Transformers Deluxe Edition Book One

Transformers (2023) #1-2

by Daniel Warren Johnson, Jorge Corona (illustrator), Mike Spicer (illustrator)

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

296 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I’ve wanted to try transformers comics for some time now and seeing as this is a fresh start in a universe overseen by Robert Kirkman I decided to check this out. Really enjoyed the start to this series, it’s essentially a full blown action packed and brutal war which is entertaining. Looking forward to seeing where they take this.

[Matt Quann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a passing affinity for the Transformers property, but having never been a fan of the original cartoon, my associations are from toys in early childhood. I wondered how the main series would look after having read, and loved, Void Rivals. I really enjoyed that series’ scene-stealing restraint in robot action.

By contrast, Transformers hits the gas and doesn’t let up. DWJ is such a cool artist to get on board this comic and his beautiful line work coupled with bang up robot action is sweet. It’s definitely more of an action comic than the sci-fi tone of Void Rivals, but the quieter scenes are where DWJ shines best.

I’m pretty intrigued to see where this goes next. By the end of the first arc I was interested and the second drew me in with its previously unknown characters. So, in summary, very cool looking adult Transformers content.


[3.5 Stars]

[Brandon’s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be overdramatic but if Daniel Warren Johnson actually winds up leaving this run after issue 25 I might just kms. This is the best comic on shelves currently.

[Sembray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not generally a graphic novels reader, but I saw this and was immediately overwhelmed by the nostalgia. Childhood me spent countless hours watching the Bayverse and G1 Transformers films (and even longer trying to get the toys to actually work), and this series provided everything adult (in terms of biological age at least) me would want. The characters are brilliantly imagined, there's a perfect balance between referencing the older series and making new and often brave design decisions, the art style is completely stunning and the plot is compelling with some thought-provoking themes handled nicely. What's more, this hardback special edition while pricey offers excellent image quality, combined with some lovely sketches and notes from Daniel Warren Johnson. I'm reliably informed that there are only a further 12 issues of this comic upcoming (this volume collates the first 12), which while great for my bank balance also feels like a bit of a shame: this series is absolutely phenomenal and I would happily continue to read it for the hundreds of millions of years the transformers spent buried on Earth.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Beach...comber...
What have I done?
What have I done?"

[Brandon Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are so back

[Joakim Ax · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book about Robots it is a surpisingly more human angle than seen before. Sure, it was there in IDW´s run as well, but there are some key panels in just the first few issues that paints up Optimus Primes perspective of our world and people more clearly from the start.

I don´t know how deep I will dive into this new established Energon Universe. But I think the Transformers title will be the title to keep on following with!

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

-STUPID HUMANS

Iteración de TRASNSFORMERS...se activa una nave inmensa donde vienen Decepticons y Autobots, y pues megarobots en guerra en el planeta tierra.

LO BUENO: Danierl Warren JOHNSON ES UNA MAQUINA ,hace años qie lo sigo y aun me faltan muchas de sus obras pero eso me alegra, porque el tipo es puro amor al medio, sus peleas duelen ( DO A POWERBOMB), cuando hay destrucción ves esquirlas, grietas ( BETA BILL RAY), y un dinamismo que te deja cansado ( WONDER WOMAN) y cuando es escritor, tiene momentos que quedas tan WTF ( EXTREMITY) , y todo eso lo desborda aca, es un paseo que te desarma, los Decepticons son malos ( pobres ballenas...) y Optimus es Épico, y cuando no lo esperas, doble spash page de Constructicos arrastrando a Starscream. Es puro amor al medio, y a los Transformers.

LO MALO: De tanta epicidad, a veces su arte se enrosca en el mismo...¿donde esta la mano?, ¿eso es una cabeza?

[Travis Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a transformers kid growing up in the eighties, the sound of them transforming will forever be in my mind. I am bias in that regard but the story is really exciting with a ton of action. I had previously read vol.1 but my library has not got vol.2 so I was pumped up I could order this and grabbed once I unboxes the shipment. Johnson creates a really good story that is not just straightforward. I like conflict inside Optimus, how he struggles with trying to save two world. I love how evil the deceptions are, especially soundwave and starscream. The autobots have unique personalities and they do not agree with each other all the time. The action is just awesome, lots of battles and lots of robot damage, arms ripped off and what not. I love how he brought in the big guns right away with devastator, magnus, Astrotrain and jetfire. Just awesome stuff.

[Nick Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

80s kid who watched the cartoons and had some toys. I’m a huge comic guy and I decided to get this to check out the hype. I’ve read several other DWJ books and I absolutely loved Wonder Woman Dead Earth and Do a Powerbomb! While this isn’t on the level of those masterpieces, it’s still very good. There art is kinetic and outrageous. The story is fun with a lot of twists and turns. Lots of insane battles, but as someone else mentioned, it really shines in the quiet moments. It can be tough to keep track of who is where and which side they are on if you aren’t hyper familiar with the G1 roster as a lot of the locations and characters are similar colors. Wish they had used more distinct letter bubbles like they did with Soundwave. This was good enough to warrant checking out the GI Joe series and Void Rivals to see what this Energon Universe is all about.

[James Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend suggested this along with other Energon books since I grew up in the Transformers toy, comics, and cartoon era (although I was a GI Joe kid).

First, I have to say, DWJ's art is incredible. He brings life to every panel. So dynamic. So much energy. I've seen enough of his work to know I'll read anything he's a part of.

Unfortunately, despite an interesting storyline, it still just feels like a bunch of robots running around and punching each other. As part of an IP intended for a younger audience (meaning, there won't be any real depth and certainly no real changes to character), the book just doesn't work the way I had hoped.

With that said, I know I'm not the target demographic, and I know I would've enjoyed every moment of this if I were reading this as a teen.

[Hugh Pfabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. The art isn't completely to my style, reminiscent of Senior's work on the old TF, but I still can appreciate it.
For the most part, this reads like an updating of the 80s G1 cartoon, but it's fine.
We have some character development, though I'm having a tough time with some characters acting very differently from how I remember... but this is meant to be all new.
A lot of them are killed off quickly, so that is a bit disappointing.
I'll come back to see the next volume, and hope that the story gets more interesting then just battle after battle. I enjoyed the lore and characters that IDW built, and hope for new instances of the same here.

[Phillip Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this more. The action was there. So many casualties; some made me sad. However, I hate the new Carly. I already know she'll end up in G. I. Joe. This comic was also spastic. So many times it would cut to explosions or a deus ex machina save. I hope the G. I. Joe books are closer to how awesome Void Rivals was over this. Transformers deserve to be cooler than we got in the first twelve issues.

[KenIRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wanted to read more of the Transformers lore and this book is amazing from sick artwork and fine story telling. The story depicts war way more gruesome then any of the show iterations I've watched, my only gripe is there's no inbetweem chapter breaks so you'll just keep on reading. There's also the fact that it seems only Optimus has the most characterization so far and Iwould like to see more in the other characters excited for vol 2 this year 4/5⭐️

[Devin · Rating 2 out of 5]

After my third attempt of trying to force my way through this book I’m done.

The story was no interest to me which was the biggest problem. The art is fantastic which is why it’s two stars and not one.

Overall I don’t enjoy straight action genre which is likely why this isn’t my jam. I’d imagine that many will enjoy it, which is terrific.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using this to rate the whole series, and I quite enjoyed it! A fun series featuring some of my favorite action in recent memory, a compelling story, and fantastic artwork, all of which led to a great read. One of the best things to come out in recent years. Will be reading more DWJ this year, certainly!

[Chris Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I love all of DWJs work. I was more of a ninja turtles kid than transformers but I really enjoyed this.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool update to the classic comic/show.

[Caylie Ratzlaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

this has taken me like a month to read and it’s far more uhhhhhhhh murdery and gruesome than the cartoons but I liked it but now I also have so many questions about the universe

[Al Capwned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robots have more empathy than humans in this one I guess.

[ossie VV · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10. Best comic of the past 2 decades

[Konstantinos Stavropoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy peak