The Transformers are returning to comics this October, and a new variant cover for the first issue by artist Ryan Ottley may show off the type of robot carnage readers can expect in the new series.
Launching October 4, the new Transformers series comes courtesy of Skybound Entertainment, which acquired the license earlier this year and plan to relaunch it and G.I. Joe into a new shared continuity dubbed the Energon Universe. This universe officially launched in Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s Void Rivals series. The new Transformers series will be written and drawn by Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson, and will see the Autobots and Decepticons reawaken on Earth after centuries in stasis following a catastrophic battle. In celebration of the new series, Invincible artist Ryan Ottley will be providing a variant cover to Transformers #1, which depicts a heated, rather violent battle between Optimus Prime and Starscream. Check out Ottley’s cover below:
Optimus Prime Punches Starscream’s Guts Out
The scene on the cover is fitting for the artist who drew the ultra-violent superhero battles in Invincible. Ottley brings that graphic, high-octane quality to the world of the Transformers, simply replacing the blood and guts with motor oil and machine parts. Ottley’s kinetic lines basically turn Prime into a missile flying straight into Starscream’s abdomen, quite literally punching the Decepticon’s guts out in ultraviolent fashion.
The ruthless combat may also be a story point for the new series, which supposedly spins out of some great failure in the Cybertronian war that Optimus Prime feels responsible for. If Prime is dealing with the trauma of failing his Autobots somehow, it makes sense that the character might be more aggressive in battle, and eager to take that aggression out on his sworn enemies. It’s also worth noting that Prime is depicted as fighting Starscream on the cover and not Megatron, the traditional leader of the Decepticons. In all the Energon Universe materials released thus far, there has been no mention of Megatron. It appears that his second-in-command Starscream will be leading the Decepticons in the meantime, likely setting up an epic return for Megatron on down the line. The rest of Starscream’s Decepticons will include Rumble, Skywarp, Laserbreak and Soundwave, who will be battling against the Autobot lineup that includes Optimus, Ratchet, Cliffjumper, Arcee and Wheeljack.
Whatever the case, fans definitely won’t want to miss the new Transformers series when it launches in just a few short weeks, and be on the lookout for Ryan Ottley’s excellent variant cover for the first issue.
Transformers #1 is on sale October 4 from Skybound Entertainment.
Source: Skybound Entertainment
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
