Plague of the Insecticons!

2012-08-03T10:10:20Z

71.161.81.211: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig2|the Marvel UK Annual story|the similarly-named cartoon episode|A Plague of Insecticons}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Transformers Annual 1986]]
|prev=
|next=Missing in Action
|title="Plague of the Insecticons!"
|image=Reagan-PlagueOfI.jpg
|caption=There you go again, Prime.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]] in association with [[Grandreams]]
|date=December 1985
|coverdate=1986
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|art=[[Jeff Anderson]], [[Mike Collins]]
|lettering=[[Richard Starkings|Starkings]]
|colours=[[Gina Hart|Hart]]
|editor=[[Sheila Cranna|Cranna]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''The Autobots' attempt to form an alliance with the US Government is sabotaged by the Insecticons.'''

==Synopsis==
Anxious to forge better relations with the [[human]]s on [[Earth]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] approaches the President of the [[United States of America|United States]] with a view of forging an alliance. The President agrees to meet him, and Optimus Prime, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] travel to [[Washington, D.C.]] to visit the President at the [[White House]].

Unfortunately, an unscrambled phone call between the Secret Service and the Army is intercepted by [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. Unwilling to allow the Autobots to ally with the humans, Megatron decides to awaken the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]].

Just as Optimus and the President meet, the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] attack the humans, making war cries in the name of the Autobots in an attempt to discredit them. After assaulting the military presence around the White House, [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] announces that they will take the battle to the city, as though he was receiving an order from Optimus Prime.

Enraged, the Army attacks the Autobots, who make their escape. Noticing that the Insecticons are acting with inexplicable restraint, as if they hadn't yet mastered their abilities, Optimus Prime deduces that they are being remotely controlled by an outside agent. Prowl and Warpath pursue the Insecticons alone, arriving in the city to find them causing untold destruction.

While Optimus Prime attempts to locate the origin of the Insecticons' controller, it's revealed to be [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] as he commands [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] to fire a [[splinter grenade]] at Prowl, taking him out the fight. Prime splits his mind between his main body and [[Roller (G1)|Roller]] to reinforce Warpath while simultaneously locating the source of the control signal.

Optimus Prime soon discovers Ravage, who is almost impressed by Prime's resourcefulness. He sends a mental command to Bombshell to inject Prime with a [[cerebro-shell]] and destroy him, but the signal is too strong and is also picked up by [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]. As Bombshell dives at Prime, Kickback attacks Prime the only way he can—through Roller.

The attack on Roller causes Optimus Prime to double up in pain, causing Bombshell to overshoot his target as he fires his cerebro-shell, which then hits Ravage. Ravage instantly falls under the mental control of Bombshell, who in turn is already under the mental control of Ravage, leaving Ravage, quite literally, without a mind of his own.

Having defeated the Insecticons, Optimus Prime decides that the Autobots should simply leave, as he believes that the humans would not listen to them now. However, the President saw through the Decepticon plan and trusted the Autobots to come and explain. They didn't, and he vows not to make the same mistake again.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (2)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (3)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (8)
* [[Roller (G1)|Roller]] (12)
|c2=
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (5)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (6)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (7)
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (9)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (10)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (11)
|c3=
* [[President of the United States]] (4)
}}

==Notes==
*The President is drawn in the likeness of Ronald Reagan.
*The origin of the Insecticons shown here is at odds with their later appearances in the Marvel comic continuity such as "[[The Smelting Pool!]]", "[[The Bridge to Nowhere!]]", "[[Target: 2006]]" and "[[Aerialbots over America!]]" which show the Insecticons as being on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. It doesn't help that they don't actually arrive on Earth until ''after'' Ravage vanishes down a mine shaft in "[[Showdown!]]" As a result, this story is usually not considered to be in continuity with the main UK comic continuity.
*Washington, D.C. has shops called [[Furman's Weight Watchers]] and [[Rimmer's Ooptician]]. Hope they had Insecticon insurance....

===Errors===
* "Articulated lorry". That's so cute!
* The Insecticons are coloured in a hybrid of their G1 and Diaclone colour schemes; Shrapnel and Kickback have brown legs and red chests, Bombshell has brown arms and a red chest.
* Warpath is coloured green in one panel and silver-grey in another.
* Optimus Prime's smokestacks frequently disappear, sometimes alternately.

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:Transformers annual 1986.jpg|'''The Transformers Annual'''
Image:plginssp.jpg|'''Plague of the Insecticons!'''
</gallery>

===Reprints===
*1986 — ''The Transformers: Plague of the Insecticons!''
*2011 — ''[[The Transformers Classics UK Volume 1]]''

[[Category:Marvel UK Annual stories]]

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Plague of the Insecticons!