Transformers: Micromasters

Transformers: Micromasters is a four-issue miniseries published by Dreamwave in 2004, set in the main G1 Dreamwave continuity. Its story follows various groups of Micromasters as they debate their role in the Autobot-Decepticon conflict, a war they do not see as their own.

The series was scripted by James McDonough and Adam Patyk, who were by that point the creative team on the ongoing series as well. Pencils were done by Rob Ruffolo in a style clearly intended to mimic that of Pat Lee.

Overview

The series is set in a middling time period, long after the events of the War Within series, but still long before the present day. Cybertron's resources are drying up; to compensate, both sides have created a subgroup of miniaturized Transformers who consume less fuel. Though allowed to choose their own sides, the Micromasters are less prone to see the war of the "guzzlers" as being their problem. In the midst of this conflict, long-lost hero Countdown returns to Cybertron, seeking converts to his own cause of containing the Decepticon threat off-world.

The series has a somewhat ambiguous ending, and none of the Micromasters appear in the present-day Dreamwave books, with no word given of their fate. Of course this is likely due to Dreamwave's massive collapse and had Dreamwave stayed up then it's likely that the story would have had some kind of followup.

Micromasters was heavily criticized for its art, which is often hard to follow. Compounding this problem for casual readers was the introduction of several dozen new characters, many of whom lacked much in the way of distinctive features. The series has also been criticized for its somewhat overly convoluted plot and the extreme angst of some of its characters.

The book is also notable as the first appearance in fiction for most of the Micromaster characters.

Notes

All of the issues take their titles from songs or albums by the band Bad Religion.