The Transformers#96

The Transformers #96

· Marvel UK

☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join free

★ 1st appearance — Razorclaw

About this Issue

The Transformers (UK) #96 opens 'Prey!' — a nine-issue run of all-original Marvel UK stories built entirely around Optimus Prime and Megatron, a pairing that was far rarer in the comics than casual fans might assume. Most significantly, it gives British readers the UK debut of the Predacons ahead of their American comic appearance, establishing the Marvel UK series as a venue where major character introductions could beat the US title to the punch. Writer Simon Furman composed the arc knowing both franchise leaders were slated to die in Bob Budiansky's concurrent American stories, deliberately crafting 'Prey!' as a more ambitious, character-driven send-off for the two generals in case he never had another chance to write them. The issue also marks the moment Marvel UK formally acknowledged that the weekly was now available on North American newsstands, a milestone that signalled the growing transatlantic ambition of the line.

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (VF) $0

Flagged key issue — estimate limited by sparse sales.

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

This exact issue on ebay

Raw / ungraded $6 1 listing

Verified matches for The Transformers #96 · eBay asking prices, seen 8 days ago

More listings for this title

FN $12.89

Related listings we couldn't confirm as this exact issue · 1 total · seen 8 days ago

🏪 Real comic shops near you sell this issue on eBay — from our directory:

Listings on eBay · clicking supports comicbooks.com

Read it digitally

Amazon Kindle Buy the digital edition ▸ GlobalComix Indie & digital reader ▸

Opens a search on each platform — digital availability varies by title.

Sell my copy

Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.

We Buy Collections ▸

Fast, fair offers · we handle grading & shipping

History

Simon Furman wrote 'Prey! – Part 1' with interior art by Will Simpson, colours by Steve White, lettering by Annie Halfacree, and editorial oversight from Ian Rimmer, the editor whose tenure was itself winding down around this period. Furman structured the broader 'Prey' arc as a sequence of self-contained two-parters rather than one long serial — a deliberate choice to keep casual readers from feeling shut out — while still building toward the landmark 100th issue. The cover for #96, depicting Optimus Prime being set upon by the Predacons, was produced by Jeff Anderson, who also illustrated issue #97.

Trivia · 8 facts

Story: 'Prey! – Part 1' (UK original, not a reprint of any US issue), published January 17, 1987.
Writer: Simon Furman; Interior art: Will Simpson (Part 1) / Jeff Anderson (Part 2 in #97); Colours: Steve White; Letters: Annie Halfacree; Editor: Ian Rimmer.
Cover art for #96 by Jeff Anderson, depicting Optimus Prime ambushed by the Predacons.
UK debut of the Predacons (Razorclaw, Divebomb, Tantrum, Rampage, Headstrong, and their combined form Predaking) — their first appearance in UK comic continuity, predating their American comic debut.
The story premise: Optimus Prime, shaken by how dependent the Autobots became on him during the 'Target: 2006' arc, fakes his own death to test their resilience — while Megatron, manipulated by Shockwave, simultaneously unleashes the Predacons to kill Prime for real.
The 'Transformation' editorial page in this issue announces that the UK Transformers comic is now formally on sale in North America, carrying US and Canadian dollar cover prices.
Furman structured 'Prey' as the opening of a nine-issue stretch of UK-original material leading into the series' 100th-issue celebration, covering the fates of Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Prowl, and Lord Straxus.
Reprinted multiple times: in the Marvel UK 'Collected Comics' format; in the Titan Books trade paperback 'Transformers: Prey'; as the lead story of IDW Publishing's five-issue 'Best of UK: Prey' miniseries (2009); and most recently in Skybound Entertainment's 'Transformers UK Compendium Volume 1' (February 2026).