IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #35

Title: The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue

Written by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Alex Milne

Inks by: Alex Milne & Brian Shearer

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Minimus Ambus has returned to Cybertron following the disbanding of the Primal Vanguard and meets with Rewind, hoping to meet with his brother Dominus. The duo are stopped and examined by a Functionary, when suddenly a Lunabot, who have all apparently been "recalled" runs past and knocks the Functionary over. However before long, the Lunabot is executed, as part of the recall, all whilst everyone continues with their day, ignoring the murder.

As is to be expected, on PRESENT DAY CYBERTRON!

On the Lost Light, Rewind wakes up from a memory of the Laser Pointer disposables, but Chromedome, who breaks into the room, having taken a split from rewind due to them both being unsure how to act together following their rebirths, and points out that that never happened, confusing both of them, since Rewind's database has it on record, despite neither remembering it.

Megatron is in the Morgue, and examines Trailcutter's body, having been returned to thee ship, and Rodimus tells him about how Brainstorm poisoned the crew to stop them from stopping him from his mission, and managed to escape into what Perceptor believes to be a time machine, which he plans to change the future so the Decepticons win the war (which as we know by now, didn't happen).

Back on Cybertron, Rewind brings Minimus back to his and Dominus' home, and shows him some footage of protesters being killed for disobeying the Council's wishes, and Minimus suddenly realizes that Rewind and Dominjus are rebels against the Council, and soon realizes why, Dominus appears, having undergone Empurata with his head replaced with a computer screen and his words replaced by text on a screen.

Rewind asks Minimus to join them in taking down the Council, but he needs to think about it, and leaves to go to a meeting with the rest of the Primal Vanguard for their re-employment.

Elsewhere, at the Cog, the Funstionist Council's HQ, the Council discuss the next occupation to be "recalled" which they decide to be the Data Slugs.

Back on the Lost Light, Perceptor shows Rodimus, Magnus and Megatron Brainstorm's time machine, made of his multiple briefcases and explains that the way it's designed means that to by-pass the Grandfather Paradox, it slowly replaced the current history with a new one. He also reveals that Nightbeat found one of Brainstorm's briefcases on the other Lost Light, which has the control device inside it, meaning they can send someone back to solve whatever he is doing 4 million years in the past.

Megatron theorizes that Brainstorm plans to kill Orion Pax before he can become Optimus Prime.

On Cybertron, Minimus is racing back to Rewind's home, whilst witnessing the deaths of the Data Slugs, but finds Rewind still alive and well back at his home, since Dominus removed his Obsolescence Chip earlier, which would have killed him too. Rewind then reveals that Dominus has had his mind altered now, so that his words have been taken away, when suddenly the Council starts communicating with the two of them through Dominus, where they reveal that they've been watching them, through minimus, whom they have upgraded secretly on his way back to Cybertron with cameras in his eyes, along with the rest of the Vanguard, and now plan to do the same to everyone.

Rewind tells the Council that he will reveal everything to the population, but they reveal to him that he has a backup chip in his head too, and activates it, killing the last of the Data Slugs to Minimus' horror.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Megatron - Tank

Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport

Perceptor

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Nightbeat - Car

Trailcutter - Van Dead

Bluestreak - Car (Flashback)

Mainframe (Flashback)

First Aid - Ambulance (Flashback)

Rung (Flashback)

Repugnus (Flashback)

Doublecross (Flashback)

Shimmerstick - Laser Pointed (Mentioned)

Swerve - Van (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Brainstorm - Jet (Flashback)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Adaptus (Mentioned)

The Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Alternate Cybertronian

Rewind - Data Slug Killed by Functionist Council

Minimus Ambus - Minesweeper

Dominus Ambus

One-of-Twelve

Two-of-Twelve

Three-of-Twelve

Four-of-Twelve

Five-of-Twelve

Six-of-Twelve

Seven-of-Twelve

Eight-of-Twelve

Nine-of-Twelve

Ten-of-Twelve

Eleven-of-Twelve

Twelve-of-Twelve

Hot  Shot - Car

Bulkhead - Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

Pharma - Jet

Functionary Officers

The Data Slugs Killed by Functionist Council

Last Lunabot - Space Shuttle Killed by Functionaries

Present Day Cybertronians

Female Protester (Footage) Killed by Functionaries

The Primal Vanguard (Mentioned) Disbanded

The Senate (Mentioned) Disbanded

The Cold Constructed (Mentioned) Deported

Other

Black Box Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• Brainstorm's actions in the past (whatever they are) have resulted in Functionism never becoming defunct, the Cybertronian population expanding, and even female Transformers existing on Cybertron.
• One has to wonder whether Nova Prime and the Expansion still happened to some extent in this new timeline?
• Most of the cameos seen on Cybertron are from the Unicron Trilogy (there's TOO MANY to name in the character list, especially since most are reuses of established character names in this continuity).
• Something of note: Rung has avoided being cloned for the new timeline again, maybe another clue to his uniqueness.
• We actually see Minimus Ambus' alternate mode for the first time!
• Chromedome and Rewind are having problems adjusting to having eachother back, especially since they had different experiences for a while before their respective deaths.
• Trailcuttter is confirmed to have died at Kaon's hands last issue, it's also shown that the DJD rigged the shuttle his group arrived on to explode, attempting to kill them too.
• Brainstorm has been spiking the Lost Light's Engex for a few months (most likely since the relaunch) and his briefcase simply activated the poison to knock out the crew who were present at the time.
• In the new timeline Empurata (and presumably Shadowplay) has evolved significantly.
• The Council member with the designation Three of Twelve looks different to the one we saw in the past, implying that it is simply a rank, and this is a different guy to the original. (Like what we have with the DJD)
• We also find out that all twelve members of the council have a specific role to perform.
• Brainstorm is revealed to have dozens of identical briefcases, which he had stashed across the Lost Light, which create a time machine when connected (the components are built into the walls). The time machine features an anti-paradox device, which could explain why the briefcase and Rewind from the alternate Lost Light were able to survive the rest of the ship's deletion.
• Perceptor claims that parallel universes were dismissed as a fact some time ago. However, by simply following the Transformers franchise, you know there are MANY parallel universes in play (with the Mirage Spotlight being the perfect example of one active in the IDW-verse, and even Rodimus having his mini-adventure in Regeneration One)
• Considering that the concurrent Robots in Disguise has no indications of edits to history showing, and the knowledge of the upcoming Combiner Wars and Windblade series' in this continuity, I feel safe to assume that Brainstorm's new future will be deleted before long...

IDW - Drift: Empire of Stone #1

Written by: Shane McCarthy

Pencils by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: Stephen Baskerville

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Drift, now exiled and a Neutral Cybetronian again is fighting with some Decepticons on a planet they have enslaved, and manages to defeat them, taking them prisoner on board his shuttle. The Decepticons expect him to take them back to Cybertron for a trial, but instead he says he's handing them over to the Galactic Council, who detest Cybertronians.

Drift arrives on a Galactic Council Outpost, where he finds Ratchet waiting for him, planning to bring him back to the Lost Light with him. Drift refuses, and Ratchet is shocked that Drift plans to hand over some Cybertronians to the Council, with Drift saying that he plans to catch all the remnants of the Decepticons at the Galactic Rim, to which Grit, one of the Decepticons, laughs and says he's badly misinformed if h thinks there's just remnants out there. He refuses to say anything else, but his cohorts tell Drift about a Decepticon outpost, in exchange for them being taken back to Cybertron instead.

They head out to the outpost world, but are quickly shot down by weapons-fire, and crash, with only Ratchet, Drift and Grit surviving the fall, upon leaving the wreckage of their shuttle, the group are attacked by a large group of Decepticons, with Grit about to be killed by the Decepticons for travelling with some Autobots, but Drift and Ratchet save him, much to his shock.

Unfortunately the duo are soon forced to stop when more Decepticons arrive, and are placed into cuffs. The group are taken  to a stone castle that Drift recognizes, and are taken inside, to a Decepticon leader, who greets Drift as Deadlock, and wants his help to take the system they are in apart....

Characters

Autobot

Ratchet - Ambulance

Decepticon

Gigatron

Hellscream - Jet

Vanquish - Jet

Grit - Truck

Desperados Killed in Shuttle Crash

Gigatron's Troops

Overlord (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Drift - Car

Other

Blue Aliens

Galactic Council Outpost Denizens

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Notes

• This series follows what Drift has been up to since his self-imposed exile from the Lost Light
• There are a lot of generic characters from the Victory anime appearing in this issue (and Hellscream from the Victory comic too!)
• The unnamed leader of the Decepticons in this story is based on Robots in Disguise Megatron. Since it is unlikely that he'd be called Megatron as well, I'm assuming that he'll be using his Japanese name, Gigatron.
• Drift appears to recognize the castle on the planet, but doesn't appear to recognize the planet itself implying that this is just a mass-produced castle used by "Gigatron", or it's a mobile base of some sort.

IDW - Angry Birds Transformers #1

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli (Pages 01-05) and Marcelo Ferreira (Pages 05-20)

Colours by: Livio Ramondelli (Pages 01-05) and Nikos Koutsis (Pages 05-20)

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: David Hedgecock

Plot

The Autobots, leaded by Optimus Prime are travelling through space, intending to hide the Allspark, the source of their war with the Decepticons, but before they are able to, the ship is under attack by the Decepticons. Optimus gives the Allspark to Bumblebee to take care of, whilst the rest of the crew handle the Decepticon invaders.

Starscream, taking advantage of the chaos of the battle, hunts down Bumblebee and tries to get the Allspark from him, but during their encounter, the Quantum Engines are damaged, and the Allspark is hurled away.

Meanwhile, on Piggy Island the Angry Birds are getting ready to rescue their stolen eggs from the Pigs, barely even noticing the Allspark, now in an egg shape, land nearby.

The Birds attack the Pig's fortress and cause massive damage, forcing the Pigs to run. The Birds regroup and prepare to go after the Pigs and their stolen eggs again.

Elsewhere, the Pigs have set up camp, ready to build a new base, when they find the Allspark egg, unsure of what it is, they send one of the Minion Pigs to investigate the egg (they threw him at it) and he is mutated into Starscream Pig, with knowledge of the Allspark embedded in his mind, and with the ability to transform into a jet!

Hal and the Blues are in the area, and see the Starscream jet, but before long they also encounter all of the Pigs turned into Deceptihogs, thanks to the Allspark. The Blues head out to seek help from the rest of the Angry Birds, and they send Chuck out ahead, thanks to his speed. Unfortunately though, Chuck is TOO fast and smacks right into Hal, sending both hurtling into the Allspark egg, mutating them into Bumblebee Bird and Grimlock Bird, allowing them to overwhelm the Deceptihogs, and force them to run away, with the eggs.

Unknown, seemingly by all, the stolen eggs are also affected by the Allspark too, and start to hatch into Eggbots....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Bumblebee - Car

Arcee - Car

Heatwave - Fire Engine

Jazz - Car

Drift - Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Decepticon

Megatron - Gun

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Starscream - Jet

Thundercracker - Jet

Skywarp - Jet

Ramjet - Jet

Shockwave - Ray Gun

Lockdown - Car

Laserbeak - Cassette

Angry Birds/Autobirds

Red

Chuck/Bumblebee Bird - Car

Hal/Grimlock Bird - Cycle

Blues

Stella

Bomb

Terence

Bubbles

Pigs/Deceptihogs

King Pig/Megatron Pig - Tank

Minion Pig/Starscream Pig - Jack-in-the-Box/Jet

Corporal Pig/Galvatron Pig - Truck Cab

Chef Pig/Soundwave Pig - Van

Foreman Pig/Lockdown Pig - Toilet

Other Minion Pigs

Notes

• The Transformers section of this story uses mostly G1 style character models, but with some outsiders included (like Movie Drift, and a G1 version of Rescue Bots Heatwave)
• The Allspark initially looks like a combination of the Movie and Animated versions, being a shape-shifting cube, but with handles on the sides.
• The Pigs appear to have trouble figuring out transformations, as both Starscream Pig and Lockdown Pig both mis-transform themselves into some other object
• It's a bit of a weird coincidence that the first Pig, and the first Bird who touch the Allspark egg turned into the Starscream and Bumblebee counterparts, considering those two were the reason the Allspark was lost in the first place...

IDW - Transformers vs G.I. Joe #4

Title: Form Follows Function

Written by: Tom Scioli and John Barber

Art, Colours and Lettering by: Tom Scioli

Production by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Duke is discovered as a GI Joe spy, but he manages to defeat all the guys who confront him, on his way out of the base he runs into Snake Eyes and they start fighting next to the Space Bridge.

Elsewhere, Dr Venom is doing some voodoo looking stuff with Soundwave's body, a creepy book, some Joe soldiers and the Bumblecycle.

Elsewhere again, a Joe spaceship piloted by the Joe's pets (.....) is heading towards Cybertron with some more of their eco-terrorist weapons when they are stopped by a Cobra ship piloted by the Oktober Guard (no idea who they are). They start fighting, but are soon stopped by Fort Max grabs them and gobbles them up for fuel.

On Cybertron, Psyche-Out is leading a team to explore Cybertron, but are captured by Rodimus for some reason, and drives off with them towards the Decepticons, where he is met by Blaster, who attacks him as a traitor. Rodimus manages to defeat Blaster, and Apeface and Demolishor turn up and say that Megatron has been hoping someone would capture Blaster before long.

In Iacon, the Autobots and Joes get over their deadly illnesses, just in time for Metroplex to turn up, and Grimlock announces peace between the Joes and Autobots (presumably because of the Joes fighting the Sharkticons last issue). During the party that follows the unison, Bazooka decides to eat some of the Technorganic plants that are growing on the planet now and has a vision of Primus, but mis-translates it as "Prime Us", and asks Grimlock who Prime is. (meanwhile, Rodimus betrays the Decepticons and starts driving off with Blaster back to Metroplex) Grimlock explains that Optimus Prime was their leader, but he left because Megatron defeated him in a battle, and left Rodimus in charge, but Grimlock deposed him and took over.

Arcee counters that no one knows why Optimus left, and the others state that until they see otehrwise they believe Optimus is still alive out there somewhere, planning something.

Meanwhile Snake Eyes and Duke are fighting in Space-Time (yup) when they come across Optimus combined with his other modular parts, also stuck in space-time.

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Rodimus - Hauling Truck

Blaster

Arcee

Brawn - Van

Wheeljack - Car

Mirage - Car

Perceptor - Tank

Slag - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Fortress Maximus

Metroplex - Slug Thing

Optimus Prime - Truck

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base (Drawing)

Bumblebee Corpse seen as Bumblecycle

Decepticon

Frenzy (Or Rumble) - Cassette Blown up by Duke

Apeface Dropped in Smelting Pool by Rodimus

Demolishor  Dropped in Smelting Pool by Rodimus

Soundwave Corpse shown with Joes

Megatron (Drawing)

GI Joe

Duke

Scarlett

Dr Venom

Shipwreck

Psyche Out

Frostbite

Barbecue

Chuckles

Mainframe

Lt. Falcon

Bazooka

Tripwire

Cover Girl

Jinx

Dusty

Order

Seasick

Junkyard

Max

Clyde

Sandstorm

Freedom

Too Many Generic Joes

Joe Colton (Mentioned)

Cobra

Snake Eyes

Big Boa Killed by Duke

Cobra Troops

Oktober Guard

S.H.R.I.E.K.

Colonel Breakoff

Horrorshow

Denia

Dragun

Munchnik

Other

Notes

• Ugh
• Why does Frenzy (or Rumble?) just let Duke put a bomb in his mouth?
• And why does Duke have a shirt under his UNDERCOVER disguise saying his name on it?!
• ...there is literally a scene with animal soldiers fighting Halloween reject soldiers....and yet it's still a meh issue...
• Fortress Maximus's "function" as "The Living Prison" may be a reference to his former role in IDW's main comics as the prison warden at Garrus-9...thought he wasn't eating the Joe's pets in that series....
• Blaster's role as a "Freedom Fighter" is likely a nod to his origins in the Marvel comics in the same way.
• One of Rodimus' Decepticon "friends" is Armada Demolishor
• The dialogue in the past has indicted that the Terraformed part of Cybertron is Iacon, but it's shown here to be on the southern side of Cybertron, despite Iacon normally being the very north-point of the planet.
• The whole scene with Grimlock leaving Metroplex and the Autobots and Joes having a random dance party are lifted from the 80's animated movie.
• ...The bit with Bazooka getting high on the Technorganic leaves is new though...
• Its revealed here that Grimlock deposed Rodimus as the Autobot's "King" after Optimus left for some undisclosed reason, and then Rodimus went rogue and started hunting or working with the Decepticons or something.
• So Duke and Snake Eyes somehow end up in the Space/Time void, and run into Optimus in a weird semi-transformed mode.
• Why is Duke now wearing Boa's helmet? That seems a bit strange....
• What am I saying? This whole series is strange!

IDW - Primacy #4

Written by: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille

Art by: Livio Ramondelli 

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Plot

The Decepticons continue their assault on the Autobots, and assume that they have all be killed by the sheer firepower, whilst Megatron is distraught over the revelation from Pentius over his manipulation and plans to destroy Cybertron.

However, much to the Decepticon's shock, the Autobots have survived the attack on them using Trailbreaker's forcefield, and the proceed to counter-attack the Decepticons.

Nearby, Blackwall and Grimlock continue their battle, andd Grimlock manages to win by skewering his head with his sword, causing it to blow up, showing that despite Blackwall being stronger, Grimlock knows how to fight dirtier.

Megatron, realizing that he has to destroy Pentius from his own, and Trypticon's sparks, and orders Soundwave to raze Iacon if he fails.

Elsewhere, Hot Rod is attacked by Onslaught, who plans to kill him to get a place on Megatron's high command (as he's faamous), but he is saved by his old friend Slinger, who betrays the Decepticons, realizing that neither side is right in this war. Unfortunately Razorclaw hears this and immediately kills Slinger, and leads his Predacons to go against Hot Rod as well. However before they can start their attack, the Dynobots appear to assist their younger friend, and win the battle.

Megatron approaches the body of Trypticon, and smashes through the Autobots guarding him. Optimus notices this, and heads off to intercept him, taking down Motormaster on the way, and Omega Supreme defends him from the rest of the Stunticons.

Optimus soon reaches Megatron, and starts to duel with him, to stop him from doing anything stupid, with Megatron revealing that his spark was tainted by Pentius and he plans to use him to destroy all of Cybertron, and he knows no-one can stop him. Optimus however counters that there is always someone willing to save the day, giving his Autobots as examples. He then opens to Matrix to remove Pentius from the two sparks, leaving Megatron the way he was before. However, Optimus notes that Megatron's spark was corrupted long before Pentius came around, and knocks him out.

Moments later, Optimus broadcasts to everyone that Megatron has been defeated and he is imprisoned, and Cybertron returns to some level of peace. Optimus thinks back over what has happened, and finally feels happy with who he is now, as Optimus Prime, but knows that this is just the beginning of his story....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base

Hot Rod - Car

Grimlock - Armoured Vehicle

Snarl - Armoured Vehicle

Sludge - Armoured Vehicle

Slag - Armoured Vehicle

Swoop - Jet

Sky Lynx - Space Ship

Trailbreaker - Truck

Ultra Magnus - Truck

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Jazz - Car

Hound - Car

Bumblebee - Car

Prowl - Car

Ironhide - Van

Swerve - Truck

Rung

Springer - Car/Helicopter

Sandstorm - Buggy/Helicopter

Ratchet - Ambulance 

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Soundwave - Acoustic Tank

Shockwave - Ray Gun

Starscream - Jet

Skywarp - Jet

Thundercracker - Jet

Blitzwing - Jet/Tank

Hook - Crane

Hun-Gar - Two Headed Monster

Blackwall Killed by Grimlock

Onslaught - Tank

Slinger Killed by Razorclaw

Razorclaw - Lion

Rampage - Tiger

Tantrum - Bull

Headstrong - Rhino

Divebomb - Falcon

Motormaster - Truck

Dead End - Car

Wildrider - Car

Dragstrip - Car

Breakdown - Car

Tyrpticon - Battle Platform Disabled

Other Decepticons

Other

Pentius Removed from Sparks by Optimus Prime

Notes

• This issue marks the end of Flint Dille and Chris Metzen's early-war trilogy.
• As a way of marking the end of this series, the last page of this issue duplicates the first page in Autocracy, but with the panels reversed and the Matrix light added to Optimus' chest panel, perfectly bookending the series.
• He isn't properly seen, but Trailbreaker MUST be amongst the Autobots in this issue, since his forcefield protects them from the weapons barrage.
• Slinger's storyline here seems a bit pointless, he was barely seen in Autocracy and Monstrosity. He re-appeared in Primacy as a new Decepticon, then betrays them the second he gets the chance, just to be killed by Razorclaw...
• Optimus and Motormaster's head-to head collision is an homage to their similar scene in Masquerade from the G1 cartoon
• Rung and Swerve are seen amongst the Autobots hiding from the fighting...this seems appropriate considering their fighting skills!
• We know from the present day stories that Metroplex survived the events of this comic, but Trypticon isn't so clear. However he was shown in Stormbringer and Spotlight: Blaster as being around, at least until just after the Thunderhead Pass incident, but it's kinda confusing here.
• Megatron is shown arrested and chained up at the end of this story, but we all know he must escape somehow, otherwise the rest of IDW couldn't happen...

IDW - Transformers #35

Title: Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Garrison Blackrock is unveiling his new "Onyx Interface" in Japan, whilst Spike Witwicky and Jimmy Pink track down and disable a Mini-Constructicon, and hack into the presentation, trying to reveal that Blackrock and the EDC are involved with Cybertronians on Earth again, leading to Blackrock to call for Faireborn's help.

Elsewhere, Cosmos is observing the EDC's situation at Bikini Atoll, but is now under attack by the EDC's missiles (his stealth paint has failed for him). He is saved fairly quickly though by Sky Lynx and Sideswipe. Cosmos receives a message from Prowl, saying he's had a "Google alert" (regarding Spike), and the Autobots head off back to the Moon.

Inside the EDC base, Sanjay reports the incident with Cosmos to Marrissa, who is heading out to Japan with Jones to deal with Blackrock, and is a bit anxious to deal with Spike as well

Optimus speaks with Alpha Trion on Ark-7, before heading out to Cybertron to look for more clues about the Enigma of Combination (and for his anniversary of becoming Prime). Optimus leaves Prowl in charge, but tells him not to do anything too rash, despite his recent actions.

As he leaves on the Skyroller, Optimus calls Arcee and asks her to keep an eye on Prowl. Meanwhile, Prowl is having a table-flipping tantrum and suffers from another one of his strange "nose-bleeds" until the Constructicons interrupt him. Prowl then informs them that Spike has resurfaced, and they're going to go after him (as he's the one Human they all hate)

In Japan, Spike and Jimmy change out of their military clothes and into civilian outfits to blend in with the tourists, and Spike gets a text saying someone will see him later....

The EDC team arrive at the Onyx Interface presentation, where Blackrock has claimed that Spike's video was just leaked footage from a new game he's releasing. Blackrock then threatens that if Spike isn't dealt with, and if his company is harmed by this, then he's taking the EDC down with him.

At the Nemesis, Galvatron is thinking out loud about how Spike may know something about the Enigma of Combination, he's interrupted by Scoop, who says Soundwave wants to speak to him. Soundwave tells him that he's going on a personal errand, which Galvatron doesn't care about, and allows him to go.

Once he is out of the way however, he approaches the other Decepticons about joining him on a hunt for Spike, which they agree to...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Prowl - Police Car

Arcee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Cosmos - Orbiter

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Jetfire - Jet

Alpha Trion Being Repaired

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Laserbeak - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette

Frenzy - Cassette

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Mini-Constructicon Killed by Spike

Skywarp - Cybertronian Jet Hooked up to Nemesis

Scrapper - Front End Loader (Mentioned) Dead

Cybertronian

Scoop - Front End Loader

Hook - Crane

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

D.O.C.

Starscream (Mentioned)

Alchemist Prime (Mentioned)

Sharkticons (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Fairborne

Garrison B. Blackrock

Jones

Sanjay Bharwanay

Spike Witwicky

Jimmy Pink

Yasawy Maki

EDC Troops

Onyx Interface Party Attendees

Daniel Witwicky (Mentioned) Dead

Hunter O'Nion (Mentioned) Dead

Other

Onyx Interface Droid

EDC Transformer Army (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the Robots in Disguise comic with the new simplified "Transformers" title. Most likely due to the upcoming Robots in Disguise TV series.
• G.B. Blackrock is finally given a first name!
• The Mini-Constructicon was last seen in Spotlight: Ramjet...looks like he's been kept on Earth and studied since then!
• Jimmy Pink has returned! Looks like he's not happy with being forgotten about by everyone either.
• Speaking of Jimmy, he's certainly changed his appearance a fair bit since we last saw him briefly in Maximum Dinobots, hasn't he?
• Sideswipe now has a jet pack built into his new robot mode (apparently it's new)
• Optimus' trip to Cybertron is shown in the Punishment comic.
• WHY ARE YOU GIVING PROWL COMMAND OF THE AUTOBOTS PRIME?!?!
• Oh OK, Arcee's gunna watch him? Yeah she'll just murder him if he gets out of hand!
• Galvatron seems to think that Spike knows something about the Enigma of Combination...why?
• Scoop was revealed to be on Earth earlier from Starscream's point of view, as a spy for him.
• Soundwave claims to be heading to Jupiter to check up on the Human's progress on the Decepticon's new home...wonder if he'll turn up in MTMTE with Ravage instead some point soon?
• So Spike is being chased now by Prowl and his Constructicons, Galvatron and his Decepticons, and Marissa and her EDC troops? Wonder how long he'll survive?
• Blackrock is revealed to have built the army of Thrusts and Ramjets in the EDC basement.
• Prowl's unprompted comment of "get out of my head" when a Constructicon knocks on his door implies that he's having issues with their Gestalt form still.
• The Decepticon warship is named as the Nemesis here, after the Decepticon's original ship in the G1 cartoon.
• Galvatron implies that Alchemist Prime was drunk when he made up the prophecy of the Chosen One, showcased in Dark Cybertron.
• Optimus hasn't told his crew about the Enigma of Combination or Alpha Trion's other revelations, despite him hinting that he would last issue.
• Scoop not knowing who Alchemist Prime is, despite having studied his prophecy so intently is a bit worrying huh?

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #34

Title: Births, Deaths and Interventions

Written  by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Atilio Rojo

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

One of the Lost Light's ships have landed on Ofsted XVII, and are waiting for word from Rodimus or the others about the Lost Light's condition when First Aid finds a badly injured Cybertronian inside one of the damaged lecture halls. The group assume that he was injured in the battle in orbit between the Galactic Council, Black Block Consortia and a group of Mechs. First Aid doesn't care about the bot's faction, so long as they can save him.

In the distant past on Messatine, Froid arrives to analyse a patient for Council, who is revealed to be Megatron. However he has made up his mind before even meeting the miner (who is in the council's bad books due to his political writings) aand permits Trepan to perform Shadowplay on him.

Back in the present, First Aid begins work on the Cybertronian, and arranges for the group to all donate a small amount of active Energon to ensure his survival. Meanwhile, Bluestreak finds the bot's detachable face amongst the rubble (revealing to the audience that this is Vos of the DJD)

Back on Messatine, Megatron is working on his books some more, when his terminally ill room mate and proofreader Terminus tells him to not give up on his mission, even if it means he has to take to physical violence as well as verbal protests. Megatron asks him why he's suddenly speaking like this, to which Terminus reveals he was visited by some senate men that day...then Megatron gets shocked from nowhere.

On Ofsted, after examining the face mask, and it's hidden spikes, Bluestreak and Mainframe back out of the procedure, knowing it's probably a Decepticon. First Aid tells them to leave the lecture hall if they're not going to help out, leaving Traiilcutter and himself to donate the Energon themselves, however, after using one of the lecture hall's devices to translate Vos' words (spoken in Old Cybertronian) and First Aid recognizes his words to be the DJD's motto, and immediately stops his donation, hating them for how they drove Pharma to madness, and in turn caused Ambulon's death at his hands.

Trailcutter however still continues with his own donation, but once Vos has a small amount inside of him, he attacks Trailcutter and tries to strangle him. Trailcutter uses his leg cannons and blasts the Decepticon across the room. First Aid leaves Trailcutter to grab the others to restrain Vos, whilst Trailcutter uses his forcefield to protect himself.

Unfortunately Vos points out an old chair in the rubble, who turns out to be Kaon, who was just de-energized until the forcefield repowered him, and is trapped in the forcefield with him.

On Messatine, Megatron wakes up on Trepan's table, and feels the Mnemosurgeon dig into his brain, and starts deleting his "anarchic" thoughts, until he gets a call from Froid to stop the procedure, since Rung has turned up with new legislation for Shadowplay procedures, following Shockwave's procedure, which requires TWO doctors to sign off now, which Froid knows Rung will never do.

Suddenly the Mine's alarms sound off, telling the entire staff to get off the planet.

Back in the present again, First Aid and the others return to find Kaon having torn Trailcutter apart, and playing with his brain module in his hands. The Autobots try to convince him that the war is over, and the Megatron has surrendered, so they should too, but Kaon doesn't believe them. Bluestreak shows him Trailcutter's newest read, an updated version of Megatron's autobiography "Towards Peace" with the surrender speech from his trial added in the end, and tells him to read it. Kaon agrees, but still scrapes Trailcutter's brain modeule across the still active forcefield.

Kaon contacts Helex from elsewhere and has himself and Vos teleported out, telling the stunned Autobots that he'll  see them soon....

On Messatine, the planet is being evacuated, but Megatron returns to his dorm, to find Terminus missing, with no one knowing where he's gone, but due to the emergency he gathers up his data pads and runs for the escape vessels, feeling terrible for seemingly abandoning his friend.

Meanwhile, in the mines Brainstorm (seemingly fresh from the Lost Light) appears in a flash of light, holding his briefcase, wondering where to start.....

Characters

Autobot

Trailcutter - Van Torn apart by Kaon

First Aid - Ambulance

Bluestreak - Car

Mainframe

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned)

Pharma - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Ambulon - Leg (Mentioned) Dead

Brainstorm - Jet (Decepticon Double Agent) Back in Time.

Decepticon

Vos - Rifle

Kaon - Variable Volt Harness

Helex - Smelting Chamber (Mentioned)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Megatron - Armoured Vehicle (Flashback)

Rolt (Flashback)

Froid (Flashback)

Rung (Flashback)

Trepan (Flashback)

Terminus (Flashback) Missing

Messatine Miners and Staff (Flashback)

Senate (Mentioned)

Functionists (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Senator Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

The Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• Bluestreak implies here that those NOT from the original Lost Light crew who were in the ships that disappeared during the incident were left floating in space, until the ships re-materialized
• The weakened space around Ofsted XVII, mentioned by Nautica last issue is revealed to have been due to a battle in orbit over the derelict Lost Light by the Galactic Council, Black Block Consortia and the DJD.
• The battle over the ship could also explain why Rewind was left alive on the ship, since the DJD was simply distracted by someone else to bother with them.
• We see First Aid's alternate mode for the first time here, meaning his Transformation Cog has been repaired since his introduction.
• A bit more of Megatron's timeline is confirmed here, as it seems following the evacuation from Messatine in this issue, he was likely sent to Mining Outpost Croteus 12, which is where Megatron: Origin starts off.
• This issue shows us that Vos' face mask has a button that extends his spikes, rather than them being open at all times.
• Terminus is revealed here as Megatron's room mate on Messatine rather than some evil guy like you'd expect from his name.
• Judging from Kaon and Vos' states here, but Helex and the others presumably being alive still, it's likely the DJD won their battle with the Council.
• Megatron's fear of Mnemosurgery is revealed to be due to Trepan's invasive procedure here, where he tries to fully modify his mind.
• This could also explain his instan killing of Trepan when Overlord brings him into the fold to teach him Mnemosurgery. Simple revenge for his actions here.
• The DJD, or at least Kaon are unaware of Megatron's surrender to the Autobots.
• Terminus going missing at the exact moment that Brainstorm appears, seemingly from the future could be a callback to the temporal displacement used when time travel occurred in the Marvel Transformers comics.
• Trailcutter mentions how he's taken up reading etc since Megatron disabled his ability to enjoy over-energizing (getting drunk)...however that was just that very day, maybe a couple of days earlier....