IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #4

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty & Brittany Peer

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

Steeljaw plays the recording that Rodimus gave to Shib's ancestors, revealing that Donnokt is loaded with raw Energon, which Rodimus decided to hide, rather than use it to revive their species.

Rodimus reveals that he killed the team left at the camp, and that it was all because of the key he used on himself, and that the last two, which Steeljaw is holding, can make the user as strong as him. His plan works, and the other Cybertronians, starved for real Energon fight over the keys, destroying one by accident.

Taking advantage of the fight, Rodimus and Shib free the people of Fembrance and Shib gets the last Energon key. Rodimus and Shib race away, and Rodimus causes an explosion to try and slow down their pursuers, knocking out Rodimus in the process.

Shib makes.her way to the mines, where she intends to hide for a while, but Steeljaw and Sharpclaw follow, and locate the Energon mine in the mountain. They capture Shib, but an errant shot causes a small earthquake due to the Energon.

The siblings fight over who gets to use the Energon key, but Steeljaw ultimately wins out, and uses it.

Rodimus wakes up following the rumble, but is soon confronted by the other Cybertronians, who have combined into a crude gestalt robot, Unstoppimus.

Despite his great size, Unstoppimus is Energon depleted and Rodimus easily defeats him, but tearing off his head, knocking out all the components. Rodimus prepares to kill the fallen Cybertronians, but he senses that Shib needs help.

Rodimus arrives at the mine, but he is attacked by the injured Sharpclaw, and meets the restored Steeljaw. Rodimus reveals that they can't even use the Energon, due to them converting themselves to using Biofuel, and since he destroyed their base's equipment, they can't even use that now.

Steeljaw, in rage, stand Rodimus through his abdomen and chucks him into the raw Energon put.

Steeljaw, now seeing that they're doomed, decides to be petty and shoot the Energon, to cause Donnokt to blow up, Sharpclaw tries to convince him to spare the world, as they have a chance to still live, Steeljaw however still fires, but Sharpclaw jumps in the way, taking her out.

Steeljaw, now furious at having killed his own sister, intends to kill Shib, but Rodimus, who has been supercharged by the Energon, returns to life, and finishes off the former Decepticon.

With no enemies left, Rodimus tears off his arm blasters.

Rodimus spends some time afterwards helping the Donnokt People to work out how to use the Energon safely, and enables them to improve their technology in a short timeframe. 

Rodimus constructs a small spacecraft, and stores the remaining Cybertronians, who were rendered harmless and near dead, in it, before sitting in it too, and allows himself to power down forever on the shuttle, as it drifts aimlessly in space.

Later, Shib looks out at the stars, and is happy that she added a new one to the sky, with Rodimus' shuttle...

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car Goes into stasis

Strongarm - Van (Flashback and Footage) Dead

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback and Footage) Dead

Kup (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Talon - Jet (Flashback) Killed by Rodimus

Fangry - Winged Wolf (Flashback) Killed by Rodimus

Talon's Crew (Mentioned) Killed by Rodimus and crew

The Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van Killed by Rodimus

Sharpclaw - Car Shot by Steeljaw, in Stasis

Wedge - Bulldozer Badly Injured in Unstoppimus Destruction, in Stasis 

Lunaclub - Helicopter Badly Injured in Unstoppimus Destruction, in Stasis 

Scylla - Squid Badly Injured in Unstoppimus Destruction, in Stasis 

Cyberwarp - Jet Badly Injured in Unstoppimus Destruction, in Stasis 

Override - Car Likely Killed in Unstoppimus Destruction

Riotgear - Tank Likely Killed in Unstoppimus Destruction 

Unstoppimus - Last Cybertronian Gestalt Destroyed by Rodimus 

Wheelie Stuck in Orbit, Likely Dead

Nitro (Mentioned) Dead

Base Camp Team (Mentioned) Dead

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis

Beets Wallkis

Trayvon Wallkis

Alderman Errold

Firebolt, the Steed

Sparks, the Steed

Fembrance Townsfolk

Stambo (Mentioned)

Brennet (Mentioned)

Shib's Ancestors (Mentioned)

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Energon keys are confirmed to having been created for use by the three Autobots, if they were needed by the Wallkis family, but Strongarm and Gripper died before they could be used on them (still not convinced that Rodimus didn't kill them though)
• The planet is also confirmed to be filled with raw Energon, which Rodimus teaches the Donnokt People to process safely for themselves.
• Sharpclaw exclaims "Primus' Ball Bearings!' I just wanted to mention that :) 
• Most of the surviving (at the start of the issue) members of the Last Cybertronians have been members of a combiner team in past fiction, explaining how they can combine (poorly) this issue.
• Rodimus' "god" form is based on the Super Saiyans from the Dragon Ball franchise (yeah, it looks a bit weird, why did they give him a gold wig, rather than the fiery design, like he has on the cover?)
• The ending is a bit bittersweet, Donnokt is safe, but the stars are still burning out, so they are on borrowed time right now, maybe they can develop interdimensional travel to escape to the next license holder?
• This marks the last G2 series for IDW, with only Shattered Glass to follow it (and, yes, the first two issues have been released already, but I've been procrastinating). There hasn't been any announcements on who the next license holder will be yet.

IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #3

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

The Last Cybertronians work on preparing Shib to be converted into biofuel, while Rodimus meets a badly damaged Wheelie, who is part of the group, but still refuses to join Steeljaw's crew, but the other Cybertronians are determined to convert him to using biofuel too. Steeljaw and most of the team leave to gather up the nearby townsfolk for farming and harvesting...

Moon is convinced by Shib, whom he has become fascinated by, and Wheelie to allow her to say goodbye to Rodimus before she is killed. She rusn over, and jabs the key her family has been protecting for centuries into Rodimus' chest, fully restoring him to his prime.

Rodimus quickly destroys the biofuel converter, and takes out most of the left behind Cybertronians, with Moon sacrificing himself when Shib is in danger of dying too. Wheelie sends two of the Cybertronians to warn the others, but Rodimus just kicks the smaller robot into orbit to die.

Rodimus chases the last two members, and kills them, with Shib wondering if Rodimus is actually the good guy...

Steeljaw and his crew reach Fembrance and start gathering up the townsfolk, but also start detecting Cybertronian technology in the area. Steeljaw makes his way to Shib's home, and destroys it, locating the box with the last two Energon keys and a data pad that Rodimus left for Shib's ancestors.

Rodimus and Shib soon return to Fembrance to find the town in ruins, and the townsfolk in caged trailers.

Rodimus is about to do something about it, when Steeljaw returns with Shib's family captive and reveals that he knows Rodimus' secret now....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback) Died from Accidental Fall

Strongarm - Van (Flashback) Died in Ship Crash

Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van

Sharpclaw - Car

Wheelie Launched into Orbit by Rodimus

Wildwheel - Car Killed by Rodimus

Moon - Rabbit Accidentally Killed by Wildwheel 

Vex - Car Killed by Rodimus

Treadshock - Tank Killed by Rodimus

Riotgear - Tank

Override - Car

Cyberwarp - Jet

Wedge - Front End Loader

Lunaclub - Helicopter

Scylla - Squid

Nitro Dead 

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis

Beets Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Trayvon Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Errold 

Fembrance Rangers

Fembrance Townsfolk Captured

Shib's Mother (Flashback)

Shib's Father (Flashback)

Wallkis Family Ancestors (Flashback)

Primitive Donnokt People (Flashback)

Fembrance Miners (Mentioned)

Notes

• As predicted before, the keys are filled with liquid Emerging that is designed to be used on the 3 Autobots who landed on Donnokt.
• The keys being able to open up a hidden hatch on a Transformer, and empower them, repairing injuries etc, resembles the Allspark Key from Animated.
• Wheelie being the "Veteran" here is treated like a big reveal, but the preview last issue revealed it to us...
• I mentioned last issue that it looked like Rodimus altered his robot mode when he became the wagon, but this issue reveals that it's the same design, but worn down from a lack of Emerging.
• Rodimus implies that there is something else hidden on Donnokt, and seemed very interested in if the Miners in town had found out about him. I'm guessing that Donnokt has a natural surplus of Energon, which Rodimus is trying to hide.
• The deaths of Gripper and Strongarm seem a bit suspicious to me. I think, based on the previous note, that they tried to leave the planet with the new source of Energon to save their species, but Rodimus stopped them by killing them.
• The secret discovered by Steeljaw is likely not about the Energon, since Steeljaw and the others already said they couldn't really convert back to using Energon now, so it most likely is something more than that.
• The art on Cover B shows Rodimus seeing past Cybertronians, most based on past designs, but Blaster appears to be a fully new design...and now I am desperate to know what he turns into...

IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #2

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

Rodimus investigates the pod used by the Visitor, but keeps being interrupted by Shib, who followed him, and explains that she, and her family, have been hiding him for generations.

Rodimus tries to use the stars to determine exactly how long it's been since he went into hiding, but is shocked to see the stars  linking out of existence, which Shib says has been happening since at least her grandfather's time.

The elderly Autobot laments that his species is to blame for the stars dying, and for so many world's dying, all because of their war.

Soon, a mob from the town arrives, and they intend to take Rodimus away for a town meeting to determine his fate, and also intend to imprison Shib and her family for hiding an alien robot. Rodimus agrees to be captured, but on the condition that Shib and her brothers not be blamed at all.

Elsewhere, Moon, formerly Spine-Shucker, guards the new base of his crew of eclectic Cybertronians, who have landed on the planet to look for a new home, and for more biofuel to power them.

Override and Riotgear are sent out to find Nitro, their scout, and locate his pod, which is being guarded by two of the townsfolk, whom Riotgear quickly grabs and learns that another Cybertronian was taken to town. Riotgear proceeds to devour the townsfolk to use as fuel...

At her homestead, Shib speaks with her brother Beets, before silently sneaking out of the house, slipping past the sleeping guard.

The next morning, Rodimus has been strapped to the ground, and is being guarded by some townsfolk, but they are soon distracted when Override and Riotgear arrive, and completely ignore them when they notice Rodimus.

Shib tries to free Rodimus, but he's afraid for her safety due to more of his kind appearing. Shib hides, at Rodimus' request, but the two other Cybertronians "rescue" him, and drive back towards their base.

The town's Alderman is told about the "rescue" and he's furious, despite their weapons having no effect on the giant robots regardless. He is further angered when he learns that Shib escaped from her house, and now considers her a conspirator with the aliens.

Rodimus is soon brought to the Cybertronian camp, where everyone is shocked to see another member of their species. Rodimus intends to fight them all, but his energy depletion gets to him, and he passes out.

While offline, Rodimus recalls how he, Gripper and Strongarm landed on the planet, with Rodimus intending to have them all just die out here, and not cause any further problems for the universe, hoping they're the last of their species.

Rodimus soon wakes up, and is shocked when no-one recognises his name, and learns that the Last Cybertronians have been overwriting their old memories to help themselves survive, and also now power themselves on Biofuel, and reveals that they already have a new subject to be converted into fuel...Shib, who was hiding in Rodimus' cape!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Wagon Base (Previously Car)

Strongarm - Van (Flashback)

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback)

Powermaster Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Grandus - Battle Platform (Flashback)

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Flashback)

Thunderclash - Truck (Flashback)

Windblade - VTOL Jet (Flashback)

Tigerhawk - Winged Tiger (Flashback)

Bulkhead - Van (Flashback)

Armada Red Alert - Van (Flashback)

Arcee - Car (Flashback)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Cannon (Flashback)

Gigatron - Jet/Bat/Car/Dragon/Hand (Flashback)

Predaking - Predacon Gestalt (Flashback)

Starscream - Tetrajet (Flashback)

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

Strika - Battle Tank (Flashback)

Flamewar - Motorcycle (Flashback)

Snarler - Drill-Beast (Flashback)

Noisemaze - Space Jet (Flashback)

Calcar - Car (Flashback)

The Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van

Sharpclaw - Car

Moon/Spine-Shucker - Rabbit

Override - Car

Riotgear - Tank

Cyberwarp - Jet

Vex

Wedge - Bulldozer

Treadshock - Tank

Nitro - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Scylla (Mentioned) In Stasis

Lunaclub (Mentioned In Stasis

"The Veteran" (Mentioned) In Stasis 

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis Captured by the Last Cybertronians

Alderman Errold 

Beets Wallkis

Wallkis Homestead Guard

Tunp

Spletsil

Rodimus' Third Guard

Buck Eaten by Riotgear

Buck's Co-Guard Eaten by Riotgear 

Fembrance Townsfolk/Mob

Donnokt Steeds

Trayvon Wallkis (Mentioned)

Grandpappy Wallkis (Mentioned)

Mr Wallkis (Mentioned)

Shib's Ancestors (Mentioned)

Fembrance Town Council (Mentioned)

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Humans (Mentioned)

Nebulans (Mentioned)

Klovians (Mentioned)

Notes

• Despite a couple of IDW #1 nods this issue, I don't believe this can fit in that continuity, since the Optimus Prime shown was in his Powermaster body, which that version of Prime never took on. (Though I guess he could be Ginrai...)
• The "Last Cybertronians" we meet this issue are an eclectic group from most Transformers generations. Quite fitting for a series designed to end an era, and celebrate the brand.
• The "Visitor" from last issue, who Rodimus killed, is revealed to be named Nitro.
• Rodimus' design changes between the flashbacks and the modern day scenes, most likely due to scanning the wagon he's been using for decades, but it could also be from spare parts from the Wallkis family.
• Rodimus believes that the Cybertronians are the reason that the stars are dying in the sky, most likely because of the war (we have seen Star Harvesters in some past continuities etc).
• Strongarm is confirmed to be one of Rodimus' comrades, but the other is Gripper, not Prowl as I guessed last issue. oh well.
• We can assume from Rodimus' behaviour that Strongarm and Gripper are most likely dead.
• The Last Cybertronians have overwritten their older memories, in luding many famous names from the past, a nod to Information Creep from IDW #1, an explanation on why beings able to live for billions of years, can forget their distant past.
• The Last Cybertronians are revealed to use "biofuel", where they process organic life into fuel for them to use. This process was referred to as Pink Alchemy in IDW #1, and was hinted at with the Insecticons in IDW #2.
• The "Veteran" mentioned here is heavily implied to be Wheelie, based on the next issue promo. However, the name originates from an alias used by Swoop in the 3H comics Beast Era comics and prose.
• Rodimus seems to have an attachment for his cape/tarp, potentially meaning it was a gift from Strongarm or Gripper, or perhaps the original Wallkis ally. Though it is also possible that he just realised that Shib was in the cloth, and was worried for her.
• The energy keys that Shib owns are still not explained, but I still believe they are to be used to jumpstart Rodimus' spark, and would have been given to her ancestors when Rodimus first went into hiding.

IDW - Robots in Disguise Animated #6

Written by: Georgia Ball

Art & Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edits by: John Barber

Plot

Windblade and Optimus arrive at a cave, where Optimus feels is where the Primes wanted them to go. Inside the cave they quickly encounter Predaking, who after a brief fight, retreats further into the cave and the Autobots find the item they were sent to locate...

Elsewhere, Fixit and Russell are being held prisoner in the Energon Mine whilst the Vehicons and some of Steeljaw's more trusted formerly imprisoned Decepticons are proceeding with mining the mineral.

The Autobots return to the scrapyard where they find the place trashed and discover that some of the cells have been opened. The team try to figure out where the Decepticons have gone, when Drift finds a shard of Energon, giving them a clue.

Back at the mine, the Decepticons are getting unnerved by the Vehicons, giving Fixit and Russell a chance to escape. Unfortunately Fracture notices their escape attempt and chases them along with his Mini-Cons. The trio manage to surround the escapees, but are shortly attacked by the Autobots, who were able to locate the mine themselves.

Everyone moves outside to fight, so as not to set off the Energon. The Autobots are easily winning, but Steeljaw reveals that he has given Steve a bomb that will cause massive damage to the Autobots and the area. However, before he can convince the Vehicon to set off the bomb Optimus and Windblade appear and show the Vehicons the item he had to recover, Starscream's severed gun arm. The Vehicons are outraged that Steeljaw never told them that Starscream was out of commission, and turn on him, throwing the bomb into the Energon mine, causing it to detonate, injuring the Decepticons, bar Steeljaw, allowing the Autobots to recapture them.

In the aftermath Optimus offers the Vehicons freedom on Cybertron, as, having just been soldiers in the war, they will not face war crime charges. The Vehicons refuse, as the war is not over yet for them, and they fly off into the sky

The End.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Bumblebee - Muscle Car

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Strongarm - Police SUV

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Drift - Race Car

Jetstorm - Buzzsaw Deployer

Slipstream - Buzzsaw Deployer

Fixit

Decepticon

Steeljaw - SUV

Steve - Jet

Unit XL-917 - Jet

Unit XL-571 - Jet

Thunderhoof - Tractor Captured by Bee Team

Underbite - Cybertronian Car Captured by Bee Team

Clampdown - Hatchback Captured by Bee Team

Fracture - Motorcycle Captured by Bee Team

Airazor - Torpedo Deployer Captured by Bee Team

Divebomb - Torpedo Deployer Captured by Bee Team

Megatronus - Cybertronian Tank (Mentioned)

Megatron - Cybertronian Jet (Mentioned)

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned) Possibly Dead

Human

Denny Clay

Russell Clay

Other

Predaking - Dragon

The Primes (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the last issue of the IDW Robots in Disguise series....this was truly worth us losing the subtitle for the now 50 issue long ongoing series
• Also, with this being the final issue they made the artwork more beautiful than usual :(
• I wonder if the Predaking plot line will be resolved during Season Two of the cartoon?
• Also, yeah, why IS Predaking on Earth? Last time we saw him he was about to eat Starscream along with the other Predacons on Cybertron....why is he on Earth, seemingly alone?
• And again, why did the Primes make Optimus go far away to find Starscream's severed arm? His mission wasn't even to capture Predaking!!
• Fixit uses his arm drill from his toy here
• The main Decepticons from Season One are freed from their stasis cells here, but are of course imprisoned again by the end of the issue so as not to mess up the cartoon's continuity.
• Last time Steeljaw attacked and captured the scrapyard he took it over, this time he just abandons it...why?
• The Vehicons in this story appear to have more intelligence than the ones we're used to, and even question orders from a supposed commander. Maybe that's why Starscream abandoned them?
• So the resolution to Russell's dilemma about a lack of viable role models was basically "meh, this'll do"

IDW - Robots in Disguise Animated #5

Written by: Georgia Ball

Art by: Priscilla Tramontano & Travis Sengaus

Colours by: John-Paul Bove, Josh Burcham, Joana LaFuente, & Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edits by: John Barber

Plot

Bumblebee reminisces over how his team has changed since he's returned to Earth, about the battle with Megatronus, and the return of Optimus to the world of the living.

Optimus and Windblade head off on a mission from the Primes to locate something hidden in the East, but they promise to return as soon as possible.

Elsewhere, at the Sierra Ridge, Steeljaw emerges from some rubble that he was thrown to by Megatronus and begins to plot his revenge on the Autobots, but ends up falling down a hill after attacking a squirrel. At the bottom of the hill, Steeljaw finds some Energon and follows it's trail to a waterfall cave. Inside, he locates some Vehicons left behind by the Decepticons from the Prime series, inside he learns theres an Energon mine there, but the Vehicons were waiting for miners to be delivered by Starscream, which Steeljaw decides to help them with...

Russell becomes a bit bothered after one of his friends points out to him that he's got no role models, and he worries about what will happen to him in the future. Shortly after getting back to the scrapyard Fixit picks up a signal from Steeljaw at a military base, so the team heads out to deal with him, however Russell decides to stay behind with Fixit to try and find his own path in life, rather than following his father's goofy role model.

The Autobots arrive at the military base, but find all the military personnel asleep due to some knock-out gas being let out in the area. All of a sudden two of the Vehicons attack the Autobots. The Autobots manage to defeat the Vehicons whilst also protecting the sleeping humans and the gas trucks. The two Vehicons fly away defeated.

Shortly afterwards, Bumblebee receives a holographic message from Steeljaw, who reveals that along with the third Vehicon, Steve, have attacked the scrapyard, and taken Fixit and Russell prisoner.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Muscle Car

Strongarm - Police SUV

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Drift - Race Car

Jetstorm - Buzzsaw Deployer

Slipstream - Buzzsaw Deployer

Fixit Captured by Steeljaw

Optimus Prime - Truck

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Upkeep (Mentioned)

Armeda Prison Ship Security Bot (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Steeljaw - SUV

Unit XL-917 - Jet

Unit XL-571 - Jet

Steve - Jet

Megatronus - Tank (Flashback)

Megatron - Jet (Mentioned)

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Vehicon Miners (Mentioned)

Human

Denny Clay

Russell Clay Captured by Steeljaw

Hank

Russell's Friends

Military Base Personnel

Bronco Kowalski (Mentioned)

Other

The Primes (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue takes place shortly after the end of Season One, but before the start of Season Two.
• It's likely that there are more groups of Vehicons left on Earth somewhere.
• A Vehicon being named Steve is a popular fandom joke that's been around since the Prime series began.
• Fixit's ringtone appears to come from his crotch....I am scared!
• Grimlock's new attempt at a normal alternate mode is a train...it is adorable!
• The Vehicons shown here have the robot modes of the ground troop Vehicons, but the aerial alternate modes
• Where did Steeljaw and Steve find those jars to keep Fixit and Russell in? Those aren't Stasis Cells...
• There appears to be a Jem and the Holograms billboard in the scrapyard.

RID - Sideswipe vs Thunderhoof

Plot

Sideswipe and Strongarm are driving along a road when they start arguing and have an impromptu play-fight in robot mode, suddenly another vehicle starts driving towards them forcing the two robots back into their vehicle modes. Suddenly the normal pick-up truck's front wheels burst and the vehicle is forced to stop, but another truck is coming around the corner and is about to collide, unless the two Autobots intervene.

The two Autobots line up on either side of the pick-up and guide it off the road, allowing the other truck to pass safely, at least in theory, but the truck is going too fast, and turns out to be an oil tanker, Strongarm puts on her sirens and places herself (in vehicle mode) in front of the tanker to try and stop it, luckily he manages to stop just before hitting Strongarm, much to the Autobot's relief. The two Autobots leave before the humans can find out they're robots and comment that they actually work well together, but wont admit that to the rest of the team.

The Autobots return to the junkyard where Bumblebee is waiting, and asks how their training session went, the Humans notice the scrapes on Sideswipe's body and they tell them how they stopped the collision, but stayed undercover much to Bumblebee's relief. All of a sudden there's an intruder alert in the junkyard.

When they return to the command center they find out that it's three humans who Russell knows from school, who are delinquents and have repeated the grade a few times. The Autobots revert to vehicle modes so Denny and Russell can see what they want.

Russell confronts the teens and they claim that this is their new hangout, but Denny soon appears and reveals to them that he and Russell own and live there. They start to leave, but see something they find interesting...a giant T-Rex statue...GRIMLOCK!

Denny and Russell try to say that Grimlock was just a prop from a Japanese monster film, but Steve claims to have never seen him in any film, and even points out that he's a dinosaur, not a Kaiju. When examining him, Grimlock notices a tattoo on one of the boy's arms with a cat on it, which causes him to freak out and break character, due to his fear of cats. The teens think they accidentally turned on the animatronic, and Denny lures the Dinobot away. the bullies start to threaten Russell when they think he's messing with them, and suddenly Sideswipe, in vehicle mode starts revving up to scare off the teens. Strongarm and Bumblebee joined in, and scare the teens away, Bumblebee compliments Sideswipe on his plan to protect Russsell and get rid of the teens safely.

Fixit detects a large number of Decepticon signals at the docks in Crown City, and the Autobots head towards there via the Groundbridge.

In an old steel mill at Crown City, Steeljaw is talking with Thunderhoof and Underbite, and gets annoyed with Thunderhoof when he starts going on about how he should be in charge again and attacks the other Decepticon, but lets him go as he needs the troops to help him in his long-term goals on Earth.

Thunderhoof, annoyed, goes for a walk, and Underbite tags along. They soon arrive at the docks and start discussing Thudnerhoof's stint as the Kospego when he first got released on Earth when they suddenly hear some commotion from inside the factory nearby. Inside, they find three more Decepticons stealing some of the products being stored there, the two Decepticons approach the newcomers, but find them aggressive towards them and they attack.

The Decepticons fight amongst themselves, and the Autobots bridge into the area outside and find the Decepticons fighting, and soon enter the battle too. Thunderhoof loses track of his opponent, Slink, and Sideswipe takes him on instead.

Whilst the others fight, Slink gets to a forklift and loads it up with her stolen goods and tries to get her henchmen to leave with her and the goods. Strongarm manages to rush to Sideswipe's aid against Thunderhoof, but are interrupted when Slink rushes past with the forklift, she shoots out the lights in the factory and has her team use their night vision goggles to see in the darkness, however thanks to the moonlight through the windows, Thunderhoof can still see the others, and gives them chase.

Due to all of the fighting the factory starts to collapse around the Cybertronians, the Autobots escape and give chase to Slink's team, whilst Thudnerhoof it left behind, seemingly trapped, but not for long, he escapes from the rubble and is angry.

The Bee Team soon find the newer Decepticons and manage to stop their plan, and capture them, the team head through the Groundbridge to head back to base, but Sideswipe is intercepted before he can leave by Thunderhoof and is forced to fight him again, he manages to use Thunderhoof's size to his advantage and tricks him into plummeting into the harbour's water. Bee returns through the Groundbridge and is complimented by his team leader for his quick thinking, Sideswipe claims he owes it all to his good teacher, and Bumblebee says the same, thinking about Optimus.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Strongarm - Police SUV

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Fixit

Optimus Prime - Truck (Vision in water)

Decepticon

Steeljaw - Van

Thunderhoof - Tractor

Underbite - Cybertronian Car

Slink the Catbot Captured by Bee Team

Sneak the Weaselbot Captured by Bee Team 

Snitch the Ratbot Captured by Bee Team 

Human

Denny Clay

Russell Clay

Joey

Johnny

Steve

Notes

• This is the second book in the new RID2015 series
• The first chapter of this book was previewed in the previous book, but included different pictures and was formatted differently.
• The teenagers seem to be well-versed in films, with Steve apparently seeing all Kaiju movies, and Johnny recalling Jurassic Park and Christine (but not saying their names). Considering this series should be sset in the future from now, these movies should probably be quite old by this time.
• This story has no sign of Drift or his Mini-Cons, further implying that his insertion in the last book was last-minute.
• Steeljaw reveals his plan is to find the Anti-Spark...could this be the major danger hinted at throughout season one of the cartoon?
• Thudnerhoof's line of "would have gotten away with it, if it weren't for those meddling bots" is a reference to the famous line from the Scooby-Doo series. To add to the similarities this was after he disguised himself as a local legend monster and was unveiled as fake.
• The only bit of information about the new three Decepticons we get is that Slink is black, none of them transform in the story, but appear to be small since they can all use the forklift in the factory.
• Slink's plan was to steal all the pet food in the factory and force the humans to pay through the nose to get it back so they can feed their beloved pets....that is EVIL!!!
• Why didn't one of the newer Decepticons take the form of the forklift rather than getting a normal one to ride in?

Titan - Age of Extinction #4

Title: Locked In

Writer: Martin Fisher

Pencils, Inks and Colour: Andres Ponce

Lettering: Comicraft

Cover Date: NOV/DEC 2014

Cover Price: £3.99

Poster: Movie Poster showing the main Transformer characters

Plot

Lockdown is talking to/taunting his prisoners when he suddenly realizes that one of them is missing. Suddenly the ship's systems all come under someone else's control. Lockdown goes towwards the command deck, but messages the rest of his crew to not interfere, as he wants to have fun with this.

Lockdown approaches the command deck, when he is attacked by a scraplet, who multiplies and starts to kill the Cybertronian. Sojex, the escaped prisoner, who was revealed to be a plant by a crme group who were angry with Lockdown for getting their boss imprisoned, gloats over her killing Lockdown, when suddenly he appears in the room, revealing that the Lockdown she killed was a hologram, and that he destroyed the Scraplets with water.

A short battle ensues, but Lockdown manages to knock out Sojex, and locks her up again, taking her back to her crime group for them to punish her for failing to kill him.

A short while later, Lockdown receives a mysterious message from a group, offering him a bounty to claim on Earth....

Characters

Mercenaries

Lockdown - Cybertronian Car

Mercenary #1

Steeljaw

Other

Sojex Captured by Lockdown, and delivered home

Furry Bat Monster Captured

Lockdown's Bounties Captured

Scraplets Killed by Lockdown

"The Creators"

Coseem Crime Gang (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue comes with either TF: Prime Ratchet or Starscream as the free PVC gift...just one left for the whole set!
• This issue actually seems to fit with the plot of the actual movie rather than the mis-direction leaked information (such as Lockdown being the Decepticon leader etc)
• Though I guess the last 3 issues would explain where Lockdown got the aerosol of water though...
• The Steeljaw seen on Lockdown's ship is actually based on the design for the Steeljaw from DOTM, rather than AOE. This wouldn't be a problem, except the DOTM version was a pet to the Wreckers, rather than alien wolf minion here.
• Lockdown's alternate mode here is possibly based on his Construct-Bots toy's.
• The Scraplet's weakness here is the same as it was in Marvel.
• The end of this comic leads directly to Lockdown's involvement in AOE's plot (therefore this could actually be set BEFORE the previous three comics) but would be set a short time before the events of the film, since he was helping Cemetary Wind kill the Autobots.

Other Features

Lots of Adverts

The Lowdown on Hound - Character Profile

Massive Movie Quiz - Quiz based on the Movie's events

Grimlock vs Scorn - Comparative profiles

Crosshairs' Conundrums - PUZZLES!!!

Are You...Battle Ready? - AOE Character personality test (I got Drift)

The sprint for Cybertron - Game Board

Lockdown's Letterbox - Lockdown and Crosshairs read the fan mail

Drift's Wordsearch

Transformers Prime DVD Competition

Rescue Bots Books Competition (Repaint the Heatwave on back to win!)