COUNTDOWN: 10 noteworthy moments from Skybound’s Transformers #2! – The Source Report

COUNTDOWN: 10 noteworthy moments from Skybound’s Transformers #2!

Skybound’s new Transformers comic series is still in its fledgling days, but it’s made a major splash in terms of both sales and positive fan buzz.

We’ve already explored many of the book’s merits over the last month. Still, with the second issue now on release, the cycle of excitement begins anew, especially considering all the many hard-hitting beats the story delivers within its pages!

So today, purely and simply, here are 10 noteworthy moments from Transformers #2!

WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Transformers #1 and 2!


#10: The deer

Following the explosive events of #1, this next chapter begins with a much-needed quieter interlude as Optimus Prime finds a moment of respite to examine the world he is now stranded on. Though such scenes of the Autobot leader marvelling at Earth’s beauty are not exactly new in Transformers media, something about how this was delivered still felt hugely impactful as the metal giant stepped out to examine the unknown for the first time. Unfortunately, Optimus accidentally treads on and crushes a deer, immediately feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse for his inadvertent trespass. Though Spike seeks to reassure him it was an accident, Prime states he “should have known better“, all of which throws his moral compass in stark contrast to that of the Decepticons later in the issue.

I’ve seen a relatively polarised reaction to this scene online, with some questioning its inclusion. However, to my eye, it’s a powerful beat that keenly reminds us what a gentle and emotional soul Optimus is at his core. Where he was dishing out rainmakers and suplexes like they were going out of style last issue, here he is showing his most vulnerable and caring side, which is major part of what makes him who he is. *This* is the Optimus Prime so many of us grew up with back in the day, and it’s utterly delightful to see him done justice in this fashion.

#9: The chat

The opening scene continues by leading into a heart-to-heart between Optimus and Spike. Whilst these interactions can often be heavy-handed with exposition or quite sentimentally manufactured in their way, here the dialogue feels surprisingly breezy and natural as the two get to know one another more by comparing the oddities of their home worlds. They quickly settle on a mutual understanding of the concept of ‘family’, Prime rather bleakly looking down as Spike offers his condolences for Bumblebee’s apparent passing in the last chapter. It’s a crucial beat that will be paid off well by the end of this issue.

#8: Stories from Cybertron

Though we have had a brief glimpse of the Transformers’ homeworld in the pages of sister comic Void Rivals, Cybertron has thus far remained absent from the main robots in disguise book itself. That all changes in #2, as Optimus tells Spike a little about his native planet and the war which has consumed it. There’s nothing too surprising here beyond the typical tropes associated with the series’ classic canon, but still, it’s an appreciated nod nonetheless and serves to remind us of the larger stakes of this storyline, especially in contrast to how Earth is depicted. Our world is lush and green, whereas Cybertron is stark and harsh, all red fury in colour.

There are also a few more details here which add to the intrigue about Cybetron’s timeline, as Optimus suggests the war has been raging “for centuries” (as opposed to the millennia more commonly depicted in the franchise), and that it all started when he was still relatively young.

#7: Megatron!

Of course, the most considerable detail here is that we also get our first appearance of Decepticon leader Megatron after he was all but briefly alluded to last time! Though only depicted in flashback, the merciless tyrant looks every bit as imposing as fans might hope for and is locked in a deadly battle with Optimus before the Autobot ship crashlanding on Earth (Prime is even shown in the same pose and with similar injuries to when we first witness his deactivated body in #1!). This snippet also serves to widen the speculation about where Megatron is now, as evidently he was present in some capacity prior to the Transformers’ arrival. Is he amongst the deactivated or somewhere else entirely? Time will tell.

#6: Cliffjumper’s arrival

We knew the Autobot ranks wouldn’t remain at just two members for long, and so Cliffjumper is swiftly brought back online by Ratchet during this issue’s first half. His presence feels like a definite jolt of energy, as he’s clearly a sight for sore eyes as far as Optimus is concerned, but he also provides some welcome comedic beats as he adapts to his new surroundings. Again, we’re treated to a stark contrast in how the self-proclaimed ‘red demon’ responds to the sight of humans, actually recoiling in a slight state of terror, versus the brutal tactics of the Decepticons later in this same story. It’s just one of the many ways the events of the issue tie together so well and tell us all we need to know about our new character roster without overtly spelling it out at every turn.

#5: The Decepticons raid the power plant

In opposition to the above, the scenes with the Decepticons at the power plant are ruthless beyond belief, immediately establishing our antagonists as the major threats that huge alien robots really should be on a world like ours! Skywarp and Starscream are cruel, arrogant, tyrannical bullies who see human beings with nothing but contempt. However, it’s the way they torment their prey makes them stand out as such singular bad guys. There’s nothing noble about them, no shades of grey – they’re just bad to the bone, and their actions continuously remind us of that. It’s demonstrated as soon as Skywarp lands with an almighty wallop on top of a police car, the impact of which is superbly communicated through the art, and perhaps even more in the way Starscream so gleefully steps on a police officer who dares to challenge them. This latter moment especially had me shouting out loud whilst reading the issue, as though the threat level had just increased significantly. We’ve already discussed the robot on human violence showcased at the end of issue #1, but this follow-up proves it certainly wasn’t a one-off instance.

#4: Starscream in the skies

That all leads into an extended action sequence as Starscream single-handedly (and merrily) takes on a fighter jet before quite literally slapping it right out of the sky! The art over these pages is honestly next-level stuff, as the pace and stakes of the storyline are so expertly portrayed with precious little dialogue alongside it all. It all culminates in the Decepticon coming face to face with the pilot before savagely clapping his hands and crushing him to death in another moment that is sure to stay with you for a while!

#3: GI Joe enters the fray

The co-pilot looks to be in for a similar fate as Starscream barrels toward him with an outstretched fist, but, to our surprise, he activates a pair of pop-out wings in his backpack and manages to evade an untimely demise on this occasion! He then shoots a flare gun right into the Decepticon’s face, confusing him long enough for the man to escape, at which point it’s revealed that, yep, you guessed it, this is GI Joe’s Duke! It’s an unexpectedly early cameo, even knowing that the sister series was on the way, although nothing about it feels forced or overwrought. Again, it’s a simple ‘show, don’t tell’ way of getting the audience excited for a group of humans who may at least stand a chance in the battle against these mighty machines.

#2: Optimus’ duty

With the Decepticons causing havoc, Optimus swiftly asserts that he must go and defend his accidental new home, as their presence on Earth is his responsibility. Again, this take on Prime feels so akin to the classic spin on the Autobot leader, particularly as we knew him in the pages of the 1980s Marvel comic, and it’s very welcome indeed. He knows he will be hopelessly outgunned against impossible odds, yet he gladly offers himself up to it anyway, as it’s his duty. What a guy.

Of course, we also get the payoff of him agreeing to take Spike with him purely because of the mention of ‘family’, again showing the quick bond these two characters have struck through this issue.

#1: Carly’s dad

The final twist is one I didn’t see coming, but the last two pages depict Carly heading off to find her father, only for her (and us!) to discover that he’s the man who Starscream squished to death at the end of the last issue. This is quite a spin for Transformers lore and is sure to take Carly in a very different direction to anything we’ve seen from other takes on the character before, but we’ll have to wait until next time to see how that pans out!

So that’s our list! Did you enjoy #2?

TTFN

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About Sixo

Transformers collector from the UK, collecting vintage G1/G2, CR/RID, UT & Masterpiece/3P. Find me at twitter.com/SixoTF or on YouTube at youtube.com/SixoTF

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