The FCBD Special Will Grant a First Look at the Biggest Middle Grade Graphic Novel of the Year!
Today Skybound Comet and Image Comics, in collaboration with leading toy and game company Hasbro, announced that they will publish a TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever Special for Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) on Saturday, May 3, 2025. In celebration of the power of comic books, this special serves as a first look at the most anticipated graphic novel of the year.
Featuring the first appearance of Ballpoint, everyone’s new favorite Decepticon, this FCBD special precedes the upcoming OGN release of TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint, the start of a new OGN series about the misadventures of the bot who is mightier than the sword by Brian “Smitty” Smith (Pea, Bee, and Jay) and Marz Jr. (Void Rivals cover artist), available July 2025 for Middle Grade Readers.
Plus, meet the most unexpected family of superheroes with a special look inside Family Force V, the soon-to-be YA OGN phenomenon about your new favorite alien fighting family, from writer Matt Braly (Disney’s Amphibia) and artist Ainsworth Lin, coming June 2025 from Skybound Comet.
“We are thrilled to announce that Skybound’s first original Decepticon is officially the WORST BOT EVER,” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “With Ballpoint, Smitty and Marz Jr. have created a character that is both heartfelt and hilarious, and we can’t wait to show the world how terrible he is.”
In TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint, the Decepticons are known for being bad…but Ballpoint is truly the worst –the biggest failure of them all. After the latest attempt to take down the Autobots goes horribly wrong, he’s kicked out of the evil Decepticons, for good! Will Ballpoint be able to prove his worth by defeating the Autobots all by himself? Or will he keep failing and find that being the “best” is …More than Meets the Eye?
Earlier this week, Skybound also recently announced an Energon Universe Special for FCBD 2025. Discover three all new stories from the Energon Universe, with stunning revelations for the worlds of G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS, and Void Rivals from the biggest names in comics. Energon Universe talent Joshua Williamson (G.I. JOE, Superman), Robert Kirkman (Void Rivals, Invincible), and Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS, Extremity) and pen the stories, and Andrea Milana (Cobra Commander), Conor Hughes (White Ash, The Game) and Johnson will provide art. Andrea Milana also serves as artist for the FCBD exclusive cover.
For more information on Free Comic Book Day, please visit https://www.freecomicbookday.com/.
TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint (ISBN: 978-1-5343-2799-3 | SRP $12.99) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, and at booksellers, along with digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.