First Strike issue 2: Difference between revisions
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|date=[[August 23]], 2017 | |date=[[August 23]], 2017 | ||
|coverdate=August 2017 | |coverdate=August 2017 | ||
|written by=[[Mairghread Scott]] and [[David | |written by=[[Mairghread Scott]] and [[David Rodriguez]] | ||
|art by=[[Max Dunbar]] | |art by=[[Max Dunbar]] | ||
|colors by=[[Ander Zarate]] | |colors by=[[Ander Zarate]] | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
|assistant editor=[[David Mariotte]] | |assistant editor=[[David Mariotte]] | ||
|editor=[[David Hedgecock]] | |editor=[[David Hedgecock]] | ||
|continuity=[[IDW | |continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]] | ||
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]] | |chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
==Synopsis== | ==Synopsis== | ||
[[Scarlett]]'s reading of [[Joe Colton]]'s letter is interrupted as a phalanx of [[Red Shadows]] crash through the walls of the bunker. The [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] pull out, fighting their way through the ninja back to the surface, realizing as they go that Colton has wired the entire base to blow. The team intends to hijack one of the heli-transports on the launchpad outside to get away, but even it is set to explode, and does so before they can get to it. His patience expired, [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] puts all of his might to work shoulder-charging his way through the Red Shadows, clearing a path that lets the team make it outside before the whole base goes up. Once they have regained their bearings, Scarlett resumes reading Colton's letter, and learns that Colton has joined | [[Scarlett]]'s reading of [[Joe Colton]]'s letter is interrupted as a phalanx of [[Red Shadows]] crash through the walls of the bunker. The [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] pull out, fighting their way through the ninja back to the surface, realizing as they go that Colton has wired the entire base to blow. The team intends to hijack one of the heli-transports on the launchpad outside to get away, but even it is set to explode, and does so before they can get to it. His patience expired, [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] puts all of his might to work shoulder-charging his way through the Red Shadows, clearing a path that lets the team make it outside before the whole base goes up. Once they have regained their bearings, Scarlett resumes reading Colton's letter, and learns that Colton has joined forces with [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]] to avail of the "weapon of last resort" he possesses. Having found official channels to be insurmountably corrupted by [[Dire Wraith]] infiltration, Colton went outside the law to enact this plan, creating a new identity for himself: Baron Ironblood. | ||
On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Destro]] and [[Storm Shadow]] blast their way past [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW | On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Destro]] and [[Tempest (G.I. Joe)|Storm Shadow]] blast their way past [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] in the [[Razorback]], making for their pre-determined rendezvous point. Also on course for the same location is the team of [[Miles Mayhem]], Garrison Kreiger, and a third villain whose face remains hidden in shadow, who are transporting Kreiger's weapon—the mysterious alien obelisk known as the "[[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]"—in Mayhem's "[[Outlaw]]" truck. The plan is to connect the Talisman to Cybertron's core and poison the planet from within—a task which requires the "[[enerchange]]" interface abilities of the final member of the villainous team, [[Microspace]] minister of war [[Shazraella]]. The inches tall Shazraella requires a larger body in order to do her part, the procurement of which falls to Storm Shadow; from the fleeing crowd of panicked Cybertronians, the ninja selects and cuts down [[Antagony (BW)|Antagony]] so that Shazraella can enerchange and fuse with her, gaining control of her body. Linking up with the rest of the villains, the now-giant Shazraella hefts the Talisman onto her back, and she and the rest of the team—squabbling and backbiting all the way, of course—enter a duct that will lead them down into the depths of the planet. | ||
While the villains' main objective goes into motion, Baron Ironblood and the rest of his footsoldiers keep the Transformers and [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s G.I. Joe team busy. Head of planetary security [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW | While the villains' main objective goes into motion, Baron Ironblood and the rest of his footsoldiers keep the Transformers and [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s G.I. Joe team busy. Head of planetary security [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] saves Flint, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike]], and [[Zilong Qian|Talon]] from a band of Red Shadows led by [[Major Bludd]], then calls for a retreat back to the [[Spire]], hoping that the [[Council of Worlds]] can work together and form a plan. Unfortunately, [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] and [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] are too busy arguing to do any planning; Elita blames Starscream for allowing the humans onto Cybertron in the first place, and opines that they should all be wiped out, starting with new council member [[Marissa Faireborn]]. Optimus Prime tries to intercede, but Marissa can take care of herself; she impugns Elita's ability to resolve the situation without resorting to mass-murder, which proves just insulting enough for Elita to take up the challenge. When Elita calls her orbiting ship [[Vigilem|Carcer]] to order reinforcements sent down the planet's surface, however, the council are met with only more bad news: the [[Space Knight|Knights]] of the [[Solstar Order]] have ''also'' arrived in Cybertronian orbit, their attention caught by the mutated, Dire-Wraith-like biology of the Talisman-altered Red Shadows, and they have placed the planet under quarantine! | ||
Back on Earth, Scarlett calls in [[Matt Trakker]] and [[Gloria Baker]] of [[M.A.S.K.]], who provide the heroes a weapon of last resort of their own: a stabilized version of the alien techno-virus recovered from the remains of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] during the two teams' | Back on Earth, Scarlett calls in [[Matt Trakker]] and [[Gloria Baker]] of [[M.A.S.K.]], who provide the heroes a weapon of last resort of their own: a stabilized version of the alien techno-virus recovered from the remains of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] during the two teams' [[The Deathstone|last adventure together]]. Knowing that they will require use of a [[Space bridge|Spacebridge]] to get to Cybertron and join the fight there, the group sets course in a submarine for [[Metrotitan (G1)|Autobot City]], hovering above the [[Greenland Sea]]. Upon surfacing, they are met by [[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] and [[Stormclash]], who usher them aboard the city to meet with [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. The Decepticon explains that the Spacebridge has been shut down from Cybertron's side, cutting them off, but the humans and Transformers put their heads together and figure out how to proceed. Deducing that the villains must have piggybacked their [[M.A.S.S. Device]] teleporter on the Spacebridge's signal to reach Cybertron in the first place, the heroes conclude it should be possible for them to recreate the effect for a one-shot teleportation—''if'' they can get their hands on the M.A.S.S. Device itself. With alamaring alacrity, the [[Torchbearer]] twins refit the bridge for the plan, then the combined forces of G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., and Autobot City prepare to storm [[Castle Destro]] and take the M.A.S.S. Device by force! | ||
==Featured characters== | ==Featured characters== | ||
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.<br> | Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.<br> | ||
{{featuredcharacters | {{featuredcharacters | ||
|c1= | |c1= | ||
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW | * [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9) | ||
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (10) | * [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (10) | ||
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW | * [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (24) | ||
*[[Metrotitan ( | * [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] (25) | ||
*[[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (26) | * [[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (26) | ||
*[[Stormclash]] (27) | * [[Stormclash]] (27) | ||
|c2= | |c2= | ||
*''[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]'' (19) | * ''[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]'' (19) | ||
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW | * [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (28) | ||
|h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3= | |h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3= | ||
*[[Scarlett]] (1) | * [[Scarlett]] (1) | ||
*[[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (2) | * [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (2) | ||
*[[Lady Jaye]] (3) | * [[Lady Jaye]] (3) | ||
*[[Doc (Carla Greer)|Doc]] (4) | * [[Doc (Carla Greer)|Doc]] (4) | ||
*[[Quick Kick]] (5) | * [[Quick Kick]] (5) | ||
*[[Zilong Qian|Talon]] (22) | * [[Zilong Qian|Talon]] (22) | ||
*[[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] (23) | * [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] (23) | ||
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike | * [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike]] (26) | ||
|h5= | |h5=The [[Iron Ring]]|c5= | ||
*[[Red Shadows]] (6) | * [[Red Shadows]] (6) | ||
*[[ | * [[Tempest (G.I. Joe)|Storm Shadow II]] (7) | ||
*[[Destro]] (8) | * [[Destro]] (8) | ||
*[[Baron Ironblood]] | * "[[Doctor Mindbender|Baron Ironblood]]" (11) | ||
*[[Iron Grenadier]]s (12) | * [[Iron Grenadier]]s (12) | ||
*[[Miles Mayhem]] (13) | * [[Miles Mayhem]] (13) | ||
*Mystery villain (14) | * [[Joe Colton|Mystery villain]] (14) | ||
*[[Garrison Kreiger]] (15) | * [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]] (15) | ||
*[[Shazraella]] (16) | * [[Shazraella]] (16) | ||
*[[ | * [[Buzzer (G.I. Joe)|Buzzer]] (20) | ||
*[[ | * [[Ripper (G.I. Joe)|Ripper]] (21) | ||
*[[Major Bludd]] (25) | * [[Major Bludd]] (25) | ||
|h4=[[M.A.S.K.]]|c4= | |h4=[[M.A.S.K.]]|c4= | ||
*[[Matt Trakker]] (17) | * [[Matt Trakker]] (17) | ||
*[[Gloria Baker]] (18) | * [[Gloria Baker]] (18) | ||
|h6=Others|c6= | |h6=Others|c6= | ||
*[[Antagony (BW)|Antagony]] (17) | '''Cybertronians''' | ||
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW | * [[Antagony (BW)|Antagony]] (17) | ||
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (28) | * [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (27) | ||
* [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] (29) | |||
*[[Prim]] (30) | '''Humans''' | ||
* | * [[Marissa Faireborn]] (28) | ||
* | '''[[Solstar Order]]''' | ||
*[[Nikomi]] (33) | * [[Prim]] (30) | ||
*[[Diavod]] (34) | * [[Butin]] (31) | ||
* [[Guar]] (32) | |||
* [[Nikomi]] (33) | |||
* [[Diavod]] (34) | |||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 111: | Line 112: | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
In addition to this 20-page main story, ''First Strike'' #2 also includes the four-page [[The Origins of Evil, Part Two: A Game of Chess|second chapter]] of an ongoing back-up strip, "[[The Origins of Evil]], | In addition to this 20-page main story, ''First Strike'' #2 also includes the four-page [[The Origins of Evil, Part Two: A Game of Chess|second chapter]] of an ongoing back-up strip, "[[The Origins of Evil]]", detailing how Ironblood assembled his evil allies. | ||
===IDW continuity notes=== | ===IDW continuity notes=== | ||
*Colton refers to "getting a new hand"; [[First Strike issue 0|issue #0]] showed how he had lost a hand to attempted [[Dire Wraith]] possession, while [[The Origins of Evil, Part One: Redcliffe Club|last issue's back-up strip]] explained how he had replaced with a Talisman-tech prosthesis. | * Colton refers to "getting a new hand"; [[First Strike issue 0|issue #0]] showed how he had lost a hand to attempted [[Dire Wraith]] possession, while [[The Origins of Evil, Part One: Redcliffe Club|last issue's back-up strip]] explained how he had replaced it with a Talisman-tech prosthesis. | ||
*Colton references his very first encounter with a Cybertronian life-form, as documented in [[The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb|issue 3]] of ''Revolutionaries''. | * Colton references his very first encounter with a Cybertronian life-form, as documented in [[The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb|issue 3]] of ''Revolutionaries''. | ||
*Trakker notes that the facsimile Transformers Ironblood uses to smuggle his forces onto Cybertron are "definitely M.A.S.K. tech." There's nothing overtly "M.A.S.K."-y about the robots themselves, and the advanced tech Kreiger has access to means Mayhem's involvement is hardly a | * Trakker notes that the facsimile Transformers Ironblood uses to smuggle his forces onto Cybertron are "definitely M.A.S.K. tech." There's nothing overtly "M.A.S.K."-y about the robots themselves, and the advanced tech Kreiger has access to means Mayhem's involvement is hardly a certainty based on that alone; therefore, though it's not specifically stated, Matt must logically be deducing this based on regular Cybertronians' inability to detect the villains' robots as phonies. M.A.S.K. vehicles are blind to Cybertronian scanners as a result of enhancements made following Mayhem's study of [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], as seen in [[The Divine Source of Liberty|''Revolution'' #2]]. | ||
*As referenced in a footnote, the Joe and M.A.S.K. teams previously worked together to recover the remains of Astrotrain in | * As referenced in a footnote, the Joe and M.A.S.K. teams previously worked together to recover the remains of Astrotrain in [[The Deathstone|the 2017 ''M.A.S.K.'' Annual]]. The Decepticon died in space in [[All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|''The Transformers'' #55]], and the annual showed how his dismembered body parts crashed to Earth, having picked up a techno-virus along the way. | ||
*According to Roadblock, [[Dial-Tone]] has "eyes on" [[Doctor X]] and the [[Iron Klaw]], answering the question of where the other two members of Ironblood's alliance in ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' are. Last issue's back-up strip, [[The Origins of Evil, Part One: Redcliffe Club|"Redcliffe Club"]], alluded to Doctor X's absence by having her mention her disinterest in travelling to Cybertron. | * According to Roadblock, [[Dial-Tone|Dial Tone]] has "eyes on" [[Mercy Gale|Doctor X]] and the [[Iron Klaw]], answering the question of where the other two members of Ironblood's alliance in ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' are. Last issue's back-up strip, [[The Origins of Evil, Part One: Redcliffe Club|"Redcliffe Club"]], alluded to Doctor X's absence by having her mention her disinterest in travelling to Cybertron. | ||
*Scarlett refers to Gloria Baker getting "out of the game, | * Scarlett refers to Gloria Baker getting "out of the game", and a footnote references [[M.A.S.K. issue 10|''M.A.S.K.'' #10]] for this story point... except that issue was running late and hadn't been released at the time of this issue's publication. | ||
*Major Bludd appears among Ironblood's ground troops; he has been working for the Baron since prior to [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], having severed ties with Cobra some years earlier following the events of the 2012 | * Major Bludd appears among Ironblood's ground troops; he has been working for the Baron since prior to [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], having severed ties with Cobra some years earlier following the events of the 2012 {{i|"Cobra Command"}} storyline. | ||
*Appearing for the first time in the main ''First Strike'' series, after appearing in the [[First Strike issue 0|''First Strike'' #0 prelude]], is | * Appearing for the first time in the main ''First Strike'' series, after appearing in the [[First Strike issue 0|''First Strike'' #0 prelude]], is the mysterious obelisk code-named "Talisman", which has been the central plot device of ''Revolutionaries''. This enigmatic device is an apparent creation of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]]'s, but also includes elements of the biotechnologies of Microspace and the Dire Wraiths. Its original purpose is unknown, but it arrived on Earth during the [[Ice Age]], when the [[Axalon (BW)|vessel]] carrying it crashed on the planet. The Talisman teleported away with the vessel from [[World War II]]-era [[Brasnya]], somehow winding up in [[Egypt]], where it was uncovered in the 1980s by Garrison Kreiger, who made study of it his life's work; in particular [[When Eagles Scream|''Revolutionaries'' #7]] showed how Kreiger and Colton discovered the Talisman's energy was deadly to Transformers, setting them on the course that has led to the events of ''First Strike''. | ||
*Also referenced in a footnote is Starscream's familiarity with Dire Wraiths, with whom he previously worked nearly two centuries before today in ''[[Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor]]''. | * Also referenced in a footnote is Starscream's familiarity with Dire Wraiths, with whom he previously worked nearly two centuries before today in ''[[Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor]]''. | ||
*Ironblood's alliance has been using the M.A.S.S. Device to move around Earth throughout ''[[Revolutionaries]]''; this issue's [[The Origins of Evil, Part Two: A Game of Chess|back-up strip]] explains that Destro provided the Baron with use of it. The Joes head out to storm Castle Destro at issue's end, since that's where the ''original'', imperfect M.A.S.S. Device was housed way back in the very earliest issues of IDW's ''G.I. Joe'' in 2008. The perfected M.A.S.S. was constructed at Cobra's Arctic Section Zero base, but Destro has evidently used the advancements made there to get his original working. | * Starscream mentions Elita One's refusal to bring down Carcer and help Cybertron, back in [[Ping|''Till All Are One'' #5]]. | ||
* Ironblood's alliance has been using the M.A.S.S. Device to move around Earth throughout ''[[Revolutionaries]]''; this issue's [[The Origins of Evil, Part Two: A Game of Chess|back-up strip]] explains that Destro provided the Baron with use of it. The Joes head out to storm Castle Destro at issue's end, since that's where the ''original'', imperfect M.A.S.S. Device was housed way back in the very earliest issues of IDW's ''G.I. Joe'' in 2008. The perfected M.A.S.S. was constructed at Cobra's Arctic Section Zero base, but Destro has evidently used the advancements made there to get his original working. | |||
* The Space Knights who appear in this issue have previously made minor appearances in the ''[[ROM (comic)|ROM]]'' comic. Prim is the cat-like Knight, Guar is the purple blob, Nikomi is the bear-like Knight, and the Knight resembling an armored human like Rom is probably Butin, an [[Elonian]] who barely appeared in the [[Cold Fire|2017 ''ROM'' annual]]. The appearance of the unarmored Diavod comes as something of a surprise, as he is also an Elonian, a species not known to have centuries-long lifespans. It is unclear if in fact they do, or if Diavod possesses Space Knight armor that doesn't cover his head. | |||
===Transformers references=== | |||
* Shazraella's enerchange victim is the same purple insectoid Transformer who stood out so conspicuously from the crowd last issue. She's not mentioned by name, but we now get a clear enough look at her to confirm that she is indeed Antagony, drawn based on her profile art in the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]''. | |||
* Like Optimus Prime, Starscream, and Windblade, Soundwave is now being drawn based on the "[[evergreen]]" design for the character created by Hasbro for use in licensed materials not tied to a particular toyline or film/animation project. Clear indicators are the presence of oscilloscope details on his upper arms, and an additional "satellite dish" on his left shoulder. | |||
===Hasbro franchise references=== | ===Hasbro franchise references=== | ||
*The Outlaw was a toy from the second year of the ''M.A.S.K.'' toyline, converting from the tractor trailer seen here to a mobile battlefield headquarters. It was Miles Mayhem's second personal vehicle in the series, following the [[Switchblade (M.A.S.K.)|Switchblade]]. | * The Outlaw was a toy from the second year of the ''[[M.A.S.K. (franchise)|M.A.S.K.]]'' toyline, converting from the tractor trailer seen here to a mobile battlefield headquarters. It was Miles Mayhem's second personal vehicle in the series, following the [[Switchblade (M.A.S.K.)|Switchblade]]. | ||
===Covers (7)=== | ===Covers (7)=== | ||
*'''Cover A:''' [[Rom]], Matt Trakker, and G.I. Joe surround Baron Ironblood as he stands atop the Talisman, by [[Freddie E. Williams II]] and [[Jeremy Colwell]] | * '''Cover A:''' [[Rom]], Matt Trakker, and G.I. Joe surround Baron Ironblood as he stands atop the Talisman, by [[Freddie E. Williams II]] and [[Jeremy Colwell]] | ||
*'''Cover B:''' | * '''Cover B:''' Shazraella lunges at Ironhide, G.I. Joe prepare to storm Castle Destro, and Ironblood looks on, by [[Max Dunbar]] and [[Ander Zarate]] | ||
*'''Cover C:''' [[Doctor Mindbender]], Destro, Baron Ironblood, Scarlett, Roadblock, the Red Shadows, and the Talisman, by [[Alex Ronald]]; the Red Shadows appear with their original paramilitary ''Action Force'' design, rather than their IDW ninja appearance. | * '''Cover C:''' [[Doctor Mindbender]], Destro, Baron Ironblood, Scarlett, Roadblock, the Red Shadows, and the Talisman, by [[Alex Ronald]]; the Red Shadows appear with their original paramilitary ''Action Force'' design, rather than their IDW ninja appearance. | ||
*'''Cover D:''' Soundwave, Scarlett, Shazraella, Roadblock, Matt Trakker, and Gloria Baker, by [[Rob Duenas]] | * '''Cover D:''' Soundwave, Scarlett, Shazraella, Roadblock, Matt Trakker, and Gloria Baker, by [[Rob Duenas]] | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrA.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrA.jpg|King of the hill! | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrB.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrB.jpg|Yes Baron, this is bad comedy. | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrC.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrC.jpg|Biker 'Stache returns! | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrD.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrD.jpg|[[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] on acid | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Scarlett and Soundwave, by [[Jay Fosgitt]] | * '''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Scarlett and Soundwave, by [[Jay P. Fosgitt]] | ||
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Miles Mayhem, Destro, Doctor Mindbender, and the Talisman, by [[ | * '''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Miles Mayhem, Destro, Doctor Mindbender, and the Talisman, by [[Davidé Fabbri]] and [[Monica Kubina]] | ||
*'''Retailer incentive cover C:''' Shazraella, Storm Shadow, and our mystery villain, by [[Leonardo Manco]] | * '''Retailer incentive cover C:''' Shazraella, Storm Shadow, and our mystery villain, by [[Leonardo Manco]] | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIA.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIA.jpg|"I'm sorry, that's never happened before." | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIB.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIB.jpg|Is that Roadblock cosplaying as Mindbender? | ||
File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIC.jpg| | File:FirstStrike2 cvrRIC.jpg|Ant of Doom | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
===Advertisements=== | ===Advertisements=== | ||
*''First Strike'' #3 | * ''First Strike'' #3 | ||
*"The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page | * "The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page | ||
*''First Strike'' checklist | * ''First Strike'' checklist | ||
===Reprints=== | |||
<small>Other than [[First Strike#Collections|collections of the full series]]</small> | |||
* N/A | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://www.cbr.com/first-strike-2-exclusive-preview/ | * [http://www.cbr.com/first-strike-2-exclusive-preview/ Preview] | ||
[[Category: First Strike issues]] | [[Category:First Strike issues]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:03, 14 October 2025
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| Publisher | IDW Publishing | ||||||||||||
| First published | August 23, 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | August 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Mairghread Scott and David Rodriguez | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Max Dunbar | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Ander Zarate | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Tom B. Long | ||||||||||||
| Editor | David Hedgecock | ||||||||||||
| Assistant editor | David Mariotte | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | 2005 IDW continuity | ||||||||||||
| Chronology | Current era | ||||||||||||
M.A.S.K. accompanies G.I. Joe to Autobot City to get help, while more members of Baron Ironblood's villainous cadre step out of the shadows to proceed with the next step of their plan.
Synopsis
[edit]Scarlett's reading of Joe Colton's letter is interrupted as a phalanx of Red Shadows crash through the walls of the bunker. The Joes pull out, fighting their way through the ninja back to the surface, realizing as they go that Colton has wired the entire base to blow. The team intends to hijack one of the heli-transports on the launchpad outside to get away, but even it is set to explode, and does so before they can get to it. His patience expired, Roadblock puts all of his might to work shoulder-charging his way through the Red Shadows, clearing a path that lets the team make it outside before the whole base goes up. Once they have regained their bearings, Scarlett resumes reading Colton's letter, and learns that Colton has joined forces with Garrison Kreiger to avail of the "weapon of last resort" he possesses. Having found official channels to be insurmountably corrupted by Dire Wraith infiltration, Colton went outside the law to enact this plan, creating a new identity for himself: Baron Ironblood.
On Cybertron, Destro and Storm Shadow blast their way past Optimus Prime and Windblade in the Razorback, making for their pre-determined rendezvous point. Also on course for the same location is the team of Miles Mayhem, Garrison Kreiger, and a third villain whose face remains hidden in shadow, who are transporting Kreiger's weapon—the mysterious alien obelisk known as the "Talisman"—in Mayhem's "Outlaw" truck. The plan is to connect the Talisman to Cybertron's core and poison the planet from within—a task which requires the "enerchange" interface abilities of the final member of the villainous team, Microspace minister of war Shazraella. The inches tall Shazraella requires a larger body in order to do her part, the procurement of which falls to Storm Shadow; from the fleeing crowd of panicked Cybertronians, the ninja selects and cuts down Antagony so that Shazraella can enerchange and fuse with her, gaining control of her body. Linking up with the rest of the villains, the now-giant Shazraella hefts the Talisman onto her back, and she and the rest of the team—squabbling and backbiting all the way, of course—enter a duct that will lead them down into the depths of the planet.
While the villains' main objective goes into motion, Baron Ironblood and the rest of his footsoldiers keep the Transformers and Flint's G.I. Joe team busy. Head of planetary security Ironhide saves Flint, Spike, and Talon from a band of Red Shadows led by Major Bludd, then calls for a retreat back to the Spire, hoping that the Council of Worlds can work together and form a plan. Unfortunately, Starscream and Elita One are too busy arguing to do any planning; Elita blames Starscream for allowing the humans onto Cybertron in the first place, and opines that they should all be wiped out, starting with new council member Marissa Faireborn. Optimus Prime tries to intercede, but Marissa can take care of herself; she impugns Elita's ability to resolve the situation without resorting to mass-murder, which proves just insulting enough for Elita to take up the challenge. When Elita calls her orbiting ship Carcer to order reinforcements sent down the planet's surface, however, the council are met with only more bad news: the Knights of the Solstar Order have also arrived in Cybertronian orbit, their attention caught by the mutated, Dire-Wraith-like biology of the Talisman-altered Red Shadows, and they have placed the planet under quarantine!
Back on Earth, Scarlett calls in Matt Trakker and Gloria Baker of M.A.S.K., who provide the heroes a weapon of last resort of their own: a stabilized version of the alien techno-virus recovered from the remains of Astrotrain during the two teams' last adventure together. Knowing that they will require use of a Spacebridge to get to Cybertron and join the fight there, the group sets course in a submarine for Autobot City, hovering above the Greenland Sea. Upon surfacing, they are met by Skyburst and Stormclash, who usher them aboard the city to meet with Soundwave. The Decepticon explains that the Spacebridge has been shut down from Cybertron's side, cutting them off, but the humans and Transformers put their heads together and figure out how to proceed. Deducing that the villains must have piggybacked their M.A.S.S. Device teleporter on the Spacebridge's signal to reach Cybertron in the first place, the heroes conclude it should be possible for them to recreate the effect for a one-shot teleportation—if they can get their hands on the M.A.S.S. Device itself. With alamaring alacrity, the Torchbearer twins refit the bridge for the plan, then the combined forces of G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., and Autobot City prepare to storm Castle Destro and take the M.A.S.S. Device by force!
Featured characters
[edit]Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | G.I. Joe | M.A.S.K. | The Iron Ring | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Cybertronians
Humans
|
Quotes
[edit]"People sure have a crap way of complimenting you, Scarlett."
"I blame myself."
"I blame you too. Underachieve some time, will ya?"
- —Lady Jaye and Scarlett
"You are extremely bossy for someone so easily crushed."
"That should tell you something."
- —Storm Shadow and Shazraella
"Soundwave? That's the talking boom box, right?"
"Right."
"There's a reason I missed this work."
- —Gloria Baker and Roadblock
Starscream: "I will not be spoken to in this manner, Elita."
Elita One: "Perhaps you should have thought about that before allowing these flesh-covered parasites to run rampant across Iacon!"
Marissa: "Hey! I am right here."
Notes
[edit]In addition to this 20-page main story, First Strike #2 also includes the four-page second chapter of an ongoing back-up strip, "The Origins of Evil", detailing how Ironblood assembled his evil allies.
IDW continuity notes
[edit]- Colton refers to "getting a new hand"; issue #0 showed how he had lost a hand to attempted Dire Wraith possession, while last issue's back-up strip explained how he had replaced it with a Talisman-tech prosthesis.
- Colton references his very first encounter with a Cybertronian life-form, as documented in issue 3 of Revolutionaries.
- Trakker notes that the facsimile Transformers Ironblood uses to smuggle his forces onto Cybertron are "definitely M.A.S.K. tech." There's nothing overtly "M.A.S.K."-y about the robots themselves, and the advanced tech Kreiger has access to means Mayhem's involvement is hardly a certainty based on that alone; therefore, though it's not specifically stated, Matt must logically be deducing this based on regular Cybertronians' inability to detect the villains' robots as phonies. M.A.S.K. vehicles are blind to Cybertronian scanners as a result of enhancements made following Mayhem's study of Blitzwing, as seen in Revolution #2.
- As referenced in a footnote, the Joe and M.A.S.K. teams previously worked together to recover the remains of Astrotrain in the 2017 M.A.S.K. Annual. The Decepticon died in space in The Transformers #55, and the annual showed how his dismembered body parts crashed to Earth, having picked up a techno-virus along the way.
- According to Roadblock, Dial Tone has "eyes on" Doctor X and the Iron Klaw, answering the question of where the other two members of Ironblood's alliance in Revolutionaries are. Last issue's back-up strip, "Redcliffe Club", alluded to Doctor X's absence by having her mention her disinterest in travelling to Cybertron.
- Scarlett refers to Gloria Baker getting "out of the game", and a footnote references M.A.S.K. #10 for this story point... except that issue was running late and hadn't been released at the time of this issue's publication.
- Major Bludd appears among Ironblood's ground troops; he has been working for the Baron since prior to Revolutionaries #1, having severed ties with Cobra some years earlier following the events of the 2012 "Cobra Command" storyline.
- Appearing for the first time in the main First Strike series, after appearing in the First Strike #0 prelude, is the mysterious obelisk code-named "Talisman", which has been the central plot device of Revolutionaries. This enigmatic device is an apparent creation of Onyx Prime's, but also includes elements of the biotechnologies of Microspace and the Dire Wraiths. Its original purpose is unknown, but it arrived on Earth during the Ice Age, when the vessel carrying it crashed on the planet. The Talisman teleported away with the vessel from World War II-era Brasnya, somehow winding up in Egypt, where it was uncovered in the 1980s by Garrison Kreiger, who made study of it his life's work; in particular Revolutionaries #7 showed how Kreiger and Colton discovered the Talisman's energy was deadly to Transformers, setting them on the course that has led to the events of First Strike.
- Also referenced in a footnote is Starscream's familiarity with Dire Wraiths, with whom he previously worked nearly two centuries before today in Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor.
- Starscream mentions Elita One's refusal to bring down Carcer and help Cybertron, back in Till All Are One #5.
- Ironblood's alliance has been using the M.A.S.S. Device to move around Earth throughout Revolutionaries; this issue's back-up strip explains that Destro provided the Baron with use of it. The Joes head out to storm Castle Destro at issue's end, since that's where the original, imperfect M.A.S.S. Device was housed way back in the very earliest issues of IDW's G.I. Joe in 2008. The perfected M.A.S.S. was constructed at Cobra's Arctic Section Zero base, but Destro has evidently used the advancements made there to get his original working.
- The Space Knights who appear in this issue have previously made minor appearances in the ROM comic. Prim is the cat-like Knight, Guar is the purple blob, Nikomi is the bear-like Knight, and the Knight resembling an armored human like Rom is probably Butin, an Elonian who barely appeared in the 2017 ROM annual. The appearance of the unarmored Diavod comes as something of a surprise, as he is also an Elonian, a species not known to have centuries-long lifespans. It is unclear if in fact they do, or if Diavod possesses Space Knight armor that doesn't cover his head.
Transformers references
[edit]- Shazraella's enerchange victim is the same purple insectoid Transformer who stood out so conspicuously from the crowd last issue. She's not mentioned by name, but we now get a clear enough look at her to confirm that she is indeed Antagony, drawn based on her profile art in the Beast Wars Sourcebook.
- Like Optimus Prime, Starscream, and Windblade, Soundwave is now being drawn based on the "evergreen" design for the character created by Hasbro for use in licensed materials not tied to a particular toyline or film/animation project. Clear indicators are the presence of oscilloscope details on his upper arms, and an additional "satellite dish" on his left shoulder.
Hasbro franchise references
[edit]- The Outlaw was a toy from the second year of the M.A.S.K. toyline, converting from the tractor trailer seen here to a mobile battlefield headquarters. It was Miles Mayhem's second personal vehicle in the series, following the Switchblade.
Covers (7)
[edit]- Cover A: Rom, Matt Trakker, and G.I. Joe surround Baron Ironblood as he stands atop the Talisman, by Freddie E. Williams II and Jeremy Colwell
- Cover B: Shazraella lunges at Ironhide, G.I. Joe prepare to storm Castle Destro, and Ironblood looks on, by Max Dunbar and Ander Zarate
- Cover C: Doctor Mindbender, Destro, Baron Ironblood, Scarlett, Roadblock, the Red Shadows, and the Talisman, by Alex Ronald; the Red Shadows appear with their original paramilitary Action Force design, rather than their IDW ninja appearance.
- Cover D: Soundwave, Scarlett, Shazraella, Roadblock, Matt Trakker, and Gloria Baker, by Rob Duenas
-
King of the hill! -
Yes Baron, this is bad comedy. -
Biker 'Stache returns! -
Dreamwave on acid
- Retailer incentive cover A: Scarlett and Soundwave, by Jay P. Fosgitt
- Retailer incentive cover B: Miles Mayhem, Destro, Doctor Mindbender, and the Talisman, by Davidé Fabbri and Monica Kubina
- Retailer incentive cover C: Shazraella, Storm Shadow, and our mystery villain, by Leonardo Manco
-
"I'm sorry, that's never happened before." -
Is that Roadblock cosplaying as Mindbender? -
Ant of Doom
Advertisements
[edit]- First Strike #3
- "The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page
- First Strike checklist
Reprints
[edit]Other than collections of the full series
- N/A
