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.
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.
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: Infiltration
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0-7
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October 19, 2005
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July 12, 2006
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel
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1-4
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July 5, 2006
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September 27, 2006
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Set in an alternate timeline
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| The Transformers: Stormbringer
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1-4
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July 19, 2006
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October 18, 2006
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| The Transformers: Spotlight
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31 (unnumbered)
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September 13, 2006
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May 1, 2013
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| The Transformers: Escalation
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1-6
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November 29, 2006
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May 2, 2007
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Sequel to The Transformers: Infiltration
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: Megatron Origin
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1-4
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June 20, 2007
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October 24, 2007
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| The Transformers: Devastation
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1-6
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October 3, 2007
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February 27, 2008
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Sequel to The Transformers: Escalation
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
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1-16
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July 10, 2008
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October 14, 2009
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| G.I. Joe Vol. 1
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0-28 (1 special)
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October 2008
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February 2011
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| The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
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1-5
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December 10, 2008
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April 15, 2009
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| G.I. Joe: Origins
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1-23
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February 2009
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January 2011
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| G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 1
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1-21
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March 2009
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June 2009
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| G.I. Joe: Cobra Special
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1-2
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September 2009
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September 2010
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| The Transformers
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1-31
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November 18, 2009
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December 7, 2011
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Sequel to The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
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| The Transformers: Bumblebee
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1-4
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December 16, 2009
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March 10, 2010
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| G.I. Joe: Cobra II
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1-21
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January 2010
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February 2011
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| The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
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1-5
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January 27, 2010
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May 19, 2010
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| G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds
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1-5
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May 2010
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September 2010
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| The Transformers: Ironhide
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1-4
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May 12, 2010
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August 4, 2010
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|
| The Transformers: Drift
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1-4
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September 2010
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October 20, 2010
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: Infestation
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1-2
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February 2, 2011
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February 16, 2011
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Part of the crossover event Infestation
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| The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
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1-4
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March 23, 2011
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June 29, 2011
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| G.I. Joe: Infestation
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1-2
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March 2, 2011
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March 16, 2011
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Part of the crossover event Infestation
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| G.I. Joe Vol. 2
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1-21
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May 2011
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January 2013
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| G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 3
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1-21
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May 2011
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December 2012
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| G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes
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1-21
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May 18, 2011
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February 6, 2013
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Separated inside three stoylines
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| The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
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One-shot
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December 21, 2011
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
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1-57 (1 annual)
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January 11, 2012
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September 28, 2016
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Issues #56-57 tied to Titans Return
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| The Transformers: Autocracy
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1-12
|
January 18, 2012
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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
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| The Transformers: Infestation 2
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1-2
|
February 1, 2012
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February 15, 2012
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Part of the crossover event Infestation 2; related to The Transformers: Hearts of Steel
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| G.I. Joe: Infestation 2
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1-2
|
March 14, 2012
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March 28, 2012
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Part of the crossover event Infestation 2
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 1
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1-4
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April 16, 2014
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July 23, 2014
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|
| The Transformers: Punishment
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1-5
|
June 2014 (printed on January 21, 2015)
|
Digital comic
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| The Transformers: Primacy
|
1-4
|
August 13, 2014
|
November 19, 2014
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Sequel to The Transformers: Monstrocity
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| G.I. Joe Vol. 4
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1-8
|
September 2014
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April 2015
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Retitled as The Fall of G.I. Joe
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| The Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone
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1-4
|
November 26, 2014
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February 25, 2015
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Sequel to The Transformers: Drift
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| Title
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Issue(s)
|
Start date
|
End date
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Note(s)
|
| G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes: Agent of Cobra
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1-5
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January 2015
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May 2015
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|
| The Transformers: Windblade Vol. 2
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1-7
|
March 25, 2015
|
September 23, 2015
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Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade Volume 1; issues #1-5 tied to Combiner Wars
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| Transformers: Combiner Hunters
|
One-shot
|
July 29, 2015
|
Tied to Combiner Wars
|
| Transformers: Redemption
|
One-shot
|
October 28, 2015
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Sequel to The Transformers: Punishment
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| Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
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1-5
|
October 2015
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June 2016
|
Sequel to Requiem of the Wreckers
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| Title
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Issue(s)
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Start date
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End date
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Note(s)
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| Jem and the Holograms
|
1-26 (1 annual and 2 specials)
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March 25, 2016
|
June 14, 2017
|
|
| Micronauts
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1-11 (1 annual)
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April 27, 2016
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April 12, 2017
|
|
| Transformers: Till All are One
|
1-14 (1 annual)
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June 15, 2016
|
December 13, 2017
|
Sequel to The Transformers: Windblade; issues #5-8 tied to Titans Return
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| Revolution
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0-5
|
June 21, 2016
|
November 30, 2016
|
|
| Action Man
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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
|
|
| Title
|
Issue(s)
|
Start date
|
End date
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Note(s)
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| 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
|
|
- 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.
