Skybound Entertainment could save the main Transformers continuity from IDW Publishing's slew of poor creative decisions if the multiplatform company successfully acquires the publishing rights from Hasbro. Skybound chair and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman recently entered negotiations with the toy company to purchase the "robots in disguise" franchise in addition to G.I. Joe, also published by IDW.
IDW's 2019 reboot of the Transformers universe isn't bad per se, but there are many flaws that negate from the overall reader experience. The main problem is that the continuity series is overly convoluted, something which, ironically enough, movie director Michael Bay actually got right with his Transformers films. Fans can say what they will about his directing style, but Bay's storytelling is tight and easy to follow since he wisely decided to only feature a handful of Autobots and Decepticons at a time.
Skybound Entertainment's like the death of Optimus Prime's predecessor.
There have been instances when IDW has fleshed out Transformers (who are usually just characters) into compelling and intricate robots like Cyclonus who is retconned into a warrior haunted by the ghosts of his fallen comrades. So it's clear that IDW's writers are capable of building a captivating backstory. Unfortunately, they rarely deliver. Every new arc instead begins by casting aside a major character and replacing them with a random new robot with no explanation of who they are. IDW undoubtedly has the resources to ease these bumpy transitions so the reader can seamlessly acclimate to these sudden changes but seems to prefer to keep readers in the dark. For example, when introducing the villain Exarchon into the main story, whose role in the series up to that point had exclusively been restricted to flashbacks by mention only, Transformers once again employed random robots like Jumpstream to herald in this monumental twist, leaving readers befuddled until the big reveal.
IDW Publishing's many missteps have jarred fans enough that the prospect of Skybound Entertainment taking over Transformers is actually a welcome development.
Source: AIPT Comics
