Unofficial guidebooks

For a property as successful and enduring as Transformers, there have been surprisingly few officially-licensed publications that catalogued the history and diversity of the franchise — and even fewer in English. Fans and publishers in the toy collecting industry have attempted to fill this gap over the years with unofficial works of varying scope, production quality, and accuracy.

Transformers: Ten-Year Retrospective

A fanzine assembled by David Kolodny-Nagy and distributed at the very first BotCon in 1994.

The Transformers In Japanese Missions

Fanzine by Fumihiko Akiyama distributed at BotCon 1995. Though it's nothing compared to Akiyama's later work, it was notable in its time for being the first comprehensive checklist and image gallery of Japanese-exclusive Transformer products, written almost entirely in English. It covered the Japanese variant versions of G1 items such as white Astrotrain, then all of Headmasters, Super-God Masterforce, Victory, Zone, Return of Convoy, and Operation Combination. The pamphlet ended on an intriguing note, with images of new "armored" versions of the Cyberjets meant for a then-upcoming Japanese extension to the Generation 2 toyline, though in fact they were never released.

Cybertronian: The Unofficial Transformers Recognition Guide

Written by Doug Dlin and Harold Tietjens, and published by Antarctic Press from 2001-2002, Cybertronian: The Unofficial Transformers Recognition Guide is a series of unofficial but highly useful guidebooks; its seven volumes encompass all American toy releases within Generation 1, Generation 2, Machine Wars, and the first several waves of Beast Wars. To this day, the series remains one of the most comprehensive English-language reference texts available for American toy product.

Two pieces of fan art commissioned for Cybertronian's covers subsequently became official art when they were among the works selected for publication in 2003's Genesis: The Art of Transformers coffee-table book.

BotCon Legends: Ten Years' Chronology

A high quality fanzine written and published by Fumihiko Akiyama in 2004, with input from Jon Hartman, Karl Hartman, and others. Written in both Japanese and English. It covers the official convention from 1994 to 2004 in the U.S., Japan, and Europe, and includes guest interviews, event and panel summaries, and picture spreads of the events themselves and their exclusive merchandise. Its glossy, magazine-quality photo galleries are especially notable for their emphasis on the unproduced toys and concept art displayed at various conventions over the years. The book excludes OTFCC 2003 and 2004.

TransManual

Two books were released by Mark A. Kimmel who did all the photography and editing himself in 2002. These books are somewhat unique in that as well as featuring the mottos, parts and variants they are currently the only books to feature the line-art featuring the package art AND alternate modes from the toys' instruction sheets.

• Transformers Generation 1 Trans Manual Part 1: 1984-1986

Cover is a single image of spare G1 parts (Seeker wings and the like).

• Transformers Generation 1 Trans Manual Part 2: 1987-1990

Cover features fan art of Unicron attacking Cybertron.

Prime Targets

Perhaps unique among unofficial guidebooks, Prime Targets (written by Lars Pearson, published by Mad Norwegian Press) isn't a toy catalog or retrospective (though it does sport a Toyfare Magazine price guide in the back), instead approaching the franchise from a story-based perspective. It has just a few illustrations of generic robots, so as to avoid legal action from Hasbro. It consists mostly of summaries and fan commentary for every single episode in the Sunbow Generation 1, Beast Wars, and Beast Machines cartoon series, plus every issue from Marvel and Marvel UK, minus most content from the British annuals. The authors show some disdain for every Headmasters origin story, the latter half of Bob Budiansky's Marvel run, and Beast Machines, despite accepting the latter series and Beast Wars as being the future of American cartoon continuity rather than a vague G1 past. Sunbow seasons 2 and 3 have their episode order altered a bit to try and reconcile continuity errors, and following this order on G1 DVD releases without Hasbro's permission apparently got Shout! Factory in trouble. The comic section is potentially the most useful for Marvel novices wishing to tackle all the American and U.K. books in order, but a contentious shuffling is again done to stories published in 1989. After that, Earthforce is dealt with by placing The Hunting Party and the following three Survivors stories just before "...Perchance to Dream", then dropping the whole chunk into the two-year gap between the end of the U.S. G1 run and the beginning of the G2/Joe crossover, ignoring several resultant continuity problems (to be clear, any "approach" to working Earthforce in is fanwank).

The author also includes a sub-section in each episode review called "Bumpin' Bumpers," which consists of every imaginable bit of sexual innuendo that one can reference from each episode. These segments seem to have been heavily shaped by the author's wildly active imagination and, at the same time, probable unfamiliarity with the English language. For example, in the description of Five Faces of Darkness, there is a "Bumpin' Bumpers" notation that Dead End's cry "What difference does it make if death comes from the front or the rear? Death is death!" means that, since French philosophers referred to orgasm as "the little death," Dead End was talking about anal sex. No, seriously.

A Prime Targets II, set to cover the Japanese series, was announced but has yet to appear. The same writers and publisher did, however, produce a similar guidebook for G.I.Joe fiction called Now You Know, which contains new content addressing the crossover episodes "The Killing Jar" and "Only Human" (though its reviews of Marvel Joe/TF crossovers are recycled whole-cloth from Prime Targets)

Vital statistics

ISBN 157032901X
ISBN 978-1570329012
Pagecount: 320
Publisher: Mad Norwegian Press
Date published: January 23, 2002

Transformers and Philosophy: More than Meets the Mind

This unique book — part of Open Court Publishing's "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series — examines Transformers media and character concepts from a philosophical and moral point of view. It was pretty clearly released to tie in with the increased popular interest in Transformers since the live-action movie franchise came out. The book, edited by John R. Shook and Liz Stillwagon Swan, is an anthology of essays that compare various Transformers media and themes to the writings of well-known philosophers, as well as tackling questions such as non-human emotions, the nature of probable alien life, and how even professional academics who never heard of Transformers until last year think Kiss Players is gross. The majority of Transformers material cited comes from the 2007 live-action movie, but there is also a great deal of examination of the Generation 1 cartoon and comic, as well as an occasional Beast Wars reference. In multiple essays, various authors accept without controversy that Transformers form romantic attachments with each other. Essay topics include "Will we meet Optimus Prime in heaven?", "Megatron, Fascist Philosopher," and "Beyond Good? Beyond Evil? Beyond your Wildest Imagination?" Another essay, "Optimus Prime in Therapy," takes the form of a fanfic by Swan in which she plays the role of psychoanalyst for that character after he is plunged into a depression by the death of Jazz.

Though the book is not licensed by Hasbro, its cover illustration and fonts are.

Vital statistics

ISBN 0812696670
ISBN 978-0812696677
Pagecount: 384
Publisher: Open Court
Date published: May 12, 2009

Mark Bellomo Books

• Transformers: Identification and Price Guide

Developed by Krause Publications, written by Mark Bellomo this guide lists every American Generation 1 toy released from 1984-1990. Each chapter covers a year with a short intro, though the 1984 intro is longer, as it includes a section on Pre-Transformers, the 1984 overview, and the franchise's success. It then lists all of the Autobot subgroups in a somewhat random order, then the Decepticon subgroups in a similar fashion. Each character is listed in alphabetical order within its correct subgroup with its original Tech Specs and bios, as well as commentary by the author, full-color photos, and the occasional comparison (e.g., Frenzy's gold versus silver guns). It draws heavily on the Dreamwave Generation One continuity in its description of the characters, including their More than Meets the Eye profile books.

• Warman's Transformers Field Guide: Values and Identification

A much smaller (but thick) handbook to accompany the above book. It features nowhere near the same amount of information, and has several errors within.

Vital statistics

Transformers: Identification and Price Guide

ISBN 0896894452
ISBN 978-0896894457
Pagecount: 256
Publisher: Krause Publications
Date published: May 31, 2007

Warman's Transformers Field Guide: Values and Identification

ISBN 089689584X
ISBN 978-0896895843
Pagecount: 512
Publisher: Krause Publications
Date published: April 25, 2007

J. E. (Rikki) Alavarez books

• Unofficial Guide to Transformers: 1980s Through 1990s

Actually preceding the Cybertronian guides by a year, this book is arguably the first Transformers-only toy guide. It featured many photos from the author's own collection (and some of his friends). Unfortunately not every toy is photographed, and a lot are missing their accessories. There is a good first chapter on the Diaclone and Micro Change lines. There were two editions: the first featured Fortress Maximus on the cover, while the second had an updated price guide (but no new photos) and features a variety of the 1984 Autobots on the cover.

• The Unofficial Guide to Japanese and International Transformers

A follow-on to the above book featuring toys that were (more or less) exclusive to Japan and the European markets. Probably the only book in the west to describe the Japanese TV series and toys in English.

• Beast Wars Transformers: The Unofficial Guide with Price Guide

• Transformers Collectibles: Unofficial Guide

A hardback book featuring photos of all sorts of Transformers memorabilia such as comics, statues, lunchboxes, bed linen, etc. Also features a price guide, which was dubious at the time of release (2003) and is somewhat out of date now.

Vital statistics

Unofficial Guide to Transformers: 1980s Through 1990s

ISBN 0764312820
ISBN 978-0764313646
Pagecount: 160
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Date published: August 30, 2001

The Unofficial Guide to Japanese and International Transformers

ISBN 0764312820
ISBN 978-0764312823
Pagecount: 160
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Date published: March 2001

Beast Wars Transformers: The Unofficial Guide with Price Guide

ISBN 0764315129
ISBN 978-0764315121
Pagecount: 192
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Date published: August 30, 2002

Transformers Collectibles: Unofficial Guide

ISBN 0764319523
ISBN 978-0764319525
Pagecount: 192
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Date published: August 30, 2003

Lee's Toy Review

This magazine has published several pull-out photo guides of various American Transformer series over the years.

Transformation: A Personal Journey Through the British Transformers Comic

A series of self-published books by Stuart Webb, it collects entries from his Solar Pool blog and irreverently reviews every issue of the Marvel UK run in order. Each review covers the story and art, related Marvel comics, and the assorted ads and letter pages and editorial pages.

Vital statistics

Volume 1: 1984-1987

ISBN-10: 1326372750
ISBN-13: 978-1326372750
Pagecount: 306
Publisher: Lulu
Date published: July 26, 2015

Volume 2: 1987-1989

ISBN-10: 0244313849
ISBN-13: 978-0244313845
Pagecount: 370
Publisher: Lulu
Date published: July 20, 2017