Transformers #10: Conscientious Objector

Transformers #10 proves once and for all that Shockwave is a psychopath and the Autobots are in way over their heads. With Cliffjumper and Ratchet captured, and Optimus struggling to combat the criticisms of his leadership, all hope looks to be lost. Oh, and let’s not forget the literal planet sized threat that Shockwave is working up. While all of this is going on, the issue catches back up with Spike, who was saved last issue by Beachcomber, who delivers a whole new perspective on this comic, one that is bound to change the landscape of the war between the Autobots and Decepticons forever.

One of the huge themes of this run has been the futility of war, specifically the Cybertronian War’s seemingly endless conflict. Transformers #10 wastes no time in reminding readers that this conflict has spanned over millions years, with Beachcomber providing a slightly different recap of the events that lead to the Transformers’ arrival to Earth. In the grand scheme of things, it is absolutely bewildering that this extraterrestrial race would wake up after being seemingly dead for millions of years, only to restart the conflict that led them to this point. The journey that Beachcomber goes on is very emblematic of many of the character’s views early on in the series, like when Cliffjumper refused to kill Soundwave after realizing how cyclical this conflict has become. This is such great commentary on the real wars the world sees today, and how sometimes people can fight for the sake of fighting, leaving the true purpose in the wind.

Speaking of Soundwave, another element of this series has been the struggle to define a leader. This has mainly been on the side of the Decepticons, with the conflict between Soundwave and Starscream seemingly concluding towards the beginning of this arc; however, now Soundwave is experiencing the same thing with Shockwave. It was clear in prior issues that the threat of Shockwave was going to shake up this world, but this Decepticon is one horrifying piece of metal. Transformers #10 shows Shockwave find happiness in the torture of others, scoff at the needs and desires of his fellow soldiers, and reveals his true plans to revive Cybertron to its former glory. This depiction of true evil serves to show that not all the Decepticons are pure evil, with Soundwave seemingly questioning these actions, harkening back to his conversation with Optimus who had tried to end the conflict peacefully.

Finally, we have the heroes, the Autobots, who are starting to question Optimus’s tactics after he left Cliffjumper and Ratchet behind. This sentiment is echoed after Alita One reveals that Optimus had left her behind way back when on Cybertron. This is not the kind of comic or creative team that is seeking to assassinate Optimus’s character, but it is one that is willing to show the flaws and humility behind the leader who is often portrayed as more robotic than anything else. Daniel Warren Johnson clearly has something to say about war and how both sides of a conflict can be wrong, without it having to be black and white. This issue is exemplary of that mindset, with the conflict ramping up to a dramatic conclusion to this story arc.

Transformers #10 would not work nearly as well without the pencils and colors from Jorge Corona and Mike Spicer. This art team does a fantastic job on every single panel, portraying the humility and desires of these robots in a way that makes them feel more human than some people we interact with in the real world. There is a fantastic set of pages that depict the natural beauty of sea life and the destructive nature of Shockwave that is truly emblematic of the capabilities of this team. The dichotomy of the blue calm and peace and the red chaos and distraction helps isolate and solidify the tones and themes in the issue, with Corona infusing so much detail into each idea. This book just feels like something that needs to be printed comically oversized and put in a museum.