Talk:The Last Stand

Alternate version

Is that alternate ending available anyplace?

It showed up in a Collected Comics book that contained the first four issues, but that was 20 years ago and in a not-widely-sold format. A scan is online somewhere, gotta be. --ItsWalky 16:19, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

• [1]There you go. -hx
  • Awesome. Thanks!

About that... has anyone ever speculated what that whole bit with the Dinobots (alluded to in issue #3, and specifically mentioned in issue #4) would have been like if there were no ongoing series? Were these elements always to be included? What would have come of them?--G.B. Blackrock 18:18, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

-I imagine that what would have happened with the Dinobots and Shockwave is... uh... Nothing. Being as the series would have been over. -hx 18:34, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

You miss the point. Why was it included? Continuing a series beyond the limited series was rather uncommon. Were they already thinking that the series would continue by the time issue #3 came out? Or might the comment Ratchet made in that issue have been originally intended to be something else? Is there an "alternate" set of pages to issue 4 (where our current version has the first details about the Dinobots) out there? Although we've not yet seen direct evidence of such, it seems that this is a likely possibility.--G.B. Blackrock 21:43, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

There is indeed an alternate part to US issue 4. To the end, at least. In at least one Australian and one UK printing I can think of, the story ends with the Autobots up and about with Optimus giving a speech. The Shockwave bit? Simply not there. --Ratbat 15:48, 17 March 2006 (AEDST)

Sorry, Ratbat, but that's not what I'm talking about. We already know this, and it's already on the main article for this issue. What I'm talking about are two scenes: one on page 8 of issue #3. At the bottom of the page, when Prime and the other Autobots return to the Ark, Ratchet tells Prime that he "discovered something in the computer's memory banks that [he] think[s Prime] should..." at which point Prime cuts him off. The next issue, on pages 10-11, Huffer fills Prime in on what "Ratchet had tried to tell [him] earlier," and recounts the Ark's memory banks in reference to Shockwave and the Dinobots. Page 12 has a couple of frames at the top of the page in reference to this, as well. Had this series been, as originally intended, only a "4 issue limited series," these references would have never been resolved. Is it reasonable to assume that they were always intended to appear this way, on the unlikely chance that the series would be picked up as an ongoing?--G.B. Blackrock 14:37, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

I think you're right, G.B. - the comics seem to have been written with nore than four issues in mind. But Ratbat has a point too - in the Australian Federal Comic Super Special those references to the Dinobots and Shockwave just aren't there. As someone who only had the Australian version until 1990 (when I finally found a copy of US #4) I was pleasantly surprised to find those Dinobot bits in there - I'd never seen them before.--58.106.146.170 07:35, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

It's been years since I last saw the Complete Works edition but my recollection is that the Shockwave and Dinobots references are included in them. (The Collected Comics has the standard version, including the cliffhanger.) My best guess is that the original plan was to throw in a few more of the toys and a flashback was reckoned as the best way to show the Dinobots, hence the dialogue in issue 3, then by the time issue 4 was done they knew they were going further. (Alternatively given the length of time an individual issue takes from start to finish, that speech bubble may have been a late in the day addition before seeing print.) Timrollpickering 14:27, 3 September 2009 (EDT)

The appearance of at least Shockwave later in the miniseries/series was planned from issue 1, as Megatron mention that one of their (the Deceptions) mightiest is missing (Issue #1, page 13) - Destron1 - 11:38, 14.5.2011 (Israel)

Cover Artist

Marvel Age #23 credits Michael Golden with issue #4's cover, but Megatron clearly has TEXEIRA written on his back. Presuming that this signature is Mark Texeira's, I've contacted him to find out if he inked Golden's pencils or he did the cover entirely himself and Marvel Age reported wrong (as I think we determined Golden did do the covers to #2-#3). For now - since the Golden credit is from a secondary source - I've solely credited Texeira until I hear back from him. --Monzo 12:42, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Offline Decepticons

I think we can allow that the Decepticons finished repairing all their warriors between the damage report scene and the attack on the Ark. Why would Megatron attack the Ark with only 5 guys? -- Repowers 17:41, 3 September 2009 (EDT)

Over confidence and expectations that the Autobots are too low on fuel to offer much resistance? In issues #5 & #6 Skywarp, Soundwave, Frenzy and Rumble are shown as a distinctly separate group from the others, with a different set of injuries sustained, and these four recover first whilst the others take longer because of the fuel corosion. Also none of the four gets a name check in the battle when all the other intended fighters do. Timrollpickering 22:19, 3 September 2009 (EDT)

Hrm, that's actually a pretty good point. It just goes against assumptions I've held for like 25 years, heh. I mean, Frenzy's right there on the cover. In any case, I kinda feel like we should note it collectively -- "these guys shouldn't be in the battle" -- rather than panel-by-panel. Maybe we should do the Autobots the same way. -- Repowers 01:11, 4 September 2009 (EDT)

MASH reference?

I noticed in that Sparkplug's flashback to the Korean war, his army buddy says they were heading to the 4067th MASH unit. The long-running TV show MASH was based around the 4077th unit. Does anyone think this might be a nod to the series (and if so, is it worth adding to the Items of Note?), or is it more likely to be just a coincidence? Shafau 04:36, 11 February 2010 (EST)