Transformers UK 100

Issue 100 of the Marvel UK Transformers comic marked the start of a tradition that would be carried on every 50th issue of having a wrap around cover poster.

Transformers UK 300

Marvel UK's Transformers issue 300 was the last time we would see a wrap around cover poster as the comic was unfortunately cancelled 32 issues later before it could reach 350.

Transformers UK 200

Marvel UK continues it's tradition of a wrap around cover poster every 50 issues of Transformers with issue 200, containing one of the final parts of the epic Time Wars storyline. Inside we see the Autobot Wreckers and Decepticon Mayhem Attack Squad combine forces to combat Megatron and his future incarnation, Galvatron. Meanwhile Rodimus Prime with the help of Optimus tries to unite the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons past and present to take on the threat Galvatron poses to the universe.

Transformers The Definitive G1 Collection

Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection is a fortnightly partwork collection of hardback books published by Hachette Partworks in the UK. The series is made up of 80 volumes which will reprint the entire history of G1 Comics, from the 80s Marvel Uk and US series right through Dreamwave and on to the current IDW series.
Transformers comics have never reached the height in quality the Marvel UK series of the 80s and early 90s did with nothing but short lived (Generation 2) or lackluster (Titan and RID) attempts. This hard back book collection fills the void and finally offers the UK a great ongoing series of Transformers comics strips, many for the first time. 

Transformers Armada UK

 In 2003 a third UK Transformers comic published by Panini hit the shelves based on the then current cartoon series, Transformers Armada. Writer Simon Furman who had gained fame as a comic book writer from his days on the UK and US Marvel Transformers comics returned for this series. Though the stories were very simple and kiddiefied with art work to match. This poor quality did not attract an audience and the comic was cancelled abruptly with issue 9 even though a tenth issue had been advertised.
One positive of the comics was the news section which would advertise new toys, cartoons and games related to Transformers. This was where I first learned of a Unicron toy being released, much to my excitement!

Transformers Generation 2 UK Comic

Published by Fleetway in 1994-95, this sequel to the highly successful Marvel UK Transformers comic only lasted 5 issues before cancellation.
The comic boasted of had the ability to transform, with pages that would fold out to extend the comic strip or reveal fact files and posters.
The first two issues featured UK original comic strips, but from issue 3 onward the title reprinted Marvel US G2 stories.

Transformers UK Annuals

1986-1994. These annuals would comprise of reprinted material mixed with a new comic strip and text stories. 1986-1992 were published by Marvel UK. The 1994 Generation 2 annual was produced by Grandreams and was of far lesser quality with it’s stories and art work. After this there was a ten year gap between Transformer annuals released in the UK.

2004-2015. In 2004 and 05 Pedigree books released Transformers annuals in the UK for the first time in ten years. Both contained straight up reprints of the Dreamwave Armada and Energon comics that were current at the time in America. Three years later to coincide with the release of the live action movie, Harper Collins released the first of five annuals based on the movies and one on Transformers Animated. These ‘annuals’ tended to be nothing more than simple puzzle books. Long gone are the days of Marvel UK and their high quality of comic book content. The Harper Collins annuals came to an end in 2012. Pedigree then regained the rights to make Transformer annuals and released one for 2015 centering around the Age of Extinction movie. Unfortunately this was once again another puzzle book for the most part though it did contain some text based stories though these were just simple adaptations of the movies.

Transformers Comics UK

So far there have been five Transformers titles released in the UK since the early 80s. The original Marvel UK comic that lasted 332 issues from 1994-1992. This was a much beloved and high quality comic that gave fame to writer Simon Furman along with artists Geoff Senior and  Andrew Wildman. As well as reprinting the American comic strips it also had original UK material that was of a higher quality, eventually leading to the UK creative team moving on the the US title. After the Marvel UK comic ended there was a short lived Generation 2 comic published by Fleetway that lasted a mere 5 issues in 1994/95. Almost a decade later Panini comics released a Transformers Armada comic that managed to last 9 issues in 2003. Though Simon Furman had returned, the stories felt simplistic and far too ‘kiddie’ as well as the art work being poor.
In 2007 to tie in with the first live action movie a fourth Transformers comic was printed by Titan comics UK. This lasted 75 issues in total and spanned 7 years from 2007-2014. After the first 25 issues the title was re-branded as volume 2, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen to once again tie in with the currant movie at the time. Vol 2 lasted 21 issues before becoming volume 3 and re-titled Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Volume 3 was short lived as after just four issues it then became Volume 4, Transformers Prime. It stayed this way for 20 issues, limping along with low sales and longer gaps of time between each issues release until Transformers Age of Extinction came out. In one last ditch effort to stay afloat the title became volume 5 and tied in to the new movie. 5 issues later the comic was finally cancelled.
It had started off strong with original UK material set in the movie universe as well as reprints of various US titles such as Beast Wars and All Hail Megatron. However the US reprints were dropped and the UK strips became more simplistic and lacking in much continuity as well as suffering with poor artwork.
During the Titan UK comic run, a spin off comic entitled Transformers Animated was released. This was the first time two Transformers titles had ran concurrently in the UK. (Not including the Collected Comics which were just reprints of the main Marvel UK title). Animated was swiftly cancelled after three issues.

 In October 2015 a 6th UK Transformers comic came out from Signature Publishing. Based on the Robots in Disguise cartoon and toy line, it reprints the American IDW strips, thought the first issue did feature a UK original story.