IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #10

Title: Shadowplay Part 2: Patternism

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colour by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

In the past, Chromedome is chasing down the killer of Senator Momus (the guy who was killed at the end of the last issue) on his skydart when he notices how bad his target is at flying, despite having a jet mode, just before the target crashes and explodes. Chromedome reports back to Prowl and they talk with Red Alert, the warden in the area, who's been spying on Momus. He then turns on a UV light, revealing Momus has a Decepticon shrine of sorts in his room. Prowl deduces that there were two killers, just as the second one attacks, declaring "Death to the Decepticons!".

In the present again, Magnus returns to the ship after a recon mission and learns that Rodimus has detained Cyclonus on the suspision of Red Alert's attack. Drift tries some bad cop interrogation, but Cyclonus isn't impressed and just subdues the Autobot instead. Afterwards, Cyclonus says he didn't attack Red, as if he did he wouldn't leave any evidence and he would have succeeded (Red has a faint spark which First Aid is working on now) and says that he actually likes Red. First Aid calls Rodimus and says he know's who attacked Red, and that it wasn't Cyclonus.

Back in the past, Chromedome, Red and Prowl are rescued by Orion Pax, who appears all of the sudden and forces the attacker to crash, who then immediately has a spark failure, which Orion attributes to spark rejection, which is likely from a spark transplant from the Relinquishment Clinic, which Chromedome links to why his earlier target was so bad at flying, because he wasn't meant to do that. The group also figure out that Sherma and Momus weren't killed by Decepticons, they were killed because they WERE Decepticons. Orion asks Chromedome and Prowl to investigate the R.C. whilst he answers an emergency call to go to Luna-2.

Orion meets with Whirl on Garrus-1, located on Luna-2 where Whirl tells Orion that he heard from a visiting Senator recently that there's a bomb that's being planned to be detonated on Cybertron, which is intended to kill his senator friend and others. Orion thanks Whirl and leaves, just as the warden brings in Impactor as a new cell-mate for him, who proceeds to beat on the imprisoned Autobot.

The Senator is taken into custody by Roller for his protection, whilst Chromedome and Prowl meet with Trepan of the Relinquishment Clinic, and immediately take a disliking to him. Chromedome handcuffs him to a monitor and the two Autobots investigate the area, and find the place is filled with cerebralsurgeons and other horrors, which leads Chromedome to realize that this is actually The Institute, a mysterious, thought to be made-up location. The two of them believe that the council are using them to lobotomize the registered Decepticons from Proteus' Promise to make them forget their ideals. The duo leave after downloading a list found there of the registered Decepticons. Trepan escapes before they leave, but the present day Chromedome mentions that they meet up again.

The team in the past all meet up, and collate all their imformation, but believe that the council are going to use the bomb that Orion learned about to cause damage and blame it on the Decepticons, turning them into the enemies and not a political party like they want. Orion realizes where the bomb is when a news report about Nominus Prime's funeral starts airing, and hears that the Matrix he holds (which he knows is fake) will be viewable. He works out that the fake Matrix is in fact the bomb, and it's going to kill all the mourners as well as destriying a religious artifact (everyone believes the fake Matrix is the real one still). Orion and the team decide to steal the Matrix before it's too late.

Plot

Characters

Autobot/Future Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Rewind - Memory Stick

Rung - Maintenance Buggy Bain Dead

Red Alert Being Repaired after Decapitation

Swerve - Van

Chromedome - Car

Skids - Van

Whirl - Helicopter

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Ambulon - Leg

Rad

Rollout

Gears

Slapdash

"White Guy"

Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback Only)

Roller (Flashback Only)

Prowl (Flashback Only)

Impactor (Flashback Only)

Slamdance (Flashback Only)

Nominus Prime Dead (Flashback Only)

Flatfoot (Mentioned)

Sentinel (Mentioned)

The Wreckers (Mentioned)

Mechaforensics (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Senator Momus Killed by Fallout and Streaker (Flashback Only)

Senator Sherma Killed by Fallout and Streaker (Mentioned)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Cyclonus - Space Jet

Tailgate - Car

Diagnostic Drone

Pax's Senator Pal (Flashback Only)

Senator Proteus (Flashback Only)

Trepan (Flashback Only)

Fallout - Jet Killed in Crash (Flashback Only)

Streaker - Jet Killed by Spark Rejection (Flashback Only)

Senator Empurata (Flashback Only)

Pious Maximus Captured by The Institute (Flashback Only)

J.A.A.T. Speaker - Car (Flashback Only)

Garrus-1 Warden (Flashback Only)

"Orange with Hat Guy" (Flashback Only)

Relinquishment Clinic/The Institute Staff (Flashback Only)

Relinquishment Clinic/The Institute "Patients" (Flashback Only)

Civilians (Flashback Only)

Registration Act Protesters (Flashback Only)

The Senate (Mentioned)

Senate Enforcers (Mentioned)

Cyberutopians (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Anti-Vocationist League (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Solomus (Mentioned)

Notes

• One of the speakers at the J.A.A.T. Lectures is the NAIL who transformed himself to death in issue one of this series
• Pious Maximus is shown inside the Institute/Relinquishment Clinic in the flashback, implying that his sudden change in heart mentioned in the news reports was part of the council's plot
• Whirl mentions how a bomb would be named after the guy who detonated it. This is likely a reference to Serma and his bridge, as explained in the previous issue
• Red Alert has the puncture marks of a mneumosurgeon on his neck, which is only visible under UV light, as mentioned by Chromedome in issue 8
• It's unsure where Magnus has just come back from, but I'm sure it'll be explained some time soon
• In the flashback, Prowl was still a battle-virgin, and seemed to have a bit more of an idealistic view on life, compared to his modern day counterpart
• Garrus-1 was located on Luna-2...wonder if any inmates are still on the moon?
• Ratchet believes that Whirl beating up Megatron in his cell is what caused him to go so evil
• Orion's (STILL) unnamed Senator friend's colour scheme continues to change, to the extent where he now looks sort of like Ultra Magnus...hmmm....
• It's still not sure if Roller has any connection to Opitmus' future buggy drone buddy.
• First Aid is working on the diagnostic drone that spied on Red back in issue 7
• Proteus' Promise is that when 10,000 Decepticon supporters register they will make them a political party. This is a ploy by the council to know who are Decepticons, and to lobotomize them however.
• It's implied in this story that Duo Combiners existed in the past, meaning that they probably aren't counted as gestalts (also this sign in the Clinic is shown directly under Slamdance on the screen, possibly meaning he's been replaced)
• It's been shown twice now that head damage isn't very fatal here...wonder if that means Nightbeat is still okay after all, he was just shot in the head once.

IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #8

Staff

Title: Scavengers (part 2): Who's afraid of the DJD?

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colour by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Years ago, Fulcrum and his fellow K-Class Decepticons are airdropped onto Clemency during a battle, where Fulcrum doesn't seem too happy about things.

Back in the present the Scavengers are all panicking about the D.J.D. coming to kill one of them, and decide between them that their only chance is to fight them, Krok even has plans to use the still stasis-locked Grimlock as well.

On the Lost Light, Skids and Chromedome have met up in the Oil Reservoir, where Skids asks Chromedome to read his mind so he can remember his lost memories.

On Clemency the Scavengers have set up Grimlock's "coffin" with circuit speeders (taken from the Monstercon they found before) that when opened will give Grimlock an adrenaline boost. Tarn contacts the Scavengers and they say the traitor has been killed and is in a coffin for them to pick up. Tarn reveals that he's upset that he can't kill Fulcrum himself. The group look at Fulcrum, who starts to explain what he did, but is cut short when the D.J.D. land on Clemency.

Tarn opens Grimlock's coffin and the Dinobot immediately attacks him, but he is easily subdued, which Krok can't understand why. Helex appears behind the Scavengers as they try to escape and they're drawn into fighting the D.J.D.

Back on the Lost Light, Chromedome cuts the mind-reading short when he starts seeing disturbing things, and certain song that he never wants to hear really, and says that Skids doesn't want to remember these things as the memories weren't suppressed they were destroyed.

On Clemency Tesarus puts Flywheels through his mincing chest, which shreds his upper body into little pieces. Kaon restrains Krok whilst Vos puts his spike-backed face mask over Krok's own face, causing immense pain, Misfire tries to save him, but ends up shooting him instead. Misfire is attacked by The Pet, who starts chewing his arm. Crankcase is thrown across the battlefield by Helex and lands near Fulcrum, who runs off, however Crankcase sees something and remembers what Worldsweepers were famous for.

Tarn starts using his weaponized speech to try and kill Grimlock, but is stopped by Crankcase inside a ginat battle suit. The D.J.D. fight Crankcase in his new suit and destroy it.

Fulcrum decides enough is enough and declares to the D.J.D. that he's not afraid any more, and that he thinks the Scavengers are worth ten of them, he then transforms to his bomb mode and launches towards Tarn, intending to kill himself and the D.J.D. He lands with barely an explosion, but before anything else can happen Kaon informs Tarn that he's located where Overlord is. The group leave immediately to hunt down their primary target, and Tarn reveals that all of the Scavengers are now on his list to kill.

The Scavengers find Fulcrum still intact, and Misfire reveals that they removed his explosive before he woke up (in case he blew up on them), and he then explains how he was arrested for cowardice and sent to Styx, but before he could be killed there he was conscripted into the K-Class by Megatron, and his team were deployed as weapons against the Autobots on Clemency. Crankcase brings back Krok, badly hurt, but still alive. Misfire tries talking to Grimlock, but discovers that his brain is basically destroyed, which explains why he was left behind on that ship. The Scavengers decode to head back to Cyberton with Grimlock in tow, to use him as a bargaining chip. Either as a gift to Megatron if the Decepticons won, or to return him to the Autobots if they won, for leniency. Before they leave however they scavenge through Flywheels' remains for anything they can find.

18 months later a robot (most likely the Necrobot) arrives on Clemency and adds/removes Flywheels' name to his list, right after Hound, Chromedome, Dipstick, Drift and Ultra Magnus....

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex Mostly Brain Dead

Chromedome - Car

Skids - Van

Rewind - Memory Stick

Pipes - Truck

Swerve - Van

First Aid - Ambulance

Ultra Magnus (On the List)

Hound (On the List)

Dipstick (On the List)

Drift (On the List)

Diplomatic Corps (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Misfire - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Krok Face Crushed by Vos

Crankcase

Flywheels - Tank/Jet Killed by Tesarus

Fulcrum - Disarmed Bomb

Tarn - Tank

Kaon - Electric Chair

Tesraus - Metal Mincer

Vos - Sniper Rifle

Helix - Mobile Smelting Pool

Torque - Bomb Dead

K-Class Cons - Bombs Dead

A Monstercon (Mentioned) Dead

Megatron (Mentioned)

Genericons (Mentioned)

Banzai-Tron (mentioned)

Overlord (Mentioned)

Other

"The Pet"

Tailgate - Car

Proteus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Necrobot

Notes

• The K in K-Class/K-Cons likely stands for Kamikaze
• Rather than splitting into 2 vehicles, Flywheels is a triple changer (as he was shown converting into tank mode last issue, and jet mode this issue)
• The Lost Light has Movie Nights...this is awesome!
• This story references the events of the 2012 Annual, but the book was postponed to after this issue
• Tarn's transformation addiction is shown in this issue, he's shown changing from tank-bot-tank-bot within 4 panels and even changes to tank mode during his fight with Grimlock as well (and then changing back again)
• The song Skids keeps hearing is called The Empyrean Suite, this is likely the song Tarn plays as well
• Vos' line of "Wear My Face" is clearly an inversion of Optimus' line "Give me your face" from ROTF
• This issue shows that Sparkeaters can come in various forms (the one from the Lost Light was more standard robot-like, whilst The Pet is a Turbofox)
• Boy Kaon sure does looks like an evil version of Rung doesn't he?
• The Worldsweeper ships come with several "Cybernaughts", giant battle suits for Transformers to ride in
• Tarn has read Banzai-Tron's files of every Decepticon, and has ranked everyone in order of importance etc
• Grimlock has been rendered basically brain dead since he was last seen. This is likely due to Overlord torturing him on G-9. How he got off the planet is still a mystery though.
• It's assumed that the robot on the last page is the Necrobot, but there's actually no actual proof of that (he probably is though)
• Krok is usually shown holding a small rod in his hand, this is something connected to his squad, which he seems to think is still around. The others think they aren't.
• Despite being dumb as toast, Spinister is actually a skilled surgeon! (Maybe the Lost Light can get him to work on Rung?)
• The list on the last panel is most likely misleading on some of those names, as shown earlier in both MTMTE and RID, some characters have shared names (Prowl on Delphi and Prowl on Cybertron, Autobot Skydive and Decepticon Skydive) so some may be misleading like that, such as with Hound or Drift (though unique names like Ultra Magnus are unlikely to be duplicated).
• Krok is referred to as a Genericon by Kaon, this is most likely just an insult, and doesn't mean he's part of the same group as the guys shock in the Delphi storyline.
• In the background, Spinister can be seen using his rotor blade as a sword...awesome
• Fulcrum didn't turn into his bomb mode in the first place because he was too afraid of dying, and this was his D.J.D. crime as well, he lived.

IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #7

Staff

Title: Rules of Disengagement

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colour by: Josh Burcham and Joanna Lafuente

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Plot

The Decepticon Justice Division has captured Black Shadow and are punishing (read torturing) him for betraying Megatron by destroying a fleet of War Worlds for the Autobots in the past, Black Shadow begs for his life, but Tarn doesn't listen and kills him with his vocal weapon, causing him to explode. The DJD move onto their next target, who is on the planet Clemency.

On the Lost Light Rung is being kept alive on life-support, and he's visited by some of the crew (including Swerve and Skids). Red Alert comes to visit and confides in Rung that Overlord is in the "basement" of the Lost Light, but he can't tell anyone, because he can't trust anyone but Rung, so he places a data slug with a recording of Overlord into Rung's hand and leaves, saying goodbye, as he things someone's going to kill him next. He is unaware that a Diagnostic Drone is recording this.

On Clemency Misfire and his mis-matched team of Decepticons find a survivor on a battlefield and greet him (after mistaking him for a zombie and a miracle-resurrection, and even trying to steal his fuel pump), and introduce themselves to him.

In Brainstorm's workshop on the Lost Light, Chromedome visits him, and finds the scientist building weapons upside down (because only he can!) and Brainstorm shows Chromedome Skids' gun that Chromedome swiped a while back, and finds that it's exploded, but it's very curious and impossible, as it seemed to come from the Institute.

On Clemency the Decepticons are sitting around a camp-fire and discussing the war (and Fulcrum just learns the war has ended) and how they think they've lost it, and they realize that they don't really care about the war anymore, or even who won (even despite being totally okay with killing an Autobot straggler on the planet for the fire a few moments later). Meanwhile, on the Lost Light Rung has a mysterious visitor, who steals the data slug from his hand and leaves.

Back on Clemency the Decepticons begin searching through the wrecks of former Transformers, looking for supplies to power their ship and themselves, when Misfire freaks out and thinks he's seen the Necrobot and flies off, afraid that he's going to die or something. Misfire lands near a downed Decepticon ship, in the shape of a giant Decepticon Symbol, and calls the others to help him investigate.

The crew enter the ship and find several weird things, such as brain modules stuck into the ceilings, half formed protoforms in jars, a robot made of wood, some sort of organic epidermis inside the ship and other small things. After the group reunites (and discuss whether to run away screaming or not) Krok receives a communication, which he transmits to Misfire's Communicube, and it's Tarn saying that one of their group has angered the DJD in some way (and he knows who he is) and if they give him up, the other six can watch them kill him. The group are confused as there's only six of them anyway, they assume the DJD just miscounted, until Krok finds Grimlock in a stasis tube....

Characters

Autobot

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Skids - Van

Swerve - Van

Red Alert

Ambulon - Leg

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy On Life Support, Headless

Grimlock In Stasis

"Mystery Thief"

Valve (Flashback)

Rack or Ruin (Flashback)

Hyperion - Treaded Vehicle (Flashback)

Impactor - Tank (Flashback)

Nightbeat (Flashback)

Other Wreckers (Flashback)

113th Battalion (Flashback)

Pyro - Truck (Flashback)

Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Ultra Magnus (Flashback)

Hardhead - Tank (Flashback)

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Flashback)

Rewind - Memory Stick (Flashback)

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Fortress Maximus - Tank (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fulcrum

Misfire - Jet

Flywheels - Tank

Spinister - Helicopter

Krok

Crankcase

Tarn

Vos

Helex - Smelting Chamber

Kaon - Electric Chair

Tesarus - Metal Mincer

Black Shadow - Jet Killed by Tarn

Dead Decepticons Killed in Warfare

Megatron - Tank (Flashback)

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

The Conclave (Mentioned)

A Monstercon (Mentioned) Dead

Other

Diagnostic Drone

Turbofox

Swerve's Waiter-Drone (Flashback)

Necrobot (Mentioned)

Notes

• As of this issue, all three known Phase-Sixers have betrayed Megatron in some manner.
• Phase-7 would have been "Repopulation of Cybertron"
• Black Shadow is shown here in his Generations toy line character model
• Lots of dead guys make appearances in the backgrounds of the Black Shadow flashbacks
• Skids was asking other characters about if they listen to music in a few other issues...and Tarn seems to love music and uses his voice as a weapon too...coincidence?
• One of Megatron's written pieces is titled "Towards Peace"
• Rung is still alive, but only by being kept on life support (much like Springer is)
• Swerve is notably upset with Rung's condition, and even placed one of his toy spaceships next to him (as shown above)
• A diagnostic drone spies on Red Alert, who is convinced he's being watched
• One of the seven Transformers on Clemency has angered the DJD, most likely that one is Agent 113, who is an Autobot spy (probably Fulcrum)
• Misfire sort of breaks the fourth wall here, by saying he'll introduce the hell out of everyone (ie an infodump)
• The sun that Hydrus 4 and 5 orbit has apparently gone out, thanks to the thing in Brainstorm's briefcase
• Brainstorm is working on something secret now, which needs to be kept secret until it's finished, or it wont work
• Brainstorm can't decide what colour to make his new ammunition to prevent what happened to Rung happening again
• Skids' gun was stolen from him by Chromedome during that scene in issue 4 where Skids catches the waiter in Swerve's bar, which seemed random at the time.
• The gun exploded as soon as Brainstorm started to analyse it, and all he was able to work out from it was that it only held 2 cartridges and it seems to have been made in the Institute (he named it the binary gun)
• At one point in the war Optimus and Megatron locked themselves inside Omniglobes so they could coordinate the vast-state of the war at the time
• The Decepticons on Clemency assume the war was won by the Autobots...just because.
• Each of the Decepticons on Fulcrum have a bit of an odd personality. Misfire is a bit ADHD, Fulcrum is just overly friendly, Krok is a military strategist with no war left, Spinister is stupid, Flywheels can't lie without transforming, and Crankcase is a chronic grump.
• Grimlock hasn't been seen since Maximum Dinobots, but he was mentioned as being missing from G-9 in Last Stand of the Wreckers.
• Red Alert believe's Rung was shot because Red told him about "the voice"
• This is the first MTMTE story so far to mostly star characters other than the Lost Light crew
• Communicubes come in various sizes
• The Monstercon's are likely counterparts to the Monsterbot's
• The DJD members shown here are named after several Decepticon conquered cities

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #6

Comic Staff

Title: Interiors

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Nick Roche

Colour by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Storyline

Fortress Maximus has been ordered into therapy with Rung in response to his over-the-top battle style on Delphi, and Max remembers his experience with Overlord on Garrus-9, and how Overlord tried to get him to reveal what was under Aequitas. Rung tries to reassure Max that he's safe now since Overlord was destroyed, but he doesn't seem too reassured.

At Swerve's bar Chromedome and some other Autobots are playing a game where Chromedome has to guess who just transformed when tailgate arrives, exhausted from his lesson with Magnus, when his teacher walks in and arrests Swerve for opening an illegal bar without permission. Afterwards Trailbreaker starts talking smack about Fort Max, when he walks in and just opens fire on Pipes, unprovoked, he then leaves and starts "randomly" attacking several other crew members before locking himself in Rung's office, during a session with Whirl.

Rung is restrained to his chair by a bent pole, whilst Whirl is impaled to the floor with another pole. WHirl keeps taunting Max into killing him, but he refuses, as he needs the hostages. Blaster hacks into a camera in Rung's office so they can watch what's going on, Rung notices the camera activate and turns on his microphone too, so they can hear as well. Max makes a call to Rodimus to turn the ship around and send them back to Cybertron so he can make Prowl explain why it took so long to send anyone to G9, and then to kill him. He annoys Rodimus though by calling him Hot Rod, basically making it certain that he wont turn around. Fort Max notices Rung's microphone on his thumb and tears it off.

In the Medibay, Ratchet and First Aid have just finished stabilizing the five victims of Max's rampage when Ratchet notices that all of them have similar colour schemes to Overlord. Back in Rung's office, Max demands to know why Whirl even bothers with therapy since everyone knows he just insane, he reveals his past and that he used to be a watchmaker and then worked for the senate for a while (As shown in Chaos Theory). During the story Rung picks up his toy Ark and starts pointing at the windows, which tells Rodimus to get at Max from the windows. Rodimus calls Rewind and Swerve who are outside changing the rivets as punishments to go to the window.

Whirl reveals at the end of his story that he was kicked out of the Wreckers by Roadbuster after he tried to end Springer's life using  a weapon Roadbuster invented called a Sparkeater (based on the "mythological" one). Max realizes that the star field outside the window hasn't changed, meaning that they haven't turned around yet, so he decides to start killing hostages. Whirl volunteers, but Rung stalls him by saying that he knows this isn't about Prowl and justice, but about Overlord, and how he'll never get revenge. Ratchet tells Rodimus this at the same time.

Rewind and Swerve are in position outside the window, but Max moves behind a pillar and Rewind can't get a clear shot with his gun. Rodimus has Swerve take the gun, whilst Rewind streams in images from G9 and his torture into the room via his camera, which paralyzes Max in pain, Whirl pulls himself off the pole in the distraction, whilst Rung is able to hug Max into trying to calm down. Swerve tries to convince Rodimus not to make him take the shot since Max has stopped now and Rung might get hurt, but Rodimus has him take the shot regardless, resulting in Rung's head being struck and explodes, killing him, resulting in Fort Max screaming, before Whirl can use his pole to impale Max, knocking him out.

Later Rodimus gives a heartfelt speech about Rung's death which impresses Drift, who them tells Rodimus that Red Alert is acting strange and sneaking around, all whilst Red Alert goes into the Sparkeater's old room using Ore's drill weapon, and digs a hole, revealing a chamber that shouldn't exist, containing the supposedly destroyed, albeit disarmed, Overlord repeatedly moaning "kill me"

Character List

Autobot
Rodimus - Speedy Car
Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport
Drift - Car
Fortress Maximus - Tank Injured by Whirl and Incarcerated in Brig
Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy Killed by Swerve (Accident)
Whirl - Osprey Helicopter
Swerve - Van
Rewind - Memory Stick
Ratchet - Ambulance
First Aid - Ambulance
Boss - Car Injured by Fortress Maximus
Pipes - Truck Injured by Fortress Maximus
Dogfight - Jet Injured by Fortress Maximus
Turbine Injured by Fortress Maximus
Doubletap Injured by Fortress Maximus
Chromdome - Car
Hound - Car
Trailbreaker - Van
Skids - Van
Sunstreaker - Car
Brainstorm - Jet
Blaster
Red Alert
Deftwing - Jet
Powerflash
Aquafend
Ore - Drill Tank Dead
Siren (On Radio)
Springer (Flashback) On Life Support
Inferno (Mentioned)
Orion Pax/Optimus Prime (Mentioned)
Prowl (Mentioned)
Roadbuster (Mentioned)
The Wreckers (Mentioned)
Garrus-9 Staff (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Overlord - Tank and Jet Neutered and Restrained

Genericons (Mentioned) Dead

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

The Heavies (Flashback)

The Heavies Boos (Flashback)

Senate (Mentioned)

Senator Empurata (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• Though not clearly identified here, it seems most likely that Turbine is the one with turbines and wings, and Doubletap is the one with two cannons on his arms.
• It's implied in this story that Whirl was ordered to try and kill Megatron by the Senate, as shown in Chaos Theory, most likely due to his message of revolution
• Ironically Swerve is probably going to need therapy after killing the therapist!
• Brainstorm again seems to try and use his briefcase as a shield
• Whirl says he wont be Max's helicopter in his ransom demands...this is funny :D
• This issue clearly shows that Fort Max's design has been slightly updated since the Wreckers storyline on page 2
• Chromedome and Rewind can tell who someone is from just the sound of their transformation. Rewind is better though
• There is something under the Aequitas Chamber on G9.
• Swerve gets punished for opening a bar on the ship, but he's sure Rodimus will let him keep it open
• Rung's office is (was?) on Level 7
• The security team includes Deftwing, Ironfist's wave-mate from the toy line, wonder if he knew ol' Fisitron in this continuity too?
• Fort Max calls Rodimus by his old name Hot Rod, which Rodimus hates (especially since Optimus officially renamed him at the end of Space Opera)
• Seriously? WHY is Siren doing announcements?
• Whirl was once a watchmaker who went a bit crazy....sort of like Sylar from Heroes no?
• The golden disks Rewind bought off Swindle were revealed to be snuff films here, which even disgusted Rodimus, meaning that Rewind is on rivet duty outside for the forseeable future (unless his actions in helping with the hostage situation changed that ruling somewhat)
• Whirl really doesn't care about having his face smashed in or having a pole stabbed through his middle does he?!
• The pole stabs right through Fort Max's Autobot insignia...that has to be symbolic!
• The distorted voice from the previous issue is revealed to have been Overlord! He's restrained in a room that shouldn't exist underneath the Lost Light
• What will happen to Rung's toys now!?! (I can has?) - though as pointed out to me by a certain Drift stalker that probably doesn't need an introduction, Drift is holding a mis-coloured Ark in his hands after Rung's memorial...that thief....
• Chromedome still hates Cyclonus for his actions in Chaos
• It's implied here that Whirl is Jetstream from Bullets, the guy who bullied Rotorstorm
• Despite not knowing his name, Whirl seemed to think of Rung as a friend
• Fort Max, the ultimate prison warden is now in the brig...so ironic.

IDW - More than Meets the Eye #1

Comic Staff

Title: Liars, A to D Part 1: How to say Goodbye and mean it
Written by: James Roberts

Art by:  Nick Roche

Colour by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Storyline

Rodimus addresses a crowd of Autobots and all of Cybertron via some video feeds about his intentions to leave Cybertron and look for the Knights of Cybertron rather than staying with Bumblebee. Wheeljack begins to wonder if this might cause a problem with most of the Autobots leaving, but Prowl assures him that hardly anyone will join Rodimus on his quest, however he's proven wrong when more than 200 sign up for the mission the next day.

At the Kimia Autobot HQ Ratchet examines the body of a NAIL who committed suicide by wearing down his transfomation cog and overheating himself by transforming non-stop for weeks as a protest against the Autobot occupation of Cybertron. Bumblebee says he needed him to examine him for Metalhawk to accept the suicide verdict. Ratchet tells Bumblebee that he's leaving with Rodimus and Bumblebee won't accept it and says that he's still needed here. Ratchet says that he needs to leave as he's getting old now and doesn't feel up to doing his job properly now, plus the Lost Light crew will need a medic.

Cyclonus flies over Cybertron, having been freed from his I/D chip by Rodimus and laments over the now utterly gone Cybertron and misses his old world. He then detects a familiar life sign, Scourge, and goes to find him.

At Prowl's quarters in Kimia Prowl tries to convince Chromedome to stay on Cybertron, but he wants to leave, all whilst Rewind is recording the conversation as part of his archivist job. Prowl gets angry and says that the war's not over, flips over his table and orders some of his men to put some cargo on the Lost Light for him.

6,000,000 years ago Tailgate fell down a hole whilst on the way to the original Ark launch and worries that the mission will fail if he's not there (it does of course). With his systems failing Tailgate starts to drag himself (since his legs are smashed up) towards his micro-trailer full of Energon as part of his plan.

Back in the present day Whirl is in a downed ship/cave/building talking to some dead Sweeps that he's strung up to the walls whilst coating the place in liquid Energon and prepares to blow it up with a match when Cyclonus walks in, thinking the Sweeps were Scourge, upon seeing him Whirl gets angry that he's seen him in an insane mood and attacks him, just before throwing the match at the Energon and blows the place up. Cyclonus transforms to escape him, but Whirl transforms and follows him.

Red Alert is doing security checks on all the Autobots trying to enter the Lost Light, and lets in Brainstorm, despite him having a dangerous experimental compound in his suitcase, and Swerve, who annoys him with his incessant chattering. During his inspection of Rung and his box of model space ships Cyclonus speeds past them and accidentally slashes off Rung's arm.

Drift reports to Rodimus that 208 Autobots have signed up for the mission, and Rodimus is delighted, Ultra Magnus however isn't happy with any of them due to his strict following of the laws etc. Cyclonus and Whirl continue their aerial battle, until Cyclonus tries to end it by transforming and landing on a peak, Whirl however  just continues his attacks and wants to kill Cyclonus for what he saw earlier.
In the past again Tailgate is trying to reach the Energon, but keeps blacking out. Back in the present Chromedome, Ratchet and Rewind are walking to the launch (since Rewind's alternate mode is just a giant memory stick) when Whirl and Cyclonus fall from th sky. Whirl goes to kill the now unconscious Cyclonus and lies to the others saying that he was the one messing with corpses etc. Ratchet tries to talk the insane Autobot down, but he won't listen...until an explosion comes from below the surface and knocks out Whirl. Tailgate calls out to the Autobots for some help, and he's pulled out, mumbling about missing the launch. When he sees Whirl he thinks he's dead, gets scared and blacks out again.
Ratchet, thinking Tailgate was talking about the Lost Light's launch brings him with them to the ship, along with Whirl for repairs (despite him being a major security risk etc) whilst Rewind goes off on his own and buys some golden disks off of Swindle, who comments on how sick Rewind must be to want these things.
Later the Lost Light starts to take off with Drift reporting on the new crew admissions and how Red Alert isn't happy about Whirl being on board. Magnus reports that Bumblebee wants to talk to Rodimus, but he ignores him.
Outside the crowds watch as the ship launches, Bumblebee says that he thought Prowl had a plan, and just as Prowl glances to Bumblebee the ship seemingly explodes.
The Lost Light is flung from it's premature Quantum Jump with a hull breach, and about 40 Autobots are flung from the ship. The crew manage to seal the hull breach, and head to the nearest planet for repairs and to find the ejected Autobots. On the planet Rodimus sees a meteor shower made up of the 40 ejected Autobots and they start on their way to rescue them, with Rodimus commenting on how this isn't a good start.
Back on Cybertron a message has arrived from a member of the Lost Light from the future who gives them a series of warnings about the mission, and even suggests that they don't even launch it, but is cut off just before he can reveal any real specifics, all whilst Bumblebee is mortified about the explosion.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus
Drift
Ultra Magnus
Ratchet
Chromedome
Rewind - Giant Memory Stick
Whirl - Osprey Helicopter Badly Injured by Tailgate
Red Alert
Brainstorm
Swerve
Rung Injured by Cyclonus
Perceptor
Mainframe
Highbrow
Hound
Siren Ejected into Space
Fizzle Ejected into Space
Sureshot Ejected into Space
Rollout Ejected into Space
Polaris Ejected into Space
Waverider Ejected into Space
Hyperion Ejected into Space
Rad Ejected into Space
Bumblebee - Car
Prowl
Wheeljack
Xaaron
Dipstick - Car
Mirage
Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle
Future Lost Light Crew Member (Voice only)
Lost Light Crew
Autobot Crowd
Optimus Prime (Mentioned)
Wreckers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Swindle
Megatron (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet Injured by Whirl
Tailgate Injured
NAIL Protestor - Car Suicide
Metalhawk - Jet (Mentioned)
Galvatron - Laser Cannon (Mentioned)
Scourge - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)
Sweeps - Space Shuttles Dead
Nova Prime - Truck (Mentioned)
Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)
Prima/The First Cybertronian (Mentioned)

Other


Primus (Mentioned)
Vector Sigma (Flashback)

Comic Notes

• I'm not sure about the alternate modes here yet, so I'm leaving them blank unless they're mentioned here or are obvious
• The character models in this comic are based more on the character models from the War for Cybertorn/Prime series
• Ultra Magnus looks like he's based a bit on the Optimal Optimus toy from Beast Wars, but in new colours and with some new parts of course
• It seems like the planet has begun being rebuilt, since there's some sign posts set up for people to listen to Rodimus' speech
• When a Transformer dies it reverts to it's preferred shape through rigor-morphis (like rigor-mortis)
• The dead NAIL is one of the ones who appeared in The Death of Optimus Prime
• They repurposed one of the rooms in Kimia as an autopsy room....do they expect THAT many deaths??
• Rodimus plans to pick up any stray Transformers they find on his journey, so the cast is very likely to grow/shrink as needed
• When Rodimus is seen in Cyclonus' flashback he uses his older character model...YAY FOR CONTINUITY!!!
• Okay it looks like Prowl totally caused the explosion on the Lost Light...dick...
• Brainstorm's pass to excuse him from security checks includes a rub sign and a tech spec (neither of which have been decoded)
• Rung's serial number is 100,000,000
• Rung's collection of model space craft is seen here, however it looks like it's been destroyed due to the incident with Cyclonus (after being retained for the past 4,000,000 years....IRONY!!)
• Ultra Magnus doesn't approve of anyone on the ship it seems...and one of them owe's him money!
• It's unclear what the Golden Disks Rewind buys from Swindle are, but if they're like any past iterations of them, then they'll have important or dangerous data on them
• Holy Shite! Is that Sky Lynx!!!???
• One of the named Autobots who were pulled from the ship is called Polaris, named after a fan magazine from the Transmasters UK fangroup who produce fiction (which the writer and artist were both part of)
• From the message form the future it seems like the Lost Light will be back in known space before long, since it mentions Delphi, an Autobot medical outpost where part of Bullets was set.
• Also the future message mentions a coffin....in the movie continuity the Original 13 have sarcophagi to rest in or something, which are very similar to coffins...just saying! 
• Magnus mentions something about one of the crew having issues with Turbofoxes, and then Whirl mentions them as well, probably meaning it was about him.
• Wait...Tailgate's been on Cybertron for 6,000,000 years and yet he's never noticed the whole planet being dead or no one's picked up his Energy signature (or picked up on the Energon in his trailer??)
• It seems like Cyclonus was planning on joining Rodimus on his mission originally
• Tailgate mentions the Underbase
• It's a bit scary how so many scientists have joined Rodimus on his mission, leaving what seems like only Wheeljack left behind to fix and injured guys on Cybertron now....YOU'RE DOOMED!!!!