Transformers Combiner Hunters - A Peek At What's Coming At SDCC 2015?

With the latest comic solicitations, we've learned about the one-shot Combiner Hunters book coming this summer. What stands out about this are the two covers consistently rendering the same three characters in distinctive alternate colorings. The extended info also mentions the first appearance of the Fan Built Combiner character, and that's when things begin to come in focus. It's a bit speculative, but could we be seeing the first hint of an SDCC exclusive here? Keep reading!

Let's look at what we're definitely shown. Windblade, Chromia and Arcee are shown on both covers in similar colorings that are very different (or in Chromia's case sort of different) from their normal looks. Chromia and Arcee also both are carrying specialty weapons. Chromia has the sword that comes with Warrior Class RID Bumblebee, and Arcee is carrying a sword based on the giant slaughterblade two of the larger Beast Hunters Optimus Prime figures had, and more recently also was attached to Unite Warriors Grand Scourge. The colors by themselves would be curious, though not necessarily a tip off to anything more than an interesting stylistic choice for this media. It's the weapons that lead to more consideration. Because even on the Livio Ramondelli subscription cover, they're very prominently carrying that distinctly toy-derived gear, and that's something that very likely would fall in to a realm of personal touch by a single artist if there wasn't a specific source being followed here.

The other factor in this is one of timing. SDCC 2015 happens the second week of July, and Combiner Hunters is not due in shops until the last Wednesday of the month. Since the extended solicitation info promises a look at the Fan Built Combiner, this book suddenly gets itself tied to SDCC since that will be where the official unveiling is of what the fans chose and the combiner those choices made. I suspect that an exclusive cover variant of this book may be available at SDCC as well. But, since this comic is being used to promote the new reveal, it's a short jump to think that it might also be used to show off something else that will be available at SDCC: An exclusive three pack of the female Autobots with at least two new weapon accessories. Again, there's a lot of speculation in this, but it makes a lot of sense when you get everything together. If these things are really clues and not remarkable coincidences, then we have a pretty good idea what to expect of the smaller of the regular Transformers exclusives - a three pack, perhaps even labeled as "Combiner Hunters" to solidify the connection to the comic story. And while we're on the speculation train...

This may lend weight to the idea that a redeco of Devastator will be the big deal Transformers exclusive this year. Being paired against a trio of "Combiner Hunters" in a story described as "[putting] an end to the menace of the Combiner Wars", it could easily find Devastator as the target who just happens to be yellow when this story takes place. Combiners are the big deal theme in Transformers this year, and it's almost a foregone conclusion the SDCC offerings will revolve around the concept. With this we may just have a better idea of how that is going to be executed. While Transformers comic covers have let slip upcoming toys before, if this all pans out, it might be the first time they ever gave away an SDCC set! Stay tuned to find out.