Transform and Take A Stand!
With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this initiative, the flagship Transformers comic series, with Jorge Corona on pencils and Mike Spicer on colors! At least for now, because this is this creative team’s penultimate issue!
In this twenty-third issue, the Autobots make their last stand against a relentless Decepticon assault. Meanwhile, an unconscious Optimus Prime travels through the inside of the Matrix and meets up with an old friend.
Penultimate? That’s when all the good stuff happens, right?
Uh sure. The heroes are brought to their lowest point and set up for a grand climax when Optimus Prime finally returns! I mean, c’mon, you knew he was gonna eventually! I feel like most of the “penultimate” action happens off-panel, with the Decepticons running roughshod over the remaining Autobots while we’re focusing on Optimus doing his “dreamwalk”.
I actually feel like some punches are pulled here, considering DWJ’s penchant for killing off characters. There’s only one character that I feel might have died for real, but considering we’ve already seen some preview art of the next creative team’s run, there’s kind of a shocking lack of consequence here. Even Ultra Magnus’ big speech seems kind of comical knowing that the majority of these characters need to be left alone for the next creative team.
So what was good?
Jorge Corona’s art is always a high point. I’m gonna miss that most of all from this particular comic run. Hopefully he’ll come back to do a fill-in issue or something eventually.
Cube?
I’ve made no secret that Daniel Warren Johnson’s run on Transformers has not been something that I’ve really enjoyed all that much. It mostly seems like style over substance and that style has been enough to mask character and plot weaknesses for some people. I’m looking forward to Robert Kirkman’s run beginning in issue # 25, because while I don’t like everything he’s written, Kirkman HAS written stuff I’ve enjoyed.
Buy Transformers # 23 this week and watch Starscream take Superion down without even using the dreaded Triangle Formation.
