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maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|the transformers: maximum dinobots=The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
premierecollection|premiere collection|the transformers: the premiere collection=The Transformers: The Premiere Collection
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|the transformers: all hail megatron=The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
the idw collection|the transformers: the idw collection=The Transformers: The IDW Collection
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)=The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers vol. 1
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|the transformers: last stand of the wreckers=The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
the idw collection|g.i. joe: the idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
infestation=Infestation (IDW)|Infestation
infestation 2=Infestation 2
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|the transformers: heart of darkness=The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye|the transformers: more than meets the eye=The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise=The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron
drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone=The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone
the transformers: windblade=The Transformers: Windblade
sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
gijoe5|gijoevol5|g.i. joe vol. 5|gi joe vol 5=G.I. Joe vol. 5
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts (comic)|Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
first strike=First Strike
ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{{series}}}
[[{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
#| }}{{#if: |issues:}}{{#ifeq: | Category
[[Category:IDW {{#switch:{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{{series}}}}}
{{#switch:prime
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{#switch:primeadaptation
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{#switch:ragedinobots
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
ragedinobots}}=Prime
{{#switch:rid2015
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
rid2015}}=Robots in Disguise (2015)
{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=War for Cybertron
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Fall of Cybertron
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)|primeadaptation|prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Prime
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Prime – Rage of the Dinobots
maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|the transformers: maximum dinobots=The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
premierecollection|premiere collection|the transformers: the premiere collection=The Transformers: The Premiere Collection
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|the transformers: all hail megatron=The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
the idw collection|the transformers: the idw collection=The Transformers: The IDW Collection
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)=The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers vol. 1
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|the transformers: last stand of the wreckers=The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
the idw collection|g.i. joe: the idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
infestation=Infestation (IDW)|Infestation
infestation 2=Infestation 2
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|the transformers: heart of darkness=The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye|the transformers: more than meets the eye=The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise=The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron
drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone=The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone
the transformers: windblade=The Transformers: Windblade
sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
gijoe5|gijoevol5|g.i. joe vol. 5|gi joe vol 5=G.I. Joe vol. 5
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts (comic)|Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
first strike=First Strike
ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers
maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|maximum dinobots=Maximum Dinobots
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|all hail megatron=All Hail Megatron
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)|the transformers (idw)=IDW The Transformers
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|last stand of the wreckers=Last Stand of the Wreckers
transformers drift|transformers: drift|the transformers drift|drifteos|drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: origins and empires|transformers drift: origins & empires|origins and empires|origins & empires=Drift
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|heart of darkness=Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye=IDW More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise|ongoing2|exrid|the transformers (idw) vol. 2=IDW Robots in Disguise (2012)
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron
the transformers: windblade|windblade2|windblade2015|the transformers: windblade vol. 2|the transformers: windblade (2015)=Windblade
transformers vs gi joe|transformers vs. g.i. joe=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
sotw|wreckers2|sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=Sins of the Wreckers
lost light|transformers lost light|the transformers lost light|transformers: lost light|the transformers: lost light=Lost Light
till all are one|Till All Are One|transformers till all are one|transformers: till all are one|the transformers till all are one|the transformers: till all are one=Till All Are One
revolution=Revolution
revolutionaries=Revolutionaries
action man=Action Man
gijoe5|g.i. joe vol 5|g.i. joe vol. 5|g.i. joe volume 5|g.i. joe (vol. 5)|g.i. joe (volume 5)=G.I. Joe vol. 5
g.i. joe idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
first strike=First Strike
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
rom=ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs. transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Requiem of the Wreckers
Evidence of a conspiracy to frame G.I. Joe emerges, just as a case of mistaken identity results in the organization pitting itself against the Transformers.
In the skies over Mount Olympus, Greece, British super-agent Ian Noble, the Action Man, and fellow operative Terrence Salmons arrive in response to a distress beacon. While Salmons remains at their aircraft's controls, Ian flies down to the mountain in a wingsuit, where he discovers a crevice packed with Ore-13. Ian finds a slew of bodies impaled on the crystals, and the sender of the beacon: the fatally-wounded ex-S.A.S.-officer-turned-mercenary, Big Ben. Ben weakly explains that he and his team were killed by a squad of mysterious covert agents they had tracked to the mountain, who were attempting to mine the Ore-13. He has only one clue as to their identities: a set of U.S. military dog tags taken from one of them, issued by Ben's old team, G.I. Joe. Suddenly, the Ore-13 begins to surge with energy, and Salmons is forced to reel Action Man's skyhook back in, pulling him out of the crevice. With the last of his strength, Big Ben urges Ian to alert the authorities to the importance of the crystals, then bids farewell to a picture of his daughter, before the Ore-13 detonates with nuclear force and Mount Olympus is left a smoking crater.
Action Man's intel is quickly passed to G.I. Joe in America, and taken by team leader Joe Colton to the President of the United States. Colton explains that Ore-13 is a Cybertronian creation, and that deposits of it all around the globe are destabilizing, but stresses that he cannot be sure whether or not this is a deliberate action taken by the Transformers. The President urges Colton to take action against the Transformers, and Colton's second-in-command Scarlett agrees: it's time to take the fight to Optimus Prime.
At Autobot City in Monument Valley, Optimus Prime discusses the explosion on Olympus with Soundwave and the recently-arrived Windblade. Prime's reason for concern is twofold: firstly, Autobot City itself is sitting on a huge Ore-13 deposit and would be wiped out in the event of a second explosion, but secondly, and of greater sociopolitical concern, Optimus knows humanity is sure to blame his team for the destruction in Greece. With most of the Autobots spread around the world on humanitarian missions, Optimus contacts Kup to recall him from an assignment in Germany. Kup has suspicions of his own: could the explosion have been a frame-up by humans as a way to convince the Transformers to leave Earth?
In Portland, Oregon, Arcee and Jazz are helping in the aftermath of recent flooding. From a nearby staging point, the forces of G.I. Joe (backed up by the mecha of the People's Liberation Army Mecha Force) use a drone to observe their actions; Scarlett is hesitant when she observes the robots doing good, but Colton is sure they must have ulterior motives and orders action. A precision missile strike from the drone nails Jazz, and gives Arcee the excuse she's been waiting for: as she comes running, the Joe ground forces open fire on her, though their weapons do little to stop her from slicing up their vehicles. Optimus Prime, Soundwave, Windblade, and Victorion all soon arrive, and Prime calls for everyone to lay down their arms so they can talk like rational beings, but the hot-blooded Joes interpret this as an order to surrender and continue to press their (ineffective) attack. Mainframe prepares to unleash his souped-up version of the E.D.C.'s anti-Transformer neural weapon, which he has magnified to lethal proportions, intending to kill Soundwave in revenge for the lives lost during the Decepticon invasion of Earth. Fellow Joe Mayday—former E.D.C. agent Ayana Jones—tries to get him to stop, aware of the significance of Soundwave's alliance with Optimus, but in the end, Soundwave himself takes care of the threat, hitting the Joes with a targeted electronic attack that blows out not just the neural weapon, but all their equipment. Joe vehicles begin falling out of the sky, but Victorion continues trying to prove the Autobots' goodwill by catching them and safely setting them down.
Prime tries again to talk the Joes down, but gets a bazooka-blast from Beach Head to the face for his troubles, as the humans refuse to let up. Suddenly, a new player comes streaking onto the scene: Rom the Space Knight, a metallic silver alien unknown to either the Transformers or the Joes, but who the Joes immediately assume is another Cybertronian. Colton is visibly alarmed by Rom's appearance and orders all the Joes to focus their fire on him... seconds before Rom unleashes his own energy weapon on Colton and reduces him to a melted corpse! With targeted precision, Rom kills three more Joes—Red Zone, Hi-Tech, and Wreckage—but refrains from attacking any others, even as they harmlessly empty their weapon clips against his armored hide. Realizing that the humans are going to blame Rom's actions on the Cybertronians, Jazz tries to tackle the smaller alien, but Rock 'n Roll misinterprets his movement as an attempt to go to Rom's aid and hits Jazz with a bazooka round. Rom promptly departs, and, knowing there is nothing they can do to help that will be accepted by the Joes, Optimus orders his troops to follow the space knight. As Victorion levitates them all out of the combat arena, Soundwave restores the Joes' communications so they can call for assistance. Mainframe prepares to radio for evac, but Scarlett orders otherwise, insisting he call for reinforcements instead. Thanks to Rom's actions, she believes the Transformers have just declared war on G.I. Joe and on Earth, and declares that it's time to fight back.
Back matter
A typed prose transcript recounts how Action Man contacts G.I. Joe to let them know what he discovered on Mount Olympus, using an old contact number provided by Mainframe when he met him several years prior at a conference. Mainframe takes a moment to remember Ian, as he wasn't Action Man back then. Ian shows him the dog tags, revealed to belong to Joe member Countdown; Mainframe has spoken to Countdown only moments ago, and so believes that the tags were left at the site in order to frame G.I. Joe. Upon hearing that Mainframe is preparing to deploy to confront the Transformers in Portland, Action Man cautions him: if the Transformers are somehow posing as human beings to incriminate Joes, he needs to be sure that all his teammates are who they claim they are.
Featured characters
{{#if: ||(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)}}
"Hand to my heart, I honestly didn't think this was a real thing."
—Action Man and his opinion on Mount Olympus
"Consider yourselves lucky, Earthlings. Weeks ago, I would not have thought it worth the effort to spare your lives."
—Soundwave could still stand to work on his banter
"Hey Big Red, 'bout time you learned—there's a new sheriff in town." (Beach Head unloads a bazooka into Optimus Prime's face. Optimus is unharmed and glares down at him.)
"Hey... no hard feelings, right?"
—Beach Head
"They killed our friends. They killed Joe Colton. After what they've done to us, this fight only ends one way. Optimus Prime and the Transformers just declared war on planet Earth. And it's down to G.I. Joe to win it."
—Scarlett
Notes
IDW continuity notes
The president states that it has been "months" since the events of "All Hail Optimus", in which Optimus "declared dominion" (as she puts it) over the Earth, as seen in The Transformers#49-55. This story arc features the setup for the Transformers' status quo as Revolution begins, including Optimus Prime's Autobots allying with Soundwave and his peaceful Decepticons, and the establishment of Autobot City in Monument Valley. Rom's {{#if:Revolution one-shot|Revolution one-shot|Field Test}} (released on the same day as this issue) offers the more specific timeframe of six months between those earlier events in Monument Valley and the start of this crossover.
Optimus Prime notes that Autobot City is sitting atop a huge cache of Ore-13, as was discovered in The Transformers #56.
In terms of publication, Windblade was last seen on Cybertron in Till All Are One #4, released on the same day as this issue. The rampage of Bruticus, as seen in that issue, is presumably the cause for the "relief efforts" occupying most of Optimus's off-page team in this issue. The story of how Windblade came to Earth to take part in this crossover would be detailed in November's Till All Are One: Revolution one-shot.
Mainframe refers to a past relationship with Scarlett. This storyline unfolded over the course of Chuck Dixon's time as writer on the IDW G.I. Joe series.
Jazz's introductory caption notes he would "rather be playing Aghartan electro-bass". Jazz was established to play this instrument (named in reference to the Miles Davis jazz album Agharta) in Robots in Disguise #31.
Ayana Jones has been a prominent member of the human supporting cast of The Transformers for the last two years or so. She has now joined the revived G.I. Joe under the code name "Mayday" (see "G.I. Joe references", below).
The E.D.C's neural weapon (colloquially, their "mindbomb") was first deployed in Robots in Disguise #31.
Mainframe recalls Soundwave's prominent role in the Decepticon invasion of Earth, as seen in All Hail Megatron.
Rom's appearance in this issue flows directly out of his own {{#if:Revolution tie-in one-shot|Revolution tie-in one-shot|Field Test}}. None of the other characters in this story know it, but readers of Rom's comic book will be aware that he's not indiscriminately slaughtering; in his one-shot, he learned that Colton was secretly a Dire Wraith, one of the evil shape-shifting alien wizards who are Rom's sworn enemy, and who have been in hiding among the human race for many years. Colton clearly recognizes Rom and orders everyone to focus their fire on him, tipping his hand. If Rom has killed them, that means that Red Zone, Hi-Tech, and Wreckage were all Wraiths too, and we know from Rom's book that they are not the only ones in the Joe ranks; Joe member Countdown has also been replaced, and it is his dog tags that are found at Mount Olympus and given to Action Man by Big Ben. The Wraiths clearly have an interest in Ore-13, and are shown to have some in their possession in ROM: Revolution.
Mainframe and Action Man speak briefly about Mercy Gale; Action Man says it's a "long story." He's not kidding—Gale is a character from Action Man's {{#if:own book|own book|Action Man (comic)}}, a former agent who worked alongside him and who turned out, in fact, to secretly be his nemesis, Doctor X.
Mainframe tells Action Man that Cybertronians are sometimes human sized; presumably Mainframe is referring to Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign, whom G.I. Joe was recently escorting.
Mainframe starts to say "the Biki--" before cutting himself off and simply saying "another facility"; he's referring to the former Earth Defense Command base at Bikini Atoll, seen throughout the last two years of The Transformers.
Reference is made to Big Ben "running missions in Eastern Europe with Colonel Hauser." Hauser is Ben's fellow ex-Joe Duke, and the pair were indeed working together in Europe during [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Karen Traviss|{{#if:||Karen Traviss}}]]'s {{#if:G.I. Joe run|G.I. Joe run|G.I. Joe vol. 4}}, the last prior to the release of Revolution.
Transformers references
This issue being set in Portland, Oregon is, of course, a reference to the city and adjacent area being the primary setting of the early Marvel Transformers comic book.
G.I. Joe references
Ayana Jones has become the IDW incarnation of Mayday, a Joe originally created for the 1990s G.I. Joe Extreme range, who also appeared in the Devil's Due PressJoe comics (where her real name was "Paige Adams"). Revolutionaries #1 and #4 would further retcon that in-universe she was a pre-existing Joe who had been transferred to the EDC when G.I. Joe went public and stayed on when Joe was shuttered but has since become part of Joe's reactivation.
Hey, don't feel too bad if you don't know who the heck Red Zone, Hi-Tech, and Wreckage are—they are all pre-existing Joes, but ones from the early 2000s who nobody cares about. Bye, guys!
The transcript of Mainframe and Action Man's communication includes mention of the "sound of popping bubblegum" when Breaker speaks. Constantly chewing gum is one of Breaker's most notable characteristics.
Other franchise references
When greeting Mainframe, Action Man introduces himself as "The greatest hero of them all." This was the advertising slogan (and commercial jingle!) for the Action Man toyline in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and early 2000s, and was part of the lyrics to the theme of the 2000 Mainframe Entertainment cartoon.
Real-life references
Action Man mentions that he thinks he saw Mount Olympus "in a cartoon or something". He's probably remembering [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Hercules (1997 film)|{{#if:Disney's Hercules|Disney's Hercules|Hercules (1997 film)}}]], which Ian is the right age to have seen as a kid.
This issue's title is taken from [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Concord Hymn|{{#if:the poem of the same name|the poem of the same name|Concord Hymn}}]] by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Ralph Waldo Emerson|{{#if:||Ralph Waldo Emerson}}]].
The splash panel introducing the situation in Portland includes the city's [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Marquam Bridge|{{#if:||Marquam Bridge}}]] and a passably accurate rendition of its skyline, though their relative locations are a bit fudged.
When Mainframe calls himself a "miracle worker," Scarlett replies that he is a "real [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Anne Sullivan|{{#if:||Anne Sullivan}}]]," referring to the real-life teacher who was the central character of the play, [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}The Miracle Worker (play)|{{#if:The Miracle Worker|The Miracle Worker|The Miracle Worker (play)}}]].
Errors
Rock 'n Roll's surname is misspelled "McConel" instead of "McConnel". This is not a deliberate change; his surname would be correctly presented in Wrath of Karza #1.
Other trivia
This oversize 40-page issue features 23 main story pages, plus the 2-page back matter "transcript", and also includes the complete 8-page Revolution Prelude story that sets the stage for the crossover, previously published on its own and also serialized across multiple IDW titles in the last two months.
Though her character design does not include any Autobot insignia, formerly unaffiliated Camien Aileron has been following Optimus Prime for most of the last year of The Transformers. With the establishment of Autobot City and the time-gap that follows between that and Revolution, and her continued loyalty to Optimus and his cause, we're henceforth categorizing her as an Autobot in the character lists on our articles.
IDW has been inconsistent over the years on whether to spell Beach Head's codename as one word (the original 80s way) or two. Given that two words is the style consistently utilized in 2016's Revolution-associated stories, this wiki will go with that style for the IDW incarnation of Beach Head.
Hi-Tech's real name is spelled "David Lewinsky" while his original Joe file card gave his name as "David P. Lewinski", spelled with an "i". It is unclear if this is a deliberate change or not.
Subscription cover B: Wraparound cover of Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Kup, Optimus Prime, Lady Jaye, Brad Turner, Cobra Commander, Mercy Gale, Orbital Defender, Scarlett, Lifeline, and Space Glider charging into action, by John Byrne and Len O'Grady; first in a series of interlinking covers that homage Byrne's original covers to the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe|{{#if:Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition|Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition|Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe}}]] from the late 1980s.
Subscription cover C: Propaganda poster of Scarlett, by James Biggie
Subscription cover D: Optimus Prime and Scarlett action figures, by Adam Riches; first in a series of "action figure" variant covers by Riches.
Subscription cover E: Blank cover for sketches
Convention exclusive cover: Black-and-white lineart version of Tradd Moore's regular cover, available exclusively from the IDW booth at conventions.
Retailer incentive cover A: Victorion, Acroyear, Arcee, Jazz, Matt Trakker, Snake Eyes, Baron Karza, and Optimus Prime, by Ken Christiansen; first half of a two-part image.
Retailer incentive cover B: Optimus Prime and Megatron, redesigned with military vehicle alternate modes, battle it out as Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Colton watch, by Guido Guidi.
Retailer incentive cover C: Arcee, Soundwave, Optimus Prime, Mainframe, and Roadblock, by Art Baltazar; first in a series of interlinking covers.
Retailer incentive cover D: Blank cover for unique sketches by Drew Rausch
Retailer incentive cover E: Blank cover for unique sketches by Sal Buscema
New York Comic Con exclusive cover: Black-and-white lineart of Optimus Prime versus Snake Eyes, Acroyear, and Matt Trakker, by Fico Ossio; available exclusively at New York Comic Con 2016.
Diamond Retailer Summit exclusive cover: Moore's regular cover with new colors by Sebastian Cheng; offered exclusively in a gift pack given to retailers who attended the 2016 Diamond Retailer Summit.
Nerdblock exclusive cover: Ossio's NYCC exclusive cover with colours by Thomas Deer; available exclusively through Nerd Block in their New York Comic Con 2016 box.
Indonesia Comic Con exclusive cover:Devastator, Galvatron, Miles Mayhem, Baron Karza, and a Cobra Viper battle Victorion, Rom, Matt Trakker, and Snake Eyes at the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Selamat Datang Monument|{{#if:||Selamat Datang Monument}}]] in Jakarta, Indonesia, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez; available exclusively from ReedPOP at the Indonesia Comic Con.
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