Rage of the Dinobots issue 4

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|- {{#if: IDW Publishing | |Publisher || IDW Publishing}} |- {{#if: | |Published by || }} |- {{#if: | |Imprint || }} |- {{#if: | |Published in || }} |- {{#if: February 20, 2013 | |First published || February 20, 2013}} |- {{#if: | |Shipping date || }} |- {{#if: | |On-sale date || }} |- {{#if: February 2013 | |Cover date || February 2013}} |- {{#if: | |Credits || }} |- {{#if: | |By || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story & art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story and color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story by || }} |- {{#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: Mike Johnson & Mairghread Scott | |Written by || Mike Johnson & Mairghread Scott}} |- {{#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: Agustin Padilla | |Art by || Agustin Padilla}} |- {{#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: Thomas Deer | |Colors by || Thomas Deer}} |- {{#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: Tom B. Long | |Letters by || Tom B. Long}} |- {{#if: | |Lettered by || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering|Production || }} |- {{#if: | |Special Thanks{{#if: | To}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Collaborators || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributors || }} |- {{#if: John Barber | |Editor || John Barber}} |- {{#if: | |Editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editing || }} |- {{#if: | |Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Compiled and Edited by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original series editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Original Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Deputy editor || }} |- {{#if: Jean-Carlo Tirado | |Assistant editor || Jean-Carlo Tirado}} |- {{#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: Prime cartoon | |Continuity || Prime cartoon}} |- {{#if: | |Chronology || }} |- {{#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=}}

Grimlock versus Shockwave!

Synopsis

The Dinobots and Ultra Magnus meet Shockwave in battle, but the cyclopean scientist proves to be surrounded by a forcefield that deflects their every attack. Knocked out by an electromagnetic pulse triggered by the Decepticon, the team is taken to Shockwave's laboratory, where Grimlock is strapped to an operating table and the others are jailed. As Grimlock struggles to escape, Shockwave explains that he created the Dinobots based on the hypothesis that a combination of intelligence and brute savagery was necessary to create the perfect soldier. Having observed the Dinobots in action since their escape from his clutches, however, he now postulates that sentience is not necessary, and fully unleashing that beast within Grimlock will transform him into the ideal warrior. As Shockwave sets about his wicked work, Grimlock recalls the last time he was trapped in this position, his previous escape and battle with Shockwave, and his being injured in the space bridge explosion that followed, left for dead until his fellow Dinobots came to his aid...

Elsewhere in the complex, Snarl tests the durability of their cell with his blaster while Ultra Magnus puts his mind to work thinking up an escape plan. He and Slug engage in a fake argument, during which Magnus threatens to blast the Dinobot, prompting the guards to come rushing in to prevent the untimely death of Shockwave's experiments. Slug and Magnus immediately turn on the guards and take them down, then quickly locate Shockwave's lab; Slug smashes into the wall, weakening it enough that a combined charge from all four Dinobots breaks it open, just before Shockwave makes the fateful incision into Grimlock's cranium. Caught by surprise, Shockwave is seized by his four former experiments and Magnus, and rather spectacularly torn limb from limb with one almighty pull. Grimlock is soon released from the table, but just as he is coming back to his senses, a hologram of Shockwave appears in the room and reveals that they have not killed him, but rather, slain only one of many avatars working on one of many labs all across the planet.

A little later, the Dinobots and Magnus gather at a spacecraft, ready to take off and join Optimus Prime's fleet. Grimlock informs Magnus that the Dinobots will not be going, instead remaining on their homeworld to save the few 'bots still there, as well as to hunt down Shockwave and finish him once and for all. Magnus bids them farewell, affirming them as his fellow Autobots, and takes off as the Dinobots head out for further adventures.

Featured characters

(Characters in italics only appear in flashbacks)

{{#if:*Sludge (2)

Slug (3)
Grimlock (4)
Ultra Magnus (5)
Swoop (6)
Snarl (7)|

{{#if:*Sludge (2)

Slug (3)
Grimlock (4)
Ultra Magnus (5)
Swoop (6)
Snarl (7)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Sludge (2)
Slug (3)
Grimlock (4)
Ultra Magnus (5)
Swoop (6)
Snarl (7) }}{{#if:*Shockwave (1)
Insecticons (8)
Starscream (9)|

Autobots }}{{#if:Shockwave (1) Insecticons* (8) Starscream (9)\|	Decepticons }}{{#if:\|	Humans }}{{#if:\|	Others }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Shockwave (1) Insecticons (8) Starscream (9) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Quotes

"I was Optimus Prime's right hand!"
"I don't care if you were Nexus Prime's left leg!"

—Ultra Magnus and Slug

"Dibs on Sentinel Prime's palace."

—Swoop

Notes

During Grimlock's flashback to events of the Fall of Cybertron video game, what's seen of Shockwave and Starscream are their War for Cybertron bodies. This issue also patches up a gap in continuity between the end of the game and the start of this mini-series, showing us what happened to Grimlock after the space bridge explosion that ended his role in the game (one of the elevated platforms that level was set on crumbled beneath him and he fell and wound up buried in rubble until the other Dinobots found him).
Continuing the approach taken by IDW's Fall of Cybertron comic, Earth's dinosaurs are specifically referred to as "ancient", again affirming that Shockwave looked into Earth's past, and that the game is not set—as High Moon Studios promotional material often claimed—contemporaneously with the era of living dinosaurs.
We actually see what Grimlock looks like under his visor and faceplate. It’s not pretty. The comic also seems to imply that Grimlock's faceplate acts as a sort of life support system, or at least aids in his speech.
There's a "bonus GRIMLOCK pinup" by Thomas Deer.

Errors

On page 15, it appears Sludge is drawn doing Slug's work of ramming through the door, followed by Snarl telling Slug to quit ramming the door and then Slug taking credit for ramming the door while Sludge magically appears behind them.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Grimlock and Ser-Ket, by Ken Christiansen
Cover RIA: Prime Shockwave, by Nick Roche and Joana Lafuente, part of a combined image formed from the RIA covers to all four issues.
Cover RIB: Fall of Cybertron Shockwave concept art by Norwood Cole.

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