Editing First Strike issue 3

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[First Strike]]'' #3
|prev=First Strike issue 2
|next=First Strike issue 4
|image=FirstStrike3_cvrA.jpg
|caption=
|title=
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 13]], 2017
|coverdate=September 2017
|written by=[[Mairghread Scott]] and [[David A. Rodriguez]]
|art by=[[Max Dunbar]]
|colors by=[[Ander Zarate]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|editor=[[David Hedgecock]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''Scarlett's team joins the fight on Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Castle Destro]], two [[Iron Grenadier]]s go about their guard duty, talking with one another about the fighting on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]; one would rather be there, while the other is only too happy to be out of the line of fire. Unfortunately for the latter Grenadier, circumstances change when the combined forces of [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]], [[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] and [[Stormclash]], and [[Scarlett]]'s [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] team blast their way into the castle, while [[Matt Trakker]] and [[Gloria Baker]] of [[M.A.S.K.]] keep the defenses outside busy. The team-up is made a little awkward by the differing sizes of the combatants—[[Doc (Carla Greer)|Doc]] is only saved from going squish under Stormclash's careless feet by her personal forcefield—but the heroes are able to fight their way through the Grenadiers to the chamber containing the [[M.A.S.S. Device]]. With frightening speed—and no shortage of sass—Skyburst and Stormclash hook the M.A.S.S. to the [[space bridge]], opening the doorway to Cybertron. Scarlett orders Doc and [[Quick Kick]] to remain behind in case their plan fails, then she, [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], [[Lady Jaye]], Matt, Gloria, Soundwave, and the [[Torchbearer]] twins step through the bridge...

...and emerge on the blasted surface of Cybertron, right in the middle of the mayhem! Soundwave shields the humans as the space bridge portal explodes behind them, the dangerous jury-rig having reached its limit, then orders Skyburst and Stormclash to run reconnaissance in their helicopter modes. The twins quickly do so, reporting that the [[Council of Worlds]] is safely ensconced in the [[Spire]], while [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] lead the [[Badgeless]] security force in the fighting on the ground. The Joes hijack a couple of [[Destro]]'s unattended [[Razorback]] vehicles and barrel through the front lines of the enemy, who Soundwave then incapacitates with a targeted sonic attack. Scarlett charges right for Baron Ironblood... but when she pounces on him and rips his helmet off, she is greeted not by the face of [[Joe Colton]], but that of [[Doctor Mindbender]]! The whole frontal assault on Cybertron, the Joes learn, is just a distraction so the ''real'' Colton and his cabal can execute their true plans—but our heroes remain in the dark as to what those plans ''are'', as Mindbender has deliberately not been provided with any knowledge of them.

Underground, under watchful eye of the real Colton—the previously-unidentified figure in the face-obscuring mask—[[Storm Shadow]], [[Shazraella]], [[Miles Mayhem|Mayhem]], [[Garrison Kreiger|Kreiger]], [[Destro]], and their [[Red Shadows]] entourage install sound dampeners at key locations as they travel deeper into the planet, in order to mask their presence from Soundwave's preternatural hearing. Typically villainous grumbling and backbiting escalates as Kreiger makes a sly remark about Shazraella's "inevitable betrayal" that appears to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy when the [[Microspace|Microspacian]] rips a cable out of the wall, deliberately activating built-in defenses that open fire on the humans. Shazraella smashes the guns a moment later, he point clearly made: treat her with respect, she warns the humans, or it will be ''that'' easy for her to turn on them. As villains descend further into the planet, rappelling down a shaft, Mayhem receives word from the surface that Mindbender has been exposed. He does not share Colton's concern that Scarlett is moving faster than anticipated; after all, Mayhem says, she's only one woman. An irritated Storm Shadow decides to show Mayhem just how dangerous one woman can be and severs his rappelling line, dropping him the rest of the short distance to the bottom of the shaft. Mayhem picks himself up and rages to Colton, but Colton just tells him to be quiet and stop annoying the rest of the team.

Tapping into the programming one of the fallen Trojan-bots the villains used to sneak onto Cybertron, Gloria discovers protocols that reveal Colton's intent to head for Cybertron's core. Still, the heroes are unclear what he could be planning to ''do'', as the explosive force necessary to detonate the planet's core is well beyond human capability to deliver. Scarlett is downcast to realize that Colton is not being mind-controlled, and is still very much in control of his faculties; Soundwave sympathizes with her, knowing what it is like to lose faith in your leader. Together, the heroes press on into [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], heading for the vent that Colton's team have taken into the planet, but find their way barred by [[Strika (BM)|Strika]], who sees the humans as enemies. Soundwave attempts to vouch for them, but Strika is no more familiar with him than she is with the humans, and attacks. Fortunately, Ironhide intervenes to stop the fighting, and proposes that they all go to the Spire, where the Council will sort everything out. The humans have little option but to agree...

...but upon arrival, they find themselves immediately ordered put to death by [[Elita One]]!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters

|c1=
*[[Stormclash]] (3)
*[[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (13)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (14)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (17)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] (18)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] (11)

|h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3=
*[[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (2)
*[[Doc (Carla Greer)|Doc]] (4)
*[[Lady Jaye]] (8)
*[[Quick Kick]] (9)
*[[Scarlett]] (10)

|h5=Ironblood's alliance|c5=
*[[Iron Grenadier]]s (1)
*[[Red Shadows]] (12)
*[[Doctor Mindbender|Baron Ironblood/Doctor Mindbender]] (20)
*[[Dreadnok|Buzzer]] (21)
*[[Dreadnok|Ripper]] (22)
*[[Storm Shadow#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Storm Shadow]] (23)
*[[Shazraella]] (24)
*[[Destro]] (25)
*[[Joe Colton]] (26)
*[[Garrison Kreiger]] (27)
*[[Miles Mayhem]] (28)

|h4=[[M.A.S.K.]]|c4=
*[[Matt Trakker]] (5)
*[[Gloria Baker]] (6)

|h6=Other Cybertronians|c6=
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (15)
*[[Elita One]] (16)
*Assorted [[Badgeless]] (19)
*[[Strika (BM)|Strika]] (29)

}}

==Quotes==
"So, you've got super-hearing? Must be nice."<br>
"I prefer to think of everyone else as profoundly deaf."
:—'''Scarlett''' and '''Soundwave'''


"All right, rule number one. None of the tiny invaders so much as touches me. I'm still red carpet shiny and they look... grubby."<br>
"What's rule number two, sir?"<br>
"Shut up and shoot."
:—'''Sunstreaker''' and a '''Badgeless'''


"Wait, how do we know if these cars are alive?"<br>
"Turn on the ignition and see if it shouts."
:—'''Matt Trakker''' and '''Gloria Baker''' hijack a Razorback


"Oh, please, Joseph, You give [Scarlett] far too much credit. She's just one woman. How dangerous can she actually be?"<br>
"That's too stupid to even warrant a response."
:—'''Miles Mayhem''' and '''Destro''' 


"It is important to remember a dream is greater than any one being who lays claims to it."
:—'''Soundwave''' empathizes with Scarlett


"We're all going to the Spire. Let [the council] sort this out."<br>
"Your planet is under assault '''now!''' We don't have time to 'sort this out.' We have to act!"<br>
"Welcome to politics."
:—'''Ironhide''' and '''Scarlett'''

==Notes==
In addition to this 20-page main story, ''First Strike'' #3 also includes the four-page [[The Origins of Evil, Part Three: A Little Bit of Mayhem|third chapter]] of an ongoing back-up strip, "[[The Origins of Evil]]," detailing how Ironblood assembled his evil allies.

===Continuity notes===
*After years of playing a supporting role in the pages of multiple IDW ''G.I. Joe'' series, Doctor Mindbender has most recently been seen in the pages of the ''{{i|M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand|M.A.S.K.}}'' comic book, in which he worked with Miles Mayhem to psychologically profile the members of [[M.A.S.K.]] and [[V.E.N.O.M.]]. His involvement with Colton's cabal was hinted at by an appearance on two of last issue's covers.
*Sunstreaker holding a position of authority among the Badgeless (who call him "sir") is new. It's not clear if he's actually formally joined the security forces; if so, he did it quickly, between his return to Cybertron in [[Origin Myths|''Optimus Prime'' #10]] and ''First Strike''. Then again, he might just be getting respect because he's one of Optimus's elite '84 guys.

===Errors===
*The "Story so far" recap page included at the start of this issue is obviously the one that's supposed to be in ''next'' issue... because it recaps ''this'' issue!!

===Covers (8)===
*'''Cover A:''' Optimus Prime, [[Pyra Magna]], Windblade, [[Acroyear (Micronaut)|Acroyear]], Matt Trakker, and G.I. Joe, by [[Freddie E. Williams II]] and [[Jeremy Colwell]]
*'''Cover B:''' Storm Shadow, Shazraella, and Colton on their mission, and Matt Trakker riding in Soundwave's chest compartment, under the watchful eyes of Optimus Prime, by [[Max Dunbar]] and [[Ander Zarate]]
*'''Cover C:''' G.I. Joe and Soundwave give one of the Red Shadows what-for, by [[Alex Ronald]]; the sole Red Shadow continues to appear with the original paramilitary ''Action Force'' design, rather than the IDW ninja look.
*'''Cover D:''' The Ironblood alliance, by [[Rob Duenas]]

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*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Scarlett  unmasks Baron Ironblood, but the face beneath the helmet isn't who she expects, by [[Jay Fosgitt]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., and Soundwave storm Castle Destro, by [[Davide Fabbri]] and [[Monica Kubina]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover C:''' A fightin' mad Optimus Prime, by [[Leonardo Manco]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover D:''' Optimus Prime versus Shazraella amid a much larger fight, by [[Whilce Portacio]] and [[Thomas Deer]]; connects to Cover RID from [[First Strike issue 1|issue #1]] to form a larger image

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==External links==
*[http://www.comiccrusaders.com/exclusive-preview-first-strike-3/  Preview]

[[Category: First Strike issues]]