Transformers Target 2006, #1

Marvel UK Transformers from Titan Books #3

by Simon Furman, Jeff Anderson (Illustrator)

The landmark series originally published by Marvel UK makes its IDW debut! In the first issue of this special re-presentation of the story spinning out of the TRANSFORMERS Animated Movie, writer Simon Furman and artist Geoff Senior begin a stars-spanning tale where GALVATRON travels back in time to construct a weapon with which to destroy UNICRON once and for all, and takes on the depleted AUTOBOTS at the same time!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Comic Book

Comic

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a British comic book writer who is best known for his work on Hasbro/Tomy's Transformers franchise, starting with writing Marvel's initial comic book to promote the toyline worldwide, as well as foundations for both Dreamwave Production's and IDW Publishing's takes on the Generation 1 minifranchise.

Reviews

[Sud666 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a comic made for the UK market. It is an older comic and ostensibly ties into the Transformers animated movie from the '80s.

In a nutshell-this is a time travel caper. In 2006 the Decepticons have taken over Cybertron, but the Autobots have fled to Earth. In the middle of all this Galvatron, Megatron's post-Unicron transformation, comes back to Earth in 1986 to make some changes. Strangely that puts him into conflict with Megatron and with the Autobots.

The story was ok, though it could be a little confusing, the art was similar. Nowadays such art would be bad, but at this time it was about the norm.

While nothing amazing, this isn't an awful comic. It just doesn't really seem to "work" nowadays, also the background being based on the animated movie will leave many people confused.

A decent Transformer's story from the UK version of the comic.

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve not been particularly well for the last few weeks, and my concentration has been one of the greatest victims of this. As such I’ve been slightly indulging in nostalgia by watching eighties Doctor Who to tickle that ten or eleven year old bit of my brain. And hence why I’m reading this again. It’s no classic - and my brain definitely has cheated by think Death’s Head was in it - but it’s incredibly fun and, yes, I do very much feel the pleasure of being ten again when I read it. Furman was always the best writer of these, understanding how to get a bit more emotion and plot out of some daft robots bashing each other up, and he’s particularly ably assisted by Geoff Senior (who completely feels right for this sort of thing, because his blocky art always feels kind if robotic anyway), Will Simpson (who I didn’t like much as a kid, but enjoy a lot more now because he manages to get a weird sinewy feel for the robots that nobody else ever does) and even Ron Smith (who feels kind of wrong here, but still does some magical stuff). It shows that it’s a mini epic essentially forced into a tiny slither of plot in the film, but I didn’t care as a kid and don’t really care that much now. I still absolutely hate Hot Rod though, and I’m surprised how visceral my dislike is even in his extended cameo here. The reason I stopped buying the comic in the first place actually. Such a tedious little shit

[Desmond Killian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe some of the best robot art ever? That one Geoff Senior issue where Ultra Magnus throws down with Galvatron is awesome! On the script side Furman carves out an interesting continuity for the UK Transformers by positing a story that takes places between the scenes of the 1986 movie. Pretty cool! Collected here with some bonus material in a delightful oversized edition! 5/5

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

A special UK story to provide backstory to Transformers: The Movie. It was a lot of fun. I loved the way the details of the movie were hinted at but not fully revealed. You have to have seen the movie to appreciate this fully. Very creative story.

[Drew Perron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This storyline is well-known for introducing characters, like the Wreckers and Emirate Xaaron, that would be staples of the Marvel UK Transformers books, and would go on to influence the franchise to this very day. It's also known for having an interesting time-travel element, required by the need to tie in to Transformers: The Movie (the animated one, not any of the Michael Bay ones), which would be followed up by the epic "Time Wars". And that's all true!

...unfortunately, the story that ties that stuff together is not so great. Too many cliches, pretty flat characterization, and a general feel of being slapped together with whatever was at hand to fulfill the various requirements coming down from editors and from Hasbro. And in other circumstances, Furman turns out freeform chaotic masterpieces under those requirements; but this was relatively early in his career, and for now, they were able to hold him back...

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transformers: Target 2006 is a great introduction for a host of character such as Ultra Magnus and Galvatron who go on to feature throughout these stories and is epic tale of adventure and time crossing filled with genuine unexpected turns! :D

We are also introduced to the Iconic Wreckers who go on to prove that there reputation is richly warranted with some characters that even in the later books you are not to sure whose side they are actually but they do the job in such a way that story sweeps along the plot at a crazy rate! :D

Transformers: Target 2006 is clever, witty full of grim chins and heroics and makes for brilliant action packed roller coaster ride with great art that really shows the action driven storyline off brilliantly action and great! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great ideas in here involving a time travelling Galvatron trying to escape Unicron's control and a glimpse into what was happnening on Cybertron while Optimus and company were stranded on Earth. The art's not great, or even particularly consistent between frames, but that's not an uncommon thing in older comics and is pretty much how Transformers always was as a TV show as well. Overall, a fun 'blast from the past' read for me that is likely to be the same for other G1 fans.