TFCC #67 - Of Masters and Monsters Part 1

Plot

It's been five years since the Humans from the Classicsverse were transported to a new Earth by Gaea, but everyone is still unsure about what happened. When they arrived on the new planet they found the place deserted, but with buildings and facilities all completed.

Spike witnesses a car crash, but manages to save a man and his daughter with the help of the disguised Crossblades and Vroom. The trio run away before the police can arrive, as Transformers are unwelcome here now. Unknown to them, a man with silver streaks in his hair is watching the group intently.

Spike and the others return to their apartment where they find Metalhawk and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is talking to Spike's brother Buster over a social media device called @mosferik where they discuss how Spike and the others need to find jobs to help them with their covers as normal humans. Buster's son Galen interrupts the call, and Spike takes the opportunity to avoid the awkward conversation again, and ends the call.

Later, the group head to a restaurant for dinner where they wonder if they can actually manage to discover anything about this new planet, despite them not having any luck in the past few years. They finish their dinner and head outside, where they are attacked by a mugger, who wants their money. The Autobots have already spent all their money on their food however, and suddenly a gunshot goes off, and blood is spilt, much to Spike's shock.

Elsewhere, Ramjet is fused with a rock in space, and he's lost contact with his master Unicron (thanks to the Multiversal walls being closed) so he decides to act on his own. He uses up the energy he's been storing for a few years and rebuilds himself into a new body (his new toy) and decides to go after a signal he's just picked up of something that has been touched by evil nearby....

Characters

Autobot

Metalhawk In Human Pretender Suit

Crossblades In Human Pretender Suit

Vroom In Human Pretender Suit

Skyhammer In Human Pretender Suit (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime - Truck (Picture)

Fortress Maximus/Cerebros (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Ramjet - Fighter Jet

Human

Spike Witwicky - Cerebros' Head

Elizabeth

Buster Witwicky

Jesse Witwicky

Galen Witwicky

Silver Streaked Hair Guy

Mugger

Civilians

Ximena (Mentioned)

Blackrock (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet (Mentioned)

Notes

• This year's comic storyline (judging from the internal front cover) is to advertise the Figure Sub Service set for this year
• As such, I would assume that the currently mystery silver-streaked hair guy is something to do with the mystery sixth figure.
• In this issue we learn that the Classicsverse Earth's animals were sent to this new Earth as well.
• Despite them seemingly getting along from the previous comics, it looks like the Classicsverse Humans hated the Transformers....huh....
• The Pretenders using Human-sized bodies that look realistic is likely a reference to Transformers: Masterforce, where the Autobots were able to do so (and they were led by Metalhawk there too)
• Elizabeth is most likely the same character as Lisa from the Marvel era comic "Rhythms of Darkness". This is based on appearance, her apparent connection to Spike, and that Lisa is a potential shortening of Elizabeth.
• Buster is now in a high-up position, whilst Spike is lower, much like their counterparts from the prematurely ended G1 comic from Dreamwave.
• Buster and Jesse's son Galen is named after the Galen from Nebulos whom Spike replaced as Cerebros' head.
• Spike says that he forms a "dead alien robot's" face implying that Cerebros and/or Fort Max have died at some point before they left the Classicsverse
• Ramjet was last seen being sent into another dimension by Vector Prime during the Balancing Act storyline. He's revealed here to have survived the trip, but it doesn't look like his Mini-Cons were as lucky...
• The "something else" that Ramjet has detected could be almost anything right now. I would hazard a guess that it's either Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus following his exile, Cryotek, who was mentioned as probably winding up in this same dimension, or the Dark Matrix beast from Regeneration One/Marvel comics, especially since the Thunder Mayhem combiner comes with a Matrix as part of the set.
• In SD SG, Nautica's colour scheme is based on Cybertron series Thunderblast. Hot Shot seems to be based on Smokescreen for some reason (not sure though) and we don't see enough of Metroplex to figure out his colourscheme.
• From the dialogue here it states that the events of Invasion happened "9 years ago" and this story is set 5 years after the Classicsverse Humans were transported to this new Earth. This all adds up from a real-world perspective, but the events in the comics themselves make this a bit odd. If the Classicsverse Earth was in the Shattered Glass universe for 4 years by the time of "Another Light" then why were they acting like it had all only just happened?

Other Features

Rubber Soul Article on an aborted Battle Beasts style Transformers toyline

Upcoming TCC Exclusives Preview of the upcoming Ramjet and Skywarp toys

FSS 5.0 Preview Preview of next year's set, showing off Paradron Medic and Double Pretender Optimus

Cold Casted Part 1 Article on the Hard Hero statue series

True Victory Part 1 A look at the development of the Victory TV series, focusing on Jan.

Character Profile Ramjet's profile for the new comic story and upcoming toy

SD SG Minicomic Nautica and Hot Shot deal with Metroplex wanting a cameo in a comic

Valentine's Day Sale Advert Again, I got this AFTER the event :'(

TFCC #66 - Another Light Part 6

Title: The Future Buried...

Writers: Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair

Pencils & Inks: Eryck Webb

Colours: Evan Gauntt

Letters: Jesse Wittenrich

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

The heroic Decepticons head back towards the Classicsverse Earth, as Galvatron has had a bad feeling about the planet since the walls around the Multiverse were closed off, and feels that he, and the others need to go there to help. Ultra Mammoth, on Earth, tells Galvatron that there's nothing happening, when suddenly a wave of energy hits across the planet and all Humans and Pretenders with Human-like shells are vanished, confusing everyone.

Under the Ironworks base, Perceptor and Wheeljack examine the Rarefied Energon pool and notice that it's starting to change, almost like it is alive...

On Cybertron, Nova Prime and his "Knights of Unicron" have arrested the evil Autobots, but Unicron contacts Nova and warns him that Rodimus is still alive and is about to enact a horrible plan.

Suddenly the entire planet begins to fall apart, Nova gets knocked down a panel, but manages to hang on by his axe. Rodimus reappears and declares himself the new Prime, and tells his Autobots to leave the planet as it's too dangerous to stay on now.

Moments later the Autobots have left the planet on the shuttles and Sky Lynx whilst the planet finishes it's change...into the physical form of their creator god Primus! Primus is glad to see the stars again, but decides that the Classicsverse Earth, that is sitting in orbit of Cybertron is in his way, so he attacks.

Primus' first target on Earth is the Ironworks base, which he easily destroys using a laser from orbit. Galvatron's shuttles arrive in the area, where they are horrified to find Primus attacking the foreign Earth, and then they too are attacked by their own god.

On the planet, the remaining Transformers are preparing to meet their fates, since their only shuttles were destroyed in the Ironworks base, but Grimlock manages to evade Primus long enough to get back to the planet and rescue the stranded Transformers, allowing them all to leave safely.

Primus prepares to unleash his full power on Earth, when suddenly the now uninhabited planet explodes and a large female Transformer emerges from it's rubble, declaring herself Gaea, and as Primus' "sister". Gaea explains that the Thirteen hid her inside the Classics Earth, just in case she was ever needed for battle, but she is shocked that she has to face off with Primus of all possible threats.

On Primus' body, the Knights of Unicron manage to rescue the still dangling Nova Prime, and they prepare to help Gaea against Primus. Primus attacks Gaea at full power, but she's able to easily deflect his attacks, she manages to blast out one of his eyes, whilst Nova Prime and his team take out the other one, blinding Primus in the process, before they fly off to safety. Primus contacts Rodimus for help, but the new Prime declines the request, simply saying that he'd be no help against her. Gaea finally shoots her brother in the back, destroying this dark version of him entirely, save his head.

In the aftermath, Gaea transforms into a new Cybertron, and Primus' head becomes a new moon for the planet. The good Autobots and Decepticons repopulate the planet and live in peace, with the Knights of Unicron acting as guardians for the planet. The factions have no put aside their weapons in favour of peace, and plan to rebuild their lost civilization...

From the shadows however, the Classicsverse Megatron has arrived on this new Cybertron, and begins his plans to conquer the world....

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Mammoth - Mammoth

Wheeljack - Race Car

Perceptor - Microscope

Grimlock - Raptor

Ironhide - Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Warpath - Tank

Scoop - Front End Loader

Vroom - Dragster - Motorcycle Shell Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

Metalhawk - Jet Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

Skyhammer - Car - VTOL Jet Shell Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

Crossblades - Dragster - Helicopter Shell Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Megatron's Troops

Knights of Unicron

Nova Prime - Truck

X-Brawn - Personnel Carrier

Checkpoint - Pick Up Truck

Autotroopers - Pick Up Trucks

SG Decepticon

Galvatron - Rescue Helicopter

Starscream - Jet

Octopunch - Hovercraft

Treadshot - Sports Car

Cyclonus - Jet

Cyclonus - Space Shuttle

Straxus - Tank

Needlenose - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Hun-Grr - Two Headed Dragon

SG Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Drift - Race Car

Blaster - Boom Box

Goldbug - Sports Car

Rewind - Cassette

Ultra Magnus - Truck Cab (Mentioned) Sent to Alternate Universe

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned) Turned into Nova Prime

Other

Gaea - New Cybertron (Formerly Earth)

Primus - Cybertron Destroyed by Gaea

Unicron - Ringed Planet (Voice Only)

Aquarius

Tracer - Gun

Spike Witwicky - Cerebros' Head Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

All Classicsverse Humans Sent to Alternate Earth by Gaea

Inhabitants of New Cybertron

Acolytes of Unicron

The Thirteen (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story finally concludes the plot line of the Rarefied Energon that began in the third year of the comic.
• In case you never noticed it, most of the action and dialogue in this comic continues to paraphrase the 1986 Transformers Movie.
• Rodimus officially takes on the "Prime" title now.
• Primus' robot mode is based on his Cybertron Supreme class toy, but in Unicron's Energon series colour scheme.
• Primus attacking Earth (in a way similar to Unicron's attack on Cybertron in the Movie) could be a reference to an early draft of the Movie where Unicron did indeed attack Earth instead of Cybertron.
• So....did Grimlock rescue the Classics Decepticons as well? I can't really see Gigatron and the others being rescued by the SG Autobots, nor by Grimlock and his crew.
• Gaea being the core of Earth, and an enemy of Cybertron is likely a reference to the Aligned continuity version of Unicron
• Nova and his crew use their guns as propulsion whilst flying, much like how G1 Galvatron commonly does.
• Megatron's troops are heavily shadowed, but we can probably assume they have some relation to his crew from the Beast Wars: Shattered Glass series.
• Gaea sent the humans, and human-like beings on her surface to another Universe to keep them safe from her transformation. It's also revealed in the next storyline that she sent the animals along too.
• SG Scourge appears to be using the usual G1 character model by mistake in this issue.
• After Spike vanishes his Headmaster control helmet is seen falling from where his head was, but he wasn't wearing the helmet....
• Ironhide is seen behind Grimlock on the Autobot shuttle, but he's coloured in grey and blue.
• Strongarm's colour scheme on the back page appears to be based on the Gobot Crasher...I would like a toy of this!
• Windblade's appears to be based on Chromia's for some reason.

Other Features

Interview with Kristy Wu (RID2015 Windblade)

Another Time and Place Part 2 A look into futuristic alternate modes from G1

Teletraanic History Records Information on Megatron/Galvatron and Optimus/Nova Prime

Profile Images Updated images for Nova Prime and Galvatron, but no new information.

SD SG Minicomic SG Strongarm tells SG Windblade about her new awesome computer game.

Holiday Sale Buy some toys for cheap this Xmas! (Of course this magazine arrived in FEBRUARY FOR ME!)

IDW - Transformers #49

Title: Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Josh Perez & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Galvatron now has Blackrock in his grasp, under the belief that he is an undercover agent of Onyx Prime's. Skywarp wants to leave before anyone else can arrive to challenge them, but Galvatron wants to have fun and kill everyone. Faireborn manages to get control of the Ark, and gives control back to the Autobots, and lowers the shield around the ship.

On the Ark, the Autobots are taking on the invading Decepticon army, when they discover they have control of the ship back. Arcee decides they need to return to the bridge and land the ship on the Moon, then deal with the Decepticons,

On Cybertron, the Autobots are fighting off the Decepticons as they go through the space bridge, but Wheeljack is able to use a back-door in the system and shuts it down, whilst one of the Decepticons are half way through, leaving him in two halves.

The Autobots on the Ark continue on their way to the bridge, but along the way Arcee is crushed up against a wall by Brawl. In the bridge, Sideswipe hides Alpha Trion inside a closet to keep him safe whilst he heads to the controls, however when he reaches them, he is hit by an exploding bomb. Needlenose and Brawl enter the bridge and take control. Sideswipe tries to stop them in his heavily injured state, but Brawl simply executes him on the spot. Brawl changes their plan now, by instead of taking the ship to the Jupiter commune, he redirects it to Earth.

Soundwave is annoyed when he learns about this change of plans, but soon learns that this was all Galvatron's plan from the start. Back on Earth, Skywarp teleports himself, Blackrock and Galvatron, against the latter's wishes to Shaghai where the Ark is heading to now.

Back on Cybertron, the stranded Decepticons go to attack the Autobots when they are easily thrown away by a newly arrived Victorion, backed up by Optimus, Superion, Aileron and Starscream.

Optimus and the others plan to put a stop to Galvatron's plans, by putting an end to war in it's entirety on Earth...

On the Jupiter commune, Soundwave is distraught that his plan for peace has failed, and apologizes to Cosmos and Sky-Byte for his failures, but warns them both to prepare for war, as the other Decepticons will go up against all of them now.

The Ark manages to land in Shaghai, and the Decepticons exit the ship to be greeted by Galvatron and his troops. Galvatron announces to the humans in the area that they are there to conquer them, however he is interrupted by Optimus Prime, who exits the space bridge with a small army, and officially annexes Earth into the Cybertronian Council of Worlds, and will protect it against Galvatron and anyone else who comes against it.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Cosmos - Orbiter

Jetfire - Jet

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Jazz - Sports Car

Arcee - Sports Car Crushed by Brawl

Sideswipe - Sports Car  Blasted by Brawl

Alpha Trion

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Wheeljack - Race Car

Tracks - Sports Car

Ironhide - Van

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Slug - Triceratops (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Skywarp - Cybertronian Jet

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Rumble - Motorycle

Frenzy - Motorcycle

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Brawl - Tank

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber Captured by Badgeless

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Sky-Byte - Shark

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Flamefeather - Bird Monster

Onslaught - Tank

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster

Decepticon Rioters

Camien

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Aileron - Flying Vehicle

Sterling - Car

Swift - Helicopter

Neutral Cybertronian

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Bob

Badgeless Officers

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Ayana Jones

Spike Witwicky

Shanghai Civilians

President Xi Jinping (Mentioned)

Other

Garrison Blackrock

D.O.C.

Buster the Dog

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Notes

• It's confirmed now that Skywarp IS still suffering from his phasing problems, he's just been removed from the ship's engines.
• Tracks survived from his fatal-looking gun shot wound caused by Brawl
• Considering that his brain module, T-Cog and spark would have been in his upper half, it's likely that the Decepticon sliced in half by the space bridge did actually survive.
• Um....did they REALLY just horribly kill off Sideswipe?!
• Swift appears to have fully embraced the violent Decepticon culture now, not even showing emotion when Brawl seemingly executes Sideswipe.
• In a funny bit of book-ending, Dreadwing is left behind by his team on Cybertron again, just like he was after Dark Cybertron.
• Victorion, Windblade and Chromia reference their previous meeting during "Combiner Hunters". Chromia's comment on how their knowledge of each other not being a long story COULD be a reference to how it was a one-shot story.
• Why was Sterling randomly in the space bridge control room? Was he with the Decepticon rioters maybe?
• Some of the construction workers in Shanghai wear Spike and Sparkplug's uniforms from the G1 cartoon's first 2 seasons.
• I can understand Blitzwing, Astrotrain and Skywarp using thrusters to stay flying, since they all have aerial modes, but why can Galvatron, Rumble and Frenzy?

IDW - Sins of the Wreckers #3

Written and Drawn by: Nick Roche

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

In the past, on Cybertron, Prowl visits his secret Neutral ally, Mesothulas in his lab where he reports that his new invention, the "Decepti-Bomb" was a success, and the survivors of an attack by it all assumed it was a Decepticon weapon, and have all joined the Autobots out of radicalization. Prowl begins to wonder whether he's being ethical, and thinks that he can't keep manipulating people like this, however Mesothulas interrupts him and shows him his newly created Noisemaze portal, which he had originally tried to get made as a prison that causes suffering, and asks if Prowl thinks it's any good....

In the present, Verity and the Wreckers are inside the Noisemaze, but the Transformers, except for Claw Jaw and Hubcap are all in pain from the effects of the maze. Claw Jaw starts cackling and Verity asks him and Hubcap what's going on.

Elsewhere, Mesothulas shows himself to Prowl in his new body, a giant spider, and reveals that his name is now Tarantulas. Tarantulas explains that he wants to show Prowl something, and he only went after the Aequitas files since he knew it was the only thing that would catch his attention, and make him listen to him, he then takes Prowl elsewhere in the complex.

Back in Nome, Alaska, the battle is continuing, and Carnivac appears and watched the fight, he receives a message from Leobreaker inside Tidal Wave, who says that he's discovered what's jammed Tidal Wave's T-Cog. Carnivac has Tidal Wave convert back to whale mode and retreat with the others so they can sort out the problem.

In the aftermath, the Wreckers wonder what to do next, when Kup reveals the identity of Prowl's captor. Impactor recognizes the name, and has Guzzle and Kup return to Debris immediately.

Tarantulas gives Prowl a tour around his facility and reveals that he built all of this for Prowl to use in his plans to dominate the Cybertronian species, by making him a perfect undetectable army, and powerful weapons.

Inside Tidal Wave's T-Cog room Leobreaker explains that Stakeout got himself trapped inside the gears and jammed it during Tidal Wave's conversion. Carnivac dismisses Leobreaker and takes Stakeout's hand, and waits with him until his death as they reminisce over their time spent under Ultra Magnus' command in the past.

Back in his lab, Tarantulas states that he and Prowl need each other to survive, he needs Prowl to keep giving him new projects and ideas to make, and Prowl needs him as he was addicted to seeing what happened from those devices. Prowl denies all of it, then muses that he wasn't supposed to have survived what he did to him. After being shown the Noisemaze portal, Prowl attacked Tarantulas, and knocked him into it, and destroyed the lab in the process.

Taranulas explains that he survived the Noisemaze by using a "back door" he created in the system in the form of a personal jumpgate, however it took a long time for him to react to the situation due to the maze's effects. By the time he escaped, the lab and everything inside it was destroyed.

After his betrayal, Mesothulas decided to continue his work in secret and travelled to Earth where he took samples of Ore-13 and created a new substance, Obtenteum, which was used for his new organic bodies, whilst on the planet he also became obsessed with Earth's wildlife, especially the spider.

Tarantulas asks Prowl what happened to their shared creation, Ostaros, a fully artificial Cybertronian lifeform, and Prowl states that he made him pass off as an Autobot, and he died in the war. Tarantulas gets angry and threatens to cause Prowl extreme agony if he refuses to join him, but Prowl still refuses. Tarantulas leaves the room, simply hoping that Prowl hasn't lied to him about Ostaros.

Inside the Noisemaze, Claw Jaw is still cackling away, and begins to taunt Verity about Hubcap's true allegiances, but Hubcap disables his neural blocks, and kills the squid-bot, and just claims that he was annoying him.

Verity begins to ask Hubcap to project some mental defences on the other Autobots, but then has another one of her pain spasms, but Hubcap reaches out to her, praises her f trying to expose Prowl's amoral actions, but asks her to be brave for just a short while longer...

Back at Debris space station, Impactor is digging up his own grave, where he explains to Kup what the Noisemaze is, since Prowl explained it to him some time ago. They prepare some mental shields and dampeners etc, whilst Impactor unearths another gateway to the Noisemaze that was buried there.

Later, Prowl is sitting in the dark when he starts hearing the voices of Springer, Arcee and Roadbuster coming from nowhere, he wanders in the darkness until he comes to a room where he finds the three Autobots, and Verity strapped to some devices, which Tarantulas explains is his new version of Aequitas, called Impetus, a device that extracts guilt from it's users and exposes it for all to hear. Hubcap is also now standing with Tarantulas as his open ally.

Characters

Autobot

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Arcee - Sports Car

Springer - Helicopter/Car

Roadbuster - Armoured Jeep

Hubcap - Sports Car

Stakeout - Police Car Crushed by Tidal Wave's T-Cog

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Impactor - Tank

Guzzle - Tank

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Mentioned)

High Command (Mentioned)

Judge Tyrest (Mentioned)

Mayhem

Carnivac - Wolf

Tidal Wave - Whale/Tank

Leobreaker - Lion

Claw Jaw - Squid Killed by Hubcap

Cybershark - Shark

Stamp - Rabbit

Decepticon

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Neutral Cybertronian

Tarantulas/Mesothulas - Spider (formerly Motorcycle)

Ostaros (Flashback) Supposedly died during the war

Jhiaxus - Jet (Mentioned)

Human

Verity Carlo

Notes

• Mesothulas' body appears to be a new character model design, but from what we can see (and based on Tarantulas' common past alternate modes) he probably turns into a motorcycle of some sort.
• Prowl uses the radiation suits previously seen in Spotlight: Kup in the opening flashback.
• It's revealed that Mesothulas designed Aequitas.
• Tarantulas' modern body is based on his Transmetal toy design, but with an organic look, rather than mechanical.
• Tarantulas states that he is not really affiliated with the Mayhems, he just supplied them with their new disguises, and is using them as soldiers for now.
• From Prowl's dialogue it sounds like he did indeed destroy his copy of the Aequitas files.
• Tarantulas developed the Mayhem's perfect organic disguises by using some of Shockwave's Ore-13 and adding onto previously created simulated organic forms, such as those seen in Spotlight: Shockwave, and also creates a cloaking device around the spark.
• The Mayhems are also apparently fitted with mass-shifting devices to explain how they can better infiltrate the animals (such as Stampy turning into a small bunny)
• Amongst the organic body frames in Tarantulas' lab are what looks like a horse, a shark, a bison and maybe a kangaroo.
• Leobreaker is named after the Autobot from the Cybertron series, but is designed after the "big cat" mold used in Beast Wars, such as by Cheetor and Tigatron.
• Carnivac is revealed to have been a former Autobot cop working under Ultra Magnus along with Stakeout.
• Stakeout claims that Magnus missed Carnivac after he defected to the Decepticons. Carnivac thinks this is a lie, but considering how attached Magnus is shown to get to people in recent years this could be true!
• The spider that Tarantulas examines in the past to get his inspiration for his alternate mode is actually based on Black Arachnia's Beast Wars toy.
• I get the feeling that Prowl may have lied about what happened to Ostaros.
• It's highly likely that Hubcap actually made Claw Jaw's head explode on purpose, as none of the Autobots had their heads explode when exposed to the Noisemaze's effects.
• Also, I totally called that Hubcap was involved in Prowl's disappearance back in issue one!
• After this issue there will be a couple of months of hiatus due to personal reasons for Nick Roche.

IDW - Sins of the Wreckers #2

Written and Drawn by: Nick Roche

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

On Cybertron, Optimus thanks Prowl for showing him the error of his ways, by following his every suggestion, and making Cybertron a peaceful world without Decepticons. However this is all a fantasy, and Prowl finds himself tied up in some spider-webs in a dark room, where he is greeted by a voice from his past, Mesothulas. Prowl is shocked that he's still alive, but refuses to talk to his old "friend", so Mesothulas tells him to get cozy, as he'll give him a reason soon.

At the warehouse, the Wreckers are arguing with Arcee over her implication that Verity or Kup know what happened to Prowl. Stakeout gives Verity her old exo-suit again to help her keep warm, when all of a sudden she becomes sick again, and needs to step outside, Stakeout follows her to make sure she's kept safe.

Outside, Stakeout finds Verity on the end of a dock where she says that she understands why he left her before, but is glad that he's back, and admits that she's scared. Suddenly however a rabbit appears and steals her back, containing the Aequitas files. Stakeout chases after it across the frozen water and Verity goes to inform the Wreckers so they can help too.

Verity reaches the Wreckers and tells them what happened when Kup faints, only to wake up again suddenly, but controlled by Prowl from his prison using the Mind-Uplink he had implemented when Kup was revived in the past. He tells them that he's being held by Mesothulas, that he detected sea water on his body before entering his current location, so he's probably on an off-shore facility, and tries to warn them about the effects of the Noisemaze, all before being suddenly cut off from his communication. Hubcap reports that he detects no other Cybertronian life-signs in the area for them to go after.

In the Wildernesses, Guzzle and Impactor are patrolling when they come across a polar bear, who seems to instinctively attack the two invading tanks, Guzzle takes this as a challenge and shoots the innocent creature, which Impactor admonishes him for, until it turns out that the polar bear is actually Polar Claw, a Transformer, whom Impactor allows Guzzle to take on.

Stakeout follows the abnormally fast rabbit into a gap in the ice, where he finds it swimming into the mouth of a waiting whale he decides this needs to be reported back to the others.

Back at the warehouse, Kup is back to himself, but has now learned about all the Autobots he killed during the rescue missions to save him, distressing him to no end. Arcee still thinks that Verity and Stakeout have something to do with Prowl's disappearance, but is soon shut up when Stakeout reports in about the rabbit and the whale, then relays that more sea animals are appearing from the whale's mouth as well. The group put their differences aside and head out to Stakeout's location.

Along the way to the battle site, Springer begins to ask Verity why she was blackmailing Prowl, but she changes the topic to whether Springer dreamt during his coma, which he confirmed that he did, and his dreams were about Garrus-9. Verity begins to tell him what's happened to her, but before she can, Springer is attacked by a wolf from the ground.

Springer is forced into robot mode, but manages to grab Verity in his arms, and crashes down to the ground. Carnivac reveals himself and explains that he leads a group called the Mayhem, and starts to explain to Springer that they are trying to bring down the oppressive command structure amongst the Autobots and Decepticons, and also explains that his Outlier abilities allow him to paralyze and force-convert an opponent.

Impactor and Guzzle arrive, along with Polar Claw's dead body, which Carnivac allows them to keep, as he is already dead and serves no further use to them. However once Carnivac is gone, Guzzle tears the corpse in half and drains him of energon, causing a power surge in the Autobot. Springer is shocked by this, having recovered from his attack, but decides to use Guzzle as a weapon against the Mayhem.

The other Wreckers and Arcee arrive at the break in the ice, where they start shooting into the water and attack the whale, Tidal Wave. The other three Mayhems, Stampy, Claw Jaw and Cybershark leap out of the water and into robot mode, which somewhat confuses the Autobots, since they STILL cannot detect any Cybertronian lifesigns from them. The groups begin to battle, with Tidal Wave even converting into a tank mode to join the battle. Duiring the battle, Tidal Wave tries to transform to his robot mode, but is stuck halfway through, leaving some areas exposed.

Springer and the others rejoin the group and join the battle. The team head inside Tidal Wave, minus Kup, Impactor and Guzzle, who continue the fight outside, and take an injured Claw Jaw along with them.

The group are led down a corridor where they locate a gate, which Claw Jaw says they need to use to reach Prowl, so they enter it, into the Noisemaze...

Back in his holding area, Prowl is woken up by Mesothulas again, but he still refuses to engage with his captor...until Mesothulas shows Prowl the copy of the Aequitas files now in his possession, which finally catches the Autobot's attention....

Characters

Autobot

Prowl - Police Vehicle Imprisoned by Mesothulas

Arcee - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Springer - Helicopter/Car

Impactor - Tank

Guzzle - Tank

Roadbuster - Armoured Jeep

Hubcap - Sports Car

Stake Out - Police Car

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Fantasy)

Perceptor - Tank (Mentioned)

Mayhem

Carnivac - Wolf

Tidal Wave - Whale/Tank

Stampy - Rabbit

Claw Jaw - Squid Captured by the Wreckers

Cybershark - Shark

Polar Claw - Polar Bear Killed by Guzzle

Decepticon

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Flashback)

Neutral Cybertronian

Mesothulas (Voice Only)

Tyrest (Mentioned)

Human

Verity Carlo

Notes

• Just going to announce this here, my comic reviews have been a bit missing recently due to my comic supplier going bankrupt. Hopefully things should be back to normal soon though :)
• Originally it was planned for the positive-reinforcement prison that Mesolthulas uses on Prowl here to be used in Garrus-9 for the prisoners instead of Spark extraction, but Prowl found this method too humane.
• I would do speculations on he identity of Mesothulas here, but since I already have issue 3 I know it's Tarantulas, explaining the speech patterns and spider webs etc.
• Verity still owns her exo-suit that she was given by Ultra Magnus.
• When Prowl is controlling Kup, the energy coming from Kup's eyes resemble Prowl's forehead crest.
• The Wreckers and Arcee learn about Prowl implanting a mind-uplink into Kup here, and are obviously pissed off about the abuse.
• Again, I know what happened due to me owning issue 3 already, but when Prowl's communication is disrupted, you can clearly see Hubcap doing something to his head, much like he does next issue when he uses his abilities!
• The polar bear from last issue and the bunny rabbit from the start of this story are revealed to be Cybertronians, along with several others based on Beast Wars Maximal characters.
• Along with the Maximal re-purposes, Carnivac is based on his G1 character, but with a new character model, and Tidal Wave is clearly based on his Armada design, but with a new whale and tank alternate mode.
• Verity reveals that she went to Nome so she could see the Northern Lights before...whatever is happening to her takes it's toll.
• The effect given to Guzzle after drinking Polar Claw's energon resembles what happened to Razorbeast in Beast Wars: The Ascending when he was dosed with Angolmois energy.
• The final shot of the issue shows Prowl's face lined up against the Autobot insignia on the Aequitas data-slug, which is very apt since the Autobot insignia was designed based on Prowl's toys face.

Fun Pub - Cybertron's Most Wanted

Writers: Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair

Pencils/Inks: Matt Frank

Colours: Thomas Deer

Letters: Jesse Wittenrich

Plot

It's a normal day in Axiom Nexus when suddenly a small group of Decepticons and Evil Autobots disrupt the peace by driving through a pedestrian area, however they are stopped when they run into a group of Seekers. Whilst trying to get past them however one of the Seekers identifies one of the problem-starters as a Megatron, causing a small panic. However before anything more can happen, the group are captured by the Offworlder police force.

The group are taken into custody, where a member of the Convoy (a group of Optimus' and other leaders formed to help keep the peace in the Multiverse) named General Prime agrees with the Seeker that he could be a Megatron, despite Cheetor's insistence that it's impossible for one to breach the ban on high ranking individuals (Shockwave, Ultra Magnus, Megatron etc) in Axiom Nexus, but General Prime isn't sure still.

In their holding cell the group meet up with Oilmaster and Packrat, who were previously imprisoned, and they end up working together to escape, exploiting the Transtech's lack of knowledge on Oilmaster's Double Pretender status, they send his smallest component  to disable the power to the complex, allowing them to escape.

At first the plan seems to fail, but suddenly the power is completely down, allowing the group of criminals to attempt an escape. Along the way they take down several Autotroopers and Blast Charge guards and blow their way out, only to find the exterior power is also down, implying that it wasn't Oilmaster who actually knocked out the power, and rather something outside. The group decide to head back to their base in the tunnels under the city.

Back inside the complex the prisoners are rioting and General Prime learns from Cheetor that all the Transtechs have been knocked out due to a power surge in the main computers, which all Transtechs were linked up to. The only reason Cheetor and Stungun were spared was because they were disconnected from the main system at the time. Cheetor orders General to investigate what's happening at the planet's core, and to resolve the issue before the public find out about it. General orders Bruticus to take control of the jail again, whilst he and Sergeant Hound head out to investigate.

In the tunnels. Burn Out and Lift-Ticket are investigating something, when C-81's crew return and they're scared off further into the tunnels. The group assume they are with the security forces and arm themselves up, to get ready for the upcoming raid.

Instead of the raid from security however, some insect-robots attack the group from the shadows, and begin to swarm them under their commander's orders. The group fight them off, but decide to evade them after a short while. During their escape, Scalpel examines the body of one of the dead insects and discovers that they've been eating some of the old metals at Cybertron's core, and probably caused the power-outage.

After a while, the group are led into the insect's lair, and end up trapped and injured, however they are saved when General Prime and Sergeant Hound appear, and Lift-Ticket and Burn Out make another appearance too, revealing the insects to be Waruders. They say that the Waruders have poisoned the main computers by eating into it and spreading their venom into it, but it can be reverse if they get a sample of the venom from their commander.

The groups join forces and fight the Waruders, and joining the battle it's revealed that Lift-Ticket and Burn Out are actually just piloted mech suits run by Humans, simply disguising themselves as Transformers for this mission. The battle ends when C-81 directly attacks the commander, and hints to him that he knows of a place where they can go to have all the old metal they could possibly want to eat.

Soon, C-81 has made a deal with the Waruders, that in exchange for some of his venom, they will send the Waruders to one of the many abandoned Cybertrons in the Multiverse, so they can live in relative peace. The Diaclone humans are unhappy with this, but are somewhat happy that they now know what the Waruders like the eat, so they can use that for traps etc now.

General Prime and C-81 part ways on good terms, with General claiming that he'll just pretend that his crew got away after the battle, and he plans to drop his pursuit of him as a Megatron.

General and Prowl leave, and C-81 seems happy, despite them not getting anything for their actions in the long-run, they did save the world, and they had an adventure, so that was enough...then Packrat mentions that he stole one of the cop's credit sticks, much to the ire of his companions.

Later, General relays the events of his adventure to the rest of the Convoy and some Transtechs, and claims that C-81 and his team escaped, but that he was also wrong about C-81 being a Megatron too. Afterwards, Starscream issues orders to the Convoy members to sort out some issues that cropped up during the invasion, such as repairing the tunnels, settling some Insecticons down (they feel the Waruders are an invading faction of bugs) and to rejail the rioting prisoners.

Afterwards, Beast Prime assures General Prime that he and the others will leave C-81 alone, and that if he's earned his trust, then he's earned theirs too.

General looks out over Axiom Nexus and comments on how everyone has the capacity for change, as Axiom Nexus is perfect proof of.

Characters

Autobot
SG Stepper - Sports Car
SG Nebulon - Gun
G1 Black Convoy/Nemesis Prime - Sports Car
G1 Sentinel Maximus - Truck
G2 Hero Prime - Truck
RID Ignition Prime - Fire Truck
General Optimus Prime - Armoured Jeep
Sergeant Hound - Front End Loader
RID2015 Strongarm - Police Cruiser
RID - Prowl - Police Chaser
G1 Blastcharge Strika Drones - Tanks
G1 Kiss Players Autotroopers - Sports Cars
RID2015 Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex
G1 Clipper - Sports Car
G1 Tap-Out - Porsche
G1 Generations Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet
G1 Legends Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet
G1 Doublecross - Two Headed Dragon
Kreon Scrounge
Off-Worlder Ultra Magnus' (Mentioned)

Decepticon
Movie C-81/Megatron - Armoured Truck
Movie Scalpel - Dual Bladed Weapon
Movie Boombox - Cannon
Movie Heavyweight - Mace
G1 Battletrap - Helicopter/Armoured Car
G1 Oilmaster - Pretender Shell, Van and Jet
Galaxy Force Gasket Police Type - Police Motorcycle
G1 Skywarp - Fighter Jet
G1 Nacelle - VTOL Fighter Jet
G1 Redwing - Fighter Jet
G1 Acidstorm - Fighter Jet
G1 Thunderwing - Fighter Jet
G1 Action Master Thunderwing - Fighter Jet
G1 Sunstorm - Fighter Jet
G1 Hotlink - Fighter Jet
G1 Bitstream - Fighter Jet
Movie Hailstorm - Multiple Rocket Launcher Truck
Alternators Decepticharge - Sports Car
G1 Flamewar - Motorcycle
G1 Lugnut - Bomber Plane
G1 Minicon Overbite - Wolf
TFA Scalpel - Microscope
G1 Slugfest - Cassette
G1 Hellbat - Jet
Kreon Straxus
Movie Fearswoop - Fighter Jet
Cybertron Undermine - Spinosaurus
Off-Worlder Shockwaves (Mentioned)
Off-Worlder Megatrons (Mentioned)
Insecticons (Mentioned)

Maximal

BW Packrat - Ratackrat - Rat
BW Leo Prime/Lio Convoy - Lion
BW Beast Prime/Optimus Primal - Gorilla
BW Ramulus - Ibex
BM Primal Prime - Treaded Vehicle/Jet/Ape
BW Prowl - Owl

Predacon

RID Predacon Bruticus - Chimera Dragon
Prime Blight - Land Dragon
BW Antagony - Ant

Transtech

Starscream - Jet

Cheetor - Race Car

Stungun

Prowl

Rhinox - Crane

Rattrap

Silverbolt - Jet

Heinrad

Andromeda (Hologram)

Cryotek - Tank (Mentioned)

Other Transtechs

Diaclone

Lift-Ticket Mech  Tow Truck Damaged by Waruders

Burn Out Mech - Van

Spy-Eye - Camera

Waruder

Beet-Chit - Stag Beetle Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Zaptrap Mech - Stag Beetle Damaged by C-81

Buzzer - Wasp Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Storm Rider Mechs - Wasps Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Paralyzer Mechs - Wasps Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Parasite Mechs - Wasps Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Mudfighter Mechs - Wasps Sent to Parallel Cybertron

Other

Dia

Cline

Other Off-Worlders

Primus (Mentioned)

Xal (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the comic made to "advertise" the Botcon 2015 boxset and souvenir sets
• Even Axiom Nexus has a hoard of Seekers...just like every collector's dusty toy shelf!
• C-81's appearance and Mini-Con partner Scalpel would place him as from about the Dark of the Moon era of the movies.
• Things start to get a bit confusing here as Prowl from Robots in Disguise appears in the same panel as Strongarm from Robots in Disguise 2015! Why is life hard?
• Oilmaster is based on one of the proposed Double Pretender toys from the G1 toyline. This would explain why the Transtechs wouldn't know too much about his technology's design since it was an aborted project originally.
• One of the things found in the holding cells was a Matrix of Leadership from the Movie-verse...why is it there?
• The under city of Axiom Nexus (where most Offworlders live) uses artificial solar rays to keep it alight. This does make some major sense really, since the buildings shown in the art would be too high to allow light to naturally reach the lower depths. Clever old Transtechs! Clever!
• Burn Out and Lift-Ticket are designed on the pre-Transformer versions of Hoist and Skids from Dialone.
• Also, the human names "Dia" and "Cline" are also based on the original concept of the robots being piloted mechs rather than sentient, and of course...their names are based on the line too.
• The Waruder's were a villain faction in Diaclone (same as here) which were remade as the Insecticons for Transformers.
• Battletrap now acts as a Triplechanger instead of a modular robot, much like how Flywheels has been redesigned the same way in IDW.
• Oilmaster's shell can bleed....that is worrying!
• Black Convoy, aka Nemesis Prime, is the same character who appeared in the Balancing Act arc from the TFCC Magazine. He's been off in the Alternity continuity recently, and has been "reborn" as an Autobot (I had to look it up as I haven't followed the Japanese exclusive continuities recently)
• Despite being, presumably, Maximals, Lio Convoy/Leo Prime nad Optimus Primal/Beast Prime are the same size as their Autobot counterparts
• Ignition Prime/RID Optimus Prime is using his yellow Universe "Sam's Club" repaint. This is probably to bring more variation to the colour schemes in the group shots.
• Spy-Eye, one of the Diaclone robots has apparently decided to remain in Axiom Nexus...wonder if this will lead to more adventures with the Diaclone guys?
• Why is Primal Prime allowed to wander the streets of Axiom Nexus? Isn't he classed as an authority figure? He is the living embodiment of the Matrix after all!