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Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures gets a Deluxe Hardcover Library Edition

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Dark Horse Books and Wizards of the Coast present the Dungeons & Dragons: Animated Adventures Library Edition, a new deluxe hardcover book collecting all three of IDW’s Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures series. The Saturday Morning Adventures series is written by David M. Booher and Sam Maggs, illustrated by George Kambadais and Jack Lawrence, colored by Kambadais, Josh Burcham, John-Paul Bove, Kendall Goode, Ed Pirrie, and Ben Pirrie, and lettered by Ed Dukeshire and Rus Wooton. This edition will also feature brand-new cover art by Rex Xie and a variant cover art gallery.

Once upon a time, a group of six friends hopped aboard a Dungeons & Dragons–themed rollercoaster, and it magically transported them to the Forgotten Realms!

When the kids arrived, they met Dungeon Master, who gifted them with enchanted items that gave them powers. Noble ranger Hank, charismatic cavalier Eric, dexterous acrobat Diana, wise magician Presto, clever thief Sheila, and brash barbarian Bobby just wanted to find a way back home—but instead, they end up fighting off forces of evil or helping those in need.

Tag along with the team as they leap through a mysterious portal and find themselves at a spooky monastery in Waterdeep! Get out the sunscreen and hit the beach with the kids as they plan on having summer vacation, only to end up tangling with dragons! And finally, set sail for the swashbuckling Sword Coast where the friends find themselves clashing with pirates!

Get ready for some fun adventures this summer with the Dungeons & Dragons: Animated Adventures Library Edition! This edition will be available August 4, 2026 in bookstores and comic shops and is now available for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop or bookstore for $49.99.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Animated Adventures Library Edition

Review: Transformers: Best of Arcee

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Transformers: Best of Arcee

When it comes to 80s cartoons, I can’t say that there were really any strong female protagonists. The exception being She-Ra, and even that franchise was marred with problematic representations. Then there were overtly sexualized female characters like Smurfette in The Smurfs.

As it was very rare to find any real character development in any of those characters mentioned. It was not until the Transformers movie, where we even saw character like Arcee, who can stand on her own. She not only was a fierce warrior but had a prolific story that carried on in comics. In Transformers: Best of Arcee we get to know more about this Transformers’ iconoclast.

In “An Uneventful Night”, Arcee gets in a friendly fight with her brothers , one in which she learns a n important lesson and saves Earth from a falling spaceship. In ”No Fair Fight”, Arcee delivers the a decisive blow in defeating Galvatron.  In “The Life Of Sideswipe”, Arcee and the rest of the Transformers find out an old ally has outlived his usefulness, giving him an honorable death.  In “Unforgivable”, Arcee flirts with a long time rival, showing her true intentions at the very end.  In “Aspects Of Evil Part 2”, Hot Rod and Arcee fight off an ambush from Galvatron as he attempts to steal the Matrix. In the last story ”Run”, we find out how Arcee and her brothers left Cybertron for Earth

Overall, Transformers: Best of Arcee is a fun set of stories which gives this character her proper spotlight. The stories by the creators are exceptional. The art by the creative teams are magnificent. Altogether, it’s a set of stories that will have fans wishing there was more.

Story: Mairghread Scott, John Barber, Simon Furman, Brian Ruckley
Art: Sara Pitre-Durocher, Andrew Lee Griffith, Kei Zama, Art Wetherell, Umi Miyao, Beth McGuire-Smith
Color: Yamaishi, Josh Burcham, John-Paul Bove, Josh Burcham
Letterer: Tom B. Long, Glib, Jake M. Wood
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Review: Transformers: Shattered Glass II

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Transformers: Shattered Glass II

While it was fun to dive into the first volume of Transformers: Shattered Glass, the comic miniseries didn’t feel so much story as a series of shorts tied together. It was an introduction to this twist on the classic Transformers where the Autobots are despots and Decepticons are the ones fighting for freedom. While interesting, it never quite clicked for me as a whole. Transformers: Shattered Glass II on the other hand feels like it can hit the ground running having set things up in the previous volume. Without the need to world build, it can instead focus on the action, the drama, and deliver a much more focused start.

Written by Danny Lore, the issue takes us to where the resistance currently stands but also the corruption of one particular Cybertronian, Ultra Magnus. For those who don’t know the character, Magnus is a rather serious individual focused on the law and rules. He basically has a stick up his ass. Tight, humorless, he’s the rules lawyer (quite literally depending on the take).

Lore delivers an interesting corruption of Magnus as Optimus uses his knowledge of the rules and laws to bend Cybetron to his rule. We get to see through Magnus how the rule of law can be used to impose a fascist state. We also get to see how easily those who uphold that law can become a tool of that fascist state as well. With a Faustian like bargain, Magnus has taken over the Wreckers, Optimus’ chosen shock troops to impose the rule of law. But, in modern times there’s an uprising and one warlord’s city has fallen to the Decepticons. So, what will someone who is so focused on the rule of law do? That seems to be the focus and hopefully this volume keeps that very tight focus instead of following the first volume’s tour of this new world.

The art by Marcelo Matere and Andrew Lee Griffith is solid. With color by John-Paul Bove and lettering by Jake M. Wood, Transformers: Shattered Glass II delivers much of the same as the first volume. The characters are familiar and keep their general design but there’s slight changes that might make them stand out. The obvious part of that is their color but there’s more. In Ultra Magnus’ case, his face hides a secret and with some of the Wreckers, it might be something as simple as a mustache. The body language and emotion too has slight tweaks. We can see some of that towards the end as the Wreckers overlook what Magnus has done. Their expressions and stances say so much about their personalities. It all works and works really well, especially for long time fans of the characters.

Transformers: Shattered Glass II doesn’t feel like as much a tour as the first volume, instead delivering quite a few “holy shit” moments in the first issue alone. It feels focused in on the corruption of one character and their journey and if it continues that, this could be one of the best Transformers miniseries in quite a while.

Story: Danny Lore Art: Marcelo Matere, Andrew Lee Griffith
Color: John-Paul Bove Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Return to the world of Transformers: Shattered Glass in August

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By popular demand, the dark reflection of the Transformers universe returns with IDW Publishing’s upcoming five-issue comic book miniseries, Transformers: Shattered Glass II, debuting in August!

Following the overwhelming success of 2021’s original Shattered Glass series, writer Danny Lore, artists Daniel Khanna and Guido Guidi, and colorist John-Paul Bove are back to tell more harrowing tales from this twisted alternate reality, with the new addition of artist Marcelo Matere rounding out the creative roster.

In a world where the virtuous icons you once knew are monstrously evil, Optimus Prime is a ruthless tyrant and Megatron is a compassionate peacekeeper. Cybertron sits on the brink of war as Autobots and Decepticons race to gain control of a Titan juggernaut whose raw power could decide the ultimate victor. However, while seemingly everyone is laser-focused on the Titan, the powerful shadow broker Ultra Magnus puts a sinister plan into action!

Transformers: Shattered Glass II #1 will be widely available with three cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by interior artist Marcelo Matere, Cover B by Red Powell, and a retailer incentive variant by Nick Brokenshire. Hasbro Pulse, the official marketplace for beloved Hasbro brands, will also offer exclusive variant covers of each issue.

Review: Transformers: War’s End #1

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Transformers: War's End #1

IDW’s run with the Transformers is winding down ending at some point later this year. Who knows how things will wrap up or where the current series will go in that time. Transformers: War’s End #1 feels like it kicks off the plan to bring the current run to a close. Exarchon is back, threatening to ramp up the current war even further. His third faction looks to shake up both Decepticon and Autobot and their current war.

Written by Brian Ruckley, the series feels not so much a stand-alone read but a spin-off to the current storyline. It’s an interesting concept and story with a direction that feels a bit obvious in some ways. But, it adds a layer to the ongoing tale Ruckley has been spinning. And that’s both good and bad.

If you’ve been reading the ongoing Transformers comic series or know the lore, you’ll be able to dive into Transformers: War’s End #1 fairly easily. If you haven’t been keeping up with the ongoing comic, like me, or your eyes glaze over from the words “Three-fold Spark”, this is a tough one to get into. It’s a comic I could appreciate in its broad concepts and where things were going but the specifics and details is what lost me. There’s a lot thrown in for ongoing readers, which is totally fine. It just makes it more difficult for new readers to pick up and read this debut. It’s doable but maybe not as enjoyable if you have all of the details.

The art by Jack Lawrence is good. With ink by Matt Froese, color by John-Paul Bove and Priscilla Tramontano, and lettering by Jake M. Wood, the comic looks like the consistent style IDW has put out for some time. The action is entertaining, the characters expressive, the designs nailed down. It’s standard style with a bit more of the cartoony look the latest volume has delivered.

Transformers: War’s End #1 is good. It has me wanting to check out the second issue but also had me a little lost as to the various factions and who Exarchon is. The threat is hinted at but the case is never really made that this is a major deal that could destroy everyone. The issue really missed that throwing readers into the story instead of building up things so we have a villain to really fear.

Story: Brian Ruckley Art: Jack Lawrence
Ink: Matt Froese Color: John-Paul Bove, Priscilla Tramontano Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comixology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Review: Transformers: Shattered Glass #3

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Transformers: Shattered Glass #3

I’m a big fan of Transformers having grown up with Gen-1. The concept of a “Mirror Universe” with “Shattered Glass” is something I’ve been excited about and wanted to read more about since I first found out about it. With its miniseries, IDW Publishing has attempted to deliver us a story and twisted take that would meet expectations. But, lets face it, it’s a difficult task. Transformers: Shattered Glass #3 is an interesting shift in the series starting to focus the narrative a bit more than the one-shots that proceeded it.

Danny Lore continues to tell the tale of a universe where the Autobots are petty tyrants and the Decepticons and freedom fighters between down and underground. Each issue is a one-shot that focuses on an individual character giving a bit of the world’s history from their perspective. The first issue focused on Blur, the second Megatron, and third is Starscream. Starscream is the character who has played through each issue acting as our perspective for the here and now. He’s a wanted fugitive who at the same time is attempting to bring the Decepticons together again and take a stand against the Autobots.

While the concept of the series is interesting, this issue emphasizes that I’ve been having issues with so far. There’s far too much covered and not enough focus on one thing. Megatron and Starscream are hiding out where they meet Soundwave, who, so far, is the most interesting character in this world. Soundwave is handling “Radio Decepticon” keeping the members connected and trying to keep them calm. His connection though isn’t about attempting to rise up, it’s an attempt to help the former soldiers through their trauma. Soundwave in a way is a Suicide Hotline, talking to his fellow bots in need. That stands out and is far too short of a concept. It’s the most interesting thing with so much potential for an emotional journey but it’s only touched upon and not explored enough. That’s been an issue overall with far too little time spent on each concept brought up. Transformers: Shattered Glass would have been far better served as a max-series spanning a dozen issues our more.

The art by Guido Guidi continues to be pretty solid. The color by John-Paul Bove is key with lettering by Neil Uyetake. The world presented feels like one ruled by tyrants. The buildings and streets are slightly run down with a dirtiness about them that emphasizes the lack of support. It’s a small detail that really makes the Decepticon cause stand out. Bove’s colors play a key role as they often are the distinction between the characters we knew and the twisted versions we’re reading about. Everything looks solid, a comic depiction of the toys we play(ed) with.

Transformers: Shattered Glass #3 isn’t a bad comic in any way. It’s a solid edition that adds some depth to the overall story adding details. It’s just a comic that doesn’t feel like it quite stands on its own as entertaining. It continues the series’ high level exploration of the world of “Shattered Glass”. This is one that might be a bit better to read as a trade because as single issues it feels a little lacking.

Story: Danny Lore Art: Guido Guidi
Color: John-Paul Bove Letterer: Neil Uyetake
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.15 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Review: Transformers: Shattered Glass #2

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Transformers: Shattered Glass #2

I’ll admit, the debut issue of Transformers: Shattered Glass didn’t excite me the way I hoped it would. For those unfamiliar with the world, “Shattered Glass” is the Transformers version of the “Mirror Universe” in Star Trek. The Autobots are the bad guys and Decepticons are good. The characters are familiar but twisted versions of themselves. Some have slightly different alt-modes but most are just different colors than what we’re used to. The mini-series is an interesting one devoting each issue to one character giving us a sort of tour of the world. While the series kicked off with Blurr and Starscream, Transformers: Shattered Glass #2 sets its sites on Megatron.

Written by Danny Lore, Transformers: Shattered Glass #2 gives us the history of the Decepticon’s war for justice. Narrated mostly by Starscream, we’re taken through a compact history of Megatron’s rise and the war that came. It’s a compact take on everything and does a decent job of catching readers up on what has happened. It also is a little bit of a let down as what’s presented is very interesting but never gets a chance to play out fully. What should be memorable moments are cut short.

Where Transformers: Shattered Glass #2 works really well is the dueling narrative between Megatron and Starscream. While Starscream gives us his perspective, Megatron sees the history another way. It’s an interesting back and forth and the best aspect of the issue and series so far. In Starscream we find a person looking for a leader and inspiration. In Megatron we see a fighter who feels like he’s failed. Each has their perspective and neither is necessarily wrong. It’s a solid example of how history is written though.

The art by Daniel Khanna is solid. With color by John-Paul Bove and lettering by Neil Uyetake, the world feels rusted and rundown. There’s small details which make both Megatron and Starscream come off as wearied warriors who are tired and spent from years of battle and abuse. Much like the story itself, there’s more the visuals might have done to really play everything home but what’s presented gives us a nice big picture. The colors by Bove are key as they are the big differentiator between the “Shattered Glass” world and the Transformers we know.

Transformers: Shattered Glass #2 feels like the big picture tour of the “Shattered Glass” world. It teases the big picture but rushes through events. It’s an interesting miniseries focusing on a character at a time instead of focusing in on one. There’s a lot here to work with and hopefully this is just the start to something more. For those who have been excited for this, they may find it a bit lacking from what they wanted but it shows a lot of potential for many stories to come.

Story: Danny Lore Art: Daniel Khanna
Color: John-Paul Bove Letterer: Neil Uyetake
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

King Grimlock Reigns in August and Shattered Glass Begins

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IDW Publishing’s line of Transformers comic books will rule the summer… so proclaims King Grimlock! Debuting in August, two new miniseries, Transformers: King Grimlock and Transformers: Shattered Glass, will thrill lifelong Transformers fans and newcomers to the franchise. Additionally, new story arcs will appear in IDW’s monthly series Transformers and Transformers: Beast Wars.

Transformers: King Grimlock

Written by Steve Orlando with art by Agustin Padilla and colors by Jeremy Colwell, King Grimlock is a five-issue miniseries that casts one of the most iconic Transformers characters into a world of fantastical beasts and magical powers!

In a savage world where the strong rule with sword and iron, the Dinobot Grimlock finds a new opportunity to prove he’s the strongest there is… but as Grimlock and the human barbarian Arko will learn, sometimes brute strength isn’t enough.

Cary Nord, the Eisner Award-winning artist of Conan the Barbarian, provides the perfect cover artwork to fit Transformers: King Grimlock’s high fantasy theme, illustrating issue #1’s Cover A. Additional cover variants will be available for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover B by series artist Agustin Padilla, and a Retailer Incentive Edition featuring art by Mateus Santolouco.

Transformers: Shattered Glass

Everything you thought you knew about Cybertronian lore will be turned inside out with Transformers: Shattered Glass, an all-new five-issue miniseries written by Danny Lore, illustrated by fan-favorite Transformers artists Guido Guidi, and Dan Khanna, and colored by John-Paul Bove.

In a parallel universe, a war raged across the cosmos from Cybertron to Earth… a war between Decepticon laborers-turned-freedom fighters and the power-hungry Autobot autocrats. Many kilocycles after the blue planet was devastated and the Decepticons were brought to heel, the evil Autobot bodyscrapper named Blurr hunts a new bounty… one who holds a piece of information that could reignite the war!

Three cover variants will be available from comic shops for Transformers: Shattered Glass #1: Cover A by Alex Milne, Cover B by series artist Dan Khanna, and a Retailer Incentive Edition by Sara Pitre-Durocher.

Transformers: Shattered Glass

Transformers #34, by writer Brian Ruckley and artist Anna Malkova, kicks off the new “Sea of Rust” storyline in IDW’s critically acclaimed comics continuity of Cybertron in its earliest days of war! Megatron has learned that his former mentor, Termagax, holds a key artifact that could tip the scales of the war firmly in the Decepticons’ favor, eliminating the Autobots once and for all. The first order of business, however, is running Termagax down! Issue #34 features Cover A by Winston Chan, Cover B by Susan Margevich, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Andrew Griffith.

Transformers: Beast Wars #7, by writer Erik Burnham and artist Winston Chan, launches a new story arc entitled “Pod.” Regrouping after their first explosive battle, the Maximals and Predacons are alerted to the descent of a new protoform pod… and its sole inhabitant, Blackarachnia! Whose side will this mysterious newcomer take? Issue #7 features Cover A by Fico Ossio, Cover B by Ed Pirrie, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Gavin Guidry.

Preview: Transformers 100 Page Giant: Power of the Predacons

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Transformers 100 Page Giant: Power of the Predacons

(W) John Paul Bove, Simon Furman, Josh Van Reyk, Shawn Knowler (A) Corin Howell, E. J. Su, Various (A/CA) Don Figueroa
In Shops: Feb 12, 2020
SRP: $5.99

Prepare to be terrorized by this collection of the Predacons’ finest moments! Collecting stories from Transformers UK #135-136, Transformers UK Annual 1987, Beast Wars: The Gathering #1, Transformers Spotlight Jazz, and the never before republished Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus 2016 BotCon exclusive comic!

Transformers 100 Page Giant: Power of the Predacons

Preview: Transformers: Optimus Prime Annual 2018

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Transformers: Optimus Prime Annual 2018

Story: John Barber Art: Priscilla Tramontano, Andrew Griffith
Color: John-Paul Bove, Josh Bircham Letterer: Shawn Lee
Editor: David Mariotte

THUNDERCRACKER IN: STARSCREAM: THE MOVIE! The good news: somebody finally gave Thundercracker money to make a film. The bad news: it’s Starscream, and he wants a biographical picture to win over the people of Earth. Will Thundercracker stand by his principles or… well, no, he makes the movie.

FC • 48 pages • $7.99