IDW - Bumblebee: Win if you Dare

Written by: James Asmus

Art by: Marcelo Ferreira & Athila Fabbio

Colours by: Valentina Pinto

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Plot

Bumblebee returns to the Ark following a test drive of his new body frame, and gets warned by Optimus against being so reckless in the future and taking on foes larger than him. Soon, the other Autobots are sent out on missions, whilst Bee is requested to complete another test drive, which he does, and starts to question his role on the team.

Soon, Bee sees a couple of racers, and disguises himself amongst them, only to get rammed by the racing jeep. The driver of the pick-up truck racer, Mateo, who has prosthetic limbs, berates the jeep driver for doing that, only for him to get rammed too, sending him over the side of the mountain road. Before he collides with the ground however, Bee transforms and saves him and his truck, shocking Mateo, who isn't aware of the Cybertronians.

Bee tows Mateo's truck back to his house for repairs, where Mateo explains that he lives with his mother, an aerospace engineer, who has been busy on a top-secret project recently.

Meanwhile, at her top-secret military hangar, Mateo's mother, Angela, is making last minutes plans for her upcoming presentation on a new stealth bomber, unaware than Swindle, the jeep from the earlier race, has been spying on her!

The next day, Mateo has breakfast with his mother, who explains that her presentation is the next day, so she can spend more time with him after that. 

With his mother gone, Mateo goes to their aircraft hanger, where Bee is hiding, as he plans to work with Mateo to find out who their race opponent was, and bring him to justice for trying to kill him. Mateo directs Bee to a garage where he meets with his friend Nicole, who works there and he thinks may know the identity of the racer. They awkwardly talk and Bee realizes that they like each other and tries to bring them closer. Nicole tells Mateo that she's going to the dance that night with some friends, and asks him to join them, before directing him to a military surplus and museum.

At the surplus, Mateo confronts the owner, Herman, who he thinks is the racer, when he notices his mother's bomber design on his boards. Realizing this is bigger than he though, he runs away to Bee, but is rammed by Swindle, who has been hiding there, knocking off his prosthesis, but managing to get into Bee. Bee and Mateo chase Swindle, unaware that the other Combaticons are still at the surplus, continuing their plot. Swindle manages to escape from the duo, and they return to Mateo's home, where Bee convinces him to go to the dance that night instead!

Angela's car breaks down on the way home from the airforce base, when she is captured by Swindle and is taken back to the surplus, where she is shown footage of Mateo, to force her to help them build their own stealth engines....

Mateo goes into the dance hall and starts awkwardly hanging out with Nicole, but Bee has a plan, he takes control of Mateo's prosthesis and makes him dance to impress Nicole, and the two have fun (with Bee revealing he only started him dancing, he's been doing it himself for a while now).

Soon, Bee notices Vortex in the area filming the school and chases him. Mateo and Nicole follow him (with the latter just believing the car was stolen) in Nicole's car. Bee tries to contact the Autobots, but Vortex is jamming his signals.

Back at the surplus, Onslaught starts yelling about Vortex going after Bee, instead of staying with the kid, giving Angela her cue. She grabs the planning board and smacks Swindle with it, allowing her to escape into one of the planes in the yard, allowing her to escape in one.

Angela flies to Sierra Station, where her bomber is based, hoping to get help against the Decepticons, but discovers that due to the presentation the next day, the base has minimal live ammunition on-site.

Bee and his humans friends arrive at the air field just after Angela, just in time for the Combaticons to combine into Bruticus. Despite the difference in size, Bee goes up to him in vehicle mode, and manages to drive around his legs, causing him to lose balance and fall, forcing him to de-combine. Soon, the Autobot and his human allies have gone missing, and they soon know why...they are on the stealth bomber and use it to bomb the Decepticons, with Bee knocking them out with an EMP as well.

Bee calls in the other Autobots, who round up and capture the Combaticons, and Bee tells Optimus what he learned from all this. He needs to concentrate on what he IS good at, and not what he lacks in. Bee says goodbye to his new friends by having one last race with Mateo....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Bumblebee - VW Beetle

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Sideswipe - Lamborghini 

Blaster - Boom Box

Ratchet - Ambulance 

Wheeljack - Race Car

Prowl - Police Car

Hound - Jeep (On Screen)

Ironhide - Van (On Screen)

Jazz - Porsche (On Screen)

Mirage - F1 Race Car (Mentioned)

Trailcutter - Camper Van (Mentioned)

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Truck Capture by Autobots

Swindle - Jeep Capture by Autobots

Brawl - Tank Capture by Autobots

Vortex - Helicopter Capture by Autobots

Blast Off - Space Shuttle Capture by Autobots

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt

Megatron - Gun (Mentioned)

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Human

Mateo Cruz

Angela Cruz

Nicole

Herman

Captain Devlin

Random Humans

Sierra Station Personnel

Other

Diagnostic Drone

Notes

• This new graphic novel series is set in a variant of the G1 animated cartoon. Though I guess it COULD be the same continuity, but set in the years between season two and three...but then where did Windblade go after this series?
• Due to the stealth bomber's role in this comic, the story seems to be set in the mid-nineties, putting it after season two, however Mateo doesn't seem to know about Transformers, who have been active on Earth for at least a decade this means....maybe he's just very unattentive?
• The title of this volume is, of course, based on the line from the Stan Bush song "Dare", a prominent piece from the 80's G1 movie.
• Bumblebee is mentioned as being in a new body, explaining why he looks so different to his original cartoon look, despite the rest of the characters looking fairly authentic.
• Optimus points out to Bee that he cannot fly....well he COULD in the pilot episodes!!
• So....why exactly is Swindle getting involved in street races?
• Bee's use of the radio and making himself break down to try and get Mateo and Nicole together is clearly a reference to the similar scenes from the Live Action movie.
• Bee having a display with his face on it to interact with his drivers is taken straight from the original Robots in Disguise series, and Rescue Bots.
• So...I can buy Bee being able to control Mateo's prosthetic limbs with radio signals...but how is he controlling his ORGANIC arms?!
• Swindle has been mentioned as being out of favours with Megatron again, like he was in Aerial Assault and B.O.T. from the cartoon, though at least his friends, the Combaticons are still willing to work with him....surely that's not because of him forming a leg in their gestalt form though!
• Trailbreaker is referred to as "Trailcutter" in this comic, despite his original name being available again now....
• Wheeljack is mentioned as being "the smartest"...don't tell Perceptor or Brainstorm!!
• Despite them being captured at the end of this story, their reappearance in Season Three of the cartoon would tell us they get released/escape between now and then.

IDW - Till All Are One #4

Title: The Line Between Us

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editors: John Barber & Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Combaticons have now combined into Bruticus, but due to their anger, they wind up going on a rampage and attacking the city. Chromia, Rattrap and Wheeljack run away to avoid being killed by the combiner.

Inside his head, the Combaticons are looking for the secret that Swindle had on Starscream, when Blast Off finds the memory, the team discover that Starscream gave the Enigma to Swindle to cause havoc on Caminus with the Stunticons, but that he recorded the conversation for proof. The Combaticons, minus Blast Off want to kill Starscream now, but Blast Off just wants the tape to take down Starscream legitimately, leaving Bruticus outwardly confused and further angry.

Ironhide is informed of the Combiner attack and gathers his security forces to take him on, quickly recognizing one of the limbs as being Blast Off, he tries to reach out to him, but the other Combaticons see him as an enemy. Bruticus attacks the security forces, whilst the Council Chambers are evacuated for their safety. Starscream orders Windblade to assassinate Bruticus so his secrets can be kept safe, and threatens Chromia's safety again.

Windblade has had enough, and contacts Chromia telling her to stop Ironhide from killing Bruticus, as she has decided to break off her deal with Starscream, and take him down with Bruticus' information. She orders Chromia to return to Caminus as soon as she can for safety from persecution.

Windblade makes it to Bruticus, and Chromia manages to get Ironhide to stop his attacks on him. Windblade appeals to Bruticus and tells him that she is against Starscream too, and wants his help, but the angry combiner doesn't believe her and smacks her out of the sky. Chromia rushes to Windblade's aid, and Bruticus aims his back cannons at the two Camiens, preparing to kill them.

However Ironhide shoots Bruticus through the head, and forces the Combaticons to decombine, knocking them all unconscious in the process, stopping Windblade from getting the information from them.

Chromia and Windblade are mad as this was their only chance to take down Starscream, and now he'll use the dirt on Chromia to destroy them both. Chromia sees Circuit and Longtooth nearby and decides to protect Windblade one last time. She interrupts their live report on the Combaticons and admits to her murders and causing the Acrolight earthquake. She forces Ironhide to arrest her, to show that NO-ONE is above the law.

Starscream watches this on the news feed and is clearly angry at losing his main gambling point with Windblade, and hopes that Windblade will be fine without her, and will step into the light now...

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Chromia - Speedbike Arrested by Ironhide

Wheeljack - Race Car

Metroplex - Iacon City

Decepticon

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt Disabled by Ironhide

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Tank Arrested by Security Force

Blast Off - Jet Arrested by Security Force

Swindle - Van Brain-Dead, Arrested by Security Force

Vortex - Helicopter Arrested by Security Force

Brawl - Tank Arrested by Security Force

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Tall Tankor - Truck/Jet

Fat Tankor - Tank

Unified Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Circuit

Longtooth

Unaligned Colonist

Strika - Battle Tank

Moonracer - Sports Car

Knock Out - Sports Car

Air Hammer - Owl-Hammerhead Shark Fuzor

Other Cybertronian

Random Civilians

The Primes (Mentioned)

Scrap Cruncher (Mentioned) Killed by Chromia

Exhaust (Mentioned) Killed by Chromia

Technimus (Mentioned) Killed by Chromia

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the first storyline in Till All Are One, resolving the mystery of Swindle's "death", the Combaticon's role in modern Cybertron, and even the plot thread of Starscream blackmailing Windblade over Chromia's crimes.
• This is the first time a combiner created by the Enigma of Combination has gone on a rampage, and has had visible problems. This is likely because of Swindle being brain-dead, but could be because of the team not really trusting each other.
• Windblade decides that her Cityspeaker role should include speaking to Combiners....that doesn't work too well....
• So Bruticus was defeated with just one shot through the head by Ironhide? Seems a bit anti-climactic for the built-up "villain" of this first story arc.
• The names scratched into Chromia's scalp are confirmed here to be the names of the Cybertronians she killed.
• The next issue to be released will be the Revolutions tie-in. So unless #5 is set during the same time as Titans Return, I'm guessing there will be a time-gap between the issues
• Despite their factions not being mentioned here, Chromia's three victims sound like Decepticon names.

DW - Generation One V3 #1-6

Plot

Starscream has returned to Earth, and has just had his team of Combaticons defeat most of the local Autobots, however he notices that Ratchet and Brawn are missing, and sends them after them. The two Autobots return to their base in the crashed Ark. Meanwhile on Cybertron the Battlechargers enter one of Shockwave's old labs (after torturing a Mini-Spy or two) and they find some tubes filled with what looks like clones of other Transformers. One of them however wakes up and attacks the two of them and smashes out of the lab in a ball of radiation and into space.

On Earth Screamer and the Combaticons arrive outside the Ark and prepare to attack it. Inside, the two Autobots walk past the cell where the rest of the Earth Decepticons are being held and get onto Teletran-1 to warn the others on Cybertron about Screamer's new team and to work out how to stop Bruticus.

Unfortunately Bruticus tears into the Ark and frees the captured Decepticons.

Bumblebee and his crew on the Orion speed towards Earth and pick up Brawn's message about the Combaticons and the attack when suddenly the signal goes out. The ship speeds up to get to the planet quicker.

Ratchet and Brawn fend off against the Combaticons, but ultimately are forced to activate the Ark's self destruct, the two escape just as it blows, just Bruticus is barely injured. Starscream shoots and disables the two Autobots.

The Orion arrives near Earth, but before they can enter orbit they are passed by a speedy ball of light, who heads down to the planet.

The Decepticons start blasting at the newly arrived radioactive light, but he manages to defeat all the Decepticons, and even shoots down the newly arrived Autobot ship. Starscream flees the scene anf the newcomer follows.

On Cybertron the Autobots are training some new recruits for combat, but it's not going too well, on top of that Optimus is in a bad condition following the forceful removal of the Matrix by Shockwave before, but Magnus is back up to normal. The Protectobots contact Prowl and reports about the explosion at Shockwave's lab and that the Battlechargers were knocked out sometime. Prowl tells them to let him know when they know what happened.

On Earth, the newcomer has followed Starscream to the still sunken Decepticon warship. Inside there Starscream starts work on defrosting something in a stasis tube, whilst looking for the newcomer again on the screens, unfortunately the newcomer is inside the base and starts throttling Starscream, whilst introducing himself as Sunstorm, Screamer's brother.

Elsewhere, Bumblebee's team have left their ship and start investigating the badly damaged Decepticons and start working on fixing the ship. Meanwhile Starscream is forced to explain to Sunstorm how he returned to Earth on Sky Lynx, gave the Combaticons new alternate modes and led an attack on the Autobots (leading to the start of this story). Sunstorm explains that he is on a divine mission and has the knowledge of Primus within him, and he needs Starscream's help for something, however Jetfire appears behind them, having finished being defrosted before.

A few hours later the Orion is repaired and the stealth shields are activated, hiding it from view and the Autobots are now using it for their local base. All of a sudden Starscream and Jetfire appear.

Jetfire manages to defeat Sunstorm, but he starts repairing himself immediately, so he and Starscream leave before it's too later, heading to the Autobot's base. The next day at the Orion Starscream is now working with the Autobots to work out what Sunstorm is, and how to stop him from continuing his violent attacks.

On Cybertron the Auotbots are having a hard time with the public after the removal of Shockwave from power and the now changing infrastructure of the world.

On Earth the Autobots and Decepticons are cooperating and have worked out that Sunstorm seems to be hunting down Starscream, so Ratchet creates a device to act as a decoy as it mimics Screamer's energy signature and will also suppress Sunstorm's radiation as well.

Sunstorm approaches the ship, and the Autobots use jet packs and small ships to face off against him, after a fierce battle in the sky, which leads to the ground after a while Bumblebee manages to get the device on his back, and he goes off flying.

Later a weakened Sunstorm goes to Alaska where he finds Starscream in a cave, when suddenly the cave starts to collapse and Starscream sees something shocking looming above him.

In the past, Megatron punishes Starscream for daring to try and usurp his power whilst he was away on a mission. Meanwhile in the present Starscream is being hunted down by Omega Supreme, who sees him as a primary target. In order to escape from the giant Autobot he blasts the decoy off of Sunstorm, reviving him and letting him deal with Omega.

On Cybertron Prowl has been sent data on the clones in the lab, and finds out that the energy and data from Vector Sigma was sent into that lab and had been transferred into one of the clones, the one that's gone missing.

On Earth Warpath and Bumper have found the badly injured bodies of the Autobots attacked by Bruticus earlier when they're suddenly the EDC, led by Marissa Fairborne surround them. Bumblebee and the others return to the Orion where they find the crew all knocked out by Starscream earlier. The crew start to wake up, when the ship starts being hit by something.

In Alaska Sunstorm and Omega Supreme fight it out. Omega appears to win the fight and lowers his guard, at which point Sunstorm attacks him.

Meanwhile on the Planet of Junk, Wreck-Gar has collected and repaired several Air Warriors, and Megatron repays him by killing him...nice guy!

Bumblebee, Jetfire and Cliffjumper arrive in Alaska and find the badly injured Omega Supreme and the damaged device meant for Sunstorm nearby. Jetfire reveals that he and Omega were on a mission to look for Optimus and the others and were attacked by someone outside, crashing them on Earth, where they were eventually trapped separately, until recently. Jetfire and Bumblebee fly off to hunt down Sunstorm, who Omega has tracked to the ocean again. Cliffjumper stays behind to guard the large Autobot.

On Cybertron, Prowl has worked out that Shockwave became interested in Earth after downloading the data from Vector Sigma, meaning there may be clues to what's happening there, so he calls a meeting with the other Autobots.

Jetfire and Bumblebee arrive at the ocean, where they find Sunstorm using his abilities to part the ocean in one area, revealing a seal underneath that he needs Starscream to open for him, which he does, as the two are now working together.

The Autobots follow the Decepticon and his clone into the hole revealing a strange, non-Earth-like tunnel leading down. Starscream is knocked out by Jetfire, and Bumblebee is held hostage by Sunstorm, who starts to melt his head. Starscream attacks Sunstorm, knocking him out again, he goes to turn on the Autobots, but Bumblebee warns him that Sunstorm is behind him and alive. Screamer shoots at his brother and knocks him into the crevice filled with a strange dark substance and taunts him as he submerges.

Starscream gets ready to kill Bumblebee, whilst on Cybertron the Autobots decide to head back to Earth to work out what's happening. Meanwhile on Earth the Autobots taken in by the EDC are taken underground. In Alaska Cliffjumper and Omega are worried about Jetfire and Bumblebee.

Before Starscream can kill Bumblebee, Sunstorm emerges from the goop and goes on a rampage, but starts to overload with radiation and blowing up and he blames Sunstorm for this, as he betrayed him and his divine mission from Primus. Jetfire rescues Starscream from being killed and Sunstorm leaves the tunnel, planning on destroying the whole planet, Jetfire follows him and tells Screamer to carry Bumblebee to safety, since he owes him. Starscream reluctantly agrees and takes him safely to a beach, then leaves to try and help Jetfire against Sunstorm in the sky.

Jetfire discovers that Sunstorm is about to explode, so he launches himself, and the radioactive clone out of the atmosphere, where Sunstorm explodes, taking Jetfire with him as Starscream watches from nearby, and Bumblebee sees from the beach.

Bumblebee watches as the explosion subsides and salutes his friend, and also gives up his weapon and leaves, walking off into the night.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Badly Injured

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Prowl - Police Car

Bumblebee - VW Beetle

Cliffjumper - Porsche

Brawn - SUV

Ratchet - Ambulance

Jetfire - Jet Killed in Radioactive Explosion

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base Injured by Sunstorm

Warpath - Tank Captured by EDC

Bumper - Sports Car Captured by EDC

Mirage - F1 Race Car

Hound - Jeep

Ironhide - Van

Trailbreaker - Camper Van

Gears - Pick Up Truck

Bluestreak - Sports Car

Huffer - Truck Cab

Perceptor - Microscope

Hoist - Tow Truck

Red Alert - Emergency Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Cosmos - Orbiter 

Powerglide - A10 Jet

Seaspray - Hovercraft

Beachcomber - Buggy

Hot Spot - Fire Engine

First Aid - Ambulance

Streetwise - Police Car

Groove - Police Motorcycle

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Car Powerdasher - Car

Jet Powerdasher - Jet

Drill Powerdasher - Drill Tank

Swerve - Pick Up Truck

Hubcap - Sports Car

Outback - SUV

Tailgate - Sports Car

Pipes - Truck Cab

Jazz - Porsche Deactivated by Bruticus, Captured by EDC

Windcharger - Sports Car Deactivated by Bruticus, Captured by EDC

Wheeljack - Race Car Deactivated by Bruticus, Captured by EDC

Sideswipe - Sports Car Deactivated by Bruticus, Captured by EDC

Sunstreaker - Sports Car Deactivated by Bruticus, Captured by EDC

Blacker - Racing Buggy

Laster - Sports Car

Braver - Sports Car

Electro - Pick Up Truck

Volt - Coupe

Rapido - Sports Car

Windbreaker - Sports Car

Aero Raid - Jet

Sonic Bomber - Jet

Shoki - Train

Dashtacker - Super Car and Halftrack Vehicle

Wingwaver - Jet and Boat

Getsuei - Train

Yukikaze - Train

Kaen - Train

Push-Button

Galaxy Shuttle - Orion Space Shuttle

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle (Footage and Flasback)

Decepticon

Megatron - Gun (Cybertronian Tank in Flashback)

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Cybertronian Jet in Flashback)

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Truck

Brawl - Tank

Blast Off - Space Shuttle

Vortex - Helicopter

Swindle - Jeep

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Cybertronian Van in Flashback)

Rumble - Cassette

Runabout - Car Off-Lined by Sunstorm

Runamuck - Car Off-Lined by Sunstorm

Air Warriors - Jets

Shockwave - Ray Gun (Mentioned)

Clones

Sunstorm - Fighter Jet Killed in Radioactive Explosion

Powered Convoy - Car Carrier Inactive in Lab

Twincast - Boom Box Inactive in Lab

Soundblaster - Cassette Player Inactive in Lab

Ricochet - Porsche Inactive in Lab

Magnificus - Microscope Inactive in Lab

Other

Marissa Fairborne

Wreck-Gar - Motorcycle Killed by Megatron

Scourge - Space Shuttle (Flashback)

Mini-Spy Killed by Battlechargers

EDC

Humans

Cybertronian Civilians

Training Droids

Vector Sigma (Footage)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Oracle (Mentioned)

Notes

• Starscream's ruler attire from his delusion at the start is the same one he wore in the Movie (before being destroyed)
• Starscream being the leader of the Combaticons is a reference to their creation in the G1 cartoon
• The clones on Cybertron are all repaints of popular characters, or earlier mold usages, such as their Diaclone forms etc
• Runamuck and Runabout seem to be back to normal after being imprisoned and half killed recently
• The ship used by Bumblebee is Galaxy Shuttle from Victory, for the sake of geekdom, I've just said that it IS that character in my character list
• Magnus is bad to full strength after his fight with Shockwave, Optimus however is out of commission for the rest of the series
• The Ark is destroyed in this story, which leads the way for Autobot City needing to be built in the nest storyline
• Sunstorm considers Starscream his brother...wonder if the other clones do as well?
• Most of the crowd fillers on Cybertron are the more obscure toys like the Trainbots from Headmasters and Multiforce from Victory
• Bumblebee's battle mask makes him look like his original toy
• There's an ancient seal on Earth like the one used to hold Primus on Cybertron as well, this one likely has a connection to Unicron

TFCC - Battle Lines

Release Dates: FEB 2011-JAN 2012
Issues:37-42
Continuity: Wings of Honour


Story: Pete Sinclair
Writers: Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair
Pencils: Dan Khanna
Inks: Dan Khanna & John Warner (41, 42)
Colours: Evan Gauntt & Jessie Wittenrich (37, 38)
Letters: Jesse Wittenrich
Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Story

Dion has been brought into the medical bay to be fixed up by Ratchet and his team after the attack on the Elite Guard, during which he recalls all that has happened to him over the years, from when he was just a dock worker, got attacked by Megatron, saw his friends die, then got fixed up, recruited into the Elite Guard only for them to be betrayed by the Combaticons.

In a bar Side Burn is pretending to be Dion to get some sympathy from some random femmes, until Prowl comes in and blows his story cover and drags him away from his ladies, and both head to Iacon for a meeting.

Starscream reports back to Deathsaurus about the success of the attack, he has Starscream tell Lyzack to ready the lab for the Combaticon's return so they can be repaired. Starscream is a bit of a pig towards Lyzack and she gets angry and starts eyeing up her brother's old sword.

At the Autobot High Council Citadel Magnum has gathered up the surviving Elite Guard members (Thunderclash, Flak, Kup, Landshark and Dion) and says that they're to make a stand and show that the Guard isn't gone as long as they survive...then they witness the newly arisen Optimus Prime declare war and states that all Autobots are now to take up arms, much to Magnum's dismay.

Optimus and his team prepare to go after Megatron rather than Deathsaurus, as Magnum has insisted that his team deals with him. Optimus notices that Side Burn's gone missing and everyone looks to Prowl to know where he is, who thinks he knows where he is.

Elsewhere Magnum leads his Elite Guard to a secret weapons locker he had built after the Combaticons went missing where they meet up with their reinforcements, Ricochet, Moonracer and Outback (his assistants). The team arm themselves up and head out, unaware that Side Burn is following them.

The Combaticons are being fixed up at Deathsaurus' base, but they're having problems due to Bruticus' eyes being damaged still, so they knock out the gestalt using his weak point and start to work on him. Starscream reports that the remaining Elite Guard members are approaching the base's location, and Deathsaurus has him lead all his available troops into battle against them.

Magnum's team approaches Deathsaurus' lair when they encounter Side Burn who says that he knows where the base is exactly, before he can tell them however the group is attacked by Starscream and his massive army. Ricochet tries to scout the area from the sky, but gets shot down by Starscream and plummets to the ground. The Autobots manage to fight off the Decepticons by using their superior skills, until Deathsaurus arrives and challenges Magnum personally. The Combaticons join the battle, and taunt Magnum and the otehrs by saying that they haven't been altered in any way mentally, and they joined Deathsaurus freely.

The Autobots try to keep the Combaticons separated so they can't combine, and sadly Ricochet dies from his injuries just before Lyzack joins the fight wielding her brother's sword.

The Combaticons manage to fight off the Autobots and start to combine, until they're blasted by a powerful weapon shot by a surprising combatant.

More members of the Elite Guard have survived, and have now joined the battle (Ironfist, Big Bang, Sprocket and Rumbler). The Combaticons try to combine again, but Blast Off has been captured by Side Burn and tied up. The Decepticons start to get worried by the growing Autobot forces, but Starscream refuses to retreat, and leads them in a counter attack.

Magnum starts to get an upper hand against Deathsaurus but Lyzack interferes and attacks the Autobot, which impresses both Starscream and Side Burn, however Thunderclash rescues his commander by punching the femicon away. Side Burn gets over his attraction and attacks Starscream with a flamethrower.

Deathsaurus gets up and goes to kill Thunderclash and Magnum, when Sprocket attacks him, and blasts him into the chest, causing immense pain leading to him calling for a retreat. The Autobots capture the Combaticons and has the Gyronian Sentry team take them into custody whilst they return him.

Back at his base, Deathsaurus is greeted by Megatron, who is now sitting in his throne, waiting for him.

Thunderclash, Big Bang and Dion are waiting at a security office for news on the Combaticons when they learn that Gyronia doesn't have a sentry team anymore since they all went missing, shocking the Autobots.

At Deathsaurus' base Deathsaurus has been strung up between some pillars with the Combaticons in cells behind him. Megatron challenges Deathsaurus to a fight to decide who the overall Decepticon leader should be once and for all, after a very quick fight Megatron manages to mutilate his opponent and then blasts him and point blank range.

Megatron has Soundwave recover any data from Deathsaurus' systems that they can use. Starscream switches sides and joins Megatron, and starts his plotting to become Decepticon leader. Once they leave Lyzack tends to Deathsaurus, who still functions,a nd they decide to leave the planet and banish themselves for their own safety.

A week later Magnum and the others have been fixed up and he apologizes to Optimus for any rudeness he showed him before as he was just worried that he was usurping power from him, Optimus accepts it , but stil feels that all Autobots are needed to fight off the Decepticons now, and Magnum now agrees.

Dion runs in and reports that the Decepticons are attacking the city, along with a new Gestalt, Devastator. The Autobots fight back against the Decepticons.

The Autobots are fighting off the large Decepticon forces and Dion suggests that they aim at Devastator's knees, which works as it causes them to destabilize and fail, making the Gestalt fall over. Megatron is angry and goes to kill Optimus, but he's protected by Magnum and Dion, who take the kill shots for him. Optimus attacks Megatron for killing his friends, and Megatron calls a retreat (the city's in ruins anyway). The Autobots cheer, whilst Optimus looks over his fallen friends.

Later Dion and Magnum have been taken to Alpha Trion who says that he can repair one of them, Optimus asks him to do his best. Several Autobot medics have been called in to help with repairs (with Rumbler dying on the table) and start upgrading the Autobots to be more war ready.

Some point later Optimus is introduced to one of his fallen friends (most likely Magnum) in his new form as Ultra Magnus. Countdown approaches Flak and asks if he's willing to reduce his size to help reduce Energon usage with the Micromaster process, and he agrees.

Several ships start taking off with some Autobots leaving for safer worlds for peace to colonize, one ship heads to Paradron with Landshark and Sprocket on board (whom is still talking to his now dead brother).

After millions of years Optimus leads a team off of Cybertron to look for new sources of fuel, but is forced to leave some of his friends, including Elita One and Side Burn behind.

The Autobots left on Cybertron enter hibernation pods to try and reserve Energon whilst some of them stay outside to guard and maintain them, including Alpha Trion and Kup and ar eplanned to reawaken when sufficient Energon starts returning to Cybertron.

TO BE CONTINUED IN A FLASH FORWARD

Characters

Autobot


Optimus Prime
Ultra Magnus
Dion - Sports Car Killed by Megatron (Possibly rebuilt as Ultra Magnus)
Magnum - Haughty Hauler Killed by Megatron (Most likely rebuilt as Ultra Magnus)
Side Burn - Blue Flame Speedster
Prowl - Sleek Secure Ride
Thunderclash - Heavy Hauler
Landshark - Baddas Hauler
Kup - SUV
Flak - Multiple Missile Launcher Tank
Outback - Offroad Arsenal
Ricochet - Quick Strike Fighter
Moonracer - Bad Motor Scooter
Ironfist - Boom Buggy
Big Bang
Sprocket - Overdrive Observer
Rumbler - Speeder
Ironhide - Blistering Battle Wagon
Brawn
Jazz
Trailbreaker
Alpha Trion
Hauler - Binary Loadlifter
Countdown - Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier
Road Rage
T-Ai
Sentinel Major - Rolling Arsenal (Flashback) Killed by Bruticus
Elita One - Car
Ratchet - Van
Cop-Tur - Helicopter
Wheeljack
Perceptor
Hoist
Firster Aid
Pipes
Tailgate
Powerglide
Firestar
Red Alert
Inferno
Smokescreen
Huffer
Gears
Chromia
Lancer
Greenlight
Grapple
Orion Pax (Flashback) Killed by Megatron - Rebuilt as Optimus Prime
Ariel (Flashback) Killed by Megatron - Rebuilt as Elita one
Gyronian Sentry - Geared Guardian (Controlled by Megatron)
2 Paradron Medics
Elite Guard (Mentioned) Destroyed by Combaticons
Aerialbots - Jets (Flashback, Cameo - Time Displaced)
Autobot Forces
The Council (Mentioned)

Decepticon


Megatron
Deathsaurus - Winged Menace Badly Injured and Banished by Megatron
Lyzack - Female Fury-Flier Banished
Starscream - Cybertronian Tetra Jet
Shockwave - Ray Gun
Soundwave - Lamppost
Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt Defeated by Autobots
Thundercracker - Cybertronian Tetra Jet
Skywarp - Cybertronian Tetra Jet
Sunstorm - Cybertronian Tetra Jet
Reflector
Onslaught - Assault Bludgeon Arrested and Deconstructed by Megatron
Swindle - Land Vehicle Arrested and Deconstructed by Megatron
Blast Off - Orbiter Arrested and Deconstructed by Megatron
Vortex - Helicopter Arrested and Deconstructed by Megatron
Brawl - Tank Arrested and Deconstructed by Megatron
Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt
Acid Storm - Cybertronian Tetra Jet
Hook (Mentioned)
Constructicons (Mentioned)
Leozack - Fury-Flier (Mentioned)
Decepticons Forces
Decepticon Medics

Notes

• This story leads into the G1 TV series and then Generation Two Redux.
• If you look carefully on the first page you can see the Aerialbots from the War Dawn episode
• The usage of Descent into Evil figures continues here
• It looks like Cop-Tur was the one who fixed up Dion the first time (after Megatron attacked the dock)
• Prowl and Side Burn aren't brothers, but are good friends due to them being built near to eachother
• Lyzack keeps her brother's sword in the crockery cupboard
• Brawn has spiked knuckle dusters
• Starscream sees Bruticus' weak spots being hit in this story, which explains why he implemented it in the future when he recovers them
• When Lyzack uses her brother's sword she sort of goes nuts
• Side Burn is shown to also fancy non-red non-sports car females when he is shown to fancy Lyzack as well, which deviates him from his RiD Counterpart
• Ironfist, Big Bang, Sprocket and Rumbler are shown to have survived the Combaticons attack and it was explained in Sprocket's profile that it was because they fell into a hole or something to a lower level...yeah I know...go with it
• Megatron's win against Deathsaurus isn't really fair, he just returned from a major battle without a chance to get properly fixed up.
• This story is also shown to be after the flashbacks of Secret of Omega Supreme, and gives a name to the generic robots shown being controlled by Megatron's Robo-Smasher too. It also explains that Megatron stole the gestalt technology that Devastator is given from Deathsaurus after beating him.
• Considering how important Iacon is, you'd think there's be a lot more Autobots protecting it than are shown...
• Swindle isn't against trying to sell his wares to an enemy
• Although it's made unclear in this issue who became Ultra Magnus, it can be safely assumed that it was Magnum who was saved (since Hasbro have already said that Dion was never rebuilt into another character
• Countdown and Flak are shown to be getting ready to undergo the Micromaster process, whilst also joined by the already a Micromaster Cop-Tur. 
• Side Burn was with Elita and the others who were late to getting to the Ark
• Kup is much older looking in the future because he is forced to ration Energon whilst guarding the sleeping Autobots on Cybertron, along with Alpha Trion.
• Optimus seems shocked in The Search for Alpha Trion that Elita and the other females are still alive, despite several characters from Season Two being in the group sent to sleep along with them on Cybertron
• Most of Megatron's troops are just mind controlled Autobots

Other Features

37

Neil Ross Interview

Hasbro Designer Interview (regarding Generations Wreck-Gar)

Landshark Profile

Starscream Profile

TFCC Contest winners announcement

Spotlight on Heart of Darkness comic

Around Cybertron Mini-Comic

Fan Art

Recordicons Mini-Comic

38

Morgan Lofting Interview

Michael Bay Interview

Outback Profile

Ironhide Profile

Kre-O Q&A

Around Cybertron Mini-Comic

Fan Art

Recordicons Mini-Comic

39

Frank Welker Interview

San Diego Comic-Con Exclusives article

Side Burn Profile

Prowl Profile

Mini-Mayhem Mini-Comic - Regarding Botcon Hall of Fame

Animated Interview about Botcon 2011's Season 3.5 Media

Around Cybertron Mini-Comic

Fan Art

Recordicons Mini-Comic

40

Steven Blum Interview

Botcon 2011 Report

Thunderclash Profile

Lyzack Profile

Hall of Fame 2011 Inductee Article

Around Cybertron Mini-Comic

Fan Art

Recordicons Mini-Comic

41

Dan Gilvezan Interview

New York Comic Con Article

First Look at 2012 Exclusives

Gyronian Sentry Profile

Sprocket Profile

Gone But Not Forgotten Article (Part One) by Jim Sorenson - Neo Knights

Word Search

Fan Art

Recordicons Mini-Comic

42

Michael McConnohie Interview

Transformers Prime toyline article (and Generations Wave 5)

Hauler Profile

Devastator Profile

Gone But Not Forgotten Article (Part Two) by Jim Sorenson - Action Masters

Contest Winners Announcment

Recordicons Mini-Comic