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The Hasbro Comic Book Universe (HCBU ) is an American comic book franchise and shared universe created and published by IDW Publishing , based on various properties of the toy company Hasbro .
Publication history
Following the bankruptcy of Dreamwave Productions in 2005, IDW picked up the Transformers comic book license and hired veteran writer Simon Furman to craft a rebooted continuity based on the Generation 1 toy line, similar to what Marvel Comics did through Ultimate Marvel .[1] On May 2008, IDW obtained the G.I. Joe comic book license from Devil's Due Publishing .[2] On 2016, IDW gained the rights of Rom , Micronauts , Action Man and M.A.S.K. That same year, IDW announced the Hasbro Reconstruction campaign, in order to converge those brands in the same continuity, starting with the crossover event Revolution .[3] On 2017, IDW gained the rights of Visionaries , with most of its characters debuting after the crossover event First Strike .[4] In April 2018, IDW announced the Hasbro Comic Book Universe would conclude with the limited series Transformers: Unicron on October 2018.[5]
On August 2018, IDW President Greg Goldstein announced a new reboot for various Hasbro-based comics for an unspecified date on 2019.[6]
Setting
Continuity
IDW has never established a shared continuity between its own Transformers and G.I. Joe comics, even during the crossover event Infestation , where they both exist in separate universes, alongside other licensed franchises. While The Transformers has only participated in Infestation , the miniseries The Transformers: Hearts of Steel , also set in its own alternate timeline, has participated in Infestation 2 . On the other side, G.I. Joe participated in both events.
Other brands exist within the HCBU too, e.g. Jem and the Holograms , Clue and Army Ants , but they didn't crossover during Revolution and First Strike due to reasons of tone. IDW's versions of My Little Pony , Dungeons & Dragons , Magic: The Gathering and Stretch Armstrong exist "outside" this universe altogether.
Planets
Earth : the planet where humans live, and various events happened.
Cybertron : the homeworld of the Transformers, whose habitants are considered as "Cybertronians". Various factions, including the Autobots and the Decepticons , have been in war for millons of years.
Caminus : a lost colony of the Transformer species. Its habitants are considered as "Camiens".
Elonia : the homeworld of Rom and the capitol of the Solstar Order, where most of its people are recruited to become Space Knights .
Prysmos : the former homeworld of the Visionaries, whose factions include the Spectral Knights and the Darkling Lords.
Dimensions
The Dead Universe : a universe where the D-Void exists.
Microspace : a subatomic dimension where the Micronauts live.
The Afterspark : an astral plane that the Transformers denominate as its "afterlife ".
Timelines
The Hearts of Steel timeline : a timeline where the Transformers fought on Earth during the Industrial Revolution .
The Funcionist Universe : a timeline where Megatron never existed, and a fascist council defined a sole function for each Transformer.
First canon series (2005-2018)
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
The Transformers: Infestation
1-2
February 2, 2011
February 16, 2011
Part of the crossover event Infestation
The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
1-4
March 23, 2011
June 29, 2011
—
G.I. Joe: Infestation
1-2
March 2, 2011
March 16, 2011
Part of the crossover event Infestation
G.I. Joe Vol. 2
1-21
May 2011
January 2013
Part of the storyline Cobra Civil War
G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 3
1-21
May 2011
December 2012
Part of the storyline Cobra Civil War
G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes
1-21
May 18, 2011
February 6, 2013
Separated inside three stoylines
The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
One-shot
December 21, 2011
—
2012
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
1-57 (1 annual)
January 11, 2012
September 28, 2016
Issues #56-57 tied to Titans Return
The Transformers: Autocracy
1-12
January 18, 2012
June 20, 2012
—
The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
1-57 (1 annual)
January 25, 2012
September 28, 2016
Retitled as The Transformers in issue #35; retitled as Transformers in issue #39; issues #56-57 tied to Titans Return
The Transformers: Infestation 2
1-2
February 1, 2012
February 15, 2012
Part of the crossover event Infestation 2 ; related to The Transformers: Hearts of Steel
G.I. Joe: Infestation 2
1-2
March 14, 2012
March 28, 2012
Part of the crossover event Infestation 2
2013
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
G.I. Joe Vol. 3
1-15
February 2013
April 2014
—
G.I. Joe: Special Missions
1-13
March 2013
April 2014
—
The Transformers: Monstrosity
1-12
March 1, 2013
July 31, 2013
Sequel to The Transformers: Autocracy
G.I. Joe: The Cobra Files
1-9
April 2013
December 2013
—
The Transformers: Dark Cybertron
1-12
November 6, 2013
March 26, 2014
Crossover event between The Transformers: Robots in Disguise and The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
2014
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 1
1-4
April 16, 2014
July 23, 2014
—
The Transformers: Punishment
1-5
June 2014 (printed on January 21, 2015)
Digital comic
The Transformers: Primacy
1-4
August 13, 2014
November 19, 2014
Sequel to The Transformers: Monstrocity
G.I. Joe Vol. 4
1-8
September 2014
April 2015
Retitled as The Fall of G.I. Joe
The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone
1-4
November 26, 2014
February 25, 2015
Sequel to The Transformers: Drift
2015
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes, Agent of Cobra
1-5
January 2015
May 2015
—
The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 2
1-7
March 25, 2015
September 23, 2015
Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade Volume 1; issues #1-5 tied to Combiner Wars
Transformers: Combiner Hunters
One-shot
July 29, 2015
Tied to Combiner Wars
Transformers: Redemption
One-shot
October 28, 2015
Sequel to The Transformers: Punishment
2016
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
Jem and the Holograms
1-26 (1 annual and 2 specials)
March 25, 2016
June 14, 2017
—
Micronauts
1-11 (1 annual)
April 27, 2016
April 12, 2017
—
Transformers: Till All are One
1-14 (1 annual)
June 15, 2016
December 13, 2017
Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade ; issues #5-8 tied to Titans Return
Revolution
0-5
June 21, 2016
November 30, 2016
—
Rom
0-14 (1 annual)
July 27, 2016
November 1, 2017
—
Transformers: Titans Return
One-shot
July 27, 2016
Tied to Titans Return
Transformers: Revolution
One-shot
October 26, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
Transformers: Till All are One: Revolution
One-shot
November 2, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
G.I. Joe: Revolution
One-shot
November 16, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
Rom: Revolution
One-shot
September 21, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
Micronauts: Revolution
One-shot
September 28, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand: Revolution
One-shot
September 29, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
Action Man: Revolution
One-shot
October 26, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
1-10 (plus 1 annual)
November 30, 2016
October 11, 2017
—
Transformers: More than Meets the Eye: Revolution
One-shot
December 7, 2016
Part of the crossover event Revolution
Optimus Prime
1-25 (1 annual)
December 14, 2016
October 31, 2018
Sequel to The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Lost Light
1-25
December 14, 2016
October 17, 2018
Sequel to The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
Jem: The Misfists
1-5
December 21, 2016
July 6, 2017
Spin-off of Jem and the Holograms
G.I. Joe Vol. 5
1-9
December 28, 2016
October 11, 2017
—
2017
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
Revolutionaries
1-8
January 18, 2017
September 27, 2017
Team-up between various Hasbro characters
Transformers Annual 2017
One-shot
March 9, 2017
—
Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
1-5
April 26, 2017
September 20, 2017
Sequel to Micronauts
Transformers: Salvation
One-shot
June 14, 2017
Sequel to Transformers: Redemption
Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
1-3
July 14, 2017
October 25, 2017
Featuring various background stories
First Strike
0-6
July 14, 2017
October 25, 2017
Sequel to Revolution
Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
1-5
July 19, 2017
November 27, 2017
—
Jem and the Holograms: Infinite
1-6
June 29, 2017
October 19, 2017
Crossover event between Jem and the Holograms and Jem: The Misfits
Clue
1-6
June 29, 2017
November 23, 2017
—
G.I Joe: First Strike
One-shot
September 20, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
Micronauts: First Strike
One-shot
September 27, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
Optimus Prime: First Strike
One-shot
October 18, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
Rom: First Strike
One-shot
October 18, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand: First Strike
One-shot
November 1, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
Transformers: First Strike
One-shot
November 8, 2017
Part of the crossover event First Strike
Jem: Dimensions
1-4
December 6, 2017
March 7, 2018
—
Rom & the Micronauts
1-5
December 20, 2017
May 9, 2018
—
Scarlett's Strike Force
1-3
December 27, 2017
February 28, 2018
—
2018
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
Transformers vs. Visionaries
1-5
January 3, 2018
May 2, 2018
—
Rom: Tales of the Solstar Order
One-shot
April 4, 2018
Back-up strips published in Rom #11-14
Transformers: Unicron
0-6
May 5, 2018
October 24, 2018
—
Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers
One-shot
May 30, 2018
Sequel to The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
Transformers: Historia
One-shot
December 19, 2018
Guide of all Transformers comics set in the HCBU
Second canon series (2019)
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
Untitled Transformers series[6]
—
TBA 2019
—
—
Untitled G.I. Joe series[6]
—
TBA 2019
—
—
Untitled Jem series[6]
—
TBA 2019
—
—
Non-canon series
Title
Issue(s)
Start date
End date
Note(s)
The New Avengers/The Transformers
1-4
July 4, 2007
October 10, 2007
Crossover with the New Avengers from the Marvel Universe
The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers
One-shot
February 26, 2014
Part of the crossover event The X-Files: Conspiracy ; related to The Transformers: Hearts of Steel
Street Fighter X G.I. Joe
1-6
February 2016
August 2016
Crossover with Street Fighter by Capcom
Aw Yeah Revolution!
1-3
April 5, 2017
August 23, 2017
Parody of Revolution
Transformers - Bumblebee: Win if You Dare
One-shot
September 12, 2018
Graphic novel
Transformers - Bumblebee: Go for the Gold
One-shot
December 12, 2018
Graphic novel; sequel to Transformers - Win if You Dare
See also
References
^ "Transformers" . Dynamic Forces. Retrieved April 19, 2018 .
^ "Idw Lands G.I. Joe License" . Comicbookresources.com. Retrieved April 19, 2018 .
^ Whitbrook, James (January 6, 2016). "IDW Is Merging G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Its Other Hasbro Comics Into One Giant Universe" . io9. Retrieved April 19, 2018 .
^ "HASBRO's VISIONARIES Returning In DECEMBER After 30 Years" . Newsarama . July 21, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2018 .
^ "TRANSFORMERS: UNICRON Event is a 'Grand Finale' to 12 Years at IDW" . Newsarama. March 24, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018 .
^ a b c d "ICV2 INTERVIEW: IDW PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT GREG GOLDSTEIN, PART 2" . ICv2. August 6, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018 .
Intellectual properties currently managed by Hasbro
Distributed worldwide by Hasbro Subsidiaries and brands Other media Conventions See also
1 (U.S. and Canada)
2 (except Japan and parts of Asia)
3 (except U.S., UK, France and Germany)
4 (except Japan)
5 (except Japan and parts of Asia)