IDW Comics

[wedge1021]

I am currently about halfway through reading both the Marvel US and UK runs. I've been reading them in combined order from a list I found in the Google-verse. So the timeline doesn't jump around and the UK stories get read at the right places in between the US stories. I have to say, so far the UK storylines are much better than the US ones, especially once you hit those longer epics as mentioned, like Time Wars, Target: 2006, etc. There are some differences from the G1 cartoon, but overall it stays true to the show and in most cases the differences are an improvement. I would say they are worth the read.

[vohkuhl]

Originally Posted by General Tekno

More true to the TF timeline?

Not sure if I understand. The Marvel US/UK books are just as much G1 canon to many as the cartoon is. Bob Budiansky, the main writer for the US book until Furman took over, wrote most of the official character bios/tech specs anyway.

Heck - many characters owe their popularity to the comics. And others had differing portrayals that were superior to their cartoon counterparts, most notably Shockwave.

I'm aware of how true to G1 it is, I've read the first 20 issues. Now that I'm older I find the cartoon so sporadic and it makes me wonder how I was ever able to watch it as a kid. But based on Wedge's response the UK run sounds more appealing.

Originally Posted by wedge1021

I am currently about halfway through reading both the Marvel US and UK runs. I've been reading them in combined order from a list I found in the Google-verse. So the timeline doesn't jump around and the UK stories get read at the right places in between the US stories. I have to say, so far the UK storylines are much better than the US ones, especially once you hit those longer epics as mentioned, like Time Wars, Target: 2006, etc. There are some differences from the G1 cartoon, but overall it stays true to the show and in most cases the differences are an improvement. I would say they are worth the read.

I believe this was the answer I was looking for, so I guess there are differences between the two. Based on your readings, if you had to choose between the two which would it be or is it essential to read both?

[SMOG]

The general consensus is that the Marvel UK run was superior in most respects to the US series... at least until the end of the US run, which was produced by the UK team anyway.

Also, you may or may not know about the new IDW Regeneration series, which picks up the old Marvel storyline directly from issue #80 (the end), with the same author... so that's probably worth checking out for fans of the Marvel series.

I personally find that it's hard to go back. Transformers never had the best art or writing, and I find it ages poorly to my adult eyes (much as many see the G1 cartoon).

I'm a BIG advocate of the current IDW series (as of a year ago)... especially the More Than Meets the Eye series by James Roberts, which I make no bones about declaring the best written Transformers stories ever told. Seriously. It's smart, clever, and takes some very interesting paths in world-building. It's still a version of G1, though yeah... many of the characterizations are a little different different than in the past. In most cases, the personalities are actually closer to the original G1 bios, or pick up on nuances that help the characters become richer (Prowl for example, was always portrayed as a background character or a dull administrator... IDW has made him a cold, calculating control freak, which is as it should be I think).

All you need to really jump in is the first trade edition of More Than Meets the Eye (and its sister series Robots In Disguise), and an occasional visit to the TFwiki to catch up on the odd plot point carried over from the earlier IDW stuff. The war is over, Megs and Prime have disappeared, and now Bots and Cons (and neutrals!) have to start over and rebuild their planet. Some fantastic stuff.

zmog

[shazam]

Gotta throw my 2 cents in here...only because I'm a little behind. I knew the Regeneration comics were coming back out, i.e. the story was picking back up - it was in the back of my mind but heading down to the comic shop I was able to finally pick them up. What was even better was that I got issues 81-86 all in one shot. I was very impressed. I re-read a few of the last issues of the previous series, only to refresh my memory. I'm not sure why I like this line so much, but I find the stories to be pretty engaging. Glad I'm back into them and I'll have to stick with the actual hard copies of them - buying them digital just doesn't feel right.