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Form Follows Function

2015-01-27T22:38:42Z

Chrislambda: /* Real-life references */

{{Comicstory|series=tfvsjoe
|issueno=4
|prev=Funeral for a Friend
|next=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 5
|image=TFvsJoe4_regcvr.jpg
|title="Form Follows Function"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 26]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=October 2014
|written by=[[Tom Scioli]] and [[John Barber]]
|art by=Tom Scioli
|colors by=Tom Scioli
|letters by=Tom Scioli
|production by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]
}}

'''While Scarlett's Joes make peace with the Autobots, another group led by Psych Out gets caught between the deposed Autobot leader Hot Rod and revolutionary Blaster, and the Joes' non-human unit clashes with the Oktober Guard.'''

==Synopsis==

In [[Decepticobracropolis]] on [[Earth]], [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]]'s undercover mission has gone wrong. Though his identity has been discovered, he doesn't take it lying down: after stuffing a grenade in [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s mouth to free himself from the robot's grip, he fights his way through a team of [[Cobra]] troops, and takes down loquacious Cobra pugilist [[Big Boa]]. Out for a bit of personal revenge, he then hunts down the apparent turncoat [[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]], who has just completed a meditation ritual and believes his mastery of body and mind will allow him to make the journey through the [[M.A.S.S. Device]] that has killed so many others. Duke tackles Snake Eyes through the M.A.S.S. Device portal, and the pair are sent tumbling through the [[transwarp|void between worlds]].

In [[T.H.E. P.I.T.]], [[Doctor Venom]] conducts an arcane experiment with [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s remains, [[General Flagg]]'s [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblecycle]] and some Joe greenshirts. As Venom reads in the native tongue of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from some kind of grimoire, the Bumblecycle springs to life and begins coiling around his arm...

A fleet of G.I. Joe [[green bomb]]s hurtles through space towards Cybertron, led by a supply rocket manned—so to speak—by G.I. Joe's "non-human personnel" unit [[U.S.7]], made up of the team's animal sidekicks and captained by [[Polly]], aka "Seasick". As they draw near to the metal planet, U.S.7's ship is attacked and boarded by G.I. Joe's Russian counterpart, the creepy, kooky [[Oktober Guard]], but after only a few moments of fighting, their ship is snatched out of the air by the gigantic [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. The energy-starved colossus pulls them down to Cybertron's surface, shakes animal and guardsman alike out of the ship, and tosses them down his gullet.

At Cybertron's north pole, a Joe team is marking the huge rocket-furnaces growing out of the planet's as targets for the approaching wave of green bombs. Team leader [[Psych Out]] is dismayed; he is fascinated by the constantly morphing geography of Cybertron, and would much rather be investigating the two curious mountains that have sprung up at the south pole. Though they successfully accomplish their task, misfortune strikes when the team are suddenly snagged in a [[turborat]] trap, laid around the furance to catch robotic vermin. The traps are collected by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], a fallen [[Autobot]] leader once known as "Rodimus Imhotep", now a maintenance worker for [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s empire. Loading up his traps and going on his weary way, trying to ignore the grisly sight of the [[smelting pool|smelting pits]] fueling the furnaces, Hot Rod finds his path barred by Autobot revolutionary [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], who is appalled by the once-great young hero's defection and eager to take him out. As the two Autobots fire on each other, the Joes are blasted free from their trap, but at that point, the green bombs begin falling. One bomb-blast kicks up a chunk of rubble that knocks out Blaster; Decepticons [[Apeface]] and [[Demolisher]] arrive in time to see Hot Rod standing over his fallen body and, believing he has defeated Blaster, congratulate him on a job well done. Disgusted by words of praise from the lowest of the low, Hot Rod is galvanized into action: he hurls the two Decepticons into one of the furnaces, loads Blaster into his alternate mode, and heads off for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. This is good news for the Joes, who secretly use their grappling hooks to hitch a ride on Hot Rod, enabling them to outrun the green bomb blasts.

In the terraformed [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], [[Bazooka (G.I. Joe)|Bazooka]] is in a portable toilet that is thrown through the air when [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]'s Autobot unit attacks. Emerging from the collapsed commode, he is horrified to see what appears to be a battlefield strewn with dead bodies... but as he cradles [[Scarlett]]'s fallen form, she and all the other combatants turn out to be alive. Before hostilities can break out again, though, the crawling form of Metroplex climbs appears and disgorges [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s Autobots and the small Joe team they had captured. Grimlock loudly announces that a truce has been brokered, and the Autobots and Joes all have a dance party to cement their new friendship. During the celebration, Bazooka tries chewing on some of the foliage that the terraforming process has created, but the bizarre [[technorganic|techno-organic]] leaves prove to be psychoactive, and induce a hallucination of some kind of composite intelligence known as "[[Primus]]".
[[File:FormFollowsFunction-OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|left]]
The mesmerized Bazooka tries to explain what he is seeing, but Grimlock mistakenly believes he is asking about [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], and explains how the lost Autobot leader fled the planet after being defeated by Megatron; Rodimus was Optimus's appointed successor, but Grimlock overthrew him. The other Autobots grumble that Grimlock is twisting the facts, and that nobody knows why Optimus left or where he went...

Lost in the interdimensional gulf, Duke and Snake Eyes continues to struggle, both clinging onto the ninja's sword, which somehow seems to protect them from the ravages of the space between realities. Oblivion looms, but just then, the two are snatched to safety by the claws of a mysterious, misshappen robotic creature... which the two soldiers have no way of knowing is Optimus Prime himself, his body reconfigured into a form that can survive in the void!
<br clear="left" />
==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s body/Bumblecycle (11)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (28)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (35)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (36)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (44)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (45)
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (55)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (56)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (57)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (62)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (63)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (64)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (67)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (72)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (drawing, 74)

|c2=
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s body (9)
*[[Apeface]] (37)
*[[Demolisher]] (38)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (drawing, 73)

|h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] (2)
*[[Doctor Venom]] (10)
*[[Order]] (12)
*[[Junkyard (G.I. Joe)|Junkyard]] (13)
*[[Max (G.I. Joe)|Max]] (14)
*[[Clyde (G.I. Joe)|Clyde]] (15)
*[[Sandstorm (G.I. Joe)|Sandstorm]] (16)
*[[Freedom]] (17)
*[[Polly|Seasick/Polly]] (18)
*[[Airtight]]? (19)
*[[Shipwreck]] (20)
*[[Spirit]] (21)
*[[Psych Out]] (29)
*[[Frostbite (G.I. Joe)|Frostbite]] (30)
*[[Barbecue]] (31)
*[[Chuckles]] (32)
*[[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] (33)
*[[Falcon (G.I. Joe)|Lt. Falcon]] (34)
*[[Bazooka (G.I. Joe)|Bazooka]] (39)
*[[Snow Job]] (50)
*[[Tripwire (G.I. Joe)|Tripwire]] (41)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Stalker (G.I. Joe)|Stalker]] (42)
*[[Rock 'n Roll]] (43)
*? (46)
*? (47)
*[[Dusty]] (48)
*[[Scarlett]] (49)
*[[Recondo]] (50)
*[[Blowtorch]] (51)
*[[Beachhead]] (52)
*[[Quick Kick]] (53)
*[[Steeler]] (54)
*[[Breaker]] (58)
*[[Jinx]] (59)
*[[Cover Girl]] (60)
*[[Clutch (G.I. Joe)|Clutch]] (61)
*[[Gung-Ho]] (65)
*[[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (66)
*[[Doc (G.I. Joe)|Doc]] (68)
*[[Lifeline]] (69)
*[[Joe Colton]] (image, 71)
{{!}}}
|h4=[[Cobra]]|c4=
*[[Cobra]] troopers (3)
*[[Big Boa]] (4)
*[[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] (5)
*[[Crimson Guard]]smen (8)

|h5=Others|c5=
*[[Soft Master]] (memory, 6)
*[[Hard Master]] (memory, 7)
*[[S.H.R.I.E.K.]] (22)
*[[Colonel Breakoff]] (23)
*[[Horrorshow]] (24)
*[[Daina|Denia]] (25)
*[[Dragun]] (26)
*[[Münchnik]] (27)
*[[Primus]] (70)
}}

==Quotes==

"Trickings and Treatings, G.I Joes. Come and get your sweeties."
:—'''S.H.R.I.E.K.''' announces the October Guard's arrival

"'''Turncoat!''' The once-great polymath warrior prince '''Imhotep Rodimus''' spends his days cleaning turborat droppings and hauling energonic hot rods to fuel Megatronian death engines!? How '''far''' have the mighty '''fallen?''' Are there no heroes left on Cybertron?"
:—'''Blaster''', a mite peeved

"The party gets weird. The dancing simultaneously speeds up and slows to a crawl. I see each creature, man and cyberman, become the same centipede. It's life cycle, womb to tomb is arrayed before me. I see Earth growing ever larger, haloed by the sun just behind it. The bodies merge. The minds become one. Is there a name for this? I hear it spoken... two syllables... a name? A call to action? A plea? A command? A prayer? <big>'''PRIME US.'''</big>"
:—'''Bazooka''' has a vision

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The street preacher from [[I Saw Three Ships|issue #1]] is revealed to have been one of Snake-Eyes's teachers, the [[Soft Master]] (see "G.I. Joe references", below).
*As the green bombs strike, an image of [[Joe Colton]]'s eyes appears over the scene, and the narration recalls his lifetime dream of remote warfare, as introduced back in issue #1 with his [[Coltonbolt]].
*Shipwreck and Polly have received cybernetic upgrades to replace the damaged portions of their body following the injuries they sustained last issue. The issue's commentary notes that Shipwreck's cybernetic eye can see through Polly's own.
*Though Grimlock's "cave-painting" style recap of Cybertronian history seems to imply that Optimus left Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], the Autobot leader's fate, reveal at the issue's end, seems to indicate their belief is incorrect. Indeed, back in [[Targetmasters (issue)|issue #2]], Megatron mentioned that he had "booted [Prime's] hide into the void", suggesting he is responsible for stranding him in interdimensional space.

===Transformers references===
*Classic Cybertronian locations the [[smelting pool|smelting pits]] and the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] put in appearances.
*It's not clear what it means yet, but the two "mega-mountains" that have emerged from Cybertron's surface certainly are reminiscent of [[Unicron]]'s famous horns.
*Blaster's grim, uncompromising depiction in this issue hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel series]], which also debuted the character in [[The Smelting Pool!|a story revolving around the smelting pits]].
*A surprising face among the Decepticons is the [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|''Armada'']] Decepticon [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], but not unprecedented, as a [[Demolisher|Generation 1 version of the character also exists]].
*The Autobots and G.I. Joe boogie down to establish their truce, probably a reference to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', when the Autobots and [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] did the same.
*Optimus Prime's form is based around a mistransformation of his original toy, rather than a new body.

===G.I. Joe references===
*As Snake-Eyes meditates, he recalls the teachings of his masters. While unnamed in the issue, they are recognizable to ''G.I. Joe'' fans as the [[Soft Master]] and the [[Hard Master]], names reflected in the philosophies Snake-Eyes remembers them espousing.
*Doctor Venom's experiment with the Bumblecycle already looks pretty gruesome, but it becomes even more horrifying when you can recognize the device that one of the "greenshirt" Joes is strapped into as the [[Brainwave Scanner]], a particularly torturous mind-reading device of Venom's design that appeared frequently in the original Marvel ''G.I. Joe'' series.
*The Joes' animal team is made up of all real animal partner characters from ''G.I. Joe'' history. Franchise mainstays include [[Law (G.I. Joe)|Law]]'s German shepherd Order, [[Mutt]]'s Rottweiler Junkyard, Spirit's eagle Freedom, and of course, Shipwreck's parrot Polly, now granted a codename of her own, "Seasick". Less well-known are Spearhead's bobcat Max and Dusty's coyote Sandstorm; the odd-beast-out is warthog Clyde, who is not originally a Joe animal, but actually owned by the [[Dreadnok]] poacher Gnawgahyde. His file card here notes he was "liberated from a poacher" in reference to this.
*The Oktober Guard are the Russian counterpart to G.I. Joe, and have featured in much past Joe fiction. Originally named for the {{w|October Revolution}}, they are here completely reimagined as a Halloween-themed horror team. Only team bruiser Horrorshow gets to retain his original name, given its appropriateness; infantry trooper Schrage becomes torture robot "S.H.R.I.E.K."; team leader Colonel Brekhov is now "Colonel Breakoff" (as in, "breaking off your fingers"); flamethrower-wielding mechanic Dragonsky is reinvented as fire-breathing reptilian quadruped "Dragun"; paratrooper Stormavik is replaced by the diminutive Münchnik; and [[Daina]], the only member of the Guard to have appeared in Transformers fiction before, has become "Denia" (that is, she'll "deny ya" mercy).

===Real-life references===
* The title is derived from architect Louis Sullivan's famous dictum that "form ever follows function", often quoted by Modernist designers.
*The one-page scene of Doctor Venom working on the Bumblecycle is labelled "Tales from T.H.E. P.I.T.", a reference to the classic EC horror comic, ''{{w|Tales from the Crypt (comics)|Tales from the Crypt}}'', complete with a direct homage to the comic's logo. This comes on the heels of last issue's reference to Venom as the Crypt Keeper, the comic's host.
*The Joe's "non-human personnel" team is named "U.S.7" after the comic book ''{{w|We3}}'', about cybernetically-enhanced animals.
*U.S.7's ship is designed to resemble {{w|Snoopy}}.
*The Joes announce their intention to "Steranko" their way out of Hot Rod's cage, a reference to comic book artist {{w|Jim Steranko}}, who performed as an escapologist in his younger days. Steranko is particularly well known for the psychedelic spy/military stories he told on ''[[Nicholas Fury|Nick Fury]]'', a big influence on the look and tone of this series.
*As the Joes and Autobots party together, some words (not in a speech bubble, but probably intended to convey a chant or song) read "Yub Yub"—a reference to "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6vAuS0KNs Yub Nub]", the Ewok victory song that plays at the end of [[Star Wars (franchise)|''Return of the Jedi'']], as the Ewoks and rebels have a similar celebration.
*Barbecue quips that the planetary engines are hot enough to "turn [them] all into M.R.E's"; "M.R.E." stands for "{{w|Meal, Ready-to-Eat}}", a kind of military field ration. M.R.E.s replaced the unpopular "{{w|C-ration}}s", which the characters of the original Marvel ''G.I. Joe'' run would often comment on with relief.
*Hot Rod was once known as "Imhotep Rodimus". {{w|Imhotep}} was an ancient Egyptian polymath: an accomplished engineer, physician, and architect of pyramids. He was also chancellor to the pharaoh, perhaps mirroring Rodimus's high status as Optimus's choice of successor.

===Errors===
*As Bazooka has his vision, quoted above, "it's" is used instead of "its".

===Other notes===
*This issue was originally solicited for release in October, with the solicitation blurb specifically noting that the Oktober Guard were appearing "just in time for Halloween". Unfortunately, the issue didn't make it out until the end of November.

===Covers (4)===
*'''Standard cover:''' Megatron, Apeface and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] fend off a G.I. Joe attack, by [[Tom Scioli]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Soundwave versus a small group of Joes, by [[Riley Rossmo]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] and Scarlett by Tom Scioli; connects to the RI covers from issues #2 and #3 to form a larger image
*'''Yesteryear Comics exclusive cover:''' The [[Baroness]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], by [[Jamie Tyndall]] and [[Ula Mos]], available exclusively from Yesteryear Comics

<gallery>
File:TFvsJoe4_regcvr.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_subcvr.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_cvrRI.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_yycvr.jpg
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe'' #5
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Windblade|Windblade]]'' graphic novel
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]''
*''V-Wars''graphic novel (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/idw-comics-preview-the-transformers-vs-/25240/news.html Preview]

Form Follows Function

2015-01-25T22:11:52Z

Chrislambda:

{{Comicstory|series=tfvsjoe
|issueno=4
|prev=Funeral for a Friend
|next=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 5
|image=TFvsJoe4_regcvr.jpg
|title="Form Follows Function"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 26]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=October 2014
|written by=[[Tom Scioli]] and [[John Barber]]
|art by=Tom Scioli
|colors by=Tom Scioli
|letters by=Tom Scioli
|production by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]
}}

'''While Scarlett's Joes make peace with the Autobots, another group led by Psych Out gets caught between the deposed Autobot leader Hot Rod and revolutionary Blaster, and the Joes' non-human unit clashes with the Oktober Guard.'''

==Synopsis==

In [[Decepticobracropolis]] on [[Earth]], [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]]'s undercover mission has gone wrong. Though his identity has been discovered, he doesn't take it lying down: after stuffing a grenade in [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s mouth to free himself from the robot's grip, he fights his way through a team of [[Cobra]] troops, and takes down loquacious Cobra pugilist [[Big Boa]]. Out for a bit of personal revenge, he then hunts down the apparent turncoat [[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]], who has just completed a meditation ritual and believes his mastery of body and mind will allow him to make the journey through the [[M.A.S.S. Device]] that has killed so many others. Duke tackles Snake Eyes through the M.A.S.S. Device portal, and the pair are sent tumbling through the [[transwarp|void between worlds]].

In [[T.H.E. P.I.T.]], [[Doctor Venom]] conducts an arcane experiment with [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s remains, [[General Flagg]]'s [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblecycle]] and some Joe greenshirts. As Venom reads in the native tongue of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from some kind of grimoire, the Bumblecycle springs to life and begins coiling around his arm...

A fleet of G.I. Joe [[green bomb]]s hurtles through space towards Cybertron, led by a supply rocket manned—so to speak—by G.I. Joe's "non-human personnel" unit [[U.S.7]], made up of the team's animal sidekicks and captained by [[Polly]], aka "Seasick". As they draw near to the metal planet, U.S.7's ship is attacked and boarded by G.I. Joe's Russian counterpart, the creepy, kooky [[Oktober Guard]], but after only a few moments of fighting, their ship is snatched out of the air by the gigantic [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. The energy-starved colossus pulls them down to Cybertron's surface, shakes animal and guardsman alike out of the ship, and tosses them down his gullet.

At Cybertron's north pole, a Joe team is marking the huge rocket-furnaces growing out of the planet's as targets for the approaching wave of green bombs. Team leader [[Psych Out]] is dismayed; he is fascinated by the constantly morphing geography of Cybertron, and would much rather be investigating the two curious mountains that have sprung up at the south pole. Though they successfully accomplish their task, misfortune strikes when the team are suddenly snagged in a [[turborat]] trap, laid around the furance to catch robotic vermin. The traps are collected by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], a fallen [[Autobot]] leader once known as "Rodimus Imhotep", now a maintenance worker for [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s empire. Loading up his traps and going on his weary way, trying to ignore the grisly sight of the [[smelting pool|smelting pits]] fueling the furnaces, Hot Rod finds his path barred by Autobot revolutionary [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], who is appalled by the once-great young hero's defection and eager to take him out. As the two Autobots fire on each other, the Joes are blasted free from their trap, but at that point, the green bombs begin falling. One bomb-blast kicks up a chunk of rubble that knocks out Blaster; Decepticons [[Apeface]] and [[Demolisher]] arrive in time to see Hot Rod standing over his fallen body and, believing he has defeated Blaster, congratulate him on a job well done. Disgusted by words of praise from the lowest of the low, Hot Rod is galvanized into action: he hurls the two Decepticons into one of the furnaces, loads Blaster into his alternate mode, and heads off for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. This is good news for the Joes, who secretly use their grappling hooks to hitch a ride on Hot Rod, enabling them to outrun the green bomb blasts.

In the terraformed [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], [[Bazooka (G.I. Joe)|Bazooka]] is in a portable toilet that is thrown through the air when [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]'s Autobot unit attacks. Emerging from the collapsed commode, he is horrified to see what appears to be a battlefield strewn with dead bodies... but as he cradles [[Scarlett]]'s fallen form, she and all the other combatants turn out to be alive. Before hostilities can break out again, though, the crawling form of Metroplex climbs appears and disgorges [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s Autobots and the small Joe team they had captured. Grimlock loudly announces that a truce has been brokered, and the Autobots and Joes all have a dance party to cement their new friendship. During the celebration, Bazooka tries chewing on some of the foliage that the terraforming process has created, but the bizarre [[technorganic|techno-organic]] leaves prove to be psychoactive, and induce a hallucination of some kind of composite intelligence known as "[[Primus]]".
[[File:FormFollowsFunction-OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|left]]
The mesmerized Bazooka tries to explain what he is seeing, but Grimlock mistakenly believes he is asking about [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], and explains how the lost Autobot leader fled the planet after being defeated by Megatron; Rodimus was Optimus's appointed successor, but Grimlock overthrew him. The other Autobots grumble that Grimlock is twisting the facts, and that nobody knows why Optimus left or where he went...

Lost in the interdimensional gulf, Duke and Snake Eyes continues to struggle, both clinging onto the ninja's sword, which somehow seems to protect them from the ravages of the space between realities. Oblivion looms, but just then, the two are snatched to safety by the claws of a mysterious, misshappen robotic creature... which the two soldiers have no way of knowing is Optimus Prime himself, his body reconfigured into a form that can survive in the void!
<br clear="left" />
==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s body/Bumblecycle (11)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (28)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (35)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (36)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (44)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (45)
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (55)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (56)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (57)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (62)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (63)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (64)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (67)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (72)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (drawing, 74)

|c2=
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s body (9)
*[[Apeface]] (37)
*[[Demolisher]] (38)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (drawing, 73)

|h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] (2)
*[[Doctor Venom]] (10)
*[[Order]] (12)
*[[Junkyard (G.I. Joe)|Junkyard]] (13)
*[[Max (G.I. Joe)|Max]] (14)
*[[Clyde (G.I. Joe)|Clyde]] (15)
*[[Sandstorm (G.I. Joe)|Sandstorm]] (16)
*[[Freedom]] (17)
*[[Polly|Seasick/Polly]] (18)
*[[Airtight]]? (19)
*[[Shipwreck]] (20)
*[[Spirit]] (21)
*[[Psych Out]] (29)
*[[Frostbite (G.I. Joe)|Frostbite]] (30)
*[[Barbecue]] (31)
*[[Chuckles]] (32)
*[[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] (33)
*[[Falcon (G.I. Joe)|Lt. Falcon]] (34)
*[[Bazooka (G.I. Joe)|Bazooka]] (39)
*[[Snow Job]] (50)
*[[Tripwire (G.I. Joe)|Tripwire]] (41)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Stalker (G.I. Joe)|Stalker]] (42)
*[[Rock 'n Roll]] (43)
*? (46)
*? (47)
*[[Dusty]] (48)
*[[Scarlett]] (49)
*[[Recondo]] (50)
*[[Blowtorch]] (51)
*[[Beachhead]] (52)
*[[Quick Kick]] (53)
*[[Steeler]] (54)
*[[Breaker]] (58)
*[[Jinx]] (59)
*[[Cover Girl]] (60)
*[[Clutch (G.I. Joe)|Clutch]] (61)
*[[Gung-Ho]] (65)
*[[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (66)
*[[Doc (G.I. Joe)|Doc]] (68)
*[[Lifeline]] (69)
*[[Joe Colton]] (image, 71)
{{!}}}
|h4=[[Cobra]]|c4=
*[[Cobra]] troopers (3)
*[[Big Boa]] (4)
*[[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] (5)
*[[Crimson Guard]]smen (8)

|h5=Others|c5=
*[[Soft Master]] (memory, 6)
*[[Hard Master]] (memory, 7)
*[[S.H.R.I.E.K.]] (22)
*[[Colonel Breakoff]] (23)
*[[Horrorshow]] (24)
*[[Daina|Denia]] (25)
*[[Dragun]] (26)
*[[Münchnik]] (27)
*[[Primus]] (70)
}}

==Quotes==

"Trickings and Treatings, G.I Joes. Come and get your sweeties."
:—'''S.H.R.I.E.K.''' announces the October Guard's arrival

"'''Turncoat!''' The once-great polymath warrior prince '''Imhotep Rodimus''' spends his days cleaning turborat droppings and hauling energonic hot rods to fuel Megatronian death engines!? How '''far''' have the mighty '''fallen?''' Are there no heroes left on Cybertron?"
:—'''Blaster''', a mite peeved

"The party gets weird. The dancing simultaneously speeds up and slows to a crawl. I see each creature, man and cyberman, become the same centipede. It's life cycle, womb to tomb is arrayed before me. I see Earth growing ever larger, haloed by the sun just behind it. The bodies merge. The minds become one. Is there a name for this? I hear it spoken... two syllables... a name? A call to action? A plea? A command? A prayer? <big>'''PRIME US.'''</big>"
:—'''Bazooka''' has a vision

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The street preacher from [[I Saw Three Ships|issue #1]] is revealed to have been one of Snake-Eyes's teachers, the [[Soft Master]] (see "G.I. Joe references", below).
*As the green bombs strike, an image of [[Joe Colton]]'s eyes appears over the scene, and the narration recalls his lifetime dream of remote warfare, as introduced back in issue #1 with his [[Coltonbolt]].
*Shipwreck and Polly have received cybernetic upgrades to replace the damaged portions of their body following the injuries they sustained last issue. The issue's commentary notes that Shipwreck's cybernetic eye can see through Polly's own.
*Though Grimlock's "cave-painting" style recap of Cybertronian history seems to imply that Optimus left Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], the Autobot leader's fate, reveal at the issue's end, seems to indicate their belief is incorrect. Indeed, back in [[Targetmasters (issue)|issue #2]], Megatron mentioned that he had "booted [Prime's] hide into the void", suggesting he is responsible for stranding him in interdimensional space.

===Transformers references===
*Classic Cybertronian locations the [[smelting pool|smelting pits]] and the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] put in appearances.
*It's not clear what it means yet, but the two "mega-mountains" that have emerged from Cybertron's surface certainly are reminiscent of [[Unicron]]'s famous horns.
*Blaster's grim, uncompromising depiction in this issue hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel series]], which also debuted the character in [[The Smelting Pool!|a story revolving around the smelting pits]].
*A surprising face among the Decepticons is the [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|''Armada'']] Decepticon [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], but not unprecedented, as a [[Demolisher|Generation 1 version of the character also exists]].
*The Autobots and G.I. Joe boogie down to establish their truce, probably a reference to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', when the Autobots and [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] did the same.
*Optimus Prime's form is based around a mistransformation of his original toy, rather than a new body.

===G.I. Joe references===
*As Snake-Eyes meditates, he recalls the teachings of his masters. While unnamed in the issue, they are recognizable to ''G.I. Joe'' fans as the [[Soft Master]] and the [[Hard Master]], names reflected in the philosophies Snake-Eyes remembers them espousing.
*Doctor Venom's experiment with the Bumblecycle already looks pretty gruesome, but it becomes even more horrifying when you can recognize the device that one of the "greenshirt" Joes is strapped into as the [[Brainwave Scanner]], a particularly torturous mind-reading device of Venom's design that appeared frequently in the original Marvel ''G.I. Joe'' series.
*The Joes' animal team is made up of all real animal partner characters from ''G.I. Joe'' history. Franchise mainstays include [[Law (G.I. Joe)|Law]]'s German shepherd Order, [[Mutt]]'s Rottweiler Junkyard, Spirit's eagle Freedom, and of course, Shipwreck's parrot Polly, now granted a codename of her own, "Seasick". Less well-known are Spearhead's bobcat Max and Dusty's coyote Sandstorm; the odd-beast-out is warthog Clyde, who is not originally a Joe animal, but actually owned by the [[Dreadnok]] poacher Gnawgahyde. His file card here notes he was "liberated from a poacher" in reference to this.
*The Oktober Guard are the Russian counterpart to G.I. Joe, and have featured in much past Joe fiction. Originally named for the {{w|October Revolution}}, they are here completely reimagined as a Halloween-themed horror team. Only team bruiser Horrorshow gets to retain his original name, given its appropriateness; infantry trooper Schrage becomes torture robot "S.H.R.I.E.K."; team leader Colonel Brekhov is now "Colonel Breakoff" (as in, "breaking off your fingers"); flamethrower-wielding mechanic Dragonsky is reinvented as fire-breathing reptilian quadruped "Dragun"; paratrooper Stormavik is replaced by the diminutive Münchnik; and [[Daina]], the only member of the Guard to have appeared in Transformers fiction before, has become "Denia" (that is, she'll "deny ya" mercy).

===Real-life references===
* The title is derived from architect Louis Sullivan's famous dictum that "form ever follows function", often quoted by Modernist designers.
*The one-page scene of Doctor Venom working on the Bumblecycle is labelled "Tales from T.H.E. P.I.T.", a reference to the classic EC horror comic, ''{{w|Tales from the Crypt (comics)|Tales from the Crypt}}'', complete with a direct homage to the comic's logo. This comes on the heels of last issue's reference to Venom as the Crypt Keeper, the comic's host.
*The Joe's "non-human personnel" team is named "U.S.7" after the comic book ''{{w|We3}}'', about cybernetically-enhanced animals.
*U.S.7's ship is designed to resemble {{w|Snoopy}}.
*The Joes announce their intention to "Steranko" their way out of Hot Rod's cage, a reference to comic book artist {{w|Jim Steranko}}, who performed as an escapologist in his younger days. Steranko is particularly well known for the psychedelic spy/military stories he told on ''[[Nicholas Fury|Nick Fury]]'', a big influence on the look and tone of this series.
*As the Joes and Autobots party together, some words (not in a speech bubble, but probably intended to convey a chant or song) read "Yub Yub"—a reference to "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6vAuS0KNs Yub Nub]", the Ewok victory song that plays at the end of [[Star Wars (franchise)|''Return of the Jedi'']], as the Ewoks and rebels have a similar celebration.
*Barbecue quips that the planetary engines are hot enough to "turn [them] all into M.R.E's"; "M.R.E." stands for "{{w|Meal, Ready-to-Eat}}", a kind of military field ration. M.R.E.s replaced the unpopular "{{w|C-ration}}s", which the characters of the original Marvel ''G.I. Joe'' run would often comment on with relief.
*Hot Rod was once known as "Rodimus Imhotep". {{w|Imhotep}} was an ancient Egyptian polymath who was an accomplished engineer, physician, and architect of pyramids. He was also chancellor to the pharaoh, perhaps mirroring Rodimus's high status as Optimus's choice of successor.

===Errors===
*As Bazooka has his vision, quoted above, "it's" is used instead of "its".

===Other notes===
*This issue was originally solicited for release in October, with the solicitation blurb specifically noting that the Oktober Guard were appearing "just in time for Halloween". Unfortunately, the issue didn't make it out until the end of November.

===Covers (4)===
*'''Standard cover:''' Megatron, Apeface and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] fend off a G.I. Joe attack, by [[Tom Scioli]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Soundwave versus a small group of Joes, by [[Riley Rossmo]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] and Scarlett by Tom Scioli; connects to the RI covers from issues #2 and #3 to form a larger image
*'''Yesteryear Comics exclusive cover:''' The [[Baroness]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], by [[Jamie Tyndall]] and [[Ula Mos]], available exclusively from Yesteryear Comics

<gallery>
File:TFvsJoe4_regcvr.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_subcvr.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_cvrRI.jpg
File:TFvsJoe4_yycvr.jpg
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe'' #5
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Windblade|Windblade]]'' graphic novel
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]''
*''V-Wars''graphic novel (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/idw-comics-preview-the-transformers-vs-/25240/news.html Preview]

The War to End All Wars, Part 3

2014-02-02T23:20:14Z

Chrislambda: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|series=rg1|issueno=98
|prev=The War to End All Wars, Part 2
|next=The War to End All Wars, Part 4
|title="The War to End All Wars" Part 3
|image=RG1 98 cvrA.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 29]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=January 2014
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|breakdowns=[[Guido Guidi]]
|finishes=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[John-Paul Bove]]
|letterer=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''The Autobots attack the Hub Network, but everything goes horrifically wrong when Jhiaxus reveals he has anticipated their moves.'''

==Synopsis==

The [[Autobot]] fleet fully mobilizes and launches a full-scale assault on a world on the outer fringes of the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]], but a ground unit led by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] finds the planet virtually deserted, the small-scale force based there having been eradicated by the opening salvo. Despite [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s speculatory explanation that the worlds which make up must only be sparsely populated, the Autobots move quickly in anticipation of repercussions. Two strike teams are inserted to launch co-ordinated attacks on key points identified by [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], the destruction of which should set off a vibratory chain-reaction that will shut the Hub down, enabling [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] to engage and defeat [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]].

On [[Earth]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[G.B. Blackrock]], [[Gordon Kent]] and [[Linda Chang]] gather to meet the delegates due to arrive through the [[space bridge]] from [[Nebulos]]. Gordon and Linda are concerned by the absence of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], but he turns up just in time to see the bridge activate... and to watch in shock as [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] unexpectedly appears through it! Max immediately guns down Optimus and seizes the erstwhile Circuit Smasher, who is frozen with shock. Saying that through Spike, "One will become all", Maximus then turns to leave; Optimus tries to stop him, but the larger Autobot beats him into unconsciousness and vanishes back through the bridge, while Spike's wife yells at him to do something, and Blackrock puzzles over the words.

As Nightbeat monitors the strike teams' movements, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] express concern over how easily the whole operation is progressing, fearing that Jhiaxus may have seen them coming. Their fears are suddenly validated when the strike teams fire their blasts and sever the targeted world from the Hub... to absolutely no effect. Jhiaxus has indeed anticipated their attack, and has the massed forces of his new generation warp in and launch an immediate, devastating strike. As command vessel ''[[Priam]]'' takes heavy fire and the strike team led by [[Getaway]] has their ship shot down in flames, Magnus's unit attempt to make it to a rail transit system that links the worlds of the Hub, intending to disappear into the heart of the enemy's network. Jhiaxus's forces pursue them, killing [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], and more appear to pick up the slack when Chromedome and [[Fastlane]] try to draw off some of the fire by splitting away. Nightbeat and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] go down, and, realizing they cannot outrun their opponents, Magnus and Kup make a stand. Above, on the ''Priam'', Rodimus is contacted directly by Jhiaxus with an offer: surrender utterly, or die. Watching scenes of the destruction going on around him, Rodimus haltingly surrenders.

On the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], the consciousness which has possessed [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] sets the vessel down on another Hub world, able to hide its approach by manipulating the minds of any onlookers. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] inquires as to the identity of the force within Starscream, but it merely identifies itself as "the four", seeking "the fifth". It has a use for Shockwave, however, and separates him from the Ark's computers, recreating him and making him whole once again.

Deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the [[Acolytes of Unicron]] deliver the unconscious [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] to their master. Pleased with their service, he permits them to go... and harries their departure by draining the life from their bodies. With the proclamation that the distinctions between good and evil, order and chaos, will soon be rendered moot when "One Will Be All", their master, [[Primus]], sets about his work!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (1)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (3)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (6)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (7)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (9)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (10)
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (11)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (12)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (13)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (14)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (15)
*[[Sky High (Pretender)|Sky High]] (16)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (17)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (18)
*[[Getaway]] (19)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (24)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (26)
*[[Fastlane]] (27)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (28)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (29)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (30)
*[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (32)
|c3=
*[[G.B. Blackrock]] (21)
*[[Linda Chang]] (22)
*[[Gordon Kent]] (23)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]] (25)
|h4=Others|c4=
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (20)
*[[Acolytes of Unicron]] (31)
*[[Primus]] (33)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
*The Acolytes of Unicron abducted Galvatron back in [[The War to End All Wars, Part 1|issue #96]].
*The green mist shown under the Primus face at the end of this issue was just beginning to appear around it in [[Destiny,_Part_Five|issue #95]], foreshadowing this sinister turn.

===Transformers references===
*Getaway and Skids working on a team together seems intended to reference the characters' partnership as seen over in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''.
*Kup evokes the memory of [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], who died in [[Loose Ends, Part 5|issue #85]], by paraphrasing his famous line from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': "I've got '''better''' things to do today than die!"
*Both the Dark Matrix-possessed Fort Max and Primus reverse the traditional [['Til all are one]] to stress the "One".

===Errors===
*Fortress Maximus shouldn't be as large as he appears here; the character was only rebuilt into his larger form by [[Galen]]—to incorporate [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]—after becoming a Headmaster and leaving Nebulos, as seen in [[Trial by Fire!|issue #38]] of the original Marvel series. As this is his original head, from before this upsizing, combined with a new body, he should be back to his original, smaller size.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Magnus's unit under fire, by [[Andrew Wildman]] and [[Jason Cardy]]
*'''Cover B:''' Starscream contorts in pain as the energies of the Underbase flow through him, by [[Guido Guidi]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Fortress Maximus versus Optimus Prime, by [[Geoff Senior]]
<gallery>
File:RG1 98 cvrA.jpg|
File:RG1 98 cvrB.jpg|
File:RG1 98 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*"[[Dark Cybertron]]" checklist, highlighting [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|''More than Meets the Eye'' #26]]
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*''[[My Little Pony]]: Friendship Is Magic'' [[Monopoly]]
*''My Little Pony: Friends Forever''

{{DEFAULTSORT:War to End All Wars, Part 3}}

Still Life!

2013-01-01T20:15:07Z

Chrislambda:

{{Comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #76
|prev=On the Edge of Extinction!
|next=Exodus!
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel_UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #323–324
|prev2=On the Edge of Extinction!
|next2=Exodus!
|title="Still Life!"
|image=MarvelUS-76.jpg
|caption=Stop breathing down my neck!
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=January [[1991]]
|coverdate=March 1991
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''As their world lies dying, the Transformers attempt to maintain peace between themselves.'''

==Synopsis==
With [[Unicron]] destroyed, a small group of [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s gather around the shattered remains of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], somehow still clinging to life. As Prime gasps out his final words, his last request is that [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] make sure [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] takes command of the Autobots in his absence.

Elsewhere on the planet, Optimus Prime's [[Nebulan]] partner [[Hi-Q]] is on the run, fleeing from the creatures who just devoured [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]]. He thinks to himself that he needs to get back to Prime, tell him about the miraculous changes they both are going through, thanks to the [[Powermaster]] process.

At the new United [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] compound, Prowl gives his news to a less than enthusiastic Grimlock. When Grimlock moves to go about his business with little more than a word, Prowl grabs him and tries to drill home his new responsibilities. Grimlock shoots back, telling him that the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] has been stolen, complete with several deactivated Autobots who were never fully brought back by the [[Nucleon]]. Grimlock was planning to lead his [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] on an expedition to track down and retrieve the lost ship. Prowl's not done, though. He reminds Grimlock that Optimus Prime upheld a code of ideals for the Autobots, including the notion that Autobots do not kill, unless as a last resort to save others. He makes Grimlock vow to carry on Prime's views.

As Grimlock and the Dinobots leave, Prowl receives some bad news from [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s seismology report, while [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his lieutenant [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] agree to bide time and weigh their options before making any moves.

On the search for the Ark, [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] questions Grimlock, submitting that Prowl may have been right, that preserving the peace was more important than their current mission. Cynically, Grimlock informs him that the peace has no chance of lasting anyway. As he goes on, Grimlock's body suddenly seizes up completely, leaving him totally paralyzed. Just then, Hi-Q catches up with the Dinobots, and his hunters find him as well. The monsters surround the Dinobots, who are forced into battle instead of running away, in order to defend their helpless leader.

Meanwhile, at the stolen Ark, [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] are attempting to enact repairs to the damaged ship. Starscream doesn't understand why it's necessary to repair the Ark, when they could easily hunt around and find another one. Shockwave explains to his partner that the Ark is still the best ship on Cybertron, and his calculations suggest they won't have time to hunt down and steal another ship. A shadowy observer silently agrees with his assessment.

Back at the battle, the Dinobots are having a rough time with the [[Demon]]s: they are incredibly resilient and continue to pop up by the dozen. As the Dinobots still refuse to abandon Grimlock, he silently laments that his rash use of Nucleon may leave them all frozen as he is... or worse. However, Hi-Q's Powermaster "energy vision" sees something else in Grimlock—a chrysalis of pure energy slowly building beneath his superstructure. Using his special abilities, Hi-Q manages to tap into and boost the process, pushing Grimlock's transformation to fruition in a matter of moments. In his new [[Action Master]] robot mode, Grimlock is now bursting with power. He single-handedly sends the devil-creatures packing, and then grabs one of the stragglers to beat him to death as revenge. Hi-Q stops him, however, speaking to Grimlock about the inner conflict in his circuits, and that he only truly wins a battle when he gives peace and chance, and stops himself from taking life needlessly.

As the Dinobots turn to go, they're treated to a pair of surprises. First, Grimlock reveals that with his new power comes the loss of his ability to transform. Then, Hi-Q makes the startling claim that he somehow '''is''' Optimus Prime.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Cloudburst]] (3)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (5)
*[[Hosehead]] (6)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (9)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (10)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (11)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (12)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (13)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Rad]] (20)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (22)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (24)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (25)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (26)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (27)
|c2=
*[[Apeface]] (1)
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (2)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (4)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (7)
*[[Darkwing]] (8)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (14)
*[[Skullgrin]] (15)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (23)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (28)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (29)
*[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (30)
|h3=[[Nebulan]]s
|c3=
*[[Hi-Q]] (17)
|c4=
*[[Unicron]] (16)
*[[Demon]]s (18)
}}

==Notes==
*The highly damaged Optimus Prime is in his super robot form, but there isn't much in the artwork to indicate he has a [[:Image:PeoplePower-reprogrammed.jpg|smaller robot]] inside.
*The demons had previously appeared in the UK comic stories "[[Underworld!]]", "[[Demons!]]", and "[[Dawn of Darkness]]".
*This is the second time that [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Prime has died]] in the Marvel US continuity.
*Bludgeon and Grimlock are officially identified as the new Decepticon and Autobot leaders.
*Grimlock's paralysis has been building since his exposure to Nucleon in US issue [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#70]], first with his leg in [[...All This and Civil War 2|#72]] and then his hand in [[The Void! (US)|#74]].
*''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profiles for [[Grotusque]] and [[Horri-Bull]] are found after the main story.
*Optimus Prime's appearance in the US cover's corner box is finally updated from his [[The Transformers (issue)|original form]] to his Powermaster body... or, in this case, what's left of it (the artwork is, rather grotesquely, taken directly from the interior of this issue).

===Errors===
*In spite of having died by getting stepped on by Unicron while in his Pretender shell, [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] is seen wrecked in altmode here. (Keep in mind though that the robots are long established as able to work outside their shells). Regardless, he's still dead.
*Pages nine and twelve of UK issue #324 have their color palettes reversed.
*The [[Transformers Universe]] profile for Grotusque says that his first appearance is "right here", when he actually first appeared in [[Ring of Hate!|Headmasters #1]].

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-76.jpg|'''US issue #76''' - Oh Grimlock you cad!
Image:MarvelUK-323.jpg|'''UK issue #323''' - What Transformers needs is more watercolours...
Image:MarvelUK-324.jpg|'''UK issue #324''' - Grimlock came last in the Dance Dance Revolution championship.
Image:End of the road tpb cover.jpg|'''[[Titan Books]] ''End of the Road'' TPB'''
Image:Titan-EndOfTheRoadHC.jpg|'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' HC'''
Image:Classic Transformers Vol6.jpg|'''[[IDW Publishing|IDW]] Classic Transformers Volume 6 TPB'''
Image:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular.jpg|'''IDW ''Regeneration One'' 100 Page Spectacular Cover A'''
Image:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular B.jpg|'''IDW ''Regeneration One'' 100 Page Spectacular Cover B'''
</gallery>

*'''US issue #76 cover:''' Frozen Grimlock, Swoop, Sludge and a Demon by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''UK issue #323 cover:''' Aftermath of Unicron's attack by Andy Wildman.
*'''UK issue #324 cover:''' recolored version of US cover by [[Robin Bouttell]].
*'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' TPB:''' Galvatron, Grimlock, Bludgeon, Prowl and half of Unicron, by Andrew Wildman
*'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' HC:''' Galvatron and generic Decepticons, by [[Bryan Hitch]], [[Andrew Currie]] & [[Chris Blythe]]
*'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 6 TPB:''' A scrapbook of images from issues 76-80, all by Andrew Wildman and Stephen Baskerville
*'''IDW ''Regeneration One 100 Page Spectacular'' Cover A:''' Action Master Grimlock smashes
*'''IDW ''Regeneration One 100 Page Spectacular'' Cover B:''' Hi-Q writhes in pain with the memories of Optimus Prime, surrounded by (anti-clockwise from top) The Last Autobot, Grimlock, Prowl, Ratchet, Galvatron, Fortress Maximus, Shockwave, Megatron and Bludgeon

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*[[2002]] — ''[[Transformers: End of the Road]]''
*[[2010]] — ''[[Classic Transformers Volume 6]]''
*2010 — ''[[The Transformers: Best of Grimlock]]''
*[[2012]] — ''[[Transformers: Regeneration One 100-Page Spectacular]]''

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Still Life!

2013-01-01T20:13:56Z

Chrislambda:

{{Comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #76
|prev=On the Edge of Extinction!
|next=Exodus!
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel_UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #323–324
|prev2=On the Edge of Extinction!
|next2=Exodus!
|title="Still Life!"
|image=MarvelUS-76.jpg
|caption=Stop breathing down my neck!
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=January [[1991]]
|coverdate=March 1991
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''As their world lies dying, the Transformers attempt to maintain peace between themselves.'''

==Synopsis==
With [[Unicron]] destroyed, a small group of [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s gather around the shattered remains of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], somehow still clinging to life. As Prime gasps out his final words, his last request is that [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] make sure [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] takes command of the Autobots in his absence.

Elsewhere on the planet, Optimus Prime's [[Nebulan]] partner [[Hi-Q]] is on the run, fleeing from the creatures who just devoured [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]]. He thinks to himself that he needs to get back to Prime, tell him about the miraculous changes they both are going through, thanks to the [[Powermaster]] process.

At the new United [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] compound, Prowl gives his news to a less than enthusiastic Grimlock. When Grimlock moves to go about his business with little more than a word, Prowl grabs him and tries to drill home his new responsibilities. Grimlock shoots back, telling him that the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] has been stolen, complete with several deactivated Autobots who were never fully brought back by the [[Nucleon]]. Grimlock was planning to lead his [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] on an expedition to track down and retrieve the lost ship. Prowl's not done, though. He reminds Grimlock that Optimus Prime upheld a code of ideals for the Autobots, including the notion that Autobots do not kill, unless as a last resort to save others. He makes Grimlock vow to carry on Prime's views.

As Grimlock and the Dinobots leave, Prowl receives some bad news from [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s seismology report, while [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his lieutenant [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] agree to bide time and weigh their options before making any moves.

On the search for the Ark, [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] questions Grimlock, submitting that Prowl may have been right, that preserving the peace was more important than their current mission. Cynically, Grimlock informs him that the peace has no chance of lasting anyway. As he goes on, Grimlock's body suddenly seizes up completely, leaving him totally paralyzed. Just then, Hi-Q catches up with the Dinobots, and his hunters find him as well. The monsters surround the Dinobots, who are forced into battle instead of running away, in order to defend their helpless leader.

Meanwhile, at the stolen Ark, [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] are attempting to enact repairs to the damaged ship. Starscream doesn't understand why it's necessary to repair the Ark, when they could easily hunt around and find another one. Shockwave explains to his partner that the Ark is still the best ship on Cybertron, and his calculations suggest they won't have time to hunt down and steal another ship. A shadowy observer silently agrees with his assessment.

Back at the battle, the Dinobots are having a rough time with the [[Demon]]s: they are incredibly resilient and continue to pop up by the dozen. As the Dinobots still refuse to abandon Grimlock, he silently laments that his rash use of Nucleon may leave them all frozen as he is... or worse. However, Hi-Q's Powermaster "energy vision" sees something else in Grimlock—a chrysalis of pure energy slowly building beneath his superstructure. Using his special abilities, Hi-Q manages to tap into and boost the process, pushing Grimlock's transformation to fruition in a matter of moments. In his new [[Action Master]] robot mode, Grimlock is now bursting with power. He single-handedly sends the devil-creatures packing, and then grabs one of the stragglers to beat him to death as revenge. Hi-Q stops him, however, speaking to Grimlock about the inner conflict in his circuits, and that he only truly wins a battle when he gives peace and chance, and stops himself from taking life needlessly.

As the Dinobots turn to go, they're treated to a pair of surprises. First, Grimlock reveals that with his new power comes the loss of his ability to transform. Then, Hi-Q makes the startling claim that he somehow '''is''' Optimus Prime.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Cloudburst]] (3)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (5)
*[[Hosehead]] (6)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (9)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (10)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (11)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (12)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (13)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Rad]] (20)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (22)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (24)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (25)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (26)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (27)
|c2=
*[[Apeface]] (1)
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (2)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (4)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (7)
*[[Darkwing]] (8)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (14)
*[[Skullgrin]] (15)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (23)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (28)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (29)
*[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (30)
|h3=[[Nebulan]]s
|c3=
*[[Hi-Q]] (17)
|c4=
*[[Unicron]] (16)
*[[Demon]]s (18)
}}

==Notes==
*The highly damaged Optimus Prime is in his super robot form, but there isn't much in the artwork to indicate he has a [[:Image:PeoplePower-reprogrammed.jpg|smaller robot]] inside.
*The demons had previously appeared in the UK comic stories "[[Underworld!]]", "[[Demons!]]", and "[[Dawn of Darkness]]".
*This is the second time that [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Prime has died]] in the Marvel US continuity.
*Bludgeon and Grimlock are officially identified as the new Decepticon and Autobot leaders.
*Grimlock's paralysis has been building since his exposure to Nucleon in US issue [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#70]], first with his leg in [[...All This and Civil War 2|#72]] and then his hand in [[The Void! (US)|#74]].
*''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profiles for [[Grotusque]] and [[Horri-Bull]] are found after the main story.
*Optimus Prime's appearance in the US cover's corner box is finally updated from his [[The Transformers (issue)|original form]] to his Powermaster body... or, in this case, what's left of it (the artwork is, rather grotesquely, taken directly from the interior of this issue).

===Errors===
*In spite of having died by getting stepped on by Unicron while in his Pretender shell, [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] is seen wrecked in altmode here. (Keep in mind though that the robots are long established as able to work outside their shells). Regardless, he's still dead.
*Pages nine and twelve of UK issue #324 have their color palettes reversed.
*The [[Transformers Universe]] profile for Grotusque says that his first appearance is "right here", when he actually first appeared in ''[[Headmasters #1|Ring of Hate!]]''.

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-76.jpg|'''US issue #76''' - Oh Grimlock you cad!
Image:MarvelUK-323.jpg|'''UK issue #323''' - What Transformers needs is more watercolours...
Image:MarvelUK-324.jpg|'''UK issue #324''' - Grimlock came last in the Dance Dance Revolution championship.
Image:End of the road tpb cover.jpg|'''[[Titan Books]] ''End of the Road'' TPB'''
Image:Titan-EndOfTheRoadHC.jpg|'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' HC'''
Image:Classic Transformers Vol6.jpg|'''[[IDW Publishing|IDW]] Classic Transformers Volume 6 TPB'''
Image:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular.jpg|'''IDW ''Regeneration One'' 100 Page Spectacular Cover A'''
Image:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular B.jpg|'''IDW ''Regeneration One'' 100 Page Spectacular Cover B'''
</gallery>

*'''US issue #76 cover:''' Frozen Grimlock, Swoop, Sludge and a Demon by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''UK issue #323 cover:''' Aftermath of Unicron's attack by Andy Wildman.
*'''UK issue #324 cover:''' recolored version of US cover by [[Robin Bouttell]].
*'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' TPB:''' Galvatron, Grimlock, Bludgeon, Prowl and half of Unicron, by Andrew Wildman
*'''Titan Books ''End of the Road'' HC:''' Galvatron and generic Decepticons, by [[Bryan Hitch]], [[Andrew Currie]] & [[Chris Blythe]]
*'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 6 TPB:''' A scrapbook of images from issues 76-80, all by Andrew Wildman and Stephen Baskerville
*'''IDW ''Regeneration One 100 Page Spectacular'' Cover A:''' Action Master Grimlock smashes
*'''IDW ''Regeneration One 100 Page Spectacular'' Cover B:''' Hi-Q writhes in pain with the memories of Optimus Prime, surrounded by (anti-clockwise from top) The Last Autobot, Grimlock, Prowl, Ratchet, Galvatron, Fortress Maximus, Shockwave, Megatron and Bludgeon

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*[[2002]] — ''[[Transformers: End of the Road]]''
*[[2010]] — ''[[Classic Transformers Volume 6]]''
*2010 — ''[[The Transformers: Best of Grimlock]]''
*[[2012]] — ''[[Transformers: Regeneration One 100-Page Spectacular]]''

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]