I'm not sure if I've seen any information on this book in this forum, so I'm going to mention it for anyone remotely interested .

On May 23rd publishing house Abrams will release a special hardcover book "Transformers Vault: The Complete Transformers Universe (Showcasing Rare Collectibles and Memorabilia)". PS! The book also includes a foreword by Peter Cullen. This is the blurb on the book on Amazon's (US) web site:


Product Description
For the first time ever, Transformers Vault reveals the complete story of the Transformers, everyone's favorite robots in disguise. Loaded with never-before-seen images, this book is a guide to the epic battle between the Autobots and Decepticons, as it began with toys and television, and continued to comics, film, games, and other media. There's something here for all generations, from classic toys that have become sought-after collectibles to the amazing, high-tech visuals of the three live-action films.

Hasbro has opened its official archives, gathering more than 250 images and several featured pieces of memorabilia. Look inside for a sheet of Generation One tech specs with a secret revealer, a rare pencil sketch from comics artist Casey Coller, an unseen character profile for Hot Rod from the 1986 film, an animation cel, and much more. Exclusive photos of Japanese Transformer prototypes, archival development art, and brand-new information about the future of the Transformers make this the ultimate package for every fan.


About the Author
Pablo Hidalgo is the managing editor at StarWars.com and the author of G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide. Peter Cullen provided the voice of Optimus Prime in the original Transformers TV series, the 1986 animated film, the new TV series Transformers: Prime, and all three live-action films to date.


Looks like it could be a must-have .

PS! The book will be released over here as well; the release date is June 1st.

Am definitely getting this - already pre-ordered!

Being the toy-geek I am, I need this for its prototype pics! It will also make a great discussion piece and introductory eassy to guests who aren't all that aware of the vastness of the TF history and mythos. I still get visitors who need a godd education once in a while...

Yeah, it seems really incredible.

I would have bought one myself. If only not for that this is one of those special things that my parents are always looking for to store for christmas, birthdays or other occasions like that.

This is one of the few TF books that I'm really exited about. I bet that it's just going to be filled to the brim with really fun trivia and oddball facts! And like Martin said, delicious prototype pictures!

Ordered one example from Amazon.co.uk along with this one coming out later http://www.amazon.co.uk/Transformers-Class.../ref=pd_sim_b_1

Pre-ordered as well. My first order from Amazon

It seems like the book's getting released a few days early. Just noticed that Amazon had charged my card for the pre-order and upon logging in to my account they're already processing it for delivery.

Yup, it's already listed as "In stock".

PS! Have you ordered it with gift wrapping? When I received my last Titan Books limited edition hardcover G1 Transformers albums a couple of weeks ago from amazon.co.uk, I noticed the outer packaging was very flimsy and the items inside could shift around quite a bit. But because I had specified gift wrapping, the books were sufficiently protected from getting the corners dented and avoiding marks on the cover and the back. I would specifically recommend it to you all should you happen to buy multiple hardcover/softcover books at the same time.

Mine shipped out from Amazon today. Estimated delivery is June 6th. Should be a nice bit of reading to do when I get back from BotCon

Just ordered mine.

I read on the TFW2005 boards that there are some spoilers for The Dark of the Moon somewhere in this book, just a friendly warning. I wont be opening mine until I have seen the movie.

So, I've skimmed through the book a bit now. A bit unsure what to think about it thus far.

Maybe I was expecting too much from a hardcore fan standpoint, but aside from a few tidbits, there's not much to offer for the veteran fans when it comes to the promised trivia. It also delves a lot into US G1 and the live action movies. It really feels like they left out a lot regarding the Japanese franchises. Even the Unicron Trilogy series just got very minor coverage, and they've made up a huge portion of the franchise.

The removable segments area neat idea, but are lousy in reality. There's a reprint of some rare Japanese 1986 movie poster artwork, which, while it is truly beautiful, it's a pure nightmare to get it back into the slot without creasing it, simply because the slot is too narrow to truly accommodate the printed copy.

I still like the book and for just over £14 I can't complain. It's a neat thing to have and to let guests flip through if they want. It doesn't quite live up to the hype that was created and just feels like a slightly more in-depth crash-course to the Transformers franchise and mythos.



I second this advice. Whilst reading through the movie portion, I took care not to read the spoiler and figured I could just spot it and stop reading. But I had ended up reading it before I knew it. The book summarizes the entire DOTM plot and mentions a good amount of major plot twists.

Dang, I was really expecting this to truly be a Holy Grail of some sorts. This puts a small damper on things. Too late to regret now, since a copy is underway. I hope it will be just as enjoyable as my Star Wars Vault book.

Good. Now i don't have to spend any money to watch the movie. TF2 was horrible enough Anyways, I got the book today from cdon.com and its rather nice looking and sturdy book, but I would not call it Holy Grail or anything. But it's not bad, eventhough some of those removable papers/posters etc. can be pain in the butt to get back into those sleeves.

Great ! Then I can cancel my amazon.co.uk pre-order and instead use the money for Dark Of The Moon june 29th.

How is it still a pre-order ? I've received mine from amazon.co.uk.

Hmm perhaps the intial pre-order shipment was all sold out ! Mine hadn't arrived "in stock" yet.

I'm always suspicious of these kinds of books. Has there ever been a book that really includes ALL art of its given subject? If there is a book with for example box art, I really doubt it would have every single figure from 1984 to now, but rather the main guys and a few randoms from each year.