Transformers: Generation One Volume 3

Transformers Generation One #1

by Chris Sarracini, Pat Lee, Don Figueroa

The fan-favorite Generation One Transformers continue their adventures in this collection of issues #0-5 from Dreamwave's Generation One Volume 3. Mostly focused on the Autobots led by Jazz, left behind on Earth by Optimus Prime, witness the conflict between Jazz's team and Starscream's faction.
After an attack by Bruticus, most of the Autobots are captured. However, Starscream's forces were decimated by the self-destructing ARK and by the arrival of the most unexpected foe of all -- Starscream's seemingly mad but extraordinarily powerful clone Sunstorm! Now Starscream is forced into an uneasy alliance with the Autobots and a reactivated Jetfire. Also introducing Omega Supreme, and revealing the existence of a mysterious Cybertronian seal on Earth, which only Starscream can open!

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

132 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2002

Reviews

[Russel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok introduction to the Dreamwave era of Transformer comics but it just failed to land for me. Art was fine, the characters felt familiar enough but the story just didn't grab me.

[Jdetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful art on the robots, but the story is a little weak.

[David Finger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid artwork and an interesting take on the Transformers. Taking place years after what appeared to be the destruction of Optimus Prime and the defeat of Megatron, this graphic novel tells an effective, if somewhat unoriginal, story about the remaining Autobots being forced to reevaluate their commitment to defending humans. Megatron comes off as a much more dangerous and frightening villain in this series, and at least one major Autobot decides to throw his lot in with Megatron. It’s a shocking twist but one which comes off as plausible and strengthens the image of a Megatron as an persuasive and inspirational leader, something that many other Transformers graphic novels failed to capture.

[James Bowman · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the time this was published, this was the first official return to the G1 Transformers characters since the end of Marvel's G2 comic (not counting convention exclusives). Unfortunately, it's not a very auspicious return. The plot is merely functional and rather cheerless; the characterizations are shallow; and the "dull surprise" artwork became a meme in Transformers fandom (carrying onward to general fandom). The only interesting aspect is that unlike most later G1 revivals, this tried to be something of a continuation of the older material (if in a generic way) rather than a total reboot. (C)

[Oneirosophos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool cover art, average story, ungodly awful art...

[Matt Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork in this series is the best I've seen of the modern Transformers comics!! It has more of a painted and sometimes glowy look which makes it quite beautiful -- a style which you wouldn't usually expect to see in a comic primarily containing robots. The writing is the most reminiscent of the Transformers G1 cartoons that I've come across too. The story itself is a cut above most of the cartoon stories, but not as intelligent as IDW's later work when they took over the Transformers license from Dreamwave.

[Ben Brackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This at the time was an amazing reboot to a tired franchise that brought it from a series to sell kids toys to asking the philosophical nature of the fight between the decepticons (weapons and power) and autobots (infrastructure and stability), and the impact on human's in the conflict.

I originally read this when it was first released right after reading the entire run of the first volume of Transformers, and this is head and shoulders above any of those story arcs.

[Matt Richter · Rating 3 out of 5]

great artwork. story started ok, but the second half got all convoluted. sunstorm is a pretty poor villain imo.

[Adelaide Metzger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.8 out of 5 stars. Review to come soon.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skippable.

[Rodney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lot of nostalgia for the original Transformers.