Review of IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #22

Good review, and I love that artwork there of Shockwave talking about Eurakris and Antila. I just can't fathom how the scheduling got this messed up.

ZeroWolf wrote:Good review, and I love that artwork there of Shockwave talking about Eurakris and Antila. I just can't fathom how the scheduling got this messed up.

Thanks!

Admittedly, this was more as a big picture weird scheduling. It's not something to do with things being too late or missed releases, it just happens to work weird leading into the Unicron stuff (which was bound to come out for FCBD from the start, from what I know).

Va'al wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Good review, and I love that artwork there of Shockwave talking about Eurakris and Antila. I just can't fathom how the scheduling got this messed up.

Thanks!

Admittedly, this was more as a big picture weird scheduling. It's not something to do with things being too late or missed releases, it just happens to work weird leading into the Unicron stuff (which was bound to come out for FCBD from the start, from what I know).

I see, I have to wonder when they were sat planning this out, if this was the best worst approach. Given what they wanted to cover in Unicron 0#, they must have resigned themselves to certain events loosing impact.

Everything being sort of spoiled was totally worth it for that one panel where that one character was doing the most important thing EVER with her right arm.

*swoon*

I'm....actually kinda happy I'm annoyed at Optimus. That's some really good writing there.

Didn't think I'd side with Pyra, but.....yep.

AlphaBass wrote:I'm....actually kinda happy I'm annoyed at Optimus. That's some really good writing there.

Didn't think I'd side with Pyra, but.....yep.

Pyra Was Always Right.

Va'al wrote:

AlphaBass wrote:I'm....actually kinda happy I'm annoyed at Optimus. That's some really good writing there.

Didn't think I'd side with Pyra, but.....yep.

Pyra Was Always Right.

Preach.

Though I would ask what prime was supposed to have done instead...seems to me like no option would have spared then this fate.

At this point, I just don't like Slide. Let's get that part over with.

At least they are finally bringing back Prowl.

Also wondering how Jazz will fit into the finale.

And finally, ROM and Prime together like that, with ROM sitting on his shoulder, is great. My favorite part.

ZeroWolf wrote:Though I would ask what prime was supposed to have done instead...seems to me like no option would have spared then this fate.

True, but there's a difference between telling folks "Yeah, this is hopeless, but I'm gonna try my plan and if it doesn't work, we'll bridge folks back to Cybertron as a backup" and "Yeah, this is hopeless, y'all are toast anyway, so my plan involves your toasted-ness so I could have a clear shot at what Unicron is".

It's no wonder Pyra was plotting to overthrow him.

It also make's Pyra's almost-sacrificial comment of "Tell Optimus this is all his fault" ring that much more true.

But they rescued everyone on caminus regardless, they need an opportunity to get into unicron to see what made him tic and only way they could do that is while he was munching on a planet.

ZeroWolf wrote:But they rescued everyone on caminus regardless, they need an opportunity to get into unicron to see what made him tic and only way they could do that is while he was munching on a planet.

The problem isn't with the result - Caminus was gone, either way.

The problem is with the approach. Windblade herself railed about how this isn't Caminus' fault. So you go from a relatively peaceful colony to being drug into Cybertronians' issues, to being told by a guy who uses your beliefs against you, ever so slightly, that "Oh btw, I'm gonna sacrifice your planet in the name of the greater good". It's good that they saved everyone, but it's the greater issues at play.

I can see that but I think the blame is still coming too hard considering that ultimately, this is definitely a "sins of the fathers"-type affair .

ZeroWolf wrote:I can see that but I think the blame is still coming too hard considering that ultimately, this is definitely a "sins of the fathers"-type affair .

OP does not have the best track record for 'let's wait and see where he goes with this' admittedly.

ZeroWolf wrote:

Va'al wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Good review, and I love that artwork there of Shockwave talking about Eurakris and Antila. I just can't fathom how the scheduling got this messed up.

Thanks!

Admittedly, this was more as a big picture weird scheduling. It's not something to do with things being too late or missed releases, it just happens to work weird leading into the Unicron stuff (which was bound to come out for FCBD from the start, from what I know).

I see, I have to wonder when they were sat planning this out, if this was the best worst approach. Given what they wanted to cover in Unicron 0#, they must have resigned themselves to certain events loosing impact.

The initial schedule was something like this or close to it iirc (not using exact dates bc they're long gone):

1. Unicron 0
2. OP 21
3. Unicron 1 (I think initial scheduling had it same day as OP 21)
4. OP 22
5. Unicron 2
6. Unicron 3
7. OP 23
8. Unicron 4

This is not what's happened or will happen based on current info. Next comic out (for now) is Unicron 4 on 8/22. 9/5 has OP 23 and LL 23, with Unicron 5 on 9/12. If that sticks, I can imagine OP 23 and maybe 24 also feeling like they're playing catch-up in spots.

Thanks scotty! If I recall from the solits, The last OP is also the last in the continuity right?

The end is nigh for the current IDW Transformers continuity, with Optimus Prime issue #25 being the last one released (as long as current scheduling holds), and now, thanks to Transformers Artist Andrew Griffith and his Twitter and Facebook accounts, we've been given a look at a variant cover for this issue.



Here is what the artist has said about his work, as posted to his facebook account.

Andrew Griffith wrote:My cover for #Optimus Prime 25 by John Barber, Kei Zama & Josh Burcham from IDW Publishing

The final issue! Decided to do a cover that would try to sum up some of the most pivotal characters and arcs going all the way back to what John I started #RID1.

The countdown is on for this final swan song of the IDW Transformers continuity. What do you think of Andrew's work with this cover? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews.

'The end is neigh'? Sounds like something said on a My Little Pony website!

snavej wrote:'The end is neigh'? Sounds like something said on a My Little Pony website!

That's what I get for trying to post something when really tired

Fixed the typo now though

In more comics news from IDW Publishing's ending of the current Transformers narrative universe, next week also sees the release of Optimus Prime #23, and iTunes has the first preview - a regular three page long one - of the book, as it stays on Earth with Jazz, and Priscilla Tramontano and Josh Burcham take the visual reins. Check it out below, and join us next week for a review and discussion here on Seibertron.com!

The battle against Unicron forces Optimus Prime's colonist soldiers to contend with a brutal reality—they have no homes to return to. But when they make a move against Trypticon, the human-controlled home of the next generation of Cybertronians... can the end be far behind?

The short iTunes preview didn't last long, as we already have the full version of the same for issue #23 of IDW Publishing ongoing Transformers comics series Optimus Prime, thanks to online comics fansite Comics Crusaders here!

Follow along below as we delve further into the events taking place on Earth as Unicron sweeps across the Cybertronian colonies, as artist Priscilla Tramontano takes the lead on this issue and as we hurtle forward towards the conclusion of it all. Head back to Seibertron.com after the book's release for a review and more discussion, too!

Tie-in to the Unicron event!
Part of the summer of Transformers—all building up to the end of the universe as we know it!
Variant cover by Kei Zama!

The battle against Unicron forces Optimus Prime's colonist soldiers to contend with a brutal reality—they have no homes to return to. But when they make a move against Trypticon, the human-controlled home of the next generation of Cybertronians... can the end be far behind?

Synopsis
The battle against Unicron forces Optimus Prime's colonist soldiers to contend with a brutal reality-they have no homes to return to. But when they make a move against Trypticon, the human-controlled home of the next generation of Cybertronians... can the end be far behind?



Story
In what has finally become a parallel story being told between the Unicron mini-series and the Optimus Prime ongoing, we reach the splitting point in the latter, as the former makes its appearance on Earth - but the shadow of Optimus Prime's presence and legacy takes priority in terms of 'how bad the situation actually is for everyone involved'.



Working multiple points of view into one coalesced synthesis was an extremely ambitious narrative choice on John Barber's behalf, and I enjoyed looking at both all of them in their individual stories, and as a the final bringing together in the final acts of the book itself - but there was something a little too cacophonous about how it was executed, that can border on confusing.



That said though, once you put the potential frustration aside, and maybe give the whole thing a second read (with Unicron #4 also at hand), the added layer of perspective over Cybertronian history, its imperial, colonising past, the politics at play that Barber has never shied away from in all of his Transformers books, is a juicy reward.



Particular standouts for the issue, and about time for one of them too, are Slide and her pent up anger towards Optimus Prime, Rum-Maj and her majestic spiky self, Slug and his existence as Dinobot grunt, and - going back to some very very very early stories told about the entire Earth/Transformers stories - Jazz, and his sense of responsibility for just about anything he can, it seems.


Art

For this one issue, we get to see the return of Priscilla Tramontano as line artist, with her rounder style that perfectly fits the story of Devisiun told in flashbacks (though may not fully work on Trypticon, in two panels), and some surprisingly sharp, pointed, and poignant depictions of the anger, anguish and visceral confusion that the entire Unicron element brings to an already taut cast of characters. Slide and Slug in particular have some really touching moments.



Once more, the visual continuity support that Josh Burcham can bring to the pages of this series cannot and does not cease to impress me, as we have a very different line art style from the artists seen so far. In addition, we also get some of the very interestingly multichromatic excitement that we saw in Sins of the Wreckers, in the opening flashback of the issue, and what it does with the tone is nothing short of marvelous.



Tom B Long and Curtis Fandango are hard at work on this issue, as it requires more narrative captions than ever a regular Barber script would need at its usual capacity - but the work pays off in some key moments preceding even key-er moments-er (?), and the final page, with the added font effects in some of the harder contrasts.

In terms of covers, you can find all three (admittedly two, given the Kei Zama retailer incentive in black and white lineart) in full size in our entry, though the Tramontano cover is the one taking the spotlight in the thumbnail, as it bears quite heavily on the story in the book itself.

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
This is a seriously poignant issue, part of an ambitious series that takes its titular character to the very extremes of its definition, blurrs the edges, and smudges the entirety of its name and legacy - with reason. As an issue, it's one of the most successful in doing so, though at times frustratingly confusing by choosing to focus on the multiple stories overshadowed by Optimus' legacy so far.



That may get in the way of some readers' enjoyment of the amount of effort and work going into this, but give it the time to settle (and a second read at least): the pay off, I found, was extremely rewarding, and I'm still poring over some of the (social) ramifications of this narrative. As an added bonus, too, we're finally, utterly concurrent with Unicron series, meaning that the book can be read both before and after issue #4 of the series, also out this week, without spoiling either!

Ouch, IDW has not been kind to Optimus... Good! This take on him as given him the three dimensional take on his character that he sorely needed.

ZeroWolf wrote:Ouch, IDW has not been kind to Optimus... Good! This take on him as given him the three dimensional take on his character that he sorely needed.

I do like this, because I grow weary of the goody goody two shoes he is usually portrayed as.

The art killed it for me in this issue--the humans looked far too cartoony. Marissa, especially, looked like a teenage girl.

Past that, I can appreciate what they were trying to do, giving all the characters perspectives... but if I have to be honest with myself, I don't really care. If Oiler gets stepped on, I'd probably cheer.

There's a giant monster planet headed their way... get with the program, folks.

I have to be honest here. I have no idea what is going on. Somethings don't make sense to me at all. What is exactly Shockwave's plan? It got so confusing.

budmaloney wrote:I have to be honest here. I have no idea what is going on. Somethings don't make sense to me at all. What is exactly Shockwave's plan? It got so confusing.

In a nutshell:

1) poison the energon of Cybertron
2) unicron eats Cybertron
3) unicron dies
4) shockwave (as onyx prime) takes over galaxy with maximal army.

ZeroWolf wrote:

budmaloney wrote:I have to be honest here. I have no idea what is going on. Somethings don't make sense to me at all. What is exactly Shockwave's plan? It got so confusing.

In a nutshell:

1) poison the energon of Cybertron
2) unicron eats Cybertron
3) unicron dies
4) shockwave (as onyx prime) takes over galaxy with maximal army.

I think you missed a few steps
5) steal all the underwear
6) ???
7) profits

Or maybe I'm mixing up some other story...

ZeroWolf wrote:

budmaloney wrote:I have to be honest here. I have no idea what is going on. Somethings don't make sense to me at all. What is exactly Shockwave's plan? It got so confusing.

In a nutshell:

1) poison the energon of Cybertron
2) unicron eats Cybertron
3) unicron dies
4) shockwave (as onyx prime) takes over galaxy with maximal army.

Wasn't Shockwave attacking with Unicron? Or they were not allies?
Dang Shockwave is a beast.

TF-fan kev777 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

budmaloney wrote:I have to be honest here. I have no idea what is going on. Somethings don't make sense to me at all. What is exactly Shockwave's plan? It got so confusing.

In a nutshell:

1) poison the energon of Cybertron
2) unicron eats Cybertron
3) unicron dies
4) shockwave (as onyx prime) takes over galaxy with maximal army.

I think you missed a few steps
5) steal all the underwear
6) ???
7) profits

Or maybe I'm mixing up some other story...

I knew it. that's the purpose of his spider tank mode in Cyberverse. It's a Yoga pose, and only underwear can be flexible enough to support that pose.

Initially shown during the IDW Publishing panel that took place at New York Comic Con 2018 this weekend, the cover for the final issue of ongoing Transformers comics series Optimus Prime - which is also the supposed last issue of the entire narrative universe, after Lost Light 25 and Unicron 6 - has been shared by colourist Josh Burcham on his Twitter account.

The art is by main series artist Kei Zama, and features a close up of the titular character, plus what seems to be every single major player in the series, from Pyra Magna and the Torchbearers, to the Constructicons, via Longtooth, Snarl, Trypticon, Aileron and Arcee, Bludgeon, DOC, the human contingent, the Mistress of Fire, Rum-Maj and Wreck-Gar, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Alpha Trion, and more! Check it out below.

Til all are done[?]

ScottyP noticed this on the Amazon listing for the OP TPB volume 4:



We are a famous now!

Cover for #25 - Bob the domesticated Insecticon is front and centre!

As news hits of our very own reviews being scooped up by Amazon listing editorial reviews, we also have actual news for next week's upcoming penultimate issue of ongoing Transformers comics series from IDW Publishing, Optimus Prime #24.

The full preview can be first found on regular outlet source Adventures in Poor Taste! here, and the images are mirrored below with the blurb. Take a look, and join the conversation in the Energon Pub discussion board.

Plus: Trivia time, from ScottyP - In the opening pages, Thundercracker is working on a movie based on the (very good) IDW G.I. Joe: Cobra series by Mike Costa. It's not quite an accurate accounting of events, and this makes it a very, very funny page!

YOUTH IN REVOLT! As Unicron approaches, Optimus Prime’s colonist soldiers take matters into their own hands. With Autobot forces spread thin, will anybody stand in their way? And–more importantly–SHOULD anybody stop them?

Bullet points:

– Ties in to the Unicron event!
– Part of the summer of Transformers–all building up to the end of the universe as we know it!
– The penultimate issue before the conclusion you have to see to believe!
– Black & white variant cover by Kei Zama!

are they . . . trying to make Unicron a character? With feelings and motives?

Synopsis
YOUTH IN REVOLT! As Unicron approaches, Optimus Prime’s colonist soldiers take matters into their own hands. With Autobot forces spread thin, will anybody stand in their way? And–more importantly–SHOULD anybody stop them?



Story
We continue, after a fashion, the almost parallel story being told between the Unicron mini-series and the Optimus Prime ongoing, after the latest events in the two series and the splitting up of the stories, as they reconnect in Unicron #5 - the review for which will follow this one, as the story does so in the books. But for OP? Read on below!



The story, or rather stories, that are taking place in this one issue have seemingly little to do with the opening - very funny - scene with Thundercracker retelling events from the GI Joe books. I say seemingly, as the leitmotif of the TF universe has effectively been 'stories are just stories being told in different ways from different storytellers' - and that leads us into, finally, a conclusion to Slide's grief, anger and legitimate (but dragged out) resentment towards Optimus himself.



This latter frame, while needed, can create some confusion on the overall book, as the subsequence of multiple perspective flashbacks and present time retelling of the flashbacks, with a shift into the actual present time actions that follow that retelling... Nonetheless, several of the cast members here, and it's an impressively enormous cast by now, get their character moment, even if just one line, one panel, one frame.



That said, there isn't ..that much happening in the issue overall, though some serious conversations and interactions take place. Which is, again, an odd choice, being so close to the end - with Unicron #5 and #6 continuing this story before we fall into the conclusive issue #25 - and that may not sit well with everyone still along for the final rush to the finish line, despite what good comes from the single moments - such as the final two pages.


Art

On art duties, we find both Andrew Griffith and Sara Pitre Durocher, working more or less in tandem on the different timeframes of the overall story: Griffith has a specific task with Thundercracker, of course, and SPD works particularly well with Jazz and Prowl scenes - but both deliver some excellent panelwork, and the multiple splash pages and spreads are a testimony to their skill, and the synchronicity of their collaboration.



Something that Josh Burcham's colouring work only seems to highlight, as on the first read - bar some obvious exceptions, such as the opening scenes - I wasn't entirely sure on which pages were done by which artist, and that is something the colours have been able to do for the entire series, just even more so here. And I am so very impressed.



Tom B Long doesn't have an easy job of keeping track of the multiple time and story frames, but the story progresses nicely with his help too - and the captions, the colour coding of the stories being told in them, and their placement, ensure that readers are really on board with who's speaking at what moment, and why that matters. Because it does.

As for covers, you can find all three (admittedly two, given the Kei Zama retailer incentive in black and white lineart) in full size in our Vector Sigma Database entry, and the one found in the thumbnail is the Griffith / Joana Lafuente B Cover, with yet again the leitmotif in plain sight.

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
If you're looking for a big fight against Unicron, or even under Unicron at this stage, last issue is where you want to look for, as the breather - an odd choice of pacing for an ending series, admittedly - is what we find here. And it may not be John Barber's most political issue overall, but it has some of his most poignant reflections on the themes he's explored so far, from leadership, to community, to tyranny and fascism, via personal loss and anger.



So even with the odd 'breather' pacing issues, I enjoyed the book - but more so on a second read, and I'm glad it's coming out close enough to Unicron #5 as we'd otherwise have too much space of not much happening in the same storyline across two books. Visually, the last Griffith page is magnificent, SPD's Prowl is brutal, and Stardrive is still as great and sharp as she is (/will be) in Unicron #5, with the full force of Prowl's influence on her after a long stint alone.

If I'm being honest, I just want Slide to go away. I've really not enjoyed her character at all, and I find myself grimacing when she's on panel.

I find myself the same way with Stardrive. After how she started, she's a bit too Prowl for me. I like Prowl as he is, but Stardrive as his protege doesn't really work for me.

Can someone tell me why Prowl still has an injured eye? I mean... come on. Dude's like Rung can get their entire head replaced, and characters tend to get new bodies like folks get new sets of clothes. Why can't someone take a few moments and get him a new eye?

Yeah, I know... issue is about loss and fascism and all that stuff. Depression-rama. Our heroes suck, even when they're trying their best. I hope Oiler just gets squished soon.

Black Bumblebee wrote:Can someone tell me why Prowl still has an injured eye? I mean... come on. Dude's like Rung can get their entire head replaced, and characters tend to get new bodies like folks get new sets of clothes. Why can't someone take a few moments and get him a new eye?

Yeah, I know... issue is about loss and fascism and all that stuff. Depression-rama. Our heroes suck, even when they're trying their best. I hope Oiler just gets squished soon.

Oiler died a while ago. Slide is the one still around.

Also, the reason Prowl still doesn’t have his eye is because he’s supposed to mirror Shockwave at this point. That’s why he has the Vamparc Ribbon and is going off to face Shockwave in Unicron #5.

Black Bumblebee wrote:Can someone tell me why Prowl still has an injured eye? I mean... come on. Dude's like Rung can get their entire head replaced, and characters tend to get new bodies like folks get new sets of clothes. Why can't someone take a few moments and get him a new eye?

Prowl's just trying to be cool and edgy

And about Rung, well, based on your post you're not caught up on Lost Light are you? There are reasons and I'll leave it at that!

So..... this Wednesdays issue is it for the current IDWverse, isn't it?

The end of the current Transformers continuity over at IDW is upon us with its final chapter, Optimus Prime 25, coming out this week. The 5 page preview has been found on adventuresinpoortaste.com.

Of course, since this takes place after the finale of the Unicron mini series you may want to read that before looking below since this may spoil that book.

Optimus Prime #25

END OF THE ROAD! The battle is over. Heroes have fallen. Worlds have died. Now Optimus Prime faces his final ordeal–as past, present, and future collide. Who will stand with him? And when it’s all over, who will carry the mantle of “Prime?”

Bullet points:

– Extra-long final issue! Tying together and putting a bow on stories from the past 13 years!
– Ties in to the Unicron event!
– Part of the summer of Transformers–all building up to the end of the universe as we know it!
– Variant cover by Andrew Griffith!

Written by: John Barber
Art by: Kei Zama
Colors by: Casey W. Coller
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Cover A by: Kei Zama
Cover B by: Casey W. Coller
FC • 40 pages • $4.99
Release Date: November 21, 2018

A ceremony that Thundercracker is involved in? I wonder if it's for a film he's been working on... Or if he's going to be naturalized as the first Cybertronian citizen of the United States

Ironhidensh wrote:So..... this Wednesdays issue is it for the current IDWverse, isn't it?

Yep it is.

and I have some thoughts on the end here once his issue comes out, cause there is some stuff I really need to get off my chest about the end

I am gonna miss TFcomics after this :/

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:So..... this Wednesdays issue is it for the current IDWverse, isn't it?

Yep it is.

and I have some thoughts on the end here once his issue comes out, cause there is some stuff I really need to get off my chest about the end

Tuesday Morning: “IDW release date pushed back a week.”

It’s crazy to think, years ago I was just a youngin discovering old Infiltration issues. Me and so many others are devoted to every corner of this universe, it’s character’s, the thought-out lore. Every month we’ve gotten at least one or two issues, so many toys and cartoons have been influenced by this continuity. I feel like most of the fiction we’ll be seeing for a while after this Wednesday will be nothing.

taao

BATTLEMASTER IIC wrote:A ceremony that Thundercracker is involved in? I wonder if it's for a film he's been working on... Or if he's going to be naturalized as the first Cybertronian citizen of the United States

I'm assuming it's either a mass funeral for all who died in the battle with Unicron, or specifically to Optimus.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:So..... this Wednesdays issue is it for the current IDWverse, isn't it?

Yep it is.

and I have some thoughts on the end here once his issue comes out, cause there is some stuff I really need to get off my chest about the end

I look forward to reading your thoughts D Max, I've enjoyed your reviews and I wish Va'al had stuck around a bit longer for me to tell him the same, I mean I could tweet him but it feels like an odd thing to message out of the blue

My thoughts on the end of this are complicated and I'll have to wait and see what this issue says before I can hope to verbalise them.

Cute idea, to start with the first fiction ever published on Optimus Prime.

There is so much story potential we'll never get to see.

But then, we may speculate.

It all (re)started with "The Death of Optimus Prime". Surprising no one, he wasn't really dead, and not even in a way requiring a true resurrection. The namesake character of this comic series has been defined throughout as both an idea and a character. With the opening pages leading off with the first lines of Bob Budiansky's original Tech Spec for Optimus Prime, you'll immediately recognize that we're starting at the start before we arrive to the end.

Here we are now at the end, with Optimus Prime, 27 (or 24) pages, and one of the longest uninterrupted Transformers stories ever created wrapping up. How did it go? Read on.


This is indeed the end with this issue serving as a final exhale, putting a cap on a good deal of unfinished business. More akin to Lost Light #25 than Unicron #6, Optimus Prime #25 provides final flashbacks and final thoughts with all the big, sweeping, intergalactic action wrapped and over. It was important for more than just Optimus Prime himself to get a last tale and that hope is fulfilled. Arcee, Jazz, Aileron, Rum-Maj, and more I won't mention (just in case you haven't caught up to the end of Unicron) at least get a little something this time out and even if a bit short in some cases, these mini-endings all feel appropriate and help take the characters further if not entirely full circle.


There are flashback scenes dispersed throughout, and the first few of them pay respect to characters wiped out in other Transformers comic series in a fun way that unfortunately did not continue to the end of the book, but this was necessary to carry the issue's story along. It's another way that writer John Barber ensures more characters are around if you need one last goodbye, adding to the emotional weight that ebbs and flows during the course of this installment.


Somewhat similar to horrible tearjerker/fantastic comic book "The Life of Sideswipe", a sense of melancholy carries from page to page, and while it isn't all depressing or mournful something in the tone of the writing shoots pangs of regret. I can't say that there's regret here for certain, but if there is, good luck figuring out if it's about the series ending, where it ended up, or maybe even how the grand experiment of the shared Hasbro Universe followed course. Either way it's another layer to the depth of the book, which some will find more hopeful than wistful even though that doesn't match the mood I received.

A quick, special note is in order to one scene in particular featuring Aileron, Jetfire, Sunstreaker, Bob, and more of a spacefaring team aboard an Autobot shuttle as it travels the unknown and makes a discovery. Well, at least I think it did, and it was a superbly fun touch.


Kei Zama and Josh Burcham finish up this series by handling all the lineart and color work for Optimus Prime #25 and deliver all the striking lines, thick borders, and retro-cool lighting that defines the look of this series. A particularly amazing panel of Ravage (from a flashback scene, sorry!) is shown above that provides a sharp contrast and rich shadows that help tell the story within the story. Tom B. Long's letters further enhance the work, providing emphasis in just the right places to help some scenes comfort while others turn sinister. David Mariotte ensures a coherent package is delivered even with the flashback-to-present-and-back-again hopping and regular shifts in character focus.

This review's newspost thumbnail shows Casey Coller's B Cover for the issue, which I felt was most indicative of the kind of story within. Zama and Burcham (after Simonson) deliver a beautiful cast piece on Cover A, with just about everyone from the Optimus Prime series accounted for. Robots in Disguise helmsman Andrew Griffith takes us back to 2012 on a retailer incentive cover that I hope does not immediately sell out everywhere and quadruple in value like Alex Milne's Lost Light #25 RI cover did. You can find images of all of those covers and full credits for the issue in our Vector Sigma Database page for Optimus Prime #25, but please note it contains a character appearance list which may accidentally deliver spoilers.


This was a book with a heavy burden, but as a final epilogue after the climactic battles it still makes it to Cybertron without jettisoning Insecticons worth of weight in the process. A healthy dose of character endings, playful dialogue that snatches the Furmanism away from the jaws of finality, and a ready-built setup for the future help too, even if it won't be realized.

Optimus Prime's epilogue is a very good epilogue because it's exactly that and doesn't try to be something beyond its purpose. Even the well worn trope of the final villain being back for one last go doesn't show up, a pleasant surprise given how easy a setting like Infraspace could have been for such a moment. Enjoy this while you can since we've got a few quiet months ahead of us in the world of Transformers comics, but that's well earned after 13 years of amazing stories.

Once more, to all the creative forces at IDW Publishing that have made this happen since 2005, thank you!