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Hearts of Steel issue 2

2026-04-27T16:54:46Z

Michaelerler:

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Evolutions]] [[Hearts of Steel]]'' #2
|prev=Hearts of Steel issue 1
|next=Hearts of Steel issue 3
|title=
|image=Hearts_of_Steel_2a.jpg
|caption=I '''''am''''' your grandfather's Shockwave!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 16]], 2006
|coverdate=July 2006
|written by=[[Chuck Dixon]]
|pencils by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|inks by=[[Aaron Leach]]
|colors by=[[Jay Fotos]]
|letters by=[[Sulaco Studios]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]] (& [[Justin Eisinger]] for the collection)
|continuity=[[Hearts of Steel]]
}}

'''Bumblebee meets John Henry while Starscream plans world domination.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Johnhenry grrr.jpg|left|180px|thumb|This guy can drive spikes with one blow, and you're mocking him? Real smart, Cletus.]]

Somewhere along the [[Denver-Cheyenne rail line]], a strange yellow locomotive is driving spikes using a built-in, fully automated steam hammer. [[John Henry]]'s crew, [[Brawley and Cletus]], are favorably impressed, but Henry considers it a "smelly pile of bolts", and worries about man serving machine, rather than the other way around. Cletus makes a joke about how serving the machine is not much different from serving Henry; Henry gets mad briefly, then decides to let it go. Meanwhile, the overseer of the rail-laying project, [[Vanflint]], orders [[Smythe|his assistant]] to find out where the yellow locomotive came from; he wants to order a dozen more. (Presumably so he can then fire John Henry and the rest of the [[human]] workers.)

Meanwhile, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] has conveyed [[Tobias Muldoon]] to the [[Decepticon]]s' base on the bottom of [[San Francisco Bay]]. Muldoon is astounded and impressed. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and [[Octane]] politely interrogate Muldoon, and offer to help him bring a new technological golden age to [[Earth]], by combining Muldoon's imagination with their science. Muldoon is flabbergasted by this opportunity, but points out that this will require a lot of money. Starscream asks him to explain further.

That night, Henry inspects the little yellow locomotive, and muses aloud about how steel will never replace muscle. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] transforms to robot mode, and reassures him that he is not here to replace humanity, but to help. Henry realizes Bumblebee is a living being, not a device, and replies that he can respect anyone who wants to do an honest day's work. They shake hands.

Elsewhere, a train is carrying a shipment of cash and bullion from the Federal mint in [[Denver]] to [[Sacramento]], guarded by soldiers. It is rammed by the [[Insectrain]], a bizarre locomotive bearing a variant Decepticon symbol. It breaks apart into the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]: [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], and [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]. The trio proceeds to rob the train, commenting that they are working under Starscream's orders, and knew of the shipment through decoded telegraph messages.

The next morning, Muldoon and the Decepticons are picking out a site for their new factory, somewhere in the desert. Muldoon complains that the chosen location is remote; Starscream emphasizes the need for secrecy. The Insecticons arrive (burrowing up from underground), and present Muldoon with the purloined cash. Starscream evades telling Muldoon where they got it from.

Sometime later (presumably weeks), the first shipment of goods is delivered to the Decepticon railhead, a single shack in the middle of nowhere. The deliverymen find the situation odd.

Brawley and Cletus read the news of the train robbery, and are amused by the soldier's reports of transforming locomotives. Henry pretends to think it's "booshwah", but tells Bumblebee about it. Bumblebee brings the news to [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and the rest of the [[Autobot]]s. They decide not to wake [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], but agree that, if the Decepticons are active, something must be done.

Sometime later (again, presumably weeks), the Decepticon railhead has become a giant factory. Within, the bulk of the Decepticons have traded in their Ice Age beast modes for vehicular alternate forms. Muldoon overhears Starscream talking to [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] about his plans for the subjugation of Earth—and, of course, the destruction of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. His plans involve riding the "[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]" to [[New York City|New York]] and seizing control of the "great eklectrical power generator"{{sic}} there. Muldoon flees unnoticed.

A week later, he shows up on [[Stanford Merriweather]]'s doorstep, bedraggled and bearded. [[Kitty Merriweather]] welcomes him in, but her father is about to throw him out, ignoring his tales of a threat to the entire human race. However, Stanford's houseguest, [[Mark Twain]], convinces him to let Muldoon stay and tell his story.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (1)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (22)
* [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (23)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (24)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (25)

|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (8)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Octane]] (11)
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (12)
* [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (13)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (14)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (15)
*[[Insectrain]] (18)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (19)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (20)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (26)

|c3=
* [[John Henry]] (2)
* [[Brawley and Cletus|Brawley]] (3)
* [[Brawley and Cletus|Cletus]] (4)
* [[Vanflint]] (5)
* [[Smythe]] (6)
* [[Tobias Muldoon]] (7)
* [[Abner]] (16)
* [[Dodd]] (17)
* [[Cleveland (human)|Cleveland]] (27)
* [[Kitty Merriweather]] (28)
* [[Stanford Merriweather]] (29)
* [[Mark Twain]] (30)
}}

==Quotes==
"Shake the hand of a ''hammerin''' man, Bumblebee." 
"Thank you, John Henry."
:—'''John Henry''' and '''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Errors===
* The timing of events is a bit odd in places. It would presumably take some time for a huge order of lumber and steel to be ordered, packed, and delivered to the Decepticon railhead, but the news of the robbery is only just making it to John Henry's crew, and the Autobots talk to Bumblebee as if he only revealed himself to John Henry recently.
* Skywarp's and Starscream's colors are switched for a couple panels.
* On the first panel where the above error occurs, Starscream says "a fleetof", missing the space between "fleet" and "of".
* It's awfully convenient for the plot that even amongst each other the Decepticons are speaking in English and not Cybertronian when Tobias overhears their plans, or that their communication is even audible at all and not digital.

=== Other trivia===
* In the concept art in the trade paperback collection, the combined "battle train mode" of the Insecticons is called "[[Insectrain]]", but this name does not appear in the comic itself. Whether Insectrain is a true gestalt [[combiner]] like [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], a [[Micromaster]]-style combiner (combined altmodes with no emergent personality), or just three robots hooked up in a train, is unknown.

===Covers (3)===
— All by Guido Guidi
* '''Cover A:''' Shockwave and Tobias Muldoon
* '''Cover B:''' Starscream wraparound sketch (one engine per wing)
* '''Retailer Incentive:''' Starscream wraparound sketch (two engines per wing)
<gallery>
Image:Hearts of Steel 2a.jpg|"I do declare I've soiled my knickers!"
Image:Hearts of Steel 2b.jpg|Choice of Starscreams: Batscream...
Image:Hearts of Steel 2ri.jpg|...or Orvillescream
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
* [[Transformers: The Animated Movie|''Transformers: The Animated Movie'' #1]]
* Infiltration TPB
* ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations #5]]'', including a 3-page preview
* ''Generations'' series
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
* Transformers posters
* ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer]]'' (back cover)

[[Category:Hearts of Steel issues]]

Hearts of Steel issue 2

2026-04-27T16:53:36Z

Michaelerler: Why are the Decepticons communicating in English amongst themselves?

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Evolutions]] [[Hearts of Steel]]'' #2
|prev=Hearts of Steel issue 1
|next=Hearts of Steel issue 3
|title=
|image=Hearts_of_Steel_2a.jpg
|caption=I '''''am''''' your grandfather's Shockwave!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 16]], 2006
|coverdate=July 2006
|written by=[[Chuck Dixon]]
|pencils by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|inks by=[[Aaron Leach]]
|colors by=[[Jay Fotos]]
|letters by=[[Sulaco Studios]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]] (& [[Justin Eisinger]] for the collection)
|continuity=[[Hearts of Steel]]
}}

'''Bumblebee meets John Henry while Starscream plans world domination.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Johnhenry grrr.jpg|left|180px|thumb|This guy can drive spikes with one blow, and you're mocking him? Real smart, Cletus.]]

Somewhere along the [[Denver-Cheyenne rail line]], a strange yellow locomotive is driving spikes using a built-in, fully automated steam hammer. [[John Henry]]'s crew, [[Brawley and Cletus]], are favorably impressed, but Henry considers it a "smelly pile of bolts", and worries about man serving machine, rather than the other way around. Cletus makes a joke about how serving the machine is not much different from serving Henry; Henry gets mad briefly, then decides to let it go. Meanwhile, the overseer of the rail-laying project, [[Vanflint]], orders [[Smythe|his assistant]] to find out where the yellow locomotive came from; he wants to order a dozen more. (Presumably so he can then fire John Henry and the rest of the [[human]] workers.)

Meanwhile, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] has conveyed [[Tobias Muldoon]] to the [[Decepticon]]s' base on the bottom of [[San Francisco Bay]]. Muldoon is astounded and impressed. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and [[Octane]] politely interrogate Muldoon, and offer to help him bring a new technological golden age to [[Earth]], by combining Muldoon's imagination with their science. Muldoon is flabbergasted by this opportunity, but points out that this will require a lot of money. Starscream asks him to explain further.

That night, Henry inspects the little yellow locomotive, and muses aloud about how steel will never replace muscle. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] transforms to robot mode, and reassures him that he is not here to replace humanity, but to help. Henry realizes Bumblebee is a living being, not a device, and replies that he can respect anyone who wants to do an honest day's work. They shake hands.

Elsewhere, a train is carrying a shipment of cash and bullion from the Federal mint in [[Denver]] to [[Sacramento]], guarded by soldiers. It is rammed by the [[Insectrain]], a bizarre locomotive bearing a variant Decepticon symbol. It breaks apart into the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]: [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], and [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]. The trio proceeds to rob the train, commenting that they are working under Starscream's orders, and knew of the shipment through decoded telegraph messages.

The next morning, Muldoon and the Decepticons are picking out a site for their new factory, somewhere in the desert. Muldoon complains that the chosen location is remote; Starscream emphasizes the need for secrecy. The Insecticons arrive (burrowing up from underground), and present Muldoon with the purloined cash. Starscream evades telling Muldoon where they got it from.

Sometime later (presumably weeks), the first shipment of goods is delivered to the Decepticon railhead, a single shack in the middle of nowhere. The deliverymen find the situation odd.

Brawley and Cletus read the news of the train robbery, and are amused by the soldier's reports of transforming locomotives. Henry pretends to think it's "booshwah", but tells Bumblebee about it. Bumblebee brings the news to [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and the rest of the [[Autobot]]s. They decide not to wake [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], but agree that, if the Decepticons are active, something must be done.

Sometime later (again, presumably weeks), the Decepticon railhead has become a giant factory. Within, the bulk of the Decepticons have traded in their Ice Age beast modes for vehicular alternate forms. Muldoon overhears Starscream talking to [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] about his plans for the subjugation of Earth—and, of course, the destruction of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. His plans involve riding the "[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]" to [[New York City|New York]] and seizing control of the "great eklectrical power generator"{{sic}} there. Muldoon flees unnoticed.

A week later, he shows up on [[Stanford Merriweather]]'s doorstep, bedraggled and bearded. [[Kitty Merriweather]] welcomes him in, but her father is about to throw him out, ignoring his tales of a threat to the entire human race. However, Stanford's houseguest, [[Mark Twain]], convinces him to let Muldoon stay and tell his story.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (1)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (22)
* [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (23)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (24)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (25)

|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (8)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Octane]] (11)
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (12)
* [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (13)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (14)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (15)
*[[Insectrain]] (18)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (19)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (20)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (26)

|c3=
* [[John Henry]] (2)
* [[Brawley and Cletus|Brawley]] (3)
* [[Brawley and Cletus|Cletus]] (4)
* [[Vanflint]] (5)
* [[Smythe]] (6)
* [[Tobias Muldoon]] (7)
* [[Abner]] (16)
* [[Dodd]] (17)
* [[Cleveland (human)|Cleveland]] (27)
* [[Kitty Merriweather]] (28)
* [[Stanford Merriweather]] (29)
* [[Mark Twain]] (30)
}}

==Quotes==
"Shake the hand of a ''hammerin''' man, Bumblebee." 
"Thank you, John Henry."
:—'''John Henry''' and '''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Errors===
* The timing of events is a bit odd in places. It would presumably take some time for a huge order of lumber and steel to be ordered, packed, and delivered to the Decepticon railhead, but the news of the robbery is only just making it to John Henry's crew, and the Autobots talk to Bumblebee as if he only revealed himself to John Henry recently.
* Skywarp's and Starscream's colors are switched for a couple panels.
* On the first panel where the above error occurs, Starscream says "a fleetof", missing the space between "fleet" and "of".
* It's awfully conveninent for the plot that even amongst each other the Decepticons are speaking in English and not Cybertronian when Tobias overhears their plans, or that their communication is even audible at all and not digital.

=== Other trivia===
* In the concept art in the trade paperback collection, the combined "battle train mode" of the Insecticons is called "[[Insectrain]]", but this name does not appear in the comic itself. Whether Insectrain is a true gestalt [[combiner]] like [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], a [[Micromaster]]-style combiner (combined altmodes with no emergent personality), or just three robots hooked up in a train, is unknown.

===Covers (3)===
— All by Guido Guidi
* '''Cover A:''' Shockwave and Tobias Muldoon
* '''Cover B:''' Starscream wraparound sketch (one engine per wing)
* '''Retailer Incentive:''' Starscream wraparound sketch (two engines per wing)
<gallery>
Image:Hearts of Steel 2a.jpg|"I do declare I've soiled my knickers!"
Image:Hearts of Steel 2b.jpg|Choice of Starscreams: Batscream...
Image:Hearts of Steel 2ri.jpg|...or Orvillescream
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
* [[Transformers: The Animated Movie|''Transformers: The Animated Movie'' #1]]
* Infiltration TPB
* ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations #5]]'', including a 3-page preview
* ''Generations'' series
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
* Transformers posters
* ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer]]'' (back cover)

[[Category:Hearts of Steel issues]]

Maximum Dinobots issue 4

2026-04-05T05:45:54Z

Michaelerler: One panel in this issue seems like an homage to "Transformers: The Movie" in which Megatron murders Ironhide.

{{Comicstory
|series=maxdinos|issueno=4
|prev=Maximum Dinobots issue 3
|next=Maximum Dinobots issue 5
|image=MaximumDinobots 4a.jpg
|caption=Too awesome for words!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 1]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=March 2009
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]] & [[James Raiz]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]] & [[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|Maximum Dinobots]]
}}
'''While Shockwave makes a deal with Soundwave and his minions, Sunstreaker goes to recover his real head and the Machination crumbles.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Maximum_Dinobots_-4_page04.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|The dream of the 80s is alive in Portland!]]
[[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] breaks into a house in [[Portland]], [[Oregon]]. His mission is to reclaim [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] from his "owner", [[Jimmy (G1)|Jimmy]]. Seeing Soundwave, Ravage orders [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] to reclaim him, which he does. As Jimmy's mother runs upstairs to see if he's alright, the two [[Decepticon]]s take Soundwave to [[Mount St. Helens]]. However, Soundwave is weak from lack of power, to the point he can barely block [[Skywatch]]'s control signal on the cassettes, and is still [[Spotlight: Soundwave|shunted in his cassette player mode]]. [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] suddenly appears, orders Soundwave to stand Ravage and Laserbeak down, and proposes a deal to the three.

In [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] escapes from the [[Machination]] HQ, but collapses due to his crushed foot. Hearing a voice, Hot Rod is aghast, believing he has run into another [[Sunstreaker clone]]—but it's not a clone, it's the real [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]], who blasts two [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s following Hot Rod. Hot Rod tries to warn him about the dangers, but Sunstreaker doesn't care; he just wants his head back. Hot Rod, upset over Sunstreaker's arrogance, decides to call for reinforcements while Sunstreaker stomps into the facility. He has had enough, and is determined to get his real head. But [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] is watching!

On the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s' shuttle, 60,000 feet above northern [[Nebraska]], the Monsterbots are waiting for [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] to give them what he promised them, for which they had to travel to [[Earth]] and participate in the battle in [[Fallon]] to save the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]]. Grimlock says they'll get what they want, but not yet. This upsets [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]], who says that he's willing to trust Grimlock, but that [[Doublecross]] and [[Grotusque]] are more likely to rip Grimlock's head off. Grimlock says their prize is nearly all the technology that was in Shockwave's onboard data-cache [[Spotlight: Shockwave|before the Dynobots blew his ship up]]. Repugnus believes that the data is encoded and Grimlock confirms this, but is upset that they need someone to ''de''-code it and find out more about Shockwave's time on Earth, and how the Earth once had a stratospherically high level of [[energon]].

Outside the cockpit, the Dynobots wonder what the conversation's about. [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] doesn't care, but doesn't like it anyway. [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] believes it's another sign of just how ''far'' the Dynobots have fallen. Based on Repugnus's comments during the battle at Fallon, Snarl thinks that the Dynobots' original operation—all that time ago—wasn't officially sanctioned, as they were told by Grimlock. The Dynobots wish that they could return to the simple days of bustin' [[Decepticon]]s, but have a bad feeling that there's no going back. Grimlock leaves the cockpit, announcing that he managed to extend their alliance with the Monsterbots. They plan to rebuild the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'', so that Grimlock can get even with Scorponok. However, he ends up getting a stern look from the Dynobots.

At the Machination headquarters, Hot Rod tries to boost his internal comm system to the right audio reception so that he can get a strong enough signal for someone to answer his call for reinforcements. He manages to get the comm to work, but it shocks him badly. Despite this, he sends out a message galaxy-wide to any [[Autobot]] listening in the vicinity. Inside the headquarters, Sunstreaker manages to find to his original head, but as he opens a large door, he is blasted point-blank in the chest by Scorponok. Scorponok advances towards Sunstreaker to go for the kill, but notices that [[Hunter O'Nion]] is gone. Scorponok is enraged, but before he can find Hunter, [[Drake (G1)|Drake]] calls to warn about an approaching Cybertronian vessel, closing in fast. Scorponok mobilizes the headquarters' defenses, as Hot Rod hopes that it's not another epic/heroic tilt.

[[File:Swoop Sunstreaker clones MaximumDinos.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Inside the Monsterbots' vessel, the Dynobots don't see the point of fighting Scorponok, but Grimlock says that Scorponok made it ''their'' fight when he turned the Dynobots against him. Snarl disagrees, saying that it has always been Grimlock's fight, that he and the other Dynobots went along with him, and that it's now Grimlock's wounded pride at stake. Snarl asks Grimlock, "Does getting even matter so much, you're willing to take us ''all'' down with you?" Inside the cockpit, the Monsterbots target the defenses and blast away at them. Grimlock exits the ship, saying that there's no way he can let this go. With or without the Dynobots, there will be a reckoning for Scorponok. The Dynobots decide that arguing is pointless and follow Grimlock. Scorponok orders that the neural clamps be activated, but the technician says that the implants aren't responding. Scorponok decides to settle the matter... ''personally''.

Hunter comes out of his hiding place and enters the room holding Sunstreaker's real head. Outside, the Dynobots tear away at the Sunstreaker clones with ease, trying to dismantle the Machination empire piece by piece. Snarl gets hit in the leg, and muses that bad language is their ''only'' option now. Grimlock wants to settle the score with Scorponok personally, but Snarl rebukes this, saying that they fight or fall together, and that they're Dynobots to the bitter end. Inside, Hunter says to Sunstreaker that what he's about to do is only because there are no options left. With tears of remorse, Hunter pulls the cords from Sunstreaker's head, shutting him down.

With Sunstreaker offline, the clones cease to function. Grimlock wonders what happened, and Hot Rod slowly walks over to him, saying that Sunstreaker pulled the plug on himself. Sludge cries out in victory, but the moment is short-lived as Scorponok blasts [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] into stasis. Scorponok is furious, now that his empire is in shambles, and decides to take revenge on Grimlock. However, Shockwave also appears overhead, wanting revenge as well, and a new battle is about to begin.

In space, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] has also received Hot Rod's signal, and vows to Scorponok that only ''one'' of them will walk away.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] (6)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (7)
* [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (10)
* [[Doublecross]] (11)
* [[Grotusque]] (12)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (13)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (14)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (15)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (16)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (17)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (20)
|c2=
* [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (1)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (3)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (4)
* [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (5)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (9)
|c3=
* [[Jimmy (G1)|Jimmy]] (2)
* [[Hunter O'Nion]] (18)
* [[Drake (G1)|Drake]] (19)
|c4=
* [[Sunstreaker clone]]s (8)
}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* The cassettes return Soundwave to Mount St. Helens, the same place the trio were recovered by Skywatch in "[[Spotlight: Soundwave]]".

===Real-world references===
* When Ravage breaks into Jimmy's house, Jimmy is playing with a [[Snake-Eyes]] action figure.
* The rather large door within the Machination complex which Sunstreaker opens has a huge lock thing on it that, coincidentally or otherwise, resembles the chest of the pre-Transformer [[Microman]] robot [https://web.archive.org/web/20200225215118/http://www.microforever.com:80/punchrobo.htm Punch Robo].
* There is a panel where a seriously wounded Hot Rod, on his stomach and looking up at what he believes to be a Sunstreaker clone about to murder him with a head shot, pleads "No!," which seems like a clear homage to the famous scene in "Transformers: The Movie" where Megatron murders Ironhide. The picture even has Hot Rod with Ironhide's famous crest on his helmet.

===Errors===
[[File:Sludge MaximumDinos heads.jpg|thumb|No one knows where Sludge's nose goes.]]
* Not so much an error, but Raiz draws Sludge with a more "standard" robot mode head than Roche's stylized noseless, big-jawed design, making for an inconsistent look. See image on right.
* [[Mount St. Helens]] is said to be in [[Oregon]] when it's actually located in [[Washington (state)|Washington]].

===Trivia===
* When Hot Rod sends his signal into space, it appears to register in four places:
** The Monsterbots' ship
** A satellite resembling [[Sky Spy]]
** A satellite receiver in [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s colours
** Ultra Magnus's ship
* Sludge also seems to have a slaggingly big [[energo weapon|energo-sword]]. Wonder [[Anatomic euphemism#Exhaust port|where]] he keeps that thing?

===Covers (2)===
* '''Cover A:''' Repugnus riding atop Sludge, about to stomp on a red Sunstreaker clone; art [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
* '''Cover B:''' Grimlock protecting an injured Hot Rod, art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MaximumDinobots_4a.jpg|'''Cover A''' - Hi ho, Sludge, away!
File:MaximumDinobots_4b.jpg|'''Cover B''' - Him not heavy, but him not me Grimlock's brother.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* [[Maximum Dinobots issue 5|''Maximum Dinobots'' #5]]
* ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]] Official Guidebook'' Volume 1
* ''Transformers More Than Meets The Eye Official Guidebook Volume 2''
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* ''[[Star Trek]]: Countdown''
* ''Classic [[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' Volume 1
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===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion

2020-03-26T04:03:21Z

Michaelerler: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=exrid|issueno=49
|prev=Conquerors Part 3: Helden
|next=All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth
|caption=
|image=TF49 regcvr.jpg
|title="Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 20]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=January 2016
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''The Decepticons capture the Ark and Galvatron turns the tables on Soundwave, but Optimus Prime is ready to take drastic action to prevent the resurgence of war.'''

==Synopsis==
Conflict rages on three fronts: In the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]]'s [[Marshall Islands|Bikini Atoll]] base, [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] smirkingly faces down the allied [[Autobot]]s and EDC agents, with [[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]] in his grip; aboard the ''[[Ark-7]]'', in space, [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]], [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]], and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] are confronted by an army of [[Decepticon]]s pouring through the [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]; and on Cybertron itself, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]'s team tries to stop the Decepticon horde from entering the bridge.

Simultaneously, [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] is able to shut down the spacebridge, and Faireborn uses Blackrock's tablet to deactivate the shields surrounding the ''Ark-7''. Unaware of the author of their salvation but happy about it nonetheless, Arcee tries to hold off the Decepticons while Sideswipe and Alpha Trion fall back to the ship's bridge, in order to set the ship down on the [[moon (moon)|Moon]] and blow its engines before the Decepticons can capture it. Her resistance is short-lived, as she is quickly taken out by [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], but she buys Sideswipe enough time to conceal Alpha Trion within a "closet" on the bridge before he, too, is brought down by the invaders. With the Ark now under Decepticon control, [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] radios [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] and prepares to set the ship on course for the [[Jupiter]] commune, [[Sanctuary Station]], but Brawl has a different idea... and has him head down to [[Earth]].

A furious Soundwave contacts Galvatron on Earth to inform him of this apparent treachery, but it turns out that Brawl is merely following orders from Galvatron himself, and that conquest of Earth has always been Galvatron's plan. Soundwave tries to appeal to [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]], but the Seeker—having spent months trussed up teleporting everyone around on command—is fed up of being told what to do, and teleports himself and Galvatron from the EDC base to the middle of [[Shanghai]], [[China]]. Galvatron is angry at first, but is quickly placated when Skywarp explains that the Decepticon-controlled ''Ark'' is about to land in the middle of the city.

Back on Cybertron, Windblade's team are still facing off against the remaining Decepticons who did not make it through the spacebridge, but some ''big'' help soon arrives in the form of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Victorion]], and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (and also [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who's not very happy that Superion is following Prime's lead in the fight, rather than his). Victorion's gravity powers end the fighting quickly, and various friends are reunited as Wheeljack sets about getting the spacebridge back online at Optimus's request. War cannot be allowed to come to Earth yet again, and Optimus knows what he must do to prevent it...

Aboard [[Sanctuary Station]], Soundwave despairs, believing that the Decepticon cause has been undone once again thanks to the failings of an individual. He apologizes to [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] for his failures, but warns them that they must now prepare for war...

With [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] too injured to take [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]], [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]], and [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] to Shangai, [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] offers to go and fight in their place, but the ''Ark-7'' lands in Shanghai before they can even begin to mobilize. There, in the heart of the city, even as Blackrock squirms in his grip and vows to destroy him, Galvatron begins to deliver a speech to the Decepticons who emerge from the vessel... only to then be cut off by the voice of Optimus Prime! From out of the spacebridge, Prime's forces—including the two combiners—emerge, as Prime lifts high an Autobot flag and officially declares that he is annexing Earth into the [[Council of Worlds]], and that the planet is now under the united protection of Cybertron and its colony planets!

==Featured characters==

{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] (8)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (9)
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (10)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] (11)
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (12)
*[[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (21)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (22)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (23)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (24)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (25)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (26)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (32)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (38)
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (40)
|c2=
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (1)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] (2)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (14)
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (15)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (16)
*[[Cindersaur (G1)|Cindersaur]] (17)
*[[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] (18)
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] (19)
*[[Swift (G1)|Swift]] (27)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (28)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (29)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (30)
*[[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] (31)
*[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] (33)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (42)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (43)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (44)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (45)
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]] (46)
*[[Flamefeather (G1)|Flamefeather]] (47)
|c3=
*[[G.B. Blackrock#2005 IDW continuity|Garrison Blackrock]] (3)
*[[Ayana Jones]] (5)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (6)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (7)
|c4=
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (4)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (20)
*[[D.0.C.]] (34)
*[[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] (35)
*[[Aileron]] (36)
*[[Victorion]] (37)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (39)
*[[Sterling]] (41)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''AIIIEEE!'''" 
"I'm sure that guy'll be fine."
:—An unfortunate Decepticon is sliced in two as the spacebridge shuts down while they are passing through, but '''Wheeljack''' is hopeful

"I wish I had more '''guns'''... but I guess I '''always''' do. They'll carve that on my tombstone."
:—'''Sideswipe'''

'''Windblade:''' "No one blames you for what '''happened.'''" 
'''Chromia:''' "'''I''' do." 
'''Ironhide:''' "Yeah, let's not '''lie.'''"
:—Windblade attempts to talk down the Decepticons, but Chromia and Ironhide don't quite agree with her methods

'''Victorion''': "Windblade, Chromia- it is '''good''' to see you again." 
'''Windblade''': "Uh, '''hey''' Victorion. How's the '''Rust Sea'''?" 
'''Chromia:''' "Yo."
:—Chromia shorthands the pleasantries

"Wheeljack—when will the spacebridge be '''active''' again?" 
"Well, this '''thingamajig''' pulled the plug '''pretty hard'''. I'd say... it probably did about '''two days''' worth of damage. So gimmie '''ninety seconds.'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Wheeljack'''

"Earth is '''mine'''... and under '''my''' protection. I hereby '''annex''' Earth into the '''Cybertronian Council of Worlds'''. Now and forever, we stand '''united''' against tyranny... and against '''you''', Galvatron. Now and forever, war is '''over.'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] turns out to still be alive, following the hit he took in [[Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|issue #47]].
*Skywarp recalls the EDC's [[mindbomb]], which the Decepticons were hit with back in [[Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|issue #30]]. The memory of it is obviously enough to convince Galvatron that Skywarp has made the right call.
*Windblade and Chromia's previous (secret) meeting with Victorion in the [[An Uneventful Night|''Combiner Hunters'' one-shot]] is alluded to.
*Laserbeak and Buzzsaw remind Soundwave of the first time they met him, which we saw in [[Soundwaves (issue)|issue #22]]. It's the first time the location for their meeting has been identified as the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]].
*Marissa remarks that the Chinese government doesn't trust the EDC to handle the Transformer situation after their "last thing" on Chinese soil, referring to Prowl's attack on [[Onyx]]'s Wanmu facility.

===Transformers references===
*Continuing from previous issues, the Decepticons led by Needlenose and Brawl include a spike and wheel shoulders generic with [[Toxitron (Animated)|Toxitron]]'s color scheme and a generic with [[Buzzclaw (BW)|Buzzclaw]]'s color scheme.
*One of the Decepticons in the spacebridge room (he's the one holding his head in terror as his buddy is bisected by the closing spacebridge) has a color scheme which seems to evoke [[Ricochet (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Ricochet]].
*The Decepticon whose arm Arcee slices off seems to take his head colors from [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|''Machine Wars'' Skywarp]].
*Most of the construction workers who witness the Ark's crash in Shanghai are wearing the classic blue pants/tan shirt/white vest/yellow hard hat combo of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
*Brawl's kill-shot of Sideswipe is eerily reminiscent and a clear callback to the 1986 G1 cartoon [[The Transformers: The Movie]] during which [[Megatron]] finishes off a badly wounded and prone [[Ironhide]] with a pointblank cannon shot while contemptuously looking down on him. Both murders, you'll recall, took place on the bridges of spaceships.

===Real-life references===
*Like the first two chapters of "Conquerors", this issues takes its title from astronomy. A "perihelion" is the point at which an orbiting celestial body is closest to the sun, the opposite of the aphelion, which was the title of Part 1.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Galvatron raises Optimus Prime's head on a pike, by [[Andrew Griffith]]; an homage to [[:File:AHM 1cvrA.jpg|''All Hail Megatron''#1]], by [[Klaus Scherwinski]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Optimus offers the Matrix to Victorion, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Retailer incentive "Countdown to 50" cover:''' Ironhide, Sideswipe, Jazz, and Chromia, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]; part of a series of variant covers "counting down" to the release of the 50th issues of the ''The Transformers'' and ''More than Meets the Eye'' in February 2016, which combines with the other covers in the series to make a larger image.
<gallery>
File:TF49 regcvr.jpg|Galvatron does not appreciate the irony of this image.
File:TF49 subcvr.jpg|"You want this?"
File:TF49 cvrRI.jpg|Ironhide flexes for his lady.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''The Transformers'' #50
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Earth: R.I.P.|#10]]
*IDW ''Transformers'' Reading Guide
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise: A New Mission''

===Reprints===
*'''''The Transformers Volume 9''''' ([[June 29]], [[2016]]) ISBN 163140668X / ISBN 978-1631406683
:*Contains issues #46 to #49.
:*Bonus material: cover gallery.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 67: ''Conquerors''''' ([[July 24]], [[2019]])
:* Contains ''The Transformers'' vol. 2 issues #43 to #49 and the [[An Uneventful Night|''Combiner Hunters'' one-shot]].
:* Bonus content includes a cover gallery and a sketch gallery by [[Andrew Griffith]].

<gallery>
File:RID vol9.jpg|'''''The Transformers Vol. 9'''''; cover art by [[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Klaus Scherwinski]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v67.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Vol. 67: Conquerors'' HC'''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Andrew Griffith]]
</gallery>

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/27548-everything-s-about-to-change-with-conquerors-finale-in-transformers-49-preview.html Preview]