IDW - Optimus Prime #20

Title: The Falling Part 5: Endless Forever

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama

Finishes by: Casey W. Coller (Pages 14-19)

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Back during the rule of Zeta Prime, Orion Pax brings his new recruit, Bumblebee with him on a raid of Swindle's weapons workshop, where Bee notices and is concerned by Pax's growing violence towards the Decepticons. Jetfire comments that this ISN'T the same person who challenged the old Senate in the past any more...

Eventually Pax reformed and went against his old friend Zeta Prime, helping Megatron to kill him, beginning the true civil war.

During the Dark Cybertron event, Bumblebee was killed by Shockwave and his body was consumed by a singularity caused by a repentant Shockwave, and has been trapped in Infraspace ever since then, but is now joined by Optimus Prime as well.

The two trapped Autobots worry about what is happening on Cybertron without them, but Optimus is confident that Arcee and the others can save their world, despite them being all but dead right now.

On Cybertron, Arcee tears through the Maximals, but even with her skills is eventually captured by Liege Maximo and his guards, but he reveals that they will not kill her, since "Onyx Prime" has need of her.

Nearby, Devastator and Victorion battle it out, with Devastator using brute force to overcome Victorion's gravity bending powers. Shockwave watches the battle as Starscream, whose entire life has been revealed to be pointless and manipulated, slinks away, intending to return to his jail cell.

Aileron and Jetfire make it to Metrotitan's body where they find the Titan has been definitely killed, Jetfire explains to Aileron who Shockwave is, explaining that he's pretty much pure evil and tried to destroy reality once. Aileron is pleased however, since he is just a real guy, and not a Prime, it's possible that he can be killed.

Back in Infraspace, Bee theorizes that he was able to connect to Starscream in the "real world" because he was always uncomfortable in his own body, and since the people trapped in Infraspace are without true bodies too, they must be able to use him as an anchor of sorts.

Back on Cybertron again, Windblade returns to the rest of the council after looking for Optimus, only to find a riot forming on the streets below between the Decepticons and Prime's loyalists, especially since some of them questions WHICH Prime to follow!

Hiding from the crowd, Soundwave is with Needlenose, the former of which is now hated by everyone for his involvement in Horri-Bull's murder being revealed. Starscream, on his way back to jail, is found by the Decepticons and they ask him to lead them once again, since he didn't do that bad of a job last time, however, upon hearing this, Soundwave is reinvigorated to get "his" Decepticons back...

Inside Infraspace, the two Autobots discuss how this world is pretty much just made up of thoughts and ideas, giving Optimus the idea to use the Matrix...or at least the memory of it, to help them escape...

Aileron and Jetfire make it towards the Crystal City singularity, where they find the anomaly larger and surrounded by light, as well as the dead bodies of several Maximals and Arcee's discarded jetpack, they worry about what is happening, until Shockwave arrives and is glad to see Jetfire, as he needs his help for the final stage of his plan....

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Roadmaster - Van

Metrotitan - Autobot City Dead

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck Cab Trapped in Infraspace

Bumblebee - Muscle Car Trapped in Infraspace

Zeta Prime (Flashback Only) Dead

Megatron - Tank (Flashback Only)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Flashback Only)

Prowl - Emergency Vehicle (Flashback Only)

Ironhide - Van (Flashback Only)

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned)

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Race Car (Mentioned)

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet (Mentioned) 

Decepticon

Shockwave/Onyx Prime - Flying Artillery

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Acidstorm - Fighter Jet

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Swift - Helicopter

Flip Sides - Cassette

G'Nur

Submarauder - Submarine

Skullgrin - Tank

Garboil - Cassette 

"Armada Thrust" - Fighter Jet

Decepticon Rioters

Swindle - Van (Flashback Only)

Space Case - Fighter Jet (Flashback Only)

Road Pig - Motorcycle (Flashback Only)

Snarler (Flashback Only)

Finback - Hovercraft (Flashback Only)

"Armada Cyclonus" - Helicopter (Flashback Only)

"Cybertron Sideways" - Space Shuttle (Flashback Only)

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Beast Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Thunderhoof - Elk Killed by Arcee

Steel Jaw - Wolf Killed by Arcee

Powerhug - Pill Bug Killed by Arcee

"Mutant Soundwave" - Bat/Alligator Killed by Arcee

Diver - Toad Killed by Arcee

Icebird - Owl/Polar Bear Killed by Arcee

Posion Bite - Barracuda/Scorpion Killed by Arcee

Mantis - Praying Mantis Killed by Arcee

Lazorbeak - Pteranodon Killed by Arcee

Tasmania Kid - Tasmanian Devil Killed by Arcee

Rockbuster - Fiddler Crab Killed by Arcee

Bigmos - Mosquito Killed by Arcee

Drill Nuts - Boll Weevil Killed by Arcee

Scuba - Squid Killed by Arcee

DJ - Cicada Killed by Arcee

Snapper - Snapping Turtle

Scylla - Squid

Archadis - Archaeopteryx

Dead End - Ammonite

Apache - Mandrill 

Cohrada - Cobra 

Jawbreaker - Hyena

Heinrad - Tanuki

Moon - Rabbit 

Seaclamp - Lobster (Claw Seen)

Other Maximals

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Liege Maximo

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Elita One - Car

Mistress of Flame

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Fat Tankor - Tank

Prime Loyalists

The Old Senate (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Vigilem - Carcer Ship (Mentioned)

Trypticon - Earth Embassy (Mentioned)

Lightbright (Mentioned)

Metalhawk - Fighter Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Other

Marissa Faireborn

Notes

• The opening scene is set just after Bumblebee met Optimus in the 2017 Annual, and leads into his ruthless cop persona from the start of Autocracy
• Among the Decepticons in Swindle's workshop are Armada Cyclonus and Cybertron Sideways...has Unicron been manipulating Cybertron using Sideways this whole time?!
• Arcee claims to have avoided the Lost Light to also avoid wordplay...I guess she hates Swerve...
• In the Infraspace realm, Optimus appears to have a purple colour scheme, much like his Shattered Glass counterpart
• Bumblebee apologizes to Optimus for not doing a good job leading the Autobots during Optimus' self-imposed exile from Cybertron. Optimus says that it's okay, but he was pretty mad with Rodimus when he learned that he messed up too, seems a bit biased...
• Submarauder and Skullgrin are seen in their Pretender shells here...but if you remember all the way back to Stormbringer they were seemingly killed before they ever received them. (We saw before that Skullgrin survived his "death" so it can be assumed that at least some of the other proto-Pretenders did too)
• Fat Tankor is mentioned to be "unaligned"....since when?
• I'm assuming that the condor cassette in this issue is Garboil, since Laserbeak and Buzzsaw should be still on the Jupiter Decepticon colony
• Seaclamp's claw is shown amongst the dead bodies of the Maximals, however he prominently appears in the upcoming Unicron #1, so he must have just lost an arm (I would normally assume it's a repaint's body, but his only repaint is Gimlet, who is part of the Autobot's Earth crew)
• For some reason, Shockwave needs Arcee and Jetfire for his big plans, we don't know why, not even with the early released Unicron #1, set after this issue, and the next!
• Last issue's solicit for this issue said that "only one will survive" regarding Victorion and Devastator's battle...did the conclusion get moved back an issue for some reason? Their battle lasted all of two pages here...

IDW - The Transformers #47

Title: Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange 

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Cosmos arrives at the Jupiter commune, where he asks Soundwave to help him find the other Autobots, but Soundwave cannot hear them, even with his enhanced hearing. Cosmos begins to panic, and Soundwave offers him to come inside the commune, where he can calm down and decide what to do next.

On Earth, Thundercracker is complaining to Buster about how Blackrock is allowed to speak to Spike, and he isn't, and he muses on how he thinks Blackrock's lost it.

Inside Spike's cell, Blackrock starts waxing lyrical about the destructive powers of the Ark-7, and claims that a Black Angel told him how to do everything he's done. Spike also thinks Blackrock's gone mad, which he also agrees is probably true, but it doesn't matter.

In the Sea of Rust on Cybertron, Optimus and Aileron visit the singularity that houses the Crystal City, and the bodies of Shockwave and Bumblebee whilst also looking for the Torchbearers on Aileron's suggestion (last issue) when suddenly the six Camiens appear before them.

In Iacon, the Decepticons led by Needlenose march through the Spaceport towards the Spacebridge terminal. Tracks begins by dismissing it, until Zetca points out that his brother Needlnose is amongst them Tracks informs Starscream about it, but he dismisses it as just them going for a walk. Tracks decides to confront Needlenose once and for all about his choices, and leaves his station.

Back at the Jupiter Commune, Soundwave informs Galvatron that he's in contact with the Autobot's space bridge on the Ark, and Galvatron tells him to take it from them. Cosmos assumes this means the Decepticons were responsible for the attack on the Ark, but Soundwave simply points out that  ignoring the potential to take the space bridge now would be a waste, but they didn't cause the attack.

Back on Cybertron, Optimus tries to introduce himself to the Torchbearers, but they aren't interested, as they don't see him as a true Prime, since he simply inherited the role, and wasn't one of the originals. Pyra Magna points out that they left Caminus to look into Cybertron's history and to reshape their futures, and leads to the Torchbearers attacking Optimus as a group, in order to help "light his way".

At Iacon, Tracks catches up to Needlenose and tries to stop him from making anotehr mistake, which Needlenose interprets as him loving Horri-Bull being a mistake. Needlenose offers Tracks a place with them in their trip to Earth, but Tracks is horrified, and threatens to inform Optimus. However before he can do anything, Brawl shoots him in the chest and leaves him off-line and smouldering from his wound. Needlenose looks shocked at first, but then kicks his downed brother, and leads the Decepticons forward.

Elsewhere, Starscream is having a conversation with the Bumblebee "hallucination" and is convinced by him to inform the others about what Needlenose and the others are doing. Starscream contacts Windblade and tells her to call in everyone for the situation.

Optimus fights with the Torchbearers as Aileron watches on in awe, but Optimus realizes that the Torchbearers aren't trying to kill him, which they respond that they can't as he's a precious relic that they must portect, before combining into Victorion, and using her gravitational powers to pin down Prime.

Victorion has Optimus recite the history of the Matrix for her, and during which she learns that Optimus believes the Matrix is just a piece of old technology and isn't mystical, like she thinks. After a discussion, she states that she believes the Matrix belongs to her, as she is a direct follower of Solus Prime, but agrees to build up Optimus into the Prime he is supposed to be.

On Ark-7, Arcee and the others have fought their way to the space bridge room, where Arcee plans to go to Cybertron, destroy the ship and bridge, and come back with reinforcements to take care of their Human attackers, however upon entering the room, the Decepticon forces, led by Needlenose march through, having already made the trip and begin attacking the Autobots.

On the Jupiter Commune, Cosmos learns that the Decepticons are coming to the Commune on mass, and will steal the space bridge for their uses. Cosmos is ashamed for having trusted Soudnwave, despite his consistent claims for peace, and wonders what happened to his friend D.O.C.

On Earth, D.O.C. has entered the EDC base, and encounters Buster the Dog.....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Alpha Trion - Tumbler

Tracks - Car Blasted by Brawl

Cosmos - Orbiter

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Sizzle - Car

Omega Supreme - Base and Rocket Being Repaired

Bumblebee - Cybertronian Car (Hallucination/Ghost)

Sentinel Prime (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Race Car (Mentioned)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Laserbeak - Cassette Player

Buzzsaw - Cassette Player

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Brawl - Tank

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Flamefeather - Bird Monster

Acidstorm - Fighter Jet

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Tank

Dauros - Tank

Submarauder - Submarine

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Other Decepticon Rebels

Horri-Bull - Bull (Mentioned) Dead

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Mentioned) Dead

Bombshell - Boll Weevil (Mentioned)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Zetca

Camien

Pyra Magna - Emergency Vehicle

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dustup - Sports Car

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Aileron - Aerial Vehicle

Mistress of Flame (Mentioned)

Other Cybetrtronian

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Crystal City Titan - SpaceShip/City (Mentioned) Dead

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Solomus (Mentioned)

Prima (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Vector Prime (Mentioned)

Nexus Prime (Mentioned)

Onyx Prime (Mentioned)

Micronus Prime (Mentioned)

Alchemist Prime (Mentioned)

Amalgamous Prime (Mentioned)

Quintus Prime (Mentioned)

Liege Maximo (Mentioned)

"The Fallen" (Mentioned)

"The Arisen" (Mentioned)

Human

Garrison Blackrock

Spike Witwicky

EDC Troops

Other

Buster the Dog

D.O.C.

The Black Angel (Mentioned)

Notes

• I have a feeling that the "Black Angel" mentioned by Blackrock has something to do with Cybertron and/or the Mystery Gear Faction from More Than Meets the Eye
• The alternate translation for "Ark" in Cybertronian being "Vanguard" is a reference to the class of ship that the original version of the ship from the G1 comic and cartoon.
• The alternative "Vanguard" name, interpreted by Blackrock as being for a leading division of an invading army is also quite apt for Nova Prime's intentions for the ships.
• The remains of the black hole created in Dark Cybertron are revealed to be still present in the Sea of Rust, but isn't a threat due to an electromagnetic field coming from it.
• Optimus reveals that the area now known as the Sea of Rust used to be called the Rust Spot.
• Since Swift has joined the Decepticon exodus, it's not too much of a stretch to assume that Lightbright may have joined them too, due to her closeness with Sparkstalker, who is also amongst the group.
• Zetca is revealed to have survived Dark Cybertron, and has started working at the spaceport, under Tracks.
• Oh look! Omega Supreme's still being repaired! Honestly, I assumed he was dead by now...wonder why they didn't try using the Enigma of Combination on him to repair him, like they did Superion?
• Bumblebee uses a word that Starscream doesn't understand, and since he uses it in context and properly, it seems likely that he knows what it means. This points to the possibility that this "hallucination" of Bumblebee is actually him in some way, either as a ghost, or some sort of remnant of his existence.
• For the first time so far, we actually see the Motorcycle component of Victorion/Defensor's torso mold in a comic!
• Victorion names the members of the Thirteen, which match up with the list given for the Aligned continuity, and not the more recently given Multiverse list. The two unnamed members are "The Fallen" (Megatronus) and "The Arisen", in the Aligned list this would be Optimus Prime, but the phrase "Arisen" is also used when Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime in the 80's movie. (I know we've been shown his birth-site etc, but I feel I need to mention this due to his Matrix-affinity)
• Swift being amongst the Decepticons is likely due to her recent romance with Barricade, where she was told the Decepticons were freedom fighters.

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #45

Title: Some of my Best Friends are Autobots

Written by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Alex Milne

Inks by: Brian Shearer with Alex Milne

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Page 1 Photograph: Maziar Shahsafdari

Letters: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Since we last saw them, the Scavengers have had a slew of adventures, from landing on a planet where they are forced to sing, having Shockwave exiting a data-pad, saving the universe from a being using a Jenga set, and strangest of all, ending up as toys on a strange photo-realistic planet.

Today, the Scavengers have been turned against each other, Fulcrum, Krok and Grimlock have been taken out, and Misfire is under heavy attack from Spinister, however before Spinister can finish off his target, Crankcase swoops in and shoots his own rubber dart at Misfire's head, winning the game.

The group start to moan at Crankcase, since he wasn't even playing the game, when Krok suddenly realizes that no-one's piloting the shuttle, which quickly crashes into a mountain.

Four hours later, Misfire is trying to teach Grimlock how to write his name down, Grimlock manages to write down a scrawled "G", Misfire congratulates him, until he notices that Grimlock has spilt energon on the floor, causing Misfire to briefly get angry, but then asks what happened to him, resulting in Grimlock grabbing Misfire's neck.

Fulcrum and Crankcase are hanging out in the TV room where they are watching the stand-up routine of Skullcruncher, who has become a self-deprecating Decepticon comic, who is very popular on Cybertron right now. During the stand-up he mocks how the Infiltration process makes no sense, and claims that he always knew Megatron would switch sides.

Krok wakes up in the corridor, having been still unconscious from the crash when he heads to the TV room and gets annoyed that Skullcruncher has made a new life for himself, like several of his other old contacts and friends, and he's jealous of their abilities to leave the war, and smashes the TV.

Suddenly Grimlock smashes into the TV room (or I guess room-room now) with Misfire hanging off his neck, trying to calm him down. Crankcase manages to stop him by blasting him with his shoulder cannons, knocking him out. The other Scavengers moan at Misfire about how he's now rehabilitated the Dinobot yet, when Spinister appears in the room, to tell them that the "giant TV" is talking to him again.

On the bridge, Krok and Misfire respond to the communication from Krok's old friend Demus, who has a business proposition for them on his private moon.

The team head over there, and Demus insists that the Scavengers take a temporary suppressant to hinder their alternate modes, as he becomes violently ill if he sees an alternate mode. Demus takes the Scavengers to his office where he offers to buy their prisoner, Grimlock, from them for half a billion Shanix each. Demus receives a message and leaves, allowing the Scavengers to discuss their decision. Most of them are happy to do this, but Misfire has become attached to Grimlock, and doesn't want him hurt, whilst Fulcrum is concerned with why Grimlock, who is brain damaged, would be worth so much money to Demus.

In the scrapyard, Demus is talking to a mysterious party over his communicator about how they had a deal for both of their protections, when he suddenly comes face to face with someone he's been hiding from...

In the office, the Scavengers have voted 3-2 to sell Grimlock, suddenly Demus is thrown through the window, and executed by the Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, Fortress Maximus, who asks the Scavengers "who's next?"

Characters

Decepticon

Misfire - Jet

Krok - Monoformer

Crankcase - Van

Spinister - Helicopter

Fulcrum - Bomb

Demus - Monoformer Killed by Fortress Maximus

Skullcruncher - Alligator (On TV)

Overlord - Jet and Tank (Mentioned)

Ratbat - Cassette (Mentioned)

Agonizer (Mentioned)

Biteback (Mentioned)

Deathsaurus - Dragon (Mentioned)

Gatoraider (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Autobot

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex Brain Damaged

Other Cybertronian

Demus' Contact (On Communicator)

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Militant Monoform Militia (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Scavengers are back! YAY!
• In place of the usual "previously" page, this issue has a special "previously" section for the Scavenger's adventures since we last saw them.
• It's possible that the panel where Shockwave is exiting a data pad is set during the end of Dark Cybertron, where Shockwave was distorting reality.
• Last time we saw the Scavengers, they were playing Jenga on their ship, here it is revealed that they once saved the universe by playing Jenga too (despite having their memories of the event erased)
• The photograph of the Scavengers as toys uses their G1 toy counterparts, despite most of them having updated toys in recent years.
• The Weak Anthropic Principle is revealed to be based on the G1 Ark's cartoon model, but in more Decepticon colours. It even crashes into a mountain and wakes up "later" like the original ship.
• Misfire has learned since they took him in, that Grimlock didn't escape or get released from Garrus-9 during Overlord's invasion, he simply went missing mysteriously...
• The "G" Grimlock writes on the wall is more than likely a clue of his to what happened to him, possible the first letter of a location or individual that affected him (Maybe Garrus-1?)
• I'm doing this review a week or so late due to illness, but turns out this was a good thing, as in the week after his issue came out, a new Skullcruncher toy was announced by Hasbro...coincidence? MAYBE!?
• Krok was supposedly named after his dead pet. His Action Master accessory partner in the G1 toy line was Gatoraider, who was a crocodile.
• Krok is revealed to be a member of the MMM, a reference to his original Action Master state in the toys.
• Hey look it's Fort Max! ....did you know he's getting a new toy in Titans Return too? HUH!?
• The thing in Krok's hand mentioned in their first appearances is revealed to be a clicker, that he has an obsessive habit of clicking when agitated

IDW - Transformers #44

Title: The Transgressors 

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Before the war, Tracks is admiring some of his new "Chic Chips" that his brother, Needlenose has designed for him, but they have an argument about Needlenose's friends, and interest in Megatron's rebellious writings. Needlenose leaves, and tells Tracks to not be on the wrong side of history...

On Cybertron, today, some Camiens are picketing their religion to the Cybertronians, but are interrupted by Needlenose and Brawl, who have just returned from Earth, along with Dreadwing. They denounce the words of the Primes, and destroy some of their pamphlets.

Nearby, Starscream is looking over the city from his office in Metroplex, claiming he has everything under control to someone unseen, whilst Arcee is sneaking around on the walls of the city.

Elsewhere, Optimus and Tracks (who is the spacceport manager now) say goodbye to Mirage and the Protectobots, who are returning to the Lost Light, and Tracks moans about how the Camiens don't use standard ship codes, since they haven't flown for centuries (due to a lack of fuel).

The two of them end up in an alley with Arcee, who reports to Prime that she's located Brawl and Needlenose on Cybertron, trying to recruit for Galvatron's forces on Earth. Prime says he'll tell Starscream. Tracks gets annoyed, and decides to deal with his brother himself, whilst also telling Arcee that she doesn't know what it's like to lose someone, like he has with Needlenose.

Arcee leaves, and heads to a point she used to like to watch the city on before she left for Earth, and thinks things over.

Elsewhere, one of the ships has been reformatted into a Decepticon bar, where Needlenose and the others are tallking about their plans to recruit Decepticons to the Jupiter Commune, Brawl gets annoyed with Needlenose when he realizes that this really just for a peaceful Commune, and not a secret army. An argument begins, and Needlenose sneaks away to get some more drinks from the bar.

At the bar though, Needlenose is confronted by Tracks, and starts telling him off, but Needlenose wont give in, resulting in Tracks punching his brother. Before he can do anything else though, all the Decepticons have their weapons trained on the Autobot.

Luckily though, one of the Badgeless comes through the door and threatens to arrest the entire bar for illegal gatherings, engex sales etc, unless they hand over Needlenose and the others to him for Starscream to deal with. Before the Decepticons have to make a decision though Arcee apepars behind him, and "disarms" the Badgeless Officer, and drags him away. Tracks goes with her, at her request. Needlenose asks Tracks to tell Optimus that they don't want to fight the Autobots anymore, they just don't want to be ruled by them either.

In Starscream's throne room, he's having an argument on his current political situation and power with the image of Bumblebee in his mind. Suddenly Arcee appears with the Badgeless Officer in tow, she kills the Badgeless and engages in a short fight with Starscream. She however stops fighting, and tells him that even though she doesn't like him, she knows the planet can't survive another war and divide, so she asks him to try and keep it all together for them.

Later, and elsewhere, Needlenose and the others get together and present their sales-pitch for the Decepticon Commune to a large crowd....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Tracks - Car

Arcee - Car

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Mirage - Race Car

First Aid - Ambulance

Groove - Motorcycle

Streetwise - Emergency Car

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Blades - Helicopter

Bumblebee - Car (Hallucination) Dead

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Wanted Poster)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Optimus Maximus - Autobot Gestalt (Mentioned)

Broadside - Battleship/Jet (Mentioned)

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Brawl - Tank

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Submaruader - Submarine

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Dragon

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster

Onslaught - Anti Aircraft Truck

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Dauros - Tank

Bartender - Motorcycle

Decepticon Populous 

Horri-Bull - Bull (Flashback) Killed by Bumblebee

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier (Mentioned)

Ratbat - Cassette (Mentioned) Killed by Arcee

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Badgeless Officer - Car Killed by Arcee

Civilians

Camien

Lady Cohrada - Helicopter

Aileron - Hovercraft

Other Picketer

Other

Quark - Photon Microscope (Flashback)

Pre-War Civilians (Flashback)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story establishes that Tracks and Needlenose are "brothers"...I guess they do have a couple of similar features right?
• It is also established that Needlenose and Horri-Bull were involved with each other (it's unclear if they were actually in a relationship) so Bumblebee's murder of Horri-Bull in front of him is a bit more disturbing now...
• One of the Camien Picketers is designed after the Beast Wars Neo character Cohrada, but with helicopter parts, whilst Aileron seems to be based on Go-Bots Crasher, but a lot more stout that her counterpart.
• Seriously...where did Arcee get her large cleaver from?!
• Mirage and the Protectobots (having de-combined) head back to the Lost Light this issue.
• Dreadwing was abandoned by Galvatron and the others before they headed to Earth.
• A few of the Decepticons in the bar are generics, based on other characters such as G2 Ramjet, Action Master Thundercracker, an inverted Rung and Whirl and other comic homages.
• The inverted Decepticon Rung appears to have kibble from a motorcycle, despite Rung's lack of a real alternate mode.
• The Badgeless Officer's design looks a bit different to what we've seen in the past. He also appears to have car kibble, meaning there may be 2 different versions.
• Starscream is revealed to be seeing Bumblebee (in his pre-Dark Cybertron body) as a hallucination. He was earlier shown to be "talking to himself" when he was communicating with Scoop on Earth. Is this just a hallucination, or a ghostie made from the Shockwave Black Hole?
• It can be assumed that this issue is either set just before or after Combiner Hunters, due to Arcee's presence and appearance.
• The very last page is based on the scene in MTMTE where Rodimus recruits the Lost Light crew.

TFCC - Issue 61 Another Light: Falling into Place

Plot

Classics Blaster and SG Straxus are walking through the streets discussing Straxus' evil counterpart when suddenly a light suddenly shines and some strange Transformers with beast modes come through. The group recognizes Blaster as being from the Classics Universe too, and they regroup, and are introduced to the SG Universe.

The new arrivals are debriefed by Galvatron and Aquarius, saying that the Origin Matrix that Ultra Mammoth now holds is the ORIGINAL Matrix that Prima wielded, and forms the hilt of the Star Saber. Mammoth says he'll hold onto the Matrix until Nexus Prime returns, as he promised to it guardian, which Galvatron agrees to.

Cliffjumper gives the new arrivals to cliff notes to this new universe, and learns that Treadshot has a lead on the native Ultra Magnus on Earth. Galvatron says they can use the Stellar Spanner to go to Earth and help in the search.

The group leave the Decepticon's HQ where they find SG Spinister and Needlenose, who offer them new bodies, allowing them to not scare the native Humans with their giant beast modes.

Suddenly Cyclonus arrives and passes on a message from Soundwave to Galvatron, saying that the Autobots are attacking Decepticon City on Earth (SG Earth). Galvatron has Blast Off set up a shuttle to take them there for the battle....

Characters

SG Decepticon

Galvatron - Rescue Helicopter

Cyclonus - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Needlenose - Jet

Straxus - Tank

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Voice)

Megatron - Jet (Mentioned) Killed, turned into Galvatron

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Treadshot - Sports Car (Mentioned)

Blast Off - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Stonecruncher - Crane (Mentioned)

Excavator - Crane (Mentioned)

SG Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Ironhide - Van (Mentioned) Dead

Scrounges - Battle Wheels (Mentioned)

Autobot

Ultra Mammoth - Mammoth

Grimlock - Velociraptor

Ironhide - Elephant

Prowl - Lion

Silverbolt - Eagle

Cliffjumper - Sports Car

Blaster - Boom Box

Nexus Prime - Gestalt (Mentioned)

Scrounge - Wheel (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Straxus - Flying Cannon (Mentioned)

Other

Aquarius

Beta Maxx - Jet

Depth Charge - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Origin Matrix's Guardian (Mentioned)

Side Burn - Muscle Car (Mentioned)

Demolishor - Battle Tank (Mentioned)

Unicron (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Thirteen (Mentioned)

Prima (Mentioned)

Notes

• Ultra Mammoth and the other "Maximals" are sent to the Shattered Glass universe now, after their adventures on the prehistoric SG Earth.....where are the "Predacons" exactly though?
• Grimlock attacked Blaster, despite knowing he was the "real" one, most likely due to their rivalry during the Marvel run.
• Aquarius has returned to the SG universe after his time on Axiom Nexus
• Grimlock is absent from the debriefing of the new arrivals, and the measurements scene..wonder where he went to?
• Out of Silverbolt, Prowl and Ironhide, only Silverbolt has a new toy out, so we can probably guess that he'll have his Combiner Wars character model, but what about Prowl and Ironhide? Will they take on their Prime counterpart's forms?
• Also, Ultra "Mammoth" is keeping his prehistoric body...strange that the only TFCC exclusive of the bunch would do that huh?
• The end of this story shows that a counterpart to the Battle of Autobot City (Decepticon City here) from the 80's Movie is about to happen. This was hinted at last issue with the prologue showing the Autobots defeated and returning to space.
• I'm assuming that Soundwave is still in his Cassette Player body from Solar Requiem since he's still on Earth.
• The Recordicons comic was most likely written when Rewind was still "dead" in MTMTE. I know it's most likely going to be explained away as being because this ISN'T set in the IDW universe, but it's still most likely the reason.
• Side Burn and Demolishor are mentioned in reference to the Underbase storyline...which has yet to be resolved for us in the real world as it's story keeps getting delayed/cancelled.

Other Features

Rubber Soul - Article on Decoy figures and their follow ups
Toy Fair 2015 - Advert (though it arrived AFTER the event for me....
Lio Convoy Advert - Recruitment drive for the Club!
Cliffjumper's Cliff Notes! - Cliffjumper summarizes what's happened to him in this universe
Fun Pub Creative Team bios - Meet the creative team for the magazine this year.
Lio Convoy Profile
Broken Windshields Preview
Hot Shot's Thoughts - Armada Hot Shot interviews other Transformers
Bot on the Street - Random characters are asked what they would change their alt mode to
Recordicons - Mini-comic with Brainstorm setting Chromedome up with Eject.

IDW - Robots in Disguise #13

Title: The Verge

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Starscream speaks with Megatron and tells him that he's finally almost in charge of Cybertron, and he didn't have to fire a single shot to do so, however Megatron smiles and Starscream freaks out and leaves the cell, however he can't leave the complex itself due to the riots right outside.

Elsewhere Prowl and Wheeljack arrest the Decepticons who attacked Wheeljack (last issue) and Prowl tells Wheeljack to follow him to the black room, ignoring the riots and people in danger all around, he admits to Wheeljack that he's been using Bumblebee as just a public face, and that he's been preparing for what's next and that after tonight, there'll only be one faction left, and asks Wheeljack to join him.

At Maccadam's the rioters are trying to break through, but the patrons inside are more concerned with Arcee, she reveals that she's on their side, and even lies to Prowl on his com line, she tells Blurr that Dirge and Swindle (who she has with her) can give evidence against Prowl, she'll help them out of the bar, if he gets them to Bumblebee.

At Kimia Bumblebee tries shouting at the rioters to get them to leave, since they've blocked off their com links, but they don't listen, Bumblebee admits to Metalhawk that he's right, and his way is wrong, he'll open up elections the next day with the intent that Metalhawk wins, the two watch a news feed from Circuit outside the now destroyed Maccadam's, Metalhawk speeds off to there to use Circuit's news feed to announce the elections and try to end the riots, and to announce that for tonight at least, he fully supports Bumblebee's forces.

The rioters break into the prison and quickly take out Jetfire, Bluestreak and Warpath, and free all the prisoners, including Megatron. Megatron tells everyone to follow him, and take Starscream to the Black Room, where Starscream is horrified to see all the thought-to-be dead Decepticons all alive and rebuilt stronger standing with Prowl, holding Wheeljack prisoner, and Megatron announces that thanks to Starscream's actions, Cybertron will finally be his.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car

Wheeljack - Car Captured by Prowl

Arcee - Car

Blurr - Race Car

Jazz - Car

Bluestreak - Car Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Warpath - Tank Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Jetfire - Jet Killed/Badly Injured by Decepticons

Circuit

Longtooth

Broadside

Ironhide (?)

Omega Supreme Still Injured or Dead

Decepticon

Megatron Badly Injured Still

Starscream - Jet Captured by Decepticons

Dirge - Jet

Swindle - Van

Squawkbox

Octane/Tankor

Turmoil - Tank

Skywarp - Jet

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Astrotrain

Blitzwing

Soundwave - Van

Rumble - Tank

Frenzy - Tank

Ravage - Cassette

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Shockwave

Scavenger - Excavator

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Motormaster - Truck

Acid Storm - Jet

Shrapnel - Scarab Beetle

Needlenose - Jet

Apeface - Ape

Brawl - Tank

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Dead End - Car

Battletrap

Cutthroat

Cindersaur

Staxx Dead

Other Rioters

Turmoil's Crew

NAIL

Metalhawk - Fighter Jet

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Tappet - Car

Hipotank - Tank

Zetca

NAIL's

Other

Metrotitan (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU PROWL WAS BEHIND IT ALL!!!
• I'm sure it'll be all be revealed as some elaborate scheme by Prowl, but honestly I'd rather he was just shot between the eyes for all the crap he's done lately
• Starscream knows Megatron very well, he knows that when his former leader smiles, you run
• It seems like no one knew that Arcee was still alive following Chaos, except Prowl and the others who she's briefly interacted with
• Is it bad when the serial killer sociopath Arcee seems to be more rational than Prowl?
• NO YOU FOOLS!!! DON'T BURN DOWN THE BAR!!!!
• Not all the dead guys from this series are amongst the "revived" characters, Ratbat and Sunstorm for instance are missing (they could just be behind some other characters though)
• Metalhawk's message reaches someone in the wilderness with a data pad (most likely Ironhide)
• Omega Supreme's body is still lying around (not sure if he's dead yet or not)
• Rumble and Frenzy's new bodies are based on their toys from the United line, which were never released by Hasbro, rather than using their new Fall of Cybertron Generations toys (like what Laserbeak has) Maybe this is a hint that those toys will be appearing somewhere soon??
• On a similar note, Ravage seems to be using his Universe toy mold (the one who comes with Hound) rather than his new FOC toy as well...odd

IDW - Robots in Disguise #12

Title: City on Fire

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colors by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Prowl is taken to Fixit's Med-Center for repairs after being caught in the explosion at the Decepticon pen, when Starscream walks in and tells Wheeljack to tell Bumblebee (as he knows Bee won't believe him) that Megatron has returned and is heading to the city.

Bumblebee, his security force, Metalhawk and Starscream stop Megatron from entering the city and Bumblebee gives the order to kill the heavily damaged Decepticon, who claims to be there in peace. Despite the Autobots all firing on him he doesn't fall. Needlenose stops the firing by pointing out that Megatron is unarmed, and that he was a hero during the Chaos event and should be treated that way now. The Autobots agree to stop the attack, but Bumblebee has Wheeljack place Megatron inside his forcefield bubble.

Megatron is later taken to the prison where Wheeljack confirms who he is, and that he's unarmed. Megatron keeps calling out to Bumblebee, but Bee refuses to talk to him, especially after how he affected Optimus last time they spoke. Metalhawk arrives and is worried that Megatron's return will restart the war, and endanger the NAIL's, during the conversation Bee, Wheeljack and Metalhawk realize that basically all of the heavy-hitters from the Autobots and Decepticons have been taken out lately, and that Starscream seems to be the only one who's been gaining anything...

Starscream arrives at the ruins of the Decepticon Pen to address the Decepticons, who are supposed to be looking for survivors, but finds a mob being formed, Starscream tries to convince them that they should forget about Megatron and give peace a chance, but they ignore him and start their rioting anyway. Wheeljack arrives to check up on Starscream on Metalhawk's suggestion, which disappoints him as he thought Metalhawk was his only friend, he goes off on his own.

Wheeljack receives a message from Fixit to get back to the Med-Center, back there, he finds that prowl has gone missing from his Regeneration Chamber, and that when they check the surveillance footage of his quarters, they find it as a black spot, and they wonder why. Wheeljack leaves to go find Prowl, just as the riots start to mount.

Blurr battens down the hatches at Maccadam's with some of his patrons still inside, including Tankor/Octane and Squawkbox, with Jazz also inside to help defend them in case the rioters break in. Arcee appears from a ceiling vent and offers to make a deal with Blurr.

Starscream arrive at the jail and insists on being let inside, where he goes to Megatron's cell and says they need a chat.

Wheeljack is caught up in the riots and his presence itself causes it to escalate, and he's beaten down by Cindersaur and Staxx, who plan to break Turmoil and the others out of jail and give him to Jail as a gift (as he helped arrest him before). Suddenly Staxx is blasted through his back by a fully repaired and upgraded Prowl, who invites the Decepticons to try to resist him...

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car

Blurr - Race Car

Arcee - Car

Wheeljack - Car

Jazz - Car

Hot Spot

Fixit

Sizzle

Warpath - Tank

Streetwise - Car

Sideswipe - Car

Cliffjumper - Car

Bluestreak - Car

Jetfire - Jet

Broadside

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Mirage (Mentioned) 

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base (Mentioned) Injured

Sky Lynx (Mentioned) Injured

Ironhide - Van (Mentioned) Missing

Dinobots (Mentioned) Missing

Aerialbots - Jets (Mentioned) Missing

Decepticon

Megatron - Earth Stealth Bomber Badly Injured, In Jail

Starscream - Jet

Needlenose

Tankor/Octane

Squawkbox

Acid Storm - Jet

Motormaster - Truck

Cindersaur

Staxx Killed by Prowl

Skywarp - Jet In Jail

Turmoil In Jail

Weirdwolf

Battletrap

Mindwipe

Onslaught - Gun Truck

Squeezeplay

Cutthroat

Razorclaw

Slugslinger

Rampage

Apeface

Wingspan

Pounce

Octopunch

Submarauder

Stranglehold

Shockwave (Mentioned) Missing

Soundwave (Mentioned) Missing

Cassettes (Mentioned) Missing

Triple Changers (Mentioned) Missing

Ratbat (Mentioned) Dead

Constructicons (Mentioned) Dead

Bombshell (Mentioned) Dead

Other Decepticons

NAIL

Metalhawk - Jet

Tappet - Car

Hipotank - Tank

Zetca

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Other NAIL's

Other

Other injured guys in Med-Center

Sweep Heads

Guys in Blurr's Pictures

Notes

• Starscream's learned his lesson! Rather than trying the kill Megatron alone, he tells everyone else about his return and has them try as well!
• On Page 2 you can still see the Decepticon Pen on fire, nice bit of continuity there!
• Needlenose appears to be trying to take on a leadership role now
• It's pointed out here that a lot of the big players from both sides have been being taken out recently, whilst we know that Prowl was responsible for the Decepticon deaths, it makes you wonder if he does have anything to do with the Autobot disappearances etc
• Octane being fine with just hanging out in the bar instead of rioting could be a reference to his role in the G1 cartoon
• On the same note, it's mentioned that the Cassettes and Triple Changers were amongst those missing after the Pen's destruction, which also just happens to be what Slamdance and Octane are as well (the only two Decepticons seen to be content with peace in this issue)