Hasbro Universe

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Pictured: Your childhood.
Not pictured: Your guilty pleasure.

The Hasbro Universe is a shared universe by IDW Publishing featuring Hasbro properties such asTransformers, G.I. Joe, Jem, Micronauts, Action Man, ROM, M.A.S.K., Clue and Visionaries.

Development[edit | edit source]

What would eventually become the Hasbro Universe began in 2005. Having acquired the license to Transformers comics, IDW hired veteran Transformers writer Simon Furman to create a new Transformers continuity based off the original cartoon and comics, re-imagined in the style of Marvel's Ultimate Universe. Three years later in 2008, Hasbro released a new G.I. Joe comic which sought to tell a more mature version of the original 1980's stories much in the same way the Transformers comics had done. While Transformers pulled respectable numbers with its many series, G.I. Joe struggled to do so and was ultimately given the axe in 2014. Despite this, the two comics were never written with the intent that they existed in the same universe with both continuities having world shattering revelations and events, particularly the All Hail Megatron maxi-series in which the Decepticons devastated Earth and killed billions or the Cobra Command storyline which concluded in the nuclear destruction of Nanzhao. Even the multi-property Infestation crossover showed Snake Eyes and Optimus Prime existing in separate universes.

In mid-2015, however IDW decided to make many other comics based off Hasbro properties. In March of 2015, Jem and the Holograms was released followed by the announcements of ROM, Micronauts, Action Man, and M.A.S.K. all to be released in 2016. And not long after that, Revolution itself was announced which not only merged the worlds of Transformers and G.I. Joe (as well as reviving the latter) but established a shared world in which they would exist with the latter four properties. The early issues of ROM and Action Man would show signs of this making reference to the events of the All Hail Optimus arc of The Transformers as well as members of G.I. Joe appearing in the Earthfall arc of ROM and the Earth based installments of Titans Return with the prelude issue of Revolution establishing that every scrap of IDW media was being used. As the most successful and expansive book line, the Transformers comics would go onto form the nucleus of this new universe with other comics referencing the Transformers mythos such as Microspace being created by Micronus Prime or the Solstar Order adopting the same hatred of the Cybertronian race as other alien races featured in the Transformers books.

Revolution featured an alliance between the Transformers, Rom, G.I. Joe, the Micronauts, Action Man, and M.A.S.K. to stop the plans of Baron Karza, Miles Mayhem, and the Dire Wraiths for Ore-13. The Reconstruction branding continued on this with many references to other series showing up in the issues following Revolution such as members of G.I. Joe appearing in Optimus Prime and ROM and Dire Wraiths wreaking havoc on M.A.S.K. and G.I. Joe. Revolutionaries followed this by not only having its core cast come from different franchises but featuring a guest star each issue from another such as Rom and Soundwave. Issue #5 of that series would then make the extremely unexpected move of integrating the virtually forgotten Hearts of Steel limited series into the larger continuity.

In 2017, the Hasbro Universe had another crossover in the form of First Strike which served as an introduction for the Visionaries, something that was confirmed to happen at SDCC 2017. At the same convention, it was also confirmed that the Army Ants would be joining the universe as guest characters in Scarlett's Strike Force. Following First Strike, ROM and the Micronauts would be relaunched as Rom & The Micronauts. The Transformers would have two more crossovers with Hasbro properties: Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor was mainly a standalone tale, while Transformers vs. Visionaries, released in 2018 set the stage for yet another large crossover.

The final chapter in the Hasbro Universe saga, titled Transformers: Unicron, which debuted in May of 2018, centered around the Transformers villain Unicron. The crossover event served as the finale of IDW's Transformers continuity, and back-up stories in each issue provided closure for the other properties as well. Thus, the Hasbro Universe in its current incarnation is over, but the future of possible new collaborations is currently unknown.

A new Transformers comic launched in early 2019, but no announcements were made about any of the other Hasbro properties until 2020, which saw the release of Rom: Dire Wraiths, a limited run prequel to ROM which introduced characters from Inhumanoids into the continuity.

List of comics[edit | edit source]

2005[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: Infiltration 0-7 October 19, 2005 July 12, 2006

2006[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel 1-4 July 5, 2006 September 27, 2006 Set in an alternate timeline
The Transformers: Stormbringer 1-4 July 19, 2006 October 18, 2006
The Transformers: Spotlight 31 (unnumbered) September 13, 2006 May 1, 2013
The Transformers: Escalation 1-6 November 29, 2006 May 2, 2007 Sequel to The Transformers: Infiltration

2007[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: Megatron Origin 1-4 June 20, 2007 October 24, 2007
The Transformers: Devastation 1-6 October 3, 2007 February 27, 2008 Sequel to The Transformers: Escalation

2008[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: All Hail Megatron 1-16 July 10, 2008 October 14, 2009
G.I. Joe Vol. 1 0-28 (1 special) October 2008 February 2011
The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots 1-5 December 10, 2008 April 15, 2009

2009[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
G.I. Joe: Origins 1-23 February 2009 January 2011
G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 1 1-21 March 2009 June 2009
G.I. Joe: Cobra Special 1-2 September 2009 September 2010
The Transformers 1-31 November 18, 2009 December 7, 2011 Sequel to The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
The Transformers: Bumblebee 1-4 December 16, 2009 March 10, 2010

2010[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
G.I. Joe: Cobra II 1-21 January 2010 February 2011
The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers 1-5 January 27, 2010 May 19, 2010
G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds 1-5 May 2010 September 2010
The Transformers: Ironhide 1-4 May 12, 2010 August 4, 2010
The Transformers: Drift 1-4 September 2010 October 20, 2010

2011[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: Infestation 1-2 February 2, 2011 February 16, 2011 Part of the crossover event Infestation
The Transformers: Heart of Darkness 1-4 March 23, 2011 June 29, 2011
G.I. Joe: Infestation 1-2 March 2, 2011 March 16, 2011 Part of the crossover event Infestation
G.I. Joe Vol. 2 1-21 May 2011 January 2013
G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 3 1-21 May 2011 December 2012
G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes 1-21 May 18, 2011 February 6, 2013 Separated inside three stoylines
The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime One-shot December 21, 2011

2012[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye 1-57 (1 annual) January 11, 2012 September 28, 2016 Issues #56-57 tied to Titans Return
The Transformers: Autocracy 1-12 January 18, 2012 June 20, 2012
The Transformers: Robots in Disguise 1-57 (1 annual) January 25, 2012 September 28, 2016 Retitled as The Transformers in issue #35; retitled as Transformers in issue #39; issues #56-57 tied to Titans Return
The Transformers: Infestation 2 1-2 February 1, 2012 February 15, 2012 Part of the crossover event Infestation 2; related to The Transformers: Hearts of Steel
G.I. Joe: Infestation 2 1-2 March 14, 2012 March 28, 2012 Part of the crossover event Infestation 2

2013[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
G.I. Joe Vol. 3 1-15 February 2013 April 2014
G.I. Joe: Special Missions 1-13 March 2013 April 2014
The Transformers: Monstrosity 1-12 March 1, 2013 July 31, 2013 Sequel to The Transformers: Autocracy
G.I. Joe: The Cobra Files 1-9 April 2013 December 2013

2014[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 1 1-4 April 16, 2014 July 23, 2014
The Transformers: Punishment 1-5 June 2014 (printed on January 21, 2015) Digital comic
The Transformers: Primacy 1-4 August 13, 2014 November 19, 2014 Sequel to The Transformers: Monstrocity
G.I. Joe Vol. 4 1-8 September 2014 April 2015 Retitled as The Fall of G.I. Joe
The Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone 1-4 November 26, 2014 February 25, 2015 Sequel to The Transformers: Drift

2015[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes: Agent of Cobra 1-5 January 2015 May 2015
The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 2 1-7 March 25, 2015 September 23, 2015 Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade Volume 1; issues #1-5 tied to Combiner Wars
Transformers: Combiner Hunters One-shot July 29, 2015 Tied to Combiner Wars
Transformers: Redemption One-shot October 28, 2015 Sequel to The Transformers: Punishment
Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers 1-5 October 2015 June 2016 Sequel to Requiem of the Wreckers

2016[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
Jem and the Holograms 1-26 (1 annual and 2 specials) March 25, 2016 June 14, 2017
Micronauts 1-11 (1 annual) April 27, 2016 April 12, 2017
Transformers: Till All are One 1-14 (1 annual) June 15, 2016 December 13, 2017 Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade; issues #5-8 tied to Titans Return
Revolution 0-5 June 21, 2016 November 30, 2016
Action Man 1-4 June 22, 2016 September 21, 2016
ROM 0-14 (1 annual) July 27, 2016 November 1, 2017
Transformers: Titans Return One-shot July 27, 2016 Tied to Titans Return
Transformers: Revolution One-shot October 26, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
Transformers: Till All are One: Revolution One-shot November 2, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
G.I. Joe: Revolution One-shot November 16, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
Rom: Revolution One-shot September 21, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
Micronauts: Revolution One-shot September 28, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand: Revolution One-shot September 29, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
Action Man: Revolution One-shot October 26, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand 1-10 (plus 1 annual) November 30, 2016 October 11, 2017
Transformers: More than Meets the Eye: Revolution One-shot December 7, 2016 Part of the crossover event Revolution
Optimus Prime 1-25 (1 annual) December 14, 2016 November 21, 2018 Sequel to The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Lost Light 1-25 December 14, 2016 November 7, 2018 Sequel to The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
Jem: The Misfits 1-5 December 21, 2016 July 6, 2017 Spin-off of Jem and the Holograms
G.I. Joe Vol. 5 1-9 December 28, 2016 October 11, 2017

2017[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
Revolutionaries 1-8 January 18, 2017 September 27, 2017 Team-up between various Hasbro characters
Transformers Annual 2017 One-shot March 9, 2017
Micronauts: Wrath of Karza 1-5 April 26, 2017 September 20, 2017 Sequel to Micronauts
Transformers: Salvation One-shot June 14, 2017 Sequel to Transformers: Redemption
Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook 1-3 July 14, 2017 October 25, 2017 Featuring various background stories
First Strike 0-6 July 14, 2017 October 25, 2017 Sequel to Revolution
Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor 1-5 July 19, 2017 November 27, 2017
Jem: Infinite 1-6 June 29, 2017 October 19, 2017 Crossover event between Jem and the Holograms and Jem: The Misfits
Clue 1-6 June 29, 2017 November 23, 2017
G.I Joe: First Strike One-shot September 20, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
Micronauts: First Strike One-shot September 27, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
Optimus Prime: First Strike One-shot October 18, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
Rom: First Strike One-shot October 18, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
M.A.S.K.: First Strike One-shot November 1, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
Transformers: First Strike One-shot November 8, 2017 Part of the crossover event First Strike
Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions 1-4 December 6, 2017 March 7, 2018
Rom & the Micronauts 1-5 December 20, 2017 May 9, 2018
Scarlett's Strike Force 1-3 December 27, 2017 February 28, 2018

2018[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
Transformers vs. Visionaries 1-5 January 3, 2018 May 2, 2018
Rom: Tales of the Solstar Order One-shot April 4, 2018 Back-up strips published in Rom #11-14
Transformers: Unicron 0-6 May 5, 2018 November 14, 2018
Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers One-shot May 30, 2018 Sequel to The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers

2019[edit | edit source]

Title Issue(s) Start date End date Note(s)
Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase One-shot March 27, 2019 Contains stories for G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Jem and the Holograms

Notes[edit | edit source]

  • Despite being confirmed to exist within the Hasbro Comic Universe, the Jem line has no role in Revolution or First Strike due to tonal differences between it and the other series. Despite this, references have shown up such as posters for The Misfits popping up here and there.
  • Likewise, despite being published by IDW, and being a Hasbro property, the comics of My Little Pony were not a part of the shared universe due to similar differences in tone and target audiences.
  • In 2017, IDW released the non-canon Aw Yeah Revolution! three issue mini-series.

External links[edit | edit source]