IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits #3

Written by: David Mariotte 

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Brittany Peer & Rebecca Nalty

Letters by: Val Lopez & Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The race is underway, but Mayhem, including Axer, quickly start attacking the track and the racers, killing at least Road Pig in the process, and severely injuring many others like Road Rocket, Override and Sideways.

The security force lose. Intact with the drones on the track, and send out troops to save anyone they can.

The Wreckers, as part of the race, manage to take down most of the Mayhem members, but are stopped by Security from finishing them off, unknown to the racers and Wreckers, the Mayhem members shed their Pretender shells to escape, while being obstructed from view by security.

Acer catches up wit Knock Out, who is in the front of the race, but the surgeon mocks him, bidding him farewell, as Breakdown shoots a missile at Axer, killing him on the spot, revealing his complicity bin this race-fixing plot!

Knock Out soon speeds into the stadium, winning the race, and being named as the new First Senator of Velocitron, with the remaining racers walking behind him, behind Breakdown.

The Wreckers meet up at the end of the race, and aren't happy with this result, and think something more is happening here...

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Aileron - Jet

Hot Shot - Jeep

Ricochet - Car

Minerva - Car

Mayhem

Octopunch

Skullgrin

Submarauder

Axer Killed by Breakdown

Thunderblast - Boat Crushed by Racers

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet Knocked Out by Hot Shot 

Velocitronian

Knock Out - Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Drag Strip - F1 Racer

Leadfoot - F1 Racer

Override - Race Car Blasted by Mayhem

Sideways - Motorcycle Crashed by Mayhem

Road Rocket - Motorcycle Skewered by Mayhem

Road Pig - Motorcycle Killed by Octopunch

Scrounge - Wheel

Signal Lancer - Traffic Light

Lickety-Split - Tricycle

RoadHauler - Crane

Clampdown - Police Car

Burn-Out - Van

Dirt Rocket - Motorcycle

Moonracer - Car

Armada Mirage - F1 Racer In Stasis Lock from Rockslide 

Orange Cybertron Crumplezone - Rocket Trike 

Green Cybertron Clocker - Convertible Crushed by Skullgrin 

Purple Armada Downshift - Race Car

Red/Yellow RID2015 Sideswipe - Car

Green RID2015 Quillfire - Van

Purple RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

White/Yellow RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

Light Blue RID2015 Blurr - Race Car

Other Racers

Sec-Ops Officers

Race Spectators

Other Medics (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Xaaron

Primus (Mentioned)

Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Notes

• There are so many virtual redecoes and transplants from older series' this issue. I've tried to identify them all, but a few have probably passed over my head.
• On the note of virtual redecoes, I wouldn't be shocked of some of them (RoadHauler, Clampdown, Burn-Out, as well as the ones featured last issue, like Leadfoot and Knock Out) get new toys in the near future.
• Knock Out is mentioned as being endorsed by the Ascenticons...I'm gonna go out on a lead and say the results of this race were all part of Megatron's big plan for revolution...
• The use of the term "Ascenticon" here, means that this issue IS set earlier in the timeline than its contemporary comics.
• Submarauder is shown leaving a Pretender shell, with his inner robot designed to resemble a Prime Master figure. We can probably assume that Skullgrin and Octopunch have the same ability.
• The boys designed after the Museum guards from Robots in Disguise that I thought were just bouncers last issue, are shown to actually be part of Breakdown's corrupted security force.
• There's still no clue on whether Xaaron is a Velocitronian or just a visiting signatory yet...he just doesn't feel like a member of the speedy planet's population to me! 
• Axer is revealed to have been a member of Mayhem this issue, planning to overrule the Velocitronian way of deciding its leadership. However it also appears that the main force of Mayhem were also working with Breakdown and Knock Out to cause enough havok to enable Knock Out to win the race, before betraying and killing Axer...this is confusing! 

IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits #2

Written by: David Mariotte

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Brittany Peer

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The Wreckers, sans Circuit arrive at a Race Bar to gather intel on the racers, in order to try and determine who could be affiliated with Mayhem, but come up with no leads. Aileron however learns that there's a bet being held to see who ruins the race first, Mayhem or the Wreckers. Aileron ends up insulting Thunderclash to the Mayhems when comparing how they are using the Speedia 500 to try and cause a spectacle, just like the Wreckers do with their stunt cover missions. Thunderclash shouts, but is quickly calmed down, before security chief Breakdown can ban him from the race.

Elsewhere, Circuit is created by his old crewmate, Axer, who now works for Velocitron's security force. The latter offers his apologies for his actions during the Iron Hope incident, and gives him a ride back to the Wrecker's shuttle. Axer suggests that Circuit and the other Wreckers leave the race, since it's being used to flush out Mayhem, and leaves after receiving a message.

Circuit is suspicious, so follows Axer in his exo-suit, eventually finding him meeting with Octopunch, leader of Mayhem, and opening a channel to the other Wreckers to warn them that security has been breached, however the Autobot is shot in the head by a sniper.

The Wreckers, hearing the incident over the Comms rush out to Circuit's last location, but find him badly injured, next to the burning Mayhem hideout.

Circuit is brought back to the shuttle, where Minerva patches him up as best as possible, but isn't sure if he'll survive, before putting him into a CR Chamber.

The team head out to perform the rest of their mission, with Minerva heading to a medical station, in case of any injuries during the race, and the others joining the participants.

The race is started off, with Breakdown announcing security measures during the race, seemingly unaware of the security force's infiltration.

The racers are counted down, and the race for the next leader of Velocitron has begun!

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Ricochet - Car

Hot Shot - Jeep

Aileron - Jet

Minerva - Car

Circuit Sniped by Mayhem, in CR Chamber

Mayhem

Octopunch

Other Mayhem Members (Mentioned)

Velocitronian

Road Rocket - Motorcycle

Breakdown - Van

Override - Race Car

Knock Out - Car

Leadfoot - Race Car

Sideways - Motorcycle

Jackpot - Car

Lickety-Split 

Scrounge - Wheel

Signal Lancer - Traffic Light 

Drag Strip - Race Car

Burn-Out - Van

Bar Bouncer

Bar Patrons

Medics

Speedia 500 Racers

Sizzle - Race Car (Image)

Electrons - Car (Mentioned) Dead 

Other

Axer

Xaaron

Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Sec-Ops (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue features a lot of cameos from older characters (such as Cybertron Brakedown, Crumplezone, Landmine etc) but with new heads and colourschemes. The characters who appear to be exact transplants are just going to be mentioned as characters in the list though.
• While Override and Sideways appear to just be transplants of their Cybertron and Armada toys respectively, Knock Out appears to use a body based on the Studio Series Jazz toy, possibly giving us a look at an upcoming Legacy Knock Out figure. Leadfoot likewise appears to be using Siege Mirage's body, possibly giving us a look at his next too too.
• The characters mention Sec-ops as being on patrol on Velocitron, but it should be Colonial Security here. It is possible though that locally it is just called Sec-ops though.
• The two games shown in the bar are "Mechanic Mania", an allusion to "Operation" and "Virtual Cube", which is based on the sport of "Cube" from the Cyberverse series.
• Circuit's suit is shown to be able to transform between a hover car and an eco suit....why did he leave the ship without it again?
• Minerva mentions that Circuit's injuries are the worst she's seen in a long time, and that she doesn't remember the last time it's looked this bad, further adding to my thoughts that this series is set during the early stages of the main comic series, before the war breaks out.
• Xaaron is shown this issue starting the race, it's possible that he's a denizen of Velocitron, but it's also possible that he's just there as a Senate representative, authenticating the event.
• Knock Out and Breakdown are shown to be a couple in this continuity again, and are even shown kissing on panel, which I don't remember ever happening in IDW version 1
• As I mentioned last issue...why is Aileron allowed to enter the race, when she uses a flying alternate mode?
• Drag Strip makes a brief cameo this issue, showing off his upcoming Legacy figure, which has just been revealed.

IDW - Transformers Wreckers: Tread and Circuits #1

Written by: David Mariotte

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Candice Han

Letters by: Jake M. Wood & Nathan Widick

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The Wreckers perform a death-defying stunt, a sub-orbital jump from their ship to a planet's surface, without any safety devices, which is broadcasted to their loyal viewbase across the universe, when it is interrupted by Mayhem, a terrorist cell, who demand that Velocitron cancel it's upcoming Speedia 500, and not decide their leadership that way. To prove their seriousness, they kill a former competitor, Electrons, on screen. The Wreckers manage to get control of their signal, and close off the broadcast properly.

Once the cameras are shut down, the Wreckers are back to their real business, guns out and ready to fight if Mayhem are nearby. The team, really an elite covert squad that works outside of Colonial Security, and are now on the mission to take down Mayhem.

Later, the Wreckers arrive on Velocitron, where Thunderclash announces to the gathered crowd that they are going to enter the Speedia 500 to prove that they aren't afraid of Mayhem, much to Aileron's annoyance, since she's planned a covert mission for them to investigate them secretly.

Circuit sneaks away from the ship, to avoid the cameras and crowd, since he feels like a outcast since losing his alternate mode during the Iron Hope incident. He decides to try and scout out the planet to find a potential hideout for Mayhem, but finds himself abused by the Velocitronians, who are all about speed, so a mode-locked bot like him isn't welcome...

After Aileron and Thunderclash argue about the latter's decision to make their mission public, and he agrees that he might have made a mistake in that, they rejoin the rest of the team in a communal area in the ship, when Aileron realizes that Circuit isn't back from his exploration yet!

Back on the streets, Circuit is chased by someone down a tight alleyway, and is shocked when he realizes that his pursuer is Acer, another of the Iron Hope 100 on his Turbo Cycle, who asks what he's doing there...

Characters

Autobot/Wrecker

Thunderclash - Truck

Hot Shot - Jeep

Ricochet - Car

Minerva - Car

Aileron - Jet

Circuit 

Mayhem

Octopunch

Skullgrin

Submarauder 

Velocitronian

Road Pig - Motorcycle

Electrons - Car Killed by Octopunch 

Velocitronian Crowd

Road Rocket - Motorcycle (Hologram)

Blurr - Race Car (Hologram)

Other Cybertronian

Axer 

Primus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Exarchon (Mentioned)

The Three-fold Spark (Mentioned)

The Iron Hope 100 (Mentioned)

Colonial Security (Mentioned)

Rust Worms (Mentioned)

Turbofoxes (Mentioned)

Notes

• We don't know when in the continuity this story is set. We don't see any Decepticons in the story (unless Mayhem reveal badges later on) and the Wreckers openly wear Autobot insignias, which would mark them as being part of Optimus' army rather than travelling performers in the current storyline's setting. My guess is that this is set just before the war broke out.
• The only two members of the Wreckers based on recent toys are Hot Shot and Ricochet, who were both in the Selects toyline, and are also shown this issue to be rivals.
• Aileron appears this issue, having had a cameo in the Valentine's Day special, though in that story she was shown as a larger robot, rather than standard sized, like she is here.
• The Speedia 500 and other such races have been a focal point of Velocitron's lore since it was introduced in the Cyberton cartoon, in luding it being used to decide on the leadership of the planet. I am surprised that Override isn't the planet's leader in this continuity, like she usually is though...
• Circuit mentions that he used to focus everything of his life into "being a camera" before losing his alternate mode in the Iron Hope incident. This could mean that Circuit used to have a camera alternate mode, but due to the leftover kibble.on his body lookig more like car parts, I'm assuming he is just refering to his chronicler job, and not his alternate mode.
• Thunderclash mentions that Aileron is entering the Speedia 500...but she has a flying alternate mode...unless she also has a car mode too, like Road Rage, but there's no evidence of that yet.