Editing Dispatches

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Arrival|''Transformers Animated: The Arrival'']]'' #1''
|next=The Arrival issue 2
|title=Dispatches
|image=Arrival1 coverA.jpg
|caption=I'm having so much gosh-darn fun I can't stand it!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 13]], [[2008]]
|coverdate=August 2008
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|pencils by=[[Dario Brizuela]]
|inks by=[[Leandro Corral]]
|colors by=[[Liam Shalloo]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[Animated continuity]]
}}
'''A million stellar cycles of peace is threatened when the Transformers and the AllSpark arrive on Earth.'''

==Synopsis==
Ultra Magnus informs the [[Cybertronian Elite Guard|Elite Guard]] of the current situation as regards to Optimus Prime's crew, the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]], and their subsequent disappearance. He confirms that there are search and rescue crews at work, but as yet they have found nothing.

On [[Earth]], Optimus is in stasis, dreaming of his battle with Megatron, where he was the only thing standing between the Decepticon overlord and ultimate power.

On the colony [[New Kaon]], Blitzwing hosts Megatron's funeral, having erected a monument to his leader, and vows vengeance... and [[Facial hair|mustaches]]. Meanwhile, in [[Iacon]], Sentinel Prime is forced to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of Optimus' crew. Afterward, Longarm Prime pushes that they continue the search, but Sentinel thinks it's best to leave things buried. Meanwhile, a furious Lugnut refuses to accept Megatron's death, destroys Blitzwing's monument and the two begin to fight.

On Earth, Isaac Sumdac discovers Megatron's head, and over the next 50 years, progresses from simple attempts at reverse engineering to the establishment of [[Sumdac Systems]].

The [[Autobot]]s awaken, and meet Sari, establishing themselves as [[Detroit]]'s new heroes.

On the Decepticon warship, Starscream is reviewing footage of the Autobots at work, when an intruder alert goes off. Blackarachnia arrives, and during a scuffle offers to team up. Starscream declines and Blackarachnia makes her escape, placing a tracer on him. The distraction causes Starscream to miss a proximity warning, and he promptly crashes into the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]].

Sometime later, Starscream attacks, and during the battle, the AllSpark is briefly opened. The resulting energy burst is detected by both the Autobots and the Decepticons, and the two groups make tracks for Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm Prime]] (3)
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (4)
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] (6)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (13)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (14)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (15)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (16)
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (20)
|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (2)
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (7)
* [[Lugnut]] (8)
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (17)
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (18)
|c3=
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (9)
* [[Captain Fanzone]] (11)
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (12)
* [[Mayor Edsel]] (19)
|c4=
* [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Icy Blitzwing''': "It is with heavy sparks that we who proudly display the Decepticon symbol must learn to accept the inevitable conclusion, however unpleasant... Our leader has fallen. Megatron is no more. Rest assured, he will not be forgotten."<br>
'''Hothead Blitzwing''': But first we will '''CRUSH''' the miserable Autobot scum responsible for destroying him!<br>
'''Random Blitzwing''': Oooh! And then we'll paint mustaches on their faceplates! Mustaches are funny! Hahahahahaha!<br>
:—No funeral is <s>safe</s> sane when '''Blitzwing''' is around.

==Errors==
* Both Sentinel and Longarm bear the wrong symbol, with Longarm wearing the Elite Guard emblem, and Sentinel possessing the standard [[Insignia|Autobrand]].
* On cover B  Optimus' shoulder is sideways making it look like Ratchet's autobrand is sideways
* Blackarachnia appears to have a face plate instead of a visible mouth.

== Items of note ==
* This issue's story was given the title '''"Dispatches"''' in the trade paperback collection of ''The Arrival''.
* The plot is a retelling of "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", but from different perspectives and with many additional details.

===Covers (3)===
{{picsneeded|RI}}
* '''Cover A:''' Sari, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Sparkplug, [[Tutor Bot]], and a lot of [[Pat Lee|balloons]]; art by [[Alex Milne]] &amp; colors by [[Josh Perez]].
* '''Cover B:''' The Autobots half of the RI cover; this art was reused for the TPB cover.
* '''Incentive Cover RI:''' Front to back cover of the Autobots and Sari vs the Decepticons and the [[Angry Archer]]; art by [[Marcelo Matere]].
<gallery>
Image:Arrival1 coverA.jpg|
Image:Arrival1 coverB.jpg|
Image:Arrival1 coverRI.jpg|
</gallery>

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arrival issue 1}}
[[Category:Animated issues]]
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