IDW - Robots in Disguise #28

Title: Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Flashback Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Toom B. Long

Editorial Assistance: Rebecca Huard

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Half a Million years ago, Alpha Trion and Metroplex take off from Cybertron, to take themselves out of the equation for Megatron's grand schemes, and to hunt down Shockwave to find out what his big plan is (Dark Cybertron)

Last month, Megatron's trial concluded, and he's been inducted into the Autobots, which Prowl isn't happy about. Cosmos doesn't seem to care too much, but just wants someone to talk to, considering he's normally ignored and alone. Optimus sets his team off to Earth, on Alpha Trion's request, via Windblade. Optimus allows Starscream to remain leader of the people, as they elected him. But he warns him that with Metroplex as the city once more, he had better behave.

Thundercracker flies around Earth, preparing a new screenplay he's planning to get made into a TV series (it's terrible) when he returns home and finds his dog, Buster, outside and wonders how she got out alone. Inside he finds Marissa Faireborn, Director of the EDC and she tells him they need his help with something, in repayment for them keeping him hidden from the population.

Soon afterwards Optimus and a few other Autobots have return to Earth. Upon arrival in orbit their ship is attacked by very advanced weapons, so Optimus has the ship parked behind the Moon, whilst they fly down to the surface in the mush smaller Sky Lynx, with Cosmos acting as backup.

Sky Lynx lands on the planet's surface, and Optimus, Jazz and Kup roll off towards a Cybertronian signature, leaving Prowl, Arcee and Sky Lynx to their own mission.

Optimus and his team arrive at the signature, where they find Thundercracker living in peace, apparently waiting for them. Once there Thundercracker comments that he's glad Bumblebee didn't come here, as he liked him, which confuses Optimus. Optimus reveals that Bumblebee died saving the universe (a bit of an overstatement....) and Thundercracker claims that it wasn't worth the cost. Optimus asks where Alpha Triion is, to which Thundercracker laughs as he hasn't seen him since the early war (Spotlight: Orion Pax).

Optimus then reveals that Megatron has joined the Autobots, and declares the war truly over, to which Thundercracker seems incensed, and cant's believe hat it was actually true...leading Galvatron from the outside to tear open the wall and ask why he would have lied to him about that.

Galvatron leads a group of Decepticons and attacks the 3 Autobots, Thundercracker freaks out that they're destroying his house, leading Optimus to lead the fight outside instead, where he finds Marissa (holding Buster to keep her safe) and her EDC troops aiming at him, and charges him with war crimes by allying with the mass murderer Megatron. And asks him why he's returned to her planet, but suggests that he doesn't give up willingly as she wants to kill him.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Jazz - Sports Car

Prowl - Police Car

Arcee - Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Cosmos - Orbiter

Metroplex - City/Space Ship (Flashback)

Ironhide - Cybertronian Van

Windblade - Cybertronian Jet

Bumblebee - Cybertronian Car (Flashback) Dead in Present

Alpha Trion - Tumbler (Flashback)

Bluestreak - Cybertronian Car (Flashback)

Wheeljack - Cybertronian Car (Flashback)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Brawl - Tank

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Thundercracker - F22 Jet (May be neutral now?)

Megatron (Flashback - Now an Autobot)

Ravage - Cassette (Flashback)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Cybertronian Jet (Flashback)

Circuit (Flashback)

Longtooth (Flashback)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

EDC Soldiers

John Powell (Mentioned) Killed by Jazz in the Past

Other

Buster the Doggie

Sharkticons (Mentioned)

Notes

• This marks the beginning of Robots in Disguise's second season, which shifts the focus from Cybertron to Earth.
• Thundercracker is revealed to be still on Earth, and has settled into his own home, but has to checck in with the EDC on a regular basis.
• He also doesn't appear to have an insignia any more either...
• The EDC appears to have taken Skywatch's place on Earth now.
• Thundercracker's dog's name "Buster" is a reference to Spike's brother in the Marvel comics. It was also used as the name for Sam's dog in the Dark of the Moon novel.
• Marissa Faireborn is of course based on the G1 cartoon character of the same name
• Aww Bumblebee appears in the flashback....too soon John....too soon.....
• Alpha Trion and Metroplex are revealed to have left Cybertron to stop the Decepticons from targeting them (ie going after Metroplex's Titan magic) and they also begin tracking Shockwave, who by this point has left Cybertron to tend to his Regensis Ores.
• Optimus' team in this issue are shown to have taken on all new Earth alternate modes, even Optimus appears to have a new truck form.
• Optimus appears to be a bit distrustful of Prowl now, most likely after learning about all that happened in the last couple of years.
• Prowl's mentioned team are obviously the Constructicons (this is made even clearer with a preview cover image showing Devastator fighting with Galvatron)
• It's hinted here that the reason Starscream want's everyone to leave Metroplex and move back to the damaged Iacon is because Optimus threatens that Metroplex will just crush him if he does anything too wrong.
• It's revealed that Windblade and her crew spent a short while with Alpha Trion before he left for his "Holy Grail" but left a message for Optimus to come to Earth for him.
• Galvatron has ACTUALLLY joined the Decepticons now, and appears to lead them following Megatron's defection.
• Both Kup and Jazz have returned to Earth, most likely for closure following their bad experiences on the planet (Jazz killing a human and being reprimanded, and Kup being zombified and sent back to the beginning of the Dead Universe)
• Marissa's comments about voiceovers in Thundercracker's script is a jab at Robots in Disguise itself, which uses a lot of voiceovers
• Thundercracker seems concerned about Sharkticons being on Earth...another hint towards a Quintesson plot coming up maybe?
• Soundwave and his minions appear to be in their Masterpiece forms on Earth now.

Titan - Transformers Prime #20

Title: Starscream's Beast

Script: Chris Cooper

Art: Andres Ponce

Lettering: Comicraft

Cover Date: MAY/JUN 2014

Cover Price: £3.99

Poster: The Decepticons

Plot

Starscream is feeling annoyed with Predaking, as he only obeys Megatron and not himself, so he strops around the Nemesis and winds up in Shockwave's lab, where he finds a Predacon fossil that Shockwave has for some reason left unattended.

Starscream takes a sample of the fossil's CNA and infuses it with some of his own (to fill in the gaps) and places it in a CR chamber, accelerates the process and creates his own Predacon soldier. However the new Predacon appears to have taken on Starscream's stubborn nature and refuses to follow him. Starscream makes the mistake of striking the Predacon, angering him and leading him into a rage, and begins to chase after him in his bull-mode around the ship. (Along the way Starscream decides to name him Tantrum).

Along the way Tantrum smashes through several Vehicons and incinerates some Insecticons before ctahing up to Starscream and declares himself as superior to Starscream, and decides he must be destroyed.

Starscream attacks Tantrum, and actually manages to destroy him very easily (most likely due to faulty construction) and Starscream begins to plan how to cover this up.

Soon, Predaking is hunting around the ship as he sensed Tantrum's presence when he, along with Megatron and Shockwave, find Tantrum's remains. Megatron immediately suspects Starscream, but Starscream has framed a random Vehicon by editing the CCTV footage to show him in his place. Megatron accepts this as true and kills the Vehicon because of his treachery.

Megatron has Starscream and the others clean up the mess as an example in case of any further attempts at a coup. Whilst doing so Starscream takes some of Tantrum's remains and plans to create more new troops of his own....

Characters

Decepticon/Predacon

Megatron - Space Ship

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Shockwave - Tank

Tantrum - Bull

Predaking - Dragon Killed by Starscream

Traitor Vehicon - Flying Car Killed by Megatron

Vehicons - Fling Cars

Insecticons - Beetles

Notes

• Starscream, and the audience are left to wonder why Shockwave left the Predacon fossil out alone in his lab for anyone (ie Starscream) to take. In Prime he seems fully loyal to Megatron, so it seems a bit out of place.
• Predaking being fully loyal to Megatron here seems to place this before his sentience was discovered in Season 3. However if this is the case, then why does Starscream not seem freaked out when he finds out that Trantrum can talk and transform here? This has been an ongoing issue in this series though as in previous issues we've had Skylynx and Darksteel running around and so on...just go with it! Also, he is named in the story AS Predaking too, which he wasn't named until after his revelation.
• Tantrum is clearly based on the G1 Predacon of the same name.
• Tantrum's insignia is clearly a Decepticon one, but really it should be a Predacon one. This could be explained away (as well as his intelligence etc) by him having Starscream's CNA inside him.
• The briefly shown Insecticons in this issue are in what appears to be G1 colours
• Tantrum seems weaker that other Predacons as he blows up from just having 2 of Starscream's missiles hitting...I guess this could be due to him having an accelerated creation or something.
• It sounds like the next issue will be a movie rebranding again

Other Features

Adverts

Competition Win some old stock from their offices!

Transformers 4 Movie News Info on Age of Extinction

Soundwave's Stumpers! Puzzles

Clash of the Titans! Bulkhead vs Breakdown profiles

Jackie's Jokes! Jokes from Wheeljack...may wish to ignore these til cracker season....

Mega Movie Motors! Info on the cars from the previous Transformers movies

Massive Movie Quiz A quiz on the previous movies (most fans can get it all right I'd guess)

Mega Mouth Megatron and Arcee read the mail!

FBI Fuzzlers More puzzles

Ratchet Recall! Spot the Difference

Tantrum Terror Maze! Help Starscream escape the crazy bull! (if you want to)

Decepticon Dead Zone! Cut out some targets for the free gift and ruin your comic!

IDW - Windblade #1

Title: A 'Bot And Her City

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sarah Stone

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editorial Assistance: Rebecca Huard

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Six months have passed since the climax of the Dark Cybertron prophecy, and Metroplex has been made the last city on Cybertron. Windblade has been made the "Cityspeaker" for Metroplex, since he is unable to talk still due to his injuries, and Starscream is still in charge of the planet.

Starscream meets with Windblade to ask her why the city (Metroplex) is losing power, she says she's working on the problem, but he doesn't believe her. He thinks she's trying to undermine him and make him seem like a weak leader, and threatens her to fix the problems, or he'll turn everyone against her.

As Starscream and Rattrap leaves, Chromia wonders why no-one ever killed Starscream. Windblade however agrees with Starscream, she NEEDS to find out what's wrong with Metroplex.

She goes to converse with his brain module and learns that there's a power diversion in a section of the city she hasn't found yet, but thinks that Ironhide might know where it is, due to him exploring the depths, she teases Chromia about telling him how she feels about him before flying off.

Windblade manages to find Ironhide and feels sorry for him losing his faith in the future following Drak Cybertron, but she does learn where the junction she needs is located, so she calls Chromia to meet her there.

The two female Autobots start searching the area, but can't find the appropriate junction so Chromia forces Windblade to call it a night. On the way home, Windblade comes across Maccadam's Old Oil House, and decides to do some recon on Starscream, to see what sort of a person he is....Before long she has been through the entire bar and has learned that Starscream is only out for himself, and will get rid of anyone who gets in his way.

The next day Chromia and Windblade get ready to start their search again when suddenly a bomb goes off and Windblade is badly injured. Chromia manages to save her life and several others around her. Starscream blames the explosion on poor maintenance and urges the populace to move back to the Iacon Ruins (they don't)

During her recovery, Windblade recalls how her planet was visited by Thunderclash and told about the problems with Metroplex, which is how they were sent to him in the first place, and recalls how she hoped to find Cybertron, the long lost planet of their origins, a nicer place than Caminus, but instead found it as a ruin during a massive battle.

She ends her reverie by showing that she saw Rattrap leaving the site, just before the bomb was set off, which told her something important...Starscream tried to kill her, and will likely try again!

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Chromia - Wheeled Vehicle (not confirmed what yet, likely a car?)

Ironhide - Van

Metroplex - City/Spaceship Repairing self

Fizzle - Baja Buggy

Slug - Triceratops

Blurr - Race Car

Thunderclash (Flashback)

Nautica (Flasshback)

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Flashback)

Rodimus - Sports Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Flashback) Dead

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Rattrap - Mole-Rat

Fat Tankor - Tank

Swindle - Van

Waspinator - Wasp

Sky-Byte - Shark

Circuit

Inhabitants of Metroplex

Primus (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Caminus - City/Spaceship (Flashback)

Camiens (Flashback)

Notes

• As to be expected from her titular comic, we learn a lot about Windblade here. Her face makeup is made in honour of Caminus, the Titan from her homeworld. Her affinity with speaking to Metroplex is revealed to be actually a learned skill from her planet.
• Chromia is revealed to be a bodyguard here, explaining her fighting skills shown in Dark Cybertron.
• Starscream is revealed to be still in charge of Cybertron here, despite having his plans to vilify Metalhawk exposed to the Autobots, and Rattrap is still his second in command too!
• The pictograms Windblade sees when she speaks to Metroplex are sort of similar to those seen by Skids on "Cyberutopia" so most likely he was talking to a Titan at that point.
• Chromia being worried about Windblade telling Ironhide she thinks he's mopey is sort of a reference to their relationship in the G1 cartoon.
• The city of Iacon is revealed to have been destroyed fully in Dark Cybertron. To the extent that Metroplex is now the sole city left (why they haven't built any more settlements in 6 months is beyond me of course!
• Ironhide's faith from the earlier RID issues is gone now, since several points from his vision of the future have been rendered mute (Gorlam Prime being destroyed is a major one of course). So now he's exploring Metroplex to find answers
• Blurr has reopened Maccadam's Old Oil House again! This time it looks like a traditional pub.
• Fizzle is revealed to have left the Lost Light here.
• Following his attack from Bludgeon near the end of Dark Cybertron, Waspinator is shown to be alive after all!
• The two Tankors have become friends, to the extent that other people refer to them as Fat and Tall Tankor to distinguish between them.
• Swindle looks a bit like his Animated counterpart
• Circuit is still running his news service
• Titans are revealed here to have naturally occurring Hot Spots within them, explaining how new Cybertronian life can be born on new worlds.
• One of the Camien Cityspeakers resembles Prime Arcee.
• Female Transformers are explained simply as existing because they evolved that way on Caminus.
• If my theory that the Knights of Cybertron are actually the Original Thirteen, then the one that Caminus is supposed to guard is most likely Solus Prime.
• It's not explained how Windblade and the others are Autobots. Maybe Thunderclash inducted them?

IDW - Dark Cybertron Finale

Title: Dark Cybertron Chapter 12: ...And The Damage Done

Written by: John Barber and James Roberts

Layouts by: Phil Jimenez

Pencils by: Brendan Cahill

Inks by: Brian Shearer

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The battle with the Ammonites isn't going well, despite all the heavy hitters and brave fighting, the Ammonite army has only suffered a small loss to their numbers, leaving the command crew on the Lost Light to hope that the team in Crystal City will succeed in their mission.

At the Time Ship in Crystal City, Jhiaxus, in his Starscream "cosplay" armour fights with Starscream, whilst Metalhawk and Rattrap try to figure out how to stop what's happening all around them. Metalhawk realizes that he can burn out all the ores that are causing all the problems, but knows it'll be at a great cost.

Nearby, Optimus and his crew have left the portal created in Brainstorm's chest and have defeated Bludgeon, however Nightbeat, Kup and Cyclonus, who were all "part" of the Dead Universe all begin to feel ill. Brainstorm says he can whip up a medicine to save them, but he needs the help of one of the "hero types" left to get them back, forcing Rodimus, Magnus and Optimus to decide who should stay out of the "final battle".

Shockwave and Megatron continue their battle, and Shockwave states that his final goals are to make Megatron's goals a reality, by making everyone equal, since no-one shall exist any more! Megatron says that's not what he wants, when he is joined by Optimus and Magnus.

Shockwave quickly blasts Magnus out of the fight, but starts to feel strange as he begins to remember his past life as the Senator.

Rodimus, Skids and Brainstorm help the ill Transformers towards the Lost Light so they can reach Brainstorm's lab, but when they reach the planet's surface they find the sky filled with several moments in Cybertronian history, meaning that reality is beginning to fold in on itself.

Back in the Time Ship, Starscream is losing the battle, until Metalhawk finally connects himself into the Ore's power-system (as he was revived using another Ore) and pushes them off balance, resulting in both his death and the destruction of the Ores. In the process he overload's the ship's power and kills all the Ammonites, who were connected to the Ores as well.

In the aftermath Starscream finally kills Jhiaxus using the swords he didn't even know he had until Jhiaxus just showed him.

On the planet's surface the Transformers are confused as to why the Ammonites are suddenly all dead, but the Autobots think Metroplex used some Titan power to kill them all.

Inside Metroplex's brain chamber, Windblade claims that Metroplex is laughing over the sight of the Ammonites burning up and dying. The Lost Light contacts Windblade and tells her that they're going to ram the ship into Monstructor to tear him apart and that they need their help to take out his component parts afterwards. To which she happily agrees...

Brainstorm and the team reach the Lost Light after it's ramming, and make it to the lab, where Brainstorm admits he's not sure if he can do it, however Rodimus uses Brainstorm's obsession with perceptor to convince him that he can do it.

Down in Crystal City, Optimus tellls Shockwave that he's not going to try and reason with him, as he knows the friend he once knew died the moment he had the Shadowplay implemented, however Megatron instead takes the insignia from Bumblebee's corpse and places it on his own chest and declares that he no longer wishes to be at war with the Autobots, but wishes to join them, having seen the error of his ways.

Shockwave, in a fit of confusion and rage attacks Megatron, convinced that he's just trying to mess with his mind, but Megatron assures him that he is being sincere. However he does admit, along with Optimus that all of this is to try and bring back the old Shockwave, the one they all remembered from before he was changed.

All of a sudden, Shockwave begins to collapse in pain, his timeline has re-aligned and he's been restored to his pre-Shadowplay personality, and is horrified over what he has become. He also reveals that the Time Drive can no longer be removed from his body, leaving only one choice for Optimus and Megatron. The two promise to remember him as who he wass once, and shoot him.

The impact creates a black hole from the Time Drive, Optimus, Megatron and Magnus try to escape, but are being caught up on by the expanding black hole, Bumblebee's body is left behind as he'd just slow them down. Luckily however the Lost Light appears and rescues the trio

The Lost Light escapes the blast and reaches the surface where Soundwave sees Megatron on the ship, and readds his mind, confirming that Megatron is indeed intending to be an Autobot now, and is disgusted after all they did together to oppose the Autobots in the past.

Galvatron, along with Dreadwing and Skywarp arrive at the moment and seem to be glad that he's seeing things like that, and perhaps they need a new approach...

Starscream and Rattrap escape the Crystal City as well, and Starscream immediately begins plans to twist events to make Metalhawk out to be a genocidal maniac who just killed an entire species...then the crew of the Lost Light appear behind him, making him reconsider things...

Later, Optimus and Megatron discuss things on the Lost Light, and Megatron promises Optimus that he is being honest about his desire to join the Autobots and end the war once and for all. Optimus decides to believe him and the duo leave the ship, to find their combined forces waiting for them outside....

To be continued in "Dawn of the Autobots"

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Rodimus - Sports Car

Bumblebee - Muscle Car Dead

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Prowl - Emergency Vehicle

Hound - Jeep

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Brainstorm - Jet

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Windblade - Jet

Chromia

Nautica

Arcee - Car

Perceptor

Mainframe

Rung

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Swerve - Van

Skids - Van

Chromedome - Car

Ironhide - Van

Swoop - Pteranodon

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Slug - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Cosmos - Orbiter

Highbrow - Helicopter

Jetfire - Jet

Drift - Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron JOINS AUTOBOTS

(Senator) Shockwave - Flying Artillery Killed by Optimus Prime and Megatron

Soundwave - Van

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Frenzy - Tank

Rumble - Tank

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Devastator - Gestalt

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Skywarp - Jet

Monstructor - Gestalt Destroyed by Lost Light

Bludgeon - Tank Possibly Killed by Optimus' Team

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Rattrap - Mole-Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader

Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Galvatron - Laser Tank

Jhiaxus - Jet Killed by Starscream

Metalhawk - Jet Killed in Ore-explosion

Chief Justice Tyrest (In Timestream only)

Tailgate - Car (In Timestream only)

Nova Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Tailpipe - Motorcycle (Mentioned)

Other

Ammonites Killed by Metalhawk

The Decptigod (In Timestream only)

Notes

• Whirl fully acknowledges and even jokes about his being the reason the Great War began (and also for escalating the Ammonite/Terradore war by killing the Terradore leader)
• It's revealed here that the Dead Universe team used Nova Prime's corpse in the Dead Universe as the opening point for the portal they used to escape, which was linked up to Brainstorm's one in the Living Universe.
• Shockwave's merging of space/time of course caused his past self to emerge in his preset body, thus essentially undoing the Shadowplay that turned him into the monster he has become.
• Nightbeat misnames Tailgate as Tailpipe, whom was the Ark-1 crew member who's name was shown on the Ark-1 memorial that Tailgate seemed to try and impersonate earlier on (and who also appeared in Chapter 1 of this event)
• The events shown in the timestream above Cybertron include several past events in the comics, and the aged Ironhide from the "Pax Cybertronia" future, which shows us that that future is indeed likely to happen, and wasn't just some planted memory by some dark force or something.
• With Metalhawk's actions it seems like all the Ores which have been plaguing the IDW continuity since it's beginning have been rendered inert.
• Most likely Metalhawk was the only one revived using Ore-14 to die because he was physically linking himself with the others to overload them.
• Starscream is shown to have not known all the features of his new body, until Jhiaxus showed him how to use them with his reactive armour.
• Nightbeat seems a bit intrigued by the Lost Light, much like the rest of us fans, he thinks there's more to it, than meets the eye.
• Brainstorm's obsession with Perceptor is used against him here as Rodimus uses that to force Brainstorm to make the medicine for the Dead Universe infectees.
• Optimus seems a bit cold when he tells Megatron to leave Bumblebee's corpse to be sucked into the black hole...maybe he was mad with him for losing the planet to Starscream?
• Galvatron appears to have joined forces with some of the Decepticons now...maybe he's finally "joining" them?
• From the looks of things Scoop wa amongst the guys Galvatron was trying to "recruit" as well...wasn't he an Autobot?
• The Lost Light is referred to as the Autobot's "Flagship" here, despite it not technically being an Autobot ship (as Perceptor said earlier in the series)
• Small Note...Waspinator may have been killed by Bludgeon last issue after all...he isn't shown here at all!!