Energon Universe - ongoing Transformers and G.I. Joe comics from Skybound

Magnusblitz

Magnusblitz

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Citizen
ZakuConvoy said:
In Transformers, it sounds like Thundercracker's joining the Aerialbots to form a new Superion!
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Kinda been expecting this ever since seeing them together in flight recently.

I wonder if Hasbro will redeco an AOTP Aerialbot (Air Raid since he's an F-15?) into Thundercracker so he can combine.
 
LBD "Nytetrayn"

LBD "Nytetrayn"

Broke the Matrix
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Magnusblitz said:
Kinda been expecting this ever since seeing them together in flight recently.

I wonder if Hasbro will redeco an AOTP Aerialbot (Air Raid since he's an F-15?) into Thundercracker so he can combine.
Click to expand...
But... but it's a move no one could have predicted! The blurb said so!
 
Agent X

Agent X

Kreon Bastard
Citizen
Did we not see Thundercracker get combined (via the engmia) in IDW1? So there was precedent.
 

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
I've been lax about my "reviews", so let's catch back up again!



Let's start off with Void Rivals #31.

And just let me tell you, this issue....SKUXXS!

It's another all Skuxxoid-issue, folks! Always the highlights of this series, to be sure. Will Skuxxoid's rebellion against Skuxxoid and his army of Skuxxoids succeed? What dark secrets will we learn about our beloved Skuxxoid? And finally...the shocking conclusion of the war between Skuxxoid and Skuxxoid that we've all been waiting for! This issue's got it all! With "all" being defined as "Skuxxoid", in this particular case!

Seriously, this is a pretty fun issue. And they actually end up going in a direction that I didn't expect for this story. I am looking forward to seeing how this ends up dove tailing back into the main book. I joke, but these Skuxxoid issues actually have been a unique highlight of the book.

We basically start off with TWO double-page spreads focusing in on our Main-Scarred-Skuxxoid and the tyrannical Skuxxoid-Alpha. You can see every wrinkle on Scarred-Skuxxoid's face. It almost feels a little wasteful for the page-space it takes up, but when else are we going to get something like this?

Skuxxoid killing Skuxxoid....tragic. *"Brother My Brother" from Pokemon the First Movie plays in the background*

But, then the fighting stops when a random civilian-Skuxxoid vouches for Scarred-Skuxxoid's intentions. He really DOES just want to bring them EQUALITY! Not servitude like under Skuxxoid-Alpha! So, the two Skuxxoids agree to fight one another Skuxxo-a-Skuxxo, to determine who the new leader of the Skuxxoid Squad shall be!

Old Man Skuxxoid-Alpha actually holds his own pretty well. But, Scarred-Skuxxoid has more battle experience on his side.

And, finally, Skuxxoid-Alpha reveals what REALLY happened to their wife and child. They died during a fire. It was a accident.

So, does this all end in bloodshed and tragedy? Was all this violence really for nothing, just senseless, senseless violence? NO! Because Skuxxoid is better than that! Scarred-Skuxxoid spares Skuxxoid-Alpha's life.

The Skuxxoid Civil War...ends with a tearful hug! NO ONE could have seen this coming!

Scarred-Skuxxoid doesn't even want to rule. The Skuxxoids shall be equals, under a fair system of Skuxxocracy! (The only truly enlightened form of government.) Scarred-Skuxxoid just wants to return to his home planet...umm...Rockeroid. And so, Scarred-Skuxxoid and his robot companion leave to track down his Rockeroid...on the planet Junkion! So, he's probably going to be joining our growing side-cast forming there. Wheelie, Proximus, Skuxxoid, and precious Arkronus...a unbeatable team to be sure!



Next up, MASK #2!

And this was actually a pretty fun issue! I liked this one. It might have something to do with mostly taking place at sea, which I tend to enjoy. But, there's some fun action as we learn more about some new characters that show up. It's a fun time!

Miles Mayhem got his hands on the alien stargate thingy! But, not for long, as a laser coming from it's center cuts the line holding it, and it falls into the sea. Unfortunately, Mile's helicopter is not a sea-worthy vessel, so he's going to have to call someone else in to help him retrieve it.

Matt Trakker calls in Gloria Baker (AKA Aura) and Bruce Sato (AKA Magic) in to help him out retrieving the stargate. Gloria does not seem to care for Matt....so that probably means they'll be hooking up in the future. I don't make the rules of storytelling! That's just the way it's probably gonna be.

Gloria is a black belt martial artist and a race car driver. And Bruce is a toymaker who used to work for MARS! Huh. I wonder what it's like having a boss with a shiny metallic helmet? Destro actually seems like a pretty okay boss...y'know, relatively.

Anyway, the stargate's opened a wormhole in the middle of the ocean, so that's no good. MAN...between this and what happened over in Transformers, sea life really can't catch ANY breaks in this universe, can they? Where's Depth Charge when you need him?

Gloria's car can transform into a boat. And, I don't know why I like this, but I do. I don't know, it's charming, for some reason. I'm not sure if it's the most useful thing most times, but it is SITUATIONALLY useful. And sometimes that's all you need.

"I knew there was no such thing as a free magic %$#$#@@ sports car!" Heh.

Apparently, Sly Rax's car has the underwater capable option. So, he gets sent to attack Gloria and Bruce.

Bruce is able to shoot the stargate with a torpedo, so it gets taken out. But, after the battle Miles is feeling vengeful, so he shoots them out of the water with a missle, and we end our issue! Gloria's poor CAR! I mean...I doubt Gloria and Bruce are dead this early in the series, so they'll probably be fine. But, that poor, cool car! I mourn the loss of the Shark (2026-2026).



And finally, let's end this marathon of reviews with Transformers #34.

This issue features the debut of a new character you might remember from the 80s cartoon! Who gets spoiled on the cover, so why bother trying to keep it a secret? It's Doctor Arkeville. He's gonna be fun.

Otherwise, this issue continues to have a bunch of plot points going on all at once. Which does make it feel a little unfocused for me. But, we still get a pretty impactful fight, so it all evens out. It's a solid issue.

We start the issue with General Flagg being grossed out by Optimus's mouth. That hits a little close to home.

Apparently, construction on Autobot City is going well. I look forward to seeing what this series ends up doing with Metroplex. And General Flagg informs Optimus that even though they're technically not "Autobots" anymore, due to the schism with Elita, HE'S not coming up with a new name for them. He's already got the t-shirts printed up, gorblimey!

Flagg and Spike actually have a surprisingly respectful moment about knowing Spike's dead astronaut brother. Didn't really expect that. They ARE keeping Spike's brother in mind, so I have to wonder if there's a plot line that's going to come up with him, later.

Thundercracker wants the other Aerialbots to follow him in a quest to find the missing Ark within the center of the Earth. As you do. And they're happy to join their new brother-in-arm (he-he). Thundercracker and the Aerialbots doing a Indiana Jones style treasure hunt kinda sounds like a fun sidequest.

Flagg and Optimus go to a secret military base to check on none other than Doctor Henri Arkeville! It's be a real shock...if it wasn't spoiled on the cover. Oh well. Arkeville attacks Flagg, but...well, he's a bit outmatched. Although...I do wonder if Arkeville took the opportunity to inject something into Flagg while he had him by the neck with his robot arm? That feels like something that might pay off later, we'll see.

Flagg wants Arkeville to take Miles Mayhem's place as the head of Shadow Watch. Flagg has a type, I see. Flagg is just...such a GREAT judge of character.

Arkeville meets Optimus...and it's love at first sight. Or maybe "love" is the wrong word...is there a word for "the desire to do a autopsy on someone"? There's probably a German word for that, right?

Cliffjumper and Shredhead get attacked by the Combaticons in the city. They're facing down Bruticus, but Shredhead is pretty sure he can take him! (Put 'em up! Put 'em up!) And actually, he puts up a pretty decent fight...until he literally gets pounded into the ground by a fist the same size that he is. But, Cliffjumper grabs Shredhead's sword and stabs Bruticus in the neck...which kills Onslaught. Man...this little Autobot is racking up quite the kill count.

And Shredhead...ain't doing so hot, ending the issue. I doubt Shredhead will die, since he's so new. But, the Notobots don't really have the resources to fix him, either. So, we'll have to see what happens. Is it already time for him to get a new redesign? Hmm..."Deadhead"?

Also, Bumblejumper gets a reference by Kirkman in the recap page. So, that's fun.
 
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ZakuConvoy

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Citizen
GI Joe #24 is out!

It's a solid issue, which concludes the current story arc. And...leads us directly into that Joe vs Night Force they've been teasing. That's going to be interesting. It's mostly action, which doesn't leave us a lot to talk about...other than maybe that ending. But, I'm saving that for the spoilers. It doesn't really involve the Transformers, so if you only care about that side of things, don't worry about it. But, if you've been enjoying this book...pieces are started to get moved.

"I am the seventh son of the seventh son!" Say you, indeed! (...No one's gonna get that one. Google "Johnny Thunder" the DC comics hero from the 40s.)

Risk is busy fighting Crystal Ball and all his Energon constructs. SO many creepy crawlies running around. Regardless of him using Energon or not, it's kind of impressive that Crystal Ball found a way to get this much computing power together to program them all at the same time.

Baroness and Destro are trying to free Mercer and Astoria from their fear-machines. They actually do work together pretty well. Like they're destined to be together...or something. Hmmm....

We also learn that Astoria seems to have a secret she's keeping from Destro. So....she might be a double agent of some kind. And given the way her face looks in her nightmare...I honestly wonder if she's going to turn out to be a Pretender, or some other kind of sleeper agent from Cobra-La, or something.

"People think I took the name Risk because I'm some kind of thrill seeker...but, no...I AM the RISK!" Oooh. Good line!

Risk knocks Crystal Ball out with a punch. The bad guy's lair gets set ablaze. The Joes get to capture Crystal Ball and Mercer. And the two teams decide to let each other go for today. All pretty textbook. A pretty nice little adventure, honestly. What else could POSSIBLY go wrong?

Meanwhile, Destro got Crystal Ball's titular crystal ball of DIRE tech. Which Cobra Commander decided to test out on the Valkyrie who saved his life, earlier. Huh....I keep feeling like I should recognize this girl, but she's not ringing any bells.

Back at the Joe base, Baroness says she's suspicious of Hawk, after Destro told her that he met with him. Hmm....

Meanwhile, Hawk/Zartan is interrogating Crystal Ball to learn where he found his stash of Energon. But...he lets his mask slip, and Crystal Ball recognizes him. So...Zartan slashes his neck open...RIGHT as Baroness is walking in to demand some answers herself.

SO...this is how the Joe Civil War is going to start! The Joes are going to have to decide if they trust "Hawk"....or the Baroness. Okay, that's a interesting setup. The word of their commanding officer versus their most questionable ex-con member. Classic!

Over in the letters page, apparently, they're thinking about doing some sort of Energon Universe Guidebook in the future. Huh. I don't know how I feel about that. I've enjoyed those in the past. But, nowadays, with the modern internet and wikis and such, I'm not sure they serve as much of a point as they used to. I'm not against it, but I feel like you'd have to add a twist of some kind, to really make it worth picking up for people.

Also, they want to know your favorite Joe or Cobra vehicles! I'm...actually not sure what my favorite vehicle is. I think I'd have to look at a list of all the toys, I guess. I like the Cobra bubble-flight pods, but I think we've already seen those. Hmmm...
 
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Magnusblitz

Magnusblitz

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Week and half late on TF # 34 but I'll throw my two cents in.

Agreed that the comment on the missing faceplate hits a little close to home. I've never agreed with Flagg so much.

Kind of a shame they spoiled Arkeville on the cover as I think it would've been a cool reveal. Him attacking Flagg on sight and referring to a "less than civil" former interaction... well, hopefully there's a story/payoff there, otherwise feels a bit of a strange inclusion.

So... is Onslaught really supposed to be dead just because Cliffjumper stabbed Bruticus with the sword? A little surprised the Combaticons would flee so readily and just leave him behind.

Letters page points out this is ten issues in, and... man, doesn't seem like a ton has happened, other than the big Optimus/Elita split in issue 30. Feels like lots of setup for the last few issues, still waiting to see where it goes.
 

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
Magnusblitz said:
Kind of a shame they spoiled Arkeville on the cover as I think it would've been a cool reveal. Him attacking Flagg on sight and referring to a "less than civil" former interaction... well, hopefully there's a story/payoff there, otherwise feels a bit of a strange inclusion.
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I'm halfway expecting Flagg to get turned into some sort of Inhumanoid-looking monster, just from Arkeville secretly injecting him with various science STUFF during these one-sided fights.

Magnusblitz said:
So... is Onslaught really supposed to be dead just because Cliffjumper stabbed Bruticus with the sword? A little surprised the Combaticons would flee so readily and just leave him behind.
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Well, y'know...."dead", probably. As dead as any giant robot gets in this comic. Since we have seen that with enough resources, they can bring just about anybody back (As long as Megatron doesn't eat their sparks).

I guess this gives Kirkman a chance to replace Onslaught on the team with someone else, just like how Thundercracker subbed in for the Aerialbots. I do wonder who he'll slot in there, if that is the case? Starscream feels like he'd work pretty well. But, Shockwave could be a interesting choice, too, if he comes to Earth at some point.
Magnusblitz said:
Letters page points out this is ten issues in, and... man, doesn't seem like a ton has happened, other than the big Optimus/Elita split in issue 30. Feels like lots of setup for the last few issues, still waiting to see where it goes.
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Yeah, agreed. It's not AS bad as the worst of Void Rivals, but I'll admit, I kind of thought Kirkman would ramp up the action a little more than he has. It still feels like he's waiting for...something. Like he's killing time a bit until he can do something else, for some reason. I don't know what.

At the very least, things should get more exciting once Megatron hatches from his cocoon. Probably around the same time that Wheeljack finishes building the Dinobots. We're probably going to get some sort of "War" event, at some point. Like the Dreadnok War in GI Joe and the Quintesson War in Void Rivals.
 
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ZakuConvoy

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Citizen
Void Rivals #32 is out!

This is the introduction of...a character who I won't spoil, since the cover didn't give it away. But, if you got lucky with those blind bags earlier, you know who I'm talking about!

This is mostly a character-focused issue, since we're still dealing with the fallout of the Quintesson War. There's some nice moments in here between characters. It's actually a pretty emotionally-charged issue for a few characters.

So, it's a solid issue. It's not going to blow anyone away...unless you managed to somehow avoid spoilers about those blind bags. But, it is a good issue.

We begin our story as ALL great stories begin...with a long strand of gooey space-bug blood reaching across the cosmos!!

Yeah, the Cobra-La living Leviathan ship is wounded and crash lands on a jungle planet below. Stranding our heroes far from home, and far from their intended destination of Earth! Well, since their crashed ship is a giant animal, at least they won't go hungry. Slimy, yet satisfying!

You know who probably HATE my jokes? Pythona! She almost takes Darak's head off for quipping about the situation. Turns out the Cobra-La people are VERY attached to their space-bug-bus. She's weeping tears because future generations of Cobra-La children will not know it's comforting, chubby shadow above them. There's a page long monologue about it.

Anyway, Pythona swears vengeance against the Quintessons generally, and the Tribunal specifically, for killing the Leviathan. I'm sure that won't have any ironic consequences at ALL!

Darak assures Pythona that their talking handroids will be very useful in the future. And that is immediately true when they're the only ones who can sense a mysterious shadowy figure who's following them through the jungle. I don't know if they have horror movies on the Sacred Ring...but hopefully they watch some when they get to Earth so they'll know what a bad situation they were in, right here!

We skip forward a day, and Pythona's a mommy! Sorta! She found a larva of the Leviathan and now she's raising her new lil' cuddle-bug like it's her own. She's mellowed out a LOT since finding that baby yesterday. Offscreen. Might have been interesting to SHOW us that, but oh well.

With shelter taken care of, Darak takes a moment to process his father's death. He cries for a page. Then...he's over it. It's not much, but at least we got a little moment.

But, who shows up, whenever someone's feeling angsty and full of ennui? Why it's the Space Knight himself...ROM! That's right it's ROM! With...some sort of alien poncho that I still don't have full context for, because I haven't gotten that "secret" issue from the blind bags. I still feel like that thing's going to turn into ROM's version of Venom, or something.

"Bah-weep-graaaghnah wheep ni ni bong" Given how isolated the Void Rivals cast are on their ring-world, I'm not sure if they would actually know the universal greeting or not? But, hey, at least that means ROM isn't after them...for now!

Over in the letters page, Kirkman retcons that Darak and Solila are both in their 20s instead of their 30s like he said earlier. I...don't know if I really care, either way, but it's worth noting, I guess.


Also! Regarding the blind bags. We now know that both of the issues that you could ONLY get through the blind bags will be reprinted by the end of August! So, even the people who missed out should get another chance at those 2 special issues. No exact dates that I've seen so far, but just generally the end of August as the rough time frame

I'll put details under spoiler tags, just in case someone's managed to avoid spoilers for this long. If you have...you are REALLY good at avoiding spoilers!

bleedingcool.com

Rom Returns in Void Rivals as Image Comics Reprints Blind Bag Surprise

Rom returns in Void Rivals as Image Comics and Skybound reprints the blind bag surprises of Rom #1 and M.A.S.K. Origins #1
bleedingcool.com
 
Swerve

Swerve

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Citizen
I feel like they are really trying to make us sympathize with Cobra La.....which works in the context of Void Rivals I suppose. They are anti tech, but is that a bad thing? Pythona's reaction to the hand droids is interesting...she complains about the tech but doesn't tell them to ditch them. I hope they explore concepts of them being sentient and how Cobra La reacts to that. I'm glad the Rom special is getting into people's hands. Someone told me to check for the thicker issue in the bags so I went back and did and got lucky. It's a fun read. Curious how Pythona will react to Rom....he has that weird Alien arm too. Carpet (his poncho) is interesting as well.
 

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
The October solicitations are out!

bleedingcool.com

Image Comics Official Full October 2026 Solicits

Image Comics kicks off October 2026 soloicits and solicitations with the highly anticipated crossover G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero / Tomb Raider #1 by
bleedingcool.com

Also, I'll mention this out of spoiler tags. There's a GI Joe/Lara Croft Tomb Raider crossover happening, if you're interested in that. It's not the Energon Universe Joes, so it's not really relevant, but I think it's worth mentioning somewhere.

The images:
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46.jpg

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73.jpg

72.jpg


And some commentary:
The second UK Compendium comes out in October, so just something to keep in mind.

Seems like Zartan got exposed over in GI Joe. There's going to be some fallout from that.

Over in MASK, Matt Trakker has no choice but to recruit his son, Scott Trakker! Who is...*googles*...I guess he didn't GET a codename in the original show? But, this MIGHT be where T-Bob shows up, so we'll see.

In Void Rivals, dear sweet Akronus meets back up with Pythona and the gang, and she's upset that he's gone native and started using technology. But, forget about all that...SKUXXOID'S BACK! May he never leave the main cast ever again! All hail Skuxxoid!

And finally, over in Transformers, it's Elita Prime versus Shockwave! I'm kind of wondering if some of the weird stuff that's going on with the Matrix will start to come to head, here. So, it's not impossible that we could get some sort of "Dark Elita" form in this issue or so. We'll see.
 
Swerve

Swerve

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Citizen
So..the ending to Mask issue 3...what's everyone's thoughts?
Hey and Bruce didn't die which is great....and with Baron Karza pulling the streams we are definitely moving into the Hasbro comic Universe v. 2.....I think we are just missing Visionaries now.
 

ZakuConvoy

Well-known member
Citizen
Yes, let's talk about the latest MASK and Transformers issues! Because they are out! I'm just late again.

Let's start with MASK #3! Yeah, the twist a the end of the issue is definitely worth talking about. Personally, I'd say that even if you aren't reading this book...you MAY want to pick this one up, if only because it's the first appearance of someone BIG (or...small?) in this universe.

Otherwise, this is a solid issue. There's some pretty good over-the-top action in this issue. But, that ending is what people are REALLY going to be talking about.

We pick up where we left off last issue, with our heroes stranded undersea, after Miles Mayhem blew up their cool car! Man, it's pretty early in this series to be blowing up vehicles and killing off your main characters! I barely know who these people are, yet.

Gloria's still treading water, but she can't surface, or else Miles will finish her off. Luckily she has a highly advanced MASK that can give her a little pick-me-up! Great for having to swim a marathon underwater, or just for early mornings when you've ran out of coffee.

But, Matt Trakker shows up to distract Miles. "Are you SERIOUSLY attacking a fighter jet with a modified PONY CAR?!" Do people really call them "pony cars" or is that just to get around the "Mustang" trademark? Also, shut up, Miles! Applejack's a great mechanic!

We're not even though the first arc, yet, and they've already destroyed 2 of the most iconic vehicles in this franchise. Can't say they aren't going for broke on this one.

Also...Matt WILL punch a jet! And it's spectacular! He gets close enough to Miles in the cockpit that he rips off his shirt...revealing a strange tattoo. That looks like...small planets...or perhaps "gears" that you might see inside a robot with clear skin...hmmmmm....I wonder if Miles had the tattoo artist killed after he got this done?

Matt ends up falling off the jet, but luckily there's a LOT of branches to break his fall. And also, his neck, since he lands head first on the ground. Not the most graceful of landings. He's really gotta work on that in the future. I guess these MASKs are really, really cushioned.

"I do like cutting heads off" Don't we all?

But, who's here to save Gloria, but Bruce! He's alive! Somehow! If Zartan wasn't busy elsewhere, I might be more suspicious of this.

VENOM manages to get just a piece of the alien stargate they were after. Not sure what they're going to do with that. Given that this is MASK...my guess is they'll turn it into a special super-mask?

Meanwhile, Miles is communicating with his secret master. Which he has to do shirtless for...some reason?

And that secret master is none other than...BARON KARZA! Of the Micronauts! So, yeah, the Hasbroverse 2.0 continues to grow!

And Miles decides that if he wants to defeat Matt, he has to attack his weak point...his SON!

(Let's all take a moment to appreciate that Baron Karza made a appearance in this universe before either Grimlock OR Snake Eyes. Say what you will about that decision, but you have to admire the restraint!)

Swerve said:
So..the ending to Mask issue 3...what's everyone's thoughts?
Hey and Bruce didn't die which is great....and with Baron Karza pulling the streams we are definitely moving into the Hasbro comic Universe v. 2.....I think we are just missing Visionaries now.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd like to see the Visionaries, at some point, too. Inhumanoids would be nice, but I guess that's still in right's limbo. Although, if there's anyone who could make that work, it might be Robert Kirkman. (Or Hasbro could just officially change the name, whatever.)

Are there any other Hasbro properties that we want to add in, here? I guess we haven't gotten Action Man in here, yet. And, technically, Pound Puppies did make a appearance in the old IDW Hasbroverse. Power Rangers would be fun, but Boom has those rights. Battleship would slot in pretty easily, though I don't know what you'd do with it. I'm not sure what the rights situation is for Duel Masters/Kaijudo, but that'd be a fun addition that would bring something new.

I guess it's probably going to be a while before we get to see too much of the other Micronauts, though. I guess they're just going to be effectively MASK side-characters for this first year, which is odd to think about. Since, I feel like Micronauts are actually more popular than MASK, if only because of how beloved the original Marvel comic was, but I could be wrong about that.


And now let's talk about Transformers #35!

This...was fine. The pacing's still slower than I'd like. But, there is stuff happening. I just...wish it was happening a bit quicker, I guess. It still feels like we're waiting for things to really explode, again. Part of the problem is that there's about 5 or 6 different subplots all happening at once.

So, yeah, this is fine. But, it still feels like we're planting seeds for later, with this arc. But, when things finally happen, they'll probably all happen at once. So, we'll see.

Wheeljack's tinkering in his lab in the Cybertron-shard, making...those Exo-Suits from the Movie. Between Autobot City being built and now this, they are REALLY teasing that some version of the Movie is coming, I feel. It even sounds like he's just going to give these things away to help the construction get going faster.

Also, Wheeljack is talking to himself. A LOT! I'm really not sure if this is supposed to be "quirky" or "concerning". Although...he does have those "lights" around. And those are PROBABLY the Dinobot's sparks. So...I guess he's not TOTALLY alone.

Also...Zombie-Starscream is at the Cybertron-Shard. So...that'll play out...eventually. Not now, though. Because we only see him for one page. I do wonder if Zombie-Starscream will end up EATING the "Dinobot Sparks", kind of like what Megatron did before. I could see that happening, if only to subvert some expectations. We...may never see the Dinobots in this universe...but we'll see. Maybe we're in for the return of...THE BEAST?! Don't tell me Kirkman wouldn't do that, if he's been skimming the wiki.

Beast (G1) - Transformers Wiki

tfwiki.net tfwiki.net

Optimus finds the wounded Shredhead (and Onslaught) and gets them back to base to repair them.

Meanwhile, Thundercracker is leading the other Aerialbots on their Ark Quest in the Himalayas. Hey, do YOU remember who lives in the Himalayas?

We waste a entire page on Beachcomber just...spacing out. I'm sure that's foreshadowing something, but it does kind of feel unnecessary, right here and now.

Wheeljack gets called back to help repair Shredhead (and Onslaught). But, it turns out Doctor Arkeville has already gotten a head-start. Using some parts from Onslaught to help partially repair Shredhead. Which Wheeljack thinks is squicky. So...hmm...chances are Shredhead will have some lasting consequences from this. And I'm betting Onslaught's "ghost" will start haunting him. So...what's their new combo name gonna be? Onhead? Shread-Slaught? Onshred? Hmm...I'm gonna have to think about this one.

I AM slightly amused that they just...LEFT Shredhead's sword sticking out of Onslaught's torso the entire time. They transported him MILES with that thing sticking out of there.

Meanwhile in the Himalayas (seriously)...it seems like Thundercracker is getting visions of Skywarp? I think? I don't THINK the other Aerialbots see Skywarp, so I think this is all happening in Thundercracker's head, but it's unclear. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Anyway, Thundercracker ends up causing a avalanche by shooting at "Skywarp".

And then who should show up but the Cobra-La Royal Guard! Transformers versus Cobra-La! I have a feeling this will be the opening salvos of something bigger down the line.

Over in the letters page, they keep emphasizing how this is already the FOURTH year of Skybound having the Hasbro properties. Time flies. Although, it does make me wonder if maybe Kirkman is getting bored, already. But, we'll see what happens.

And Kirkman actually teases a document he created before he started working on the series, basically brainstorming ideas for what they could do later. Like a idea for Optimus to actually use GRIMLOCK as a t-rex arm instead of Megatron's cannon, which would have been pretty cool. And he actually teases that he could print at least part of it when they reach issue 50 or 100. I...doubt that'll actually happen. Maybe as bonus material in some trade collection. But, we'll see.
 
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Shadewing

Shadewing

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Citizen
Mask:

I kinda called it while I was reading the issue, that he'd be talking to the Micronauts guy. Either him or some form of Dire Wraith. Mostly liked this issue, glad they didn't kill Bruce off. Its too soon to be removing players.

Transformers:

Wheeljack: Yeah, I feels like they are slowly putting the "mad" into the mad scientist as he seems to be going a bit stir crazy out there all by himself. I also feel like whatever his other project is, is gonna be some kinda bait and switch. Like everyone knows/expects Wheeljack to make the Dinobots. Wrapping it up in this amount of mystery is unneeded, unless there's gonna be some kinda twist imo. Weird Thought: In the cartoon we know Starscream took the "personality cores" of the Combaticons to create Bruticus; maybe here Starscream is somehow responsible for us getting Volcanicus.

Shredhead: I kinda agree with Archevile here. There weren't many good options, so using spare parts from another "robot" to keep him from off lining completely makes sense. Like I can understand why it'd bother Wheeljack or others, but when the choice is between life and death, you need to try whatever works.

Aerialbots: The fact Skywarp might be a hallucination never really crossed my mind while reading this, but I am looking forward to the fight with Cobra-La. I also like that Thundercracker is kinda trying to be Armada Starscream, with feeling like there are bigger threats to deal with rather then continuing a pointless war. Though I still don't like Skywarp becoming this unhinged psychopath after being fixed.
 
Swerve

Swerve

Life of the Party
Citizen
So....do you think the whole exosuit thing was done to tease us because we all thought Wheeljack was working on Dinobots? Which he still probably is.....also...what is up with Beachcomber? He seems distracted and sad.
 
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