New Transformers History book (fiction): The Covenant of Primus

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The Idle Hands Blog brings us news of Transformers: The Covenant of Primus, a hardcover book from becker & mayer exploring the history of the Transformers civilization. Written by Justina Robson with 60 never seen before illustrations, some from the Hasbro archives and some newly commissioned pieces. The book comes in a special wall mountable Autobot symbol case that features three "transforming" sound effects that are activated as the interlocking pieces are separated to reveal a newly commissioned cover by our friend Ken Christiansen.

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From Seibertron

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The Covenant of Primus is the definitive in-world history of the Transformers. For the first time, it reveals the stories of the Thirteen Primes, the original Transformers. The narrative will also cover the golden age of Transformer civilization, the war between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and finally the present day on Earth. Sixty never-before-seen illustrations, 20 commissioned just for this book, bring these epic events to life.

The hardcover book will be housed in a custom case shaped like the Autobot emblem. The classic mechanical “transforming” sound is triggered when the reader pulls open the three segments of the case.

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176 pages and is priced at US $99.00. You'll probably need to order online or from a bookshop.

Pretty expensive for a book of new fiction in a fancy box. I'm hoping there's a non-fancy box version coming too. Maybe we'll get it at Target like we did with the Vault book?

Looks the book mostly ties into TF:Prime and I guess the "Aligned" continuity when it says "definitive in-world history of the Transformers" (and probably ignores the current IDW books, Marvel G1, Sunbow G1, the Movieverse, etc I do wish Hasbro would stop trying to convince us that there's only one continuity these days)

I guess this list is of interest, but personally the possibly Mythical beings Cyclonus described in the MTMTE Annual are more interesting figures to me.

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This book also reveals all of the original thirteen Primes:

Prima
Vector Prime
Onyx Prime
Alpha Trion
Micronus Prime
Alchemist Prime
Solus Prime
Nexus Prime
Amalgamous Prime
Quintus Prime
Liege Maximo
Megatronus
The Thirteenth Prime

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Book is to be released December 3rd, which is a bit of a wait.

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Originally Posted by Paulbot

Looks the book mostly ties into TF:Prime and I guess the "Aligned" continuity when it says "definitive in-world history of the Transformers" (and probably ignores the current IDW books, Marvel G1, Sunbow G1, the Movieverse, etc I do wish Hasbro would stop trying to convince us that there's only one continuity these days)

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Yeah, this is the "current" continuity that Aaron Archer and Co sat down and plotted out about eight years ago, to cover about a decade of Transformers universe outside of the Movie Universe.... covering TFPrime, WFC/WFC, Novels and Rescue Bots. With TFPrime winding up, it's a bit strange that they've waited this long to release something like this. Even if they were still making up the names and details just this year, there was a lot of stuff already out there that they could have put in a book already.
Over several Botcons, Hasbro were revealing a Prime or two, so I guess it is good to finally know them all.

I'd be interested in picking up a copy to thumb through, but the price is a killer, so I too am hoping for a cheaper version.

The net is rife with speculation about who the mystical 13th Prime could be, but reading through the 16-odd pages of discussion on TFW2005 already, people are showing just how little they know about the Aligned continuity. I'm solely a BW fan and I know more than these TF: Prime fans.

I must say I don't enjoy the fact that Liege Maximo is so blatantly modeled on Loki from Avengers.

The idea of the 13 I can get behind, but the inclusion of charcters such as Onyx Prime (the first animal Transformer) and Miniconus Prime (the first Mini-Con Transformer) is pure absurdity. Why couldn't the Transformers race simply have evolved into forms such as animalistic bodies or smaller bodies in the umpteen millions of years they've been around? That's always ikred me.

Yeah... it kinda cheapens the point of creating those concepts out of necessity if they were always over the millions of years. But then, this is a new universe, separate from Gen1/BW... and I guess we've seen in the WFC/FOC games both of those types of Cybertronians, which was in the past. So maybe in Aligned, these concepts have always been around since the beginning.

Wow.

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Originally Posted by Verno

The net is rife with speculation about who the mystical 13th Prime could be, but reading through the 16-odd pages of discussion on TFW2005 already, people are showing just how little they know about the Aligned continuity. I'm solely a BW fan and I know more than these TF: Prime fans.

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The Thirteen Primes are multiversal singularities, so they're no more Aligned than any other Transformers continuity.

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Originally Posted by griffin

Yeah... it kinda cheapens the point of creating those concepts out of necessity if they were always over the millions of years. [...] and I guess we've seen in the WFC/FOC games both of those types of Cybertronians, which was in the past. So maybe in Aligned, these concepts have always been around since the beginning

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My problem is that the first Cybertronians (as opposed to The 13) werecreated some 14 million years ago, roughly? And the Golden Age starts around 10 million years ago or so? 4 million years is plenty of time for robotic organisms to evolve into animalistic forms, smaller forms and combiners etc... They don't need a 'god' of each.

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Originally Posted by griffin

But then, this is a new universe, separate from Gen1/BW...

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But is it really separate?! Hasbro have made it pretty clear that this origin story, the Aligned Origin story, is the be-all and end-all of Origin stories. This is how every universe in the multiverse got started, because this is how the multiverse got started.

I dislike the totalitarian nature of Hasbro's quest to definitively answer the question of the Transformers true origins. By making The 13 multiversal singularities, it means that the Aligned origin story has to be applied to every other universe, including the G1 and BW universes. I dislike this a lot.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

The Thirteen Primes are multiversal singularities, so they're no more Aligned than any other Transformers continuity.

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But this book (and all the revelations within) are being released as part of Hasbro's decade-long push of the Aligned story.

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Originally Posted by Verno

But this book (and all the revelations within) are being released as part of Hasbro's decade-long push of the Aligned story.

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Three years is seven years short of a decade, and pretty much every one of these concepts originated in Beast Wars/G1/G2/Universe/BayMovie/3H/FunPub/Armada and Cybertron. It's noteworthy that you have an issue with this book, but the Aligned continuity isn't to blame.

I want a copy

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Originally Posted by Verno

I'd be interested in picking up a copy to thumb through, but the price is a killer, so I too am hoping for a cheaper version.

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Might be a good title to buy the Kindle version of, if its available through Amazon. It might also be the only way of reading it tis year, given the publication date.

Intriguing but I am waiting to see the quality and direction of the content. I am a bit skeptical given Hasbro's poor 'Aligned' continuity decisions which is basically shoehorning stuff into TF Prime.

This book is right up my alley :cool:, the $100 toll on that alley however has certainly got me looking out for alternative routes. :o

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Originally Posted by Verno

I must say I don't enjoy the fact that Liege Maximo is so blatantly modeled on Loki from Avengers.

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My exact feeling upon seeing that image too and the annoying thing is, I'm sure it's the artist who'll cop the blame for Hasbro's lazy direction on it. :(:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

Three years is seven years short of a decade

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If I can quote the TFWiki in reply, of which they draw their answer from a Q and A with Hasbro:

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Originally Posted by TFWiki

The Aligned continuity family was launched in 2010 with the intention of being the foundation of most Transformers projects for the decade to come.

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3 years is indeed 7 years short of a decade, but Hasbro's intentions during this period is to push their Aligned Continuity, and this book is part of that. TF: Prime has related more to The 13 than any story before it, and answering questions some fans have about them has to be seen as part of this push, even if The 13 are singularities and are meant to relate to all universes in the multiverse.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

and pretty much every one of these concepts originated in Beast Wars/G1/G2/Universe/BayMovie/3H/FunPub/Armada and Cybertron. It's noteworthy that you have an issue with this book, but the Aligned continuity isn't to blame.

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The Aligned Continuity isn't to blame?! If it weren't for the Aligned Continuity we would have this book and The 13 in such prominence with Hasbro trying to do the mother of all retcons and nullify everything that has come before it origin-wise.

My problem is with Hasbro and their futile endeavour to create a Transformers history from beginning to end where there really was no need. This book and the Alined Continuity are part of that push, thus I have a problem with them too.

I'd like to get this book - but I'd like to get it a hell of a lot more at a cheaper price. May wait and read some reviews of it before laying down any money.

The price is steep but I'm willing to fork out the cash for it. Why do people have a "problem" with the aligned continuity? Seems like a great idea instead of rebooting every couple of years. Sure it doesn't all fit perfectly, but neither did G1's episodes. And you can't tell me that BW was a perfect story either. That mess paradoxed HARD! But it's still a good watch (minus that BM ending). Sometimes we need to overlook mistakes and not get hung up on them all the time. This book will probably have continuity conflictions but I will bet my $99 that its still a great read and will answer many questions.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

And you can't tell me that BW was a perfect story either. That mess paradoxed HARD!

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How dare you! :p

But in all seriousness, I'd like to know what you mean by "paradoxed HARD!".

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Originally Posted by theheretic

Why do people have a "problem" with the aligned continuity? Seems like a great idea instead of rebooting every couple of years.

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You don't think it will all be rebooted again after everything Aligned has had its day?

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Originally Posted by Verno

How dare you! :p

But in all seriousness, I'd like to know what you mean by "paradoxed HARD!".



You don't think it will all be rebooted again after everything Aligned has had its day?

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It will always get rebooted, but its nice to have had some continuity going on for a few years and across multiple media platforms (novels, games, cartoons etc).

Paradoxed hard? Don't get me started on the whole "stabbing G1 Optimus in the head before he woke, thus cancelling G1's existence" paradox.

It has been a few years since I watched BW and BM so do tell me if I am remembering incorrectly.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

It will always get rebooted, but its nice to have had some continuity going on for a few years and across multiple media platforms (novels, games, cartoons etc).

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That certainly is an exciting prospect for future TF story-telling. As a BW fan, I'm jealous that the BW continuity didn't have that sort of support behind it at the time.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

Paradoxed hard? Don't get me started on the whole "stabbing G1 Optimus in the head before he woke, thus cancelling G1's existence" paradox.

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That made perfect sense at the time, to me at least anyway.

BW bots are from the future - a future where the Autobots win the Great War, thanks in no small part to Optimus Prime. So if someone went back in time and killed Prime, history would be rewritten.

That's how I understood it anyway. No paradox there.

This will have to be gold plated to be worth the price for a couple of new images...

Really it works out more like $70 USD for a case that goes "Tsche-chu-chu-chu-tsche" and $30 USD for a hardcover illustrated novel.

The Covenant of Primus should be a golden disk though... ;)

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Originally Posted by Verno

That certainly is an exciting prospect for future TF story-telling. As a BW fan, I'm jealous that the BW continuity didn't have that sort of support behind it at the time.



That made perfect sense at the time, to me at least anyway.

BW bots are from the future - a future where the Autobots win the Great War, thanks in no small part to Optimus Prime. So if someone went back in time and killed Prime, history would be rewritten.

That's how I understood it anyway. No paradox there.

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That makes sense in a simple form BUT would any of the BW transformers exist if G1 Optimus died before G1 happened? Even if the great "downgrade" did still occur then it is highly unlikely that the events which originally occurred to send the TF's back to ancient Earth would happen. It's basically the grandfather paradox. If you change an important piece of the past then the future from that point would be drastically altered.

Don't take it the wrong way though, it was a good watch and I'll re visit it all again at some point soon.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

That makes sense in a simple form BUT would any of the BW transformers exist if G1 Optimus died before G1 happened? Even if the great "downgrade" did still occur then it is highly unlikely that the events which originally occurred to send the TF's back to ancient Earth would happen. It's basically the grandfather paradox. If you change an important piece of the past then the future from that point would be drastically altered.

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Optimus Prime didn't die from the damage BW Megatron inflicted upon him. Prime's Spark began to re-integrate with the Matrix/Allspark, and when this happened, we began to see the BW characters phase in and out of existence.

But the BW Maximals managed to repair Prime's body, and all was back to normal.

If Prime had died, then the BW characters would have vanished. But because Prime was saved, the BW characters remained alive. Nothing changed in the past, so therefore nothing changes in the future.

Oh okay. See I can't remember it. I was just sure there was some drastic problems. Maybe it occurred when they went back to cybertron.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

Oh okay. See I can't remember it. I was just sure there was some drastic problems. Maybe it occurred when they went back to cybertron.

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You're right that the plan wouldn't have worked from a logical POV - if BW Megatron had killed Optimus Prime and the Maximals never existed - as was the plan - then Megatron wouldn't have been there with the Maximals to kill Optimus Prime in the first place. But it was a great season cliffhanger.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

You're right that the plan wouldn't have worked from a logical POV - if BW Megatron had killed Optimus Prime and the Maximals never existed - as was the plan - then Megatron wouldn't have been there with the Maximals to kill Optimus Prime in the first place. But it was a great season cliffhanger.

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Sure the plan would have worked. Time Travel gets a bit confusing, but you mustn't forget that there is always a first time through. Allow me to try and explain what I mean. I say try because I won't do justice too what is in my head :P

Now, G1 Megatron left a message on the Golden Disk instructing anyone who found the message to go back in time and kill Optimus Prime while Prime (and everyone else on board the Ark) slept. So, BW Megatron found the message and followed orders. He went back in time and, eventually, attempted to kill Optimus Prime.

The argument you're making is that BW Megatron is erasing his own past and thus could never go back in time and kill Prime. But if you use the theory of the 'first time through', then yes, BW Megatron erases himself from history, but the consequences of his actions up until the point that he fires on Prime will stay - IE, Prime being dead.

At the end of the day, it's fiction -- we have to bend the rules of reality a little :cool:

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Originally Posted by Verno

But if you use the theory of the 'first time through', then yes, BW Megatron erases himself from history, but the consequences of his actions up until the point that he fires on Prime will stay - IE, Prime being dead.

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If time works that way then Beast Wars Megatron would have been the ultimate forgotten martyr suicide bomber, since there's no way he would exist in the future he's creating. It also that means Beast Wars is a completely separate continuity from the G1 cartoon or comics and I'm pretty sure it even contradicts its own argument that "history's still being made" in Nemesis. The reason that "The history tracks never mentioned" the Autobot shuttle is because the the future the Maximals and Predacons come from is one in which their actions have already changed the past. Which means the two Megatrons' plan is always destined to fail.

There is always the theory that if you go back in time and change something then you create a new alternate universe instead of altering your own. As for the "first time through" theory, is that still plausible if you go back in time, kill your grandfather before he meets your grandmother? Thus your father never existed to "make" ;-) you who would then go back in time...

DAT paradox

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

If time works that way then Beast Wars Megatron would have been the ultimate forgotten martyr suicide bomber, since there's no way he would exist in the future he's creating.

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Yep. As BW Megatron approaches the offline form of Optimus Prime, BW Megs says something along the lines of "Unwilling though I was to follow my namesake's instructions, it has all come down to this: the ultimate risk, for the ultimate prize" or something, basically meaning BW Megatron fully understands that he'll be wiped from history by undertaking this act.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

It also that means Beast Wars is a completely separate continuity from the G1 cartoon or comics...

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Yep. BW doesn't tie directly into G1 Marvel, G1 Sunbow or G2. It's a continuity all on its own where events similar to events seen in Marvel G1, Sunbow G1 and G2 have occurred in the past. (I've been constructing this amalgam Universe/BW Continuity in all my writings).

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

...and I'm pretty sure it even contradicts its own argument that "history's still being made" in Nemesis.

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G1 Megatron's spark wasn't back in his own body yet, so the timestream still wasn't back to where it should be, so the argument could be made that time was still in flux and thus malleable. All theoretical of course.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

The reason that "The history tracks never mentioned" the Autobot shuttle is because the the future the Maximals and Predacons come from is one in which their actions have already changed the past.

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A lot of G1-era information was withheld from the Maximal population in the Pax Cybertronian era. The location of Earth itself being a prime example - thus why BW Megs had to steal the Golden Disk in the first place. It's easy to surmise that such information like the full schematics of the Ark were among the information withheld.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

Which means the two Megatrons' plan is always destined to fail.

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But that would mean that history can never be changed, which is not as exciting for science fiction writing and stories.

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Originally Posted by theheretic

There is always the theory that if you go back in time and change something then you create a new alternate universe instead of altering your own.

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I guess the 'new alternate universe' and 'first time through' theory could be the same, because you're going back to a point and causing a schism, which I guess could be a breaking or branching off from that point.

The problem with that is that we saw a Time Storm in BW, with time being rewritten around them and the Maximals phasing in and out of reality, which could mean that they're still in the same, original universe rather than a new one.

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

As for the "first time through" theory, is that still plausible if you go back in time, kill your grandfather before he meets your grandmother? Thus your father never existed to "make" ;-) you who would then go back in time...

DAT paradox

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To use the analogy, we make G1 Megs the grandfather and BW Megs the grandson. You still have to allow the first time through to run through, with BW Megs going back in time. The Time Storm we see in BW is everything being rewritten from the consequence of BW Megs' actions. BW Megs will disappear, but the consequences from his actions remain.

Amazon open to pre-order now.... $49 special ...... that 50% off the rrp
:eek:
http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-C..._gw_p_t_1_6F7M

Thanks for the link lancalot.

Is it just me, or did anyone else think that the case could be the closest thing to a Masterpiece Time Warrior that Gok is after?

I might pick it up at the preorder price, keep the book seperate and fit a TF themed clock inside the case.

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Originally Posted by lancalot

Amazon open to pre-order now.... $49 special ...... that 50% off the rrp
:eek:
http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-C..._gw_p_t_1_6F7M

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I see it listed as $59.99 - has it gone up $10 already?!

I've never ordered with Amazon before. Does anyone know if that free shipping includes Australia?

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Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev

I see it listed as $59.99 - has it gone up $10 already?!

I've never ordered with Amazon before. Does anyone know if that free shipping includes Australia?

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Shipping will be about $25. It may be worth waiting to see how much it will be from The Book Depository.

That preview made it seem too much like TF Prime so no thanks. Too bad I was unrealistically hoping for something more interesting to myself like G1/BW/IDW and 'UnPrimed' WFC/FOC concepts.

Wow:eek: it did jump up in price ....lucky i poreorder it already.... and shipping is $11

Item(s) Subtotal: $48.82
Shipping & Handling: $10.48
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Total before tax: $59.30
Estimated tax to be collected: $0.00
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Grand Total: $59.30

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Originally Posted by Sky Shadow

Shipping will be about $25. It may be worth waiting to see how much it will be from The Book Depository.

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Originally Posted by lancalot

Wow:eek: it did jump up in price ....lucky i poreorder it already.... and shipping is $11

Item(s) Subtotal: $48.82
Shipping & Handling: $10.48
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Total before tax: $59.30
Estimated tax to be collected: $0.00
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Grand Total: $59.30

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hmmm, might wait for the book depository to get it. They are usually very cheap with free shipping. Of course I may be regretting that decision come December

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Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev

hmmm, might wait for the book depository to get it. They are usually very cheap with free shipping. Of course I may be regretting that decision come December

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Indeed, we'll have to wait & see though - I'd like to pick this book up, I'm just a little iffy on the price so I might hold off for a bit in the mean time. ;):)

An $11 increase isn't much of a thing at all, in the face of an RRP of $99 anyway, but if it stays around this mark or less than I'll likely bite. :cool:

This looks beautiful :eek: -- Think I may have to get myself one.

Well with the rate our dollar falling but the time it reaches Dec ... it be around 80s' mark i reckon that why i'm preordering everything just in case ... it be a good xmas pressie to my self :)

You might want to change to express shipping if you're planning it as a Christmas present (for others to give to yourself, of course!) just in case the release date slips. I was able to order it for cheaper than I'd pay at retail, even after shipping.