IDW continuity

The IDW continuity is a rebooted Generation 1 universe, begun in 2005 by IDW Publishing.

Overview
The IDW universe brings Transformers into the modern day, dispensing with some of the more problematic elements that have dogged previous versions of G1. The Transformers here are recently arrived on Earth; the traditional "crashed on Earth 4 million years ago" approach is not used. Alternate forms are largely updated to modern day vehicles, with robot modes reworked accordingly.

The series is notable as a much more cloak-and-dagger world than many previous iterations of G1. Earth is initially portrayed as simply one of many battlegrounds in a galaxy-spanning war of subversion and conquest. Also of note is that there is a reason Cybertron is not the site of conflict: the planet is a deserted wasteland, a result of the devastation it suffered in the war. The Decepticons follow a strict protocol of infiltration as they attempt to take over alien worlds. Alternate modes serve a very real and important purpose of disguise, as discovery by natives is strictly forbidden by both factions. Open conflict is rare, and battles are often fought entirely in vehicle forms.

The story opens on Earth, as the Decepticons there have discovered a wildly powerful source of energy, and break protocol to secure it. This soon brings both Megatron and Optimus Prime to the planet, escalating the conflict. The humans are deeply involved as well, both innocent bystanders and active covert organizations such as The Machination and Skywatch. Various plot threads, many of them outlined in the Spotlight series, continually thread into the main story, and echoes of the Transformers' dark and distant past are beginning to gather strength as well.

Cast
The series is not constrained by the needs of portraying a current toyline, allowing great freedom in cast selection.

The story opens with an assortment of the more familiar 1984 Autobots operating on Earth, with some of their standard 1984/85 Decepticon foes also present. But the free format allows fan favorites such as Nightbeat and the Battlechargers to be thrown into the mix, and even almost random additions as Hardhead and Dogfight have played roles as the setting expands and more Transformers head to Earth. Many of the latter-day G1 cast have been shown fighting the war on worlds other than Earth, and even a few Generation 2 Autobots have made appearances.

Media
The continuity includes, in approximate chronological order:


 * Megatron Origin – Four-issue miniseries. Details the events surrounding Megatron's long-ago rise to power and the founding of the Decepticon faction.
 * Infiltration – Seven-issue miniseries (issues #0 to #6). Establishes the presence of the Transformers on modern-day Earth and re-establishes the theme of "robots in disguise" as central to the new continuity.
 * Stormbringer – Four-issue miniseries. Set roughly at the same time as Infiltration, it establishes Cybertron's current situation in the re-boot and focuses soley on the Transformers.
 * New Avengers/Transformers – Four-issue miniseries. A collaboration between Marvel Comics and IDW featuring a crossover between the Transformers and New Avengers.
 * Escalation – Sequel to Infiltration. Six-issue miniseries.  The war on Earth breaks out into open conflict as the Decepticons attempt to make use of the newly discovered Ore-13.
 * Devastation – Sequel to Escalation. Six-issue miniseries.  Megatron throws caution and protocol to the wind, unleashing his ultimate warrior, Sixshot, on the Earth-based Autobots.
 * Revelation – Sequel to Devastation.
 * Expansion – Reportedly the sequel to Revelation.


 * Spotlight - A series of one-shot stories focusing on a single Transformer per issue. The stories fit in to various points in the Transformers' history.

Timeline
See main article: IDW timeline.

Production
The universe has been penned almost entirely by veteran Transformers scribe Simon Furman, with the primary exceptions being Megatron Origin (Eric Holmes), Spotlight: Kup (Nick Roche), and the New Avengers crossover (Stuart Moore).

Pencils on the main *ation series were done by E. J. Su; a variety of artists have penciled the other series in the continuity.