IDW - Robots in Disguise #21

Title: Shockpoint

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith (Present Day) and Livio Ramondelli (Past)

Colours by: Priscila Tramontano (Present Day) and Livio Ramondelli (Past)

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Months ago, just after the rebirth of Cybertron, the Decepticons are disorganized, Ratbat however claims leadership, and tries to make some alliances with the Autobots. Once he's gone Shockwave approaches Soundwave and Bombshell telling them that Megatron is still alive, and they have work to do.

In the present day, Shockwave and Dreadwing are in the Crystal City preparing for Shockwave's new plan, and Dreadwing marveling about his recovery from death thanks to the Ore in the city. He contacts Jhiaxus who tells him he's waiting for Orion Pax on Gorlam Prime.

On the surface, Soundwave is spying on the conversation and starts work on a way to stop Shockwave in his schemes, but the other Decepticons aren't interested, and defy his leadership, by attacking him, and his cassettes. The battle ends with Needlenose using his words and makes them realize that this is all pointless and none of them care what Shockwave is doing as he deserted them in the battle, but if Soundwave wants to deal with Shockwave, he can do so himself.

Soundwave remembers back to the Chaos event where he, and the other Decepticons were merged together into the Decepti-God by the D-Void, due to them all being devoted to the Decepticon cause (thus bring forth the combiner revealtion seen with Devastator). And he remembers how Shockwave was NOT part of the Decepti-God, and merely watched the whole battle from afar.

Back in the present, Soundwave travels underground and finds the Crystal City, still intact and works out that this is Shockwave's base of operations, Soundwave quickly begins a battle with Dreadwing.

Back during the Decepticon exile on their asteroid, Shockwave and Soundwave are discussing how the Decepticons are beginning to resort to cannibalism and Shockwave continues his work on creating a Gestalt and a Space Bridge, Soundwave however is working on building a new body for Megatron, which Shockwave offers to assist in (which is why the body is incorporated with Space Bridge tech too).

In the present again, Soundwave defeats Dreadwing, and kills him with Shockwave watching on.

Back during Soundwave's time trapped in his alternate mode on Earth, he meets with Shockwave, and they both plot together to repair Soundwave's problem, if Soundwave deactivates the bomb in his head in exchange. Soundwave asks Shockwave about the Regenesis project, but Shockwave refuses to tell him anything about it (but the two do help each other out in the other ways)

Dreadwing is revived from the dead again on present Cybertron. Soundwave  assumes that Shockwave plans to use this process in the city to revive Megatron as well, but he doesn't plan to, as he deems that Megatron betrayed them with all his failed promises in the past, and due to him never truly trusting Shockwave.

Back in the past, Megatron gives Bludgeon his mission to follow Shockwave's steps after he went missing, and then sends Soundwave to follow Bludgeon as well. Megatron tells Soundwave that he plans to use whatever Shockwave has created for his own goals. Soundwave vows to not fail Megatron, even if it means killing Shockwave in the process.

Characters

Autobot

Sideswipe - Car (Flashback Only)

Orion Pax - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Van

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle

Needlenose - Jet

Ravage - Cassette

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank

Cutthroat

Acid Storm - Jet

Cindersaur

Megatron - Tank (Flashback Only) Currently disabled

Bludgeon - Tank (Flashback Only)

Ratbat - Cassette (Flashback Only)

Long Haul - Dump Truck (Flashback Only)

Bonerusher - Bulldozer (Flashback Only)

Hook - Crane (Flashback Only)

Bombshell - Boll Weevil (Flashback Only)

Kickback - Locust (Flashback Only)

Shrapnel - Stag Beetle (Flashback Only)

Dreadwind - Jet (Flashback Only) Dead - Eaten

Menasor - Gestalt (Hologram Only)

Devastator - Gestalt (Hologram Only)

Monstructor - Gestalt (Hologram Only)

Turmoil - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Skywarp - Jet (Mentioned)

Horri-Bull (Mentioned)

Constructicons (Mentioned)

DJD (Mentioned)

Other Decepticons

Other

Jhiaxus - Jet

Galvatron - Tank (Flashback Only)

Sweeps - Space Shuttles (Flashback Only)

Decepti-God (Flashback Only)

NAILS (Mentioned)

Skywatch (Mentioned)

Notes

• The past events here patch up some continuity errors in the past, while most likely also linking towards the upcoming Dark Cybertron event too.
• Also, the past scenes are all shown in reverse chronological order.
• The present day scenes are set concurrently with the other Prelude issues (though after Shockwave's last appearance clearly)
• Most likely Ravage's near-death from Tyrest's Kill Switch happened just before this issue begins
• Dreadwing had his new body designed in homage to Megatron's last Earth Mode.
• Shockwave has a hologram on Menasor in the flashback, which implies that either he had a hand in designing that gestalt, despite Swindle doing all the work, or something sent him the schematics at some point.
• It's implied here that Starscream knew about Shockwave's regenesis project to some extent as he knew about Earth's Ore-13's official name.
• The scene at the end of this issue is a further extension of a scene from Spotlight: Shockwave, that was also extended in Spotlight: Soundwave! Wonder if we'll get a further extension in the future?