A 2007 graphic novel written by Jeffrey Brown, published by Top Shelf Publications. A sequel Incredible Change-bots Two, was released in 2011, which was followed by a 2014 "rarities" collection, Incredible Change-Bots Two Point Something Something, with comics first published in the ICB fan club newsletter and other material.
After depleting their planet of energy, two warring factions of transforming robots, one led by a robot who turns into a truck with a trailer, the other led by one who turns into a pistol, take their war to Earth and wind up involving humans into their war. Sound familiar?
Half love letter, half parody of 1980s Merchandise-Driven Giant Robot franchises (primarily The Transformers, naturally). Expect extensive Lampshade Hanging of... pretty much everything from the source material.
This comic provides examples of:
- Black Belt in Origami: Papercut, who is able to transform into any origami creation. He is also made with titanium-edged paper, which cuts Monkeywrench's throat and killing him. Not a moment later, however, it's subdued by a wild jaguar.
- Catchphrase: Stinky's "It's time to take out the trash!" Everyone predictably gets sick of it after the second time he uses it.
- Et Tu, Brute?: Honkytonk gets betrayed by his lover Siren in the middle of a battle with the Fantasticons. After he recovers, he goes off to hunt her down. He shoots at her in rage before she could explain herself. She then fires right into Hokytonk's gunbarrel, blowing the two of them up.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Many of the Change-Bots' names.
- Expy: Most of the cast are expies for various Transformers. Big Rig as Optimus Prime and Shootertron for Megatron are probably the most obvious, but we also have Balls the Golf Cart as Bumblebee, Wheeeee as The Starscream and Microwave for Soundwave.
- Fake Static: When Microwave gets attacked by the Awesomebots, Shootertron pretends to not be there and using this, leaving his only spy for dead.
- Giant Robots Before Hoes: Jimmy Jr. doesn't seem to care when the cute girl from his class finally starts noticing him. He's hanging out with giant robots after all!
- Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: Shootertron actually forces his troops to go to target practice and lecture them on the importance of aiming. Then there's Bushwacky, who covers his optics in combat...
- Innocent Innuendo: Shootertron and the general he's allied with.Shootertron: Now it is time to pleasure each other.
General: Pl-pleasure each other?
Shootertron: Yes. [Beat] You know, pleasure each other. You give us the energy we desire, and we give you the technology you covet.
General: Oh. Oh, right, right, yes. - Luke, I Am Your Father: Big Rig, Shootertron is your brother!
- Punny Name: Most of the names, at least those that aren't exactly what they say on the tin.
- Rule of Funny
- The Starscream: Wheeeee's the obvious example, openly angling to replace Shootertron's place as leader of the Fantasticons, going so far as to call himself leader immediately after Shootertron gets knocked down. Averted in the end, though, when Shootertron dies and they lose any reason to fight.
- A more successful example is Eject, who usurps Big Rig's leadership of the Awesomebots after it becomes evident that the latter's leadership is less than satisfactory.
