Editing Less Than Zero

{{Comicstory|
|series=rg1|issueno=0
|prev=Destiny, Part Four
|next=Destiny, Part Five
|title="Less Than Zero"
|image=RG1 0 cvrB.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 18]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=August 2013
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|artist=[[Casey Coller]] (pages 1 & 22), [[Geoff Senior]] (pages 2-6), [[Nick Roche]] (pages 17-21)
|penciler=[[Jeff Anderson]] (pages 7-11), [[José Delbo]] (pages 12-16)
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]] (pages 7-16)
|colorist=[[John-Paul Bove]]
|letterer=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''From Zero Space, Hot Rod looks in on four key moments from all across time, leading him to an incredible transformation.'''

==Synopsis==

Set adrift in [[Zero Space]], the void that exists at the end of creation where all of time has collapsed to a single point, Hot Rod is barely able to keep his thoughts coherent as he tumbles through the emptiness. Then, inexplicably, ground solidifies beneath his feet: ground that Hot Rod's data-files identify as that of [[Colorado|Denver, Colorado]], over twenty years in his relative past, at the time of the [[Autobot]]s' battle with the [[Deathbringer (Marvel)|Deathbringer]]. Though he was not present for the battle originally, Hot Rod is aware of the creature's history as a medical mechanoid warped by the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], and watches as the battle plays out according to history, with [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] acquiring the information that allows [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] to turn the creature's prime directive back upon it, convincing it to kill itself. But after the battle is done and the Autobots have departed, Hot Rod waits, and in time, discovers that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy within the Deathbringer was not destroyed, and still lives...

Next, Hot Rod is whisked to [[Nova Cronum]] during the pre-war days of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and observes as a Transformer who he has never heard of, identifying himself as [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] meets with the High Circuitmaster [[Boltax (G1)|Boltax]] and three other members of a "Brain Trust". These five, dubbed the "five greatest minds" on the planet by Boltax, are uploading their combined knowledge into a database they call the [[Underbase]]—but Jhiaxus, tired of Cybertron's policy of isolationism, takes control of the process and "slays" the others' mental projections, incapacitating them. Before they can recover, Jhiaxus obtains from the Underbase the data he requires to begin the creation of a cosmic empire, then erases all memory of himself from his fellows' minds and all other records.

In another whirl of nothingness, Hot Rod finds himself back on Earth, during the opening stages of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s conquest of the planet. As the [[zombie]] "Ex-Bots" devastate a busy highway, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] and [[Jessie]] Witwicky try to escape in their car, but are pursued. Buster has Jessie call [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] in hopes of calling upon the help of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], but the dejected Spike does not pick up the phone. Taking cover in a car wash, the pair are hunted down by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and slain. Hot Rod has only a moment to wonder if the takeaway from this vision is the loss of Buster, or the present situation of Spike, before he is again pulled away across the void...

...and lands on an unfamiliar [[Junkion (planet)|world of junk]], which Hot Rod's painful landing indicates is a lot more tangible than the other locales he had visited. Following the sound of an explosion nearby, Hot Rod discovers the crashed remains of an Autobot shuttle of a design he does not recognize and its crew, and watches as [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] battles another version of ''himself'', transfigured by the power of the Matrix into "Rodimus Prime". Recalling [[Primus]]'s words that he "is Prime", Hot Rod believes that what he is seeing is his own destiny, be it the future or some parallel reality, and calls out a warning to his other self as [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] fly in on the attack. Rodimus Prime hears and turns in amazement, but is struck by the Decepticons' blasts, which break the chain holding the Matrix around his neck and send it flying. As Galvatron delivers the killing shot to Rodimus's fallen form, Hot Rod reaches out to touch the Matrix...

On the bridge of the ''[[Warworld]]'', [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] turns from the fallen [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], his attention caught by a flash of light behind him. Hot Rod has returned to his home time, and introduces himself to the Decepticon with the new name the Matrix has given him: now, he has become Rodimus Prime!

==Featured characters==

{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Getaway]] (2)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Siren]] (11)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (12)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (24)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (25)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (26)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (27)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]/[[Primus]] (28)

{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}

{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (4)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (8)
*[[Octane]] (16)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (17)
*A Stunticon? (18)
*[[Conehead]] (19)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (20)
*[[Bugly]] (21)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (23)
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (29)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (30)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (31)

|c3=
*[[Jessie|Jessie Witwicky]] (9)
*[[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] (10)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (22)
|h4=Others|c4=
*[[Deathbringer (Marvel)|Deathbringer]] (1)
*[[Boltax (G1)|Boltax]] (6)
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (7)
*"Brain Trust" member #3 (13)
*[[Decanus]] (14)
*"Brain Trust" member #5 (15)
*[[Primus]]/[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (28)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===

*The first of this issue's four sections tells the story of the Autobots' battle with the Deathbringer, which was alluded to in [[Dark Creation|issue #65]]. That issue was itself referring to the two-part "[[Deathbringer (issue)|Deathbringer]]" story published in the Marvel UK series, in which the full battle was told in detail; this was the biggest allusion any of the US stories made to the UK material, but since ''Regeneration One'' has been established as ''not'' counting the UK stories for its continuity, this fills that storytelling gap in. Everything is functionally identical to the UK story, including some very similar and paraphrased dialogue.
*Boltax and the Underbase were introduced in [[The Flames of Boltax!|issue #48]], while Jhiaxus (who has put in some cameo appearances in ''Regeneration One'' up until now) debuted in the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic. An important distinction between the two depictions of Jhiaxus is introduced: in ''Generation 2'', the modern day Transformers were not aware of his existence because he was not created until they left Cybertron, but here, he did exist before then, and has erased all knowledge of himself from all records.
*Buster intimates that he and Jessie got married some time between their last appearances during the [[Underbase Saga]] and now.

===Transformers references===

*The first and third sections of this issue, drawn by regular Marvel US contributors Geoff Senior and Jose Delbo, are colored in the classic Marvel comics style of Nel Yomtov, complete with faux [[Wikipedia:Ben-Day dots|Ben-Day dots]] and block-colored crowds.
*The second section, illustrated by Marvel UK alumnus Jeff Anderson, is rendered in a painted watercolor style, like that used by the first ninety-or-so issues of the Marvel UK series, with particular inspiration drawn from [[Tony Jozwiak]]'s work on "[[Target: 2006]]". 
*The fourth section is not based on any part of the Marvel continuity, but rather is an alternate vision of the shuttle crash on Junkion from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (a work that was itself, of course, a huge influence of the UK comics). As such, the coloring here recreates the look of the animated series, with bold, cel-shaded figures and painted-looking backgrounds. Furthering this animated connection, note the presence of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] among the deceased shuttle crew, who does not exist in Marvel US continuity; she is the only one Hot Rod does not name, because he doesn't know her.
*Throughout all four sections, Hot Rod remains colored in the standard modern style of ''Regeneration One'', as he's merely a traveler and not an occupant of those times.
*Nova Cronum was a Cybertronian polity introduced in [[Dreamwave Produtions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages]]'' series.
*Buster perishing in a car wash by Ratbat's hands alludes to their previous battle in such a locale, in the infamous issue #31, "[[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom]]".

===Real world-references===
*This issue is named for the [[Wikipedia: Less Than Zero (song)|Elvis Costello song of the same name]]. 

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:'''  Jhiaxus mentally attacks Boltax, by [[Andrew Wildman]] and [[Jason Cardy]].
*'''Cover B:'''  Buster and Jessie flee the Ex-Bots, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Galvatron destroys Ultra Magnus on Junkion, by [[Geoff Senior]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
*'''Cover RE:''' Megatron and the Decepticons in front of the [[Wikipedia: Halifax Town Clock|Town Clock]] in [[Wikipedia:Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. Exclusive to [http://www.giantrobotcomics.com/ Giant Robot Comics] (who are based in Halifax), by Casey Coller and John-Paul Bove.
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===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Shockpoint|#21]]
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Remain in Light 5 of 5:|#21]]
*''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' [[Monstrosity issue 4|#4]]
*''[[Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters (comic)|Beast Hunters]]'' [[Beast Hunters issue 5|#5]]
*''The Bureau''
*''Danger Girl: The Chase'' (back cover)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Less Than Zero}}