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Autocracy Trilogy #1-3
Transformers: Autocracy Trilogy
Before Optimus became a Prime he fought for order. Before Megatron became a conqueror he fought for freedom. In the early days of the war on Cybertron, two leaders–one Autobot, the other Decepticon–start down their own paths towards destiny. Collects the Autocracy, Monstrosity, and Primacy series into an oversized hardcover collection.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
328 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 6, 2020
Guess what?
You don’t have to read any of the other IDW Transformers comics to read this trilogy collection.
I was actually skeptical of this trilogy before getting into it. I started the IDW series extremely out of order and am still trying to play catch-up 8 years later even though they are already rebooting the series and starting fresh with Optimus, Megatron and the rest of the crew. That being said, I was timid to the idea of jumping so far back and suffering whiplash, feeling like I don’t have enough information to fully understand this prequel that was conceived when IDW’s Transformers was over halfway through its run.
But even though this trilogy is canon to the previous IDW comics, you don’t have to read any of those to fully enjoy the masterpiece that is the creation of writers Chris Metzen and Flint Dille. This is more of an analytical look at what I really enjoyed in this collection than a review, but I’ve separated each volume here and break each down somewhat with some mild spoilers.
A polished, perfectly shaped trilogy that is the impeccable blend of the IDW continuity and the origins of the war between Autobots and Decepticons all while paying homage to the original G1 animated series.
AUTOCRACY
Autocracy takes place in a time under the rule of Zeta Prime with the Decepticons posing as an eminent threat, but I freaking love how Chris Metzen and Flint Dille gave life to the origins of the terms “till all are one� and “Autobot.�
Decepticons and the Reign of Zeta Prime
One thing to know before jumping into Autocracy is where the Decepticons stand and how they classify themselves. “Decepticon� came from the term “constructed cold� referring to Cybertronians whose sparks were frozen then placed in a body when ready to be used, and “you are being deceived� referring to those who agreed with Megatron’s writings of equality and freedom against the functionists. Sentinel Prime has long been killed by Megatron and the Decepticon leader took over Kaon shortly after his showdown with Sentinel. Megatron’s intentions started out for the idea of equality (way back in the Megatron Origins and further confirmed in More Than Meets The Eye #34). But his fight against the oppression and brutality of the Functionist government led him to become a gladiator and eventually a tyrannical ruler who is no better than the functionists he fought against. What was once, “All are equal no matter the alt mode,� became “peace through tyranny.�
Now, going into Autocracy Cybertron is under the iron-fisted rule of Zeta Prime as he seeks to end the Decepticons completely by nuking whole cities despite the deaths of thousands of innocent Cybertronians. When a senator confronts this madness, he brushes off the accusation and says, “I will restore order to this world at any cost.� Any Decepticon—or their sympathizers—are arrested and either imprisoned, tortured, or executed. What seemed like a more free change when the functionists were replaced with what is now a rule of sadism under Zeta Prime who revels in the pain and destruction of Decepticons and anyone who agrees with them.
Orion Pax and the Meaning of ‘Autobot�
Orion was once friends with Zeta before the latter became a Prime and has been extremely loyal to both Zeta Prime and the Autobots under his command. Orion believed with the new rule of Zeta Prime, equality and freedom would begin to change Cybertron for the better, but Zeta just followed in the footsteps of Sentinel as the war between the senate and Decepticons raged, and with that evolution Orion’s purpose of wanting to do good became twisted with his loyalty to Zeta. As an “Autobot� for the senate, Orion struggles between the mentalities that Zeta has impressed on him (the brutality of force when faced with even the slightest resistance), and his internal desire to do good and help people. He feels stuck and doesn’t know how to remedy the conflict that tears up his spark, turning his frustration into violence.
Autobot doesn’t mean hero—at first. It stands for the police on Cybertron, and it was a title to be feared. In the IDW Orion Pax spotlight, Alpha Trion explains that the symbol used to represent unity being the universal symbol for “the first face.� Over time, corruption and violence changed that and Autobots became a symbol of fear and control, law instead of protection. Similar to the term “Prime� as a representation of leadership. Stories say a “Prime� used to be chosen by the fabled “matrix of leadership� only to those who were worthy of the title, but the term evolved into a position of dictatorship with no honor for the position or the people in mind.
The Most Beautiful Birth of Optimus Prime
This has to be the most beautiful and meaningful version of the beginning of Optimus Prime that I have ever seen. The symbolism is so striking with Orion literally dying to his old self, reaching out to the Matrix for aid, and being reborn into a Prime as the Matrix chooses him to be leader. Also, the fact that it took something this traumatizing for Orion to fully snap out of it and take charge to see the change he always strived for is just fantastic to his character because it shows how deeply confused and unstable he was as an officer. That whole scene is just beautifully written and illustrated. Orion’s monologue really solidifies what the phrase “till all are one� really means in the eye of the Matrix:
“[…]Matrix-fire arcs through my ravaged circuits. Burning, purifying, infusing me with power. Clarity. The Decepticons believe we’re a divided people...that only absolute control can unite us. Perhaps that’s the greatest deception of all. Within the Matrix—ALL ARE ONE. Right now. In this moment. In every moment we stop to recognize something of ourselves in each other. Unity isn’t some hoped-for event. It’s a matter of perception. All these long millennia, we Autobots fought to uphold a crumbling system that had forgotten its most sacred truth: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. Freedom from oppression. From fear. I see that if our people—our society—is to survive, we Autobots must change what we’ve been fighting for…not the rule of law—but for a better tomorrow. And that change must begin with me. So I will lay down my life…my identity…for my people. Orion Pax is no more. I…am Optimus Prime. And I have a world to set free.�
From there Autocracy plays out the beginning of the age-old war between Autobots and Decepticons: Optimus Prime rising up against the new oppression as a true leader, reinventing the definition of “Autobot� as a symbol of protection and honor in the struggle for freedom and equality, and Megatron a philosopher-turned-tyrant unknowingly becoming the enemy he longed to end.
MONSTROSITY
Monstrosity is, by far, my favorite installment of this trilogy!
This volume focuses on three main character stories: Megatron, Optimus, and the Dynobots (or Dinobots—however it’s spelled it’s still Grimlock and his crew).
Megatron
If there was ever any hope of Megatron reverting back to his pre-Decepticon mentality it is securely crushed in this volume. Megatron, damaged and on the brink of death after escaping Cybertron is betrayed by Scorponok (hilariously recreating the “I still function,� scene from the original G1 theatrical movie) and forced to fight for his life against the cannibalistic savages of Junkion. Megatron survives for the same reason he survived the mines and rose up to his status as leader. His passion for change and power turns into passion for survival. The cannibals are savage, so he must be more savage. His mentality of superiority goes full overdrive claiming himself, “supreme.�
He comes across a lone Quintesson who tells him, “…to survive this monstrous world you must become monstrous yourself.� And through various trials while on Junkion, Megatron embraces and hones this new part of himself before finally revealing to the Quintesson what he ultimately believes, “Dominance. It is the only truth of existence.� But not without order. This really shows that that’s what makes Megatron dangerous. He has access to the savage side of himself that can tear a bot apart with his own two hands and dominate a whole world, but has enough educated control to still take everything in stride and stay ten steps ahead of his enemies.
Optimus
Optimus Prime’s story simply continues with the struggles of his new position as leader. He’s trying to gain the trust of the senate, find energon as Cybertron is rapidly going dry, and recruit new soldiers as Autobots all while having to depend on his own instincts as the Matrix of Leadership has gone silent. Despite his efforts Optimus sees an atomic energon explosion caused by Scorponok killing hundreds, the exodus of half the planet as citizens side with senator Dai Atlas to try their luck in space, and the awakening of the titan Trypticon causing massive damage to the planet.
No extreme character arc, but I love seeing Optimus as a young leader and not giving up even after all the crap he’s gone through.
Dynobots/Grimlock
YES! Another awesome origin story for the Dinobots!
Quick summary: Here, the Dynobots were an elite team of soldiers who had worked for Nominus Prime. They found their way to the depths of Cybertron where the titan Trypticon created predatory creatures as antibodies to protect itself while it slept beneath Cybertron. Being outnumbered Grimlock and his team scanned the monsters to take similar alt modes in order to not appear as a threat, but doing so also merged the monsters� bestial mentality and savagery into the Dynobots� minds. In the process, Grimlock ended up murdering one of the team, Skar, in a fit of animalistic fury. The Dynobots were labeled as savage beasts and go on the run until they meet Optimus Prime who yearns to help them return to their former status as protective soldiers.
Grimlock is the main focus here and it’s heartbreaking to see him have to fight his own body and instincts to kill while longing to keep his team—and the citizens of Cybertron—safe from himself. Chris Metzen really gave him a lot of internal conflict as well as personality, proving that Grimlock was an honorable soldier before he was forced to change into a mentally unstable beast in order to survive. It makes me even sadder thinking of how his mind is robbed from him much later in the More Than Meets The Eye comics, turning into more of the dumb Grimlock persona from the original G1 animated series. I also really liked how the fact that the Transformers� alt modes can affect their personalities much like in the Beast Wars animated series. When Grimlock becomes too aggravated, his fury allows a pathway for his “beast mode� to take over and then he can’t help but go on a bloodthirsty rampage. This shows that the alt modes are a whole ‘nother personality to one bot and that’s not explored enough in the Transformers universe.
After thinking it over a bit, I think I like this origin more than their origins in the Fall of Cybertron game where they were kidnapped by Shockwave and experimented on before escaping. Really awesome take on these characters all around the theme of monstrosity.
PRIMACY
Primacy seals the trilogy with a battle that determines who will take Cybertron. I thought this might end like the War for Cybertron games where the Autobots were forced to leave their planet, but silly of me to think that this was like every other Transformers series.
Megatron gets the upper hand by resurrecting Trypticon and collecting all of the residents of Junkion to claim war on Optimus and the Autobots. The majority of this final volume of the trilogy is the fight between both sides. Some interesting things that happen is seeing Megatron bringing the very environment of Junkion to Cybertron and Trypticon’s new identity corrupting Megatron. The most notable event to happen in this volume is Megatron asking Optimus for help from being corrupted and Optimus uses the power of the Matrix to purge Megatron’s system.
Not much theme-wise but still cool and it solidifies the franchise.
CONCLUSION
Out of all of the IDW Transformers series this trilogy matches my top favorite right alongside Mairghread Scott’s Windblade run. I didn’t expect to be so blown away by this trilogy. Even if you aren’t familiar with the IDW publications, or you don’t want to try and face the massive ocean that is the entire series, the Autocracy trilogy is a great standalone if you’re new to new to the comics or just a plain fan of Transformers.
Give it a read. It’s definitely worth it.
You don’t have to read any of the other IDW Transformers comics to read this trilogy collection.
I was actually skeptical of this trilogy before getting into it. I started the IDW series extremely out of order and am still trying to play catch-up 8 years later even though they are already rebooting the series and starting fresh with Optimus, Megatron and the rest of the crew. That being said, I was timid to the idea of jumping so far back and suffering whiplash, feeling like I don’t have enough information to fully understand this prequel that was conceived when IDW’s Transformers was over halfway through its run.
But even though this trilogy is canon to the previous IDW comics, you don’t have to read any of those to fully enjoy the masterpiece that is the creation of writers Chris Metzen and Flint Dille. This is more of an analytical look at what I really enjoyed in this collection than a review, but I’ve separated each volume here and break each down somewhat with some mild spoilers.
A polished, perfectly shaped trilogy that is the impeccable blend of the IDW continuity and the origins of the war between Autobots and Decepticons all while paying homage to the original G1 animated series.
AUTOCRACY
Autocracy takes place in a time under the rule of Zeta Prime with the Decepticons posing as an eminent threat, but I freaking love how Chris Metzen and Flint Dille gave life to the origins of the terms “till all are one� and “Autobot.�
Decepticons and the Reign of Zeta Prime
One thing to know before jumping into Autocracy is where the Decepticons stand and how they classify themselves. “Decepticon� came from the term “constructed cold� referring to Cybertronians whose sparks were frozen then placed in a body when ready to be used, and “you are being deceived� referring to those who agreed with Megatron’s writings of equality and freedom against the functionists. Sentinel Prime has long been killed by Megatron and the Decepticon leader took over Kaon shortly after his showdown with Sentinel. Megatron’s intentions started out for the idea of equality (way back in the Megatron Origins and further confirmed in More Than Meets The Eye #34). But his fight against the oppression and brutality of the Functionist government led him to become a gladiator and eventually a tyrannical ruler who is no better than the functionists he fought against. What was once, “All are equal no matter the alt mode,� became “peace through tyranny.�
Now, going into Autocracy Cybertron is under the iron-fisted rule of Zeta Prime as he seeks to end the Decepticons completely by nuking whole cities despite the deaths of thousands of innocent Cybertronians. When a senator confronts this madness, he brushes off the accusation and says, “I will restore order to this world at any cost.� Any Decepticon—or their sympathizers—are arrested and either imprisoned, tortured, or executed. What seemed like a more free change when the functionists were replaced with what is now a rule of sadism under Zeta Prime who revels in the pain and destruction of Decepticons and anyone who agrees with them.
Orion Pax and the Meaning of ‘Autobot�
Orion was once friends with Zeta before the latter became a Prime and has been extremely loyal to both Zeta Prime and the Autobots under his command. Orion believed with the new rule of Zeta Prime, equality and freedom would begin to change Cybertron for the better, but Zeta just followed in the footsteps of Sentinel as the war between the senate and Decepticons raged, and with that evolution Orion’s purpose of wanting to do good became twisted with his loyalty to Zeta. As an “Autobot� for the senate, Orion struggles between the mentalities that Zeta has impressed on him (the brutality of force when faced with even the slightest resistance), and his internal desire to do good and help people. He feels stuck and doesn’t know how to remedy the conflict that tears up his spark, turning his frustration into violence.
Autobot doesn’t mean hero—at first. It stands for the police on Cybertron, and it was a title to be feared. In the IDW Orion Pax spotlight, Alpha Trion explains that the symbol used to represent unity being the universal symbol for “the first face.� Over time, corruption and violence changed that and Autobots became a symbol of fear and control, law instead of protection. Similar to the term “Prime� as a representation of leadership. Stories say a “Prime� used to be chosen by the fabled “matrix of leadership� only to those who were worthy of the title, but the term evolved into a position of dictatorship with no honor for the position or the people in mind.
The Most Beautiful Birth of Optimus Prime
This has to be the most beautiful and meaningful version of the beginning of Optimus Prime that I have ever seen. The symbolism is so striking with Orion literally dying to his old self, reaching out to the Matrix for aid, and being reborn into a Prime as the Matrix chooses him to be leader. Also, the fact that it took something this traumatizing for Orion to fully snap out of it and take charge to see the change he always strived for is just fantastic to his character because it shows how deeply confused and unstable he was as an officer. That whole scene is just beautifully written and illustrated. Orion’s monologue really solidifies what the phrase “till all are one� really means in the eye of the Matrix:
“[…]Matrix-fire arcs through my ravaged circuits. Burning, purifying, infusing me with power. Clarity. The Decepticons believe we’re a divided people...that only absolute control can unite us. Perhaps that’s the greatest deception of all. Within the Matrix—ALL ARE ONE. Right now. In this moment. In every moment we stop to recognize something of ourselves in each other. Unity isn’t some hoped-for event. It’s a matter of perception. All these long millennia, we Autobots fought to uphold a crumbling system that had forgotten its most sacred truth: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. Freedom from oppression. From fear. I see that if our people—our society—is to survive, we Autobots must change what we’ve been fighting for…not the rule of law—but for a better tomorrow. And that change must begin with me. So I will lay down my life…my identity…for my people. Orion Pax is no more. I…am Optimus Prime. And I have a world to set free.�
From there Autocracy plays out the beginning of the age-old war between Autobots and Decepticons: Optimus Prime rising up against the new oppression as a true leader, reinventing the definition of “Autobot� as a symbol of protection and honor in the struggle for freedom and equality, and Megatron a philosopher-turned-tyrant unknowingly becoming the enemy he longed to end.
MONSTROSITY
Monstrosity is, by far, my favorite installment of this trilogy!
This volume focuses on three main character stories: Megatron, Optimus, and the Dynobots (or Dinobots—however it’s spelled it’s still Grimlock and his crew).
Megatron
If there was ever any hope of Megatron reverting back to his pre-Decepticon mentality it is securely crushed in this volume. Megatron, damaged and on the brink of death after escaping Cybertron is betrayed by Scorponok (hilariously recreating the “I still function,� scene from the original G1 theatrical movie) and forced to fight for his life against the cannibalistic savages of Junkion. Megatron survives for the same reason he survived the mines and rose up to his status as leader. His passion for change and power turns into passion for survival. The cannibals are savage, so he must be more savage. His mentality of superiority goes full overdrive claiming himself, “supreme.�
He comes across a lone Quintesson who tells him, “…to survive this monstrous world you must become monstrous yourself.� And through various trials while on Junkion, Megatron embraces and hones this new part of himself before finally revealing to the Quintesson what he ultimately believes, “Dominance. It is the only truth of existence.� But not without order. This really shows that that’s what makes Megatron dangerous. He has access to the savage side of himself that can tear a bot apart with his own two hands and dominate a whole world, but has enough educated control to still take everything in stride and stay ten steps ahead of his enemies.
Optimus
Optimus Prime’s story simply continues with the struggles of his new position as leader. He’s trying to gain the trust of the senate, find energon as Cybertron is rapidly going dry, and recruit new soldiers as Autobots all while having to depend on his own instincts as the Matrix of Leadership has gone silent. Despite his efforts Optimus sees an atomic energon explosion caused by Scorponok killing hundreds, the exodus of half the planet as citizens side with senator Dai Atlas to try their luck in space, and the awakening of the titan Trypticon causing massive damage to the planet.
No extreme character arc, but I love seeing Optimus as a young leader and not giving up even after all the crap he’s gone through.
Dynobots/Grimlock
YES! Another awesome origin story for the Dinobots!
Quick summary: Here, the Dynobots were an elite team of soldiers who had worked for Nominus Prime. They found their way to the depths of Cybertron where the titan Trypticon created predatory creatures as antibodies to protect itself while it slept beneath Cybertron. Being outnumbered Grimlock and his team scanned the monsters to take similar alt modes in order to not appear as a threat, but doing so also merged the monsters� bestial mentality and savagery into the Dynobots� minds. In the process, Grimlock ended up murdering one of the team, Skar, in a fit of animalistic fury. The Dynobots were labeled as savage beasts and go on the run until they meet Optimus Prime who yearns to help them return to their former status as protective soldiers.
Grimlock is the main focus here and it’s heartbreaking to see him have to fight his own body and instincts to kill while longing to keep his team—and the citizens of Cybertron—safe from himself. Chris Metzen really gave him a lot of internal conflict as well as personality, proving that Grimlock was an honorable soldier before he was forced to change into a mentally unstable beast in order to survive. It makes me even sadder thinking of how his mind is robbed from him much later in the More Than Meets The Eye comics, turning into more of the dumb Grimlock persona from the original G1 animated series. I also really liked how the fact that the Transformers� alt modes can affect their personalities much like in the Beast Wars animated series. When Grimlock becomes too aggravated, his fury allows a pathway for his “beast mode� to take over and then he can’t help but go on a bloodthirsty rampage. This shows that the alt modes are a whole ‘nother personality to one bot and that’s not explored enough in the Transformers universe.
After thinking it over a bit, I think I like this origin more than their origins in the Fall of Cybertron game where they were kidnapped by Shockwave and experimented on before escaping. Really awesome take on these characters all around the theme of monstrosity.
PRIMACY
Primacy seals the trilogy with a battle that determines who will take Cybertron. I thought this might end like the War for Cybertron games where the Autobots were forced to leave their planet, but silly of me to think that this was like every other Transformers series.
Megatron gets the upper hand by resurrecting Trypticon and collecting all of the residents of Junkion to claim war on Optimus and the Autobots. The majority of this final volume of the trilogy is the fight between both sides. Some interesting things that happen is seeing Megatron bringing the very environment of Junkion to Cybertron and Trypticon’s new identity corrupting Megatron. The most notable event to happen in this volume is Megatron asking Optimus for help from being corrupted and Optimus uses the power of the Matrix to purge Megatron’s system.
Not much theme-wise but still cool and it solidifies the franchise.
CONCLUSION
Out of all of the IDW Transformers series this trilogy matches my top favorite right alongside Mairghread Scott’s Windblade run. I didn’t expect to be so blown away by this trilogy. Even if you aren’t familiar with the IDW publications, or you don’t want to try and face the massive ocean that is the entire series, the Autocracy trilogy is a great standalone if you’re new to new to the comics or just a plain fan of Transformers.
Give it a read. It’s definitely worth it.
January 19, 2025
A darkly delicious trilogy - all out war between autobots and deceptions in the fight for cybertron.
September 21, 2018
Comics do not always receive the credit that is due to them. Many comic series brought to life characters seen everywhere today such as Marvel and DC superheroes. Other comic series began as a TV series or a film before going to the world of pictures and words. One unique series of comics actually began as a line of toys. Once these toys obtained their own cartoon in the 1980s, The Transformers took off and became “more than meets the eye,� not only receiving more cartoons, but movies and comic book series, as well.
In 2012, a rather unique comic book trilogy began for The Transformers. Chris Metzen, a new writer for the franchise at the time, paired up with veteran Transformers writer Flint Dille to write a new story. Completed with the artistic talent of Livio Ramondelli, then also a new artist for the universe, Autocracy was created. These three men made quite the team and went on to finish the trilogy with Monstrosity and Primacy. Rather than looking at each of these stories separately, it is more beneficial to look at them as they are meant to be: as a whole.
In Transformers: Autocracy, there is an Energon shortage on Cybertron and the Transformers fight amongst themselves to claim what is left of it, separated by two factions: Autobots and Decepticons. Megatron leads the Decepticons to fight against the Senate while Zeta Prime leads the Autobots down a dark road to annihilate the Decepticons. War is on the rise and Autobot Officer Orion Pax is uncertain about his lot in life. In a system where it seems he has no choice, Orion must chose for himself what he believes is worth fighting for and step into his own as the new Prime.
In Transformers: Monstrosity, Orion Pax has stepped into his role as Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots; however, it is more complicated than he expected to unify all of Cybertron. What is Optimus to do when not all bots agree with him being the new Prime and the wisdom contained with the Matrix of Leadership remains silent? Meanwhile, Megatron finds himself on a desolate wasteland of a planet, battered by his fight with Optimus. Refusing to be defeated, he faces impossible odds as he journeys back to Cybertron to face his foe in combat once more.
In Transformers: Primacy, both Optimus and Megatron have recovered from their battles with one another. Now is the time for war: the final showdown between Autobots and Decepticons. The leaders travel across galaxies to amass their armies: alliances are made, ties are broken. When the war breaks out, will the already dying planet be obliterated or will the dream of all of the Transformers being one come to light?
From cartoons to novels to comics, the beginning of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons has different iterations with similar elements. However, there is something truly unique about the Transformers: Autocracy trilogy. The story takes fans deeper and darker than ever thought possible in the Transformers universe and each of the stories has a meaning everyone can abide by. In Autocracy, all of the bots are faced with making difficult choices, especially Orion. He is constantly led to believe that he has no choice but for the ones given to him, until he realizes that he has the free will to make his own decisions. In Monstrosity, Skorponok says, “Deep down, we’re all monsters.� There is darkness within everyone and there are moments when it threatens to come out and take over the good. However, the darkness can be faced and it can be tamed and one does not have to be alone while doing so. And finally, Primacy is about the big battle every fan has looked forward to, but the story is not just about the fighting. It is about unity, fighting for the greater good, and all finally becoming one.
Perhaps what makes this trilogy as unique as it is is the fact that Dille wished to expand more on certain elements from the 1980s show and, with Metzen’s help, succeeded in doing so. Readers who aren’t as familiar with the Transformers franchise, especially the G1 series, may not understand as many of the references as fans would. Fans will come across many characters, lines, and even scenes from the original G1 series that have been changed a bit, providing a new twist of events for fans to enjoy. The story would not be as powerful as it is if it weren’t for the artistic ability of Ramondelli who truly captured the feel of the story with his use of light and dark panels as well as how he depicted the Transformers themselves. He held true to the original G1 designs of the Autobots and the Decepticons and then gave them a more modern-day twist. Readers will find themselves lingering on various panels, especially battle panels, to take in all of the detail, color, and shading Ramondelli included.
With each of this trilogy’s stories coming out a year apart from each other (2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively), fans did not have to wait long for the completion of this amazing contribution to the Transformers universe. And with the Transformers: Autocracy trilogy being released for the first time as a single tradeback edition this December, new and old readers will be able to enjoy the story again and again. The three talented men who brought this story to life truly brought justice to the bots many have come to know and love and, even if readers aren’t as familiar with the franchise, they may become more intrigued to conduct their own research after reading this trilogy. Perhaps the only downside to the trilogy is that upon completion, fans will want more. While the novels of Exodus, Exiles, and Retribution have given a wonderful take on the beginning of the Autobot/ Decepticon war and the beginnings of Optimus and Megatron as leaders of said factions, the series seems to have come to a, hopefully, temporary standstill. The team of Metzen, Dille, and Ramondelli could create a wonderful new series that is more than just three stories; however, Autocracy, Monstrosity, and Primacy give fans an epically memorable rendition of the beginning of the war for Cybertron.
**Originally posted on my blog Roll Out Reviews on November 20, 2016**
In 2012, a rather unique comic book trilogy began for The Transformers. Chris Metzen, a new writer for the franchise at the time, paired up with veteran Transformers writer Flint Dille to write a new story. Completed with the artistic talent of Livio Ramondelli, then also a new artist for the universe, Autocracy was created. These three men made quite the team and went on to finish the trilogy with Monstrosity and Primacy. Rather than looking at each of these stories separately, it is more beneficial to look at them as they are meant to be: as a whole.
In Transformers: Autocracy, there is an Energon shortage on Cybertron and the Transformers fight amongst themselves to claim what is left of it, separated by two factions: Autobots and Decepticons. Megatron leads the Decepticons to fight against the Senate while Zeta Prime leads the Autobots down a dark road to annihilate the Decepticons. War is on the rise and Autobot Officer Orion Pax is uncertain about his lot in life. In a system where it seems he has no choice, Orion must chose for himself what he believes is worth fighting for and step into his own as the new Prime.
In Transformers: Monstrosity, Orion Pax has stepped into his role as Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots; however, it is more complicated than he expected to unify all of Cybertron. What is Optimus to do when not all bots agree with him being the new Prime and the wisdom contained with the Matrix of Leadership remains silent? Meanwhile, Megatron finds himself on a desolate wasteland of a planet, battered by his fight with Optimus. Refusing to be defeated, he faces impossible odds as he journeys back to Cybertron to face his foe in combat once more.
In Transformers: Primacy, both Optimus and Megatron have recovered from their battles with one another. Now is the time for war: the final showdown between Autobots and Decepticons. The leaders travel across galaxies to amass their armies: alliances are made, ties are broken. When the war breaks out, will the already dying planet be obliterated or will the dream of all of the Transformers being one come to light?
From cartoons to novels to comics, the beginning of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons has different iterations with similar elements. However, there is something truly unique about the Transformers: Autocracy trilogy. The story takes fans deeper and darker than ever thought possible in the Transformers universe and each of the stories has a meaning everyone can abide by. In Autocracy, all of the bots are faced with making difficult choices, especially Orion. He is constantly led to believe that he has no choice but for the ones given to him, until he realizes that he has the free will to make his own decisions. In Monstrosity, Skorponok says, “Deep down, we’re all monsters.� There is darkness within everyone and there are moments when it threatens to come out and take over the good. However, the darkness can be faced and it can be tamed and one does not have to be alone while doing so. And finally, Primacy is about the big battle every fan has looked forward to, but the story is not just about the fighting. It is about unity, fighting for the greater good, and all finally becoming one.
Perhaps what makes this trilogy as unique as it is is the fact that Dille wished to expand more on certain elements from the 1980s show and, with Metzen’s help, succeeded in doing so. Readers who aren’t as familiar with the Transformers franchise, especially the G1 series, may not understand as many of the references as fans would. Fans will come across many characters, lines, and even scenes from the original G1 series that have been changed a bit, providing a new twist of events for fans to enjoy. The story would not be as powerful as it is if it weren’t for the artistic ability of Ramondelli who truly captured the feel of the story with his use of light and dark panels as well as how he depicted the Transformers themselves. He held true to the original G1 designs of the Autobots and the Decepticons and then gave them a more modern-day twist. Readers will find themselves lingering on various panels, especially battle panels, to take in all of the detail, color, and shading Ramondelli included.
With each of this trilogy’s stories coming out a year apart from each other (2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively), fans did not have to wait long for the completion of this amazing contribution to the Transformers universe. And with the Transformers: Autocracy trilogy being released for the first time as a single tradeback edition this December, new and old readers will be able to enjoy the story again and again. The three talented men who brought this story to life truly brought justice to the bots many have come to know and love and, even if readers aren’t as familiar with the franchise, they may become more intrigued to conduct their own research after reading this trilogy. Perhaps the only downside to the trilogy is that upon completion, fans will want more. While the novels of Exodus, Exiles, and Retribution have given a wonderful take on the beginning of the Autobot/ Decepticon war and the beginnings of Optimus and Megatron as leaders of said factions, the series seems to have come to a, hopefully, temporary standstill. The team of Metzen, Dille, and Ramondelli could create a wonderful new series that is more than just three stories; however, Autocracy, Monstrosity, and Primacy give fans an epically memorable rendition of the beginning of the war for Cybertron.
**Originally posted on my blog Roll Out Reviews on November 20, 2016**
June 11, 2023
How do you beat a giant robot dragon throwing down with another giant robot that turns into a full city for other smaller (but still giant) robots?
Answer: You don’t
Livio Ramondelli’s art in this book is absolutely gorgeous, though at times it can be a little hard to follow. The story is super solid for the most part as a prequel to the larger IDW universe. There’s a few little things about it you could nitpick, but honestly reading this I just turned my brain off and enjoyed giant robots murdering each other as graphically as robots can do so. I do prefer Orion Pax being an archivist over a peacekeeper (or the classic dockworker) because he just doesn’t seem like the kinda guy that should have been a cop yano? He was already tough, I like when he’s a little baby nerd who gets all this responsibility because of his ideals and wisdom. But the cop thing worked for this. I liked all the callbacks to the movie and show; and, especially the bit where Optimus and Megatron battled with the axe and mace (but why did they not use those earlier lol). In the end, this is a political story (as transformers comics were all through the IDW runs) with lots of solid, (though occasionally hard to follow) incredibly brutal action. (Dudes get blasted, torn in half, stabbed through the head, stomped to death by a giant dragon robot, you name it. It’s awesome.) Anyway, very solid transformers story all in all
Answer: You don’t
Livio Ramondelli’s art in this book is absolutely gorgeous, though at times it can be a little hard to follow. The story is super solid for the most part as a prequel to the larger IDW universe. There’s a few little things about it you could nitpick, but honestly reading this I just turned my brain off and enjoyed giant robots murdering each other as graphically as robots can do so. I do prefer Orion Pax being an archivist over a peacekeeper (or the classic dockworker) because he just doesn’t seem like the kinda guy that should have been a cop yano? He was already tough, I like when he’s a little baby nerd who gets all this responsibility because of his ideals and wisdom. But the cop thing worked for this. I liked all the callbacks to the movie and show; and, especially the bit where Optimus and Megatron battled with the axe and mace (but why did they not use those earlier lol). In the end, this is a political story (as transformers comics were all through the IDW runs) with lots of solid, (though occasionally hard to follow) incredibly brutal action. (Dudes get blasted, torn in half, stabbed through the head, stomped to death by a giant dragon robot, you name it. It’s awesome.) Anyway, very solid transformers story all in all
March 10, 2019
wish i knew that transformers had modern day styled graphics not the old 80s-90s!!
i'm 5-6 years behind! Luckily all the Library editions are out , but sadly i own 3 copies of
autocracy trilo: autocracy. But it was that good that i had to get this trilogy as a volume a long side the library version. Debating on whether to wait for Combiner/Titan /Till All are one library or the single volume sets.
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As for this trilogy, definitely like the art style alot, the story was great and all the transforemrs we grew up with were mostly there....but the ones i really like (the autobot sportscars aside from wheeljack & prowl...and well sunstreaker) didnot make an appearance. OR it was hard to tell because i grew up on the earth-based forms not the Cybertron. Wish they had a side panel to tell you which background transformers were which
Oh and i don't think i saw the constructicons. BUT you get to glimpse everything else
Dinobots, Triple changers , TItans/bases, Combiner sets ...didn't remmeber the Aerialbots
being sucha a big part , but they were in this one.
Gonna start collectin gall the IDW library editions.
----
the only negative thing was that Primacy did not have titles like the first 2 volumes.
i'm 5-6 years behind! Luckily all the Library editions are out , but sadly i own 3 copies of
autocracy trilo: autocracy. But it was that good that i had to get this trilogy as a volume a long side the library version. Debating on whether to wait for Combiner/Titan /Till All are one library or the single volume sets.
---
As for this trilogy, definitely like the art style alot, the story was great and all the transforemrs we grew up with were mostly there....but the ones i really like (the autobot sportscars aside from wheeljack & prowl...and well sunstreaker) didnot make an appearance. OR it was hard to tell because i grew up on the earth-based forms not the Cybertron. Wish they had a side panel to tell you which background transformers were which
Oh and i don't think i saw the constructicons. BUT you get to glimpse everything else
Dinobots, Triple changers , TItans/bases, Combiner sets ...didn't remmeber the Aerialbots
being sucha a big part , but they were in this one.
Gonna start collectin gall the IDW library editions.
----
the only negative thing was that Primacy did not have titles like the first 2 volumes.
September 27, 2019
What a great and in-depth look at Cybertron and how the Transformers universe was turned upside down as the functionalists are refuted by the charismatic opposition of a bot named Megatron arguing that transformers that did not have a specified function still had worth. About a loyal peace officer torn between the functionalists, his friend Megatron, and the peace overturned to war lasting millions of years.
July 12, 2021
I was a fan of the Transformers cartoon in the 80s but I don't remember a ton about it other than the basic conflict and some of the major characters (most of whom died in the movie). These stories do a good job of taking that kernel and developing it out into something with real depth and motivation - not just good guys and bad guys but opposing and imperfect ideologies - while still delivering on some awesome giant robot fighting.
February 7, 2025
Trilogy of stories about the start of the war between Autobots and Decepticons, starting with both sides having issues with the main ruling elites. Both sides want what's good for Cybertron, but for different reasons. Cool sci-fi war stuff, lots of robots with lots of names and lots of fighting. Seeing what is, as far as I know, the 'origin' for this whole franchise is great. Good introduction and you don't need to know anything to jump right in.
June 28, 2018
All around great. Solid story, good art, fast pace, and a couple fun references to the 80’s movie without overdoing it or detracting from the story. Definitely worth a read. It’s what I wish they’d have done for our modern movies, it’s a transformer story about transformers!
December 21, 2022
This trilogy started off really well with Autocracy and Monstrosity setting up the beginnings of Optimus Prime and the deception conflict all while remixing the 1986 movie for good measure however the "primacy" arc felt rather hollow and dulls down the story a bit
September 20, 2024
The art is so captivating that you may find yourself kind of tuning out some of the dialogue.
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