Transformers #4 | Human Connection

The first few pages of the fourth issue continue, whereas the action-packed third issue has left readers reeling from the brutal action that Daniel Warren Johnson has brought to the Transformers comics. This is the best time to be a true Transformers fan catching up on Skybound Entertainment’s take on the franchise. The consistency of the narrative clearly shows that this series is one episodic tapestry that keeps on moving and gets ratcheted up (No Pun Intended) in every issue. Losing an arm and being chased by a deranged Decepticon is not all exciting when your beloved human companion is losing blood from a gunshot wound while evading everything that is being thrown shows the action is not over. This is not like in the original cartoon when Prime was damaged in the previous episode he comes back in this issue brand new. This series is so grounded that Starscream was either being beaten up or being run over by a semi-truck. The motion and action on how Cliffjumper in his vehicle mode screeched into the scene with Carly behind the wheel and kicking the Decepticon Air Commander like taking inspiration from the chase scenes from Japanese anime like Initial-D. There was plenty of high-stakes action to go around the few pages and the details with inks have been phenomenal with every issue getting released is impressive.

Published: 10 January 2024
Age Rating: General Audience
Language: English

This issue did not let up as the Decepticons continued to attack Prime with an injured Spike with his father Sparkplug at the same time low on energon and still hoping for a lot of luck with a helping hand from a surprise appearance by Jazz and not Wheeljack as you’ve hoped for that appears on the cover. Wheeljack appearance was in the first issue and was still being repaired by Ratchet when things started blowing up.

The first few pages sum up the amount of work put in in every issue, and this one certainly did not let up when it comes to the action sequence. It gives you an idea of how this series would translate and not just tell a story for how it is.

Of course, there is a minority who would hope for more robots with fewer humans. But the way this series is going it is well-grounded and some of the scenes work the way they should with continuity the struggles of the Autobots would still be the end of them having to deal also with the energy problem as well as finding a way to bring their comrades in arms back to life now that they are far away from the Ark.

Starscream the Relentless Leader

You can see the true nature of the Decepticons through Starscream being a maniacal leader who’s been all about death and destruction. This Decepticon certainly didn’t care for the “squishy” fleshlings when he started attacking the Firmingham Hospital. His shortsightedness would lead to his utter failure when backup for Prime and Cliffjumper arrives in the form of Jazz despite being cut short due to lack of Energon.

This was a great scene to see how the Autobots manage to pull it off not only to protect the humans but also their comrades from the Decepticons. Starscream portrayed in the original cartoons as a bumbling ambitious Decepticon Leader who was not close enough to the version presented in this series and who had killed enough humans in his path including Carly’s father.



Humanly Impossible

The best part of the scenes is after the Decepticons escape, and Prime has no other choice but to use the Matrix to save Spike as he lies still with no backup generator when the hospital loses its power from the attack. This is where the connection of “Family” and human connection with these Autobots shows the narrative going forward with the relationship starts to form.

You can see also this Cliffjumper is not the trigger-happy Autobot from the cartoon who just wants to bust some Decepticons. Cliff comforts Carly about the loss that made him decide to join the war and the image of the all too clear reality of how people lose a love a family or a friend. It is all laid out that set the tone for how the Autobots and Humans would come together in this series.



Armed for the Offensive

The last bit of the scene was something that Skybound Entertainment has been known for with shocking surprises and what to look forward ahead at the same time how the Energon Universe expands now that the revelation on what happened to Megatron has been revealed towards the last pages in this issue, which also reminds you what happened to the Megatron in the first live-action film.

This issue also teases where Cobra Commander #1 will happen, which has been teased in its four-page preview in the previous issue of this series. Seeing Prime with a fashion canon and a ‘brand new’ arm seems something to look forward to while they also try to resolve their energy problem.



Overall, this was still an “edge-on-your-seat” kind of read, and it continues to be interesting as the last issue. It is early on the fourth issue but this title has already been sold out going back to the time Void Rivals was released and fans had hope for a new direction with a fresh story making this a must-have to read.

NEXT: Transformers #5: Going Offensive

Transformers #4 is an ongoing series published by Image Comics under Skybound Entertainment, and this is sold internationally for $3.99 USD ($ 5.37 AUD | ₱ 208.08 Pesos), but this was acquired at a local comic shop in the Philippines for ₱ 260.00 Pesos ($ 7.12 AUD | $ 4.58 USD). Please contact or visit your local Comic Shop for availability.

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