The Waiting Game: Difference between revisions

From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
← Older edit
undoPowermetal (talk | contribs)
9,711 edits
Nevermore (talk | contribs)
18,318 edits
Powermetal (talk | contribs)
9,711 edits
 
(17 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown)
Line 16: Line 16:
|assistant editor=[[Thomas Boeing]]
|assistant editor=[[Thomas Boeing]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|2012]], between "[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back]]" and "[[Interiors]]"
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|2012]], between "[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back]]" and "[[Interiors]]"
}}
}}


Line 23: Line 23:


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] were ''supposed'' to be going on a routine mission to scavenge what they could from a deserted [[Decepticon]] outpost, but things took a turn for the worse when [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] and his pet [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] decided to join them. While piloting the craft, the vain Sunstreaker was distracted by his own reflection in the radar screen and wound up crashing the ship. With Perceptor's legs melted to the ceiling by the overloading heat coils (well, the floor, actually, since the ship winds up upside-down), Hoist sets out to do a little reconnaissance, only to suddenly be attacked by one of the worst 'bots imaginable: [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Hoist flees back to the ship and activates its cloaking field, hiding them from view, but the effects will only last six hours before their energy reserves dry up, and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' isn't answering their calls for help.  
[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] were ''supposed'' to be going on a routine mission to scavenge what they could from a deserted [[Decepticon]] outpost, but things took a turn for the worse when [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] and his pet [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] decided to join them. While piloting the craft, the vain Sunstreaker was distracted by his own reflection in the radar screen and wound up crashing the ship. With Perceptor's legs melted to the ceiling by the overloading heat coils (well, the floor, actually, since the ship winds up upside-down), Hoist sets out to do a little reconnaissance, only to suddenly be attacked by one of the worst 'bots imaginable: [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Hoist flees back to the ship and activates its cloaking field, hiding them from view, but the effects will only last six hours before their energy reserves dry up, and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' isn't answering their calls for help.


Swerve fills the time by talking, and talking, and talking some more. He lists his greatest fears, besides Tarn and the DJD, ([[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], [[Sixshot]], [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], and a [[Overmegasixwave|hypothetical combination]] of all four), asks questions about Bob and his origins, and just generally bickers with a very grumpy Sunstreaker. After four hours, Sunstreaker angrily suggests he try turning his insult comedy on Hoist instead, but Swerve finds no potential for humor in the exceedingly ordinary maintenance 'bot. An hour later, conversation shifts to near-death experiences, and Swerve manages to annoy Hoist enough into talking about one of his: a time millions of years ago when his ship crashed in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]] after a [[Omega's Conundrum|collision with another vessel]], and he was the only survivor, stranded alone in those desolate wastes. To illustrate his story, Hoist tosses a pipe to the ground, but when he bends to pick it up, he spots a gaping wound in Swerve's side that the little 'bot has kept a secret, distracting everyone from it with his endless chatter. Realizing that the injury will be fatal if Swerve does not get treatment soon, Hoist and Sunstreaker resolve to take on Tarn in hopes of appropriating his ship and getting off the planet.
Swerve fills the time by talking, and talking, and talking some more. He lists his greatest fears, besides Tarn and the DJD, ([[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], and a [[Overmegasixwave|hypothetical combination]] of all four), asks questions about Bob and his origins, and just generally bickers with a very grumpy Sunstreaker. After four hours, Sunstreaker angrily suggests he try turning his insult comedy on Hoist instead, but Swerve finds no potential for humor in the exceedingly ordinary maintenance 'bot. An hour later, conversation shifts to near-death experiences, and Swerve manages to annoy Hoist enough into talking about one of his: a time millions of years ago when his ship crashed in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]] after a [[Omega's Conundrum|collision with another vessel]], and he was the only survivor, stranded alone in those desolate wastes. To illustrate his story, Hoist tosses a pipe to the ground, but when he bends to pick it up, he spots a gaping wound in Swerve's side that the little 'bot has kept a secret, distracting everyone from it with his endless chatter. Realizing that the injury will be fatal if Swerve does not get treatment soon, Hoist and Sunstreaker resolve to take on Tarn in hopes of appropriating his ship and getting off the planet.


Loading themselves up with an assortment of weaponry that the engineer has quickly built, Hoist and Sunstreaker venture out and split up to search. Sunstreaker, mired in self-loathing, is caught unawares by Tarn and quickly taken down, but when Hoist rushes to his aid he discovers not the DJD leader, but Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, and Shockwave, who all promptly combine into a [[Overmegasixwave|gargantuan robot]]! Hoist's crossbow proves ineffective against the giant, but just as it is about to stomp on him, it simply fades away to nothing. Realizing that something is very wrong, Hoist races back to the ship, where Swerve has passed out. Listening to the details of his story, Perceptor realises that the planet is protected by a [[phobia shield]], a defense mechanism created by the [[Galactic Council]] to ward off Cybertronian incursions that creates tangible illusions out of fears plucked from the minds of those that stray into its area of effect. When Swerve lost consciousness, the illusions the shield was creating based on his fears ceased to be, but as the ship suddenly shakes, the pair realise that the shield was locked onto someone else's mind... Bob's! Hoist drags his friends out of the ship seconds before the titanic foot of an illusory [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] crushes it to powder, and chases after a fleeing Bob, leaping a chasm. Just as Perceptor is thanking him, Hoist coldcocks the scientist to prevent the shield from reading his mind, then does the same to Bob, causing Metroplex to fade away just in time. And so, Hoist is the only one left for the shield to lock on to, and his worst fear comes true around him... the fear of being stranded alone, in those desolate wastes...
Loading themselves up with an assortment of weaponry that the engineer has quickly built, Hoist and Sunstreaker venture out and split up to search. Sunstreaker, mired in self-loathing, is caught unawares by Tarn and quickly taken down, but when Hoist rushes to his aid he discovers not the DJD leader, but Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, and Shockwave, who all promptly combine into a [[Overmegasixwave|gargantuan robot]]! Hoist's crossbow proves ineffective against the giant, but just as it is about to stomp on him, it simply fades away to nothing. Realizing that something is very wrong, Hoist races back to the ship, where Swerve has passed out. Listening to the details of his story, Perceptor realises that the planet is protected by a [[phobia shield]], a defense mechanism created by the [[Galactic Council]] to ward off Cybertronian incursions that creates tangible illusions out of fears plucked from the minds of those that stray into its area of effect. When Swerve lost consciousness, the illusions the shield was creating based on his fears ceased to be, but as the ship suddenly shakes, the pair realise that the shield was locked onto someone else's mind... Bob's! Hoist drags his friends out of the ship seconds before the titanic foot of an illusory [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] crushes it to powder, and chases after a fleeing Bob, leaping a chasm. Just as Perceptor is thanking him, Hoist coldcocks the scientist to prevent the shield from reading his mind, then does the same to Bob, causing Metroplex to fade away just in time. And so, Hoist is the only one left for the shield to lock on to, and his worst fear comes true around him... the fear of being stranded alone, in those desolate wastes...
Line 33: Line 33:
{{featuredcharacters
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
|c1=
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (1)
* [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (1)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (2)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (2)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] (3)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (3)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (4)
* [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (4)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (5)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (5)
*''[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'' (6)
* ''[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'' (6)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
* ''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (12)
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (12)
|c2=
|c2=
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (2)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]'' (2)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'' (7)
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (7)
*''[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'' (8)
* ''[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'' (8)
*''[[Sixshot]]'' (9)
* ''[[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'' (9)
*''[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'' (10)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (10)
*''"[[Overmegasixwave]]"'' (13)
* ''"[[Overmegasixwave]]"'' (13)
}}
}}


Line 78: Line 78:
==Notes==
==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
===Continuity notes===
*This story occurs concurrently with the previous ''Spotlight'' issue, ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', which showed on its final page Hoist returning from the away mission this issue chronicles. The team are unable to contact the ''Lost Light'' for most of this issue because the ship's crew are all frozen as a result of the events of ''Trailcutter''.
* This story occurs concurrently with the previous ''Spotlight'' issue, ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', which showed on its final page Hoist returning from the away mission this issue chronicles. The team are unable to contact the ''Lost Light'' for most of this issue because the ship's crew are all frozen as a result of the events of ''Trailcutter''.
*Swerve notes that he's seen the DJD in action before, something we heard about in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]].
* Swerve notes that he's seen the DJD in action before, something we heard about in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]].
*Sunstreaker refers back to when he was left in bits on Cybertron following the events of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''.  
* Sunstreaker refers back to when he was left in bits on Cybertron following the events of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''.
*We saw Hoist's ship's collision with another shuttle from the other side back in ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''. The ship that crashed into them was the one [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] was strapped to by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]].
* We saw Hoist's ship's collision with another shuttle from the other side back in ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''. The ship that crashed into them was the one [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] was strapped to by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]].
*The Galactic Council and its dislike of Cybertronians were properly introduced in the ''More than Meets the Eye'' [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 Annual]].
* The Galactic Council and its dislike of Cybertronians were properly introduced in the ''More than Meets the Eye'' [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 Annual]].


===Transformers references===
===Transformers references===
*The sketchiness of the image makes it hard to be sure, but the phobia shield-generated 'Autobots' attacking Decepticons in a flashback resemble the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Given the group's nature, it should be little surprise that they're some Decepticons' greatest fear.
* The sketchiness of the image makes it hard to be sure, but the phobia shield-generated 'Autobots' attacking Decepticons in a flashback resemble the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Given the group's nature, it should be little surprise that they're some Decepticons' greatest fear.


===Real-world references===
===Real-world references===
*The bridge Sunstreaker was left under following ''All Hail Megatron'' gets a name, the [[Juda's Bridge]], referring, of course, to the Biblical Judas, betrayer of [[Jesus]], and nodding towards Sunstreaker's own betrayal of the Autobots during that story. Bit on the nose with that one, there, though [[G'th Semane|Roberts has form in that regard]].
* The bridge Sunstreaker was left under following ''All Hail Megatron'' gets a name, the [[Juda's Bridge]], referring, of course, to the Biblical Judas, betrayer of [[Jesus]], and nodding towards Sunstreaker's own betrayal of the Autobots during that story. Bit on the nose with that one, there, though [[G'th Semane|Roberts has form in that regard]].
*Hoist's solution to the phobia shield is similar to Kryten's solution in the ''{{w|Red Dwarf}}'' episode "{{w|Legion (Red Dwarf)|Legion}}" in which the android defeats an enemy formed from the neuroses of the crew by knocking them out so it can only latch onto his personality. [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Roberts has form in that regard]].
*Hoist's solution to the phobia shield is similar to Kryten's solution in the ''{{w|Red Dwarf}}'' episode "{{w|Legion (Red Dwarf)|Legion}}" in which the android defeats an enemy formed from the neuroses of the crew by knocking them out so it can only latch onto his personality. [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Roberts has form in that regard]].


===Errors===
===Errors===
*It can't really be considered an accident given that the comic is intended to be packed in with the toy, but Hoist has spontaneously gained his new 2013 ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toy body for this story, which he didn't have when he showed up in ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' shortly after this.
* It can't really be considered an accident given that the comic is intended to be packed in with the toy, but Hoist has spontaneously gained his new 2013 ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' toy body for this story, which he didn't have when he showed up in ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' shortly after this.
:Since this story is taking place concurrently with ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'', Swerve's presence here creates a bit of a continuity problem: Over on ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'', the titular character makes mention of Hoist being away on an energy-gathering mission, thus explaining why he has their shared hab suite all for himself. Before he goes to recharge, Trailcutter has a conversation with Swerve, who is currently on a "sponsored silence", with the implication being that Swerve is still on board the Lost Light. Yet in this issue, Swerve is part of Hoist's mission that crashed on planet [[Deimus]], and no mention is made of his "sponsored silence".
* Perceptor has slipped back to his pre-sniper design, lacking his targeting eyepiece and with chunkier forearms.
*Perceptor has slipped back to his pre-sniper design, lacking his targeting eyepiece and with chunkier forearms.
* Sunstreaker is drawn with large gashes on his face, resembling a sketchy [[Machination]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] head.
*Sunstreaker is drawn with large gashes on his face, resembling a sketchy [[Machination]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] head.
* In the two panels in which he appears, Sixshot is colored like [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]].
*In the two panels in which he appears, Sixshot is colored like [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]].
* When Overmegasixwave first combines, the cannon on his left arm is coloured as part of the background.
*When Overmegasixwave first combines, the cannon on his left arm is coloured as part of the background.
* The crashed shuttle is initially shown teetering on the edge of a chasm. When Metroplex stomps it, it's on flat, unbroken ground.
*The crashed shuttle is initially shown teetering on the edge of a chasm. When Metroplex stomps it, it's on flat, unbroken ground.


===Edits===
===Edits===
[[File:SpotlightHoistNoMurder.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Come here and do some meanie nasty things to us!]]
[[File:SpotlightHoistNoMurder.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Come here and do some meanie nasty things to us!]]
*In the version of the issue packed in with Hoist's ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toy, several edits to the speech bubbles are made:
* In the version of the issue packed in with Hoist's ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toy, several edits to the speech bubbles are made:
**On page 5, panel 2, "killing machine" is changed to "destruction machine".
** On page 5, panel 2, "killing machine" is changed to "destruction machine".
**On the same page, Swerve's "murder us to death" in panel 5 is changed to "blast us".
** On the same page, Swerve's "murder us to death" in panel 5 is changed to "blast us".
**On page 13, panel 5, Sunstreaker's dialogue is lacking the word "damn", the emphasis has been moved from "damn" to "good", and the entire ballon has been reduced in size as a consequence.
**On page 13, panel 5, Sunstreaker's dialogue is lacking the word "damn", the emphasis has been moved from "damn" to "good", and the entire balloon has been reduced in size as a consequence.
*On the other hand, on page 10, both "dead" and "near-death experiences" are left unchanged, so just like with ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', there's no real consistency to the edits.
* On the other hand, on page 10, both "dead" and "near-death experiences" are left unchanged, so just like with ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', there's no real consistency to the edits.
{{-}}
{{-}}


Line 112: Line 111:
As with ''More than Meets the Eye'', writer James Roberts offered up a "soundtrack" for this issue on the [http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/index.php IDW Publishing forum].
As with ''More than Meets the Eye'', writer James Roberts offered up a "soundtrack" for this issue on the [http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/index.php IDW Publishing forum].


*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cx10MrMYB4 Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again]'' by {{w|The Books}}
* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cx10MrMYB4 Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again]'' by {{w|The Books}}
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pSlu2okpqM The Distance]'' by {{w|Cake (band)|Cake}}
* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pSlu2okpqM The Distance]'' by {{w|Cake (band)|Cake}}
 
===Foreign Localizations===
'''Swedish'''
** ''Title:'' "'''Den Fruktansvärda Väntan'''" ("The Horrible Wait")


===Covers (4)===
===Covers (4)===
*'''Cover A:''' Metroplex looming over Hoist, by Agustin Padilla and [[Esther Sanz]]
* '''Cover A:''' Metroplex looming over Hoist, by Agustin Padilla and [[Esther Sanz]]
*'''Cover B:''' Hoist staring down the barrels of Megatron, Shockwave, and... [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]? ...'s guns, by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
* '''Cover B:''' Hoist staring down the barrels of Megatron, Shockwave, and... [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]? ...'s guns, by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Hoist by [[Clayton Crain]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Hoist by [[Clayton Crain]]
*'''Hasbro exclusive cover:''' Mirror-flipped, cropped-in version of cover RI, exclusively available with ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hoist (G1)#Deluxe|Hoist]].
* '''Hasbro exclusive cover:''' Mirror-flipped, cropped-in version of cover RI, exclusively available with ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hoist (G1)#Deluxe|Hoist]].
 
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrA.jpg| Red Alert? Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.  
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrA.jpg| Red Alert? Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrB.jpg|Hey, we can use the escape plan from "Revenge of the Surf-boarding Killer Bikini Vampire Girls"!
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrB.jpg|Hey, we can use the escape plan from "Revenge of the Surf-boarding Killer Bikini Vampire Girls"!
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrRI.jpg|Just because I look like Herman Munster's stuntman doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate art.
File:Spotlight Hoist cvrRI.jpg|Just because I look like Herman Munster's stuntman doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate art.
Line 128: Line 132:


===Advertisements===
===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' #17
* ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' #17
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Shockwaves|#17]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Shockwaves|#17]]
*IDW Limited Transformers books
* IDW Limited Transformers books
*''[[Doctor|Doctor Who]]: Prisoners of Time''
* ''[[Doctor Who]]: Prisoners of Time''
*''[[Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters (comic)|Beast Hunters'' comic]]
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters (comic)|Beast Hunters'' comic]]
*''Regular Show''
* ''Regular Show''
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: City Fall''
* ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]: City Fall''


==Reprints==
==Reprints==
*[[2013]] — '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Dark Prelude]]''''' <small>([[August 14]], [[2013]]) ISBN 1613777167 / ISBN 978-1613777169</small>
* '''''The Transformers: Dark Prelude''''' <small>([[August 14]], [[2013]]) ISBN 1613777167 / ISBN 978-1613777169</small>
*[[2015]] — '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' <small>([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644</small>
* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' <small>([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644</small>
* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]] Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' <small>([[December 26]], [[2018]])</small>
 
<gallery>
File:TFDarkPrelude tpb.jpg|'''''Dark Prelude''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] & [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] & [[Alex Milne]]
</gallery>


{{DEFAULTSORT:Waiting Game}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waiting Game}}

Latest revision as of 20:24, 19 August 2025

« The Transformers Spotlight: Hoist
Dark Prelude »

The worst game.
"The Waiting Game"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published May 1, 2013
Cover date May 2013
Written by James Roberts
Art by Agustin Padilla
Colors by Joana Lafuente
Letters by Shawn Lee
Editor John Barber
Assistant editor Thomas Boeing
Continuity 2005 IDW continuity
Chronology 2012, between "How Ratchet Got His Hands Back" and "Interiors"

Stranded on an alien planet with Swerve, Sunstreaker, Perceptor, and Bob, Hoist learns he has nothing to fear but fear itself. And Swerve's big mouth.

Synopsis

[edit]

Hoist, Swerve, and Perceptor were supposed to be going on a routine mission to scavenge what they could from a deserted Decepticon outpost, but things took a turn for the worse when Sunstreaker and his pet Bob decided to join them. While piloting the craft, the vain Sunstreaker was distracted by his own reflection in the radar screen and wound up crashing the ship. With Perceptor's legs melted to the ceiling by the overloading heat coils (well, the floor, actually, since the ship winds up upside-down), Hoist sets out to do a little reconnaissance, only to suddenly be attacked by one of the worst 'bots imaginable: Tarn of the Decepticon Justice Division. Hoist flees back to the ship and activates its cloaking field, hiding them from view, but the effects will only last six hours before their energy reserves dry up, and the Lost Light isn't answering their calls for help.

Swerve fills the time by talking, and talking, and talking some more. He lists his greatest fears, besides Tarn and the DJD, (Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, Shockwave, and a hypothetical combination of all four), asks questions about Bob and his origins, and just generally bickers with a very grumpy Sunstreaker. After four hours, Sunstreaker angrily suggests he try turning his insult comedy on Hoist instead, but Swerve finds no potential for humor in the exceedingly ordinary maintenance 'bot. An hour later, conversation shifts to near-death experiences, and Swerve manages to annoy Hoist enough into talking about one of his: a time millions of years ago when his ship crashed in the Rust Spot after a collision with another vessel, and he was the only survivor, stranded alone in those desolate wastes. To illustrate his story, Hoist tosses a pipe to the ground, but when he bends to pick it up, he spots a gaping wound in Swerve's side that the little 'bot has kept a secret, distracting everyone from it with his endless chatter. Realizing that the injury will be fatal if Swerve does not get treatment soon, Hoist and Sunstreaker resolve to take on Tarn in hopes of appropriating his ship and getting off the planet.

Loading themselves up with an assortment of weaponry that the engineer has quickly built, Hoist and Sunstreaker venture out and split up to search. Sunstreaker, mired in self-loathing, is caught unawares by Tarn and quickly taken down, but when Hoist rushes to his aid he discovers not the DJD leader, but Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, and Shockwave, who all promptly combine into a gargantuan robot! Hoist's crossbow proves ineffective against the giant, but just as it is about to stomp on him, it simply fades away to nothing. Realizing that something is very wrong, Hoist races back to the ship, where Swerve has passed out. Listening to the details of his story, Perceptor realises that the planet is protected by a phobia shield, a defense mechanism created by the Galactic Council to ward off Cybertronian incursions that creates tangible illusions out of fears plucked from the minds of those that stray into its area of effect. When Swerve lost consciousness, the illusions the shield was creating based on his fears ceased to be, but as the ship suddenly shakes, the pair realise that the shield was locked onto someone else's mind... Bob's! Hoist drags his friends out of the ship seconds before the titanic foot of an illusory Metroplex crushes it to powder, and chases after a fleeing Bob, leaping a chasm. Just as Perceptor is thanking him, Hoist coldcocks the scientist to prevent the shield from reading his mind, then does the same to Bob, causing Metroplex to fade away just in time. And so, Hoist is the only one left for the shield to lock on to, and his worst fear comes true around him... the fear of being stranded alone, in those desolate wastes...

[edit]

(Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks, fantasies, and/or phobia shield illusions.)
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons

Quotes

[edit]

"For your information, apart from Tarn and the D.J.D., I'm scared of—(one, two, three four...)—five things in this life: One, Megatron. (Obviously.) Two, Overlord. Three, Sixshot. Four, Shockwave. And five, some nightmare combination of Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot and Shockwave."
"They can't combine...!"
"Matter of time. Decepticons are obsessed with combining. Put two of 'em in a room and within seconds one will be standing on the other's shoulders. Fact."

—Swerve and Hoist


"I wouldn't mind all the chatter but half the time it's dig, dig, dig, have a go at Sunstreaker. Why not pick on—on Hoist for a change?!"
"Hoist? Nah."
"Why? Why not?"
"Look at the guy! I've got nothing to work with! If someone said to me, 'That Hoist, what's he like?' I'd say 'He's green.' And if they said, 'No, but what's he really like?' I'd say, 'He's green and he's got a tow line.'"

—Sunstreaker and Swerve


"You know why you can't get a handle on me? Because I'm an ordinary person. I'm normal. I'm just a mid-ranking maintenance engineer who takes each day as it comes. I'm not particularly chatty, handsome or clever, but you know what? I get by. I manage. So don't dismiss me just because—unlike all your pals on the Lost Light—my personality isn't the product of a crippling psychological disorder."

—Hoist


"Overmegasixwave is a bit of a mouthful. How about we just go for ugly?"

—Hoist


"I'm thinking.... that this planet is protected by a phobia shield."
"A phobia shield! Brilliant! Except I don't know what one of those is...!"

—Perceptor and Hoist

Notes

[edit]

Continuity notes

[edit]
  • This story occurs concurrently with the previous Spotlight issue, Spotlight: Trailcutter, which showed on its final page Hoist returning from the away mission this issue chronicles. The team are unable to contact the Lost Light for most of this issue because the ship's crew are all frozen as a result of the events of Trailcutter.
  • Swerve notes that he's seen the DJD in action before, something we heard about in More than Meets the Eye #4.
  • Sunstreaker refers back to when he was left in bits on Cybertron following the events of All Hail Megatron.
  • We saw Hoist's ship's collision with another shuttle from the other side back in Spotlight: Orion Pax. The ship that crashed into them was the one Orion Pax was strapped to by Bludgeon.
  • The Galactic Council and its dislike of Cybertronians were properly introduced in the More than Meets the Eye 2012 Annual.

Transformers references

[edit]
  • The sketchiness of the image makes it hard to be sure, but the phobia shield-generated 'Autobots' attacking Decepticons in a flashback resemble the Dinobots. Given the group's nature, it should be little surprise that they're some Decepticons' greatest fear.

Real-world references

[edit]
  • The bridge Sunstreaker was left under following All Hail Megatron gets a name, the Juda's Bridge, referring, of course, to the Biblical Judas, betrayer of Jesus, and nodding towards Sunstreaker's own betrayal of the Autobots during that story. Bit on the nose with that one, there, though Roberts has form in that regard.
  • Hoist's solution to the phobia shield is similar to Kryten's solution in the Red Dwarf episode "Legion" in which the android defeats an enemy formed from the neuroses of the crew by knocking them out so it can only latch onto his personality. Roberts has form in that regard.

Errors

[edit]
  • It can't really be considered an accident given that the comic is intended to be packed in with the toy, but Hoist has spontaneously gained his new 2013 Generations toy body for this story, which he didn't have when he showed up in Spotlight: Trailcutter shortly after this.
  • Perceptor has slipped back to his pre-sniper design, lacking his targeting eyepiece and with chunkier forearms.
  • Sunstreaker is drawn with large gashes on his face, resembling a sketchy Machination Headmaster head.
  • In the two panels in which he appears, Sixshot is colored like Black Shadow.
  • When Overmegasixwave first combines, the cannon on his left arm is coloured as part of the background.
  • The crashed shuttle is initially shown teetering on the edge of a chasm. When Metroplex stomps it, it's on flat, unbroken ground.

Edits

[edit]
Come here and do some meanie nasty things to us!
  • In the version of the issue packed in with Hoist's Generations Thrilling 30 toy, several edits to the speech bubbles are made:
    • On page 5, panel 2, "killing machine" is changed to "destruction machine".
    • On the same page, Swerve's "murder us to death" in panel 5 is changed to "blast us".
    • On page 13, panel 5, Sunstreaker's dialogue is lacking the word "damn", the emphasis has been moved from "damn" to "good", and the entire balloon has been reduced in size as a consequence.
  • On the other hand, on page 10, both "dead" and "near-death experiences" are left unchanged, so just like with Spotlight: Trailcutter, there's no real consistency to the edits.


Soundtrack

[edit]

As with More than Meets the Eye, writer James Roberts offered up a "soundtrack" for this issue on the IDW Publishing forum.

Foreign Localizations

[edit]

Swedish

    • Title: "Den Fruktansvärda Väntan" ("The Horrible Wait")

Covers (4)

[edit]
  • Cover A: Metroplex looming over Hoist, by Agustin Padilla and Esther Sanz
  • Cover B: Hoist staring down the barrels of Megatron, Shockwave, and... Galvatron? ...'s guns, by Livio Ramondelli
  • Cover RI: Hoist by Clayton Crain
  • Hasbro exclusive cover: Mirror-flipped, cropped-in version of cover RI, exclusively available with Generations Deluxe Class Hoist.
  • Red Alert? Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.
    Red Alert? Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.
  • Hey, we can use the escape plan from "Revenge of the Surf-boarding Killer Bikini Vampire Girls"!
    Hey, we can use the escape plan from "Revenge of the Surf-boarding Killer Bikini Vampire Girls"!
  • Just because I look like Herman Munster's stuntman doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate art.
    Just because I look like Herman Munster's stuntman doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate art.
  • Here, let me fix your wound... by BLOWING IT OFF!
    Here, let me fix your wound... by BLOWING IT OFF!

Advertisements

[edit]

Reprints

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=The_Waiting_Game&oldid=1858481"