The Brilliant Transformers Comic Is Breathing New Life Into A Classic Cartoon Storyline

Spoilers for "Transformers" #14 to follow.

"The Transformers" made its U.S. television debut in 1984, produced by Sunbow Entertainment and conceived to market Hasbro's line of car-robot action figures. As far as children's animation goes, "The Transformers" is no "Batman: The Animated Series" or "Avatar: The Last Airbender." It stayed firmly within the confines of its production rather than exceeding them. Despite its flaws, the series captured children's imaginations; there's a reason they were so upset when Optimus Prime died in "The Transformers: The Movie." Later, better "Transformers" cartoons wouldn't exist without the original either.

Daniel Warren Johnson's new "Transformers" comic (published by Image Comics via Skybound Entertainment) is especially taking its cues from the original cartoon. Johnson uses the original "Generation One" character models, and begins his comic with the same starting point as the cartoon: the heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons crash landed on Earth eons ago, slumbered in disrepair, and then were awoken to resume their war on modern day Earth.

The first arc, "Robots In Disguise" (drawn by Johnson himself and beautifully colored by Mike Spicer), is a more mature and tightly paced version of "More Than Meets The Eye," the three-part mini-series that kicked off "The Transformers." Volume 2, "Transport to Oblivion" (now drawn by Jorge Corona), shares a title with the first "Transformers" episode that aired after the pilot mini-series.

In "Transport to Oblivion" old and new, the Decepticons reestablish contact with the Transformers' homeworld Cybertron via a "space bridge" (think a Transporter from "Star Trek"). Then, as in three-part episode "The Ultimate Doom," the Decepticons use said Space Bridge to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit so they can suck our world's resources dry.

The in-progress third volume of "Transformers" is titled "Combiner Chaos." This is not an episode of the original cartoon, but the newly published "Transformers" issue #14 has confirmed which episode this arc is adapting: "Starscream's Brigade," where the treacherous Decepticon Air Commander teams up with the Combaticons to seize power.

Starscream is one of the most consistent "Transformers" characters, appearing in almost every new retelling. Each Starscream iteration tends to share many traits: he transforms into a jet. He's egotistical but cowardly. Most importantly, he wants to overthrow his leader Megatron and lead the Decepticons himself.

As film critic (and the world's no. 1 Starscream fangirl) Lindsay Ellis has noted, Starscream's conflicts with Megatron made him the most memorable character on "The Transformers." He was the only Transformer with more than one dimension and deeper character motivation. This effect reverberates back on "Starscream's Brigade," one of the most well-remembered episodes of the show. Aired late in season 2, the episode is ultimately out to advertise new toys, but it does so with more exciting storytelling than usual.

Since "Transformers" was a kids show, Starscream's treachery was mostly comical. He'd snicker at Megatron's failures or declare himself Decepticon leader if Megatron so much as tripped and fell over. Usually, Megatron would hit him over the head in response, turning Starscream into the show's go-to slapstick character.

"Starscream's Brigade" is more dramatic, with Megatron and Starscream actively fighting against each other. At the beginning of the episode, Starscream is kicked out of the Decepticons after one too many betrayals. He decides that, if he can't steal Megatron's army, he'll build one himself. With some imprisoned Decepticon "personality components" and preserved World War II vehicles, he creates the Combaticons.

• Onslaught, a missile truck
• Vortex, a helicopter
• Brawl, a tank
• Blast Off, a space shuttle (hey, every band needs one odd man out)
• Swindle, a military jeep

Teaming up Starscream and the Combaticons has since become a franchise staple. The "Transformers" comics from Dreamwave Productions, the 2012 video game "Transformers: Fall of Cybertron," and now the Skybound comics have all made Starscream their unit leader. That speaks to the episode's impact on young "Transformers" fans, even if the original didn't end well for Starscream or his brigade.

Starscream's brigade launches a reign of terror against the Autobots and Decepticons. To buy his new troops' loyalty, Starscream "forgot" to install energy absorbers in their new bodies. So, they need to kidnap five Autobots or Decepticons to steal theirs, or else the Combaticons will die. The episode climaxes with the Decepticons battling the Combaticons, which ends in the latter's favor when Starscream unveils the ace up his servo: Bruticus, the combined form of all five Combaticons. (Brawl and Swindle form the legs, Vortex and Blast Off the arms, and Onslaught the torso.) Bruticus even defeats Megatron's OG combiner, Devastator (made up of the Constructicons).

Herein lies the real reason behind "Starscream's Brigade." Devastator was a popular toy, so Hasbro decided to repeat the gimmick with new combiner characters. Bruticus/The Combaticons are a result of that, as are the Stunticons (who form Menasor) and Superion (the first Autobot combiner, formed by the Aerialbots).

The episode climaxes with Bruticus devastating Devastator because it's marketing designed for little boys. Their old toy got beaten up by the new toy, which means the new toy is cooler, which means they need (their parents) to buy the new toy. This commercialism does its job in "Starscream's Brigade."

In the final episode, Bruticus is defeated by a sucker punch from Menasor. (He was also a new toy, so it was okay for him to get a win, unlike Devastator.) But that's not how the original script ended — instead, the Energy Absorber plot would've paid off. Since the Combaticons never got the parts they needed, Bruticus runs out of energy and collapses. That leaves only Starscream to face a furious Megatron.

In the final episode, Starscream is done in by bad luck, when it should've been his failures as a leader. He had to coerce the Combaticons into working for him, and couldn't keep them in line, because he can't inspire the genuine loyalty and fear that Megatron does in the Decepticons. That quality carries over from the Sunbow Starscream onto the Skybound one.

The big difference between the cartoon and comic so far? Megatron is nowhere to be seen and the other Transformers all think he's dead. In "Robots In Disguise," Starscream was leading the Cons — and doing a piss-poor job. Instead of strategizing or gathering resources, his only goal was killing as many Autobots and humans as he could. By the end of the arc, the Decepticons had lost several soldiers and their base to the Autobots.

So, in "Transformers" #7, Soundwave (the best Decepticon, despite the live-action "Transformers" movies minimizing him) decides enough is enough. He challenges Starscream to one-on-one combat and wins; a beaten Starscream is last seen falling into the mouth of a volcano. 

Skybound Entertainment

Soundwave takes command of the Decepticons and decides they will conquer Earth the right way: 

"Starscream had no vision, no plan. His shortsightedness was only outpaced by his mindless need for violence. It is time to begin the long process of truly taking this rich planet for our own devices. It is not a plan that will be done in a day. But it will succeed."

Spoiler: it didn't. Soundwave's Decepticons got reinforcements in Shockwave, the Combaticons, and the enormous triple changer Astrotrain, but the Autobots (despite taking casualties of their own) won the day.

Instead of continuing on from there, issue #13 (drawn by Jason Howard) returns to Starscream. Unsurprisingly, he survived Soundwave's beating, but just barely. As his body slowly melts from the nearby magma, he recalls a time before he was a Decepticon — before he was "Starscream."

Starscream has had a few different backstories (the animated film "Transformers One" put forth one idea why he hates Megatron), but Johnson's is a new and fascinating take. Once, Starscream was a kind scientist named Ulchtar. But when the war broke out, his friend Genvo (a Decepticon) was killed in battle by the Autobots. Megatron appeared before Ulchtar, offering him the chance to avenge his friend, and the newly rechristened Starscream accepted.

In the present day part of #13, a human salvage team finds Starscream. Issue #14 reveals they saved him and replaced his smelted legs with a Cobra H.I.S.S. Tank.

Skybound Entertainment

Starscream strings the humans along in a "partnership" until they find Astrotrain (who also has a nebulous grudge against Megatron) and the Combaticons (who believe Soundwave betrayed their commander, Shockwave). Starscream ends the issue by swearing revenge on Soundwave alongside his new troops. Johnson's cover for "Transformers" #16 indicates we'll also be getting a Devastator vs Bruticus rematch.

Skybound Entertainment

"Starscream's Brigade," take 2 has been a long time coming. Part of Skybound and Daniel Warren Johnson's "Transformers" pitch to Hasbro was a drawing (by Johnson) depicting Starscream and Bruticus. It's no shock that Johnson wanted to write this team-up, especially since his pitch was a winning one.

The ending of "Transformers" #14 leaves the warring Decepticons evenly matched: Soundwave, Thundercracker, and Devastator vs. Starscream, Astrotrain, and the Combaticons. Johnson has also confirmed in a Reddit AMA that he'll be leaving "Transformers" after issue #24. So, I'll make an educated guess on the rest of his run.

Megatron is still alive and coming back. "Transformers" #4 pointedly ended with Starscream declaring himself Decepticon leader now and forever, only for the comic to cut to a frozen, deactivated Megatron somewhere in the Arctic. Skybound's "Energon Universe Special 2024" includes a short (written by Johnson, drawn by Ryan Ottley of "Invincible," and to be reprinted in "Combiner Chaos") explaining what happened to him: Megatron was grievously wounded while fighting Optimus Prime on the Autobots' ship in orbit of Earth. Starscream took his chance and blasted his leader out of a hole in the ship's hull, sending him crashing down to the planet below.

So, it's likely that "Combiner Chaos" will feature Starscream and Soundwave fighting a civil war until, at the end of this arc or the beginning of the next one, Megatron returns and reunites the Decepticons under him. Johnson's finale arc will be an explosive one, featuring Optimus Prime and the Autobots pushed to the limit when their greatest enemy returns.

Will even the ever slippery Starscream survive a vengeful Megatron? I don't know, but the series has already shown why the Decepticons still revere Megatron (even in seeming death) over the still alive Starscream.

In the original "Transformers," Megatron transformed into a handgun. He would shrink down to be wielded by other Decepticons, Starscream included. This has always been pretty silly, so newer "Transformers" series usually have Megatron turn into a jet or a tank instead. Skybound Megatron, though, has his original alternate mode and adds a new, powerful resonance to it. Megatron literally puts the power to destroy in his followers' hands. "Transformers" #14 includes another flashback to the first time Starscream killed Autobots — Megatron transforms and commands Starscream, his executioner, to blast them.

Skybound Entertainment

Megatron fights for his Decepticons, while Starscream fights for himself. Both of them always lose because their ideals have such a poor foundation.

The first 14 issues of "Transformers" — as well as first volume of "Robots In Disguise" (collecting issues #1-6) — are available in print and digital. "Transformers" volume 2, "Transport To Oblivion," releases on November 26, 2024, and is available for pre-order.