TRANSFORMERS #17, by Image Comics & Skybound on 2/12/25, finds Cliffjumper putting an old spark to good use, Ultra Magnus’s condition getting worse, and Seattle in the crosshairs for Round Two.
Credits:
- Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
- Artist: Jorge Corona
- Colorist: Mike Spicer
- Letterer: Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: February 12, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single
Covers:
Analysis of TRANSFORMERS #17:
Recap:
When we last left the robots in disguise in Transformers #16, Optimus’s Autobots battled two rival factions of Decepticons at a hydroelectric dam for supremacy of Earth and to claim a valuable energy source to create more Energon. Meanwhile, Cliffjumper led Elita-1 on Cybertron to a hidden container that could hold the key for unleashing a powerful ally. The issue ended with the broken dam creating a deluge, Soundwave’s forces fracturing even further, and Laserbeak completing its mission to find the last hope of the Decepticons – Megatron.
Plot Analysis:
Transformers #17 rejoins the war on multiple fronts. Hang on to your Energon storage case because it’s about to get bumpy.
Thundercracker, still reeling from the revelation that Soundwave agreed to and participated in scrapping Skywarp for parts, races back to the Ark to free his brother-in-arms. When Thundercracker arrives, he learns, as did the Autobots, that Skywarp can’t be freed from his harness without dying, but he vows to find another way.
On Cybertron, Cliffjumper leads Elita-1, Prowl, Warpath, Blurr, and Blades to the Hall of Sparks with his container of spark remnants from his decimated tribe. They meet resistance from Ratbat and Thrust, but the Autobots reach the core, insert the spark container, and use an old chassis to create a new Autobot.
Beachcomber, Arcee, Carly, and Spike come ashore on a lonely beach while tracking Ultra Magnus’s Energon signature. They’re suddenly attacked by ordinance fire coming from the nearby woods. Eventually, they find Magnus attacked them out of mistaken instinct, and the search team finds Magnus has been busy addressing his PTSD by building a fortress.
Meanwhile, the Autobots race to find Destructicon and Soundwave after the dam collapse. The search leads to Seattle. The issue ends with a cataclysmic round two between Destructicon and Bruticus and a rescue mission for the Autobots to stop the collateral damage.
First Impressions:
After the Ultra Banger that was Transformers #16, Transformers #17 is solid, albeit a bit dense in that it pushes every scene forward in rapid-fire succession. Daniel Warren Johnson gives every Transformer a moment to shine with hard-hitting action and drama, but you can’t help wondering if the focus is a little too scattered.
Artwork and Presentation:
Jorge Corona is doing the Lord’s work by crafting every panel with a level of authenticity, emotion, and urgency you won’t find much of anywhere else. You’d think robots with metal faces can’t emote to convey how they’re feeling, but Corona makes it work with subtle eye and mouth shapes to communicate everything while saying little or nothing.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Daniel Warren Johnson’s script works on two levels. First, Transformers fans get a deluge of Transformers showing up to overflow your Easter Egg Basket. Most of the Transformers appearing in this issue have popped up before, but there are a few new additions that should make your G1-loving heart happy.
Second, Johnson moves every plot point forward in a substantial and meaningful way. Transformers #17 is a dense issue, but there’s not an ounce of waste or fluff to be found.
The Negatives:
In a word, Transformers #17 is “busy.” There’s a lot going on across five or more plot threads, and it’s not clear which is the main one or how to prioritize them. Each thread is great in and of itself, but Johnson tries to pack it all in quickly, so you don’t quite know where to focus or which thread is supporting which.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
In a recent interview between Robert Kirkman and Rob Liefeld, Kirkman confirmed that an epic crossover between the Transformers and G.I. Joe is in the works, but Kirkman didn’t reveal any details or the timing. As of now, the much anticipated Energon Universe crossover event is TBD.
Final Thoughts:
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TRANSFORMERS #17 is a G1-lovers Easter Egg dream. Daniel Warren Johnson uses every inch of page space to give a moment to every Transformer available, Decepticon and Autobot, to shine, and Jorge Corona’s emotional artwork is stupendous. That said, the plot may be too fractured and dense to absorb everything that’s happening.
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