IDW Transformers: Optimus Prime #22 Cover B Shared by Sara Pitre-Durocher

doing it with style

What's kinda funny about RiD/TF/OP is that the whole thing is basically the same book but with 3 different names, like MTMTE/LL. And considering both are 1 long narrative, both will end with more issues to them than the original US Marvel run, which is very impressive.

Also, with what Shockwave has done, it still raises a few questions for me:

1) The Matrix. Where, why, how does this fit in with everything being made up?

2) Shockwave didn't know anything about the colonies before he got sent back in time, so how did he know which planets would host colonies?

3) Shockwave, the Maximals, and Unicron. Connection please.

4) How did Galvatron know OnxyWave was coming? How did he know what was going to happen?

5) more Unicron, but still applies here: 13th colony?

6) Poor Scoop. He's super dead Jim.

7) If OP and BB are simply data, does that really mean they still have sparks? it sounds like resurrection is a bit too easy, unless sparks can survive being turned into pure data and somehow reignited. Wholly possible I know, but a bit funky.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:For someone who has read comics for around three decades, the answer is very simple: just pick a book you like the look of and start reading. I'll give you an example, the first issue of Uncanny X-Men I ever bought was #314. Wherein Emma Frost possesses Iceman and runs amok before discovering her previous students were all dead. I had no context for any of that, But, I liked what I read so I kept reading. Filling in the blanks over time.

Heh. Mine was #307, where they play some football, and Scott and Jean make an announcement.

Just popping in to say, after having re-read exRID #44 (Aileron's first appearance) straight through to OP #21, both of Arcee and Aileron's character arcs have been building to that moment and their friendship (and feelings for each) really starts to kick off in OP#8. <3 <3 <3

It's also really easy to see a whole new subtext as to why Aileron was such a basket case during First Strike (OP#11&12) which doesn't payoff entirely until OP#15.

As a re-read, Arcee and Aileron and the REAL B plot of whole "The Falling" arc.

The A Plot is obviously the "falling" of the entire belief of Cybertronians.

The B Plot is Arcee and Aileron falling for each other, literally and figuratively and it happens throughout the whole arc leading up to OP#21.

Re-reading Aileron's narration in OP#17 is almost like reading a love poem now.

I'm dying to see the fallout from both the kiss and everyone's least favorite time-traveling furry's plan to kill belief in OP#22.

From the 5-page preview from Unicron #2, it doesn't really seem like Aileron minded too much.

We have three more previews of IDW Publishing Transformers comics, coming from both the publisher themselves and regular outlet iTunes for the one included below to begin with - a three page preview for the ongoing series Optimus Prime and its issue #22, as we lead towards the Unicron event already starting in its own mini-series.

Check out the three mirrored pages below, featuring art by Sara Pitre-Durocher, and prepare for the full issue out soon.

Description

END OF THE ROAD! Trapped between Shockwave’s attack and Unicron’s onslaught, Optimus and the Autobots struggle to make sense of what’s left of their world. Shockwave reveals ancient truths—as an old friend tries to reconnect with Cybertron.

Is it me or does bee look even shorter there?

It’s available at IDW too

I'm liking the fact that we are coming back to the dreams OP had in All Hail Optimus

Courtesy of both IDW Publishing's website and artist Kei Zama on Twitter, we have the full cover reveal for Cover A of the upcoming Optimus Prime #23 issue of the ongoing Transformers comics series, which features, as you can see below, the Junkion rulers Rum-Maj and Wreck-Gar, along with background Sharkticons.

Also included below, thanks to Zama, are the lineart for the cover, the initial sketches and pencils, and a reminder of the concept designs for both Junkion leaders. Check it all out!

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 first of our full previews for upcoming IDW Publishing Transformers comics this Tuesday comes in the form of Optimus Prime #22, running to catch up to the Unicron event in the overall scheduling, and sort of sliding in both before and just after the first issues of that mini-series.

Check it out below, and head back for a review here on Seibertron.com once the book is released!

Optimus Prime #22—Cover A: Kei Zama
John Barber (w) • Sara Pitre-Durocher (a) • Kei Zama (c)
END OF THE ROAD! Trapped between Shockwave’s attack and Unicron’s onslaught, Optimus and the Autobots struggle to make sense of what’s left of their world. Shockwave reveals ancient truths—as an old friend tries to reconnect with Cybertron.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Optimus Prime #22—Cover B: Sara Pitre-Durocher
John Barber (w) • Sara Pitre-Durocher (a & c)
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
Variant cover by Kei Zama!

Poor cliffjumper, he never gets a break.

ZeroWolf wrote:Poor cliffjumper, he never gets a break.

Yeah besides the occasional background cameo Cliff sure was forgotten by idw after the death of op issue.

Sigh I remember spotlight Cliffjumper which makes me all the sadder.

Although..
Wasn't he one of the ones who died in the movie?

Nope, he survived with Jazz, Bumblebee and Spike.

Synopsis
END OF THE ROAD! Trapped between Shockwave’s attack and Unicron’s onslaught, Optimus and the Autobots struggle to make sense of what’s left of their world. Shockwave reveals ancient truths—as an old friend tries to reconnect with Cybertron.




Story
The Falling is over, now comes the fallout. As we pick up the pieces of what took place during the latest story arc in the Optimus Prime ongoing, we also finally connect to the story continuing over in the mini-series that is the Unicron event finale - even with the lateness and repercussions that this has, more so than previously in this book specifically.



Other than the return of both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, with the former's troubled and questioning ethical and personal issues about how the entire universe may be right in not being that happy with him or Cybertron after all, both being utterly spoiled by now by the Unicron book, there are some interesting aspects of returning characters and intersecting universes that work well in the issue.



In particular, we get to see how Rom is involved in the situation at hand (before the events of Unicron #0), along with many of the other characters previously seen in the Hasbro Universe and still/back on Earth since they were last shown in the series in recent months. And, for someone who mildly enjoyed the titular series, there was some stand out, emotional beats that entirely justify the inclusion in the story.



There are other peaks in terms of how the extremely large cast is being placed in relation with one another. Pyra Magna in particular leans even further into her role, as played pretty much against every major Cybertronian - something that will continue in Unicron - Bumblebee being used as exposition in the best way possible, and Optimus pretty much just taking it all in for the whole book, his silence actually quite tangible.


Art

Sara Pitre Durocher is the sole artist on the issue this time, and her work on the eyes of the characters (as well as what seems to be thicker inks, to me) is what stands out in particular on the page. From the very opening of Optimus' awakening, running through several close-ups, the layouts bring us closer and closer in to the story and how it's affecting the characters



I am still impressed by how much of the series' tone has been given by the tonalities that Josh Burcham brings to his colours, which mark it as its own unique thing even when different artists are concerned, and this issue is no exception to that. With the multiple different settings and scenarios, the lighting strikes just right, and some on staff didn't even realise the artist had changed again!



As for the lettering from Tom B. Long, we only have a couple of particularly visible elements of font work, but the script is one of those exceptions to Barber's style which don't take captions to tell the story, and rather rely on dialogue - meaning that the job may not be as striking, but the careful laying out of the speech bubbles is meticulously done, and precisely on point.

In terms of covers, you can find all three in full size in our database entry, but the Pitre-Durocher one in the thumbnail in particular highlights my point about this book's character focus, while the Zama/Burcham main variant dwells on the story.

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
What initially seemed to be mostly exposition, as I pointed out above with Bumblebee, and as is partially also true with Shockwave, is also deployed by Barber really quite effectively as it sets in motion a number of cogs that the book itself remarks upon, though quite subtly, and it's probably the most intriguing hook from an issue that would otherwise be utterly flattened by knowing the general conclusion - and which may be the sole biggest fault of the book.



On the other, very positive hand, it was a pleasure to see how Rom and other Hasbro Universe characters and storylines are being brought in finally without it feeling like a strain. Dinobots, Jazz, the Council and Marissa, Trypticon, the colonists on Earth - all pieces being set up for the next in the game, which OP's removal from the conversation actually shows how much his presence can be a hindrance to their development. (That sentence itself may have foreshadowing hues on what is left of this story.)

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.