IDW - Transformers #33

Title: Lord of Misrule: Swindle's II

Written by: Brian Ruckley 

Art by: Beth McGuire-Smith

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Sixshot inspects the newly reopened Swindle's Bar, and agrees to allow it to stay open, but ONLY if they serve Decepticons exclusively.

Elsewhere, Skywarp raids an Energon facility to refuel, witnessed by Gutctuncher, who knows this is bad news...

Back at the bar, Bumblebee and Rough stuff are working underground in secret while Swindle greases up a few Decepticons who he thinks will spill some secrets to him.

After a while, Swindle approaches Bee and informs him that Elita-1 is being moved to the former Senate building to join the Senators in prison, and he thinks this is a good time to break her free to join their underground resistance.

Joined by a couple of Decepticons that Swindle has bribed, Charger and Fire Beast, Bee intercepts the prisoner see detail to save Elita, but he stalls when he realizes that Barricade is part of the and intends to kill him, untill he realizes that he's only in this situation because he killed Quake for revenge before, so he decides to end this vicious cycle, and let Barricade live before leaving. Charger however decides that he doesn't want Barricade to shoot them in the back, so he scorches his hand, still holding the gun.

Bee and Elita return to the bar, where Swindle says that he knew Barricade was in the area, but didn't know where, but he would have informed Bee if he knew he was in Elita's detail. Swindle also reveals that his recent intelligence gathering session revealed that he knows where the Enigma of Combination is, along with other Decepticons secrets.

Bee says they need to pass this information onto Optimus and the Autobots, so they can take out the Decepticons and bring things back to normal...

Skywarp  ontinues exploring and finds the new status quo on Cybertron interesting, so he hunts down a Decepticon, Off-Road, and asks to see his leader...

Characters

Decepticon

Sixshot - Jet/Car/Gun/Tank/Winged Beast

Barricade - Police Car

Jolt - Car

Ravage - Cassette

Charger 

Fire Beast - Equipment Accessory

Off-Road - Van 

Crasher - Race Car

Windsweeper - Jet

Tentakil - Squid 

Nautilator - Lobster

Twirl - Bomber Jet

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Apeface - Ape/Jet 

Gutcruncher

Slicer

Treadshot

Catgut

Deveptiçon Patrons

Seekers - Jets 

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Soundwave - Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Autobot

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Flashback Only)

Orion Pax/Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback Only)

Other Cybertronian

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Elita-1 - Car

Swindle - Van

Trickdiamond - Car

Headlock - Forklift

Roughstuff - Truck 

Skywarp - Jet 

Deathsaurus - Dragon In Immersion Suite

Proxima (Flashback Only)

Devastator - Construction Gestalt (Flashback Only)

Big Wing (Flashback Only) Killed by Devastator 

Rubble's Forging Audience (Flashback Only)

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Cyclonus - Jet (Mentioned)

Rubble (Mentioned) Dead 

The Senate (Mentioned) Imprisoned

The Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

The Mentor Assessors (Mentioned)

Mayalx Inhabitants (Mentioned) Dead

Other

The Voin (Mentioned)

Notes

• Swindle and his crew are openly operating out of Swindle's bar, except for Bumblebee and Rough stuff, who are both in a hidden area of the complex.
• During the flashback to Devastator's attack on Mayalx we see a bot being killed by the combiner, who we can assume is Trickdiamond's mentor, Big Wing.
• We also learn here that the massacre on Mayalx has been covered up as being caused by an asteroid strike.
• We're told here that Charger and Fire Beast were part of the Iron Hope 100, and thus survived on Nucleon and lost the ability to transform....though we see here that Fire Beast can transform into some armour accessories...how does that work?
• With us seeing the Iron Hope 100 members so far being all traditional Action Masters, we can probably assume this to be true of all action Masters and partners, unless we see them transform in a comic.
• We see Sentinel Prime amongst those in attendance of Rubble's forging, but he's supposed to be off-world doing his colonybtour at this point in continuity (unless he came back just for this I guess)

IDW - Transformers (2019) #11

Title: The Cracks Beneath Your Feet, Part Five

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Angel Hernandez & Anna Malkova

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Now back on Cybertron, Sentinel and Starscream walk through the Council Chamber's corridors with Orion Pax and Chromia, where they discuss the Ascenticon blockade, stopping Prowl from speaking with Barricade about recent potential crimes.

Sentinel says that he wants them to just storm the Ascenticon's base and take him by force, but Orion points out that following the destruction of the war memorial, which some are blaming on Security, so he wants to talk to Megatron about all of this first. Sentinel agrees, but asserts that if Barricade isn't in custody by sunfall, then they need to storm the base.

Afterwards, Chromia speaks with Orion, telling him that Windblade managed to shield the data she was recovering during the explosion and they have forty names of Rise members, who they are going to start sifting through to find their murderers.

Elsewhere, Megatron is furious with Soundwave, now that he has learned that he passed information taken from his mole, Barricade, to Shockwave, and he used Quake to kill the Voin witness, and now he is publically denying Security access to Barricade, making them look even worse.

Knowing he cannot keep Barricade around anymore, Megatron sends a secret message to Shockwave to have Barricade whisked away, and to make it look obvious.

Bumblebee visits the still badly injured Windblade in the medical facility, where Orion Pax also arrives, telling his friend that she will get better. He also asks Bee to end his covert operation as an Ascenticon member, due to the upcoming raid on the base by Security, as he doesn't want him caught in the crossfire. Bee however refuses, as he wants to do this to get out of Orion's debt, and now also feels he needs to atone for not being there for Rubble either, when he was murdered too, or he's going to end up breaking in some way...

Later, the Ascenticons man their stations, as they know Security are planning to raid them, during the scattering however, Bee notices Barricade speaking to Soundwave, and follows him, finding him and Skytread at one of the old Gladiator gates. At that moment, the doors are blown in by Sixshot and his team, who are there to take Barricade away.

Bumblebee manages to beat away the Risers, but has problems with Sixshot, however before the Riser can take him out, Skytread uses a taser to knock out Bee. Before anything else can happen, Prowl and his security forces break in, and the Risers flee, with Barricade in their custody.

In the aftermath, Megatron looks over the damage, and sees a way to make this work for him, he starts another broadcast and declares that his people are under attack, and that Security was not only planning to attack too, but that they let the Rise attack them as well. He uses a blowtorch to modify the insignia of his group, into what will one day be known as the Decepticon insignia....declaring it to be the future of their world.... 

Characters

Autobot

Sentinel prime - Spaceship

Orion Pax - Truck

Security Forces

Chromia - Car

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Ascenticon Base Raiders

Windblade - VTOL Jet In CR Stasis, Will Recover in Time

Ascenticon

Megatron - Treaded Vehicle

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Elita-1 - Car

Bumblebee - Hovercraft

Barricade - Police Vehicle "Abducted" by Sixshot

Skytread

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Acid Storm - Tetrajet

Strika

Jhiaxus - Jet

Ratbat

Other Ascenticons

The Rise

Sixshot - Jet/Car

Storm Cloud - Jet

Visper - Jet

Shockwave - Spaceship (Mentioned)

Flamewar - Motorcycle (Mentioned)

Shadow Striker - Car (Mentioned)

Quake - Tank (Mentioned)

Mindwipe (Mentioned)

Frenzy (Mentioned)

Rumble (Mentioned)

Slipstream (Mentioned)

Blackjack (Mentioned)

Treadshot (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Starscream - Tetrajet

Senate Attendant

Alpha Trion (Stained Glass Depiction Only)

Solus Prime (Stained Glass Depiction Only)

Nexus Prime (Stained Glass Depiction Only)

Solomus (Stained Glass Depiction Only)

Quintus Prime (Stained Glass Depiction Only)

Rubble (Mentioned) Killed by Quake

Glyph (Mentioned)

Other

The Voin Scavenger Witness (Mentioned) Killed by Quake

Notes

• The bots in the stained glass windows in the hallway leading to Sentinel's office were chosen to represent different branches of state. As stated here, judging from the layout of the hallway, the opposite side may feature some more.
• The stained glass bots are also all members of the Thirteen Primes, or the Guiding Hand, implying that both groups are part of the mythology of this series too.
• Solomus being shown is interesting, as we can see his "crown" that was on his true form, who went by the name of "Tyrest" in the previous IDW continuity, implying that this universe didn't have a memory wipe of the Guiding Hands' identities and appearances, however we saw a statue of Primus in issue six, which was designed after the traditional Primus design, and not after "Rung". Now this could be just due to the artist wanting to use this design over the mythical form, but this could mean that Primus DOES have his traditional form in this universe, and isn't Rung again this time (HOPEFULLY!)
• The Statues sitting outside his office are also just cheeky references to the Movie version of Sentinel Prime, but with a sword inside of his Primax Blade
• As seems to be a habit now, the front cover that I have has nothing to do with the contents. Chromia appears in the opening scene, Windblade is seen in her CR chamber, and Sideswipe is nowhere to be seen. This would have been better suited for a couple of issues ago, when the trio went into the Monument base.
• Starscream is revealed to be the Head of Intelligence here.
• Glyph gets name-dropped in this issue, and appears to be based on the character introduced in the Extended Universe Botcon lines. I wonder if Tap-out hangs out with her too?
• Rumble is mentioned as being one of the Risers, possibly ending the conspiracy theory that Rubble was actually him in disguise (simply due to his name)
• All of the characters listed on the datapad as being Risers have had a new toy in recent years, so I could assume what alternate modes they have, but I wont that that risk, until it is confirmed (especially since a few have had multiple toys)
• Barricade is revealed to have been a member of the Ascenticons for a while now, but stayed in the Security Forces to act as a mole for Soundwave, and is confirmed to be the one who passed on the Voin's identity to Shockwave, leading to him sending out Quake to kill him, and Rubble by association. Megatron was apparently not aware of this mole situation.
• So...why did Soundwave or Shockwave send Quake to kill the Voin? Quake was made a very public member of the Ascenticons, meaning that the investigation, which will link back to him, will automatically link the Ascenticons to the murder too...what was the plan here? (They could have just had Sixshot or another warrior kill them instead!) My guess would be that they are somehow acting AGAINST Megatron to take leadership for themselves, much like the Marvel counterparts.
• Orion mentions that Windblade will recover from her injuries in time. This appears to be to quell the fears of the readers, who notice the similarities to Sideswipe's condition from the previous IDW continuity, which proved to be fatal.
• It is confirmed that Bumblebee was implanted into the Ascenticons on Orion's orders to spy on them, we also learn that Chromia is aware of this plan, but is the only other person to be aware of it.
• Orion comments on how inept the attack on Megatron in issue 2 was, something that people, including me, have been assuming was a staged attack ever since it happened.
• It is alluded to that Bumblebee was "saved" by Orion in the past. This is likely related to his firing from Security, which is still unexplained to us.
• The Ascenticon base is shown to be an old Gladiator Arena. I don't think this has been revealed before now!
• Sixshot is shown to be at least a triple changer, as we see his car mode for the first time this issue, we can probably assume he is a six-changer after all!
• Sixshot also still sports the wound from Windblade's sword skewering him from the last time we saw him. It is even affecting his T-Cog when he uses his car mode! Nice continuity and implementing an existing injury there!
• Skytread appears to be aware of the Ascenticon-Rise connection as he helps Sixshot to "kidnap" Barricade. Is Bumblebee the only one who doesn't know?
• As people have noticed since the start, the Ascenticon insignia is shown to be the basis of the Decepticon insignia, with Megatron revealing the new design this issue.
• Amongst the newly revealed Ascenticon members are Acid Storm and Jhiaxus, using their Siege and Thrilling Thirty designs respectively. And Strika and Ratbat in new character models

IDW - Transformers (2019) #9

Title: The Cracks Beneath Your Feet, Part 3
Written by: Brian Ruckley
Art by: Angel Hernandez & Anna Malkova
Colours by: Joana LaFuente
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Chromia, Windblade and Sideswipe head to the memorial, where they locate the entrance to the hidden base, once there, Chromia contacts Geomotus, who confirms her theory that the micro-fissures he found during their earlier mission had to be caused by mining, confirming to her that the base was built recently. Chromia bemoans that Barricade isn't responding to her calls and that they have to do this mission without him. The trio arm up with weapons with the armoury and head inside, with Sideswipe standing guard outside...

Elsewhere, Prowl tracks down one of his black market contacts, Headlock, and threatens him to give him all the information he has on the Voin and the recent killings, to which he admits that he's already given all the information he has to Barricade, who came to see him on "behalf" of Security...much to Prowl's surprise.

In the Rise base, the team are detected by Sixshot, Flamewar and Shadow Striker, who are the only members left after the evacuation, and Sixshot bemoans their actions that led Security straight to them.

Whilst exploring the base, Chromia and Windblade find a lot of supplies and equipment, but Chromia gets excited when she sees some Energon stations that haven't had their monitors disabled, so if they use a detector they can discover everyone who has used them! Windblade runs off to get the detector, leaving Chromia alone with the stations, unaware that Sixshot has arrived behind her...

At Ascenticon HQ, Bee is shocked to see the line of potential Ascenticon Guard members, and is surprised to see Barricade has been allowed to try out, despite him being current Security, which he waves off as him just having more to "offer" than Bee did...

Back outside the Rise base, Windblade grabs the detector and rushes back inside, when alone, Sideswipe is attacked by Flamewar.

Inside, Chromia and Sixshot fight it out, and Sixshot appears to be winning, until Windblade arrives and skewers her sword through his chest. Sixshot runs off, with the sword still in his chest, but throws a grenade to slow down the Securities. Chromia gives chase, whilst Windblade attached the detector, and they hear Shadow Striker on the intercom saying to escape before the "boom".

Shadow Striker and Sixshot escape, and Flamewar, seeing them leave, drives off as well, leaving Sideswipe alive behind her.

Chromia gets outside, but is shocked that Windblade hasn't escaped yet, just as the Rise base explodes, destroying the monument and Windblade's broken body is thrown miles away from the site.

Characters

Security Forces

Chromia - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet Caught in Rise HQ Explosion, Thrown Miles away

Sideswipe - Car

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Barricade - Police Vehicle (Defecting to Ascenticons)

Security Trainees (Mentioned)

The Rise

Sixshot - Jet 

Shadow Striker - Car

Flamewar - Motorcycle

The Rise Commander (Mentioned)

Other Risers (Mentioned)

Ascenticon

Elita-1 - Car

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Soundwave - Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Headlock

Ascenticon Potential Recruits

Geomotus - Radar Mounted Rover (Hologram Only)

Cyclonus - Jet (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Rubble (Mentioned) Dead

Landmine (Mentioned)

The Missing Cybertronians (Mentioned)

Other

Unlicensed Voin Scavenger (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• Despite the main cover, and the solicits for the issue, Sentinel, Starscream Nautica, Orion Pax and Hound do not appear in this issue at all. At least Bumblebee has a page of content though I guess...
• Geomotus mentions a co-worker of his being named Landmine. Since this is a G1 series, we should assume this is the G1 character of the same name, but this series has had a fair few surprises so far, so maybe this is another version!
• Prowl mentioned that he was going to be looking into his black market contacts, just before Rubble died, implying that this is how Quake learned about the Voin Scavenger and went out to look for him.
• Shadow Striker outright names her group "Risers", pretty much confirming that they are the Rise, and not Ascenticons (unless the groups are connected like I originally believed)
• Oh hey! Sixshot is back! Let's hope he doesn't get lobotomized again this time!
• Also, we only see Sixshot in his jet alternate mode, so we don't know if he's a six-changer yet or not (though, based on the wheels on his shoulders, he most likely also turns into a car as well)
• Barricade getting information from Headlock about the Voin, and being instantly admitted into the Ascenticons instead of going through barriers like Bee had to would imply that he's been a mole for Soundwave for a while within the Security Forces, and likely gave them the information that led to the Voin and Rubble being killed by Quake.
• Sideswipe's Thermal Lance seems to be designed after the Decepticon Hunter used by his RID2015 counterpart.

IDW - Transformers: Redemption

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Slug argues with Aileron and Sterling from Caminus on the streets of Metroplex about the role of the Prime, and it almost comes to violence until Swoop distracts Slug and they wander off towards the bar.

At the bar, Slug quickly gets drunk and begins a brawl with himself and some of the former Decepticons in the establishment. Before long Barricade arrives with some Badgeless officers and arrests Slug for disturbing the peace.

Later, Slug wakes up in a cell after having a dream/memory about his days as a gladiator before the war. He is met by Barricade, who asks for Slug's help in escorting him and two Camiens, the politician Strafe, and his new girlfriend Swift to Alyon with a mystery cargo, without Optimus and the others finding out. Initially he refuses, but then Barricade brings out a case of Shanix, which quickly changes his mind.

Slug is soon released, where he meets with the other Dinobots and tells them his plan to rat out the Camiens and Barricade to the Badgeless so they can keep the money, not have to go to Alyon, and get rid of a corrupt cop and some aliens at the same time.

The next day, the Dinobots meet with Barricade and the others in the Decepticon District where Slug sneaks a look into the cargo they're transporting, and learns that it has some new Camien sparks inside it, and realises that the group are planning to re-seed Alyon with new sparks to help with the re-population, and it's obviously against Camien law.

On the road out of the city, Slug gets a pang of conscience and turns on the Badgeless, killing them along with the Dinobots, turning them into outlaws, but keeping Barricade and the Camiens out of sight, keeping them safe. One of the Badgeless reports the Dinobot's betrayal to command, before they are all gone, and the Dinobots leave, knowing they can never return again.

In the Sea of Rust, group are attacked by some half-dead Sweeps left over from the Chaos war, as Slug and Strafe begin to get to know each other. After a while, the Sweeps run off scared, due to the sudden arrival of the Victorion Torchbearers, who allow Slug and the others to go on their way in peace, however unknown to everyone, Bludgeon watches the scene from a nearby cliff with some more Sweeps in tow.

Later, the group arrive in the Preatorus Wharf, and are now attacked by some Turbofoxes with new weapons attached to their backs, during the short-lived battle however, Slug notices that the Tuirbooxes appear to be showing emotions, despite them being physically and mentally unable to do so naturally. After the battle, the small group continue on, unaware that the Badgeless are still following them.

Continuing on the way to Alyon, Slug reveals to Strafe that during the war he and his team took out a group of Decepticons, and discovered a trailer full of sparks inside that were planned to become new Decepticons, so Slug destroyed them all, not even giving them a chance to make the choice between good and evil themselves, something he has always regretted since.

The group reach Tyger Pax, which is now raining in the tainted Energon that once turned the Dinobots into monsters in the early days of the war. They're attacked by more Sweeps, and see some of them are quite intelligent and have feelings still, despite essentially being zombies. The Badgeless soon arrive and fight the Dinobots too. Slug has Barricade escape with the Spark trailer, but Barricade is cut down and killed by Bludgeon, who also destroys the Camien sparks.

Bludgeon injures Strafe, causing a wound that is soon infected with the tainted Energon, causing her to mutate into a two-headed dragon monster, as she declares herself a Dinobot and rejoins the battle, taking out more Sweeps and Badgeless.

Swift attacks Bludgeon, and knocks him off a cliff into a river of the tainted Energon, as payback for him killing Barricade. The Dinobots finish off the rest of their opponents

In the afetrmath, the group mourn the loss of the Camien sparks, but suddenly Swoop notices a glow from Alyon...the former hot spot has ignited itself again on it's own, showing that there is potential for new Cybertronians to be born after all. The group theorize that the intelligent Turbofoxes and Sweeps must have been given new sparks by Bludgeon from the Alyon hot spot. Swift wonders whether Bludgeon has tainted the new Sparks with his evil, but Slug tells her to give them a chance.

Afterwards, Slug lets Swift keep the Shanix that Barricade promised them for the job, and tells her to return alone, tell the people about the new sparks, and say that Barricade died protecting them. The Dinobots now vow to remain in the wilds of Cybertron, along with Strafe, who still thinks Bludgeon is alive somewhere, so she wants to finish him off for what he's done.

The five Dinobots all head off, and leave Swift alone with the money and her journey back to the city...

Characters

Autobot

Slug - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegoaurus

Tracks - Muscle Car

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Blurr - Race Car

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Bludgeon - Tank Knocked into Tainted Energon by Swift

Barricade - Car Killed by Bludgeon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Cargo Plane/Truck

Waspinator - Wasp

Trypticon - Battle Platform Possibly dead

Blackwall (Flashback)

United Cybertron

Badgeless Officers Killed by Dinobots

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Camien

Strafe - Two Headed Land Dragon (previously Flying Car)

Swift - Helicopter

Aileron - Jet

Sterling - Car

Pyra Magna - Emergency Truck

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dustup - Sports Car

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Other

Bob

Maccadam's Patrons

Turbofoxes Killed by Dinobots

Sweeps Killed by Dinobots

Gladiator Pit Crowd (Flashback)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story is set as a sequel to Punishment, and shws the impact that that story had on the Dinobots
• The first pages are also recreated from Transformers issue 45, setting the location in the time line very clearly! (A rare instance in a side-story comic!)
• The yellow leader from Caminus is named here as Strafe...I wonder if the red leader is Scorn in that case?
• The "loser" that Swift ran off with is revealed to be Barricade here.
• The Sea of Rust is explained here to be the remains of the area that the Crystal City was destroyed, and was most likely ruined to such an extreme by the black hole created by Shockwave.
• More of the Sweeps are found to have survived the reformatting of Cybertron....how did so many survive the Chaos war?!?
• Bludgeon's cloak appears to be similar to Megatron's one he used on Planet Junkion in Monstrosity, and Alpha Trion's during the Ironhide mini-series, so it is likely designed to protect him against the Sea of Rust's harsh conditions.
• Trypticon is revealed to have fallen in the Preatorus Wharf, and either went into stasis or died there. He was last seen fighting in the last stand on Cybertron, as shown in Spotlight: Blaster.
• Despite having the tainted Energon removed from their bodies, at least Slug retained the ability to turn into his monstrous form in the past.
• Strafe's Dinobot form is a reference to the new Dinobot introduced in Age of Extinction, but only in name and her having two heads. The AOE version was mostly blue, male, used a crossbow (on the toy) and was a flying dragon, rather than a land-based one here.
• Despite now having her "Dino-mode" Strafe appears to have her vehicle mode kibble as well...does this make her a triple changer maybe?
• Also, where did Strafe get her flamethrowers from? I doubt an energon-conserving Camien would have flamethrowers built into her body....
• And...how is Swift going to get back to Metroplex safely? She had issues flying in the Sea of Rust, and was injured during the fights with the Badgeless, Sweeps and Bludgeon....yeah...she may die along the way....

IDW - Punishment

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Treadshot, Brisko and Wilder are plotting a heist on Starscream's quarters to take some of his "hoarded treasures" to sell on to help them survive on this new Cybertron, unfortunately during their plotting, there are attacked by a mysterious Cybertronian, who slaughters all three of them. They are later found by Barricade and the others, who investigate their murder, but only briefly as Starscream needs to greet Optimus at the spaceport.

Optimus returns to Cybertron for a personal errand and is quickly brought into the murder investigation, and learns that some Decepticons are living outside of Metroplex in a ghetto made from the ruins of the old city. Optimus goes to visit the ghetto, but is soon ambushed by a bunch of Decepticons, led by the Firecons. Luckily however Starscream rescues him by pulling him from the crowd and into the air.

During their escape, Optimus notices one of the Decepticons acting suspicious, so he lets go of Starscream and gives him chase. The Decepticon, Heavy Barrel, runs inside his hideout to find his two bootlegging cohorts dead. He starts to panic, and flies off when Optimus arrives too, but the Autobot manages to disable him and causes him to crash. Starscream arrives a few minutes later, having broken up the mob outside, and both are shocked to find Heavy Barrel murdered as well.

Later, Windblade finds out that one of the dead Decepticons was Stratotronic, and was friends with Gutcruncher who was now running a bar in the Ghetto. She determines that there is a link between the bar, and the bootlegging, so she heads there with Optimus.

At the bar, they find Sandstorm, who has started frequenting there, as he's fell out of the Autobot way. Gutcruncher takes the news of Stratotronic's death badly, and tells Optimus and the others to leave the revenge to him.

Sandstorm decides to help Optimus with the investigation, and goes to investigate the first murder site with him, there he finds something unusual in a shell casing, but before he can explain what, Windblade calls in and reports that Gutccruncher's bar is on fire!

By the time Optimus and Sandstorm return to the bar, the whole place has burned down, with no survivors left. Sandstorm at first blames Optimus as he was helping him, but quickly calms down, and reveals that the bullet casing he found was from an Infernus Bullet. These weapons were locked down by the Autobots due to them being a very painful and horrible way to die, and Sandstorm reminds them that the Decepticons made them from reverse-engineering them from the Firecon's abilities, which could also explain who started the fire here.

The security team inside Metroplex locate the Firecons and attack their home brutally disabling them all in the process. Sandstorm is about to execute Sparkstalker, when Optimus turns up and forces him to stop.

Windblade and Starscream break into the building as well, and tell everyone to drop their weapons, and get medics for the Firecons.

By the next morning, the Firecons are in a holding cell, and Sandstorm still can't believe he almost executed someone. Windblade is feeling a bit disenchanted as well, as all she's seen so far is war on this planet that she was hoping to find help on.

Optimus determines that the Firecons are being framed, as they'd have no use for Infernus Bullets, and the fire at the bar was far too controlled for their abilities. He believes he knows who the killer is now though, and heads to the Dinobot's park, where he confronts Slug as the killer due to his hated of Decepticons and flame abilities. After a short fight between the two, Starscream calls in to report another set of murders, this time of Autobots.

At the crime scene, Optimus continues to accuse the Dinobots for the murders, and gets them angry leading to Optimus declaring that he should have had Slug and the others killed after the war, just to stop them from causing trouble during their peace, he then leaves with Windblade.

Slug returns to the park, to find the other Dinobots, and angrily says that he'll kill Optimus for what he said to him, when suddenly the park starts to blow up. Thankfully due to a series of fail safes set in place by Optimus the Dinobots are saved, and Optimus confronts the REAL killer, Sandstorm.

Sandstorm admits to everything, and reveals that he's punishing all the Cybertronians who have committed horrible crimes during the war, but were never dealt with before now. He tries to escape again, but Optimus catches him, and knocks him out, putting him under arrest.

In the aftermath, Optimus and Windblade return to the scene of the first crime, where Optimus was planning to go all along, and Optimus explains that this is the place where he because Prime (during Autocracy), but admits to her that he is truly worried about their people with loose cannons like the Dinobots still around, eager for battle, but he still needs to hold out hope for a better tomorrow...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Slug - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Chromia - Speedbike

Warpath - Tank

"Hot Spot" - Fire Truck

"Streetwise" - Police Car

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Skram - Car Killed by Sandstorm

Fireball - Dragster Killed by Sandstorm

Diver - Submarine Killed by Sandstorm

Lander - ATV Killed by Sandstorm

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Blurr - Race Car (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Barricade - Car

Sparkstalker - Mandibled Dragon

Cindersaur - Horned Dragon

Flamefeather - Beaked Dragon

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Dragon

Acid Storm - Jet

Treadshot - Car Killed by Sandstorm

Brisko Killed by Sandstorm

Wilder - Wolf Monster Killed by Sandstorm

Heavy Barrel - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Ransack - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Stratotronic - Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Gutcruncher - Tank Killed by Sandstorm

Morsa Killed by Sandstorm

Blood - VTOL Jet Killed by Sandstorm

Skidmark - Motorcycle Killed by Sandstorm

Ghetto Dwellers

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy Jailed by Optimus Prime

Metroplex Civilians

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Traujorans (Flashback) Killed by Treadshot's Group

Notes

• This story explains where Optimus went to following him recent exit from Robots in Disguise (or rather the series formerly named that)
• Several of the victims in this story are made from lesser known repaint characters, or characters repurposed from other toy lines.
• Slug has been shown to have taken Grimlock's place as Dinobot leader in his absence.
• Barricade's role as a cop in this series may be a reference to his later incarnations rather than his G1 persona (such as Prime or the Movies)
• Windblade notes the irony on Warpath's (one of the "good guys") name
• There's been a statue of Optimus and a park built within Metroplex. This is clearly a recent addition since if it was there the last time Metroplex acted as the Autobot's city, then it would be in his pre-Earth body.
• Barricade explains why he still wears his Decepticon sigil. despite officially being of the United Cybertron. This could also explain why other characters, like Blurr still do the same.
• Optimus doesn't confirm or deny Sandstorm's theory that High Command knew about some of the Autobot faction's war crimes. Honestly I can believe that Prowl would know and sanction some of the exterminations taken place, and shown here.
• It's quite handy that all of Sadstorm's victims were all still hanging out in their same groups huh?
• Hot Spot and Streetwise are both seen on Cybertron here, despite being on the Lost Light, either these are just similar looking guys, or a mistake.

IDW - Official Movie Prequel Special

Written by: Simon Furman & Chris Ryall

Art by: Don Figueroa & Andrew Wildman

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Robbie Robbins

Edits by: Ted Adams

Plot

On Cybertron, in the past, the planet is at war over the Allspark, Megatron believes he's found it, and sends Blackout to join Starscream's troops. Brawl and Starscream's other troops are taking care of some Autobots elsewhere, and Brawl reports that Megatron thinks he knows where the Allspark is, Starscream gets worried, as he wants it's power of himself, but is stopped from continuing by a newly arrived Blackout.

Before they know it, they see the Allspark being launched into space, Starscream attempts to follow it, but Blackout stops him, the team of Decepticons witness Megatron launching off into space after the cube, and they decide to follow him.

Much later, the Decepticon team arrive in Afghanistan and crash in the desert, they're attacked by some military personnel, but Wreckage destroys their personnel carrier, and takes on it's form as his alternate mode.

Before long, the Decepticons attack the nearby Bargam Airbase, looking for local alternate modes of their own, they slaughter the humans there and take on their new forms, but Wreckage is rendered disabled and abandoned in the battle.

Later, Bumblebee arrives on Earth, and starts searching for information on where the Allspark is, he learns of Captain Witwicky's incident in 1897 and decides to track down his descendants as a clue to it's location. When he looks up the captain externally, Sector Seven detect his presence and send out teams to find and capture him.

Bumblebee continues his mission, and evades the Sector Seven agents along the way, as well as also evading Barricade a couple of times, as he continues his search for Captain Witwicky's ancestors, who may know where the Allspark is kept (via the map on his glasses)

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Classic Camaro

Optimus Prime (Flashback)

Autobot Soldiers

Decepticon

Megatron - Cybertronian Jet Frozen Off-Screen

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Former Comet)

Blackout - Military Helicopter (Former Comet)

Scorponok - Scorpion Drone

Barricade - Police Car (Former Comet)

Brawl - Tank (Former Comet)

Bonecrusher - Mine Clearing Vehicle (Former Comet)

Wreckage - Personnel Carrier (Former Comet) Disabled by Sector Seven, Abandoned 

Decepticon Soldiers

Human

Sector Seven Guys

Archibald Witwicky (Flashback)

Clarence Witwicky (Mentioned)

Herbert Witwicky (Mentioned)

Ben Witwicky (Mentioned)

Witwicky's Ancestors (Mentioned)

Agent Simmons (Mentioned)

Notes

• This comic was originally 2 smaller comics sold at Target
• This story is meant to also be able to fit in with the existing IDW Movie Prequel comics (though some parts are contradictory)
• Scorponok is shown in his toy's robot mode a couple of times here
• The truck Bumblebee passes seems to be advertising All Hail Megatron
• Megatron's tip on where the Allspark is, is likely when he arrives at the trap at Tyger Pax