Transformers #33 continues our look at the new status quo for the series. In the previous issue we got to see what an Elita-Prime led Autobots looked like as their mission was aimed at saving Cybertron. While Elita-Prime’s Autobots have a firm direction there is a lot of questions about the outlaw Autobots left on Earth. After losing his Prime status, Optimus is on shaky ground with the Decepticons still operating on Earth. We got the chance to check out an early copy of Transformers #33 from Image Comics and Skybound. Find out how it turned out with our advance review.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Jason Howard
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
TRANSFORMERS #33 SOLICITATION
“OPTIMUS’S NEW AUTOBOT TEAM REVEALED! A new team of Autobots remains on Earth under Optimus’s leadership. But can they come together after the battle between Optimus and Elita?” – Image Comics & Skybound Entertainment
REVIEW
To say Transformers #33 has a lot going on would be an understatement. Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard juggle several character-specific threads across twenty pages. No matter how much time is spent on each one, everything an Autobot or Decepticon does feels important. That sense of importance helps this issue feel like more than just a set-up chapter for the next big developments in the series.
The biggest thing Transformers #33 addresses is the new normal facing the Autobots left on Earth. Even though they are technically no longer the main Autobot team, that does not stop them from operating the way they always have. They are still here to protect Earth from the Decepticon threat. And with the Decepticons relatively quiet, this outlaw Autobots squad uses the downtime to help repair the damage done to the planet and figure out what their next move should be.
It may seem small but it goes a long way to see Optimus, Arcee Magnus, Wheeljack, Beachcomber, and the others doing what they can. It shows that their latest victory over the Decepticons was more than just winning a major battle. That outcome has led to Optimus and his crew being seen in a more heroic light by the public, which is a big change from what we have seen up to this point in the series.
That, in turn, puts an even bigger spotlight on the Optimus’ new status quo. Transformers #33 spends a good amount of time on the impact losing of the Matrix of Leadership has on Optimus. He has to adjust not only to the physical change, but also to the mental and spiritual shift that comes with it. It creates a very unique character arc for Kirkman to explore that feels like new territory for Optimus.
Optimus’s current state works even better when paired with how Arcee Magnus is coming into her own in her new status quo. Like Optimus, Arcee is still getting used to the new power she now wields as a Magnus. But unlike him, her growth is heading in a more positive direction. That contrast makes the dynamic between Arcee Magnus and Optimus even more compelling to follow.
Along with everything happening with the Autobots on Earth, we also get some very intriguing developments on Cybertron and elsewhere. There are moments in this issue that make you wonder how upcoming events in this series will impact other Energon Universe comic book series. That includes some eyebrow-raising surprises that pop up at several points along the way throughout this issue.
With the tonal shift in Transformers #33, Jason Howard is at his best. The artwork is clean and does a great job of showing where many of these characters are mentally at this point in the story. From Optimus’s introspection to Arcee Magnus’s confidence and everything in between, Howard communicates it all clearly through his art. Mike Spicer adds even more to the artwork with the vibrant colors he brings to every page.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Transformers #33 is the perfect set-up chapter. There is a lot of character exploration for the new status quo of the Autobots. It is led by how Optimus is adjusting to the changes he has been through recently. This along with some surprises sprinkled throughout this issue make this yet another must-read for this Energon Universe series.
Story Rating: 9 out of 10
Art Rating: 8 out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10
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