Transformers #1

Writer: Brian Ruckley Artist: Angel Hernandez, Ron Joseph Publisher: IDW Publishing Release Date: March 13, 2019 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 21 User Reviews: 10
8.1Critic Rating
8.4User Rating

A NEW ERA DAWNS! In the infinite universe, there exists a planet like no other: Cybertron! Home to the Transformers, and a thriving hub for inter-stellar commerce, it is a world brimming with organic and constructed diversity. Immense structures line its landscape. Mechanical giants roam across its surface. Starship-sized titans orbit its skies, keeping a constant protective watch above and below. Ancient Transformers merge into its very fabric. Small, mysterious creatures skulk in its shadows. It is a truly amazing realm, long untouched by war, and exuberantly reaching for the stars. This is the Cybertron that Optimus Prime and Megatron vie more

  • 10
    ComicBook.com - Jenna Anderson Mar 13, 2019

    The debut issue is unbelievably accessible, crafting a reboot that has quite a lot of brevity, while also exuding a ton of charm and fun. With expressive visuals and a promising narrative, Transformers #1 captures the magic of what the franchise can be. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Infinite Earths - J.D. Jr. Mar 16, 2019

    A strong start to a fantastic tale of epic struggle that look to peel back the shadows of Cybertron's past! Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    Comicsverse - Jhoan Suriel Mar 13, 2019

    TRANSFORMERS #1's hard reset for IDW's long-running series is a promising start. It's clear that Ruckley, Hernandez, Whitman, and Lafuente understand the mythos. It's safe to say that this new reboot is in good hands. Read Full Review

  • 9.3
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Mar 13, 2019

    The art by Angel Hernandez and Cachet Whitman is amazingly detailed from the characters to the stunning backgrounds. Everything looks vibrant on the page. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    AIPT - Ritesh Babu Mar 12, 2019

    Transformers is back and it's a joy, as always. If you're an old reader, hop on board. You're going to get a look at a familiar era through a new lens. If you're a new reader, interested or looking to dive in, this is the perfect place to start. You couldn't ask for a better beginning as you get in on ground-zero for a lot of the defining parts of the mythology. The ride begins here and now, so get on board! Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Comic Book Legion - ComicsDude Mar 19, 2019

    This is NOT your father's Autobots Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Pastrami Nation - Daniel Schwartz Mar 17, 2019

    This first issue also has a large variety of fantastic variant covers. From black and white covers to poster-worthy covers, there is a little something for everyone. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    GWW - Percy Waelchl Mar 12, 2019

    Writer Brian Ruckely and artists Angel Hernandez and Cachet Whitman create a new, yet familiar, world for the Transformers to inhabit. Longtime fans will feel comfortable in the settings created and new or returning fans will be able to start fresh with this new series and continuity.Transformers#1 may not do much beyond establishing the characters and raise questions, but that is enough reason for readers to return to Cybertron and to return for issue #2. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Big Comic Page - Sam Graven Mar 13, 2019

    This really is an excellent opening salvo. With a brace of covers hinting at how the story may develop, and the arrival of another female ‘bot (possibly Chromia? we'll have to wait and see) teased for next issue, as well as more completely new characters coming down the line, this has jumped right up my pull list. Get it on your stack, surprise yourself, and Roll Out! Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Razorfine - Alan Rapp Mar 19, 2019

    With the series Ruckley has found a new way to delve into characters and stories fans already know fairly well, and I'm always pleased to see the Generation One design of the Transformers which Hernandez delivers. I'll be curious to see where things go from here. Worth a look. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    The Brazen Bull - Charlie Chipman Mar 13, 2019

    Transformers (2019-) #1 is an accessible debut that immerses readers in the world of Transformers, familiarizing them with Cybertron, its occupants, and its conflicts. If you've been looking for a place to start reading Transformers comics, this is it. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Newsarama - Justin Partridge Mar 13, 2019

    By getting back to basics and focusing on the themes and cast, Transformers #1 stands ready to pull in a whole new audience of readers. Brian Ruckley, Angel Hernandez, Cachet Whitman, and Joana Lafuente turn in really solid work here, providing a new and engaging baseline for the property. Not quite a “Bold New Era” just yet, but this is definitely a step on the right path. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    411Mania - Steve Gustafson Mar 22, 2019

    Bringing it all back, this was a solid book to push out into the market and I'd give it a solid push as a pick up. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Flickering Myth - Ricky Church Mar 17, 2019

    Transformers #1doesn't quite reinvent the wheel, but Ruckley presents some interesting ideas and set-up to this new continuity. The characterizations of Bee, Windblade, Orion and Megatron are intriguing, but Rubble doesn't do much to stand out as his own character rather than a mouthpiece for the readers. The art is also good and detailed in places, but hopefully Hernandez and Cachet can work on making the bots a little more emotive in future issues. For now, though, it was a nice start to IDW's new beginning. Read Full Review

  • 7.7
    Sequential Planet - Matthew Dillon Mar 14, 2019

    It's not up to the standards of IDW's previous Transformers books but it was unrealistic to expect that. However, it does show the potential to reach those heights. Read Full Review

  • 7.6
    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Darryll Robson Mar 12, 2019

    Going back to the beginning is a bold move but Transformers #1 is perfectly pitched for the start of a new series. The opening is sedate and the pre-war Cybertron is a beautiful setting for a new introduction to everyone's favourite giant robots. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen Mar 13, 2019

    Transformers #1 moves slowly, but also offers a much-needed fresh start for the franchise. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Comics: The Gathering - Olivier Roth Mar 13, 2019

    All in all, this was a fun debut issue that set the stage for this new era of the Transformers at IDW. Ruckley has some pretty big shoes to fill, but judging from this first issue, he’s off to a good start. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Comic Watch - Robert Struble May 18, 2019

    This reboot misses the mark in some parts but keeps the reader interested enough to check out more. Its part political drama, part mystery, all rock em sock em robots. Worth checking out if youre a transformer fan and as with most IDWs Transformer books, its more intelligent than a book about an 80s cartoon containing transforming cars and planes has any business being. Read Full Review

  • 5.5
    Multiversity Comics - Alexander Jones Mar 14, 2019

    The pleasant but sleepy script in "Transformers" #1 loses some of the goodwill the property is known for. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Comic Crusaders - Daniel Clark Mar 13, 2019

    People often complain about an oversized first issue, but Transformers #1 shows why sometimes it is the right choice to make. When you have an issue that is attempting to relaunch a franchise for a new audience while still doing enough to maintain the fans that were previously there you can get a book that does not do either to a great extent. There are plenty of plot threads and potential themes that can lead to a fantastic new age for Transformers comics, however, for a first issue this does not bring with it the level of excitement one would hope for. Read Full Review

  • 10
    axdn Apr 6, 2019

    A strong issue number 1! loving the new character !

  • 9.0
    I Review Comics Apr 12, 2019

    I'm not the biggest fan of the Transformers franchise. I'm an older guy but I was slightly younger than the target demographic when Transformers ruled the world in the '80s. The most notable thing I remember loving about the cartoon was the giant Megatron transforming into a handgun, it was the height of absurdity. 

    I recently finished Tom Scioli's Go-Bots Mini-Series, which was legit one of the best books I've read in years, and I guess I wanted more of that flavor so I figured I would give this series a try. 

    This Transformers series seems to be set slightly at the outset of whatever conflict split Cybertron into Civil War. The story is really interesting. Megatron and Orion Pax (Optimus Prime) are friends. Bumble more

  • 9.0
    SloboSOY Mar 15, 2019

    I don't know much about the transformers. I see the old animated serie when I was young. I tried the Bay two first movies. And one comics so far - Transformers : Lost Light. But without knowing well the comics, I didn't enjoy it.
    This new ongoing was the occasion to try aggain. It seems to be free of the rest. A reboot or something alike. But it's not. It's in the Transformers past. And it's seems it's related to other comics. For one the grudge that Megatron have against Orion Pax don't seem to be new.
    And even if I don't understand all the Transformer mythos. I find weird that Optimus Prime wasn't Optimus Prime at this time. I find the Orion Pax thing confusing.
    Like I'm not fond of the fact that Windblade look alike a Amer more

  • 8.5
    Gizmo Mar 31, 2019

    In the first issue, we already have some hints at a couple consequential changes to the Transformers universe, the most obvious that Megatron's faction currently goes by the identity of Ascenticons rather than Decepticons and that Tarn is some kind of place (real or mythical) which I previously only knew as the name of the head of the DJD.

    The biggest change is that apparently alt modes are now chosen by a Transformer after they are forged and have some idea of what role they wish to serve. This is a huge change because pre-war politics in the previous IDW Transformers Universe dictated that a robot's alt-mode determined your role in society: a 'Fuctionalist' society. This was the previous injustice that Megatron and the Deceptic more

  • 7.0

    It fills you up if you are craving Transformers, but it is nothing great.

  • 7.0
    Big Brother Mar 13, 2019

    Slow start.

  • 10
    Greg Hound Mar 18, 2019

  • 8.5
    ÜberGinger Mar 27, 2019

  • 8.0
    Jason The Dude Mar 13, 2019

  • 6.5
    Veido Mar 16, 2019

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