IDW - Optimus Prime #17

Title: The Falling Part 3: The Ground

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

News about the explosion at the Spire, and the death of Alpha Trion reaches Earth, leading to Aileron deciding to head back to Cybertron to back up Optimus in this situation. Jetfire prepares the space bridge for her, as well as the Torchbearers to join in, when suddenly the city transforms, sending Aileron flying down a hole. Arcee chases after her, whilst the city flies into a space bridge portal, heading to Cybertron.

On Cybertron, Optimus denies Onyx Prime's claims that Soundwave and the Decepticons were involved in the explosion, causing arguments between the public and Optimus' allies, with Onyx planting the idea that Humans, Decepticons and the colonists have corrupted the Cybertronian race, and Optimus himself. He then adds more problems by playing a recording of Soundwave killing Horri-Bull and pinning the blame on Bumblebee, before leaving, saying they can do with Liege Maximo as they wish now, and heads back to his ship.

Needlenose, who loves Horri-Bull is furious with Soundwave for what he did, and for not telling him, further adding to the fire, and starting a riot in the city, with Marissa calling for the Dinobots to come help and the Constructicons to head off on their own mission now. Optimus contemplates what is going on, and why all this is happening, when Metrotitan appears and  begins attacking Onyx Prime's vessel, the Nemesis.

On the ground, Needlenose fires all his weapons at Soundwave, who just shrugs them off, before bitch-slapping him away, telling him there's more important things to deal with. The Constructicons appear and combine into Devastator, and attack the prison, rescuing Starscream, expecting him to lead them as the "Chosen One" again, despite his own protests.

Optimus calls out to Metrotitan to explain why he is on Cybertron, which he explains is to save Starscream. Optimus and Windblade fly to him to try and get him to calm down, but he simply attacks the "False Prime" Optimus, who he now distrusts (for some reason). Windblade loses her grip on Optimus and he falls, only to be caught by Onyx Prime, who immediately orders his Nemesis to fire on Metrotitan, who lows a hole in his chest, seemingly killing him and most likely everyone still on board the Titan.

Optimus attacks Onyx for killing his Titan, but Onyx easily defends himself, and reveals himself, by tearing off his face to reveal himself as....SHOCKWAVE!!!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Aileron - Spaceship

Arcee - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Tracks - Muscle Car

Metrotitan - Autobot City Blasted Through Chest by "The Nemesis"

Slide - Rear of Oil Tanker

Midnight Express - Bullet Train

Alpha Trion - Shuttle Dead

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck (Flashback)

Zeta Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Torchbearers (Mentioned)

The Dinobots (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Swift - Helicopter

Dreadwind - Stealth Bomber Dead

Horri-Bull - Bull (Footage Only) Dead

Ratbat - Cassette (Footage Only) Dead

Skywarp - Fighter Jet (Voice in Footage Only)

Menasor - Stunticon Combiner (Flashback)

Swindle - Van (Flashback)

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Colonist

Mistress of Flame

Elita One

Moonracer - Sports Car

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Sterling - Car (Flashback) Dead

Random Camiens (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian

Onyx Prime/Shockwave

Starscream - Fighter Jet Liberated from Jail Cell

Scoop - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Hook - Crane

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Devastator - Constructicon Combiner

D.O.C.

Circuit

Longtooth

Tappet - Car

Cybertronian Crowds

Zetca (Footage Only)

Prima (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Megatronus (Mentioned)

Liege Maximo (Mentioned)

The Other Primes (Mentioned)

The Darklanders (Mentioned)

The Titans (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Rashid Nasir (Mentioned)

Other

Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue was released the same day as the digital releases of issue 18 and Lost Light 17. The physical copies of the latter two were released a week later.
• Oh look! The colonists are at the mines after all! (But I guess that storyline isn't important enough to really show)
• Unless you look closely, you won't notice that Dreadwind, who Tracks was trying to repair at the start, has died, he's turned grey and everything!
• Onyx claims that he got the "security footage" of Soundwave killing Horri-Bull remotely from hacking into the security network on the planet, however given the revelation of Onyx being Shockwave in disguise, this is likely actually his own memories being shown
• So Onyx flying around in a giant single eye makes sense considering he is actually Shockwave huh?
• The Dinobots were revealed to now be living in Trypticon, acting as the Earth embassy in "The Redemption"
• Small question here, Metrotitan has shoulder mounted cannons and other weapons...why does he shoot energy beams out of his fingers?
• Am I missing something? Is there a reason why Metrotitan suddenly believes Optimus to be a "False Prime"?
• Have I mentioned yet that Onyx Prime is actually Shockwave in disguise? He was last seen being willingly killed to deactivate the black-hole he created, resulting in the singularity in Crystal City.

IDW - Rom and the Micronauts #4

Title: Asymmetric Warfare

Writer: Christos Gage

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colourist: Alessandra Alexakis

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Gold Goldstein

Plot

Orphion, Livia, Camilla and Darby are pinned down by a small army of Wraiths, including Axiom and Reptos, being powered up by sorcerers in South Korea. Luckily Rom and the Micronauts arrive and turn the tide of the fight by taking down the sorcerers, allowing the others to fight properly again. Axiom escapes to warn Karza and the others about this turn of events, whilst the heroes take out the remaining Wraiths. During the battle Rom is pointed towards the Reptos, who have Enerchanged with others to gain a larger size, but are left unstable due to the difference in power, meaning Rom needs to Enerchange with Karza to regain his own true powers.

Following the battle, the Earth team explain that Karza and the Wraiths have set up base on a Japanese island facility, Hashima Island, and have Japan on their side due to them infiltrating their government and portraying the Solstar Knights as murderers. Whilst Orphion shares his intel on the island with the Micronauts, Rom talks with Livia about his lessons in Enerchanging, and believes that they could use it to be able to safely remove their armour and resume their pre-war lives, however Livia doesn't want to do that, as she isn't the same person she was before they joined the war.

At Hashima Island, Axiom explains what has happened, and the Wraiths are starting to panic. Karza reveals that he has a plan to speed up their plans, but it requires The Absence to be "dedicated", angering the intangible Wraith to the point that he agrees, just to show his power...

Back at the staging ground, Acroyear approaches Livia and relates to her that he is also an organic being trapped inside armour, and that he would give anything to remove it and have a normal life, indicating towards Phen again. Livia picks up on what he's saying and points out to him that one's appearance doesn't matter, and she has witnessed many very different species fall in love in her travels across the universe, even a Solstar Knight and a Dire Wraith once fell in love. Rom's true ambition with removing his armour is that he hates it because it is a constant reminder of how his family and his innocence died.

After their preparations, the team head out to Hashima Island, where they split in two teams, Rom and the Micronauts use their smaller size to sneak into the base, whilst Orphion and the others create a big distraction outside.

Things begin well, but Axiom notices that Rom isn't amongst the others fighting so he hunts him down. The Micronauts manage to fight off Axiom, but Rom finishes him off by Enerchanging with him, stealing his size and seemingly sending him to Microspace as Karza did to him earlier. Rom is glad to have a full sized body again, but can feel his body is unstable, so the group rush off to confront Karza and get Rom's true power back, however as they reach his chamber, they see Karza has already succeeded...he has awoken The Presence...

Characters

Solstar Order

Rom

Livia

Orphion

Space Knight in Love (Flashback)

Micronaut

Larissa

Phenolo-Phi

Acroyear

Biotron

Microtron (Voice Only)

Baron Karza

Dire Wraith

The Absence

The Presence 

D'rge

Axiom Shunted to Microspace by Rom

Wraith Sorcerers

Wraith Soldiers Most Killed

Wraith Hawks

Reptos Army Most Self Destruct

Wraith Sorcerer in Love (Flashback)

Human

Darby Mason

Camilla Byers

Other

Fire Alien (Flashback)

Multi-Headed Alien (Flashback)

Torchbearer (Flashback)

Blind Alien (Flashback)

Rom's Family (Flashback) Dead

Notes

• I know it's the penultimate issue, and they had to gloss over the timeline between the end of Rom and this series, but I still find it amazing how quickly Livia and Orphion accept Camilla and Darby, considering the former has partial Dire Wraith powers, and the latter is wearing the dead arm of one of their former allies...
• Oh wow! It's Axiom! He hasn't been seen in like a year, wonder if he'll do a lo- oh...he pretty much dies at the end
• It's implied by his dialogue that "The Absence" is technically "An Absence" and is a position one can attain through a hard ritual, and implies to be a conduit for The Presence to be summoned through.
• Amongst the aliens who find love appears to be a Torchbearer (Camien religious warriors and the guards for the Mistress of Flame) and a blind alien (based on her eyes being covered, yet they still have a gun out)
• Microtron, despite seeming to be on death's door last issue is HEARD on the ship a few times this issue...we don't see him, so either this was a late addition just to show people he's fine before the series ends, or it's for a reveal that he's been modified in some way on the ship (maybe even as part of the ship now?)

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #4

Title: Good Men

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio 

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Published by: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Quickswitch is recruited by Ironhide's team due to his drill alternate mode, and is outfitted with the counter-wave bomb to be taken down to Vector Sigma and detonated to stop the Talisman's effects. Leoric and Ironhide are worried about how they haven't heard from Arzon's team yet, and believe they may have been killed.

In New Prysmos, Witterquick and Mortdred are being held in a torture chamber and are hurt by Reekon, until Cryotek arrives and takes over the torture. He tries to explain himself to Witterquick, when Virulina comes in and wants to talk to her ew Darkling Lord.

Elesewhere, in his chamber, Merklynn is talking with Arzon, and explains that he wants their people to go back to their magical ways and sees the Cybertronians are blasphemous. He tells Arzon that he wants him to overthrow Virulina and rule Prysmos the proper way, even showing him a vision of the future from his scrying pool, showing Virulina broken and beaten on a floor.

Virulina takes Cryotek to her throne room, where she attacks him to goad him into fighting back, making him prove that he will fight for his people, she is able to defeat him, and explains that she has used a spell on the torture chamber that will send their life-force to the Talisman to speed up it's activation, meaning that it'll be ready today, so long as Witterquick and Mortdred are killed by Cryotek.

Back in the lab, Quickswitch is having some last minute work done before the mission, when Leoric receives a message from Cryotek, telling him about what is happening with Witterquick and the Talisman, apologizing for his betrayal . Leoric heads off alone to confront Virulina himself, leaving Galadria in charge of the bomb team.

The team, heads out, but soon encounter Talsiman energy whilst drilling. Quickswitch manages to go through the energy, shielding the others, but is killed in the process. The group wind up in a chamber near Vector Sigma and Wheeljack prepares to set off the bomb. Unfortunately the group are not alone, Arzon, now wearing Darkling Lord armour, confronts the group. The Spectral Knights are captured by the Darkling Lords, whilst Arzon tries to convince Galadria to join him, but she cannot do so, as committing genocide is wrong. Arzon slaps her away, and slashes the counterwave bomb in half....

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Quickswitch - Drill  Killed by Talisman Energy

Windblade - VTOL Jet (Image)

Spectral Knight

Leoric 

Galadria

Ectar

Witterquick Being Drained of Life Force

Arzon Joins Darkling Lords

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Cryotek

Reekon

Cravex

Lexor

Mortdred Being Drained of Life Force

Darkstorm (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Arnoured Van

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Other

Merklynn

Heskedor (Mentioned) Heart Became Arcana Vast

Notes

• Hey look it's Quickswitch! Let's hope he doesn't die within an iss-oh....he did... Funny story, I actually called this, I read the three page preview and called that he would die a "shock-death" Here's my tweet!
• Speaking of shock deaths...has anything been said of what happened with Fat Tankor? Last time we saw him he was guarding the alien city.
• Quickswitch's transformation capabilities seem a bit confused in this issue. He bemoans his drill mode, but doesn't he have 4 other alternate modes? (I would assume this was due to a change in his alternate modes for the series, except the roll call page says he's a multi-former)
• Virulina has big scary holographic versions of her head emitting from her base tower...how can the people of New Prysmos NOT see she is evil?!
• We learn a bit of the Visionaries creation story here, basically there was once a being who acted as the living universe, and over time she split apart with her heart forming the Arcana vast at the core of Prysmos, giving life to their planet and giving them their magical powers.
• So...from the dialogue here it sounds like Merklynn did intend to betray Virulina eventually, but not in the way I thought originally, he just wants someone else to take control of the city.
• Still waiting for all the air to escape New Prysmos here...it's a been a couple days at least now
• Apparently the totem shields can be used to contact other Visionaries, which emits the caller's face via magic...why didn't any of the left behind Spectral Knights use this to ask Leoric and the others what was happening rather than betraying him to Virulina?
• Oh, Arzon joined the Darkling Lords too, cool...seems like all the most loyal Spectral Knights aren't too loyal huh? I mean I guess it could just be a ruse for his ultimate plan to take down Virulina, but it seems a bit extreme to slap Galadria if that was the case.
• Also, remember how Mortdred was standing along with Virulina on top of the Thrustinator chariot last issue, implying that he was either betraying the Knights, or just getting close to her to assassinate her? Well I think Mags forgot! He's a prisoner here now!
• And yes, this issue ends with the Darkling Lords still with all the power and nothing good for the Spectral Knights, so if they have any chance of winning in the finale next issue it will be a Deus Ex Machina...yay....

Sig Pub - Robots in Disguise #30

Notes

• This month's screen-cap comic is "Sphere of Influence"
• This issue shows us a view of Stockade's vehicle mode. I do not remember seeing that in the series proper!
• For some reason Crosshairs from the Movies is the featured character on Puzzling Prizes....why?

Features

Make Blurr - Destroy the cover to make a cardstock Blurr toy!

Brainbusting Puzzles - Do some random puzzles!

Battle of the Bots - Strongarm vs Springload profiles

Colour in Zorillor! - Colour in one of the Decepticons featured in this month's comic

Capture Hammerstrike! - Lead Grimlock to Hammerstrike

Mini-Con Memory Test- Test your memory to try and remember 12 Mini-Con names

Drift Dots- Play a dot-to-dot game to complete a picture of Drift's face

Let's Rrrrumble!! - Pull out poster

Mega Auto Match! - Match the vehicle mode to the Transformers

Comic Investigator - Answer questions about the comic in this month's magazine

Puzzling Prizes - Answer some questions to enter a toy contest!

Fact or Falsehood? - Answer trivia characters about Robots in Disguise

Transformers Post - Send pictures and photos to Fixit!

Sig Pub - Rescue Bots #10

Notes

• This month's screen-cap comic is for "The Lost Bell"
• The eggshell pirate tutorial is quite suitable, since this magazine came out just before Easter

Features

The best of the Bots! - Do some puzzles!

Heatwave's Firefighting Facts - Learn about firefighters!

Search and Find! - Locate certain details in a picture!

What a load of Rubbish! - Decide which type of bin you can put all the rubbish you find into!

Helicopter match up! - Find the odd helicopter out!

4 Page Colouring! - A pull-out collection of colouring-in pages of the Rescue Bots

Find out about Storms! - Learn about storms from the Rescue Bots

Rescue Bots Post - Send some scary pictures to Bumblebee!

Make Eggshell Pirates! Make some watercress pirates with eggshells! 

Treasure Hunt! - Lead High Tide to some pirate treasure

Make your own Rescue Bots story - Fill in the gaps to complete a tory for the Rescue Bots to be involved in!

Competition Time! - Answer some questions to win some Mini-Con figures!