Set Description:
Hearts of Steel is a comic miniseries published by IDW Publishing in 2006. It was the first (and thus far the only) story in IDW's The Transformers: Evolutions series. It is set in an alternate Generation 1 continuity in which the Transformers' first contact with humanity is in the late 19th century, rather than the 20th.
The series is penned by Chuck Dixon, with pencils by Guido Guidi (except for the third issue, whose art was provided by Antonio Vasquez and Luis Czerniawski). Guidi also designed the characters' new 19th century forms.
When the series was first announced, art duties were said to be handled by Ted McKeever, and a Newsarama article on the series included a single piece of promotional art, the inks to a wraparound cover of issue 1 in McKeever's distinctive style. The reason for the change in creative teams is unknown.
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| Slot: |
Transformers: Evolutions - Hearts of Steel 3 |
| Item: |
Transformers: Evolutions - Hearts of Steel 3 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0003048021
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Owner Comments
Synopsis
In the "high, arid wastes of Death Valley", a lonely stagecoach encounters Frenzy, who is standing guard near the Decepticon factory. He rather politely tells them to turn around and leave, but the occupant of the stage, Jacob Lee Bonaventure, tells him he may have business with Frenzy's employer.
Frenzy escorts him to Starscream. Bonaventure, while trying to track down the yellow machine's origins, has learned a great deal about the Decepticons' activities, though he has apparently not realized that there are two factions of Transformers. He offers to be Starscream's intermediary in dealings with humans. As Starscream no longer has Tobias Muldoon to serve in that role, he accepts. Bonaventure states that he doesn't really care about Starscream's long-term goals, so long as he makes a profit.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Muldoon is telling his story to Stanford Merriweather, Kitty Merriweather, and Mark Twain. The Merriweathers think he's delirious; Twain is slightly more credulous. The conversation is interrupted by Ravage, who bursts through the window, apparently intending to kill Muldoon. Twain fends off Ravage with a chair while Muldoon makes sure the Merriweathers (and their servants) get to safety. Muldoon then covers their retreat with a decorative sword and shield, until Ravage pitches him through a window. Ravage briefly gets caught in debris while exiting the house, which is rapidly filling with gas. Twain uses that moment to (apparently) flick his cigar at Ravage, which causes an explosion that flings Ravage into the bay. Merriweather is shocked, but now fully believes Muldoon's story, and promises to use his connections to get the Army and the President involved.
Back at the Decepticon factory, Bonaventure and Mister Vanfleet watch new Decepticons being assembled (or modified), and marvel that all this came from investigating one little yellow locomotive. Starscream overhears, and demands more information. Vanflint recounts how they investigated (the deliveries to the middle of nowhere were the primary clue). Starscream concludes that the yellow locomotive is Bumblebee, and that the Autobots are active. He orders Squawkbox to telegraph the news to all Decepticons.
Elsewhere, a lone Autobot crouches by a telegraph line. He intercepts a signal, and goes running off to convey the signal to the rest of the Autobots (badly startling a human and his horse).
At John Henry's camp, Brawley and Cletus are singing a song about Henry. He acts displeased, but is smiling. Bumblebee comes to tell Henry that he and the Autobots are leaving, to fight the Decepticons. Henry says that humans have a stake in this fight too, and wakes his crew, telling them they're riding with a new gang now.
At the Decepticon factory, an Army company arrives, to find it deserted. They telegraph their findings to Muldoon and his companions, who are aboard Merriweather's private train. Tobias correctly deduces the Decepticons' plans, and they set out to intercept them (and, apparently, send instructions to the Army).
Meanwhile, the Autobots, Henry, and his crew, are barreling east, as Brawley adds a new verse about Bumblebee to his song.
Released: August 30, 2006
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