COUNTDOWN: 5 BIG questions about Skybound’s Transformers

We’re only one issue into Skybound’s new Transformers comic series, but if you’re like me, you’re already hooked!

The combination of gorgeous artwork, exhilarating pace, classic robot designs and high stakes is enough to get pulses running and curiosity peaking for what might be yet to come. The second-issue follow-up is on the way next month and will hopefully bring more insight into the new world of this shared ‘Energon Universe’, ahead of various GI Joe-themed titles on the way soon. For now, though, between the main Transformers title and sister comic Void Rivals, there’s a fair bit of intrigue still to be had, with some key questions about the current state of play for the robots in disguise.

So today, let’s tackle some of the biggest!

WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Void Rivals #1-4 and Transformers #1!

#5: What time period is it?

Transformers #1, art credit: Daniel Warren Johnson

Firstly, a sizeable question that’s also important and perhaps entirely irrelevant in equal measure (if such a statement makes sense to begin with!): when is this Transformers story taking place? Purely at face value, you could easily assume it was either the real-world present-day or, indeed, the classic early-1980s set-up so often explored in franchise lore. Ignoring whatever vague hints at a specific period exist in the story, nothing about the style or aesthetic of the book firmly pivots one way or the other, with the clothing of the humans and vehicle modes of the Cybertronians all fairly timeless in their way. Equally, a lot of the seeming real-world cues are similarly indistinct; nods such as Carly adorning her van with an artistic Lord of the Rings meets Conan the Barbarian mash-up could just as easily feel at home in the 2020s as they would almost forty years prior, and even Spike’s distinct Marty McFly-style outfit feels about as vintage as it does current.

By all accounts, this vagary is entirely purposeful, hence the assertion that, at least in some senses, it arguably doesn’t matter, with series creator Daniel Warren Johnson even stating on his behind-the-scenes ‘director’s cut’ livestream how he wasn’t necessarily interested in pinning the events of the story down to a specific era. Still, the book provides some potential hints. First, Sparkplug seems to have PTSD-style flashbacks to a war that could very well be Vietnam (that opening panel is highly Apocalypse Now in style, and one suspects intentionally so!). Then, there’s a seeming reference to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. However, in both cases, these could be meant as fictional in-universe events which simply resemble our own real-world history. Either way, it all adds up to give the book a definite ‘vibe’, but in the absence of anything concrete for now, and with Void Rivals’ space-hopping adventures entirely steering clear of Earthern concerns, it may be we have to wait and see just when the story is taking place, exactly.

#4: What is happening on Cybertron?

Void Rivals #4, art credit: Lorenzo De Felici

Intriguingly, our sole glimpse of the Transformers’ home world has thus far happened not in the pages of the robot-related comic itself but in Void Rivals, where we are treated to a brief scene set on Cybertron. Really though, we remain largely in the dark about the current state of play on the mechanical planet, with only vague hints as to the situation or, indeed, the larger set-up of the story at play. We do know there is a desperate lack of resources for the Autobots and Decepticons alike, as both books allude to, especially as Shockwave even states he has barely enough energon to sustain himself and that most of his comrades are now in stasis. The manner of his presence on Cybertron also strongly suggests the bad guys have some ruling control at present, although there’s no suggestion of where the non-Earthbound Autobots are or what state they’re currently in.

We can further deduce Cybertron’s problems have been going on for some time, with Jetfire having left the planet long ago “to find a way to save it” (although it’s not entirely clear if this concerns the ongoing energon shortage). The timeline here is somewhat murky, as Void Rivals #1 has the scientist calculating he has been dormant on a barren planet for potentially millions of years, but then in Transformers #1, he states he has “been away for centuries“. Either way, he is entirely unaware of the Autobot/ Decepticon war, which Starscream clarifies has been going on for “the past hundred years“, a span that feels dramatically shorter than the typical age-old conflict in classic Transformers media. There are many remaining jigsaw pieces needed to complete the full picture at this stage, but hopefully, some of those will start to fall into place in upcoming stories!

#3: How do the Quintessons factor in?

Void Rivals #3, art credit: Lorenzo De Felici

We’ve already looked in detail at all the weird and wonderful ways Void Rivals ties into or homages the larger world of Transformers, although some of those nods are still fairly indistinct regarding how they influence this specific telling of the robots in disguise. Chief amongst those is the presence of Quintessons, who have popped up prominently and look set to return based on the cover for the upcoming #5!

The tentacled beings have multiple origins in the history of Transformers media: whilst they’re most well-known as the creators of the Autobots and Decepticons as far as the 1980s cartoon is concerned, in the Marvel UK comic, they were simply an antagonistic race of aliens with whom the Cybertronians butted heads (although they planned to take hostile control of Cybertron there too). It remains to be seen just how they tie in with the Transformers in the Energon Universe and how intertwined the two races are in terms of shared history. That said, it’s clear from Shockwave’s reaction in Void Rivals #4 the Quintessons are known to him and not in at all favourable terms…

#2: Is Bumblebee dead?

Transformers #1, art credit: Daniel Warren Johnson

Of all the Transformers to be taken out of the game so early on, Bumblebee feels like an unambiguous statement of intent regarding this new storyline’s focus versus so much of the franchise media we’ve received over the last two decades or more, and primarily because it was delivered in such a harsh and visceral manner – a very literal shot in the face. He’s not the only Autobot to seemingly bite the big one come the end of the first issue, but the graphic delivery (and overt commentary it cannot help but imply) sticks in the mind all the same. Still, the question remains – is Bumblebee actually dead? Sure, it doesn’t look good for him, but couldn’t he just be repaired like the rest of his offline comrades? The story’s context seems to imply that’s not so easily the case, given Optimus Prime’s clear dismay and mourning for this fallen friend. Darren Warren Johnson has also clarified that, yes, the series’ most marketable poster boy is indeed being taken off the playing field for at least the foreseeable future, in favour of more minor characters being given the spotlight for a change. Will he ever return? Apparently, it’s a “maybe” at this stage, but whatever the case, it sounds like he won’t be up and running anytime soon!

#1: Where is Megatron?

Transformers #1, art credit: Daniel Warren Johnson

Though it’s far from the only Transformers storyline that begins with the Decepticon leader conspicuously absent from the proceedings, Megatron’s non-presence from the Energon Universe is thus far rather palpable. Only half mentioned by Soundwave before Starscream swiftly moves to interrupt, it could be casually assumed perhaps the maniacal despot is amongst the fallen warriors still not yet repaired by Teletraan One aboard the Autobot spacecraft. However, if that were the case, we might expect to see at least a brief glimpse of his lifeless body or more of a nod in his direction. Instead, it feels likely this interpretation of Megatron was taken out of the game at some point before the storyline commences, perhaps either on Cybertron as a result of whatever is happening there or in locations unknown.

Skybound has played up the mystery a bit, promoting the very question of Megatron’s whereabouts on social media to try and pique fan curiosity. Rumours now persist that perhaps he will show up first in one of the upcoming GI Joe titles, with the cover of January’s Cobra Commander #1 showing the titular human adversary holding a gun which looks rather familiar, to say the least… whether or not this solves it remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain – Skybound clearly has big plans for this universe and the links between titles will be very apparent indeed!

So that’s our list! Did we miss any obvious questions?

TTFN