IDW Hasbro Comics Crossover: Revolution Issue #00 Up For Free Order

With Issue #00 ready for download, Issue #1 is ready to give us a preview into what is to come in Revolution! This Preview comes from Comic Book Resources, and has been mirrored below for your enjoyment. Included in the preview are: The 8-page preview that was available in various Transformers comics last month, the 8 different covers, and the first 6 pages.

Check it out!

THE REVOLUTION BEGINS! Explosions rip across the Earth—and all signs of blame point to OPTIMUS PRIME and the TRANSFORMERS! G.I. JOE refuses to go quietly—and they assemble heroes big enough to stop the invaders! ACTION MAN and M.A.S.K. fight for humanity—but where do ROM and the MICRONAUTS stand? Celebrating more than a decade of stories by IDW and HASBRO, this unprecedented bi-weekly event draws everything together—and leaves nothing standing. The REVOLUTION is here—TAKE A STAND!

Thanks again to Seibertron for uploading the pictures! TFW2005, as usual just gave a link to the (unreachable) IDW and that was it. Plus, then there is the hassle of trying to open a very large PDF file.

However, it was an absolute bugger to download these pictures. Server problems?

Interesting, this looks like it may actually be quite fun

Is this like the first time since the 84 marvel run, that the transformers have been in Portland?

Is that Skywarp what have those bastards done to Skywarp

Who was that strung up? Some of the colours are making me think Blitzwing but I don't believe it's him.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Is this like the first time since the 84 marvel run, that the transformers have been in Portland?

No. The decepticicons infiltration base was buried in the side of a mountain in Oregon during the entire -ation run by IDW.

Big Grim wrote:Who was that strung up? Some of the colours are making me think Blitzwing but I don't believe it's him.

Astrotrain, I think.

Edit: I say that because events in the story would line up right, but comparing pictures, it looks very little like Astrotrain.

According to TFWiki it is Blitzwing; shock of being de-combined from Galvatronus knocking him out and sending him ashore.

Ah, there's nothing like making you dislike G.I.Joe over Transformers more. Please continue.

Kurona wrote:According to TFWiki it is Blitzwing; shock of being de-combined from Galvatronus knocking him out and sending him ashore.

Seems possible and that yellow head is what made me think it in the first place.

I wasn't going to give this a chance, due to not caring about any of the other characters besides the Transformers, but this art is beautiful. If the story is halfway decent, I'll keep up with it. Still, can't wait until Lost Light debuts.

Rodimus Prime wrote:I wasn't going to give this a chance, due to not caring about any of the other characters besides the Transformers, but this art is beautiful. If the story is halfway decent, I'll keep up with it. Still, can't wait until Lost Light debuts.

It should be good and it's heavily based on what has happened in transformers

It's just Transformers v GI Joe all over again with Mask thrown in. Transformers has hundreds of it's own unexplored characters with bios already written on them. For a writer this is basically a manual on how to use the character. Thousands of stories can be written about how one Transformers personality and abilities plays off another on one of the many backdrops in the vast TF universe. Transformers doesn't need Mask, GI Joe, Rom or the Micronauts.

I don't know why IDW would even attempt this crossover. They hate to use big casts or even different characters. It's been Optimus vs humans and Jazz getting his chassis smashed on Earth for over two years now along with the same cast of Arcee, Jetfire, Cosmos, Kup and Soundwave.

I thought it was scorponok...Im disappointed it's not.

Optimizzy wrote:I thought it was scorponok...Im disappointed it's not.

Well, Magnus did kinda take him into space and imprison him... uh... somewhere.

I do wanna see him eventually return tho. Especially since the random 'cons around the universe need a leader. Not that there's a shortage of candidates right now - Deathsaurus/Nickel, Bludgeon; they could even bring back Sixshot...

Kurona wrote:

Optimizzy wrote:I thought it was scorponok...Im disappointed it's not.

Well, Magnus did kinda take him into space and imprison him... uh... somewhere.

I do wanna see him eventually return tho. Especially since the random 'cons around the universe need a leader. Not that there's a shortage of candidates right now - Deathsaurus/Nickel, Bludgeon; they could even bring back Sixshot...

Scorponok was imprisoned on Garrus-9 with Shockwave and was meant to have a pivotal role in Last Stand of the Wreckers but was cut out. Since G9 is now decommissioned he's no doubt toting around the Galaxy. I've always assumed he may have been the one that took grimlock off G9 during overlords occupation. He'll show up again eventually.

Bludgeon is still on Cybertron no doubt alive but he's not really a deception anymore. He just big walking ball of crazy nowadays

Sixshot will show up again eventually. If anything that awesome new toy may help with that.

Randomhero wrote:

Kurona wrote:

Optimizzy wrote:I thought it was scorponok...Im disappointed it's not.

Well, Magnus did kinda take him into space and imprison him... uh... somewhere.

I do wanna see him eventually return tho. Especially since the random 'cons around the universe need a leader. Not that there's a shortage of candidates right now - Deathsaurus/Nickel, Bludgeon; they could even bring back Sixshot...

Scorponok was imprisoned on Garrus-9 with Shockwave and was meant to have a pivotal role in Last Stand of the Wreckers but was cut out. Since G9 is now decommissioned he's no doubt toting around the Galaxy. I've always assumed he may have been the one that took grimlock off G9 during overlords occupation. He'll show up again eventually.

Bludgeon is still on Cybertron no doubt alive but he's not really a deception anymore. He just big walking ball of crazy nowadays

Sixshot will show up again eventually. If anything that awesome new toy may help with that.

Personally I just want it to be BW Megatron. It means we get one of the franchise's best characters, we get more Beast Wars stuff, and we won't have to worry about Hasbro asking IDW to turn Megatron into a Decepticon again since we'd have a Megatron in charge. Win-wins all around!

Kurona wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Kurona wrote:

Optimizzy wrote:I thought it was scorponok...Im disappointed it's not.

Well, Magnus did kinda take him into space and imprison him... uh... somewhere.

I do wanna see him eventually return tho. Especially since the random 'cons around the universe need a leader. Not that there's a shortage of candidates right now - Deathsaurus/Nickel, Bludgeon; they could even bring back Sixshot...

Scorponok was imprisoned on Garrus-9 with Shockwave and was meant to have a pivotal role in Last Stand of the Wreckers but was cut out. Since G9 is now decommissioned he's no doubt toting around the Galaxy. I've always assumed he may have been the one that took grimlock off G9 during overlords occupation. He'll show up again eventually.

Bludgeon is still on Cybertron no doubt alive but he's not really a deception anymore. He just big walking ball of crazy nowadays

Sixshot will show up again eventually. If anything that awesome new toy may help with that.

Personally I just want it to be BW Megatron. It means we get one of the franchise's best characters, we get more Beast Wars stuff, and we won't have to worry about Hasbro asking IDW to turn Megatron into a Decepticon again since we'd have a Megatron in charge. Win-wins all around!

This^ so this. They could even use megaplex, and go the clone route.

Does it feel to anyone else like we've been going through the same song an dance with Transformers and humans for what feels like decades? It's always the humans hate transformers for being big destructive robots, but none of them can learn to tell the difference between good and bad robots despite the entire cybertronian race being color coded for their convenience at this point. Even when in engaged in obvious humanitarian efforts, in populated areas, this kind of thing constantly happens, it seems.

This isn't even a specific comics based problem, the movies are an even worse offender. It's getting tiresome that the automatic human response to the Autobots is to shoot them. There's no dramatic tension to any of it. What would be much more interesting is if there were actual, tense negotiations between the transformers and human leaders with everything becoming complicated due to the involvement of Rom, M.A.S.K, and the Micronauts bringing in more alien shenanigans.

ricemazter wrote:Does it feel to anyone else like we've been going through the same song an dance with Transformers and humans for what feels like decades? It's always the humans hate transformers for being big destructive robots, but none of them can learn to tell the difference between good and bad robots despite the entire cybertronian race being color coded for their convenience at this point. Even when in engaged in obvious humanitarian efforts, in populated areas, this kind of thing constantly happens, it seems.

This isn't even a specific comics based problem, the movies are an even worse offender. It's getting tiresome that the automatic human response to the Autobots is to shoot them. There's no dramatic tension to any of it. What would be much more interesting is if there were actual, tense negotiations between the transformers and human leaders with everything becoming complicated due to the involvement of Rom, M.A.S.K, and the Micronauts bringing in more alien shenanigans.

To be fair in this specific instance, it makes a lot more sense in IDW where the 'good' and 'evil' robots aren't quite as easily defined. If anything, right now, the way Optimus is acting is VERY good reason to react the way everyone is - he's becoming a bit of a fruit loop honestly.

primalxconvoy wrote:Thanks again to Seibertron for uploading the pictures! TFW2005, as usual just gave a link to the (unreachable) IDW and that was it. Plus, then there is the hassle of trying to open a very large PDF file.

However, it was an absolute bugger to download these pictures. Server problems?

This is a massive preview with 26 different pages and covers, so that is why it took so long: massive picture quantities! Believe me, it was a pain.

I am willing to give this a good shot. It looks pretty good, the art is marvelous, and I see potential in the storyline.

And yes that is Blitzwing. Astrotrain kinda got cut up in TF55 and Scorponok is somewhere else

ricemazter wrote:Does it feel to anyone else like we've been going through the same song an dance with Transformers and humans for what feels like decades? It's always the humans hate transformers for being big destructive robots, but none of them can learn to tell the difference between good and bad robots despite the entire cybertronian race being color coded for their convenience at this point. Even when in engaged in obvious humanitarian efforts, in populated areas, this kind of thing constantly happens, it seems.

This isn't even a specific comics based problem, the movies are an even worse offender. It's getting tiresome that the automatic human response to the Autobots is to shoot them. There's no dramatic tension to any of it. What would be much more interesting is if there were actual, tense negotiations between the transformers and human leaders with everything becoming complicated due to the involvement of Rom, M.A.S.K, and the Micronauts bringing in more alien shenanigans.

How many instances have humans been against all transformers? The first 20 years were all about how humans and autobots were allies and how it's okay for a city to get pummeled as long as the autobots save the day. Literally this and the movies are pretty much the only circumstances with humans seeing all transformers as an enemy and for totally good reason. The decepticons killed over a billion people in All Hail Megatron and in the ongoing Jazz killed a human(defending bumblebee) and in the movies they wiped out Chicago. I'm sorry but it's realistic. You don't just turn over a say "well the guys with red symbols are the good guys so it's fine" No, they are the same species. It's completely rational to to consider they are all threats especially in IDW when they killed over a billion almost succeeded in conquering the whole planet.

It's less believable to just be okay with it. Optimus announced that an entire planet full of sentient beings is his and his only to protect and grow. He took away their choice and while he means well he's doing this to a generation that survive global genocide.

I always find it hard to believe the level of destruction we're supposed to believe happened in All Hail Megatron.

We only see one city and a handful of Decepticons. Maybe if they went the Dreamwave route and Megatron had a million Air Warriors/Seekers but he didn't.

Everyone complained about the original ongoing and All Hail Megatron as being poorly written and focusing too much on humans.
We're getting the same thing again lately. All 3 arcs featured Spike Witwicky. I wish IDW would learn their lesson and get rid of him.

I wish IDW would get rid of John Barber too.

Windsweeper wrote:I always find it hard to believe the level of destruction we're supposed to believe happened in All Hail Megatron.

We only see one city and a handful of Decepticons. Maybe if they went the Dreamwave route and Megatron had a million Air Warriors/Seekers but he didn't.

Everyone complained about the original ongoing and All Hail Megatron as being poorly written and focusing too much on humans.
We're getting the same thing again lately. All 3 arcs featured Spike Witwicky. I wish IDW would learn their lesson and get rid of him.

I wish IDW would get rid of John Barber too.

Washington DC was shown destroyed with air force one burning infront of the Lincoln memorial, th seekers and insecticons were shown in China with skywarp gloating about how he alone wiped out half the city and we saw members of countries in Europe talking about their own attacks. Just because we didn't get scenes of cities didn't mean it wasn't happening. The ongoing, Bumblebee mini and RID ongoing revealed that it wasn't just the 84 cons on earth, there were several groups all across earth attacking and Soundwave was interfering with a lot of communications and technology handicapping earths defenses

Randomhero wrote:How many instances have humans been against all transformers? The first 20 years were all about how humans and autobots were allies and how it's okay for a city to get pummeled as long as the autobots save the day.

In the cartoons, maybe, but it wasn't the same case for the Marvel Comics, in which the U.S. government was in constant odds with the Transformers (Autobots included) for several years before they finally understood the distinction between Autobot and Decepticon. And Circuit Breaker alone had been a constant thorn in the Autobots' side ever since her debut (as Circuit Breaker, that is), what with her irrational hatred of all Transformers and her ceaseless desire to see them all dead.

There was also the Dreamwave G1 comics in which the relationship between the Autobots and humanity was shaky at best, with the U.S. government willing to take direct action against the Transformers, regardless of faction, if the TFs posed a great enough threat to national security.

The cartoons might have kept the Autobots and humanity on relatively good terms, but the comics did pretty much the opposite.

Randomhero wrote:How many instances have humans been against all transformers? The first 20 years were all about how humans and autobots were allies and how it's okay for a city to get pummeled as long as the autobots save the day. Literally this and the movies are pretty much the only circumstances with humans seeing all transformers as an enemy and for totally good reason. The decepticons killed over a billion people in All Hail Megatron and in the ongoing Jazz killed a human(defending bumblebee) and in the movies they wiped out Chicago. I'm sorry but it's realistic. You don't just turn over a say "well the guys with red symbols are the good guys so it's fine" No, they are the same species. It's completely rational to to consider they are all threats especially in IDW when they killed over a billion almost succeeded in conquering the whole planet.

It's less believable to just be okay with it. Optimus announced that an entire planet full of sentient beings is his and his only to protect and grow. He took away their choice and while he means well he's doing this to a generation that survive global genocide.

I'm primarily familiar with the comics and movies, not so much the G1 cartoon since that was before my time. The point is that the Decepticons killed a billion people, and it was the Autobots that pushed them back, which has been established that the humans, the government at least, is aware of this fact. In the movies it made even less sense since the government had been working with the Autobots since the end of the the first film and became public knowledge after the the third.

As far as all Hail Optimus goes,I don't remember him engaging in any overt action against humanity beyond making his proclamation and establishing Autobot city. It infuriates me that none of the human leaders ever bother to formally talk with the Autobots. If they had a scene where diplomatic relations actually exist before breaking down, that would alleviate a lot of my gripes.

To be fair, this is very realistic in terms of attitude. We humans have a long way to go before we can stop killing and attacking members of our own species, let alone try to get along with members of an alien race that inflicted huge casualties, yes the autobots pushed them back but do you think that matters to the people who survived that terrible time?

Plus the humans already tried negotiations with Galvatron and Soundwave and we all know how that turned out.

The problem with Prime's plan this time round is that he's assumed control and doesn't seem willing to cede any of it back to the humans in the terms of running things and if they want to be part of a galactic council made up of more cybertonians. At this point I would say mankind has been scarred by alien contact.

I can see why you would be annoyed by the animosity, I really can. Problem is we have been in this situation before, in both positions and we know how it usually goes (I.e. bad for the indigenous)

Starting the week with some variant covers, with more Revolution art to begin with! Courtesy of Tampa Bay Toy Expo, and in collaboration with Read More Comics, the cover below features art by the CAE Studios creative team, and will be available at the event. Check it out!

In partnership with Read More Comics, the Tampa Bay Toy Expo (Tampa, FL) will be offering a unique exclusive designed by the creative team at CAE Studios/Big Pond Comics for our October 1st event. This variant cover for IDW Publishing's REVOLUTION #1, features those classic 1980s properties from Hasbro that many of us grew up with and enjoyed on television each afternoon. Including Transformers, G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K, Micronauts and ROM: The Space Knight; this exclusive is truly 'Beyond Your Wildest Imagination'.

Fans attending the TAMPA BAY TOY EXPO will be able to purchase this exclusive and have it signed by the entire creative team, including Martin Dunn, Javier Lugo and Aly Kat (Dunn).

Alas, if only the Tampa Bay Toy Expo was still a free-to-attend event.

$7 to attend is to much?

Another event exclusive cover for the first issue of the Hasbro licensed properties over at IDW Publishing - Revolution - has been revealed via comics and entertainment website Comics Alliance. This time, the event is Granite State Comic Con (Manchester, New Hampshire), and the artist is Ben Bishop (TMNT covers). Check out the image and breakdown of the cover below!

Just for the record, here’s who we’re looking at on this one:

Soundwave, from Transformers, the big blue occasional boombox.
Laserbeak, a part-time cassette tape who lives in Soundwave’s chest.
Zartan, Cobra’s master of disguise from GI Joe, best known for having a color changing action figure and for leading a group of bikers who are definitely Australian despite living in Florida.
The Manta, my personal favorite car from MASK, a purple ’85 Nissan 300ZX that can turn into an airplane with laser beam headlights. In the original series, it was driven by Vanessa “Not Quite The Baroness” Warfield
The Jackhammer, an armored back Ford Bronco with a pop-up missile launcher, driven by bare-knuckle boxer Cliff “Blaster” Dagger.
The Piranha, a motorcycle that is also a submarine, driven by Sly “Wrecker” Rax.
And a few other MASK vehicles floating around in the background.

Gliding on Laserbeak... that's way too cool

So much awesome in that artwork!

The cover artists are having so much fun with this and it is awesome!

A couple of Amazon.com listings have appeared regarding stories from the upcoming Revolution event from IDW Publishing - both the wider crossover and the Transformers specific stories - collected in two volumes of interest for robot-fans, and scheduled for February release! The first is for the event itself, and its five issues, the second has the 2015 holiday special, plus the three issues (one each) from More Than Meets the Eye, The Transformers and Till All Are One. Check out more info and the covers for both below!

THE REVOLUTION BEGINS! Explosions rip across the Earth―and all signs of blame point to OPTIMUS PRIME and the TRANSFORMERS! G.I. JOE refuses to go quietly―and they assemble heroes big enough to stop the invaders! ACTION MAN and M.A.S.K. fight for humanity―but where do ROM and the MICRONAUTS stand? Celebrating more than a decade of stories by IDW and HASBRO, this unprecedented event draws everything together―and leaves nothing standing. The REVOLUTION is here―TAKE A STAND! Collects Revolution issues #0–5.

Series: Revolution
Paperback: 152 pages
Publisher: IDW Publishing (January 17, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 163140816X
ISBN-13: 978-1631408168
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 10.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

The Revolution continues! Thundercracker and Buster save the World! A White House under siege by Dire Wraiths! Windblade on Earth! And a date with destiny for Krok, Crankcase, Fulcrum, Spinister, and Misfire!

Collects The Transformers, More Than Meets The Eye, and Till All Are One Revolution One-Shots plus the 2015 Holiday Special.

Series: Revolution
Paperback: 104 pages
Publisher: IDW Publishing (February 14, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1631408429
ISBN-13: 978-1631408427
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 10.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

So why is the Holiday 2015 issue is here. Is there something in that issue that ties in to Revolution that we missed?

... wait, hang on, did I miss something? Why is Thundercracker in his FoC body? That's not even a form he ever got the chance to take in IDW!

Kurona wrote:... wait, hang on, did I miss something? Why is Thundercracker in his FoC body? That's not even a form he ever got the chance to take in IDW!

He had it in his and Orion Pax's Spotlight issues (but which were set in the past), so yeah it's weird seeing it here.

Sabrblade wrote:

Kurona wrote:... wait, hang on, did I miss something? Why is Thundercracker in his FoC body? That's not even a form he ever got the chance to take in IDW!

He had it in his and Orion Pax's Spotlight issues (but which were set in the past), so yeah it's weird seeing it here.

Oh huh, didn't know that. I just thought it was a new form all the seekers sans Dirge took upon returning to Cybertron a few years back.
I'm gonna guess it's an error due to Skywarp still being in that body.

Nik Hero wrote:So why is the Holiday 2015 issue is here. Is there something in that issue that ties in to Revolution that we missed?

They just needed somewhere to slide it in, much like Combiner Hunters and the Distant Stars TPB.

Dr Va'al wrote:

Nik Hero wrote:So why is the Holiday 2015 issue is here. Is there something in that issue that ties in to Revolution that we missed?

They just needed somewhere to slide it in, much like Combiner Hunters and the Distant Stars TPB.

I'm glad we're getting it, even if it is a bit random

So #1 and the ROM tie in are out. The ROM issue actually occurs first, contrary to the reading order that IDW has been distributing.

I've been following the comics related to this crossover for the past several months. The build up to this has actually been pretty darn good! Micronauts in particular is a very fun read each month. So despite my reservations, I've tried to rebuild some hope back up for this 90s style stunt launch.

You know what though? I thought Revolution 1 was garbage. Without spoiling anything yet, here are a few of the problems. For one, this is a continuity nightmare for Transformers right now. Titans Return comes before, yes? It's not all out yet though, so that's annoying. There are characters in places for reasons unknown. Agh.

There's a ton of GI Joe in it, which was anticipated/makes sense, but honestly? They could be anyone. EDC, the army, hell even the Mounted Police. Just special ops edgelords with guns and unreasonable aggression.

Then there's ROM, showing up oddly overpowered considering the events of his own book. His appeals to reason gone on a whim? OK then. And don't even get me started on thinking about the mental gymnastics required for his enemies to be in the position they are within this story and not further along in the implied plan.

The art is also at times great, at times awful, and at times "lol remember the 90s?"

I think folks that didn't bother trying to keep up with all the lead up will enjoy this more. I think comics/pop culture fans in general (with the exception of one involved franchise) that don't follow Transformers closely might even really like this. But as a Transformers fan that tried to do this the "right way", I feel very disappointed.

December can't come soon enough.

A little damning but to be honest, I've only ordered MASK and Transformers as well as the Revolutions books.

Generally agreeing with Scotty here; but one more thing to add to that - I'm getting really, reaaaaaally sick of the whole humans-hate-transformers-and-they-fight thing. I mean I get why it happens in-universe; durr, of course that's going to happen considering the context. But it's just so dull and uninteresting and engaging and it just feels like some necessary evil to slog through before you can get to anything remotely interesting. It's not fun. All Hail Optimus at least tried to make it a little different and a little more interesting - helped especially by character we'd known for a while like Faireborn and the humans' side having Spike fucking Witwicky - but this is just... this is just deplorable. The only different thing that really happens here is that ROM comes in and kills some guys - and as someone who hasn't read ROM #1, this was my first introduction to the character. And according to Scotty, ROM #1 establishes him as the complete opposite to that. AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH

We have a nice IDW Revolution roundup for you today. First of all, John Barber announced on Twitter just now that he will have his first ever Reddit AMA (ask me anything) session. It will be at noon pacific time today (so 3 pm eastern time).
The AMA session will also feature Cullen Bunn, Brandon Easton, Aubrey Aitterson, Chris Ryall, Christos Gage and others.




Also, from Bleeding Cool, we have found a combined image of all the interconnected Ken Christiansen Retailer Incentive covers. They wraparound to create one complete image. We have included a pic of it sideways so you can take it all in easier. These covers include all 5 parts of Revolution plus all the Revolution tie-in one-shots as well, which include M.A.S.K., Rom, Action Man, GI Joe, and Transformers.

So about 8pm British time. Might have to watch in on this.

That is a long-ass cover sequence

D-Maximus_Primal wrote:That is a long-ass cover sequence

it is but they dont feel that connected. Most are connected only because of the colour in the background. Its a far cry from things like this:

True, but still