The Autobots are reformatted by the Ark to resemble cars and trucks; the Decepticons take the form of jets, weapons or in the case of Soundwave, a cassette deck with tapes.The Decepticons wreak havoc, steal energy and build a fortress. The Autobots, seen here as very weak underdogs, unsuited for war, fight valiantly to stop their foes.Ultimately, it's the humans that the Autobots befriend that save the day. Buster Witwicky's dad, captured by the Decepticons to formulate a fuel for them, secretly poisons his captors.In the final battle, five Autobots take on the entire Decepticon army. On the cusp of defeat, the tainted fuel concocted by Mr. Witwicky kicks in and the Decepticons fall.The Autobots don't even have time to celebrate, however, as the 4-part mini-series ends with Shockwave making an appearance, blowing the remaining Autobots to pieces. This cliffhanger led directly into the monthly Marvel run, which began 3 months after the miniseries ended. (Issue #4 had a cover date of Mar. 1985; issue #5 had a date of June.)Starting with issue 5, The Transformers had more drastic changes. Before reaching its 30th issue, both Optimus Prime and Megatron had been killed off to make way for newer characters.Starting in issue 35 (cover-dated December, 1987), the events became less Earth-centric, as the Transformers repaired their spacecraft and were able to revisit their homeworld Cybertron and other planets. This aspect was particularly prominent in the Matrix Quest sub-plot.In issue 75 (cover-dated February, 1991), the Autobots and Decepticons had united under one banner after Autobot commander Optimus Prime surrendered to Scorponok, in order to end their civil war. United, they finally faced their ancient nemesis: Unicron. The Transformers won, but with heavy losses, including the deaths of Scorponok and Optimus Prime (again). Peace between the two Transformers factions was shortlived after Unicron's death. Bludgeon, the new Decepticon leader, tried to strand the Autobots on Cybertron, which was apparently destroying itself. His plan failed and the final confrontation between the two factions played out, with the Autobots lead again by Grimlock. Optimus Prime is united with Hi-Q (his Powermaster) and given life by The Last Autobot. He returns to battle to save the Autobots and then exiles the Decepticons forever (until Transformers: Generation 2). After the battle with Unicron, the comic ran for only five issues before being cancelled. The final issue had the mini series banner above the title; "#80 IN A FOUR ISSUE LIMITED SERIES".Most of the issues of Transformers Marvel US were written by two writers. Although the first four issues were written by Jim Salicrup, editor Bob Budiansky was the one who contributed the most to the story, writing the character bios and backgrounds for the Transformers, even giving names to some of them. After the mini-series became an ongoing comic, Budiansky was promoted to constant writer. Except for issue #16 (Plight of the Bumblebee, written by Len Kaminski), issue #43 (The big broadcast of 2006, a Transformers cartoon episode adaptation by Ralph Macchio) and the two-part story Man of Iron (imported from Transformers Marvel UK), Bob wrote all the Transformers comics until issue #55.Most famous story arcs and issues are Warrior's school featuring the introduction of the Dinobots and the first clash between Autobot medic Ratchet and Megatron; Prime Time! when Optimus Prime is finally freed from captivity and battles current Decepticon commander Shockwave; Smelting Pool and The Bridge to Nowhere brought the story back to Cybertron where only a handful of Autobots fight an underground war against Straxus's Decepticons, also introducing Blaster, Budiansky's most-used character who was radically different from his cartoon and Marvel UK version. Afterdeath and Gone but not forgotten saw the deaths (for a while, anyway) of Optimus Prime and Megatron, after which Grimlock took control of the Autobot forces in King of the Hill. Starting at issue #28, Blaster and Goldbug (a rebuilt Bumblebee) defected from the Autobots due to Grimlock tyrannical leadership, which ended with Grimlock and Blaster having a duel in Totaled. The next issue, People Power saw the return of Optimus Prime, as a Powermaster. The "Underbase saga" began in issue #47 and ended in issue #50, Dark Star, where Starscream, absorbing the power of the Underbase, kills most of the active Transformers of the time. (Budiansky admitted in an interview that Hasbro was forcing him to introduce new characters so quickly, he had to do an epic to "make room" for them.) Budiansky's last 5 stories were very mediocre, he himself said that he lost the interest in Transformers, and asked Hasbro to hand over the comics to a new writer.From issue #56, the by then well-known writer of Transformers Marvel UK, Simon Furman took over the reins, having been asked by Marvel US. Furman used the characterisation he used at Marvel UK for the Transformers, and introduced many characters to the US comic who have already appeared in the UK comic. He wrote all the issues until the comic's cancellation at issue #80.Furmnan's most famous story arcs include Back from the Dead, the return of Megatron who kidnaps Ratchet to help him in his revenge against both Autobots and Decepticons; Primal Scream! which introduced Primus and re-told the origin of the Transformer race to the US readers too; the "Matrix Quest" which features the Autobots sending numerous teams to locate the Matrix that was lost when Optimus "died" and his body was shot into space; and the Unicron story arc from #67 to #75, featuring the Transformers' ultimate battle against the Chaos Bringer.Sadly the comic was cancelled shortly after issue #75, so Furman had to "wrap up" the ending. According to some interviews with him, he planned to feature the Neo-Knights and the "demons" inhabiting Cybertron's underground more in the never-written issues

    Plant people from outer space have come to Earth and, wouldn’t you know it, they just happen to be here when millions of mutants rise as undead creatures hungry for human flesh.

    Marvel celebrates the greatest super-team the world has ever known with a magazine-sized extravaganza! Meet the creative legend who helped start it all, Jack Kirby, as we look back at his first year of Avengers artistry! Relive the history of Earth's Mightiest Heroes with a series of probing character profiles! Explore the Avengers' creative history with "Earth's Mightiest Interview," a roundtable with some of the greatest writers in the team's history, and have your mind blown by a gallery of all-time great Avengers artist John Buscema's finest work! All this and more, including a countdown of the greatest Avengers stories of all time! Earth's Mightiest Magazine is distributed free in April!

    Jason Aaron brings you Doctor Strange and Wong's secret history and the ultimate sacrifice that Wong makes! Gerry Duggan shows Brother Voodoo's stand against the evil magic-eaters. James Robinson introduces a new magic figure in the Marvel U just in time for her last stand!

    The bizarre adventures of Weapon H - an all-new hero with the Hulk's raw strength and Wolverine's Adamantium claws -continue here! As if Wendigo, Brood and Man-Thing weren't enough, our favorite ex-mercenary must now face the Skrullduggers! But what the heck are they? Why, dragon-monsters with Skrull shape-shifting powers, obviously! But were they sent by Roxxon, or is this an all-new threat from outer space? Hopefully special guest Captain America can lend a hand! COLLECTING: WEAPON H 7-12

    These two mighty Avengers shared one of the greatest romances in the entire Marvel-Verse! They are the synthezoid Vision and the reality-manipulating Scarlet Witch — and these are some of their most action-packed adventures! First, the Vision is unleashed on the Avengers by his "father" — the evil android, Ultron! Vision's control of his density makes him a formidable opponent, but his inner nobility soon sees him turn on his inhuman creator! Joining the team, Vision soon finds love with Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch — and their far-out wedding is one of the greatest Avengers stories ever told! Wanda and Vision make one heck of a team — but even with Spider-Man by their side, can they defeat the dark sorcerer Necrodamus?Collects Avengers Origins: Vision (2011) #1, Giant-Size Avengers (1974) #4, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #129-130.

    Now Sam Wilson, formerly the Avenger known as Falcon, carries on the fight for liberty and justice as the all-new, all-different Captain America!

    There's a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth! Join the brightest stars in the Marvel U: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Iron Man, as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW!

    The fact that New Attilan is in the Hudson River puts Manhattan and Spider-Man right in its crosshairs! Jeff Loveness (The Jimmy Kimmel Show, Death of Wolverine: Logan's Legacy) pens all three chapters with tremendous artists!Collecting: All-New Captain America Special, Amazing Spider-Man Special, Inhuman Special

    But now, Eric is the only one who knows about a secret AIM plot to steal Pym's greatest invention! Can the two men get along long enough to save the day?Collects Ant-Man & Wasp #1-3.

    To survive, must she become the bride of Venom? Plus, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Spider must stand by Eddie's side when an alien invasion threatens to turn Earth into the Planet of the Symbiotes!Collecting Venom: Carnage Unleashed #1-4, Venom: Sinner Takes All #1-5; and material from Amazing Spider-Man Super Special, Spider-Man Super Special, Venom Super Special, Spectacular Spider-Man Super Special and Web of Spider-Man Super Special.

    It's Bob's job to make sure Deadpool completes his missions - by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Deadpool considers him something of a sidekick, and it's always the sidekick who takes one for the team. Then, Deadpool gets married! But things spiral straight down the tubes when his blushing bride goes on a murder spree that threatens to destroy Deadpool's newly formed nuclear family. Plus: Deadpool and Bob take on Hydra - but when Bob is framed for a terrorist act and hunted by the U.S. government, he and Deadpool go on the run in a heartfelt, soul-searching journey full of sex, drugs and excessive violence! Collecting DEADPOOL MAX #1-12, DEADPOOL MAX 2 #1-6 and the DEADPOOL MAX X-MAS SPECIAL.

    The universe is big. Bigger than you could ever imagine. And the SILVER SURFER, the lone sentinel of the skyways, is about to discover that the best way to see it... is with someone else. Meet the Earth Girl who's challenged the Surfer to go beyond the boundaries of the known Marvel U-- into the strange, the new, and the utterly fantastic!

    Sinister and the demon-lord N'astirh set their respective master plans in motion - both centered around one woman: Madelyne Pryor, wife of Scott Summers, the X-Man called Cyclops. The flame is fanned as Sinister's agents, the Marauders, attack Madelyne's protectors in the X-Men, while a horde of N'astirh's demons prey upon the helpless, horrified populace of New York City. The inferno burns as Madelyne strikes her own bargain with N'astirh, and as the Goblin Queen, threatens to cast a spell that would render the entire earth a hellish wasteland where demons rule. And the sacrifice necessary is none other than her own innocent child, Nathan Christopher Summers! It's the X-Men, X-Factor, and the New Mutants in one of their most harrowing ordeals ever, with the fate of entire dimensions hanging in the balance - and the price for victory perhaps higher than any of them can bear!Collects X-Factor #33-40, X-Terminators #1-4, Uncanny X-Men #239-243, New Mutants #71-73, and X-Factor Annual #4.

    So when the rumor starts that he's turned traitor and now works for Steve Rogers, a billion-dollar bounty is put on his head, and every cadre of costumed fanatics looks to collect. Now Taskmaster has to fight hordes upon hordes of his psychopathic students while at the same time figuring out who framed him. Collecting: Taskmaster #1-4