Transformers #1 is CGC’s Featured Comic of the Month for December

Posted on 11/30/2018

The book has the first appearance of the Autobots, including Bumblebee, who gets a movie of his own in December.


Transformers #1, left, and Transformers #80, the bookends of the run from 1984 to 1991.

Name of comic: Transformers #1

Comic publisher: Marvel Comics

Date: September/October 1984

Variants: Canada edition (29 in CGC Census), UK edition (10), Second Printing (35), Third Printing (35)

What makes it special? This book kicked off an 80-issue run based on the hottest toy of 1984: vehicles that transformed into robot action figures. The issue features the origin and first comic appearance of the noble Autobots and the evil Decepticons.

Why is it interesting now? The sixth live-action Transformers movie, "Bumblebee," is about to hit the theaters, and some may be wondering if the franchise is past its prime. Though the previous five movies are all in BoxOfficeMojo.com’s Top 150 grossing films of all-time worldwide, the most recent installment (2017’s “The Last Knight”) had the lowest total of them.

Did you know? Only four comic books were initially planned, but the series obviously had some spark. It wrapped up in July 1991 with a top banner on the cover that said: “#80 in a four-issue limited series.” (This was a nod to a similar top banner on the cover of the first four issues.)

Total graded by CGC: CGC has graded 2,150 copies (plus 109 in the variants listed above), with 146 having Signature Series labels.

CGC median grade: The median grade for these books is Near Mint+ 9.6

CGC highest graded: CGC has graded 3 copies as Mint 9.9.

Sales highlights: A copy graded CGC 9.8 sold through Heritage Auctions in August 2017 for $346, while a copy graded CGC 8.5 sold for $33 a few months earlier.

CGC Comics Registry Champion: With all 80 issues, a set named “EE-AH-OH-UH” by Tornadohunter has won Best in Set Type for the Transformers (1984) set from 2013 to 2018. The set includes a Transformers #1 in CGC 9.9. The CGC Registry features several other complete sets, including Marvel’s the Transformers by AlphaPrimeIan. Explore these and other collections in the CGC Comics Registry.

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Transformers #1 is CGC’s Featured Comic of the Month for December

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