Today’s Comic> Transformers: Worst Bot Ever [FCBD preview]

“That could be anybody’s ink stain.”

Transformers: Worst Bot Ever Free Comic Book Day

Skybound Comet/Image Comics (May, 2025)

EDITOR: Alex Antos

LOGO DESIGN: Andrew Juarez

“Worst  Bot Ever”

WRITER: Brian “Smitty” Smith

ARTIST/COLORIST/LETTERER: Marz Jr.

“Family Force V” preview

WRITER/CO-CREATOR: Matt Braly

ARTIST/CO-CREATOR: Ainsworth Lin

LETTERER: Aw’s Jame

In the first preview, for the titular graphic novel, meet Ballpoint–the greatest Decepticon who ever lived. At least if you ask him because the others barely tolerate his existence and his pen alt mode. What follows is a comedic recreation of the event of “More Than Meets The Eye” from his bias perspective, though we see early on he’s often an unreliable narrator. Also, nobody told him the coffee machine isn’t a Transformer.

Wait, why do they have a coffee machine? If this was the only Transformers offering I’d be disappointed, but with a main series that is very not kid-friendly even a parody that at least here appears to be is welcome. It’s silly fun and I’m okay with it for as much as my opinion matters. Between this and the other preview it’s good to see Skybound hasn’t lost interest in kids comics, and are not stuck to their shared “Energon Universe”. Hopefully they’ll do something for the upcoming Cyberworld kids line. I’d like to see more than wacky comedies but at least it’s a fun read. Not sure I’m interested in the full graphic novel though.

Disconnected from Transformers altogether, comes this preview of a kid part of a family of kaiju fighting heroes in the vein of Sentai/Power Rangers, one of a group of worldwide heroes when the “Mazoku” went beyond Japan. Maise is part one such team of heroes, empowered by the Moon Computer. He also works as a graphic artist for the Journalism Club in  his secret identity, so when his crush, Citlalli, invites him to dinner while fellow member Greg can’t attend, he’s not happy when he gets the call to action.

Okay, Citlalli is a real name (Aztec for “star”) but why would you name your kid “corn”? The writer and co-creator also created Amphibia, which I hear plenty of people liked. It really wasn’t for me, but this kind of looks like it might be.

Overall an enjoyable read. The main story kind of works for a Free Comic Book Day as it ends at a decent spot, while the back-up ends before the action starts but gives you a fair taste of what the comic will be like. So this was okay for a Free Comic Book Day release.