TransMissions Guide To Marvel Comics Ongoing Discussion

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The Transformers US Marvel Comics series holds a special place in my heart.  If you listen to our podcast Episode 3, you’ll hear both me and Yoshi recalling our discovery of the comics in the wake of the cancellation of the original G1 cartoon show, and the time we spent hunting down all the back issues (before the existence of the Web or eBay).

In a trip down memory lane, we’re planning to devote a segment in each future podcast to discussion of the original Marvel series in order.  We’ll start with Issue of the Transformers comic in Episode 4 next week.  If you’d like to follow along, this post will provide a guide to the reading order of the comics as well as links to buy both physical and digital reprints of the original G1 comics.  If you want to track down the original comics like Yoshi and I did back in the day, we encourage you to visit your local comic shop’s library of back issues if possible, or you can also try eBay.

We are currently only planning to tackle the Marvel US G1 series, since that is what we are most familiar with.  Of course, there is lots of great material that came from Marvel UK and the mind of Simon Furman, and we’ll dedicate some special time to those stories in the future.  The inclusion of Marvel UK adds another level of complexity to the continuity (especially with the multiple time travel stories), and we want to keep things straightforward to start off.

Marvel US Transformers Series Reading Order

On his blog, Yoshi has started reviewing the issues, so you can get a preview of his thoughts before we discuss the issues on the show.  He also did a great job detailing the correct reading order here for the series that incorporates the spin-off miniseries G.I. Joe and the Transformers and Headmasters:

  • Transformers Marvel US G1 Series Comic Book Read Order:
    • Transformers – 23
    • G.I. Joe and The Transformers
    • Transformers #24
    • G.I. Joe and the Transformers
    • Transformers #25
    • G.I. Joe and the Transformers and
    • Transformers #26 – #37
    • Transformers Headmasters - 4
    • Transformers #38 – 80

After the original series ended with issue #80, Marvel had a follow-up series with Transformers: Generation 2 about a year later.  This series was preceded by some Transformers guest starring in a few issues of the still-running Marvel G.I. Joe series.  Sadly, Transformers: Generation 2 only lasted 12 issues.  But last year, IDW listened to Transformers comics fans and greenlit a new series to continue the original G1 comic series titled Regeneration One.  This series continues the numbering of the original seires and starts with issue 80.5.  It is written by original series writer Simon Furman and will conclude in Issue #100.  As of this posting, Issue #94 is set to be released this week.  Regeneration One only considers the original Marvel US 80 issues in its continuity, and Generation 2 is considered an alternate continuity.  So after the end of Issue #80, there are two alternate readings paths you can take to continue the story:

  • Optional Path A Read Order After Issue #80:
    • G.I. Joe #138 – #142
    • Transformers: Generation 2 – 12
  • Optional Path B Read Order After Issue #80:
    • Transformers: Regeneration One #80.5 – 100

Available Reprints of the Original US Marvel Series and Regeneration One

If you missed these comics in the 80’s and 90’s, many of them are available as reprints published by IDW in both physical and digital form:

Unfortunately the Marvel Headmasters and Transformers: Generation 2 series have not been reprinted recently and are not currently available.  Titan Books reprinted Headmasters in 2004 and the Generation 2 series in two volumes in 2002 and 2003. Some copies are available on eBay.  Search on eBay for the Headmasters reprint and G2 Volume 1 and Volume 2.  Or you can try hunting down the original issues.

We hope you enjoy our reminiscing of classic Transformers comics on the podcast!

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