IDW - Angry Birds Transformers #3

Title: Revenge of the Fowlin'!

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Marcelo Ferreira

Colours by: Nikos Koutsis

Flats by: Mike Toris

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: David Hedgecock

Plot

The Autobirds and Deceptihogs join forces to fight the invading Eggbots, during the initial fight however Starscream Pig is captured by the Eggbots and taken inside one of their towers. After a brief argument between the two leaders, the group splits up into smaller teams to handle multiple missions. Heatwave Bird's team are sent to capture one of the eggs so they can study it and discover what happened to them, whilst Arcee Bird's team are sent to rescue Starscream, and everyone else are to continue fighting the Eggbots.

Arcee's team reaches the tower, but within a few seconds Bluestreak Bird is captured, though Lockdown Pig is glad as the Autobird was annoying him.

Elsewhere, Galvatron Pig is goin full out to kill the Eggbots, despite their mission to capture one. Heatwave tries to stop him, but is easily sent flying by the Deceptihog.

Inside the tower, Bluestreak Bird manages to break out of his binds, and drags Starscream Pig away with him through the tower, trying to escape.

Outside, Arcee Bird's team are trying to smash into the tower, but are suddenly surrounded by Eggbots. Meanwhile, Galvatron is still on a rampage until Heatwave comes flying through the sky in vehicle mode (having slingshotted himself from 10 miles away) and knocks out Galvatron Pig. Before anything else can happpen though, the group are surrounded by Eggbots too.

Back inside the tower, the captives find a room filled with Eggbots, without their mechanical shells (and with terrifying mouths and tongues). Blustreak Bird abandons his companion and manages to get himself out of the tower, followed by a hoard of Eggs, who encounter the other Egggbots outside, scaring both sides, forcing them to run away from each other, much to the confusion of the Autobirds and Deceptihogs.

Arcee Bird's team returns to the rest of the group, and Bluestreak Bird just realizes that he abandoned Starscream Pig, despite that being their mission.

Heatwave arrives, carrying Galvatron, the Minion Pigs and Soundwave (despite him not being in stasis lock) and a still living small Eggbot for the group to study.

Starscream Pig, on top of the tower starts screaming at the others that the Eggspark has taken root, and has begun Cyberforming Piggie Island.....

Characters

Autobirds

Optimus Prime Bird - Truck Cab

Arcee Bird - Car

Bluestreak Bird - Sidecar Motorcycle

Heatwave Bird - Fire Truck

Drift Bird - Car

Jazz Bird - Car

Bumblebee Bird - Car

Grimlock Bird - Motorcycle

Deceptihogs

Megatron Pig - Tank

Galvatron Pig - Truck Cab

Soundwave Pig - Van

Lockdown Pig - Car

Starscream Pig - Jet

Minion Pigs

Other

Eggbots

Notes

• The title is of course a reference to Revenge of the Fallen
• Heatwave, the big silent muscle-bot of the group turning into a dancing flower at one point is of course a reference to Groot in the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
• The slingshot that Heatwave is shown to use to launch at Galvatron is based on the ones used in the regular Angry Birds games
• For some reason the eggs with mouths and the ones with mechanical suits are afraid of each other...
• The Eggspark seems to be Cyberforming Piggie Island (and likely further in the world later) into a replica Cybertron. The Allspark was shown using that same ability in the Titan UK alternate universe comics.
• Optimus Prime Bird and Megatron Pig momentarily call eachother by their Cybertronian counterpart's names, and even seem to act out of character...maybe they should change back before long huh?
• Bumblebee Bird STILL has a damaged vocal processor....UGH!

TFCC - A Common Foe

Writer: Jesse Wittenrich

Layouts: David Reynolds

Art: Josh Burcham

Letters: Jesse Wittenrich

Plot

Following Jhiaxus' ultimatum for the Autobots and Decepticons to surrender to him, or die, the combined forces continue their attacks on the Clone army. The team focus on Sandstorm, who was betraying them from the inside as a clone, however Obsidian reveals that Pyro reported to him that he real Sandstorm was on Earth just 5 days ago, meaning that he knew this Sandstorm was a fake all along! As a result he was able to plant a Mekarach (a spider bot thingie) onto him, to use his Spark energy to send a signal to Earth.

Pyro receives the Mekarach pulse on Earth and begins to send more troops to Cybertron, including several Earth-born ones. The troops arrive and immediately start tearing through the Cybertronian Clones, including the Soundwave clone.

Megaplex, who has been released from the Clone army due to his similarities to Megatron, is plagued by images of the former Decepticon leader, saying that he will use Megaplex to reclaim the Decepticons. However Megaplex fights back and "kills" Megatron, deciding to go after Jhiaxus himself anyway.

Eagle Eye manages to spy Jhiaxus from far away, so they start to head towards him. They manage to break into the facility he's hiding in using Krok's partner Gatoraider to eat through the walls, and starts fighting the Clones inside

Elsewhere, Mirage and Electro fight with Skywarp and his drones, but are saved from certain death by Blue Bacchus and his newly arrived team of Decepticons. Next Octane is pinned down by some Thundercracker Drones and is rescued by Strika, who in turn is rescued by Octane from another attacker.

Serpentor and the others reach Jhiaxus, where Jhiaxus is impressed by Serpentor being made fully by humans, rather than being tainted by Cybertronians, but Serpentor doesn't care, and skewers the Cybertronian with his Serpent Sceptre. Next, Nacelle turns up and the Clone Hubcap prepares to execute him, but Jhiaxus stops him, telling him that this is what he wanted, a united Cybertron against a common foe, and as such he surrenders to Serpentor.

However before he can be officially taken away Megaplex turns up and kills Jhaixus. The other Decepticons knock out their would-be leader, telling him they don't need another Megatron.

One week later, on Earth the war has ended, and all the factions sign the Pax Cybertronia, bringing all hostilities to an end. However, elsewhere Sky-Byte has joined forces with the other Predacons and have stolen many of Jhiaxus' clone pods, planning to use them to make their own Predacon army. But they do question by four of them are coloured differently to the others, just as Tarantulas steps out of his tube....

Characters

Autobot

Pyro - Fire Truck

Strika - Tank

Obsidian - Twin Propeller Plane

Electro - Pick Up Truck

Mirage - F1 Race Car

Hoist - Pick Up Truck

Override - Motorcycle

Turbofire - Pick Up Truck

Carzap - Muscle Car

Rapido - Sports Car

Backstreet - Race Car

Gunrunner - Fighter Jet

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy

Rotorstorm - Helicopter

Hubcap - Sports Car

Nightracer - Sports Car

Side Burn - Race Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Clampdown - Police Car

Blastcharge Drones - Tanks

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned) In Coma

Springer (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Serpentor - Stealth Bomber

Gob - Chainsaw

Zad - Axe

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Octane - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Hotlink - Fighter Jet

Nacelle - Fighter Jet

Eagle Eye - Fighter Jet

Bitstream - Fighter Jet

Sunstorm - Fighter Jet

Krok - Stealth Bomber

Gatoraider - Rocket Launcher

Magnificus - Van

Oilmaster

Blue Bacchus - Helicopter

Scourge - Stealth Bomber

Megatron (In Megaplex's Mind) "Killed" by Megaplex

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned) In Coma

Cyclonus - Space Jet (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Jhiaxus - Stealth Jet Killed by Megaplex

Megaplex - Fighter Jet

Sandstorm - Helicopter

Hubcap - Tow Truck

Prowl - F1 Race Car

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier Killed by Krok

Sandstorm Drones - Helicopters

Thundercracker Drones - Fighter Jets

Skywarp Drones - Fighter Jets

Prowl Drones - F1 Race Cars

Predacon

Sky-Byte - Shark

Dark Scream - Flying Squirrel

Slapper - Toad

Rampage - Tiger 

Tantrum - Buffalo 

Tarantulas - Motorcycle

Cicadacon

Sea Clamp

Ram Horn

Notes

• This comic is set immediately after Termination, but before Hoist the Flag. It was released online (only) after Hoist the Flag was released though
• Despite being heavily outnumbered and overpowered at the end of Termination, the Autobots and Decepticons easily defeat the Clones here! Yay for quick resolutions!
• The real Autobot Sandstorm is shown using his new Thrilling Thirty toy mold
• This comic essentially acts as both a quick resolution for the unpopular Machine Wars storyline, and as an advert for the upcoming 3rd series of the Fan Subscription Series.
• Several of the new characers here also use new bodies based on newer toys too, giving us some potential new exclusives for the future.
• Serpentor uses a Serpent Sceptre made from the Arms Micron figures Gob 2 and Zad 2 (you could also make a black version using their black repaints I guess)
• According to Jhiaxus, his whole plan was to unite the Autobots and Decepticons together as a single force to bring peace to Cybertron....I'd say that's just Jhiaxus being a sore loser!
• The new Decepticons are shown to be fed up of the old ways and war as well, and immediately take down Megaplex despite his plans to reforge the Decepticons as an evil force.
• Side Burn and Night Racer are still hanging out it seems....Oooooooh!!
• Scourge is shown in his Wings of Honour toy character model, this seems very out of place due to his Generations toy having been released since then (and it being used for Serpentor's body model too)
• This story shows Sky Byte joining forces with the existing Decepticon Predacons, and forging their new faction. It also shows the births of Slapper and Night Scream (but no Gas Skunk) and also shows the births of Tarantulas and the Tripredacus Council, from strange differently coloured stasis tubes.
• We're shown here that Hubcap and Sandstorm are both still alive...WHY THE HELL DID JHIAXUS CLONE THEM?!?!

TFCC - Solar Requiem

Story by: Jesse Wittenrich

Art by: Hidetsugu Yoshioka

Translation by: Andrew Hall

Plot

Blaster, still stuck on Earth's Moon with Rewind and Ramhorn encounter a strange spacial anomoly that briefly turns them all into their G1 counterparts, when suddenlly a bright, but tiny space ship appears, and heads to the Moon.

On Cybertron, the newly arrived survivors of the now destroyed Classicsverse start to make themselves at home, but Kick-Off won't allow himself to work with Decepticons, as he doesn't trust them, so he leaves.

Meanwhile, Wheeljack has just sent Soundwave's mind to a new body on Earth through his new Mental Spanner, so that he can assist Starscream in some work over there, repairing electrical systems that were damaged thanks to the energy from Classics Earth's transport. Galvatron and the others on Cybertron start working on completing the Stellar Spanner on their end.

Back on the Moon again, Rewind is scanned by the alien inside the pod, who takes on a similar appearance to him, and begins to ask Blaster and the other Autobots for help with his planet's dying star. Blaster takes advantage of this situation though and has the newly arrived Solarbot fly him and the others back down to Earth in his ship.

On Earth, Soundwave , Slugfest and Bat-Bot are working on repairs when suddenly Blaster and his crew arrive and begin an attack. During the battle, Solarbot is accidentally hit and is knocked into cassette mode. Blaster picks it up and inserts it into his chest, intending to use his solar powers to increase his own exponentially 

Unfortunately for him though, Solarbot recovers very quickly, and overloads him, before exiting his body straight through the chest. Blaster and his cassettes flee, and Soundwave greets the newcomer and asks if he needs help.

Characters

Shattered Glass Decepticon

Galvatron - Rescue Helicopter

Starscream - Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Van in alternate body)

Bat-Bot - Cassette

Slugfest - Cassette

Esmeral

Reflector - Camera

Counterpunch - Sports Car

Cyclonus - Space Jet

Heatwave - Multiple Missile Truck (Mentioned)

Stonecruncher - Double Crane Truck (Mentioned)

Shattered Glass Autobot

Blaster - Boom Box

Rewind - Cassette

Ramhorn - Cassette

Autobot

Metalhawk - Fighter Jet

Kick-Off - Sports Car

Wheeljack - Race Car

Tracks - Muscle Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Perceptor - Microscope

Cliffjumper - Sports Car

Blaster - Boom Box (Dimensional Distortion Only)

Rewind - Cassette (Dimensional Distortion Only)

Ramhorn - Cassette (Dimensional Distortion Only)

Other

Solarbot - Cassette

Notes

• This story was made between Fun Publications and E-Hobby, and was made for the then new Shattered Glass Blaster vs Soundwave set.
• As such Soundwave's new body is based on this new toy, despite him having just gotten a new toy based on the more modern Universe Ironhide toy (which still seems to be around btw)
• This would appear to be set VERY soon after the end of Invasion, but Tracks, Jazz and Wheeljack are all shown in new bodies, and Wheeljack has had a chance to build a "mental spanner" since then.
• Also, why did the Classics-verse version of Wheeljack call his device a "Mental Spanner"? Shouldn't it be "Mental Space Bridge" or something?
• Bat-Bot is the crime-fighting alter-ego of mild mannered businessman Ratbat....sounds familiar!
• Cliffjumper can be seen being very distrustful of Counterpunch in the background of one panel...his traitor-hunting skills continue!
• Solarbot clearly comes from the Classics universe as he assumed the Autobots were heroic
• Sadly this also means that the dying star he was trying to save would have just been wiped out by Ultra Magnus and his plan....yikes!
• Cyclonus is shown up and about with Galvatron, meaning that he's been released from jail for Megatron's assassination.
• Blaster has been stuck on Earth's Moon since the end of "Blitzwing Bop"

IDW - Transformers #37

Title: Onyx Interface Part 3: ONOFFON

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez & Thomas Deer

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Thundercracker is flying over Bikini Atoll, waiting for something. Sanjay reports this to Faireborn, who just tells him to watch the situation, and to make sure he doesn't find the clone army underneath the base.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Arcee begins her stand-off with Galvatron, the Decepticons and the Constructicons, but quickly decides she can't be bothered, and flies off with Jimmy. Galvatron gives her chase, and Jimmy is abducted by Buzzsaw.

Galvatron flies Arcee into space, where they smash into a satellite, then Arcee rockets both of them down again, this time landing in the Australian outback (we know it is there because of the kangaroos!) where Galvatron says he wants to talk with her.

Prowl and Spike talk in the forest and Spike is glad that Prowl forgives him, as he assumes that he's finally seeing things his way, but Prowl tells him that he just simply sees now that the Cybertronian race is dangerous, and keeps repeating it's own dark history of wars and violence, so he wants the Enigma of Combination to stop it once and for all. He reveals to Spike that he thinks Galvatron killed his father to try and get him on his side.

Blackrock, Faireborn and Jones arrive in Wanmu where Blackrock shows them his Cybertronian artefacts, which does indeed include the Enigma of Combination, which he attributes humanity's technological advancements to.

Back in Australia Galvatron tells Arcee that Prowl killed Witwicky, shocking her, but she can't 100% deny it, Galvatron explains it as a side-effect of the Gestalt process, where it robs the components of individuality and reasoning, and proposes to her that they should team up to destroy the Enigma so that NO ONE can use it.

The two of them return to Mount Fuji, where the Decepticon's shuttle is now, and Jimmy is being held safe.

Behind the moon, Kup learns about Prowl and Arcee's separate trips to Earth from Sky Lynx and Sideswipe, despite Prime's orders, but the latter two don't see what harm could come from this little excursion....

Spike leads Prowl and the Constructicons to the Wanmu facility, where Prowl puts some of the stealth paint onto his clothing to help hide him more, when inside Spike quickly locates the trophy room, and identifies the Enigma, he reports this to Prowl, when sudddenly Prowl learns that a Decepticon shuttle is heading to the facility too from Cosmos, and that the EDC are inside the facility.

Prowl thanks Spike for his help, then forms Devastator with the others and attacks the facility. Blackrock reacts by setting off a program that launches all the Thrust and Ramjet clones from the Bikini Atoll base and sends them towards the Wanmu facility to fight the giant Cybertronian

Characters

Autobot

Prowl - Police SUV

Arcee - Sports Car

Cosmos - Orbiter

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Alpha Trion (Mentioned)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Rumble - Motorcycle

Frenzy - Motorcycle

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Ramjet Dead (Head Only)

Thrust - Jet Dead

Mini-Constructicon Dead

Scrapper - Front End Loader (Mentioned) Dead

Cybertronian

Devastator - Constructicon and Prowl Gestalt

Hook - Crane

Scavenger - Excavator

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Scoop - Front End Loader

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Jhiaxus - Jet (Mentioned)

Human

Spike Witwicky

Jimmy Pink

Marissa Faireborn

Garrison Blackrock

Agent Jones

Sanjay Bharwanay

EDC Personnel

Wanmu Facility Staff

General Daniel Witwicky (Mentioned) Dead

Gilgamesh (Mentioned)

Other

Ramjet Drones - Jets

Thrust Drones - Jets

Notes

• Galvatron is shown to be able to fly using his arm cannon, and thrusters in his feet, much like he did in the 80's movie.
• Prowl most likely knows about Galvatron killing Spike's father because he was in the computer at that time.
• Amongst the things in Blackrock's collection are a Spacebridge (most likely how the story will shift to Combiner Wars on Cybertron) and a trio of cars that look like Slicer (it could be him!) a Machination Sunstreaker clone, and a Ford Model-T that looks like the Mutation from the Sector-7 comics.
• It's implied here that the Enigma of Combination united minds, making them work better and has been used by humans to develop their technology over the years.
• Galvatron is STILL trying to blame Prowl for General Witwicky's death...could it have been just edited footage that we were shown?
• Galvatron implies here that female Cybertronians were around back in the earliest days, but were rendered extinct somehow, and Jhiaxus was just re-introducing them with his experiments on Arcee. This is backed up by the natural creation of Windblade and her friends, the female Cybertronians seen from time to time in flashbacks, and of course Solus Prime herself being namedropped.
• Jimmy is trying to explain the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" to the Decepticons, but Rumble doesn't seem to know what a movie is (which is odd since the Lost Lighters had Movie Nights in season one of MTMTE)

IDW - Punishment

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Treadshot, Brisko and Wilder are plotting a heist on Starscream's quarters to take some of his "hoarded treasures" to sell on to help them survive on this new Cybertron, unfortunately during their plotting, there are attacked by a mysterious Cybertronian, who slaughters all three of them. They are later found by Barricade and the others, who investigate their murder, but only briefly as Starscream needs to greet Optimus at the spaceport.

Optimus returns to Cybertron for a personal errand and is quickly brought into the murder investigation, and learns that some Decepticons are living outside of Metroplex in a ghetto made from the ruins of the old city. Optimus goes to visit the ghetto, but is soon ambushed by a bunch of Decepticons, led by the Firecons. Luckily however Starscream rescues him by pulling him from the crowd and into the air.

During their escape, Optimus notices one of the Decepticons acting suspicious, so he lets go of Starscream and gives him chase. The Decepticon, Heavy Barrel, runs inside his hideout to find his two bootlegging cohorts dead. He starts to panic, and flies off when Optimus arrives too, but the Autobot manages to disable him and causes him to crash. Starscream arrives a few minutes later, having broken up the mob outside, and both are shocked to find Heavy Barrel murdered as well.

Later, Windblade finds out that one of the dead Decepticons was Stratotronic, and was friends with Gutcruncher who was now running a bar in the Ghetto. She determines that there is a link between the bar, and the bootlegging, so she heads there with Optimus.

At the bar, they find Sandstorm, who has started frequenting there, as he's fell out of the Autobot way. Gutcruncher takes the news of Stratotronic's death badly, and tells Optimus and the others to leave the revenge to him.

Sandstorm decides to help Optimus with the investigation, and goes to investigate the first murder site with him, there he finds something unusual in a shell casing, but before he can explain what, Windblade calls in and reports that Gutccruncher's bar is on fire!

By the time Optimus and Sandstorm return to the bar, the whole place has burned down, with no survivors left. Sandstorm at first blames Optimus as he was helping him, but quickly calms down, and reveals that the bullet casing he found was from an Infernus Bullet. These weapons were locked down by the Autobots due to them being a very painful and horrible way to die, and Sandstorm reminds them that the Decepticons made them from reverse-engineering them from the Firecon's abilities, which could also explain who started the fire here.

The security team inside Metroplex locate the Firecons and attack their home brutally disabling them all in the process. Sandstorm is about to execute Sparkstalker, when Optimus turns up and forces him to stop.

Windblade and Starscream break into the building as well, and tell everyone to drop their weapons, and get medics for the Firecons.

By the next morning, the Firecons are in a holding cell, and Sandstorm still can't believe he almost executed someone. Windblade is feeling a bit disenchanted as well, as all she's seen so far is war on this planet that she was hoping to find help on.

Optimus determines that the Firecons are being framed, as they'd have no use for Infernus Bullets, and the fire at the bar was far too controlled for their abilities. He believes he knows who the killer is now though, and heads to the Dinobot's park, where he confronts Slug as the killer due to his hated of Decepticons and flame abilities. After a short fight between the two, Starscream calls in to report another set of murders, this time of Autobots.

At the crime scene, Optimus continues to accuse the Dinobots for the murders, and gets them angry leading to Optimus declaring that he should have had Slug and the others killed after the war, just to stop them from causing trouble during their peace, he then leaves with Windblade.

Slug returns to the park, to find the other Dinobots, and angrily says that he'll kill Optimus for what he said to him, when suddenly the park starts to blow up. Thankfully due to a series of fail safes set in place by Optimus the Dinobots are saved, and Optimus confronts the REAL killer, Sandstorm.

Sandstorm admits to everything, and reveals that he's punishing all the Cybertronians who have committed horrible crimes during the war, but were never dealt with before now. He tries to escape again, but Optimus catches him, and knocks him out, putting him under arrest.

In the aftermath, Optimus and Windblade return to the scene of the first crime, where Optimus was planning to go all along, and Optimus explains that this is the place where he because Prime (during Autocracy), but admits to her that he is truly worried about their people with loose cannons like the Dinobots still around, eager for battle, but he still needs to hold out hope for a better tomorrow...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Slug - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Chromia - Speedbike

Warpath - Tank

"Hot Spot" - Fire Truck

"Streetwise" - Police Car

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Skram - Car Killed by Sandstorm

Fireball - Dragster Killed by Sandstorm

Diver - Submarine Killed by Sandstorm

Lander - ATV Killed by Sandstorm

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Blurr - Race Car (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Barricade - Car

Sparkstalker - Mandibled Dragon

Cindersaur - Horned Dragon

Flamefeather - Beaked Dragon

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Dragon

Acid Storm - Jet

Treadshot - Car Killed by Sandstorm

Brisko Killed by Sandstorm

Wilder - Wolf Monster Killed by Sandstorm

Heavy Barrel - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Ransack - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Stratotronic - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Gutcruncher - Tank Killed by Sandstorm

Morsa Killed by Sandstorm

Blood - VTOL Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Skidmark - Motorcycle Killed by Sandstorm

Ghetto Dwellers

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy Jailed by Optimus Prime

Metroplex Civilians

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Traujorans (Flashback) Killed by Treadshot's Group

Notes

• This story explains where Optimus went to following him recent exit from Robots in Disguise (or rather the series formerly named that)
• Several of the victims in this story are made from lesser known repaint characters, or characters repurposed from other toy lines.
• Slug has been shown to have taken Grimlock's place as Dinobot leader in his absence.
• Barricade's role as a cop in this series may be a reference to his later incarnations rather than his G1 persona (such as Prime or the Movies)
• Windblade notes the irony on Warpath's (one of the "good guys") name
• There's been a statue of Optimus and a park built within Metroplex. This is clearly a recent addition since if it was there the last time Metroplex acted as the Autobot's city, then it would be in his pre-Earth body.
• Barricade explains why he still wears his Decepticon sigil. despite officially being of the United Cybertron. This could also explain why other characters, like Blurr still do the same.
• Optimus doesn't confirm or deny Sandstorm's theory that High Command knew about some of the Autobot faction's war crimes. Honestly I can believe that Prowl would know and sanction some of the exterminations taken place, and shown here.
• It's quite handy that all of Sadstorm's victims were all still hanging out in their same groups huh?
• Hot Spot and Streetwise are both seen on Cybertron here, despite being on the Lost Light, either these are just similar looking guys, or a mistake.

IDW - Drift: Empire of Stone #3

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

Hellbat gives a monologue on how he found the Army of Stone almost as soon as their group arrived on the planet, and then reveals how he's been using other Autobots and Decepticons to use their power sources to power the Army, which is otherwise inert thanks to Drift and Turmoil killing their Monks on their first visit. Hellbat reveals that he finds their long lives somewhat pointless, and wants to end it all, by using the Stone Army to wipe out both the Autobots and Decepticons.

They are about to use Ratchet and Drift for more power supplies, when Grit returns and kills one of his cohorts. A battle ensues with Drift taking on Vanquish, Grit going after Hellbat, and Ratchet dealing with the last one.

The battles wage on, but Vanquish abandons Drift, so he can save Hellbat. In the process he sends Grit flying into a wall, and leaves him plummeting down a long way. Drift and Ratchet rescue him, and the trio narrowly escape their own deaths.

Hellbat turns on a machine that activates a large number of the Stone Army, who go after the trio. Drift and the others agree that there's no way to stop them alone, so they head to Gigatron's throne room where they expose Hellbat's plans, just as the Stone Army smash in as well. Gigatron gets angry at Hellbat's betrayal and destroys the Stone Army.

In the aftermath, Drift tells Gigatron that they need to join forces to take down Hellbat, before he can unleash more of the Army on the universe.

Characters

Cybertronian
Drift - Car

Autobot

Ratchet - Ambulance

Decepticon

Gigatron - Two Headed Dragon

Hellbat - Jet

Vanquish - Jet

Grit - Truck

Grapple Guy Killed by Grit

Green Guy Killed by Ratchet

Other Decepticons

Turmoil - Tank (Mentioned)

Other

Army of Stone

Stone Monks (Mentioned) Killed by Deadlock and Turmoil in past

Notes

• Drift claims to have taken a vow to never kill again....maybe he hadn't made that pact before he went to Delphi and as willing to kill Dent etc?
• Mention is made of Hellbat's helmet-eyes, implying they are actually eyes, and aren't decoration.
• Despite all his talking, Hellbat seems kind of incompetent in battle this issue
• Vanquish is shown to have retractable swords from his wrists
• We're shown that Gigatron has his twin headed dragon mode, wonder if he has the others too?

TFCC - Hoist the Flag

Art by: Hayato Sakamoto and Josh Burcham

Story by: Marty Isenberg

Written by: Jesse Wittenrich

Editor in Chief: Brian Savage

Creative Director: Lanny Lathem

Letters by: Jesse Wittenrich

Cover Art by: Marcelo Matere and Thomas Deer

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

The Star Seeker's ship, the Tidal Wave, travels through a time-space portal, and their engines begin to overheat. Cannonball wonders where they are, because they're slightly off--course, but still continues on his mission to conquer Cybertron during a time of peace, which he believes is now, and they attack the Galadria space bridge outpost, in the Delta Prysmos sector, where they join forces with Flamewar to help them in their mission.

On Cyberion, the Knights of Cybertron (a new group not the mythical ones) are contacted about the attack, and set off to deal with the Star Seekers under the guidance of Alpha Trizer.

The Star Seekers use the space bridge to reach Outpost Galadria, which turns out to be Unicron's long dead head, but Cannonball plans to use the head to attack Cybertron, and steal all it's Energon, allowing them to conquer it easily. Devcon, who has stowed away contacts his fellow Knights to warn them about the attack, when he is discovered and attacked by Hunter and Scorponok, however Hunter wanders away before he can do anything else, having heard something.

Before Scorponok can hurt Devcon however, the Knights space bridge in as well, and attack the Star Seekers. During the battle, Alpha Trizer reveals himself to not be just an old man like he pretends to, but in fact is Cheetor, having merged with Alpha Trion, giving him power and knowledge.

During the battle, Unicron's head has been moved to Cybertron's orbit, and has begun draining the planet, but it in fact doesn't take in anything, as unknown to the Star Seekers, the planet has been turned Techno-organic in the past, and therefore no longer uses Energon. The Star Seekers and arrested and taken away.

Elsewhere, Hunter is on a planet where he hears a voice telling him to take the Matrix of Conquest, and it turns him into Shokaract, and he awaits Omega Point....

Characters

Autobots/Maximals

Alpha Trizer/Cheetor - Lion

Ginrai - Truck Cab

Apelinq - Flying Monkey

Flareup - Motorcycle

Devcon - Stealth Bomber

Volt - Car

Electro - Pick Up Truck

Other Knights

Rook - Sports Car

Battle Unicorn - Unicorn

Bonaparte Tulcas - Tank

Sky Garry - Spaceship

Autoceptor - Car

Ironhide - Humvee

Roulette - Muscle Car

Meanstreak - Dragster

Under-3 - Lion Head

Big Rescue Force - Gestalt

Motorvator Gestalt - Gestalt

Windmill - Helicopter

Red Guy Killed by Flamewar

Tread Bolt - Jet Killed by Flamewar

Strafe - Jet Killed by Flamewar

Autotrooper - Police Car Killed by Flamewar

Rodimus - Car (Imagination)

Optimus Prime - Truck (Imagination)

Primal Prime - Flying Monkey (Picture)

Blackarachnia - Spider (Picture)

Optimus Primal - Gorilla (Flashback)

Alpha Trion (Flashback)

Star Seekers

Cannonball - Van

Scorponok - Scorpion/Jet

Olin Zarak - Head

Brimstone - Flying Gun

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Hunter - Spaceship Turned into Shokaract

Ferak - Space Jet

Tornado - Gun

Chairman - Captain's Chair

Axer - Muscle Car

Eclipse - Rabbit

Rockhopper - Penguin

Navigator

Squirm

Dread Pirate Crew - Cars and Flying Cars

Others

Shokaract - Crab

Unicron's Head

Notes

• The cover for this version is of course an homage to the poster for the 1986 Transformers movie
• This whole story acts as a celebration of Botcon, and Transformers in general including references to older stories, and showcasing VERY obscure characters and toys.
• The Tidal Wave ship is based on the Tidal Wave toy from Armada
• The Ultimate Universe book the Navigator uses is a pop-up book, much like the real world "Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe" book
• Cannonball apparently likes Flamewar's flaming paint job on her breasts....that perv!
• Amongst the currency used for Flamewar's services, Cannonball pays up with Cyber Keys. Presumably they're just jewels in this universe and not "magic mushrooms"
• Ginrai's colours and occasional burning hands are probably both a reference to his "burning justice" mode, common to Japanese characters, and also to distinguish him from Optimus Prime (as the two would be identical otherwise)
• Primal Prime and Apelinq being separate by this point in time implies that a different set of events happened to those of Wreckers: Finale, as they should have fused into Sentinel Maximus and then sent to the Aurex universe by now.
• How did no-one notice that one of the Dread Pirate crew members was just Devcon in a mask?
• The date is given as 2984 (1000 years from when the Ark was woken up on Earth) this is the latest date given for the Beast Era so far (with most estimates putting the Beast Era at about 2300 or so)
• When Hunter touches the Matrix of Conquest he turns into the original Shokaract toy, rather than a new version (and also leads into the Omega Point storyline once again).