IDW - Optimus Prime #10

Title: Origin Myths

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli & Kei Zama

Colours by: Livio Raondelli & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Following his death, Sideswipe's body is brought to Cybertron by Sunstreaker and Arcee, who are greeted by Optimus, but wish to be left alone with their lost friend. Optimus and Pyra are ready to return to Earth, having had their discussion at Crystal City's site, but are stopped when Aileron runs through the space bridge informing them that the President of the US is in the final talks to name the Earth's representative on the Council of Worlds, and will contact him with the decision very soon. Whilst waiting, Optimus suggests that he and Pyra go meet with Alpha Trion, since Cybertron is soon entering a new era, they may as well learn about the past of the planet too...

Alpha Trion has been holing himself in his chamber with as many books and stories as he can, so he can learn all he can before his death, since having his head chopped off before has made him begin thinking about this...

Optimus sends Blackrock's apologies for his part in the attack on him, and even brings up that he has started wearing the Autobrand too, Trion finds this interesting, since the "First Face" didn't always represent the Autobots, and once Starscream joins them, he begins his story...

A long time ago, the Twin Gladiators, Arcee and Galvatron are forced to fight to the death by their leader, Septimus Prime, but are interrupted by Megatronus, who tears through Septimus' loyalists and offers the Twins to join him in his crusade across Cybertron, in exchange for executing their former leader...something they willingly do. They join Megatronus' Darklander Army and head towards the "Crystal City".

At the Crystal City, which is just a mismatched shanty town at the moment, Vector Prime calls for a meeting with his allies, Alpha Trion, Alchemist Prime, Solus Prime and Nexus Prime, and informs them that Onyx Prime is on the way, but is not alone. The others aren't interested but soon are when Vector explains the meaning for the meeting, Septimus' forces have been destroyed or conscripted by the Darklanders, and they are now heading this way.

Onyx appears along with his new ally, Liege Maximo and they offer to work with the other Primes to fight off the Darklanders, but uniting the beasts of Onyx and the population of the Crystal City. Trion confronts Onyx and explains that though the people of the City aren't soldiers he could use his stories to convince them to die for their cause, and so they agree to work together to fight off their mutual enemies...

Soon the battle comes, and the Primes are watching from afar, as their troops are fighting and dying in their name, however this soon stops when the battlefield starts to rumble and three of the legendary Titans arise from the group. Onyx Prime slashes through the distracted enemies intending to take down the leader of the Darklanders, but stops when he learns that it is his friend, Megatronus, and so they declare a truce, uniting their armies even further

Later, the united people celebrate their new alliance, and Onyx begins taking Alpha Trion's lesson to spark and begins telling stories to others, including the Dark Cybertron prophecy to Alchemist. He approaches Trion and reveals a design to him for the symbol of their united planet, the future symbol of the Autobots, which he claims is a representation of Primus' own face. Trion begins to worry that this will cause problems in the future with people not really understanding that all stories may be true, but that they shouldn't also believe the lies.

Arcee, having overheard all of this gives his take on the matter to Trion, he points out that Nexus' brother and his alliance will join this group and form Thirteen Primes, and that this will create a divide between the people and their leaders. Trion, disturbed by this reality decides to speak with one of the Titans, and learn what he can about the planet before it changes forever...

Alpha Trion finishes his story, with Starscream questioning everything, about what the point of telling them about it was, about how he doesn't believe that Arcee is Galvatron's twin, and how Megatronus was the name of a Prime to other smaller things. Optimus begins to explain that the point is that Cybertron is being united once again now, and they have to learn from the mistakes of the past to not end up the way the Primes did.

Soon, the President contacts Optimus and introduces them to the new representative for Earth. The camera focuses on Buster the Dog (which gives Pyra and Starscream a scare and a fit of anger for a moment) until Marissa Faireborn appears and announces herself as the rep.

Starscream announces for the Grand Plaze to be prepared for the Human arrivals, whilst Pyra worries about how Earth and Cybertron are now BOTH entering an uncertain future, which Optimus simply remarks that everything is uncertain in life.

Elsewhere...Arcee and Sunstreaker lay Sideswipe's coffin down and place a flower at it's end, and further mourn over their loss....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Arcee - Sports Car, Formerly Treaded Cannon

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car (In Coffin) Dead

Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign - Head (Mentioned) 

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

The Primes

Alpha Trion - Space Shuttle

Vector Prime (Flashback Only)

Solus Prime (Flashback Only)

Alchemist Prime (Flashback Only)

Nexus Prime (Flashback Only)

Onyx Prime (Flashback Only)

Liege Maximo (Flashback Only)

Megatronus (Flashback Only)

Septimus Prime (Flashback Only) Killed by Arcee and Galvatron

"Nexus Prime's Brother" (Mentioned)

The Other Primes (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Bob, the Insecticon

Galvatron - Treaded Cannon (Flashback Only)

Metroplex (Flashback Only)

Chela (Flashback Only)

Metrotitan (Flashback Only)

Septimus Prime's Entourage (Flashback Only) Killed by Megatronus

Darklander Army (Flashback Only)

Beast Army (Flashback Only)

Crystal City Denizens (Flashback Only) 

Imperator Maximo (Mentioned) Killed by Liege Maximo

Praetus Maximo (Mentioned) Killed by Liege Maximo

Arrius/Solomus (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Human

Madame President

Marissa Faireborn

Other

Buster, the Dog

Notes

• This story is set mostly in a story being told by Alpha Trion, finally giving us some first hand stories of the Thirteen Primes
• This story directly leads into the start of First Strike #1, though it was likely still a few days or so after this issue when the ceremony etc actually begins.
• Hey look! Alpha Trion got better from his beheading in Titans Return! Though he is looking more dishevelled now...
• So we finally get to see Arcee in her original male form, and he is a repaint of Galvatron, not shockingly since they are twins. You can tell them apart easily since Arcee uses swords compared to Galvatron's axe. Though we don't get to see either of them transform here, we can probably assume that they are similar enough to Galvatron's initial IDW body, which was a treaded cannon of sorts.
• Septimus is shown to be another member of the "original Primes" but is hinted as not really being one of them.
• Megatronus using an energy weapon from his hands seems appropriate, since he won't receive his fusion cannon until Solus Prime builds it for him much later. Nice continuity guys!
• The Primes don't seem to know who Liege Maximo is when he walks in, so presumably they weren't all created at once like in most other continuities. Also he names two predecessors of his as leader in his region too.
• Amongst the beast army we can see who appear to be Beast Wars Megatron and Optimus Primal. Whilst the former could just be a random cameo, the latter is likely on purpose due to his upcoming Power of the Primes toy
• It's mentioned here that Primus delivered a prominent speech on the land that would one day become the Crystal City. Likely explaining why it keeps having stuff happen to it in the later years, and why it is seen as so important.
• The original three Titans to emerge from Cybertron are revealed to be Metroplex, Chela and Metrotitan, the latter is mentioned as being the mate of Chela.
• Just gunna play detective here, considering Megatronus and Onyx not realizing they were on opposing sides before they see each other in the battle and them being friendly, and the future additions of the other Primes to this group, we can probably assume that Liege Maximo manipulated things to force this alliance between the Primes for his own gain, most likely to gain access to their lands and technology etc. I'm gunna guess that onyx was just an unwitting pawn on Maximo's scheme here.
• We see here that Galvatron's previous claims that the "Dark Cybertron" prophecy was indeed spread by Alchemist Prime whilst drunk on rancid Energon, but we also learn here that Onyx Prime told him this prophecy too.
• It's revealed that the Autobot insignia is designed after Primus' face, as described to Onyx Prime by Metrotitan, whom is also claimed to have served him before the Titans went to slumber.
• Alpha Trion heading off to speak to one of the Titans and learning about the planet before it changes is leading to his adventures travelling the planet with Metroplex, as mentioned in Spotlight: Orion Pax
• The Earth Council of Worlds Representative is named as Marissa Faireborn...this would have been a nice surprise had First Strike not have begun a month ago and we knew about this already

IDW - First Strike #2

First Strike

Written by: Mairghread Scott & David A Rodriguez 

Art by: Max Dunbar

Colours by: Ander Zarate

Letters by: Tom B Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

The Origins of Evil

Written by: John Barber

Pencils by: Netho Diaz

Inks by: Walden Wong

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Plot

First Strike

At Ironblood's hidden base in the Swiss Alps, Scarlett finishes reading Colton's letter to her when the room is filled with Red Shadows, the Joes fight them off, but Doc notices a beeping noise, alerting the team to the whole facility being rigged with explosives. They manage to escape just as the base detonates, and they start trying to work out what happened to Colton to make him go bad.

On Cybertron, Ironblood's alliance are holding their own against the Transformers and Joes, and even take a few down, taking them apart for resources. The teams split up to take on their own missions, with Mayhem and Kreiger delivering the Talisman to a rendezvous point, and Destro and Storm Shadow escorting Shazraella to find her a body to Enerchange with.

Back on Earth, the Joes have teamed up with Matt Trakker and Gloria Baker of MASK and are travelling to Autobot City via a submarine. Inside the sub, the MASK members confirm that the false Cybertronians seen on Cybertron are based on MASK technology, meaning that Mayhem is involved in the attack too. They're planning to use the spacebridge in Autobot City to reach Cybertron and help out with the fight, and plan to take every weapon they have at their disposal with them, including a virus that MASK has been working on from Astrotrain's body.

On Cybertron, Storm Shadow disables a purple female Transformer, Antagony, allowing Shazraella to Enerchange with her, meanwhile Flint's team of Joes are being pinned down by Red Shadows until they are run down by Ironhide who drives the humans to safety.

At the villain's rendezvous point, Shazraella, in her new Cybertronian sized body retrieves the Talisman from the back of Mayhem's new Outlaw truck and carries it on her back, whilst guiding the villains through some tunnels, planning to poison the planet's Energon with the Talisman's dangerous energy.

Optimus and Windblade arrive at the Spire where they assist Starscream, Elita One and Marissa in trying to figure out what to do now. Elita proposes to kill all Humans on Earth to stop the attack, but Marissa counters that if she has to resort to indiscriminate murder then maybe she isn't a good leader. Elita respons to this by contacting her ship back in orbit to request reinforcements, however the ship cannot help.

Diavod of the Solstar Order contacts Cybertron through Carcer and informs them that the planet has been quarantined due to the massive amount of Dire Wraith readings on the planet, leaving the Cybertronians alone...

On Earth, the Joes and MASK arrive at Autobot City, where they are escorted in by Skyburst and Stormclash, however once inside they learn that the spacebridge was disabled from Cybertron's side and cannot be opened from Earth right now. The teams wonder how Ironblood's troops managed to get to Cybertron themselves, and they realize that they must have used the MASS device in Destro's possession to piggyback on the spacebridge portal and headed there that way. The Helicopter Twins create a device that will allow them to copy that same process, but they need to use the MASS device to activate it as well, so, along with Soundwave and the Twins, the team storm towards Castle Destro in Scotland.

The Origins of Evil

Part Two: A Game of Chess

Months ago, Destro is contacted by Doctor X about Baron Ironblood coming to visit him, which Destro is not happy with, as he only leant his MASS device to them and doesn't want to be part of their team. He shows a momentary sign of emotion when Joe Colton comes out of the MASS device, but simply orders the BATS in his employ to kill him. Colton explains that he IS Ironblood, but Destro doesn't care.

Colton tries to appeal to Destro's interest in new technology by saying he can give him Cybertronian technology, which Destro is no longer interested in, since he has studied all he can from Earth's Cybertronians, however Colton points out that the best stuff is likely still on Cybertron, and by working together they can use the MASS device to hack into the spacebridge signal and ravel there to get more tech.

Destro is interested now and deactivates his BATS, stating that his only condition is to go to Cybertron as well, which Colton is very happy with, securing his places in the alliance....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle (Flashback) Dead

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Elita One

Antagony - Ant Enerchanged with Shazraella

Green Guy Killed and Dismantled by Ironblood's Alliance

Random Cybertronian Crowdfillers

Carcer Crew Member (Voice Only)

GI Joe

Scarlett

Roadblock

Lady Jaye

Quick Kick

Doc

Talon

Flint

Spike

Dial Tone (Mentioned)

MASK

Matt Trakker

Gloria Baker

Ironblood's Alliance

Baron Ironblood/Joe Colton

Destro

Storm Shadow

Miles Mayhem

Garrison Kreiger

"Mystery Villain"

Lady Shazraella Enerchanged with Antagony, main personality

Major Bludd

Buzzer

Ripper

Red Shadow Ninjas

Iron Grenadiers

Doctor X (Hologram, Origins Only)

Iron Klaw (Mentioned)

Other Human

Marissa Faireborn

Solstar Order

Diavod

Prim

Butin

Guar

Nikomi

Other

BAT's (Origins Only)

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

Notes

• Just a quick note, it turns out that issue 0 of this series was originally meant to be printed in Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook #3, but due to delays it was released beforehand online and the prequel was replaced with a preview of issue 1 in the actual issue. So that explains where that whole thing came from!
• The Cybertronian killed by and then ripped apart by Ironblood's troops  looks an awful lot like Kup, specifically his Prime toy counterpart, based on the shoulders and chest design.
• The heavily shadowed member of Ironblood's team is most likely someone from Visionaries, an upcoming IDW comic series set in the Hasbroverse.
• Due to delays for Revolutionaries, this issue spoils that both Kreiger and the Talisman will be recovered from the team by Ironblood's crew. Luckily nothing else appears to have been spoiled yet...YET...
• OH WAIT! Gloria is spoiled as having left the MASK team here, but the issue where that happens hasn't been released yet...good thing I only get the trades for MASK huh?!
• Shazraella is seemingly in her Karza-themed armour that she donned towards the end of Wrath of Karza.
• The "MASK tech" that Mayhem uses to imitate Cybertronians is likely due to him using Blitzwing's body for experiments and developing robots based somewhat on him.
• The part with the virus developed from Astrotrain's body may seem out of the blue here, but it's actually a plot line from the MASK Annual from last year...something I don't follow here!
• Shazraella's new host body isn't named still, but she is most likely Antagony, however this character appears to have knowledge of Cybertron and the tunnels etc under the city, so I'd guess she isn't Eukarian like most people believe...she could just be an explorer though I guess?
• The Shazraella-Antagony fusion form looks somewhat like a darker-coloured, less-kibbley version of Windblade. If it is then this is appropriate since she made contact with the Cityspeaker during the Revolution event.
• Diavod is shown to still be alive in the modern day, having last been seen during Rom's training days for the Solstar Order. This either means that Elonians have extended lifespans, or he does indeed have Solstar armour on, but it either doesn't cover his face, or it's able to take on a fluid facial form, much like how Stardrive's does in Shining Armor.
• The detection of Dire Wraith activity on Cybertron is due to the Red Shadows being fused with their technology, and the Talisman itself being partially of Dire Wraith origin.
• Based on Soundwave's design here, and how he can seemingly fit inside either the Twins or the MASK vehicles, I'm guessing he has reverted to a cassette player alternate mode, having been a personnel carrier for the past couple of years.
• OH MY PRIMUS!! They finally gave some personality to a Torchbearer other than Pyra Magna!! I'm very serious here, I love the Torchbearer designs, but I've always hated how they were pretty much just treated as "Pyra Magna plus the others". This is a good next step for the team.
• From the background of the scene in Autobot City, it looks like cameras and lights have been set up, as well as plates etc on the tables...I guess there was meant to be a party or something following the signing at the city?
• Destro plays with a Hasbro Heroes and Villains themed chess board in the Origins story....HASBRO!!! STOP PUTTING COOL PRODUCT IDEAS IN YOUR COMICS AND NOT MAKING THEM IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS!!!
• Doctor X and Iron Klaw are mentioned as still being on Earth...I guess we'll be catching up with them going against the Earth-based heroes during the tie-in issues.

IDW - Rom vs Transformers: Shining Armor #2

Written by: John Barber &Christos Gage

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

A few weeks before the attack on the Xetaxxis Solstar station, a Decepticon team led by Starscream are approached by Vekktral and his Dire Wraiths. At first Starscream is uninterested, but when he learns of Vekktral's encounter with Stardrive, he becomes interested, as he wants to know how she's been staying alive without access to Energon, and determines that if they get that secret then they can stop worrying about raiding other planets to get more...

A short while later, an Autobot shuttle holding Sky Blast, Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus inside come across a Decepticon team destroying a Galactic Council ship. They kill the Decepticons, but find the Galactic Council crew inside, all dead. They find it weird how the Decepticons were seeming to be trying to hide their involvement in the attack, since normally they'd announce this attack proudly. Magnus hacks into the computer and finds out that the ship was heading towards Xetaxxis for the negotiations, so they head there too...

About a week later, Rom attacks the newcomer Autobots, assuming they are allied with Starscream, but soon realizes that the two groups of Cybertronians are enemies too. He tries to form an alliance with them, but Magnus simply shoots him away, assuming, and insisting that the Solstar Order and Decepticons are allied together, and that Stardrive is a Decepticon who has been coated in the Solstar Armour, though Bumblebee points out that the Decepticons and the Knights are fighting each other too..

Outside, Sky Blast reports that the Station is falling apart, and the only thing keeping it in place is the force-field around it, as he observes some of the crew escape in shuttles and escape pods. 

Inside, Magnus drives into Starscream, splitting him away from Stardrive, whom Bumblebee tries to help up, she assumes he's attacking her and shoots him away. Suddenly Sky Blast appears and attacks her, in order to protect Bumblebee.

Vekktral takes the chaos as an opportunity to send one of his troops to merge with the newcomer Autobot, which causes Sky Blast to mutate into a horrifying monster, and the Wraith's mind to be merged with him, creating a new primal creature. Everyone is shocked that a Wraith and a Cybertronian can merge, and how messed up they are.

The Knights attack the new Sky Blast-Wraith, but cannot do anything to harm him. Starscream and Doomwings go to retrieve the Energon Synthesizer and leave whilst everyone else is distracted, but Doomwings is grabbed by the monster and torn to pieces.

Starscream is pissed off with Vekktral for letting his new troop kill one of his men, but Vekktral reveals that he is not in control of the monster. The Decepticons try to fight off the monster too, but end up heading out of the station themselves.

Bumblebee approaches Stardrive again, insisting that she explains who she is, and when he learns that she isn't a Decepticon, but a Solstar Knight, he explains that the Autobots are opposed to the Decepticons and their allies too, which now includes the Dire Wraiths. Magnus interrupts them and disables the force-field of the station, hoping that the re-entry into the atmosphere will kill the monster.

Magnus summons the Autobot shuttle remotely for them to escape in, whilst everyone else starts evacuating too. However Starscream destroys the shuttle before leaving with the other Decepticons and Wraiths, intending to recover the Synthesizer from the rubbles of the station on the planet below.

Stardrive takes on her aerial form and flies the two Autobots into the planet's atmosphere, knowing that they cannot survive the fall without her.

Following the destruction of the station, the Solstar Knights follow Stardrive down to the planet. Livia and Sata dismiss Stardrive as having chosen her "own kind" over them, but Rom still believes she is loyal to them, so they go to find her.

The Decepticons arrive too, hoping that the Synthesizer has survived, but soon learn that the monster managed to survive the station's destruction too, and is heading towards the planet too.

On the planet's surface, Stardrive and the Autobots are in a crater, where Magnus attempts to arrest Stardrive for breaching the Tyrest Accord by sharing herself, and her technology with an alien empire. Bumblebee calls Magnus out on being ridiculous, but he doesn't care. However he is soon blasted square in the chest by Rom who threatens to do the same to Bumblebee if he doesn't surrender, as he mourns the supposed death of his teammate....

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport Seemingly Killed by Rom

Bumblebee - Car

Sky Blast - Rocket Merged with "Soldier"

Decepticon

Starscream - Jet

Dirge - Jet

Ramjet - Jet

Thrust - Jet

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Astrotrain - Galactic Council Shuttle

Doomwings - Jet Killed by Sky Blast-Wraith

"Plasma Torch Guy" - Jet Killed by Autobots

"Bulldozer" - Bulldozer Killed by Autobots

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Solstar Order

Stardrive - Spacefaring Car

Rom

Livia

Sata

Orphion (Footage)

Nikomi (Footage)

Dire Wraith

Vekktral

"Soldier" Merged with Sky Blast

Dire Wraith Troops

Other

Galactic Council Crew Killed by Decepticons and Dire Wraiths

Stardrive's Classmates (Mentioned)

Notes

• Looks like my guess from last month about this Ultra Magnus not being the Minimus Ambus incarnation was correct, he acts nothing like out little rules-stickler from Roberts' work
• The Dire Wraith's original attempt to form an alliance with the Decepticons was to point out that they both can change forms...nice try kiddos!
• So it looks like the Galactic Council ship was indeed attacked by the Decepticons, and since we see some of their corpses here, it's likely that the Wraiths only used some of their body parts to take on their forms, just like one did with Joe Colton on Earth...though I guess this could be another group of Galactic Council crew members, but it's unlikely.
• The "Plasma Torch Guy" is based on a Prime Aerial Vehicon. The Bulldozer guy appears to be just a generic with his bulldozer shovel stored on his shoulders.
• So turns out that the Galactic Council-Solstar Order negotiations were actually a real thing, but the Decepticons and Wraiths simply ambushed the Council ship en-route and took their place for this attack.
• Awwww....All of Stardrive's trinkets got destroyed with the station...including her pig-alien teddy thing from last issue :(
• I was a bit worried about all the non-Knight crew members and dignitaries on the station when it blew up, but then I noticed that a load of shuttles left the station a few pages earlier.
• Sky Blast is a direct import of the Mini-Con character from Armada, just upscaled into a full-sized Autobot here.
• So....we heard about how terrifying a Cybertronian-Wraith hybrid is from Orphion back in the Rom series....EEEP!
• The problem now, is that just about all of the characters left in the story, excluding Sata and Stardrive herself, are known to be active in the modern day setting, so we know no-one else important is likely to die off in the remaining three issues of this series, so there's less of a threat element here...
• So...Stardrive's vehicle mode has a flight mode too? I'm not sure if she's a triple changer or just developed a space-faring version of her car mode. You'd think she'd have mentioned this during her issue-long intro last time huh?
• Wonder if we'll get a cameo of Tyrest next issue so he can call on the next Ultra Magnus, or see this one vanish for the process instead?
• Technically, Ultra Magnus is wrong about Stardrive sharing Cybertronian technology with the Solstar Order. She is Camien, not Cybertronian, they have different technologies.
• The next issue preview claims that they have crashed on a mysterious planet....aka the planet Xetaxxis, which we've been told the name of a few times now?

IDW - Aw Yeah Revolution! #3

Written and Drawn by: Art Baltazar

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The battle between the heroes and Cobra has begun. Snake Eyes is fighting with Storm Shadow and Rom traps some Cobra Troopers inside his force-field. Rom gets grabbed by the brainwashed Optimus Prime, who goes on to shoot Acroyear with his eye lasers (I guess he has those here). Rom gets an idea, and erects his force-field around himself and Optimus, and launches both into orbit, he breaks free from Optimus and lets him float away, hoping that he'll be far away from Cobra to break free from their control.

Rom notices that the asteroid filled with Dire Wraiths is heading towards Earth, so he tries to slow down and/or stop their travel.

Back on Earth, the rest of GI Joe are led towards the battle field by Space Glider, whilst Destro arrives through his MASS device, and meets with Karza and Cobra Commander, the former of which shows off his Orbsah powers and grows to the size of a Transformer. He's about to stop on everyone and win the fight, when the Dire Wraith asteroid hits him in the head and knocks him out. Acroyear takes the opportunity to remove the Gem from Karza, causing him to lose his new powers and return to his natural size. Karza produces his sword and fights with Acroyear one-on-one.

Elsewhere, the crashed asteroid is opened up, and the Dire Wraiths pour out and attack Rom as one. Destro watches as the Wraiths attack Rom and the Cobra Troopers, when he notices the Orbsah Gem discarded on the floor, he takes it and gives himself the power.

Rom breaks free from the Wraiths and goes after Destro, intending to destroy the Gem, and it is causing all this trouble, however Destro uses the Gem to blast Rom back into the cosmos. Karza breaks away from his fight with Acroyear and demands that Destro give him the Gem back, however Destro dismisses him, and sends him, Acroyear and Space Glider back into Microspace.

The forces of Cobra appear to be about to win, with Destro planning to add the Wraith's power to Cobra's and conquer everything, until Optimus returns with a bunch of Autobots, ready to fight them as well...

Elsewhere in the universe, Rom is panicked as the Wraiths are still on Earth, so he races off towards Earth again, hoping to get back in time to save the planet and the universe from their threat....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime/Weapon Prime - Truck

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Bumblebee - Hatchback Car

GI Joe

Snake-Eyes

Duke

Roadblock

Scarlett

Cobra

Cobra Commander

Destro

Storm Shadow

Cobra Troopers

Micronaut

Baron Karza Sent to Microspace by Destro

Acroyear Sent to Microspace by Destro

Space Glider Sent to Microspace by Destro

Other

Spaceman Rom Launched into Deep Space by Destro

Dire Wraiths

Notes

• So...this is a weird one...this is the last issue of the series, but definitely ends on a cliffhanger. You could argue that Rom being launched into the cosmos, and the Micronauts being sent home have put things back to the relative status-quo, but the Dire Wraiths are now on Earth, and the Orbsah Gem is in Destro's hands. My guess is that the remainder of this series will be released with the TPB, so if it is, then I'll upload my thoughts on those editions. Remember that the series was originally slated to be a five-part story, which was reduced to three, so this is quite likely.
• I would question how Karza knew who the Dire Wraiths were, but the comic did establish that he's read the actual Revolution comic already....so....well played!
• So, from Rom's claim that the Orbsah Gem is the reason their respective groups have come into conflict (which is true) it sounds like he's saying that crossovers are bad (since Orbsah is Hasbro backwards, and they created the main crossover series')
• Huh...despite it being badly damaged last issue, Microspace seems fine now! Good thing space displacement devastation isn't a long term problem huh?
• Jazz's design, briefly seen behind Optimus, appears to be based on his Robots in Disguise 2015 incarnation rather than the usual G1 version.

Sig Pub - Robots in Disguise #23

Notes

• This month's screen-cap comic is "Strongarm's Big Score"...looks like we're getting all of season 2.5 in deed!
• Why was Optimus paired against Scatterspike in the profiles? She literally pairs off against Strongarm in the features story...
• The Optimus Prime Truck tour advert is still shown in this issue. By the time this magazine was released the last date for the tour had already passed by one whole day...oops?

Features

Super Fan Quiz - Answer some questions about RID2015...I was perfect of course :)

Battle of the Bots - Optimus and Fixit vs Scatterspike and Sawtooth profiles

Bumblebee Puzzle - Do an acrostic to find a word to describe Bumblebee

Grimlock Games - Grimlock themed puzzles

Observation Test - Play a spot the difference game

The Last Knight Colouring pages - Colour in a bunch of pictures of TLK characters

Decepticon Code - Use a cypher to write out a message from the Decepticons

Comic Investigator - Answer some questions about this month's comic.

Puzzling Prizes - Solve some puzzles, then enter a contest to win some toys!

Prime Puzzles - So some Optimus themed puzzles

Transformers Post - Fixit features some art from fans...one wins an Ultra Bee combiner...:( I want it.

Sideswipe Escape - Help Sideswipe get through a maze, before his crippling fears render him useless again....SAVE HIM!!!

Sig Pub - Rescue Bots #4

Notes

• This issue features a screen-cap adaptation of the episode "The Alien Invasion of Griffin Rock"
• The answer for the Identity Parade segment is Salvage. I bring this up because the first clue is "This bot is not green"....HE LITERALLY HAD GREEN IN THE PICTURE GIVEN!!

Features

Optimus Mask! - Cut up the cover to make a soulless mask of Optimus

Find out about Construction Vehicles with Boulder - Learn about construction vehicles!

Chase is on patrol! - Do a bunch of Chase themed puzzles

Bumblebee Pairs! - Find the odd Bumblebee out!

Spot the Differences! - Do an insultingly easy spot the difference game

Heatwave's Rescue Game - It's a boardgame! Sort of....it needs counters and dice though....

Colour them in! - Colour in a picture of Heatwave, Boulder and Chase...no Blades though...

Search and Find! - Locate specific things in a picture!

Find out about hero dogs with Servo! - AWWWWW!!! LO0OKIT ALL THE BUBBIES!!!

Shadow Search - Identify Blades' shadow

Identity Parade - Identify the Autobot based on the clues given.

Rescue Bots Post - More pictures from kids...no nightmare fuel ones this time though...PHEW!

Bot Mode to Dino Mode! - Draw a line between the Rescue Bots and their dinosaur modes

A very tasty reward! - A pictogram story, have fun with it!

Competition Time! - Win some Mini-Cons or Playsets!

IDW - Revolutionaries #7

Title: When Eagles Scream

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Ron Joseph, Fico Ossio and Guido Guidi

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng and Guido Guidi

Letters by: Tom B Long

Assistant Edits by: David Mariotte

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

In 1994, at the Project Iceman facility, Garrison Kreiger convinces Mike Power to touch the Talisman again, to see if it can increase his powers even more, but the energy starts to make him feel funny. Suddenly the Axalon shuttle, that went missing in 1944 suddenly crashes into the facility, accompanied by Sgt Savage, who has been lost in time since then. The Adventure Force (formerly the Adventure Team) arrive, intending to take down Kreiger, and see Mike Power, their former team member, seemingly dead on the floor. Everyone is rendered dumbfounded by Sgt Savage being there.

Savage manages to fit in well with his new era, and even teams up with the era's Action Man to take down the villains of the day. He continues to fight the good fight when he flies right into a battle with the newly formed GI Joe team in the early 2000's against a displaced Decepticon named Bugly at Mt St Helens, the Decepticon ends up being knocked out by the newly arrived Centurion who drags him away. The Joe team are concerned over Savage possibly compromising their secret mission, but Stalker vouches for him, having remembered him from his return in 1994. Savage reveals that he is there because of a priority distress message he picked up, but the team don't know anything about it. They decide to follow Centurion to see what's going on.

Inside the mountain, they find a facility that Centurion reveals was used by one of his kind in the past, where some others were trapped inside (Bludgeon used it, and Soundwave and his team are trapped inside, though they assume Soundwave is just an old cassette player). Inside they meet Kreiger and the head of Skywatch, Joshua Red, as well as Joe Colton himself, who was the one to call in Savage. The trio lead Savage further into the mountain, but refuse to allow the Joes to join them, which makes the team a little suspicious.

Inside the hidden lair, Savage is shown the Talisman again, and is told that about the Transformers slowly invading Earth as they restraining Bugly to the Talisman. Savage is concerned since this seems wrong, as the robot is clearly sentient and feels fear for his life. The team put on their radiation suits as Centurion grabs Savage and throws him towards Bugly and the Talisman, upon contact the time-energy still trapped inside Savage from his time travelling adventure reacts with the Talisman and tears Bugly apart. The team are glad that they now have a potential weapon against the Transformers...but they just need to learn to harness it....Savage hears this, as he is thrown into the year 2017....

Today, Savage has begun acclimatizing to the new era he is in again, and recounts his time travelling ales to Mayday, whilst Terrence Salmons of the Action Man Programme stands guard over their prisoner, Garrison Kreiger, until the GI Joe team arrive to pick him up.

Inside the facility, Blackrock is analysing the Talisman, helped by his assistant, Camila, whilst Ian, the current Action Man, is showing his teammate Bryce Chan the holding facility for the Dire Wraith infected Humans. Elsewhere, Kup is giving Centurion more information on Cybertron, whilst he is hooked up to the facility's computer systems.

Suddenly the outer guns on the Onyx Facility seemingly activate on their own and fire on the incoming GI Joe team. Skywarp takes initiative and takes down the guns. Inside the facility, Blackrock is attacked by "Camila" with a katana, revealing herself to actually be Storm Shadow in disguise. Centurion opens fire on Kup when he starts to realize that Centurion is hacking the security systems, and Doctor X manages to sneak into the holding room, where she holds Ian and Bryce at gun point.

Baron Ironblood and the bulk of his alliance arrive at the Onyx facility via the MASS device and an all-out battle begins. The Onyx facility's force-field activates, seemingly by Centurion, and it slices the GI Joe jet in half, forcing the team to dive out, and join the fight too.

Savage grabs at Ironblood himself as the rest of his allies are surrounded by the Red Shadow Ninjas, and Savage, who recognizes who Ironblood really is under his mask, rips the helmet off revealing the previously believed to be dead founder of GI Joe, Joe Colton underneath, much to the shock of GI Joe member Mayday....

Characters

Autobot

Kup - Pick Up Truck Shot by Centurion

Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign - Head Stabbed through chest by Storm Shadow

Decepticon

Bugly - Bug Monster (Flashback Only) Killed by Talisman Radiation

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Flashback Only) Mode Locked

Ravage - Cassette (Flashback Only) Dismantled

Laserbeak - Cassette (Flashback Only) Dismantled 

GI Joe

Mayday

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Lady Jaye

Slip-Stream

Rock 'n Roll

Doc

Roadblock

Mutated Joes In Stasis 

Stalker (Flashback Only)

Scarlett (Flashback Only)

Hawk (Flashback Only)

Heavy Duty (Mentioned) Mutated

Action Man Programme/Team Extreme

Action Man/Ian Noble

Agent Bryce Chan

Agent Terrence Salmons

1994 Action Man (Flashback Only)

Natalie Poole (Flashback Only)

Adventure Force/Team

Atomic Man/Mike Power (Flashback Only) Knocked out by Talisman

Bulletman/Richard Ruby (Flashback Only)

Mayhem/Miles Manheim (Flashback Only)

Ironblood's Alliance

Joe Colton/Baron Ironblood/GI Joe

Garrison Kreiger

Centurion - Luxury Car, formerly Locomotive

Doctor X/Mercy Gale

Storm Shadow/"Camila"

Major Bludd

Daina

Horrorshow

Gorky

Dragonsky 

Red Shadow Ninjas

Other Human

Sgt Robert Savage

Mutated Civilians In Stasis

Joshua Red (Flashback Only)

1994 Zartan (Flashback Only)

Cesspool (Flashback Only)

Toxo-Zombie (Flashback Only)

The Real Camila (Mentioned)

Notes

• Just a quick note, I'm a little behind on my reviews due to my current comic supplier being about a week behind schedule, so I only got last week's comics (First Strike 2 etc) today, so including reading and analysing time it may be a little later than most other sources. Thanks for putting up with it :D
• It's shown that the Axalon and Sgt Savage were drawn into the year 1994 from 1944 when Mike Power touched the Talisman on Kreiger's suggestion.
• We heard that the Adventure Team/Force believed that Kreiger killed Mike Power in previous issues, here we see that they saw him just after being overcharged by the Talisman and looking quite dead.
• So...just a bit of a peeve here....in the 1994 and early 2000's scenes we see the Adventure Force and GI Joe witnessing Transformers, including Centurion, whom they even see is sentient...this was before the Transformers were made public knowledge...shouldn't they be all freaking out?!
• We see that the Dire Wraith-Human hybrids are being kept in the Buenos Aires Onyx facility...didn't the Action Man Programme take them into custody in issue #1? I know Chan and Salmons are both present from the Programme, but they seem surprised by them here...
• The GI Joe team featured in the present day in this issue is most of the team from Scarlett's crew from the GI Joe comic series.
• The Action Man Team in 1994 are based on the Extreme version I remember from my childhood....I feel so old.....(at least I don't remember the original GI Joe toy though!)
• Bugly is revealed to have been a part of Bludgeon's team that came to Earth in the 80's. He appears to have a insectoid alternate mode, unlike the rest of his team. (Before you think he's just in his Pretender Shell, remember that those shells weren't created until about 20 years later, and were unstable even then)
• Due to his appearance with Kreiger and Colton, it's likely that the original Skywatch and Joshua Red was affiliated with Kreiger's villainous methods or even funded by them, explaining a comment from the All Hail Megatron Coda stories that implied that the previous leader of Skywatch wasn't American
• The radiation suits used by Colton and the others in the 2000's era flashback are designed to evoke the Baron Ironblood armour, leading to the reveal of who he really is...
• OH MY PRIMUS! BARON IRONBLOOD IS JOE COLTON!!! Well that would have been my reaction had this not been spoiled by the fact that First Strike began like a month ago now....This is the problem with comic release dates getting messed up....