TFCC #50 - Beast Wars Shattered Glass Part 2

Writers: Benson Yee & Pete Sinclair with Matt Frank

Pencils & Inks: Matt Frank

Colours: Thomas Deer

Letters: Jesse Wittenrich

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

In orbit around the prehistoric planet, a vessel has just left the hole in space and heads towards the planet like the Autobot and Decepticon shuttle did last issue.

On the surface, the Autobots discover that some experimental stasis pods with new Autobot bodies are missing, but since they have tracers they should be easy enough to find. The team go aboard a Sky-Sled thingie to reach the location, when the Decepticons attack and cause them to crash. The Autobots rush on foot to the pod's location, only to find themselves there too late, as Megatron has modified them and awakens them into Autojetter, Autolauncher and Scylla.

Ultra Magnus tries to connect with the new trio, considering them Autobots due to their origins, but they just attack the Autobots, and easily overpower them. The Autobots however are rescued by the new arrival, Depth Charge, who quickly takes down the new Decepticons/Predacons (WHATEVER!) before Megatron attacks him too. Magnus gets annoyed and shoots all the Decepti-Predacons and decide to head back to base. Before they leave however, Depth Charge introduces himself, and tells them he needs their help to save the Multiverse. (DUN DUN DUH!!!)

Characters

Autobot/Maximal

Ultra Magnus - Blue Mammoth

Grimlock - Raging Raptor

Ironhide - Elephant

Prowl - Lion

Silverbolt - Eagle

Depth Charge - Frequent Flier

Decepticon/Predacon

Megatron - Tank

Dirge - Sky Terror

Snap Trap - Snapping Turtle

Overbite - Shark

Seawing - Manta Ray

Skalor - Coelacanth

Scylla - Squid

Autojetter - Fighter Jet

Autolauncher - Personnel Carrier

Notes

• This comic doesn't appear to have a title (other than Beast Wars: Shattered Glass), so I'm just going to assumed this is just part 2, and not some random new title.
• The front cover to this issue is an homage to Marvel issue 22 with the border featuring the artwork to several TFCC/Botcon characters instead of the Marvel characters
• I like how Iornhide doesn't seem to care that Silverbolt is perched on his head....
• Scylla (the female Seacon Squid) replaces Tentakil here
• So yeah...how coincidental is it that the Autobots lost some stasis pods with "experimental bodies" just for the Decepticons to find? Sorta similar to Beast Wars huh?
• The profiles keep referring to the factions as Maximal and Predacon, despite in-fiction so far, they are all called Autobots and Decepticons so far (except when Depth Charge calls them Maximals, seemingly by mistake)
• Grimlock's profile implies that Slag and Sludge (and presumably the rest of the Azure team like Nightbeat, Siren, Minerva etc, and possibly the Graviton crew) were left behind on Azure to build up a force to go against the troubles on Earth (ie what happened in Invasion), so in otehr words, all those guys are most likely dead! (you know, from when the universe exploded!)

Other Features

Generation Hoist First Look

Botcon 2013 junk - er...Toys!

Generations E-Hobby Magnificus Advert

The Transformers Menagerie Part 2: The Dinobots

Grimlock Profile

Dirge Profile

Transformers I.Q.

Recordicons Mini-Comic

Transformers I.Q. Trivia Bonus - Info on Beast Wars II Starscream/Hellscream

IDW - Robots in Disguise #16

Title: Heavy is the Head

Written by: John Barber

Pencils by: Andrew Griffith

Inks by: Brian Shearer

Ink Assist by: Rick Ketcham

Colors by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The Iacon battle continues with the "good guys" being pinned down, however Dirge and Metalhawk urge Bumblebee to help them in rescuing Starscream, as he's one of them now. Elsewhere, Starscream is moaning about how he'd basically WON the elections when Megatron attacked. Elsewhere still, Sideswipe is attacked by Rumble, who is then threatened by Arcee and pummeled by Ironhide and the Dinobots. Ironhide lends Arcee the Dinobots to take down the Decepticons, whilst he goes to try and set Prowl straight from inside Devastator (by punching him).

Bumblebee leads the group against Megatron and the others to rescue Starscream, with Metalhawk actually reaching him first, only to have his arm blasted off by Turmoil from behind, Starscream then takes the opportunity to grab the fallen arm (with it's arm blades) and slices off his gun, then slashes into his head, killing him.

Swindle drags some injured Autobots into a shelter when Needlenose arrives and prepares to kill him as a traitor, only to by stopped when Zetca, Tappet, Sky-Byte, Tankor and Squawkbox arrive and tells him to leave (at gun point).

Outside, Ironhide finally manages to get through to Prowl, who tears off Devastator's head, and causes the components to de-combine, Prowl is back to normal (except he has a Devastator-part alt mode as well). Megatron however mocks them, saying this means nothing to him, as he wanted Devastator stopped anyway and starts to combine with the Constructicons, Dirge tries to stop him, only to be shot by Megatron, who asks him if change was so important to him. This reminds Bumblebee of Wheeljack's last words, telling him to remember what's important, then remembers several events, like Wheeljack working on Megatron and what the most important words on Cybertron are...Bumblebee activates the System Bypass (Wheeljack, Wheeljack, Wheeljack) which causes the force-field belt inside Megatron to expand around his spark, disabling him.

Elsewhere, Metalhawk and Starscream hear the commotion, and Starscream deduces what happened. Metalhawk says he thinks the Titan's words to him before he died were to try and make him take responsibility, it's not a holy thing, to which Strarscream takes his chance to win, he picks up Turmoil's cannon and killed his friend Metalhawk.

Back at the battlefield, the Autobots try to calm down the aftermath, when suddenly Starscream appears with Metalhawk's body and claims that the war killed him, he then tears off his insignia from his chest (the one on the cockpit) and says that all those who refuse to denounce their factions should be forced out of the city, as otherwise more war will just follow...the people agree.

Before long at Autobots and Decepticons who chose to remain with their factions are forced out of the city they've built, and Starscream remains, now donning the crown he was testing out a while earlier, the leader of the city.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car

Sideswipe - Car

Arcee - Car

Ironhide - Van

Fixit - Ambulance

Jazz - Car

Longtooth

Circuit

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Slag - Triceratops

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Mentioned)

Blurr - Race Car Injured

Jetfire - Jet Injured

Bluestreak - Car Injured

Warpath - Tank Injured

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base Maybe Dead?

Other Autobots

Wheeljack - Car (Flashback) Dead

Decepticon

Megatron - Devastator Torso Disabled by Force Field Belt

Starscream - Jet (Leaves Decepticons)

Turmoil - Tank Killed by Starscream

Swindle - Van

Dirge - Jet Injured by Megatron

Skywarp - Jet

Needlenose - Jet

Tankor

Squawkbox

Astrotrain - Train/Shuttle

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Slugslinger - Jet

Soundwave - Van

Ravage - Cassette

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank

Hook - Crane

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Scavenger - Excavator

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt Disassembled by Prowl

Other Decepticons

Seekers (Mentioned)

NAIL

Metalhawk - Jet Killed by Starscream

Zetca

Tappet - Car

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Metrotitan (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• Arcee reveals here that the reason she attacked the Decepticons before, despite her and them being in on the plan because she thought Starscream might be watching (though I bet she enjoyed it a bit too)
• Ironhide confuses Rumble for Frenzy here, a COMMON problem for some fans
• Grimlock's absence from the Dinobots is actually mentioned here! (He's with the Scavengers remember)
• It's revealed here that Starscream actually IS stronger than Turmoil
• Jetfire, Bluestreak and Warpath are shown to be still alive and Swindle rescues them along with Blurr
• Wheeljack implanting the force-field belt inside Megatron is quite a clever thing, and seems very in-character, considering he suggested just killing him when he was captured back on Earth.
• I'd just like to point out that Metalhawk's fate here is very similar to his fate in the TFCC comics too, where he was shot point-blank by his "friend" Onslaught, though the after-effects were very different.
• Why is Tappet so uptight about Bumblebee not remembering his name? He's just one guy in a big city, he hasn't done anything major from Bumblebee's point of view, unlike others like Metalhawk, at least he remembers it begins with a "T"!
• Not everyone who is forced out of the city is very clear, but it's likely guys like Dirge, Tankor, Squawkbox, Blurr, Longtooth and Circuit remained behind, along with some others who may have stayed behind as "spies" for the main forces (perhaps Jazz under the cover of his duet with Sky-Byte)
• It's not clear what's actually happened to Megatron...is he dead, or just paralyzed?
• So what happens to the forced out guys now? Will they make their own other cities outside of Iacon, since the only reason the wilderness was a hazard was because of Megatron, or decide to leave the planet?
• Omega Supreme's body is still just laying around....is he actually dead then, or just recovering?
• Thinking about it, Starscream taking command of the city COULD be why the Lost Light's contact attempts have failed lately...

IDW - Regeneration One #90

Title: Natural Selection Part 5

Writer: Simon Furman

Penciler: Andrew Wildman

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Coloring Assist: James Stayte

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

Hot Rod, now with the Sword and Covenant of Primus, and with the knowledge that his creator tried to destroy the Demons before the creation of the Transformers decides to help out the poor creatures, but later, as he needs to leave these catacombs first, so he drives off, leaving the scared Demons alone.

Grimlock and the other non Gene-Keyed Autobots arrive at the Civil Defense Hub, and quickly take down all the guards (whilst trying not to kill them as well), they reach the control room, where the Decepticon clones surrender. The Autobots discover that the data cache is still intact, which includes Scorponok's data on how to cure the Nucleon affected, like Slag, however they also learn that the Autobot shuttle containing the Autobots who headed to Earth earlier is being targeted by missiles, and that Scorponok is at the Sonic Canyons for his big plan.

On Earth, the Ark is beginning to repair itself and is getting ready for flight with Galvatron standing around in the bridge. A few levels lower Starscream is sitting around, all lobotomized and stuff when he hears the mostly-dead Shockwave talking and then realizes that he can talk himself again too. Shockwave explains that he's removed the blocks Megatron placed on him, so he's now fully active again, and that he has fixed the ship, but cannot pilot it himself, which Starscream surmises to mean that he needs him to pilot it for him.

At the Sonic Canyons, Scorponok is getting more and more anxious and impatient with the delays to his super gene-key being completed and takes his anger out on G2 Roadblock, who was just standing there, which makes the other Decepticons a bit unnerved again. 

Suddenly Grimlock arrives on a sky-sled and starts attacking the giant Decepticon, and is quickly taken out by him, and weakened by that Kryptonite thing Scorponok has against him, just as Perceptor is ordered to activate the key.

At the Hub again, Grapple and Blurr are trying to disarm the missiles, but to no luck, however Crosshairs makes Pounce give the code by killing Wingspan and threatening his life too and they disarm the missiles just in time. The Autobots on the ship witness the detonation, and prepare for battle.

Back at the Sonic Canyon, the key is activated and Scorponok monologues a bit, but soon shuts up when the key goes wrong, and everyone affected by it is reverted back to their old, true natures, and it's revealed that Perceptor was never truly affected by the key and that he's been working for Grimlock this whole time. Scorponok goes to kill Perceptor, but is stopped by Grimlock, who then calls for the other Dinobots to come out of hiding and join the fight. The other Decepticons leave the battle and Perceptor tells the remaining newly recovered Autobots to leave the bridge too as they don't have much time.

As everyone leaves, Swoop blasts out one end of the bridge making it collapse, sending Scorponok falling to his death, along with Grimlock, who declines being saved for some reason, as the Dinobots look on in horror.

Back on Earth, Optimus returns to the Ark's site to see it beginning to take off, and see's Galvatron in the bridge's window, and mistakes him for the now dead Megatron.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Rod - Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex Plummets from Bridge

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Grapple - Crane

Blurr - Race Car

Hosehead - Fire Engine

Crosshairs - Van Buggy

Perceptor - Microscope

Highbrow - Helicopter

Brainstorm - Jet

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Smokescreen - Car

Hound - Jeep

Red Alert - Fire Emergency Car

Sideswipe - Car

Cosmos - Orbiter

Skids - Van

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Override - Motorcycle

Road King - F1 Race Car

Dogfight - Jet

Skram - Car

Landmine - ATV

Kick-Off (Flashback)

Guzzle - Tank Knocked Out by Grimlock

Landfill - Dump Truck Knocked Out by Crosshairs

Decepticon

Scorponok - Scorpion Plummets from Bridge

Galvatron - Laser Cannon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Shockwave  Part of Ark

Pounce - Puma

Wingspan - Eagle Killed by Crosshairs

G1 Roadblock - Tank Knocked Out by Grimlock

G2 Roadblock - Front End Loader Killed by Scorponok

Crankcase - Off Road Vehicle Knocked Out by Crosshairs

Runamuck - Car Knocked Out by Swoop

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster Knocked Out by Blurr

Skyquake - Jet

Needlenose - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Demons

Other Cybertronians

Primus (Mentioned)

Auntie (Mentioned) Deleted

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the second storyline in this series, and is also the midway point for it so far
• It's not clear if Grimlock actually kills Guzzle here, since if he does then that means Guzzle was kind of weak
• Why is Blurr saying he's sorry to the DECEPTICONS he's punching?
• Yeah...for some reason both G1 and G2 Roadblock appear here...I know there's been a theme lately in the main IDW Transformers stories about characters having the same name, but I don't think this has ever been an issue with this continuity before (even in the Marvel days)
• Blurr using his super speed to type in the codes is something seen being used by several superfast superheroes in other series' (like Quicksilver from Marvel)
• Surprise! Perceptor was just pretending to be evil all along! (So does this mean he actually turned Kick-Off evil as well?!)
• Yeah...why did Grimlock not let Snarl help him? I get that he's doing this as a punishment for what he's done, but wouldn't prison time or something have been better punishment rather than plummeting?
• Optimus mistakes Galvatron for Megatron at the end (or maybe he just knows Galvie is a potential future form of Megatron, I dunno)

IDW - Spotlight Trailcutter

Title:The Reluctant Specialist

Story by: James Roberts

Art by: Matt Frank

Colors by: Thomas Deer

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editorial Assistant: Thomas Boeing

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Whilst on it's merry way through space the Lost Light is hit by a fragment of something, which tears open the hull, which requires Highbrow, Brainstorm and Chromedome to patch it up, with Trailbreaker helping them with his forcefields. Later, the team, minus Trailbreaker are all awarded medals for their actions, which leaves Trailbreaker annoyed. 

At the after after-party in Swerve's bar, Trailbreaker drowns his sorrows whilst the trio are admired by everyone, when Whirl turns up and tries to cheer up Trailbreaker by mocking him, and taunting him with his own medal, and makes Rodimus admit that the reason why he doesn't have one is because all he does is use forcefields.

Later, Whirl continues to try and "cheer up" Trailbreaker, he convinces him to improve his name and says that people respect fear and an attitude. He takes him to see Brainstorm to see if he can have a new weapon, but Brainstorm points out that he already has the best weapon (Magnawheels, not Forcefields) and Trailcutter gets annoyed and drives off to recharge. Whilst getting ready to recharge Swerve contacts him and annoys him by asking for him to put a forcefield around his mouth so he can stay quiet long enough to earn a medal too.

12 hours later, Trailcutter wakes up to find himself feeling somewhat hollow, and then finds the whole ship seemingly frozen. Trailcutter makes his way up to the bridge where he finds an incoming message from Hoist, which he goes to answer, when suddenly some Decepticons board the ship and shoot the communicator screen. Trailcutter tries to put up a forcefield, but his generators aren't working, so he uses the frozen Whirl as one instead.

Trailcutter makes a run for it and hides in the medibay, where he sets the doors to close violently, and it slams into Venom's head, knocking him out, after which, Trailcutter shocks Chop Shop with some resuscitation pads. Lockdown contacts Chop Shop, so Trailcutter imitates him and learns that the other Decepticons are all in Shuttle Bay 3, so he heads to Brainstorm's lab to get his "secret weapon", a remote.

In the Shuttle Bay Trailcutter arrives and acts tough against them, and learns from them that the fragment earlier is actually a part of Metroplex that was shed off some time ago due to his age, and that his team is hunting him down. Trailcutter tricks the Decepticons into thinking he's some unholy creature who's able to use his forcefields to do anything, like make them levitate (by using the remote to turn off the artificial gravity and using his Magnawheels to keep him on the ground. Next he tricks Lockdown into thinking he's going to make his spark explode with a forcefield, and scares off the Decepticons, who speed away.

Trailcutter returns to the bridge and watches them leave and relaxes in Rodimus' chair just as everyone recovers from the freezing and Rodimus goes to ask why he's in his chair, and freaks out the poor fella.

Later Hoist returns from his mission a bit dinged up and Trailcutter tells him what happened, explaining that Brainstorm was the reason for the freezing as one of his inventions went wrong. Then he reveals that he finally has a medal because of his actions during this...just when Hoist reveals that he has a giant version of the medal for his actions on his mission, as well as everyone who was frozen too. This leaves Trailcutter annoyed again, and he heads out to Swerve's bar to get courage to talk to Rodimus about this....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Trailbreaker/Trailcutter - Van

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Brainstorm - Jet

Highbrow - Helicopter

Chromedome - Car

Swerve - Van

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Skids - Van

Hoist - Crane

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Ambulon - Leg

Perceptor

Sunstreaker - Car

Rewind - Giant Memory Stick

Energon Landmine - Armoured Tow Truck-Plough

Rad

Huffer - Truck

Dipstick - Car

Smokescreen - Car

Red Alert

Metroplex (Mentioned)

Rest of Lost Light Crew (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Lockdown 

Chop Shop Injured by Trailcutter

Venom Injured by Trailcutter

Barrage

TFA Blitzwing

Lugnut

Rest of Titan Hunters

Killmaster (Flashback)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Bob

Diagnostic Drone

Metrotitans (Flashback)

Lockdown's Employer (Mentioned -  Probably is Megatron...but maybe not.....)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Scalp - Massive Head (Mentioned)

Notes

• Trailbreaker's name change to Trailcutter is explained here as being Whirl's doing, because having "break" in your name sounds weak.
• This issue is set between issue 5 and 6, of course it's very unfortunate that it has some appearances from characters who've just died in the most recent issue.
• Chromedome, Highbrow and Brainstorm all received their names from the Institute...wonder if Hardhead got his from there too?
• I wonder what Whirl did to earn his medal!!
• Energon Landmine is seen in the scene in Shuttle Bay 3, this is either an artistic mistake (ie it's meant to be G1 Landmine) or this is a new look for Landmine's Pretender shell, or just another character who uses this body type, but was mis-coloured as Landmine
• The scene where Red Alert turns in Rewind for his golden disks is shown here during Trailcutter's trip through the frozen ship
• Lockdown has taken over command of the Decepticon's Titan Quest from Bludgeon it seems. It's also worth noting that last time we saw Lockdown he was at the Crystal City, a known location for a Metrotitan.
• It's implied here through the silhouettes that Metrotitans can have different body types.
• Lockdown's team is filled with characters from other continuities, including Animated Blitzwing, who has a G1 Counterpart already active in this time period.
• Hoist's off-screen adventure alluded to here seems likely to be te plot of the next Spotlight issue.
• Trailcutter later gets Brainstorm to upgrade his legs with weapons like Fort Max's, also his heading to the bar at the end of this issue seems to lead right into the events of issue 6
• Ratchet is shown seeming to take stock of medical supplies from Delphi.

IDW - Robots in Disguise #15

Title: A Plan for Everything

Written by: John Barber

Pencils by: Andrew Griffith

Inks by: Brian Shearer

Colors by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

At the Med Center things are hectic, when suddenly Jazz comes in with a badly injured Mirage saying that they need to leave, but too late, as Devastator tears open the roof of the med center. The still able bodied start evacuating the injured and fighting off the giant Decepticon, and the ground troops.

Back at the Black Room Megatron gloats to a still alive Bumblebee that Optimus won't be coming back this time to stop him, as Shockwave's had his followers send him on a chase elsewhere, when Megatron suddenly realizes that Shockwave's no longer in the room, which Soundwave quickly makes an excuse for.

The Med Center has fallen, and the Decepticons are taking on the last remaining fighters, when Ironhide and the Dinobots appear and aid their friends, and even bring along the giant Aerialbot Gestalt Superion for good measure to take on Devastator. A full on battle takes place across the city.

Megatron watches the battle from the Black Room on his monitors when Bumblebee asks Arcee why she's helping the Decepticons, since they're connected with Jhiaxus, her arch nemesis. Arcee explains that she had a long time to thing about things whilst she was repeatedly killing Jhiaxus in the past,a nd she reveals...that she HATES Decepticons, and skewers Bombshell's head, cutting off his control of Prowl and Devastator, who shut's down. She then signals Sideswipe, whom she didn't really kill last issue to start firing on the Decepticons, and chucks a gun to Bumblebee to help them out in battle.

Outside, the battle has turned in the good guy's favor (can't really say "Autobot's" here, can I?), and Skywarp escapes with his teleporting abilities. Starscream is dragged away by the other Decepticons, and Arcee reveals to Bumblebee that Megatron's plan all along was for him, himself to be the head for Devastator.

Elsewhere, Prowl, has been talking to himself about the situation over the past few years, until he reaches a single point, Spike Witwicky, at which point his thoughts, and the other five Constructicons are united as one, and their minds merge into a true Devastator, and wakes up.

At the Black Room, the good guys decide to go after Starscream and rescue him. Meanwhile, Devastator creeps up on Superion, and tears him to shreds, as his first true, uncontrolled act.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car/Head (Part of Devastator)

Jazz - Car

Fixit - Ambulance

Ironhide - Van

Arcee - Car

Sideswipe - Car

Streetwise - Car

Scattershot - Jet

Tracks - Car

Cliffjumper - Car

Sizzle - Car

Slag - Triceratops

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt Torn apart by Devastator

Aerialbots - Jets (Part of Superion)

Mirage - Car Injured

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Broadside (Mentioned) Maybe Dead

Green Guy Killed by Turmoil

Decepticon

Megatron - Head

Starscream - Jet

Soundwave - Van

Bombshell Killed by Arcee

Turmoil - Tank

Tankor 

Dirge - Jet

Needlenose - Jet Maybe Killed by Slag

Astrotrain

Blitzwing

Apeface Smooshed by Superion

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Ravage - Cassette

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank Knocked Out by Ironhide

Slugslinger - Jet

Skywarp - Jet

Acid Storm - Jet

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Constructicons (Part of Devastator)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

NAIL

Metalhawk - Jet Injured Still

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Tappet - Car

Zetca

Hipotank - Tank Maybe killed by Turmoil

Other

Jhiaxus (Mentioned)

Ardurian Rocs (Mentioned)

Spike Witwicky (Mentioned)

Other Guys in CR Chambers

Notes

• Fixit screaming at Broadside over the communicator is of course a carry over from the end of the previous issue...where Broadside apparently gets killed by Devastator
• Mirage seems to have tried to sneak into the Decepticon camp or something, which is how he got so badly injured
• Jazz being a stone cold killer is a reference to his past as a special ops guy, and his cold murder of the human cop in the Ongoing
• Shockwave goes missing early on in this comic...Megatron doesn't seem to know why, but Soundwave and Bombshell act odd around the time he asks about it...hmmmm....
• Arcee's revealed to have known about Prowl being mind-controlled since it happened, as she says to him "I know your secret" back in issue 5, and she's just been playing along til she could get to Bombshell to get rid of him.
• The new Devastator is designed to be modular, meaning his parts can be exchanged when killed. Maybe a reference to the Scramble City style combiners.
• Megatron's new body is implied to be able to convert into a new head for Devastator if needed
• When Superion is torn apart, you can see the Aerialbots inside him screaming.
• Devastator is truly born as a real guy, rather than just a jumble of minds is when all the componants remember their hatred for Spike Witwicky.
• So yeah...Spike is STILL causing problems for the Transformers after more than a year since his last appearance.

Titan - Prime #14

Title: It's a Knock Out

Script: Robin Etherington

Art: Horacio Domingues

Colours: Nestor Pereyra

Lettering: Comicraft

Cover Date: Spring 2013

Cover Price: £3.99

Poster: Autobot Season One main cast

Story

Knock Out and Breakdown cut the power in a TV studio, and then appear before the host.

Later that day Optimus and Bulkhead are told by Fowler about the incident, and that they've been named especially to be the negotiators for the human hostages. Arcee tags along to help behind the scenes.

Optimus and Bulkhead enter the studio and are immediately attacked...by a giant teddy bear, who Bulkhead blasts to nothingness, Knock Out and Breakdown then greet the Autobots and tell them to play their game, or they'll kill their human hostages.

The Autobots go across the studio, but are attacked by the show's obstacles, which have been modified to be more dangerous by Knock Out, however the Autobots manage to break through them all. Some Vehicons that were disguise as Mummy props attack the Autobots, but are easily dealt with. 

Optimus manages to save the hostages, but Knock Out reveals that he's set the building to blow up, but Arcee manages to stop him by sneaking in and blasting the floor out under the Decepticons, sending them plummeting. Later the humans are all fine, but think the robots were just some special effects (idiots) and Arcee wipes out all the footage of the Transformers recorded by the cameras.

Later, the kids somehow manage to watch some of the footage, specifically a part where Bulkhead falls into some water and gets wet.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Bulkhead - Off Road Vehicle

Arcee - Motorcycle

Decepticon

Knock Out - Sports Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Mummy Vehicons

Megatron (Mentioned)

Human

Chuck Chuckles

Miko

Raf

Jack

Agent Fowler

Down and Out Contestant

Down and Out Crew and Audience

Notes

• The Down and Out contestant seems to be based on Indiana Jones
• WHY OH WHY OH WHY WOULD KNOCK OUT AND THE AUTOBOTS APPEAR IN ROBOT MODE IN A STUDIO FULL OF HUMANS?!?!?
• THE HUMANS THEN BELIEVE THE AUTOBOTS ARE JUST SPECIAL EFFECTS?!? WTF?!?!!!??? 
• Why is Arcee driving around without her holo-driver?
• Due to Breakdown being happily walking around, we can assume this is set before his death
• So Knock Out's plan was to make the Autobots play a game, to embarrass them or something?
• Vehicon Mummies are awesome!
• Gee that bridge sure does turn giant and very strong when the Autobots are walking on it doesn't it?
• Not that I'm complaining, but where's Bumblebee in this episode?
• Arcee claims that she has deleted all the footage of the Transformers caught on the studio cameras....yet the kids are watching Bulkhead on the show later on...how did that happen?
• Bulkhead freaking out and "killing" the giant teddy is similar to his reaction to the scraplets.
• In the Trans Files section it referenced that the Nemesis is actually Trypticon, something not mentioned in the series.

Other Features

Adverts

Competition

It's Prime Time - recap of second half of season 2

Kre-O Transformers Conundrums! - Kre-O based puzzles

Ultimate Smackdown - Starscream vs Soundwave

Soundwave's Stumpers! - More Puzzles

All About Knock Out! - Info on everyone's favourite narcissist 

Down and Out! - Puzzles based loosely on today's comic

The Trans Files - Information on the Nemesis/Trypticon

Mega Mouth - Arcee and Megatron read the mail and stuff

Super Cybertronian Search! - Wordsearch

Prime Targets! - Cut out targets for use with the free foam dart gun in today's comic

IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #15

Written by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Alex Milne

Inks by: Alex Milne, Marc Deering, Brian Shearer and Phyllis Novin

Colors by: Josh Burcham and Josh Perez and Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editorial Assistant: Mariel Romero-Ocaranza

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Overlord escapes from his cell and locks the door behind him, 5 seconds later Chromedome manages to escape as well, however 5 seconds for inside the cell is 30 minutes to everyone else, so when he reaches the top of the stairs he finds the entire crew fighting Overlord.

30 Minutes earlier, Blaster lets Whirl blast some asteroids using the bridge's cannons, when Pipes walks in to check if the communications systems are back up yet so he can get a message to his friend Hubcap, Blaster says it won't be ready for some time, but takes Pipes' message for when it is. Pipes goes off on his happy way, heading towards one of Rewind's movie nights, when he literally bumps into Overlord, who stomps on the poor little Autobot twice, before walking off. Pipes recites his message to Hubcap in his mind to keep himself conscious as he crawls to the alarm button and sets it off, just as he dies.

Elsewhere at Brainstorm's workshop, Rewind is confronting him about what he's been doing with Chromedome lately when Swerve asks what a weapon he found is, Brainstorm worries that Swerve's activated it, but reveals that it's a Metafiction bomb, which makes the enemy think he's in someone else's narrative, Swerve then says to Rewind that it doesn't work as he did use it...Off Panel!! Then the alarms go off.

Elsewhere, Perceptor explains to Rodimus about how the Matrox map is copy-proof, Rung goes to visit and forgive Fort Max for his actions, and Tailgate is making something in Hoist's workshop, when he's warned by Skids that Cyclonus is mad that he volunteered their quarters for Movie Night. The alarm sounds for them too.

Ratchet complains to Rodimus over the communicators about the alarms as he has patients trying to relax when Overlord enters the medibay, Ratchet somehow notices him and attacks the Decepticon with his gun, Drift appears and helps Rtachet against the giant Decepticon, and Ratchet informs Rodimus of the situation and gives a short will.

Soon, Rodimus appears at the medibay with most of the crew to find Overlord having beaten the two Autobots. Magnus attacks Overlord first, for revenge against what happened at Garrus-9 with the Wreckers, however Overlord easily pierces his hand through Magnus' chest and severs his spark. Rodimus orders everyone to attack at once, whilst First Aid tries to save Magnus, but just manages to slow down his spark from shrinking, to the horror of Tailgate. Nearby, the legless Drift asks Swerve (who's shouting out the solicits to this issue thanks to the Meta-Bomb) so he can call for some help.

Rodimus leaps at Overlord, who grabs him, just as Chromedome enters the area and is reunited with his love, Rewind. Overlord asks Rodimus if he has any last words, which of course, are "Til all are one", which fills Overlord with fear and paralyzes him. Fort Max appears (the guy who Drift called for) and pummels into the Decepticon.

Chromedome reveals that he planted the phrase into Overlord's memories to make his basically useless when he hears the phrase, which reveals to Rewind that he's been plugging in, even though he promised not to. Chromedome has Fort Max drag Overlord back to the slow cell, with the intent of detaching it from the ship, however upon closing, the doors are jammed in one of Drift's missing swords, so Rewind enters the chamber to dislodge it, and gets trapped inside as the cell gets detached from the ship, with Chromedome's arm being sliced off in the process too, they wordlessly say goodbye and Overlord recovers.

Chromedome runs up to the bridge, and shoots the cell to spare Rewind the pain of being trapped in there with Overlord, and then breaks down on the floor of the bridge.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport Spark Severed by Overlord

Drift - Car Legs chopped off by Overlord

Chromedome - Car Arm sliced off by Slow Cell

Rewind - Memory Stick In Slow Cell when Exploded

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Pipes - Truck Killed by Overlord

Blaster

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter Used as a mace by Overlord

Ratchet - Ambulance Injured by Overlord

First Aid - Ambulance

Ambulon - Leg

Cosmos Injured by Overlord

Brawn Injured by Overlord

Gears Injured by Overlord

Inferno

Hound - Jeep

Hoist - Crane

Smokescreen - Car

Dogfight - Jet

Trailbreaker - Van

Skids - Van

Powerglide - Jet

Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy

Highbrow - Helicopter

Powerflash

Aquafend

Jackpot

Blades - Helicopter

Boss

Brainstorm - Jet

Swerve - Van

Perceptor

Xaaron

Atomizer

Sunstreaker - Car

Pointblank

Backstreet (maybe?)

Hubcap (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Trepan (Mentioned)

Prowl (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Overlord - Tank/Jet In Slow Cell when Exploded

Tentakil In Lost Light Brig

Snapdragon In Lost Light Brig

3 More Prisoners In Lost Light Brig

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

Notes

• Oh wow, Overlord uses Whirl (or another blue Osprey Helicopter Autobot) as a mace in the 2 page spread!
• Some of the characters in the background are shown in heavy shadow, but one looks a bit like Backstreet...maybe he's gotten better?
• Overlord killing Pipes is sort of like a bad guy stomping on a puppy, the worst part of it is that he actually stomps on him TWICE!
• Swerve is now able to break the fourth wall...that;s right, at the moment at least, he's like Deadpool!
• The map to the Knights of Cybertron inside the Matrix is mentioned here as being unable to be copied, even onto your own mind..me thinks magic may be involved!
• I have to ask, since he's seen here a few times...why has Cyclonus not just had Ratchet make him a new head horn?
• Drift appears to have a hover-car mode (this could just be a between-modes thing though)
• Whirl seems to be after new hands still, as Ratchet  offers them to him in his message to Rodimus
• Magnus has felt guilty about leaving the Wreckers to go to Garrus-9 alone, and wanted to atone for that here (just to get easily pummeled by Overlord of course).
• Tailgate seems to feel quite close to Magnus, most likely because he's been his teacher lately.
• The overusage of the phrase "Til all are one" in the memories last issue are shown here to have been implanted there by Chromedome, so that Overlord would be crippled with his fear of losing when he hears that phrase (which Rodimus is famously known to over-use) through a process called Trepan's trigger
• Overlord's finger tools are drills rather than needles like Chromedome and Trepan have.
• It's unknown what Chromdome's last words to Rewind are, it could be anything from a sweet "I love you" to "I killed Deminus" and anything in between
• Yeah...I don't think that being shot and exploded in the Slow Cell will kill Overlord...Rewind maybe, but not Overlord, he'll be back!
• I wonder, with Magnus' apparent death here, and his admitting to Swerve about his friendship with Verity, could this mean a trip to Earth so she can be told about his death?

IDW - Fall of Cybertron One Shot

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Dheeraj Verma

Colors by: Sanjay Kharwar & Priscilla Tramontano (Page 1-16)

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The Lightning Strike Coalition (minus Swoop who's on another mission) attack a group of Decepticons, meanwhile in Iacon, Jazz reports the battle to Optimus, who is annoyed, since they need to conserve Energon for the upcoming Ark launch, so he calls him to return to base. 

Back at base, Grimlock gives Optimus a device which he recorded the battle on, so Optimus can work out better strategies for going up against the Decepticons in that area, which has an Energon stockpile in it and leaves. Elsewhere in the bae, Perceptor tells Grimlock that he has a message coming through. Swoop has been discovered on his mission, but it cuts out suddenly, Grimlock decides they need to go rescue him.

Earlier, Swoop infiltrated a Decepticon where he witnesses Shockwave showing his new Insecticon hoard to Starscream, when he's attacked by them as he send soff his message to Grimlock.

The rest of the LSC arrive at Shockwave's base, smashing their way in, and fighting the Insecticons, they eventually find Swoop in a harness and try to get him down, but are all attacked, defeated and captured by Shockwave and the Insecticons, Shockwave starts to work on Grimlock and says he's been eyeing him for a while as he wanted to work on him for his experiments, and he'd manipulated the situation so the LSC would be forced to come to him.

Shockwave starts to work on Grimlock's brain and takes apart his body along with the rest of the LSC, and he starts to alter them based on some monsters (Dinosaurs) on a far off planet (Earth) as part of his big experiments (later revealed to be the Predacons).

Eventually Grimlock escapes his harness along with the rest of his team, and they escape, but now as the Dinobots, and decide to go solo rather than following Optimus, and certainly not following Shockwave either.

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Formerly Tank)

Swoop - Pteranodon (Formerly Tank)

Slug - Triceratops (Formerly Tank)

Snarl - Tank Fate unseen at End

Sludge - Tank Fate unseen at End

Optimus Prime - Truck

Jazz - Car

Perceptor

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Cannon

Starscream - Jet

Insecticons - Bugs

Megatron - Tank (Hologram)

Other Decepticons

Other

Dinosaurs (footage)

Predacons (Loosely referred to)

Notes

• This story is set mostly before the events of the Fall of Cybertron game (which in turn is set before the Rage of the Dinobots comic that is already released)
• Shockwave's discoveries regarding the Insecticons, COULD be a reference to the future revelations that Shockwave has cloned Predacons.
• Sludge and Snarl aren't seen at the end of this comic, though Snarl is shown in the FOC game itself, so he's probably just offscreen, however Sludge was shown as dead in the game and in his old body still, so his appearance in the following series isn't explained (here or there).
• Also, by the narrative at the end of this comic it implies that the Dinobots are now going to go solo rather than being Autobots any more, but in Rage of the Dinobots, they seem to still be fine with them again.
• Basically explained here, is that SHockwave has set up Grimlock's systems so that the more angry he gets, the more powerful he becomes, but the more powerful he becomes the dumber he gets.