TRANSFORMERS #8, by Image Comics & Skybound on 5/8/24, forges new alliances and awakens old enemies when the Decepticons establish a new base from an old ship, and Carly takes on a new role.
Credits:
- Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
- Artist: Jorge Corona
- Colorist: Mike Spicer
- Letterer: Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: May 8, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single issue
Covers:
Analysis of TRANSFORMERS #8:
Plot Analysis:
Previously in TRANSFORMERS #7, the Decepticons found themselves with a new leader when Soundwave challenged Starscream for leadership and beat the egotistical jet into scrap. Meanwhile, Carly struggled with her father’s death but received consolation from Arcee.
In TRANSFORMERS #8, Soundwave leads the Decepticons on a raid to capture and scuttle an American battleship. The goal? Sink the ship near the crash site of the Decepticon ship, Nemesis, and use the battleship’s nuclear core as a steady supply of energy to make Energon and revive their fallen comrades.
When the Decepticons entered the wreck of the Nemesis, they were shocked to learn one occupant, Astrotrain, was still awake, alert, and eager for revenge against the Decepticon who imprisoned him – Megatron.
Elsewhere, Carly’s grief turns into resentment towards Cliffjumper for not killing Starscream when he had the chance. Optimus Prime and Wheeljack continue to undo Teletraan’s corrupted programming. Wheeljack succeeds enough to restore his legs and revive Jetfire, at least in flying form.
When the Autobots receive a signal that the Decepticons are on the move, Optimus launches a raiding party. Carly is determined to come along and fight, but Optimus refuses. To settle tempers and find a compromise, Arcee chooses Carly to be her Iron Apprentice – a binding relationship.
The issue ends with Soundwave restoring the Nemesis communications array and making contact with a certain purple Decepticon.
Character Development:
As much as this is a Transformers, the character growth, development, and point of view stay on Carly. The Autobots feel the burden of responsibility for her father’s death, and Carly is on a rollercoaster of emotions trying to absorb what happened. To be clear, there’s plenty of action and plot movement, but Carly’s emotional damage takes center stage.
Artwork and Presentation:
Again, there was a pause of concern when Daniel Warren Johnson rolled off art duties after issue #6, but Jorge Corona’s crusty style hits all the same, right notes to make Johnson’s script soar. Corona makes great use of subtle expressions combined with cinematic panel angles to give the overall issue a surprising amount of visual variety.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
On the technical side of things, Johnson’s pacing, plot movement, cool developments, and reader engagement are on point. In aggregate, a lot happens in this issue, particularly with the number of cameos longtime Transformers fans will likely get a kick out of, but the issue doesn’t feel rushed or overly busy.
Thematic Exploration:
Thematically, who knew a sci-fi comic about transforming robots could get this deep into exploring concepts of sudden grief, family, and sadness? Johnson gives you a range of emotional beats to make even small moments count, which gives the story about robots a distinctly human feel.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Transformers are part of the interconnected Energon Universe from Skybound, but so far, there have been precious little appearances from G.I. Joe characters. Conversely, the Joe titles tap into the Transformers’ presence quite liberally. Presumably, a major crossover is coming that will put the Joes against the Transformers, but for now, all Energon titles revolve around this one.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
TRANSFORMERS #8 gives you action, cameos, emotional depth, and wow moments. It’s not immediately clear where the train is headed within the context of the Energon Universe, but for now, it’s great enough to sit back and enjoy the ride.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.