Daniel Warren Johnson’s ‘Transformers’ #3 Is Another Relentlessly Action-Packed Issue Perfect For Fans

Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers comic is the first series of this long-running comic book franchise I have ever picked up, being won over by his previous comic book work. So, with no prior knowledge I didn’t know what to expect other than a requisite amount to action, high drama and robot parts littering the pages of each issue. And that’s exactly what I got, but with the addition of some gnarly and intensely energetic artwork. And it works. Like the films – some of which I admit to having seen – the whole concept of the comic is robots in disguise at each others’ throats, on a grand scale, with humans getting in their way. Those humans being longstanding Transformers characters, Spike, Carly, Spike’s dad (Sparky) and more to come, including the odd GI JOE member too. It’s all great popcorn-level fun with Warren Johnson being all too aware what Transformers fans expect. 

This is a shamelessly larger-than-life beat-‘em up action flick in comic book form, with Warren Johnson filling each page with bold and blurry speed lines and gargantuan onomatopoeic sound effects incorporated into the artwork that help sell the epic knock down occurring in this issue between the Autobots and the Decepticons. A showdown in which main-man Optimus Prime enters the fray in a hugely thrilling and pulse pounding way – magnificently imagined as a double page spread that’s all speed, power and testosterone – taking some impressive lumps before administering and equally impressing beat down to Skyward.

Helping convey the sheer power of each blow landed by these mechanical monoliths, is the colouring of Mike Spicer, who adds a bright splash of colour to Warren Johnson’s onomatopoeic sound effects that are an integral part of the art and unfolding all-out action. The backdrop is a muted cityscape of cool blues while each punch explodes with noise and an explosion of brighter colours. All equating to a well-realised big-ass battle scene courtesy of the creators behind this book.

Transformers #3 is an unashamedly mindless, blockbuster comic full of fizz, physicality and fun and out now from Skybound/Image Comics.