Transformers #18: IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING

Transformers #18 finishes off this story arc with one of the biggest bangs of the series so far. While the creation of a new Autobot seemingly turns the tide of war on Cybertron, our Earth bound heroes cannot seem to catch a break. On one side of the story, Cary, Spike, Beachcomber, and Arcee encounter unforeseen opposition as they attempt to bring Ultra Magnus back home. This plot itself ends on a cliffhanger, but then the story really kicks into gear as it transitions over to the battle between the two decepticon factions as the two titanic combiners, Devastator and Bruticus, practically annihilate Seattle. This all results in an ending that will be sure to change the tire of the Energon Universe forever.

Heavy SPOILERS to follow:

To say Transformers #18 is action packed would be an understatement. Jorge Corona absolutely lets loose in one of his best issues yet. Corona continues to prove he is a perfect match for writer Daniel Warren Johnson, as he expertly enfuses the WWE fighting style that Johnson has been known to showcase in many of his solo works. As has been the case with this whole series, all of this gets dialed up to eleven with Devastator chokeslamming Bruticus into downtown Seattle, practically destroying the entire city. Transformers seems to be the only series that competes with itself to see how it can top something crazy it has done before, and thankfully that means the fans and readers are always winning.

One of the core themes of this run has been the effects of war on soldiers. The subplots that coalesce in this issue tackle two sides of that story. The plot on Cybertron showcases Cliffjumper, someone who had lost hope in the battle, mustering together a plan that sees Shredhead come to life, showing the remaining Autobots that their fight to win this war is not futile. The other subplot showcases Ultra Magnus as a former prisoner of war who is struggling to return to a “normal” life. Both of these subplots take the pathos of the story to a whole new level, making this one of the most heartfelt Transformers series of all time, while also allowing this world of transforming vehicles to feel more human than ever.

The big, dramatic reveal at the end of this issue is the arrival of Megatron. This has been built up for the last eighteen issues and finally comes to fruition in one of the most well plotted reveals in recent comic history. For those who have kept up with Transformers since the first issue, there has been a running plot thread where Soundwave continuously is burned by his Decepticon leaders who refuse to use their resources to heal his cassette tape partners. This starts in issue #1 when Starscream is in control and continues over the course of the next arc as Soundwave similarly blows off Soundwave’s wishes. As Megatron arrives, the FIRST thing he does is heal one of Soundwave’s cassette tapes. Without saying a thing or using any dialogue, Johnson and Corona use this act to perfectly set up Megatron as a leader who is not just unrelenting and fierce, but also worthy of the support of his soldiers. This story beat alone is exemplary of the masterclass in comic book making that has made Transformers one of the best comics on shelves monthly.