IDW - Unicron #3

Main Story

Title: Our Finest

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng & David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Side Story

Title: Reunion

Written by: Brandon Easton

Art by: Juan Samu

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Curtis Fandango

Edited by: David Mariotte

Main Story Plot

Cybertron begins to counterattack against Unicron, with all available fliers and all shuttles going into orbit to fight. Elita recruits the Torchbearers to join her on Carcer to directly attack Unicron. Chromia returns to Cybertron in her shuttle, but is also joined by the Decepticon fleet, having been corrupted by Unicron.

Inside Metroplex's brain chamber Windblade and the others are discussing what to do about Unicron, with Starscream advocating for evacuation to Earth, but due to the colonists being outside of the city, they wont be teleported away with the city.

Chromia contacts Carcer to see why they are going directly to Unicron, with Elita explaining that Victorion is going to infiltrate Unicron's body and kill him from inside, and Carcer will give her backup.

Bumblebee arrives at the brain chamber with Aileron, and declares that Unicron was a doomsday device created by an alien race that also created the Dire Wraiths with Visionary magic, which Rom is disbelieving of. Aileron herself doesn't believe this, until Arcee arrives and explains what happened, as she was there...

When Cybertronians led by Onyx Prime invaded the planet Antilla, Onyx manipulated things to make the Antillans to attack them first, making Alpha Trion believe them to be the aggressors. A scientist used a device to kill everyone on the planet, and also turn it into Unicron, in order for him to get revenge against their attackers, and gets stronger with every world it devours.

The battle in orbit is going badly for the Cybertronians, and Victorion is fed up of watching people die. She attacks the lead Worldsweeper and slashed through the corrupted Decepticons inside, however, when she confronts Bludgeon he summons Monstructor to fight the powerful combiner. The two fight, but Monstructor defeats her by tearing off one of her legs and knocking her down.

Shockwave confirms Arcee's story about Antilla, but also explains that after he left Cybertron following the wars between the Primes, he and his loyalists wound up on Antilla, where Shockwave learned about Unicron and finds the Talisman, the device used to create it. He has the Talisman shipped away towards Earth, for it to be used to later poison Cybertron.

Optimus relays this story to Windblade, who isn't shocked now by all this nonsense. Starscream starts again about letting most of Cybertron and the colonists die, if it means Unicron will be deathly wounded, which drives Windblade to screaming that this is all Cybertron's fault and not the colonists, yet it is them who are being hurt.

Arcee points out that despite it being a terrible thing to happen, without Antilla, NONE of the other colonies would have been created, and none of the colonists would have been born in the first place. Windblade heads off, with Arcee grabbing hold of her, not allowing her to run away. However Windblade isn't trying to escape, but rather has a plan, and just needs some time to enact it.

In orbit, Carcer is under heavy fire, so Elita, in a last ditch attempt to protect Cybertron orders for the ship to ram into Unicron, only for the Chaos Bringer to shoot the ship with his eye beams and obliterates the dead Titan and everyone aboard along with him.

Back at Metroplex, Soundwave returns with the Enigma of Combination, intending to use to combine the entire population of the planet into a giant force to stop Unicron, however Jetfire reveals that even if they did that, they would only be at about a third of the size of Unicron. Soundwave realizes that the others are starting to consider using the space bridge and leave the people outside of the city to die, so he alerts the Decepticons outside, and they begin to riot, and storm the city, as Soundwave has given them a chance now.

Arcee returns and says that Windblade has a plan to save them, but she needs time, which Starscream agrees they have to allow her, as she has allowed them all to try before now.

All across Cybertron, the displaced colonists and Cybertronians watch and Unicron starts digging his claws into Unicron's surface...

Side Story Plot

On Earth, the MASK team have reunited and save some people from the natural disasters and destruction in the city. The team eventually arrive at one of their team, Julio Lopez's emergency medical centre where they learn that they have inspired the normal people of the city and the world to help each other and fight back, so they'll continue to do so, up to the end...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Bumblebee - Hatchback

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter Seemingly Killed by Monstructor

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Tracks - Muscle Car

Sizzle - Car

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet

Skydive - Fighter Jet

Fireflight - Fighter Jet

Not-Slingshot - Fighter Jet

Scattershot - Jet Killed by a Worldsweeper

Cloudraker - Jet Killed by a Worldsweeper

Fastlane - Car Killed by a Worldsweeper

Firestar

Metroplex - Iacon City (Voice and Interior Only)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Kup - Pic k Up Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Shockwave/Onyx Prime - Flying Artillery

Bludgeon - Tank

Monstructor - Monster Gestalt

Wideload - Dump Truck Killed by Victorion

Sledge - Backhoe-Payloader Killed by Victorion

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Decepticon Ghetto Denizens

Decepticon Vengeance Division Mutated into Unicron's Minions

Maximal

Domitius Major - Sauropod (Flashback Only)

Centurion - Beetle (Flashback Only)

"HOS Prowl" (Flashback Only)

Maximal Troops (Flashback Only)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Elita One - Car Sent Adrift in orbit by Unicron's Attack

Obsidian - Osprey Helicopter Crushed by debris in ship

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Destroyed by Unicron

Swift - Helicopter

Zetca

Greenlight

Lancer

D.O.C.

Cybertronian Fleet

Colony Survivors

Carcerian Warriors Most Killed in Unicron's Attack

Alpha Trion - Tumbler (Flashback Only)

Galvatron - Tank (Flashback Only)

Omega Supreme - Rocket Base (Flashback Only)

Omega Sentinels - Rocket Bases (Flashback Only)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Human

Matt Trakker/Spectrum (Side Story Only)

Gloria Baker/Aura (Side Story Only)

Brad Turner/Eclipse (Side Story Only)

Julio Lopez/Gulliver (Side Story Only)

Human Survivors (Side Story Only)

Med Centre Staff (Side Story Only)

MASK Fanboy (Side Story Only)

Miles Mayhem (Mentioned)

Solstar Order

Rom

Imperator Carax

Elonian Survivors

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet

Antillans (Flashback Only) Dead

Unicron's Creator (Mentioned)

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

Visionaries (Mentioned)

Notes

• Slingshot is amongst the Aerialbots going into battle (albeit slightly miscoloured) he's supposed to be dead...but then again everyone else will be dead soon, so no long term harm!
• Swift appears to be amongst the Decepticons again...please make up your mind on your faction Decepticons!!
• Just like we saw a mass of Decepticon ships in the last issue, we get an Autobot fleet here with several existing ship types, like the different Arks, shuttles and a few generics.
• This issue reveals that the world we saw Onyx Prime and his group attack in a flashback was Antilla, which was also the world we saw turn into Unicron last issue, confirming that the planet orbiting the dark star was Antilla/Unicron, and is thirteenth colony world (implying that Unicron may have his own natural Ore too)
• Considering some Omega Sentinels were on Antilla when the Unicron device activated, it's likely that the one we saw inside Unicron in issue 1 was one of the attackers, rather than one that just found Unicron.
• Along with their ships, the Decepticon crew inside them are turned into Maximal-esque monsters. This is likely a reference to an old Unicron concept where he could corrupt individuals and turn them into his servants.
• Bludgeon is shown with an aura around him and what looks like his Void Spectre again, this is likely why he seems to have his mind intact rather than being mindless like the other Decepticons.
• Bludgeon reveals that Victorion's gravity powers are caused by her exposure to Ore-4 on Caminus.
• Shockwave's flashback reveals that the Talisman IS the device that created Unicron, which he found on Antilla after arriving there and sending it away to Earth with some of his followers (the guys who would later become the Hearts of Steel Transformers)
• It keeps getting mentioned how Metroplex can only spacebridge the people within his city mode away
• I still think there's another world out there with an Ore on it, since Liege Maximo's "world" is just a Titan ship, and not a planet, also Unicron just blows up Carcer, and doesn't devour it.
• Elita appears to survive her ship's destruction, as she is seen floating in space (why would they bother giving us a close-up if she was just dead?)
• The back-up strip is a MASK one of all things! It doesn't give us any real future spoilers, and just shows that Earth is under attack in the near future and that the MASK team are performing rescue missions to save the day.
• Since we last saw them, it looks like Brad Turner has been recovered, after being captured and replaced by Zartan.
• Also Matt Trakker is not a part of GI Joe anymore it seems...good for him!

IDW - First Strike #2

First Strike

Written by: Mairghread Scott & David A Rodriguez 

Art by: Max Dunbar

Colours by: Ander Zarate

Letters by: Tom B Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

The Origins of Evil

Written by: John Barber

Pencils by: Netho Diaz

Inks by: Walden Wong

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Plot

First Strike

At Ironblood's hidden base in the Swiss Alps, Scarlett finishes reading Colton's letter to her when the room is filled with Red Shadows, the Joes fight them off, but Doc notices a beeping noise, alerting the team to the whole facility being rigged with explosives. They manage to escape just as the base detonates, and they start trying to work out what happened to Colton to make him go bad.

On Cybertron, Ironblood's alliance are holding their own against the Transformers and Joes, and even take a few down, taking them apart for resources. The teams split up to take on their own missions, with Mayhem and Kreiger delivering the Talisman to a rendezvous point, and Destro and Storm Shadow escorting Shazraella to find her a body to Enerchange with.

Back on Earth, the Joes have teamed up with Matt Trakker and Gloria Baker of MASK and are travelling to Autobot City via a submarine. Inside the sub, the MASK members confirm that the false Cybertronians seen on Cybertron are based on MASK technology, meaning that Mayhem is involved in the attack too. They're planning to use the spacebridge in Autobot City to reach Cybertron and help out with the fight, and plan to take every weapon they have at their disposal with them, including a virus that MASK has been working on from Astrotrain's body.

On Cybertron, Storm Shadow disables a purple female Transformer, Antagony, allowing Shazraella to Enerchange with her, meanwhile Flint's team of Joes are being pinned down by Red Shadows until they are run down by Ironhide who drives the humans to safety.

At the villain's rendezvous point, Shazraella, in her new Cybertronian sized body retrieves the Talisman from the back of Mayhem's new Outlaw truck and carries it on her back, whilst guiding the villains through some tunnels, planning to poison the planet's Energon with the Talisman's dangerous energy.

Optimus and Windblade arrive at the Spire where they assist Starscream, Elita One and Marissa in trying to figure out what to do now. Elita proposes to kill all Humans on Earth to stop the attack, but Marissa counters that if she has to resort to indiscriminate murder then maybe she isn't a good leader. Elita respons to this by contacting her ship back in orbit to request reinforcements, however the ship cannot help.

Diavod of the Solstar Order contacts Cybertron through Carcer and informs them that the planet has been quarantined due to the massive amount of Dire Wraith readings on the planet, leaving the Cybertronians alone...

On Earth, the Joes and MASK arrive at Autobot City, where they are escorted in by Skyburst and Stormclash, however once inside they learn that the spacebridge was disabled from Cybertron's side and cannot be opened from Earth right now. The teams wonder how Ironblood's troops managed to get to Cybertron themselves, and they realize that they must have used the MASS device in Destro's possession to piggyback on the spacebridge portal and headed there that way. The Helicopter Twins create a device that will allow them to copy that same process, but they need to use the MASS device to activate it as well, so, along with Soundwave and the Twins, the team storm towards Castle Destro in Scotland.

The Origins of Evil

Part Two: A Game of Chess

Months ago, Destro is contacted by Doctor X about Baron Ironblood coming to visit him, which Destro is not happy with, as he only leant his MASS device to them and doesn't want to be part of their team. He shows a momentary sign of emotion when Joe Colton comes out of the MASS device, but simply orders the BATS in his employ to kill him. Colton explains that he IS Ironblood, but Destro doesn't care.

Colton tries to appeal to Destro's interest in new technology by saying he can give him Cybertronian technology, which Destro is no longer interested in, since he has studied all he can from Earth's Cybertronians, however Colton points out that the best stuff is likely still on Cybertron, and by working together they can use the MASS device to hack into the spacebridge signal and ravel there to get more tech.

Destro is interested now and deactivates his BATS, stating that his only condition is to go to Cybertron as well, which Colton is very happy with, securing his places in the alliance....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle (Flashback) Dead

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Elita One

Antagony - Ant Enerchanged with Shazraella

Green Guy Killed and Dismantled by Ironblood's Alliance

Random Cybertronian Crowdfillers

Carcer Crew Member (Voice Only)

GI Joe

Scarlett

Roadblock

Lady Jaye

Quick Kick

Doc

Talon

Flint

Spike

Dial Tone (Mentioned)

MASK

Matt Trakker

Gloria Baker

Ironblood's Alliance

Baron Ironblood/Joe Colton

Destro

Storm Shadow

Miles Mayhem

Garrison Kreiger

"Mystery Villain"

Lady Shazraella Enerchanged with Antagony, main personality

Major Bludd

Buzzer

Ripper

Red Shadow Ninjas

Iron Grenadiers

Doctor X (Hologram, Origins Only)

Iron Klaw (Mentioned)

Other Human

Marissa Faireborn

Solstar Order

Diavod

Prim

Butin

Guar

Nikomi

Other

BAT's (Origins Only)

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

Notes

• Just a quick note, it turns out that issue 0 of this series was originally meant to be printed in Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook #3, but due to delays it was released beforehand online and the prequel was replaced with a preview of issue 1 in the actual issue. So that explains where that whole thing came from!
• The Cybertronian killed by and then ripped apart by Ironblood's troops  looks an awful lot like Kup, specifically his Prime toy counterpart, based on the shoulders and chest design.
• The heavily shadowed member of Ironblood's team is most likely someone from Visionaries, an upcoming IDW comic series set in the Hasbroverse.
• Due to delays for Revolutionaries, this issue spoils that both Kreiger and the Talisman will be recovered from the team by Ironblood's crew. Luckily nothing else appears to have been spoiled yet...YET...
• OH WAIT! Gloria is spoiled as having left the MASK team here, but the issue where that happens hasn't been released yet...good thing I only get the trades for MASK huh?!
• Shazraella is seemingly in her Karza-themed armour that she donned towards the end of Wrath of Karza.
• The "MASK tech" that Mayhem uses to imitate Cybertronians is likely due to him using Blitzwing's body for experiments and developing robots based somewhat on him.
• The part with the virus developed from Astrotrain's body may seem out of the blue here, but it's actually a plot line from the MASK Annual from last year...something I don't follow here!
• Shazraella's new host body isn't named still, but she is most likely Antagony, however this character appears to have knowledge of Cybertron and the tunnels etc under the city, so I'd guess she isn't Eukarian like most people believe...she could just be an explorer though I guess?
• The Shazraella-Antagony fusion form looks somewhat like a darker-coloured, less-kibbley version of Windblade. If it is then this is appropriate since she made contact with the Cityspeaker during the Revolution event.
• Diavod is shown to still be alive in the modern day, having last been seen during Rom's training days for the Solstar Order. This either means that Elonians have extended lifespans, or he does indeed have Solstar armour on, but it either doesn't cover his face, or it's able to take on a fluid facial form, much like how Stardrive's does in Shining Armor.
• The detection of Dire Wraith activity on Cybertron is due to the Red Shadows being fused with their technology, and the Talisman itself being partially of Dire Wraith origin.
• Based on Soundwave's design here, and how he can seemingly fit inside either the Twins or the MASK vehicles, I'm guessing he has reverted to a cassette player alternate mode, having been a personnel carrier for the past couple of years.
• OH MY PRIMUS!! They finally gave some personality to a Torchbearer other than Pyra Magna!! I'm very serious here, I love the Torchbearer designs, but I've always hated how they were pretty much just treated as "Pyra Magna plus the others". This is a good next step for the team.
• From the background of the scene in Autobot City, it looks like cameras and lights have been set up, as well as plates etc on the tables...I guess there was meant to be a party or something following the signing at the city?
• Destro plays with a Hasbro Heroes and Villains themed chess board in the Origins story....HASBRO!!! STOP PUTTING COOL PRODUCT IDEAS IN YOUR COMICS AND NOT MAKING THEM IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS!!!
• Doctor X and Iron Klaw are mentioned as still being on Earth...I guess we'll be catching up with them going against the Earth-based heroes during the tie-in issues.

IDW - Revolution #5

Title: Valley Forge

Written by: John Barber & Cullen Bunn

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Chief Creative Officer: Chris Ryall

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Transformers, Micronauts and Snake Eyes fight against Karza, but the MASK team are tricked by Mayhem into thinking Karza is working with the Transformers, so they continue to fight them. Seeing his apparent allies fighting amongst themselves, Optimus grabs Rom, Snake Eyes and Acroyear, and forces them into his truck-mode cab, and he puts everyone straight on their shared target to destroy being Karza, which they all agree to.

As if on cue, GI Joe arrive in their vintage vehicles and join the battle, with Helix rationalizing that Karza is the enemy here. Victorion appears to join the battle, but is easily defeated by Karza, she de-combines to help add firepower to the battle, as Karza proceeds to tear apart the MASK vehicles.

Mainframe's helicopter is attacked by Karza, but the giant alien is shot at by the newly arrived Kup and Action Man. Soundwave manages to save the Joes in the plummeting by catching them, and Mainframe is glad to see Soundwave, since he has a plan. Nearby, Mayhem sees how things are going badly, and proceeds with his own plans.

At the Spacebridge, Biotron and Oziron are examining it, and wonder if they could use an Enerchange to combine with it and defeat Karza that way. Soundwave appears along with Rom, Mainframe and Matt Trakker, all of whom have their own role to play in Mainframe's plan to save the day...

Elsewhere, Windblade and Optimus notice that the Ore-13 is starting to detonate due to the battle, and will explode soon, Windblade communicates with Metrotitan and commands him to "arise" allowing him to levitate, keeping the city safe from the explosion, and lowers an escape route for everyone to use.

Soundwave is linked up to Matt's mask so they can combine their analytical skills whilst Rom resonates with the Space Bridge and all the Micronauts Enerchange with the bridge at the same time to take control of the Bridge.

With all the heroes in the city, they wait for the Ore to detonate, when Karza leaps up, and tries to take Optimus down with him, but is stopped when Mayhem smashes into Karza's side, loosening his grip, sending him plummeting back into the new crater, just as Soundwave and the others detonate the Bridge, setting off the Ore-13, and seemingly killing Karza and all those left below.

Rom manages to outfly the explosion, holding onto Trakker, with Soundwave, Mianframe and the Micronauts seemingly left for dead, and half of the MASK team missing in action.

Rom leaves in shame, having been unable to save people, but as he leaves Soundwave emerges from the flames, having shielded Mainframe in his chest cavity for safety, much to Scarlett's glee.

Optimus apologizes to the humans for annexing their planet, and now knows they don't need protection, but should be equals with the Transformers, and vows to work with them to protect the Earth together.

Elsewhere, the Micronauts have been captured by some scientists, who plan to vivisect them. A little later on, the Joes and MASK return to Governor's Island, where Scarlett reveals that the MASK vehicles were recovered, and suggests that Matt should continue the team, especially after a note is found from the seemingly dead Mayhem left on the windshield of his vehicle....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Pyra Magna - Emergency Vehicle

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Stormclash - Helicopter

Sky Burst - Helicopter

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Other Cybertronian

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Aileron - Space Shuttle

GI Joe

Scarlett

Snake Eyes

Mainframe

Agent Helix

Mayday

Roadblock

Rock 'n Roll

MASK Team

Matt Trakker

Brad Turner

Julio Lopez

Gloria Baker

Miles "Mayhem" Manheim Seemingly killed in Crash

Bruno Sheppard Missing after Battle

Vanessa Warfield Missing after Battle

Sly Rax Missing after Battle

Microspace Denizen

Baron Karza Dragged into exploding Space Bridge

Oziron Rael Captured after Battle

Larissa Captured after Battle

Phenolo-Phi Captured after Battle

Acroyear Captured after Battle

Microtron Captured after Battle

Biotron Captured after Battle

Dire Wraith

Axiom

Dire Wraith Swarm Merged with Karza

Other

Rom, the Space Knight

Action Man

Holding Facility Staff

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the Revolution story line (except for the one shots)
• It's revealed that Karza and the Micronauts are speaking in Ancient Cybertronian, this is understandable since their universe was forged by Micronus Prime, one of the Thirteen Primes. Rom can also speak Ancient Cybertronian, which adds to the mystery of the his armour being able to link up to Cybertronian technology.
• Most of the MASK vehicles are destroyed in this issue....I hope they know how to repair them in time for their new IDW series!
• Action Man and Kup arrive at the battle just in time to see it end, as set up by the end of the Action Man one shot
• Mainframe still claims to not know who Action Man is when asked.
• Windblade is shown to be able to command Metrotitan to fly on demand, this control over Titans was shown in the Combiner Wars cartoon, and that is ALL I will talk about that abomination!
• The end of this issue leads directly into the events of Rom #5 and Micronauts #7, showing Rom just after the battle, and the Micronauts in their enclosure.
• How did the Micronauts end up in the lab so fast by the way? Did the Spacebridge send them there when it exploded?

IDW - Revolution: Action Man

Title: The Modern World

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Paolo Villanelli

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Edited by: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Following the attacks on the White House and Bikini Atoll, and the other strange events of the past few days, the British Action Man program decide to send Action Man himself in to investigate what GI Joe are up to. Action Man breaches Governor's Island's defences, and plows his Orca Sea Jet into the wall, making a hole large enough for him to enter through.

The Joes and MASK team on the site mobilize to confront the intruder, whilst Miles Mayhem, still trying to hide true motives, sends Sly and Vanessa to make sure no-one finds out about their new prisoner, the Autobot Kup.

Action Man manages to fight his way through to Kup's holding cell, where he frees the Autobot, and teams up with him to help him escape.

Kup fights off the humans with non-lethal force, but recognizes Mayday as Ayana Jones, someone who captured him in the past. Action Man keeps in contact with Mainframe and explains what is happening, and when coupled with Matt Trakker having doubts about the Autobots being the enemy, he decides to help Kup to escape by having one of their orbital laser satellites fire on the facility, but at a low pulse that cannot hurt Kup.

In the confusion of the attack, Kup and Action Man manage to escape, and Miles blames Mainframe for letting him escape, which Helix and Mainframe claim to have been done to take Kup in alive.

Kup and Action Man drive along the waterbed towards America so they can join the upcoming battle with the other Autobots, whilst the Joes recover from their attack, and Mainframe vowing to change how GI Joe keeps secrets from their own troops, and Miles begins plans for him to make his final move, whilst the Action Man program worry about losing contact with Action Man...

Characters

Autobot

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Orion Pax - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet (Mentioned) In GI Joe Captivity

GI Joe

Mainframe/Blaine Parker

Agent Helix

Spike/Steven Witwicky

Talon/Zilong Qian

Mayday/Ayana Jones

Heavy Duty/Hershel Dalton

Flash/Anthony Gambello

Random Joe Troops

Joe Colton (Mentioned) Dead

MASK Program

Miles Mayhem

Matt Trakker

Sly Rax

Vanessa Warfield

Gloria Baker (Mentioned)

Brad Turner (Mentioned)

Roger Moore (Mentioned)

The Adventure Team (Mentioned)

EDC (Mentioned) Absorbed into GI Joe

Action Man Program

Action Man/Ian Noble

Pauline Bestley

Terrence Salmons

Bryce Chan

Other Human

Doctor X (Mentioned)

Other

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story is set the night of the events of the GI Joe and Transformers one-shots. The former of which has not been released yet.
• Matt Trakker's new distrust of Miles' actions is due to him keeping the sentience of the Transformers a secret from him and his team
• It seems appropriate that the Action Man one-shot would heavily feature both GI Joe and MASK, since Action Man is the UK counterpart to GI Joe, and MASK being a sub-division of GI Joe in past media, making them family...Kup is just there because he's a grumpy old uncle...
• Action Man wanting to have a robot best friend is likely due to the film "The Iron Giant" from his childhood.
• This issue acts somewhat like a "backdoor" pilot for the Revolutionaries comic series, which is set to star Kup, Action Man, Mayday and others
• Kup and Action Man both find each other's names amusing.
• Kup begins to compare Action Man discovering his friend was his arch-enemy to Orion Pax (Optimus) being betrayed by his friend Megatron.
• Spike's name is revealed to be Steven here, before his mother named him as "Stevie" this is his full first name however.

IDW - Revolution #2

Title: The Divine Source of Liberty

Written by: John Barber & Cullen Bunn

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Joes are clearing up in Portland following their attack on the Autobots, and Rom's subsequent attack on them, and Helix points out how only the newcomer opened fire on any of the Joes, and only targeted specific Joes, which annoys Scarlett as she is still angry over Colton's murder.

Rom lands in a nearby forest, and is quickly attacked by Optimus, who demands an explanation as to why he killed those humans. Rom refuses to discuss it with him, beyond that he has killed no humans, and attacks the Autobot leader. Rom starts to leave, but the rest of Optimus' team arrives and join the battle. Before long Rom is pinned down by Optimus and is ordered to explain himself...

Scarlett returns to Governor's Island, location of GI Joe's HQ, where Doc makes a crude joke about there not being enough left of the dead Joes to examine properly, further annoying Scarlett. She goes to see Manheim in a secret lab, where his engineers are taking apart and examining a still living Blitzwing for his experiments. Scarlett is disgusted that Blitzwing is still alive and being tested on, but remembers that she hates the Transformers for killing Colton, so allows him to continue.

Manheim takes Scarlett to visit his new MASK team, and he asks her to keep Blitzwing a secret from them, which she does.

Kup and Aileron are examining the explosion site at Mount Olympus and find that there is some of the Ore remaining, and Kup recognizes the area as having been affected by a space bridge recently, which must have caused the explosion.

The two Transformers drive and fly away from the mountain to report this to Optimus, but are soon surrounded by the MASK team, and Aileron's communications are failing. The MASK team and the Transformers fight it out, resulting in Aileron flying away to warn Optimus, and Kup being captured by the humans, though Matt and the others learn during this battle that the Transformers are more than just simple machines, they are actually alive.

Manheim intends to have Kup interrogated to find out about what is happening to the Ore-13, unaware that someone is watching this entire situation....Baron Karza in Microspace, who is preparing to collect MORE Ore-13 to save Microspace with!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck Captured by MASK

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet In GI Joe Custody

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Primus (Mentioned)

GI Joe

Scarlett

Mainframe

Agent Helix

Roadblock

Rock 'n Roll

Doc/Carla Greer

GI Joe Troops

Joe Colton (Mentioned) Dead

MASK Team

Miles Manheim/Mayhem

Matt Trakker/Spectrum

Brad Turner/Eclipse

Gloria Baker/Aura

Julio Lopez/Gulliver

Sly Rax/Stiletto

Bruno Sheppard/Thunderflame

Vanessa Warfield/Ice Queen

Other

Rom the Space Knight

Baron Karza

Random Human Civilians

Dire Wraith (On Monitor Only)

Action Man (On Monitor Only)

EDC (Mentioned) Merged with GI Joe

Notes

• So Scarlett asks Helix for her opinion on why Rom attacked them, then gets pissed off when she points out that he only killed four of them, and never returned fire or attacked anyone but them...
• Rom's attitude towards Optimus and the Cybertronians is likely due to the Cybertronian's position in galactic society, with their war and the destruction they've caused in the past.
• Optimus re-enacts a scene from the animated Transformers Movie, when he runs down Rom, with him reflected in his grill.
• Doc is a female GI Joe medic here rather than male like the character normally is. This Doc is the male one's daughter.
• The MASK team are unaware that their technology is based at least partly on a captured Transformer. They are also unaware that the Cybertronians are a sentient species, thinking they are just machines.
• It's revealed that the Ore-13 explosion featured in issue one, was caused by Baron Karza transporting some into the Microverse by Baron Karza. Kup recognizes this due to his history dealing with trans-dimensional travel (he was sent to the Dead Universe remember)
• One of the Spectrum mask abilities is to jam transmissions.

IDW - Revolution: M.A.S.K.

Written by: Brandon Easton

Art by: Tony Vargas

Colours by: Jordi Escuin

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

One year ago, nine recruits are brought in to a secret training facility for a new project, to use their natural skills to fight the Cybertronians using high tech vehicles and other things.

The team are soon introduced to each other, and make their first impressions with each other. Miles Mayhem, leader of the facility, calls in Dr Mindbender from the collapsed Cobra group to help him identify which recruits would be perfect for his team.

Despite knowing him from before the training program, Manheim is disappointed by how Matt Trakker is performing, and thinks he has grown weak. On the other hand, he does find Vanessa Warfield's no-nonsense attitude and refusal to leave things to chance very refreshing and has her join his team.

Later, the team are taken outside to test out the vehicles and some prototype masks, and has Evans and Watkins take the wheels, however during the test, Manheim sabotages them, and causes the vehicles to malfunction and kill the two trainees. The rest of the trainees react to this in different ways, which Manheim examines to further sort his teams out.

Later again, the trainees are given a mask each, and are allowed to train with them, during it Sylvester accidentally shoots a physical spear from his hard-light generator helmet, impressing Manheim further, and getting him a place on the team.

Later still, the trainees are taken to the Canadian Rockies, where they are led to a train filled with innocent civilians, but which is also set to explode in a short amount of time. Matt wants to save them, but Bruno forces him to retreat, and detaches the detonating carriage from the rest of the train, killing the civilians, but protecting the team, giving Manheim is final team-member. Back at the base, the recruits are trying to cope with the mission, and Manheim reveals to Vanessa that the civilians were actually just holograms that he projected there...

In the Present, the newly formed MASK team, led by Matt Trakker arrives at a GI Joe base, where they are introduced as Manheim's new team, leaving out the truth that his REAL team is VENOM.

Characters

M.A.S.K.

Matt Trakker/Spectrum

Brad Turner/Eclipse

Julio Lopez/Gulliver

Gloria Baker

V.E.N.O.M.

Vanessa Warfield

Sylvester Rax/Stiletto

Bruno Sheppard

Project Spectrum Members

Miles "Mayhem" Manheim

William Evans Killed in MASK Vehicle Test

Marcia Watkins Killed in MASK Vehicle Test

GI Joe

Scarlett

Random Joes

Cobra

Dr Mindbender/Armand Singh

Other Human

Passengers on the Train (Holograms)

Judge Banks (Mentioned)

Matt's Parents (Mentioned)

Manheim's Past Allies (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• This issue acts as a the "pilot" issue for the new MASK series. As such it doesn't really have much to do with the bigger Revolution storyline...I'm pretty sure the GI Joe cameo at the end was a last minute thing to make it fit...
• Throughout this issue we are made to believe that Manheim is choosing the best members of the team for the MASK program, but is actually recruiting for VENOM, a black ops counterpart to MASK.
• The purpose of the two different teams leads into Manheim's own ideals, where he likes to cover all his bases, and leave nothing to chance. Therefore, if MASK aren't able to legally deal with a mission, he'd logically send in VENOM to cover for them.
• Despite him being abducted and experimented on by Manheim for the MASK program, Blitzwing doesn't appear here...awww
• From the dialogue we can guess that Matt Trakker has been in trouble with the law, but wants to change his life for the better.
• Manheim is meeting with Dr Mindbender to assess his team and find his ideal team?! How can people NOT know he is evil?!?!
• The members of the program here were chosen because they have displayed some technopathic traits, explaining their abilities with the masks and vehicles.
• It's quite appropriate that the only other franchises from the Revolution to actually appear here are from GI Joe, which was an earlier attempt to bring MASK into Hasbro's fiction, with Matt Trakker being a Joe there.