The Primal Scream

Transformers The Definitive G1 #16

by Simon Furman

The classic Marvel UK & Marvel Us Generation 1 Transformers storylines, represented together in sequential volumes for the first time ever. Featuring specially colourised (by fan favourite John Paul Bove) UK stories 'Race With The Devil' and 'Survivors', the return of Megatron, the rise of Unicron and the honest-to-gosh ORIGINOF THE TRANSFORMERS, this volume is a true first and a must-have for all collectors. Plus, new background material created especially for The Definitive Collection including a feature on the colourising process by John-Paul Bove and a contextual introduction by series editorial consultant Simon Furman.

Collecting UK#198, 213-222 and US#56-61

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published January 27, 2017

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

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The factions of the Transformers' civil war splinter further as Autobots and Decepticons adjust to the return of long-dead warriors such as Optimus Prime, Megatron and Starscream. Then, on Cybertron, a group of Autobots learn the origins of the Transformers and inadvertently gain the attention of their god Primus and his evil opposite number, Unicron.

When Simon Furman took over as the leading creative mind behind both the US and UK incarnations of the Transformers comics, the quality of the stories increased immeasurably.
Not only was there more cohesion in the overall narratives but, due to the expected cancellation of the series, Furman decided to push the boundaries of what stories could be told (as explained in the into to this book). This means that we get much more introspective moments than the previously action-heavy stories, where characters like the iconic Optimus Prime (returned to life as a Powermaster) question their very reasons for fighting at all.

As well as telling more thoughtful stories, Furman also decided to push the boundaries of Transformers lore and this book's best moment comes at the end when we learn of the primeval battle between Primus and Unicron and how it led Primus to create a last line of defence, the Transformers. It gives a depth and mythology to the Transformers' backstory that had been lacking before and also begins the build-up to the final cataclysmic confrontation with Orson Welles... sorry, 'Unicron'.

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[Russel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid entry in the Transformers pantheon but nothing special to write home about, a so-so introduction of the Pretenders and the bit rushed introduction of Primus is a good lead into the next volume but on its own it's just average.

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up this volume at random after not really reading the comics since they came out, ie, when I was around seven years old. It's good! Funny, dramatic, colourful...better than the Japanese comics by some distance, which is the reverse of the case with the cartoons.