Transformers AtoZ

Transformers AtoZ is a series of profiles that was serialised in the The Transformers UK comics by Marvel Comics between 1987 and 1989 which followed on from the previous series of Fact File Interfaces. Originally little more than a snazzier-designed reprint of the Marvel US Transformers Universe series, in later issues and annuals it branched out and featured new characters (and new versions of characters) not originally covered by the American books.

The earlier, Universe-based entries were redesigned so that the majority of them could fit two per page (in the US printing each character had their own separate page). The most significant details changed were the first appearance entries, which were adjusted from US issue numbers to UK issue numbers, and the decision to designate the characteristic quotes as "mottoes" (despite not originally being identified as such).

Those AtoZ profiles published in the Annuals (and in the main comic from issue #311 onwards) were for the most part based on the second Transformers Universe series that started in 1988 and dealt with the 1987-1988 characters. They usually had the same format as the regular issue AtoZ profile, but now each character took up a whole page. In the Annuals, package art was generally used as the profile image rather than the Transformers Universe art.

Furthermore, some of the UK profiles were re-written to tie them directly into the contemporary storylines, even referencing plot-points within the text (for example the entries for Megatron and the "Classic Heroes").

In addition to Transformers AtoZ, Marvel UK also published a handful of exclusive profiles written specifically for the Marvel UK continuity.

Transformers AtoZ profiles

Other Marvel UK-only profiles

• Transformers Annual 1986 - Datafile: Optimus Prime and Megatron

Notes

• The publication schedule of the Transformers AtoZ was quite irregular. A box on the Transformation page of issue #243 noted:

• True to their word, the feature returned in issue #249, though they had petered out again by issue #262, when another box read:

What AtoZ?! Yes, we know we said there would be more AtoZs'[sic], but with all these epics going on, there just hasn't been enough room for them recently. But we'll see what we can do from now on - promise! We'll be carrying on from where with left off with a full-page profile on Shockwave. Wow!

This would appear in issue #265.

• The profiles for Thundercracker and Thrust in issue #283 were the only ones to be printed in black and white. They were reprinted in colour in issue #309.
• The entry for Bluestreak rendered the character's name as "Blue Streak".
• For some reason, the five smaller Seacons' entries in the 1989 annual were rewritten from their Universe profiles to remove any reference to their third Targetmaster mode:
  • Nautilator also possesses a heat-seeking torpedo cannon.
  • Seawing carries a dual proton blaster in robot mode.
  • Skalor carries a twin-barrelled, corrosive slime shooter in sub-aqua mode.
  • In robot mode, Tentakil carries a 50,000 volt lightning gun alongside a dual slime laser.
  • Overbite's Universe profile states that his Targetmaster mode is an upgrade of his robot mode's jawbreaker cannon and so its omission here isn't so much of an issue, although because the AtoZ was a UK publication Overbite is confusingly called "Jawbreaker" instead; see Overbite (G1)#Notes for more details.
• Although written and designed in the style of the AtoZ series, the Micromaster entries in the 1990 annual were not actually named as such; the usual "Transformers A To Z" backdrop was replaced with one that simply read "Micromasters". These profiles were exclusive to the UK.
• The "Classic Hero bio update" feature was also written exclusively for the UK; much like the "Earthforce" stories, it existed to promote the European Classics reissues.
• The Fortress Maximus profile in issue #329 is a straight reprint of his Transformers Universe entry, with none of the usual changes to the formatting.
• A complete list of characters who received Universe profiles but not AtoZ profiles is as follows:
  • Broadside, Bumblebee, Eject and Ramjet were all omitted.
  • Many of the movie characters who received profiles in Universe #4 were omitted: Arblus, Arcee, Blurr, Cyclonus, Galvatron, Hot Rod, Kranix, the Quintessons, Scourge, the Sharkticons, Springer and Wreck-Gar.
  • Of the second run of profiles featuring 1987-1988 characters, a sizeable portion (specifically, the vast majority of those published in US issues #47-72) were missed: the Horrorcons, the new-character Targetmasters (all twelve of them), the Throttlebots, the Autobot Clones, Slugfest and Overkill, the Technobots (plus Computron), Piranacon, Nightbeat and Hosehead, the Triggerbots and Triggercons, Battletrap, Blot, Cutthroat, and Skullgrin.

This manuscript still needs work. This book article is a stub and is missing information. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it.

See also

• Fact File
• The Transformers Universe
• Who's Who