The third and final part of IDW Publishing‘s initial Transformers trilogy is far from the end of the saga. The Decepticons jump ahead to the end of their infiltration protocols and that means… devastation for Earth! Megatron orders Sixshot to return to Earth and fend off the Autobots, but he’s been followed by recent adversaries. Optimus Prime‘s near-death experience has left him with more questions than answers. The secret organisation calling themselves the Machination are looking to combine their human forms with Cybertronian tech, having proven themselves capable by turning Hunter O’Nion into the head of Sunstreaker. And the Decepticons have obtained Ore-13, a form of Energon that makes them considerably more powerful than Cybertronian Energon.
If this wasn’t enough, the sadistic scientist Shockwave has returned, having been lost for millions of years. Trouble is stirring on the prison planet Garrus-9. And a far greater threat is about to emerge from the Dead Universe…
See the Fallout section to find out what to read next!
Major Crossover: The third major Transformers storyline from IDW runs through a six-issue mini-series, with six more Transformers Spotlight one-shots relating directly tying in to this title.
Must-Reads: Issues marked with a ✔are essential to the story.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Did we miss something? Let us know!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- INFILTRATION (2005-2006) – The Autobots investigate the Decepticons’ invasion of Earth
- ESCALATION (2006-2007) – Optimus Prime and Megatron’s forces clash
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers; must-read chapters are in bold:
- Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1
- Transformers Spotlight: Galvatron #1
- Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1
- Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1
- Transformers: Devastation #1-4
- Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1
- Transformers: Devstation #5-6
- Transformers Spotlight: Grimlock #1
| Must Read | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Galvatron #1 (pp.1-4) Galvatron emerges from an anomaly in space and, as the self-proclaimed “Harbinger of the Unlife”, he immediately annihilates an alien craft and heads to Cybertron… 1st appearance: Galvatron |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 (pp.1-6) Ultra Magnus subdues Arcee who’s intent on seeking disrupting Jhiaxus’ alleged plans for the universe. Two treacherous Autobots report Arcee’s actions back to Jhiaxus who orders them to continue with ‘the expansion’… 1st appearance: Arcee, Jhiaxus |
| Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1 (pp.1-20) Years ago, during the Great War on Cybertron, Wheelie was entrusted with an off-world mission. Before he was close to carrying it out, Wheelie crash-land his ship on a barren planet referred to as LV-117. After mega-cycles of fending off attacks from frightening indigenous creatures like arachnosaurs and the chaosteros, he discovers a Decepticon ship has also crashed on the barren planet. Inside is the corpse of Viewfinder of the Reflector trio. Wheelie and his new alien friend Varta fix the ship, but Spectro and Spyglass return to reclaim it. Wheelie rigs the ship to explode when they take off, costing him his chance to escape… 1st appearance: Hot Spot, Wheelie (full) | |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1 (pp.1-4) Aboard Ark-19, Optimus Prime reviews the various battle fronts. Ironhide is missing. Kup’s slowly recovering. And there’s a new lead on Skorponok’s whereabouts. But Prime’s also dealing with his near-death experience (during ESCALATION, 2006-2007). He leaves Earth’s atmosphere aboard Ark-32… 1st appearance: Gunrunner (full) |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Galvatron #1 (pp.5-20) On Cybertron, Sideswipe insists on leaving his post on Cybertron to search for his missing brother, Sunstreaker, on Earth. Galvatron returns to his home world and recalls being aboard the first Ark and how he steered it into the Dead Universe. He kills the Autobot Leadfoot, prompting a violent reaction from Sideswipe and his allies. Sideswipe blows up Galvatron’s head, but he regenerates and fires back, knocking them offline but leaving them alive to tell their allies. When they wake, they discover Galvatron has taken Thunderwing… 1st appearance: Hound, Leadfoot, Road Rocket, Sideswipe, Skram, Warpath |
| Must Read | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1 (pp.5-22) Optimus Prime seeks out Omega Supreme to learn the truth about Nova Prime. He learns of Nova’s insistence on Cybertron’s galactic expansion, which is why he really built the first Ark. Their conversation is interrupted by Monstructor, a horrifying gestalt created by Jhiaxus. Despite attempts to talk the creature down, Optimus is left no choice but to disable it with its one weak spot. Despite the Autobots taking it prisoner, Omega warns that letting Monstructor live might allow gestalt tech to fall into the hands of the Decepticons… 1st appearance: Monstructor, Novas Prime (full), Omega Supreme (full), Wheelie (voice) |
| Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1 After floating aimlessly in space in a severely damaged state for quite some time, Blaster is reunited with the Autobots. Blaster doesn’t remember who tried to kill him, but it appears it was an inside job. After the Autobot assassin fails in in another bid to kill Blaster, Perceptor helps him set a trap which Beachcomer falls into. However, it seems Soundwave and Bombshell took control of Beachcomber’s mind so he’d kill Blaster on their behalf. But why? 1st appearance: Downshift (full), Kick-Off (full), Overdrive (full), Pincher (full), Trypticon (full) | |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #1 Aboard Ark-19, under Lake Michigan, Nightbeat dissects the device Verity Carlo stole from Agent Stoker and finds it’s sending out a homing signal, which led to Stoker’s allies taking Sunstreaker (during ESCALATION, 2006-2007). Bumblebee decides to track the signal back. Hot Rod and Wheeljack head to Indiana to break Ironhide out of a scrapyard. In Oregon, Megatron orders Sixshot to hunt and kill the Autobots on Earth. Thinking their leader is losing it for bringing in the deadly Sixshot, the Decepticons decide to free Starscream from stasis. In the former Russian state of Brasnya, Skywatch send the reprogrammed Ravage out to hunt his fellow Cybertronians. From Cybertron, Sideswipe finally convinces Optimus to allow him and Hound’s team to come to Earth. As soon as Ark-19 rises from Lake Michigan, it’s attacked by Sixshot and starts plummeting towards a populated area… |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #2 Optimus orders Ratchet and Nightbeat to activate the Ark’s manoeuvring thrusters and steer towards the nearest coastline, preventing a crash. Ratchet, Verity Carlo and Jimmy Pink launch from an escape pod. Hot Rod and Wheeljack are surrounded by clones of Sunstreaker on Highway 30 in Indiana. One of them transforms and removes its head which converts into Abraham Dante, the Machination leader. In Tampa’s Machination’s headquarters, Hunter O’Nion has woken to find he has a similar Headmaster body to Dante. He also finds Sunstreaker’s actual head… |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #3 In Alabama, Sixshot chases down Ratchet, but he escapes with Verity and Jimmy when Optimus Prime and the Autobots show up. In Indiana, Hot Rod and Wheeljack escape the Sunstreaker Headmaster clones. In Florida, the real head of Sunstreaker asks Hunter to kill him. In space, the Reapers prepare to attack Earth. Elsewhere, Nemesis Prime orders Galvatron to head to Earth… |
| Must Read | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #4 In Indiana, Hot Rod and Wheeljack locate the scrapyard where Ironhide is due to be crushed. In Florida, Optimus Prime’s squad take on Sixshot in full view of a local news helicopter. Prime orders Nightbeat to activate the orbital jump to teleport the Autobots out of there while Prime himself stays to face Sixshot. The jump kills Verity and Jimmy. Elsewhere, Hunter O’Nion subjects himself to the full, automated Headmaster process. In Oregon, the Decepticon base comes under attack from the Reapers, forcing Megatron to summon Sixshot to fight them off. Prime is jumped out before the US Air Force drop an air strike. And Starscream is back online… |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 (pp.7-22) On Garrus-9, Fortress Maximus orders the sparks of the six Decepticons who made up Monstructor to be removed. Banzaitron leads an attack on the prison planet after obtaining Doubledealer’s information, in the hopes of obtaining the ‘Monstructor Six’ for his own ends. Fortress Maximus frees Arcee to protect Garrus-9 in exchange for access to the Monstructor Six – creatures who, like her, were a result of Jhiaxus’s experiments. Just as the Combaticons overpower the Technobots, Arcee enters the fray. But the Combaticons teleport the Monstructor Six out with an orbital bounce. Arcee explains Jhiaxus forcibly made her the first female Cybertronian and then discarded her. Arcee swears to wipe out all of Jhiaxus’ creations, starting with Monstructor… 1st appearance: Brawl, Cloudraker, Fastlane, Jackpot, Longtooth (disembodied spark), Over-Run, Rad, Ransack (disembodied spark), Repugnus (disembodied spark), Roadblock, Rollout, Skyfall, Skyjack (disembodied spark), Sprocket, Turbofire, Vortex, Vroom, Windbreaker |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #5 Years ago, Starscream warned Megatron about making Sixshot too powerful. Now, the Reapers try to convince Sixshot to join them, one last time. Starscream emerges and gives the command that shuts Sixshot down. While Starscream attacks the Reapers, Megatron realises it was his own troops who brought Starscream back online. In Indiana, the Headmaster Sunstreaker clones catch up with Hot Rod and Wheeljack. In Florida, Hunter completes the Headmaster process and finds a whole legion of Sunstreaker bodies. Optimus Prime receives a report on the break-out on Garrus-9. Grimlock’s lifeless form is discovered at the archaeological doing site in Oregon… |
| ✔ | Transformers: Devastation #6 Abraham Dante has undergone the full Headmaster procedure and is revealed to be in league with Skorponok, whose head is all that survived his encounter with Ultra Magnus (during ESCALATION, 2006-2007). Dante assumes control of Skorponok’s body and attacks Hunter who transforms into Sunstreaker’s head – becoming one with the Autobot – before escaping. In Oregon, Starscream and Megatron fight together against the Reapers who kill Runamuck and Runabout. Galvatron spreads his necrotic virus among the Reapers, turning them to ash. In Indiana, the Sunstreakers are wiped out. Hardhead arrives and takes Wheeljack and Ironhide back to Ark-32, but Hot Rod disobeys orders to find out who’s creating Headmasters. Nightbeat learns Leadfoot was killed by a necrotic virus. Optimus Prime orders all Autobots to leave Earth for Garrus-9. Galvatron communes with his masters in the Dead Universe… Jhiaxus and Nova Prime! |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Grimlock #1 Skywatch’s attempts to assert control over the inert Grimlock, stirring his memories. He recalls disobeying Optimus Prime’s direct orders and misleading the Dynobots – dragging them to Earth to seek revenge on Shockwave (as seen during INFILTRATION, 2005-2006). Grimlock wakes, breaks out of Skywatch and rampages through Nevada. Abraham Dante transforms into Skorponok’s head, combining with Skorponok himself and offering Grimlock an alliance. But Grimlock violently refuses to aid the Machination in growing their empire. Grimlock activates the teleport signal to his Skyfire ship in Earth’s orbit to make his escape. Returning to base, Dante orders Slag, Sludge, Snarl and Swoop to be prepared to take down Grimlock… |
| Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1 (pp.21-22) A year after Wheelie lost his chance to escape the barren LV-117, he’s remained friends with Varta. In a cave, a painting that looks like a Quintesson begins to glow… |
| Must Read | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Transformers Spotlight: Cyclonus #1 (2008) Optimus Prime’s team arrive on Garrus-9 to deal with the break out. Transformers Spotlight: Hardhead #1 (2008) Dealer manipulates the Autobots to aid in Jhiaxus’ Expansion project; Nightbeat finds out why his memories were erased. Transformers Spotlight: Doubledealer #1 (2008) Jhiaxus deploys Sixshot as his own mind-controlled agent and guards the Nega-Core. Transformers Spotlight: Sideswipe #1 (2008) Nemesis Prime’s intentions of forcing the Cybertronians on to their next evolutionary step are opposed by Optimus Prime; Arcee faces Monstructor one-on-one. | REVELATION |
| ✔ | Transformers: Maximum Dinobots #1-5 (2009) Ultra Magnus brings Skorponok into custody; having been revealed as the mastermind behind the Machination, Skorponok is stripped of his connection to Abraham Dante and the Machination are shut down; Sunstreaker and Hunter O’Nion are separated; Hunter reunites with Verity and Jimmy; Grumlock is arrested for his past crimes. | |
| Transformers: All Hail Megatron #1 (2008) Despite the Autobots’ very public battle with Sixshot, the existence of the Cybertronians doesn’t become public knowledge for another year when Megatron takes over Earth. | ALL HAIL MEGATRON | |
| ✔ | Transformers: All Hail Megatron #7 (2009) The Autobots cut the mental link between Sunstreaker and Hunter O’Nion. | ALL HAIL MEGATRON |
| Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers #4 (2010) Grimlock is imprisoned on Garrus-9. | ||
| Transformers #3 (2010) Beachcomber is revealed to have recovered from his injuries. | ||
| ✔ | Transformers: Robots in Disguise Annual 2012 (2012) The origin of Nova Prime is revealed. | PRIMUS |
| Transformers: Robots in Disguise #9-10 (2012) Despite the Reflector team continuing to appear, their ship ends up being sent back in time and crashing on LV-117 where Wheelie finds them; in the present, Optimus Prime (now Orion Pax again) finds Wheelie and Varta; they escape aboard a Quintesson-created ship. | ||
| ✔ | Transformers: Dark Cybertron #1 (2013) It’s revealed that Galvatron steered the first Ark into the Dead Universe under Nova Prime’s orders; most of the crew of the first Ark were killed in the crossing. Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #27 (2014) It’s revealed that Shockwave first opened the doorway to the Dead Universe when he travelled back in time to the moment of its birth. | DARK CYBERTRON |
| ✔ | Transformers: Robots in Disguise #34 (2014) Monstructor is revealed to be Nova Prime’s attempt to recreate gestalt tech without the legendary Enigma of Combination. Transformers #37-38 (2015) It’s revealed that there actually were females on ancient Cybertronian and Arcee wasn’t as alone as she thought she was; Jhiaxus’ true intentions for Arcee are revealed; Cybertronian factions fight over possession of the Enigma of Combination. Transformers: Combiner Hunters #1 (2015) Arcee decides to destroy the Enigma of Combination in an effort to prevent other Cybertonians have change forced upon them. | COMBINER WARS |
| Transformers: Lost Light #15 (2018) A trace of Abraham Dante’s conscious is revealed to still exist in Skroponok’s mind. | ||
| ✔ | Optimus Prime #25 (2018) Arcee’s true origin is revealed. | UNICRON |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Transformers: The IDW Collection vol.3 | New Avengers/The Transformers #1-4 Transformers: Devastation #1-6 Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1 Transformers Spotlight: Galvatron #1 Transformers Spotlight: Grimlock #1 Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1 |
| Transformers: Devastation #1-6 | Transformers: Devastation #1-6 |
| Transformers: The Premiere Collection vol.2 | Transformers: Devastation #1-6 Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1 Transformers Spotlight: Cyclonus #1 Transformers Spotlight: Doubledealer #1 Transformers Spotlight Galvatron #1 Transformers Spotlight: Grimlock #1 Transformers Spotlight: Hardhead #1 Transformers Spotlight: Kup #1 Transformers Spotlight: Mirage #1 Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1 Transformers Spotlight: Ramjet #1 Transformers Spotlight: Sideswipe #1 Transformers Spotlight: Soundwave #1 Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1 |
| Transformers: Phase One Omnibus | Transformers: Devastation #1-6 Transformers: Escalation #1-6 Transformers: Infiltration #0, 1-6 |
| Transformers Spotlight Omnibus vol.1 | Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1 Transformers Spotlight Galvatron #1 Transformers Spotlight Grimlock #1 Transformers Spotlight: Hot Rod #1 Transformers Spotlight: Kup #1 Transformers Spotlight: Nightbeat #1 Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1 Transformers Spotlight: Ramjet #1 Transformers Spotlight: Shockwave #1 Transformers Spotlight: Sixshot #1 Transformers Spotlight: Soundwave #1 Transformers Spotlight: Ultra Magnus #1 |
| Transformers Spotlight Omnibus vol.2 | Transformers Spotlight: Blurr Transformers Spotlight: Cliffjumper Transformers Spotlight: Cyclonus Transformers Spotlight: Doubledealer Transformers Spotlight: Drift Transformers Spotlight: Hardhead Transformers Spotlight: Jazz Transformers Spotlight: Metroplex Transformers Spotlight: Mirage Transformers Spotlight: Prowl Transformers Spotlight: Sideswipe Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie |
| Transformers Spotlight vol.2 | Transformers Spotlight: Arcee #1 Transformers Spotlight: Blaster #1 Transformers Spotlight: Galvatron #1 Transformers Spotlight: Grimlock #1 Transformers Spotlight: Wheelie #1 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Transformers Spotlight vol.2 Transformers: The Best of Optimus Prime Transformers: The IDW Collection vol.2 Transformers: The IDW Compendium vol.1 | Transformers Spotlight: Optimus Prime #1 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2024
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