Optimus Prime First Strike

In 2017, IDW Publishing released a single-issue tie-in, Optimus Prime First Strike, bridging the gap between the Optimus Prime ongoing series and the First Strike crossover event. Written by John Barber, this story sets the stage for a conflict between Cybertronians and Earth’s military, as Optimus Prime faces a new threat that forces him to make difficult choices. Though brief, it’s a key piece of IDW’s interconnected Transformers saga, showcasing the political and tactical stakes of the era.