IDW - Beast Hunters #2

Story by: Mairghread Scott & Mike Johnson

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Agustin Padilla

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Snarl and Sludge fight the Insecticons led by Kickback, during which Kickback taunts Sludge about how he was just used by Shockwave as a test-subject for the Dinobot's and was just abandoned, then forgotten about for some time. All of that of course annoys Sludge to the point that he half kills Kickback, and learns from him that the Insecticons haven't been draining the victims, and they believe it to be the Forged, he also reveals that an aerial Autobot scout witnessed a fight between them over it, so there's proof. Snarl admits that the Insecticons aren't the killers, and Sludge agrees...this time, and subsequently kills Kickback.

Afterwards the two Autobots discuss what happened, recharge and decide to return to Last Spark on a hunch. Inside the city, the two Dinobots meet with Firestar, who takes them to the morgue inside they find some marks on the corpses similar to those on the draining victims and believe that the morgue was used as a practice ground by someone in the city, just then Airwave walks in, and the Dinobots realize that only Airwave has an aerial mode in the city, menaing he must be the attacker.

Airwave, rumbled, attacks Firestar and leaves her for dead, he takes off in jet mode and blames the Dinobots for Firestar's death, leading the city's people to attack the two outsiders. During the following battle Sludge manages to ground Airwave and they argue, as Airwave claims that everyone left on the planet is doomed, that's why he's doing anything to survive. Airwave's about to kill Sludge, when Firestar, who wasn't killed after all skewers him through the chest, slices him in half and finishes him off.

Afterwards, Firestar and the rest of the people in the city decide to remain behind, despite all that's happened, whilst the Dinobots return to their own city. Sludge goes to see Grimlock who says that he's glad he disobeyed his orders, and he needs Sludge to help him do what is right now and again, then proceeds to get ready for the day's duties.

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Firestar - Hover Pick Up Truck

Airwave - Fighter Jet Killed by Firestar

Last Spark Denizens

Decepticon

Kickback - Insect Killed by Sludge

Insecticons - Insects

Shockwave (Mentioned)

The Forged (Mentioned)

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

The Thirteen (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue concludes the story line begun last issue, indicating this series should be more episodic than just one single ongoing story (like the Mini's are)
• Still no sign of Swoop yet...
• This story finally addresses Sludge's absence, and return to the Dinobots, which was somewhat of a continuity burp before now
• I think we all saw that Airwave was going to be revealed to be the bad guy here...I mean he WAS based on a Decepticon after all
• Airwave has a VERY Earth-like alternate mode, despite his team-mate Firestar having a very Cybertronian looking one.