IDW - Transformers: Windblade #5

Title: Race Against the Light

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Corin Howell

Colours by: Thomas Deer

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Windblade and the others now know why the Velocitronian cities are always moving, and why they are able to survive energy-wise from just solar power...their sun literally scorches the surface of their planet. Windblade and the team race alongside the city, and manage to work together to reach an access door, and enter the city, where they meet up with Moonracer.

Inside the city, the team are told about how the only way they can get Velocitron to ally with Cybertron is to win the Benefit race that day, and to win impressively, since the current planet leader, Override, is having some problems with a rival, Ransack lately.

Ironhide escorts Blurr to the stadium, along with Moonracer, who needs to be present for the proceedings, whilst Windblade, Chromia, and Moonracer's assistant Clocker head down to Navitas' brain chamber.

In the brain chamber, Windblade is depressed to find it in disrepair, and tries to communicate with Navitas, but finds him brain damaged, since the Velocitronians abandoned him, and just rely on him to maintain the city and their needs.

Blurr enters the race, which he learns is a "no rules" event, and is soon attacked by his fellow racers, who have all been outfitted with weapons and tools to injure the others. During the race, Moonracer identifies Blurr to Override, and suggests that Cybertron may still want their alliance to happen, but Override is so far unimpressed by the Cybertronian racer.

In Navitas' brain chamber, Windblade directly accesses Navitas' brain, and uses it to cause obstacles, and ramps along the race course (since there are no rules) and manages to let Blurr win that way, since the Velocitronians weren't expecting it.

After the race, Blurr calls out Override on whether the alliance should go ahead, which Override puts to the audience. They all agree and Blurr succeeds in creating the alliance.

Windblade tells Wheeljack, back on Cybertron, but he's worried since Starscream is now getting ready to meet MORE colony representatives....

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Blurr - Race Rocket Car

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Metroplex - City/Space Ship (Mentioned)

Velocitronian

Override - Race Car

Ransack - Motorcycle (Probably)

Moonracer - Sports Car

Knock Out - Sports Car

Clocker - Race Car

Knock Out's Conjunx Endura (Prime Breakdown) - Off Road Vehicle

Roadmaster - Race Car

Navitas - Part of Delta City

Velocitronians - Racing Vehicles

Camien

Mistress of Flame (Mentioned)

Caminus - City/Space Ship (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Notes

• Moonracer was made Cybertronian ambassador because she impressed everyone by keeping up with the moving city for an entire day
• Override and Ransack, the two "leaders" of Velocitron are based on their Cybertron series counterparts. Clocker is also based on his Cybertron counterpart.
• Like how Metroplex and Caminus are being used as cities, Navitas is also incorporated into Delta City on Velocitron.
• The guards to the Benefit race appear to be based, design and colour-wise by Transformers Arms Micron Wildrider
• Racemaster appears to be based on the G2 character Rapido, but with his name from his United counterpart.
• Blurr has been turned into a vehicle similar to Cybertron series Crumplezone's in this series, rather than being a more traditional car.
• The pin in Windblade's "head-dress" is shown to be able to act as a stylus for touch-screen interfaces. Most likely in case the Titans are unable to talk properly etc, like with Navitas here.
• From the preview and past issues, we can guess that the new guests are from Eukaris (the Beast Wars planet)