Best Transformers Comics (Updated: October 2025)

Transformers comics have been around since the franchise’s creation. Many of the best stories featuring the robots in disguise and their adventures on Earth can be found here. However, after reboots and multiple publishers, it can be tough to figure out just which battle between the Autobots and Decepticons you’re even reading about. Fortunately, you can consult our list below to find some good jumping-off points to explore Transformers comic lore.

Best Transformers Comics as of 2025

The Transformers comics have generally adhered to the original design aesthetic. So, if the Michael Bay movies turned you off, you don’t have to worry about that here. Many of the comics focus on developing the backstory and relationships of the various robots in disguise more than on action. In particular, the Decepticons are portrayed with more nuance than they have received on screen.

Spotlight: Soundwave

Trust is a luxury Soundwave neither gives nor receives. While he outwardly serves the Decepticon cause, his true loyalty lies only with himself. Tasked with monitoring his fellow Decepticons’ thoughts and secrets, he executes his surveillance with ruthless efficiency. For Soundwave, information equals power, and he possesses damning intelligence on every Decepticon under his watch. Yet for all his vast knowledge of others’ weaknesses and hidden truths, there remains one mystery that eludes even his analytical mind: the depths of his own spark. Written by Simon Furman and illustrated by Marcelo Matere.

If you’re looking to learn more about Soundwave, expert hacker and loyal Decepticon, look no further. Furman writes a good voice for Soundwave and expertly creates his suspicious nature. While there are a few iterations of Soundwave in the comics, this version is guided by his own interests, which sets up plans for future series. There have always been two well-known versions of Soundwave: the loyal, calm lieutenant and the ambitious, scheming villain. Furman does a great job of blending both, with his loyalty a carefully maintained facade to stay in Megatron’s favor– a position he readily exploits when the opportunity arises. The Spotlight also shows off his technical skills well. Typically in Megatron’s shadow, pick this one up to learn more about Soundwave.

More Than Meets the Eye (AKA Lost Light)

After the end of the Great War between Autobots and Decepticons, Rodimus leads a crew of misfit Autobots aboard the starship Lost Light. The crew includes war veterans struggling with PTSD, former enemies learning to coexist, and unlikely friendships forming across old faction lines. As they journey through space, they encounter ancient mysteries, face threats from the sadistic Decepticon Justice Division, and grapple with questions about identity, redemption, and what it truly means to be “more than meets the eye.” Written by James Roberts and primarily illustrated by Alex Milne.

Roberts took lesser-known characters like Rodimus, Cyclonus, Tailgate, and Whirl and gave them incredible psychological complexity. Roberts skillfully juggles these characters, giving them all individual and unique voices. The comic explores trauma, relationships, and personal growth in ways that feel human despite the robotic cast. Cyclonus and Tailgate’s relationship arc alone is masterful storytelling. The series weaves together laugh-out-loud comedy with genuinely heartbreaking moments. Roberts has a gift for witty dialogue and absurd situations. The comic expands Transformers lore with the concept of “sparks” and Cybertronian spirituality to the political complexities of post-war society. Roberts plants seeds and callbacks that pay off later. The art by Alex Milne and others perfectly complements the writing, bringing the intimate moments and action to life. This Transformers comics showed that their stories could be sophisticated, emotional science fiction rather than just toy commercials. This is Transformers for the mature and adult reader. This is science fiction at its very best, one that respects the intelligence of its reader. And if you thought Transformers was a male-coded series, this comic thoughtfully challenges the ideas of gender and sex, and they’re robots. Read it and thank me later.

Chaos Theory

The mystery surrounding Rodimus and the Matrix of Leadership reaches its climax. While Earth’s crisis deepens, the action shifts to the far reaches of space where Rodimus was presumed killed. Surviving his apparent death, Rodimus finds himself stranded on an alien world, desperately seeking a path home to rejoin the Autobot resistance on Earth. His isolation ends when unexpected allies arrive to aid his cause, but their reunion coincides with the emergence of a dangerous new enemy that threatens Cybertron itself. This is a collected series by IDW Publishing. Story by James Roberts and art by Alex Milne.

If you’re craving more from the creative team behind More Than Meets the Eye, Roberts and Milne team up again for Chaos Theory. In this collected series, we get to see the first meeting between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and the interesting history between the two. This is a deep story, with less action and more philosophical discussion. Roberts explores power and corruption in government. We learn that Megatron – yup, that Megatron – was an idealistic Revolutionary who lost his way. No character is presented as two-dimensional, and the the lore is expanded in meaningful ways. Who knew alien morality could be so fascinating? Plus, Milne’s art is detailed and expressive, and only contributes to the tone of the stories.

Chaos

The defining moment has arrived, and will reshape the Transformers universe. When the Autobots reach Cybertron, they discover Galvatron’s scheme is already underway. But what dark purpose drives him to the core of their dead homeworld? What treasure could possibly exist on Cybertron’s lifeless surface? As ancient secrets buried in Cybertron’s heart threaten to unleash catastrophe, Optimus Prime must confront Galvatron in an ultimate battle. Chaos was a story arc that concluded IDW Publishing’s ongoing Transformers comic book. It ran as two separate Arcs one on Earth (Police Action) and one on Cybertron (Chaos). Written by Mike Costa, James Roberts, and illustrated by Livio Ramondelli.

This story is a key pre-cursor to the events that eventually led to More Than Meets The Eye. We see familiar characters, and a few events are planted that will pay off in the future. Though the art is dark (like, literally dark), every panel is a painting. This definitely marks a mature shift in the Transformers series. It’s science fiction, it’s war. You may need to read some of the events that come before, though they do some light recap work. This storyline brings together Optimus Prime, Galvatron, and Megatron with universe-ending stakes.

The War Within

Set millions of years ago on Cybertron, we learn about the civil war between Autobots and Decepticons before they came to Earth. The story follows the escalating conflict between Optimus Prime’s Autobots and Megatron’s Decepticons as they battle for control of their dying homeworld. As the war rages across Cybertron’s cities and landscapes, both sides make increasingly desperate choices that will ultimately force them to abandon their planet. The series explores how the war began, why these former allies became bitter enemies, and the tragic events that led to Cybertron’s devastation and their eventual exodus to Earth. The War Within is a six-part miniseries published by Dreamwave Productions in 2002. Written by Simon Furman and illustrated by Don Figueroa, Andrew Wildman, Joe Ng.

Some prequels feel unnecessary, but the War Within enhances the Transformers mythology by showing us the civil war on Cybertron. It fills in crucial backstory. Furman, who wrote Spotlight: Soundwave above, brings his love of Transformers lore to the War Within. There’s a bit of nostalgia thrown in with the G1 aesthetics, but the storytelling is more sophisticated. The war feels real and devastating, with Furman fully leaning into it. Plus, we see a different side of Optimus Prime. He wasn’t always the brave leader we know him to be, and we get to see a rare glimpse of weakness. Unfortunately, Dreamwave went bankrupt in 2003, so it will never be a complete tale.

How we chose the best Transformers comics

The best Transformers comics go beyond their toy-commercial origins with sophisticated stories, engaging character arcs, and dark, meaningful themes. They explore concepts like war, identity, redemption, and what it means to be sentient. They don’t shy away from exploring the psychological impact of endless war, which isn’t something you’d expect from a concept that started as a way to sell toys. The comics above make you care about robots as individuals. Plus, great art brings these characters to life, making their emotions readable despite metallic faces, and their action sequences dynamic. They understand how to make robots feel alive. So if you’ve hesitated to pick up a Transformers comic due to preconceived notions, let the comics above change your mind. What do you think are the best Transformers comics?