Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama

Posted by Va'al Jun 13, 2018 at 3:09am CDT 13,546 views

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Coming at us via both Previews World and the artist Kei Zama herself, we have a look at the retailer incentive variant cover art for issue #20 in the ongoing Transformers comics series from IDW Publishing Optimus Prime, as it concludes the penultimate story arc The Falling!

And as you can see, we're leaning heavily into Onyx Prime's beastly presence, with a fantastic homage to the Beast Wars continuity, featuring Optimus Primal, Megatron, and the Beast Wars II Nemesis ocular planet-ship used in the series so far. Take a look below, and beware of the ..'spoiler' of sorts in the solicit blurb!

Optimus Prime #20 Retailer Incentive Comic Book Cover

IDW PUBLISHING
APR180353
(W) John Barber (A/CA) Kei Zama

"The Falling," Part 5. Optimus Prime has faced defeat before and come back... but he's never seen anything like this. Beyond life, beyond death-only the wisdom of an old friend can save him. Meanwhile, Victorion battles Devastator... and only one will survive.

The return of Bumblebee! One shall rise, one shall fall, but who will destroy them all?

In Shops: Jul 11, 2018
SRP: PI

Transformers News: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama

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Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by ZeroWolf Jun 13, 2018

That's some stellar art there of bw op and megs but do they play any part at all?

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Big Grim Jun 13, 2018

That cover is freakin' gorgeous!

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by ScottyP Jun 13, 2018

ZeroWolf wrote:That's some stellar art there of bw op and megs but do they play any part at all?

Hopefully more than the Spooky Onyx Bodyguards role that they have so far! Don't have a shred of a concrete idea though. Certainly does have me reflecting on how wildly different members of the Beast Wars cast have been handled.

Rhinox is ancient, presumably died a long time ago - unless he's Fat Tankor now which would be fine. Rattrap schemes for Prowl. Tigatron and Airazor are on the Council of Worlds. Cheetor and Blackarachnia were introduced but never had their plot or Eukaris' go anywhere and are presumably in Unicron's tummy. Primal, Megatron, and a massive host of others have been in Onyx's entourage. The universe still hates Waspinator, but at least he survived the Visionaries crossover and his temporary Thrustinator reformatting!

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by ZeroWolf Jun 13, 2018

The continuity will probably end with waspinator still complaining about it all hating him. You know I'm surprised no one has hit upon the idea of making waspinator the tf equivalent of deadpool (just the 4th wall breaking immortal side)

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Jun 13, 2018

That cover is gorgeous!!! I really really really hope both characters actually do something

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Jun 13, 2018

Thanks to a heads up from Podcaster and comic master ScottyP, we have news that the final Trade Paperback for IDW's Optimus Prime series has been listed on the Penguin Random House website. The trade will collect issues 22-25 and the 2018 Annual. Worthy of note though is that the trade's cover is left mostly blank, with the top Optimus Prime logo visible as well as a thin line of the actual cover, but so far the cover itself is being kept a secret. What are they up to?

Check out the listing above as well as the little bit of the cover we see below, and let us know what you think in the comments section below!

End of the Road! The Autobots are faced with mutliple threats, one of them a danger not only to Cybertron, but to the whole Universe!

Trapped between Shockwave’s attack and Unicron’s onslaught, Optimus and the Autobots struggle to make sense of what’s left of their world, as Optimus’ colonist soldiers contend with a brutal reality–they have no homes to return to. Plus, Shockwave reveals ancient truths–as an old friend tries to reconnect with Cybertron.

Collects the 2018 Annual and issues #22-25, which conclude the series.

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jun 14, 2018

I initially thought it was the OP 19 cover with Shockwave, but the colours of that 'beacon' streak don't match. :-?

This one, however...

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by william-james88 Jun 14, 2018

If we already know the cover then why hide it?

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jun 14, 2018

william-james88 wrote:If we already know the cover then why hide it?

Not everyone follows the solicits or the single issue releases, and may not want the Shockwave and Bumblebee spoiler so many months in advance of the trade release.

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by ScottyP Jun 14, 2018

william-james88 wrote:If we already know the cover then why hide it?

Some guy at Penguin publishing was probably just following a well-intended note from IDW.

Alternately, the cover Va'al sleuthed out is a red herring. We know Alpha Bravo will save the universe so he probably gets the last cover

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by william-james88 Jun 14, 2018

Va'al wrote:
william-james88 wrote:If we already know the cover then why hide it?

Not everyone follows the solicits or the single issue releases, and may not want the Shockwave and Bumblebee spoiler so many months in advance of the trade release.

Haha, yeah I get that. But they also gave out a free comic a few weeks ago that had Bumblebee on the cover :lol:

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by william-james88 Jun 14, 2018

ScottyP wrote:
william-james88 wrote:If we already know the cover then why hide it?
Some guy at Penguin publishing was probably just following a well-intended note from IDW.

Amazon sure didnt get that note :lol:

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Opt?tag=seibertron07-20& ... formers-20

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jun 14, 2018

william-james88 wrote:
Va'al wrote:
william-james88 wrote:If we already know the cover then why hide it?

Not everyone follows the solicits or the single issue releases, and may not want the Shockwave and Bumblebee spoiler so many months in advance of the trade release.

Haha, yeah I get that. But they also gave out a free comic a few weeks ago that had Bumblebee on the cover

Again, not Penguin!

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jun 16, 2018

Via the usual source Previews World, and fellow Seibertron.com admin ScottyP, we have two covers for the price of one for the upcoming issue #21 of the IDW Publishing ongoing Transformers comics series Optimus Prime! Why two in one? Because the Kei Zama line art is used for the retailer incentive cover, while the full coloured version by Josh Burcham will be the main variant for the issue.

As for the contents? Check it out below, along with the synopsis, and join the discussion about the two hands featured in the art - probably underrated protagonists of the story thread Aileron and Arcee - as we reach the end of The Falling story arc.

(W) John Barber (A) Sara Pitre-Durocher (CA) Kei Zama
"The Falling," Part 6. Bumblebee and Optimus Prime make a last, desperate bid to return to the real world as Shockwave teams up with the Autobots! Can Optimus stop what's coming, or has he played right into the hands of the ultimate destroyer?
In Shops: Jul 18, 2018

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Agent 53 Jun 16, 2018

So thanks to Amazon we know what IDW were hiding. They appear to be under the mistaken assumption that Bumblebee's resurrection (revealed on one of the Unicron covers months back and confirmed by the Free Comic Book Day issue) is still a secret. He appears in his new evergreen design on the cover.

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Randomhero Jun 16, 2018

Agent 53 wrote:So thanks to Amazon we know what IDW were hiding. They appear to be under the mistaken assumption that Bumblebee's resurrection (revealed on one of the Unicron covers months back and confirmed by the Free Comic Book Day issue) is still a secret. He appears in his new evergreen design on the cover.

They still have to treat it as such.

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jun 23, 2018

We had featured the black and white lineart by artist Kei Zama for the main and variant covers for the IDW Publishing Transformers ongoing comic Optimus Prime #20 right here, and you may have seen the coloured up version by Josh Burcham around too - but to be fair to everyone and share the Beast Wars majesty of the piece, check it out mirrored below from Previews World, along with some detail shots by Zama herself!

(W) John Barber (A/CA) Kei Zama
"The Falling," Part 5. Optimus Prime has faced defeat before and come back... but he's never seen anything like this. Beyond life, beyond death-only the wisdom of an old friend can save him. Meanwhile, Victorion battles Devastator... and only one will survive.

The return of Bumblebee! One shall rise, one shall fall, but who will destroy them all?
In Shops: Jul 11, 2018
SRP: $3.99

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Randomhero Jun 23, 2018

Kind of a shame these guys are just background characters in the falling but hey it makes sense that they share looks with prime and megatron with shockwave as their leader

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Big Grim Jun 25, 2018

That really is a bloody gorgeous cover!

Re: Variant Cover Art for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime #20 by Kei Zama (view post)

Comment by Va'al Jul 7, 2018

The weekend brings us not, not two, but three previews for new comics from the Transformers universe (and what is left from the Hasbro Universe too, I suppose) of IDW Publishing comics!

Starting below, the first is the shorter preview via iTunes for ongoing series Optimus Prime, now on its #20 issue, and entering the final stage of the Falling arc. Check it out, and join the conversation in the Energon Pub before its release next week.

“The Falling,” Part 5. Optimus Prime has faced defeat before and come back... but he's never seen anything like this. Beyond life, beyond death—only the wisdom of an old friend can save him. Meanwhile, Victorion battles Devastator... and only one will survive.

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