Transformers #31 Preview, #80.5 Announced

Next week will bring the final Transformers issue of the current ongoing before the relaunch coming next month. Transformers #31 tells the aftermath of the end of the Chaos storyline leading to events that will mark the true end of the Cybertronian War. A cover and first seven pages of the issue, which will hit stores this Wednesday, can be found here.

In addition, IDW has announced they are releasing a prequel issue for the Marvel era Transformers comics relaunch with Transformers #80.5 that will be released for free on Free Comic Book Day that will be on May 5th, 2012. FCBD is a now annual event where various comic book publishers release free comics to give new and current comic readers a chance to sample their efforts and often tease plans for the summer. Series writer Simon Furman said, "the issue will be pretty balanced between stuff to bring readers up to speed and stuff that propels the new storyline onwards, so whether or not you read the original run, you can still easily jump onboard."

Transformers #80.5
Simon Furman (w); Andrew Wildman (p), Stephen Baskerville (i); Wildman (c)
The wait is over–after a 20-year hiatus, IDW proudly returns to the original TRANSFORMERS comic book universe, picking up right where 1991’s TRANSFORMERS #80 left off! Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Kup, Hot Rod and all your favorite Generation One TRANSFORMERS characters charge into the future as fan-favorite writer Simon Furman and legendary Transformers artist Andrew Wildman present TRANSFORMERS #80.5! Reflecting back on the dizzying highs and the terrifying lows of the original run of Transformers comics, Optimus Prime watches over a Cybertron that hasn’t faced Megatron for decades. But that peace shudders to an end, as we dive headlong into July’s TRANSFORMERS #81!

Transformers #31
Mike Costa (w) • Casey Coller (a) • Casey Coller, Photo Cover (c)
CHAOS is over. The future holds many mysteries, but the past can never be forgotten. As Ironhide looks back at what was, he comes to realize that it may hold the key to what lies ahead. A new peace has settled, and a new time has come for the Autobots, for the Decepticons… for Cybertron.