After 24 explosive issues of war, loss, and shifting alliances, Transformers #25 kicks off a bold new chapter under the creative power duo of Robert Kirkman and Dan Mora. The Autobots and Decepticons are still reeling from the fallout of their last battle, with Megatron’s fury reaching new heights and Optimus Prime finding himself face-to-face with a whole new kind of human threat or ally? This issue doesn’t just restart the engine; it rebuilds it.
Transformers #25 is a stunning season premiere for the franchise. If comic books had “seasons,” this would be the kind of debut that makes fans sit up straight and say, “Oh, we’re back.” It opens with Megatron unleashing pure rage on what’s left of his Decepticons. The moment is brutal, darkly funny, and cathartic, especially as Kirkman adds a sharp edge of personality to the villain. His insults cut deep, literally and emotionally, and the scene finally answers the big question lingering since issue #24: what happened to Starscream? Turns out, that story is as grim as you would expect.
From there, the art baton passes from Jorge Corona to Dan Mora, and the difference is electric. Corona’s section feels like a final salute to the last era, powerful, raw, and textured with Megatron’s pain. Then Mora steps in, and the visual world expands. His lines are cleaner, brighter, and more cinematic, and with Mike Spicer’s colors glowing off every metallic curve, the Autobots look larger than life again. The shift from the chaos of war to the cautious rebuilding phase hits hard, and it feels earned.
Watching this issue unfold, I couldn’t help grinning at how confidently Kirkman puts his stamp on the series. He is not shy about mixing worlds or taking risks. The introduction of Shadow Watch, a covert military faction run by the mysterious Miles Mayhem, is one of those moves that could have easily gone sideways, as the “military versus alien” angle has been done to death in Transformers lore, but somehow it works. Instead of feeling like another government-conspiracy subplot, it feels like the next natural step in the evolving Energon Universe.
And that’s the exciting part. Kirkman isn’t just writing Transformers; he’s threading it into a bigger tapestry of interconnected stories (see also Void Rivals). Mayhem’s arrival brings intrigue and tension as the guy oozes “too good to be true.” Fans of M.A.S.K. will immediately recognize the name and start connecting dots, especially when he starts playing nice with Optimus Prime. The alliance between the Autobots and this shadowy human faction feels uneasy in all the right ways. You can sense the setup for something explosive down the road, and that’s exactly the kind of slow-burn storytelling this franchise needed.
Meanwhile, Mora absolutely owns the visual storytelling. His designs honor the iconic cartoon aesthetics but bring a sense of grounded emotion that’s been missing for a while. Optimus, in particular, radiates warmth and resolve; you believe he’s the same leader who can cradle a child gently one moment and take down Soundwave the next. That wrestling-inspired battle scene between Optimus and Soundwave? It’s straight-up thrilling. Every hit lands like a thunderclap, and Mora’s choreography makes it feel both comic-book big and physically believable.
There’s also something refreshing about how this issue manages to look back while charging forward. Kirkman clearly respects what Daniel Warren Johnson and Corona built before him, but he is not stuck in nostalgia mode. Instead, he is shaping a version of Transformers that feels cinematic, serialized, and confident enough to take chances, such as teasing the return of the Ark or hinting that certain “dead” Decepticons might not stay that way.
In short, Transformers #25 delivers exactly what a new era should: a respectful farewell, a bold new beginning, and a couple of surprises that make you lean forward and mutter, “Wait, what?” It’s the kind of issue that reminds fans why they fell in love with giant transforming robots in the first place, not because of explosions, but because of the heart and tension underneath all that metal.
If you are new to the series, this is a perfect place to jump in. If you have been following since issue #1, it’s a satisfying reward for sticking around. Kirkman brings the narrative muscle, Mora brings the visual firepower, and together they set the stage for what could be the most exciting stretch of Transformers storytelling in years.
‘Transformers’ #25 Dawn of a New Era and Optimus Isn’t Rolling Alone!
Transformers #25 is a visual powerhouse with a confident new voice steering the wheel. It balances heart, humor, and spectacle while teasing a much larger world waiting to unfold. The Autobots might not know who to trust, but as readers, we can trust this creative team to take us somewhere worth going.
