IDW - Micronauts: Wrath of Karza #3

Written by: Cullen Bunn & Jimmy Johnston

Art by: Andrew Griffith & Ron Joseph

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Baron Karza contacts several villains, or people with bad reputations at least, in order to offer them roles as Barons in his conquest of Earth, as he doesn't desire to eradicate humanity, just rule them. Mayhem outright refuses to serve him, but Karza seems confident that he will change him mind, due to how strong his forces are, and how badly they are assaulting New York even now.

At the Heliopolis' wreckage Larissa and Microtron are trying to figure out how to rescue their friends from Karza, but Microtron reveals that his scans are being blocked by something. However, the Time Mask reveals his sentience to them and explains that HE can locate Oz, shocking both of them in the process. Microtron then reveals him newest project, built from the remains of their ship, are a group of new Trons, given personalities by Microtron's scans of the crew, which don't impress Larissa...

At their holding cell, Oz, Phen and Biotron are trying to figure out what is happening, when they are joined by Membros, he taunts them by stating that Larissa and Microtron are dead, and that Acroyear is undergoing reconditioning to join Karza's crew, making Oz despondent at the loss of his friends.

Nearby, Acroyear has been strapped to a device and his mask is brutally removed, revealing his mangled real face, with preparations for his reconditioning beginning...

Elsewhere still, Karza explains further to his wife about how the Time Travelers explained the Entropy Cloud to him, and revealed that one of their own is responsible for all of this, and he is needed to stop him, however he needs to meet with the final Time Travelers before that, so he needs to get Earth ready for his arrival...

Larissa and the robots arrive at a facility set up by Karza which uses a technology that hides it outside of normal time and space, which the Time Mask has managed to locate using his natural skills. The Trons attack and defeat the guards and they manage to break into the facility, revealed to be the holding facility. The group fight their way towards the cell and manage to rescue their captured friends, but still need to locate Acroyear. On their mission around the facility they break into Membros' interrogation room, and orders him to lead them to their friends...the Transformer prisoners so they can help out in the fight....

Characters

Heliopolis Micronauts

Oziron Rael

Larissa

Phenolo-Phi

Acroyear Being "Reconditioned" by Commander Raith

Time Mask

Biotron

Microtron

Alphatron

Betatron

Gammatron

Omegatron

Ministry of War

Baron Karza

Lady Shazraella

Membros

Commander Raith

Acroyear Forces

Karza's Army

Human

Miles Mayhem (On Conference Call Only)

Doctor X (On Conference Call Only)

Storm Shadow (On Conference Call Only)

Tomax Paoli (On Conference Call Only)

Iron Klaw (On Conference Call Only)

Baron Ironblood (On Conference Call Only)

Destro (On Conference Call Only)

Hasbro Fanboy (In Entropy Cloud Vision Only)

Human Soldiers Being Defeated by Karza's Forces

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab In Karza Custody

Arcee - Sports Car In Karza Custody

Jazz - Sports Car In Karza Custody

Decepticon

Razorclaw - Drill Tank (On Conference Call Only)

Other Cybertronian

Micronus Prime Body being used as Karza's Base

Blackrock/Sovereign - Head (On Conference Call Only)

Other Macrospace

Rom, the Space Knight (On T-Shirt only)

Other Microspace

Mad Time Traveler (Flashback Only)

Other Time Travelers (Flashback Only) All gone from Time Stream

Baron Daegon (Toy Only)

Lobros (Mentioned)

Notes

• So the opening panel of this comic actually helps us to place this series in the main timeline, it shows Razorclaw active (he was seemingly killed in Revolutionaries) and Blackrock is visible amongst the "villains" contacted by Karza, so this is likely before the start of Revolutionaries. This also sort of confirms that Karza will fail in this mission (like he would ever succeed) since the President mentions that she has witnessed various failed invasions recently in the Optimus Prime series. However the Heliopolis was seen in issue 2 of Revolutionaries, so maybe this is set just AFTER that issue? I dunno...still doesn't explain where Doctor Conway and her family are though....
• Razorclaw seems to be in his pre-Earth mode, as we can see his old faceplate design and the top of his drill bit..maybe this was before he was controlled by Iron Klaw?
• Amongst the buildings seen in the background of the Earthwar seems to be the Empire State Building, confirming this is happening in New York.
• Karza's vessel, the body of Micronus, still looks like a giant version of himself, even though he seems to be just inhabiting the vessel, and not Enerchanged with it, implying this could be a permanent remodelling of the Prime.
• So...the Time Mask CAN talk to the other Micronauts and not just Oz? Guess he was just being a jerk after all!
• I did notice all the odd heads amongst the Heliopolis wreckage last issue, but I don't think I mentioned it, as I assumed they were just more "weapons" appropriated by Acroyear from Billy's toy chest. Turns out there were there to justify the newly built "Trons" this issue.
• So Biotron apparently survived getting crashed upon by the Heliopolis last issue with just an arm falling off and a few scratch marks...cool!
• Membros confirms my assumption that Karza has merged the Ministries into the Ministry of War after defeating Daegon.
• So...yeah...the scene with Acroyear's mask being torn off will haunt my nightmares for a few months!
• Also, I think the green Acroyear is meant to be Commander Raith, but since they all look the same, I can't be certain yet (I'll still name him that in the character list though)
• More information regarding the Entropy Cloud is given, it basically keeps everything it has consumed within it, waiting for something to happen to all of it. Also the Time Travelers are destined to fail in stopping the one member of theirs who created the Cloud, which is why they need someone else to stop him and save Microspace.
• Amongst Karza's views through reality he sees a child playing with toys of Karza and Daegon fighting, wearing a Rom T-Shirt, which confuses him. This is likely a view into a Quadwal universe (real world) and I hope are signs of new toys to come :D
• The Autobots and Micronauts are shown to be the only groups to have actually been captured by Karza's troops, with the other heroes to Earth just being disabled for the time being.