Transformers #37 brings the spotlight back to Cybertron. More specifically, we will see how things have progressed for Elita Prime and the Autobots. As Elita Prime continues to get used to her new level of power the Decepticons have shown they won’t be waiting for her to do so. This has forced the Autobots to continue to battle from behind. Though there are signs that the battle for Cybertron can turn to the Autobots favor. Can that continue? Let’s find out with Transformers #37.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Jason Howard
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
TRANSFORMERS #37 SOLICITATION
“THE PRICE OF BEING PRIME!
How far will Elita Prime go to win the war on Cybertron?” – Image Comics & Skybound Entertainment
REVIEW
No matter how many battles you win and locations you reclaim it does not mean you will be winning the war. That is a lesson that we see Elita Prime ignore throughout Transformers #37 until she can’t avoid it anymore. The journey to get to this revelation is one that further highlights the weight that comes with being the leader of the Autobots. Meanwhile, we continue to see how Shockwave’s own journey could throw a massive wrench in the plans for everyone, Autobot and Decepticon.
Something we saw in Transformers #32 was how powerful Elita Prime has become as she has the Matrix of Leadership. In that issue we saw how her upgrade gave Elita Prime the ability to play hero ball and take on the Decepticons on her own. That wasn’t something that was a one time thing just to show her power. Instead, that set the tone for how Elita Prime goes about leading the Autobots.
It is something we see throughout Transformers #37 as Elita Prime seems risk adverse to put any of the Autobots in danger. There is a reason given as Elita Prime is well aware of the minimal resources the Autbots have available to them. And with many Autobots like Bumblebee still out of commissions the resources they do have are so valuable that she wants them to be conserved. That includes how many of her Autobots actually go on missions to reclaim different zones on Cybertron.
This leading to Elita Prime taking on the bulk of the mission work on herself is both impressive and worrisome. Elita Prime shows she is more than capable to take on any threat. We see how this hero ball play she continues to run causes her to be tunnel vision. It is something not all the Autobots notice as most are wowed by what she accomplishes. To most Elita Prime methods are proving to be a ray of hope that they all needed.
At the same time, this is why Jazz proves he is such an important member of the Autobots. When Optimus Prime was leading the Autobots he was right there being his right hand man. In that role Jazz was never just a yes man. He was someone who voiced his opinion even when he did eventually follow Optimus Prime’s orders. He wanted to make sure his leader and friend was making the right decision.
Jazz does the same thing for Elita Prime in Transformers #37. Jazz is the veteran voice in the room that Elita Prime needs. It is helpful to show that we should be concerned with how far Elita Prime is pushing herself by doing so much on her own. Jazz knows from being with Optimus Prime, seeing both his success and failures, that working as a team is just as important as the power one Autobot has.
This leads to the final battle in this issue to have a proper payoff. All the missions Elita Prime took on throughout Transformers #37 ended forcing the Decepticons to come together. Because of that Elita Prime’s tunnel vision she did not notice that Makeshift used his ability during one of the missions to disguise himself as Mirage for this very situation. While the rest of the Autobots being alongside her this time to make the mission as success, Elita Prime learned an important lesson. By the end you do feel like Elita Prime is further coming into her own as a leader as she learns why it is important to also support Optimus squad back on Earth.
As all that is happening, we see how Transformers #37 starts and ends with what Soundwave is doing underground as the Autobots and Decepticons fight on Cybertron’s surface. The fact that Soundwave is still active with his entire head missing, save for one light eyeball, makes how he tortures Alpha Trion even more terrifying. There are no extremes Soundwave he won’t take to accomplish his goals. Which makes him one of the most dangerous characters in this series as he now seemingly has control of Vector Sigma.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Transformers #37 does an excellent job taking us on a journey as Elita Prime continues to grow as the Autobots leader. That growth comes as both Elita Prime’s strengths and weaknesses shine through. In showing this we once again see how she is a different type of leader from Optimus Prime and is what the Autobots need right now. At the same time we see Soundwave make big moves. These moves create a lot more intrigue around how the war between the Autobots and Decepticons could turn out.
Story Rating: 10 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 9.5 Night Girls out of 10
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