Editing The Void! (US)

{{disambig3|Void}}
{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #74
|prev=Out of Time!
|next=On the Edge of Extinction!
|title="The Void!"
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #317–318
|prev2=Out of Time!
|next2=On the Edge of Extinction!
|image=MarvelUS-74.jpg
|caption=Bet I can kill more of them than you can! You're on!
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=November [[1990]]
|coverdate=January [[1991]]
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''And lo, it is the time of the Gathering...'''

==Synopsis==
Once again, the origin of the [[Transformer]]s is related, this time by [[Primus]] through his possessed body of [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]]. He has gathered the combined [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s of [[Earth]] and [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to their home planet in order to battle [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] in his name. As Primus names [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] leader of the combined Cybertronian forces, a lone Autobot slinks away from the rear of the gathering.

Aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] are surprised to return to the ship and not only find it completely empty of life, but the planet Earth totally devoid of Transformers as well. As they set course for Cybertron, Grimlock commands [[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] to begin pumping [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] into the stasis pods to revive the fallen warriors, unknowing of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s presence among those in inactivity.

Back on Cybertron, [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]]'s fragile little mind is about to pop, as she is surrounded by her worst nightmare. [[G.B. Blackrock]] asks Optimus Prime to get Primus to return him and the [[Neo-Knights]] to Earth, but the god teleports away instead of listening to Optimus's plea.

Nearby, the mind-controlled [[Acolyte of Unicron|hordes of Unicron]] have gathered, and are preparing to carry out his will and bring death to Optimus Prime.

As [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] makes an excuse to speak to Optimus Prime alone, he confesses to his opposite number a growing fear of dying. Optimus expresses a similar sentiment, and also confides in Scorponok his growing distaste for being manipulated by their "god", against their will. Still, he is bound and determined to face his death with nobility and resolve, if his time has truly come. As the two leaders grow closer, they are suddenly besieged by Unicron's cultists.

[[File:DEATH.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|Look! DEATH!]] 
Scorponok quickly realizes that the cultists are completely uninterested in him, and seek only Optimus Prime's death. After briefly toying with the idea of leaving Prime to his doom, Scorponok vigorously returns to the battle and saves Prime from oncoming death. One cultist prepares to drop a grenade down on the fighters, but is caught by Galvatron, who forces the Cybertronian to eat his own grenade before sending up a signal flare to summon reinforcements for Prime and Scorponok.

Meanwhile... the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] has finished repairing its vessel, the deranged [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. It hungers for a new sensation... revenge!

As the various Autobots and Decepticons rush to their leaders' aid, the battle quickly turns in their favor. Scorponok is slowly torturing the last of the cultists, when Optimus Prime steps in and stops him. He suspects the Cybertronians aren't acting of their own accord, and therefore are innocent victims of Unicron.

Primus confirms Optimus Prime's suspicions, explaining that Unicron managed to place a "sleeper program" in several of Primus's creations eons ago, creating hidden wolves in the fold. Primus deliberately named Optimus Prime leader in order to draw out these cultists, and test the strength of the Cybertronian Alliance.

Just as Optimus Prime is about to give Primus a piece of his mind for all these manipulations, [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] points out that Unicron has arrived.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Xaaron]] (2)
*[[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] (9)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (10)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (17)
*[[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] (18)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (19)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] (25)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (28)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (31)
*[[Waverider]] (33)
*[[Cloudburst]] (34)
*[[Landfill (G1)|Landfill]] (39)
*[[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] (40)
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (41)
*[[Snarl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Snarl]] (45)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (46)
*[[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] (47)
*[[Slag (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Slag]] (48)
*[[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] (49)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] (50)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] (51)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]] (52)
*[[Getaway]] (20)
}}
|c2=
{{collist|2|
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] (11)
*[[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] (12)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]] (13)
*[[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] (14)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (15)
*[[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (16)
*[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] (20)
*[[Stranglehold]] (21)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (22)
*[[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] (23)
*[[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] (26)
*[[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] (27)
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (28)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (29)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (30)
*[[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] (32)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] (35)
*[[Apeface]] (36)
*[[Horri-Bull]] (37)
*[[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] (38)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (42)
*[[Battletrap]] (43)
*[[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (44)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (53)
*[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (54)
*[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] (56)
*[[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] (57)
}}
|c3=
*[[G.B. Blackrock]] (4)
*[[Thunderpunch]] (5)
*[[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]] (6)
*[[Dynamo]] (7)
*[[Rapture]] (8)
|c4=
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] (1)
*[[Primus]] (3)
*[[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]/[[Dark Matrix]] (55)
}}

==Quotes==
"Prime, may I speak... '''candidly?'''"<br>
"With '''extinction''' perhaps just around the corner, if ever there was a time for candor, it is '''now'''."<br>
"Prime, I see enemies gathering at '''all sides''', forces plotting my downfall, my '''death'''. I want -- I want -- nnn. I want your '''help''', Prime. Matrix help me, but I'm '''scared'''. '''I don't want to die!'''"<br>
"Is that '''all'''? If it helps, my friend, neither do '''I'''."
:— '''Scorponok''' and '''Optimus Prime''' get personal


''I could simply go, save myself. I... owe Prime '''nothing'''. He is, after all, my '''enemy'''. But could I live with myself, knowing I fled, gave in to my fear?'' "What am I '''thinking?''' I am Scorponok, mightiest of Decepticons! Mechanoids -- '''PREPARE TO ''DIE!'''''"
:—'''Scorponok'''


"Though it appears we serve the same master, and, like you, I have little love for Optimus Prime -- I didn't go to all the '''trouble''' of getting him here just to have '''you''' blow him up!"
:—'''Galvatron''' stuffs an acolyte's grenade down his throat

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*Slag "head" the boss, when he should have "heard" the boss.
*Ratchet is misspelled "Rachet" on his stasis pod door.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:G1thunderwingthevoid.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
*The Creation Matrix re-animated Thunderwing's barely alive remains and flew off the planet in a vehicle that matches Thunderwing's [[Mega Pretender]] shell's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] (see image). The Thunderwing [[toy]]'s robot does not fit inside his shell's vehicle mode. Instead, Thunderwing himself combines with his Pretender shell to form a super jet, which is not present in the artwork. So either comic Thunderwing works differently than toy Thunderwing, or Thunderwing himself was left on the planet and the Creation Matrix took off with his Pretender shell.

===Continuity notes===
*The history of Unicron and Primus, previously related by Unicron in UK issue [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#150]] and the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]] in US issue [[The Primal Scream|#61]], is once again different. Primus claims that he and Unicron are the only two deities, that Unicron wiped out the last universe but fragments of it started the Big Bang, and that he was created by the "sentient core" of the new universe to stop Unicron from re-creating a lifeless void. (Why yes! Primus' take ''does'' make him sound more impressive than the previous versions!)
*This issue is the first US appearance for Battletrap and Quake.
*In a nice bit of continuity, after being transported to Cybertron, the Autobot [[Pretender]]s still don't have their Pretender shells. The Decepticons confiscated them when the Autobots surrendered in [[Surrender!|issue 71]]. They will somehow get them back in time for next issue, however.
*Little character moments and jokes can be seen in the page 4–5 splash. Bludgeon is grimly cleaning his sword; Nightbeat has noticed the Neo-Knights helicopter that he brought with him; Dreadwind is ignoring the speech to tell Darkwing a funny joke, which confuses Sureshot and annoys Highbrow; Cloudburst (who is being held back by Waverider) is bristling at Runamuck pointing at him; an Autobot in the back is pretending to shoot Soundwave; Starscream is looking at his woozy "ally" Shockwave with contempt; Apeface is peeling himself a yummy [[banana]], much to Horri-Bull's amusement; Runabout is patching up Runamuck; and Triggerhappy is looking the other way entirely for no reason.
*Snarl finds only one Transformer life-sign on Earth, seemingly split into two parts. This seems to be a reference to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]], but Fortress Maximus is stored aboard the Ark. Another option might be Spike and his control helmet.

===Real-life references===
*TBD

===UK printing===
[[File:Void-UKspread.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|The United Kingdom - double the emptiness]] 
*The UK version of this story is one page longer. The opening page was expanded into a double-page spread in UK issue #317, incorporating the inside-front-cover of the comic, where a description of the issue's contents usually resided.

'''Issue #317:'''
*'''Reprint ''Transformers'' story:''' "[[The Enemy Within]]"
*'''Other strips:''' ''[[Combat Colin]]''
*'''[[Transformers AtoZ|AtoZ]]:''' [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]

'''Issue #318:'''
*'''Other strips:''' ''Machine Man'' - "If This Be Sanctuary?!" and ''Combat Colin''
*'''AtoZ:''' [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]]
*The Machine Man story was previously printed, starting way back in [[The Wrath of Guardian!|issue #31]].

===Other trivia===
*In the credits, over the complete absence of space, editor Rob Tokar and editor-in-chief [[Tom DeFalco]] are credited as "Nobody" and "Nothing".
*''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profiles for Darkwing and Dreadwind are found after the main story.
{{-}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''US cover:''' Scorponok and Prime vs the hordes of Unicron, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''UK issue #317 cover:''' Xaaron as servant of Primus, by Andrew Wildman and [[Robin Bouttell]].
*'''UK issue #318 cover:''' recolored version of US cover, by Robin Bouttell.
<gallery>
File:MarvelUS-74.jpg|'''US issue #74''' - We hate cosplayers!
File:MarvelUK-317.jpg|'''UK issue #317''' - Xaaron - now with added chrome
File:MarvelUK-318.jpg|'''UK issue #318''' - Head-poppingly fun!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
====US====
*Revlon and Nintendo ''Super Mario Brother'' bubble baths and shampoos - inside front cover
*Taito ''Wrath of the Black Manta'' for Nintendo - between pages 5 & 6
*CAPCOM ''Gargoyle's Quest'' for Nintendo Game Boy - between pages 5 & 6
*TSR ''Dungeon'' board game - between pages 7 & 8
*CAPCOM ''Street Fighter 2010, the Final Fight'' for Nintendo - between pages 8 & 9
*Glossy 4-page ad section for Acclaim's ''Arch Rivals'' for Nintendo, Tiger Electronics hand-held games and free ''Days of Thunder'' poster (and more Nintendo games)
*Marvel Universe trading cards - between pages 13 & 14 (2 pages)
*NFL Pro Set Collect-A-Books - between pages 14 & 15
*Bullpen Bulletins - between story and Darkwing profile
*[[Letters page|Transmissions]]
*Marvel subscription service
*LJN ''The [[Punisher]]'' for Nintendo - inside back cover
*Konami LaserScope for Nintendo (back cover)

====UK====
????

===Reprints===
*  '''''[[Transformers: All Fall Down]]'' TPB:''' Powermaster Optimus Prime, Megatron/Ratchet, Starscream, Shockwave and half of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*  '''''Transformers: All Fall Down'' [[BotCon]] exclusive cover:''' Powermaster Optimus Prime and Unicron, by [[Geoff Senior]] & [[Oliver Harud]].
*  '''''Transformers: All Fall Down'' standard HC:''' [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], by [[Howard Chaykin]] & [[Chris Blythe]].
*'''''[[Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm]]'':''' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Skywarp]], by Andrew Wildman.
<gallery>
File:All_fall_down_tpb_cover.jpg|'''''Transformers: All Fall Down'' TPB'''<br>(Titan Books, 2001)
File:All_fall_down_botcon_cover.jpg|'''''Transformers: All Fall Down'' hardback Botcon exclusive cover'''<br>(BotCon Exclusive, 2001)
File:All_fall_down_hb_cover.jpg|'''''Transformers: All Fall Down'' hardback standard cover'''<br>(Titan Books, 2003)
File:Best of Transformers.jpg|'''''Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm'''''<br>(Titan Books, 2008)
</gallery>
*'''[[Classic Transformers Volume 5|''Classic Transformers'' Volume 5]]:''' panels from this issue, "[[Deadly Obsession]]", "[[All Fall Down]]" and "[[...All This and Civil War 2]]".
*'''[[The Transformers Classics, Vol. 6|''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 6]]:''' [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection|''Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection:Volume 18: Edge of Extinction'']]''': [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], above an interior scene (issue #74) of Powermaster [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] battling the [[Acolyte of Unicron|Acolytes of Unicron]]. Grimlock art by [[Guido Guidi]], Retro art by [[Andrew Wildman]] (pencils) and [[Stephen Baskerville]] (inks).
<gallery>
File:Classic Transformers Vol5.jpg|'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 5'''<br>(IDW Publishing, 2009)
File:TFClassicsVol6.jpg|'''''The Transformers Classics'', Vol. 6'''<br>(IDW Publishing, 2013)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v18.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 18: Edge of Extinction'''''<br>(Hachette Partworks, 2017)
</gallery>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Void! (US)}}
[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]