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

It’s hard to believe we’re still not very far into Skybound’s Transformers run!

After all, with the pace of the storytelling and the sheer action-packed nature of every issue, it feels like a lot has happened in a short span of time. Naturally, #10 was no exception, as we will soon see! Here are ten noteworthy moments from the story.

WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Transformers so far!

#10: Beachcomber’s backstory

Having made his debut proper at the end of the last chapter (although his first appearance was arguably in #8, in case you missed him!), Beachcomber begins this issue by giving Spike – and us – some insight into what he’s been up to and how he came to be on Earth. As it turns out, he was tossed out of the Ark by Skywarp during the battle that led to the Autobots and Decepticons crashlanding on our planet (confirmed here to have happened “millions” of years ago, in our first accurate indication to the timeline of events, incidentally!). From there, he found himself stranded on the moon for all that time until 1969, when the Apollo 11 space mission arrived, and he hitched a ride! We then see how after arriving on Earth, Beachcomber discovered his offline comrades lying dormant on the crashed Autobot ship but ultimately elected not to wake them up, fearing that even the good guys would bring devastation and war to his newfound home. It’s a highly unique backstory and quite incredible to consider, not least because of how long the mini Autobot spent alone! The art in this sequence is also second to none, providing some exquisite panels of Beachcomber’s journey, mostly presented without even a single word and with delicious colour to match. The first five pages of this issue represent Transformers comics at their finest.

#9: Beachcomber & Spike

Having shifted back to the present day, we get more interaction between Spike and his new ally, as Beachcomber continues to explain why he rescued the human even though he wants absolutely no part of the war with the Decepticons. It seems that to him, any life from Earth is precious and worthy of saving, although he is keen to stress he has promised himself he would never hurt anyone or anything ever again. Thus, despite having chained up Astrotrain to incapacitate him, the Autobot remains compassionate and even quite generous in offering him energon. However, it’s not long before the situation begins to change later in this issue, and one suspects that the real test of Beachcomber’s convictions remains not too far ahead…

#8: Soundwave & Shockwave

With Shockwave now on Earth, there’s undoubtedly an intriguing shift in power dynamics amongst the Decepticons. After Soundwave affirmed himself as the new leader by toppling Starscream, we saw a different side to him that felt much more assertive and dominant than anything in the first six issues. However, he seems weirdly subservient again here, almost hesitant to speak his mind in Shockwave’s presence, even as the new arrival threatens to dispose of Ravage’s comatose body! We later discover that Soundwave does not entirely approve of Shockwave’s ‘brutal and simplistic’ methods. Still, he also recognises the Earthbound Decepticons’ need for assistance and is willing to go along with events as they happen. It certainly feels like the beginnings of another potential rift are beginning to form, however, and we’ve already seen what Soundwave is capable of when pushed.

#7: The Whales

As mentioned last time, Skybound Shockwave is unlike the traditional take found in classic Transformers media, and the more time we spend with him, the more that becomes apparent. Despite being quite the fan of torture and other sadistic pursuits, the monocular Decepticon seems capable of appreciating beauty as he briefly observes a pod of whales and other ocean life flourishing near their base. It’s a breathtaking panel that sells the majesty of what our alien antagonists are witnessing for the first time and puts a fresh spin on how little the bad guys typically care about the wonders of Earth. Sadly, it quickly becomes apparent that such a stunning scene is to be devoured for their war effort, as Shockwave gleefully fires up ‘the feeder’ to eviscerate the animals and turn them into raw energy. It’s a stark storytelling contrast to what we’ve previously seen of Optimus Prime in this series; where the Autobot leader was rendered distraught by accidentally killing one deer in #2, here Shockwave equally recognises how precious the native life of Earth really is, but still sees it as a necessary sacrifice for the Decepticon cause.

#6: Ultra Magnus

So, we finally learn the identity of the mystery Autobot that Elita-1 has been risking life and limb for since the beginning of #7, and to little surprise, it is indeed Ultra Magnus, after all! Whilst there was always a chance of it being someone else thanks to the hard-to-discern stripped-down design of the ‘bot in question, the tortured stranger first appearing in the same issue that Arcee lamented her fallen mentor seemed like too much of a coincidence for it to really be anyone else. As soon as the name is confirmed, there’s no doubt that Jorge Corona’s pencils instantly make him significantly more recognisable despite his dilapidated state, as he is now reunited with his once pupil on Earth at last.

#5: Wheeljack’s Grief

As Optimus Prime and Elita return to headquarters following their encounter with Shockwave, there is more news for Wheeljack and Arcee, and Prime informs them of Ratchet’s untimely demise in the previous issue. It’s a brief interaction, but it’s clear how hard this shakes Wheeljack especially, who reacts by quickly withdrawing to another room. With the death toll ever increasing in Skybound’s pages to the point where even core cast characters may not be safe in any given scene, it’s essential to punctuate these moments appropriately and show the effect such grief has on our surviving heroes. Job done, in this case.

#4: Jazz & Cliffjumper

Elsewhere, we see a brief update on Jazz and Cliffjumper’s fates after they were taken hostage by Shockwave at the end of #9. Having seen the brutality that Ultra Magnus has faced whilst in a similar situation, our minds can only fear the worst here, and it’s certainly not off to a good start! The Decepticon reveals a set of hidden torture tools that he plans to use on his captives, only for their screams to be audible as Soundwave and Thundercracker promptly leave the room. What’s truly telling here is how the latter seems almost horrified, demonstrating that even to your average Decepticon, Shockwave is a total monster.

#3: Decepticon Unrest

Speaking of Thundercracker, the above leads into an extended scene as he and Soundwave walk out onto the sea bed and begin their conversation about not being entirely on board with Shockwave’s methods. The Decepticon commander shoots it down, but it’s clear there is some unrest within the ranks, compounded also by Thundercracker’s continuing belief that it was the Autobots who damaged his comrade, Skywarp. One suspects that as and when he learns the truth, he may not be so happy to follow Soundwave’s orders after all. Added to the mix is head Combaticon Onslaught casually listening in, presumably for his own underhanded purposes down the road.

#2: Optimus & Elita

Things are not much more harmonious in the Autobot camp, as Optimus Prime and Elita-1 struggle to see eye-to-eye after millions of years. Despite Prime’s protestation that he left Cybertron for the good of their home planet, Elita is keen to make sure he understands how horrific the situation has become in his absence, with no energon and their people enslaved by the Decepticons. It’s clear she blames Optimus for abandoning the cause, and whilst Shockwave’s current plan might mean they need to work together in the short term, it feels like this is a disagreement not yet resolved between our heroes.

#1: The Ultimate Doom!

Capping the issue off is a moment so unexpected and shocking that it’s bizarre to acknowledge how frequently this particular plot point has played out in past Transformers media! Yes, to accelerate the harvesting of Earth’s energy, Shockwave uses the spacebridge to begin transporting Cybertron to their location, similar to what we’ve seen in both the classic 1980s cartoon and in the live-action film series. If anything, it’s startling because of how much it raises the stakes from where the current Skybound storyline has been going, in that we have very definitely moved beyond the realm of a core cast duking it out in disguise amidst a small-town setting. Less surprising is that the art is simply magnificent, with every panel gorgeously conveying the sense of scale and wonder at play, although of particular note is the reflection of his homeworld looming above in a saddened Beachcomber’s optic visor, contrasting perfectly with his sense of awe when gazing at the moon in the issue’s opening moments. Quite where this twist takes us will remain to be seen, but one thing is for sure: things just went up a notch!

So that’s our list! Did you enjoy #10?

TTFN