IDW - Rising Storm

Plot

In China, Longarm and Salvage rescue some guys from a fire at an Oil Processing Plant when suddenly Shockwave and Astrotrain appear and kill everyone at the plant, including the two Autobots, all so they can use the raw material there for a project of their's.

Later at Diego Garcia, Optimus and Ratchet are watching over the confused refugees from the Initiative whilst Galloway and a bunch of Autobots are holding a sting operation against some Decepticons under Starscream's command who are selling weapons to human terrorists. During the sting Skystalker and Divebomb are killed and Fearswoop is captured. The battle is watched by Shockwave from a distance and isn't impressed by the local Decepticons. He contacts Astrotrain at his location and asks for a progress report on his project (which seems to be to repair the Driller). The Brain Unit that was being used to help Astrotrain overhears that he's going to be destroyed after his job is done, and runs away

The Autobots and their prisoner return to Diego Garcia and Elita is a bit annoyed with Optimus after he finally asks her what it was like being resurrected and linked to her sisters.

Shockwave infiltrates Starscream's base and tells him that Megatron sent him to reintegrate Starscream's group in with his. Astrotrain contacts Shockwave about the Brain Unit (Brains) escaping, and is told to hunt him down as he holds sensitive information.

Brains arrives in Philadelphia where he runs into Sam and Bumblebee.

In the past, Shockwave picks up the signal of the Allspark, sent out when the humans found it and leaves a battle with the Auotbots to hunt it down, unfortunately, like Megatron he loses control and crashes on the planet, in Siberia in this case and is eventually found by the Soviet Union. Soundwave arrives in orbit of Earth at some point and starts manipulating humans to doing his dirty work.

Later, Megatron eventually finds and frees Shockwave from the abandoned Soviet facility he was being held in, and recruits him back into the Decepticons.

Later, Sam and Bumblebee have taken Brains down an alley, where they are properly introduced, along with Wheelie. Brains explains that he has some knowledge about the Decepticons weapons locations, but before he can divulge it, Barricade arrives and says he wants the unit. Bumblebee engages the Decepticon whilst Sam and the others run away along with some locals, but when they get away from Barricade they find a whole army of Decepticons, all after Brains as well. Brains doesn't know what the information he has is as well as the weapons locations, but everyone seems to want it.

Sam calls NEST and asks for help as Starscream and his forces are all there in Philadelphia. Most of the Autobots and several of the humans head out. Sam and the others are in major danger, but are saved when Mirage and Wheeljack suddenly appear on Earth and help to fight off the Decepticons..

At Diego Garcia the refugees are left behind with some Autobots, humans and Galloway guarding them and the base whilst the others are out for their mission to Philadelphia. On the way to Philadelphia the sisters are airdropped into a forest to act as an infiltration team, which will reunite with the Autobots in Philadelphia after setting explosives in certain locations. The battle in Philadelphia is intense, Brains is separated from Sam and runs to a woman, but is also chased by Space Case, the woman, who re-introduces herself to the newly arrived Sam as well as Carly, as she shoots at Space Case with a fallen weapon on the floor, injuring the Decepticon. The two discuss things whilst the battle continues on.

In the forest the sisters come across Astrotrain, and see him talking to Shockwave over a communicator and learn that Starscream's pursuit of Brains is just an elaborate distraction for Shockwave's real plan, and also see the Driller monster in the area too, being repaired. The sisters try to warn Optimus, but they're signals are being jammed by Soundwave, who appears with his minions and starts attacking the Autobot sisters.

Elita manages to escape and races off to warn Optimus in person, but Astrotrain chases her. The Autobots arrive in Philadelphia to Starscream's shock, as Shockwave told him they'd be occupied, which Shockwave confirms, revealing that Starscream IS the diversion. He cuts off the communication and begins his attack on Diego Garcia and proceeds to slaughter the humans and Autobots stationed there still, including Knock Out, Dune Runner and Galloway with great ease.

In Philadelphia the Autobots are winning the battle, but are unaware of the chaos back at base, Jolt manages to start a communication to Prime, but is cut off by Shockwave before he can say anything worthwhile. Shockwave kills Jolt and frees Fearswoop and leaves the base utterly destroyed. Elita arrives in Philadelphia and races to find Optimus but ends up having to engage Astrotrain in a fight as well.

The battle in Philadelphia is won, as the Autobots realize the Decepticons are trying to retreat now rather than fight some more. Elita kills Astrotrain and manages to reach Optimus to tell him that this was all just a distraction by Shockwave, who rockets into the area and crushes her to death. In the forest their sisters feel Elita's death and Chromia decides that if they're going to die too, they'll take the Decepticons with them, and sets off the explosives.

In Philadelphia Shockwave attacks Mirage and Wheeljack, causing major damage and Optimus engages him in a battle for revenge. Fearswoop arrives to help Shockwave, but is killed when he flies into a forcefield Wheeljack's erected around Shockwave and Optimus. Optimus engages his foe one-on-one. In the forest, Arcee races out of the explosion carrying Chromia and she tells her that they need to fight for life.

Opitmus is winning the fight, and even uses the forcefield to damage Shockwave by pushing him against it, but before he can take his revenge for Elita's murder the Driller monster arrives and rescues his master and the rest of the Decepticons too.

In the aftermath Ratchet says Mirage and Wheeljack can be fixed, but Elita is gone, he also reports an emergency call from the base. Chromia and Arcee send out a call for a pick-up, but it's unclear if it's answered, Epps retires after seeing what Shockwave did at the base, Sam and Carly start dating, Bumblebee is ordered to rejoin NEST and not be Sam's bodyguard anymore by the new head of NEST and Optimus mourns the death of his old friend. Meanwhile Megatron continues with his plans elsewhere, having won this round....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Bumblebee - Concept Camaro

Wheelie - RC Pick Up Truck

Arcee - Motorcycle

Chromia - Motorcycle

Elita One - Motorcycle Killed by Shockwave

Mirage

Wheeljack

Knock Out - Motorcycle Killed by Shockwave

Jolt - Electric Car Killed by Shockwave

Dune Runner - Military Buggy Killed by Shockwave

Ratchet - Emergency Humvee

Ironhide - Pick Up Truck

Sideswipe - Concept Corvette

Skids - Smart Car

Mudflap - Smart Car

Salvage - Pick Up Truck Killed by Shockwave

Longarm - Tow Truck Killed by Shockwave

Blazemaster - Helicopter Killed by Shockwave

Smokescreen - Pontiac Killed by Shockwave

Armorhide - Truck Killed by Shockwave

Brawn - Military Humvee Killed by Shockwave

Signal Flare (Flashback)

Strongarm (Flashback)

Cliffjumper (Flashback)

Sentinel Prime (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron

Shockwave

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Astrotrain - Cybertronian Space Shuttle/Train Killed by Elita One

Brains (Defects to Autobots)

Soundwave - Satellite

Ratbat Killed by Arcee and Chromia

Ravage Killed by Arcee and Chromia

Beastbox Killed by Arcee and Chromia

Rumble Killed by Arcee and Chromia

Buzzsaw Killed by Arcee and Chromia

Fearswoop - Fighter Jet Killed by Wheeljack

Divebomb - Fighter Jet Killed by Ironhide

Skystalker - Stealth Bomber Killed by the Sisters

Ruination - Osprey Helicopter

Deadlift - Forklift Killed by Shockwave

Barricade - Police Car

Bludgeon - Tank Killed in Battle

Sonar - Battleship Killed by Mirage

Tankor - Tank

Brimstone - Motorcycle Killed by Bumblebee

Storm Surge - Hovercraft Killed by Bludgeon

Mindwipe - Stealth Jet

Blademaster - Helicopter Killed by Optimus Prime

Space Case - Fighter Jet

Driller

Hatchlings

Thundercracker - Cybertronian Jet (Flashback)

Dreadwing - Cybertronian Jet (Flashback)

Skywarp - Cybertronian Jet (Flashback)

Flatline (Flashback)

Human

Sam Witwicky

Carly Spencer 

Epps

Lennox

Galloway Killed by Shockwave

Chinese Guys Killed by Shockwave and Astrotrain

Philadelphia Guys

NEST

Soviets (Flashback)

Joe Danco (Flashback)

Walter Simmons (Flashback)

Mikaela Banes (Mentioned)

Dylan Gould (Mentioned)

Charlotte Mearing (Mentioned)

Initiative (Mentioned) Defunct

Notes

• This is essentially the sequel to Nefarious and mentions the events a fair few times
• Longarm and Salvage are shown as active Autobots here (for a while anyway) and were earlier shown as Allspark Mutations under S7's care, this means that these guys are likely different to those cars shown, and those cameos were just that.
• The flashback scenes here show Chromia's death, leading to her body being recovered by Flatline for the experiment shown in Tales of the Fallen. This shows that Chromia was the first sister to die, then Elita, and finally Arcee.
• Shockwave was found by the Soviets and kept inert like how S7 found Megatron.
• The Decepticons recovered from the Initiative are shown to be more comprehensive than the Autobots that were recovered.
• This story quite effectively deals with why Galloway and Jolt aren't in DOTM...Shockwave murdered them!!
• It's unclear if Chromia and Arcee are still alive after these events. Elita is definitely dead, but the others were still alive, but in a forest, however Elita's death MIGHT have lead to them dying as well eventually...maybe a future comic will tell us?
• Space Case references the events of the IDW pack-in toy comics by, placing them in continuity with the main comics too.
• The damage to Mirage, Wheeljack and Shockwave shown in this story sort of explains why they look a little different in DOTM, as they've had repairs done to them which altered them a bit.
• Soundwave keeps jumping from his satellite and Mercedes bodies in this story
• Megatron seems to already have his Truck mode, but doesn't transform here, nor does he have his half-face (which is in line with the comics as he never had his face blasted in half by Optimus, unlike in the actual movies, but by the time of the DOTM comic he does have half his face missing as well.
• Divebomb is seen alive and well on Earth here, last time we saw him he was being killed by Screamer on Cybertron.
• Mikaela's removal from the franchise is explained away here as her dumping Sam

IDW - Nefarious

Plot

In orbit, Soundwave is monitoring Earth for activity and witnesses Alice being hunted down and killed by the Autobots and NEST, and remarks about how Galloway is essentially doing his work for him, by constantly trying to break up NEST and get rid of the Autobots due to his own prejudices. Soundwave decides to look for Ravage to see why he was activated again recently.

The Initiative swarm over the rubble of the building Ravage was buried under and prepare to extract Ravage, NEST finds out about this and sends out a team led by Bumblebee to find out what's happening, at the same time Buzzsaw monitors this situation too and Soundwave sends out his minions to retrieve ravage first, and kill everyone else.

The Initiative find Ravage's inert body and starts extracting the Allspark energies from the Appliance Bots he stole earlier when Soundwave's pets attack. The Autobots soon arrive, but Soundwave almost instantly kills Breakaway whilst in the air, and the other Autobots are attacked too. During the battle, the Initiative members are airlifted away and the Decepticons leave, and Buzzsaw places an object on Ravage. Soundwave is annoyed as he can't find any trace of the Initiative's vehicles or troops now.

Elsewhere, the heads of the Initiative commune via a holographic conference, during which they are happy about the recent mission and begin their next stages. Afterwards, Carter Newell leaves the "meeting" and looks over a half-constructed Allspark under his control.

Galloway is shouting at Lennox for sending out the Autobot team earlier without asking him first, and also reveals that the threat levels have been lowered to Blue, which means that there should be no more need for battles after a long time of no activity, and Galloway plans to have all NEST members reassigned before long.

As the Autobots and their human allies worry about the Initiative team, another group are at the damaged building, where Buzzsaw and Ravage spring out, with Ravage now back under Soundwave's control again. Soundwave has Buzzsaw go to Utah, and has Ravage meet with the other Minions before he can arrive to work out what happened to him, and why.

Back at the Initiative Carter has the Allspark mostly completed, but it needs more of it's energy, so they decide to get it from Sector Seven's old base, Hoover Dam. In Utah Buzzsaw and a team of Decepticons arrive at a barn, which was in Ravage's memory banks and start investigating it, whilst Soundwave examines Ravage for what happened to him. In the barn the Decepticons find a bomb, and run away before it detonates. The Initiative recieve a signal saying that one of their facilities has just blown up and inform Carter about it. NEST detect the explosion as well and decide to send out a team to deal with it, despite Galloway's objections.

Ironhide and Sideswipe are sent out to Utah where they manage to take down Reverb and Brakedown before Dirt Boss pretends to surrender to give Soundwave a chance to arrive and attack the Autobots with Ravage. However Optimus Prime arrives as well and manages to subdue Soundwave, but Dirt Boss manages to escape too.

Meanwhile Galloway has just lost the signal from Hoover Dam (as he's been monitoring all Transformer hotspots on Earth, so he decides to divert his jet to investigate, unknown to him though, the Initiative are in the Dam gathering Allspark energies.

Bumblebee and his team have been given custody of Soundwave so they can transport him to a high level facility in Odessa, Texas, which is being prepared by Optimus, Ironhide and Sideswipe. On the way to Odessa Buzzsaw attacks the plane and causes it to crash in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile Galloway has been taken to an air base where he gets reinforcements to go with him to Hoover Dam. Carter learns of the incoming helicopters to the Dam, and has an "airborne agent" sent out to deal with them.

Bumblebee's team decides to transport Soundwave on the ground now, but run into his minions and Dirt Boss, the NEST team gets worried about where the transport with Soundwave has gone, whilst Bumblebee and his team battle the minions. Ravage goes to free Soundwave, but the Initiative take control of him again, and he runs off. Bumblebee however does free Soundwave, as it's the only way he can see to stop his minions from fighting and allow him and his team to escape.

On their way to Hoover Dam, one of the helicopters in Galloway's group is shot down by an antique looking Bi-Plane, which also slices off the rear of his own helicopter's tail, causing it to start to fall.

Galloway's helicopter has crashed and he and his aide Frank run off to hide whilst the army guys fight the old plane, which unknown to them is being controlled by the Initiative, during the battle Frank has a piece of shrapnel sliced through his abdomen  Galloway runs off for one of the radios to call for help as he watches as the bi-plane transforms into the transformer Ransack. NEST picks up the message and dispatch a team to rescue Galloway.

Ravage has been taken in by the Initiative, but unknown to them Soundwave has had a tracer implanted on Ravage so he can follow him, he and his team arrive outside their base and he has Dirt Boss go first to set off the automated defenses first, he then sends in his forces to fight the guns etc, but they are all slowly taken down by the Initiative's forces, as well as some of their captured Transformers under their control, which subdue Soundwave as well.

Near Hoover Dam, Galloway is being chased by Ransack, but is rescued when the Twins arrive and chase him away, allowing a NEST team to blast him out of the sky. Frank is taken to hospital and Galloway thanks Lennox and his team, and starts changing his views on NEST and the Autobots.

NEST and the Autobots investigate Hoover Dam and remember that the Allsaprk was stored here, also Ironhide finds Soundwave injured, and the Decepticon offers an alliance with the Autobots against the Initiative.

The Initiative have moved their base, where Carter is talking to a Transformer (Fortress) who he has trapped and promises that all of his kind will be killed soon.

Optimus meets with Soundwave in California, where they learn that the Initiatve must have a mobile base, which is why it's suddenly gone now. The Transformers and NEST start hunting down the Initiative using Soundwave's talents as well, but Soundwave keeps his knowledge of the controlled Transformers to himself. Galloway officially apologizes to Lennox for his actions, and says he'll try to trust the Autobots from now on as well.

The Initiative have moved their base to Oregon where the Allspark has been reformed, and Carter links himself up to it as part of a plan of his, he begins a holo-conference with the rest of the Initiative's command, whilst Sounbwave checks on security footage and manages to track the Initiative to Oregon, the united team head out towards them.

In the meeting, Carter is moaned at by the others for him not informing them of every step in the Nefarious project and that they want to cancel it. Carter, in response uses his new Allspark connection to connect to machines in the offices next to the Initiative members and creates Mutations to kill them all, leaving him as the only head remaining.

On the way to the Initiative's base Optimus feels a lot of pain due to the Allspark's corruption and misuse. At the Initiative Ingrid starts spying on stuff and manages to get the passcode to enter the room Fortress is being held in, whilst the Initiative discover the Transformers and NEST approaching their base. The teams take out the outer defenses with great ease. Carter has the controlled Transformers sent out to fight their former friends, whilst inside the base Carter is told that the Allspark is going into meltdown due to him drawing too much power from it.

Carter's become mad with the power of the Allspark as now he finally has the power to get revenge for the last 80 year's he's suffered because of the Transformers. Outside the base the Transformers are fighting with their controlled friends (And some enemies as well) and are trying not to kill them in the process. Optimus is worried that the Allspark is going to explode and take the planet with it, whilst Soundwave leaves the battle to go after Ravage whom he wakes up again.

Kirkpatrick tries to stop Carter from using the Allspark anymore, but Carter just blasts him with it's energies, which renders him to ash. Meanwhile Ingrid runs off and breaks into Fortress' room, where she sees Fortress and asks him why Carter hates the Transformers so much. Outside, the battle is going badly as the Autobots are having problems dealing with their mind-controlled friends.

Inside the base, Fortress tells Ingrid the story about how a fight between him and Ransack about 80 years ago led to Carter's parents being killed in a car crash, and Carter being paralyzed. Fortress felt so bad that he allowed himself to be captured by Carter and forced to help him in his eventual plans.

Elsewhere in the base, Ravage, now BACK under Soundwave's command again sends out Reedman to attack Carter, whilst Carter is using the Allspark to start to overload the Transformer's sparks outside, however Reedman slashes the human before being blasted by Carter.

Carter uses the base's transformation ability to turn into it's mobile vehicle mode and tries to escape, however Optimus, whom has now stopped feeling the pain and chases Carter's vehicle, whilst Fortress has been freed by Ingrid from the mobile base.

Optimus manages to catch up with Carter and destroys his vehicle. Optimus grabs the Allspark and plans to destroy it, but Carter, still with his connection to it goes to try and kill the Autobot, but is then gunned down by Buzzsaw who then flies off himself.

Optimus prepares to sacrifice himself to save the world when Fortress appears and takes the Allspark from him, and offers to do it himself, he launches into space and it blows up, killing Fortress as well.

In the aftermath everything is pretty much back to normal, the Initiative's survivors are arrested and Soundwave is back in orbit, back to waiting and planning whilst the Autobots wonder about the future again.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Bumblebee - Concept Camaro

Ironhide - Pick Up Truck

Ratchet - Emergency Humvee

Sideswipe - Concept Corvette

Skids - Smart Car

Mudflap - Smart Car

Jolt - Electric Car

Knock Out - Motorcycle

Dune Runner - Military Buggy

Breakaway - Fighter Jet Killed by Soundwave

Decepticon

Fortress - Mobile Base (Formerly Delivery Truck) Killed in Allspark Explosion

Soundwave - Satellite

Ravage - Aquatic Vehicle

Reedman - Ball Bearings Killed by Carter

Buzzsaw - Military Helicopter

Rumble

Beastbox

Ratbat

Dirt Boss - Forklift Killed by the Initiative

Brakedown - Sports Car Killed by Sideswipe

Reverb - Motorcycle Killed by Ironhide

Alice - Animatronic Woman Killed by Sideswipe

Megatron (Mentioned)

The Fallen (Mentioned)

Initiative Controlled

Ransack - Bi-Plane Killed by NEST and Twins

Armorhide - Truck Cab

Blazemaster - Helicopter

Brawn - Military Humvee

Smokescreen - Sports Car

Thrust - Fighter Jet

Lockdown - Muscle Car

Mindwipe - Stealth Jet

Tankor - Tank

Skystalker - Stealth Bomber

Sonar - Battleship 

Allspark Mutation

Shredder

Air Conditioner

Printer

Coffee Maker

Appliance Bots Dead

Human

Lennox

Epps

Galloway

Frank Pelletier Badly injured by Ransack

Carter Newell Killed by Buzzsaw

Ingrid

Woolf

Hank Kirkpatrick Killed by Carter

Initiative Board Killed by Allspark Mutations

Captain Cox Killed by Ransack

O'Brien Killed by Ransack

Maddocks Killed by Ransack

Janson (NEST)

T. Johnson (NEST)

Agent Highland (NSA)

Old Man Seymour and his Wife

Hank and Miami Security Team

Carter's Parents Killed by Ransack and Fortress

Initiative Members

NEST

Sector Seven (Mentioned) Defunct

UN Secretary General Bankai-Moon (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story is a sequel to ROTF, and is also essentially part 1 of the DOTM Prequel story too.
• The Transformers don't seem to like the idea of Pretenders like Alice
• Alice survived her collision with Mikaela's car in ROTF...She doesn't fair so well against Sideswipe however
• Ravage was trapped under the building from the start of this story in his Tales of the Fallen issue
• Soundwave is revealed to have several minions (though Laserbeak isn't included for some reason)
• Buzzsaw's character model is based on the toy only Booster X10, and was clearly originally meant to be Laserbeak, but was altered to Buzzsaw
• Due to the very bad artwork used for the robots (seriously, half the time it looks like the artist grabbed a toy and threw it in a blender and just drew what he saw afterwards) it's hard to work out who some characters are, or they just seem to be drawn wrong (like in Dune Runner's case, where he's drawn like Landmine)
• Oh my god! The scene with all the Initiative controlled Transformers is just a headache of unidentifiable and mis-coloured characters!
• Really? How does Buzzsaw turn into that Helicopter exactly??
• The Allspark being able to be reformed from a small piece was sort of explored in ROTF where the small shards left over seem to hold the whole power of the thing.
• It's not shown here, but the next storyline shows that the controlled Transformers were later recruited back to their respective factions.
• It's not clear where the Initiative got all these Transformers, with the Decepticons it's posisble they took some who were killed during the unseen fights from Alliance, but the Autobots are a bit more confusing (considering for one thing that Smokescreen was on Mars when he was killed)

Titan - ROTF Volume 2 #14

Basic Information

Cover Characters: Devastator, Random Drones

Cover Art: Barry Spiers & Lee Duhig/GURU-eFX

Cover Date: July 2010

Price: £2.50

Poster: Devastator wants to eat you!

Comic Title: Head in the Clouds

Script: Simon Furman

Art: Jon Davis-Hunt

Colours: Hi-Fi Design

Lettering: Den Patrick

Comic Plot

Stratosphere is flying around British Columbia in Canada on a surveillance sweep when he suddenly finds himself in a cloud and then attacked by Devastator, who damages his wing, forcing him to crash.

At CFB Comox, Captain Fraser informs the Cadets where Stratosphere was last heard from and sends them out to find him, they roll out.

Back in the mountain range where he crashed, Stratosphere slowly wakes up and goes back to robot mode, he sees Devastator being rebuilt nearby, and learns that his communications are down. He waks over to the behemoth.

Stratosphere gets to the building site to find Skywarp and some drones rebuilding Devastator under cover from a smoke-cloud generator and decides to stop them, since Devastator is too powerful and dangerous to have running around.

Stratosphere attacks the group ad kills some of the drones. Stratosphere manages to knock over Skywarp and destroys the jamming device, which allows him to tell NEST about Devastator and gets the to come in with an air-strike.

Skywarp recovers and tries to fly off to safety, but Stratosphere redirects the cloud generator to Skywarp's path and causes him to crash into a cliff-face.

The Cadets arrive and the air-strike hits Devastator, destroying the beast. Stratosphere says they should all return to base now

Comic Characters

Autobots

Stratosphere - C-17 Jet

Jolt - Electric Car

Rollbar - Truck

Dune Runner - Military Buggy

Decepticons

Devastator - Construction Vehicles (Destroyed in Air Strike)

Skywarp - F22 Jet (Injured by Stratosphere)

Construction Drones - Excavators/Front End Loaders (Killed by Stratosphere)

Other

Captain Fraser

Comic Notes

• This comic features some random Payload/Swindle looking drones on the cover and poster, but in the comic itself they are replaced with some made up in design construction vehicle drones (Excavators if the vehicles shown are anything to go by)
• This is the first, and currently only piece of fiction with Stratosphere in it.
• Devastator is shown to have survived the events of ROTF
• Devastator being rebuild in a remote location is reminiscent of the Marvel UK story "Desert Island Risks"
• It's a Cadets story again!
• In this story Skywarp is shown being defeated. Though it's not shown here, it's likely that he would be captured at the end, and then being released by Bludgeon in the previous issue (this is notable because Skywarp is shown in later issues as being free still)
• This was the last Cadet story :(

Extra Features

Adverts

Competitions

War Machine - War For Cybertron preview

Megatron's Mind Maulers - Puzzles

Bumblebee's Guide: The Solar System - Venus

Out of this World - Puzzles

Law & Disorder - Barricade and Ironhide's fan mail

Titan - ROTF Volume 2 #12

Basic Information

Cover Characters: Bumblebee

Cover Art: Barry Spiers & Lee Duhig/GURU-eFX

Cover Date: May 2010

Price: £2.50

Poster: Bumblebee has Missiles!

Comic Title: Rules of Engagement

Script: Simon Furman

Art: Jon Davis-Hunt

Colours: Hi-Fi Design

Lettering: Den Patrick

Comic Plot

Springer is training the Cadets in Monument Valley, Utah and trying to teach them how to handle difficult situations.

Three days later Tankor has taken prisoners at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas so NEST and the Autobots are called in. Springer tries to take on Tankor from the sky, so Tankor fights him in tank mode whilst the Cadets are breaking into the Alamo to rescue the hostages. Suddenly they realise that Tankor has reinforcements and that Springer may be in trouble.

As predicted Dirge appears on the scene and attacks Springer, causing him to begin to crash. Just before Tankor is able to get a shot off at Springer Jolt uses his whips to redirect Tankor's barrel and causes him to shoot Dirge, making the other Decepticon retreat for repairs.

Afterwards Springer moans at Jolt for leaving his post but Jolt says that he did what he had to, which Springer couldn't really argue with as Tankor is taken away.

Comic Characters

Autobots

Springer - Osprey Helicopter

Jolt - Electric Car

Dune Runner - Military Buggy

Rollbar - Truck

Decepticons

Tankor - Tank (Captured by NEST)

Dirge - Fighter Jet (injured by Tankor)

Comic Notes

• Bumblebee's in a war scene on the front...yet he appears no where in the story...(AGAIN!)
• Interestingly, two of the character introduced in this comic, Springer and Tankor are both legends class figures in the toyline with no larger toys.
• They have of course scaled the characters up to normal size, rather than having them as tiny as their toys...
• Tankor's first appearance in this comic shows him in a green colour, but then he changes to his normal blue later. This is most likely an accidental mis-colour and was confused with Springer, but it's notable because this toy was an homage to Tankor from Beast Machines, who in turn was based on The Hulk, who was green.
• Of some note: This issue came out at about the same time as Last Stand of the Wreckers was underway, which also featured Springer as the leader of a group, including some newbies...
• Tankor being forced to redirect his attack by an Autobot and shooting a fellow Decepticon is very similar to what Kup did to Blitzwing in the G1 movie, which was in turn homaged by Jazz against Brawl in the 2007 movie.

Extra Features

Adverts

Competitions

Build a 'Bot!/Design a Decepticon! gallery - Some of the entries for the contest

Way Past Cool! - Game reviews by Bumblebee

Bumblebee's Guide: The Solar System - Solar System info

Law & Disorder - Barricade and Ironhide chat away

Starscream's Stars - Horoscope feature

Titan - ROTF Volume 2 #11

Basic Information

Cover Characters: Dead End

Cover Art: Barry Spiers & Lee Duhig/GURU-eFX

Cover Date: April 2010

Price: £2.75

Poster: Zombie Dead End in the Old West

Comic Title: Spare Parts!

Script: Simon Furman

Art: Jon Davis-Hunt

Colours: Hi-Fi Design

Lettering: Den Patrick

Comic Plot

The Cadets are in Death Valley on a training session when Dead End suddenly appears and begins to stalk the trio. The three lament how all the action is already over and all that's left to do is train and do clean up jobs (like catching the rogue Decepticons).

The three of them arrive in a ghost town to find an emergency recharge pack left by Bumblebee for them so they split up. The three of them split up and Jolt is attacked by Dead End, who tears off his left arm. Dead End then attacks the other two Autobots and injured his right arm, but just slots Jolt's arm in and has it act as a replacement.

Whilst the fight takes place Jolt finds the recharge pack and powers himself up, he then uses one of his whips to grab hold of Dead End and electrocutes him, knocking him out.

Two days later at Diego Garcia Dead End has been repaired and Ratchet explains that he had a regeneration circuit inside him that kept him alive, despite him being supposed to be dead, and then commends the trio as true Autobots for rescuing the Decepticon.

Comic Characters

Autobots

Jolt - Electric Car

Dune Runner - Military Buggy

Rollbar - Truck

Ratchet - Emergency Humvee

Bumblebee -Concept Camaro (mentioned)

Sideswipe - Concept Corvette (flashback)

Ironhide - Pick Up Truck (flashback)

Hoist - Tow Truck (flashback, being captured)

Decepticons

Dead End - Audi R8

Comic Notes

• The last Volume 2 comic with the annoying extended cover!
• This story introduces the Cadet's team (Jolt, Rollbar, Dune Runner)
• Dead End is a zombie/vampire type creature
• When Dead End absorbs a body piece, it changes colour to resemble his own
• Hoist is shown as one of the Decepticons being rounded up....HUH?!?! Maybe he's just a rogue Autobot?
• When Dead End is restored at the end he looks more like his toy again
• Ratchet seems oddly happy that Megatron is experimenting on his troops....

Extra Features

Adverts

Competitions

Perplexing and Hexing - Word Search

Cover Version - Colour in your own version of the poster (despite saying it's the cover)

Soundwave's Space Shots - Views of TF locations from space

Gallery of Glory - Design and Transformer entries showcase

More than meets the eye - Transformer puzzles

Law & Disorder - Barricade and Ironhide host a letters page!

Starscream's Stars - Starscream's horoscope column

Titan - ROTF Volume 2 #9

Basic Information

Cover Characters: Ironhide

Cover Art: Barry Spiers & Lee Duhig/GURU-eFX

Cover Date: February 2010

Price: £2.70

Comic Title: Culture Shock

Script: Simon Furman

Art: Jon Davis-Hunt

Colours: Hi-Fi Design

Lettering: Den Patrick

Comic Plot

Jolt is on an operation to hunt down the rogue Decepticon, Reverb and causes havoc in Beverly Hills, but eventually manages to capture Reverb, Optimus later tells him to curb his enthusiasm whilst on mission, which he promises to do.

Two days later in Las Vegas, Jolt has caused a mess again in a battle with the Decepticon Bludgeon who is able to overpower Jolt quite a lot, and uses the Autobot's desire to protect life against him.

Bludgeon prepares to finish Jolt off with his sword, but misses and allows Jolt to electrocute him using his sword as a conductor, especially thanks to the massive amounts of electricity in the city around him, but sadly he also causes a massive power cut in the city.

Three hours later Jolt is back at base and Optimus is forced to confine him to base for now. Jolt agrees, but then he hears a distress signal from some NEST members about a Decepticon attack...

Comic Characters

Autobots

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Jolt - Electric Car

Ironhide - Pick Up Truck

Bumblebee - Concept Camaro

Decepticons

Bludgeon - Tank

Reverb - Motorcycle

Humans

Captain Lennox

Director Galloway

Comic Notes

• Another huge cover front.....irritating to store....
• This is the first comic set after ROTF
• This is Jolt's first comic appearance due to his late addition to the Movie Cast
• Reverb rides around without a human driver hologram up (unlike later)
• Galloway is still angry with Lennox for pushing him out of the plane in Egypt
• Jolt must have an impulse control problem or something...
• Jolt uses Bludgeon's sword as a conductor to electrocute Bludgeon...smart fella!
• Though he does also cause a blackout in Las Vegas too...
• This story may be the reason why Jolt is later put with the Cadets for training, to learn some self control etc.

Extra Features

Adverts

Competitions

Humans in Disguise - Cut out a mask from the other side of the cover....NO!!!!! DON'T!!!!

More than Meets the Eye - Puzzles

Sideswipe's Armoury - Supercarriers!

Law & Disorder - Barricade and Ironhide argue and chat

Starscream's Stars - Horoscopes

Design a Decepticon/Build a Bot Competition - Can you guess?