There Shall Come... A Leader!"
• The Transformers: Best of Megatron (2010) - Reprints Marvel US #24 and #78, and the UK comic story "Aspects of Evil!: Megatron"
• The Transformers: Best of Grimlock (2010) - Reprints the UK comic stories "The Wrath of Guardian!" and "The Wrath of Grimlock!", the UK annual comic story "Victory!", Marvel US G1 #27, the UK comic story "The 4,000,000 Year Itch!", Marvel US G1 #76, and the "Devices and Desires!" portion of Marvel G2 #4
• The Transformers: Best of Starscream (2010) - Reprints the UK comic stories "The Enemy Within!" and "Stargazing", Marvel US #50, and the UK comic stories "Fallen Star!" and "The Lesser Evil!"
• Transformers: Regeneration One 100-Page Spectacular (2012) - Reprints Marvel US #76-80 (note that #77-78 have been edited to remove/obscure Circuit Breaker)
• The Transformers 30th Anniversary Collection (2013) - Reprints Marvel US G1 #1 and #17, "Victory!", Part 8 of "Target: 2006", Marvel US G1 #69, and the "Tales of Earth" portions of Marvel G2 #4-5
• Transformers 100-Page Giant: Power of the Predacons (2020) - reprints the UK comic stories "What's In a Name?" and "Grudge Match!"
• Transformers '84: Legends & Rumors 100-Page Giant (2021) - reprints Marvel US #1, #33, and #34
• Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime (2022) - reprints Marvel US #24
• Transformers: Best of Megatron (2022) - reprints Marvel US #70
• Transformers: Best of Hot Rod (2022) - reprints the UK comic stories "White Fire" and "Peace"
• Transformers: Best of the Rarities (2022) - This is a very special release for Marvel G1 fans, as it contains some pretty rare content within its pages. Upfront are five never-before-released newspaper comic strips originally made for the UK paper Sunday Times, but were ultimately never released until this book, and are written to take place in the Marvel continuity. Additionally, it reprints the Marvel UK stories "Deathbringer", "The Winds of Change!", Dreadwind's Xmas!", "Two Megatrons!", "Another Time & Place", "Perchance to Dream: Galvatron", "Starting Over!", the Marvel G2 Halloween special "Ghosts!", the Marvel US-produced Christmas comic special "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" originally published in Women's Day magazine, and the European Milton Bradley catalog comic officially translated into English!
• Transformers: Best of Bumblebee (2022) - reprints Marvel US #16
• Transformers: Best of Arcee (2022) - reprints the UK comic story "Aspects of Evil!: Galvatron"
• Transformers: Best of Grimlock (2022) - reprints the UK annual comic story "Victory!" and the "Devices and Desires!" portion of Marvel G2 #4
• Transformers: Best of Shockwave (2022) - reprints Marvel US #5 and the UK comic stories "Aspects of Evil!: Shockwave" and "Internal Affairs!"

 

[Magnusblitz]

I was so glad to get Classics volume 8. I'd always wanted the Universe profiles all in one collection, and in better quality than the somewhat meh condition floppies I'd bought in the interim. Plus those would be lacking the follow-up profiles published in the comics later on.

Damn I didn't know this existed, now I'm sad I missed it - like you say, a full collection of all the Universe profiles in one place is super handy. Something to hunt for I suppose.

 

[Exatron]

So Skybound released the digital files for their Marvel G1 Transformers Compendiums a few days ago. I don't see any threads specifically about those, but given all the information Sabrblade provided about previous collections, this thread seems a good fit for what I was hoping to discuss.

I got the Til All Are One version that releases all the Marvel material interwoven in the UK order, with some alterations. I've only ever had a basic familiarity with the UK-original material, so that's where I was hoping to get some more information. To start off with, here's the basic contents of each volume:

• TAAO Compendium 1: TF UK #1-95, "State Games", "And There Shall Come...a Leader!", "Victory!", "The Special Teams Have Arrived", "The Mission", "Cybertron: The Middle Years!", "The Transformers: The Movie", and "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas"
• TAAO Compendium 2: TF UK #96-187 (including Headmasters #1-4), "Vicious Circle!", Action Force #24-27, "Ark Duty", and "What's in a Name?"
• TAAO Compendium 3: TF UK #188-332 (excluding reprints, the Earthforce stories, and G.I. Joe and the Transformers), "Altered Image!", and "All in the Minds!"
• TAAO Compendium 4: The Earthforce stories from UK #255-289, the remaining Annual stories ("Plague of the Insecticons!", "Missing in Action", "Hunted!", "In the Beginning...", "To a Power Unknown!", "The Return of the Transformers", "Doomsday for Nebulos", "Stylor's Story", "The Final Conflict", "The Saga of the Transformers — So Far!", "Prime Bomb!", "Peace", "Destiny of the Dinobots!", "Trigger-Happy!", "Dreadwing Down!", "The Chain Gang!", "The Quest!", "The Magnificent Six!", "Another Time & Place"), G.I. Joe and the Transformers #1-4, G.I. Joe #138-142, Generation 2 (#1-2, Halloween Special, #3-12), Generation 2 (Fleetway) #1-2, and Transformers Universe #1-4

In terms of general contents, all US-original content is basically presented as the US issues (US covers, no issue breaks added) with content modified as per the UK versions (e.g. excluding the Epilogue from US #8, changing text for continuity issues, etc.). All UK-original mainline stories are preceded by the cover of the first issue for that story. UK covers for the US-original stories, subsequent covers for multi-issue UK-original stories, and the Annual covers are not included. While most everything in terms of story content from all of Marvel's run is included as far as I can tell, the following have not been included:

• "Robot War" recaps
• "Transformers: The Facts"
• "Robo-Capers" backup strips (including "The Wind of Change!")
• "Combat Colin" backup strips
• Mail pages and related content ("Dreadwind's Xmas!")
• Games, puzzles, and so on from the Annuals
• Any other non-TF content

Now it's the order I really wanted to ask about. For the most part, Compendiums 1-3 contain all the UK main strips from #1-332 in order, with other applicable stories added in. Specifically, the full order goes like this, all using UK issue numbering unless otherwise noted:

• TF #1-8
• "State Games"
• "And There Shall Come...a Leader!"
• TF #9-50
• "Victory!"
• TF #51-62
• "The Special Teams Have Arrived"
• TF #63-73
• "The Mission"
• TF #74-88 (with "Cybertron: The Middle Years!" at the end of #83)
• The Transformers: The Movie #1-3
• TF #89-92
• TF #94-95
• "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas"
• TF #93
• TF #96-120
• "Vicious Circle!"
• TF #121-125
• Action Force #24-27
• TF #126-132
• "Ark Duty"
• TF #133-136
• "What's in a Name?"
• TF #137-155
• Headmasters #1-4
• TF #156-189
• "Altered Image!"
• TF #190-193
• TF #198
• "All in the Minds!"
• TF #199-205
• TF #194-197
• TF #206-212

At this point, there's a format change in the original UK books. Instead of having each issue being mostly part of the ongoing story with an occasional backup strip, from here on there's a main strip that contains either a part of the ongoing US stories, reprints of older UK-original stories, or G.I. Joe and the Transformers. All the subsequent UK-original stories are printed in the backup strips, Simon Furman soon transitions from the UK books to the US books, and things get messy. From here on, I'll use the issue number to refer to the main story coming from the US book, and add in the original backup strips by title (with the issue numbers they come from following in parentheses). Any numbers that appear skipped are either reprints of material already included earlier in the Compendiums, or are the G.I. Joe and the Transformers stories included in Compendium 4.

• "The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire." (#213-214)
• "Survivors!" (#219-222)
• "The Hunting Party" (#229)
• "Way of the Warrior" (#237)
• "Survival Run" (#238)
• "A Savage Place!" (#239)
• TF #213-220
• "The Big Shutdown!" (#230-231)
• "Deathbringer" (#235-236)
• "Rage!" (#241)
• "Assault on the Ark!" (#242)
• "A Small War!" (#232-233)
• TF #232-239
• "(Double) Deal of the Century!" (#228)
• "Race with the Devil" (#215-218)
• "Mind Games" (#243)
• "Two Megatrons!" (#244)
• TF #240-251
• "Out to Lunch!" (#240)
• "Underworld!" (#245)
• "Demons!" (#246)
• "Dawn of Darkness" (#247)
• "Fallen Star!" (#248)
• "Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?" (#249)
• "The Greatest Gift of All!" (#250)
• "Aspects of Evil!" (#223-227)
• "Prime's Rib!" (#234)
• "The Void!" (#251)
• "Edge of Impact" (#252)
• "Shadow of Evil" (#253)
• "White Fire" (#254)
• TF #252-254
• TF #259-264
• TF #282-332

Suffice it to say, I have questions. However, my wife just called me for lunch, and I don't want to lose all this if my antique computer crashes again, so I'm just going to post all this for now and come back later.

By the way, if any of the above is useful for the wiki, please feel free to use it. I'd consider adding it myself, but I can't stand to do that sort of thing on my phone, and I can't bring myself to fight with my computer that much to figure out how to format it properly. (I built this computer in 2011. It's not doing well these days... I'm kind of amazed it kept running long enough to write this much.)

 

[Sabrblade]

Looking at that order, I find it funny how they put "The Mission" and "Ark Duty" in the exact same spots that I place them in my personal Marvel UK reading order.

I'm also so glad that they saw reason to move both "Cold Comfort and Joy!" and all of "Time Wars" to come before the Underbase Saga instead of interrupting it like the original issues did.

Though, it is a little peculiar that they moved "The Gift" back a bit to come after "Decepticon Graffiti!" instead of before it. Not that it really affects anything, though.

I'm most puzzled by their placing "What in a Name?" after "Grudge Match!" when "Grudge" largely serves as a sequel to it. Sure, the beginning scenes of "Grudge" take place first, but it clearly reads better with "What's in a Name?" coming first since it was written and released first while "Grudge Match!" is the payoff.

I understand why the Headmasters mini is so often placed between "Toy Soldiers!" and "Trial by Fire!", because the final issue of the mini leads directly into "Trial by Fire!", but there's a huge time gap between the second and third, and the third and fourth, chapters of the mini. The Headmasters mini begins in 1987 (logically so since it advertises the 1987 toys), but "Toy Soldiers!" and "Trial by Fire!" are both set in 1988. So, if the whole Headmasters mini gets put between the two, then the whole 1987 mini gets put in 1988 instead. Frankly speaking, since both the first chapter and "Worlds Apart!" were originally published in the same issue, I would have put all four parts of the Headmasters mini right before "Worlds Apart!" (right after "Buster Witwicky and the Carwash of Doom") so as to provide the proper context needed to better understand "Worlds Apart!", even if that means having the final Headmasters chapter come several issues before "Trial by Fire!"

I'm also a bit puzzled over why "Race with the Devil" is placed before "Mind Games" and "Two Megatrons!" since it was the real Megatron who tasked Dreadwind and Darkwing with retrieving Starscream's remains, but if it comes before "Mind Games", then wouldn't that mean it was the Straxus-Megatron clone instead, since he was still in command before the real Megatron overthrew him in "Two Megatrons!"? (btw, I really hate that Furman decided to "fix" the Megatron discrepancy by making the UK one a clone, when he could have just made it be that what US Megs tells Ratchet about his survival of the space bridge was actually a lie in the UK continuity, a lie meant to test if Ratchet would actually believe him, and seeing as how Ratchet did believe him, that would have indicated to Megatron how Ratchet knew none of Megatron's UK-only activities, which Megs could have found intriguing enough to potentially use that knowledge to his advantage, only for him to never get the chance to do so because of what Ratchet ends up doing to him in "Skin Deep").

(I didn't get the TAAO kickstarter hardcovers because I didn't have the money to spend on them at the time. Wish I could have gotten them, though)

 

[Exatron]

Surprisingly enough, my computer hasn't crashed again since I last posted. It did a few times while compiling all the information I posted, so that's a minor miracle. I did have Chrome crash part-way through writing the post, but luckily Allspark saved my draft. Anyway, I figured I'd go through all the editorial decisions Skybound made - i.e. anything what isn't just a straight #1-322 order.

For what it's worth, all this has a practical purpose for me. While I can't do anything about the physical books, I'm planning to customize my personal digital copy to my preferences. I've already converted the PDF files to images for CBZ files and swapped the main Autobot Compendium covers for the Decepticon covers I ordered. I'm also planning to combine splash pages into a single image and rotate images where applicable. (Not sure if that applies anywhere other than one spread I know I came across, I think somewhere in G2.) As long as I'm at it, I think I'll go ahead and re-order stuff as well to meet my preferences.

Stuff I'll leave alone:

• After #50 seems like the best fit for "Victory!". It could go anywhere between there and before #65, but I think it fits best here as an explanation for what's up with the Dinobots from now to their next appearance.
• "The Special Teams Have Arrived" seems a little redundant. I mean, it's basically retold in "Second Generation", as the second of two dreams Buster has, right? I guess it can make sense before "Second Generation" as just his having multiple dreams, and he happens to have that one at least twice. Still seems a bit odd, but aside from putting it in Compendium 4 as alternate material, this seems like the best place to put it.
• Per the wiki, "The Mission" fits anywhere between #65 and #78. This placement puts it at the end of a run of US material and before the next run of UK material. Works for me.
• "Cybertron: The Middle Years!" is placed right where it was in the original publication.
• "The Transformers: The Movie" right after "Target: 2006" seems right. I could see swapping them around, but I don't see any clear advantage one way or the other. And I believe this matches the UK publishing order?
• I'm good with moving "The Gift" (#93) to be after #95. Aside from this issue, #89-95 is basically one continuous story. I'm guessing #93 got shoved into the middle of it due to either availability of material to meet publication deadlines or to get it published in time for Christmas, or maybe a bit of both. Either way, probably makes sense to move it a bit to keep the larger story intact.
• "Vicious Circle!" finishes the story from #119-120, so fits best here.
• Likewise, Action Force #24-27 finishes the story from #125.
• I can't think of any better place to put "Altered Image!" than right after #189.
• "Time Wars" starts right after "All in the Minds!", so right before #199 is the perfect spot for "All in the Minds!".
• Like Sabrblade, I'm good with moving #194-197 to keep the Underbase Saga all together.
• "The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire." and "Survivors!" are cleanup following Time Wars. "The Hunting Party", "Way of the Warrior", "Survival Run", and "A Savage Place!" follow on from "Survivors!". Makes sense to do all the "Time Wars" cleanup, followed by Underbase cleanup.
• "The Big Shutdown!", "Deathbringer", "Rage!", and "Assault on the Ark!" cover the arrival of the new Autobot headmasters and Thunderwing's rise to power. Seems like "Deathbringer" could be shifted to follow "Rage!" as some wiki write-ups appear to assume, but it was published first and seems to fit just as well before it. I'd think this whole sequence could go after the next batch of Micromaster stories, but they seem to fit just as well here, and "The Big Shutdown!" was published first.
• "A Small War!" fits as a flashback right before "King Con!".
• "(Double) Deal of the Century!" comes after the Micromasters get added to Prime's team.
• "Race with the Devil", "Mind Games", and "Two Megatrons!" lead into "Back from the Dead". I'd think "Race with the Devil" could go earlier to stick closer to publishing order, but I think it makes sense here.
• "Out to Lunch!" follows "Skin Deep".
• "Underworld!", "Demons!", and "Dawn of Darkness" form a continuous story that fits between "Skin Deep" and "Yesterday's Heroes!"
• "Fallen Star!" and "Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?" seem to fit just as well here as anywhere else.
• Placing most of the final future timeline stories ("Aspects of Evil!", "The Void!", "Edge of Impact", "Shadow of Evil", and "White Fire") right before getting into Primus and Unicron feels appropriate.

Stuff I'll probably change:

• Placing "State Games" and "And There Shall Come...a Leader!" right after the original mini-series makes sense. They're prequels to the series, but I can completely understand wanting to start with the original mini. I think I'll go ahead and move them ahead of TF #1 for my copy though.
• I understand "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" probably best fits after US #14 / UK #54. I'm guessing Skybound moved it just to keep two Christmas stories together? It's not like these are the only Christmas stories through the run, so I don't really see any value in that direction. I'll probably just move it to be after #54.
• I can see placing "What's in a Name?" either before or after "Grudge Match!". I think it probably makes more sense before, like Sabrblade said. Given that I have no page constraints though, I think I may just split the page from "Grudge Match!" where Swoop storms off in two, and just stick "What's in a Name?" between them. Otherwise, I'll probably just shift it ahead of "Grudge Match!"
• "The Greatest Gift of All!" should come after "Primal Scream".

Stuff I'm unclear on:

• Headmasters and "Worlds Apart!" is definitely one I wanted to discuss a little more. There's a clear timeline between Goldbug sending a distress call in #155, that call being received in Headmasters #4, and the Headmasters arriving on Earth in #156. I'd actually argue that I don't think it makes sense to put Headmasters #4 anywhere other than between #155 and #156. To Sabrblade's point, you could move the other three issues earlier. My counterpoint is, is there any good reason to do so? The first three issues don't tie in with anything else, so I think it makes the most sense to keep them right there with #4. Since this collection isn't just a direct #1-332 reprint, my solution is to instead move "Worlds Apart!" to after Headmasters #4. Any issues with doing so that I'm missing?
• Having never read any of them, I'm unclear on a lot of the finer points about the future timeline. I normally prefer to go with a chronological order for stories, but that doesn't seem possible here since you have a present and future timeline that intersect with each other. I understand "Target: 2006" branches off during TFTM, various other timeline crossovers occur, there's a partial reset after "Time Wars", and the final future stories branch off into their own timeline separate from the rest of the present timeline. Most of the placements in the Compendium make sense to me, but a couple seem odd:
  • "Ark Duty" is one that doesn't really make sense to me. Its placement here seems pretty random. I could see placing it before "Target: 2006" and TFTM, since it's set before those. Or I could see maybe placing it before "Aspects of Evil!", since it's part of the future timeline not wiped out by "Time Wars". But I see absolutely nothing story-wise pointing toward here as the place to put it. Yet this is also where you place it, @Sabrblade? Is there a particular reason for that? Is there something I'm just missing? Or is it purely just for thematic reasons, since "Kup's Story!" features the same characters and is similarly disconnected from the rest of the story chronologically?
  • "Prime's Rib!" is also kind of weird. It's a future timeline story set even earlier than "Ark Duty", but is placed here after "Aspects of Evil!". It makes a little bit of sense in that it's also one of those final future timeline stories and was published between "Aspects of Evil!" and "The Void!". Yet it also feels just wrong in a similar way to "Ark Duty". I think I get why it was put here, but if publication order is being disregarded for better story flow, it feels like sticking this into the middle of an otherwise linked set of stories is counterproductive. And yet, I really can't come up with a better place to put it, just like "Ark Story". It doesn't even really feel right to put it with "Ark Story", since those stories are completely unconnected aside from both being tied to TFTM.
• While many of the Annual stories are definitely non-canon, I'm unclear on some of them. The wiki describes quite a few of them as being tricky to place into continuity, which implies they CAN be placed, just maybe with some issues. Many stories that definitely are canon also have issues, so that doesn't seem like it should be a deal breaker. Is there a consensus that the stories shunted to Compendium 4 are best considered non canon?

I think that covers it. Any feedback on any/all of these would be greatly appreciated!

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Do we have confirmation that these are the versions changed from the way they were at Marvel, e.g. blue Soundwave with a faceplate, lipstick Robot Master, etc.?

 

[Exatron]

Do we have confirmation that these are the versions changed from the way they were at Marvel, e.g. blue Soundwave with a faceplate, lipstick Robot Master, etc.?

The TAAO Compendium is the version that was advertised to be modified to match the UK content. I know I can see that the epilogue to US #8 is removed, and I've seen a couple comments online mentioning text changes to match the UK version. Soundwave has been blue in every page where I've noticed him, but I've only quickly skimmed them so far. Beyond that, I'm not familiar enough with the details to confirm anything more.

If there are any particular things anyone would like checked, please let me know.

 

[Sabrblade]

"The Special Teams Have Arrived" seems a little redundant. I mean, it's basically retold in "Second Generation", as the second of two dreams Buster has, right? I guess it can make sense before "Second Generation" as just his having multiple dreams, and he happens to have that one at least twice. Still seems a bit odd, but aside from putting it in Compendium 4 as alternate material, this seems like the best place to put it.

In my order, I actually placed it between Parts 1 and 2 of "Second Generation!" so that it could lead directly into Buster's dream sequence in Part 2, since said dream is the conclusion that pays off the cliffhanger ending of TSTHA. But, after seeing this release place it instead between "Devastation Derby!" and "Second Generation!", I've reevaluated my placement of it and can now agree with Skybound's placement of it as a prelude for the entirety of "Second Generation!", since I just did a reread of both TSTHA and Part 2 of "Second Generation!" back-to-back, and the transition between the two isn't as smooth as I remembered it being. TSTHA does feel more like a sneak peek story meant to be read in advance of "Second Generation!" (and it was originally packed in with the much earlier "Rock and Roll Out!"), so I now feel in agreement with where Skybound placed it (IDW previously placed it after "Dinobot Hunt!" and "Victory!" but before "Robot Buster!" in their Classics UK Volume 2, which does match up with where it was originally released but that is also before Buster even starts having his Matrix-induced dreams of the future).

Although, another placement it could go would be between "Robot Buster!" and "Devastation Derby!" since the latter is when Buster first starts having his Matrix dreams. But then again, placing TSTHA after "Devastation Derby!" does leave Buster's drawing of Superion as an unexpected surprise, but then again again, it was already given away by having TSTHA published earlier back in "Rock and Roll Out!" But "Devastation Derby!" does end with Soundwave declaring Buster's dream to be a vision of the future, and following that ending immediately with TSTHA does allow the reader to see the beginning part of that vision before "Second Generation!" fully dives into its conclusion. So, I guess Skybound did make the right call placing it where they did.

Per the wiki, "The Mission" fits anywhere between #65 and #78. This placement puts it at the end of a run of US material and before the next run of UK material. Works for me.

I previously said that I placed this one in the same place that Skybound did, but re-checking my order, I actually placed it earlier, between "The Bridge to Nowhere!" and "Command Performances!" But that's because that's where I also placed most of the 1986 annual stories, including "In the Beginning...", "To a Power Unknown!" and "State Games". Like you and the wiki said, "The Mission" could really go anywhere between "Second Generation!" and "Target: 2006", but I placed it where I did because the ending of "Second Generation!" leads directly into "The Smelting Pool!", which itself leads directly into "The Bridge to Nowhere!" "Command Performances!" isn't as serialized with "The Bridge to Nowhere!", so I put "The Mission" there so as to imply that it takes place on Earth during the Cybertron-set events of "The Smelting Pool!" and "The Bridge to Nowhere!"

I'm guessing Skybound put "The Mission" between "Showdown!" and "In the National Interest" because of, like you said, it's after a run of US material and before the next run of UK material. But my problem with that is how "In the National Interest" picks up shortly after the events of "Command Performances!", set during the events of "Showdown!", as the UK story was written to tie in with the Dinobots' appearance in "Command Performances!", which was rewritten in the UK version to have their dialogue foreshadow the events of "In the National Interest". While it's still not impossible for "The Mission" to take place where Skybound put it, having it take place concurrent to the events of "Showdown!" and "In the National Interest" sure does make that day a very busy one. And with the Constructicons also appearing in "In the National Interest", that does put their appearance in that story right up against the wall with their appearance in "The Mission". This is the big reason behind my placing "The Mission" sooner, on top of the fact that "The Bridge to Nowhere!" and "Command Performances!" are the two stories in this batch between "Second Generation!" and "Target: 2006" that are the least serialized between each other ("Second Generation!" leads directly into "The Smelting Pool!", which leads directly into "The Bridge to Nowhere!", while "Command Performances!" leads directly into both "Showdown!" and "In the National Interest", which then leads directly into "Target: 2006").

I'm guessing #93 got shoved into the middle of it due to either availability of material to meet publication deadlines or to get it published in time for Christmas, or maybe a bit of both.

The latter. The Christmas stories were each published on the dates closest to December 24.

Likewise, Action Force #24-27 finishes the story from #125.

I actually don't like where "Ancient Relics!" was originally published as #125, as it interrupted the US two-parter of "Crater Critters" and "The Cure!" IMO, Hachette's Definitive G1 Collection made the right call by moving all of "Ancient Relics!" up by one issue to place it before "Crater Critters", between it and "Mechanical Difficulties!", and wish Skybound had done the same here.

"Time Wars" starts right after "All in the Minds!", so right before #199 is the perfect spot for "All in the Minds!".

Frankly, "All in the Minds!" could just as well go right before "Cold Comfort and Joy!", since that story is likewise meant to lead directly into "Time Wars" what with its final panel foreshadowing it. But coming right after "Cold Comfort and Joy!" also works since "All in the Minds!" is vague enough to go either before or after it, so long as it's either-or since, like you said, it too leads right into "Time Wars". "Minds" and "Joy" basically take place at the same time as each other.

Placing "State Games" and "And There Shall Come...a Leader!" right after the original mini-series makes sense. They're prequels to the series, but I can completely understand wanting to start with the original mini. I think I'll go ahead and move them ahead of TF #1 for my copy though.

Where I placed these two largely related to where I placed all of the annual stories in general.

• For those that had definite placements in relation to the main comic story (like "Victory!", "Vicious Circle!" and "Altered Image!"), they went where they belong.
• For those that had no definite placement but could still fit in somewhere harmlessly (like "The Mission", "Ark Duty", and "The Chain Gang!"), I used my best guesses based on narrative and continuity context clues, as well as looking for good stopping points in the main story.
• For those that could not fit but still wanted to pretend like they did (like "The Return of the Transformers"), I put them where they wanted to take place but with the caveat of noting that they still don't fit even though they want to.
• For those that could not fit at all, I placed them in (like "Plague of the Insecticons!", "Missing in Action!", and "Hunted!"), I placed them at points in the main story where there is a break in the narrative to let the story stop and take a break to let the non-canon stories have their moment before resuming with the main story after the break. And I made sure to find these stopping points between issues either set or released during the same years as each annual was released.
• For those that served as narrative recaps of the main comic story ("In the Beginning...", "The Saga of the Transformers — So Far!" and "The Quest!"), I placed them as close as possible to right after the most recent issue that they recapped. "In the Beginning..." recaps up to "Second Generation!", but "Second Generation!" leads right into "The Smelting Pool!" and "The Bridge to Nowhere!", so I placed it after "The Bridge to Nowhere!" since it's not as serialized with "Command Performances!" (this is where I also placed "The Mission"). "Saga" recaps up to "Salvage!", which doesn't lead directly into the next story ("Pretender to the Throne!"), so I easily put "Saga" right after "Salvage!" Likewise, "The Quest!" recaps up to "Time Wars", which doesn't lead right into its next stories, so "The Quest!" can easily go right after "Time Wars".

For these two flashback stories, I went with a similar logic to those in the second and fourth bullet points, placing them at good narrative stopping points in the main comic story.

• For "And There Shall Come... A Leader!", I placed it between "Christmas Breaker!" and "Crisis of Command!" Coming right before "Crisis of Command!" shows a neat dichotomy between the Autobots' confidence in appointing Optimus to leader in the past and the uncertainty of his leadership in the present. "Crisis of Command!" is also the first story in the main comics to mention Emirate Xaaron by name, who debuts in the annual story, so it fits best coming at some point before "Crisis of Command!" so that readers already know who Xaaron is before then.
• For "State Games", I simply placed it in the same stopgap as most of the other 1986 annual stories, alongside "In the Beginning..." and "The Mission", between "The Bridge to Nowhere!" and "Command Performances!"

I understand "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" probably best fits after US #14 / UK #54. I'm guessing Skybound moved it just to keep two Christmas stories together? It's not like these are the only Christmas stories through the run, so I don't really see any value in that direction. I'll probably just move it to be after #54.

This one's a bit funky. Going by the UK continuity, if it were to come right after "Rock and Roll Out!" like it did in its US publication order, then there would be an extra Christmas between those of 1985 ("Christmas Breaker!") and 1986 ("The Gift!"). It was likely relocated to coincide with "The Gift!" in order to eliminate that extra Christmas and just say that both it and "The Gift!" are set in 1986, even though it was originally published earlier in 1985 and featured the likes of Tracks, Hoist, Bumblebee, and Prowl as its main stars. Going strictly by US continuity, it can easily fit where it originally did between "Rock and Roll Out!" and "I, Robot-Master!", but it's the complexities of the UK continuity that makes it not fit where it was originally published, since "Christmas Breaker!" comes before Tracks and Prowl's introduction and the next Christmas story after "The Gift!", "Stargazing!", takes place after the Autobots have left Earth aboard the Ark under Grimlock's command, and by which point Prowl is offline and Bumblebee has become Goldbug. So, if this story were to be shoved into UK continuity, 1986 is the only Christmas season it could take place in, setting it right alongside "The Gift!", even though it really feels more like an earlier story.

"The Greatest Gift of All!" should come after "Primal Scream".

It should also at least remain attached to "Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?" since the two are linked together like a two-parter.


To be continued...

 

[Sabrblade]

Headmasters and "Worlds Apart!" is definitely one I wanted to discuss a little more. There's a clear timeline between Goldbug sending a distress call in #155, that call being received in Headmasters #4, and the Headmasters arriving on Earth in #156. I'd actually argue that I don't think it makes sense to put Headmasters #4 anywhere other than between #155 and #156. To Sabrblade's point, you could move the other three issues earlier. My counterpoint is, is there any good reason to do so? The first three issues don't tie in with anything else, so I think it makes the most sense to keep them right there with #4. Since this collection isn't just a direct #1-332 reprint, my solution is to instead move "Worlds Apart!" to after Headmasters #4. Any issues with doing so that I'm missing?

Like I said, I understand the reasoning of attaching the end of the Headmasters mini to "Trial by Fire!" But I like the idea of the Headmasters mini being set in 1987. And it probably took Fort Max and Scorponok some time for both of their ship to reach Earth, which makes me feel alright with placing the whole mini well ahead of "Trial by Fire!"

Another sticking point I forgot to mention before about placing the Headmasters mini during the 1987 issues is that it makes the most sense to also read all of the mini before the UK story "Headhunt", in which Rodimus Prime has a flashback to his time as a Targetmaster and the death of his partner Firebolt. These flashbacks only make sense to one who has read the mini before "Headhunt", since Hot Rod only first becomes a Targetmaster in the fourth and final chapter of the Headmasters mini.

As I've laid out more thoroughly in the Personal Canon Thread, I've organized the Headmasters mini, "Worlds Apart!", and the three 1989 annual prose stories of the Headmaster Saga in the following chronological reading arrangement:

• "Ring of Hate!"
• "Broken Glass!" Pages 1-11
• "Doomsday for Nebulos"
• "Broken Glass!" Pages 12-22
• "Love and Steel!"
• "Stylor's Story"
• "Brothers in Armor!!" Pages 1-21
• "The Final Conflict" pre-epilogue
• "Worlds Apart!"
• "The Final Conflict" epilogue
• "Brothers in Armor" Page 22

"Ark Duty" is one that doesn't really make sense to me. Its placement here seems pretty random. I could see placing it before "Target: 2006" and TFTM, since it's set before those. Or I could see maybe placing it before "Aspects of Evil!", since it's part of the future timeline not wiped out by "Time Wars". But I see absolutely nothing story-wise pointing toward here as the place to put it. Yet this is also where you place it, @Sabrblade? Is there a particular reason for that? Is there something I'm just missing? Or is it purely just for thematic reasons, since "Kup's Story!" features the same characters and is similarly disconnected from the rest of the story chronologically?

My placement for "Ark Duty" came from a number of things. Like I said above about the annual stories, for those that could fit harmlessly but had no definite placements of their own, I looked for good stopping points in the main story relative to when the annuals themselves were released. "Ark Duty" was released during the run of 1987 issues, so that narrowed the window between "Decepticon Graffiti!" and "Stargazing", but that's still a pretty big window. It was published on the 1st of August, which was around the time of the UK publishing of "Crater Critters". Just a few issues later came "Kup's Story" and "Headhunt", two one-off stories that starred the future cast of TFTM. "Ark Duty" likewise focused on the future setting starring the TFTM cast, just at a point in time set between "Kup's Story" (long ago in the past) and "Headhunt" (the further future when Hot Rod is now Rodimus). "Ark Duty" feels like a good bridge between the two, giving us another look at Hot Rod in his younger years before he becomes Rodimus Prime. Essentially, "Kup's Story" and "Headhunt" work as a really good bookends for "Ark Duty".

"Prime's Rib!" is also kind of weird. It's a future timeline story set even earlier than "Ark Duty", but is placed here after "Aspects of Evil!". It makes a little bit of sense in that it's also one of those final future timeline stories and was published between "Aspects of Evil!" and "The Void!". Yet it also feels just wrong in a similar way to "Ark Duty". I think I get why it was put here, but if publication order is being disregarded for better story flow, it feels like sticking this into the middle of an otherwise linked set of stories is counterproductive. And yet, I really can't come up with a better place to put it, just like "Ark Story". It doesn't even really feel right to put it with "Ark Story", since those stories are completely unconnected aside from both being tied to TFTM.

Agreed on all points. I really don't know where to put "Prime's Rib!" Arcee first appeared in "Space Pirates!" (not counting her appearance in the TFTM adaptation) so at the very least it'd be placed somewhere after that. I suppose just putting it at the beginning of all the final future stories, right before "Aspects of Evil!", would be fine.


To be continued...

 

[Sabrblade]

While many of the Annual stories are definitely non-canon, I'm unclear on some of them. The wiki describes quite a few of them as being tricky to place into continuity, which implies they CAN be placed, just maybe with some issues. Many stories that definitely are canon also have issues, so that doesn't seem like it should be a deal breaker. Is there a consensus that the stories shunted to Compendium 4 are best considered non canon?

I'm torn on a lot of the annual stories. I found places for most of them, even the ones that definitely do not fit with the main comic story. This is where I've placed all the ones I've placed thus far as of this typing:

• "Plague of the Insecticons!", "Missing in Action", and "Hunted!" are all impossible to fit into the main comic story. I put all three of them in a stopgap between "Christmas Breaker!" and "Crisis of Command!" since they were released in 1985 but can't fit anywhere during that time or later, so I just stuck them at the end of the 1985 stories.
• "And There Shall Come... A Leader!" does fit as a flashback story. I placed it in the same stopgap as the three above, coming right after them all, before "Crisis of Command!" Basically, after "Christmas Breaker!" is a break from the main story for three non-canon stories and one canon flashback before resuming the main story with "Crisis of Command!"
• "Victory!" goes where it belongs right after "Dinobot Hunt"
• I've already explained the stopgap for most of the 1986 annual stories I've placed between "The Bridge to Nowhere!" and "Command Performances!", those being "In the Beginning..." "State Games", and "The Mission".
• "To a Power Unknown!" is a weird one. It certainly feels like it wants to be canon, mentioning the power struggle for Decepticon leadership between Megatron and Shockwave, while having Rumble, Frenzy, and the three Decepticon Planes still active, making it feel like it comes during the time between "Second Generation!" and "Command Performances!" But it has a number of... not strict continuity "errors" but continuity "oddities". For one, Sideswipe is alive when he was offline at this time in the US issues, but the UK issues had numerous cases of characters who were offline in the US issues being alive and active in the UK issues, so Sideswipe being alive is easy to handwave. Robot-Master is unaccounted for, but the story is largely set in the UK, so he wouldn't be there with the Decepticons. The Autobots are shown flying in robot mode over the Atlantic Ocean to get to the UK, which is weird one-off ability never seen before or after, leaving it up to the reader to forgive that one or not. And at the end of the story, it is stated that the Autobots have their own UK base, which is not impossible for them to have (especially since they previously visited the UK back in "Man of Iron"), but it is still very weird since it's something never seen or mentioned again before or after this story. Despite these oddities, I placed "To a Power Unknown!" in the same stopgap as the other 1986 annual stories, between "In the Beginning..." and "State Games" per the stories' original publication order in the 1986 annual.
• "The Return of the Transformers" is a sequel to "Missing in Action" set one year after it, so it doesn't fit. BUUUUT, it also pretends like it does fit, as it references the events of "Aerialbots over America!", as though it comes right after it before "Heavy Traffic!" So, despite its impossible fitting, I placed it where it wants to fit, as a brief stopgap between "Aerialbots over America!" and "Heavy Traffic!", with the caveat of it simply being non-canon.
• "What's in a Name?" I put right before "Grudge Match!", "Vicious Circle!" goes where it belongs right after "Fire on High!", "Ark Duty" I've placed as a bridge between "Kup's Story" and "Headhunt", and the three Headmasters Saga prose stories I've placed during the Headmasters mini where they best fit chronologically come in relation to those four chapters and "Worlds Apart!"
• "The Saga of the Transformers — So Far!" recaps events up to "Salvage!", so I've placed it right after that, "Altered Image!" goes where it belongs right after "Dry Run!", "All in the Minds!" can go either before or after "Cold Comfort and Joy!" since both stories take place at the same time as each other and lead directly into "Time Wars"
• "Peace" is an ambiguous one. On its own, there's nothing stopping it from being the very last of the future timeline stories, but the creatives involved haven't really spelled out if it is canon to the future timeline stories or if its own alternate future timeline. Really, it's just the bleak, downer tone of the story that keeps people from wanting to accept it as canon to the future timeline stories (and understandably so). If nothing else, there's really no harm in placing it after "White Fire", whether as a canon part of that future timeline or merely as a non-canon, single-chapter stopgap.
• "The Quest!" recaps up to "Time Wars", so I've placed it right after that.
• "The Chain Gang!" is like "The Mission" in that it could go in multiple places but doesn't really affect the overall story of the main comics. I placed it right after "Monstercon from Mars!" since the story is set on Earth, features the Pretenders, and the Autobot Pretenders seem to formally introduce themselves to the Decepticon Pretenders. While the Pretenders all first debuted in "Pretender to the Throne!", this story shows the Decepticon Pretenders specifically after fuel. In "Monstercon from Mars!", Scorponok tasked Skullgrin with establishing a fuel depot on Earth (before he got swept up in showbiz and used it to get paid in fuel barrels), so "The Chain Gang!" showing him, Bomb-Burst, and Iguanus raiding an oil platform for energy feels like an extension of that original mission Scorponok had tasked Skullgrin with beforehand. The one thing that has to be handwaved is the notion at the end of the story where the Decepticon Pretenders get captured by the Autobot Pretenders and taken back to Cybertron as prisoners. Since those three Cons don't disappear from the main story, we just have to assume that they broke out of prison and reunited with Scorponok's crew afterward, which is entirely plausible since "Ca$h and Car-nage!" showed that Scorponok still has some influence on Cybertron, with some Decepticons, like the Firecons, still loyal to him running their own prisons for him and sending him troops via space bridge. Skullgrin, Bomb-Burst, and Iguanus could have been easily freed and sent back to Earth by Scorponok's loyalists on Cybertron off-panel.
• I have yet to figure out a placement for "Destiny of the Dinobots!", but it is speculated to be in the offshoot Earthforce continuity, like "The Magnificent Six!" is.
• "Another Time & Place" is an alternate what-if story set after the final main comic story as a sort of epilogue to the whole series, but which was written before the Generation 2 comics came along. G2 ignores "Another Time & Place", so it's its own little offshoot epilogue.

To be concluded...

 

[Sabrblade]

You might notice that I skipped over "Prime Bomb!", "Trigger-Happy!" and "Dreadwing Down!" These three are pretty vague stories that certainly feel like they want to be part of the main comic story but are pretty difficult to place at first glance. I, however, have opted to get a little creative in order to find places for them. With the rearrangement of "Time Wars" to come before the Underbase Saga, I actually think all three of them could now fit in between the little gap that now exists between the end of "Time Wars" and the beginning of the Underbase Saga.

• "Prime Bomb!" sees Optimus on Earth as a Powermaster with the Protectobots alive and well under his command, and the Combaticons are alive and active as well, requiring it come before the Underbase Saga, wherein the Protectobots all died and Combaticons were implied to have died as well. However, the Combaticons are also shown working for Scorponok. While the wiki currently asserts that this could only happen after the Underbase Saga since the Combaticons were working for Ratbat before Scorponok took control of all Earth-based Decepticons, could it not be possible (even if implausible) that the Combaticons simply did him a favor in this story, before returning to work for Ratbat by the Underbase Saga? We also see Dreadwing on Earth working for Scorponok in this story, which matches up with their first appearance in "People Power!" showing them departing from Nebulos to go look for and join up with Scorponok. The next time they are seen in the main comics is when they are stuck working for the Mecannibals, meaning they never get to join back up with Scorponok in the main comics until they are next seen on Cybertron with all the other Transformers gathered by Primus in "The Void!" Placing this story between "Time Wars" and the Underbase Saga allows Dreadwing to get a brief chance to join up with Scorponok just as they were trying to do back in "People Power!"
• "Trigger-Happy!" is set on Earth with Powermaster Optimus in command of the Autobots and a post-Time Wars Megatron aware of his future as Galvatron in command of the Decepticons. If we were to also move up "The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire." to come during this post-Time Wars, pre-Underbase gap, this could theoretically work. The Triggerbots are also on Earth, following their arrival there in "Ca$h and Car-nage!"
  • In fact, I actually prefer to move "Ca$h and Car-nage!" back in between "Time Wars" and "Club Con!" since Scorponok's depiction in "Ca$h and Car-nage!" is completely ridiculous when set before both "All in the Minds" and "Time Wars". In "Monstercon from Mars!", Scorponok acts like his normal self, tactically and strategically ordering Skullgrin to establish a fuel depot on Earth. Then in "Ca$h and Carnage!", Scorponok is suddenly, inexplicably braindead, with Zarak in the driver's seat running a hairbrained scheme of setting up a fake corporation in the middle of New York City, hiring human mercenaries to test out jamming tech, and having Autobot prisoners sent to Earth from Cybertron to serve as guinea pigs for said jamming tech tests. Zarak then sicks Scorponok on the mercenaries when they turn on him, using Scorponok like a giant mechanical attack dog. Then, in both "All in the Minds" and "Time Wars", Scorponok is suddenly back to being normal, fully acting like his serious-minded self. But by the end of his appearance in "Time Wars", he is critically damaged and has to be carried away off the battlefield by his fellow Decepticons. By switching around "Ca$h and Car-nage!" to come after "Time Wars", we get a serious-minded Scorponok in "Monstercon from Mars!", still serious-minded in "All in the Minds!" and "Time Wars", then after he is critically wounded in "Time Wars", Zarak takes over and carries out his own scheme with the Z Foundation and the Roadjammers, using Scorponok's incapacitated form like an animal. Then, by the time of the Underbase Saga, Scorponok would have recovered enough to be back to normal again.
  • Anyway, with both "Ca$h and Car-nage" and "Decepticon Empire" moved to come between "Time Wars" and the Underbase Saga, "Trigger-Happy!" can go in this same stopgap so long as it comes right after both of them, since Car-nage" sends the Triggerbots to Earth and "Empire" sets up Megatron's plans to go to war against both Shockwave and Scorponok, sending the Triggercons and 1988 Decepticon Targetmasters to Earth, just as they are in "Trigger-Happy!"
• Finally, there is "Dreadwing Down!" Like in "Prime Bomb!", Dreadwing is on Earth in this story, but it is not clear who he works for in this story. He is saved by the Seacons at the end, who are loyal to Ratbat, so maybe Dreadwing just works for anybody. Quake is also on Earth in this story, just as he was in "Trigger-Happy!"

So, my personal order for this Time Wars/Underbase Saga era is as follows:

• "Monstercon from Mars!"
• "The Chain Gang"
• "Cold Comfort and Joy!" / "All in the Minds" (these can go in either order)
• "Time Wars"
• "Transformers: The Facts"
• "The Quest!"
• "Ca$h and Car-nage!"
• "The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire."
• "Trigger-Happy!"
• "Prime Bomb!"
• "Dreadwing Down!"
• "Club Con!"

FIN

 

[Exatron]

Thanks, Sabrblade! Ton of great information there. I think I'm going to take a while to fully digest it all, but definitely have me rethinking a few of my choices.

 

[Sabrblade]

Thanks, Sabrblade! Ton of great information there. I think I'm going to take a while to fully digest it all, but definitely have me rethinking a few of my choices.

Something else I didn't mention since it didn't come up is how I order the first four UK-original comic stories in relation to the US stories. I've detailed this out more over in the Personal Canon Thread (in more posts than I'm sure most would care for me to have written ), but this is where I place "Man of Iron", "The Enemy Within", "Raiders of the Last Ark", and the flashback portion of "Decepticon Dam-Busters!" (UK stories are in Italics):

"The Transformers"
"Power Play!"
"Prisoner of War!"
"The Enemy Within!" Pages 1-2
"The Last Stand" Pages 1-8
"The Enemy Within!" Pages 3-44
"Raiders of the Last Ark"
"Decepticon Dam-Busters!" (flashback) Page 4 Panels 4-5 to Page 19 Panels 1-4
"The Last Stand" Pages 9-22
"The New Order"
"The Worse of Two Evils!"
"Warrior School!"
"Repeat Performance!"
"Decepticon Dam-Busters!" (present-day events) Page 1 to Page 4 Panels 1-3, Page 19 Panels 5-6 to Page 22
"The Wrath of Guardian!"
"The Wrath of Grimlock!"
"DIS-Integrated Circuits!"
"The Next Best Thing to Being There!"
"Brainstorm!"
"Prime Time!"
"Man of Iron"
"Christmas Breaker!"

I understand that it's not possible to physically separate the flashback in "Decepticon Dam-Busters!" from its present-day wraparound events since the flashback begins and ends in the middle of each page that it begins and ends on, so for an easier reading order, I'd say just put the whole thing in the present day between "Repeat Performance!" and "The Wrath of Guardian!", just with the knowledge that the flashback takes place chronologically between "Raiders of the Last Ark" and Pages 9 of "The Last Stand".

 

[CoffeeHorse]

If you can figure out where Earthforce goes you'll be a legend.