IDW - Transformers #29

Title: War World: Titans

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Following the capture of the Titan Hub, the Decepticons have tried to reactivate the Titans, but have discovered that their data bomb worked too well, and they can't restore them. Fearing that the Autobots could find a way to reverse the effects themselves, Megatron orders them to accelerate their crash-sequences so they won't fall into their enemies hands...

Elsewhere, Javelin has transferred to Ironhide's former Senate Guard team where she is welcomed by the team.

Later, the Guard escort Optimus Prime, the last of the Senators they can protect as he visits the Forge Pyramid, where all Cybertronians are born.

Inside, Optimus meets with Perceptor, the head of the facility to discuss with him about Titansparks, following Sentinel Prime's final words and Starscream's leaked information regarding them. Perceptor admits that the public have been lied to about the number of Titansparks to emerge from the Allspark since the last war, and the sixteen have been placed into storage, though he thought that Optimus had been told already...

Outside, Strika and her team have been assembled to attack the Pyramid to take the facility, and the Titansparks for Megatron.

Sec Ops and the Senate Guard fight them off, but are being overwhelmed, during the battle the mag-field system is damaged, which begins to release plasma throughout the facility. Nova Storm tries to attack the group, but Optimus stops her, and orders her to warn the Decepticons about the plasma leak, so they can get to safety, leading her to fly off immediately.

The Pyramid staff and Optimus' crew break out of the facility, with the Decepticons following by example.

Outside, Optimus watches with Perceptor, angry with the scientist for hiding living  sparks from the population, as the Pyramid explodes and melts down.

Meanwhile, the Decepticon scientists manage to fulfil Megatron's order and accelerate the descent of the Titans. Chela smashes into Kali's, causing massive structural damage, Citadel crashes into the Sea of Rust, who disrupts the rust worms that were under the surface, and Cargohold crashes into, and finally destroys the remains of the Memorial Crater...

Later, Roadtrap and Gutcruncher explore the crash site at the Memorial Crater, where they find a Cybertronian buried underneath. At first they think she's just an Immersant or a forgotten corpse from the last war, but not only is she alive, but Roadtrap recognises her...it's Provoke....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Ironhide - Van

Javelin

Grotusque - Winged Cat

Vibes

Backstreet - Car

Subsea - Submarine

Brawn - Van Injured by Obsidian

Pipes - Truck

Flareup - Motorcycle

Groove - Motorcycle

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Strongarm - Police Van

Flak - Mobile Missile System

Topshot - Self-propelled Gun Truck

Sunrunner - Jet

Carzap - Car

Inferno - Fire Truck

Nightbeat - Car

Other Former Senate Guards

Nominus Prime - Jet (Flashback Only) Dead

Sentinel Prime - Jet (Flashback Only) Dead

Hound - Jeep (Mentioned)

Sideswipe - Car (Mentioned) Injured

Bumper - Car (Mentioned) Injured

Chainclaw - Bear (Mentioned) Dead

Roulette - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Strika - Battle Tank

Mindwipe - Bat

Bitstream - Jet

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Catgut

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Apeface - Ape/Jet

Lugnut - Jet

Heavywait - Van

Obsidian - Helicopter

Snaptrap - Turtle

Nova Storm - Jet

Acid Storm - Jet

Twirl - Jet

Visper - Jet

Windsweeper - Jet

Power-Punch - Cannon Mounted Truck

Direct-Hit - Truck

Runamuck - Car

Runabout - Car

Roadtrap - Can

Gutcruncher

"Annoying Seeker" - Jet

Decepticon Fliers - Jets

Other Cybertronian

Perceptor

Chela - Titan Ship Crashed into Cybertron

Citadel - Titan Ship Crashed into Cybertron

Cargohold - Titan Ship Crashed into Cybertron

Provoke Buried Alive

Pyramid Staff

Lodestar - Senate Ship (Flashback Only)

Losestar's Forging Attendees (Flashback Only)

16 Titan Sparks (Flashback Only) Held in Storage

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Croaton - Titan Ship (Mentioned) Killed by Citadel

Cybertronian Evacuees (Mentioned)

The Senators (Mentioned) imprisoned

The First Forged (Mentioned)

The Three-fold Spark Army (Mentioned)

The Other Titans (Mentioned) Most Likely crashed into Cybertron

Other

Rust Worms

Alien Evacuees (Mentioned)

Notes

• Following her freezing up during her last mission, Javelin has switched from Sec Ops to Senate Guard...though that doesn't really mean much since they've both been pretty much rolled into the Autobots now.
• Bumper is mentioned as being injured here...he looked quite dead last time we saw him...are they pulling a Windblade here again? If he is just injured he's probably in the convoy heading to Darkmount in Escape.
• We finally see the interior of the Pyramid! Pity it didn't last much longer...
• We also see that the roof is able to open up to allow Titans to exit. Would have been nice to see that before now....
• Perceptor appears to be using his Titans Return design, as we should all be well accustomed to now.
• Chela previously appeared in the old IDW continuity, but only in bird/robot mode. Citadel and Cargohold are new creations for this continuity.
• Carzap is in his Timelines toy design, which is based on the Thrilling Thirty Bumblebee mold.
• Starscream's role as head of Intelligence, and ousting Soundwave from the role is heavily hinted in this issue as being due to him blackmailing Sentinel with his knowledge on the Titansparks existing.
• We actually get a look at Optimus' alternate mode here. The cab is based on his Galaxy Upgrade toy, but the trailer is completely made up, but colour-wise it matches his traditional trailer.
• Hound's evacuation efforts in Escape are mentioned by Optimus this issue. Though this storyline and Escape started at the same time, Escape is currently only on issue 3 of 5, while this Storyline in the main series is complete....hope we don't get spoilers for the end of Escape in the next couple of issues....
• Cristin is revealed to have been killed by Citadel after he was usurped by Exarchon.
• Huh...Provoke is alive...then what is up with her "ghost"? Is she, and the others by extension, just coping mechanisms for Cyclonus or something else?
• From their dialogue it sounds like Roadtrap and Gutcruncher don't know that the Rise were always a secret extension of the Ascenticons/Decepticons.

IDW - Transformers: Escape #3

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Beth McGuire-Smith 

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Hound fights off the Insecticons, and is soon joined by Highjump and Powerflash to chase off the monsters, but not before they abduct two organics and a Cybertronian called Scrambler.

Elsewhere, at one of Shockwaves labs, Skystalker, under the mind control of the Insecticons steals a load of equipment for them, as well as the Thunder Arrow shuttle, Onslaught tries to stop him, but is stunned away instead, and the enthralled Decepticon leaves...

Back at the convoy, Hound asks Dai Atlas why he refuses to fight, considering he is a famous war hero. The old Cybertronian suggests that he only thought because he couldn't see any better option in the past, but following his Immersion he has come to respectball sparks, even those of his enemies, and cannot see a reason to kill one any more

The Insecticons make their way to their new base, inside the head of a long dead Titan, where Skystalker has set up the stolen cloning technology. Bombshell proceeds to monologue that they can use this equipment to recreate the cloning experiments of Exarchon and Shockwave during the past war and create an army of their own to devour all Energon on the planet and beyond.

At the Convoy again, Wheeljack notices the Titans still falling to the planet's surface, and wonders what is even happening to his planet now.

Soon however Highbrow and Gears arrive to join the crew on their way to Darkmount, where Straxxus orders them to stop outside the city, saying that he will still give them the Ark that he promised and some supplies, but they cannot enter the city as they don't not have the ability to accommodate them all. Hound isn't sure about this, but agrees...

Back at Shockwave's lab, Rage is brought to the boss, who informs him of Skystalker's betrayal, and orders him to go capture him, but forces him to team with Hydradread for the job, despite Rage hating him, he agrees however, and is pleased to see all of Hydradread's new experimental weapons that they can test out on their mission....

Characters

Autobot

Hound - Jeep

Nautica - Submarine

Road Rage - Flying Car

Hoist - Tow Truck

Wheeljack - Car

Tote - Van

Highjump - Van

Mudslinger - Pick up Truck

Powerflash

Cromar - Jet

Scrambler Killed by Insecticons

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundblaster - Hovercraft

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Skrapnel - Stag Beetle

Kickback - Locust

Skystalker - Car

Onslaught - Anti-aircraft Truck

Rage - Car

Hydradread - Car

Frenzy - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Roughstuff - Truck (Mentioned) Captured

Fangry - Winged Wolf (Mentioned) Missing

Triggerhappy - Jet (Mentioned) Missing 

Team Stream (Mentioned)

The Combaticons (Mentioned)

Three-fold Spark

Exarchon (Flashback Only)

Skywarp - Jet (Flashback Only)

Clone-Drone Swarm (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Dai Atlas - Flying Tank

Straxxus

Highbrow - Helicopter

Gears - Van

Leviathan - Metal Harvester Injured

Cybertronian Evacuees

Crashing Titan

Immersant Titan Long Dead

Kup - Pick up Truck (Flashback Only)

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet (Flashback Only)

Speeder - Car (Flashback Only)

Quake - Tank (Flashback Only)

Hardhead - Tank (Flashback Only)

Leozack - Jet (Flashback Only)

The Seekers - Jets (Flashback Only)

Abominus - Terrorcon Combiner (Flashback Only)

Anti-Three-fold Spark Forces (Flashback Only)

Nominus (Mentioned)

Darkmount's Inhabitants (Mentioned)

Other

A'ovan Evacuees

Other Alien Evacuees

The Thraal (Mentioned)

Two Organics (Mentioned) Killed by Insecticons

Notes

• The Thunder Arrow shuttle that Skystalker steals this issue was the main vessel used by the Decepticons in the Victory cartoon, the toy version of it was a repaint of the shuttle that came with Skystalker's original toy.
• Though it was heavily hinted at during the first storyline of Galaxies, we get confirmation that it was Abominus who went on a rampage in the past. We learn here that DaibAtlas was also present for that conflict too.
• It's mentioned here that the Seekers were created by Nominus Prime to counter Exarchon's clone army. What isn't clear is if they were created from new sparks or recruited and rebuilt from volunteers etc?
• Leviathan is revealed to still be injured from when she collapsed into Quake, defeating the dangerous Riser, and is amongst those being evacuated from Jacob, though she does say that she doesn't want to leave Cybertron, no matter the risk.
• Most of the Rise group, who were being relocated from the old Rise base when Quake was captured are revealed to still be missing, with only RUmble, Frenzy and Rage returning. We know Roughstuff has been released from prison by Swindle and has now joined his crew, but the rest are currently MIA.
• Shockwave mentions that he doesn't want it known that the Combaticons are under his command. It's unclear if that is just to keep them a secret to the general population, or to the rest of the Decepticons too...regardless this explains why Cosmos doesn't know he is a Decepticon and invited him to the Winged Moon.

IDW - Beast Wars #4

Title: Savage Landing, Part 4

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Having escaped from the Darksyde, Nyx tries to make her way back to the Axalon, but is too injured to fly or walk too far. Soon, the Maximal is attacked by a strange green feline, but is saved by Dinobot, who she eventually realises is the same Predacon who helped her escape earlier, but she starts to suffer badly from Energon exposure and collapses.

Dinobot carries her, and asks her computer to direct him back to the xalon to save her life (after a lot of anti-Predacon firewalling).

The next morning, the Maximals have been working on fixing up their systems, when Cheetor finds a logged message to the Predacon Technolab, sent just before they left Cybertron, which automatically deletes itself. Rhinox dismisses his concerns, since they share information all the time, but Cheetor seems unconvinced.

Before anything can be done about it though, Optimus' experimental sensor boost, using the orbiting stasis pods, detects Nyx's signal, but she's moving a lot slower than normal, concerning them all.

Elsewhere, Tarantulas manages to break through the security program Dinobot activated and opens the Darksyde up again, freeing the Predacons. Megatron, still angered by Dinobot's betrayal, orders the team to hunt him down, and sets the Darksyde to self destruct if anyone enters the ship, unless he cancels the order.

Back at the Axalong, the Maximals have gathered outside the ship to start searching for Nyx, when Optimus sees Dinobot arriving, carrying Nyx on his back. Cheetor goes after him, assuming that he's the one who hurt her, but the Maximal cat is easily kno led down, however, rather than finishing off his for, like a typical Predacon crinal would, Dinobot instead requests to join the Maximals instead after handing over Nyx to be healed up.

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Nyx - Bat Injured from Energon Exposure

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor Requests to join Maximals

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Scorponok - Scorpion

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Other

Strange Feline Chased off by Dinobot

Notes

• The strange feline seen attacking Nyx is interesting, it doesn't look like any Earth creature, implying this might not be prehistoric Earth like we have been led to assume, however it's possible that this cat is a Vok experiment, or perhaps another Cybertronian in an alien cat mode? We'll just hBe to wait and see I guess...
• I know she can't fly in her bat mode, but why doesn't Nyx just transform back to Beast mode to stop herself from dying from Energon exposure?
• The Predacon message seen in the Axalon computer could be just a red herring, but if I had to guess who could have sent it, based on their locations in issue one, and assuming there isn't another currently unseen Maximal on the Axalon, I'd guess it was Rattrap who sent the message.
• So with this issue, we've reached the point of the cartoon where DInobot asks to join the Maximals, but not try to claim leadership (yet), so this is around the end of episode one of the series.
• Dinobot's motives for leaving the Predacons here differ from those he gave in the cartoon. Here he joins the Maximals because he considers them more honourable than the Predacons, whilst in the original he just wanted to get the better of Megatron and to command a crew of his own originally.
• From the preview image for next issue, it looks like Dinobot is in a prison cell, so I guess his faction shift request will be initially rejected.

IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: The Magic of Cybertron #1

The Magic of Cybertron

Writer: James Asmus

Artist: Jack Lawrence

Colours: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

A Real Mother

Writer: Sam Maggs

Artist: Casey W. Coller

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

"The Magic of Cybertron" Plot

The Decepticons have used the saved coordinates for Equestrian's location to send a few teams to the magical world to steal as many magical artifacts as they can.

Whilst the portal is open, the pony Wonderbolts find it and travel through to investigate, only to get caged up by the Decepticons. soon however, a team of Seekers run through, chased by the Mane Six, led by Princess Twilight Sparkle, who shoots them with a horn blast, only to miss them, and hit a black crystal the Decepticons captured, causing it to activate, releasing a reconstituted King Sombra, who immediately mind controls Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, as well as several Decepticons, including Megatron. 

With his new minions, Sombra leaves, planning to conquer this new world. The Autobots soon arrive at the scene, and are shocked to find the ponies there, and are quickly caught up on the situation. The ponies then tell Shockwave (the defacto Decepticon leader now) and Optimus Prime to team up to save their world...

"A Real Mother" Plot

Holiday and Lofty arrive on Cybertron to try and find Scootaloo, who has gone missing on the planet, and are quickly met by Arcee and Greenlight, who agree to help the two ponies find their niece due to his dangerous Cybertron is right now.

Soon, they are confronted by a Sombra-controlled Killmaster, who uses his wand to cause them problems. However the ponies use Lofty's yarn to tie up the Decepticon, which the Autobots take over, so they can fling him far away

Following the battle, Scootaloo arrived, flanked by several young Cybertronians, who have just been playing safely all along. Following this, the kids continue to play, while the adults have a picnic and relax...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Arcee - Car

Greenlight - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Gauge

Rubble

Sureshock - Scooter

Hot Rod - Car

Flareup - Motorcycle

Hot Shot - Jeep

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank Mind Controlled by Sombra

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Slipstream - Fighter Jet

Killmaster Mind Controlled by Sombra, Flung Away by Ponies and Autobots

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Sunstorm - Fighter Jet

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra

Ion Storm - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra

Shadow Striker - Car

Airachnid - Helicopter Mind Controlled by Sombra

Spinster - Helicopter

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Caliburst - Gun

Fracas - Gun

Skullcruncher - Alligator

Mindwipe - Bat

Breakdown - Van Mind Controlled by Sombra

Frenzy - Cassette Mind Controlled by Sombra

Refraktor - Hovercraft Mind Controlled by Sombra

Refraktor Clones - Hovercrafts Mind Controlled by Sombra

Equestrian

King Sombra

Twilight Sparkle Mind Controlled by Sombra

Fluttershy Mind Controlled by Sombra

Pinkie Pie Mind Controlled by Sombra

Applejack

Rarity

Rainbow Dash

Spike, the Dragon

Auntie Holiday

Auntie Lofty

Scootaloo

Spitfire

Fleetfoot

Soarin'

Surprise

Blaze

Octavia

Vinyl Scratch

Berry Punch

Random Ponies

Equestrian Critters

Sprinkleflowershine (Fictional)

Mr. Goblin (Fictional)

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Unicron (Mentioned)

Notes

• This comic is a sequel series to the previous Transformers/MLP crossover, and several characters make reference to the previous adventure.
• The story is most likely set during the time skip between the Villains being defeated and Twilight's coronation in the MLP finale, however Spike has no wings in his brief appearances, which he definitely should by now.
• Frenzy mentions being given his book by someone on Equestria between fights, this is most likely Fluttershy, whom he fought and made friends with in the previous story.
• Oh they actually made the Unicron/Unicorn joke this time...AHAHAAHHHAA so original and not overdone at all...
• A lot of the Decepticons seen in this issue use their character models from the main Transformers comic.
• So at the end of the first story, we see that the Spacebridge has been destroyed, most likely to stop any reinforcements from Equestria to stop Sombra...so how did Scootaloo and her Aunties arrive on the planet? I'm pretty sure they weren't amongst those who came through the portal (The Mane Six, the Wonderbolts, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia). I guess Shockwave could have repaired the portal, but then why show the first one destroyed in the first place?
• Killmaster/Murderking was a character created as Whirl's arch nemesis in MTMTE. He uses a wand that projects energy at his enemies...so he's kind of a perfect fit for this crossover with a magic themed series!
• The "kid" Cybertronians are mostly based on the "kid-appeal" or younger  characters from past Transformers fiction. Hot Rod was introduced as Daniels friend, and young, before ascending to the new Prime on the G1 movie, Hot Shot was a younger bot from the Unicron Trilogy, Sureshock was a Mini-Con from Armada who was partnered with the human Alexis and Flareup was the young character created as a rookie warrior in Descent into Evil. The other two are the youngest Cybertronians from the current IDW continuity, Gauge and Rubble, the latter of whom met a deadly fate early into the series...
• Hot Shot is using his Generations Selects Jeep alternate mode, in case you couldn't tell who he is.
• Wow Lofty's yarn is strong isn't it??
• Just as some speculation. I'm going to guess that the solution to defeating Sombra will be some sort of Cybertronian Elements of Harmony, like Shockwave for logic, Optimus for bravery etc

IDW - Beast Wars #3

Title: Savage Landing, Part 3

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Nyx has been brought to the Predacon's crashed ship, the Darksyde, and is strapped to an interrogation table, where she is grilled for information on the Maximal ship and how many there are on the planet. During the interrogation, Dinobot gets distressed, and even forces them to stop when they almost kill her by putting the electrical charge to maximum. However, Tarantulas deduces through her silence that there must be more Maximals, or she wouldn't be trying so hard to protect them.

On the Axalon, Cheetor is getting worried about Nyx still being missing, but Primal says that she probably got lost, and they should wait until the morning to find her, so they don't get lost too. They also start making plans to use the stasis pods in orbit to help enhance their scanning and communications feed across the planet.

As a reward for his interrogation, Megatron allows Tarantulas to experiment on Nyx, and he uses an experimental device in her, that forces her to stay in robot mode, which will slowly kill her, due to the planet's Energon radiation. The Predacons shoot at her to toy with her, but Dinobot betrays them, but destroying the device, allowing the weakened Nyx to finally transform.

The Predacons turn on Dinobot, and he manages to knock them all back, and traps them in the Darksyde using a lockdown program, which the Predacons will need to reset the computers to reverse...

Megatron however is impressed by how flawless Dinobot's betrayal was...but, he promises to kill him for his actions...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat Injured by the Predacons

Maximal Protoforms (Mentioned) In Orbit

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor On Run, after betraying Predacons

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon 

Scorponok - Scorpion

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Decepticon

Megatron (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Darksyde is finally named on panel this issue. It's still unclear if that is the ship's official name, or one renamed by the Predacons who stole it.
• Nyx mentions that the original Megatron is mostly forgotten to history, something that was shown a lot in the original cartoon, where most of the G1 characters were considered legends, even to the point that the Predacons didn't know about Starscream's traitorous nature.
• The device used by Tarantulas to mode-lock Nyx is based on the Transformation Lock Lens from the original cartoon, however that version forced the victim into their beast mode, the exact opposite of this version.
• Dinobot's betrayal of the Predacons is a little more pronounced in this version of the story, in the cartoon he basically just tried to revolt against Megatron because he thought they were brought to the wrong planet, here, he outright attacks the other Predacons and frees their Maximal prisoner.
• Nyx's alternate mode is constantly referee to as "alt-mode" here, rather than "Beast mode" like in the cartoon and previous comics, this is most likely due to trademarking reasons.
• Skold is mentioned as being "young" this issue, possibly a reference to her being created for this series, much like Nyx.

IDW - Transformers #28

Title: War World, Part 4: Hunt

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Cyclonus breaks into the Decepticon Gladiator Pit base, knocking out several guards in the process, so he can finally confront Sixshot over his destruction of the Memorial Crater.

Elsewhere, the Decepticons are continuing their takeover of the planet's main systems, including the Energon Distribution Centers and the Titan Network Hub, but when they reach the prison cells, they find that Swindle's business partners, Trickdiamond and Headlock have broken him, and a couple other prisoners, Roughstuff and Bumblebee, free already.

At the Gladiator Pit, Andromeda is forced into a staged interview to broadcast, framing the Autobots as corrupt and the Decepticons as the greater good, where they also announce Sixshot as the new head of the Decepticon Guard, and claim that the Rise was just a story made up by the Autobots to scapegoat their own mistakes.

Elsewhere, Starscream has Refractor pass onto an Autobot guard, Vibes, to ask Perceptive about "Titansparks" so that both sides have the information at hand, and to try a convince Megatron that he needs his intelligence gathering skills to win this war...

Later at the Gladiator Pit, Cyclonus finds Sixshot, and attacks him, despite the latters uninterest in the fight, and quickly ends it by informing Cyclonus that the Autobots have released Pyra Magna from prison, after consulting another of his ghosts, he offers to bring Sixshot Pyra's head...

Following their prison break, Swindle's crew, including Bumblebee, who still wants to kill Barricade, enter a hidden chamber under Swindle's bar, where Bee notices Deathsaurus inside an Immersion Chamber, where Swindle explains he's been there's since getting repaired following his injuries from an off-world mission some time ago, and will be there until he disengages himself.

Inside the chamber, Deathsaurus continuously chases and kills Cliffjumper, the one who almost killed him before....

Characters

Autobot

Grapple - Crane Truck

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Wheel Blaze - Fire Truck

Zetar - Drill Tank

Seawatch - Boat

Stakeout - Police Car

Slapdash - Race Car

Vibes

Pyra Magna (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Strika - Battle Tank

Ratbat - Cassette

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Sixshot - Tank/Gun/Jet/Winged Beast/Car

Mindwipe - Bat

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Bitstream - Jet

Crasher - Race Car

Treadshot

Catgut

Battleslash - Helicopter

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Nautilator - Lobster

Twirl - Jet

Runamuck - Car

Runabout - Car

Swift - Helicopter

Howlback - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Singe Imprisoned

Storm Cloud - Jet Imprisoned

Other Random Decepticons

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Mentioned)

Jhiaxus - Jet (Mentioned)

Gutcruncher (Mentioned)

Quake - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Barricade - Police Car (Mentioned)

Elita-One - Car (Mentioned) Confined to Quarters 

Other Cybertronian

Starscream - Jet

Cyclonus - Jet

Swindle - Van

Trickdiamond - Car

Headlock - Forklift

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Roughstuff - Truck

Deathsaurus - Dragon In Immersion Chamber

Andromeda - Car

Blaster

Playback

Wavelength

Gizmo - Buggy

Glyph - Car

Tap-Out - Car

Steeljaw

Immersion Chamber Users

Cliffjumper - Car (Simulation Only)

Grudge (Ghost) Dead

Provoke (Ghost) Dead

Gridlock (Ghost) Dead

Highfire (Ghost) Dead

Paragon (Ghost) Killed by Pyra Magna

The Titans (Mentioned) Slowly Crashing

Termagax - Armoured Van (Mentioned)

Fake Termagax (Mentioned) Killed by Megatron

The Senate (Mentioned) Overthrown by Decepticons

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Turmoil (Mentioned)

Breaker (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Bruteforce (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Ultimatum (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Kickstart (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Frontrunner (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Stormwave (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Outsider (Mentioned) Killed during War of the Threefold Spark

Other

The Thraal (Mentioned)

The Voin (Mentioned)

Skitters (Mentioned)

Notes

• Cliffjumper and Deathsaurus were last seen in Galaxies 6, which is now confirmed to have occurred "kilocycles" ago.
• Amongst the prisoners seen by Swindle are Singe (who was arrested and interrogated by Prowl) and Storm Cloud who was left behind during the fight at Swindle's bar, and Roughstuff, who was shot and left for dead by the Risers during their escape from Leviathan.
• I'm pretty sure with his opinion in them leaving him for dead, that Roughstuff has probably left their group now (the others are probably still fine with them though)
• Gutcruncher is mentioned as having joined the revolution, which we have been seeing in the Escape comics.
• Elita is being implicated as a traitor, but I'm not sure why...she was a loyal Ascenticon, but disagreed with how Soundwave did things.
• Vibes finally gets an in-story namecheck for the first time!
• Paragon is confirmed to be a former lover of Cyclonus' who was killed by Pyra Magna, which also confirms why she was imprisoned, for mass murder.
• Paragon's ghost doesn't appear to have any damage on it, implying that it was either a lower body damage-based death (since we only see him from the chest up) or he was killed internally perhaps?
• Flatline is mentioned to be giving Starscream some cosmetic surgery for his injuries, but he still appears to be neutral so far, and just working in repairs for everyone who needs them.

IDW - Transformers/Back To The Future #3

Written by: Cavan Scott

Art by: Juan Samu

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz & Candice Han

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Editors: David Mariotte & Chase Marotz

Plot

The Constructions find Scrapper's deactivated body and blame Biff for it, forcing the human to run. Bonecrusher goes after him, but the Construction gets blasted by Doc Brown's nullifier, just like Scrapper.

Doc explains his plan to try make contact with the Autobots using a nearby communications tower to get them to help Emmet recover his time machine to fix the timeline. When they reach their destination, Doc manages to get out a signal, but Biff, who has taken his nullifier, shoots the tower, shutting it down, and escorts his new prisoners back to the Constructions, and their newly arrived boss, Starscream.

Having picked up the signal, Rodimus and his small band of remaining Autobots head to Hill Valley, where they see Biff about to execute Doc and Marty's parents, Marty however grabs some piping and smashes Biff's exosuit gun, saving them.

The Autobots join in and attack the Decepticons, stealing the nullifier back from Biff and uses it to knock down Biff and the remaining Constructicons, using Skilz's new hoverboard mode to do so. Starscream gets knocked out by a powerful punch from Rodimus, and the Decepticons in the area are all defeated...

Suddenly, the Hill Valley Courthouse transforms into a giant robot, looming over them all....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Caravan

Bumblebee - VW Beetle

Gigawatt - Modified DeLorean

Skilz - Hoverboard (Formerly Skateboard)

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet Punched out by Rodimus

Hook - Crane Shot by Rodimus

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer Blasted by Doc Brown

Scavenger - Excavator Blasted by Marty

Long Haul - Dump Truck Blasted by Marty

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck Blasted by Marty

Scrapper - Front End Loader Deactivated

Human

Marty McFly

Doc Emmett Brown

George McFly

Lorraine Baines-McFly

Biff Tannen Exosuit Blasted by Marty

"Goldie" Wilson (Image on Billboard Only)

Other

Courthouse Bot - Hill Valley Courthouse

Einstein, the Dog

Notes

• It's unclear yet if Doc's Alpha-Wave Ionic Nullifier is fatal to Cybertronians, Scrapper is mentioned as being "deactivated" and it does damage the communications tower, but he never says it has killed any of them. It's likely it's designed to just shut down their systems, putting them in stasis lock.
• Biff's new Exosuit is based on the ones used by the humans in season three and four of the G1 cartoon, but more heavily armoured than theirs were.
• Despite scanning a Skysled for his new alternate mode, Skilz takes on a hoverboard design, reminiscent of Marty's one from the future scenes of the Back To The Future movies, possibly meaning he just scanned the engine parts to upgrade his existing skateboard mode
• The giant Courthouse robot at the end of the issue isn't identified, or even hinted at by any of the Decepticons during this issue, baking me believe it's possible it's not a Decepticon, and couild be anyone really (my hopes are for a Vector Prime type character)