Transformers Graphic Novels Part 4: Dreamwave
Dreamwave scores the Transformers comic book license in part four of the GNA’s eight-part series, Transformers Graphic Novels.
Read on for more.
[In 2002, Hasbro's Transformers were thriving.
Having nearly died with the lukewarm Generation 2 toy line, the property was resurrected in 1995 with Transformers: Beast Wars, a then-controversial revamping of Transformers toys into realistic animal/insect forms, vs. the traditional machine-centric designs. Backed by a respected computer animated television series, Beast Wars eventually led to Beast Machines, at which point, Hasbro returned to traditional animation with Robots In Disguise, and eventually Armada, establishing multiple animation continuities along the way.
It's around this time Hasbro awarded the Transformers comic license to a small, formerly Image associated comic book studio named Dreamwave Productions.
Dreamwave carried the license until 2005, when the company ceased production with an implosive bankruptcy. Though a short life, Dreamwave managed to produce a number of Transformers related comics during it's lifetime, many with distinct storylines and continuities, most of which have been collected in graphic novel form.]
Dreamwave’s Transformers: Generation One
[During Dreamwave's days with the Transformers, three G1 related series were produced. The first, "Prime Directive", ran six issues. With it's success, the six-issue "War and Peace" was produced. The third series, a monthly on-going, survived 10 issues before it's cancellation with Dreamwave's financial woes.
Of these series, the first two have been collected, both by Dreamwave and current Transformers licensee, IDW Publishing. Unfortunately, while a third collection (collecting most or all of Dreamwave's 3rd series) was apparently planned by IDW (even listed on Amazon at one point), it seems to be stuck in a state of legal limbo.
Dreamwave's Transformers G1 continuity is unique to the publisher. While acknowledging the framework established by the original Transformers animated series, Dreamwave's take on G1 is almost a sequel of sorts, taking place after the presumed end of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict on Earth. The storyline is certainly a far cry different than Marvel's G1 vision.]
Dreamwave Collections
Transformers: Generation One Volume 1: Prime Directive
Trade Paperback- $17.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
It’s the triumphant return of Transformers. Long thought dead by the inhabitants of Earth, we discover that the classic metal warriors of Generation 1 are far from gone. But where have they been for so long and why only now have they chosen to return? And who is the mysterious man called Lazarus and what is his plan? - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers Vol. 1 #1-6 and material from Transformers Preview. Also available as a Dynamic Forces exclusive hardcover. Content previews available via IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition) and Amazon.com (Dreamwave edition).]
Transformers: Generation One Volume 2: War & Peace
Trade Paperback- $17.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Just in time for the all-new G1 ongoing series, comes the collected edition of 2003’s wildly popular War and Peace mini-series. Featuring an all-new cover by Transformers artist extraordinaire Pat Lee, this impressive collection boasts a ton of extras, including a cover gallery, interviews with the creative team and much more! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers Vol. 2 #1-6. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
IDW Collections
Transformers: Generation One Volume 1
Trade Paperback- $19.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
A new edition of the long out-of-print classic TRANSFORMERS story. This is the series that shattered everyone’s expectations and shot Dreamwave to the top of the industry sales charts. Masterfully written by Chris Sarracini and pencilled by industry superstar Pat Lee.
- IDWPublishing.com
[Collects Transformers Vol. 1 #1-6 and material from Transformers Preview. Also available as a Dynamic Forces exclusive hardcover. Content previews available via IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition) and Amazon.com (Dreamwave edition).]
Transformers: Generation One Volume 2
Trade Paperback- $19.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
The World of Transformers: Generation One Gifted with the amazing ability to change from robots to vehicles, weaponry and other mechanical forms, the heroic AUTOBOTS and evil DECEPTICONS have waged an endless war on their homeworld of CYBERTRON. Now after eons of conflict, the battle has spilled to Earth where these sentient machines fight on as first generation of “ROBOTS IN DISGUISE.” They are the TRANSFORMERS. In This Volume: After eons of conflict, former DECEPTICON SHOCKWAVE has emerged from the ashes of conflict to unify CYBERTRON and transform the once war-torn planet into a utopia. Now, this new monarch has come to Earth with his sights set on both the AUTOBOTS and the DECEPTICONS. The ultimatum: Pledge allegiance to his new world order or return to CYBERTRON to be executed as criminals of war.
- IDWPublishing.com
[Collects Transformers Vol. 2 #1-6. Content preview available via Amazon.com (Dreamwave edition).]
Dreamwave’s Transformers: The War Within
[Along with building on Hasbro's established animated series, Dreamwave decided to play with Transformers pre-history with Transformers: The War Within. Set pre-G1, the Transformers are still on Cybertron, complete with Cybertron-appropriate alt-modes and designs.
Two series were completed and collected, while the third was uncermiously cut short with Dreamwave's shut down. As with Dreamwave's Generation One series, IDW has also published The War Within collections.
Like Dreamwave's Generation One comics, The War Within seems to acknowledge some of the "flashback" material found within the animated G1 continuity, yet at other times, ignores it. It's a safe bet Transformers: The War Within falls safely within Dreamwave's own pre-G1 history.]
Dreamwave Collections
Transformers: The War Within Volume 1
Trade Paperback- $15.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
This is the epic tale of Optimus Prime’s first days at the forefront of the Autobot/Decepticon civil war on Cybertron. It’s the untold story of The Transformers as they were, before they came to Earth. Also features a complete cover gallery, sketches, and additional bonus material! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: The War Within #1-6, and Transformers: The War Within Preview. Also available in a digest sized "Dreamwave Pocket" format. Content previews available via Amazon.com (Dreamwave Pocket edition) and IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition).]
Transformers: The War Within Volume 2
Trade Paperback- $17.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Everything old is new again! More secrets of Cybertron’s dark past are revealed, as a second chapter of Transformers: The War Within sheds light on…The Dark Ages! Optimus Prime and Megatron are missing, presumed dead, the civil war for control of Cybertron has degenerated into a dark cauldron of confusion and turmoil, splinter factions clashing in endless border skirmishes. Into this potent powder keg of a divided world comes The Fallen, a Transformer from the planet’s prehistory…with dark designs of his own! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages #1-6. Content previews available via IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition) and Amazon.com (Dreamwave edition).]
IDW Collections
Transformers: War Within Volume 1
Trade Paperback- $19.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Before Stormbringer, before the Beast Wars, before even Generation One, there was… The War Within. Four million years before the TRANSFORMERS came to Earth, civil war rocks their home world of CYBERTRON, and OPTIMUS PRIME faces his first–and greatest–challenge. But before he can deal with the DECEPTICONS, the new AUTOBOT leader must look within… and decide if CYBERTRON is worth saving at all! If you think you know the TRANSFRORMERS… think again! IDW is proud to present an all-new collection of this long-out-of-print tale from the TRANSFORMERS’ past.
- IDWPublishing.com
[Collects Transformers: The War Within #1-6, and Transformers: The War Within Preview. Content previews available via Amazon.com (Dreamwave Pocket edition) and IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition).]
Transformers: War Within Volume 2
Trade Paperback- $19.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Everything old is new again! More secrets of CYBERTRON’s dark past are revealed, as this second collection of Transformers: The War Within sheds light on…the Dark Ages! OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON are missing, presumed dead, the civil war for control of CYBERTRON has degenerated into a dark cauldron of confusion and turmoil, splinter factions clashing in endless border skirmishes. Into this potent powder keg of a divided world comes THE FALLEN, a TRANSFORMER from the planet’s prehistory… with dark designs of his own! IDW is proud to present an all-new collection of this long-out-of-print tale from the TRANSFORMERS’ past.
- IDWPublishing.com
[Collects Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages #1-6. Content previews available via IDWPublishing.com (IDW edition) and Amazon.com (Dreamwave edition).]
Dreamwave’s Transformers: Armada
[The currently running animated series when Dreamwave garnered the Transformers license, Dreamwave was surely obligated to produce a Transformers: Armada comic series, and produce one they did.
Running 18 issues, Transformers: Armada was collected by Dreamwave across three trade paperback volumes. IDW Publishing has recently announced a collection as well, which may be a prelude to a series of graphic novels re-reprinting Dreamwave's Armada comics.
Fans of the animated series, take heed - this is not the Armada you're familiar with. Per the usual, Dreamwave developed it's own Armada continuity, using the toys and premise to build an entirely unique storyline.]
Dreamwave Collections
Transformers Armada Volume 1
Trade Paperback- $13.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Lock your seatbelts in place and get ready for the newest and wildest TRANSFORMERS ride date! “The DECEPTICONS, feeding off the energy of captured MINI-CONS, are about to begin a hostile takeover of the TRANSFORMER home planet: CYBERTRON. Do OPTIMUS PRIME and the heroic AUTOBOTS stand a chance of defending the planet against these super-powered villains? And will the MINI-CONS ever get their freedom back? The action is so explosive that the shock waves will shake not only CYBERTRON but even planet EArth right down to the core!” Written by Chris Sarracini (TRANSFORMERS G1: Prime Directive) and penciled by talented newcomer James Raiz, TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: “First Contact”, collects issues one through five of the ongoing Dreamwave comics series. It also contains the hard to find eight-page preview, a complete cover gallery, and more… If you missed these issues the first time around, here’s your second chance to catch all of the action and excitement that pushed this series to the top of the sales chart! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: Armada #1-5, and material from Transformers: Preview. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
Transformers Armada Volume 2
Trade Paperback- $15.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Simon Furman (Transformers: The War Within), Generation 1 artist surpreme Pat Lee, and hot new talent Guido Guidi take the saga of Transformers: Armada to new heights… literally! A fortress base on the moon! A secret enclave of Mini-Cons! Megatron on the offensive! Optimus Prime on a collision course with disaster! The deadly debut of the Destruction Team! Rad in the firing line! And the power of the Star Saber! Face it, this one has it all! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: Armada #6-11. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
Transformers Armada Volume 3
Trade Paperback- $20.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Transformers Armada and G1 clash explosively in this ultimate Transformers saga. It is the beginning of the end as a chaotic force from beyond the Armada-verse starts to make its presence felt, dispatching five lethal heralds to soften up both the Autobots and the Decepticons. With Optimus Prime stranded on an alternate Cybertron, one about to be consumed, no happy endings are guaranteed! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: Armada #12-18. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
IDW Collections
The Transformers: Armada Volume 1 TPB
Trade Paperback- $19.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
The Decepticons, feeding off the energy of captured Mini-Cons, are about to begin a hostile takeover of the Transformers home planet, Cybertron. Do Optimus Prime and the heroic Autobots stand a chance of defending the planet against these super-powered villains? And will the Mini-Cons ever get their freedom back? The action is so explosive that the shock waves will shake not only Cybertron but even planet Earth right down to the core! - Amazon.com
[This will very likely reprint material found in Dreamwave's collection: Transformers: Armada #1-5, and material from Transformers: Preview. Dreamwave content preview available via Amazon.com. Scheduled for a October 2008 release.]
Dreamwave’s Transformers: Energon
[With the Armada animated series ending, and the new Transformers: Energon taking its place, Dreamwave followed suit, renaming Transformers: Armada to Transformers: Energon with issue 19.
Like the animation, Dreamwave simply stuck with it's established continuity, but jumped a decade into the future.
Dreamwave managed to collect issues #19-26 across two digest sized volumes (labeled "Dreamwave Pocket") before the on-going series died with issue 30.]
Transformers Energon Volume 1
Tankobon- $10.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Ten years have passed since Armada and Unicron is back and hungry… for Energon! Earth’s right back in the firing line as the great devourer strikes a deal with current Decepticon commander, Skorponok! What about Megatron? Well, trapped within Unicron as a disembodied spark, his only hope is his former adversary… Optimus Prime! - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: Energon issues #19-22. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
Transformers Energon Volume 2
Tankobon- $10.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
It’s non-stop action and adventure when the Transformers wage an all or nothing battle for control of the Earth. This series features the most popular Autobots and Decepticons in the galaxy including Optimus Prime, Megatron, the dreaded Unicron, as well as the debut of the all-new Ominicons as they struggle to control the Energon Program. And what is Ironhide’s dark secret? - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers: Energon issues #23-26.]
Dreamwave’s Transformers/G.I. Joe
[As is profit-induced tradition with Transformer licensees, Dreamwave produced a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover, titled - appropriately enough - Transformers/G.I. Joe. A six issue limited series, the story was collected by Dreamwave in trade paperback form.
Continuity note: This is an entirely unique continuity, and isn't associated with Dreamwave's usual Transformers storylines, nor any other Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover series. Consider it a "What If" of sorts.]
Transformers/G.I. Joe
Trade Paperback- $17.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
The year is 1939 and a twisted alliance between a hate-crazed dictator and a ruthless general has left Europe in flames, in chains. The world’s only hope against the threat-the creation of an elite counterstrike force. Code name: G.I. Joe. But are even the Joes tough enough to take down this evil empire when it enlists the aid of a merciless army of alien war machines known as the Decepticons? - Amazon.com
[Collects Transformers/G.I.Joe #1-6. Content preview available via Amazon.com.]
Dreamwave’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye
[Similar in design and layout to Marvel's Transformers Universe, Dreamwave's Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye provided descriptive profiles for the vast majority of G1 characters, splicing toy specs and information together with Dreamwave's own, established G1 continuity.
An eight issue series, the contents have been collected across two trade paperback volumes.]
Dreamwave Collections
Transformers: Generation One: More Than Meets The Eye Official Guidebook Volume 1
Trade Paperback- $24.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
Ultra who? Rodimus what? Fear not Transfans; all questions shall be answered thanks to this comprehensive who’s who of Dreamwave’s all-new Transformers universe. More Than Meets the Eye gives readers the lowdown on all their favorite robots in disguise. - Amazon.com
Transformers: Generation One: More Than Meets The Eye Official Guidebook Volume 2
Trade Paperback- $24.95 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
The official guide to Dreamwave’s all-new Transformers universe continues with new bios written just for this series, along with more fantastic art of classic characters. There are plenty of Transformers favorites, plus profiles of lesser-known stars, making this the complete resource for Generation One fans, who can catch up with their favorite main characters as they uncover the secrets of the Transformers comic universe. - Amazon.com
IDW Collections
The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1 TPB
Trade Paperback- $24.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
This series provides bios of the Generation 1 Transformers characters, all illustrated by some of the most popular Transformers artists of all time including Don Figueroa, Guido Guidi, and Pat Lee. This volume is packed with so many facts and figures on Transformers that you’ll need a memory upgrade! - Amazon.com
[Will likely contain the same material as Dreamwave's original collection. Scheduled for a September 2008 release.]
Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 2 TPB
Trade Paperback- $24.99 (suggested retail)
Check for availability and discount pricing from Amazon.com
This series provides bios of the Generation 1 Transformers characters, all illustrated by some of the most popular Transformers artists of all time including Don Figueroa, Guido Guidi, and Pat Lee. This volume is packed with so many facts and figures on Transformers that you’ll need a memory upgrade! - Amazon.com
[Will likely contain the same material as Dreamwave's original collection. Scheduled for a December 2008 release.]
[And so ends another of the GNA's Transformers Graphic Novels installments. Next up: Tokyopop.]
Continue with Transformers Graphic Novels, Part 5.