IDW - Transformers vs G.I. Joe #9

Title: Stick to your guns

Written, Drawn, Coloured and Letters by: Tom Scioli

Production by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Laird Mac Cullen, along with one of his loyal warriors and his mute brother visit a land where they seek to see some sleeping gods. The guards from a Serpent cult allow them to enter the cavern, but only if they promise to not touch anything within the cavern, or to disturb the gods.

Inside the cavern, the mute brother finds a small glowing cube on the floor and seems to be possessed by it, he inserts it into a slot, despite complaints from his brother and friend. This action actives Teletran-One, who sends out a Sky Spy drone to scan the trio of humans, who are stunned by the strange language it is speaking.

In the aftermath one of the "gods" wakes up, and scares the humans, causing them to attack it with their swords and flaming torches, during this attack, the energon cube inserted into the computer runs out, and the "god" and Sky Spy collapse. Afterwards, the humans salvage parts from the "god" assuming it was a test from the gods, and see this as their reward.

The trio leave the cavern, and are attacked by the serpents for stealing from the gods, and the Cullens are forced to flee on their boat.

The trio return to their land with their ship destroyed, and the loyal warrior dying from his injuries, once there however, the brother reveals that he has gained the ability to speak, and says that the gods have told them to "Transform".

Soon, the warrior dies from his injuries, and is given a funeral on a pyre, which lights up the night, revealing the Viking ships, who have come to invade the land are here.

The Vikings from the Giant Island Jotunheim invade the highlands, but are countered by Mac Cullen and his troops. Despite his confidence, having been gifted by the "gods" the Laird is killed by the Vikings. His brother goes to defend his body before the Vikings can get there, and uses his new invention, of a gun to kill one of the head Vikings, and he dons the stolen "god's" face before the Vikings flee the magical weapon.

Later, the brother, now identifying as Destro returns to the god's island where he learns that the serpents revealed the Highland's location to the Jotuns, as revenge for stealing from the gods. Destro uses his new gun to kill the serpents and takes over the land.

Over time, Destro has a castle built on the island, over the Ark and develops his technology there, and even uncovers the ability to surpass death by modifying his body to it's current form, and uses the technology he's acquired to supply weapons to both sides of every war since his empire was forged.

After World War 1, Destro had his castle moved to California, as he foresaw some new action happening in the near future.

Towards the end of the 20th Century Cobra Commander visits Destro and pays him off to only supply weapons to him and his Cobra army, meaning that he'll have the advantage in the war against GI Joe, to which Destro agrees

Characters

Human

Destro/Mac Cullen's Brother

Laird Mac Cullen Killed by GI Jotuns

Mac Cullen Clan Warrior Killed by Serpent Druids

Aberneth the Hawk-Helmed

Thor FalkenHauser Killed by Future Destro

Cobra Commander

Baroness Swin Suit Models

Cobra Vipers

Mac Cullen's People

Giant Island Jotunheim Vikings

Cybertronian

Mini-Cassette Guy Destroyed by Mac Cullen and team

Teletran-One

Inert Transformers on the Ark

Other

Serpent Druids

Notes

• Surprisingly, this issue is probably the best of the series...that doesn't mean it's good, it just isn't as brain-smackingly bad as the rest so far.
• Once again, the front cover has absolutely nothing to do with the contents.
• The Cobra cult guys are most likely related to Koh-Buru-Lah in some way.
• The Ark's location and condition is very similar to it's G1 cartoon counterpart.
• The Transformers in the Ark use familiar character models, but due to colours they are unidentifiable
• One of the things stolen by Mac Cullen is a Transformer's face, which is later used for Destro's robotic face.
• It's unclear how future Destro gained the ability to speak...it may be due to the Sky Spy unit, but it seems unlikely since there's no reason for it's scan to fix his muteness.
• The ancient Joes (from Giant Island Jotunheim) are shown to be an invading Viking army who like to kill and even have some very rapey faces when they prepare to finish off Destro and his brother.
• How did Destro get the time to design and build his gun? The Vikings appeared just after the funeral, which appears to have happened just after they returned home!
• It turns out Destro's whole empire of weapons production etc has been made from using the technology he's claimed from the Ark.
• The ladies on the last page all look like Baroness, but in swim-suits, much like how similarly dressed women are used in (mostly) American TV shows to show off glamorous prizes.