IDW - Robots in Disguise #27

Title: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11 - Black Planet

Written by: John Barber and James Roberts

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Several months ago in Iacon, Brainstorm is giving Hardhead the once over before he leaves to take Jhiaxus away from Cybertron, and Brainstorm gives him a full bill of health, stating he's now completely free from the Dead Universe's effects. Whilst there Hardhead sees Nova Prime's dead body, and the two start to discuss it when a sudden discharge of energy hits Brainstorm. He claims to be okay, but his instrumentation says otherwise....

Back in the present, the Cybertronians fight off the invading Ammonites. The Lost Light starts to take off with the command inside planning to travel to every landing area on the planet, pick up as many people as they can and leave the planet to the Ammonites, but Perceptor reveals that the Ammonites aren't the only problem, as the space around Cybertron is starting to act weird too, meaning Shockwave is doing is final acts as they speak!

At Crystal City, Shockwave has Turmoil's old ship's time drive attached to himself and has Jhiaxus activate it, forcing Shockwave to relive his life and feel a great amount of pain, Jhiaxus has the rest of their team prepare for the inevitable attack from the other Cybertronians by sending Monstructor out to the city, and Bludgeon and Dreadwing to stand guard.

In Iacon again Magnus contacts Windblade inside Metroplex and manages to get Metroplex into action again, sending him to swat away the multitude of Ammonites (all 70 billion of them). Meanwhile the Lost Light lands again, with the crew inside ready with a new plan: Raid Shockwave's base, and deal with him, despite it being almost impossible. 

When they go outside they find Starscream with Metalhawk and the others, including Skywarp who can teleport some of them into the base. During the battle Monstructor arrives and is about to ambush and overwhelmed Metroplex when Prowl and the Constructicons merge into Devastator to engage him.

Skywarp can't teleport everyone who is needed for the mission, so some stay behind, he does manage to bring Bumblebee, Megatron, Starscream, Ultra Magnus, Waspinator, Rattrap, Skids, Metalhawk and Braisntorm though.

Upon arrival in Crystal City Waspinator is skewered by Bludgeon, whom is then kept occupied by Ultra Magnus, Skids and Brainstorm. Metalhawk, Rattrap and Starscream head off to deal with Jhiaxus, as they think he's the key to everything, whilst Bumblebee and Megatron go to confront Shockwave himself.

Metalhawk and the others find Jhiaxus, but he's wearing a reactive armour that changes to match his opponent's abilities and skills.

At Shockwave's lab, Megatron and Bumblebee are confronted by a scared Dreadwing, whom Megatron simply blasts away, they find an injured Galvatron nearby, and Megatron tries to kill him for all he did to him earlier, but Bumblebee manages to calm him down and makes him try to make peace and asks Galvatron to join them.

Then Shockwave shoots Bumblebee in the back and kills him....

Megatron looks over the body of his new ally and in a fit of rage attacks Shockwave, who is much more powerful now, and tells Megatron that HE is saving the universe by freezing it entirely, and soon death will be another forgotten concept.

Elsewhere, Bludgeon is soundly beating the Autobots when Brainstorm suddenly feels very unwell and collapses, suddenly a hand starts reaching out of his chest...Optimus Prime and his team have used the Dead Universe created portal inside Brainstorm to escape the decaying universe!!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Rodimus - Car

Bumblebee - Muscle Car Killed by Shockwave

Metroplex - Space Ship/City

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Prowl - Emergency Car

Hound - Jeep

Ratchet - Ambulance

Perceptor

Kup - Pick-Up Truck

Nightbeat - Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Skids - Van Stabbed by Bludgeon

Getaway

Mainframe

Windblade - Jet
Chromia
Nautica
Arcee - Car
Rung
Cosmos - Orbiter
Jetfire - Jet
Whirl - Osprey Helicopter
Swerve - Van
Ironhide - Van
Warpath - Tank
Sideswipe - Car
Crosscut - Van
Snarl - Stegosaurus
Sludge - Apatosaurus
Slug - Triceratops
Swoop - Pteranodon

Highbrow - Helicopter

Windmill - Helicopter

Grotusque - Winged Saber Tooth Cat

Gripper - Baja Buggy

Hosehead - Fire Engine

Rumbler (and his Exo-Suit!!)

Cliffjumper - Car

Hurricane - Race Car

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier (Prologue Only)

Blaster (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Artillery 

Megatron

Bludgeon - Tank

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber Blasted by Megatron

Monstructor - Gestalt

Skywarp - Jet

Waspinator - Wasp Stabbed by Bludgeon

Soundwave - Van

Ravage - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Frenzy - Tank

Rumble - Tank

Hook - Crane

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Devastator - Constructicon and Prowl Gestalt

Cutthroat - Winged Monster

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Blitzwing - Jet/Tank

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader Blasted by Ammonites

Tankor - Tank

Cybertronian

Jhiaxus - Jet

Galvatron - Laser Tank

Cyclonus - Jet

Metalhawk - Jet

Nova Prime - Truck (Prologue Only) Empty Shell in Brainstorm's care

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Other

70 Billion Ammonites

Mini Cyber-Wraith (Prologue Only) In Brainstorm's care

Notes

• The prologue scene is set during the first couple of pages of More Than Meets the Eye #1
• Nova's "Nemesis Prime" body is shown to be in Brainstorm's care at the start as well, and explains that his essence was sent back to the Dead Universe, explaining how he got back there for Heart of Darkness and Dark Cybertron, despite being killed on Garrus-9 during Revelation.
• Brainstorm being "dead" all this time explains a few things throughout the series, such as the Sparkeater actively ignoring him during his rampage, and the off life readings on the Rodpod earlier in Dark Cybertron.
• Brainstorm owning a Cyber Wraith is also explained, as he probably uses it to keep him from dying in the regular universe.
• Rivet's Field is revealed here to be the launch site of the Lost Light and the original Ark, it was revealed earlier to be Tailgate's birthplace as well.
• It's shown here that Turmoil's time ship is being used as the drive to freeze time in place, finally explaining why Shockwave needed it originally
• When Shockwave links with the "Time Drive" he relives the time around his empurata, friendship with Orion Pax and recruitment into the Decepticons.
• Jhiaxus shows here that he's following Shockwave, despite being his mentor in the past, because he feels Shockwave is the ultimate intelligence now.
• The battle against the Ammonites shows a few uncommon appreances, like the rarely seen Windmill, and NEVER seen Gripper!
• Jetfire is shown in what appears to be his upcoming Generations toy (after he was badly injured earlier of course)
• Prowl finally gives up and lets himself merge with the Constructicons again. 
• Devastator fighting with Monstructor is somewhat fitting, being the first combiner against the first PERFECT combiner.
• Waspinator's shock at being alive still is perfect considering his characters history of blowing up throughout the franchise...then he gets stabbed!
• Jhiaxus' reactive armour is used here to make him look more like his upcoming Generations toy.
• Metalhawk's actions earlier in Dark Cybertron are shown to have been due to Jhiaxus controlling him to an extent.
• Megatron preparing to be allies with Galvatron is a bit funny considering in most continuities they're the same guy.
• Bumblebee's death here is VERY similar to his death in GI Joe vs the Transformers: Art of war by Devil Due Press in that he was killed just basically because he was in the way, or just there, his killer is emotionless, and his death caused a great deal of anger from his allies, and also because it seems to be permanent.
• Bludgeon comments that Skids' Metallikato is mimicked and not properly learned, unlike his...question is, where did he copy it from?
• The music heard in the Dead Universe from the previous issue is revealed to have been the singing in Swerve's bar being carried through a small portal inside Brainstorm's body.
• Cyclonus and Rodimus sure look a lot healthier that they did in the last issue don't they?
• For the first time this whole series, only one artist and one colourist are on duty!