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Prime Directive issue 5

2010-09-29T04:12:43Z

Draken:

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Prime Directive|''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'']]
|prev=Prime Directive issue 4
|next=Prime Directive issue 6
|title=''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'' #5
|image=G1_Vol.1_Issue5_1.jpg
|caption=[[Eject]] poses for the cover of a Wheaties box.
|publisher=[[Dreamwave Productions]]
|date=September 11, 2002
|coverdate=August, 2002
|writer=[[Chris Sarracini]]
|penciler=[[Pat Lee]]
|backgrounds=[[Edwin Garcia]]
|inker=[[Rob Armstrong]], [[Erik Sander]]
|colorist=[[Ramil Sunga]], [[Gary Yeung]], [[Alan Wang]]
|letterer=[[Dreamer Design]]
|editor=[[Roger Lee]]
|continuity=[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave continuity]]
|chronology=[[Dreamwave timeline|Modern era]]
}}

'''While the Autobots fight on two fronts, Spike learns a terrible secret and Hallo plans a final solution.'''

==Synopsis==
Spike Witwicky is under lock and key in the Pentagon due to General Hallo's orders. To his surprise, a note is slipped under the door: "3 O'CLOCK BE READY".

In the [[Northwest Territories]] the Autobots try to warn some hikers about the danger to the human race from the [[cyber-virus]], but the recent attacks by Decepticons have the humans running scared of all Transformers. Wheeljack explains that the blasters he designed will effectively destroy the virus, but that the devices are powered by the Autobots' own internal systems, which means the power depletion will weaken them.

As they start blasting away Jazz gets an emergency call for backup from Trailbreaker. The battle in [[San Francisco]] looks bleak after the loss of Superion. After Devastator stomps on Trailbreaker and smacks Sideswipe and Sunstreaker away he turns his attention to Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader transforms and makes a suicide run, leaps onto Devastator's chest and fires point-blank into the [[Combiner]]'s face. He falls back into the ocean as Prime, wasted by the effort, lifts himself onto shore...only to find Megatron waiting for him.

It's 2:59 and Spike is expecting Hallo to come and kill him. But the person who opens the door to his cell is someone he didn't expect.

Up north, the Autobots are still battling the virus and appear to be winning, but the power drain is making them so weak they have to speak in halting sentences. To make matters worse, an armored division of the [[Canada|Canadian]] military arrives and demands that they stand down.

In the Pentagon, [[Larry]] the janitor helps Spike escape and when the pair are concealed he hands over a file folder labeled "[[Project Lazarus|Lazarus Project]]". He explains that General Hallo and an engineer named [[Adam Rook]] tried to build their own transforming robots five years ago, but when their efforts failed they plotted to control the real Transformers. After the Decepticon defeat, Rook came up with a program to override and control the captured robots. Hallo didn't want to stop with just Decepticons. Larry reveals that Hallo planned and carried out the explosion of the ''[[Ark II]]'' to eliminate the Autobots as well. However, Hallo didn't expect Rook to turn traitor and disappear from the project along with the Decepticons that same day. Upon learning that his [[Sparkplug Witwicky|father]] was murdered, Spike declares Larry a coward, takes his keycard and leaves the janitor to stew in his conscience.

In San Francisco, the Autobots have been rounded up and disabled. Megatron is pointing out to a damaged and exhausted Optimus Prime all the failings of humans and how he pities the Autobots for protecting such a primitive race. Megatron tells Prime to say the word and they can end the war and remake Earth to Megatron's satisfaction.

Back at the Pentagon, the military is monitoring the Transformer battle. Hallo calls for the nuclear option. When his troops question the order he holds them off at gunpoint, enters his launch key and orders that the warhead coordinates be set to San Francisco.

[[Prime Directive issue 6|To be concluded...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (1)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (2)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (3)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (4)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (5)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (6)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (7)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (8)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (9)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (11)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (12)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (13)
* [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (22)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (23)
* [[Slingshot]] (24)
|c2=
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (10)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (14)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (18)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (19)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (20)
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (21)
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (15)
* [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] (16)
* [[Lazarus]] (17)
}}

==Errors==
[[Image:PrimeDirective5-extrawheels.jpg|right|thumb|300px|This art was so awesome they zoomed up on it across three panels.]]
* Red Alert's presence was later explained as being an art error.
* When Optimus Prime charges at Devastator, not only are his two rear axles ''reaaally'' far apart from each other in the panels that show him from the top, the front one being almost in the ''center'' of his cab mode... he even has an ''extra wheel'' in front of the "center" axle on his passenger's side! Seriously... ''how does this happen''?

==Quotes==
"Good show Prime. Impressive as always. The second greatest warrior I know."
:—'''Megatron'''

"The goodness you see in them...the virtues you praise...they don't exist! You fight for what you want them to be...never seeing them for what they really ''are''."
:—'''Megatron''' takes stock of humanity

==Items of note==
* After the [[Prime Directive issue 4|previous issue]] had lost to Dreamwave's own [[Dreamwave Armada issue 1|''Transformers: Armada'' #1]], this issue once again ranked second in Diamond Comic Distributors' sales charts, with 122,829 copies ordered for August 2002. The top spot was claimed by [[Marvel Comics|Marvel's]] ''[[Fantastic Four]]'' #60, which sold for a mere 9¢ as part of a publicity stunt, and therefore managed to have an extraordinary 705,109 (!) copies ordered.<ref name="diamondaugust">[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/1658.html ICv2 reporting on Diamond's charts for August 2002]</ref> Despite this, like [[Prime Directive issue 1|issues 1]] [[Prime Directive issue 2|and 2]] before, this issue saw a second printing run due to high demand.
* The middle of the comic contains a two-page spread by [[James Raiz]] and [[Alan Wang]] with [[Kenny Li]] featuring ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' Transformers.
* After the story, a letter by [[Adam Fortier]] apologizes for the delays in some of [[Dreamwave Productions]]' titles.
* On the same page is a 3-panel humorous strip with Optimus Prime finding that the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] was "made in China".
* This and [[Prime Directive issue 4]] have the "honor" of being torn apart by Linkara of Atop the 4th Wall fame.<ref name="Linkara">[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/linkara/at4w/27977-at4w-transformers-4-5 Linkara tears Prime Directives 4 and 5 apart]</ref>

===Covers (3)===
{{picsneeded|Second printing cover}}
—''All covers by [[Pat Lee]]''
* '''Cover A:''' Blaster with cassettes
* '''Cover B:''' Soundwave with cassettes
* '''Alternate Cover:''' Devastator (front) Reflector vs Perceptor (back)

<gallery>
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue5 1.jpg|
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue5 2.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* [[Titan Books]] G1 reprints
* ''Gasaraki'' DVDs
* [[Prime Directive issue 6|''Prime Directive'' #6]] (Autobots and Menasor covers)
* [[The War Within issue 1|''The War Within'' #1]]
* ''Fate of the Blade'' #2
* ''Warlands'': #8
* ''Shidima'' #7
* [[Dreamwave Armada issue 3|''Armada'' #3]]
* ''Prime Directive'' #5 (again)
* ''Limbo City'' #1 (back interior cover)
* ''Arkanium'' #1 (back interior cover)
* [[Prime Directive|''Prime Directive'' TPB]] (back cover)

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 issues]]

Prime Directive issue 4

2010-09-29T04:12:13Z

Draken:

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Prime Directive|''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'']]
|prev=Prime Directive issue 3
|next=Prime Directive issue 5
|title=''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'' #4
|image=G1_Vol.1_Issue4_1.jpg
|caption=Let us go forth and do things!
|publisher=[[Dreamwave Productions]]
|date=July 17, 2002
|coverdate=July, 2002
|writer=[[Chris Sarracini]]
|penciler=[[Pat Lee]]
|backgrounds=[[Edwin Garcia]]
|inker=[[Rob Armstrong]]
|colorist=[[Ramil Sunga]], [[Gary Yeung]], [[Alan Wang]]
|letterer=[[Dreamer Design]]
|editor=[[Roger Lee]]
|continuity=[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave continuity]]
|chronology=[[Dreamwave timeline|Modern era]]
}}

'''The slag hits the fan as the Autobots and the Decepticons throw down in San Francisco.'''

==Synopsis==
General Hallo arrives at the Pentagon and gives his officers orders to clandestinely lock up Spike and destroy any evidence of the missile launch against the [[Transformer|Transformers]].

Back in the [[Northwest Territories]], Optimus Prime wakes and pulls himself out of the cocoon of metal created by the combination of the energy from the missile explosion and the [[cyber-virus]]. The other remaining Autobots regroup and find that the Decepticons have already escaped. Wheeljack's assessment of the virus is that it is growing, solidifying and feeding off of energy from their weapons. Prime orders his troops to find the source.

In the [[Pacific Ocean]], 52 miles west of the U.S., a sonar operator on a human submarine detects an approaching object, and sounds the alarm only moments before the submarine is destroyed.

[[Image:Devastator-dullsurprise.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Rut ris rit, Raggy?"<br/> "Look out Scoob, it's, like, a ghost!"]]

The Autobots are surveying Lazarus' former stronghold, which had been taken over by Megatron. They discover [[Ratchet (G1)|some]] [[Ironhide (G1)|of]] [[Bluestreak|their]] [[Hound (G1)|friends]] and the source of the virus, which Wheeljack finds of no help in order to stop it. Ironhide gives an ominous warning to Prime about where the Decepticons will attack next.

Meanwhile in [[San Francisco]], a giant figure approaches the shoreline from under the water and emerges, submerging the shoreline. Devastator has arrived.

Back up north, Wheeljack is still trying to find a solution to stopping the cyber-virus as Jazz and Mirage piece back together some of their fallen comrades.

Megatron and his crew, including Grimlock, are already on site in San Francisco and aid Devastator in making a mess of the place. The Autobots arrive on the back of Superion and the battle is joined. Superion falls apart into the individual Aerialbots due to fire from the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. As the battle rages, the advantage appears to be in the Decepticons' hands as Devastator stands triumphant.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (4)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (5)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (6)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (7)
* [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (8)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (9)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (10)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (11)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (12)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (13)
* [[Bluestreak]] (14)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (17)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (24)
|c2=
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (16)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (18)
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (19)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (20)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (21)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (22)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (23)
|c3=
* [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] (1)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (2)
* [[Lazarus]] (15)
}}

==Errors==
* None yet identified.

==Quotes==
"I'm tellin' you man! Those Transformer things...they ain't no good!"
:— '''human dock worker''' just before Devastator confirms his opinion

"Look at them Soundwave...rodents. All of them. Pathetic rodents."
:—what '''Megatron''' sees when he surveys San Francisco

"You should have killed me when you had the chance Megatron."<br />
"Kill you? But we have so much to discuss."<br />
"Save it."
:— '''Optimus Prime''' lets his fists do the talking

==Items of note==
* This was the first ''[[Prime Directive|Generation 1]]'' that didn't rank #1 in Diamond Comic Distributors' sales charts. With 126,124 copies ordered for July 2002, it ranked second behind Dreamwave's own [[Dreamwave Armada issue 1|''Transformers: Armada'' #1]], of which 135,930 copies were ordered.<ref name="diamondjuly">[http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/1555.html ICv2 reporting on Diamond's charts for July 2002]</ref>
* The middle of the comic contains a two-page spread by [[James Raiz]] and [[Alan Wang]] with [[Kenny Li]] featuring [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] and ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' Transformers.
* "[[Triangle formation]]"? ''*snort*''
* Arguably the finest representation of [[dull surprise]] the world has ever known.
* This and [[Prime Directive issue 5]] have the "honor" of being torn apart by Linkara of Atop the 4th Wall fame.<ref name="Linkara">[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/linkara/at4w/27977-at4w-transformers-4-5 Linkara tears Prime Directives 4 and 5 apart]</ref>
===Covers (2)===
—''All covers by [[Pat Lee]]''
* '''Cover A:''' Autobots
* '''Cover B:''' Decepticons
<gallery>
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue4 1.jpg|I was going to post something about the retarded look on their faces but decided against it as, well it might be offensive.
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue4 2.jpg|You put your left foot in. You put your left foot out. You put your left foot in and you shake it all about.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''Arkanium''
* ''Excel Saga'' DVDs
* [[Titan Books]] G1 reprints
* Dreamwave comic book store signings tour
* [[Dreamwave Armada issue 2|''Armada'' #2]]
* [[Prime Directive issue 5|''Prime Directive'' #5]] (Blaster and Soundwave covers)
* Megatron poster
* Optimus Prime poster
* [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] vs Devastator lithograph
* ''Shidima'' Collected #1 (back interior cover)
* ''Warlands: Age of Ice'' #8 (back interior cover)
* ''Shidima'' #6 (back interior cover)
* ''Fate of the Blade'' #1 (back interior cover)
* Transformers ''Genesis Official Art Book'' (back cover)

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 issues]]