IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #43

Title: The One Where They go to Earth

Written by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Ale Milne

Inks by: Alex Milne and Brian Shearer

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Megatron calls for Swerve over the ship's intercom, but can't get through to him, he informs Rodimus that Earth appears to be chasing the Lost Light, and any attempts at communications with the planet results in a "theme tune" about Swerve's bar playing on repeat.

Meanwhile, in the Medi-bay, First Aid is given a going away present from Tailgate of photos of the crew and his friends so he wont forget them, despite his trip only being a short one back to Cybertron for the celebrations for Caminus and Cybertron. First Aid and Velocity are both worried since she's never been left in charge before, and she's only just arrived on the ship. Before anything else can happen though, Skids runs in with Swerve in his arms, in a terrible condition.

Soon, they determine that Swerve is alive, but only just, as he has massive systems failures, but his brain is working in overtime. Before long they determine that the Swerve they've been seeing around, acting happy and his usual self has been just a holo-avatar projected by the real one. However they can't treat him, as his condition is so frail that it could kill him.

Shortly afterwards, they find out that the Earth following them is a hologram too, and Swerve has been projecting that too, as well as several holographic humans as well.

Rodimus calls together a team made of Cyclonus, Tailgate, Skids, Bluestreak and Rung to send their own holo-avatars down to the fake Earth (Swearth) and find Swerve's own avatar, so he can tell them what is wrong with his real body. The team are sent down with some basic lessons in humanity.

On Swearth, Cyclonus and Tailgate wait in the apartment whilst the others are scouting the city, looking for Swerve's avatar, where Tailgate finds a comic series, "More Than Meets the Eye", depicting their adventures on the Lost Light, and starts reading it. Skids and the others return to the apartment empty handed, and they start replanning their strategies, when Rung accidentally shoots Cyclonus in the face with a paint ball gun....ROLL CREDITS!

After a while, Tailgate finds out in issue 21 of MTMTE that Swerve opened the time case when no-one was looking, which no-one else knew about. Bluestreak returns to the apartment again with their wacky neighbours Ted, Sheldon and Jerry, who immediately start arguing and insulting each other, as they don't get along.

Bluestreak receives a phone call from Rodimus, who has arrived on the planet with the rest of the crew to speed up the search. Bluestreak quickly summarizes the planet up for Rodimus as "Sitcom world" where there are laughter tracks, clapping audiences from nowhere, and nothing really makes sense in the large scheme. Megatron joins up with the others, and he finds it strange being a human for the moment.

Back at the apartment, Bluestreak is helping the neighbours get their locked door open, when Skids talks to Rung about how no-one had been to visit Swerve for months, allowing him to get into this bad condition. Suddenly Tailgate chimes in that his comic has reached this point in the series, where they are looking for Swerve. In the "previously" page Swerve explains what happened to him with the Meta-Bomb and the Time Case, and calls into question his own reality. Rung deduces that this is Swerve actually talking to them, and realizes something else, that the three neighbours are all aspects of Swerve's personality, so he tricks them into responding to the name "Swerve" causing them to remember their true self, and merge into Swerve's avatar.

At a bar, Megatron is tickled by Nautica, as she wants to see if he was ticklish, but in the process Megatron cuts his hand on a glass, and finds the fragility of humans interesting. Rodimus comes back in and reports that Bluestreak and the others found Swerve, but he refuses to tell them where he is injured.

At the apartment, Swerve says he can't remember where he is injured, as he's feeling no pain, then explains that he hid away because he felt as though he wasn't a "main character" any more, not since the beginning of "season two". He fell in love with sitcoms as he could relate to them as he's a misfit like them.

Cyclonus berates him for giving up, and points out that the entire crew is on this planet to find him, and that in the process they are risking their own lives to help him out, showing him that he is indeed loved and cared about, as a "main character". Suddenly Swerve's shoulder begins to bleed in an Autobot insignia shape, and he remembers where he was injured.

Later on, First Aid and the others have left the Lost Light for Cybertron, and Velocity reports to him that Swerve is recovering from the infection in his shoulder, and he should make a full recovery soon. However First Aid makes a shocking discovery when he flicks through Tailgate's photos, as an old picture of Swerve with Ironfist reveals that he used to have an insignia in that same arm. He tells Velocity to operate carefully on the shoulder, as Agent 113, the Autobot mole within the DJD probably shot a message into his insignia in the past, which is still there. And sure enough...Velocity soon finds a bullet within the wound...a bullet that not only caused an infection inside Swerve, but carries a message from Agent 113.....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Megatron - Tank

Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport/Minesweeper

Swerve - Van

Tailgate - Car

Skids - Van

Rung

Bluestreak - Car

Nautica - Submarine

Blaster - Acoustic Tank

First Aid - Ambulance

Velocity - Race Car

Nightbeat - Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Groove - Motorcycle

Mirage - Race Car

Ratchet - Ambulance (In Opening Credits Footage)

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter (Issue #1 Cover Only)

Drift - Race Car (Issue #1 Cover Only)

Red Alert - Emergency Car (Issue #1 Cover Only)

Ambulon - Leg (Photo)

Ironfist - Van (Photo)

Fortress Maximus - Tank (Mentioned)

Agent 113 (Mentioned)

Mainframe (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Blot (Mentioned)

Blip (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Ten (In Opening Credits Footage)

Diagnostic Drone (Photo)

New Medi-Drone

Bob - Insecticon (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Chief Justice Tyrest (Mentioned)

Other

Verity Carlo (Acts as Ultra Magnus' Avatar)

Jerry Merged into Swerve

Ted Merged into Swerve 

Sheldon Merged into Swerve

Nanobots (Mentioned)

Notes

• The issue title, and the apartment the Autobot Holo-avatars use is based on the "Friends" TV series from the 90's
• Tailgate's holo-avatar appears to have aged a little bit since the last time we saw it.
• Tailgate says that the comic is the only thing there is to read in their apartment...despite some books being clearly visible in the table/cabinet under the tissues next to Cyclonus.
• Skids was last shown with a Holo-avatar based on Matt Smith's Doctor Who, here he looks like Chris Ecclestone's version of the character.
• A couple of the scenes shown in the "opening credits" are actually from covers, rather than actual comic interiors (ie the one with Nautica dancing, and Rodimus handing the ship's keys to Megatron)
• The "Swerve's" theme tune is based on the "Cheers" theme tune.
• First Aid and the others leave for their role in the Combiner Wars crossover storyline in this issue.
• Apparently it takes a lot of energy and concentration to create Holo-avatars, which may be another reason why they aren't used so much nowadays.
• It's revealed here that Swerve in fact opened the Time Case just after Tyrest was shot in issue 21, but off-screen, and with the time-waves from it, combined with the Meta-Bomb he was affected with during Overlord's attack caused him to become more conscious of his life as a fictional character, and the time-waves giving him infinite spark energy to create his elaborate holograms etc.
• The Swerve that we've seen since (probably) the end of Dark Cybertron  has been a holo-avatar of the real Swerve, who locked himself away to hide from reality. This explains how he's been able to absorb all of Earth's culture in such a seemingly short period of time
• Ted the Priest is based on Father Ted, Sheldon the Scientist is based on Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory, and Jerry the Comedian is based on Jerry Seinfeld (though none look like their "real" counterparts.
• Bluestreak mentions that Rodimus' voice sounds different in his human form, implying that the characters change their voices (so the male-persona Cyclonus probably sounds female in his holo-avatar form for example)
• The "reflective" avatar programs used for the new holo-avatars gave Megatron a walking stick, possibly showing that he's been crippled from the special fuel he has to take.
• Swerve's hab-suite number is 43, which is also this issue's number. Fun!
• Since Swerve appeared to get the message bullet before the Chaos storyline (he was shown with a covered up shoulder there) you have to wonder if Agent 113's message is actually important still, I mean it must have been in there for like 3+ years by now...
• It's shown here that the "previously" pages we've had in the past with Swerve talking to the readers have actually been happening in continuity as well!

IDW - Angry Birds Transformers #3

Title: Revenge of the Fowlin'!

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Marcelo Ferreira

Colours by: Nikos Koutsis

Flats by: Mike Toris

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: David Hedgecock

Plot

The Autobirds and Deceptihogs join forces to fight the invading Eggbots, during the initial fight however Starscream Pig is captured by the Eggbots and taken inside one of their towers. After a brief argument between the two leaders, the group splits up into smaller teams to handle multiple missions. Heatwave Bird's team are sent to capture one of the eggs so they can study it and discover what happened to them, whilst Arcee Bird's team are sent to rescue Starscream, and everyone else are to continue fighting the Eggbots.

Arcee's team reaches the tower, but within a few seconds Bluestreak Bird is captured, though Lockdown Pig is glad as the Autobird was annoying him.

Elsewhere, Galvatron Pig is goin full out to kill the Eggbots, despite their mission to capture one. Heatwave tries to stop him, but is easily sent flying by the Deceptihog.

Inside the tower, Bluestreak Bird manages to break out of his binds, and drags Starscream Pig away with him through the tower, trying to escape.

Outside, Arcee Bird's team are trying to smash into the tower, but are suddenly surrounded by Eggbots. Meanwhile, Galvatron is still on a rampage until Heatwave comes flying through the sky in vehicle mode (having slingshotted himself from 10 miles away) and knocks out Galvatron Pig. Before anything else can happpen though, the group are surrounded by Eggbots too.

Back inside the tower, the captives find a room filled with Eggbots, without their mechanical shells (and with terrifying mouths and tongues). Blustreak Bird abandons his companion and manages to get himself out of the tower, followed by a hoard of Eggs, who encounter the other Egggbots outside, scaring both sides, forcing them to run away from each other, much to the confusion of the Autobirds and Deceptihogs.

Arcee Bird's team returns to the rest of the group, and Bluestreak Bird just realizes that he abandoned Starscream Pig, despite that being their mission.

Heatwave arrives, carrying Galvatron, the Minion Pigs and Soundwave (despite him not being in stasis lock) and a still living small Eggbot for the group to study.

Starscream Pig, on top of the tower starts screaming at the others that the Eggspark has taken root, and has begun Cyberforming Piggie Island.....

Characters

Autobirds

Optimus Prime Bird - Truck Cab

Arcee Bird - Car

Bluestreak Bird - Sidecar Motorcycle

Heatwave Bird - Fire Truck

Drift Bird - Car

Jazz Bird - Car

Bumblebee Bird - Car

Grimlock Bird - Motorcycle

Deceptihogs

Megatron Pig - Tank

Galvatron Pig - Truck Cab

Soundwave Pig - Van

Lockdown Pig - Car

Starscream Pig - Jet

Minion Pigs

Other

Eggbots

Notes

• The title is of course a reference to Revenge of the Fallen
• Heatwave, the big silent muscle-bot of the group turning into a dancing flower at one point is of course a reference to Groot in the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
• The slingshot that Heatwave is shown to use to launch at Galvatron is based on the ones used in the regular Angry Birds games
• For some reason the eggs with mouths and the ones with mechanical suits are afraid of each other...
• The Eggspark seems to be Cyberforming Piggie Island (and likely further in the world later) into a replica Cybertron. The Allspark was shown using that same ability in the Titan UK alternate universe comics.
• Optimus Prime Bird and Megatron Pig momentarily call eachother by their Cybertronian counterpart's names, and even seem to act out of character...maybe they should change back before long huh?
• Bumblebee Bird STILL has a damaged vocal processor....UGH!

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #34

Title: Births, Deaths and Interventions

Written  by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Atilio Rojo

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

One of the Lost Light's ships have landed on Ofsted XVII, and are waiting for word from Rodimus or the others about the Lost Light's condition when First Aid finds a badly injured Cybertronian inside one of the damaged lecture halls. The group assume that he was injured in the battle in orbit between the Galactic Council, Black Block Consortia and a group of Mechs. First Aid doesn't care about the bot's faction, so long as they can save him.

In the distant past on Messatine, Froid arrives to analyse a patient for Council, who is revealed to be Megatron. However he has made up his mind before even meeting the miner (who is in the council's bad books due to his political writings) aand permits Trepan to perform Shadowplay on him.

Back in the present, First Aid begins work on the Cybertronian, and arranges for the group to all donate a small amount of active Energon to ensure his survival. Meanwhile, Bluestreak finds the bot's detachable face amongst the rubble (revealing to the audience that this is Vos of the DJD)

Back on Messatine, Megatron is working on his books some more, when his terminally ill room mate and proofreader Terminus tells him to not give up on his mission, even if it means he has to take to physical violence as well as verbal protests. Megatron asks him why he's suddenly speaking like this, to which Terminus reveals he was visited by some senate men that day...then Megatron gets shocked from nowhere.

On Ofsted, after examining the face mask, and it's hidden spikes, Bluestreak and Mainframe back out of the procedure, knowing it's probably a Decepticon. First Aid tells them to leave the lecture hall if they're not going to help out, leaving Traiilcutter and himself to donate the Energon themselves, however, after using one of the lecture hall's devices to translate Vos' words (spoken in Old Cybertronian) and First Aid recognizes his words to be the DJD's motto, and immediately stops his donation, hating them for how they drove Pharma to madness, and in turn caused Ambulon's death at his hands.

Trailcutter however still continues with his own donation, but once Vos has a small amount inside of him, he attacks Trailcutter and tries to strangle him. Trailcutter uses his leg cannons and blasts the Decepticon across the room. First Aid leaves Trailcutter to grab the others to restrain Vos, whilst Trailcutter uses his forcefield to protect himself.

Unfortunately Vos points out an old chair in the rubble, who turns out to be Kaon, who was just de-energized until the forcefield repowered him, and is trapped in the forcefield with him.

On Messatine, Megatron wakes up on Trepan's table, and feels the Mnemosurgeon dig into his brain, and starts deleting his "anarchic" thoughts, until he gets a call from Froid to stop the procedure, since Rung has turned up with new legislation for Shadowplay procedures, following Shockwave's procedure, which requires TWO doctors to sign off now, which Froid knows Rung will never do.

Suddenly the Mine's alarms sound off, telling the entire staff to get off the planet.

Back in the present again, First Aid and the others return to find Kaon having torn Trailcutter apart, and playing with his brain module in his hands. The Autobots try to convince him that the war is over, and the Megatron has surrendered, so they should too, but Kaon doesn't believe them. Bluestreak shows him Trailcutter's newest read, an updated version of Megatron's autobiography "Towards Peace" with the surrender speech from his trial added in the end, and tells him to read it. Kaon agrees, but still scrapes Trailcutter's brain modeule across the still active forcefield.

Kaon contacts Helex from elsewhere and has himself and Vos teleported out, telling the stunned Autobots that he'll  see them soon....

On Messatine, the planet is being evacuated, but Megatron returns to his dorm, to find Terminus missing, with no one knowing where he's gone, but due to the emergency he gathers up his data pads and runs for the escape vessels, feeling terrible for seemingly abandoning his friend.

Meanwhile, in the mines Brainstorm (seemingly fresh from the Lost Light) appears in a flash of light, holding his briefcase, wondering where to start.....

Characters

Autobot

Trailcutter - Van Torn apart by Kaon

First Aid - Ambulance

Bluestreak - Car

Mainframe

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned)

Pharma - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Ambulon - Leg (Mentioned) Dead

Brainstorm - Jet (Decepticon Double Agent) Back in Time.

Decepticon

Vos - Rifle

Kaon - Variable Volt Harness

Helex - Smelting Chamber (Mentioned)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Megatron - Armoured Vehicle (Flashback)

Rolt (Flashback)

Froid (Flashback)

Rung (Flashback)

Trepan (Flashback)

Terminus (Flashback) Missing

Messatine Miners and Staff (Flashback)

Senate (Mentioned)

Functionists (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Senator Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

The Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• Bluestreak implies here that those NOT from the original Lost Light crew who were in the ships that disappeared during the incident were left floating in space, until the ships re-materialized
• The weakened space around Ofsted XVII, mentioned by Nautica last issue is revealed to have been due to a battle in orbit over the derelict Lost Light by the Galactic Council, Black Block Consortia and the DJD.
• The battle over the ship could also explain why Rewind was left alive on the ship, since the DJD was simply distracted by someone else to bother with them.
• We see First Aid's alternate mode for the first time here, meaning his Transformation Cog has been repaired since his introduction.
• A bit more of Megatron's timeline is confirmed here, as it seems following the evacuation from Messatine in this issue, he was likely sent to Mining Outpost Croteus 12, which is where Megatron: Origin starts off.
• This issue shows us that Vos' face mask has a button that extends his spikes, rather than them being open at all times.
• Terminus is revealed here as Megatron's room mate on Messatine rather than some evil guy like you'd expect from his name.
• Judging from Kaon and Vos' states here, but Helex and the others presumably being alive still, it's likely the DJD won their battle with the Council.
• Megatron's fear of Mnemosurgery is revealed to be due to Trepan's invasive procedure here, where he tries to fully modify his mind.
• This could also explain his instan killing of Trepan when Overlord brings him into the fold to teach him Mnemosurgery. Simple revenge for his actions here.
• The DJD, or at least Kaon are unaware of Megatron's surrender to the Autobots.
• Terminus going missing at the exact moment that Brainstorm appears, seemingly from the future could be a callback to the temporal displacement used when time travel occurred in the Marvel Transformers comics.
• Trailcutter mentions how he's taken up reading etc since Megatron disabled his ability to enjoy over-energizing (getting drunk)...however that was just that very day, maybe a couple of days earlier....

IDW - Robots in Disguise #13

Title: The Verge

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Starscream speaks with Megatron and tells him that he's finally almost in charge of Cybertron, and he didn't have to fire a single shot to do so, however Megatron smiles and Starscream freaks out and leaves the cell, however he can't leave the complex itself due to the riots right outside.

Elsewhere Prowl and Wheeljack arrest the Decepticons who attacked Wheeljack (last issue) and Prowl tells Wheeljack to follow him to the black room, ignoring the riots and people in danger all around, he admits to Wheeljack that he's been using Bumblebee as just a public face, and that he's been preparing for what's next and that after tonight, there'll only be one faction left, and asks Wheeljack to join him.

At Maccadam's the rioters are trying to break through, but the patrons inside are more concerned with Arcee, she reveals that she's on their side, and even lies to Prowl on his com line, she tells Blurr that Dirge and Swindle (who she has with her) can give evidence against Prowl, she'll help them out of the bar, if he gets them to Bumblebee.

At Kimia Bumblebee tries shouting at the rioters to get them to leave, since they've blocked off their com links, but they don't listen, Bumblebee admits to Metalhawk that he's right, and his way is wrong, he'll open up elections the next day with the intent that Metalhawk wins, the two watch a news feed from Circuit outside the now destroyed Maccadam's, Metalhawk speeds off to there to use Circuit's news feed to announce the elections and try to end the riots, and to announce that for tonight at least, he fully supports Bumblebee's forces.

The rioters break into the prison and quickly take out Jetfire, Bluestreak and Warpath, and free all the prisoners, including Megatron. Megatron tells everyone to follow him, and take Starscream to the Black Room, where Starscream is horrified to see all the thought-to-be dead Decepticons all alive and rebuilt stronger standing with Prowl, holding Wheeljack prisoner, and Megatron announces that thanks to Starscream's actions, Cybertron will finally be his.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car

Wheeljack - Car Captured by Prowl

Arcee - Car

Blurr - Race Car

Jazz - Car

Bluestreak - Car Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Warpath - Tank Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Jetfire - Jet Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Circuit

Longtooth

Broadside

Ironhide (?)

Omega Supreme Still Injured or Dead

Decepticon

Megatron Badly Injured Still

Starscream - Jet Captured by Decepticons

Dirge - Jet

Swindle - Van

Squawkbox

Octane/Tankor

Turmoil - Tank

Skywarp - Jet

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Astrotrain

Blitzwing

Soundwave - Van

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank

Ravage - Cassette

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Shockwave

Scavenger - Excavator

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Motormaster - Truck

Acid Storm - Jet

Shrapnel - Scarab Beetle

Needlenose - Jet

Apeface - Ape

Brawl - Tank

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Dead End - Car

Battletrap

Cutthroat

Cindersaur

Staxx Dead

Other Rioters

Turmoil's Crew

NAIL

Metalhawk - Fighter Jet

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Tappet - Car

Hipotank - Tank

Zetca

NAIL's

Other

Metrotitan (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU PROWL WAS BEHIND IT ALL!!!
• I'm sure it'll be all be revealed as some elaborate scheme by Prowl, but honestly I'd rather he was just shot between the eyes for all the crap he's done lately
• Starscream knows Megatron very well, he knows that when his former leader smiles, you run
• It seems like no one knew that Arcee was still alive following Chaos, except Prowl and the others who she's briefly interacted with
• Is it bad when the serial killer sociopath Arcee seems to be more rational than Prowl?
• NO YOU FOOLS!!! DON'T BURN DOWN THE BAR!!!!
• Not all the dead guys from this series are amongst the "revived" characters, Ratbat and Sunstorm for instance are missing (they could just be behind some other characters though)
• Metalhawk's message reaches someone in the wilderness with a data pad (most likely Ironhide)
• Omega Supreme's body is still lying around (not sure if he's dead yet or not)
• Rumble and Frenzy's new bodies are based on their toys from the United line, which were never released by Hasbro, rather than using their new Fall of Cybertron Generations toys (like what Laserbeak has) Maybe this is a hint that those toys will be appearing somewhere soon??
• On a similar note, Ravage seems to be using his Universe toy mold (the one who comes with Hound) rather than his new FOC toy as well...odd