IDW - Transformers: Windblade #1

Title: Combiner Wars Part 1: The Sum and its Parts

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Story by: Mairghread Scott & John Barber

Art by: Sarah Stone

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The Camiens react to the sudden appearance of Swindle and Menasor, but are easily overwhelmed by the massive combiner. Swindle starts to panic, as he only planned to rob the Camiens as Starscream suggested to him, when suddenly he realises that Starscream has played him, and that he's manipulated things to make Menasor an unstable combiner and make them a target on the planet.

On Cybertron, Optimus calls Starscream to tell him that the Space Bridge has been activated, and Starscream pretends to be shocked before heading down. Once there he orders his police force to go through the portal and attack the combiner.

Back on Caminus, Swindle tries to sneak off, whilst Menasor is being dealt with by the Camiens, when he sees the police force head through the portal, along with Ironhide and Chromia, blocking his exit.

The Autobots and police force join the fight against Menasor. Optimus tries to head through too, but Windblade tells him to stay on Cybertron until she can explain some things to him first. Chromai gets grabbed by Menasor, but Windblade manages to save her before she falls to her death. Windblade calls back to Cybertron to get the Aerialbots to come in.

At first, Starscream refuses to allow Superion to join the fight, but Optimus threatens him to have Prowl investigate him if he refuses, and so the Aerialbots are sent through the portal and instantly combine to Superion.

Superion easily defeats Menasor using his "superior" skills as a combiner and fighter. Windblade meets with the other Cityspeakers to arrange for Menasor to be separated and taken back to Cybertron for a trial, she sees the Forgefire Parliament to arrange for Starscream to meet with them for first contact, and to speak to the Mistress of Flame to discuss the existence of Optimus Prime. During this, Swindle is captured by one of the police force members, on Starscream's orders.

Windblade returns to Cybertron and has Starscream go to Caminus to make official first contact, however she talks to Optimus alone and reveals that the Camiens are extremely religious, and think of the Primes as gods, thus meaning that Optimus would be seen as a god too, especially with the Matrix in his chest. He's reluctant to head there now, a he doesn't want to mislead or manipulate the Camiens, but Windblade says that Starscream will just do it otherwise, and for all the wrong reasons.

Windblade and Optimus head to Caminus, where he is greeted as a god by thee Camiens after showing the Matrix much to Starscream's hatred, and Optimus' apparent unease..

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Ironhide - Van

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Silverbolt - Jet

Skydive - Jet

Fireflight - Jet

Alpha Bravo - Helicopter

Powerglide - A10 Jet

Air Raid - Jet (Part of Superion)

Nautica - Submarine (Mentioned)

Thunderclash (Mentioned)

Metroplex - City/Ship (Mentioned)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Race Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt Defeated by Superion

Motormaster - Truck (Mentioned)

Stunticons (Mentioned)

Camien

Mistress of Flame

Afterburner - Jet Killed by Menasor

Hot Shot - Car

Lightbright

Alpha Squadron Fliers - Jets

Pink City Speaker

Red Forgefire Parliament Member

Yellow Forgefire Parliament Member

Caminus - City (Interface Shown)

Other Camiens

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Swindle - Off Road Vehicle Arrested by Badgeless

Scoop - Front End Loader

Secret Police/The Badgeless - Jets

Blackjack - Car (Flashback)

Rattrap - Rat (Mentioned)

Cybertron Security Force (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Solus Prime (Flashback)

Prima (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• It's shown that Caminus has multiple Cityspeakers talking to it at one time, most likely to help speed up the translations, or have shifts etc
• How did Afterburner and the others not notice Menasor behind Swindle until he pointed him out?
• Blackjack is revealed to be unaligned, a former member of the Cybertronian Security force (the Badgeless?) and to have been planted with the Stunticons by Starscream for the purpose of him making Menasor unstable.
• Starscream has selected his upcoming Generations toy as his new body design (dull surprise....) but he hasn't decided on the colours yet.
• Air Raid isn't shown with the Aerialbots whilst uncombined, possibly due to his toy being unavailable in the same toy wave with the others (like Drag Strip in the previous issue)
• Superion likes to refer to Superion in the third person
• Windblade reveals that Solus Prime is INDEED connected to Caminus, and that her people worship the Thirteen Primes as gods, unlike how the Cybertronians see them.
• I wonder how the Camiens will take it when they learn that the Matrix's energies were drained when Optimus restored Cybertron?
• Windblade claims that the Camiens can all recite the names of the Thirteen Primes, this means that Optimus is likely not one of them as he is in the Aligned universe...unless he used a different name back then, before his "rebirth".