IDW - Transformers #18

Title: Arcee/Greenlight: Run

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Umi Miyao & Bethany McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Plot

Gauge, Arcee's new mentee is trying out a new job as an architect, whilst Arcee and Greenlight are arguing a out how they should leave Cybertron, due to the recent escalating violence, and especially Rubble's murder. Arcee doesn't want to leave, but is willing to discuss it later, when Gauge finds her place in the world first.
Soon the sky goes dark, and the trio notice the now detached Tether, which was just torn from the Winged Moon by Vigilem, is collapsing into Iacon.

They manage to avoid the initial collapse, but can hear it still falling further away, due to it's size, and they start trying to help the injured.
Gauge tries to help out when she hears some screaming in the distance, but ends up caught in a firefight (albeit with non lethal rounds) and is injured. Arcee goes mad and takes down the looters who are trying to loot an Energon store and agrees with Greenlight that it's now time to leave.

Greenlight and Arcee, with Gauge holding on, due to not having an alternate mode yet, speed past a damaged Energon store, which is detonating, but manage to make it to the spaceport, where they find it crowded.
The trio barge their way to the front, attempting to reach the Reversionist ship, the Exodus, but are barred from boarding by Security, since the Autobots are trying to block space travel following the recent attack.
Arcee distracts them by attacking them, allowing Greenlight and Gauge to board, they are concerned as the doors shut, as they need to leave, but when Arcee leaps in, at the last second, the little surrogate family embrace, looking forward to their new adventure together....

Characters

Security Operations

Strongarm - Police Van
Number - Car
"Red Tailgate" - Car
Spaceport Security Guards

Other Cybertronian

Arcee - Car
Greenlight - Car
Gauge
Red Alert - Emergency Vehicle
Inferno - Fire Truck
Fixit - Ambulance
Grapple - Crane
Lug
Green Architect
Gutcruncher
Purple Looter Arrested
Exodus Ship Greeter
Primus (Mentioned)
Exaarchon (Mentioned) Presumably Dead
Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead
Rubble (Mentioned) Dead
The Immersant Titan (Mentioned) Dead
The Rise (Mentioned)
The Reversionists (Mentioned)
Random Cybertronians

Notes

• This issue follows on from the cliffhanger of last issue, but also acts as a prequel to the upcoming storyline starting in Galaxies #7
• Lug is shown to be an architect in this continuity, when we last saw her she was Anode's assistant in archaeology/thievery in the old IDW continuity
• Strongarm us revealed to be a new cop, much like her status as a cadet in the RID cartoon, where she originated from
• Her partner, Bumper, was last properly seen in Megatron Origin, where he was killed for spying on the early Deceptions...let's hope he doesn't suffer the same fate here...
• Arcee is revealed to be a war veteran, and even assassinated one of Exaarchon's bodies, both references to her past in the previous IDW continuity 
• Rather than using his most recent toy as his basis, Inferno appears to be using his Energon incarnation's alternate mode.
• He is also paired up with Red Alert, a reference to the long standing joke that they're in a relationship following their roles in the G1 cartoon.
• The main guard at the spaceport appears to be using the Thrilling Thirty Tailgate character model, but in more Windcharger looking colours, but still with Tailgate's head... VERY confusing!!
• The opening excerpt on being a mentor mentions how Titan mentors have a different role, most likely meaning that those mentors become that Titan's Cityspeaker.

FBF - To The Death #10

Title: Tooth and Claw

Story by: Simon Furman

Art by: Geoff Senior

Letterer by: Martin Baines

Design by: Amazing15

Printed in the UK by: Mixam

Plot

At the Clouds taper, Veni crushes Dryagin's chest to try and kill him, however he stops when the Firedrake appears outside their window, blows out the glass and Bill proceeds to shoot through the Triumvirate. Dryagin gets up and vivisects Veni.
The remaining two try to grab him from behind, but Leone and Bette attack them in turn, Leone almost gets knocked out the now smashed windows, but Bette has her head crushed by Vici. Dryagin decapitates both of them, and sends their bodies plummeting down the building

Down below, King reports that the Asphodel weapon's defences are different to what they were expecting, so it'll take longer to disarm, all whilst the Dolmen are continuing to contact their homeworld...
The sky above the Cloudscraper turns dark as the evacuation Starliner hovers above it to pick up the rest of it's passengers.
Leone searches for a hidden switch in the room to find where the real Triumvirate are, since the ones they've killed were Simulacrums, whilst Lena talks to Dryagin, and tries to get him to leave it, and come with her, but he needs to finish this, since it's partly his fault that Asphodel was used for this weapon in the first place. Leone finds the switch and all the holograms in the room vanish, revealing a hidden staircase. Dryagin heads up, and orders Leone to join Lena and Bill in the Firedrake to escape and says goodbye to Leo too.
Dryagin makes it upstairs, and finds a stasis chamber with the Triumvirate's human bodies within, still living, and conscious. The roof opens and the Starliner abducts them to take them to the "New Earth".

Suddenly, the Dolmen portal opens above the Starliner, and a giant Asphodel dragon flies out of it.
Just as it appears, Flynn is rescued from the limo he was left in, and the Firedrake speeds away, just as King announces that he's disabled the weapon.
The giant dragon fires down, destroying the Starliner, the Cloudscraper and the ground around it before returning to Asphodel.
The Firedrake leaves the planet with its newly permanent residents.
Three Days later, Snow meets with "The Director" who has taken over the absence of Tri-Corp on Earth, but promised that she is still invested in Earth, unlike the Triumvirate, however, Snow can't hear her, as he has died from drinking poison, having completed his mission.

The Firedrake stop off on a planet to leave memorials for their fallen friends, before heading off for a new adventure, out in the stars...
Back on Earth, rescue work has begun on the crater where the Cloudscraper was when someone crawls out if the rubble, shocking a rescue worker, who tries to help the victim, however Killatoa, fully healed again, tears the poor human apart and starts crawling out of the crater, plotting his revenge on the Firedrake Crew....

Characters

Firedrake Crew

Aleksy Dryagin Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Diamond Bill
Leone
Bette Larsen Killed by Vici
Hash Flynn
Lena Dryagin
Leo Dryagin
Lupex, the Space Doggo

White Noise

"The Director"
Deacon Snow Poisoned to Death
Juddh King Likely Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction

Berenger Likely Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Forward/Tactical Bunker Staff

Tri-Corp

Veni/Beauregard Percy Simulacrum Destroyed by Dryagin, Real Body Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Vici/Sebastian Pelle Simulacrum Destroyed by Dryagin, Real Body Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Vidi/Lucius Warrender Simulacrum Destroyed by Dryagin, Real Body Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Killatoa
"The Chosen Few" (Implied) Killed in Starliner Explosion

Asphodel
Dolmen Trio Likely Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction
Asphodel Dragon

Other Human

Rescue Worker Michael McGarry Killed by Killatoa
Cloudscraper Rescue Workers
Cloudscraper Siege Livestream Audience
800,000 Casualties (Mentioned) Killed in Cloudscraper Destruction

Notes

• This marks the finale of To The Death, though the letter at the end mentions a future for this story, so we may get a  sequel down the line :)
• This issue does NOT have a character list at the start...this irks me....
• So Berenger survived last issue, despite how it looked...but I'm pretty certain he died this time....
• The original human bodies of the Triumvirate members are revealed to have been still alive, but in some sort of life support goop that allowed them to control the Simulacrum bodies...at least until the end of this issue...
• We dont know the "director's" name but it may be Baroque, based on her company name
• It's unclear is Snow poisoned himself, or was killed by the Director, but I believe it was suicide, as he feeling guilty about his actions with Asphodel and getting many people killed.
• The rescue worker killed by Killatoa at the end is based on  fan Michael McGarry, who won a contest on Simon Furman's website. I've decided to just name the character after him too, just for identity-sake.
• We don't see Killatoa's body too clearly at the end, but due to his apparent death last issue, and his call of "to the death" I'm going to guess that he took Dryagin's body for his own, just for future plot reasons

IDW - Transformers Galaxies #5

Title: Wanabee, Part One

Written by: Kate Leth & Cohen Edenfield

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Ambassador Deathsaurus arrives on the planet Probat with Cliffjumper brought along for "security". However, Cliff soon discovers that he was brought along because the planets population are blind, and use echolocation to see, and Cliff looks similar to Bumblebee, who is very popular on the planet.
Whilst Cliff is giving an unkowing distraction to the population, Deathsaurus goes to an Energon facility with the foreman Natalia to "inspect" their progress.

Cliff, not wanting to be rude, and being used to everyone mistaking him for Bumblebee, goes along with it, and goes off with a couple of locals, who take him to their homespire, where they light a fire with with some "substance" which he soon learns is a natural byproduct of their bodies, stored in the homespires, and when it is burned...it changes form....

At the facility, Natalus apologizes for the lower output recently, and claims it is due to environmental problems, bit Deathsaurus tears into a wall and finds a hidden stash. Natalus tries to explain that they needed to store some away for a possible upcoming disaster, to which Deathsaurus simply incinerated him.
Cliffjumper arrives as he is killing Natalus and thinks he was attacked, leading to Deathsaurus laughing at the thought. Cliff shows him the substance, revealed to be hyper refined Energon after burning.

Given this new information, Deathsaurus plans to harvest the substance from the homespires and hyper refine it for his own use.
Cliff tries to stop him, but is quickly knocked out, as Cliff stalks off towards the homespires...

Characters

Cybertronian

Deathsaurus - Winged Dragon
Cliffjumper - Car
Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback Only)
Windblade - VTOL Jet (Flashback Only)
Starscream - Tetrajet (Flashback Only)
Random Cybertronians (Flashback Only)
Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)
Nominus Prime - Jet (Mentioned)

Probat

Foreman Natalus Killed by Deathsaurus
Probat Denizens

Notes

• This issue marks the start of the second story arc of the Galaxies line. At least this one is currently paced better than the first one!
• The ongoing joke this issue is twofold, it refers to Bumblebee's over-popularity following the original Live Action Movie, and how Cliffjumper is usually a repaint/remould of Bumblebee.
• Deathsaurus is notable this issue for not using the Deszarus character model from Combiner Wars, since that would be technically his most recent toy design.
• In the Cybertronian flashbacks we see Cliffjumper working mostly in the Security Forces HQ, implying that he works for them, but he appears to be more of a custodian rather than a fighter.
• At the end of the issue, on the cliffhanger, Deathsaurus misnames Cliffjumper as "Cliffhanger" very meta :)

IDW - Transformers #17

Title: The Change in Your Nature, Part Five

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova & Bethany McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Jake M. Wood & Neil Uyetake

Editors: David Mariotte

Plot

The Risers leave the Titan hub building, noting that even if someone can track what they've done, they cannot stop it, so they're heading back to their headquarters, to wait for the inevitable to happen...
At the remains of the Memorial Crater, Cyclonus is thinking about what to do next, and his to avenge the destroyed monument, when he is asked to move along, for his safety by Hot Spot, who tells him that Sixshot and the Rise caused this, giving Cyclonus a target for his anger...

At the Winged Moon, Wheeljack has discovered a siphon and transmitter that was sending Energon to the Rise base at the monument, and reports this to Lancer, so she can relay it to Perceptor. Gears has an accident and almost goes flying into orbit again, but is quickly rescued by Wheeljack. Cosmos arrives, but not to save Gears this time, he wants to know why a Titan is heading right towards the Moon...

At the primary Titan hub in Iacon, Blaster and his team can't get ahold of Vigilem, who is heading right for the Moon, and can't reach any other dormant Titan in orbit, due to the Rise's sabotage. Luckily they remember that Lodestar was still active due to only just returning, and Lightbright remaining aboard, so they decide to call her for help.
Aboard Lodestar, Lightbright is informed about the situation, and they set out to intercept the rogue Titan, who seems to just ignore them, and just quotes Codexa's writings about the Titans, worrying the others, before during upon them.
Lodestar tried matching his firepower, but Vigilem is more powerful than her. Seeing the attacks from the Winged Moon, Wheeljack orders everyone to go deep inside the Moon for safety.
Vigilem soon lands on the underside of the Moon and attacks the Tether attaching it to Cybertron. Lodestar tried to stop him again, but the more powerful Titan cripples her, and sends Lightbright flying around inside her. Lodestar reports something terrifying to Lightbright, despite her injuries...the Tether is falling.....

Characters

The Rise

Slipstream - Jet
Shadow Striker - Car
Astrotrain - Trackless Train/Space Shuttle
Flamewar - Motorcycle
Tracer - Helicopter
Skystalker - Car
Blackjack - Car
Sixshot - Car/Tank/Jet/Gun/Winged Beast

Security Forces/Autobot

Blue/white Guy's Body Dead

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Lodestar - Titan Spaceship Badly Damaged by Vigilem
Vigilem - Titan Warship
Lightbright
Wheeljack - Car
Gears - Van
Huffer - Truck
Lancer - Car
Cosmos - Orbiter 
Blaster
Playback
Gizmo
Wavelength
Cyclonus - Jet
Hot Spot - Fire Truck
Groundbuster - Bulldozer
Others in Search & Rescue Team
Gridlock (Ghost)
Highfire (Ghost)
Provoke (Ghost)
Grudge (Ghost)
Primus (Mentioned) The Thirteen (Mentioned)
The Knights of Legend (Mentioned)
The Dormant Titans (Mentioned)
The Other Titan Cityspeakers (Mentioned)
The Reversionists (Mentioned)
Paragon (Mentioned)
Froid - Jet (Mentioned)
Perceptor (Mentioned)
Codexa (Mentioned)
Waypoint (Mentioned)
Chela (Mentioned)
Tempo (Mentioned)

Other
The Szorian Empire (Mentioned)

Notes

• The majority of this issue is drawn my Malkova, with McGuire-Smith providing the art for cyclonus' scene and the first scene on the Winged Moon
• Astrotrain is huge in this continuity. He's at least three times the size of the other Ascenticons in robot mode in this issue!
• Huffer uses his toy character model from his Combiner Wars toy. Whilst that IS the most recent Generations toy for him, it doesn't look a lot like his traditional design.
• Gear being found adrift in space was previously a plot point in the valentine's Day special
• The previously unnamed Titan who acted as Sentinel Prime's ship is named as Lodestar in this issue
• Blaster's team at the Titan net hub is filled with previously one-off characters with Wavelength and Gizmo coming from the previous IDW continuity, and Playback coming from the G1 cartoon.
• Continuing my thoughts from the previous issue, the City Speakers in this continuity still feel more like Titan Masters in design here, since each one is assigned to a specific Titan.
• Velocitron is mentioned in the song Lightbright is dancing to during her introduction, confirming it's existence in this continuity.
• Vigilem quoting Codexa's writings could be a part of Megatron's plans, since she was Orion Pax's mentor, and this could be a way to discredit the Autobots. Maybe?
• Two of the other mentioned Titans, Chela and Tempo were both either named or appeared in the previous IDW continuity, whilst Waypoint appears to be a completely new creation.
• It's not clear, but I believe that Vigilem landed on the underside of the Winged Moon and is shooting the tether near the top, based on Wheeljack being nearby when he lands and the star field being behind the "ground" during the panel where Lodestar shoots at Vigilem.
• Whilst it dies end on s clear cliffhanger, solicits mention that next issue focuses on Arcee and Greenlight getting Gauge off the planet, so I'm assuming that the next issue will be technically a continuation of this story, as well as another sixth issue stand alone story.

IDW - Transformers Galaxies #4

Title:  Constructicons Rising, Part Four

Written by: Tyler Bleszinski

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

The Constructicons decide to turn against the others on Mayalx, but are unsure of how best to take them out. The Insecticons watch them, and decide to help out by killing some random guys and use their living sparks to make over energised Energon and present it to the Constructicons the next day.
Now overpowered, the Constructicons combine and firm the newly christened Devastator, and wipes out a facility and all the crew manning it.

Afterwards, the Insecticons metabolize the dead bodies into Energon, ready for them to ship it, and themselves back to Cybertron.
Back on Mayalx, the Constructicons decide to stay on the planet and build whatever they want, and build their own home there.

Characters

The Rise

Kickback - Locust
Skrapnel - Scarab Beetle
Bombshell - Boll Weevil
Shockwave - Flying Artillery
Onslaught - Tank
Brawl - Tank
Blast Off - Space Shuttle
Vortex - Helicopter

Ascenticon

Megatron - Mining Vehicle (Mentioned)
Termagax - Armoured Van (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Scrapper - Earthmover
Scavenger - Excavator
Long Haul - Dump Truck
Mixmaster - Mixing Truck
Bonecrusher - Bulldozer
Hook - Crane
Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt
Mayalx Workers Killed by Insecticons and Devastator
Nominus Prime - Jet (Statue Only)

Notes

• So, this issue came out a couple months late huh? 
• Just as a reminder, last time we saw them, the Constructicons were not ready to kill everyone on the planet...they just decide to do that randomly this issue...
• The statue I could identify in issue one is confirmed as of Nominus Prime
• As I mentioned in the valentine's special, Blast Off and the Combaticons are revealed to be a part of the Rise
• Shockwave's appearance and demeaner this issue implies that it is set just before his beatdown from Megatron
• In case you can't tell, I'm not too impressed by this first storyline from Galaxies...let's hope the next ones are better!

FBF - To The Death #9

Title: The Leash

Story by: Simon Furman

Art by: Geoff Senior

Letterer: Martin Baines

Design by: Amazing15

Printed in the UK by: Mixam

Plot

The Pacifier team begin their battle with Killatoa, and Huey is quickly killed by the monster. Having seen two of his friends die, Rekt loses his mind and goes on a full assault on him.

Dryagin's team send a probe to inspect the Dolmen under Trumvirate control, and they notice a device on their backs, which must be what is controlling them.

The team manage to shoot a device at the Dolmen's backs which free them, allowing them to communicate with the rest of their species back on Asphodel, who in turn summon something from a volcano, seemingly made of lava.

Rekt's team manage to pin Killatoa to a wall with some spikes, but as they start to gloat, the monster reveals his secret, he fires a work-like creature from his mouth and injects it within Rekt, slowly, and painfully taking over his body.

Seeing this, Leone activates the bombs on Rekt's bandolier, detonating their friend and seemingly killing Killatoa too.

Down below, King starts to disarm the Extinction Weapon, whilst Dryagin makes his way through the building, including taking down the private militia there, so he can take down the Triumvirate himself, all whilst they get word that the "Chosen Few" have started making their way to a Starliner coming from Venus, implying that time is almost up. Snow triggers their broadcast, and starts streaming what the Triumvirate are doing to the world.

Dryagin makes his way to the Triumvirate's office, and immediately shoots all three right between the eyes, however due to them being in new artificial bodies, this does little to harm them. Veni proceeds to start pressing down on his chest, telling him his contract has been terminated....

Characters

Pacifier

Aleksy Dryagin

Dolan Rekt Infested by Killatoa, Mercy-Killed by Leone

Leone

Bette Larssen

Jonas Huey Killed by Killatoa

Diamond Bill

Dodsworth (Footage Only)

Bosco (Footage Only)

Besbitt (Footage Only)

Megan Umber (Mentioned) Dead

White Noise

Deacon Snow

Juddh King

Berenger Possibly Killed by a Dolmen

Reis Killed by a Dolmen

Forward/Tactical Bunker Staff

"The Director" (Mentioned)

Tri-Corp

Veni

Vidi

Vici

Killatoa Possibly Killed with Rekt

The Elite Private Militia Killed by Dryagin

Other Human

Lena Dryagin

Leo Dryagin

"The Chosen Few" Evacuating Earth

Gilgamesh Township Bar Patrons

Other

Lupex, the Space Doggo

Captured Dolmen Trio Freed from Triumvirate Control

The Free Dolmen

Notes

• This issue clarifies that only three of the Dolmen from Asphodel were brought to Earth to guard the Extinction Weapon, with the rest still residing on the planet Asphodel itself.
• The question from last issue is resolved here, with Berenger getting name-dropped as the surviving team member this issue. However it's not clear if he died this issue, as he appears to be in the location that a blast hits, but I can't be 100% sure.
• Killatoa is revealed to be a parasite who implants himself into a victim to use their body as a replacement for his own damaged one, possibly explaining his colour change last issue.
• Remember a few issues ago when I suggested that Lena could be related to Snow due to his interest in her? Well turns out I was right! She is his daughter!

IDW - Transformers Valentines Day Special

Written by: Patrick Ehlers & Sara Pitre-Durocher

Art by: Jack Lawrence & Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Josh Burcham & Sara Pitre-Durocher

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte, Tom Waltz & Riley Farmer

Main Story Plot

Following her hard work and requests, Glyph's request for an assignment to research the languages of Planet SDS-359 has been accepted. She tells her friend, the former gladiator Tap-Out, who s feeling useless in the modern world and offers him a role in her mission as a bodyguard.

The two arrive on SDS-359, where they quickly encounter the mammalian natives, but Glyph seems to offend them with her attempts to communicate, leading to them unleashing a guardian beast to attack the Cybertronians. Tap-Out, always eager for a fight, immediately attacks the monster, leading to Glyph's embarrassment, but the native's delight

Over time, more guardians are unleashed, and Tap-Out defeats them all, whilst Glyph is failing to translate their language properly. She tells Tap-Out that they need to leave the planet soon, and if she doesn't translate the language, or make any progress before then, then her mission will be deemed a failure.

Tap-Out tries to speak to the natives again, but they simply summon another monster. He goes to attack it, but s run down by Glyph, who attacks instead, gaining the respect of the natives. She realized, that she knows their language through their preliminary studies of the planet, but that she couldn't use the language properly because the species only respects violence, and she needed to respect that for her to fully comprehend and speak the language itself.

The two soon leave, speaking the native language fluently, having completed their mission...

Back-up Story Plot

Space Security Chief Cosmos is a bit bored of his job, all he ever does is collect debris and the occasional adrift Gears from orbit, to keep Cybertron safe from space-bound problems. However all this work is very lonely.

One day whilst in space, Cosmos receives a ping and assumes it is Gears adrift again, but instead it's another space-traveller, Blast Off, who is also a bit bored and alone. The two soon make friends and talk whilst on their respective jobs. One day, Cosmos realizes that he doesn't even know what his new friend looks like, so he sends him a group shot of him and several others, before appearing right behind him.

Characters

Cybertronian

Glyph - Car

Tap-Out - Car

Nautica - Submarine

Apeface - Ape/Jet

Xeno-Relations Division Employees

Cybertronian Civilians 

Cosmos - Orbiter (Back-Up Story Only)

Blast Off - Space Shuttle (Back-Up Story Only)

Gears - Van (Back-Up Story Only)

Tailgate - Car (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Onslaught - Tank (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Brawl - Tank (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Vortex - Helicopter (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Swndle - Van (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Quake - Tank (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Hardhead - Tank (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

First Aid - Ambulance (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Tow-Line - Van (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Tidal Wave - Battleship (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Giant Aileron - Space Shuttle (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

TFA Blackout - Helicopter (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

TFA Lugnut - Bomber Jet (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Armada Jetfire - Space Shuttle (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Armada Scavenger - Bulldozer (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Classics Jetfire - Jet (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Others in Photo (Back-Up Story Photo Only)

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Other

SDS-359 Native Mammals

SDS-359 Guardians

Notes

• Obviously, this story is a special issue released around Valentines day 2020, with both stories being set n continuity with the current IDW series, with both stories seemingly set before the events of the man series.
• Gladiatorial matches have been mentioned to be banned in the past, though this issue states that Sentinel Prime banned them, its been implied before now that Nominus was the one who banned them
• Glyph and Tap-out's story, following them being alone on an alien planet and growing close, essentially makes this an updated retelling of their backstory from the Extended Universe 3H comic days.
• It's unclear in the story itself, but the later released Transformers #17 confirms that Gears keeps ending up adrift in space because of his work on the Winged Moon, and him not adjusting for the lack of gravity when working there
• Blast Off's "class picture" that he sends to Cosmos includes a load of cameos, but a lot of them are just generics made by the artist to fill in space. A few of them are also based on toys, but don't appear to be the actual character (like the Classics Jetfire, who should be using the Siege Jetfire in this series instead)
• It's not stated, but the reveal the Blast Off and most of the Combaticons are in the Rise in Galaxies #4 could imply that he is carrying Risers or supplies for them during this story
• The solicits at the back of this issue shows how late the man series has been being released recently, with the "next issue" to be released being marketed as #19, and stating that #5 of Galaxies is available already...both of which being VERY wrong...