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SERIES PREMIERE THE ALL NEW TRANSFORMERS ERA STARTS HERE! Superstar creator DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON (DO A POWERBOMB, Wonder Dead Earth), alongside ENERGON UNIVERSE showrunner ROBERT KIRKMAN (VOID RIVALS, INVINCIBLE), reimagines Hasbro’s robots in disguise for a brand-new generation. Optimus Prime was supposed to have led the Autobots to victory. Instead, the fate of Cybertron is unknown, and his allies have crash-landed far from home, alongside their enemies—the Decepticons. As these titanic forces renew their war on Earth, one thing is immediately the planet will never be the same. New alliances are struck. Battle lines are redrawn. And humanity’s only hope of survival is Optimus Prime. Discover THE TRANSFORMERS like you’ve never seen them before!

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About the author

Daniel Warren Johnson

166 books416 followers
Daniel Warren Johnson is a Chicago-based comic book writer, artist, and illustrator. He's worked on titles for most major publishers, including Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Image. His current series with Skybound/Image Comics is EXTREMITY, a sci-fi/fantasy title he is writing and drawing, and continues to update his webcomic Space-Mullet in his spare time.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
Profile Image for Justin.
98 reviews5 followers
November 24, 2023
great first issue

I was shocked by the ending. A little more gritty than I was expecting, which is great. Good retelling of the classic G1 beginnings. Transformers OGs and new fans alike will appreciate this first issue. Off to a good start.
Profile Image for Daniel.
531 reviews67 followers
August 2, 2024
5tes Buch des Energon Universe, Teil 1 der Transformers. Ohne viel Vorspiel geraten zwei Jugendliche von einem Berg in eine Höhle in der der Krieg zwischen den Transformers nach der Wiedereinschaltung direkt losgeht. Optimus Prime und die Autobots können fliehen, während die Decepticons sich auf die Suche nach mehr Energon machen müssen.
Einfacherer, klassischer Zeichenstil, der hier sehr gut passt.
Ich bin weiterhin nachhaltig begeistert.
Profile Image for Brandon.
1,342 reviews
August 27, 2024
The copy I have is what Midtown Comics considers "Cover O" for the Third Printing from December 2023. I guess, at the time, my LCS didn't have newer printings of other back-issues, or I'm silly because it looks like #3 was the newest in that month so I would not have been too far behind to just temporarily skip #2, or else I was uncertain I'd enjoy a comic based on G1 Transformers because I initially grew up with Beast Wars.

Anyway, this was cool as fuck. Daniel Warren Johnson is both writer and artist, which gives this a sort of "auteur" leg-up over other Western comics, bringing things a bit closer to standards I expect through having read so much more manga. G1 designs remain pretty toyetic and possibly very true to original toys or something; the Starscream looks quite close to the little $8 one I bought from Target a year or so ago, complete with jet-guns hanging off his robot form's shoulders.

There is a bit of human stuff here, as one expects from modern Transformers (or which is probably standard for anything outside the Canadian CGI shows...). We have a boy called Spike, who is most likely Spike Witwicky, though his surname hasn't been confirmed yet. He has a rather thicc girlfriend, I guess. There's some drama with his dad and presumably a dead astronaut uncle or someone. But we get more robot page-time overall, I think. Optimus, Jetfire, and Ratchet versus Starscream, Soundwave, and Skywarp. Soundwave also has Ravage. Bumblebee is nearby and gets shot in the face by Starscream before coming back online, so he's either dead or will revive as a mute (as is to be expected). Megatron is almost mentioned. Nothing too wild yet, as we have a lot of big names, so time will tell who else will join. I know Arcee appears on some covers. I hope we get Dinobots.

I accidentally double-dipped with this issue, as I forgot I owned it, and bought another variant cover recently. It's Cover D, which looks pretty cool, so whatever. But, because of this, I feel I should not collect the trades because then I'd have this first issue three times, so I'll continue grabbing more floppies, I guess ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for David Dalton.
3,086 reviews
February 5, 2024
Count me in! I am a GI Joe fan and my son is a Transformer fan. We buy our favorite titles and read each others comics (I read his Transformers issues and I give him my Duke and Cobra Commander issues.
478 reviews4 followers
February 25, 2025
Oh man this is sooooo cool!

My family got this for me from the Transformers Shop in Battersea and it has a cool variant cover.

I just want more. I'll put this and the Jetfire volume on my birthday list.
Profile Image for Leslie Carnahan.
1,451 reviews17 followers
October 26, 2023
Okay okay okay. Here me out. I don't really like Transformers. I tried to get into them in the past (my ex LOVED them) but it wasn't really my thing. Normally, I'd be a MLP or JEM girl. But y'all... This is Daniel Warren Mother Freaking Johnson we are talking about here! I had to give it a spin. And OMG IM GLAD I DID! WTF man?! You got me invested in a story about Robots In Disguise?! Damn! This is gonna be a fun one I can already tell.
Profile Image for Steven D’Alterio.
144 reviews1 follower
February 1, 2025
Very very cool! Spicer’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and pay homage to the aesthetics of the OG runs with sophisticated and fresh paneling. Must read physically! DWJ’s writing is perfect! Great human story of grief paired with cyber civil war!
22 reviews
January 21, 2024
I'm always gonna be a big kid. This first issue was another great start to an old iconic childhood favorite. Never have the Decepticons seemed more vile. Cannot wait to continue on this journey.
Profile Image for Dr CG.
606 reviews62 followers
July 7, 2024
GameStop Exclusive :) It always feels nostalgic reading an actual paper comic. 🙌 I need to do more of this.
Profile Image for Cybernex007.
2,205 reviews9 followers
February 4, 2026
WOW, that’s what I’m talking about. That was amazing because it really is THAT serious. Peak perfection from the art to all the character work to the world building. I have to admit I am someone who leans towards stories like transformers cutting out the human interaction element, I just don’t need it, but this is a huge exception because of how well done it is. We open this issue getting introduced to our human characters, a boy named Spike and his father named Sparkplug (sparky). There family has hit some pretty rough times lately after Spike’s brother, Jimmy, died in a rocket explosion after training to become an astronaut. Spike found his dad passed out in a bar before work as Spike was on his way to look at the stars with his friend Carly and his brother’s telescope as it helps Spike remember him. But this agitates his father, as he doesn’t want spike to end up like his other son and as Sparky is picked up for work the two leave on uncertain terms. Now Carly on the other hand, who picks up Spike in her rocking van whip she painted herself, is an awesome and supportive friend. At the very least he is able to talk to her about his prospects of becoming an astronaut but both of them have school problems as Spike wants to go to Berkeley and Cary needs the money to get into an art school. But as they head up Hanger’s rock to mount the telescope, suddenly there is an earthquake and the ground beneath them caves in and sends both of them into a cavern bellow. They are both fine, but as they get up and look around…suddenly they realize they are standing in the giant engine of an alien spacecraft!

Spike and Carly are able to walk through the engine into the main corridor where they find it filled with giant robots completely torn up by battle. TRANSFORMERS BABY!! Optimus prime is the biggest one there but there is a clear mix of autobots and decepticons. If you read void rivals this won’t be too much of a surprise, but suddenly jet fire flew in to help his friends. He was woken up on that uncharted world after thousands of years asleep. Unfortunately this also means he doesn’t know the current state of affairs on cybertron. He used just enough of his energon left to trigger the earthquake to locate their ship and activate the rebuilding sequence on the ship to give them new forms the creatures of this world will find familiar. The first one to be repaired is starscream, and all the while spike and Carly are hiding behind other robot parts watching this unfold. Starsceam thanks jetfire for waking him and choosing the right side…starscream then proceeded to blow bumblebee’s brains out while he was still unconscious. NOOOOOOO! YOU BASTARD! Jetfire freaks out and doesn’t understand what just happened. Starscream angrily explains that the markings on his wings show his allegiance to the war they have been fighting for the past hundred years and that was just the first of many. Suddenly the rebuilding sequence kicks on and Optimus prime starts to rebuild. Jetfire attempts to stop starscream, claiming that this is all madness…with a smile starscream couldn’t agree more and blasts jetfire in the chest to get out of his way to destroy anything with the autobots symbol which starscreams claims means “true evil.” Right as starscream was about to blast another downed autobot, Optimus prime launches in and grabs star scream by the gun mounted on his arm and slams him into the ground. Shooting the helpless is a new low even for starscream and suddenly Optimus prime fully suplex this guy into the ship. Spike and Carly are running and freaking out at this point and suddenly there is a moment of recognition from Optimus as he realizes they are the creatures of this planet. His directive immediately shifts from offense to defense as he works to protect them from starscream and suddenly Optimus has help as Ratchet (the ambulance autobot) jumps up to kick starscream down and offer an assist. But the decepticon skywarp (another jet like starscream) was also revived and is providing returning fire, forcing the autobots into cover. The war has started right back up in this corridor and the teletraan one is reconstructing them at random, so they immediately begin to drag their decepticon comrades to their side so they can keep the pressure on the autobots. It’s time to retreat and Optimus realizes with his new form they should have a way to transport there comrades out. Suddenly he notices the trailer and orders ratchet to load their warriors onto it so they can get out, all while Optimus goes for a very large gun to provide covering fire. At that moment the boombox decepticon soundwave is coming back to life and immediately locks his canon in on Optimus. As Optimus gets up from the blast he realizes that he landed right next to bumblebee’s corpse. Spike watches solemnly as prime takes his friend’s body into his arms in mourning. But starscream uses that as a chance to attack prime, teasing him for mourning the “weakest of them all.” Soundwave provides an assist by sending out his cassette tape which can then into a vicious robot dog named Ravage. Starscream is holding Optimus down so he can be ripped apart, all while Optimus is reaching and inching towards the canon. Spike sees his chance and he runs out into the battlefield, and with Carly’s help they push the gun ever so slightly into Prime’s hands, allowing him to blast Ravage to hell. He was then able to throw starscream off and dodge a kick from skywarp. Prime sees they are outnumbered and outgunned and apologizes to the ship, teletraan, as he blasts the control unit repairing them before any more decepticons, and unfortunately anymore autobots, can be revived. Ratchet has loaded them up and watches as Optimus runs forward with the humans in hand and explosions all around him. The deceptions can barely keep up the fight with how low their energon reserves are. Ratchet and Optimus are now transforming as Optimus puts the humans in his cab and hooks onto the trailer to roll out of there. The kids are freaking out as they roll out of the ship and go flying through the air all while the two jet decepticons chase after them. At that moment jetfire also wakes up to the sound of jets and pieces himself back together to help Optimus. Prime and ratchet are just as weak as their foes and can’t take much, making Jetfire’s assist all the more worthwhile, even if he takes nasty damage from the two jets as well. Fortunately skywarp can’t go much further and starscream is forced to let the autobots escape until they can get more energy and wipe them all out for good.

Spike directed the autobots to a nearby quarry where he used to sneak off with his brother and where they can now hide. Jetfire is gravely injured and is about to die, even Optimus Prime’s matrix cannot heal jetfire enough to stop the inevitable, and in his final words jetfire asks for forgiveness for not knowing the situation. Prime assures him he has nothing to be sorry for, and Prime remembers when he left the planet to find a way to save it. He found nothing and asks Prime if there is any hope. For once, Optimus is not sure. As the issue comes to an end we see the decepticons in a panic. The ship is damaged beyond their current capabilities for repair without energon and more raw materials. Luckily for them, soundwave sent his robot vulture, laserbeak, to scout for resources. As starscream has the most energon reserved it is up to him to go out and retrieve it, that’s what Meg-and suddenly starscream stops soundwave from talking. He is the leader of the decepticons now as megatron is not here and he doesn’t even want to hear the name (reading void rivals he is probably safely in stasis on cybertron, right?). But in their search for power this drives starscream right to the power plant where Spike’s dad happens to work. There day immediately turns into a horror movie as starscream lands and begins to rip the place apart. While Sparky hides, his coworker makes a run for the van only to be noticed by starscream who immediately picked him up and squashed him in his giant robot hand. Starscream can’t help but laugh as the blood splatters all over his face and Sparky watches in horror. What a monster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,819 reviews13.5k followers
October 13, 2023
A couple of stargazing-loving kids witness a spaceship crash-land into the side of a mountain. Inside? Buncha “dead” robots! What the Shia LaBeef’s going on?!

Image/Skybound picked up the Transformers licence from IDW and this is the first comic in their new line (there was a Transformer cameo in Void Rivals #1 but one scene doesn’t make that a “secret” Transformers comic). So how was Transformers #1? Not great - didn’t transform my feelings about these talking toys.

Like most kids, I had some Transformers toys and I probably saw snippets of one of the cartoons, but I was never a huge fan so I don’t have a whole lot of nostalgia for the brand. Still, I heard a lot of praise about the IDW Transformers comics so I tried James Roberts’ More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 1 and… yikes. The less said about that failed experiment the better!

Still, Daniel Warren Johson’s take is more accessible than Roberts’. I recognised a couple of the more famous bots (OPTIMUUUUUUSSSS!) and they do indeed transform from robots into trucks and planes. Johnson works in his love of wrestling by having Optimus introduced by clotheslining a robot and then suplexing it! The art is fine - they sure do look like giant robots.

What Transformers still seems to come down to though is “good” robots fightin’ “bad” robots and that’s not interesting enough for me. Perhaps a more compelling storyline will emerge over the course of the series but, going by my experiences with Johnson’s previous books, I highly doubt that - I think it’ll end up being a slightly less stupid comics version of the Michael Bay movies. It may have switched publishers and creative teams but one thing hasn’t changed: Transformers still isn’t for me!
Profile Image for Nicolo.
3,513 reviews209 followers
October 23, 2023
Transformers is back in comics, and in a big way. Superstar creator in waiting, Daniel Warren Johnson, known for award winning and critically acclaimed work such as Do A Powerbomb and Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, drives most of the creative spark of this story engine; writing, penciling and inking, with frequent collaborator Mike Spicer handling the color art. I say superstar in waiting, but this project could cement his status as a superstar creator, seeing that the first print run of this issue has sold out.

Johnson credits his original 1984 Optimus Prime toy and the Marvel Transformer comic books for the impetus for the first steps in becoming a comic book artist. To paraphrase the man as he wrote in the afterword to his first issue, if he can draw Optimus Prime, he can draw anything.

The Generation One (this is a Transformer fandom term that covers the first era of the toyline) influence is obvious. The first issue is a remix of the first few episodes of the original animated series as I remember it. In that story, the Transformers, both Autobots and Decepticons were revived by Teletran-1 after hibernating in dormancy for millions of years.

Using Jetfire, and giving the scientist a key role in reviving their fellow Cybertronians is an inspired choice, giving the character more agency. Jetfire also connects this comic with the greater Energon Universe after cameoing in Void Rivals #1, the Robert Kirkman penned series that started it all.

Like the cartoon, Spike and his father are around, providing the human drama and perspective alongside the giant robot action scenes.

This is a great first issue. It scratches the Transformers itch I had since the end of the adventures of the Lost Light and left this reader wanting more. I can't wait for the next issue.
Profile Image for ComicBookCult Luke.
454 reviews2 followers
December 28, 2024
For someone with rather limited background with transformers (I remember the live action movies somewhat familiarly, one of the games on PS2 and a handful of cartoons from my childhood) I feel like this is a solid and easy jumping on point. Daniel Warren Johnson’s writing is fun and sometimes comedic, his artwork is expressive, busy and punchy. Mike Spicer is on colours and does an excellent job I must say of colouring over DWJ’s art.

This is my second reread of this issue, I originally read the first three, added the title to my pull list. Now I’ve got a total of 15 issues to burn through until I read the next wave, I’ve been storing these upon a new release and every time I’m amazed by the beautiful covers. I believe this issue is on its tenth, maybe even eleventh printing by now so if that convinces you it’s worth picking up, it’s good to know it’s been that well loved.
Profile Image for RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez.
Author 8 books32 followers
October 13, 2023
El deseo de que Daniel Warren Johnson ilustre cualquier franquicia y personaje del cómic y audiovisual posible sigue en buen puerto con esta nueva cabecera de Transformers en el ambicioso plan de nuevo Universo Compartido de licencias de Hasbro amparado por Robert Kirkman y su Skybound.

Tanto en la parte gráfica como en la argumental, Warren Johnson tiene el corazón bien puesto con estos personajes. En este nuevo marco de la eterna guerra trasladada de Cybertron que vuelve a estrellarse en nuestro planeta. Con nuevos personajes humanos que podrán ser aliados de los Autobots para poder tomar cartas en el asunto cuando los Decepticons pongan en peligro su seguridad.

Desde luego, es el mejor momento para leer algo de Transformers.
Profile Image for Adrian.
74 reviews
October 16, 2024
La edición es el volumen 1. (2024)
Llevaba meses picado con poder leermelo y entender el revuelo y vaya sorpresa mas acojonante.
Para empezar es el mejor relato de transformers; el de la guerra civil, la necesidad de paz y la inmigración son conceptos clave para la realización de la historia.
Para seguir su cast de humanos es cercano y tengo ganas de saber más de ellos, es normal que la escena del ciervo sea lo mas repetido al hablar de esta obra porque literalmente te deja ver los engranajes y usos que se van a hacer dentro de la misma.
El dibujo y color es una completa maravilla y si esto hubiera llegado de manera mensual a españa me hubiera enganchado de una.
Recomendadísima lectura y buen ganador de los eisner otorgados.
Profile Image for Rayhan dinkleberry .
63 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2024
A great reinvention of the mythos of the Transformers. Starscream along with the rest of the Decepticons are truly intimidating and Optimus and his fellow Autobots are as heroic as ever, espically Optimus Prime. This is how you write a younger Optimus. Insted of making him hate the humans( as seen in "Rise of the Beasts"), he protects the humans at all costs and is more then willing to give up his life for his fellow soldiers. The plot itself is very run of the mill for Transformers as it is basically the exact same plot as Generation 1's first story arc, it stands out with it's higly developed characters. A truly fun read and a great kickoff to Skybound's Energon Universe.
Profile Image for Eden.
99 reviews2 followers
October 11, 2023
This is a lot better than the previous #1 relaunch of Transformers under IDW in my opinion. That new continuity didn't hold my attention very well, but I was hooked on this single issue the entire time.

The comic has the perfect tone for Transformers. It manages to be fun while also being able to be emotionally stimulating and have stakes. Too much Transformers media fails this balance but it is perfect here.

I really look forward to what this re-imagining of the G1 continuity cluster will bring. It certainly feels like there's passion here and I intend to stick with it as long as I can.
Profile Image for C Z Hazard.
Author 6 books13 followers
November 9, 2023
Great start!

I was reading Transformers as long as I can remember reading, I grew up with MARVEL UK, came of age with G2, was running comic stores when Dreamwave launched, and when IDW and IDW 2.0 launched.
This is my favourite first issue of a Transformers series in the history of the brand, it has been a long time since we've had a G1-esque tabula rasa. I've enjoyed the soft launch with Void Rivals and look forward to seeing where the Skybound Energon Universe takes us. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Nicholas.
3 reviews
April 24, 2024
Trying way too hard to be brutal, shocking, and gritty. This new direction is not at all what I read Transformers for. The old comic run had its fair share of violence too but these new comics just feel like they are trying to shove it in your face and say "We are going to be grown-up and ultra violent now so deal with it!"

Maybe I'm in the minority but having read several issues now, I can't say I love it. I'm still reading the issues out of curiosity of what might happen next but not out of my general love for the Transformers franchise.
368 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2023
I'm curious

I must admit the art is somewhat amateurish its distracting but I'm a Transformers fan so I bought this entry issue out of curiosity to see where this story is going. I prefer the Michel Bay movie design yet I'm willing to overlook that for nostalgia sake of the series in this case. If the story continues for a couple more issues to hold my interest. I may consider buying only for a conclusion cause I hate incomplete comics.
Profile Image for Dave.
993 reviews20 followers
November 16, 2023
Though not a Transformers fan, the hype reached me via a certain comic review channel on a YouTube in particular to jump on this and I always found it hard to tell these robots apart. Still, Johnson’s enthusiasm exudes off the page as we are reintroduced to these bots that s change into vehicles.
I was probably born 10 years too early for the actual craze of Transformers , but this wad a fun first issue and probably worth my time and money to continue.
10 reviews
June 30, 2024
Growing up, my favorite show was Transformers, and my favorite movie was the 1986 animated Transformers movie. I lost interest with the Michael Bay movies, and thought I'd outgrown the transformers. This rekindled my love for these silly metal robots so incredibly much. I love the G1 designs, and I love what they're doing with this storyline. The violence and the drama and the stakes feel perfect, everything I would've wanted as a kid.
11 reviews
July 29, 2024
Certainly more than meets the eye

I enjoyed the first issue. While I thought the art style was old-fashioned, the brutality shown by the Decepticons and Autobot’s struggle for survival made it a rather engaging read from start to finish. It gives a different and more refreshing feeling than Transformers animation shows and presents a mature edge in a much better format than live-action films.
1 review
October 11, 2023
g1 updated for an adult audience

Frankly I’ve been impressed with modern indie comics for a while now, from boom studios power rangers, to idws tmnt. But no book has made me feel so at home and so excited than this book. A beautiful rendition of the classic g1 origin but with a more modern and adult twist that fans of the original series will love.
Profile Image for Jesse.
17 reviews
May 12, 2024
Like the ‘80s

This was a fun read. It was a little like the first episode of Transformers, the original cartoon. Just the first part, after that it’s pretty much new material. I enjoyed it and I’ve been following Transformers since I was a kid back in the ‘80s. The drawing and writing are excellent.
Profile Image for The Dude.
8 reviews
June 5, 2024
Honestly like sitting down and watching a Saturday morning cartoon in all the best ways.
Optimus is still a paragon of all things good, he's just not afraid to suplex some Decepticons to protect it now.
The human conflicts and stories feel so real and raw grounding and meshing well with the struggles of their Autobot friends.
Also love the little G.I. Joe tie in and can't wait for vol. 2
Profile Image for Fabbio.
74 reviews1 follower
July 2, 2024
Daniel Warren Johnson does a fantastic job reinvigourating a what has been a stale story. The human plot does a great job grounding the entertaining alien melodrama while sprinkling a dash of commentary in there. Johnson's artwork is utterly incredible, rendering characters we've seen for decades in new ways and making moments of action incredibly dynamic
Profile Image for Brian J. Kelly.
47 reviews3 followers
Read
October 3, 2025
What a great new start!

I Loved the IDW universe, even though it had its flaws. I was sad when they lost their license and their stories ended. However, I like what Skybound is doing so far, and can't wait to read more. Check out Void Rivals as well! Original characters and interesting story so far.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews

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