IDW’s near two-decade stewardship of the Transformers universe, at least in comic books, resulted in some pretty remarkable material.

Though Transformers stories have almost always punched above their weight – considering the cartoons and comics were originally conceived just to sell toys – IDW’s commitment to long form storytelling and a sprawling, inclusive and diverse cast of characters truly elevated the universe to new heights.

So I greeted the news of IDW losing the licence to Skybound with great trepidation.

Yet I needn’t have worried; in the hands of the extremely capable Daniel Warren Johnson, who was responsible for one of my favourite comics of the last few years (the fantasy/wrestling-themed Do A Powerbomb) and an excellent, prehistoric take on the premier DC super team (The Jurassic League), it’s already turning out to be a critical and commercial success.

The Decepticons have already caused significant death and destruction after waking up and rampaging through a small town, leaving the Autobots struggling to catch up and stop them. The heroic Optimus Prime, however, has been pushed to the limit – leading to a massive, suitably crunchy confrontation.

One thing that is often difficult to pull off in Transformers stories is the human element; every Michael Bay adaptation of the material really struggled to make the humans feel relevant to the story, not to mention appealing in any way to the audience.

The original cartoon did it right, as did the live action Bumblebee and, to a slightly lesser extent, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Johnson gets it very right here too, with humans being integral in the events that transpire throughout the story, even believably fuelling Optimus Prime’s extreme reaction to being pushed too far by the anarchic Decepticons.

The fight scenes are intense, dynamic and play out in true Daniel Warren Johnson fashion, with clear choreography and even elements reminiscent of wrestling, which Johnson incorporates to brilliant effect.

It’s a wild, fast paced and exciting ride – it’s clear to see why this new incarnation of Transformers has been such an immediate hit.

With a pared back cast of Transformers and a back to basics approach to storytelling that recalls a harder edged version of the original 1984 cartoon, this series has really been an excellent experience so far – long may it continue.