Quote Originally Posted by Paulbot View Post
The IDW's Classic trades (regular and UK versions) will (eventually) have everything and be pretty much close to reading order.

Their US reprints do some odd things, like put the GiJoe crossover and Headmasters limited series right at the end instead of when they happen in continuity, but are otherwise in straight forward order.

Their UK reprints are in publication/reading order and have good explanations where the UK stories fit in connection with the US stories. (Avoid the Best of Uk collections through, go for the big volumes James Roberts has helped put together)

The best thing to do is read the Marvel G1 stories based on the order they were published in the UK comics.

Or you can read the entire US run and then go back and see the "hidden tales" from the UK that fit between the gaps of the US.

Because the UK had to fit with US continuity there's nothing in the UK books that's particularly spoilt by reading the US run first. There's only two times that come to mind in the US comics (near the end when Furman takes over) that events in the UK book are hinted at.
Paul you're the best. Thank you I'd better save this somewhere.

Quote Originally Posted by Paulbot View Post
Reading in release order does give you the best approximation of the intended order. Nearly everything in reading order is in release order except for things like Autocracy/Monstrosity which are flashback stories, they won't ruin anything of the main story.

The "I want it all reading order" in the link TinyJazz shared looks pretty good actually. The lack of Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy just seems to be goof. I'd suggest reading those between Transformers 31 (end of the list) and before Death of Optimus Prime (near the top of the second list).*

Regeneration One is a special case. It's a sequel to the Marvel G1 series (which is why the numering continues) and thus is out of continuity to the rest of the IDW comics. (IDW's Beast Wars and Movie series comics are also in their own continuities.)

Edit:
* Actually there's a few things in that list are a bit odd - some of the limited series could be read in one go rather than spaced out the way they are in that list. Now I want to draw up my own list for you!
You should totally do it! Plus, the next time one of my friends asks about tf comics I can point them to an Australian site.
I thought that they may have omitted Autocracy/Monstrosity/Primacy because they dislike Livio's art. But that would be silly.