Skybound - Void Rivals #6

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artist: Lorenzo De Felici

Colourist: Matheus Lopes

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Editors: Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Jillian Crab

Plot

Solila is rescued from her cell, hiding the strange artefact along the way, by Kanela, whom she has a poor, but long history with. Unfortunately, the guard notice the escape, and report it to the Premier.

She is taken to the Unifier base, where she and Darak are conscripted to join them on a mission to Agorra to reconnect with their unresponsive Aggorian counterparts.

The team make their way to a Blastwing shuttle that they have access to, but are ambushed at the shuttle site, as Ultum was forced to betray them, on the promise of finding his missing mother.

Solila and Darak escape with the data packet for the Aggorians, and manage to eventually find their way to the edge of the Zertonian side of the Sacred Ring, and enter the Wastelands to make it to Agorra...

Premier Zalilak is informed of them entering the Wastelands, and despite his advisor's suggestion that they couldn't survive there, Zalilak doesn't want to take any risks, and cannot allow "Goliant" to come. He reluctantly orders for "Proximus" to be revived...

On Quintessa, the Skuxxoid hands over the hybrid shuttle to the Judge, and leaves the planet, with the Judge having the shuttle taken away for study, and wondering what their next move against Zerta should be now...

Characters

Zertonian

Solila

Kanela

Ultum

Premier Zalilak

Zalilak's Advisor 

Guards

Unifier Members

Starving Civilians 

Ultum's Mother (Mentioned)

Minister of Arms (Mentioned)

Aggorian 

Darak

Handroid

Unifier Counterparts (Mentioned)

Quintesson

Judge

Executioner

Allicons

Other

Skuxxoid

Zerta (Mentioned)

Goliant (Mentioned)

Proximus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the first Void Rivals story arc, which according to the Trade Paperback name will be called "More Than Meets The Eye"...for some completely unknowable reason...
• Following this issue, Void Rivals is having a break until March, so the other series can have a couple issues to breathe 
• The armoured prison guards are revealed to be called "Blast Troopers".
• Solila somehow identified Kanela, despite being in full Blast Trooper armour...does she have a distinct smell or eye shape or something?
• The Quintesson Judge appears to confirm my theory that Zerta was a Quintesson from last issue. The end of the issue also reveals that the Sacred Ring is apparently some sort of seal to keep "Goliant" at bay. So maybe the ring itself is some sort of long forgotten space bridge ring or something?
• Also confirming my suspicions from last issue, there are Aggorian Unifiers too.
• I just want to point out one of the above images, which shows Zalilak having an abundant feast, whilst most other Zertonians are shown in squalor and starving.
• Solila finally says she trusts Darak...not that she really has much choice since they've entered a wasteland between the two halves of the Ring.

Skybound - Transformers #2

Writer, Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson 

Colourist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Editors: Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Plot

Optimus explores the woods near the Autobot's current Quarry base, when he accidentally crushes a deer, a apologizes to it. Spike approaches him, and tells him it was just an accident, but Optimus is still distraught, forgetting how fragile life on Earth is compared to his home world.

Optimus and Spike tell each other a little about their homes, with Spike talking about his parents, and Optimus talks about Cybertron, including it's war, and how his actions led to the Ark's crash on Earth, and the war being brought here now...

Soon, a newly recovered Cliffjumper arrives, who gets scared by Spike, and a newly arrived Carly, before returning to the Quarry with Optimus.

Wheeljack is being repaired using Optimus' trailer, but Ratchet admits that they don't have enough to rebuild everyone quick enough to counter the Decepticons, or to keep them active without Energon.

Rescue workers have arrived at the power plant, where the workers try to explain about the giant robot attacks, but no-one believes them...until Skywarp and the others arrive, and start a new rampage, with Soundwave even using an Energon converter from the Ark to steal the energy from the plant for their use.

A military jet is called to the plant, but they are attacked by Starscream, who knocks the jet out of the air, and kills the pilot with his bare hands, the co-pilot, Duke, manages to escape after shooting Starscream in the eye.

Spike amanges to steal a police car, whilst the military jet falls on Skywarp and Soundwave, causing a noticeable explosion.

The Autobots hear the noise, and the humans get worried about their parents nearby. Optimus heads off to investigate, knowing the Decepticons are involved, and he feels immense guilt for bringing them to Earth in the first place.

Ratchet remains at the base to continue fixing their allies, with Cliffjumper to protect him. Spike convinces Prime to let him come with him, so he can protect his family, along with Optimus.

Carly drives back home, unaware than Laserbeak is following her, noticing the Optimus Prime added to her van's mural.

Upon returning home, she finds Sparkplug, who has gathered her father's weapons, and explains that the robots have killed her father, Davey.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Ratchet - Ambulance

Cliffjumper - Car

Wheeljack Under Repairs 

Roller - Buggy Drone 

Brawn Stasis Locked

Jazz Stasis Locked 

Ironhide Stasis Locked 

Other Autobots Stasis Locked 

Beachcomber (Flashback) Shot by Decepticons

Beachcomber's Teammate (Flashback) Shot by Decepticons 

Bumblebee (Mentioned) Dead 

Previous Autobot Leader (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Rumble - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Megatron (Flashback) Missing

Human

Spike

Carly

Sparkplug

Duke

Jordie

Frosting Killed by Starscream 

Plant Workers

Rescue Workers

Davey (Picture) Dead

Air Force Central Command Operator (Voice)

Spike's Mother (Mentioned) Dead

Jimmy (Mentioned) Dead

Other Cybertronian

Jetfire - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Turborats (Mentioned)

Other

Cute Deer Accidentally Crushes by Optimus

Cute Wild Animals

Notes

• I can't help but think that the opening pages of Optimus accidentally killing a deer is a parody of the image of Optimus from the "Meet the Autobots" book for the 2007 Movie, where he is shown delicately interacting with butterflies and birds. See Here.
• Spike implies that his name is just a nickname given to him by his mother, before she died.
• Optimus states he and the Autobots left Cybertron after two centuries of war, meaning this incarnation of the Great War is a lot shorter than most others. (Though they also crashed on Earth a long time ago, since that war date)
• Megatron is shown to have been on the Ark before it crashed, fighting Optimus, and even causing his eye injury that he spotted before he was reformatted.
• Optimus' trailer is confirmed be include his combat deck, and even Roller! Yay! 
• The police cars seen this issue are designed like G1 Prowl, most likely to give his future alternate mode a basis, but this is a bit odd, since they are based on Japanese police cars...
• Duke makes his debut this issue, but seemingly pre-G.I. Joe, though he still seems to have some special tools.
• The two where the human characters are based is named as "Farmingham" here.
• Davey, from last issue is revealed to have been Carly's father.
• Just saying, we don't see Jetfire's body this issue...did Ratchet use him for spare parts for the Autobots?

Skybound - Void Rivals #5

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artist: Lorenzo De Felici

Colourist: Patricio Delpeche

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Editors: Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Plot

The two rivals are sitting in their cell, when Darak is dragged away for torture and interrogation, whilst he is being tortured, Solila is visited by her former leader, Mistress Vill, who wishes to give her a special item to help her on her new path.

The Skuxxoid has arrived on Quintessa, where he tries to sell the Prosecutor to a Judge, but is instead almost put on trial, with his prisoner being taken into their own custody. Whilst trying to get out of his trial, Skuxxoid mentions the hybrid ship he took off the rivals, which piques the Judge's interest, upon hearing the term "Zertonian"...

Darak has been tortured badly, but hasn't broken after three days. The torturer leaves to prepare the next round, but a Zertonian child arrives, and frees Darak, leading him through the subterranean tunnels to a secret meeting area, where he is greeted by a group of unmasked Zertonians, who reveal they know about the past unity between the world's, and want to bring them together again, wishing for Darak's help in the mission.

Darak says he'll join their mission, if they can rescue Solila too...with their leader Kanela asking if he even knows who Solila really is....

Characters

Zertonian

Solila Imprisoned on Zertonia

Mistress Vill

Ultum

Kanela

Torturer 

Keeper of the Light Members

Unifier Members

Prison Guards

Premier Zalilak (Mentioned)

Agorrian

Darak

Handroid

Minister Dulin (Mentioned)

Quintesson

Judge

Prosecutor Detained on Quintessa

Allicons - Alligators 

Scorpia (Mentioned) Damaged beyond Repair

Other

Skuxxoid Detained on Quintessa

Skuxxoid's Wife (Mentioned)

Zerta (Mentioned)

Notes

• Solila's helmet seems to be a modified version of the ones used by the members of the Keepers of the Light, whome she used to be a part of.
• Despite this universe not using toyetic designs for the Transformers characters so far, the Quintesson Judge's chair appears to be based on the one that comes with the Earthrise toy, with seams and all! 
• The scorpion from issue three is revealed to be a Quintesson Scorpia.
• The Judge appears to know what Zertonians are, despite the Handroid appearing to have no information on the species. It's possible that the "Zerta" we keep hearing about is actually a Quintesson who founded the Zertonian society, who h would explain all the green motifs etc.
• The Handroid told Solila that if he was removed from Darak, then self defense systems would activate...looks like he lied about that!
• The resistance group we meet this issue are the Unifiers, who want to bring the two halves of the Sacred Ring together, and seemingly know about the two species being related. Though we only see Zertonians here, it would be very surprising if there weren't any Aggorian members too, on their side of the ring.
• The "unique item of power" that Mistress Vill gives Solila features the symbols of the two planets, implying it existed from before the separation.
• This issue features a preview for the upcoming Duke Miniseries