by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor

Daniel Warren Johnson strikes again with another impressive issue of Transformers! The Deception rampage across Earth has already hit close to home, and the Autobots struggle to find a way to revive their incapacitated friends without the help of the Arc and Teletraan-1. With help from their new human friends, they might just stand a chance at turning the table against the evil Cybertronian threat. Writer/Artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Do a Powerbomb, DC’s Wonder Woman: Dead Earth), Colorist Mike Spicer (Do a Powerbomb, Still Water), Letterer Rus Wooton (Invincible) and Energon Universe Showrunner Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) present Transformers #5 from Skybound Entertainment. Fans of Transformers: The Movie won’t want to miss this issue, as a fan-favorite character makes their debut!

Official Synopsis:
Starscream revives one of the most powerful Decepticons to eliminate the Autobots once and for all.

While Spike recovers from the devastating Decepticon attack, Sparkplug and Optimus Prime have a heart-to-spark about the perils of war. A stunningly intense series of panels expertly ties together the plight of those who have faced unimaginable circumstances, and expertly grounds this chapter in a way that everyone can understand. With a new “upgrade” in hand, Optimus is determined to turn the tides of war in their favor, and with help from Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Sparkplug, the bots might just have a new solution. Meanwhile, Starstream continues to revive an interesting selection of Decepticons (including the mighty warrior…Reflector?) and head back out to sneak attack the Autobots. Fortunately for our heroes, Optimus’ new “armaments” (see what I did there) catch them off guard, allowing for the revival of a surprising member of the Autobot team: Arcee! That’s right, just make sure you have Stan Bush’s “Dare” on standby and press play while you read through the action. Just when things seem to be moving in the right direction…Devastator is unleashed!

I feel like we have reached a new golden age for comics. Between Void Rivals, Transformers, Duke, and Cobra Commander, the Energon Universe continues to impress with each new issue. There are so many reasons that I’m enjoying this book, but Johnson’s consistent ability to capture heartfelt emotion through the eyes of Optimus Prime is easily the biggest. Months later, I am still feeling the sorrow of the trampling of Bambi and the intentional quishing of humans by Starscream. This issue is packed with some of those impactful moments as well. The use of Megatron’s signature weapon, Arcee’s big rescue, and the reveal of Devastator will make you feel all the feelings. I think that the main reason this book is firing on all cylinders comes down to the fact that Johnson is handling both the writing and artistic duties, and that unique mix is allowing him to channel a version of these characters that we haven’t seen before. This story feels like an emotional rollercoaster, and I mean that as the greatest possible compliment. You can’t read this book and not feel for the characters. Johnson’s narrative and artistic choices make Transformers a force to be reckoned with, and this book gets better and better with each new release. 

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Transformers #5 – 5 times that Optimus Prime has “The Touch” out of 5.

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