IDW - Transformers #44

Title: The Transgressors 

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Before the war, Tracks is admiring some of his new "Chic Chips" that his brother, Needlenose has designed for him, but they have an argument about Needlenose's friends, and interest in Megatron's rebellious writings. Needlenose leaves, and tells Tracks to not be on the wrong side of history...

On Cybertron, today, some Camiens are picketing their religion to the Cybertronians, but are interrupted by Needlenose and Brawl, who have just returned from Earth, along with Dreadwing. They denounce the words of the Primes, and destroy some of their pamphlets.

Nearby, Starscream is looking over the city from his office in Metroplex, claiming he has everything under control to someone unseen, whilst Arcee is sneaking around on the walls of the city.

Elsewhere, Optimus and Tracks (who is the spacceport manager now) say goodbye to Mirage and the Protectobots, who are returning to the Lost Light, and Tracks moans about how the Camiens don't use standard ship codes, since they haven't flown for centuries (due to a lack of fuel).

The two of them end up in an alley with Arcee, who reports to Prime that she's located Brawl and Needlenose on Cybertron, trying to recruit for Galvatron's forces on Earth. Prime says he'll tell Starscream. Tracks gets annoyed, and decides to deal with his brother himself, whilst also telling Arcee that she doesn't know what it's like to lose someone, like he has with Needlenose.

Arcee leaves, and heads to a point she used to like to watch the city on before she left for Earth, and thinks things over.

Elsewhere, one of the ships has been reformatted into a Decepticon bar, where Needlenose and the others are tallking about their plans to recruit Decepticons to the Jupiter Commune, Brawl gets annoyed with Needlenose when he realizes that this really just for a peaceful Commune, and not a secret army. An argument begins, and Needlenose sneaks away to get some more drinks from the bar.

At the bar though, Needlenose is confronted by Tracks, and starts telling him off, but Needlenose wont give in, resulting in Tracks punching his brother. Before he can do anything else though, all the Decepticons have their weapons trained on the Autobot.

Luckily though, one of the Badgeless comes through the door and threatens to arrest the entire bar for illegal gatherings, engex sales etc, unless they hand over Needlenose and the others to him for Starscream to deal with. Before the Decepticons have to make a decision though Arcee apepars behind him, and "disarms" the Badgeless Officer, and drags him away. Tracks goes with her, at her request. Needlenose asks Tracks to tell Optimus that they don't want to fight the Autobots anymore, they just don't want to be ruled by them either.

In Starscream's throne room, he's having an argument on his current political situation and power with the image of Bumblebee in his mind. Suddenly Arcee appears with the Badgeless Officer in tow, she kills the Badgeless and engages in a short fight with Starscream. She however stops fighting, and tells him that even though she doesn't like him, she knows the planet can't survive another war and divide, so she asks him to try and keep it all together for them.

Later, and elsewhere, Needlenose and the others get together and present their sales-pitch for the Decepticon Commune to a large crowd....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Tracks - Car

Arcee - Car

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Mirage - Race Car

First Aid - Ambulance

Groove - Motorcycle

Streetwise - Emergency Car

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Blades - Helicopter

Bumblebee - Car (Hallucination) Dead

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Wanted Poster)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Optimus Maximus - Autobot Gestalt (Mentioned)

Broadside - Battleship/Jet (Mentioned)

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Brawl - Tank

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Submaruader - Submarine

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Dragon

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster

Onslaught - Anti Aircraft Truck

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Dauros - Tank

Bartender - Motorcycle

Decepticon Populous 

Horri-Bull - Bull (Flashback) Killed by Bumblebee

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier (Mentioned)

Ratbat - Cassette (Mentioned) Killed by Arcee

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Badgeless Officer - Car Killed by Arcee

Civilians

Camien

Lady Cohrada - Helicopter

Aileron - Hovercraft

Other Picketer

Other

Quark - Photon Microscope (Flashback)

Pre-War Civilians (Flashback)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story establishes that Tracks and Needlenose are "brothers"...I guess they do have a couple of similar features right?
• It is also established that Needlenose and Horri-Bull were involved with each other (it's unclear if they were actually in a relationship) so Bumblebee's murder of Horri-Bull in front of him is a bit more disturbing now...
• One of the Camien Picketers is designed after the Beast Wars Neo character Cohrada, but with helicopter parts, whilst Aileron seems to be based on Go-Bots Crasher, but a lot more stout that her counterpart.
• Seriously...where did Arcee get her large cleaver from?!
• Mirage and the Protectobots (having de-combined) head back to the Lost Light this issue.
• Dreadwing was abandoned by Galvatron and the others before they headed to Earth.
• A few of the Decepticons in the bar are generics, based on other characters such as G2 Ramjet, Action Master Thundercracker, an inverted Rung and Whirl and other comic homages.
• The inverted Decepticon Rung appears to have kibble from a motorcycle, despite Rung's lack of a real alternate mode.
• The Badgeless Officer's design looks a bit different to what we've seen in the past. He also appears to have car kibble, meaning there may be 2 different versions.
• Starscream is revealed to be seeing Bumblebee (in his pre-Dark Cybertron body) as a hallucination. He was earlier shown to be "talking to himself" when he was communicating with Scoop on Earth. Is this just a hallucination, or a ghostie made from the Shockwave Black Hole?
• It can be assumed that this issue is either set just before or after Combiner Hunters, due to Arcee's presence and appearance.
• The very last page is based on the scene in MTMTE where Rodimus recruits the Lost Light crew.

IDW - Robots in Disguise #22

Title: Soundwaves

Written by: John Barber

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

Colours by: Priscilla Tranontano (Present Day) and Livio Ramondelli (Past)

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Four million years ago, Soundwave is transplanting former Sennator Ratbat's brain module from his body, and taking it into his custody, when Shockwave arrives and asks what he intends to do with Ratbat now, they comment on how the massacre of the Senate is a massive event in history, and Shockwave comments on how Megatron is how battling Sentinel Prime, and offers to create Ratbat's new body for him.

In the present, Soundwave and Shockwave start too battle, with Soundwave disgusted with his lack of loyalty, Shockwave reveals that he knows Soundwave is alone, and tells him that he shouldn't have come here, however Soundwave reveals that all his cassettes are with him, and calls them out.

Before the revolution, Soundwave and Megatron meet up, and discuss the future of the Decepticons and the government in general. Soundwave suggests to Megatron to allow his Decepticons to be captured by the senate and sent to Kaon, where the senate would hold an emergency session, called by Ratbat, at Soundwave's behest, so they can attack them from the inside, and wipe them out.

In the present, Soundwave and his cassettes fight Shockwave and Dreadwing, but due to the Ore-14 in the caverns neither side can win, and everyone who is killed is instantly revived again.

In the past, Megatron welcomes Senator Shockwave to his forces, and has Soundwave act as his handler. Soundwave takes an instant disliking to him and even tells Megatron that one day he'll need to kill him. Further in the past, Megatron meets with Soundwave in the Gladiator pits on Ratbat''s orders to make an alliance with him. Soundwave is having problems with his abilities with so many people near him, but Megatron impresses him with his truthfulness and his attitude towards the cassettes being equal beings, unlike how the rest of the world sees them (with Functionalists being prevalent still). Soundwave understands Megatron's real goal - he want's equality.

In the present again, Soundwave and his friends are allowed to leave, as Shockwave knows how pointless a battle with no possible victor is, and he knows Soundwave cannot stop him anyway. He contacts Jhiaxus and has him transport the Metrotitan from Gorlam Prime to him.

In the distant past, Ratbat finds Soundwave and his cassettes hiding out underground, where Soundwave is trying to isolate himself due to his abilities. Ratbat promises him various things, but in the process insults Ravage and the others.

In the present again, Soundwave returns to the Decepticon camp and tells them of what Shockwave is up to, or at least what he knows about it, and tells them that a major battle is about to start, just as a bright light comes from the Crystal City again.

A long time ago, Ravage, Lasserbeak and Buzzsaw are hanging out when they come across a distraught Soundwave struggling with his abilities. They start to help him by giving him something to focus on, and focus his powers onto as well...forging an eternal bond.

Characters

Autobot/Future Autobot

Grimlock - Armoured Truck (Flashback)

Sentinel Prime - Truck (Flashback - Hologram Only)

Orion Pax - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon/Future Decepticon

Soundwave - Van

Ravage - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Blitzwing - Jet/Tank

Needlenose - Jet

Waspinator - Wasp

Megatron - Tank (Flashback)

Senator Ratbat (Flashback)

Thundercracker - Jet (Flashback)

Skywarp - Jet (Flashback)

Blackwall (Flashback)

Scorponok (Flashback)

Other Decepticons (Flashback)

Other

Jhiaxus

Gorlam Titan

Cybertronian Senate (Flashback) Killed by the Decepticons

Gladiator Audience (Flashback)

Monstructor - Gestalt (Mentioned)

Senator Proteus (Mentioned)

Senator Decimus (Mentioned)

Ratioists (Mentioned)

Functionalists (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the last prequel story to the Dark Cybertron event
• The flashbacks spliced into this story are in reverse chronological order.
• This story shows that when Soundwave transplanted Ratbat's spark into a cassette he also took the brain module too. It also shows that the cassette wasn't his new body, but just a storage device, as Shockwave says he'll design him a new body.
• Shockwave reveals that the pointless battle between Dreadwing and Soundwave was just to test if he had his cassettes with him, as he assumed he'd call on them if they were.
• It's revealed here that the plan to allow the Decepticons to be captured by the Senate was Soundwave's, and that he was manipulating Ratbat all along as he never liked him.
• Grimlock and Scorponok are shown fighting in the Gladiator pits, showing us a part of their unseen history.
• It's revealed that Soundwave joined Megatron originally because he didn't see his cassettes as inferior, or as beasts, like the others did, but as equals.
• It's also shown here that Soundwave is an Outlier of sorts, but learned his control from Ravage (who is able to smell unlike anyone else), which is why he cares so much for his cassettes, as they saved him.
• Rumble and Frenzy are still able to be stored within Soundwave, despite being tanks now.
• The Ratioists are most likely something to do with the Original Thirteen, as it's been mentioned that all Transformers are descended from them, and that they all represented a different type of Transformer (bestial robots, female etc)

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?

IDW - Robots in Disguise #17

Title: Shockwaves
Written by: John Barber
Art by: Livio Ramondelli
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Shockwave and Dreadwing fly away from Iacon into the Wilds, to the crater where the Metrotitan was found, and exploded, inside, expecting ruins, Dreadwing is shocked to find the Crystal City still intact, despite being ground zero for the explosion. The two of them wonder why this is, when Shockwave blasts a hole in his chest, killing him. Shockwave then waits...

In the distant past, Shockwave is planting something in the Crystal City when Jhiaxus appears and points out that there's a massive battle going on, between Omega Supreme, and his greatest creation Monstructor. They watch as Monstructor is defeated and before long Jhiaxus is on the Ark, before he can be disgraced, leaving Shockwave in his stead. The Crystal City is buried under ground, and life continues. After a while, Shockwave is made a Senator and sets up the J.A.A.T. to much applause from his fellow Senators.

Afterwards, Dai Atlas approaches the newcomer, and tells him his concerns, as he wasn't fond of Jhiaxus, but Shockwave assures him that he's not Jhiaxus. Proteus then comes up for a chat, but first physically assaults the Cybertronian who was working as Shockwave's projector, this disgusts Shockwave, and denounces Proteus' Functionalist beliefs, to which Proteus comments that such emotion is unbecoming of a senator.

Later, Shockwave watches some miners being transported to Luna-2, which Shockwave hates that they need, and he comments that he planted a seed before Jhiaxus left on the Ark, and says that he plans to create artificial Energon to replace their needs on the real stuff (beginning the plans of his Regenesis Project). Dai Atlas warns Shockwave not to do anything too outrageous, especially with the Senate seeming to be becoming corrupt.

Over time, the Senate starts to split, with Proteus running things behind his puppet Primes, so Shockwave starts finding new potential Primes of his own, including Orion Pax. After a while, Shockwave is taken captive and is placed under Shadowplay and Empurata, turning him into his more familiar form.

After his Empurata, Shockwave remains a Senator, but rather than being weakened by the effects of the processes he is made more determined, and without emotions, he can work without limits etc. After a Senate meeting, Shockwave is greeted by Starscream who takes him to meet the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron. Who wants to use Shockwave's knowledge on Gestalts (via Jhiaxus' research) to build his own one. Shockwave says it'll be a long process, which Megatron doesn't mind, as he has a long-term plan.

Soon, Shockwave has a lab of his own, where he's experimenting on random Cybertronians, and over time, he starts to figure some things out.

One day Orion Pax approaches him in the street, worried about him, but Shockwave doesn't care about his friend's concerns, as he's not really the same person anymore. Later, Megatron begins his plans for destroying the Senate in Kaon, and tells Shockwave of this, who in order to help in some way, replaces his claw hands with a blaster and a normal hand.

Soon, Shcokwave goes to visit Dai Atlas, and shoots him at point blank range, sparing him from dying with the rest of the Senate.

Over the years, Shockwave has seeded 13 worlds with his Ores, which created various effects, but then remarks that his most powerful Ore is still on Cybertron. Dreadwing wakes up, and his wound is healed,a nd he's alive, thanks to the power of Ore-14, resurrection! With this, he'll be able to bring about his final cataclysm.

Characters

Autobot/Future Autobot

Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback)

Nominus Prime (Flashback) Dead

Sentinel Prime (Flashback)

Omega Supreme (Flashback)

Impactor (Flashback)

Bumblebee - Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon/Future Decepticon

Senator Shockwave - Flying Gun

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Megatron - Armoured Truck (Flashback)

Starscream - Tetra Jet (Flashback)

Soundwave - Acoustic Van (Flashback)

Senator Ratbat (Flashback)

Monstructor - Gestalt (Flashback) Defeated by Omega Supreme

Bristleback (Mentioned)

Scowl (Mentioned)

Slog (Mentioned)

Icepick (Mentioned)

Wildfly (Mentioned)

Birdbrain (Mentioned)

Devastator - Gestalt (Mentioned)

Other

Senator Proteus (Flashback) Dead

Senator Dai Atlas (Flashback) Injured by Shockwave

Jhiaxus (Flashback)

Nova Prime (Flashback)

Cyclonus (Flashback)

Galvatron (Flashback)

Projector-Bot - Holo-Projector (Flashback)

The Senate (Flashback) Dead

Shockwave's Victims (Flashback) Dead

Shielded Guards (Flashback)

Miners (Flashback)

Metrotitan - City/Space Ship (Mentioned) Dead

NAILS (Mentioned)

Civilians (Flashback)

Primus (Mentioned)

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Notes

• You have to wonder...if everything down in the Crystal City can be revived like this...then where is the Metrotitan?
• Shockwave and Dreadwing went missing from the battle in Iacon, this is where they ended up.
• The pre-empurata Shockwave is shown to be kind of sly as well, as he plants the Ore-14 in Crystal City years before he begins his mass-plan to seed other worlds
• Shockwave was witness to the battle between Monstructor and Omega Supreme, shown in the RID Annual 2012, and was also witness to Megatron being shipped off to the mines
• Dai Atlas appearing in this flashback, and throughout Monstrosity as well somewhat builds up to Dai Atlas maybe returning in the present
• Shockwave originally had claw hands, rather than his now common blaster, it's shown that he can change his hands over by simply removing and replacing them
• Shockwave DOES seem to have some emotion left, as he makes sure that Dai Atlas is kept away from the Senate-Cull (from Megatron Origin) by injuring him in his lab, thus allowing him to survive
• The planet where Kup crashed in his Spotlight is confirmed here to be a world seeded by Shockwave