IDW - Robots in Disguise #18

Title: Second Exodus
Written by: John Barber
Art by: Atilio Rojo
Colours by: Priscilla Tramotano
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Following the battle of Iacon, Starscream has killed Metalhawk., but uses his death to force the NAIL's to make the Autobots and Decepticons who won't renounce their factions out of the city.

Starscream assures Fixit that when they are healthier, Omega Supreme and the rest of the injured will have the same choice as the others. After the leave Iacon, the Autobots are joined by the Constructicons, who want to be with Prowl, as they feel kindred to him now. The Dinobots attack the Constructicons, but the Constructicons only defend themselves, and don't hurt their enemies. Bumblebee points out to the Decepticons that Prowl wasn't himself for a while, so the guy they came to know isn't the real Prowl, however Arcee reveals that Prowl had Ratbat executed BEFORE he was mind-jacked, Bumblebee takes this to a bit of shock, and gives in to his injuries.

Soon, the Autobots have set up a make-shift settlement around Fixit's medical trailer, where Bumblebee is being repaired, using his old Earth-body parts. Nearby, Arcee talks with Prowl and apologizes for revealing his secret, then says how she doesn't know what to do now, as during her time on Gorlam Prime killing Jhiaxus, things made sense, but now she doesn't have anything. She walks off saying that she hopes Bumblebee doesn't die, to which Prowl quietly thanks her.

Arcee heads over to the Trailer to check on Bumblebee, but Sideswipe won't let her in, despite their great teamwork during the battle, he doesn't want her, a mindless killing machine near him right now, and tells her to go away.

As she leaves, the Constructicons throw some rubble at her, to which she retaliates by drawing her sword and fighting them, which the other Autobots just watch for entertainment. Ironhide and the Dinobots soon break up the fight and he makes them stay together, the Dinobots offer to take the others drinking, but Arcee refuses

Arcee chats with Ironhide, who is worried about the signal that altered him and the others before being still active, after which, Arcee disappears and sits outside the Trailer, craving something into her shoulder. Bumblebee wakes up and leaves the trailer in his new body and Arcee explains that she decided to take over from Sideswipe (by knocking him out) because she assumes that she'd be immune from the signal, as she's already sort of mad, then shows Bumblebee the Autobot insignia she's carved into herself.

Bumblebee comments on the sun rising, but Arcee says it can't be, as it's only just set, more Autobots crowd around and look towards the ball of light in the distance, and Arcee says that it's Jhiaxus, despite him being far away. They all look, and see Shockwave standing in front of the ball of light, and Arcee comments about him not being alone...

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Muscle Car (Formerly Cybertronian Car)

Arcee - Car

Ironhide - Van

Prowl - Car

Fixit - Ambulance

Sideswipe - Car Knocked Out by Arcee

Slag - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Streetwise - Car

Tracks - Car

Ciffjumper - Car

Quickslinger - Motorcycle

Omega Supreme Badly Injured

Superion Badly Injured

Other Exiled Autobots

Wheeljack - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Hardhead (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Cannon

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Dirge - Jet Injured

Devastator - Gestalt (Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Bombshell (Mentioned)

Ratbat (Mentioned) Dead

NAIL

Starscream - Jet

Metalhawk - Jet Dead

Squawkbox

Swindle - Van

Jazz - Car

Flatline (Mentioned)

Quickmix (Mentioned)

Animated Shockwave

NAIL Crowds

Other

Jhiaxus - Jet (Mentioned)

Giant Turbofoxes (Mentioned)

Notes

• Basically this story is a new Spotlight for Arcee
• This issue marks Arcee's "official" joining of the Autobots
• Omega Supreme and Superion are confirmed as still alive here, albeit just very badly injured
• The Autobots have set up a shanty-town in the wilds, could be the start of an Autobot City type situation maybe?
• For some reason they kept Bumblebee's left-over parts from his old Earth mode, did someone predict he'd be half killed again? (Like he was in the Ongoing)
• Bumblebee's new body seems to be a hint towards a new toy of "Goldbug" from the upcoming Generations Bumblebee toy. However Goldbug in IDW is a separate character from Bumblebee, so it'll likely be called "Gold Bumblebee" or "Goldfire Bumblebee" or something.
• Shockwave's silhouette on the last page is shown with 2 regular hands and not his giant cannon, which is completely possible on the toy he's based on! 
• Flatline is mentioned here, marking his debut in G1, as he's a Movie characters nominally
• It's revealed here that the Aerialbots spontaneously combined into Superion rather than being operated on, it's also said that the reason the Dinobots calmed down after trying to kill everyone because of the number of people in the area increasing with the Aerialbots joining them.

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #17

Title: Remain in Light Part 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon
Written by: James Roberts
Art by: Alex Milne
Colours by: Josh Burcham
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editorial Assistants: Toni Korde and Mariel Romero
Editor: John Barber

Plot

Tailgate, after finding out he has only 3 days or so to live after being diagnosed with Cybercrosis, panics and runs back to his quarters to tell Cyclonus. Elsewhere, Rodimus, Ambulon and Blaster are monitoring the security footage of Magnus waking up and seemingly levitating to Shuttle Bay 3, where he steals a shuttle. The group track the shuttle and go after it.

Tailgate tells Cyclonus what Ratchet told him, and Cyclonus leaves, then scars himself in anger for what is happening. Later the ship appraoches a portal in space, where Magnus seemingly went through, and everyone is excited/nervous. Rodimus takes the ship into the portal for more adventure. On the other side, they find the long lost Luna-1.

Later, after some scans Perceptor reports that the thing they've found does indeed appear to be Luna-1, but oddly, despite seemingly being deserted, they've detected a billion people on it.

Rodimus soon puts together an away team for an excursion to Luna-1, made of himself, Rung, Brainstorm, Whirl, Chromedome, Ratchet, Cyclonus and Tailgate (who Cyclonus wanted to bring, so he can have an experience before his death). Rodimus explains to his team that the mission is to look for Magnus, but anything else they find is a bonus. Cyclonus tells Tailgate not to get his hopes up about finding a cure on the moon, and that this is just for the experience.

The shuttle lands on the moon and the team go either by alt mode, or MARB across the deserted planetoid, with Fort Max and Blaster keeping in contact with them from the ship above. The team come across Magnus' shuttle and find it smashed apart, Rodimus jumps off his MARB to examine it closer, when suddenly the entire moon lights up with sparks, still in the ground, with everyone thinking it has something to do with the Matrix in Rodimus, or just Rodimus himself.

The team discuss what this means, and how important this is now when they lose contact with the Lost Light. In the Oil Reservoir, Skids is sitting alone when suddenly he hears "nineteen eighty-four" from the darkness.

On Luna-1, the team have found a green spark, and Brainstorm immediately starts extracting it, despite others, like Cyclonus and Rung complaining about the land not being consecrated or that this is technically stealing, when suddenly the team is attacked from the air by Lockdown and his crew.

On the Lost Light again, Skids starts a fight with the Legislators, who explode from the oil, meanwhile more Legislators start appearing across the ship, inside Swerve's bar, the bridge, and everywhere else. On Luna-1, the team are trying to escape when Ratchet's MARB is blasted away, and he's taunted by Pharma!

Later on, Rodimus relates these events to someone calling himself Ambus

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Perceptor

Ratchet - Ambulance

Chromedome - Car

Rung - Maintenance Buggy

Brainstorm - Jet

Skids - Van

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Blaster

Ambulon - Leg

Swerve - Van

Pharma - Jet

Dominus Ambus (Flash Forward)

Inferno

Grapple

First Aid - Ambulance

Huffer

Gears

Ultra Magnus (Footage) Gone Missing

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Spoke (Mentioned)

Lockstock (Mentioned)

Mainframe (Mentioned)

Drift (Mentioned)

Bumblebee (Mentioned)

Prowl (Mentioned)

Trailbreaker (Mentioned)

Rewind (Mentioned) Dead

Polaris (Mentioned) Dead

Animus (Mentioned) Dead

Shock (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Lockdown

Chop Shop

Venom

Ransack

Barrage

Rest of Lockdown's Crew

Overlord (Mentioned)

Rossum (Mentioned)

Scorponok (Mentioned)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Tailgate - Car Dying of Cybercrosis

Cyclonus - Jet

Legislators

Nova Prime (Mentioned)

Medibot (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Notes

• Rodimus considered himself, Magnus and Drift to be like Rossum's Trinity, as they all complimented each other as a team
• Last time we saw Ambus (in flashback form) he was looking for a cure to Cybercrosis...coincidence?
• Tailgate's green innermost Energon is explained here as it being curdled...why didn't anyone mention this to him when they saw it!??!
• Remember when last time Tailgate transformed he was trapped half-way through? We all thought it was funny back then didn't we? Turns out, it's a sign of him dying!
• Gee, Rodimus sure sounds a bit like a Functionalist here doesn't he? When he screams at Swerve about him being a Bartender, not a Metallurgist now.
• Wow, Cyclonus should give speeches to more people with terminal illnesses "NEVER HOPE. HOPE IS A LIE."
• Rodimus leaves Fort Max in charge of the Lost Light in his absence....yeah, the gun totting PTSD sufferer, good idea!
• Rodimus reveals that he keeps his half of the Matrix inside his chest, wonder if Bumblebee does the same?
• Brainstorm has experience in harvesting Point One Percenters...wonder if that means he helped "create" one of the Phase Sixers?
• The new Legislators chant Seventeen Twenty-One. Whilst we don't know what that means in this universe, in real life it's the start and end issue numbers for this story-arc
• Pharma's appearance in the last panel confirms that he survived the Red Rust on Messatine. His new saw-hand is most likely a gift from Lockdown, who is know to have one in at least one continuity (Animated), but it also invokes a feel of Ash from the Evil Dead series. His pose even sort of resembles the pose shown on the Army of Darkness DVD covers.
• Chromedome points out that they seem to never transform any more, and ask why they even have alt modes!
• Swerve calls Trailcutter "Trailbreaker" here, either this is a mistake, or Trail-guy decided to go back to his old name again some point in the last day.

My Crazy Theories

• It's been mentioned in solicitations for July's comics that Star Saber will be appearing, now with this issue's revelation of the powerful green sparks being on Luna-1, it's possible that that is in fact Star Saber, just waiting to be born in the next couple of issues. Perhaps even using Magnus' body as raw materials (I always did think his inner robot looked a bit like Magnus).
• On a similar note, it was noted in earlier issues that Ununtrium (the thing used to make Phase Sixers indestructible) is basically non-existent now on Cybertron (at least when that part of the story was set). It's likely therefore that this compound is actually native to Luna-1, which could be how the Decepticons keep finding some of it for more Phase Sixers, as Lockdown's crew could have been mining the planet.
• The explosive energies from Cybertron early in the RID series were meant to be sent into Luna-1, but it wasn't there, it's likely that those energies could have reignited the sparks on the moon to help revive the Cybertronian race that way
• Also, Lockdown never mentioned who his "boss" was in Spotlight: Trailbreaker...maybe they were the Quintessons, hence linking it to my theory that the Legislators are made by them too

IDW - Robots in Disguise #17

Title: Shockwaves
Written by: John Barber
Art by: Livio Ramondelli
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Shockwave and Dreadwing fly away from Iacon into the Wilds, to the crater where the Metrotitan was found, and exploded, inside, expecting ruins, Dreadwing is shocked to find the Crystal City still intact, despite being ground zero for the explosion. The two of them wonder why this is, when Shockwave blasts a hole in his chest, killing him. Shockwave then waits...

In the distant past, Shockwave is planting something in the Crystal City when Jhiaxus appears and points out that there's a massive battle going on, between Omega Supreme, and his greatest creation Monstructor. They watch as Monstructor is defeated and before long Jhiaxus is on the Ark, before he can be disgraced, leaving Shockwave in his stead. The Crystal City is buried under ground, and life continues. After a while, Shockwave is made a Senator and sets up the J.A.A.T. to much applause from his fellow Senators.

Afterwards, Dai Atlas approaches the newcomer, and tells him his concerns, as he wasn't fond of Jhiaxus, but Shockwave assures him that he's not Jhiaxus. Proteus then comes up for a chat, but first physically assaults the Cybertronian who was working as Shockwave's projector, this disgusts Shockwave, and denounces Proteus' Functionalist beliefs, to which Proteus comments that such emotion is unbecoming of a senator.

Later, Shockwave watches some miners being transported to Luna-2, which Shockwave hates that they need, and he comments that he planted a seed before Jhiaxus left on the Ark, and says that he plans to create artificial Energon to replace their needs on the real stuff (beginning the plans of his Regenesis Project). Dai Atlas warns Shockwave not to do anything too outrageous, especially with the Senate seeming to be becoming corrupt.

Over time, the Senate starts to split, with Proteus running things behind his puppet Primes, so Shockwave starts finding new potential Primes of his own, including Orion Pax. After a while, Shockwave is taken captive and is placed under Shadowplay and Empurata, turning him into his more familiar form.

After his Empurata, Shockwave remains a Senator, but rather than being weakened by the effects of the processes he is made more determined, and without emotions, he can work without limits etc. After a Senate meeting, Shockwave is greeted by Starscream who takes him to meet the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron. Who wants to use Shockwave's knowledge on Gestalts (via Jhiaxus' research) to build his own one. Shockwave says it'll be a long process, which Megatron doesn't mind, as he has a long-term plan.

Soon, Shockwave has a lab of his own, where he's experimenting on random Cybertronians, and over time, he starts to figure some things out.

One day Orion Pax approaches him in the street, worried about him, but Shockwave doesn't care about his friend's concerns, as he's not really the same person anymore. Later, Megatron begins his plans for destroying the Senate in Kaon, and tells Shockwave of this, who in order to help in some way, replaces his claw hands with a blaster and a normal hand.

Soon, Shcokwave goes to visit Dai Atlas, and shoots him at point blank range, sparing him from dying with the rest of the Senate.

Over the years, Shockwave has seeded 13 worlds with his Ores, which created various effects, but then remarks that his most powerful Ore is still on Cybertron. Dreadwing wakes up, and his wound is healed,a nd he's alive, thanks to the power of Ore-14, resurrection! With this, he'll be able to bring about his final cataclysm.

Characters

Autobot/Future Autobot

Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback)

Nominus Prime (Flashback) Dead

Sentinel Prime (Flashback)

Omega Supreme (Flashback)

Impactor (Flashback)

Bumblebee - Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon/Future Decepticon

Senator Shockwave - Flying Gun

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Megatron - Armoured Truck (Flashback)

Starscream - Tetra Jet (Flashback)

Soundwave - Acoustic Van (Flashback)

Senator Ratbat (Flashback)

Monstructor - Gestalt (Flashback) Defeated by Omega Supreme

Bristleback (Mentioned)

Scowl (Mentioned)

Slog (Mentioned)

Icepick (Mentioned)

Wildfly (Mentioned)

Birdbrain (Mentioned)

Devastator - Gestalt (Mentioned)

Other

Senator Proteus (Flashback) Dead

Senator Dai Atlas (Flashback) Injured by Shockwave

Jhiaxus (Flashback)

Nova Prime (Flashback)

Cyclonus (Flashback)

Galvatron (Flashback)

Projector-Bot - Holo-Projector (Flashback)

The Senate (Flashback) Dead

Shockwave's Victims (Flashback) Dead

Shielded Guards (Flashback)

Miners (Flashback)

Metrotitan - City/Space Ship (Mentioned) Dead

NAILS (Mentioned)

Civilians (Flashback)

Primus (Mentioned)

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Notes

• You have to wonder...if everything down in the Crystal City can be revived like this...then where is the Metrotitan?
• Shockwave and Dreadwing went missing from the battle in Iacon, this is where they ended up.
• The pre-empurata Shockwave is shown to be kind of sly as well, as he plants the Ore-14 in Crystal City years before he begins his mass-plan to seed other worlds
• Shockwave was witness to the battle between Monstructor and Omega Supreme, shown in the RID Annual 2012, and was also witness to Megatron being shipped off to the mines
• Dai Atlas appearing in this flashback, and throughout Monstrosity as well somewhat builds up to Dai Atlas maybe returning in the present
• Shockwave originally had claw hands, rather than his now common blaster, it's shown that he can change his hands over by simply removing and replacing them
• Shockwave DOES seem to have some emotion left, as he makes sure that Dai Atlas is kept away from the Senate-Cull (from Megatron Origin) by injuring him in his lab, thus allowing him to survive
• The planet where Kup crashed in his Spotlight is confirmed here to be a world seeded by Shockwave

IDW - Beast Hunters #1

Story by: Mairghread Scott & Mike Johnson
Written by: Mairghread Scott
Art by: Agustin Padilla
Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

On Cybertron, the war is long over, and the Autobots, under Grimlock's command, are wholed up in a city to protect them from the Forged and Insecticons left on the planet.

Sludge returns from a hunting mission with a large dead beast in tow to be drained for power. He soon joins Snarl and Grimlock in the throne room to go about their daily business of mediating problems in the city etc, after a while, Slug appears with some dead bodies that Grimlock wanted to see, but Sludge insists that they call it quits for today (as Girmlock's getting tired, and his beast is getting ready to release itself) which would be bad for the city.

Sludge goes off hunting when he encounters Firestar being chased by some Insecticons, the two take down the Decepticons, and Firestar says she needs help. She is taken to see Grimlock, but when she reveals she's from Last Spark, Grimlock goes mad and refuses to help her due to them not wanting his help in the past.

Firestar leaves, but Snarl and Sludge accompany her back to Last Spark to help them out from their attackers. Inside the city, the two Dinobots aren't well received as the people there believe they are tainted with Shockwave's madness after seeing their actions in the Forged prison (back in Rage of the Dinobots), however their leader Airwave is convinced to let them at least try to help.

The two Dinobots are taken to see some of the body, and find them fully drained of Energon and torn apart, and some were even taken from INSIDE the city. The Dinobots decide to check out Shockwave's lab to see if there's any sign of the Insecticons, like Kickback, or something else that could do this. They're given some Energon pumps and head out

The duo make it to the tunnel leading to the lab, but find it blocked by some Insecticons, including Kickback.

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Firestar - Hover Pic-Up Truck

Airwave

Slug - Triceratops

Last Spark Civilians

Grimlock-ville Civilians

Swoop - Pteranodon (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Kickback - Insect

Insecticons - Insects

Backbite - Dragon (Flashback)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

The Forged (Mentioned)

Constructicons (Mentioned)

Other

Dead Guys

Primus (Mentioned)

Prisoners (Flashback)

Mini-Cons (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is set to accompany the events of the Beast Hunters TV series, so it may reveal some spoilers from the series after a few issues
• This is set a while after the conclusion of Rage of the Dinobots
• Firestar's appearance in both modes are mostly references to her G1 counterpart, but she also has some cues from Prime Ironhide too, and even a bit from Movie Salvage as well
• Airwave is shown to be an Autobot here, but in G1, which is where the character he's based on is from, is a Decepticon

IDW - Regeneration One #91

Title: Destiny Part One

Writer: Simon Furman

Penciler: Andrew Wildman

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Coloring Assist: James Stayte

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

Bludgeon's new army attacks planet Cresta Superior and slaughters the inhabitants which Bludgeon and Soundwave watch on from on the Warworld with the Thunderwing remains in the background (having used the Matrix energies to build the army). Bludgeon suggests that since it'll take a while for the Warworld to return to Cybertron for their ultimate plan, he should have his own Decepticons on the planet undermine the Autobot's rule some more...

It's the day after Scorponok's dark reign over Cybertron, and everything is still damaged, and the people are distrusting one and another. Several Autobots meet up for a discussion on the situation, which Hot Rod was absent for, since he was learning about the Demons whilst this was all happening. Perceptor and the others tell him that the population are feeling bad after all that happened and some are confused by their feelings during the crisis.

Elsewhere, Ultra Magnus sends out his Civil Defense Force to help protect the innocent in the new violent times when Trailbreaker tells him that the satellite left over Earth is transmitting a message from Earth. Optimus (in his new base there) confirms that he received Magnus' report about the recent events an dis told about Fixit's team being sent to Nebulos to fix the issues there too. Magnus reports that he's worried about Hot Rod's leadership style, but Optimus tells him not to worry, and that his unorthodox methods may be what Cybertron needs now.

On the Ark, Galvtaron remembers when the Unicron of his home universe devoured his Cybertron and then forced him to rule Earth, and be content with it. Galvatron is now determined to rule THIS Cybertron.

Meanwhile, on Cybertron Hot Rod begins his speech to the population about his plans to try and reunite the Demons, and the Transformers on this planet, but the public (goaded by some Decepticons) turn violent and have to be held back by the Autobot guards.

Soon, Hot Rod is taken away by Kup, who tells him that he should concede the leadership to Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod gets Trailbreaker to contact Magnus for him, but before he can be connected the surviving Dinobots turn up and want to help Hot Rod in his search for the Demons and a way to help them, on the condition that they also go to find Grimlock as well, as they believe he's still alive at the bottom of the Sonic Canyons.

Magnus makes contact with Hot Rod, who tells the former to get Iacon repaired and ready for the reunification of the Cybertronians, having changed his plans.

Back on Cresta Superior, Rook arrives and finds the planet destroyed and reports back to his leader, Jhiaxus at the Hub that it appears to have been caused by Cybertronians. Jhiaxus remarks that it seems inevitable now for the past and future to clash at long last.

Worryingly in Zero Space, the crack seems to shatter, and that the future is now...cancelled?

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Rod - Car

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Trailbreaker - Van

Red Hot - Fire Engine

Seawatch - Rescue Boat

Fixit - Ambulance

Stakeout - Police Car

Sky High - Helicopter

Grapple - Crane

Prowl - Police Car

Streetwise - Police Car

Perceptor - Microscope

Jetfire - Jet

Blades - Helicopter

Inferno - Fire Engine

Roadbuster - Jeep

Blurr - Race Car

Red Alert - Emergency Responce Car

Whirl - Helicopter

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy

Rack 'N' Ruin

Slag - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Civil Defense Force Members 90 Percent Dead

Brainstorm Arrested

Highbrow Arrested

Hardhead Arrested

Grimlock (Flashback) Maybe Dead

Overdrive (Flashback)

Override (Flashback)

Getaway (Flashback)

Road King (Flashback)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Laser Cannon

Bludgeon - Tank

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Spinister - Helicopter
Needlenose - Jet

Thunderwing Matrix Suffused Remains

Blitz Engines

Scorponok (Flashback) Maybe Dead

Alternate Universe Sweeps (Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned) Dead

Cybertronian Empire

Jhiaxus

Rook - Bird-Like Jet

Other

Maccadam's Bartender

Alternate Universe Unicron - Ringed Planet (Flashback)

Demons (Vision)

People of Cresta Superior Killed by Decepticons

Nebulons Still Disorientated

Cybertronian Civilians

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• The soldiers on Cresta Superior are dressed in blue and red armour, and have a snake emblem on their fortress? Anyone else think of Cobra then?
• Scorponok's method to reverse the Nucleon effects seem to have been implemented on the victims since the last issue (yeah...the morning AFTER!)
• Thunderwing's corpse seems to be being repaired on the Warworld...uh oh!
• It turns out that since the Gene-Key was reversed some Transformers have violent tendencies still, in the wake of living out their chaotic sides for a few days (or however long it was)
• Fixit and his team have been dispatched to Nebulos (at some point) to try and fix what Scorponok did to the planet
• Magnus seems to think that Hot Rod made himself go underground during Scorponok's short-lived reign on purpose...
• Galvatron's flashback shows the alternate universe Unicron devouring Galvatron's original Cybertron and leading to the events of Rhythms of Darkness, where he was introduced too
• Hot Rod seems to be shocked when Slag is seen out of Quarantine, but didn't seem to care about Inferno being out...
• Oh my gosh! Jhiaxus is here! Who could have forseen that? (other than everyone as he was shown in the spoilery scenes in issue 80.5)
• Speaking of the spoilery scenes, the crack in Zero Space seems to be shattering now...ominous!
• Optimus seems to know who Glavatron is....maybe they found out some point in the last 20 years?

IDW - Spotlight Hoist

Title: The Waiting Game

Story by: James Roberts

Art by: Agustin Padilla

Colours by: Joanna Lafuente

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editorial Assistant: Thomas Boeing

Editor: John Barber

Plot

On the planet Deimus Hoist is driving away from an unexpectedly present Tarn, but he manages to stall him, and returns to his crashed ship, inside he turns on the ship's cloaking device and explains to Swerve, Sunstreaker, Bob, and a half-melted to the ceiling/floor Perceptor. Swerve keeps talking, and drives everyone a bit mad, especially Sunstreaker who is blamed for crashing the ship (as he was distracted by his reflection), Sunstreaker also explains to Swerve where Bob came from (the Insecticon Swarm that Metroplex killed), and Swerve babbles on about his top five fears after Tarn, Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, Shockwave, and a combination of those 4.

Later, with only 2 hours of power on the ship left Swerve is driving everyone even madder, and accidentally insults Hoist by saying he's just "green with a tow line". Later still, with just one hour of power left Sunstreaker talks about how he was left for dead on Cybertron, which Swerve jokes about, then forces Hoist to tell the story about his near-death experience too, when his ship crashed in the Rust Spot, and he was left alone, just trying to find his way back home. After story time, Hoist notices that Swerve's badly injured, his spark casing is damaged, and he's been babbling to distract everyone from it. Sunstreaker and Hoist decide they have to go outside, take down the DJD and take their ship to get Swerve to a medibay.

Outside, Sunstreaker and Hoist drive off, and Sunstreaker is quickly taken down by Tarn, Hoist goes to find him, and then sees Megatron, Sixshot, Shockwave and Overlord, who combine! He tries to fight them, but gets knocked down, however before he's crushed by the gestalt he disappears.

He drives back to the ship, where Perceptor says he got in contact with the Lost Light, and they're sending a rescue crew for them. Hoist explains what happened, and Perceptor realizes there's a Phobia Shield on the planet, which basically taps into a Cybertronian's mind and makes their fears come true and kill them, it was hacking into Swerve's mind, but he'd just recently passed out, suddenly the ship shakes, and Hoist knows whose mind is being hacked now...Bob's, as Metroplex has now appeared and stomps on the ship, crushing it, just as Hoist gets himself and the crew out.

Now outside, Hoist quickly knocks out Perceptor and Bob, leaving just him still conscious, Metroplex vanishes, and is replaced with the Red Spot, and Hoist is alone, which is his fear...

Characters

Autobot

Hoist - Tow Truck

Swerve - Van

Sunstreaker - Car

Perceptor

Metroplex - City/Ship (Flashback and Illusion)

Blurr (Mentioned)

Lost Light Crew (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime (Fantasy)

Prowl (Fantasy)

Autobots in Fantasies

Decepticon

Tarn (Illusion)

Megatron (Illusion)

Overlord (Illusion)

Sixshot (Illusion)

Shockwave (Illusion)

Overmegasixwave/Ugly (Illusion)

D.J.D. (Mentioned)

Decepticons in Fantasies

Other

Bob

Insecticon Swarm (Mentioned) Dead

Hoist's old Crew Mates (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• For some reason Hoist has taken on his upcoming Generations toy's character model rather than his usual one...maybe he decided this planet needed a different alternate mode?
• Similarly Perceptor is in his old non-sniper body.
• Hey have you guys noticed that Metroplex has appeared/been mentioned in some way in all of these Spotlight stories? Almost like they're being used to promote some giant new toy or something!
• Sixshot is shown coloured like Black Shadow in his couple of Appearances, this could be an art mistake, or maybe Swerve just doesn't know what Sixshot's colours are?
• The ship shown to be hit by Orion Pax's ship back in his Spotlight is shown to have held Hoist and his crew on it. That's a nice way to keep this series circular!
• The bridge Sunstreaker tried to kill himself on during All Hail Megatron is named here as the Juda'S Bridge, obviously named after Judas from the bible
• Swerve references the Decepticon's obsession with combining, which has also been a major factor in this Spotlight series, and seemed to culminate in Robots in Disguise with the perfected Devastator.
• I wonder if Swerve finally won his Rodimus Star as he'd probably have been silent until he gets repaired on the Lost Light?
• The scene in Swerve's fantasy set just after Sunstreaker's "death" in AHM seems to be full of mistakes too, Optimus and Prowl are in completely the wrong bodies for one thing!

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #16

Title: The Gloaming

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Agustin Padilla

Inks by: Jose Aviles

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editorial Assistants: Toni Korde and Mariel Romero

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Ultra Magnus lies dying with Ratchet working on him to slow the process, whilst Magnus is reliving his past failures in his mind. Swerve and Tailgate annoy him by playing music to him and cleaning him up (respectively) According to the Death Clock used by Ratchet, Magnus has just over 10 days left to live, which Tailgate is horrified by the notion of.

Rodimus sends out a message across the ship saying he's going to launch and inquiry into how Overlord got onto the ship, and that he will find out why he was there. Chromedone is outside looking towards the stars, when Skids comes out to see if he was okay, and he seems to be...in fact he seems to be too fine...despite Rewind's death.

Inside the ship Rung goes to see Rodimus and finds him having just trashed his office in anger of what just happened. Rung suggests that the reason he's so angry is because he wasn't the one to defeat Overlord, it was Chromedome, Rewind and Fort Max, Rodimus tells him to leave, quickly. As he does so, Drift comes in for a chat.

Later, the Autobots hold a funeral for all the victims of Overlord's rampage in the Act of transition, where the crew say their last goodbyes to the dead and launch them into space, during Rewind's memorial though Chromedome seems very distant, which makes Brainstorm worried.

Brainstorm goes to see Chromedome later and finds him getting ready to dispose of all Rewind's things, when Brainstorm reminds him of his past loves that he's made himself forget using his needles, so he wouldn't be hurt by the pain. Brainstorm gives Chromedome a data slug that Rewind slipped through the doors of the slow cell before they closed, saying Fort Max found it, but didn't feel up to giving it to Chromedome in his current state.

Later on, Rodimus calls a meeting and reveals that Drift has admitted to him that he brought Overlord on board the ship to try and build their own Phase-Sixers (though omitting Brainstorm and Chromedome's involvement) he's stripped of his Autobot insignia and banished from the ship. Meanwhile Chromedome plays the dataslug from Rewind and finds a message quickly edited together from his database with a last goodbye message to him, telling him not to inject anymore and that he loves him. The message seems to get through to him, as he retracts his needles before he injects himself.

In the medibay, Ratchet and Tailgate find Ultra Magnus missing and try to find him, Tailgate goes under the Death Clock to see if he's fallen off or something and sees that he only has just over 3 days left to live, and starts freaking out!!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car Exiled from Lost Light

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport 10 Days to Live, Missing

Xaaron

Swerve - Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

Chromedome - Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Skids - Van

Rung - Communications Maintenance Buggy

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Atomizer

Rewind - Memory Stick (Footage Only) Dead

Tripodeca  Dead

Grimlock (Flashback Only)

Swoop - Jet (Flashback Only)

Impactor (Flashback Only)

Cliffjumper (Flashback Only)

Rotorstorm - Helicopter (Flashback Only)

Ore (Flashback Only)

Shock (Flashback Only)

Cromar - Jet (Flashback Only)

Zetar - Drill Tank (Flashback Only)

Other Powerdashers (Mentioned)

Prowl (Footage Only)

Slamdance (Footage Only)

Perceptor (Footage Only)

Mainframe (Footage Only)

Nightbeat (Footage Only)

Red Alert (Footage Only)

Bumblebee (Footage Only)

Kick-Off (Footage Only)

Skyfall (Footage Only)

Ambulon (Footage Only)

Trailcutter - Van (Footage Only)

Optimus Prime (Footage Only)

Springer (Footage Only)

Bluestreak (Footage Only)

Fortress Maximus (Mentioned)

Spoke (Mentioned) Injured

Lockstock (Mentioned) Injured

Other 4 Coffin Dwellers Dead (Including Pipes)

Other Lost Light Crew Members

Decepticon

Overlord - Jet and Tank Floating as Debris in Deep Space

Megatron - Gun (Flashback/Footage)

Sixshot (Flashback Only)

Heretech (Flashback Only)

Black Shadow (Flashback Only)

Killmaster (Flashback Only)

Torque - Bomb (Flashback Only) Dead

K-Classes - Bombs (Flashback Only) Dead

Cybernaught (Flashback Only)

Snaptrap (Footage Only) In Prison on Lost Light

Other Decepticons

Other

Tailgate - Car 3 Days left to Live

Cyclonus - Jet

Red Empurata Victim (Footage Only)

Nova Prime (Footage Only)

Pivot (Mentioned) Dead

Mach (Mentioned) Dead

Scattergun (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• With the new artist on this issue, there are some art mistakes, like Magnus being in the wrong body, smaller characters like Swerve and Tailgate being the wrong height etc, but all in all it looks fine still :)
• The Meet the Crew page has been overhauled to remove Rewind and Pipes and added Fort Max and Perceptor as main characters. Interestingly it still shows Magnus and Drift in their current roles, despite being dying and exiled (respectively)
• Magnus' OCD tendencies seem to be explained in the flashbacks as he gets so badly messed up, has his badge crooked, makes jokes, smiles. All things he doesn't condone in the present. (and then he gets hurt after doing all of those)
• DON'T CRY! But you can see Rewind's shattered camera in the debris around the Lost Light
• Ultra Magnus' favourite song is the Empyrean Suite, the same song going around in Skids' head...hmmm...
• Looks like six guys were killed during Overlord's attack, as 5 coffins were shown at the funeral (and Rewind was killed off the ship, so he doesn't get one)
• Swerve doesn't seem to be affected by the Meta-Bomb now...though he does say the ominous "even if it kills me" when referring to Brainstorm's evil, evil briefcase of death and destruction.
• Drift leaving the ship, Magnus being gone, and him being shown clenching his fist during Drift's dismissal could imply that Magnus is going after poor ol' Drift.
• Rewind's final message is made up of clips from his database, some of which are scenes from MTMTE itself (of course, this message when actually heard must have been pretty messed up, as some of the scenes are pretty placid, others are fight scenes!)
• Rewind storing his data on data slugs is mentioned during the prose story set on Hedonia
• Ratchet's feelings for Drift appear to have come completely around now, from him being irritated by him at the start of the journey, to being the only one who helps him up when he falls here.
• This story finally shows Rewind and Chromedome's relationship as actually being loving,until now it was just implied technically.
• Chromedome sports a black Autobot badge during the funeral scene, and afterwards
• Rodimus wears a ceremonial cape during the funeral, which is a bit similar to Starscream's cape in the G1 movie...
• Chromedome doesn't have any innermost Energon because he's given it all away on his past lover's deathbeds.
• Tailgate seems to be holding a cup of innermost Energon when he goes to see Magnus at the end. (maybe that's why he's going to die soon? Because he's using the wrong stuff as his innermost Energon, and he's actually leaking his life or something...it is green after all!)