Transformers #37 Review: Elita Prime Takes the Matrix and the Fight to Cybertron

Yo, Elita Prime’s carrying the Matrix, Cybertron’s getting its metallic backside handed to it, and Alpha Trion? Papi, somebody needs to check that dude’s warranty because he’s gone completely sideways! Transformers #37 comes through swinging, and Robert Kirkman ain’t interested in giving anybody a comfortable afternoon. Elita’s caught between a seriously twisted situation and a war that refuses to give these Autobots five damn minutes to regroup. She’s exhausted, surrounded by enemies, and still refusing to fold. That’s my kind of Prime, hermano! No speeches for the sake of sounding inspirational. Just a warrior who’s got everybody counting on her while her own world keeps falling apart.

Kirkman bounces between Elita’s nightmare with Alpha Trion and the Autobots fighting to survive near the Well of Sparks. The tension’s nasty on both sides, although for completely different reasons. Alpha Trion’s playing psychological games that make you wanna reach into the page and smack some sense into him. Meanwhile, Jazz, Perceptor, and the crew are out there trying not to become expensive Cybertronian scrap metal. There’s a genuine desperation running through this issue, and I dig how Kirkman keeps the pressure on without sacrificing the personalities we’ve grown attached to. These ain’t interchangeable robots shooting lasers, fam. They’ve got history, loyalty, fears, and some serious emotional baggage underneath all that armor.

Elita’s the heartbeat of this whole joint. She’s not Optimus Prime wearing different colors, and thank goodness Kirkman understands that! She’s got her own attitude, her own scars, and a leadership style that feels earned rather than handed over with the Matrix. Watching her deal with Alpha Trion’s cruelty while refusing to surrender her identity gives this issue its strongest moments. There’s anger here, too, the kind that comes from being pushed past your limit while everybody expects you to keep smiling and saving the day. Nah, son. Elita’s allowed to be furious. She’s allowed to struggle. That’s what makes her compelling, because underneath all that metal is somebody carrying responsibilities nobody should have to shoulder alone.

Karl Kerschl, mi hermano, you came to WORK! The artwork’s got muscle, personality, and enough visual aggression to make every confrontation feel personal. His Alpha Trion looks downright sinister, especially when he’s looming over Elita like some deranged mechanic who forgot these robots actually have souls. Kerschl also knows how to make mechanical faces communicate emotion without turning everybody into cartoon humans wearing metal Halloween costumes. The battle sequences hit hard, the panel layouts keep the action readable, and the quieter character moments never get lost in the explosions. That’s the kind of visual storytelling I wanna see in a Transformers comic. Give me spectacle, absolutely, but make me give a damn about who’s taking the punches!

Mike Spicer’s colors bring another level of attitude to these pages. Those cold blues surrounding Alpha Trion’s twisted environment make everything feel uncomfortable, while Elita’s magentas practically demand your attention. Once the fighting erupts, the oranges, yellows, and energy blasts give Cybertron that beautiful, chaotic look of a planet having the worst day in recorded history. Rus Wooton’s lettering deserves love, too, because there’s plenty of dialogue, weapon fire, and mechanical madness competing for space. He keeps everything flowing without turning the panels into a traffic jam. When the creative team works together this well, you feel it. Your eyes move naturally, the action lands, and nobody’s stepping on anybody else’s toes.

Now, I ain’t gonna pretend every page is flawless just because I’m having a blast. There’s a lot happening, and a couple of transitions could’ve used more breathing room. Kirkman’s juggling Elita’s personal nightmare, the battlefield, the Matrix, and the bigger Energon Universe chessboard, so certain developments move faster than I’d prefer. I wanted a little more time to sit with some of those emotional beats before the next crisis kicked the door down. Still, the momentum rarely lets up, and that final stretch knows exactly how to leave a reader hungry. Not every cliffhanger needs some ridiculous gimmick to work. Sometimes all you need is a character you genuinely care about staring down another impossible decision.

Ben Abernathy and the editorial crew have helped keep this corner of the Energon Universe moving with purpose, and Transformers #37 continues that momentum. Kirkman understands the appeal of these characters goes way beyond transforming vehicles and blowing stuff up. We’ve had decades of giant robot warfare, familia. The fights are cool, the transformations are legendary, but it’s the personalities that keep us coming back. Elita Prime’s proving she can carry that legacy without living in Optimus’s shadow. She’s stubborn, courageous, wounded, and ready to throw hands with destiny itself. I respect the hell outta that! This issue delivers strong character work, gorgeous artwork, and enough Cybertronian chaos to keep an old-school Transformers fan grinning.

CRUSADERS SCORE: 
4/5

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Karl Kerschl
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: Skybound Entertainment / Image Comics