TRANSFORMERS #23 – New Comic Review

Transformers #23, by Image Comics on 8/13/25, detonates the fuse on the penultimate clash in the Energon Universe. This issue hurls the Autobots and Decepticons into a desperate, city-leveling last stand,

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: August 13, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of TRANSFORMERS #23:

First Impressions:

From the moment the first page ignites, the sense of doom presses down like a Decepticon’s boot. The emotional weight is matched only by the bombastic action. This isn’t your dad’s soft and fuzzy Saturday morning cartoon. I felt wrung out, a little hopeful, and completely invested in the fates of these battered robots and stubborn humans.

Recap:

Previously, in Transformers #22, Megatron unleashed a full-throttle assault on the Autobots’ stronghold, forcing Optimus Prime and his weary crew to make their stand on Earth while Elita-1’s resistance on Cybertron only managed a one-way portal evacuation. Superion, the Autobots’ towering combiner, made a frantic escape with survivors as Optimus, infected and nearly crushed by his own weaponized arm, ordered its removal. Meanwhile, Cliffjumper’s last-minute betrayal to save Carly added personal heartbreak, and Megatron, restored and merciless, faced off against an ailing Optimus, with the Matrix of Leadership slipping beyond reach for the Autobots facing extinction.

Plot Analysis:

The issue opens in the Pacific Ocean, where the relentless conflict resumes with a bang. The latest Autobot, created by Cliffjumper, materializes on Earth with one mission in mind: Save Carly. Wheeljack and the Autobots scramble to evacuate devastated Chicago, dodging human casualties and Decepticon air assaults. Megatron, ever the mood-killer, orders a full advance, wiping away any notion that mercy is on the table.

As the Autobots struggle to regroup, Optimus Prime grapples with the otherworldly burden of the Matrix, desperate for guidance even as a mysterious infection plagues his core. Visions and memories blur, with the legacy of past Primes offering little solace while the city’s monuments stand as silent witnesses to the carnage. The battered resistance workforce prepares their final stand in the shadow of Chicago’s Alder Planetarium.

Meanwhile, human survivors convene to offer due respect to Optimus—the robot who literally saved them from falling skyscrapers—while Autobots patch their wounded and brace for the impending storm. A tender moment of gratitude is shattered as Decepticon forces gather on the edge, ready to deliver the killing blow.

The Decepticons charge, orchestrated brutality on full display. Yet even as old friends like Magnus return to rally the beleaguered troops, feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome run deep. Sacrifice is on everyone’s mind; to stand for Optimus is to risk oblivion. But the battle drum still beats, and the Autobots prepare to die for a better world that might remain forever out of reach.

Throughout, Optimus is haunted by visions as Sparky acts as his metaphysical partner within the dimension of the Matrix, pressing him to shut out the world. Human bonds tether him to hope even as physical reality collapses around him. When Starscream breaks through the lines and chaos erupts, the cost of leadership and the cruel calculus of war come to a head. Megatron steps forth to claim his showdown, the legendary “one shall stand, one shall fall” boiling to the surface as city ruins smolder.

Story

Daniel Warren Johnson continues his relentless campaign of narrative attrition. The script is brisk and savage, swinging between panoramic battles and earnest heartbreak with merciless efficiency. Dialogue rarely wastes a beat, shrinking even the mightiest robot leaders to their wounded, weary cores in as few words as possible. Exposition is woven into the chaos, and there’s barely a moment to breathe between disasters, last stands, and existential crises. If there’s a flaw, it’s the deliberate heaviness: the optimism is rationed like energon on a dying world, but that’s the point, and it works.

Art

Jorge Corona and Mike Spicer deliver an electrifying symphony of destruction and battered resilience. The cityscapes brood, the Autobots suffer, the Decepticons leer, and every explosion nearly kicks you off your chair. Dynamic line work and striking color design balance the grim with just enough vibrancy to keep despair from overwhelming the pages. Facial expressions, even on steel faces, sell the weight of every sacrifice. The action scenes crackle with kinetic energy, and the quieter moments provide a battered but vital pulse beneath all the wreckage.

Characters

The existential war fatigue hangs heavy, yet every character manages to register distinct notes. Optimus Prime wrestles with literal and figurative burdens; Megatron gets to be a Shakespearean villain with more than surface malice. Wheeljack’s indefatigable optimism spikes through as the scientist-inventor scrambles against extinction. Side characters, such as Magnus, Carly, the human crowd, step up to provide grounding and emotional stakes growing sharper with every panel. Even Sparky gets a turn in the psychological spotlight, proving the creative team isn’t wasting anyone in their ensemble as the end looms.

Positives

At its best, Transformers #23 is a study in tension and catharsis. The writing is unrelenting and sharply observed, pinning big emotions onto massive action beats. The art team delivers dazzling scenes of mayhem and flickers of hope with enviable range. Every page feels like it matters, pushing characters to breaking points and finding moments of heroism amid doom.

Negatives

If you’re hoping for levity or feel-good moments, look elsewhere. This issue barrels along with grim resolve, making the rare hopeful gesture feel almost cruel in its fragility. Some character moments, especially for the supporting cast, are tantalizingly brief or brushed aside in favor of set-piece drama. A newcomer will find little room to catch up or care, with little recap or context provided in the issue itself. The pacing is a punishing sprint, almost to the point of exhaustion for both robots and readers.

Art Samples:

Final Thoughts:

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TRANSFORMERS #23 is a punch to the spark and a feast for the senses, a war epic unafraid to sling emotional shrapnel with precision. The writing and art fuse into a relentless crescendo of hope, sacrifice, and doomed bravado, delivering everything you could want (and dread) from a penultimate issue in the arc. There are no safe spaces and no easy answers. Just soaring robots, ruined skylines, and the world’s biggest fight for what little good is left.

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