IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #7

Staff

Title: Rules of Disengagement

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colour by: Josh Burcham and Joanna Lafuente

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Plot

The Decepticon Justice Division has captured Black Shadow and are punishing (read torturing) him for betraying Megatron by destroying a fleet of War Worlds for the Autobots in the past, Black Shadow begs for his life, but Tarn doesn't listen and kills him with his vocal weapon, causing him to explode. The DJD move onto their next target, who is on the planet Clemency.

On the Lost Light Rung is being kept alive on life-support, and he's visited by some of the crew (including Swerve and Skids). Red Alert comes to visit and confides in Rung that Overlord is in the "basement" of the Lost Light, but he can't tell anyone, because he can't trust anyone but Rung, so he places a data slug with a recording of Overlord into Rung's hand and leaves, saying goodbye, as he things someone's going to kill him next. He is unaware that a Diagnostic Drone is recording this.

On Clemency Misfire and his mis-matched team of Decepticons find a survivor on a battlefield and greet him (after mistaking him for a zombie and a miracle-resurrection, and even trying to steal his fuel pump), and introduce themselves to him.

In Brainstorm's workshop on the Lost Light, Chromedome visits him, and finds the scientist building weapons upside down (because only he can!) and Brainstorm shows Chromedome Skids' gun that Chromedome swiped a while back, and finds that it's exploded, but it's very curious and impossible, as it seemed to come from the Institute.

On Clemency the Decepticons are sitting around a camp-fire and discussing the war (and Fulcrum just learns the war has ended) and how they think they've lost it, and they realize that they don't really care about the war anymore, or even who won (even despite being totally okay with killing an Autobot straggler on the planet for the fire a few moments later). Meanwhile, on the Lost Light Rung has a mysterious visitor, who steals the data slug from his hand and leaves.

Back on Clemency the Decepticons begin searching through the wrecks of former Transformers, looking for supplies to power their ship and themselves, when Misfire freaks out and thinks he's seen the Necrobot and flies off, afraid that he's going to die or something. Misfire lands near a downed Decepticon ship, in the shape of a giant Decepticon Symbol, and calls the others to help him investigate.

The crew enter the ship and find several weird things, such as brain modules stuck into the ceilings, half formed protoforms in jars, a robot made of wood, some sort of organic epidermis inside the ship and other small things. After the group reunites (and discuss whether to run away screaming or not) Krok receives a communication, which he transmits to Misfire's Communicube, and it's Tarn saying that one of their group has angered the DJD in some way (and he knows who he is) and if they give him up, the other six can watch them kill him. The group are confused as there's only six of them anyway, they assume the DJD just miscounted, until Krok finds Grimlock in a stasis tube....

Characters

Autobot

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Skids - Van

Swerve - Van

Red Alert

Ambulon - Leg

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy On Life Support, Headless

Grimlock In Stasis

"Mystery Thief"

Valve (Flashback)

Rack or Ruin (Flashback)

Hyperion - Treaded Vehicle (Flashback)

Impactor - Tank (Flashback)

Nightbeat (Flashback)

Other Wreckers (Flashback)

113th Battalion (Flashback)

Pyro - Truck (Flashback)

Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Ultra Magnus (Flashback)

Hardhead - Tank (Flashback)

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Flashback)

Rewind - Memory Stick (Flashback)

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Fortress Maximus - Tank (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fulcrum

Misfire - Jet

Flywheels - Tank

Spinister - Helicopter

Krok

Crankcase

Tarn

Vos

Helex - Smelting Chamber

Kaon - Electric Chair

Tesarus - Metal Mincer

Black Shadow - Jet Killed by Tarn

Dead Decepticons Killed in Warfare

Megatron - Tank (Flashback)

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

The Conclave (Mentioned)

A Monstercon (Mentioned) Dead

Other

Diagnostic Drone

Turbofox

Swerve's Waiter-Drone (Flashback)

Necrobot (Mentioned)

Notes

• As of this issue, all three known Phase-Sixers have betrayed Megatron in some manner.
• Phase-7 would have been "Repopulation of Cybertron"
• Black Shadow is shown here in his Generations toy line character model
• Lots of dead guys make appearances in the backgrounds of the Black Shadow flashbacks
• Skids was asking other characters about if they listen to music in a few other issues...and Tarn seems to love music and uses his voice as a weapon too...coincidence?
• One of Megatron's written pieces is titled "Towards Peace"
• Rung is still alive, but only by being kept on life support (much like Springer is)
• Swerve is notably upset with Rung's condition, and even placed one of his toy spaceships next to him (as shown above)
• A diagnostic drone spies on Red Alert, who is convinced he's being watched
• One of the seven Transformers on Clemency has angered the DJD, most likely that one is Agent 113, who is an Autobot spy (probably Fulcrum)
• Misfire sort of breaks the fourth wall here, by saying he'll introduce the hell out of everyone (ie an infodump)
• The sun that Hydrus 4 and 5 orbit has apparently gone out, thanks to the thing in Brainstorm's briefcase
• Brainstorm is working on something secret now, which needs to be kept secret until it's finished, or it wont work
• Brainstorm can't decide what colour to make his new ammunition to prevent what happened to Rung happening again
• Skids' gun was stolen from him by Chromedome during that scene in issue 4 where Skids catches the waiter in Swerve's bar, which seemed random at the time.
• The gun exploded as soon as Brainstorm started to analyse it, and all he was able to work out from it was that it only held 2 cartridges and it seems to have been made in the Institute (he named it the binary gun)
• At one point in the war Optimus and Megatron locked themselves inside Omniglobes so they could coordinate the vast-state of the war at the time
• The Decepticons on Clemency assume the war was won by the Autobots...just because.
• Each of the Decepticons on Fulcrum have a bit of an odd personality. Misfire is a bit ADHD, Fulcrum is just overly friendly, Krok is a military strategist with no war left, Spinister is stupid, Flywheels can't lie without transforming, and Crankcase is a chronic grump.
• Grimlock hasn't been seen since Maximum Dinobots, but he was mentioned as being missing from G-9 in Last Stand of the Wreckers.
• Red Alert believe's Rung was shot because Red told him about "the voice"
• This is the first MTMTE story so far to mostly star characters other than the Lost Light crew
• Communicubes come in various sizes
• The Monstercon's are likely counterparts to the Monsterbot's
• The DJD members shown here are named after several Decepticon conquered cities

Titan - Prime Volume 4 #11

Basic Information

Cover Characters: Optimus Prime and Megatron

Cover Date: AUG/SEPT 2012

Price: £3.99

Poster: Megatron/Bumblebee

Comic Title: The Battle for Bulkhead

Script: Robin Etherington

Art: Dario Brizuela 

Lettering: Comicraft

Plot

Bulkhead is wounded and stumbling through an Alaskan forest after destroying a Decepticon Energon store when he is surrounded and captured by some Vehicons and Megatron. Bulkhead is taken to the Nemesis and Megatron wails on him for destroying the store and then places him in an energy cell that will slowly wipe away Bulkhead's mind.

Back at Omega One the Autobots are trying to find Bulkhead, but to no luck, until Miko reveals that Raf designed a special feature on Miko's phone that allows her and Bulkhead to stay in touch regardless of where they are, and that Bulkhead was sending a transmission of his and Megatron's "talk" on the Nemesis.

Soon the Autobots and humans invade the Nemesis through the Ground Bridge and split up, with the humans looking for Bulkhead, whilst the Autobots distract the Decepticons. Miko quickly finds Bulkhead by screaming to him, and Raf realizes that by destroying the device above the cage they can disable the cage.

The Vehicons detect the humans and attempt to kill them but Opitmus saves them, whilst the cage is lowered. Optimus destroys the cage's emitter so it can't be used in the future, and the Autobots leave the ship. Back at base the Autobots and Humans celebrate their victory.

Characters

Autobot
Optimus Prime - Truck Cab
Bulkhead - Off Road Vehicle
Arcee - Motorcycle
Bumblebee - Sports Car
Ratchet - Ambulance

Decepticon
Megatron - Cybertronian Jet
Vehicons - Sports Cars

Human
Miko
Raf
Jack

Notes

• For some reason the front cover's border is at a weird angle, with the issue identifier visible on part of it too, maybe it's to show the effect of the front cover fight?
• The next issue isn't until the start of October....wow....
• ...why did Optimus bring the kids along with them to THE NEMESIS?!?
• Also the corridors in the Nemesis seem to have grown quite a lot for a truck cab and a sports car to rider side-by side down them...

Other Features

Adverts

Competitions

Transformers Roll Call! - Information on a travelling Optimus Prime truck in the UK

Episode Guide - Speed Metal

Rescue Bulkhead - Rescue Bulkie from a maze

Ratchet's Joke Page - Ratchet made a funny!

Mega Mouth - Megatron and Arcee read the fan mail

Starscream's Stumpers! - Puzzles by Starscream

Bumblebee's Summertime Wordsearch - Wordsearch by everyone's most hated yellow robot

Decepticon Dare Dice!! - Cut out and make a Dice with dares on it fr you to play with friends

IDW - Regeneration One #81

Staff

Title: "Loose Ends" Part 1

Writer: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Editor-In-Chief: Chris Ryall

Storyline

In the Wrecker's base, Debris, Kup is going through a battle simulation to train against tying up all the loose ends of the Decepticons, when Springer walks in and says there's a ransom situation in Kalis involving Decepticons and warheads , and they're going to see if Magnus will let the Wreckers deal with the Decepticons, Wrecker-style. Magnus says no, and Kup storms off. Elsewhere Soundwave releases the Deluxe Insecticons from his chest cavity and sends them to turn the Decepticons staging this issue into Martyrs to make things look bad for the Autobots.

Inside the depot the Skyscorchers are preparing to make a deal with Magnus, as they never really intended to cause major damage, but wanted attention and the ransom too, when they are attacked and disabled by the Insecticons, who plan to activate the warhead properly and cause massive damage. Suddenly the wall explodes and the Wreckers break in and detain the Insecticons inside a Detention Sphere, and disarm the warhead with Perceptor's help.

Later Magnus goes to visit Optimus at Nova Point to decide what to do with Kup disobeying orders, whilst Optimus is acting distant, but agreeing that Magnus is right to be angry, and he ends up having a vision of Unicron telling him he will kill him, which disturbs Prime somewhat. Outside, Kup is waiting with Optimus' protege Hot Rod, and explains that he hates all the waiting around whilst there's still loose ends out there and they should be doing things about it, like Grimlock is, so he leaves Nova Point just as Magnus exits the chambers to deal with him.

Kup returns to Debris and rounds up the Wreckers, who agree to follow him on his plan to visit the worlds who were affected by the Civil War and try and fix things. Elsewhere, Soundwave is unexpectedly contacted by Bludgeon, who needs him to collect something for him for a plan to wipe out the Autobots once and for all.

The Cosmic Carnival arrives in the Sol System and drops off the Wrecker's ship near Earth, with plans to return in 10 Cycles for them. The Wreckers enter orbit and power down, so they don't attract unneeded attention, and send down probes to see what's happening, but are startled to see the planet in ruins, rivers dried, other areas flooded or just destroyed. One of the probes is hacked and sent to DC (I think?) where the Wreckers are shocked to see Megatron alive and sitting in the ruins happy that someone finally came. Megatron sets off some nuclear warheads which destroys the Wrecker's ship in orbit before they can power their systems up again, all as Megatron laughs maniacally...

Characters

Autobot
Optimus Prime
Hot Rod
Ultra Magnus
Kup On Ship that blew up
Springer On Ship that blew up
Whirl On Ship that blew up
Roadbuster On Ship that blew up
Sandstorm On Ship that blew up
Broadside On Ship that blew up
Topspin On Ship that blew up
Rack 'N' Ruin On Ship that blew up
Leadfoot On Ship that blew up
Perceptor
Grimlock (Flashback)
The Last Autobot (Mentioned) Dead
Security Forces
CCD Cadets (Mentioned)
Those Affected by Nucleon (Mentioned)

Decepticon
Megatron
Soundwave
Bludgeon
Chop Shop - Stag Beetle Captured by Wreckers
Ransack - Locust Captured by Wreckers
Venom - Cicada Captured by Wreckers
Terradive Killed/Incapacitated by Venom
Afterburner Killed/Incapacitated by Chop Shop
Eagle Eye Killed/Incapacitated by Venom
Windrazor Killed/Incapacitated by Chop Shop
Thunderwing (Mold Only)
Galvatron - Laser Cannon (Hologram)

Human
Berko
Other
Unicron - Ringed Planet (Vision)
Cybertronian Civilians 

Notes

• Still not too fond of the artwork being in the old style....colours are nice though!
• The Wreckers and Deluxe Insecticons make their US Marvel continuity debut here
• The intro of a Wrecker killing some fake Decepticons is just like their intro in Marvel UK
• Twin Twist has been replaced in the visible Wrecker ranks by Leadfoot, making the roster resemble the DOTM Wreckers a bit more now
• Soundwave can hold Insecticons in his chest
• It's not clear if the Skyscorchers are killed in this issue or not...
• Grimlock is mentioned to be elsewhere right now
• Hot Rod being mentored by Optimus seems to have calmed him down somewhat....this I do not enjoy
• Bludgeon has a mold in the shape of Thunderwing's pretender shell, which implies that he's planning to rebuild him some how
• The Cosmic Carnival seems to go near Earth nowadays
• It seems like Earth has been conquered by Megatron in this continuity now, much like it was in All Hail Megatron, however as noted in the story this must have happened some time ago
• There's a random guy amongst the Wreckers on page 21, he looks like a Headmaster in design, but doesn't match up with any I can think of - After asking Andrew Wildman at Auto Assembly, he told me it's supposed to be Broadside with his face plate up!
• Megatron still has a black bucket head!
• Springer's chest changes like every panel in this comic

IDW - Infestation 2 Volume 1

CVO

Storyline

An Elder God called The Traveler breaks out of the perfect prison made from space/time itself and starts seeping into various other universes as well as the one he intended to. In the past the Elder Gods communicated to H.P. Lovecraft and used him to spread word about them as stories etc, a group called Oblivion found out about him and had him killed, but also removed a parasite sent by the Elder Gods who was inside him. In the present day Lovecraft still has his followers (fans of his work) some of which are attending a Convention in Providence, Rhode Island.

At Cross Plains, Texas Bools, Cross and Britt of CVO are sent to investigate a large slug-like monster who has suddenly appeared, and starts a slow rampage across the town,the Vampires are backed up by the local authorities in try to stop the monster, but nothing seems to be able to hurt it, except for Cross' built-in Artillica. CVO starts getting reports of more Elder God monsters appearing across the country causing rampages,a nd even of humans being turned into Gatherers, who convert others and start to turn them into food for the Elder Gods (as is happening at the convention).

In Texas Cross is alone with the slug, as the others have been teleported elsewhere to help with the other attacks. Cross collects a sample of the slug to send to Benny to analyse, when his Artillica starts reacting to the Elder God and take shim over, he attacks the local police and knocks them out.

Britt arrives at the convention and starts disabling the Gatherers, and has to try and stop them without killing them off. Bools arrives at San Francisco where he rescues the newest head of Oblivion, Amanda and is asked to take her to a building, or else everything will be destroyed. In Red Hook, Isaac and Yumiko are fighting off some fish-men, when Isaac is poisoned and starts talking in gibberish.

In San Francisco again Bools and Amanda, after some exposition explaining that Oblivion is responsible for the Elder Gods being in that prison, find the object she was after, the parasite that was removed from Lovecraft, which is in a glass case and is suddenly active again, in reaction to the large Elder God creatures outside trying to get to it. Britt is busy trying to stop the fan-boys from killing her, when she hears that Cross has been turned into a gateway of sorts for the Elder God to come through, by using his Artillica. 

At the Heritage Museum in St. Petersburg in the Danger Girl reality Abbey Chase has broken in and is on a mission to recover a microbot from a painting, whilst fighting off the guards. When she starts carving into the painting however some tentacles start pouring out and attacks her.

Back at the CVO Universe Cross is still going overload, and has knocked out everyone in a 100 mile radius, and the CVO command team try to work out what to do. In San Francisco Bools and Amanda plan to leave with the parasite, so Bools grabs it, but isn't told first that it needs a host to survive, so it enters his body through the mouth.

Britt is informed, whilst still fighting off the fanboys that they plan to destroy the Artullica, and therefore Cross with a missile, as does Cross find out too when he sees the plane above them.

Bools is feeling ill after ingesting the parasite, but the Elder God creatures are avoiding him and Amanda by extension because he's holding the object they're looking for now.

The Missile approaches Cross, but he's protected by the slug monster. Bools, Amanda and Britt arrive on the scene, and the slug moves for Bools (and therefore the others too), and they work out that the way to stop all this is to remove all the objects the Gods are attracted to (the Artillica, the "Stomach Tumor" etc) and throw them into the tear, sealing it.

Cross allows Britt to tear out his heart and Artillica, whilst she cries, Bools throws up the "Tumor" and Amanda grabs it and runs to Britt, she insists that she be the ome to throw it, as it's her family and company's fault all this happened, she connects the tumor and the artillica, which opens the tear, and she walks through, falling into the tear, it seals behind her and re-imprisons the Elder Gods, Bools is sad to see his new friend get killed this way.

Everywhere else all the creatures disappear and possessed individuals are returned to normal, and Abbey is left in a pile of slime, left to run away from more guards

At CVO Cross wakes up to find himself alive, thanks to some remnants in his chest, he's been left with a Phantom Heart, which works in place of his actual heart...at least for now it seems...

Characters

Vampire

Cross

Britt

Bools

Isaac

Yumiko (part Reptilian)

Overmars

Human

Amanda Houellebecq Sacrificed Self to seal away Elder Gods

Abbey Chase

H.P.Lovecraft (Flashbacks) Killed by Emanuel

Professor Emanuel Houellebecq (Flashbacks) Dead (most likely)

Oblivion Members (Flashbacks)

Convention Goers

Gatherers

Cross Plains, Texas Police

Elder God related

The Traveler Re-imprisoned by Amanda

Maggots of S'Hloheth Gone

The Tumor Sent to Prison Dimension

Lovercraftian Monsters Gone 

Other

Nikodemus (Demon)

Benny (Zombie)

CVO Staff (Various)

Other Dimension Cameos

Optimus Prime (Transformers: Hearts of Steel)

Ironhide (Transformers: Hearts of Steel)

Batboy (Team-Up)

Archibald (Team-Up)

Ramdom Vampire (30 Days of Night)

Abraxis Wren (Dungeons and Dragons)

Snake-Eyes (G.I. Joe)

Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Notes

• Since the last Infestation Britt has gotten better (but her hair is shorter I must add) and Cross is now the sole wielder of Artillica around. Benny still only has one arm though.
• Bools has grown facial hair since the last Infestation as well, which implies that Vampire can indeed gross hair etc in this universe
• Cross and Britt have basically swapped roles in this story from the previous one, where she was the gateway and he had to stop her, to the other way round here.
• It seems that it was the Elder Gods who negated all the Artillica at the end of Infestation
• Britt hates Conventions, and probably convention goers as well.
• Britt seems to have a loving care for Cross, and possibly the same in reverse
• Amanda might have survived...might....probably not though....

Team-Up

Storyline

At Area-51, Archie is bored, so he and Blob go for a walk around the base and walk into Leticia working with some telekinetic Greys, but he ruins the tests by starting to smoke which distracts them and angers Leticia. Archie goes outside to smoke and get out of the way, when he is kidnapped by an Elder God and flung in a city elsewhere where he meets Batboy and the two (ignoring the superhero battle with the Elder God above them) decide to go for a drink in a bar, where both of them reminisce over past Team-Up events that they've been involved in, and how they're bored of them now.

The Bartender listens to them, but decides to ask for help when the Elder God starts heading towards the bar and starts destroying the place, and picks up Batboy. Archibald decides to leave the bar, gets out Blob, who...EATS THE ELDER GOD!!!!

Batboy is freed and the dynamic duo go back into the trashed bar for another drink, commenting on how this event would have no permanent effect, just like all the other events (despite the city being destoyed and people dead all around them, and from a news station the paper reads about a future Infestation events coming next year.....

Characters

Archibald the Grey (Archie)

Blob

Batboy

Bartender

Leticia Pope

Telekinetic Greys

The Watcher

The Watcher's Friend in Bar (let me know if you know his name)

Super-Soldier

Amazon

Iron Lantern

Elder God Eaten by Blob

Gwen Stacy (Flashback) Dead

Hero Greys (Flashbacks)

Notes

• This story essentially mocks team-up storylines from other comics, and even this very series itself
• The superheroes shown in this story are from the Amalgam comics line (basically a mash up of Marvel and DC characters). Batboy from Weekly World News is from this continuity as well it seems. It's implied however that Archie from Groom Lake is from the CVO universe in other comics, so that would mean the Elder Gods tossed him into another reality for this story.
• Archie comments on how usually in team-up's the two team-up guys tend to fight first
• Archie remembers several instances of battles in the past based on some other comic events, and even shows some Greys in outfits etc based on those of actual characters in actual events etc
• There's a lot of death in this issue, mostly done off-screen of course to add to the humour.
• The ending implies that Infestation 3 will be coming in 2013...we can only hope....

30 Days of Night

Storyline

In 1952 a photographer and a pilot are sent to a location 250 miles below the North Pole, upon landing the landing gear is damaged, but the duo continue on their mission to take photos of some strange structures detected int he area, believed to belong to soviets. The Photographer recognizes them from some nightmares she had as a child, and inside they find several people all speaking something like Romanian. They take photos of the people, and are found (thanks to the flash) the pilot, Fitch is attacked by these vampires whilst the woman escapes, with his dying words he tells her his callsign, though she didn't know what it was.

The woman is chased around the building when suddenly an monster from the Elder Gods appears from under the ground and starts attacking the vampires, almost as if it was protecting the woman. She takes some pictures of it and runs away towards the plane, with some vampires still following. In the plane she calls for help, which will come in about 6 hours. She prepares to defend herself with an aerosol and a lighter when the Elder God monster emerges and starts attacking more of the vampires. The soviets arrive, having picked up a signal earlier and start attacking the monster, and thanks to the earlier vampire attacks and wounds the monster falls, not dead, but dispersed somewhat across the landscape. The woman approaches one of the globs of monster left and walks into it, which keeps her warm and protected from the harsh weather, and whilst inside she can commune with it.

She's found later and taken to a base where she is interrogated about the vampires and how she managed to survive, under threat of imprisonment, but she doesn't care anymore about he old life, she just wants to be re-united with the Elder God again.

Characters

The Photographer Inprisoned

Lt. Col. Fitch Killed by Vampires

Elder God Monster

Soviets

Rescuers

Vampires

Interrogators

Photographer's Uncle (Mentioned)

Notes

• I don't follow this franchise at all, so I have no idea if any of the characters are in the main comics or anything
• Vampires speak Romanian!
• The Photographer woman doesn't seem to be named in this story at all
• It's likely that the Photographer's camera was rendered useless in the cold weather
• Her dreams as a child seem to imply that she had a connection or something to the Elder God before this (which could mean she was a fan of Lovecraft's work like the con-goers in the CVO section)
• The inside of the Elder God blob is so hot that it burns off her clothes, but not her skin

IDW - Robots in Disguise #7

Comic Staff

Title: Interference Patterns

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Storyline

A Decepticon ship appears out of nowhere above Cybertron and wants to land on the now rebooted planet. Bumblebee calls Wheeljack to help them figure out how they appeared from nowhere, and whether it's a cloaking device of some sort. The ship lands and Prowl's team surrounds it, ready to take down the occupants on Bumblebee's orders, but Metalhawk advises them caution, however when he sees that it's Turmoil on the ship he changes his mind and tells them to just kill him on sight.

Bumblebee and the others meet with Turmoil later and he claims the device he used isn't a cloaking device, but something more beneficial to everyone. Metalhawk tells everyone to not trust him, and it's revealed to him that Turmoil wasn't involved in the Dabola campaign, which caused Metalhawk to leave the war, but Drift was.

Later Starscream takes Metalhawk to Maccadam's to see Blurr, one of the surviving members of the team that supposedly killed Turmoil before, and he agrees that Turmoil is too dangerous to keep around. Elsewhere, the Autobots decide to investigate what Turmoil used to get this close to Cybertron unnoticed, and Wheeljack infiltrates the ship (which is shown throughout this issue in pieces). Wheeljack learns that the device is actually a time machine, not a cloaking device, and that it was created by a race of aliens that Turmoil imprisoned, who were then ejected into space when they heard the call to return to Cybertron when Vector Sigma was rebooted.

Wheeljack is caught hacking into the ship's systems by Turmoil, who summarily blasts a hole through the Autobot's chest, just as he goes to finish him off though, Wheeljack places his new invention around Turmoil's leg and traps him in a bubble. Turmoil tries to break free with his cannon, but it just explodes inside the containment field.

The rest of Turmoils men appear and start beating on Wheeljack, who is then suddenly saved by Metalhawk, who had infiltrated the ship like Wheeljack had. Wheeljack recovers the belt from Turmoil's injured body and Wheeljack and Metalhawk roll out in the bubble it generated, eventually smashing out of the ship. Metalhawk called for Prowl and his team to raid the ship and arrest every Decepticon, all whilst Wheeljack decides to keep the Time Machine, just in case.

Character List

Autobot
Bumblebee - Car
Wheeljack - Car Injured by Turmoil
Prowl - Car
Broadside
Blurr - Race Car
Jazz - Car
Streetwise - Car
Drift - Car (Mentioned Thought to be Dead
Kup's Team (Mentioned)
Lost Light Crew (Mentioned) Thought to be dead

Decepticon
Starscream - Jet
Turmoil - Tank Injured by Wheeljack, Imprisoned
Turmoil's Crew Imprisoned

NAIL
Metalhawk - Jet
Sky Byte - Flying Shark
Tappet - Car
Hipotank - Tank

Other
Crystal City (Mentioned)
Cybertronian Crowds
Varta's People (On Monitors) Killed by Turmoil's crew

Notes

• Turmoil somehow survived the explosion of his ship from Spotlight: Drift
• It's revealed here that the planet from the start of the Drift mini-series is called Dabola, and that Metalhawk wasn't aware that Drift led that attack.
• Metalhawk didn't run from the war out of fear after Dabola, he left because he was afraid of the anger that he felt growing after the battle
• Jazz and Sky Byte seem to have bonded, with them forming a music-poetry duet
• This story seems to imply that Sandstorm was either killed in the Chaos story, or left on the Lost Light (as it's claimed that Roadbuster and Blurr are the only ones left from the team in Spotlight: Drift left). Roadbuster's also been forgotten about, as he's on Debris looking after Springer right now!
• The alien species who build the Time Machine for Turmoil are the same species as Varta from Spotlight: Wheelie
• Metalhawk's wings act like swords
• This story ends with Wheeljack seeming to keep hold of the Time Machines...could this have any bearing on the message from the future from MTMTE#1?
• Unusually the front cover of this comic (well the one I have anyway) looks like an extended view of a scene that actually happened in the comic itself!
• Wheeljack's new "toy" is a belt that can generate a bubble around him that allows him to defy gravity and is protected from attacks...he likes to mess with science!

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #6

Comic Staff

Title: Interiors

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Nick Roche

Colour by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Storyline

Fortress Maximus has been ordered into therapy with Rung in response to his over-the-top battle style on Delphi, and Max remembers his experience with Overlord on Garrus-9, and how Overlord tried to get him to reveal what was under Aequitas. Rung tries to reassure Max that he's safe now since Overlord was destroyed, but he doesn't seem too reassured.

At Swerve's bar Chromedome and some other Autobots are playing a game where Chromedome has to guess who just transformed when tailgate arrives, exhausted from his lesson with Magnus, when his teacher walks in and arrests Swerve for opening an illegal bar without permission. Afterwards Trailbreaker starts talking smack about Fort Max, when he walks in and just opens fire on Pipes, unprovoked, he then leaves and starts "randomly" attacking several other crew members before locking himself in Rung's office, during a session with Whirl.

Rung is restrained to his chair by a bent pole, whilst Whirl is impaled to the floor with another pole. WHirl keeps taunting Max into killing him, but he refuses, as he needs the hostages. Blaster hacks into a camera in Rung's office so they can watch what's going on, Rung notices the camera activate and turns on his microphone too, so they can hear as well. Max makes a call to Rodimus to turn the ship around and send them back to Cybertron so he can make Prowl explain why it took so long to send anyone to G9, and then to kill him. He annoys Rodimus though by calling him Hot Rod, basically making it certain that he wont turn around. Fort Max notices Rung's microphone on his thumb and tears it off.

In the Medibay, Ratchet and First Aid have just finished stabilizing the five victims of Max's rampage when Ratchet notices that all of them have similar colour schemes to Overlord. Back in Rung's office, Max demands to know why Whirl even bothers with therapy since everyone knows he just insane, he reveals his past and that he used to be a watchmaker and then worked for the senate for a while (As shown in Chaos Theory). During the story Rung picks up his toy Ark and starts pointing at the windows, which tells Rodimus to get at Max from the windows. Rodimus calls Rewind and Swerve who are outside changing the rivets as punishments to go to the window.

Whirl reveals at the end of his story that he was kicked out of the Wreckers by Roadbuster after he tried to end Springer's life using  a weapon Roadbuster invented called a Sparkeater (based on the "mythological" one). Max realizes that the star field outside the window hasn't changed, meaning that they haven't turned around yet, so he decides to start killing hostages. Whirl volunteers, but Rung stalls him by saying that he knows this isn't about Prowl and justice, but about Overlord, and how he'll never get revenge. Ratchet tells Rodimus this at the same time.

Rewind and Swerve are in position outside the window, but Max moves behind a pillar and Rewind can't get a clear shot with his gun. Rodimus has Swerve take the gun, whilst Rewind streams in images from G9 and his torture into the room via his camera, which paralyzes Max in pain, Whirl pulls himself off the pole in the distraction, whilst Rung is able to hug Max into trying to calm down. Swerve tries to convince Rodimus not to make him take the shot since Max has stopped now and Rung might get hurt, but Rodimus has him take the shot regardless, resulting in Rung's head being struck and explodes, killing him, resulting in Fort Max screaming, before Whirl can use his pole to impale Max, knocking him out.

Later Rodimus gives a heartfelt speech about Rung's death which impresses Drift, who them tells Rodimus that Red Alert is acting strange and sneaking around, all whilst Red Alert goes into the Sparkeater's old room using Ore's drill weapon, and digs a hole, revealing a chamber that shouldn't exist, containing the supposedly destroyed, albeit disarmed, Overlord repeatedly moaning "kill me"

Character List

Autobot
Rodimus - Speedy Car
Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport
Drift - Car
Fortress Maximus - Tank Injured by Whirl and Incarcerated in Brig
Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy Killed by Swerve (Accident)
Whirl - Osprey Helicopter
Swerve - Van
Rewind - Memory Stick
Ratchet - Ambulance
First Aid - Ambulance
Boss - Car Injured by Fortress Maximus
Pipes - Truck Injured by Fortress Maximus
Dogfight - Jet Injured by Fortress Maximus
Turbine Injured by Fortress Maximus
Doubletap Injured by Fortress Maximus
Chromdome - Car
Hound - Car
Trailbreaker - Van
Skids - Van
Sunstreaker - Car
Brainstorm - Jet
Blaster
Red Alert
Deftwing - Jet
Powerflash
Aquafend
Ore - Drill Tank Dead
Siren (On Radio)
Springer (Flashback) On Life Support
Inferno (Mentioned)
Orion Pax/Optimus Prime (Mentioned)
Prowl (Mentioned)
Roadbuster (Mentioned)
The Wreckers (Mentioned)
Garrus-9 Staff (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Overlord - Tank and Jet Neutered and Restrained

Genericons (Mentioned) Dead

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

The Heavies (Flashback)

The Heavies Boos (Flashback)

Senate (Mentioned)

Senator Empurata (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• Though not clearly identified here, it seems most likely that Turbine is the one with turbines and wings, and Doubletap is the one with two cannons on his arms.
• It's implied in this story that Whirl was ordered to try and kill Megatron by the Senate, as shown in Chaos Theory, most likely due to his message of revolution
• Ironically Swerve is probably going to need therapy after killing the therapist!
• Brainstorm again seems to try and use his briefcase as a shield
• Whirl says he wont be Max's helicopter in his ransom demands...this is funny :D
• This issue clearly shows that Fort Max's design has been slightly updated since the Wreckers storyline on page 2
• Chromedome and Rewind can tell who someone is from just the sound of their transformation. Rewind is better though
• There is something under the Aequitas Chamber on G9.
• Swerve gets punished for opening a bar on the ship, but he's sure Rodimus will let him keep it open
• Rung's office is (was?) on Level 7
• The security team includes Deftwing, Ironfist's wave-mate from the toy line, wonder if he knew ol' Fisitron in this continuity too?
• Fort Max calls Rodimus by his old name Hot Rod, which Rodimus hates (especially since Optimus officially renamed him at the end of Space Opera)
• Seriously? WHY is Siren doing announcements?
• Whirl was once a watchmaker who went a bit crazy....sort of like Sylar from Heroes no?
• The golden disks Rewind bought off Swindle were revealed to be snuff films here, which even disgusted Rodimus, meaning that Rewind is on rivet duty outside for the forseeable future (unless his actions in helping with the hostage situation changed that ruling somewhat)
• Whirl really doesn't care about having his face smashed in or having a pole stabbed through his middle does he?!
• The pole stabs right through Fort Max's Autobot insignia...that has to be symbolic!
• The distorted voice from the previous issue is revealed to have been Overlord! He's restrained in a room that shouldn't exist underneath the Lost Light
• What will happen to Rung's toys now!?! (I can has?) - though as pointed out to me by a certain Drift stalker that probably doesn't need an introduction, Drift is holding a mis-coloured Ark in his hands after Rung's memorial...that thief....
• Chromedome still hates Cyclonus for his actions in Chaos
• It's implied here that Whirl is Jetstream from Bullets, the guy who bullied Rotorstorm
• Despite not knowing his name, Whirl seemed to think of Rung as a friend
• Fort Max, the ultimate prison warden is now in the brig...so ironic.