THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

OTHER TRANSFORMERS BOOKS AND SERIES

#7: Transformers The Movie
Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek

The only novelisation of the original film, this breaks with the usual Ladybird format in several ways. It's the longest book at 52 pages, is the only one with no original illustrations (bar the uncredited cover), and have a unique cover design, including the replacement of the famous red spine with a blue one. Thanks to the use of stills from the film, it's also the only book with a copyright credit for Sunbow.

After a two book gap, the numbering system on the copyright page returns. However, this will be treated as outside of the regular Ladybird series, with the list of other titles available in the last four books not including it.

It might seem odd to release a Movie adaptation after two books featuring the characters created in it, but it's worth remembering the film wasn't released in the UK until the December of 1986 and thus the release would have been timed to coincide with that. On the other hand, Galvatron and other new toys would have been released some time prior (in order to give parents a chance to get it in for Christmas in plenty of time), hence their presence in the book released earlier that year.

The bookends feature a list of characters, accompanied by a picture. For the heroic Autobots we get Hot Rod; Daniel; Ultra Magnus; Optimus Prime; Kup; Arcee; Perceptor; Grimlock; Ironhide and Spike. On the Evil Decepticon side we have Starscream; A Sharkticon; Laserbeak; Unicron; Megatron; A Quintesson; Warriors [The more alligator like Sharkticons]; Prosecutor and Galvatron.

Noticeable changes from the film include:

All violence is carefully toned down or removed entirely. We lose the attack on Lithone, the Autobots on the shuttle are merely overcome, Kranix doesn't get thrown into the Sharkticon pit and the Junkions don't attack the Autobots. Optimus Prime is the only Transformer to actually die on page.

Laserbeak is disguised in the Autobot base in cassette mode.

Optimus Prime is described as dying where he fell, despite this being at odds with the accompanying screen grab.

The opening description of the Transformers timeline makes it seem the Autobots came to Earth and met Spike after the Decepticons drove them off the planet.

Just an example of the layout.

There's no Universal Greeting, Hot Rod and Kup bring the Junkions on side by having a lengthy chat with them.

Wheelie meeting the Dinobots is gone. This same section is also missing from the Marvel comics adaptation. Someone clearly doesn't like him.


Surprisingly good, this keeps the essence of the film intact within a hugely short page count. Whilst there are still narrative problems inherent from the screenplay, it still does the job required of it with a degree of style. The screen grabs are also well chosen to compliment the action. The title of best adaptation of the '86 film is something of a back handed compliment, but certainly a worthy one.