IDW - Till All Are One Annual 2017

Title: The Chosen One

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Windblade wakes up for her first day back at work on the Council, but is a little disillusioned following the recent attacks. On the way there, she looks over a message from Chromia, explaining that she has been charged with the job of hunting down and killing Liege Maximo, but promises to return once their job is done, assuming they survive the mission.

Windblade enters the Council chamber to find all the councillors applauding her, she is at first overwhelmed, but soon realises what this is about, when she sees Circuit and Longtooth filming the event. Windblade begins to discuss Maximo, but is interrupted by Starscream ushering out the press. The Council are upset that Maximo's presence has been kept from them til now, but Starscream hushes them up, saying they need to maintain the secrecy of this, in order to stop public panic.

Windblade is furious about this being kept a secret, and is angry that the Mistress was okay with this. the Mistress begins to refute that she is the living will of the Primes, and her decisions are not to be questioned, leading to Windblade defying her and decrying the Primes themselves...leading to a swift slap from the Mistress.

The two Camiens argue, leading to Windblade storming off, intending to expose the secret. The Mistress of Flame chases after her, but is too late, as Windblade has already started talking to Circuit and Longtooth.

By the next morning, the news is all out, and the population of Cybertron and it's colonies all know that Liege Maximo is on the loose and he has vowed to return to destroy Cybertron, Windblade has also been removed as Caminus' delegate and also exiled from her homeworld for her heresy.

The reactions are varied, with some people angry that the people of Carcer held a Prime prisoner, whilst others hate Windblade for hi-jacking a Titan like Vigilem, and of course others are scared of their impending doom. However Blurr, Fat Tankor amd Waspinator all appear to Windblade and ask her to run for office, and promise her that more people want it too. At first she's not sure if she should, since she doesn't want to represent and talk for others any more, but they point out that her running to lead the planet will have her talking for the people HER way, instead of being manipulated.

Starscream continues as planned, and keeps the planned elections going, despite him having an excuse to delay them again, that being Liege Maximo's return. Soon, three candidates are picked and are in the running for the office, Starscream, Elita One and Windblade. Windblade leaves her celebration party for some quiet, and visits Metroplex. There, she explains that she is worried that her "desire" to rule is just leftover from Vigilem being inside her mind, however Metroplex denies this, stating that Vigilem only listened to Maximo, but Windblade listens to others, and will use that skill to rule the planet properly.

Later, Windblade starts her campaign with a bar-sit where people can have a drink with her for free, along with a conversation. Everyone comes to see her and wants her to help diversify and keep Cybertron peaceful, and all seem to be on her side. After the meetings, Rattrap comes to see her in secret, giving her a briefcase filled with incriminating evidence about Starscream and his actions over the past few years. He explains that he planned to release it himself, but he's not sure now, since he appears to have changed since Windblade and him shared a mind, but he figures that Windblade can decide what to do with it better than he can, and leaves her to decide.

Starscream talks with "Bumblebee" again, but is interrupted by Windblade chucking the briefcase at him and declaring him insane. The two head into a back-room where they can talk in secret, where Starscream tries to get her to not expose his secrets, but she instead promises to reveal everything at the debates, and leaves. Starscream begins to panic and starts looking through the evidence to find a way to spin his crimes in his favour, but Bumblebee's "ghost", despite knowing that Starscream really does want to help Cybertron now, and believes that Windblade cannot contend with Elita or any other contests to her leadership, refuses to help him try to destroy Windblade's character.

On Carcer, Elita One is confident that she will win the election, since her troops will block-vote her, and the others will split their votes between the other candidates, and so she starts plans for Maximo's attack.

The day of the debate comes, and despite her declaration, Windblade asks for the people of Cybertron and it's colonies to come together as Cybertron is becoming a world where everyone can express themselves, and they need to now work hard to protect it, and eachother from their oncoming threats. Starscream approaches the podium, and....admits to all his crimes to the crowd for over an hour....

Windblade wins the election with a landslide, and is quickly ushered into office, where her first decision is to change her title from "Supreme Ruler" to "First Delegate". Next she is given the charges for Starscream and signs them, sentencing him to life-long imprisonment, and arranges to meet with him in jail.

For their parts in his crimes, the Combaticons, Rattrap and Airachnid have all been arrested too. Windblade meets with Starscream, but not to talk with him, she knows why he gave himself up...she just gives him a present, a small pendant with an image of his "true self" that they both saw inside his mind, and he smiles....

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Metroplex - Iacon City Centre 

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Chromia - Speedbike (Flashback)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Firestar (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Waspinator - Wasp

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Missile Truck Arrested

Blast Off - Space Shuttle Arrested

Vortex - Helicopter Arrested

Brawl - Tank Arrested

Swindle - Jeep Arrested

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane (Mentioned)

Bruticus - Combaticon Combiner (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet Arrested

Elita One

Mistress of Flame

Rattrap - Mole Rat Arrested

Obsidian - Osprey Stealth Helicopter

Moonracer - Sports Car

Knock Out - Sports Car

Airazor - Eagle

Tigatron - Tiger

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Circuit 

Longtooth

Blurr - Race Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Airachnid - Spider Arrested

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Dead

Bar Patrons

Random Crowdfiller

Titan Swarm (Flashback) Dead

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster (Flashback)

Lightbright (Flashback)

Greenlight (Flashback)

Lancer (Flashback)

Liege Maximo (Artistic Rendition Only)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Primes (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Other Cityspeakers (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

The Iron Ring (Mentioned) Defeated/Arrested

Other

New Prysmodians (Mentioned)

Notes

• This special issue marks the end of Till All Are One, and thus brings us some nice closure on both Windblade and Starscream, arguably the main characters of Mairghread Scott's stories in IDW.
• Windblade....why are you living in a building with a wall missing? Why haven't you just put up a sheet for privacy or something?
• From what we see here, Chromia's team to hunt down Liege Maximo includes Sparkstalker, Lightbright, Lancer and Greenlight, with the latter two being volunteers from Carcer, the ship where Maximo was originally imprisoned.
• Continuity seems to be a little wobbly in this story. It's implied that Windblade is only just now coming back to the council in this issue, but immediately gets "fired" from the role, but we saw her active and acting somewhat delegate-like during First Strike, which was set after her coma...
• It's explained that the Mistress of Flame was working on the Council in Windblade's place whilst she was injured, explaining why she was involved in the meetings.
• From their reactions in this issue, it seems like most of the Council were unaware of Liege Maximo being freed from his cell, but they were discussing him openly during First Strike...AHHH!!!
• Mistress of Flame refers to Airazor as "beast" here....can we agree that is racist or at least functionism? I think we're learning more about Caminus here!
• The artist's rendition of Liege Maximo is actually a frame from the G2 comic, showing him in a more monstrous form.
• So along with her delegate duties being removed, Windblade appears to also have been fired from her role as a Cityspeaker for Metroplex.
• Metroplex finally refers to Windblade by her name, instead of "Wind-Voice"
• Shocking approximately no-one, Rattrap is revealed to be DC-357, the informant trying to lead Onslaught and the Combaticons against Starscream early in Till All Are One.
• When was the debate arena built? Why was it built? If it was the Rascol Arena on Luna-2 I'd be fine, but this is clearly on Cybertron and looks brand new...
• Windblade refers to the "creatures underground" referring to the New Prysmodians as shown in the upcoming Transformers vs Visionaries comic.
• We don't get to hear his confession, but I would guess it is just stuff since the end of the war, since his "war crimes" would have been absolved as part of the post-war rebuilding.
• Looking in the cells, Blast Off is off on his own, implying that the other Combaticons are slightly pissed off with him for betraying them to Starscream, especially Onslaught who Starscream had his feelings towards Blast Off altered just to help control him!
• It's a nice image, but where did Windblade get a hologram of Starscream's "true form"? Did she make the image? Did she have it extracted from her memories? I need to know!!
• The story is followed by a letter from Mairghread Scott thanking the fans, and hoping that Windblade will be continued to be used in the future, as well as thanking her fellow creators from the series. She also reminds people to always accept criticism as it can help you grow as a creator, which is very important given the current climate of comic creators blocking fans for criticising their work.

IDW - Optimus Prime #14

Title: The Dead Come Home Part 2

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Prowl and his team of misfits and "forgotten" Cybertronians and allies fight the Beast Horde and manage to recue the last three surviving Throttlebots and manage to leave the planet on their shuttle so they can continue their mission to take down the "real threat".

Back on Cybertron, Optimus and his team try to restrain Slug, who has started attacking the other Dinobots, unknown to them being controlled by Bludgeon. The Dinobots join in trying to restrain Slug, whilst Sludge sneaks away to protect the "newcomers". Arcee notices him leave and follows him. Sandstorm starts to turn on Optimus, still seeing him as a corrupt leader and believes that Optimus set up this attack, until Centurion stops their fight and forces the teams to work together to calm down the crazed Dinobot.

Arcee follows Sludge into a cavern where she is ambushed by a small black and red protoforms, but is stopped from hurting the young Cybertronian by Trypticon, who reveals that he is protecting them, along with the Dinobots. 

Arcee has been transmitting this to Optimus, who now has a plan, he sends Blackrock back into Iacon so he can retrieve Marissa Faireborn, as he distracts Slug further.

Back in Iacon, Starscream barges into Bludgeon's cell and destroys the Void Scepter, breaking his control on Slug, explaining that he doesn't want him to kill Optimus, he wants Optimus to return to Iacon with the protoforms so they can be used as a political move, but now it is all ruined.

Trypticon rises from the ground and declares that the fighting must stop, as he will not let anyone hurt his "children", leading Optimus to explain his plan.... Blackrock returns with Marissa, and Optimus proposes that Trypticon take to his city-mode and Marissa declares the city as Earth's embassy on Cybertron, allowing the protoforms to be safe there and be protected from Starscream's influence due to being on "Earth's soil". Everyone agrees to this, even though Sandstorm thinks this is just Optimus using them for a political move.

Slug, now having calmed down is welcomed back by the Dinobots and they know that he was being manipulated somehow... Back in Iacon, Bludgeon watches the scene from his "cameras" in Slug and comments on how his master will soon return...leaving Bumblebee's ghost worried again...

Pyra Magna, Skyburst and Stormclash return to Earth through the spacebridge where they report that Optimus is still busy with the recovery on Cybertron, so he's not returning yet. Pyra leaves her group to reunite, whilst she deals with some other business...

In her quarters, she contacts Prowl to report that Optimus has set up an embassy for Earth on Cybertron, and the current climate is that Cybertron needs Earth's support for energy following the arrival of New Prysmos in the planet's core. Prowl confirms that with Pyra's information he's eliminated Eukaris as the root of the Beast Horde, so they still need to figure that out.

Both of them are now planning for any eventuality, as the Horde could be coming for Earth or Cybertron, and they both need to keep their best interests under observation...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Sports Car

Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign - Head

Slug - Triceratops

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Wheelie - Car

Goldbug - Car

Chase - Car

Rollbar - Jeep

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Stormclash - Helicopter

Skyburst - Helicopter

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Metrotitan - Autobot City (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Other Throttlebots (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Bludgeon - Tank In Custody

Beast Horde

Hydra -Pteranodon Killed by Stardrive

Insecticon - Beetle Killed by Prowl

Transquito - Mosquito Killed by Prowl

Drancron - Lizard-Dragonfly Killed by Stardrive

Sharp Edge - Sawshark Killed by Stardrive

Other Beasts Likely Killed by Prowl's Team

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Stardrive - Jet/Car

Trypticon - Earth Embassy

Strafe - Two Headed Dragon/Car

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy

Centurion - Luxury Car

Protoform Sideswipe

New Protoforms

Junkions (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Mayday/Ayana Jones (Mentioned)

Lady Jaye (Mentioned)

Other

Garnak

Teletraan (Voice Only)

Bludgeon's Master (Mentioned)

Notes

• So turns out Stardrive WAS infected with Wraith matter at the end of "Shining Armor", but appears to have better control over it than anyone else we've seen so far.
• Prowl's arm weapon is revealed to be the Vamparc Ribbon, which was previously seen uring Autocracy, it just happens to look a lot like the cannon on Megatron's Chaos event armour. We also get a reappearance of Zeta Prime's stash of weapons that Prowl was last seen contemplating using in Autocracy too. Turns out he kept them for a rainy day...
• The planet "Botanica" is revealed to actually be named "Regulus V"
• So further adding to the return of seemingly dead characters here...Trypticon returns! He was last seen giving his body to used by the new generation of Cybertronians as raw materials...guess they only used a small bit of his body then, since there's no noticeable damage to him!
• Bumblebee's "ghost" is revealed to have told Starscream what Bludgeon was doing from last issue. Though Starscream dismisses this as just that "he figured it out himself" it really does add more to him not just being a figment of his imagination and him actually communicating with him from "the dead"
• Trypticon is now being used as Earth's embassy on Cybertron. So they are technically using my suggestion from a while back of using the Titans for central buildings in new settlements then! (Still no sign of the dead Titan swarm being used for more cities yet though!)
• Pyra Magna has some Cybertronian-equivalent incense sticks in her quarters...that's a cute touch!
• Oh and also, Prowl and Pyra Magna are working together behind the scenes it seems...I am not shocked that two majorly corrupt Autobots are in collusion! Pyra even mentioned in the last issue that she wants Arcee to keep an eye on Optimus and herself, showing just how Prowl-like she's become!
• It is confirmed that the Beast Horde that keeps appearing is not from Eukaris, implying they are from another group of Onyx Prime followers. I'll think we'll get more information soon though, since Onyx Prime is said to return in the next issue...yay!
• Bludgeon mentions his "master" again. I would assume this will be in some way related to Unicron since he's the focus of the major "event" for this year. And let's face it, the last couple of continuities to feature Bludgeon (Dreamwave's G1 and Armada lines) both had him connected to Unicron too
• The "new Sideswipe" is based on the character's G2 colour scheme, which was used by Sideswipe during the post Chaos era.
• Tyrpticon is mentioned as being a former Decepticon, and due to his "nicer" attitude, we can probably assume that he isn't powered with Pentius' spark any more.

IDW - Rom and the Micronauts

Writer: Christos Gage

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colourist: Alessandra Alexakis

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Editors: Carlos Guzman & David Mariotte

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

D'rge and Karza discuss their potential new alliance to deal with their now mutual enemies, with The Absence joining them to at that he has a plan for them to work together to defeat the Micronauts and Rom alike. He teleports them all away to their goal...

A few hours later, the Micronauts arrive at the Dire Wraith's lighthouse, having been following Karza's signal but find it abandoned. They detect Wraith signals there too, but since there's no sign of a battle they assume that the two forces have teamed up. They head off to find Rom, as they figure he'd be interested in working together since the Wraiths are involved.

Inside the Lighthouse, one piece of the Absence remains and reports to the others that the Micronauts are doing as they planned.

Later, the Micronauts find Rom and his human allies, Darby Mason and Camilla Byers, in Utah having just taken down a Wraith cell, and they agree to join the Micronauts in taking down Karza and the Wraiths alike. Rom uses his Analyzer to detect a location where Wraith and Microspace technologies are the highest, and determines that that must be where they are hiding. He sends a message to Orphion and Livia, who are currently dealing with another mission, to tell them where they are going and they head off.

Soon our heroes arrive at the Yucca Mountains in Nevada where they immediately attack the Wraiths, but unfortunately they planned for this, and using a combination of Karza's Enerchange ability, and D'rge's magic, Karza begins to Enerchange with Rom himself. Rom tries to fight off the Baron, but he's getting weaker as Karza is stealing his strength, whilst the rest of the team are busy with the Wraiths, and cannot help their ally.

Orphion and Livia manage to arrive, just in time to see Rom seemingly reduced to nothingness and Karza has taken all his power. The other two Knights attack Karza, but he easily defeats them, and leaves with the remaining Wraiths, planning to kill the Knights at a later date.

Later, the Knights are revived and they confirm that there is no sign of Rom, or the Micronauts. They swear to take down Karza in the name of Rom, and will get revenge for him...

Some time later still, the Micronauts manage to unearth themselves from some rubble they were trapped under during the battle, where they make shocking discovery, Rom is not dead, he has been transported to Microspace. They decide to head to Microspace to rescue him, and also see if he has some way to stop Karza, since their powers are now connected through the Enerchange...

In Microspace, Rom is floating in space, surrounded by a Reptos swarm....

Characters

Solstar Order

Rom Displaced to Microspace, Energy Drained by Karza

Orphion

Livia

Fy-Laa (Mentioned) Dead

Micronaut

Larissa

Phenolo-Phi

Acroyear

Biotron

Microtron

Dire Wraith

The Absence 

D'rge

Lava Monster Likely Killed by Orphion and Livia

Wraith Troops

Wraith Cows Killed by Rom's Team

The Presence (Mentioned)

Human

Darby Mason

Camilla Byers

Action Man (Flashback Only)

Scarlett (Flashback Only)

Roadblock (Flashback Only)

Snake Eyes (Flashback Only)

Other Joes (Flashback Only)

Miles Mayhem (Mentioned)

Other Microspace

Baron Karza

Reptos Swarm

Other

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback Only)

Notes

• It's confirmed here that The Absence is in various locations at once, partly explaining his translucent appearance and intangibility 
• It's also confirmed that The Presence is not literally under the Earth's crust, but in a "Synchronic Dimension" that appears to be connected to the crust
• Larissa has been given a slight redesign, giving her a fully shaved head, likely to help distinguish her from Darby Mason, who could honestly be her alternate universe self, they look so similar!
• Orphion and Livia are fighting against a lava monster of some sort...I guess that explains where they were during the First Strike tie-ins, but....WHY AREN'T WE SEEING THAT STORY?!?
• Rom doesn't look in any way concerned that Darby is wearing his dead best friend's arm on her arm does he? Also his other human friend still has Dire Wraith powers.....I think we're missing a story here!
• Biotron kept up to his promise to analyse the Wraith magic so the Micronauts can be protected from it
• From the looks of it, Karza didn't just steal Rom's strength and size, but also his Neutralizer energies...who wants to be that he'll turn against the Wraiths and kill some with that power in this series?
• The beam of Neutralizer energy that Orphion and Livia shoot up in memorial for Rom's "death" is a reference to what Rom did to memorialize his family's murder by the Wraiths in his annual.
• Oh hey! Rom was sent to Microspace! I look forward to returning there for the first time since pretty much the start of the Micronauts series!
• It's mentioned a few times that there is a Microspace colony on Earth now...I want to see that!
• Considering how Microspace looks peaceful, and the Reptos as alive again, we can assume that the Time Travelers were successful in stopping the Entropy Cloud...yay!

Sig Pub Robots in Disguise #27

Notes

• This month's screen-cap comic is of "King of the Hill". Not just part one, but the whole two-parter in one comic! That's a nice change! This also marks the start of season three, the last season of the series.
• The profile page claims that Megatronus is the Decepticon leader....no...just no...
• All of the Stunticons are shown in the maze game, but only Heatseeker is in this story
• According to Optimus' test my Autobot name is Forcezoom...I'm not sure if I like that...

Features

Make Optimus Prime - Destroy the cover to make a cardstock Optimus toy

Fearsome facts about Megatronus - Learn stuff about Megatronus!

Battle of the Bots: Sideswipe vs Heatseeker- Profiles!!

Sinister Steeljaw! - Colour in a picture of Steeljaw!

Stop the Stunticons! - Cut out a counter of Sideswipe and Strongarm to race along a game board!

Bumblebee's IQ Tests - Do some puzzles curtesy of Bumblebee

Poster - Pull out a poster from the middle staple featuring the main Autobot cast.

Mini-con Maze - Lead Drift to his Mini-Cons

Join the dots - Complete a picture of Optimus.

Puzzling Prizes - Complete some puzzles then enter a contest for some toys

Could you join the Autobots? - Take a test to see if you can be an Autobot

Transformers Post - Send pictures to Fixit for a chance of a prize!

Sig Pub - Rescue Bots #7

Notes

• This month's screen-cap comic is "Christmas in July", considering this was release in mid-December, this is perfect...nice touch Sig Pub!

Features

Blades Mask - Cut up the cover to make a cardstock mask of Blades

Build it with Boulder! - Learn about construction vehicles!

Prime Puzzles! Do some Optimus themed puzzles and games!

Vehicle Match! - Figure out which vehicle only appears once in the picture

Spot the Differences! - Take a guess!

Heatwave's Journey - Lead Heatwave along a path to the Firehouse

Emergency Calls! - Decide which emergency situation matches which Rescue Bot

Mega Dino Colouring! - Colour in the pictures of the Rescue Bots in Dino-modes

Make a recycled robot with Salvage! - Use trash to make a toy

What can you spot? - Find specific things in the image given

Rescue Bots Post - Send pictures in to be seen by Bumblebee.

Learn with Bumblebee! - Do some Bumblebee themed puzzles and games

Flying Help! - Read a story about the Rescue Bots

Competition Time! - Enter a contest for the toys!

IDW - First Strike: MASK

Written by: Aubrey Sitterson

Art by: Ilias Kyriazis

Colours by: Mark Roberts

Letters by: Gilberto Lazcano

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

The King Cobra mech runs rampage over New York, forcing the Joes to concentrate on attacking it, rather than helping Quick Kick inside the Museum, stopping Firefly from stealing some artefacts for Cobra. The Joes manage to work together to break through the mech's armour  and destroy it's power core, causing it to fall apart.

The Joes are congratulated by the cops, and VENOM are arrested, but are sure that Cobra Commander will free them.

Quick Kick is able to smash through all the Red Shadow Ninjas and goes head-to-head with Firefly, even managing to avoid a point-blank shot from a gun. However before he can finish Firefly, he is smacked by an iron ball thrown by a male Storm Shadow! He has Firefly finish the mission, but leaves Quick Kick alive, so he can fight him fairly in the future...

Later, the Joes are congratulating themselves on saving the day, but with Shipwreck still feeling bad for Quick Kick being in the infirmary and them losing the artefacts. He is soon brought out of his funk when Gung-Ho brings him a disgusting green veggie-burger with a veggie-bun...what a nice boyfriend!

At the Cobra HQ, Crystal Ball is happy with the artefacts. Cobra Commander, the former Baroness, speaks with Cesspool, who reports that their shell companies have increased carbon emissions, leading to "melting" which is part of their next plan, whilst Destro (who is somehow on Earth, see below!) asks what will happen with VENOM, but the Commander is uninterested in freeing them, and plans to leave them in jail until they are needed again, besides, she has new minions to deal with...Croc Master and Raptor...

Back at the Lemuria Base, Rock 'n Roll is asleep and is given another strange dream...this time of an army chanting to their leader...Golobulus....

Plot

Characters

GI Joe

Shipwreck

Polly Parrot

Quick Kick Put in Infirmary by Male Storm Shadow

Gung-Ho

Salvo

Doc

Spitfire

Rock 'n Roll

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Dial Tone

Tunnel Rat

Spirit

Cover Girl

Lifeline

Snake Eyes (Mentioned)

Cobra/VENOM

Cobra Commander/Baroness

Firefly

Male Storm Shadow

Bruno Sheppard/Thunderflame Arrested by Cops

Sly Rax/Stiletto Arrested by Cops

Vanessa Warfield/Ice Queen Arrested by Cops

Crystal Ball

Croc Master

Raptor

Cesspool

Destro

Other Cobra Businessmen

King Cobra Mech Destroyed by Joes

Red Shadow Ninjas

Golobulus (Dream Only)

Golobukus' Army (Dream Only)

Other Human

New York Cops

Notes

• So...you know how this comic is under the "MASK" line? Well...none of the MASK characters appear, with just three members of VENOM making a couple of short appearances....they may as well have just named this "First Strike: GI Joe #2"
• Vanessa Warfield seems to be acting a bit out of character in this issue. Isn't her whole "thing" being cold and an "Ice Queen"...hence her codename....here she is screaming like a banshee at Bruno Sheppard.
• Wow Quick Kick is being kind of a dick in this issue isn't he? He keeps just bragging about beating Snake Eyes in a sparring match, so much for a good teammate and honourable warrior!
• Oh wow! There's now a male Storm Shadow again! It's unclear if he's the original guy or another successor (like the female one currently on Cybertron) but this is gunna get confusing, especially if both of them end up in one issue together!
• Whilst unidentified here, the Cobra artefacts that Cobra steals for Crystal Ball appears to be for a ritual sacrifice, being a bowl and a dagger...maybe these things will be used to summon Golobulus? Probably not now of course...since the comic is getting canned...
• WHAT IS DESTRO DOING HERE?!?! He is very expressly on Cybertron for the First Strike event, and even got captured and held on Cybertron afterwards. Can't you guys even keep your own characters in line here?!
• Golobulus, seen in shadows at the end of the issue originated in the 80's GI Joe Movie, where he was a behind the scenes leader for Cobra of sorts.
• Anyway, I'll start this point by saying sorry for doing this so late, but as I'm sure you're fed up of hearing now, I had to deal with a bad comic supplier, but I am done with them now, and all my future buys will be straight off Ebay or whatever. Secondly as I'm sure everyone already knows, this comic leads into the upcoming "Scarlett's Strike Force" series, which has already been cancelled due to reportedly low sales. Though it has been said that it is also due to some controversial tweets from Aubrey Sitterson (the writer) about people mourning 9/11 the wrong way or something. As such, the comic will conclude after 3 issues and will end on a cliffhanger...nice job there!
• After I get the second volume of the GI Joe trades, I'll do a special blog that goes through the series, and what I feel went wrong with it, and why a big product like GI Joe is being out-lived by relatively minor titles like Rom and Micronauts!

IDW - Lost Light #11

Title: The Plotter's Club Part 2: Filling in the Blanks

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence & Alex Milne

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Not long ago, Getaway sees Froid, Rung's psychiatrist rival, and asks for his opinion on what has been happening on the ship for the past few months.

He explains that following their return to Cybertron for Dark Cybertron, he and Atomizer started interviewing the crew to see who they can trust in the case of a mutiny against Megatron and Rodimus, as they believe the quest is getting side-tracked by Megatron on purpose to delay his trial, they manage to get most of the crew on their side, but of course have Rodimus' allies and 25 undecided to contend with. They even manage to convince Thunderclash, who thinks it's a good plan, but admits that things went wrong quite rapidly.

Following his failed attempt to get Megatron to kill Tailgate, he was arrested, which the rest of the crew took as a cue to get Rodimus and the others off ship, release Getaway, and then abandon the "Rod Squad".

Getaway is taken to the bridge, where the ship receives it's call from Rodimus, and Getaway brags about how the crew is sick with them and have put him in charge, however it soon becomes apparent that the crew are not actually fully on his side, and were unaware that Getaway has involved the Galactic Council in this, and sent them after Megatron too, or that he was going to be captain of the ship. Getaway soon states that once they reach Cyberutopia he'll step down as captain, if the crew want him to, and also claims that he told the Galactic Council to leave the other Autobots alone, and to only go after Megatron.

Getaway soon makes his way to Rodimus' former office where he tries to contact the Galactic Council to change the terms of their deal, to indeed keep the other Autobots safe, but they aren't interested and cut him off. Atomizer suggests that he do something big in order to make the crew respect him after the situation on the bridge, and he knows exactly what to do...

A couple weeks later, Getaway visits Perceptor in his lab, where he has been studying something for him that he learned about on Luna-1. He has located a system of tunnels in space that Tyrest was originally planning to use to get to Cyberutopia.

Getaway assembles some of the crew to discuss the Warren and promises that they'll be in Cyberutopia within weeks, but they wonder why Tyrest ever gave up on the tunnels, which Geatway just ignores.

Blaster receives an SOS message from the planet Freyus, who are caught in the crossfire between the Galactic Council and the Black Block Consortia, but Getaway declines their request for help, as he doesn't want to get distracted, this angers the crew as they still want to help others, but the argument is cut short....the message sent three weeks earlier from Necroworld has reached the Lost Light and is automatically playing.

Rodimus uses his segment of the message to expose Getaway as having sold him and the others to the DJD, who are about to kill them. He asks for his innermost energon to be sold, as it is Matrix enriched and for the money to be used to hire a Bounty Hunter to kill Getaway using a gun made from his own body. Before the message can continue though Getaway cuts it off and claims that it is fake, and has the crew leave. Thunderclash stays behind and demands answers. Getaway tries to explain that he had to cut off the call, or the DJD would trace it to them, but Thunderclash points out the contradiction immediately. He states his plans to go back to Necroworld to save Rodimus and the others, and he's sure the rest of the crew will too.

Atomiser shoots him with an arrow, leading him to turn to attack, but he is shot by Getaway using his Nudge Gun, and even empties the cartridge into the "Greatest Autobot Ever", putting him into a coma. He notices that Riptide has been watching this scene from the door, he runs, but Getaway soon finds him, and shoots him too.

Back in the present, Geatway reveals that all of that has only just happened, and Riptide is under the bench he was laying on. He gets onto his real objective, he wants Sunder, Froid's patient, to use his long-range Mnemosurgery skills to convince the crew that Rodimus and his friends decided to leave the ship on their own terms, and make them forget about the message about the DJD, and also trap Thunderclash into a looped memory.

Sunder agrees to do this, in exchange for 25 crew member's brain modules with life-cords attached, so he can feed on their memories. Getaway isn't sure, but is manipulated by Froid into agreeing. Getaway does, much to Atomizer's ire, but decides to use the first 25 names on the list of undecided mutineers, as he considers them threats to his plans, but also suggests one amendment to their plan, the security team need to believe that the crew members they are set upon are Decepticon spies, so they wont question their orders...

Eventually the Protectobots return to the Lost Light, and learn what happened to Rodimus and the others, and are attacked by security as they try to escape to warn Optimus and the rest of Cybertron. Riptide reveals that he was never mind-wiped from the gun shot, since the gun had been drained from Thunderclash's shots. Riptide starts insulting Getaway for his stupid plan, so he decides to take him for a "swim".

On their way to the Oil Reservoir, Getaway hears from Powerflash that the Protectobots have been captured and placed in cells. Riptide is taken into the Reservoir, where he is shown it is filled with domesticated red Scraplets, which have been trained to eat a Cybertronian, leaving only the life cord and brain module behind. He shoots Riptide with the Nudge Gun again, commanding him to forget how to turn into his boat mode, and knocks him into the oil.....

Characters

Autobot

Getaway - Car

Atomizer - Car

Thunderclash - Truck Trapped in Looped Memory by Sunder

Riptide - Boat Knocked into Oil Reservoir filled with Red Scraplets by Getaway

Sunder

Mainframe

Perceptor - Tank

Hoist - Tow Truck

Blaster - Acoustic Tank

Crosscut - Van

Hound - Jeep

Xaaron

Megatron - Tank

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Tailgate - Car

Swerve - Van

Skids - Van

Rewind - Data Slug

Grapple - Crane

Inferno - Fire Truck

Smokescreen - Car

Siren - Car

Bluestreak - Car

Dipstick - Car

Rollout - Bulldozer

Huffer - Truck

Gears - Van

Joyride - Buggy

Slapdash - F1 Race Car

Jackpot - Car

Hosehead - Fire Truck

Sprocket - Aircraft

Pointblank - Car

Boss - Car

Grotusque - Winged Cat Monster

Dogfight - Jet

Strafe - Jet

Rook - SWAT Personnel Carrier

Streetwise - Police Car

Powerflash - Jet (Voice Only)

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Sentinel Prime - Truck/Jet (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned)

Chromedome - Car (Mentioned)

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator (Mentioned)

Nightbeat - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance (Mentioned)

Highbrow - Helicoper (Mentioned)

Fervor (Mentioned) Possibly Fed to Sunder

Turbine (Mentioned) Possibly Fed to Sunder

25 Undecided Mutineers (Mentioned) Fed to Sunder

Decepticon

Ravage - Cassette

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Froid - Jet

Cyclonus - Jet

Red Scraplet

Chief Justice Tyrest (Mentioned)

Necrobot (Mentioned)

The Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Other

Galactic Council Agent (On Screen)

Death's Head (Mentioned)

General Neech (Mentioned)

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

The Fraynians (Mentioned)

Notes

• Alex Milne and Priscilla Tramontano's art credits in this issue are due to the reuse of the scenes from MTMTE #50
• Thunderclash being up and about whilst Getaway is creeping on Tailgate is technically a mistake since he should be in a coma until the climax of that plot-line. However when questioned about it on Twitter, James Roberts mentions that this happens during a brief relapse of Thunderclash's, which is going to be mentioned in a future "retcon".
• Froid and Sunder are shown to STILL be on the Lost Light, but in the brig until this issue.
• It is confirmed here that my theory that the crew was either mis-informed or brainwashed to be okay with Rodimus and the others being left on Necroworld were BOTH sort of correct. The crew were originally mis-led, but when they found out the truth they were "brainwashed" by Sunder's long-range Mnemosurgery. This also shows us that the strange behaviour last issue was due to the brainwashing, and not a forged dream for the Protectobots.
• In contrast to the assertions last issue, the crew actually do want to help other planets out, rather than ignoring them like Getaway does in order to get to Cyberutopia faster.
• We were shown during the "Dying of the Light" finale of MTMTE we saw Getaway trying to contact Neech to renegotiate the terms of their deal, so we know this part of the story wasn't fabricated at all.
• The Warren was briefly mentioned last issue, here we learn that it's basically a series of subspace tunnels that lead across the galaxy...Think of it sort of like the Borg subspace tunnels seen at the end of Star Trek Voyager.
• As mentioned in this issue, Getaway was held prisoner by Tyrest on Luna-1, which we learn here gave him insight into his theories and plans before ignoring him at some point.
• So...this issue brings up another issue I have with the continuity in IDW right now...we see that Rodimus DID mention in the video-will that Getaway sold them out to the DJD (he didn't know about the DJD being there, but whatever)...SO WHY HAS OPTIMUS NOT SENT A CREW AFTER THEM YET?!?!?!? WE KNOW HE GOT THE MESSAGE, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ON CYBERTRON!!!
• The Bounty Hunter that Rodimus is referring to in his will is Death's Head....I can't see him actually appearing in an IDW comic, but he has been referenced in other IDW material before.
• Sunder is still talking in his regular voice, rather than the Mortilus impression...we know this due to the speech bubble being white instead of black.
• The brain modules with teeth marks from last issue are revealed to be the payment for Sunder brainwashing the crew of the ship, who were chosen due to being undecided on whether to mutiny or not
• The security crew's attitude is also shown to be under the impression that anyone who disagrees with Getaway is a Decepticon spy...this explains their gun-happiness last issue.
• The Scraplets in this issue are designed after the Aligned continuity versions of the species, just coloured red.
• Despite his apparent collusion with him, we see throughout this issue that Atomizer is becoming less sure about this plan, and keeps glaring at Getaway...my guess is he will be in some way responsible for Getaway's inevitable all next issue.
• The Protectobots are mentioned as having been locked in separate cells, does Getaway and the crew know about Defensor yet or not?!?
• Last issue we saw Getaway lead First Aid to the Oil Reservoir before hearing what he had to say...we can assume that he was about to send him to the Scraplets too if he said something he didn't like. 
• Here's a question...just how many shots do the Nudge Guns have? When Brainstorm analysed Skids' one before, he said it had two canisters for two shots...we see Getaway shoot Thunderclash at least half a dozen times here...
• We can assume from this issue that the hidden thrusters on Luna-1 were built to enable the planetoid to travel through the Warren before Tyrest started his Space Bridge plan.
• It's explained that Getaway has an irrational desire to become a Prime, this actually explains a fair few things about his character and even design. He has a mouth plate and general helmet design of a traditional Prime. Also his massive ego and power grabbing personality make sense knowing this...maybe this is also why he hates Rodimus, he's jealous that he has natural Matrix-affinity and even held it for a while, along with Thunderclash who held the Matrix for Optimus for a short while.
• Since it took me a while to get to their issue, I have seen the profiles for issue 12, and see that Riptide does survive his "swim". My guess is that Getaway never recharged his Nudge Gun, and it is still empty when he uses it to make Riptide forget how to transform.