The Autonomy Lesson (issue)

2012-04-07T17:25:19Z

86.44.25.106:

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #1
|prev=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
|next=The World & Everything in It
|next2=
|caption=
|image=RID1_cvrE.jpg
|title="The Autonomy Lesson"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 25]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=January 2012
|story by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Andrew Griffith]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''With more and more NAILs arriving on Cybertron every day, his authority being questioned at every turn, and his tenuous control of the Decepticons slipping away, Bumblebee is forced to make a drastic choice.'''

==Synopsis==
As a ship carrying the newest group of [[NAIL]]s to return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] comes in for a landing over the primordial planet, the substance of the world itself comes to life, reacting primitively to the presence of the "intruders" and lashing out at their craft. Although damaged, they are able to set down, and are greeted by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Metalhawk]], though the conversation that follows is a terse one, as Metalhawk takes every opportunity to blame the Autobots for the current situation and foster distrust for them in the new arrivals.

Elsewhere, [[Tappet]] is caught in the act of graffiting a building by [[Needlenose]] and [[Horri-Bull]], who are acting as enforcers of the peace following the implantation of [[inhibitor/deterrence chip]]s in the [[Decepticon]]s that prevent them transforming or using their special powers. Unfortunately, the pair elect to enforce the peace upside Tappet's head, but are caught before the situation escalates by [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]. While Blurr takes Tappet into custody, Prowl and Sideswipe return Horri-Bull and Needlenose to the Decepticons' "home", where self-appointed leader [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] makes demands for equal treatment that fall on deaf ears. After the Autobots depart, however, Ratbat turns on the two troublemaking Decepticons for their willingness to serve the Autobots' government, and announces that he has a plan...

While [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] are attempting to map the full extent of the changes to Cybertron, Bumblebee and Prowl clash over the Decepticon problem, and over Prowl's opposition to holding a memorial for the believed-dead crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', since most of the planet's population are hostile or indifferent towards the idea. Leaving Bumblebee to deal with matters of state, Prowl receives a visit from [[Arcee (G1)|a mysterious co-conspirator]], who is aiding him in carrying out the unpleasant tasks necessary to keep the peace.

Metalhawk arrives and arranges for Tappet's release, following which he and Bumblebee talk about the memorial. Rather than actually give an answer, Metalhawk volunteers the fact that rumours are starting to spread that Bumblebee had the ''Lost Light'' blown up, which drives the little yellow 'bot into a fury. Before he can really lay into Metalhawk, though, they are distracted by a scuffle nearby: Horri-Bull and Needlenose are at it again, beating up [[Zetca (G1)|Zetca]]. Bumblebee threatens to detonate Horri-Bull's I/D chip if he doesn't back off, but Horri-Bull calls his bluff, preparing to kill Zetca... and Bumblebee doesn't blink, triggering the explosive and blowing Horri-Bull's head off. And watching nearby is [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], who reports Horri-Bull's death, and despite supposedly having an I/D chip, ''teleports'' away...

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (1)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (2)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (4)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (5)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (12)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (14)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (15)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (16)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (39)
*[[Sizzle (G1)|Sizzle]] (40)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (41)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (42)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (43)

|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Needlenose]] (7)
*[[Horri-Bull]] (8)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (17)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (18)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (19)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (20)
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]] (21)
*[[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (22)
*[[Triggerhappy]] (23)
*[[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (24)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (25)
*[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (26)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (27)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (28)
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] (29)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (30)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (31)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (32)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (33)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (34)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (35)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (36)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (37)
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (38)
{{!}}}
|h3=[[NAIL]]s|c3=
*[[Tappet]] (3)
*[[Zetca (G1)|Zetca]] (9)
*[[Scrambling neon Decepticon‎|Scrambling neon <strike>Decepticon‎</strike>]] (10)
*[[Metalhawk]] (11)
*Green tank NAIL (13)
}}

==Quotes==

"Autobot. You '''beg''' for our '''help''' and when we '''give''' it—how do you treat us?"<br/>
"Like the '''animals''' you are."
:—'''Ratbat''' and '''Prowl''', trading verbal blows.

"Prime never '''had''' to deal with this. And he never '''wanted''' to. But this is '''my''' world and I have to '''defend''' it—even if it doesn't want us here. No... '''Especially''' if Cybertron doesn't want us here."
:—'''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
*One of the NAILs in the opening double spread is an homage to [[Boba Fett]]. Also pottering around in the background is a tall, slender NAIL who Josh Perez coloured to resemble the silver, black and green redeco of the [[GoBots (franchise)|Tonka ''GoBots'']] character [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]], though Andrew Griffith hadn't deliberately drawn the NAIL to resemble the GoBots villain.
[[Image:Rid skywarp teaser.jpg|right|thumb]]
*The title is likely a reference to "The Anatomy Lesson", a well-known Alan Moore-written issue of ''Swamp Thing''.
*As with ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]], the release of this issue was preceded by a "scavenger hunt" of sorts that began on [[January 23]]rd, with one each of a series of fourteen images spotlighting individual characters being released to twelve different websites, both Transformers fansites and popular comic book new sites. These included [http://tformers.com/transformers-exclusive-tformers-transformers-robots-in/17046/news.html Bombshell at TFormers], [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36600 Bumblebee at Comic Book Resources], [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=260848257318709 Ironhide on the official Transformers Facebook page], [http://www.allspark.com/content/view/9864/ Metalhawk at the Allspark], [http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=271775#271775 Needlenose at the IDW forums], [http://p.twimg.com/AkB-GCgCMAIFdUD.jpg Prowl on John Barber's Twitter], [http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/idw-transformers-robots-disguise-1-treasure-hunt-exclusive-image-2726/ Ratbat at Full Metal Hero], [http://www.comicvine.com/news/exclusive-transformers-robots-in-disguise-promo/144153/ Shockwave at Comic Vine], [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/rid-1-hits-this-wednesday---skywarp-wants-vengeance-174199/ Skywarp at TFW2005], [http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/exclusive-transformers-robots-in-disguise-promo-image-soundwave-remains-silent/23772 Soundwave at Seibertron], [http://www.newsarama.com/comics/transformers-rid-teaser-idw-120124.html Starscream at Newsarama], [http://www.polarismagazine.co.uk/exclusive-idw-transformers-robots-in-disguise-scavenger-hunt/ Tappet at Polaris Magazine], [http://glovestudios.blogspot.com/2012/01/transformers-robots-in-disguise-promo.html Wheeljack at Andrew Griffith's blog] and [https://twitter.com/#!/dyemooch/status/162819553892646912 Zetca on Josh Perez's Twitter].
*The Autobots are all sporting new Cybertronian alternate modes in this issue, either lifted directly from ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'' or drawn in emulation of the game's style. It is explained that these modes were provided by Wheeljack, marking one of the few times in the IDW universe that a change in alternate mode is given an in-story rationale, rather than being the result of "artistic license".
**Thus, Sideswipe seems to have abandoned his wicked-sweet ''Generation 2''-colored body after only one issue. This was because the artists of both issues were drawing them at the same time and weren't aware the other was drawing Sideswipe differently.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=84653&view=findpost&p=1997976 Post by Andrew Griffith on The Allspark]</ref>
* Horri-Bull's yellow color stems from [[:Image:Horribull bullhorn toy.jpg|the image TFWiki used to have for Horri-Bull's toy]] and [http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Horri-Bull/horri-bull.htm TFU.info's screencap of Horri-Bull]. [[Josh Perez]] chose to use the yellow to "help him stick out a lot more".<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=84653&view=findpost&p=1997013 Post by Josh Perez on The Allspark]</ref>
*In the Decepticon crowd scene, Blast Off is standing beside Starscream. However, as this wasn't clear, Josh Perez mistakenly thought it was a generic and colored him like [[Wikipedia:Mister Sinister|Mister Sinister]].<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=84653&view=findpost&p=1997975 Post by Andrew Griffith on The Allspark]</ref>
*Also in the Decepticon crowd scene, Mindwipe and Triggerhappy are seen standing next to each other—a reference to their joint desertion of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s forces in the [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel comics]].

===Covers (7)===
All seven covers to this issue feature a silver foil-stamped logo.
* '''Cover A:''' Ironhide by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]
* '''Cover B:''' Prowl by Marcelo Matere and Priscilla Tramontano
* '''Cover C:''' Bumblebee by Marcelo Matere and Priscilla Tramontano
* '''Cover D:''' Wheeljack by Marcelo Matere and Priscilla Tramontano
* '''Cover E:''' Bumblebee, Prowl, Ironhide and Wheeljack by Andrew Griffith and Josh Perez
* '''Cover RIA:''' Fold-out gatefold cover combining the interlinked covers A–D
* '''Cover RIB:''' Hand-drawn sketch covers by [[Dan Khanna]]

<gallery>
Image:RID1_cvrA.jpg|The Dick,
Image:RID1_cvrB.jpg
Image:RID1_cvrC.jpg|the Bee
Image:RID1_cvrD.jpg|and the Jack!
Image:RID1_cvrE.jpg|Hey, I match my toy!
Image:RID1_cvrRIA.jpg|The Fab Four
Image:RID1_cvrRIB.jpg
</gallery>

===Advertisements===

*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|#2]]
*''Heroic: A Womanthology''
*''[[Infestation 2]]''
*''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]: Cobra Command''
*''Robots in Disguise'' and ''More than Meets the Eye''
*''Memorial''
*''Danger Girl: Revolver''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Autonomy Lesson}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise issues]]

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The Autonomy Lesson (issue)