IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: The Magic of Cybertron #3

"Sick Beats"

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artist: Tony Fleecs

Flats: Lauren Perry

Colours: Tony Fleecs

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

"The Beauty of Cybertron"

Writer:  James Asmus

Artist Priscilla Tramontano

Colours: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

"Sick Beats" Plot

Following their arrival on Cybetron, and witnessing several Ponies and Decepticons being mind controlled by King Sombra, Octavia and Vinyl decide to hide, until they can find a way home.

While hiding, they come across some of the students from the School of Friendship, who they intend to find a way home for, however they are soon encountered by Soundwave, who intends to capture them for Megatron to drain their magic.

A quick battle takes place, but it just results in the two groups being trapped in rubble. The groups continue to argue, and can't get themselves free, but soon they decide to work together to break out. Soundwave is told that the Equestrians can freely share their magic with him, simply by being friends.

When outside, Soundwave realises that something has happened, and Megatron has been compromised, so he needs to join up with the Equestrians to help him...

"The Beauty of Cybertron" Plot

Ratchet and Rarity have joined up to try and find a cure to the mind control, and manage to capture Knock Out, who isn't actually mind controlled, but just rioting for the fun of it. Ratchet forces him to help them out by placing a (fake) bomb to his shoulder as leverage. 

The trio travel through Cybertron, with Knock Out also trying to prove to Rarity that Cybetron is more than just danger, and is a truly beautiful place too, when the group come across a group of mind controlled bots gathering Energon for Sombra, including Knock Out's partner Breakdown.

The trio combine Rarity's magic with Ratchet's neural disruptors and brainwave inhibitors, plus Knock Out's love for Breakdown manages to break him out of the spell. The group try to figure out a way to use this for everyone else, but unknown to them, Sombra is watching, and monologues that it is already too late...

Characters

Autobot

Ratchet - Ambulance

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank Under Sombra Mind Control 

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Knock Out - Car

Breakdown - Van

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Laserbeak - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Other Cybertronian

Mind Controlled Bots 

A Titan

Equestrian

Rarity

Twilight Sparkle Under Sombra Mind Control

Fluttershy Under Sombra Mind Control

King Sombra

Octavia Melody

Vinyl Scratch

Sandbar

Tina

Solder

Silverstream

Ocellus

Gallus

The Equestrian Princesses (Mentioned)

Other

The Radiant Shralls 

Notes

• Oddly, the two stories this issue are set at the start of the crossover, just after Sombra mind controls the crowd at the Spacebridge, and seemingly near the end of the crossover, with Ratchet and Rarity figuring out a "cure" to the mind control.
• We saw Octavia and Vinyl being abducted with their stage by the Decepticons in issue one.
• The "Young Six" are revealed to have been at the musical event along with the "Mane Six" when the Decepticons started their abduction, and apparently everyone there was transported to Cybertron (though we didn't see that part)
• Ocellus refers to Vinyl as "Miss DJ" likely as a reference to her alternate official name if DJ Pon-3 (or maybe they just forgot which name they were using in this story)
• The end of the first story shows the Spacebridge seemingly repaired. I'm pretty sure it was completely destroyed in issue one, which this issue is set during/just after.
• Knock Out is a transplant of his Prime counterpart, along with Breakdown from the same series, with them identified as "partners" here, as they werw previously shown to be in the old IDW continuity.
• The Cybertron in this crossover is shown to be similar to that of the concurrent main Transformers continuity, with organic aliens on the planet, and Titans acting as buildings and part of the landscape.
• Sombra makes his first appearance since the very first story of issue one.

IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: The Magic of Cybertron #2

Stunt Flying

Writer: Ian Flynn

Artist: Priscilla Tramontano

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

One-Trick Pony

Writer: Sam Maggs

Artist: Trish Forstner

Colours: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

"Stunt Flying" Plot

The Seekers and Wonderbolts have teamed up to attack a group of Sombra-Controlled bots and Equestrians in a Cybertronian city. The controlled bots and horses fire lasers on the fliers, and the two groups are at odds at how to take restrain them, until Rainbow Dash comes up with the idea to have the Wonderbolts use their Pegasus powers to create a rainstorm, and she creates a Sonic Rainboom and disorient then controlled crowd, allowing the Decepticons to fire missiles loaded with Energon nets to capture them.

The Decepticons consider killing the captured Autobots in the batch, but decide against it in case they need the forces to take on Sombra and his hoard. Starscream tries to take credit for their victory, but the rest of the team celebrate Rainbow instead, much to Starscream's annoyance.

"One-Trick Pony" Plot

Applejack wanders around a Cybertronian desert, until she encounters Wild Wheel, who claims the area belongs to him. The two get into a stare down, but is ends after they both knock out the Sombra-controlled Quickstrike and Skids, with each earning the other's respect. The two walk off into the sunset, discussing how Equestria has magic all the time, and Applejack says that she has a friend who can make them matching hats. 

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Jazz - Car Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Hound - Jeep Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Skids - Van Controlled by Sombra, Defeated by Wild Wheel

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Wild Wheel - Car

Swindle - Jeep Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Brawl - Tank Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Motormaster - Truck Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Quickstrike - Scorpion-Snake Fuzor Controlled by Sombra, Defeated by Applejack and Wild Wheel

Equestrian

Applejack

Rainbow Dash

Spitfire

Wave Chill

Blaze

Surprise

Soarin

High Winds

Possessed Ponies Controlled by Sombra, Captured by Wonderbolts/Seekers

Sombra (Mentioned)

Rarity (Mentioned)

Notes

• I can understand there being more Cybertronians under Sombra's control than the ones we saw in issue one, since he's been "recruiting" them...but where did the extra Ponies come from?
• It shouldn't need to be said, but Starscream's fantasy form is based on his "Emperor Starscream" form from the original movie.
• Rainbow Dash mentions how Starscream was defeated by her, and his own cape in the previous crossover.
• For some reason, Rainbow Dash isn't in her Wonderbolts uniform (and don't say "she didn't bring it with her", Applejack didn't bring her cowboy outfit with her either, yet she's wearing it this issue!)
• It's not stated in the issue, but the location where Applejack is wandering is most likely the Sea of Rust, but re-designed to better resemble the "Old West".
• Wild Wheel is a straight transfer of his character from Cyberverse, right down to his status of being a former Autobot, current Decepticon.
• The two mind controlled bots during the second story are Quickstrike and Skids, the former having a strong western theme to him in Beast Wars, and the latter having had a story from the Marvel days with a western theme too (I guess they needed another cowboy-type from somewhere).
• It's not stated here, but we can assume that Quickstrike is a Decepticon. Though, since he was originally a Maximal protoform who just joined the Predacons of his own will in Beast Wars, he could be an Autobot?

IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise #2

Inspiring

Writer: Ian  Flynn

Artist: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

Writer: Sam Maggs

Artist: Casey W. Coller

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

Group Editor: Bobby Curnow

First Story Plot

Spike, now in the Ark on Earth, spends time with Grimlock, who he idolizes due to his giant size and strength, when the ship's proximity alarms go off, alerting them to the Constructicons arrival, planning to destroy the Ark whilst it's undermanned.

Grimlock goes out to fight the Decepticons, but gets overwhelmed when they combine into Devastator. Spike, wanting to help, and noticing the engines of the downed Autobot ship, rushes back inside, quickly learns basic Cybertronian and starts up the ship's engines, using them to blast the combiner, who de-combines and the Constructicons retreat.

Afterwards, Grimlock thanks Spike, and tells him that he's inspired by his quick mind and skills, despite his small size, and says that he knows he'll get stronger as time goes on.

All this flattery causes Spike to pass out in joy however...

Second Story Plot

On Equestria, Pinkie Pie is hosting her cooking show, and introduces her very special guest, the newest Autobot, Gauge. The two show their favourite recipes as part of a cultural exchange of sorts, with Pinkie showing off her cupcakes, and Gauge showing an iron filling casserole, much to the horror of the pony audience, and Pinkie herself.

Before the two can start their cooking however, Shockwave arrives via another Spacebridge, and he declares his intent to test if ponies can be used to fuel Decepticons.

Pinkie and Gauge work together to defeat Shockwave using a bunch of kitchen utensils and manage to knock him back into the Spacebridge, sending it away again. Following his expulsion, the audience cheer, likely assuming it was just part of the show.

A while later, the duo finish preparing their meals, and both try the other's creations, and both immediately dislike the other's work, but at least try to be courteous about it...

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Gauge

Other Autobots (Mentioned, On Other Missions)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Ray Gun

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scrapper - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Scavenger - Excavator

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Equestrian

Pinkie Pie

Spike, the Dragon

Derpy

Bon Bon

Lyra Heartstrings

Vinyl Scratch

Octavia

Cheerilee

Doctor Hooves

Roseluck

Thunderlane

Flitter

Minuette

Lily Valley

Apple Split

Diamond Rose

Cherry Berry

Lemon Hearts

Cloudkicker

Other Ponies in Audience

Princess Twilight Sparkle (Mentioned)

Notes

• We learn that at least one Equestrian was transported to the Transformers universe here, since Spike is on the Earth of their universe (and not the Equestria Girls one)
• Since the Transformers-side of the portal, as well as Grimlock, was on Cybertron last issue it's logical to assume that Spike ended up on Cybertron initially, and went back to Earth via Spacebridge afterwards. (the cartoon did show that Cybertron had a breathable atmosphere in this continuity)
• Spike's ability to quickly learn a new language and operational systems that are beyond that of Equestria is likely due to Twilight's book-worm influence.
• The Ark's engines can be converted easily into cannons it seems....that would be handy if Trypticon attacks the volcano and ship in a couple decades....
• Gauge is introduced as the newest Autobot, likely a reference to her status as the newest forged Cybertronian in the concurrent G1 comic series from IDW, though she isn't an Autobot in that continuity (yet)
• Shockwave shows the ability to convert his hands into new weapons etc
• Shockwave's plan to see if he can convert ponies into fuel could be a reference to pink alchemy from the previous IDW continuity, where organics are drained of life to create Energon
• Pinkie Pie's dislike of Gauge's food is quite funny when you look at a load of crap she's eaten over the franchise's run.

IDW - Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase

Cover Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Letters and Design by: Christa Miesner

Edits by: Megan Brown

An Arcee Sort of Day

Written by: Peri Mercer

Drawn by: Umi Miyao

Coloured by: Elaina Unger

Plot

Following the end of their long war, the Cybertronians are at peace, and their lives have become mundane.

Arcee, once a fierce warrior, has just been refused a loan for a house and heads back to her apartment, dealing with road rage and bar fights along the way, however when she gets home, she is greeted by her pet cat, and realizes that things aren't all that bad after all...

Characters

Arcee - Car

Loan Officer - Stealth Bomber

Road Rager - Van

Traffic Bots - Various Cars

Other Loan Applicants

Security Bots

Bar Patrons

Bartender

Damus

Unicron Cultists

Arcee's Pussy Cat

Unicron (Mentioned)

Ghost

Written and Drawn by: Emma Vieceli

Coloured by: Ronda Pattison

Plot

Dawn Moreno, the new Snake Eyes used to be afraid of ghosts as a kid, but since she has taken on the mantle from the dead original Snake Eyes, and has been communing with him, and learning about his life, she has gotten over this fear, and now feels she has a purpose to give a ghost a voice of his own...

Characters

Dawn Moreno/Snake Eyes II

Ghost movie Actress (Footage)

Snake Eyes I (Flashback/Ghost) Dead

Scarlett (Flashback)

Timber, the Wolf (Flashback)

Snake Eyes' Enemies (Flashback)

Recharge

Written, Drawn and Coloured by: Sarah Winifred Searle

Plot

A meme, comparing Misfits band member Stormer to a manatee has gone viral, and bandmate Pizzazz is pissed off about it, but Stormer doesn't let it get to her, as she's used to people judging her based on her looks, she leaves for a walk and bumps into her girlfriend, Kimber, who asks her to meet with her later.

Soon, Stormer stops by a café, where she sits outside reading a book, and decides to stay out there when it starts raining down on her...

Characters

Stormer/Mary Phillips

Pizzazz/Phyllis Gabor

Kimber Benton

Waitress

Shana Elmsford (Mentioned)

Misfits Fans (Mentioned)

Misfits Critics (Mentioned)

The Stage

Written by: Katie Cook

Drawn by: Agnes Garbowska

Coloured by: Heather Breckel

Plot

In the mid-eighties, Katie Cook was a weird kid who used to play with her My Little Pony toys, and loved to make stories about them, which included body horror and happy dance numbers.

When she grew up, and came to enjoy the newer cartoon, she was approached to create a comic series about her favourite toys, which she relished in, treating it like she did as a kid, having fun, and trying to entertain others.

Unfortunately, she is annoying to her own kids, who don't want to hear about how the comics and stories are made by their mother, but want to make their own stories with their own toys...again including body horror (but this time with glitter though!)

Characters

Real People

Katie Cook

Harper Cook

Grayson Cook

Andy Price

IDW Editor Bobby (Mentioned)

Benny Hill (Mentioned)

Fictional

G1 Locket

G1 Baby Half Note

G1 Sea Breeze

G1 Starflower

G1 Applejack

G1 Twilight

G1 Baby Cuddles

G4 Twilight Sparkle

G4 Pinkie Pie

G4 Fluttershy

G4 Leadwing

G4 Bittersweet

G4 Sunset Shimmer

G4 Applejack

G4 Rarity

G4 Princess Luna

G4 Princess Celestia

Equestria Girls Twilight Sparkle

Equestria Girls Fluttershy

TOO MANY G1 PONIES TO NAME!!

G4 Discord (Mentioned)

Of Flying and Falling

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Drawn by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Coloured by: Joana LaFuente

Plot

When she was young, Mairghread Scott and her sister used to love the Beast Wars cartoon, and used to act out their own battles and scenes between the characters in their back garden.

Despite her love for the cartoon though, Mairghread hated that there was only two female characters in the series, and was upset when her favourite, Airazor, was written out, but despite this, she kept a part of Airazor inside her, and wouldn't let it die.

Eventually she learns about the newly fan-poll created character Windblade, and allies to write for her new series.

Time passes, and Mairghread has published a few series focusing on Windblade, and even included a larger library of female characters than she had as a child, whilst setting up her booth at a convention, she is approached by a small girl, clutching a Windbalde toy, who says she's her favourite character, which Mairghread agrees to as well...

Characters

Real People

Mairghread Scott

Mairghread's Sister

Mairghread's Husband

Mairghread's Teacher

Random People

Convention Goers

Fictional

Airazor - Falcon

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Rhinox - Rhino

Tigatron - White Tiger

Tigerhawk - Winged Tiger

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Blackarachnia - Black Widow Spider

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Scorponok - Scorpion

Waspinator - Wasp

Inferno - Fire Ant

Terrorsaur - Pterodactyl 

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Moonracer - Sports Car

Strika - Battle Tank

Elita One

Mistress of Flame

Greenlight

Lancer

Lightbright

Optimus Prime Plushie 

Generic Superheroes

Overall Notes

• Okay, first off, I want to thank Crunch Comics in Reading for helping me get my hands on this comic, I couldn't find any UK sellers anywhere other than them. Please give them a look if you need specific comics or are just in the Reading area :)
• I've decided to put ALL the notes for this comic in one section, rather than one for each individual story, where needed. I'll TRY to keep the notes in order, but no promises :D
• This anthology comic was made to celebrate international women's day/month and showcases several female members of IDW's creative team. The series is named after the female computer from Jem and the Holograms....now...when do we get Male Synergy or Teletraan-1? 
• The three franchise comics are each three pages long, and the two biopics are seven pages each, making the complete book just 23 pages long of new content (excluding the print/cover reprints and title pages) Making the double cover price a bit odd...
• Just for the record, I don't follow the GI Joe: Real American Hero, Jem and the Holograms or My Little Pony comics, so if I make any dumb errors in my analysis etc, please forgive me (a lot of these have either no or little fan wikis to help me out either)
• Of the three franchise comics, only the Transformers one is currently impossible to be in continuity with the IDW continuity, either the new one or previous, so maybe this is just set in another continuity, ala Deviations (ie, "In a world where Arcee got a cat instead of a girlfriend!"
• Arcee's redesign in this book is an amalgamation of her IDW design and the Power of the Primes/Siege female Autobot toy design, possibly hinting at a new toy perhaps?
• The loan officer appears to use Megatron's stealth bomber body, but with a new head and some slightly different kibble.
• They don't say where the mean comments about Stormer are being shared is, in the Jem story, but from the talk about followers, memes and rabid fanbases being set upon people, we can all assume it's Twitter.
• So....why does Stormer just sit out in the rain, with her book in hand? That's just going to ruin the book if nothing else!
• In the MLP biopic story, I've only bothered to identify the toys and characters shown that have either a noticeable role in the story, or are named themselves, there is literally a panel with at least three dozen ponies in it....I AM NOT INSANE!!!
• Just to prove that I did try however, I spent about an hour trying to identify a character on the TV in one panel, because I wanted to be thorough.
• In Katie's childhood bedroom , she has a Mr Potatohead figure....what a Hasbro shill!!
• In one panel it's mentioned that G1 Applejack is the toy being played with, but the figure shown is purple, not orange like the character herself...I PAY ATTENTION OKAY!!!
• During the Beast Wars biopic, Dinobot is mentioned as being a Predacon...this was only the case for episode one of the series when he flipped sides to a Maximal (which is also his faction in the toyline). Maybe Mairghread and her sister just liked him to be a Predacon over a Maximal?
• I don't know if the superheroes on the TV in Mairghread's childhood are actually supposed to be from something, but I don't recognise them....sorry if they're important!
• The final panel with Mairghread at a convention is, for those who do not attend Transformers conventions, very accurate to what you'd see there, from cosplayers to people carrying plushies of characters they like
• I'm not going to count the characters who appear on the comic covers on Mairghread's table in my character checklist by the way, since they're too small to count, but I just wanted to say that I did notice them!
• Due to the size, it's difficult to tell, but I believe the Windblade toy the little girl is holding is the Titans Return version...which if it's anything like my one....BE CAREFUL WITH THE HEAD!! IT JUST POPS RIGHT OFF!!!