TRANSFORMERS #29 – New Comic Review

Transformers #29, by Image Comics on 2/11/26, is the all out brawl issue where Optimus finally gets his shot at Megatron while everything on the ground tries to tear itself apart around them.

Credits:

• Writer: Robert Kirkman
• Artist: Dan Mora
• Colorist: Sarah Stern
• Letterer: Rus Wooton
• Cover Artist: David Nakayama (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: February 11, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of TRANSFORMERS #29:

First Impressions:

This issue reads like a long delayed punch in the mouth that finally lands, satisfying on impact but a little thin once the ringing in your ears fades. The core idea, Autobots and Decepticons colliding while Megatron and Optimus try to finish their personal war, is strong and the art sells every hit. The problem is that most of the emotional weight comes from what you already know from issue #28 rather than what this chapter builds on its own.

Recap:

In the previous issue, Megatron woke up in the Decepticon base, ripped control of the Nemesis back from his own troops, and made it very clear that mercy is not on the menu by executing Trailbreaker in the wild after escaping Autobot custody. Arcee went through a vision quest to become the new Ultra Magnus while Optimus weighed whether a title meant for life should really move on, leaving Magnus to delay the full hand off until Arcee is combat ready. Thundercracker defended his defection to Soundwave during a prison visit, arguing that living through Decepticon cruelty would eventually change Soundwave, while on the human side Mayhem used hidden tech called Viper to escape General Flagg, proving Earth’s problems are not limited to giant robots. The issue closed with Optimus rallying the Autobots for their first mission as a proper unit, Arcee giving her first Magnus speech, and Megatron answering that optimism by killing Trailbreaker and draining his spark, shifting him from schemer to active executioner.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

The issue opens with Megatron standing over Trailbreaker’s corpse, savoring the last drops of Energon like a trophy while nearby Decepticons watch from the trees. Optimus Prime crashes into him mid gloat, tackling him away from the body and throwing the first in a series of brutal punches that set the tone for the whole fight. Megatron recovers with a grin and the two lock into a close quarters slugfest, trading heavy blows and sharp barbs about poison, hypocrisy, and what their war has done to the world. Optimus insists Megatron has lost all kindness and passion, while Megatron claims he still feels a deep rooted passion, just one focused on Optimus’s death as he lines up his fusion cannon.​

Before Megatron can finish the shot, an Autobot attack cuts across the battlefield and blasts Soundwave’s position, triggering a larger engagement. More Autobots pour into the forest, including familiar soldiers like Hound, Jazz, and Brawn, and the ambush strips the Decepticons of their earlier advantage. Megatron reads the field fast and orders the Constructicons to retreat to the Ark and complete their mission, even as Prime lands more blows and warns that Megatron keeps underestimating the Autobots. Megatron brushes off the warning with a bloody smile, conceding that underestimation may doom him someday, just not today, then pulls back to let his forces regroup.​

Inside the Autobot facility, the focus shifts to Soundwave’s cell as the Constructicons reach him on his word that destroying a nearby control point will drop the force barrier. Arcee and Optimus arrive in time to counter, with Arcee daring the Decepticons to open the cell so she can throw Soundwave right back in and Optimus promising he is still destined for a cell next to his loyal friend. The standoff escalates when Scrapper calls for the Constructicons to form Devastator, even though not all components are present, creating a half complete but still massive combiner that bursts through the area. Optimus calls out the “half Devastator” problem to Arcee, warning her to watch herself as the giant lashes out against the Autobots.​

The battle widens as Bulkhead tangles with Bruticus, Kup tries to warn allies to clear out, and blaster fire turns the immediate area into a storm of impacts and VZAPP bursts. Optimus keeps hammering Megatron while directing troops to support Bulkhead and press the advantage, pushing the Combaticons to split up on Onslaught’s orders and try a divide and conquer tactic. Megatron snaps and decks Bruticus himself when the combiner mouths off, asserting command with raw force in the middle of the chaos. Amid the explosions, Wheeljack nearly falls but is yanked back into the fight by Optimus, who tells him they still need his mind and skills because the battle is far from over.​

In the final movement, Megatron turns his attention to Starscream, driving him to his knees and taunting him as a traitor who belongs right there greeting oblivion. Starscream tries to speak, only for Skywarp to panic when Megatron’s strange eye effect returns, signaling something powerful and uncontrolled, while another Decepticon notices Scrapper has vanished from the scene. Outside, Optimus offers the Decepticons a last chance to surrender and live, only for ominous doom like footfalls to drown him out as Starscream screams for retreat and Skywarp shouts that Soundwave is free and they need to run. Soundwave refuses to leave Megatron, declaring his loyalty as Elita One arrives to cut through the noise, dismissing Earth as an insignificant mud ball and stating that it is time Megatron finally answers to her, setting up the next issue as she steps into the story’s center.

Story

The script is a straight line brawl that keeps the pace brisk and easy to follow, but it leans almost entirely on action beats at the cost of deeper turns. Dialogue between Optimus and Megatron is big, bold, and on brand, trading righteous ideals for ruthless purpose in a way fans will recognize, though it rarely breaks new ground in how their rivalry is framed. Structurally, the issue is a clear escalation from one fight to a larger battle to a looming game changer entrance, but scene transitions are abrupt, especially when the focus jumps between factions with little breathing room. The script assumes you carry emotional context from prior issues, which keeps this chapter efficient, but it also means this comic does not stand as a self contained emotional arc so much as a loud middle round.

Art

Dan Mora’s line work is clean and aggressive, with every punch, blast, and transformation beat staged so you always know who is hitting whom and where they are standing in relation to the chaos. The compositions use the forest and facility layouts to frame the titans, putting Optimus and Megatron in strong silhouettes that read instantly, while combiners like Devastator and Bruticus feel physically huge without losing panel clarity. Sarah Stern’s colors lean into high contrast Energon bursts and glowing tech, which keeps the mood electric and readable even as pages fill with overlapping bodies and muzzle flashes. The visual storytelling carries much of the emotional weight through posture and framing, which helps offset the script’s reliance on familiar speeches.

Characters

Megatron continues as a sadistic tyrant who genuinely enjoys murder but can still read a battlefield and command with cold efficiency, which keeps his motivation consistent with his execution of Trailbreaker in the prior issue. Optimus is written as a leader on the edge, more willing to threaten final judgment than before, yet still trying to spare enemy lives when he offers surrender and sees no glory in pointless death. Supporting characters like Arcee, Bulkhead, Starscream, and Skywarp act in line with their roles, but they mostly function as tactical pieces rather than characters pushing new personal stakes. Elita One’s late arrival hints at a deeper rift with Optimus and a long running grudge with Megatron, yet this issue only teases that history instead of exploring it, so her moment plays more as a cool hook than a payoff.

Originality & Concept Execution

The core concept, a full scale Autobot versus Decepticon clash where only a specific factor can turn the tide, is not new, but it is executed with confidence and a focus on making every blow feel consequential. The issue delivers on the promise of a massive fight and a key turning point with Elita One’s entrance and Soundwave’s loyalty push, yet it does not introduce a radically new idea or twist in how this war operates. Instead, it refines classic beats, letting stylish art and sharp staging sell a familiar “Autobots almost have them, then something bigger walks in” structure. As an installment in an ongoing arc, the concept execution is solid, though readers looking for conceptual innovation rather than tonal excellence may find it more comfort food than revelation.

Positives

The strongest value for your dollar sits in the art driven spectacle, where clear layouts, expressive combat poses, and strong color choices make this battle sequence pop on every page. Megatron and Optimus’s duel feels heavy and personal, visually underlining that their conflict is poisoning everyone around them even when the script does not dig past big speeches. The introduction of half formed Devastator and the way the combiners move through panels give the fight a sense of escalating scale, which justifies this issue as the “big one” in the arc rather than filler violence. Elita One’s final page arrival, framed as a looming threat rather than an ally, adds a fresh charge that nudges the story away from a simple two faction brawl and promises a sharper shake up next time.

Negatives

On the downside, the writing leans so hard on action that quieter emotional beats get squeezed out, leaving this issue feeling like an extended third act without its own beginning or middle. Character arcs barely move, since Megatron is already established as a monster and Optimus was already pushed by Trailbreaker’s death, so this chapter mostly reinforces prior points instead of evolving them. The constant escalation of new threats, from Devastator to Bruticus to Megatron’s weird eye surge to Elita’s entrance, risks numbing tension because every new page tries to top the last rather than letting any single escalation breathe. Readers who want meaningful fallout or introspection will notice that the script cuts away once the dust starts to settle, saving consequences for later and making this issue feel incomplete on the character and theme side.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [4/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]

Final Thoughts:

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If your pull list has room for one loud, beautifully drawn robot slugfest this month, TRANSFORMERS #29 earns that slot by delivering a clean, high impact battle that looks fantastic and moves fast. If you are hoping for big emotional turns or radical new ideas, this issue plays more like a gorgeous crescendo than a fully rounded story, and you could wait for the trade without losing much context.

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