IDW - Transformers #36

Title: Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith & Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Josh Perez & Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor:Carlos Guzman

Plot

Thundercracker, having left his EDC funded home is hiding out in the forest with Buster, is resting and reading his beloved pet some excerpts from his new screenplay when Soundwave arrives. The two discuss things, and Soundwave offers Thudnercracker a place on their future Jupiter colony, but only if he doesn't ally himself with a Prime before then. Thudnercrackers says he'll think about it, and gives Soundwave a copy of his screenplay to read.

Meanwhile, Spike and Jimmy are in Tokyo meeting with Spike's contact Maki, who has agreed to give them access to Onyx Interface's Wanmu facility, where something important is being kept. On the way out of the cafe they met in, Spike notices the Constructicons and Prowl hiding out nearby, and forces them out of hiding, before rushing away himself.

It's revealed to the audience that Spike has been being sent messages from his father for some time, which is how he managed to track him down.

Spike and Jimmy outrun the Constructicons and Prowl, but are saved when Arcee flies in, having "borrowed" Sideswipe's jet pack, and berates him for going after humans. The two humans run into an alley and find a pair of idling motorcycles waiting for them, which they steal. Prowl manages to escape from Arcee and chases after them, with Arcee chasing Prowl in turn as well.

Before long, Jimmy and Spike realize that there's something wrong with their motorcycles when they start driving by themselves, and take them through a parking structure to Galvatron and his Decepticons, revealing themselves to be Rumble and Frenzy in disguise.

Galvatron starts interrogating Spike, and tells the others to kill Jimmy, however Arcee, having teamed up with Prowl and his team briefly save the humans by damaging the building, and Prowl takes off with Spike, leaving Arcee and Jimmy in between the Constructicons and Decepticons, with her vowing to get revenge on Prowl for leaving her in this state.

Elsewhere, Marissa and her team are leaving Tokyo with Blackrock, who reveals to them that the thing in Wanmu is the Enigma of Combination, and they should retrieve it before the Cybertronians can themselves.

Prowl stops running in a forest with Spike, Prowl gets ready to do what he's about to do with Spike, but before he does he decides to tell Spike that he forgives him......

Characters

Autobot

Prowl - Police SUV

Arcee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Megatron (Mentioned)

Dynobots (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Rumble - Motorcycle

Frenzy - Motorcycle

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Laserbeak - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Scrapper (Mentioned) Dead

Cybertronian

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Scoop - Front End Loader

Ancient Headmasters (Mentioned) Killed by Galvatron

Human

Spike Witwicky

Jimmy Pink

Garisson Blackrock

Marissa Faireborn

Jones

Maki

Verity Carlo (Picture)

Hunter O'Nion (Picture)

General Daniel Witwicky (Mentioned) Dead

Japanese President Jinping (Mentioned)

EDC (Mentioned)

Skywatch (Mentioned) Defunct

Other

Buster

Notes

• That opening panel with Thundercracker by the waterfall is just pure love isn't it?
• Thundercracker realizes here that Soundwave and the others don't know about the EDC's seret Transformer army. Immediately afterwards he gives Soundwave a copy of his script, which we know has included some veiled references to that discovery...SNEAKY!
• Maki was seen in the previous issue as Blackrock's assistant, explaining her clearance here.
• Jimmy still has some photos of his time with the Autobots...odd that those wouldn't have been found and confiscated by now huh?
• Spike identifies the Constructicons and Prowl on sight here, most likely due to the Constructicons being bright green, and Prowl being a heavily armed American police car in Japan...
• Sideswipe thinks that Arcee is still mad at him after their VERY quick fight back on Cybertron (where she knocks him out with her sword to guard Bumblebee)
• Rumble being hurt by the humans in the past is mentioned here, what ISN'T mentioned is that Spike was the one to hurt him with his weapon.
• Arcee reveals that she no longer trusts or follows Prowl any more, most likely due to his recent attitudes etc
• Blackrock is revealed to have the Enigma of Combination in his possession. It's unclear still why Galvatron thought Spike would have it.
• Soundwave says that anyone who has ever allied themselves with a Prime will not be welcome on their new colony...wonder if that includes Galvatron?