Transformers/Back to the Future issue 4

	{{#if: So take me away, I don't mind. But you better promise me, I'll be back in time! \|; So take me away, I don't mind. But you better promise me, I'll be back in time!}}}}
	{{#if: \| {{#if: \|; (')}} {{#if:\|; ""}}}}
Publisher	IDW Publishing}}
Published by	}}
Imprint	}}
Published in	}}
First published	June 23, 2021}}
Shipping date	}}
On-sale date	}}
Cover date	January 2021}}
Credits	}}
By	}}
Manga	}}
Manga by	}}
Original story	}}
Story & art by	}}
Story and color art	}}
Story	}}
Story by	}}
Story consultants	}}
Story concept	}}
Screenplay by	}}
Screenplay	}}
Adaptation by	}}
Adapted by	}}
Adaptation	}}
Based on	}}
Writer	}}
Writers	}}
Writing	}}
Written by	Cavan Scott}}
Written & art	}}
Plotter	}}
Plotters	}}
Plot	}}
Plot by	}}
Plot/Script	}}
Scripter	}}
Scripters	}}
Script	}}
Scripting	}}
Script by	}}
Script and art	}}
Sript [sic] consultant	}}
Translation by	}}
Artist	}}
Comic artist	}}
Artists	}}
Art	}}
Art by	Juan Samu}}
Additional art by	}}
Flashback art by	}}
Art assistant	}}
Art assist by	}}
Line-art	}}
Line-art by	}}
Line art by	}}
Penciller	}}
Pencillers	}}
Penciler	}}
Pencilers	}}
Pencil art	}}
Pencils	}}
Pencils by	}}
Penciled by	}}
Penciling	}}
Guest penciler	}}
Layouts	}}
Pencil breakdowns	}}
Breakdowns	}}
Breakdowns by	}}
Illustration	}}
Illustrations	}}
Illustrator	}}
Illustrated by	}}
Illustration by	}}
Illustrations by	}}
Finished pencils	}}
Finishes	}}
Finished art	}}
Finishes by	}}
Inker	}}
Guest inker	}}
Inkers	}}
Inks	}}
Inks by	}}
Ink finishes	}}
Ink assist by	}}
Additional inks	}}
Inking	}}
Backgrounds	}}
Backgrounds by	}}
Colorist	}}
Colorists	}}
Colourist	}}
Colourists	}}
Color	}}
Colors	}}
Color art	}}
Colour	}}
Colours	}}
Colored by	}}
Color by	}}
Colors by	Candice Han}}
Color art by	}}
Colors assist by	}}
Color assists	}}
Color assistance by	}}
Additional colors	}}
Additional colors by	}}
Color assist by	}}
Colour/Computer FX	}}
Computer coloring/effects	}}
Color Reconstruction	}}
Flats	}}
Flats by	}}
MTMTE Profiles	}}
Letterer	}}
Letterers	}}
Lettering	}}
Letters	}}
Letters by	Neil Uyetake}}
Lettered by	}}
Lettering\|Production	}}
To}}	}}
Collaborators	}}
Contributors	}}
Editor	David Mariotte and Chase Marotz}}
Editors	}}
Editing	}}
Edits by	}}
Compiled and Edited by	}}
Original series editor	}}
Original Edits by	}}
Deputy editor	}}
Assistant editor	}}
s}}	}}
Editorial Assistance; provided by	}}
Senior editor	}}
Associate editor	}}
Story consultant	}}
Project manager	}}
Production by	}}
Designer	}}
Design by	}}
Designed by	}}
Design/editorial	}}
Book design by	}}
Collection designer	}}
Collection editor	}}
Collection Edits by	}}
Graphic design	}}
Graphic design by	}}
Collection Design by	}}
/ Layout}}	}}
Contributing editors	}}
s}}	}}
Managing editor	}}
Editor-in-chief\|Editor in chief}}	}}
Editorial consultant	}}
Dinosaur consultant	}}
Publishing manager	}}
Cover	}}
ist}}{{#if: \| by}}	}}
and Elements }}by	}}
Inside cover	}}
Apologies to	}}
Continuity	}}
Chronology	}}
ISBN	}}
TPB ISBN	ISBN }}
UPC	}}
Page count	}}
Price	}}
Packaged with	}}
Printed in	}}
Animation	}}
Music	}}

{{#if: BTTF TF 4 cvrA.jpg | {{#if: IDW Publishing | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: June 23, 2021 | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: January 2021 | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Cavan Scott | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Juan Samu | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Candice Han | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Neil Uyetake | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: David Mariotte and Chase Marotz | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: |

{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

Can Marty and Gigawatt beat the clock and get back in time to change history?

Synopsis

The Autobots do their best to fight back against the towering Decepticon warrior disguised as Hill Valley's venerable courthouse, and although Rodimus Prime orders Marty McFly and Doc Brown to get Marty's parents to safety, Doc refuses to abandon his new allies and tells Marty to hand him the ionic nullifier weapon so that he can join the fight. Marty reminds him that they can't risk losing him again—not before he repairs Gigawatt's flux capacitor. When Doc realizes that Gigawatt needs his help, the human scientist quickly gets to work; as the other Autobots do what they can to distract the giant Decepticon and buy time for the humans, Marty watches as Bumblebee takes a direct hit from the giant and dies on the spot. As Doc announces that Gigawatt's good to go, the Decepticon spies the two humans, draws a bead on the pair and opens fire!

Thinking quickly, Gigawatt transforms, dives in front of the two humans, and shields them from the blast with his own body—although his flux capacitor is still intact, he's badly injured, and Doc wonders if he'll be able to reach the requisite eighty-eight miles per hour required for time travel. Damaged but determined, Gigawatt shifts into vehicle mode as Marty clambers in—he has to try. As he holds off their Decepticon foe, Rodimus shouts for Skilz to support them; the little Autobot promptly transforms into his new hoverboard mode and invites Doc to climb aboard. As Gigawatt struggles to accelerate, Marty shouts that Gigawatt can't make it—at that moment, however, a burst of acceleration flattens him against the seat, and Marty looks behind him to see Doc and Skilz giving them a much-needed speed boost! Despite Rodimus's boasts that the Decepticons can never defeat humans and Autobots working together, the Autobot leader is finally crushed underfoot and dies; the Decepticon opens fire as it lumbers after Marty and Gigawatt. Gigawatt inches ever closer to time-travel speed as Marty shouts for Doc to jump aboard, but his friend points out there's no time; he and Marty will have to save history by themselves. Heartbroken, Marty tells Gigawatt if there's anything they can do, and Gigawatt tells him that the only thing they can do now is travel back to 1984, stop the time-travelling Rumble and prevent this terrible timeline from ever coming to pass. As the two disappear in a final burst of fiery energy, Doc and Skilz briefly rejoice; as their Decepticon foe closes in on them, however, all they can do is hope that Marty and Gigawatt succeed in their mission...

In the year 1984, Marty and Gigawatt stake out Mount St. Hilary and spy two conspicuous vehicles making their way towards the mountain to reactivate Megatron and the other Decepticons: Rumble inside the DeLorean time machine, while Biff Tannen follows behind with a dump truck full of energon cubes. Thinking quickly, Gigawatt transforms and uses his alternate mode to run Rumble off the road and overturn the real DeLorean; Rumble is baffled by the sight of two time machines, until Gigawatt transforms and points Doc's ionic nullifier at the small Decepticon. The damaged Gigawatt is no match for Rumble, however, who promptly blasts him with his own weapons! Intent on avenging his friend, Marty charges at Rumble, but the Decepticon uses his pile-driver weapons to easily throw Marty off-balance. Before he can finish off the young human for good, however, a blast of electrical energy arcs across the battlefield and sends Rumble flying—a unlikely rescue courtesy of Biff, who's recovered the ionic nullifier from Gigawatt's body! Biff's had enough of Rumble pushing him around; if a "loser" like Marty can fight back against the aliens, then he can too... but when he lines up a second shot, he discovers that the weapon's out of power. Taking advantage of the confusion, Rumble sends the unlikely pair diving for cover with another shot from his blasters, then opens up a fissure in the Earth and leaps in.

Underground, Rumble kicks open one of the Ark's access hatches, storms onto the flight deck, and shouts for Teletraan-1 to reactivate the other Decepticons... before a familiar voice cuts him off, and multiple sets of headlights flare to life—Optimus Prime and the other Autobots! The Autobot leader explains that Marty and Gigawatt had already broken into the Autobot starship and reactivated their allies ahead of schedule. Realizing that he's been outmaneuevered, Rumble feigns surrender long enough to generate another earthquake and flee back up the fissure. At that moment, however, Marty orders Biff to dump his entire cargo, and the resulting avalanche of energon crushes Rumble under the weight. With the day saved, Marty reunites with Gigawatt; unfortunately, however, the time-travelling Autobot is too badly damaged and can only sputter a weak goodbye to Marty before he finally shuts down. Though Marty's devastated by the loss, Optimus reminds the human that there's still one loose end to tie up: to put history back on its proper course, he has to take the original DeLorean back to the future.

When Marty arrives in 2015, he discovers that Doc Brown's waiting for him; although he initially thinks that Doc won't believe his story, he's surprised to see a DeLorean time machine already parked inside Doc's workshop. At that moment, however, the DeLorean speaks up... then transforms into Gigawatt, fully repaired and better than ever! Doc and the Autobots explain that they worked together to repair Gigawatt. Optimus explains that the Autobots have successfully protected the Earth and its inhabitants for thirty years thanks to Marty's efforts... and Hot Rod cuts in to introduce Marty to their other human ally—Biff Tannen! With history back on its proper course, Gigawatt and Skilz take Marty back to 1985, and Doc explains that with his new energon-powered time machine he'll be able to visit the past whenever he wants. As a result of their multiple adventures across history, Marty discovers that his parents have become confident, successful, and wealthy enough to buy him the pickup truck he'd always wanted. Though Skilz wonders if Marty will be alright, Gigawatt points out that the Autobots will be keeping an eye on him—but even as they say this, neither of them notice the Decepticon insignia on the grille of Marty's new truck...

Featured characters

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

{{#if:* Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod (2)

Bumblebee (3)
Gigawatt (4)
Skilz (6)
Brawn (14)
Jazz (15)
Optimus Prime (16)
Ratchet (17)|

{{#if:* Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod (2)

Bumblebee (3)
Gigawatt (4)
Skilz (6)
Brawn (14)
Jazz (15)
Optimus Prime (16)
Ratchet (17)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod (2)
Bumblebee (3)
Gigawatt (4)
Skilz (6)
Brawn (14)
Jazz (15)
Optimus Prime (16)
Ratchet (17) }}{{#if:* Watchtower (1)
Rumble (11)
Megatron (13)|

Autobots }}{{#if:* Watchtower (1) Rumble (11) Megatron (13)\|	Decepticons }}{{#if:* Doc Brown (5) Lorraine Baines-McFly (7) George McFly (8) Marty McFly (9) Biff Tannen (12)\|	Humans }}{{#if:* Einstein (10)\|	Others }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Watchtower (1) Rumble (11) Megatron (13) }}{{#if:* Doc Brown (5) Lorraine Baines-McFly (7) George McFly (8) Marty McFly (9) Biff Tannen (12)\|	Doc Brown (5) Lorraine Baines-McFly (7) George McFly (8) Marty McFly (9) Biff Tannen (12) }}{{#if:* Einstein (10)\|	Einstein (10) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Quotes

"Ha! This is why you'll never win, Decepticon. Autobots and humans, working side-by-side. Freedom for all!"
"No—destruction for all!"

—Rodimus Prime goes out fighting at the ~~hands~~ feet of Watchtower

"You've pushed me around long enough, metalhead. McFly may be a pathetic Earthlet—"
"It's Earthling, you idiot."
"Don't push it, McFly."

—Biff and Marty team up

"Wow! Talk about a crushing defeat!"
"Heh! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy."

—Bumblebee and Brawn on Rumble's demise

"You reckon he's gonna be okay, Gigs?"
"With the Autobots watching out for him? Of course he is, Skilz--Marty McFly is going to have the time of his life!"

—Skilz and Gigawatt close us out

Notes

Continuity notes

Rumble recognizes Marty as "the human from the parking lot", referencing his very first encounter with Marty back in issue #1 where he saw Marty travel to and return from the year 1955.
The comic ends by copying Doc's preamble from issue #1, assuring readers that this is just an imaginary tale with no actual impact on the overall Back to the Future timeline.

Transformers references

While discussing the Cybertronians, Marty reminds Biff that there's "more to these guys than meets the eye", in reference to... look, do we really have to spell it out at this point?
Ratchet sports a white crest, red helmet, and a yellow-orange windshield on his chest—a palette based on how he appeared in IDW's Infiltration miniseries.

Back to the Future references

As Gigawatt travels back in time, he leaves behind his license plate, which spins on its corner a few times; the same thing happened in the original Back to the Future film during Doc's first test of the DeLorean, and again in the ending of Part III when an oncoming train finally destroyed the time machine for good.
In the new timeline, Biff has become a trusted human ally of the Autobots; likewise, the first film ended with Biff becoming a dopey, good-natured auto mechanic as a result of Marty changing history in 1955.
The final page of the comic mirrors the ending of the original Back to the Future—Marty returns to 1985 to find that his parents have become much happier and wealthier as a result of his time-travel adventures, and that they've bought him the truck he'd always wanted. Unlike the film, however, Marty's truck might just be a Decepticon in disguise...

Errors

On page eight, Rumble's face is miscolored pink.
"Flux Capacitor" is misspelled "Flux Capacitator" in dialogue.
Rumble immediately recognizes Gigawatt as an Autobot... except issue #2 established that Gigawatt was a Decepticon, whom Rumble reactivated along with Megatron and all the others in 1984. Shouldn't 1985 Rumble still think he's a Decepticon?
As he poses with the other Autobots, Jazz's hood-stripe is black instead of blue.

Other trivia

Whether as a result of IDW's ongoing scheduling problems or some kind of time-travel mishap, the grand finale arrives a whopping five months late, three months after its already-delayed third issue; with an average of three months between each issue, this lands the series the inglorious reward of quite possibly the most delayed Transformers comic ever.
Unusually, Gigawatt's license plate is not the same as the "OUTATIME" plate that appears in the film and on his toy; it's instead a made-up plate that reads "GIGS".
Brawn has been drawn based on the unlicensed FansToys "Hunk" figure. Whoops.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Our heroes up against the Decepticons, by Juan Samu and Candice Han
Cover B: Schematics for Gigawatt, by Chris Panda
Retailer incentive cover: Marty rocks out, by Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado

External links

Preview

Transformers/Back to the Future issue 4

Contents

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Continuity notes

Transformers references

Back to the Future references

Errors

Other trivia

Covers (3)

Advertisements

External links

Navigation menu

Transformers/Back to the Future issue 4

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Continuity notes

Transformers references

Back to the Future references

Errors

Other trivia

Covers (3)

Advertisements

External links

Navigation menu

Search