Transformers #13 Review

 

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artist: Jason Howard

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; Viktor Bogdanovic; Jorge Fornés; Francesco Mattina; Homare; Ludo Lullabi; John Giang; Björn Barends; Mico Suayan; Alan Quah; Deegan Puchkors; Juan Gedeon; Livio Ramondelli; Erik Eliarrez; Tiago Da Silva; Ivan Tao; Sajad Shah; Patricio Delpeche; Bill Sienkiewicz

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 9, 2024

 

Starscream made the most of his Early Bird Breakfast. He blasted Bumblebee and would have wiped all the Autobots out. But Optimus Prime and a handful of Autobots escaped the Ark, and Starscream’s continual failures eventually cost him Soundwave’s respect. Soundwave challenged Starscream for leadership of the Decepticons and hurled him into a volcano. But what turned Starscream into such an Energon-thirsty killer? Let's recharge our Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #13, and discover Starscream’s transformative journey!

 

Story

Once, Starscream was Ulchtar. He cherished peace and marveled at the universe. Ulchtar mapped the stars and worked with Jetfire to chart a course for Cybertron’s future. But his friend Genvo disliked anything he didn’t understand and delighted in killing the smaller beings that inhabited Cybertron’s mechanized ecosystem. Genvo spoke of his charismatic leader and urged Jetfire and Ulchtar to join their cause, believing that war would cure Cybertron’s ills.

 

Starscream, or Ulchtar, respected his friend's decision, even if he didn't understand it. But then, while Optimus (or Orion Pax) collected and organized the literature and knowledge of his race, Ulchtar expanded Cybertron’s understanding of the universe. Like that of a librarian, a cartographer’s life can be a solitary one. Jetfire abandoned Ulchtar to reap the fruits of their partnership. Still, at least there was Genvo. And Ulchtar had his work to fill his days.

 

Transformers #13 reveals the events that destroyed Ulchtar’s world and transformed a soul who gazed upon the universe in wonder into a soldier who squashed smaller intelligent species for amusement. Daniel Warren Johnson reveals why Starscream’s first act upon awakening on the Ark was to kill Bumblebee and his second to attack Jetfire. Johnson’s story shows how those who cherish knowledge and peace can become hardened killers. But then, charisma, intolerance, and hatred will always trump wisdom, peace, and love.

 

Art

Jason Howard portrays Genvo racing down the stairs as Ulchtar connects thick conduits to machinery. Genvo’s face radiates excitement. But in Transformers #13, Ulchtar is more concerned with studying the readouts. Jetfire’s carefree attitude induces Ulchtar to abandon the gauges and monitors. They fly off toward a spiky, hollow moon. As they sit on a hill, a spike-like tower rises behind them. While Ulchtar and Genvo gaze up at the starry expanse, Jetfire studies the pipes and machinery covering the metal planetoid.

 

Ulchtar’s red, white, and blue markings link him with the predominantly white Jetfire, while his yellow chest connects him with yellow, blue, and white Genvo. His enthusiastic friend’s mouth forms a line when Jetfire talks of leaving. Ulchtar places a hand on Genvo’s arm when his frowning friend smashes a green, ant-like creature. Ulchtar’s blue eyes glow, and he smiles as he regards the tiny beings that seem equally fascinated by him. Then Genvo points a blue finger at something that makes his friends rise in Transformers #13. It prompts Ulchtar to hurtle into the purple void. Mike Spicer shows Ulchtar become a streak of orange and red and break the rules governing his civilization to summon a plume of yellow and orange.

 

Soundwave’s blue dialogue balloons match the Energon spraying from Starscream. As the damaged Decepticon leaks blue into molten yellow and orange, his words shrink in wobbly white dialogue balloons. Blue and yellow sound effects enhance Starscream’s battle with Soundwave and Ulchtar’s frolics with his friends, while red and white booms and screeching arise when war erupts in Ulchtar’s corner of Cybertron. Starscream’s words threaten to burst dialogue balloons when the lava threatens to consume him like Anakin on Mustafar. Then, Rus Wooten uses a blue metallic sound to introduce a Human cloaked in shadow. He and his squishy species speak uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons until expressive sound effects and colorful dialogue signal a sad ending and an even sadder beginning. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Before he became a gun, someone gave Ulchtar a gun. Transformers #13 reveals why Ulchtar opted to rage against the machine and ravage the universe as Starscream.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

To preview interior art see the First Look At Transformers #13 on the Skybound website.