#transformers spike

The cover art for this issue is unsubtle in the best way possible. No wonder I keep seeing it floating around the Internet. I don't usually like cover art all that much since I feel hurt after getting baited by them so many times before (I'll never forgive that one IDW Shattered Glass issue for teasing Starscream's ghost talking to Soundwave, but what actually happened was Soundwave just heard Starscream's screams in the background and there's a panel visually representing Starscream's ghost, but is not really his ghost, SINCE THAT SERIES GOT CUT OFF BEFORE STARSCREAM GOT A CHANCE TO EVEN COME BACK AS A GHOST)

"We'll take good care of you, buddy" my ass. JETFIRE NOOOOOOOOOO. Rachet, you better fix him up after this (ToT) If the Autobots can leave the bottom of the ocean, somehow...

Huh, I think this is the first I've ever seen Shockwave's alt mode. I'm new here, but even I have heard of the alt modes of some of the more obscure characters. It's crazy that the alt mode of someone as popular as Shockwave isn't more well known (maybe it changes a lot between continuities, idk?). I didn't know that he's a gun like Megatron. It's funny how the powerful controlling characters has alt modes that are known to be helpless tools, while the underdogs have alt modes known to represent the freedom to travel.

DWJ YOU'RE KILLING OFF THE ONLY MEDIC TOO?!!!!!!! The way Rachet asked Cliff for help even though he himself is the only Autobot who can actually do that is so heart-wrenching... (I guess Shockwave may count as a medic too, given his expertise, although, he follows the exact opposite of "do no harm" lmao)

I swear to Primus if the humans at the dam turn against the Autobots later, they're getting their veteran's discounts revoked.

So, Astrotrain is the kind of brute who has an honour code, huh? Like, he's reluctant to kill those he considers beneath him, but will do it quickly if he must. He does believe that it's the natural order for a stronger species to crush a weaker species in its path, but he's not cruel about it. Very cool. I hope Megatron won't kill him when that amputee reunites with the 'cons.

Oh my god I just realised how funny it is that although Spike might not be able to become an astronaut like his late brother, he still got to ride a space shuttle, at a younger age than Jimmy too, and will probably survive the flight as well.

I guess no one can rival Shockwave's cup size now, huh.

I see the key difference between Elita & Arcee now. While they'll do anything for the people they care about, Arcee is willing to extend her scope to include the people that others care about. Elita, don't. That was why she was willing to ditch the other Autobots to Shockwave, despite knowing full well what that 'con can do to them, and how much Optimus cares about them. Arcee will jump in without hesitation to save a stranger from a species she's never encountered before just because Optimus is worried about them, while Elita likely knows and has fought alongside Cliffjumper and Jazz before, but she didn't really check if they're truly deadweight nor if they'll fit on Optimus's truck bed with the guy she just saved. Cliff & Jazz weren't even fully unconscious, just beaten up. Despite that, Elita only took a quick glance at them and decided that they're goners. Having stricter limitations on who you want to care about isn't inherently evil, especially in the middle of war, where saving another risks killing you both, but damn girl, that's cold. 

Both Soundwave & Shockwave don't really have facial expressions, with Shockwave being even more limited in that aspect, but Shockwave is more emotionally expressive than Soundwave is. You can feel his cruel glee from his lines and body language. Meanwhile, Soundwave is more reserved, almost gentle sometimes.

I really hope that Shockwave is into necromancy, because I kinda want Rachet back. Not just because he's the only actual medic (that I know of, so far), but because he's so real. He stole Megatron's detached arm when Optimus & him were evacuating the Autobots out of the Arc, which has gotta be purely out of spite against the 'cons, cause there's no way Rachet could've known that Optimus is going to lose an arm later and got the arm that happens to matches Optimus' size and missing side. (Hol' up, I just remembered him predicting that Slicer is going to need his arm repaired in Shattered Glass... Is predicting someone else's injuries something he can just do canonically?! (ToT) Aw man I really thought that he had such a strong beef against Megatron that he'll just steal that guy's detached arm when given the opportunity) (Can the reason he took Megatron's arm be due to BOTH clairvoyance and just because he's that petty against the 'cons?), and he calls out Optimus when the big guy impulsively drained the matrix for the hospital, since Optimus not only risked his own life, but also the Autobots' ability to survive the war and protect the human species that Optimus cares so much about. I also want to see if Rachet is friends with Elita, or if he has beef with her. They could be friends since they're both on the same side, the more serious realists among the 'bots, and close to Optimus. However, Rachet might also dislike Elita, because despite their similarities, Elita will easily ditch those she doesn't particularly care about, unlike the medic who'll at least assess the situation to the best of his ability before deciding if someone can't be saved.

Ya know, for a species that achieved intergalactic travel and has a life-span of millions of years, it's kinda disappointing that they somehow managed their planet's resources so badly that they resorted to taking resources from other planets to sustain themselves (not disappointing in a way that affects narrative enjoyment, but in a "I guess y'all aren't that better from humans, huh" kind of way) Like, I know the war fucked everything up, but you'd think that someone would've looked into reusable energy sources to overcome the dwindling energon supply. The comic showed that they can turn other energy sources into energon. So, hear me out here, someone mentioned a "new dawn for Cybertron", so that means the planet orbits a star, and these space-faring species never got around to build an equivalent of a dyson swarm to harness its power? I know it's the Decepticons who are running the planet rn, but they do have smart people in their ranks. I guess their might-makes-right mentality makes them lean towards the short-term gains and glory from subjugating other planets, instead of studying what they already have for long-term gains.