IDW - Spotlight Volume 3

BLASTER

Characters

Autobot

Blaster - Acoustic Tank

Silverbolt - Jet

Perceptor - Treaded Vehicle

Beachcomber - Hover Buggy Stasis Locked

Inferno - Truck

Bluestreak - Speeder

Mirage - Race Car

Trailbreaker - Van

Cosmos - Orbiter

Kick-Off - Car

Gunrunner - Jet

Pincher

Searchlight - Speeder

Crosshairs - Car

Downshift - Speeder

Overdrive - Speeder

Dogfight - Jet

Backstreet - Car

Override - Speedbike

Nightbeat - Pontiac Solstice

Springer - Helicopter/Rocket Car

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Flashback)

Getaway - Car (Flashback)

Huffer - Truck Cab (Flashback)

Broadside - Jet (Flashback)

Landfill - Dump Truck (Flashback)

Jazz - Speeder (Flashback)

Smokescreen - Speeder (Flashback)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Acoustic Tank (Flashback)

Bombshell Prototype (Flashback)

Trypticon - Battle Platform (Flashback)

Divebomb - Jet (Flashback)

Headstrong - Armoured Vehicle (Flashback)

Rampage - Armoured Vehicle (Flashback)

Razorclaw - Drill Tank (Flashback)

Spinister - Helicopter (Flashback)

Needlenose - Jet (Flashback)

Dreadwind - Jet (Flashback)

Darkwing - Jet (Flashback)

Thunderwing - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Other

Ku'Arn (Ilxian Captain)

Storyline

Blaster is found floating in space by some Ilxians and returned to the Autobot Orbital Command where Blaster reveals that he doesn't know who tried to assassinate him before. Perceptor patches him up and Silverbolt reveals that the assassin has to be an Autobot. News of Blaster's return, and Autobots start returning to the Hub to see him again. However whilst going through some old files, Blaster is attacked again but doesn't know who again, so he starts to investigate the situation himself.

Blaster uses himself as bait and sets a trap for the assassin to come after him again, whilst thinking back on all that happened, and narrows his suspects down to four, Mirage, Beachcomber, Inferno and Bluestreak, as all four were around during both attacks. Later whilst giving a speech again, the studio where blaster was broadcasting form is attacked and destroyed, but Blaster appears behind the assassin, Beachcomber, and reveals that that was a pre-recorded message made to lure out the assassin. Beachcomber goes on the attack and reveals that he was made a sleeper agent of sorts by Soundwave for the sole purpose of killing Blaster. Blaster manages to get through to Beachcomber however and break's Soundwave's control, but short-circuits Beachcomber's mind and he goes into Stasis Lock.

Later Beachcomber is on Spark Support and Perceptor has removed the Cerebro-Shell from his mind, whilst Blaster vows to have revenge on Soundwave for what he did to Beachcomber.

Notes

• Kup is shown healthy just after the Thunderhead event
• Despite this being a mystery story, Beachcomber is very clearly the culprit throughout through the use of silhouettes etc
• Blaster was targeted by an assassin because he was an inspirational speaker.

My Thoughts

Art

The artwork in this comic is pretty standard for IDW, it uses strong colours and bold lines

Story

This story introduces a plot line of Blaster vowing to kill Soundwave...which has yet to be fulfilled, so it is just purely filler.

Continuity

Silverbolt has been put in charge of the Autobot Orbital Hub after Optimus left for Earth in Stormbringer. Blaster was left for dead sometime before the events of Spotlight: Soundwave, Beachcomber will be seen up and about in For All Mankind. Soundwave is shown with a Bombshell prototype in the flashback, Bombshell will be created properly in All Hail Megatron. Blaster has not taken revenge on Soundwave yet.

ARCEE

Characters

Autobot

Arcee - Car

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Jetfire - Jet

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Strafe - Jet

Scattershot - Jet

Lightspeed - Car

Nosecone - Drill Tank

Afterburner - Speedbike

Cloudraker - Jet

Fastlane - Car

Kick-Off - Car

Rad - Car

Jackpot - Car

Rollout - Truck Cab

Over-Run

Skyfall - Jet

Sprocket

Vroom - Dragster

Windbreaker - Car

Turbofire - Pick Up Truck

Repugnus (Imprisoned Spark)

Longtooth (Imprisoned Spark)

Double Dealer - Rocket Mounted Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Banzaitron

Onslaught - Anti Aircraft Tank

Brawl - Tank

Blast-Off - Space SHuttle

Vortex - Helicopter

Gutcruncher - Tank

Axer - Car

Roadblock - Tank

Skyjack (Imprisoned Spark)

Ransack (Imprisoned Spark)

Bludgeon (Imprisoned Spark)

Expansion

Jhiaxus - Jet

Cybertronian

Slog

Birdbrain

Scowl

Icepick

Wildfly

Bristleback

Monstructor - Gestalt (Monitor Only)

Other

Van-Deman Cartographers

Storyline

Whilst hunting down Jhiaxus, Arcee is tearing apart the Stella Cartography Archive in the Van-Dema System that he was connected to to try and find him. Ultra Magnus confronts her and the two fight, and Ultra Magnus manages to take her down, and transports her to Garrus-9, the Autobot's prison world. Later two of the workers at the archive contact Jhiaxus and tells him what happened, confirming that the Nega-Core wasn't detected.

Later on, at Garrus-9 Fortress Maximus checks in on Jetfire who, with the Technobots are examining the unconcious Monstructor Six, unaware that a Decepticon team led by Banzaitron are approaching the planet to kidnap the Gestalt team, after a tip from Double Dealer. The Decepticons attack the outpost and the officers and staff there fight them off. Maximus decides to use some of the prisoners to help fight off the invading Decepticons, when the computer suggests Arcee as the most suitable warrior. Maximus revives Arcee and entices her to help by mentioning that the Monstructor Six, the guys who are being targeted by the Decepticons are more of Jhiaxus' experiments. Arcee agrees.

Arcee helps to turn the tide of the fight, but the Combaticons have grabbed the Monstructor Six, and used an Orbital Jump on them, taking them up to Banzaitron's ship. Arcee volunteers to go after them, but Fort Max is totally against it, and Arcee reveals to him and Jetfire that Jhiaxus changed her fundamentally by turning her female and she wants revenge for him doing it.

Fort Max is against the idea, but is distracted by Jetfire as Arcee escapes, with Jetfire saying he'll go with any excuse he can come up with for her going missing.

Notes

• Garrus-9 looks somewhat like his G1 toy's city mode in places.
• Fortress Maximus is a prison warden in IDW
• Arcee seems to know that something is happening with Jhiaxus, possibly as a side effect of her being altered by him.
• The Nega-Core is explained further in Revelation.
• Autobots and Decepticons are imprisoned at Garrus-9
• Transformers are reduced to bodiless sparks when imprisoned, with their bodies kept elsewhere.
• Transformers decided sometime in the past to just refer themselves as male pronouns, with Arcee now being referred to as female pronouns after Jhiaxus' meddling.
• Everyone is afraid of crazy old Arcee!
• The Ransack shown as an imprisoned spark is most likely the G2 Jet guy, as the Insecticon was seen in Spotlight: Sixshot
• Kick-Off has moved from the Orbital Hub to Garrus-9 now, where he stays until his death.
• Swindle isn't with the other Combaticons because he's on the run from Ultra Magnus still

My Thoughts

Art

The art in this comic is very nicely done, the lines are highly detailed and the colours are toned in a very realistic way to show tones and contours in the characters

Story

This story gives a reason for why female Transformers exist, which has been a question for a long time, it also connects directly into the main storyline and gives Arcee some major backstory.

Continuity

Arcee will later be seen in Revelation finally catching up with Jhiaxus and returns afterwards for the Chaos and Heart of Darkness stories in the 3rd Series of stories. Ultra Magnus was introduced as a police officer in his own Spotlight series. Garrus-9 is later used heavily in Revelation, but is taken over by the Decepticons in Last Stand of the Wreckers where Overlord turns it into a torture camp of sorts. Bludgeon is mentioned as one of the inmates, this is later important in Revelation. The Monstructor Six were captured in Spotlight: Optimus Prime.

Other

Fortress Maximus' new character model seems to be based on Armada Megatron's somewhat

GRIMLOCK

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (former Armoured Vehicle)

Slag - Triceratops (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Sludge - Apatosaurus (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Snarl - Stegosaurus (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Swoop - Pteranodon (former Jet) Stasis Locked

Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Scorponok - Scorpion Tank

Megatron - Gun (Flashback)

Starscream - F-22 Jet (Flashback)

Sixshot - Gun/Jet/Car/Tank/Winged Wolf (Flashback)

Shockwave - Ray Gun (Flashback)

Human

Joshua Red (Skywatch)

Weston (Skywatch)

Kloss (Skywatch - Machination Spy)

Abraham Dante - Scorponok's Head (Machination)

Skywatch Employees

Machination Employees

Storyline

In Carson City, Nevada Skywatch begins to revive the still disabled Grimlock after all the recent attacks by Transformers, however despite them planning to have his memories suppressed as well, that system was disabled by a Machination spy and he is fully revived back to his old self and goes on a rampage around the base, Grimlock transforms and escapes. The SKywatch team are disappointed, but at least they still have the other five robots they found.

The Machination spy, Kloss contacts Dante and tells him that Grimlock is on the run. Grimlock runs aorund looking for anything familiar, but is confused. Dante combines with Scorponok and they head out to see Grimlock, who has found a quiet spot for him to contemplate things. He can't go home because he think's he's an outlaw now, suddenly Scorponok Orbital Jumps right in front of Grimlock and he tries to recruit the Autobot into his organization. Grimlock is tempted, but reminds Scorponok of the time that Scorponok stole some Solar Agitators he stole from him in the past and attacks him. Scorponok fights back, and Grimlock learns that Skywatch disabled his weapons as well, Grimlock manages to excape by activating an Orbital Jump and landing inside his now crashed ship, the Skyfire, where he begins to work on what to do next.

Dante is informed that Skywatch are getting ready to activate the other Dynobots soon, which Dante and Scorponok plan to use them for themselves against Grimlock.

Notes

• Despite running around several populated areas in dinosaur mode, Grimlock isn't mentioned in the news etc at any other point after this story.
• Grimlock can activate an Orbital Jump automatically to his ship.
• The Skyfire is named here.

My Thoughts

Art

The artwork in this comic isn't as detailed as most of the other Spotlights, but still looks very good regardless. The colouring is very detailed instead.

Story

Grimlock is finally brought into the storyline again, and sets in motion the events for Maximum Dinobots.

Continuity

This story acts as a sequel to Spotlight: Shockwave and a prequel to Maximum Dinobots. Grimlock was shown to be being brought online by Skywatch, and Shockwave was restored in Devastation.

MIRAGE

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Hound - Military Jeep Killed by Mirage

Bumblebee - VW Beetle (Used as Disguise) Killed by Mirage

Ratchet - Ambulance

Jetfire - Jet Badly Injured in Battle

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Main IDW Universe)

Mirage - F1 Race Car (Main IDW Universe)

Hound - Military Jeep (Main IDW Universe)

Bumblebee - VW Beetle (Main IDW Universe)

Ratchet - Ambulance (Main IDW Universe)

Decepticon

Mirage - F1 Race Car Seemingly Killed in Zodiac Energy Explosion

Megatron - Gun (Monitor Only)

Starscream - F-22 Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player Killed by Hound

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Megatron - Gun (Main IDW Universe)

Starscream - F-22 Jet (Main IDW Universe)

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Main IDW Universe)

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle (Main IDW Universe)

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet (Main IDW Universe)

Storyline

Mirage wakes up from a regeneration cycle remembering his recurring dream that he's an Autobot. He reports to Megatron and promises to get the last few Autobots to him, but for a price.

In the Pegasus Star Cluster Ratchet is tending to Jetfire's serious wounds whilst Optimus and Hound talk about potentially converting the newly found Zodiac Energy into an Energon substitute. Bumblebee enters the base and starts attacking the security system, suddenly Bumblebee morphs into Mirage, who was using his holographic abilities to mimic him, and he allows his fellow Decepticons into the base, the two factions fight it out. Mirage ends the fight by taking Jetfire hostage. Once the Autobots surrender Mirage contacts Megatron and informs him of the Autobot's surrender, Megatron tells him that he'll give him his reward if he kills the Autobots on the spot, despite Mirage promising to keep them alive if they just surrendered.

Mirage knocks down Hound and holds a psike up against his head. Optimus tries to reason with his good side, but he ignores him and kills Hound, Optimus, in a rush of rage rushes into Mirage and knocks him into the Zodiac Energy, causing it to explode.

Back in the normal IDW reality a injured Mirage is woken up by Prowl and taken back to back for a regeneration, remembering a dream where he was a Decepticon...

Notes

• This story is set mostly in an alternate/dream reality where Mirage is a Decepticon.
• This main universe story is most likely set in the period between Revelation/Maximum Dinobots and All Hail Megatron
• This story acts on the usual suspicion that Mirage is a Decepticon (which is later brought up in All Hail Megatron anyway)
• Mirage has a holographic driver in vehicle mode (very important for an open top race car)
• The Pegasus Star Cluster hasn't been seen in the main storyline yet.
• In the alternate reality there are Decepticon controlled Energon mines, possibly meaning that Earth was conquered by them and it's referring to Ore-13 rather than normal Energon, which is only found on Cybertron.
• Zodiac Energy has Cross-Dimensional properties, meaning that it can connect between realities.

My Thoughts

Art

The art is pretty standard to IDW work, the colours are very strong as usual.

Story

This story is mostly a "what if?" story about Mirage

Continuity

The framing pieces of this comic seem to be set between the end of Revelation and Maximum Dinobots and All Hail Megatron, this is due to both Hound and Mirage having Earth modes in the framing pieces.

Other

Mirage and Hound's new character models seem to be based on their G1 Character models rather than their existing IDW ones (since those were just Cybertronian ones)

WHEELIE

Characters

Autobot

Wheelie - Car

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Hot Spot - Truck

Jetfire - Jet

Springer - Helicopter/Rocket Car

Perceptor - Treaded Vehicle

Hubcap - Speeder (On Data Pad)

Bumper - Speeder (On Data Pad)

Scrounge -Wheel (On Data Pad)

Roller - Attack Buggy (On Data Pad)

Decepticon

Viewfinder Killed in Ship Crash

Spectro Killed in Explosion

Spyglass Killed in Explosion

Other

Varta

Arachnosaur

Chaosteros

Quintesson Judge (Image only)

Storyline

Wheelie is chosen to go on a mission by Hot Spot to scout worlds when he ship crashes on planet LV-117, he makes a temporary home for himself there and tries to survive, but quickly has to grow up and mature, and despite all his attempts to contact the Autobots but hears nothing, although one night he sees a shooting star and assumes it's a falling ship, so he tracks it.

After travelling to the crash site, Wheelie finds the ship, a Decepticon cruiser with a Reflector Trio manning it, he sees Spectro and Spyglass bullying a restrained alien and frees it to distract the Decepticons into leaving. Wheelie enters the ship and finds Viewfinder dead in his chair, impaled by a large shard of glass, Wheelie ransacks the ship for parts.

Later Wheelie makes it to a ruin of a civilization that once lived on the planet and finds an abandoned ship inside it, in the ruin he is attacked by the alien, Varta who mistake shim for a Decepticon and the two bond, with Wheelie having to rhyme for Varta to understand him. Varta tells Wheelie that the ship is just lacking power, which is exactly what Wheelie has in his Energon converter, so he rugs it up.

As the two get ready to take off, Spectro and Spyglass attack Varta from behind and knock him out, forcing Wheelie to leave the ship and let them take it themselves, once they're safely away, Wheelie reveals that he sabotaged the Energon Converter and the ship explodes, killing the Decepticons.

A year later Wheelie and Varta are making a home on the planet using salvage from the detonated ships and Wheelie has gotten used to speaking in rhyme, he gives up on working on being rescued, but still hopes to go home again one day.

In a nearby temple an image of a Quintesson Judge's eyes glow a bright green....

Notes

• Wheelie has had to harden himself whilst being stuck on this planet, and fighting it's strange inhabitants
• Varta is a shapeshifter and can make himself grow larger
• Due to his left arm being damaged whilst being ingested by the Chaosteros, so transforming is painful for him now
• Even Wheelie found rhyming annoying at first...
• Wheelie's mission began before the Thunderhead event from the looks of things.

My Thoughts

Art

The artwork is very cartoony and quite expressionistic

Story

This story mostly acts as filler, it explains why Wheelie talks in rhymes and removes him from the story for a while as well, so all's good.

Continuity

Wheelie's distress signal was picked up by Optimus in his Spotlight. Wheelie will be stuck on the planet until the Space Opera section of Chaos Theory's TPB. The Reflector Trio seen here are most likely different to the guys seen later in All Hail Megatron, as there's no other way to explain how they got there. Wheelie's alien buddy Varta isn't with him when he is rescue, so maybe he died some time? The Quintesson hint at the end has never been picked up.

IDW - Spotlight Volume 1

SHOCKWAVE

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Slag - Triceratops (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Sludge - Apatosaurus (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Snarl - Stegosaurus (former Armoured Vehicle) Stasis Locked

Swoop - Pteranodon (former Jet) Stasis Locked

Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Ray Gun Stasis Locked

Megatron - Tank

Bludgeon - Tank

Human

Professor Goring

Clive

Storyline

Shockwave sits in his lab and reflects on his operation to seed several worlds across the galaxy with concentrated Energon and then to stabilize them over time as needed. Shockwave visits one of these Seeded planets (Earth) and starts his re-stabilizing process. In orbit above the planet, the Dynobots look for him and decide to confront him on the world, but due to Energon levels it's unsafe to go down without protection. Shockwave finishes his work, but when he contacts his ship he finds it gone (destroyed) and then the Dynobots Orbital Jump onto the planet and attack the Decepticon, driving him to anger and causing him to attack them all in rage, knocking them all into stasis lock. As Shockwave begins to decrypt the Skyfire's codes to commandeer it himself the Skyfire fires a blast at a nearby volcano and causes it to erupt, hitting Shockwave and the Dynobots alike, burying them. On Cybertron Megatron tells Bludgeon that Shockwave has gone missing, and tells him to search for him and look into his files etc.

In 2006 Shockwave is found partially unearthed at a site by Professor Goring and his team.

Notes

• The Dinobots are called the Dynobots in this story and most others until Maximum Dinobots.
• The need for organic protection to protect them against Energon radiation is the same reason for Beast Modes in the Beast Wars series as well
• The Dynobot's ship is later revealed to be called the "Skyfire" in Maximum Dinobots
• The reason why Grimlock is so obsessed with getting Shockwave is because he destroyed an Energon Cache they'd just recovered from the Decepticons in the past (the recovery is later shown in Maximum Dinobots)
• Some of the suggestions offered by Slag for disguises include a Mastodon, Smilodon, a Woolly Rhino and a Woolly Moose, but Grimlock rejects them all
• Due to actions at seeding alien worlds with Energon Shockwave thinks that Megatron will brand him a traitor, but he doesn't care about that.
• Grimlock's decision to have the Skyfire fire on them all wasn't known about by the others, which is later brought up by them in Maximum Dinobots.

My Thoughts

Art

Visually this is a nice comic, the Dinobots have been redesigned to look sort of like the Beast Wars aesthetic, though still being recognizable as the G1 characters that they are.

Story

This story both fits in well with the IDW continuity, and also acts as a good call back to the Marvel G1 story where the Dinobots were sent to fight with Shockwave, but all of them get caught in a natural trap some how or another.

Continuity

This story seems to be set around about the time of the Flashbacks in Stormbringer as Shockwave appears to be worried about the planet's slow decline. Shockwave's actions here are what causes Earth to have Ore-13 naturally forming on it, and thus is the reason why the war came to Earth really. The end of this story is picked up on in Escalation, Stormbringer, Spotlight: Soundwave and Maximum Dinobots.

NIGHTBEAT

Characters

Autobot

Nightbeat - Car

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Communicator)

Expansion

Jhiaxus - Jet

Ark Crew (Flashback)

Micromasters

Hyperdrive - Car

Blackjack - Car

Road Hugger - Car

Detour - Car

Other

Krakon Dead

Storyline

Nightbeat is called by Krakon to meet with him about the first Ark and claims to have a piece of the flight recorder which he found on Gorlam Prime. Nightbeat goes to meet with him, but find him dead from a necrotic virus. Nightbeat investigates his death and his ship to try and find out why he died and who did it, as well as getting that flight recorder, but he can't find it. Nightbeat heads to Gorlam Prime to try and find out more, and finds the planet slowly upgrading to a mechanical one, like Cybertron. Nightbeat finds a mining site with some old Flotsam and Jetsam from the era of the first Ark and goes to investigate it further, unaware that he's being followed. Underground Nightbeat finds a pool of silver water and then notices the four Micromasters following him he tries to talk to them, but they ignore him, whilst a silver figure rises from the water.

Nightbeat runs for it but is chased by the much faster Micromasters and ends up getting captured by them and the silver figure. Nightbeat gets operated on and a cerebral implant is placed in his head and his mind is wiped of the events of this investigation.

Nightbeat is in his ship wondering what to do next, with no recollection of his recent adventure, when he gets a call from Optimus Prime to rendezvous with Ark-32 and head to Earth for a new mission. Nightbeat agrees to go, but suddenly has a strange feeling that he's missing something...

Notes

• Nightbeat can use his vehicle mode headlights as a flashlight in robot mode
• Gorlam Prime is a planet visited a few times by the Transformers and over time the inhabitants start to resemble Transformers, mostly the Micromasters.
• Though not named in this comic, and not looking like him, the one who operates on Nightbeat is almost certainly Jhiaxus, he looks more like his G2 version, which is nothing like his IDW character model (his design was most likely not finalized at this point)
• Although I have given them their G1 names, the Micromasters are necessarily the same characters as the G1 Micromasters, I've just named them as such for ease.

My Thoughts

Art

The Artwork isn't that great, it's pretty simplistic and looks a bit rushed in some areas, but it's passable still

Story

The story is a nice mystery, perfect for a Nightbeat storyline, and begins Nightbeat's plot in the main IDW stoyline

Continuity

The end of this story leads directly into Nightbeat being summoned to Earth in Escalation, although most of the events of this story are suppressed from his Memory by Galvatron at the end. The story of the first Ark is continued in Spotlight: Galvatron and Optimus Prime.

HOT ROD

Characters

Autobot

Hot Rod - Sports Car

Double Dealer - Rocket Launcher Truck

Gizmo - Buggy Killed by Omega Guardians

Download - Multiple Missile Launcher Tank Killed by Omega Guardians

Backbeat - Caravan Killed by Dealer

Decepticon

Banzaitron

Gutcruncher - Tank

Decepticon Guards

Other

Ki-Aletans

Omega Guardians

Storyline

Hot Rod rides a comet onto the Moon based Penal Colony, Styx on a rescue mission, when he lands he is knocked out and flashes back to when he led a team on the planet Ki-Aleta to find the Magnificence, and all is going well at first. Back in the present Hot rod manages to break into Styx and cuts off the surveillance systems around him, which alerts Gutcruncher to an intruder. Hot Rod evades all the Decepticons looking for him. Whilst working he flashes back again, he sends his team to take care of the Omega Guardians who are guarding the Magnificence as he and Download enter the temple and start to lower the forcefield around the orb, ignoring the organic worshippers around it. Back up top the team are being torn apart when suddenly more of the Guardians enter the temple and kill Download.

Back in the present Hot Rod has managed to unlock every cell in the colony, and forces the brass to evacuate. Hot Rod takes on a Decepticon disguise and he finds his target, a heavily damaged Dealer, from his original team. Back in the past Hot Rod is escaping with the Magnificence and he can hear Dealer calling for help, but he's too afraid to help him and just leaves. Hot Rod helps Dealer to escape the colony in another Decepticon disguise, they steal a ship and take off. Later, back at the Orbital Command Hub Dealer has been all fixed up and Hot Rod asks that he forgive him for all that happened, and Dealer just says that all he wants is for them to be friends.

Later on Dealer calls Banzaitron and tells him that Hot Rod has fallen for it and that he's the one who caused the mission to fail all that time ago, and Dealer plans to manipulate Hot Rod to get the Magnificence off of him for Banzaitron and the Decepticons.

Notes

• Most of the plot points in this comic are resolved in Spotlight: Double Dealer
• The flashback scenes are all in sepia tones
• All of the members of Hot Rod's team who are killed also coincidentally are the ones without toys...coincidence?
• The ship Hot Rod steals here is later seen in his possession in the Lost & Found issue of All Hail Megatron's Coda.
• Banzaitron coins the name "Double Dealer"
• Hot Rod dives with the comets....AWESOME!!!
• Backbeat's death was revealed in Spotlight: Double Dealer, but I have included it here

My Thoughts

Art

The artwork is very cartoony and looks good. It uses quite a good range of colours as well, the scenes outside of the Penal Colony are bright, the flashbacks are in sepia tones and the scenes in the colony are darker.

Story

This comic gives Hot Rod some good back story for the IDW continuity, and this entire story is the basis for Hot Rod's behaviour in the early comics, such as why he doesn't want to leave Sunstreaker behind on Earth in Devastation and the events of Spotlight: Double Dealer

Continuity

This comic connects to his actions in the end of Devastation, and directly links to the events of Spotlight: Double Dealer.

SIXSHOT

Characters

Decepticon

Sixshot - Gun/Car/Tank/Winged Wolf/Jet

Squawkbox

Hun-Grrr

Blot

Sinnertwin

Rippersnapper

Cutthroat

Wingspan or Pounce

Ransack

Treadshot

Spectro

Spyglass

Other

Deathbringer

Klaxa

Ravenous

The Other Reapers

Storyline

Sixshot is lamenting on how quiet it's been lately, especially since he's only ever called in for battle in Phase Six situations, he goes looking for the only Decepticons that he considers his comrades, the Terrorcons. He learns from Squawkbox that they are on Mumu-Obscura, but they'd lost contact with them due to the Reapers invading the planet. Sixshot goes to rescue his friends. Once in the space around Mumu-Obscura Sixshot fights through the Reaper's defence systems and runs into the Reapers themselves, and engages them in battle, but finds them to be more or less his equals. After the Deathbringer ends the battle, he summons the Terrorcons from an Interdimensional pocket and is told that he has a choice, take the Terrorcons and return to his life of servitude and boredom or kill the Terrorcons and join them. Sixshot considers the offer, but decides to be loyal to his friends and allies and declines the offer. The Reapers leave him to leave the planet and Sixshot is happy with his decision...for now....

Notes

• The end of this story is continued at the end of Escalation
• Despite him being with the Terrorcons at the end of this story, and his call to Earth seems to happen shortly after this story (since the Reapers are still on Mumu-Obscura in Escalation) the Terrorcons aren't seen in Escalation or Devastation...or any time since then actually...maybe he just killed them after all??
• It seems like the Terrorcons were acting as an Infiltration team on Mumu-Obscura before the Reapers came
• The Reapers are all killed off in Devastation
• Deathbringer is based on the character from the Marvel G1 series
• Sixshot feels a kinship for the Terrorcons...huh you'd think he'd be pally with the other Phase Sixers more than them huh?

My Thoughts

Art

Very lovely art, great details and beautiful colours

Story

This story was just set up to explain who the Reapers were and to show how strong Sixshot was before he was brought into the main storyline. It's just a pure filler story, though it's still good none-the-less, and I'd rather the filler story be in the Spotlight series and not the main story itself.

Continuity

Sixshot and the Reaper's story continues in Escalation and Devastation

ULTRA MAGNUS

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Decepticon

Scorponok - Scorpion Tank Injured by Ultra Magnus

Swindle

Nebulan

Mo Zarak Killed by Scorponok

Zarak Consortium Workers

Storyline

Ultra Magnus hunts down the wanted criminal Swindle and takes him in where Swindle makes a deal for his freedom, in exchange for some information about where Scorponok is. Swindle is dropped off on a trading post (with a tracking device on him)

Ultra Magnus arrives on Nebulos and goes under cover using his Holo-Avatar as a Nebulan as well. Inside a lab owned by Mo Zarak Ultra Magnus finds some Cybertronian technology infused with Nebulans, but is discovered and attacked. Ultra Magnus, now just using his vehicle mode drives into the compound and takes on the Headmasters and calls out Scorponok. Inside the compound he finds the Decepticon where the two fight it out in the base when Mo Zarak enters the battle site to stop them from fighting, and Scorponok accidentally kills his business partner. Ultra Magnus shoots Scorponok in the head and the Decepticon staggers away through an artificial wormhole to an unknown location. Ultra Magnus vows to take him in one day.

A while later Ultra Magnus captures Swindle again, who tries to make a deal with him again.

Notes

• Ultra Magnus is willing to allow criminals to escape if they give him information on bigger criminals
• Scorponok is wanted for giving Cybertronian Technologies to other species, which is exactly what he's doing on Nebulos here and the Machination on Earth in the main storyline.
• Scorponok has had some bodies built ready for Headmasters to join with them on Nebulos, but are of a totally different design to Sunstreaker's of course
• Scorponok actually seemed to care about Zarak...maybe he turned into a spare head for him?
• Ultra Magnus causes the damage to Scorponok that's seen in later issues...maybe his gun causes faces to melt since he didn't cause that much damage from the artwork here
• Scorponok has what is essentially a Space Bridge!
• The expressions on the people on the trading post when they see Swindle is sort of foreshadowing of the later revelation that most aliens hate Cybertronians for their civil war
• Ultra Magnus' report in the last couple of panels is heard in Escalation on one of Optimus' reports.
• Ultra Magnus' ship looks like one of the Ark's but coloured to match his own colour scheme

My Thoughts

Art

The artwork in this comic is much different to that we've seen before now, it almost looks like it's done with water colours and the character detail is very fine as well

Story

This story is actually very important for the first story arc in that it explains how Scorponok got himself injured in the past and how he arrived on Earth, it also introduces Ultra Magnus as a police officer of sorts for the Tyrest Accord and begins shows one of his earliest conflicts with Swindle, which still continues to this very day.

Continuity

Scorponok leaves this comic and ends up on Earth, ending up helping to form the Machination with Dante and recreating the Headmaster process seen here on Nebulos as well. Ultra Magnus is next seen properly in Spotlight: Arcee (though he had cameos in Escalation and Spotlight: Optimus Prime on video screens). Ultra Magnus finally takes in Scorponok in Maximum Dinobots.