IDW - Transformers #17

Title: The Change in Your Nature, Part Five

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova & Bethany McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Jake M. Wood & Neil Uyetake

Editors: David Mariotte

Plot

The Risers leave the Titan hub building, noting that even if someone can track what they've done, they cannot stop it, so they're heading back to their headquarters, to wait for the inevitable to happen...
At the remains of the Memorial Crater, Cyclonus is thinking about what to do next, and his to avenge the destroyed monument, when he is asked to move along, for his safety by Hot Spot, who tells him that Sixshot and the Rise caused this, giving Cyclonus a target for his anger...

At the Winged Moon, Wheeljack has discovered a siphon and transmitter that was sending Energon to the Rise base at the monument, and reports this to Lancer, so she can relay it to Perceptor. Gears has an accident and almost goes flying into orbit again, but is quickly rescued by Wheeljack. Cosmos arrives, but not to save Gears this time, he wants to know why a Titan is heading right towards the Moon...

At the primary Titan hub in Iacon, Blaster and his team can't get ahold of Vigilem, who is heading right for the Moon, and can't reach any other dormant Titan in orbit, due to the Rise's sabotage. Luckily they remember that Lodestar was still active due to only just returning, and Lightbright remaining aboard, so they decide to call her for help.
Aboard Lodestar, Lightbright is informed about the situation, and they set out to intercept the rogue Titan, who seems to just ignore them, and just quotes Codexa's writings about the Titans, worrying the others, before during upon them.
Lodestar tried matching his firepower, but Vigilem is more powerful than her. Seeing the attacks from the Winged Moon, Wheeljack orders everyone to go deep inside the Moon for safety.
Vigilem soon lands on the underside of the Moon and attacks the Tether attaching it to Cybertron. Lodestar tried to stop him again, but the more powerful Titan cripples her, and sends Lightbright flying around inside her. Lodestar reports something terrifying to Lightbright, despite her injuries...the Tether is falling.....

Characters

The Rise

Slipstream - Jet
Shadow Striker - Car
Astrotrain - Trackless Train/Space Shuttle
Flamewar - Motorcycle
Tracer - Helicopter
Skystalker - Car
Blackjack - Car
Sixshot - Car/Tank/Jet/Gun/Winged Beast

Security Forces/Autobot

Blue/white Guy's Body Dead

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Lodestar - Titan Spaceship Badly Damaged by Vigilem
Vigilem - Titan Warship
Lightbright
Wheeljack - Car
Gears - Van
Huffer - Truck
Lancer - Car
Cosmos - Orbiter 
Blaster
Playback
Gizmo
Wavelength
Cyclonus - Jet
Hot Spot - Fire Truck
Groundbuster - Bulldozer
Others in Search & Rescue Team
Gridlock (Ghost)
Highfire (Ghost)
Provoke (Ghost)
Grudge (Ghost)
Primus (Mentioned) The Thirteen (Mentioned)
The Knights of Legend (Mentioned)
The Dormant Titans (Mentioned)
The Other Titan Cityspeakers (Mentioned)
The Reversionists (Mentioned)
Paragon (Mentioned)
Froid - Jet (Mentioned)
Perceptor (Mentioned)
Codexa (Mentioned)
Waypoint (Mentioned)
Chela (Mentioned)
Tempo (Mentioned)

Other
The Szorian Empire (Mentioned)

Notes

• The majority of this issue is drawn my Malkova, with McGuire-Smith providing the art for cyclonus' scene and the first scene on the Winged Moon
• Astrotrain is huge in this continuity. He's at least three times the size of the other Ascenticons in robot mode in this issue!
• Huffer uses his toy character model from his Combiner Wars toy. Whilst that IS the most recent Generations toy for him, it doesn't look a lot like his traditional design.
• Gear being found adrift in space was previously a plot point in the valentine's Day special
• The previously unnamed Titan who acted as Sentinel Prime's ship is named as Lodestar in this issue
• Blaster's team at the Titan net hub is filled with previously one-off characters with Wavelength and Gizmo coming from the previous IDW continuity, and Playback coming from the G1 cartoon.
• Continuing my thoughts from the previous issue, the City Speakers in this continuity still feel more like Titan Masters in design here, since each one is assigned to a specific Titan.
• Velocitron is mentioned in the song Lightbright is dancing to during her introduction, confirming it's existence in this continuity.
• Vigilem quoting Codexa's writings could be a part of Megatron's plans, since she was Orion Pax's mentor, and this could be a way to discredit the Autobots. Maybe?
• Two of the other mentioned Titans, Chela and Tempo were both either named or appeared in the previous IDW continuity, whilst Waypoint appears to be a completely new creation.
• It's not clear, but I believe that Vigilem landed on the underside of the Winged Moon and is shooting the tether near the top, based on Wheeljack being nearby when he lands and the star field being behind the "ground" during the panel where Lodestar shoots at Vigilem.
• Whilst it dies end on s clear cliffhanger, solicits mention that next issue focuses on Arcee and Greenlight getting Gauge off the planet, so I'm assuming that the next issue will be technically a continuation of this story, as well as another sixth issue stand alone story.

IDW - Regeneration One #92

Title: Destiny Part Two

Writer: Simon Furman

Penciler: Andrew Wildman

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

Optimus goes to talk to Circuit Smasher/Spike Witwicky, but is attacked by the super powered human, however Optimus refuses to fight back and insists that he wants to talk. Soon more humans arrive in their battle suits and Spike is ordered to stand down by his wife, Linda Chang who wants to let Optimus have his fair say for now.

On Cybertron Prowl and Trailbreaker are watching over the formerly Nucleon-infused Autobots in the Garage to make sure they're safe to leave, and the "inmates" aren't too happy about the situation. Prowl and Trailbreaker soon leave to help calm down a few recent flashpoints of activity across Cybertron.

Across Cybertron the Decepticons are causing havok for the Autobots, who aren't able to keep calm so easily, which is secretly due to Soundwave spreading a red mist that causes unrest. He is receiving a report on this from Spinister when he notices he has an eavesdropper - Blaster in the Garage. He sends out the Mayhem Attack Squad to take him out before he can reveal this to the Autobots.

Back on Earth Optimus has been taken to Little America in Wyoming where he suggests that the remaining humans be taken to planet Nebulos, so that they can live on a more stable planet, and can help to repair the native, still braindamaged Nebulons. The humans seem to be considering the proposal, but Spike looks furious about it since it would require them to be reliant on Cybertronians to do it.

At the Garage again, Blaster breaks free from his tank, followed by the others and learns about Soundwave sending his troops to get to him for eavesdropping on his plans. Roadgrabber, Snarler and Carnivac attack the exterior of the Garage and take down the guards.

Down below Hot Rod is leading the remaining Dinobots through the catacombs, not realizing that the Demons are following them in secret.

Back in the Garage Snarler smashes through the door and goes to ram Huffer, who just smashes him to the floor due to his innate strength, next Carnivac goes to attack the small Auotbot, but Inferno and SIlverbolt blast him with a massive gun recycled from an Energon Siphon. Next Roadgrabber takes aim to kill the Autobots, but keeps missing due to Blaster sending out scrambling signals, Huffer then pummels him a bit, and the other two blast him with the cannon. Carnivac breaks out of his Pretender shell and fires off a flame at Silverbolt, but is soon defeated himself by Blaster. Inferno puts out the fires on Silverbolt.

Later Prowl and the others return to arrest the defeated Decepticons, and Prowl says he's impressed with them, and confirms that the flashpoints seem to be dying down outside, however they've lost most long range communications and surveillance during the attacks.

This leaves them unknowing of two approaching ships, the War World and the Ark, with Bludgeon and Galvatron inside them, planning their own attacks on Cybertron.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Rod - Car

Prowl - Police Car

Trailbreaker - Van

Huffer - Truck

Inferno - Fire Truck

Silverbolt - Jet

Blaster - Boombox 

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Slag - Triceratops 

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Whirl - Helicopter

Roadbuster - Jeep

Sandstorm - Buggy/Helicopter

Rack 'N' Ruin

Red Alert - Car

First Aid - Ambulance

Other Autobots

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle (Flashback)

Grimlock (Mentioned) Presumed Dead

Springer (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Galvatron

Bludgeon

Soundwave 

Spinister - Helicopter

Roadgrabber - Jet Defeated by Silverbolt and Inferno - Arrested

Snarler - Boar Defeated by Huffer - Arrested

Carnivac - Wolf Defeated by Blaster - Arrested

Needlenose - Jet

Battletrap - Tank and Jet

Ruckus - Baja Buggy

Windsweeper - Jet

Fang

Other Decepticons

Scorponok (Mentioned) Presumed Dead

Human

Circuit Smasher/Spike Witwicky

G.B. Blackrock

Linda Chang

Gordon Kent

Little America Civilians

Other

Cybertronian Civilians

Demons

Primus (Mentioned)

Nebulons (Mentioned)

Notes

• Looks like Optimus wasn't on Earth with the human's permission after all huh?
• I love how whipped Spike is by his wife
• The formerly Nucleon-infected Autobots are shown here to be still in quarantine, however Inferno was shown doing crowd control last issue...maybe that was Artfire?
• Sky Lynx's feet appear to be extendable
• So they use the already angry Wreckers team as a police force? Not a wise choice...
• It's a bit of a coincidence that Hot Rod keeps going into the tunnels below Cybertron during all these big violent battle events huh?