Published on: Thursday 23rd October 2008
Issue 1 of Titan Magazines UK Exclusive Transformers Animated comic was relesed on the 23rd October 2008 and introduced two new characters to the Transformers Animated universe. These new characters were the human Quake-Master and Autobot Elite Guard member Burnout (originally planned to be called Sideswipe).
The issue was surrounded in controversy before the issue was released when Titan Magazines sent an exclusive image of Transformers Animated Sideswipe to Transformers Animated.com. The fan reaction wasn't very positive, and within 24 hours Hasbro had asked Titan to have the image removed. A few days later some of the Transformers Animated cartoon creators stated that they saw the IDW Comic Transformers Animated series as being official, which was a bit of a kick in the teeth for the yet to be released UK comic. It was unknown, although believed, that the call to remove the image and rename the character of Burnout came from Hasbro US, although this has yet to be proven.
The comic consists of two strips (an exclusive story and a re-print of the Transformers Animated Cartoon comic stories), as well as a "robo-capers" style Bits and Bots comic at the front. The letters page is called Bee-Mail, hosted by Bumblebee and Ratchet.
IMPORTANT. Our scans of this issue of the comic were originally removed at the request of Titan Magazine due to the controversy surrounding the character who was originally to be called Sideswipe. However since the comic is no long in publication we have decided to reactivate the gallery and will try to find our original images can but we can confirm that the character WAS due to be called Sideswipe
