TFCC #52 - Beast Wars Shattered Glass Part 4

Title: Shattered Hope

Writers: Benson Yee & Pete Sinclair with Matt Frank

Pencils & Inks: Matt Frank

Colours: Thomas Deer

Letters: Letters

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

The Decepticons hang out around their new base whilst Megatron is working on his next big plan. Meanwhile the Autobots are in their crashed ship with Depth Charge sending out his probes to look for the Matrix, and also to find the ship's Energon purifier that was lost during the crash (as the local Energon is unstable).

After a while the probes locate the purifier and head out to recover it, however when they reach it, the Seacons are already there, and combine into their new Gestalt form of God Neptune. Prowl, Ironhide and Silverbolt in turn combine into their new Gestalt form of Magnaboss and fights the Seacons on a more level footing.

Whilst the others are battling, Magnus and Grimlock go after the purifier but are stopped by Autolauncher and Autojetterwho steal the purifier from inside it and escape along with God Neptune, who swats aside Magnaboss and the others with ease.

Back at the Autobot's ship, Depth Charge receives a message from one of his probes that has found the Matrix!

Characters

Autobots/Maximals

Ultra Magnus - Big Blue Beast

Depth Charge - Frequent Flyer Jet

Grimlock - Raging Raptor

Prowl - Lion

Ironhide - Elephant

Silverbolt - Eagle

Magnaboss - Maximal Gestalt

Decepticons/Predacons

Megatron - Terrible Tank

Dirge - Sky Terror Jet

Autojetter - Winged Warrior Jet

Autolauncher - ATV

Scylla - Beastly Bottom Feeder

Snap Trap - Turtle

Overbite - Shark

Seawing - Manta Ray

Skalor - Coelacanth 

God Neptune - Seacon Gestalt

Gigastorm (On Screen only)

Notes

• From the images on the screens, and the fact that they seem to be using a few Beast Wars II characters here, I'd guess Megatron's plan is to build Gigastorm
• Why is it that Grimlock has had his head redesigned here to look like his usual form rather than his Beast Era toy, whilst Silverbolt and the others all look like their toys instead?
• Why is it that, despite them only changing one component part, the Seacons changed their gestalt form's name from Piranacon to God Neptune?
• ALSO. Why do the three random Autobots/Maximals who have no past connections have the ability to combine?! How did they ever have time to reformat their bodies to combine?!
• What kind of weird coincidence is it that Megatron sends his teams to go after the things the Autobots are after at the same time as them again?!

Other Features

Mastering the Art of the Game Interview with someone who makes Pinball games

Botcon 2013 in San Diego! Article about the recent Botcon

Ultra Mammoth Profile

Megatron Profile

Transformers I.Q. - Quiz about Japanese Beast Era stuff

Transformers I.Q. Trivia Bonus - More info on Big Convoy's origins

Redordicons Minicomic about cassettes