The Decepticon ranks are filled with legendary characters. Megatron. Starscream. Soundwave. Shockwave.

And now…Ballpoint.

A tiny Decepticon with more self-confidence and belief than the vast majority of his colleagues, Ballpoint vastly overestimates his abilities. 

And yes, he can transform into a pen.

When he’s kicked out of the Decepticons, he sets off to prove himself by taking down the entirety of the Autobot force. Alone.

Though this is an all ages graphic novel, primarily aimed at kids, I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely. It’s full of clever, hilarious visual gags (also, Bumblebee’s mangling of the lyrics to iconic Transformers needle drop, The Touch, are sublime) and the art is absolutely wonderful. The cartoony, vibrantly colourful style is full of life and character, and the exaggerated poses and movements of the Transformers make it very easy to envision this as an animated show.

The spin that artist Marz Jr. puts on the familiar designs of the classic Transformers is fantastic, and it doesn’t just excel from an aesthetic point of view either.

Brian “Smitty” Smith gives readers a story with a great deal of wit, charm and heart alongside the humour, and consequently it’s an absolute joy to read.

My only criticism is that there aren’t more adventures with the lovably inept, yet highly self-confident Ballpoint yet. Though that’s soon to change in July 2026!

Given that it’s aimed at kids, there’s even a section at the back on tips for discussing the story and its themes with younger readers, which is a nice touch. It’s great to see the Transformers licence utilised in different ways, and Ballpoint’s first adventure is a really good introduction to the tiny Cybertronian.

You can buy Transformers – Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint from Amazon.

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