Panini - Armada #9

Cover Date: 31 Dec 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: Dawn of Destruction

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Stephen Baskerville

Colours: Nigel Dobbyn

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

Cyclonus crashes on the Moon, following his failed mission with the Autobot Mini-Cons, and is soon found by the Destruction Team...

Later, at the Decepticon HQ, the Decepticons are concerned about Cyclonus not contacting them, and Megatron is annoyed since he's lost most of his new base in this endeavour, and doesn't even have the Autobot Mini-Cons to make up for it.

Leader-1 detects Cyclonus approaching, and soon the Decepticon, now being controlled by the powerlinked Destruction Team, attacks the Decepticon base, destroying it.

The Decepticons confront Cyclonus, and are willing to kill their ally to destroy the rogue Mini-Cons, resulting in a battle between them.

Before Cyclonus, controlled by the Mini-Cons, is about to kill Megatron when Starscream turns his new sonic disruptor weapon on him, forcing the power links to be removed, freeing Cyclonus from their control, and the Mini-Cons run away to dafety.

Later, Starscream contacts the Destruction Team, and proposes an alliance between them to take down Megatron...

Characters

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Mini-Con

Leader-1 - Cannon Truck

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Blackout - Anti-Aircraft Vehicle

Dualor - Battle Tank

Buzzsaw - Buzzsaw Truck

Drill Bit - Drill Tank

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Counter-Strike!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Simon Williams

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colours: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

In the distant past, on Cybertron, the Decepticons are attacking Mini-Con villages to gather supplies for their experiments.

Elsewhere, the Mini-Cons are holding an emergency meeting to plan a way to stop the Decepticons, the Destruction Team plots to rig the Autobot base with explosives, and send out a message to the Decepticons to head there, as it is filled with Mini-Cons, but when they arrive, they will just be destroyed, along with the Autobots as collateral damage.

Later, the plot is set and the Autobase is attacked by th Decepticons. The Mini-Cons prepare the explosives, but Sparkplug, whilst seeing the merits of killing Megatron, he can't allow the deaths of the innocent Autobots.

Just before the explosives are set off, Sparkplug sends a warning to Optimus about the explosives, allowing him and the Autobots to escape, unfortunately the Decepticons are far enough away to avoid most of the explosions, and Dualor ows revenge on whoever warned the Autobotss about their plans...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Smokescreen - Tow-Crane Truck

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Thrust - Fighter Jet

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Dualor - Battle Tank

Buzzsaw - Buzzsaw Truck

Drill Bit - Drill Tank

Jolt - Helicopter

Liftor - Fork-Lift-Bulldozer Truck

Commetor - Moon Buggy

Skyblast - Rocket

Ransack - Pick-Up Truck

Spiral - Race Car

Mirage - F1 Race Car

Dirt Boss - Stock Car

Generic Mini-Cons

Notes

• This was the final issue released due to dwindling sales, the next official UK Transformers comic series would come out in 2007 with the Titan movie comics.
• Cyclonus plummets to the Moon at the beginning from the end of the previous issue, placing this issue directly after that story.
• The Destruction Team's familiarity with Cyclonus and the mention of Punishment Cubes seems to be references to the Dreamwave comic, but we all know these two series don't fit in continuity together.
• Cyclonus appears to destroy the Decepticon's new base here...well that lasted a long time!
• Starscream's sonic destabilizer sure is a powerful weapon! I bet that if the series ever continued it would have never turned up again!
• It's revealed that the Destruction Team have been hiding in the old Mini-Con shuttle...so I guess they were woken up by Optimus when he got Liftor and Rollbar to reactivate, but just ignored his requests for help....yup!
• Commetor finally makes an appearance, despite Jetfire appearing much earlier in the series.
• It irks me that only SOME members of the Race and Space teams appear here
• Again, despite the front cover, Thrust have a VERY minor role in this comic!
• How did the Mini-Cons rig the Autobase with explosives with no one noticing?

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Mini-Con Marble Madness! - Destroy the comic to make some crappy targets

Data File #17: Jetfire

Cyber Puzzles - Various "puzzles"

Cyclonus Upgraded! - Pull-out puzzle of Cyclonus against the Decepticons

Cyber Space! - Article on more upcoming toys

Data File #18: Commetor

High Wire's Festive Fun Factory! - Make some Christmas things!

Starscream's Hate Mail! - Read the mail and stuff!

Next Issue...

Whilst this was the last issue released, there were more planned, the next issue would have included the Adventure Mini-Con team, finding Sideways, and presumably leading up to some Unicron Battles plot lines.

Panini - Armada 8

Cover Date: 3 Dec 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: Earthshaker!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

On the Moon, the Decepticons have completed their new base, which includes a working missile silo, which Megatron has decided to aim at the Autobot base.

On Earth, the Autobots learn about the missiles from their  Moon-based allies and worry about what to do since their space bridge is still broken, but the Mini-Cons have an idea to help them.

On the Moon, the Decepticons receive a message from the Mini-Cons about them surrendering on the condition that they leave the Autobots alone. Megatron agrees and sends Cyclonus to pick them up, but confiding in Starscream that he intends to renage on their deal and kill the Autobots anyway.

Cyclonus heads to Earth to pick up the Mini-Cons, whilst the Earth Autobots try to fix the space bridge, and the Moon Autobots infiltrate the Decepticon's own space bridge control room.

After Cyclonus completes his mission, and begins to head back to the Moon, Megatron orders for the missiles to be launched.

On Earth, Hot Shhot manages to repair the space bridge, and links it to the Decepticon's own one, sending the missiles through the portal and into the Decepticon base, causing them to suffer major damage, as the Moon Autobots escape.

The Autobots are ready to celebrate, but are worried about how they will rescue their Mini-Con friends from the Decepticons now....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Smokescreen - Tow-Crane Truck

Scavenger - Bulldozer

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Lost in Space

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils and Inks: Lee Sullivan

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Nicholas Norman

Plot

On their way to the Moon, the Mini-Cons break out of their cages and open the exterior door to see the Earth getting further away. Sparkplug and High Wire head outside to sever the cable, but in the attempt Sparkplug gets knocked into space, luckily however, Jolt jumps out, shocks Cyclonus with electricity and rescues Sparkplug, the Mini-Cons return to the pod, where they slowly return to the planet.

Characters

Decepticon

Cyclonus - Helicopter Knocked out by Jolt

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Jolt - Helicopter

Longarm - Crane

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skakeboard

Notes

• The Decepticons have finally built their Moon Base, unlike in the cartoon though, it isn't built from the remains of the Mini-Con shuttle, it's completely new constructs
• ....wait...where did they get the materials for those buildings?
• AND WHERE DID THEY GET MISSILES?!?
• Megatron's character model has been slightly modified from this issue on, as his tank treads are tilted back a bit now.
• Also, Starscream has rejoined the team since his attempted coup.
• So turns out, Scavenger and Smokecreen have been hanging out on the Moon since the last time we saw them...where have they been hiding?
• Wait....if it only took a few minutes to fi the space bridge on Earth, then why didn't they just try to fix it when they really needed it a few issues ago?!
• Why do the Decepticons have a capsule clearly designed to hold Mini-Cons in, including internal lighting? Where did they get that?
• This issue really makes you wonder HOW Cyclonus' rotors work in the void of space?
• The Mini-Con pod has a working parachute....where did that come from?

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Laserbeak: The Eye in the Sky! - Information on the tiny Autobot.

Data File #15: Red Alert

Cyber Puzzles! - Various puzzles to "enjoy"

Earthshaker! - Pull-out puzzle of the Autobots chased by missiles

Cyber Space! - Article on combining toys, and other random stuff.

Data File #16: Longarm

Mini-Con Breakout! - Various puzzles based on the side story

Starscream's Hate Mail! - More mail! MOAR!!!!!

Panini - Armada #7

Cover Date: 5 Nov 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: The Two-Edged Blade

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

Starscream ambushes the Air Defence Team, and manages to take control of them by suppressing their personality chips, and forcing them to combine into the Star Sabre, so he can use it to usurp Megatron.

Elsewhere, the kids and Street Action Team are playing outside, when Starscream attacks them, intent on taking the Mini-Cons to help with his attempt at leadership. The Street Action Team combine into Perceptor and engage Starscream in battle, whilst the kids go for help.

Perceptor is able to hold off Starscream for a while, but is easily outmatched by the Decepticon. Before he can capture them though, the Star Sabre starts to over-load and causes a storm to rage. Optimus appears, having been summoned by the kids, and he explains that only the Air Defence Team can control the power of the sword, and has Starscream re-engage their personality chips, so he can reach them and have them separate.

Starscream retreats, leaving the Mini-Cons behind, and the good guys celebrate their victory, just as an elderly man appears behind them, ready to pass on a message....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Mini-Con

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet

Runway - Stealth Jet

Sonar - Space Jet

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Perceptor - Street Action Team Gestalt

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Reverend Amos Hume

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Sale of the Century!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils and Inks: Lee Sullivan

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

At Area 54, the now closing ERTD are trying to make money from their assets, and are showing off the Land Military Team again, but (of course) they "malfunction" again and attack the humans.

Luckily, the Autobot arrive with the Air Defence Team, and manage to disable the ERTD devices inside the Land Military Team, freeing them from their control.

Shortly afterwards the new Mini-Cons are taken to the Autobot shuttle, where Wreckage is reunited with Amos Hume, who reveals that he kept his promise to give Wreckage''s message to his allies, and learned that it was a locator code, allowing the Autobots to find them.

In the aftermath, the Autobots leave, and the remaining ERTD members are left behind, waiting for the authorities to arrive and deal with them.

Characters

Autobot

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Mini-Con

Wreckage - Twin Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier

Bonecrusher - SCUD Missile Truck

Knock Out - Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet

Runway - Stealth Jet

Sonar - Space Jet

Human

Reverend Amos Hume

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Doctor Quint

Hathaway

ERTD Personnel

Military Buyers

Notes

• Again, despite this issue's cover, Megatron is no where to be seen...it is Starscream who goes after the Star Sabre.
• The Air Defence Team's combined mode has a colour scheme similar to the Dark Star Sabre, this also happened in Dreamwave too!
• When Starscream attacks the kids and their Mini-Cons, the Star Sabre is nowhere to be seen....was it hidden behind his back?
• Unlike in Dreamwave, the Street Action Team actually combine into Perceptor here! The team DO combine during the Dreamwave Energon comics, but that's using their Energon toy models of course.
• In the Land Military article, we see the team linked up to Megatron, this never happens in the comic, but they do join with them in the cartoon.
• The ERTD guys failed in controlling the Mini-Cons in 1959, and without any visible modifications they try it again in 2003.....
• The Air Defence Team appear to have joined the Autobots in the side story.
• Hot Shot is the Autobot who pilots the Mini-Cons to the others, he is also the Autobot who is allied to the Star Sabre in the cartoon
• This issue concludes both the Land Military and Air Defence Team storylines....we see neither group again!

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Cyber Space! - Article on upcoming episodes and showcasing a website

Data File #13: Cyclonus

Red Alert's Clinic! - Learn what sort of a person you are...I'm type B according to this...

Star Sabre: The Ultimate Weapon! - Pull-out poster

Meet: The Land Military Team! - Article on the Mini-Con team

Data File #14: Crumplezone

Robo Dreams! - Decipher what character the Mini-Cons are thinking of.

Starscream's Hate Mail! - More mail!

Panini - Armada #6

Cover Date: 8 Oct 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: Between Two Worlds!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Lee Townsend

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Decepticons land on the Earth's Moon and start searching for any Mini-Cons from when the ship crashed there in the past.

The Autobots earn about this from Laserbeak, but the Autobots on Earth cannot reach there by Space Bridge (for some reason) so they have some of their Cybertron-based troops head there using THEIR space bridge instead. Scavenger and Smokescreen are sent through, but are immediately attacked by the Decepticons.

Optimus launches a probe to the Moon, controlled by some Mini-Cons, and uses it to locate the Mini-Con's crashed shuttle, and then use an activation signal on it.

Elsewhere on the Moon, the Autobot reinforcements are badly beaten by the Decepticons, but are saved by the newly activated Liftor and Rollbar, who help them to turn the tide of the battle.

Optimus tells Megatron, via a communication that they have all the Moon's Mini-Cons now, so the Decepticons retreat, leaving the Autobots behind.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Scavenger - Bulldozer

Smokescreen - Tow-Crane Truck

Jetfire - Space Shuttle

Laserbeak - Camcorder/Gun

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

Jolt - Helicopter

Liftor - Forklift-Bulldozer Truck

Rollbar - Jeep

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Blast from the Past!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Keiron Ward

Inks: Lee Townsend

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

At Area 54 in 1959, the ERTD are showing off their new military hard ware, the Land Military Team, to some Military generals, but during the test runs, the Mini-Cons "malfunction" and start attacking with live-rounds instead of blanks. They are locked away for tests, but later in the day they manage to escape.

The Mini-Cons make their way to a small village where Wreckage manages to give a human a message to pass on later, but is quickly captured with the others by the ERTD and taken away.

In 2003, the same human, now older, is watching the news when he sees footage of the Air Defence Team saving the day in Chicago and realizes that it is now time to pass on the message to them.

Characters

Mini-Con

Wreckage - Twin Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier

Bonecrusher - SCUD Missile Truck

Knock Out - Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet (Video Footage)

Runway - Stealth Jet (Video Footage)

Human

Reverend Amos Hume

Hathaway

Professor Tyber

Doctor Quint

Doctor Grant

General Guy

ERTD Personnel

Notes

• Story time again! This was the only other issue of this series that I collected back in 2003. So the storyline from the end of this (to my knowledge anyway) went unfinished for about 13 years....YAY!
• The Decepticons establish their base on the Moon in this issue. In the cartoon they do this from the start of the series
• Why didn't they do this earlier? They figured out in ISSUE TWO that more Mini-Cons could be on the Moon!
• Starscream is absent in this issue, most likely due to his involvement in the Air Defence Team plot from last issue, and the next one.
• Despite the cover, Jetfire doesn't join the others in heading to the Moon, he stays on Cybertron
• So...the Autobots have been shown to have space bridge technology, that can reach Earth and the Moon etc with great ease, even in this issue, and they are also shown to have communications with Cybertron established....why did the Autobots on Earth use a rocket-probe to reach the Moon? Wouldn't it be easier to just bridge to Cybertron, and then to the Moon??
• LIFTOR EVEN DOES A SHORT DISTANCE SPACE BRIDGE TO GET TO SMOKESCREEN! WHAT THE FUCK ARMADA?!?!
• Rollbar doesn't get a real introduction in this issue, he just appears in Scavenger's cab in one panel, and then stands with the others in the last one.
• What?! I could have won a Superbase Optimus Prime from this comic? Why did I buy one from Tesco like a fool then??
• How have the ERTD kept the Transformers a secret since at least 1959? They're terrible!!
• Next issue we learn that the human in 1959 is a reverend named Amos Hume. The only clue to this in this issue is the church in the background in this issue.

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Data File #11: Smokescreen

Rescue Mission! - Puzzles!!

Moon Battle! Pull-out poster of the Autobot reinforcements on the Moon

Mini-Con Code Wheels! - Destroy the comic to make some decoder wheels

Data File #12: Liftor

Starscream's Hate Mail! - Starscream takes over the letters page and insults us! YAY!!!

Panini - Armada #5

Cover Date: 10 Sept 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: Devices and Desires!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Air Defence Team chase after a crashing satellite, but manage to curb it away from a populated area, and dump it into the ocean, however the team notice that the damage looks a bit unusual, and almost deliberate.

Before they can finish their thoughts, Starscream appears and begins attacking the team, and manages to plant a small device on Jetstorm, all whilst monologuing about how he plans to use them to bolster his own troops for a planned coup against Megatron.

The Autobots arrive. and Starscream is scared off. Despite their help however, the Mini-Cons still refuse to join the Autobots, as they don't want to be aligned to anyone. Optimus understands and promises to help them in the future if they ever need it.

None of them are aware that the device planted by Starscream is a tracking device, allowing him to follow the Mini-Cons wherever they go...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Mini-Con

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet

Runway - Stealth Jet

Sonar - Space Jet

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: We are not alone!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Keiron Ward

Inks: Lee Townsend

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Air Defence Team arrive at a NASA base, intending to steal/borrow some deep space technology to help them get off the planet and escape the war yet again. Before they can explore however, the team are attacked by some well-armed humans who knock them out.

A short while later, the Mini-Cons are taken to Area 54 where they are being examined by scientists. Once the scientists leave the Mini-Cons wake up and plot their escape. Jetstorm looks through the computers and finds out about some more Mini-Cons that were captured in the past.

The team leave, just as the humans return, but now have a new mission to complete before they can leave...find and rescue the Land Military Team.

Characters

Mini-Con

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet

Runway - Stealth Jet

Sonar - Space Jet

Wreckage - Twin Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier (Schematics Only)

Bonecrusher - SCUD Missile Truck (Schematics Only)

Knock Out - Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier (Schematics Only)

Human

ERTD Personnel

Scientists

Notes

• Fun little anecdote time! This was the FIRST Transformers comic that I ever bought (the others before this were recent buys from another collector). So you can blame this one for this blog :)
• The front cover of this comic lies! There are no scenes set in space! This is a trend that is continued throughout the series now....damn publishers trying to trick me into buying their silly magazines <.<
• This is the first time in this series that Starscream starts plotting against Megatron. It continues until the end of the series (but is never resolved)
• Jetstorm claims that the Air Defence TEAM aren't team players.....does anyone else notice the irony?
• The human soldiers in the side story are unnamed here, but future issues will name them as the ERTD (Extra-Terrestrial Response Division). The name's strange abbreviation is akin to RAAT from the Marvel days.
• Just because the ERTD have the Land Military Team in their custody, that shouldn't mean they know how the Air Defence Team work...they have totally different alternate modes, and are even outfitted to combine, unlike the others.

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Secret I.D. Badges! - Destroy the comic to make some crappy paper badges (so that's where Titan got the idea!)

Data File #9: Starscream

Brain Drain! - Puzzles!

Terror in the Skies! - Pull-out poster of Starscream vs the Air Defence Team

Meet: The Air Defence Team! - Profile info for the team

Data File #10: Swindle

Hot Shot's Hot Mail! - Hot Shot reads the mail again

Panini - Armada #4

Cover Date: 13 Aug 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: No Way Back!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Autobots have decided that the safest place for the Mini-Cons is back on Cybertron, so they have opened up a space bridge for them to return there, and wait for more of their missing friends to join them later. The Human kids don't like this plan, since it means they're out-powered by the Decepticons.

Before they can leave however, the Decepticons attack, intent on taking the Mini-Cons for themselves. The two factions fight, but when the Autobots are about to lose, the kids tell them that they sent the Mini-Cons through already.

In actuality though, the Mini-Cons were just hiding, and with the Decepticons distracted, they attach to the Autobots and help them defeat their enemies. The Decepticons retreat, but destroy the space bridge on their way out, stopping the Mini-Cons from leaving in the future.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

Jolt - Helicopter

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Leader-1 - Cannon Truck

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Into the Lion's Den!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils and Inks: Lee Sullivan

Colour: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Autobot allied Mini-Cons infiltrate the Decepticon's current base, under a deserted town and find the Decepticon allied Mini-Cons. Sparkplug tries to free their captive "friends" but they simply attack them, revealing that they are willingly serving the Decepticons.

The Autobot allied Mini-Cons escape and are picked up by Rad in an Autobot shuttle. Sparkplug gives up on the Decepticon allied Mini-Cons.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

Jolt - Helicopter

Leader-1 - Cannon Truck

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Crumplezone - Tank

Blackout - Anti-Aircraft Vehicle

Human

Rad White

Notes

• The Autobots sending the Mini-Cons back to Cybertron in this issue somewhat mimics the Transformers returning to Cybertron at the end of the Armada Dreamwave comics to face off with Unicron.
• Why did the Autobots build their Space Bridge in the middle of a field, where they would be easy targets for the Decepticons, and not hidden somewhere?
• The Decepticon hide-out in the side story features a red Decepticon insignia...this was before the creation of the Shattered Glass continuity, but it's still funny.
• Unlike the Decepticon controlled Mini-Cons in Dreamwave, their counterparts here are shown as just as evil as the bulks.
• Jolt has some electrical powers here, just like his name-sake from Revenge of the Fallen....was Michael Bay inspired by an old UK comic?!?!

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Awaken the Mini-Con! - Locate and "awaken the mystery Mini-Con

Data File #7: Hot Shot

Protect the Space Bridge - Colour in a picture of the Autobots defending the Space Bridge

Megatron! - Pull-out poster...guess who it is of?

Demolishor's Combat Training! - Learn how to be evil with Demolishor!

Data File #8: Jolt

Mini-Con Robo-Race! - Play spot the difference to win the Air Defence Mini-Cons!

Hot Shot's Hot Mail! - hurr hurr, the picture of Sparkplug here has a willy!

Panini - Armada #3

Cover Date: 16th July 2003

Price: £1.75

Main Story

Title: Deep Trouble!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colours: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

The Humans and Mini-Cons travel back into the cave where the Mini-Con ship sits, as the Autobots need a locator inside it to help them find the other Mini-Cons before the Decepticons can, unfortunately though, the Autobots are too big to enter the cave themselves.

Inside the cave, they soon find the locator, but Demolishor breaks through the cave walls and begins the attack the group. The Mini-Cons try to hold him off, but are too weak. Rad distracts Demolishor before he can finish off the Mini-Cons by stealing the locator and leading him into the tunnels.

The humans run away in the tunnels, but drop the locator near a weak area that Rad knows about. The vibrations from Demolishor's treads set off a reaction that destroys the locator (not sure how, but comic science!)

The humans and Mini-Cons leave the tunnel, and Optimus is okay with the locator being destroyed, since the Mini-Cons will make themselves known in their own times now.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Decepticon

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Mini-Con

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Longarm - Crane (Flashback)

Runway - Stealth Jet (Flashback)

Jetstorm - Concorde Jet (Flashback)

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Tales of the Mini-Cons...

Title: Just a Memory!

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Kieron Ward

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colours: Junior Tomlin

Letters: Neil Porter

Plot

School finishes for the kids, but as they go their separate ways afterwards, their partner Mini-Cons follow them in secret.

Rad is in detention for not paying attention in his chemistry class along with Fred and Billy, whilst there, the bullies tamper with Rad's chemicals, which makes High Wire remember when a compound for clean fuel he created on Cybertron was tampered with by Decepticons, to cause extra pollution on the planet. High Wire gets angry and grabs the bullies out of the window and knocks them around a bit. Rad takes the opportunity to escape from detention.

Elsewhere, at the mall, Carlos is planning to show off some new skateboard tricks to his friends, when Grindor remembers himself showing off his skills on Cybertron, so he decides to help Carlos to show off by replacing his skateboards and helping him perform impossible tricks. Carlos gets angry and has Grindor take him out of the mall.

Outside they run into Rad and High Wire, and soon Alexis, who says that Sureshock overloaded the observatory computers by trying to fill it with Cybertronian data.

The Mini-Cons explain that they're only trying to help the humans and learn from them about Earth customs. Rad promises that he'll help them to learn, which worries the other kids....

Characters

Mini-Con

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Sparkplug - Sports Car (Flashback)

Longarm - Crane (Flashback)

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Billy

Fred

Chemistry Teacher

Skaters

Pedestrians

Notes

• Starting with this issue, we get 2 comic strips, a main story and a side-story starring the Mini-Cons
• Despite the cover, the only Decepticon who appears in either comic is Demolishor.
• Why does Demolishor has a buzzsaw? It's not the Mini-Con Buzzsaw, so where did it come from?
• Also that buzzsaw looks more like a wood cutter, it's far too thin to break rocks like that!
• The tracker is designed like the Mini-Con panels from the cartoon. In this series, like the Dreamwave one, the Mini-Cons are kept in stasis pods or similar devices, and not the panels
• Awwww the Mini-Cons have tiny blasters!
• How did Billy, Fred or the teacher not notice High Wire either lingering in the area, grabbing the two bullies, or transforming and allowing Rad to escape?
• The data file for Demolishor actually shows off his "artillery mode". This is quite cool :)

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Make your escape! - Solve the puzzles to leave the page...er....cave....

Data File #5: Demolishor

Aerial Assault! - Colour in a picture of the Autobots being chased by Decepticons

Super Optimus Prime! - Pull-out Poster

Escape from Planet Cybertron! - It's a board game to play! The back cover has ut out counters, but really, wouldn't it be more fun to play with Armada series Mini-Cons?

Data File #6: Blackout

Hot Shot's Hot Mail! - More mail, let's hope Starscream steals it from him soon!

Panini - Armada #2

Cover Date: 18th June 2003

Price: £1.75

Title: Friends and Foes!

Story: Simon Furman

Pencils: Andrew Wildman

Inks: Bambos Georgiou

Colours: Junior Tomlin

Lettering: Neil Porter

Plot

Optimus continues his assault on Optimus on Earth, but is easily able to defeat him, the other Decepticons arrive soon afterwards, and are immediately ordered to search for the Mini-Cons.

Nearby, the Humans and Mini-Cons are hiding, but Rad gets restless, and points out that the Mini-Cons can't just live their lives in fear of the war, and some times you need to fight for your lives, and not just hide away.

Elsewhere, Megatron asks the injured Optimus where the rest of his troops are, but soon deduces that they are on the Moon, since the signal bounced off of it, due to another transmitter there, meaning there's more Mini-Cons or their ship at least up there.

Rad appears on a hill above them, and tries to bargain for Optimus' life for the location of the Mini-Con ship, Megatron grabs Rad and orders him to locate it for him. Whilst this is happening, Carlos sneaks into the cave, to investigate the ship for more Mini-Cons himself.

Rad is rescued from Megatron by the Mini-Cons, who have decided that Rad was right, and they need to help the Autobots if they want to survive.

Despite the help though, the Mini-Cons aren't strong enough to take down a full sized Decepticon, but luckily Optimus activates a device that summons Hot Shot and Red Alert to the battlefield to join the fight. The Mini-Cons pair up with the Autobots, and lend them their power, allowing them to tip the scales against the Decepticons and win the fight. The Decepticons retreat.

In the aftermath, Optimus thanks the humans for their help, and Carlos leaves the cave and says he's found a load of Mini-Cons and other things inside.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

Jolt - Helicopter

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Leader-1 - Cannon Truck

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Notes

• Hey look! Demolishor's found himself into the comic! Where have you been? Tell me your stories friend!
• Megatron's plan was to SHOOT at Rad, and THEN ask him to take him to the Mini-Con ship.....this is his first encounter with Humans, how did he know shooting near him wouldn't pop his bubble skin or something?!
• Optimus has a hand held space bridge activation controller.....WHY DON'T WE SEE THIS AGAIN!?!?
• Despite them powerlinking, and this being the whole gimmick for the Armada line, we never see the effects of Mini-Cons being connected to the Transformers, such as the pop-out weapons etc.
• Carlos mentions that he's found more Mini-Cons in the crashed ship, but as we see next issue all he found was an empty ship, and a Mini-con tracker, which he would have no way to identify!
• In this issue and the previous one, Alexis has a bare minimal role...I think someone forgot she existed!

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

Screen Scramble! - Unscramble an image of Optimus

Data File #3: Megatron

Incoming Fire! - Colour in a picture of the Autobots being shot

Hot Pursuit! - Pull out poster of the Decepticons chasing Hot Shot

Grid-Locked! - Solve a message from the Decepticons

Cruel Intentions? - Follow the arrows to see what faction you belong on (Mine was Decepticon)

Data File #4: Leader-1

Motorway Mayhem! - Guide Red Alert to the Autobot Base

Hot Shot's Hot Mail! - Hot Shot reads the mail!

Panini - Armada #1

Release Date: 21 May 2003

Price: £1.75 (FUCK YOU 2003!!!)

Comic Title: First Encounter

Script: Simon Furman

Pencils: Jon Mitchell

Inks: Bambos Georgiou and Martin Griffiths

Colours: Uncredited

Lettering: Neil Porter

Plot

On Cybertron, the Autobots are fighting against the Decepticons, but are losing the war, due to the Decepticons having Mini-Cons to augment their power. The Decepticons have the only Mini-Cons still on the planet as all the rest left on a ship to escape the war. The Autobots are staying alive due to hiding most of the time, but still wonder where the Mini-Con ended up, but also hope to never see them again, so they can be kept safe from the battles.

On Earth, some human kids are exploring a cave, when they find some metal structures inside it, whilst inside, they are trapped by some bullies, and accidentally trigger a computer that sends out a beam of energy into space. The two kids are escorted out of the cave by the newly awoken Mini-Con, High Wire, and they meet up with a third kid outside. High Wire tries to communicate with the kids in English, but is having issues learning it.
Before he can learn though, Megatron appears through a space bridge and threatens the kids and the Mini-Con. High Wire scans Rad's bike and takes on a form based on it, and tries to escape from the Decepticon with them. Megatron is faster than him though, so he easily catches up with the kids, but is stopped by a newly arrived Optimus, who was also alerted by the signal. The two Transformers begin their fight,. but Megatron has the upper hand due to his Mini-Con, Leader-1.

Rad and the other kids are taken to see some more awoken Mini-Cons by High Wire, and they are told about how the Mini-Cons were captured by Decepticons and modified to be used as power sources by them, and now they're just trying to escape the war, and they crashed on the Moon, leading to part of the ship falling to Earth a long time ago.
The Mini-Cons, though they know Optimus needs their help, decline to assist them, as they CANNOT re-join a war that they already escaped once, and leave Optimus to his beating....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Mini-Con

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Longarm - Crane

Jolt - Helicopter

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Leader-1 - Cannon Truck

Dirt Boss - Stock Car (Flashback)

Human

Rad White

Carlos Lopez

Alexis

Fred

Billy

Notes

• When this series came out I was 17 years old...do I have the right to judge a series that was around when I was still in school? Then again this series was aimed towards kids younger than I was, and I am currently 30...so yeah!
• Demolishor never appears in this comic (though he does appear in the other articles)
• The Transformers had their Earth modes before they arrive on Earth, this is notable because they all HAD Cybertronian character models from the Armada cartoon.
• Despite him having the Powerlinx ports visible, Megatron is shown fulling Swindle out of Starscream's body, rather than from the port.
• Alexis is shown using a skateboard here, she SHOULD be using a scooter for Sureshock to scan later.
• AHH!! Talking Mini-Cons!! Oh wait...the Dreamwave Mini-Cons could talk as well...I'm just so much more used to he cartoon, especially from when this was released.
• The experimentation scene in Sureshock's flashback is based on a similar scene from the Dreamwave comics, except that the Mini-Con (Dirt Boss) is coloured differently here.

Other Features

Various Contests and Adverts

The Transformers have landed! - Colour by symbol. Make a picture of Hot Shot!

Data File #1: Optimus Prime

The Wild Bunch! - Colour in a picture of the Decepticons

Ultimate Conflict! - Destroy the comic for a poster!

Ultra Competition! - Answer an easy question to potentially win a CRAP TON of toys!

Megatron Masterclass! - Learn to draw Armada Megatron

Data File #2: Sparkplug

Decepticon Decoder! Decode Highwire's message

Friends Reunited! - Guide the Human children to the Street Action Team

Hot Shot's Hot Mail! - Send mail to Hot Shot! (How does he have mail already? This boggles my mind!)

IDW - GI Joe vs the Transformers #12

Written by: Tom Scioli and John Barber

Art, Colours and Lettering by: Tom Scioli

Production by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Arcee and some other Autobots who feel guilty about the Earth being blown up decide to merge together and become Defensor, and vows to defend the remaining humans.

Elsewhere Doc is in the middle of performing an autopsy on Wild Bill, when he comes back to life and starts devouring the doctor and everyone else as a zombie!!! (that last part was a joke, he just comes back to life...my idea would be better)

Cobra Commander is travelling across Cybertron and reclaims Cobra for himself, and kills all his replacement commanders. Later he returns to the Cobra headquarters where he reunites with Serpentress/Baroness and they start making out after showing off their hideous scars and they rejoin forces.

In the afterlife Optimus meets with Grimlock, and the two run to escape from Kremzeek,. who is going to eat them. The two of them soon arrive at the entrance to the Matrix Pantheon where Bludgeon is there, and asks for their keys to enter. Optimus displays his, but Grimlock doesn't have one as he never wielded the Matrix. Optimus decides to give Grimlock his key, so Grimlock can go into the Matrix and join the Council of the Fallen (those talking heads that appear when you enter the Matrix in the cartoon) and Optimus stays behind in the afterlife.

Back on Cybertron, Fort Max, now controlled by Snake Eyes (I dunno why) meets with Scorponok, controlled by Scarlett (I sorta know why) The two humans meet each other between the two Transformer's tongues (Seriously! Look at my notes section image!!) and Scarlett forces Snake Eyes to reveal his face scar to her, and the two reunite.

Elsewhere, Megatron has a spasm from the Matrix, which releases the Council of the Fallen, and he is angry that Optimus isn't amongst them, but instead Grimlock appears, and starts to taunt Megatron, ordering him to give back his stolen body parts.

Elsewhere again, Scorponok and Fort Max have joined up with the main Autobot and Joe forces and force Metroplex into his robot mode, so he can join the battle as well.

The Autobots and Joes march on to battle to defeat Megatron and his forces, and to save the tiny Sun.

Wheeljack uses Blaster to shatter Trypticon's shields, and the Joes fire the "Green Bombs" at the Decepticons, covering them in vines etc to disable them. The Autobots attack the Decepticons in their confusion, and Metroplex smashes into Trypticon's chest, and the Joes and some Autobots invade the giant Decepticon.

Outside, Cobra Commander arrives with Doctor Venom, and bargains with Megatron for him to give him Mars after the battle, if he removes the vines. Megatron agrees, since he doesn't believe Mars will exist after the Sun vanishes, and Venom destroys the vines.

Below them, Defensor is being beaten by Typticon (who, up to about 2 seconds earlier was tied up by vines) but Defnsor is saved by the Joes, who use a vehicle to aim Defensor's gun and allows the Autobot to shoot Trypticon.

Baroness meets with Crystal Ball, the Cobra soothsayer, who predicts that Baroness and Cobra Commander will have a child soon that is the TRUE Cobra Commander, Serpentor.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle/Horsie

Wheeljack - Car

Blaster - Boom Box

Ramhorn - Cassette

Steeljaw - Cassette

Stripes - Cassette

Perceptor - Tank

Swoop - Pteranodon

Slag - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Bumblebee - Car

Brawn - Van

Topspin - Jet

Seaspray - Hovercraft

Wreck-Gar - Motorcycle

Ironhide - Van

Jazz - Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Mirage - Race Car

Gears - Pick Up Truck

Warpath - Tank

Hound - Jeep

Trailbreaker - Van

Road Rage - Car

Arcee - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency Vehicle

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Inferno - Fire Truck

Prowl - Police Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Peacemaker - Rifle

Defensor - Rescue Bot Gestalt

Omega Supreme - Rocket Base

Fortress Maximus - Battle Platform

Metroplex - Slug Thing

Optimus Prime - Truck Dead, inside the Afterlife

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex Dead, inside the Matrix Pantheon

Alpha Trion Part of Matrix Pantheon

Regulus Prime Part of Matrix Pantheon

Sentinel Prime Part of Matrix Pantheon

Amazon Prime Part of Matrix Pantheon

Zeta Prime Part of Matrix Pantheon

Prima Part of Matrix Pantheon

Primon Part of Matrix Pantheon

Decepticon

Megatron - Gun

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Sixshot - Sixchanger

Scourge - Space Shuttle

Thrust - Fighter Jet

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Kickback - Locust

Shrapnel - Stag Beetle

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Abominus - Terrorcon Gestalt

Devastator  Constructicon Gestalt

Predaking - Predacon Gestalt

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt

Trypticon - Battle Platform

Scorponok - Scorpion Tank Under Scarlett's Control

Bludgeon In Afterlife

Generic Seekers - Jets

Generic Insecticons - Insects

GI Joe

General Flagg

Hawk

Duke

Falcon

Snake Eyes

Scarlett/Zkarlett

Wild Bill Brought back to Life (Somehow)

Doc

Lady Jaye

Jinx

Stalker

Tunnel Rat

Gun-Ho

Quick Kick

Rock 'n Roll

Roadblock

Bazooka

Cover Girl

Big Lob

Mutt

Junkyard

Beachhead

Snow Job

Dusty

Steeler

Generic Joes

Cobra

Cobra Commander

Baroness/Serpentress

Destro

Doctor Venom

Major Bludd

Crystal Ball

Raptor

Xamot

Tomax

Golobulus

Nemesis Enforcer

Interim Cobra Commander Killed by Cobra Commander Supporters

Serpentor (Vision Only)

Cobra Troopers

Crimson Guardsmen

Other

Blind Master Inside the Master Sword

Soft Master Inside the Master Sword

Hard Master Inside the Master Sword

Kremzeek

Koh-Buru-Lah

Notes

• Defensor is made up of the new team of "Rescue Bots" instead of the Protectobots.
• Despite this, Defensor looks an awful lot like he would with the traditional Protectobots used, except for the lack of Groove, and there being a bright pink crotch made from Arcee
• No Arcee! Don't combine with Prowl! He'll make you annex a populated planet!!!
• Blades is based on his Aligned Rescue Bots counterpart, but with more of a G1 colour scheme.
• Peacemaker is based on his G1 counterpart, but resized to interact with a Gestalt.
• Wild Bill was killed in a plane crash, and has been dead for a week maybe? So yeah....despite this, he's totally fine and not brain damaged at all when he comes back to life.....of course!
• The Interim Cobra Commander character is based on the "Battle Armour Cobra Commander" toy from 1987...I guess Cobra Commander hated that redesign?
• The afterlife being a digital landscape for Transformers has been seen a few times before in the past, including when Optimus was trapped in Ethan Zachary's computer game, and when IDW Optimus "died" briefly and saw Nova Prime in the interspace thingie in Escalation.
• Oh shock and horror...the Serpentress is actually the Baroness in disguise to hide her "hideous" scars from issue 0.....I really hope this wasn't supposed to be a surprise reveal, as it was realized by everyone when she was revealed.
• It's revealed that Baroness rewrote some of the Cobranomicon to help the alliance with the Decepticons.
• So Cobra Commander is a lizard man? Are we sure that Billy/Stormshadow II is REALLY his biological son?
• So the Baroness' horrible scars from a plane exploding are some slight blemishes and a scar from her glasses? Big whoop-ti-do!
• Why is Bludgeon guarding the Matrix Pantheon?
• So...Optimus has Matrix "Stigmata"? You're really pushing the Jesus metaphor a bit far guys!!!
• The Master Sword (from the Headmasters TV series) is infused with the spirits of the Ninja Masters from the GI Joe framchise...where this came from is not explained due to the series being shortened in some way.
• Fort Max and Scorponok touch tongues.....EWWWWWWWW
• So we learn here that Scarlett took command of Scorponok from Zarak,. who I guess she killed. I have a few questions though...what happened to all the Cobra and Decepticon personnel inside Scorponok we saw last time, and what happened to her hair? Last time we saw Scarlett she had half her hair shaven off, but now she has a full head of hair again (and in a scorpion tail theme)
• Considering what a homicidal bitch Scarlett's been so far in this series, I was actually shocked that she didn't attack Snake-Eyes immediately after he showed her his horrible face scar.
• Also, Sbake-Eyes, please put some sort of bandage on that wound, it looks like it's going to get infected with just your mask over it!
• Grimlock appears to be able to possess his decapitated dinosaur mode head...now this could be just in Megatron's head, but from Destro's reaction it's probably not.
• After this scene, Megatron no longer has his Grimlock parts on his body, so I guess he got rid of them to stop further ghosties.
• I know I shouldn't be expecting much from this series, but HOW does the slug monster Metroplex turn into his usual G1 design, with all his normal kibble instact?
• Rodimus rides Sky Lynx like a horsie.....okay...whatever....
• Devastator is shown active again, despite the Constructicons complaining earlier that with Long Hual dead, they could no longer combine any more. I guess Long Haul got better or something, this is a badly written series after all.
• So those tendrils have the Sun totally surrounded here? last issue showed Prime no where near the size of the Sun, so how is this a thing? If he's absorbed so much solar energy already that it's shrunk the Sun down to the size of a small planet, then I think the Joes and Autobots have already lost this battle!
• They probably aren't them, but I'll say the second orange "Recordobot" and red Tracks are actually Stripes and Road Rage, just so this comic can have something good in it (though it's probably just bad colouring rather than that)
• Oh look a bit of continuity! Doctor Venom was the one who developed the Creeper plants, so it makes sense that he's have the ability to destroy/defeat them
• Also...oh no...Venom has betrayed the Joes...I never expected that at all...oh shockers!
• Where is Baroness getting her fortune told? Did Crystal Ball just bring all his occultic paraphernalia with him to Cybertron with him? Also, I thought the Cobra guys were based in Trypticon, so why aren't they collapsing from him being shot just before this scene?!
• Serpentor is revealed to be the future child of Baroness and Cobra Commander, who will grow up to be their new commander....except....
• Next issue is the last one! Hooray!!
• Seriosuly, I doubt the mutant Serpentor baby will come to anything, Baroness will probably be killed next issue or something.