G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers 2 #3

Credits

Story - Dan Jolley / Pencils - Guido Guidi, Emiliano Santalucia / Inks - Sean Parsons, Andrew Pepoy / Letters - Dreamer Design / Colors - Jeremy Roberts

Story

Admist the ruins of a future New York City, Barbecue, Spirit, Tomax, Xamot, and Dr. Mindbender are in search of one Transformer, five miles northwest of their position. They are quickly spotted by a Decepticon patrol, but are saved by the heavily-cyborged future versions of the Dreadnoks. As they take the time-displaced humans to an underground base, the Dreadnoks explain that a Shockwave-led invasion has decimated most of the planet, leaving the few remaining humans to cast aside their differences and try to fight back.

The team is then introduced to Duke, a scarred and crippled cynic who says the best thing they can do to help is to join their feeble ranks. Barbecue suggests that they can avert the invasion if they find their lost Cybertronian, but Duke calls them cowards and orders them to leave. As they do, Dr. Mindbender ponders the possibility of this future coming to pass, and Torch volunteers to help them find the Transformer they need...

Meanwhile, back on Cybertron, Ultra Magnus strains to keep the force field up despite heavy attacks from the Decepticons. The field generator is already depleted, and Magnus is risking his own power to keep it going, giving Shockwave confidence that they will soon capture the humans, the Autobots, and Teletran-3...

Back in Future Earth, Torch explains that "The Autobot" has been the only thing preventing the humans from even further extinction. As they approach the city again, they're suddenly attacked by a swarm of Insecticons! In response, Tomax and Xamot link arms, then vaporize part of the swarm with dual energy blasts! With an EMP grenade from Torch, the humans run into a forest, and are quickly surrounded by robot panthers! But before the humans can react, the Decepticons are vaporized by "The Autobot" -- Ratchet!

Spirit tries to talk Ratchet into returning with them, but Ratchet insists they first help him rescue a cadre of humans held as slaves at a nearby factory. The Joes and Cobras agree; working together, they quickly free the slaves while Ratchet ruthlessly destroys their Decepticon guards. Ratchet, however, refuses to return, citing a need for him to stay and save the remaining humans. In response, Barbecue ambushes him with their disruptor, sending everyone back to Cybertron...

...where they are suddenly attacked by Shockwave's forces! Ratchet falls instantly, and Shockwave vaporizes Xamot a moment later, while Cyclonus captures the others. Shockwave then begins the next step of his plan: to reprogram Teletran-3's time gates so they still function, but not allow anyone to pass. Then he simply has to wait for the temporal quakes to occur, burning all of Earth for his conquest!

Meanwhile, beneath the streets of Cybertron, the last three free humans -- Breaker, Lady Jaye, and Beachhead -- must find some way to turn the situation around...

Notes and Comments

• The "junkyard motorcycles" the future Dreadnoks ride are modeled after the Junkions, from Transformers: The Movie.