IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #40

Title: Our Steps Will Always Rhyme

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Ratchet has never been good at saying goodbye to his friends, he failed to do so with Roller, Pharma and Hunter before he never saw them the same way again, but now he wants to succeed.

In the present day, the Lost Light is recharging the Quantum Engines on Scarvix, so the crew are having some downtime. Tailgate has bought himself a hoverboard, and is racing around the corridors with it, causing all sorts of havoc to the crew, and eventually steers into Swerve's deserted bar, and hits Ratchet, knocking them both over, and he starts talking about his planned fishing trip with Getaway in the Oil Reservoir. Swerve starts panicking over his bar failing, following the poisoning caused by Brainstorm the week prior, and Mirage opening a new rival bar on the ship too. Ratchet and Tailgate start to complain to Swerve about how he treats his work-bot, Ten, when he claims Magnus said the same stuff to him before.

Soon, Ratchet leaves and arrives at Brainstorm's private trial for his crimes, he admits to being a Decepticon, but never gave harmful information to the Decepticons, but does admit to how he tried to change the timeline. Nautica storms out of the trial, abandoning the spanner that Brainstorm made her. He does say however, that he refuses to be tried on the actions of the OTHER Brainstorm, who got his Lost Light attacked and the crew killed, as that was never him, Perceptor proceeds to applaud Brainstorm's statement. The committee debate the punishment, and Magnus and Rodimus states that the time machine, Brainstorm's life-time of work will be destroyed, and he will be heavily monitored for the time being, but allowed to stay on the ship, so long as he cuts off all ties to his Decepticon handler, which Brainstorm agrees to. Ratchet watches on, clearly disappointed.

Ultra Magnus heads to Megatron's room to ask him whether he's seen his missing datapad, and also to ask what he's been doing since Brainstorm's arrest, since he's been locked in his room all this time, seemingly alone, but Megatron just vaguely says "Thinking. Working.".

Getaway and Tailgate are hanging out in Mirage's new bar "Visages" where Getaway is still trying to turn Tailgate against Cyclonus, by plying him with drinks and lies. Ratchet borrows Tailgate's hoverboard (without his knowledge).

Ratchet gives the board to First Aid in a quarantine tube telling him it's infected with Super-Scraplets, and has him call in certain members of the crew who were in some way connected to it, even by tedious means, and proceeds to give them all a check-up.

He uses this time to tell Rodimus that he thinks it's unfair how he treated Drift, and how he's now treating Brainstorm very differently, he gives Rung Hoist's number as he needs to speak to someone now that his roommate has been killed, and he already suffered from isolation issues (see Spotlight Hoist), He makes Nautica realize that Brainstom acted selflessly in trying to change the timestream, as he was an MTO, meaning he'd never have existed if he succeeded, making Nautica begin to forgive him. He tells Skids to get his puncture wounds fixed, and that Rung needs someone to talk to outside of therapy sessions. He suggests to Swerve that Megatron's poetry could help his bar pick up business, and he talks to Magnus about his private datapad going missing, and how he thinks the crew look down on him now that they know about his true form, after finding a small model of Minimus outside his door.

Following the sessions, Ratchet meets up with First Aid, who has figured out that the Super-Scraplets were just a ruse so ratchet could say goodbye to all his friends before he leaves. Tailgate knocks into Ratchet again, with a new hoverboard, which he learns was made by Ten.

Ratchet goes to visit Ten's "quarters" in the boiler rooms where he discovers that Ten is extremely artistic with a large mural of his favourite crew members on the wall (minus Swerve of course) and even a series of models of his favourite crew members (again, no Swerve, though his bar has been made!). Ratchet comments that Drift isn't there, and that Ten would have liked him, like he does, but he hopes he can meet him soon enough.

Ratchet sees that Ten has a display dedicated solely to Ultra Magnus, and realizes that Ten "stole" the datapad, and replaced it with the model of Minimus as a trade, so he could have something of his favourite's.

Ratchet writes a note to Magnus on the datapad and tells Ten to return it to him.

Later, Ten and Minimus Ambus walk into the now booming Swerve's bar where Skids and Rung are also hanging out. Swerve explains that he had Megatron do his poetry at "Visages" rather than Swerve's, driving all the customers back to him.

Brainstorm and Nautica make up, and Brainstom adds a function to Nautica's spanner that says "Brainstorm is an ass!" when pushed. Tailgate and Getaway go fishing for Legislator parts in the Oil Reservoir (with Riptide as their boat), Cyclonus broods from his window alone, and Perceptor and Rodimus burn all of Brainstorm's briefcases, except for one, which Ravage has stolen for Megatron.

First Aid walks into Ratchet's office, where he finds a communicator for in case First Aid, as the new Chief Medical Officer of the ship, needs to contact Ratchet for any advice.

Now that he's fixed his friends, Ratchet heads off in a shuttle, armed with a new Drift model, and starts his search for Drift in space....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport/Mine Sweeper

Megatron - Tank

Xaaron

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Swerve - Van

Mirage - Race Car

Getaway - Car

Tailgate - Car

Chromedome - Car

Brainstorm - Helicopter

Nautica - Submarine

Rung

Skids - Van

Riptide - Boat

Perceptor - Microscope

Rewind - Data Slug

Siren - Car

Nightbeat - Car

Hosehead - Fire Truck

Hound - Jeep

Mainframe

Huffer - Truck

Inferno - Fire Truck

Jackpot - Car

Bluestreak - Car

Blaster - Acoustic Tank

Slapdash - Race Car

Atomizer

Rad - Car

Crosscut - Van

Broadside - Jet/Boat

Other Lost Lighters

Pharma - Jet (Flashback)

Hoist - Tow Truck (Model)

Drift - Car (Model)

Grotesque (Mural)

Trailcutter - Van (Mural)

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter (Mentioned)

Prowl (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Ravage - Cassette

Bombshell - Boll Weevil (Flashback)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Other Brainstorm - Helicopter (Mentioned) Dead

Other Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Brainstorm's Handler (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Ten

Cyclonus - Space Jet

Swerve's Serving Droid

Roller - Paddy Wagon (Flashback)

Tyrest (Mentioned)

Legislators (Mentioned)

Human

Hunter O'Nion (Flashback)

Hunter's Sister (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story was originally meant to be released before Transformers #40. as evidenced by the spoilers given there, such as First Aid becoming CMO, Mirage opening a bar, and it failing, etc. We also know that First Aid leaves the ship, at least for Combiner Wars since he joins the storyline with the other Protectobots for that storyline.
• This story also acts as a prequel to the Drift: Empire of Stone mini-series showing Ratchet's actions just before leaving for the storyline.
• It's revealed here that Ratchet leaving for Earth before Infiltration was the reason that Pharma left for Delphi, on Prowl's orders....so yeah, prowl is responsible for Pharma going mad on Delphi too then!
• It's shown that by the time Hunter is returned home after Maximum Dinobots, Bombshell has been created, and began following Hunter, ready for his involvement during the Autobot Purge during All Hail Megatron.
• Tailgate's new love of hoverboards is a reference to Back to the Future II, which Tailgate was shown enjoying during Movie Night.
• Also, his use of a hoverboard, fishing rod, and crashing into things is probably a reference to Daniel in the 80's Transformers Movie.
• Hosehead, Nightbeat and Siren are seen hanging out together. In the toyline they were sold in the same Headmaster wave. Hosehead even references this by saying "nearly took my head off!"
• Tailgate still thinks that Whirl's name is Nutjob :)
• Megatron is absent from his committee chair, this is either due to his recent self-seclusion following his close death during Elegant Chaos, or more likely due to him being the intended victim in that situation, and being unable to be unbiased.
• A few guys from the time travel team aren't amongst the viewers of the trial, wonder why?
• Brainstorm reveals that he only became a Decepticon to get his hands on some sensitive materials that the Decepticons had captured, and never disclosed any major details to the Decepticons that could hurt the Autobots.
• Brainstorm jokes that Rung is also a Decepticon double agent, which no-one seems to react to...odd huh?
• Getaway is getting creepier around Tailgate with every new issue....
• Seriously, I think he'll need an adult before long!
• Hoist and Hound are on Ratchet's patient list, whilst Hoist is mentioned as needing to speak to Rung due to his isolation issues, Hound is never seen or mentioned during the sessions shown.
• It's revealed here that Brainstorm is an MTO, meaning he was made during the war, in order to be used as a soldier. Normally this means he should be a warrior, rather than a scientist...interesting still! Also, his name is Genitus of Operation: Solar Storm.
• First Aid appears to know that Ratchet is leaving the ship, but no-one else seems to mention anything meaning he's been keeping it quiet.
• Ten is revealed to have an artistic side, implying that he may have a Spark of some sort. It was shown in the past that the Legislators were also built from the remains of the Circle of Light members they had killed, so maybe something from one of them was put into him?
• Ten appears to have the parts to make a Drift model, including a sword and the right colours and shapes, despite him never meeting him, and Ratchet pointing out that he was missing.
• Ten's obsession with Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus, and his display including all his modes and forms, COULD be seen as a reference to his upcoming Combiner Wars toy....
• Ultra Magnus seems to be finally at peace with people knowing about his true Minimus Ambus form by the end of this issue, as he's shown entering Swerve's bar in it with Ten
• Getaway and Tailgate use Riptide as a boat for their Legislator parts fishing trip in the Oil Reservoir.
• I wonder how Drift will react when he sees that Ratchet now has a little model of him in his shuttle?
• Since Brainstorm cuts off ties to his Decepticon handler here, I guess he's now a full Autobot again!

IDW - Robots in Disguise #0

Title: Fire, When Ready!

Written by: John Barber

Art & Cover by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The forest outside the Fun-A-Rama amusement park is on fire, and some human firefighters are dealing with it, whilst Strongarm and Grimlock appear, unnoticed by them to investigate an opened stasis cell, whilst Grimlock helps put out the fire secretly.

Strongarm reports the find back to base, where Fixit identifies the likely culprit to be Flamefeather, who is an arsonist. Bumblebee heads out with Denny, but has Sideswipe and Russell stay behind with Fixit, as punishment for messing around in the junk yard. However, once Sideswipe and Russell find out that the incident is happening near an amusement park, they decide to head out there anyway.

Bumblebee arrives at Strongarm's location, and finds out from them that Flamefeather's scent is leading towards the amusement park, making Bee wonder why he's gone there.

Meanwhile, Sideswipe and Russell have arrived at the park for some fun, when they are attacked by Flamefeather, once Flamefeather has escaped though, Bee and the others turn up, and they split up to hunt down the Decepticon. Sideswipe realizes that Flamefeather is heading towards a new ride that is opening the next day, designed to look like a spaceship, mistaking it for a real one and wants to leave the planet.

The team track him down, and manage to knock him out before the park opens. Sideswipe is made to carry Flamefeather back to base as punishment for not obeying his orders, whilst Grimlock is left behind as a fake attraction at the park, to avoid the humans finding him amongst them.

However, all of this is monitored by Ultra Magnus and his small team, also secretly on Earth, who deem it unwise to tell Bumblebee about their mission, or to ask for his help, as they don't think he'll understand why they need to do this...

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Strongarm - Police Vehicle

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Fixit

Ultra Magnus - Truck Cab

Arcee - Motorcycle

Bulkhead - Off Road Vehicle

Decepticon

Flamefeather - Fire Breathing Bird Captured by Team Bee

Steeljaw - Van (Picture)

Underbite - Cybertronian Car (Picture)

Filch - Bird (Picture)

Bisk - Sports Car (Picture)

Human

Denny

Russell

Firefighters

Fun-A-Rama Patrons

Notes

• This is the 2015 Free Comic Book Day Transformers comic, also acting as the pilot issue for the new comic series, beginning in July.
• Unlike most Decepticons in the Robots in Disguise series, Flamefeather has a beast mode, rather than a beast-looking robot mode (similar to Filch)
• The team get over the "get Grimlock back to base unnoticed" problem they always have by just leaving him as a fake attraction at the amusement park...this is amusing :)
• Ultra Magnus' team use a Sky Spy to monitor Bee and the team.
• Ultra Magnus, Bulkhead and Arcee appear in their Prime designs rather than being remodelled to look like Robots in Disguise designs.
• Ultra Magnus appears to have had his hand fixed in the years since the end of Prime.
• In the "Writer's Letter" section, Bumblebee expresses a dislike to John Barber, this is due to him killing off his G1 counterpart during IDW's Dark Cybertron storyline.

IDW - Transformers Windblade #2

Title: Combiner Wars Part 3: Mistakes and Mayhem

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Story by: Mairghread Scott & John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

On Caminus, the natives, along with some Cybertronians, which includes a larger number of Decepticons are helping to fix the damage caused by Menasor's rampage. During the rebuilding Chromia discuss how Caminus would be better without Cybertron's involvement, but Ironhide brings up all the death that Chromia herself caused on Cybertron in the recent past, proving to her that even Camiens can make mistakes.

On Cybertron, the leaders of Caminus and Cybertron work on plans to build the planned Colony Council, but they are having problems deciding how to make it work, since Starscream knows that the Camiens will just follow whatever a Prime says.

Back on Caminus, Devastator comes through the Spacebridge, and orders all of the Cyberronians to return to Cybertron, as he doesn't want to have the world's mingling. When the Cybertronians refuse though, he opens fire on them.

The O Fortuna arrives on Cybertron, and Mirage rushes off the ship to warn Optimus about his vision of Cybertron burning. When he arrives at the meeting however, Chromia contacts Windblade and reports on Devastator's attack. The leaders head to the Spacebridge, along with the Protectobots.

Rattrap contacts Prowl back on Caminus and asks him what he's doing, and he says that he's had enough of this and wants the Cybertronians to stay on their own planet and leave the rest of the galaxy alone now. Superion joins the battle against Devastator, and despite Superion's greater combinational skills, Devastator manages to badly hurt him.

Optimus and the others reach the Spacebridge to find Devastator/Prowl dragging an unconscious Superion through the portal, and then starts to destroy the portal himself. The Cybertronians and Chromia on Caminus head through the portal and start attacking Devastator to stop him, since Optimus can't reach his old friend any more.

Starscream uses the Enigma of Combination to repair the Aerialbots again, and then drafts the Protectobots into joining together into Defensor. The two Autobot combiners attack Devastator as a team and manage to fairly quickly destroy him, forcing him back into his component parts.

Starscream intends to have Prowl and the Constructicons executed, but Windblade insists that they be tried under Camien law, as their crimes were against Caminus. Prowl and the others are taken away to prison, with Prowl screaming at Optimus as he's dragged away.

Optimus tries to rationalize Prowl's actions as the war having unhinged him, but Chromia corrects him that it's fear that's changed him, and that when you're afraid you do stupid things as you think you, alone are right, acting as her acknowledgement of her own mistakes in the past to Windblade, renewing their friendship.

Nearby, the Camien leaders ask Starscream if he can station one of his combiners on Caminus for it's defence, which Starscream is MORE than happy about....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Ironhide - Van

Prowl - Police Vehicle Arrested

Mirage - Race Car

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

First Aid - Ambulance

Groove - Motorcycle

Streetwise - Police Car

Blades - Helicopter

Rook - Armoured Van

Defensor - Protectobot Gestalt

Silverbolt - Jet

Air Raid - Jet

Skydive - Jet

Fireflight - Jet

Powerglide - Jet

Alpha Bravo - Helicopter

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Nautica - Submarine (Mentioned)

Metroplex - City/Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Waspinator - Wasp

Fat Tankor - Tank

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

United Cybertronian

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Rat

The Badgeless/Secret Police

Scoop - Front End Loader (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Devastator - Constructicon and Prowl Gestalt Destroyed by Defensor

Constructicons Arrested

Cybertronian Populace

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Camien

Lightbright

Red Leader

Yellow Leader

Notes

• It's mentioned that more Decepticons than Autobots are helping with the rebuilding of Caminus...I seriously wonder why that is? Maybe they just have more time on their hands, or maybe they want to repopulate on Caminus instead of staying on Cybertron in the aftermath. That could actually be the case considering Sparkstalker's comment of "This world is our's".
• Sunstreaker is confirmed as having remained on Cybertron following Dark Cybertron.
• Rook randomly appears with the Protectobots here, despite never being mentioned etc. This is clearly to tie in with his toy, but is still a bit glaring.
• Fat Tankor thinks everyone calls him "Fast Tankor"
• Superion and Defensor seem to have better control of their gestalt forms than Devastator, in that they can reconfigure themselves whilst still combined.
• The Enigma of Combination can heal apparently. It's unclear if it only works on combiners, but the Matrix was shown to be able to heal in the past as well, so maybe all of the artefacts of the Thirteen can do this too?
• Prowl's eyes are back to blue when he separates from the Constructicons...maybe the red eyes were just to indicate the start of their combination?

IDW - The Transformers #40

Title: Combiner Wars Part 2: The Possible Light

Written by: John Barber

Story by: Mairghread Scott & John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Shuttlecraft O Fortuna leaves the Lost Light with it's ambassador for the colony worlds Mirage, along with the newly formed "Protectobots" for security and Mirage's medical needs. Unfortunately Mirage is currently in stasis and is having a bad nightmare. He watches as Cybertron, Earth and Caminus burn from the Combiner Wars, but manages to speak with Ironhide, telling him that they need to help them choose....

Just then, Ironhide wakes up on Cybertron where he joins Optimus, Windblade and Wheeljack in watching Starscream's proclamation about Cybertron and Caminus coming together with Superion's help.

Optimus and Windblade head to Caminus to help with the rebuilding, but first the Mistress of Flame asks him how he can allow Starscream to be Cybertron's leader, and not him, and also cannot believe that he would dirty his own hands with the rescue operations, and sees it as somewhat blasphemous.

On Ark-7, near the Earth's Moon, Prowl has brought the stolen Spacebridge back with him, and mostly ignores Jetfire's questions on where it came from. Suddenly, Prowl receives a message from his informant on Cybertron about what is happening on the planet right now.

On Caminus, Superion, Optimus and the others are freeing trapped civilians and making themselves known to the people. During this, Optimus receives a call from Prowl, who starts screaming at him about Starscream having access to Metroplex's spacebridge. Optimus ends the conversation, deciding not to pay attention to Prowl. not tell him about the Combiners. However Prowl already knows about the Enigma of Combination, and he gets in contact with his Cybertronian ally again.

On Cybertron, Swindle is taken away to a secret prison by Starscream, so he can't reveal his part in the attack on Caminus, Scoop finds the way Starscream is treating his prisoners disgusting, but Starscream doesn't care, and leaves Rattrap in charge of the prison whilst he deals with some Camien diplomats.

Once on his own, Rattrap transforms and starts making his way through the piping of Metroplex, whilst Optimus, Windblade, Starscream and the Camien leaders head to a meeting to discuss forming a council between the Cybertronian colonies and Cybertron.

Rattrap makes his way to the spacebridge chamber and activates it, allowing Prowl and the Constructicons to come through, so he can help solve Cybertron, and the colony's problems, however Prowl's eyes have now started glowing a somewhat evil shade of red...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Wheeljack - Race Car

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Mirage - Race Car

First Aid - Ambulance

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Groove - Motorcycle

Blades - Helicopter

Streetwise - Police Car

Sandstorm - Buggy/Helicopter In Secret Prison

Megatron - Tank (Flashback)

Rodimus - Car (Flashback)

Silverbolt - Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Waspinator - Wasp

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt (Footage)

Stunticons (Mentioned)

Monstructor (Mentioned)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Circuit

Longtooth

Rattrap - Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader

Swindle - Off Road Vehicle In Secret Prison

Badgeless Officer

Caminus

Mistress of Flame

Hot Shot

Lightbright

Red Leader

Yellow Leader

Camiens

Rook (In Vision)

Other Cybertronian

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Hook - Crane

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Devastator (Footage)

Vision Combiners (In Vision)

Primus (Mentioned)

Caminus - City/Spaceship (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Other

Blackrock (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue was originally meant to be released after More Than Meets the Eye #40 (which has yet to be released) so some plot points mentioned here like First Aid being the Lost Light's Chief Medical Officer, or Mirage opening a bar that fails are kind of spoiled in advance
• Mirage's Spotlight issue is revealed to have been part of a medical condition of his that makes him a bit unbalanced mentally.
• The new toy Protectobots Rook is shown amongst the  Camiens in Mirage and Ironhide's shared vision. That means if Rook is involved in Defensor here, then this will be the first cross-colony gestalt.
• The gestalts seen in the vision include Defensor, Superion and Menasor very clearly, the other two are unclear.
• Starscream has FINALLY taken on his new body that's been teased all storyline so far.
• Superion reveals that he's not loyal to Starscream, but Cybertron itself, and he is willing to kill Starscream if he finds out he's in any way involved in the attack on Caminus
• Superion and Optimus' conversation about what it's like to be a combiner seems like it could be foreshadowing Optimus' own combination later in the series
• Swindle has been taken to the same secret prison as Sandstorm...wonder if the other Combaticons just happen to be there as well?
• Rattrap shows his lack of loyalty again, when he's shown to have teamed up with Prowl against Starscream and Optimus.

IDW - Transformers vs G.I. Joe #6

Title: Expelled from the Garden

Written by: Tom Scioli and John Barber

Art, Colours and Lettering by: Tom Scioli

Production by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The prisoners inside the Decepticobra base are being made to read the Cobra-version of the bible to try and brainwash them, and be put into service with Cobra, Tunnel Rat goes missing from his cell.

On Earth, Flagg tries to get authorization from the Jugglers to blow up Cybertron before it reaches and cyberforms Earth like it has Saturn, Mars and the Moon, but they refuse, as they plan to use Cybertron as a mass factory instead.

Snake Eyes enters a Decepticon bar, and beats up a couple of Decepticons because of reasons. Some more prisoners are being taken away to Scorponok via Astrotrain, and some Joes hang onto his train carriages to stow away (I assume they freeze to death in the space he's flying through though)

A mysterious guy (CLEARLY COBRA COMMANDER) takes some freed Cobra prisoners to see Koh Buru Lah, a bit snake monster thing, who likes to hiss at them.

Cobra and the Decepticons invade the UN, to make an announcement to the world leaders when they hear an explosion from below, or nearby, or the other side of the world, I dunno.

Optimus attacked the PIT and finds the newly reporgrammed Soundwave with Bumblebee's body as his head, being manually controlled by Doctor Venom, he is soon joined by Starscream and Shockwave who are both shocked to see Soundwave seemingly alive.

On Cybertron, some of the Autobots have been taken over by remote controls and they attack some Joes, during the battle it is revealed that Galen is in fact human.

Elsewhere, Rodimus and his team head into the bowels of Cybertron and find some Decepticons setting up camp on Primus' forehead and seem to be trying to re-write him to change the planet for Megatron's needs.

In Trypticon, Tunnel Rat is sneaking around and he finds Perceptor with a Decepticon badge performing an autopsy on Wild Bill's corpse.

On Earth again, Flagg stages a coup and attacks the Jugglers, wanting to control the world, but then the GI Jonin appear as the Joes replacements. Outside, some Joe vehicles reveal themselves to be the Combaticons, who then combine into Bruticus and joins the battle of the UN. Cobra Commander and his troops turn up to the battle as well, but Optimus runs and flies away once he has Bumblebee's body off of Soundwave's shoulders.

he flies back to Cybertron when it's all revealed to be just Scarlett's imagination doing this, whilst playing with her GI Joe and Transformers toys, however, she refuses to believe this and attacks her doctor, Doctor Mindelbinder.....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Ironhide - Van

Brawn - Van

Rodimus - Car

Mirage - Race Car

Metroplex - Slug Monster

Inferno - Fire Truck Under Decepticobra control

Seaspray - Hovercraft Under Decepticobra control

Arcee - Car Under Decepticobra control

Galen - Cerebros' Head Under Decepticobra control

Bumblebee - Head Disabled, Controlled by Venom

Decepticon

Megatron

Starscream - Jet

Shockwave

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle with train carriages

Dreadwind - Jet

Perceptor - Microscope

Thundercracker - Jet

Busitron - School Bus

Brawl - MOBAT

Onslaught - Stealth Bomber

Vortex - Tomahawk Helicopter

Blast Off - Transport Plane

Swindle - APC

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt

Soundwave Disabled, Controlled by Venom

Ravage Disabled, Controlled by Venom

Random Decepticons

Scorponok (Mentioned)

Trypticon (Mentioned)

GI Joe

General Flagg

Hawk

Flint

Scarlett 

Doctor Venom

Roadblock

Tunnel Rat

Spearhead

Gung-Ho

Alpine

Junkyard

Mutt

Spirit

Quick Kick

Beach Head

Steeler

Lady Jaye

Bazooka

Cover Girl

Duke

Tripwire

Footloose

Ghostrider

Law

Dodger

Blocker

Deejay

Knockdown

Maverick

Wild Bill Dead, being dissected by Perceptor

Random Joes

Cobra

Serpentress

Destro

Cobra Commander

Major Bludd

Firefly

Tomax

Xamot

Zartan

Raptor

Crocmaster

Doctor Mindelbinder

Snake Eyes

Torch

Ripper

Cobra Troops

Crimson Guardsmen

Other Human

Jugglers

GI Jonin

United Nations Reps

Kwinn the Eskimo 

Adam In Cobra Bible

Eve In Cobra Bible

Other

Primus

Vector Sigma

Koh Buru Lah

Notes

• Yup...it came back...
• Why is Snake Eyes randomly attacking Decepticons in Maccadams? He doesn't appear to be after information etc, so why?
• The previously mentioned Koh Buru Lah is revealed to be a Lovecraftian looking monster god thing rather than a new version of Cobra-La
• Why did Cobra need to have a bus Transformer to transport their troops to the UN? I mean it's a cool concept, but why bother? Surely they have jets etc
• So the Joe's secret PIT base is under the UN? I think...it's very confusing
• The captured Autobots can be controlled with joysticks apparently...even the partly organic Galen
• Speaking of Galen, he's shown to be Human, or Nubulan maybe? Who knows, maybe they're trying to do something Beast Machines-like here?
• Why would Tripwire comment that Primus looks like Rodimus? I get the historical reason being that he was made to look like him in Marvel comics and Regen One, but from what we can see here, he doesn't...and even if he does, Tripwire couldn't possibly see that much of Primus' face to tell that!
• Cybertron is being rebuilt into a Unicron-looking creature by Megatron on purpose it seems
• So Perceptor is really a Decepticon double agent? Guess he/s copying Brainstorm now, rather than the other way round!
• So....Flagg is LITERALLY trying to take over the planet and wants to destroy other worlds too? THESE ARE THE HEROES?!
• I have to admit, having Bruticus form from Joe vehicles is pretty cool, though you have to wonder how long they were amongst the Joes, and whether this means they've been betrayed etc maybe.
• I'm guessing that Optimus' wings don't actually make him fly, since having Bumblebee/Venom attached would probably make him go off course due to the changed shape it would make.
• Oh please kind Primus, let that "The End" really be the end, or at least let us have the "It was all just a dream" ending after all :)

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #39

Title: The Permanent Revolution

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Hayato Sakamoto

Colours by: Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Coordination: Phases

Editor: John Barber

Plot

[1] Troika

Tarn, Helex and Tesarus have captured and are torturing Blip for the crimes of being involved in a cult and offer him one last request before he dies, which is when he tells Tarn to remove his mask and reveal his true identity, to which Tesarus and Helex simply kill him.

The DJD return to their ship when they encounter their newest member Nickel, who berates them for making a mess of Blip's parts meaning she can't use them for spares, and starts complaining about the team's maintenance skills.

Later, Tesarus is in his Appraisal with Tarn, who is complimenting him on his work with Borebit and Heretech, when Tesarus brings up how Tarn abandoned Vos and Kaon on Ofsted XVII after they were ambused by the Galactic Council whilst trying to take the destroyed Lost Light's Quantum Engines (following them killing the crew).

Tesarus claims to Tarn that Decepticon's don't abandon their teammates, which Tarn takes offence to, as he knows EVERYTHING about being a Decepticon. Soon Helex comes in, and says he's recovered both Vos and Kaon from Ofsted, as they were alive (much to their shock), but he also shows Tarn the new edition of Towards Peace that they took from Trailcutter, which shows Megatron defecting from the Decepticons.

[2] Troska

The DJD return to Messatine where Tarn mulls over these revelations, and tries to kill himself in a tank of Nuke (a supercharged fuel), as his life flashes before his eyes he sees Nickel worriedly looking at him, and decides to break free, announcing a change in plan.

[3] Perestroika

The DJD have tracked down Deathsaurus' warworld, as he is at the top of their list, but Tarn reveals to the team that they aren't there to kill him, or his crew, but simply to talk.

On board the ship, Deathsaurus manages to separate Tarn from the others on the pretence of their talk, but he immediately tries to kill him, on the assumption that that's what they are here for, he also disables his audio sensors so Tarn can't talk him to death, however Tarn hacks into his ship's inter-Decepticon radio frequency and makes the entire crew hear him out, he reveals that due to the recent events of Megatron defecting, he sees that one individual doesn't make up the entire ideal of the Decepticon cause, even if he did start it, and explains how Nickel joined his crew after hearing about the Decepticon ideal, despite being from a now dead colony world called Prion. He invites Deathsaurus and his crew to join him to restart the Decepticons anew, and with a clean slate.

Deathsaurus agrees to join up, if Tarn kills the rest of the DJD, but he refuses. Deathsaurus however reveals that that was a test to see if Tarn treats his men as expendable like Megatron does, and agrees to join forces. 

As such, the united forces decide to target Megatron and the crew of the Lost Light as the first names on the new list....

Characters

Decepticon

Tarn - Tank

Helex - Treaded Mobile Smelting Tank

Tesarus - Treaded Mobile Metal Grinder

Kaon - Variable Volt Harness

Vos - Rifle

Nickel

Deathsaurus

Blue Bacchus

Browning

Gairyu

Yokuryu

Goryu

Rairyu

Kakuryu

Doryu

Leozack

Guyhawk

Jarugar

Killbison

Drillhorn

Deathcobra

Rest of Deathsaurus' Crew

Blip Killed by Tesarus

Soundwave (Flashback)

Alternate Brainstorm - Jet (Flashback) Dies in DJD attack

Alternate Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned) Killed by DJD

Heretech (Mentioned) Captured by DJD

Autobot

Megatron - Tank (Footage)

Optimus Prime (Flashback)

Skids (Flashback)

Alternate Ratchet - Ambulance (Flashback) Killed by DJD

Alternate Drift - Car (Flashback) Killed by DJD

Borebit (Mentioned) Killed by Tesarus

Cybertronian

The Pet

Eucryphia (Mentioned)

Prima (Mentioned)

Thriteen Tribes (Mentioned)

Prion - City/Space Ship (Mentioned) Probably Dead

Prion's Colonists (Mentioned) Killed by Black Block Consortia

Other

Captain K'gard (Flashback)

Galactic Council (Flashback)

Black Block Consortia (Flashback)

Notes

• Blip is shown here in a drastically different design to his previous appearances, this is either an artistic error, due to the new artist, or it's a different character to the previous one.
• The Empyrean Suite is revealed here to be the DJD's "theme tune" and was written by Eucryphia, who was shown to be Nova's ally during the war of the Primes started by Galvatron.
• Tesarus and Helex are revealed to have vehicle modes, meaning we now know the alternate modes for all five of the main DJD members
• This issue confirms without doubt that the alternate Brainstorm was the one who revealed Overlord to the DJD, before this it was just Rewind's theory. One has to wonder though, why didn't the OTHER Brainstorm do the same?
• Tarn has several of his masks sitting on his wall, all somewhat damaged...guess he's sentimental huh?
• Brainstorm's time jump to Messatine in the past altered some of the Nucleon there into the DJD's personal stash of "Nuke"
• The DJD haven't been in contact with Megatron since issue 18 of the Costa Transformers ongoing series
• Deathsaurus' crew is made up of mostly Japanese exclusive Transformers characters. The only ones missing from his Victory cast are Black Shadow (who was killed by the DJD) and Hellbat (who was working with Gigatron)
• Huh...wonder if it's just a coincidence that at the start of the Combiner Wars storyline in the other comics we get a couple of traditionally combiner teams here?
• Nickel is from the Prion colony, showing that female Transformers are available from any of the colonies in theory.
• Speaking of Nickel, she has a few similarities to Fixit from the new Robots in Disguise franchise, meaning she may be a Mini-Con.
• Amongst Tarn's memories, we see a young Skids with his Matrix tattoo, which was also how Skids looked whilst he was helping with the raid of the Primal Basilica in Shadowplay....more evidence for him being Roller perchance?
• It's revealed here that the Galactic Council and Black Block Consortia have started attacking Cybertronian colonies and outposts to try and wipe out the Cybertronians, considering their dwindling numbers now.
• Tarn states that he erases his list in this issue....this means that technically the Scavengers and Drift should be off the list now, and won't be hunted by the DJD.
• Tarn also realizes that the Lost Light crew are still alive, but doesn't question how or why, he just knows he wants them dead.

TFCC #62 - Another Light Part 2

Title: Distant Fissures

Writers: Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair

Pencils & Inks: Eryck Webb

Colours:Evan Gauntt

Letters: Jesse Wittenrich

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

Galvatron leaves Cybertron with his troops and Grimlock to fight Optimus and his evil Autobots on Earth. Ultra Mammoth and the others prepare to leave for the Classicsverse Earth, Ironhide and the others have taken on their new bodies instead of their horrible beast modes.

The group head to the Stellar Spanner, where Stonecruncher and Excavator scare them by mentioning how their test drones din''t survive the trips to Earth.

They arrive on Earth soon afterwards, to find the place a battlefield, as Treadshot couldn't wait for the Autobots before going after the evil Ultra Magnus.

Ultra Magnus claims that he plans to keep destroying universes until he has enough energy to conquer Cybertron and overthrow Optimus (because...sure...why not?). The two Ultra Magnus' fight, the evil Magnus tries to stab his good counterpart in the spark, but instead his sword reacts with the Origin Matrix, and hurts him....MORE IN TWO MONTHS!!

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Mammoth - Mammoth

Silverbolt - Jet

Prowl - Police Motorcycle

Ironhide - Van

Scoop - Front End Loader

Holepunch - Gun

Warpath - Tank

Grimlock - Raptor

SG Decepticon

Galvatron - Rescue Helicopter

Treadshot - Sports Car

Octopunch - Hovercraft

Spinister - Helicopter

Needlenose - Jet

Excavator - Crane Truck

Stonecruncher - Crane Truck

SG Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Truck Cab

Wheeljack - Race Car

Junkions - Motorcycles

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Mentioned)

Other

The Thirteen (Mentioned)

Notes

• Grimlock is sent off with Galvatron and the Decepticons...guess the writers didn't know what to do with him for this story huh?
• Prowl's new body is based on his Animated counterpart's body, but with some modifications
• Stonecruncher is shown in a new colouration of his G1 toy's character model, rather than the reuse of Timelines Astro-Hook he was announced as originally.
• Ultra Mammoth attributes his stupid pun name to Grimlock....I'd like to know who to blame for it in the real world though...
• Ultra Mammoth mentions that he ALSO has an artefact of the Thirteen...when does he know that Ultra Magnus has one too?!

Other Features

Interview with Khary Payton (RID 2015 Grimlock)

Article on the Transformers exhibit at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Advert for the Nova Prime and Marissa Faireborn with Afterburner figures

"Historical" article on Classicsverse Prowl

Prowl profile

Hot Shot's Jam Session - Hot Shot interviews Marvel Shockwave

Recordicons - SG Ravage takes selfies whilst trapped

Bot on the Street - Transformers are asked about FIBRIR