REVIEW: ‘Transformers Galaxies,’ Issue #12

Transformers Galaxies is back with Part Three of “Storm Horizon,” focusing on Ultra Magnus and his crew of scientists out on a deep-space exploratory mission gone wrong. Transformers Galaxies #12 is published by IDW Publishing, written by Brandon Easton, with art by Andrew Griffith, colors by Josh Burcham, and letters by Jake M. Wood.

In Transformers Galaxies #12, with his crew finally free from Soundblaster’s imprisonment, Ultra Magnus dons heavy-duty battle armor. Soundblaster has brought the ire of the Kworian down on all their heads, so this expedition has finally turned into a true rescue mission. As such, Magnus will have to take on a fleet of alien, enemy ships single-handedly in the hope of saving his mentor, Alpha Trion, from a black hole.

This issue has a healthy dose of both action and calm. Magnus darts around in space while taking down enemy ships and eventually goes toe-to-toe with Soundblaster himself. These scenes are not only fun but easy to follow from panel to panel. The latter half of the issue is the figurative calm before the storm. I won’t reveal much to avoid spoilers, but Easton has brought the story around to line up with the events of IDW’s other ongoing series, Transformers (2019-). This is done excellently and in a manner that makes me excited to see what we’ll see next in this Transformers reboot.

Beyond Easton’s work on the plot, the characters are also excellently written, especially Magnus. While he’s taking down alien ships, Magnus is sure only to maim and never kill. Smart, strategic, morally inclined, and a warrior, he’s the definition of controlled violence. The past couple of issues have served as a snapshot into Magnus’s development from a warrior to a bit of a sociologist, preoccupied with social progression at the behest of Trion. However, we come full circle in this issue, which serves as a juxtaposition; if it weren’t for Magnus’s soldier background, Trion would likely be dead. We also get some great banter between the Autobots and Soundblaster’s crew, and Chromedome’s snark is always delightful.

The art, as has been true for the last couple of issues, is still wonderful. The character designs will be familiar to long-time fans but are nevertheless excellent. Pairing the art with the dialogue and colorwork, the characters are emotive and easy to empathize with. The color palette is gorgeous with the juxtaposition of the bright glow of celestial bodies and explosions against space’s dark background. And finally, the lettering brings everything together with speech bubbles that never overshadow the events or the characters and allow for an easy read.

As always, Easton’s writing is perfect for Magnus, and the art is wonderful. However, this issue is bittersweet for the fact that Transformers Galaxies #12 is the last issue in this series. Although it’s sad to see this anthology series end, this final issue leads into the next major events of the Transformers ongoing series excellently, and I can’t wait to see where Transformers is headed.

Transformers Galaxies #12 is available now wherever comics are sold.