IDW - Drift: Empire of Stone #2

Written by: Shane McCarthy

Breakdowns by: Guido Guidi

Finishes by: Stephen Baskerville

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Centuries ago, Deadlock and Turmoil crash land onto a rocky planet, where they find a large stone palace with an army of stone creatures inside. When they report this back to Megatron he is uninterested.

In the present day, Gigatron tells Drift to help him locate the Stone Army, so he can add them to his forces to aid the Decepticon's military efforts, ignoring Ratchet's claims that the war is over now. Drift manages to arrange for himself and his friends to go free, but it all goes to hell when Hellbat calls Grit a traitor, for being able to get himself captured by the Autobots, resulting in a fight that leads to the trio being put into a cell after a quick battle with Gigatron and his forces.

In their cell, Ratchet begins a plan by having Drift pretend to be dead, and has a fake argument with Grit for killing him, however the Decepticon guard doesn't believe the story, but frees them regardless due to his friendship with Grit, giving them back their confiscated weapons as well.

Grit tells his friend, Knockout to get off the planet as soon as he can, and Grit goes to hunt down Hellbat, to kill him for insulting him earlier.

Drift and Ratchet head off to find the Stone Army before Gigatron and his troops can, but they find that the Army has already been found, and has been hooked up to machinery. Suddenly Hellbat appears with some of his troops saying that he'll explain everything, especially since he's about to kill them both for uncovering his secret.

Characters

Autobot

Ratchet - Ambulance

Decepticon

Gigatron

Hellbat - Jet

Vanquish - Jet

Grit - Truck

Knockout - Excavator Truck

Decepticon Troops

Turmoil - Tank(Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Drift/Deadlock - Car

Other

Stone Army

Notes

• It appears that in the past both Turmoil and Deadlock (future Drift) worked for Gigatron
• If Hellbat has already located the Stone Army, then why did he convince Gigatron to keep Drift and the others alive?
• Grit and Knockout's friendship is a reference to their toyline's past as Micromaster combiner partners