Escalation issue 4

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Brains!}}}} |-

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|- {{#if: IDW Publishing | |Publisher || IDW Publishing}} |- {{#if: | |Published by || }} |- {{#if: | |Imprint || }} |- {{#if: | |Published in || }} |- {{#if: February 28, 2007 | |First published || February 28, 2007}} |- {{#if: | |Shipping date || }} |- {{#if: | |On-sale date || }} |- {{#if: February 2007 | |Cover date || February 2007}} |- {{#if: | |Credits || }} |- {{#if: | |By || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story & art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story and color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Story || }} |- {{#if: Simon Furman | |Story by || Simon Furman}} |- {{#if: | |Story consultants || }} |- {{#if: | |Story concept || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay by || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adapted by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation || }} |- {{#if: | |Based on || }} |- {{#if: | |Writer || }} |- {{#if: | |Writers || }} |- {{#if: | |Writing || }} |- {{#if: | |Written by || }} |- {{#if: | |Written & art || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotter || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotters || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot by || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot/Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripter || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripters || }} |- {{#if: | |Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripting || }} |- {{#if: | |Script by || }} |- {{#if: | |Script and art || }} |- {{#if: | |Sript [sic] consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Translation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Comic artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Artists || }} |- {{#if: | |Art || }} |- {{#if: E. J. Su | |Art by || E. J. Su}} |- {{#if: | |Additional art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Flashback art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assistant || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciller || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencillers || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencilers || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil art || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencils || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencils by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciled by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciling || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Layouts || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrator || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrated by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations by || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished pencils || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished art || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Inkers || }} |- {{#if: | |Inks || }} |- {{#if: | |Inks by || }} |- {{#if: | |Ink finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Ink assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional inks || }} |- {{#if: | |Inking || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorists || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour || }} |- {{#if: | |Colours || }} |- {{#if: | |Colored by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color by || }} |- {{#if: Zac Atkinson | |Colors by || Zac Atkinson}} |- {{#if: | |Color art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assistance by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour/Computer FX || }} |- {{#if: | |Computer coloring/effects || }} |- {{#if: | |Color Reconstruction || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats by || }} |- {{#if: | |MTMTE Profiles || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterer || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterers || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering || }} |- {{#if: | |Letters || }} |- {{#if: Neil Uyetake | |Letters by || Neil Uyetake}} |- {{#if: | |Lettered by || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering|Production || }} |- {{#if: | |Special Thanks{{#if: | To}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Collaborators || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editing || }} |- {{#if: Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor | |Edits by || Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor}} |- {{#if: | |Compiled and Edited by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original series editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Original Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Deputy editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Assistant editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial assistant{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial Assistance
provided by || }} |- {{#if: | |Senior editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Associate editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Story consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Project manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Production by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designed by || }} |- {{#if: | |Design/editorial || }} |- {{#if: | |Book design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Creative Director{{#if: | / Layout}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributing editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Research editor{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Managing editor || }} |- {{#if: | |{{#if: |Editor-in-chief|Editor in chief}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Dinosaur consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Publishing manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover art{{#if: |ist}}{{#if: | by}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover Design {{#if: |and Elements }}by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inside cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Apologies to || }} |- {{#if: 2005 IDW continuity | |Continuity || 2005 IDW continuity}} |- {{#if: Escalation | |Chronology || Escalation}} |- {{#if: | |ISBN || }} |- {{#if: | |TPB ISBN || ISBN }} |- {{#if: | |UPC || }} |- {{#if: | |Page count || }} |- {{#if: | |Price || }} |- {{#if: | |Packaged with || }} |- {{#if: | |Printed in || }} |- {{#if: | |Animation || }} |- {{#if: | |Music || }} |}{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}} As the Decepticons raise global tensions, the Autobots deploy to stop them. Meanwhile, the search for Sunstreaker and Hunter continues.

Synopsis

Hunter O'Nion is alive, and in a strange medical facility surrounded by masked medical personnel. Something is injected into his IV bag, and the last words he hears are "Prep him for surgery", before he loses consciousness.

Outside Idea & Design Works Custom Wheels in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ironhide, Jimmy Pink, Ratchet, and Verity Carlo conclude that the store's sophisticated security system indicates it is more than it appears to be. To avoid detection, Verity and Jimmy insist that they go inside, since the security system might detect the Autobots' holomatter drivers. Ironhide agrees reluctantly.

In Brasnya, Blitzwing is camouflaged and in the perfect position to take a shot at Optimus Prime. Just before he fires, Roller, controlled by Prime, takes Blitzwing out with a cannon blast; he'd been tracking the Decepticon from his Combat Deck.

The facsimile Georgi Koska drives onto the scene with Megatron still in his alternate mode as a hand gun; the two of them are attacked by Prowl, Wheeljack, and Jazz. Megatron gives the order for Koska to self-terminate as the other Autobots scramble to preserve him for study. Skywarp and Astrotrain appear and attack the Autobots just as Hardhead and Hot Rod arrive on scene via orbital jump to help. Seeking termination, the Koska facsimile limps toward the enemy line.

Verity and Jimmy are inside the auto parts store and nose around. Verity discovers a secret door behind a shelf which the two of them manage to open. What's inside?

As Brasnyan troops watch in surprise and confusion, the Autobots have their hands full with Skywarp and Astrotrain, then get some help in the form of Hardhead. With that added firepower, Prowl is only seconds away from capturing Koska, but an impatient Hot Rod gets in his way, and the two tumble out of control. Meanwhile, Nightbeat reports to Optimus Prime that all transmissions in the area have gone dead. Prime has bigger fish to fry; Megatron has just transformed and landed right in front of him.

In Indiana, the secret entrance leads Jimmy and Verity to a large workshop filled with advanced tools that Jimmy doesn't recognize. Jimmy sifts through the trash for clues, while Verity starts searching a computer and desk, where a business card catches her eye. Without warning, the door locks and the vents start pumping a gas into the room. The two humans are overcome and fall to the floor. On the computer screen, a timer starts ticking down.

10:00...9:59...9:58...

Featured characters

{{#if:* Ironhide (2)

Ratchet (5)
Optimus Prime (6)
Wheeljack (8)
Prowl (9)
Jazz (10)
Roller (11)
Hardhead (16)
Hot Rod (17)
Nightbeat (20)|

{{#if:* Ironhide (2)

Ratchet (5)
Optimus Prime (6)
Wheeljack (8)
Prowl (9)
Jazz (10)
Roller (11)
Hardhead (16)
Hot Rod (17)
Nightbeat (20)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Ironhide (2)
Ratchet (5)
Optimus Prime (6)
Wheeljack (8)
Prowl (9)
Jazz (10)
Roller (11)
Hardhead (16)
Hot Rod (17)
Nightbeat (20) }}{{#if:* Blitzwing (7)
Megatron (13)
Astrotrain (14)
Skywarp (15)|

Autobots }}{{#if:* Blitzwing (7) Megatron (13) Astrotrain (14) Skywarp (15)\|	Decepticons }}{{#if:* Hunter O'Nion (1) Verity Carlo (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Todorof (18) Breski (19)\|	Humans }}{{#if:* Georgi Koska (12)\|	Facsimilies }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Blitzwing (7) Megatron (13) Astrotrain (14) Skywarp (15) }}{{#if:* Hunter O'Nion (1) Verity Carlo (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Todorof (18) Breski (19)\|	Hunter O'Nion (1) Verity Carlo (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Todorof (18) Breski (19) }}{{#if:* Georgi Koska (12)\|	Georgi Koska (12) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Quotes

"We appear to have an American F-22 Raptor, being shot at by some kind of rally vehicle. And a police patrol car, also American... under attack from a space shuttle?"

— Captain Todorof observes the battle. Robots in disguise, folks!

Notes

Transformers references

When Verity and Jimmy are searching the auto shop, a Binaltech-brand air filter and "Seibertron Car Show" pamphlets can be seen on the shelves.
The word "Takara" can be seen on the book by Verity's hand as she sets off the trap.

Real-life references

The above references strangely make much more sense once you realize the auto shop's name is the "Idea and Design Works Custom Wheels". Could IDW be a front for the Machination? Maybe they just share the same secret hideaway.
Ironhide and company undertake their investigation in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Errors

Brasnya is still identified as a "soviet state". This will change starting with the next issue.

Other trivia

The "Decepticomments" section did not answer readers' mail but did have an ad for the movie prequel comic.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Astrotrain vs Hardhead; art by E. J. Su. The cover was also reused for the TPB.
Cover B: Optimus Prime; art by Klaus Scherwinski.
Cover RI: cover A, uncolored

Cover A
Check out my guns...I mean, GUN.
Cover RI-A

Reprints

In addition to collections of the full series.

N/A

Escalation issue 4

Contents

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Transformers references

Real-life references

Errors

Other trivia

Covers (3)

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Escalation issue 4

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Transformers references

Real-life references

Errors

Other trivia

Covers (3)

Advertisements

Reprints

Navigation menu

Search