Transformers #25 | A New Era of Uncertainty

After a successful twenty-four-issue run, Daniel Warren Johnson and Jorge Jimenez have moved on to their own respective projects. With that, the Transformers series produced by Skybound Entertainment and published by Image Comics came with uncertainty. There was no immediate announcement, but a subtle marketing style that the studio is known for. Transformers' twenty-fifth issue came out with an uncertain future, and at the same time a positive outlook for the direction the series is headed. The post-DWJ still has a few pages wrapping up in this issue, and Robert Kirkman has taken over the series, along with Dan Mora taking the artist reins for the first story arc. The aftermath of the past issue was quickly phased out, and new characters were introduced in the Energon Universe. It’s something to take in when you go through the pages for the first time without reading every panel. There’s optimism and ‘feel-good’ moments that make this issue feel like the first, but with a different writer. With respect to Kirkman and Mora, they’re like taking this as a new series, and it would feel like the consistent energy each issue brought for the first twenty-four issues looks entirely different. It's indeed a beginning of a new era for this series...

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.