“I Am Optimus Prime” (32 pp) was originally published by IDW Publishing in Transformers: Robot Heroes (June 2009)

If there’s one thing that the Transformers brand has been able to boast about these last 25 years, it is the sheer elasticity of the characters’ portrayal. From the elementary look of the 1980s cartoons and comics, the hyper-real robots of Michael Bay’s films, to the vibrant cast of Transformers: Animated (and back again), it’s as though there’s a different style for every taste. There’s always been something for everyone.

One thing there hasn’t been, at least in terms of printed media, is a Transformers storyline aimed at very young readers. This is where IDW Publishing and their first Transformers Robot Heroes book comes in.

“I Am Optimus Prime”, written by Chris Ryall and illustrated by Joe and Rob Sharp, is not only the perfect introduction to Transformers for developing readers, but an exemplary tool that parents can use to get their children interested in reading.

Learning to read is hard. In fact, it is positively chore-like when compared to the likes of television, the Internet, and playing air guitar in front of a Wii. A book like “I Am Optimus Prime” goes a long way in captivating a young mind. If a child is excited by seeing their heroes animated on the small screen, then the prospect of reading about them as well must be too magnetic to ignore.

More specifically than getting kids to read books, “I Am Optimus Prime” will get them interested in comic books. Comic books are as legitimate a form of literature as anything else, after all.

“I Am Optimus Prime”, with its lustrous production values (hardback-bound with generously thick glossy paper stock) and colourful, accessible illustrations, introduces the reader to Optimus Prime, his Autobots and their enemies, the Decepticons. Parents picking this book up to read to their children are sure to recognise all of their old favourite characters from when they were young. The inclusion of one character, IDW’s own Drift, may cause some head-scratching however.

The story is told over 15 double-page spreads with all of the text formatted into captions and speech bubbles, just like a comic book. The balance of words and pictures is ideal for either reading responsibly or pouring over the pictures afterward. Either way is equally delighting for a young imagination.

It would be cynical to suggest that by publishing such a book aimed at such a young audience both Hasbro and IDW will get consumers-for-life as readers grow into Transformers. But any such concern is insignificant when measured against the overall quality of “I Am Optimus Prime”.

Literacy is a gift, and anything that might excite and enchant developing readers should only be commended.

Category: IDW
Tags: Chris Ryall | Joe Sharp | Rob Sharp

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