IDW - Road to Revolution

Title: Take a Stand

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Plot

Scarlett and Joe Colton meet with Miles Manheim in an old Military base, and discuss how Earth has been infiltrated by Cybertronians, and has been directly involved in their civil war. They discuss how the Decepticon invasion was the world's biggest disaster, resulting in almost a billion deaths, but do admit that the Autobots did come back to save them, and help them rebuild.

Scarlett exposits that when the Cybertronians left Earth eventually, the GI Joe team were tapped to take on the newly arisen Cobra terrorist group. They were able to keep this war under cover until they caused the destruction of Nanzhao, which was then named the second most destructive event in history. Following this the Joes were slowly disbanded.

Due to the disbanding, when the Decepticons, led by Galvatron, returned to Earth the EDC were sent to meet them rather than the Joes, leading to the Decepticons to end up betraying the humans...but then more things happened.....

Scarlett talks about how Optimus unearthed an ancient Titan on Earth, which has made him to look like some sort of Messiah on Cybertron.
Miles now revels on how Colton and his crew now need his help, considering how strange the world is becoming, with aliens etc turning up everywhere, not just the ones from Cybertron.
Colton and Scarlett bring up their main point here however, despite their good actions, they believe the Autobots are trying to take over the planet as the Ore-13 left on Cybertron from their wars has become unstable and is seemingly going to turn explosive within weeks. They want Miles to use their new Cybertronian asset, a captured and badly injured Blitzwing, to help them defeat Optimus before it's too late!
Miles agrees, noting that his nickname in the Adventure Team was "Mayhem" and notes to the restrained Blitzwing, who has been begging to be killed all this time that they are here to overthrow a tyrant....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback)

Ratchet - Ambulance (Flashback)

Prowl - Police Car (Flashback)

Ironhide - Van (Flashback)

Bumblebee - VW Beetle (Flashback)

Hot Rod - Sports Car (Flashback)
Silverbolt - Passenger Jet (Flashback)
Powerglide - A10 Jet (Flashback)
Two other Aerilabots - Jets (Flashback)

Decepticon

Blitzwing - Tank/Fighter Jet Captured by Miles Mayhem

Galvatron - Tank (Footage)

Soundwave - Cassette Player, later Personnel Carrier (Footage)

Megatron - Gun (Flashback)

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Flashback)

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet (Flashback)

Skywarp - Fighter Jet (Flashback)

Runamuck - Sports Car (Flashback)

Runabout - Sports Car (Flashback)

Devastator - Comstructicon Gestalt (Flashback)

GI Joe

Scarlett

Hawk (Flashback)

Dial-Tone (Flashback)

Roadblock (Flashback)

Duke (Flashback)

Snake Eyes (Flashback)

Rock 'n Roll (Flashback)

Helix (Flashback)

Cobra

Cobra Commander (Flashback)

Baroness (Flashback)

Destro (Flashback)

Storm Shadow (Flashback)

Major Bludd (Flashback)

Tomax (Flashback)

Firefly (Flashback)

Krake (Flashback)

Other

Miles "Mayhem" Manheim

Joe Colton
Metrotitan - Autobot City (Flashback)

Marissa Faireborn (Footage)

Daniel Witwicky (Footage)

EDC Troops (Footage)
Rom the Space Knight (Footage)

Atomic Man (Flashback)

Bulletman (Flashback)

Adventurer/Tom Stone (Flashback)

Action Man I (Flashback) Dead
Action Man II/Ian Noble (Flashback)

Verity Carlo (Flashback)

Hunter O'Nion (Flashback)

Jimmy Pink (Flashback)
Dire Wraiths (Flashback)
Biotron (Flashback)
Space Glider (Flashback)
Orbital Defender (Flashback)
Acroyear (Flashback)
Microtron (Flashback)
Pharoid (Flashback)
Baron Zarza (Flashback)
Agent Dubosky (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is an eight page mini-issue to lead up to the upcoming Revolution event which will bring all the IDW/Hasbro comic lines together
• Originally this was released in two parts, but the full eight-page version was released first with "Transformers: Titans Return one shot". Thus I'll just edit this post rather than make another tiny post about it :)
• In this issue we learn that Miles Manheim (Miles Mayhem from MASK) was a part of Joe Colton's original Adventure Team. He also appeared to have some role with the EDC, since he was present when the EDC made their alliance with Galvatron.
• It's a bit funny that Miles, a known to be future villain in IDW is the one who is glad the Autobots saved the world, rather than Joe, the name-sake for GI Joe, aka a hero....
• The GI Joe comic continuity so far has now been retconned into existing in the time period between when the Autobots left Earth for the Chaos event, and when they returned following Dark Cybertron. This will likely be annoying for the Joe fans, but of course doesn't bother me too much, being a Transformers fan :)
• Scarlett claims that the Joes "tried to carry on", this appears to be a reference to how the GI Joe comics have been rebranded and refreshed several times over the past few years
• The end of this issue introduces many of the new lines for the Revolution event including the Micronauts, Action Man and Rom.
• The remaining Ore-13 on Earth has now become volatile and is set to explode within a few weeks...guess Shockwave forgot to stabilize it again last time he was on Earth!
• Blitzwing is revealed to have been captured by the EDC and is currently in Miles' care, his triple-changer status will probably be used to help create the MASK and Mayhem vehicles that shift between two different vehicle modes.
• As well as waking up Sentinel Prime in Titans Return, the Titan's message into space apparently called the Micronauts and their enemies towards Earth too.