IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits #3

Written by: David Mariotte 

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Brittany Peer & Rebecca Nalty

Letters by: Val Lopez & Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The race is underway, but Mayhem, including Axer, quickly start attacking the track and the racers, killing at least Road Pig in the process, and severely injuring many others like Road Rocket, Override and Sideways.

The security force lose. Intact with the drones on the track, and send out troops to save anyone they can.

The Wreckers, as part of the race, manage to take down most of the Mayhem members, but are stopped by Security from finishing them off, unknown to the racers and Wreckers, the Mayhem members shed their Pretender shells to escape, while being obstructed from view by security.

Acer catches up wit Knock Out, who is in the front of the race, but the surgeon mocks him, bidding him farewell, as Breakdown shoots a missile at Axer, killing him on the spot, revealing his complicity bin this race-fixing plot!

Knock Out soon speeds into the stadium, winning the race, and being named as the new First Senator of Velocitron, with the remaining racers walking behind him, behind Breakdown.

The Wreckers meet up at the end of the race, and aren't happy with this result, and think something more is happening here...

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Aileron - Jet

Hot Shot - Jeep

Ricochet - Car

Minerva - Car

Mayhem

Octopunch

Skullgrin

Submarauder

Axer Killed by Breakdown

Thunderblast - Boat Crushed by Racers

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet Knocked Out by Hot Shot 

Velocitronian

Knock Out - Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Drag Strip - F1 Racer

Leadfoot - F1 Racer

Override - Race Car Blasted by Mayhem

Sideways - Motorcycle Crashed by Mayhem

Road Rocket - Motorcycle Skewered by Mayhem

Road Pig - Motorcycle Killed by Octopunch

Scrounge - Wheel

Signal Lancer - Traffic Light

Lickety-Split - Tricycle

RoadHauler - Crane

Clampdown - Police Car

Burn-Out - Van

Dirt Rocket - Motorcycle

Moonracer - Car

Armada Mirage - F1 Racer In Stasis Lock from Rockslide 

Orange Cybertron Crumplezone - Rocket Trike 

Green Cybertron Clocker - Convertible Crushed by Skullgrin 

Purple Armada Downshift - Race Car

Red/Yellow RID2015 Sideswipe - Car

Green RID2015 Quillfire - Van

Purple RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

White/Yellow RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

Light Blue RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

Other Racers

Sec-Ops Officers

Race Spectators

Other Medics (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Xaaron

Primus (Mentioned)

Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Notes

• There are so many virtual redecoes and transplants from older series' this issue. I've tried to identify them all, but a few have probably passed over my head.
• On the note of virtual redecoes, I wouldn't be shocked of some of them (RoadHauler, Clampdown, Burn-Out, as well as the ones featured last issue, like Leadfoot and Knock Out) get new toys in the near future.
• Knock Out is mentioned as being endorsed by the Ascenticons...I'm gonna go out on a lead and say the results of this race were all part of Megatron's big plan for revolution...
• The use of the term "Ascenticon" here, means that this issue IS set earlier in the timeline than its contemporary comics.
• Submarauder is shown leaving a Pretender shell, with his inner robot designed to resemble a Prime Master figure. We can probably assume that Skullgrin and Octopunch have the same ability.
• The boys designed after the Museum guards from Robots in Disguise that I thought were just bouncers last issue, are shown to actually be part of Breakdown's corrupted security force.
• There's still no clue on whether Xaaron is a Velocitronian or just a visiting signatory yet...he just doesn't feel like a member of the speedy planet's population to me! 
• Axer is revealed to have been a member of Mayhem this issue, planning to overrule the Velocitronian way of deciding its leadership. However it also appears that the main force of Mayhem were also working with Breakdown and Knock Out to cause enough havok to enable Knock Out to win the race, before betraying and killing Axer...this is confusing! 

IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits #2

Written by: David Mariotte

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Brittany Peer

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The Wreckers, sans Circuit arrive at a Race Bar to gather intel on the racers, in order to try and determine who could be affiliated with Mayhem, but come up with no leads. Aileron however learns that there's a bet being held to see who ruins the race first, Mayhem or the Wreckers. Aileron ends up insulting Thunderclash to the Mayhems when comparing how they are using the Speedia 500 to try and cause a spectacle, just like the Wreckers do with their stunt cover missions. Thunderclash shouts, but is quickly calmed down, before security chief Breakdown can ban him from the race.

Elsewhere, Circuit is created by his old crewmate, Axer, who now works for Velocitron's security force. The latter offers his apologies for his actions during the Iron Hope incident, and gives him a ride back to the Wrecker's shuttle. Axer suggests that Circuit and the other Wreckers leave the race, since it's being used to flush out Mayhem, and leaves after receiving a message.

Circuit is suspicious, so follows Axer in his exo-suit, eventually finding him meeting with Octopunch, leader of Mayhem, and opening a channel to the other Wreckers to warn them that security has been breached, however the Autobot is shot in the head by a sniper.

The Wreckers, hearing the incident over the Comms rush out to Circuit's last location, but find him badly injured, next to the burning Mayhem hideout.

Circuit is brought back to the shuttle, where Minerva patches him up as best as possible, but isn't sure if he'll survive, before putting him into a CR Chamber.

The team head out to perform the rest of their mission, with Minerva heading to a medical station, in case of any injuries during the race, and the others joining the participants.

The race is started off, with Breakdown announcing security measures during the race, seemingly unaware of the security force's infiltration.

The racers are counted down, and the race for the next leader of Velocitron has begun!

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Ricochet - Car

Hot Shot - Jeep

Aileron - Jet

Minerva - Car

Circuit Sniped by Mayhem, in CR Chamber

Mayhem

Octopunch

Other Mayhem Members (Mentioned)

Velocitronian

Road Rocket - Motorcycle

Breakdown - Van

Override - Race Car

Knock Out - Car

Leadfoot - Race Car

Sideways - Motorcycle

Jackpot - Car

Lickety-Split 

Scrounge - Wheel

Signal Lancer - Traffic Light 

Drag Strip - Race Car

Burn-Out - Van

Bar Bouncer

Bar Patrons

Medics

Speedia 500 Racers

Sizzle - Race Car (Image)

Electrons - Car (Mentioned) Dead 

Other

Axer

Xaaron

Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Sec-Ops (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue features a lot of cameos from older characters (such as Cybertron Brakedown, Crumplezone, Landmine etc) but with new heads and colourschemes. The characters who appear to be exact transplants are just going to be mentioned as characters in the list though.
• While Override and Sideways appear to just be transplants of their Cybertron and Armada toys respectively, Knock Out appears to use a body based on the Studio Series Jazz toy, possibly giving us a look at an upcoming Legacy Knock Out figure. Leadfoot likewise appears to be using Siege Mirage's body, possibly giving us a look at his next too too.
• The characters mention Sec-ops as being on patrol on Velocitron, but it should be Colonial Security here. It is possible though that locally it is just called Sec-ops though.
• The two games shown in the bar are "Mechanic Mania", an allusion to "Operation" and "Virtual Cube", which is based on the sport of "Cube" from the Cyberverse series.
• Circuit's suit is shown to be able to transform between a hover car and an eco suit....why did he leave the ship without it again?
• Minerva mentions that Circuit's injuries are the worst she's seen in a long time, and that she doesn't remember the last time it's looked this bad, further adding to my thoughts that this series is set during the early stages of the main comic series, before the war breaks out.
• Xaaron is shown this issue starting the race, it's possible that he's a denizen of Velocitron, but it's also possible that he's just there as a Senate representative, authenticating the event.
• Knock Out and Breakdown are shown to be a couple in this continuity again, and are even shown kissing on panel, which I don't remember ever happening in IDW version 1
• As I mentioned last issue...why is Aileron allowed to enter the race, when she uses a flying alternate mode?
• Drag Strip makes a brief cameo this issue, showing off his upcoming Legacy figure, which has just been revealed.

IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread and Circuits #1

Written by: David Mariotte

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Candice Han

Letters by: Jake M. Wood & Nathan Widick

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The Wreckers perform a death-defying stunt, a sub-orbital jump from their ship to a planet's surface, without any safety devices, which is broadcasted to their loyal viewbase across the universe, when it is interrupted by Mayhem, a terrorist cell, who demand that Velocitron cancel it's upcoming Speedia 500, and not decide their leadership that way. To prove their seriousness, they kill a former competitor, Electrons, on screen. The Wreckers manage to get control of their signal, and close off the broadcast properly.

Once the cameras are shut down, the Wreckers are back to their real business, guns out and ready to fight if Mayhem are nearby. The team, really an elite covert squad that works outside of Colonial Security, and are now on the mission to take down Mayhem.

Later, the Wreckers arrive on Velocitron, where Thunderclash announces to the gathered crowd that they are going to enter the Speedia 500 to prove that they aren't afraid of Mayhem, much to Aileron's annoyance, since she's planned a covert mission for them to investigate them secretly.

Circuit sneaks away from the ship, to avoid the cameras and crowd, since he feels like a outcast since losing his alternate mode during the Iron Hope incident. He decides to try and scout out the planet to find a potential hideout for Mayhem, but finds himself abused by the Velocitronians, who are all about speed, so a mode-locked bot like him isn't welcome...

After Aileron and Thunderclash argue about the latter's decision to make their mission public, and he agrees that he might have made a mistake in that, they rejoin the rest of the team in a communal area in the ship, when Aileron realizes that Circuit isn't back from his exploration yet!

Back on the streets, Circuit is chased by someone down a tight alleyway, and is shocked when he realizes that his pursuer is Acer, another of the Iron Hope 100 on his Turbo Cycle, who asks what he's doing there...

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Hot Shot - Jeep

Ricochet - Car

Minerva - Car

Aileron - Jet

Circuit 

Mayhem

Octopunch

Skullgrin

Submarauder 

Velocitronian

Road Pig - Motorcycle

Electrons - Car Killed by Octopunch 

Velocitronian Crowd

Road Rocket - Motorcycle (Hologram)

Blurr - Race Car (Hologram)

Other Cybertronian

Axer 

Primus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Exarchon (Mentioned)

The Three-fold Spark (Mentioned)

The Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Colonial Security (Mentioned)

Rust Worms (Mentioned)

Turbofoxes (Mentioned)

Notes

• We don't know when in the continuity this story is set. We don't see any Decepticons in the story (unless Mayhem reveal badges later on) and the Wreckers openly wear Autobot insignias, which would mark them as being part of Optimus' army rather than travelling performers in the current storyline's setting. My guess is that this is set just before the war broke out.
• The only two members of the Wreckers based on recent toys are Hot Shot and Ricochet, who were both in the Selects toyline, and are also shown this issue to be rivals.
• Aileron appears this issue, having had a cameo in the Valentine's Day special, though in that story she was shown as a larger robot, rather than standard sized, like she is here.
• The Speedia 500 and other such races have been a focal point of Velocitron's lore since it was introduced in the Cyberton cartoon, in luding it being used to decide on the leadership of the planet. I am surprised that Override isn't the planet's leader in this continuity, like she usually is though...
• Circuit mentions that he used to focus everything of his life into "being a camera" before losing his alternate mode in the Iron Hope incident. This could mean that Circuit used to have a camera alternate mode, but due to the leftover kibble.on his body lookig more like car parts, I'm assuming he is just refering to his chronicler job, and not his alternate mode.
• Thunderclash mentions that Aileron is entering the Speedia 500...but she has a flying alternate mode...unless she also has a car mode too, like Road Rage, but there's no evidence of that yet.

The five most shafted Transformers!

Amongst the vast tapestry of the Transformers franchise there are just some characters who have been given the short straw as their lot in life. Now I do not mean the characters who are created just to die (the "Hi and Die" if you will) or those who have been relegated to side characters compared to the "main guys". What I mean are the characters who have been given a role, or have been treated in a way that we cannot respect or trust them now, or have just been treated unfairly for no valid reason.

As such, here are the five characters (or sets of characters in some cases) that I feel have been given the shaft. If you disagree with me, or have your own ideas, please let me know in the comments here, and have fun reading :)

5. Cosmos

First on the list, Cosmos! Yes, everyone loves the little fella, but let's face it, we love him because he's essentially a joke, his roles within the media over the years can basically be summarized as "Space Taxi" or crowd filler.

Even his essential counterpart amongst the Decepticons, Astrotrain, has made more of a role for himself than just the "Space Taxi", given that he took on a role as Decepticon leader in one episode of the cartoon, and even acted as god to some Titan aliens. He's even had a fairly vocal and prominent role within the IDW continuity in recent years, unlike our pal Cosmos who has only just started appearing as more than a background character (and even that is just a glorified space camera).

Also, let's not forget his nonsense alternate mode and the fact that these guys are meant to be in DISGUISE. I suppose it did work well during the Mars Attacks crossover though....

4. Jawbreaker

I know what you're thinking! Who?

This guy has had it so bad, that out of all the regular release single figures (excluding playsets, and one of the Mutants) he never appeared ONCE in the IDW Gathering or Ascending comics, not even in a cameo. To put this simply, they had space for Manta Ray, a McDonalds Happy Meal toy, but not a full sized regular release toy!

This problem has even been around for longer than this, where his only fictional appearance ANYWHERE (bar his Sourcebook profile) has been in a recent Collector's Club comic, where he used Ratchet's Beast Hunters toy character model, and even that was a minor role.

3. Hot Shot

Oh Hot Shot, for a few years you were a main character in basically all the Transformers cartoons, you spawned a popular internet meme, and everyone loved you, what could go wrong?

The Movie came out, and Bumblebee replaced you as the main character, then suddenly everyone forgot all about you, that's what!

Sure we've had a handful of toys based on your past appearances (Universe 2008, Prime and upcoming AOE) but that's nothing to what it was even a few years ago

For those of you who are unaware, when Transformers Animated began, it was planned for Hot Shot to be a main character, but following the release of the first movie, he was replaced with Bumblebee, sure he was later shown in an episode in Season Three, but he, and the rest of his team were pretty much just recycled character ideas and models

2. Sentinel Prime

You may not have been expecting Sentinel to appear here, but hear me out.

Ever since the Sentinel Prime character has been fleshed out (beyond just a dead arm in Dreamwave, or just a flashback death scene in Marvel) he has been typecast as a relative jerk, or just utterly unlike-able.

The IDW G1 version was a bully former security guard who was the Senate's figure head. In Animated he's a former friend of Optimus with a massive ego problem, and of course in Dark of the Moon, he is a traitor who kills Ironhide in a violent way (spoilers btw).

It has become somewhat impossible to think of Sentinel as anything other than amoral or just a horrible individual, and for that, I'm sorry for him, as I'm sure he wasn't originally envisioned this way!

1. The Twins

Now here's the big one, or should I say two. Skids and Mudflap from Revenge of the Fallen. The two of them act like children who are wannabe gangsters, and the world turns that into them being racist stereotypes of black people.

A culmination of this complain was that the duo were written out of their role in Dark of the Moon (where they would have been killed alongside Ironhide, protecting Sam and Bumblebee from Sentinel) and, if you haven't noticed, there have been little to no mentions of Twins in Transformers since then (even Sideswipe and Sunstreaker aren't seen together too much now) and this is just stupid

What is really bad about this particular situation is that the characters themselves were an interesting take on Cybertronians, and could be seen as having been influenced by the internet (as was established to be how they learned to speak English) to acting this way, perhaps even due to things like chat rooms and forums.

Their battle against Devastator in ROTF was also pretty entertaining in itself, and was a good pay-off for the characters existing.

There you go guys, I hope you enjoyed this topic, and let me know about any points of view you have on this subject. If you have any ideas for a future "article" for me to write on, then please let me know 

Thanks for reading! :)

Dreamwave - Armada FCBD

Written by: Brandon Easton

Penciled by: Don Figueroa

Inks by: Elaine To

Colours by: Alan Wang, Rob Ruffolo, David Cheung, Stuart Ng, Susan Luo, Felipe Smith

Flats by: Sigmund Torre

Letters by: Paul Villafuerte

Graphic Design: Matt Moylan

Pre-Press: Kell-O-Graphics

Plot

Millions of years ago, the Autobots and Decepticons began fighting over the Mini-Cons, leading to the smaller robots self-exiling themselves off Cybertron, and they crashed into Earth's Moon, and Earth itself.

In the present day Rad and Carlos are riding their bikes on a nature hike (yeah) when they come across the Mini-Con Swindle, who claims to have escaped the Decepticons, they quickly become friends, and the kids offer to take Swindle to see the Autobots, and he offers to ride them to school. Suddenly the kids and Swindle are spotted by Starscream, who is after the escaped Mini-Con, so the small group start to hide, however Cyclonus and Demolishor also appear from no-where, and they capture the kids, however they're soon rescued when Hot Shot, Red Alert and Smokescreen appear (they were tracking Swindle as well) and fight off the Decepticons, all is going well until Megatron appears and blasts the three Autobots.

Megatron then orders Swindle out of hiding, and he's forced to bring the kids with him, revealing that he "escaped" on a mission for Megatron. The kids try to reach Swindle with the power of friendship, and he does let them go, however Megatron catches them himself soon afterwards. Swindle asks, that since he's completed his mission, and the Autobots are defeated and the kids captured, if he can be free now, which invites laughter from the meanie Decepticons. Megatron reveals that he plans to try and fuse humans with Cybertronian tech to create a new power source, but before he can really elaborate, Optimus Prime arrives and interrupts him, and rescues the kids from his grasp.

Optimus and Megatron have a quick battle, but it ends when Starscream shoots Optimus in the back, Starscream suggests that he should be leader due to him defeating Optimus, leading Megatron to aim his cannon at him, asking him to repeat that.

The Autobots are all tied up with Energon bonds, that Red Alert deduces will short out if exposed to a strong energy blast. The kids hide in some bushes, and are approached by Swindle, who's sick of the Decepticons now, and wants to help out, he turns into his alternate mode and speeds past the Decepticons, reaches the Autobot's discarded weapons, and blasts's Optimus' bonds, freeing him. Optimus in turn frees his teammates and the Autobots chase off the Decepticons with surprising ease.

As the Decepticons retreat, Swindle cheers along with the humans and Autobots, until Starscream hits him with a tractor beam of sorts and drags him away. The kids are sad to see him taken away, but still can't forgive him for lying to them before, and wonder if they can trust another Mini-Con again. Optimus assures them that everyone deserves a second chance, even the Decepticons. With that they all drive off, ready for the next adventure.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Smokescreen - Crane-Mounted Tow Truck

Other Combatants (Flashback)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Tank

Other Combatants (Flashback)

Mini-Con

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Leader-1 - Gun-Mounted Buggy (Flashback)

Runway (Flashback)

Wreckage (Flashback)

Spiral (Flashback)

Jolt (Flashback)

Blackout (Flashback)

Sparkplug (Flashback)

Human

Rad

Carlos

Carlos' Parents (Mentioned)

Notes

• WHY DOES A FREE COMIC BOOK NEED SO MANY COLOURISTS?!?!?
• The present day parts of this comic are set between issues 5 and 6 of the main comic
• Gee, have you noticed how every single character in this comic gets a name-drop? Almost like this comic is used as an advert for the series or something!
• The only Mini-Con to appear in the present day scenes is Swindle, seems a bit odd since you'd expect at least the Decepticons to come armed with Mini-cons to kill the Autobots with, wouldn't you?
• Where is Scavenger and Alexis during this issue?
• Why did Megatron have the Decepticons ambush the kids and Swindle? Why not let them take him to the Autobot's base, and let them know where they're hiding?!
• Megatron's plan to fuse humans with Cybertronian tech is never mentioned again...would have been cool though! Imagine Mini-Con Powermasters!!
• Rad considering not trusting another Mini-Con seems a bit odd, since he's pretty close to the Street Action Team and Sparkplug.
• Speaking of them, why weren't Rad and Carlos riding with High Wire and Grindor?

DW - Energon #19-24

Plot

Ten years have passed since the battle with Unicron and Cybertron has been rebuilt as a peaceful world, however Optimus has a bad feeling about something and asks the High Council to develop an army again, just in case of war returning, however they refuse as they believe that since Megatron and Unicron are gone there are no more threats to the Transformers out there.

Elsewhere at an Energon Processing plant some Decepticons are working, but also seem to be agitated with the peace as well. Scorponok arrives and as his first point of business shoots Starscream into a processor, Tidal Wave, seeing the Decepticon is still alive goes to finish him off, but Starscream pulls him in with him, badly damaging him. Scorponok takes the remaining Decepticons with him through a Space Bridge whilst Starscream's body to crushed and processed.

Elsewhere Optimus goes to see Over-Run at one of the Mini-Con villages but is stopped by the Omnicons, who don't recognize him. Over-Run however agrees to see him, and tells Optimus about how he's been tapping into the planet itself, and Optimus can do so as well to find out the answers he needs about his concerns.

Scorponok and his Decepticons arrive inside Unicron's husk of a body where they meet with Alpha Quintesson who conscripts them into helping him collect Energon to help revive Unicron's body, in exchange he'll give them new "hyper modes", which gives them greater power and strength, which they agree to.

Optimus, Hot Shot and Ironhide arrive at one of the hub nodules Over-Run told Optimus about and he manages to connect with the planet and he witnesses the Decepticons on Unicron's body leaving through a Space Bridge to Earth, but also hears Megatron's voice warning him about what's happening. Optimus disconnects just before Alpha Quintesson sends out the Horsemen of Unicron into space.

In Australia, Earth, the Decepticons (Terrorcons) under Scorponok's command are attacking facilities and people, looking for Energon, and Kicker is caught in the middle of it. Carlos, in a satellite above the planet monitors the situation and tells Rad and Dr Jones at Alterenergy Mobile Command and they realize that the animal Transformers must be Decepticons. The Military are called in to attack the robots and pass over a protest group led by Alexis. Suddenly Kicker rides into the protestors on his bike, being chased by Battle Ravage.

Elsewhere, Dr Jones sends Rad out to look for Kicker, who he knows was in the area of the attack. The Terrorcons easily beat the Military, whilst Battle Ravage is blinded by Alexis' flare gun, whilst she and Kicker ride away.

On Cybertron Optimus talks to the Council again to tell them about what he saw about Earth, but they don't want to start a war again, but they permit him to go to Earth alone to check it out. Just as he's telling his team about it though, explosions start occuring outside as the Horsemen have arrived and are causing chaos.

During the battle with the Horsemen, Optimus recognizes them as some of the Transformers captured during the battle with Unicron, and evidently they have been brainwashed by Unicron into following him, and are now slaughtering the Cybertronians, and badly injure most of Optimus' team.

The Terrorcons continue their search for Energon and wonder where Battle Ravage is (he's still chasing Kicker and Alexis). On Cybertron the Autobots are saved from death by the Omnicons, who tell Optimus to uplink to Cybertron again, upon doing so he is upgraded into a new body and spreads the upgrade to his team, giving them the Spark of Combination, allowing them to combine in pairs and fight off the Horsemen.

The Horsemen receive word from Alpha Quintesson to return to Unicron, so they leave, after the battle Councillor Levitacus arrives and gives Optimus and his whole team permission to investigate Earth, given the recent attack here.

Battle Ravage returns to Scorponok and delivers Kicker and Alexis to him, where Scorponok scans them, and sees why the Terrorcon chased them for so long, Kicker has a strange Energon-like signature around him.

Scorponok explains that Kicker seems to be able to detect Energon, from the looks of his body signatures and tries to find out how he does it. Rad arrives nearby and notices Alexis is with Kicker. The Autobots Space Bridge over to Earth, and on the way Optimus hears Megatron again.

The Terrorcons start to tap into an Energon seam and power themselves up, and realize that Earth is teeming with Energon. The Autobots start to approach the site and are attacked by the Terrorcons, Rad meanwhile runs to save Alexis and Kicker, but is blocked by Battle Ravage, Rad contacts Carlos on the satellite and has him take remote control of his vehicle and ram it into the Energon siphon, causing it to explode.

Scorponok sees the explosion and has his team stop the attack and return to the site to try and scavenge any that's left.

The weakened Optimus lays there and hears Megatron calling for him to come to him.

The Terrorcons attack the Alterenergy Command to make Kicker work with them to locate another Energon seam. Rad and Alexis are running back towards the Command when they run into the Autobots, reuniting with their old friends.

The Terrorcons have been taken to another seam and start to siphon it off when the Autobots arrive again and a full-out battle ensues, during the battle Tidal Wave is guarding Kicker in his cage when Hot Shot and Strongarm arrive, attack Tidal Wave and free Kicker, who then warns the Autobots to leave the area now, as it's going to get hot around here soon. They leave and Tidal Wave starts to attack them, when suddenly the Energon, which turns out to be impure explodes.

The battle between the Terrorcons and Autobots ends abruptly when the Horsemen pull them out of the battle through Space Bridges, as Alpha Quintesson is displeased with their failure at securing the Energon. Everyone reunites and the Autobots announce that they plan on staying on Earth for the meanwhile.

Later, on Cybertron, Ironhide is overseeing the construction of some base units for transport to Earth, but is being stalked by Tidal Wave, who attacks him and Cliffjumper, threatening to kill his friend if he doesn't do something for him.

Jetfire wonders where Ironhide has gone and goes to look for him, finding Cliffjumper injured and off the road, but alive still. Tidal Wave has Ironhide get him some Seismic Shock Warheads that were stockpiled by Megatron in the past, to use on Earth now, but Ironhide reneges on him and turns on the warhead now, threatening to kill them both. Tidal Wave gets pummeled by Ironhide, but runs away in a Space Bridge to safety before Jetfire arrives, and Ironhide reveals that it was a dud warhead, impressing Jetfire with his quick thinking.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Vehicle Transport (Formerly Truck)

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Inferno - Fire Engine

Ironhide - Van

Jetfire - Space Shuttle
Arcee - Motorcycle
Strongarm - Jeep
Signal Flare - Satellite Truck
Skyblast - Jet

Rodimus - Truck Cab

Landmine - Armoured Tow-Plough

Cliffjumper - Buggy
Prowl - F1 Police Car
Red Alert - Emergency SUV
Hoist - Excavator
Scavenger - Bulldozer
Alpha Trion
Councillor Levitacus
Councillor Avalon
High Council

Decepticon
Megatron - Tank Body Destroyed, trapped inside Unicron
Scorponok - Scorpion Tank/Jet
Tidal Wave - Battleship
Battle Ravage - Jaguar
Divebomb - Falcon
Cruellock - Raptor
Insecticon - Beetle
Thrust - Fighter Jet
Demolishor - Battle Tank
Cyclonus - Helicopter
Starscream - Fighter Jet Killed by Scorponok

Horsemen of Unicron

Rhinox/War - Rhino

Airazor/Death - Eagle

Cheetor/Pestilence - Cheetah

Terrorsaur/Famine - Pteranodon

Mini-Con

Over-Run - Jet

Human

Chad "Kicker" Jones

Rad

Alexis

Carlos

Dr Jones
Other Humans

Other

Alpha Quintesson

Unicron - Ringed Planet Body Dead

Other Cybertronians

Notes

• One of the civilians on Cybertron looks like Cybertron series Shortround's alternate mode
• Optimus is still in his Armada body at the start of this story, as well as the Decepticons, but none of the other characters who return are (if they have new bodies that is, like Hot Shot or Jetfire)
• The Omnicons were created by Over-Run, who has been tapping into Cybertron itself to manipulate the Cybertronian evolutionary process
• This story shows that after Megatron was blasted into the depths of Unicron he was torn apart by Unicron's internal systems and had his consciousness split from his now useless body, but when Unicron was killed, Megatron started building himself a new body, but is unable to enter it alone...

DW - Armada Volume 2

Plot

At the Decepticon's new base in Silver Ridge, Nebraska Megatron is trying to force Leader-1 to give him more power, but the little guy is unable to, so Megatron decides to hunt down MORE Mini-Cons to make himself even stronger.

Outside of Lincoln, South Dakota the kids are playing around and the Autobots appear to say goodbye to them, whilst outside Radio City, S. Dakota the Air Defense team are working out what to do next when their make-shift base is attacked by the Decepticons. Optimus tells the kids that he doesn't want to put them in any more danger when suddenly Sparkplug recieves a distress signal from the Mini-Cons under attack (which Leader-1 was supposed to be jamming, showing his rebellion).

Later Laserbeak spies on the Decepticons and relays their location to the Autobase (also outside Lincoln) and reports that three Mini-Cons have been captured. The Mini-Cons with the Autobots want to mount a rescue mission to rescue the others, but Optimus denies their plan as it's too dangerous.

In Silver Ridge, Megatron rewires the Mini-Cons and starts on a plan to work with them. Later, the Autobot allied Mini-Cons and the humans have made their way to Silver Ridge and plan to rescue the others themselves. Sparkplug gives Rad a device to activate if they don't return in 30 minutes, and the Mini-Cons head into the base. Inside, the Mini-Cons are soon detected by the Decepticons and have to hide from them, whilst Megatron has completed turning the Air Defnse Team into the Star Saber.

The Mini-Cons are trapped under rubble in the Decepticon base, and the kids activate the signal, soon the Land Military Team arrive, having detected the signal and wonder why some humans have a Mini-Con panic pager.

The Decepticons have shipped out and look for the Auotbot base in Lincoln, and soon find it, attacking it with the Star Saber as well, the Autobots are in trouble as they now have no Mini-Cons to help them even the score. The Land Military Team are initially unwilling to help the humans with rescuing their friends from the Decepticon base, but agree after seeing the humans planning to enter there themselves. The Mini-Cons help their friends get free, whilst the Autobots and Decepticons fight it out in Lincoln.

Soon the Mini-Cons return to Lincoln and help out the Autobots, and the Star Saber is forcibly separated into it's 3 parts again. The Auotbots win the fight, but the Land Military decide to go off on their own for now. Optimus also decides to allow the kids to stay on their team for now as well.

 A strange monolith lands in Kansas from space and starts sending out a signal. At Autobase the Mini-Cons are frustrated about everything and still think of themselves as slaves to the Autobots, whilst the kids and the Street Action Team are hanging out in the town. At Silver Ridge Cyclonus goes to check on the Mini-Cons in their cages, but finds them all gone. Whilst riding around in the town the Street Action Team all start acting odd and all start heading to a new location, with the kids still riding them.

Megatron learns of the Mini-Con's escape and locates them thanks to the tags he attached to them all, the Autobot's Mini-Cons have also all left as well and Optimus and the others wonder why, when Optimus sees reports of strange lights in the sky recently nearby.

The Mini-Cons (including the Air Dedense and Land Military Teams) all arrive at the monolith and start to approach it, the Autobots and Decepticons arrive at the site, but are unable to penetrate the forcefield around it. The Mini-Cons all go through a door on the monolith and Rad follows them, trying to make his friends wake up when the door closes and the monolith takes off

On Earth. the two factions work out that the Mini-Cons have been sent to the Moon by the rest of their kind, who escaped with them. On the Moon, the captured Mini-Cons are in a holding cell and are greeted by the Destruction Team who welcomes them home.

The Autobots need to get a vessel to take them to the Moon, but need to return to Cybertron to get it, but opening a Space Bridge to do so will give the Decepticons the location of their Cybertron base. At Silver Ridge Thrust arrives on Earth with some rocket boosters for Megatron to use, and all of them, bar Demolishor who is guarding the base head towards the Moon.

On the Moon the Mini-Cons are shown around the city the others have built over the years, but the new-comers aren't so happy with leaving their friends. The Decepticons arrive outside the Moon, and begin their attack, but are unable to get through the Mini-Con defenses 

On Earth, the Autobots are infiltrating Silver Ridge so they can delete the location of the Cybertron base personally on site whilst Optimus prepares to go to Cybertron for help. On the Moon the Decepticons are forced to retreat, and the Destruction team work on their plan for if the Autobots arrive as well...they have Rad inside a mine!

The Autobots infiltrate the Decepticon base to delete the data as Optimus activates the Space Bridge and heads to his home world. On the Moon Rad tries to convince the Destruction Team to let him go, but they refuse as they need him in case the Autobots try to take back their Mini-Cons.

Elsewhere on the Moon Megatron sets up a drill to help them infiltrate the Mini-Con's city. Inside their holding cell the Mini-Cons wonder whether they should give up and join their brothers, but Sparkplug argues that they would, if they were asked to join them, but they were kidnapped, unknown to them though Mirage is hiding nearby and listens in.

Starscream and Thrust return to Earth and find Demolishor knocked out,a nd realize there are Autobots in the base. On Cybertron Optimus meets with Jetfire, who is unwilling to help out as the situation on Cybertron is bad right now, but Optimus orders him to assist him anyway he can. The Decepticons look for the Autobots, but the latter are hiding, however they notice the space bridge is opening again.

On the Moon Mirage lies to Dualor about how the newcomers feel when suddenly the city starts to shake and Megatron breaks in. The Mini-Cons scatter and fight back, but Leader-1 rejoins his master, Sparkplug tries to stop him from leaving, but Mirage appears and turns him invisible with him to hide instead.

At Silver Ridge the Autobots attack the Decepticons and destroy the computer, deleting the data as well (why didn't they do that from the start?). Optimus returns to the base and kids kids expect to see an army of Autobots, but instead they find Optimus has brought back a space ship instead.

On the Moon the control room is attacked by Megatron, who is being helped by Leader-1!

Back on Earth Rad's parents discuss how Rad wants to be involved in Aernautics when he grows up, and they wonder what it'd be like for him to be in space one day, not knowing that he's up there right now.

On the Moon Mirage tells Sparkplug that Dualor and the others put Rad into a mine just in case the Autobots arrived and they try to find him before they are launched. Meanwhile Megatron rampages through the city with Leader-1 directing him around and helping him with the defenses. Optimus and the kids (via holograms) head to the Moon on the ship and approach a mine field. Inside the Space Team's lab Sparkplug and Mirage ask them to help to locate Rad and to help them escape as this place is just a prison now, not a sanctuary.

Elsewhere Leader-1 leads Megatron into a room which turns out to be a trap as he reveals that he's turned against his master. Optimus begins to navigate through the minefield carefully, not knowing Rad is inside it, when Sky Blast of the Space Team heads into the field to retrive his mine and tows it to the Autobot ship. On the Moon Leader-1 is attacked by the Destruction Team, which allows Megatron to free himself and he goes after the traitor.

The Mini-Con city is evacuated and the evacuation pods head towards Earth, where the Autobots offer sanctuary to all the Mini-Cons on Sky Blast's request. Megatron however has managed to capture the Destruction Team as well, as the Mini-Con city is left in ruins.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Jetfire - Space Shuttle

Laserbeak - Camera

Sideswipe - Sports Car (Mentioned)

Blurr - Race Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Thrust - Fighter Jet

Mini-Con

Sparkplug - Sports Car

Jolt - Helicopter

Longarm - Crane

Leader-1 - Gun Mounted Buggy

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Crumplezone - Tank

Blackout - Radar Truck

High Wire - BMX

Sureshock - Scooter

Grindor - Skateboard

Jetstorm - Concorde

Runway - Sonic Jet

Sonar - Shuttle

Wreckage - Double Barrel Tank

Bonecrusher - Missile-Crane Truck

Knock out - Rocket Mounted Personnel Carrier

Dualor - Dual Barrel Tank

Drill Bit - Drill Tank

Buzzsaw - Buzzsaw Tank

Mirage - F1 Race Car

Downshift - Race Car

Dirt Boss - Stock Car

Skyblast - Rocket

Astroscope - Satellite

Payload - Rocket Transport

Iceberg - Snow Tracker

Ransack - Pick Up Truck

Dune Runner - Assault Buggy

Oval - Sports Car

Spiral - Sports Car

Backtrack - Sports Car

Comettor - Moon Buggy

Rook

Crosswise

Inferno - Rocket Mounted Truck

Human

Rad

Alexis

Carlos

Fred

Billy

Kelly

Rad's Parents

Notes

• The Star Saber is only ever shown in the Dark Saber colourscheme here...this is not explained
• A statue in the Autobot base is of G1 Metroplex holding up Cybertron
• It's odd that the Mini-Con's force field is strong enough to withstand a massive attack here, but in the previous volume it wasn't able to keep out Cyclonus...
• The Mini-Cons on the Moon have been awake for some time, but the reactivation beacon from Earth just alerted them to the Earth bound guy's being alive still, but didn't send for them until some time passed due to the war starting up again there
• This also explains why they have Earth modes, as they had time to watch the planet below
• Mirage has the same abilities of Mirage from the G1 cartoon, invisibility, and can spread that ability on others he touches (which is important in the next volume)
• Something weird...Alexis and Carlos are shown in space-suit like outfits...so they can be transmitted as holograms onto the Autobot ship....
• Optimus manages to bring an Autobot Transport Gunship from Cybertron to help out on Earth...this thing looks like the front sections of the Autobot shuttles from the 80's G1 Movie.
• It's not shown here how Starscream, Demolishor and Cyclonus retrieved their Mini-Cons as they were shown to have left with the others on the monolith, and presumably were on the escape pods who returned to Earth, but are later shown to be in Deceptico custody next volume still....
• Oddly Smokescreen and Scavenger aren't even mentioned in this story

DW - Armada Volume 1

Plot

On the Cybertron of a million years ago Hot Shot races to Cyber City to show Optimus a distress message from a Mini-Con village which has been attacked by Decepticons and they decide they need to investigate.

Elsewhere at another Mini-Con village, the Mini-Cons are worried after losing contact with several other villages and start work on deploying defensive shields, and discuss the rumors of the Decepticons performing experiments to use them as energy sources when suddenly the village is attacked by the Decepticons, the village is ransacked and all the Mini-Cons, bar Sparkplug who is badly injured instead are captured, and the Decepticons prepare to declare war.

Optimus and his team inspect the now deserted Mini-Con village, whilst the Decepticons enter Cyber City with some of their captured Mini-Cons. Elsewhere Sparkplug wakes up, and finds himself in a different place where 3 Mini-Cons, Sonar, Jetstorm and Runway have taken him, and repaired him. The trio explain to him that they plan on taking every Mini-Con with them and leaving Cybertron, and to remain safe from the Decepticons.

At Cyber City Megatron has declared that he's there to rule when the Autobots suddenly appear. The Decepticons and Autobots fight, but due to their Mini-Con "partners" the Decepticons have the advantage. Elsewhere, the Mini-Cons infiltrate the Decepticons base and start freeing the Mini-Cons. The Decepticons manage to defeat the Autobots, forcing them to retreat, and the Decepticons take Cyber City for themselves, Starscream however reports that the Mini-Cons at the base are gone, as Megatron looks behind him and sees a ship rocket off into space.

The Mini-Cons fly away, but their ship's engines start to malfunction shortly afterwards. The Autobots and Decepticons continue their battle on Cybertron, with the Decepticons still holding the Mini-Cons they had with them during the Exodus' lift off.

The Exodus flies off, but due to the engine malfunction crashes on the Moon of the planet Earth, and a part snaps off, and crashes on the planet itself where it remains for eons, and nature surrounds it, forming a cave and mountain area.

Much later, 3 kids, Rad, Alexis and Carlos are playing and putting together a "flying machine" but during their test flight it crashes and Rad goes down to retrieve a helmet that was used on the dummy pilot and falls into the cave, his presence reactivates the Exodus computer and sends out a beacon into space and being received by Cybertron. Four Mini-Cons, Sparkplug, High Wire, Sureshock and Grindor wake up and take Rad out of the ship to safety. 

On Cybertron the two factions have received the signal and begin their plans. On Earth the kids have taken the Mini-Con's to Rad's family garage where they find a tool box and the kid's plans for their flying machine. The next morning the Mini-Cons greet the kids properly (as their used the tools to repair themselves and show them that they have built the flying machine properly for them. The Mini-Cons and Humans go off for a flight and have a fun adventure, but don't realize that Megatron has just appeared behind them.

The Autobots arrive on Earth at the Allspark Power Generator Station and accidentally scare off a visiting school class and they start looking for the Mini-Cons and the Decepticons (who they have assumed have come to Earth as well.

Megatron attacks the kids and Mini-Cons, but the little guys manage to escape him by going through a tunnel and escaping the other end. The other Decepticons in the meanwhile attack a military base and take on alternate modes based on some of their vehicles. The kids and Mini-Cons hide out in the garage, but have to leave when they hear of a "giant monster" coming this way. The Mini-Cons take on alternate modes as well to give them speed. Megatron reunites with his troops, and Starscream gives Megatron data on an alternate for him to use, they detect the Mini-Cons nearby and chase after them where they run into the Autobots, who begin their attack on the Decepticons again.

At a dump some human workers are scared off when they discover some more Mini-Cons hiding there, who were woken up by the signal set off by Rad. The newly awoken guys see news footage of the attack by Megatron and see Sparkplug on the screen and decide to help him.

The battle between the Transformers isn't going too well for the Autobots, especially when the Decepticons use their Mini-Cons for power-boosts, however the other Mini-Cons arrive and decide to join forces with the Autobots (as the lesser of two evils) and power them up.

The Autobots win the fight and decide they should stay on Earth for now, until they can find the remaining Mini-Cons, and when the Decepticons leave too.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime

Hot Shot - Cybertronian Car

Red Alert

Scavenger

Smokescreen

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Demolishor - Battle Tank

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Mini-Con

Leader-1 - Gun Mounted Buggy

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Blackout - Radar Truck

Crumplezone - Tank

Drillbit - Drill Tank

Sparkplug - Sports Car

High Wire - BMX

Grindor - Skateboard

Sureshock - Scooter

Jolt - Cybertronian Aircraft

Longarm - Cybertronian Truck

Liftor - Cybertronian Truck

Rollbar - Cybertronian Jeep

Runway

Jetstorm

Sonar

Dirt Boss - Stock Car

Downshift 

Mirage

Buzzsaw

Dualor

Incinerator

Skyblast

Astroscope

Payload

Human

Rad

Alexis

Carlos

Seth

Sid

Miss Ruby

Louie the Dump Worker

School Kids

Dump Workers

Other

Fflaxl

Bix

Cybertronian Civilians

Notes

• This volume collects issue 1-5 of the Armada ongoing series
• Weirdly Hot Shot appears to have his Earth mode in the past, however other characters are clearly shown having Cybertronian alternate bodies (The Decepticons in fact have to spend time scanning for their new alternate modes etc!)
• The Mini-Con's ability to powerlink with Bulks (larger Transformers) isn't natural, it was developed when the Decepticons started capturing them, at least that.s how it looks, I don't think Sparkplug was ever captured yet he can PL with Optimus....
• Alexis, Carlos and Rad are shown to be much younger in their introduction than they were in either the cartoon series, or even a few issues later on
• The Decepticons and Mini-Cons scan realistic vehicle modes, but end up turning into vehicles that look different, this means they might just use them as a basis, but alter their forms to more or less look like them, rather than turning into an exact copy.
• Seth and Sid seem to be based on Billy and Fred from the cartoon (and who later appear in the comic as well)
• I've only given the alternate modes for characters who have them shown here (and since the Auotbot's don't scan modes til after this comic they don't have any (except Hot Shot)
• Interestingly, Jolt, Longarm, Liftor and Rollbar all seem to have Cybertronian versions of their Earth modes when they powerlink to the Autobots.
• Small continuity issue for me: Drill Bit was shown as one of the Decepticon's Mini-Cons during the battle at Cyber City, but is later replaced with Blackout. This is most annoying because Drill Bit is definitely one of the guys who left since his team were the leaders of the Moon-based Mini-Cons!