TRANSFORMERS VS ACTION FORCE (1987)

When the Transformers were given their own series by Marvel Comics, their stories were intended take place on Earth-616, explaining the appearances of Spider-Man, Nick Fury, SHIELD and the Savage Land in earlier issues. This eventually changed and the reality in which Robots in Disguise operated, Earth-91274, would be shared with GI Joe. In the UK, GI Joe were known as Action Force and had a decidedly different continuity. Marvel UK's Transformers series mostly fed off the American comics when it was reprinted for a UK audience, but added additional stories to make up for the fortnightly/weekly release schedule.

When Marvel UK decided against publishing the 'GI Joe and the Transformers' mini-series and would explain their own reasons for Bumblebee's destruction and transformation into Goldbug (during G.I.JOE VS THE TRANSFORMERS), Marvel UK's continuity would be considered largely separate from the US version and has since been designated it's own universe, Earth-120185.

In an effort to boost sails on the failing UK Action Force comic, Marvel ran a crossover that would also establish Action Force's place in that same reality. The crossover didn't help matters and Action Force would eventually share space in the Transformers' own series with Transformers #153.

As for the story itself, the Decepticon leader Megatron was blown up when Lord Straxus space bridge on Cybertron was destroyed. On Earth, the new Autobot leader, Grimlock, insists Wheeljack focuses his time on rebuilding the human-controlled Centurion, believing it to be a friend to the Dinobots...

• Transformers #125[1/2]
• Action Force #24[1/2]
• Action Force #25[1/2]
• Action Force #26[1/2]
• Action Force #27[1/2]

Transformers #125[1/2]
A group of archaeologists are exploring the sewers below London when they're attacked by a giant, damaged robot who appears to be a deranged Megatron. Under orders to locate the alleged deserters Goldbug and Blaster, Grimlock has Autobots scouring the Earth for them. Blades pick-ups a Cybertronian life-reading beneath London and goes to investigate. Action Force leader Flint takes a crew beneath to the sewers to investigate and mistake Blade for the threat. When the misunderstanding is put aside, Megatron shoots Blades in the back and emerges from the shadows...

Action Force #24[1/2]
Action Force flee the sewers only to be met by Grimlock and Centurion (who now appears to be sentient) on the surface. Flint calls in the Dragonfly helicopters to fire at Megatron while he fights Grimlock. Megatron shoots back, destroying the rotor blades on Wild Bill's Dragonfly...

Action Force #25[1/2]
Blades rescues Wild Bill. Flint sends in the Mauler tanks which end Megatron's attack on Grimlock, but just make the Decepticon leader mad...

Action Force #26[1/2]
With fallen Autobots and Action Force team members fallen at his feet, it looks like Megatron has won. But when Grimlock gets his second wind and knocks Megatron towards some industrial gas tanks, Flint calls in an airstrike to destroy them both...

Action Force #27[1/2]
Centurion jumps in ahead of the Sky Strikers' airstrike, allowing Blades to pull the unconscious Grimlock to safety. When the airstrike hits, Megatron and Centurion get fried and fall into the Thames. Flint, Wild Bill and Blades salute their fallen comrade.

Transformers #137-138 (UK, 1987)
Archaeologist Susan Hoffman returns when she discovers the bodies of Ultra Magnus and Galvatron inside an inert volcano.

Transformers #160-161 (UK, 1988)
'Megatron' and Centurion are pulled out of the Thames by Richard Branson, only for them to be immediately stolen from him by Shockwave's Seacons.

Transformers #174-175 (UK, 1988) / Transformers #41 (US, 1988)

Goldbug and Blaster return to the Autobots and put their differences aside.

Transformers #176-177 (UK, 1988) / Transformers #42 (US, 1988)

The Autobots rebuild their fallen leader Optimus Prime.

Transformers #182-187 (UK, 1988)
Cyclonus and Scourge's time-jumping creates a time rift that threatens all of reality.

Transformers #189 (UK, 1988)
Shockwave reprograms 'Megatron' to use as a weapon against Galvatron, testing him against facsimile versions of him; 'Megatron' kills Cyclonus while Scourge escapes to avoid altering the timeline where Megatron is transformed into Galvatron by Unicron and Scourge and Cyclonus are (re)created as his lieutenants.

Transformers #199-205 (UK, 1989)
'Megatron' teams up with his future self, Galvatron, increasing the time rift; the Autobots and Decepticons join forces to combat the two Decepticon leaders during TIME WARS.

Transformers #215-218 (UK, 1989)

Susan Hoffman is frustrated when the Transformers disrupt her search for the shrine of Juluth in Peru.

Transformers #243-244 (UK, 1989)
This 'Megatron' is revealed to be a clone created by Lord Straxus to house his own personality when the real Megatron returns; Straxus tries to claim the clone Megatron's mind, but it's own 'Megatron' persona commits suicide to kill Lord Straxus by blowing its own head off.

Transformers Annual (UK, 1990)

The time-travelling Dicet Alpha-zero witnesses the destruction of Centurion at the hands of Galvatron.

Transformers Classics UK vol.4 (IDW)
Includes Action Force #24[1/2]-27[1/2] and Transformers #125[1/2].