Unicron is a fictional supervillain from the Transformers media franchise. Designed by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie and has since reappeared in Transformers: Armada, Transformers: Energon, Transformers: Cybertron, Transformers: Prime, Transformers: The Last Knight and Atari's 2004 Transformers video game. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also able to transform into a giant planet. Unicron's origin has expanded over the years from simply being a large robot to being a god of chaos who devours realities. He often employs the help of Decepticons in his work, and in some stories is considered part of the origin of the Decepticon forces.
Transformers is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It follows the battles of sentient, living autonomous robots, often the Autobots and the Decepticons, who can transform into other forms, such as vehicles and animals. The franchise encompasses toys, animation, comic books, video games and films. As of 2011, it generated more than ¥2 trillion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recognized as the fifth-largest comic book publisher in the United States, behind Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and Image Comics, ahead of other major comic book publishers such as Archie, Boom!, Dynamite, Valiant and Oni Press. The company is perhaps best known for its licensed comic book adaptations of movies, television shows, video games, and cartoons.
There have been three main publishers of the comic book series bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics from 1984 to 1991, which ran for 80 issues and produced four spin-off miniseries. This was followed by a second volume titled Transformers: Generation 2, which ran for 12 issues starting in 1993. The second major series was produced by Dreamwave Productions from 2002 to 2004 with multiple limited series as well, and within multiple story continuities, until the company became bankrupt in 2005. The third series is currently being produced by IDW Publishing starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well. In addition to these three main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success.
The Transformers is a comic book line by IDW Publishing based upon Hasbro's Transformers characters and toy line, featuring many writers and artists across multiple series. It is notable for being the longest continuously running Transformers continuity to date, beginning in October 2005 with The Transformers: Infiltration and ending in November 2018, after the six-issue Unicron event comic. The following year, it would be rebooted and succeeded by a new comic book series on 2019.
G.I. Joe is a comic book series by IDW Publishing, based upon Hasbro's G.I. Joe characters and toy line.
Transformers: Prime is an American computer-animated television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro that aired on Hub Network from November 29, 2010, to July 26, 2013. Reruns aired on The CW's Vortexx block from December 8, 2012, to June 1, 2013. Transformers: Prime focuses on the Autobots of "Team Prime", which consists of Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Throughout their battles, the Autobots are aided by three human children, and with their help attempt to protect the Earth from the villainous Decepticons, and their warlord and leader Megatron.
M.A.S.K. is a media franchise created by Kenner. The main premise revolved around the fight between the titular protagonist underground task force and the criminal organization V.E.N.O.M.. After its initial launch in 1985, the franchise spawned a variety of products and presentations, including four series of action figures, an animated television series, video games, comics, and a live-action theatrical film is currently in development by Hasbro Studios and Paramount.
Rom the Space Knight is a superhero who is currently owned by Hasbro. Rom was originally a toy created by Scott Dankman, Richard C. Levy, and Bryan L. McCoy for Parker Brothers. After the toy was licensed to Marvel Comics, Rom became a character that debuted in the Marvel Universe in the eponymous American comic book Rom: Spaceknight, by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. In July 2015, IDW Publishing began publishing a new Rom comic book series. In December 2015, it was announced that a live-action film version of Rom was in development by Allspark Pictures and Paramount.
The Hasbro Universe refers to several shared fictional universes featuring characters from several franchises owned by toy and entertainment company Hasbro.
Revolution is a 2016 comic book storyline published by IDW Publishing, that ran from September to November 2016. The story involves characters from various Hasbro franchises.
Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy is a toyline and transmedia series that is part of the Transformers franchise by Hasbro.
First Strike is a 2017 comic book storyline published by IDW Publishing, running from August 9 to October 25, 2017. It is the sequel to 2016's Revolution in the Hasbro Comic Book Universe. The story is written by Mairghread Scott and David Rodriguez, featuring art by Max Dunbar and Freddie E. Williams II, and colors by Ander Zarate. A few back-up strips were written by John Barber, with art by Netho Diaz and Walden Wong, and colors by David Garcia Cruz.
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.
Transformers: Unicron is a science fiction comic book limited series presented by IDW Publishing, in collaboration with Hasbro. The series is being written by John Barber, with art from penciller Alex Milne and colorist Sebastian Cheng. Issue #0 was published during Free Comic Book Day before running from July to October 2018, featuring references in Optimus Prime and Transformers: Lost Light.
Optimus Prime is an American science fiction comic book series written by John Barber, with art by penciller Kei Zama and colorist Josh Burcham. It is published by IDW Publishing in collaboration with Hasbro.
Transformers is an ongoing American comic book series that is mostly written by Brian Ruckley and was initially published twice-monthly by IDW Publishing that started on March 13, 2019. Based upon the Transformers franchise by Hasbro and Takara-Tomy, this series is a reboot of the previous comic book series that started with The Transformers: Infiltration in 2005 and concluded with Transformers: Unicron in 2018, taking place in a new continuity that is separate from the Hasbro Comic Book Universe.
G.I. Joe is an American comic book series published by IDW Publishing, being written by Paul Allor and drawn by pencillers Chris Evenhuis, Niko Walter, Ryan Kelly and Emma Vieceli, alongside colorist Brittany Peer. Based upon the G.I. Joe franchise by Donald Levine and Hasbro, this series is a reboot of the previous comic book series that used to take place in the Hasbro Comic Book Universe.
Rom: Dire Wraiths is a limited comic book series by Chris Ryall, Luca Pizzari, Guy Dorian Sr and Sal Buscema. It is based on the toy of the same name by Hasbro, and is published by IDW Publishing.
