Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon

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	"Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon" {{#if: \| {{#if: \|; (')}} {{#if:\|; ""}}}}
Publisher	IDW Publishing}}
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First published	January 5, 2011}}
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Cover date	January 2011}}
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Written by	Mike Costa}}
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Art by	Don Figueroa}}
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Colors by	Andrew Dalhouse}}
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Letters by	Chris Mowry}}
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Editor	Andy Schmidt}}
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Assistant editor	Carlos Guzman}}
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Continuity	2005 IDW continuity}}
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{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

Megatron deploys his master plan while the Autobots deal with the loss of their allies.

Synopsis

Nina continues to interview Ben Simpson, again questioning the use of his website for the distribution of Cybertronian weapons. Simpson counters that the community is used to exchange weapons, as well as first-aid and survival advice, for their own safety and defense, as is their "right". When pressed, he rants about the United States government's collaboration with the extraterrestrials, and states his refusal to accept the latter's explanations. Nina brings up reports of Joe Gladki having heard voices that may have compelled his assassination attempt, which apparently started just after Gladki had purchased the weapon via the website. Simpson dismisses any link: hundreds of people own such devices, there have been no other reports of mental illness, and the weapons are perfectly safe...

Megatron had had almost three years of work on him to save his life, having been carried from the battlefield by Starscream, tended to aboard Astrotrain, and left watching helplessly as his troops fell apart on their isolated asteroid base. A year after arriving on the asteroid, Soundwave gave up on salvaging his body and disconnected it from life support, deciding instead to work with Shockwave on a new body for their fallen leader.

Some time later, Starscream discovered what they were up to while checking up on Shockwave's space bridge project. Starscream soon realized that the pair had cannibalized Megatron's old body to make a cache of human-sized weapons. He feigned outrage whilst being secretly pleased, believing Soundwave and Shockwave had put an end to his "Megatron problem". Unfortunately, Starscream had no time to enjoy the moment, as Megatron revealed himself in his new body. Sulking and shocked, Starscream denounced the choice to rebuild Megatron instead of concentrating on a way to get off the asteroid they were trapped on, but Megatron revealed that Shockwave had done both. The bridge led to Earth's orbit, a fact that both shocked and confused Starscream.

Megatron was wary to move against Starscream and re-take leadership of the Decepticons while Starscream still possessed the Matrix of Leadership, believing it to be a potential threat. Luckily, Hot Rod's intervention removed this obstacle and allowed Megatron to take charge once more.

Megatron put his plan into motion. Shockwave sent the cache of weapons to crash on Earth where they were soon distributed, including to Gladki. Each gun is linked to Megatron and, with enough of these in proximity, a neural net is formed allowing him to "reach out and touch someone". Megatron used his link to talk to Gladki through the radio and television, claiming to be a from an alien world ravaged by machine invaders and instructing Gladki to use the gun. The gun then led him to the military base where Gladki used it to shoot Bumblebee.

In the present at the Skywatch base, the Autobots discuss the escape of their prisoners, confused as to why the Decepticons didn't also take Gladki's gun (which the Autobots believe is Megatron). Ultra Magnus decides that the base is no longer safe and that they should evacuate to Omega Supreme, even though it means moving Bumblebee and Kyle Pennington, who is in critical condition following the attack. Before they leave, Magnus gives Brawn a mission to go and find someone for him, believing that Brawn has the best chance of surviving out on his own.

Later, Thundercracker arrives back at his hideout to find that his beloved television screens have been trashed and that he is not alone. Thundercracker wonders if his visitor expects help after "last time". "I certainly hope so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come so far to convince you...brother", replies Starscream.

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in news footage.
{{#if: ||(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)}}

{{#if:* Hot Rod (10)

Optimus Prime (13)
Ultra Magnus (16)
Brawn (17)
Silverstreak (18)
Bumblebee (20)|

{{#if:* Hot Rod (10)

Optimus Prime (13)
Ultra Magnus (16)
Brawn (17)
Silverstreak (18)
Bumblebee (20)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Hot Rod (10)
Optimus Prime (13)
Ultra Magnus (16)
Brawn (17)
Silverstreak (18)
Bumblebee (20) }}{{#if:* Megatron (3)
Starscream (4)
Soundwave (5)
Laserbeak (6)
Shockwave (7)
Rumble (8)
Frenzy (9)
Onslaught (14)
Thundercracker (21)|

Autobots }}{{#if:* Megatron (3) Starscream (4) Soundwave (5) Laserbeak (6) Shockwave (7) Rumble (8) Frenzy (9) Onslaught (14) Thundercracker (21)\|	Decepticons }}{{#if:* Nina (1) Ben Simpson (2) Carlos Tuyuc (11) "Silent Bob" (12) Joe Gladki (15) Schwalbe (19)\|	Humans }}{{#if:\|	Others }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Megatron (3) Starscream (4) Soundwave (5) Laserbeak (6) Shockwave (7) Rumble (8) Frenzy (9) Onslaught (14) Thundercracker (21) }}{{#if:* Nina (1) Ben Simpson (2) Carlos Tuyuc (11) "Silent Bob" (12) Joe Gladki (15) Schwalbe (19)\|	Nina (1) Ben Simpson (2) Carlos Tuyuc (11) "Silent Bob" (12) Joe Gladki (15) Schwalbe (19) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Notes

Transformers references

During Megatron's flashback, as he is carried away, Rumble follows behind awkwardly carrying his fusion cannon, echoing the animated movie.
Also during the flashback, we presumably see inside Astrotrain as his fallen commander is tended for in triage, though whether or not this is Astrotrain or equipment that he is carrying is unclear.

Real-world references

The title of this issue likely refers to [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Altered Carbon|{{#if:||Altered Carbon}}]], a 2002 science fiction novel by Richard K. Morgan. The theme of downloading one's consciousness into a new body is particularly relevant.
Megatron's new body totally comes equipped with an Inspector Gadget-style phone in his hand, with the receiver in his thumb and the mouthpiece in his pinky.
On pages 14 and 15, Megatron's neural net allowed him to "reach out and touch someone". This phrase is likely a reference to a 1980s slogan from telephone company AT&T.

Errors

Repeating the continuity error from last issue, Frenzy is once again shown working with Soundwave prior to the breakout at Skywatch, this time back on the Decepticons' asteroid base before they even returned to Earth. The Transformers: Bumblebee previously indicated Frenzy was left behind on Earth after All Hail Megatron, and was captured by the Autobots for Skywatch.
There's some funky stuff going on with Starscream's body in this issue. He now seems to have changed to the same F-22 based form as Thundercracker. He is also drawn in this form during the flashback to Hot Rod attacking him. This wouldn't normally be an error, rather the then-standard IDW "each artist draws Transformers however the hell they want" policy at work, except that in the flashbacks to "All Hail Megatron" and Soundwave arguing with Starscream just after, he is drawn in his correct Masterpiece/F-15 based form. So at some point, while marooned far from Earth and with limited resources, Starscream converted himself from one Earth alt-mode to another, before there was any reason to do so.
While being carried by Starscream during the "All Hail Megatron" flashback, Megatron's forearm is coloured in blue. It looks like the colorist mistook it for Starscream's arm.
In the flashback to "Heart Like a Wheel", Megatron is shown shooting Hot Rod with his original fusion cannon arm instead of the new arm-weapon from the body he revealed in that issue. Likewise, the Matrix is shown being shot off Hot Rod, while in "Heart Like a Wheel", it was still on Hot Rod while he drifted through space.
When the weapons cache is first shown approaching Earth, "it's" should be "its".
Last issue Megatron's dismembered head was shown with the remnants of a face, but in this issue his helmet was empty when it landed.

Trivia

The Megatron guns come in assorted sizes, ranging from basic human to Transformer size.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Dramatic scene of Megatron; art by Don Figueroa.
Cover B: Starscream and Soundwave argue while Megatron broods; art by Nick Roche, colors by J.Brown.
Cover RI: Concept drawing of Sideswipe; art by Don Figueroa.

Megatron always did like purple.
"I have a chin and you don't, so there!"
"Hi, I'm not in this issue."

Reprints

The Transformers, Volume 3: Revenge of the Decepticons (July 27, 2011) ISBN 1600109810 / ISBN 978-1600109812
- Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #13–18.
- Bonus material includes art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa and Marcelo Matere.
- Trade paperback format.

The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Seven (October 17, 2012) ISBN 1613774060 / ISBN 978-1613774069
- Collects Infestation issues #1–2, The Transformers (2009) issues #7–18, and Ironhide issues #1–4.
- Hardcover format.

Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 48: Revenge of the Decepticons (April 17, 2019)
- Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #13–18, and Spotlight: Megatron.
- Bonus material includes a Spotlight: Megatron sketchbook.
- Hardcover format.

Volume 3: Revenge of the Decepticons – cover art by Marcelo Matere and Andrew Dalhouse
The IDW Collection Volume Seven – cover art by E. J. Su
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 48: Revenge of the Decepticons – cover art by Don Figueroa, Nick Roche and Len O'Grady

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