The wars on Cybertron and Earth converge in ways the Autobots and Decepticons never expected… Transformers #8 delivered a surprise as Soundwave made contact with Shockwave on Cybertron. Transformers #9 keeps up the surprises as a space bridge is opened, threatening the Autobots and Earth!

With every issue, writer Daniel Warren Johnson has shown that anything can happen in this new take on the Transformers. Characters die or are injured in brutal ways and Transformers #9 is no exception to that.

While the Autobots make a move against Soundwave and the new Decepticon base, they face an even greater threat as Shockwave steps on to the battlefield. Shockwave is a character whose threat has increased over the years taking him from a steward of Cybertron in Megatron’s absence to a mad scientist that’s a powerhouse on the battlefield too. This issue continues all of that teasing the fear Shockwave brings.

Johnson dances around all of that, adding to the dread. Optimus seems genuinely afraid of his foe with teases of previous battles. The end of the issue elicits fear as an Autobot is dragged kicking and screaming at the thought of what Shockwave will do. A human too is teased with the torture to come. All of that still seems more brutal and scarier than the numerous bots on both sides who are cut down, some literally in half, during the latest skirmish between the two forces.

Jorge Corona‘s art helps add to the visceral feel of it all. The deaths and injuries are brutal as even recently introduced characters are beaten and bruised. With color by Mike Spicer and lettering by Rus Wooton, there’s a gritty nature to the issue that adds to the savagery of it all. There’s visual excitement with classic characters being shown and introduced and then destroyed in creative ways. Characters that seem key have their spark extinguished with art that emphasizes it but doesn’t glorify it. Transformers #9 is interesting in that the art feels like it nails the frantic nature of what’s happening.

Transformers #9 ups the fear as the threat against Earth grows bigger. There’s hints that what we’ve seen is nothing compared to what’s to come and all of that feels like it’ll brilliantly collide with the other series in the “Energon Universe.”

Story: Daniel Warren Johnson Art: Jorge Corona
Color: Mike Spicer Letterer: Rus Wooton
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Skybound provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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