IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #22

Title: "Little Victories": A film by Rewind of Lower Petrohex

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: James Raiz

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

A film, made by Rewind starts, and the crew of the Lost Light introduce themselves to the audience. The scene flashes back to just before the launch and Rodimus asks Rewind to record his every movement so they can document the journey and use it as a travelogue of sorts. Magnus is a bit wary, but Rodimus allows him to have final editorial cut if he wants.

The scene flashes forward some time to Rewind, Swerve and Tailgate hanging out at the Oil Reservoir, discussing alternate modes, then get the idea to hold a contest to find out Rung's alternate mode, as Rewind reveals that his wheel is just an ornament and actually becomes a trolley for him to use. Swerve tries making him transform by force by throwing hand grenades at the back of his head, which just annoys the therapist more than anything.

Rewind asks Skids if he has any hobbies for the film, he says he likes meeting new people, like the Stentarians on Hedonia. The scene shifts back to Hedonia, where Skids, Whirl and Rewind are face to face with several other robotic lifeforms, and they start comparing whose species and war is better. (The Ammonites are at war with the Terradores, and they all combine with eachother, have 10 alt modes and other amazing things. But their war has lasted sixteen million years.)

Soon they sit down to drink with the Autobots and realize how futile the war is, before long though some Terradores arrive on the planet. Whirl gets annoyed, goes outside, and kills their leader. Apparently ending that long conflict in one move.

Rewind asks the crew if they are happy for the film, and gets a varied response. Later, Rung is walking around with his trolley and is called into the bar by Tailgate, who is in his alternate mode with several others, and calls it an "Alt-Mode Party!". Rung points out however that they can't reach their drinks in those modes, stumping the poor little guy.

Later, Blaster calls Rodimus up to the bridge as he's gotten a message from another Autobot ship, captained by the famous and wonderful Thunderclash. Rodimus gets a bit jealous of Thudnerclash and keeps trying the one-up him, only to fail at every turn, and gets really annoyed when Thunderclash reveals that HE'S on a quest to find the Knights of Cybertron as well.

It's revealed that Thudnerclash wants to use the Lost Light's Quantum engines to repower his ship, the Vis Vitalis, which is also what keeps him alive. Perceptor says that it can work, but suddenly Thunderclash's second officer Paddox is revealed to be an evil Ammonite spy who has been leaking Autobot secrets and tech to the Ammonites to defeat the peacful Terradores. However since the Terradore leader was killed a short time ago the new leader has become quite dangerous. He planned to take the Lost Light and defeat the Terradores with it, but if Thunderclash uses the engines like he wants to, the ship will be useless to them. So he threatens to kill the famous Autobot.

Swerve and Rung are wandering towards the engine room, as Swerve has lied and said he personally knows Thunderclash and can get Rung his autograph in exchange for him showing him that his Transformation Cog still works, when they come across the hostage situation. The two manage to save the day however when Rung turns into a make-shift bat mode and Swerve knocks out Paddox with it.

Rung reveals to Rewind that he doesn't know what his alternate mode is, and no-one ever has, during the functionist days he was given a wheel to make him look "normal" and his ID card identifies him as being an "ornament".

After the incident, the Vis Vitalis is repaired and Thudnerclash goe soff on his way again, with Rodimus finally respecting him (though he hints that if Rewind wasn't recording then he may have reacted differently)

Back in the present, Skids is showing the film to the the surviving members of the Circle of Light on Luna-1 in the hopes that they'll join the quest. They agree, but decide to try and find Thunderclash to join his crew instead of Rodimus'.

Back in the film, the crew give their hopes for the future of the quest,and Rewinds finishes it off with a group-shot of the main-crew members who appeared in his film.

The End. (now roll credits!)

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus "Prime" - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Skids - Van

Swerve - Van

Rung - Unknown Alternate Mode

Rewind - Giant Memory Stick

Chromedome - Car

Trailcutter - Van

Blaster

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Brainstorm - Jet

Perceptor

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Other Lost Lighters

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Red Alert (Mentioned)

Waverider (Mentioned)

Stentarians

Paddox - Omni-Combinational (Ammonite)

16444/9 - Omni-Combinational (Ammonite)

Imperius Drax (Mentioned - Terradore) Killed by Whirl

Drax's Successor (Mentioned - Terradore)

Terradore Imperial Guard (Mentioned)

Other Ammonites

Terradores (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

Hedonians

Mondo the Bartender

Circle of Light Outside of Film Only

Chief Justice Tyrest (Mentioned)

Nominus Prime (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Functionists (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story uses footage from the start of the Lost Light's journey up until just before Rewind's death, with the non-movie parts being set during the end of the last issue.
• This story reveals that Rung's alternate mode is a mystery, even to him. Meaning that the maintenance buggy mode shown in his design pages was just there for the sake of it.
• Rung talking about his spaceships to Rewind in the film seems to be part of one of the clips shown in Rewind's "goodbye message"
• The Ammonites and Terradores are clearly a parallel to the Autobots and Decepticons (though with the nicer sounding Ammonites being evil it seems). They also all seem to be based on Micromaster Gestalt teams to an extent.
• Tailgate in his vehicle mode has an Autobot insignia, this is either a mistake, or it's another attempt on his temporary one.
• Tailgate reveals here that Rung was indeed around during his era as well. (This was only hinted at before when he spoke about Rungian theories
• Ultra Magnus is shown hugging Thunderclash in the movie, this is where Tyrest got that piece of silliness from!
• Also, it's a bit odd that Magnus censored the earlier bits of humiliation, but not this one.
• Thunderclash is revealed to have been on a Knight Quest of his own for some time now...wonder if we'll see him again in the future?
• Apparently the Ammonites are similar enough to Autobots that Paddox could go undetected for ages.
• The Functionists got Rung's name wrong on his ID card...oh dear!
• It's shown here that the Circle of Light (or at least the majority) didn't go with Rodimus and the others, but were interested in joining Thunderclash's crew
• It's not shown how Paddox was dealt with after his betrayal. Most likely he went to the brig of one of the two ships
• The whole last few pages of this comic appear to be the crew and audience reactions to the series in general.Just read them and you'll see what I mean!

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?

Titan - Transformers Prime #17

Cover Date: Nov/Dec 2013

Cover Price: £3.99

Poster: Beast Hunters Bumblebee

Comic Title: Collider Scope

Script: Robin Etherington

Art: Horacio Domingues

Colours: Nestor Pereyra

Lettering: Comicraft

Plot

Earthquakes start occuring in Europe, an area not usually known for quakes. Fowler is contacted by the president about a situation in the area, where some American troops have gone missing. Fowler informs the Autobots and a team is sent out to investigate.

Before long, the Autobots make it inside the underground base and find Shockwave working with the Decepticons to use the particle accelerator to create a permanent space bridge to Cybertron. The Autobots attack the Decepticons, but Shockwave summons Predaking to the battle as well.

The Autobots fight the Predacon, and Optimus uses himself as bait for him to chase, in the process though he manages to reverse the polarity of the electro magnet powering the collider and causes it to explode, closing the space bridge, and resulting in the Decepticons running away.

In the Aftermath the Autobots look at the destroyed device and wonder if they'll ever go hom, but understand that they have a new home to protect instead.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Ratchet - Ambulance

Arcee - Motorcycle

Bulkhead - SUV

Wheeljack - Race Car

Decepticon

Shockwave - Cybertronian Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Vehicons - Cars

Predacon

Predaking - Dragon

More Predacons (Mentioned)

Other

Agent Fowler

Jack

Raf

Genevans Caught in Earthquake

Mini-Cons (Mentioned)

President of US (Mentioned)

American Team in Geneva (Mentioned)

Notes

• This annoys me, in the comic Optimus is shown in his pre-Beast Hunters body, but has flight capabilities, this wouldn't matter too much normally, as this comic often used wrong character models during the Movie comics, but the article on the Forge shows him in his new body!!
• This comic seems to be set before Predaking revealed his sentience to the Decepticons during the series, though the characters refer to him as "The Predaking"
• The top secret particle accelerator mentioned here is most likely the one at CERN....not exactly top secret since everyone knows it exists!
• Wheeljack actually appears here! Now where's Smokescreen and Magnus?
• Why do the Decepticons want another permanent Space Bridge? They already have one as shown at the end of season 2!
• Why is Bulkhead so eager to get back to Cybertron? He's JUST BEEN THERE, and right now the planet is DEAD!!
• Bulkhead mentions Mini-Cons here...this can only mean that Arms Mircons are in this continuity!!! (I can dream can't I?)
• Wheeljack mentions "Garbage-O's", something introduced in the Allspark Almanacs...the writers are aware of what the fans like!
• There's a mention of "survivors" implying that some of the humans died when the Decepticons attacked
• Starscream's insulting names for Bulkhead and Wheeljack (Flunk-Head and Flat-Tyre) are kind of...pathetic...
• It's not really made clear, but the earthquakes seem to be caused by the space bridge's creation

Other Features

Adverts

Competition

All about...Predaking! - Predaking profile

Soundwave's Stumpers! - PUZZLES!! YAY!

The Beast Hunt! More puzzles! Booo

Bulkhead's Word Search - Take a guess

The Trans-Files - Info on the Forge of Solus Prime

Hunter or Hunted? - Question based puzzle to find out who you are (I'm Bulkhead btw....)

Mega Mouth - Letters and pictures page hosted by Megatron and Arcee

Ballistic Brain Busters! - WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PUZZLES?!

Double Trouble! - MORE!!! (This one's a spot the difference btw)

Escape! - Maze Puzzle

Bumblebee's Beast Blaster! - Cut out, and ruin the comic to give your Bumblebee shaped blaster (free with this issue) some targets (either that or use Mini-Cons)

Rescue Bots - The Mystery of the Pirate Bell

Plot

At the firehouse, Cody is telling the Rescue Bots about the pirates who stole the Settlers' Bell in the past, but Cody has to leave for a rehearsal with his Lad Pioneer troop for the Founder's Day ceremony the next morning. As he goes to leave though his father stops him because of the bad weather and instead has the team roll out to help safeguard the town from the storm.

Whilst at the marina Blades gets Cody to finish his story, and they learn that the pirates were lost in a storm, much like they were having tonight. Suddenly the storm manages to destroy a part of the marina, and sends Cody and the Rescue Bots afloat into the ocean with no-one able to help them.

Soon, they land on a deserted island, and Blades discovers that his rotor blade is busted, so he can't fly. The group search the island and find a nice opening where they set up camp. The Rescue Bots try building a shelter for Cody to use, but it's useless as it keeps collapsing, however that's fine, since Cody manages to build himself one using his Pioneer training. The Rescue Bots then go looking for food for Cody, but fail there too, but luckily (again) Cody uses his training to catch and eat his own fish.

That night, the group surround themselves around a camp fire and Cody starts to tell a scary story, which Blades gets afraid off, so tries to make an excuse at getting more firewood. Cody notices that the firewood he currently has looks like a figurehead of a ship, and asks Blades where he found it.

The next morning Blades takes the group to where he found the figurehead, and the group fall down a hole into a cavern, where they find a pirate's ship with the Settlers' Bell on board in a grotto. The group manage to drag it out of the grotto and sail it back to Griffin Rock, where the town are happy and the bell is returned to it's rightful place.

Characters

Autobot

Heatwave - Fire Engine

Chase - Police Car

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Boulder - Bulldozer

Human

Cody Burns

Chief Charlie Burns

Dani Burns

Kade Burns

Graham Burns

Griffin Rock Civilians

Lad Pioneers

Oaken Crow Pirates (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story book is a retelling of the Transformers: Rescue Bots episode "The Lost Bell" using screen shots and big chunks of text
• Graham, Kade and Dani only appear here in cameo appearances
• It's a bit of a coincidence that the only guy who got injured in the storm is the only flier, and the only injury was his rotor blade
• I like how Cody and the Rescue Bots just HAPPENED to land on the same island as the pirates they were just talking about before their journey
• I wonder if Cody and the others found any pirate corpses on the island or ship?