The issue everyone’s been waiting for is finally here, and Megatron fans are not going to be disappointed. Since the brief glimpse of Megatron being held by Cobra Commander, the iconic Decepticon leader had been missing in action and leaving fans to wonder why. Those answers have now partially arrived with Transformers #19, and while this doesn’t paint a complete picture of his journey, we get a host of welcome context in the form of a character study that has all the action and style that any fan would crave.
It’s been a rather challenging run for Megatron, who hasn’t been in the mix for much of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers run to this point. That’s because something took him off the board for a while, and in Transformers #19 we finally learn who that person is, but it’s not really a singular person.
Megatron isn’t exactly used to taking orders or being powerless, so seeing him adapt to both scenarios allows for some scratching at the layers underneath the surface of the always confident and superior Decepticon force. The brilliant artwork of Ludo Lullabi and colorist Adriano Lucas really sells this aspect of the story, conveying Megatron’s processing of the situation in almost real-time.
Megatron isn’t someone easily bullied or pushed around, and yet you start to see the intimidating facade start to drop and fade as the trials continue, pushing Megatron to his limits in both ability and confidence. The layers are welcome for sure, though the Transformers fan in me also simply loves a bonkers Sharkticon fight, and Transformers #19 doesn’t disappoint there either.
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The battles themselves are simply stunning, full of style on a grand scale that paints a vivid picture of how powerful Megatron actually is and therefore how powerful these entities must be to keep someone that deadly in check. Also, tanks just rule.
As is typical of Daniel Warren Johnson’s work, Megatron’s arc comes full circle and builds off of those earlier moments in an unexpected and poignant way. Every loss and failure along the way feels like it has meaning in the closing pages, setting up the iconic character for a promising new chapter.
Transformers has always shined in its character work and long-term storytelling, and Transformers #19 is a wonderful example of both, answering questions and creating new layers in one of the franchise’s biggest villains while also showcasing just how much of a force he can be. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Published by Skybound Entertainment
On April 9, 2025
Written by Daniel Warren Johnson
Art by Ludo Lullabi
Colors by Rus Wooton
Letters by Joe Caramagna
What did you think of Transformers #19? Let us know in the comments and you can talk all things comics and Transformers with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
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