International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"

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International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	August 11, 2010
Cover date	August 2010
Written by	Mike Costa
Art by	Guido Guidi
Colors by	J. Brown
Letters by	Neil Uyetake
Editor	Andy Schmidt
Assistant editor	Carlos Guzman
Continuity	2005 IDW continuity
Chronology	Current era (2010)

The Autobots sneak into North Korea.

Synopsis

On a dock in Incheon, South Korea, Campolongo is hooking up a shipping container to a crane when a rather officious dockworker confronts him, quite reasonably, wanting to know how their shipping company forced the shipyard allow an offload with alien attacks ten miles away. Unable to successfully bluff the operation even with Joe Henderson's help, Campolongo incapacitates the dockworker with a sleeper hold and tosses him into the water. Henderson and Campolongo argue about this course of action, bemoaning the limited time they've had prepare. Skywatch field commander Spike Witwicky silences them and they open the offloaded shipping containers, revealing seven Autobots in their vehicular forms. Optimus Prime asks if there's a problem. Spike complains his unit's lack of smarts; Prime reminds him that a unit is a reflection of its commander.

The Autobots and Skywatch personnel enter a hangar, allowing the Autobots to transform into their robot forms without being spotted by the watchful eyes of any orbiting reconnaissance satellites. Witwicky reminds them that the mission is strictly off the book now that Cybertronians have been classified as Weapons of Mass Destruction, so they'll have to engage the enemy without revealing their robotic nature—the Autobots will have to fight in their alternate modes. Spike reveals that Prime's trailer contains a lot of weaponry, and tasks Wheeljack with attaching that weaponry to the Autobots' vehicular bodies.

Further inland, Onslaught, Brawl, and Vortex relax, celebrating not having Swindle or Megatron bossing them around. At this point, Kim Jong Du storms out with his bodyguards to admonish the idling Decepticons and orders them to deal with the mustering American and South Korean forces. Brawl, less than happy to be ordered about by a human, makes his objections known to Onslaught. The Combaticon leader says they'll have to keep this up as long as Kim has energon, but he has a plan. Vortex calls him on it, and Onslaught admits that he's formulating a plan. Brawl states that he misses Swindle.

Nearby, an American NCO rallys his troops to face off against Combaticons. As he declares that the humans won't let machines just march in, an extremely up-gunned Smokescreen speeds past to engage the Decepticon foe. Smokescreen lays down a smokescreen as he blasts Vortex. Onslaught suspects Autobots and is confirmed when Optimus Prime emerges from the smoke at ramming speed and barrels into the luckless Decepticon. Vortex uses his rotors to redirect the smoke back at Smokescreen, reasoning that the Autobot can't see through it either. Taking advantage of the distraction, Vortex takes to the skies and transforms to helicopter mode, bragging that the Autobots are doomed without air support.

HUGE g1 Lot Transformers cartoon,movie JETFIRE loose VERY rare (as is)

Spike obviously agrees with Vortex, and orders the hitherto hidden Jetfire to engage him. Meanwhile, the ground-based Decepticon forces wonder why the Autobots remain in their vulnerable alternate modes instead of transforming. As Onslaught tears into Prime's cab, Skywatch deploys a team of crash suits. The Autobots and crash suits herd the Combaticons towards the sea, where a waiting Broadside unleashes a debilitating volley of firepower at the Decepticon duo, effectively pinning them. In response, Vortex slices Jetfire's wing, causing him to plummet into Broadside. The huge explosion distracts the Autobots long enough for the three Combaticons to flee the area.

Back in the hangar, while Ratchet works to repair the damage to Broadside and Jetfire, Optimus notes that Jetfire, as a research scientist, really is no match for a soldier of Vortex's caliber. Ratchet interrupts to give his prognosis on Jetfire: he'll be out of action for at least a week. Cliffjumper grouses that with neither air support nor robot modes, they'll have no chance. Prime states that he's been in contact with the Autobot leader, Bumblebee, and that Bumblebee has a plan.

Elsewhere, Bumblebee gives a speech to a potential new recruit, mentioning how times have changed, and how they're not really sure where things are now, citing Drift as an example. He explains that the situation now threatens all Autobots and Decepticons. Bumblebee concludes by asking Thundercracker to join his force as the Seeker ponders...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans
Wheeljack (5) Cliffjumper (6) Optimus Prime (7) Jazz (8) Prowl (9) Smokescreen (10) Ratchet (11) Jetfire (17) Broadside (18) Bumblebee (19)	Vortex (12) Brawl (13) Onslaught (14) Thundercracker (20)	Campolongo (1) South Korean customs official (2) Joe Henderson (3) Spike Witwicky (4) Kim Jong Du (15) US Army commander (16)

Quotes

Onslaught: As long as [Kim Jong Du] has the energon, we have to keep this up. But don't worry, I have a plan.
Vortex: Oh, you have a plan? Are you learning to make energon?
Onslaught: No.
Vortex: Are you figuring out how to capture the facility without blowing the whole thing sky high?
Onslaught: Well...no...look, I'm formulating a plan, okay? I will have one.

—Onslaught, demonstrating his unparalleled mastery of strategy

Notes

Continuity notes

• Onslaught and Vortex are shown opening their mouthplates to reveal mouths underneath. Brawl can probably do this too.

Transformers references

• The cannons on the sides of Optimus Prime's trailer are based on the missile launcher accessories from the Generation 2 version of his original toy. Additionally, as the Combaticons flee, the Combat Deck's repair drone appears extended through the trailer's roof, a feature of all versions of the toy.
• As Ratchet repairs Broadside and Jetfire, the rarely seen repair bay from his original toy sits next to him.

Real-life references

• Skywatch soldier Campolongo has been providing the Autobots with his DVDs in an attempt at a cultural exchange. Evidently, among them are television series and movies starring Patton Oswalt.
• Broadside has an emblem that looks like the Cybertron Elite Guard logo, but it's actually a LEGO 4005-1: Tug Boat homage.
• The title is a reference to a novel by David Drake, about Roman soldiers who are abducted by aliens to fight wars for them.

Errors

• Once again the designs for the Transformer characters have changed, with artist Guido Guidi giving the Autobots character models that are closer to the style he used during All Hail Megatron but incorporating details from Don Figueroa's run in The Transformers ongoing series. The notable exception is Jetfire, who retains his (more or less) Floro Dery-designed character model. Bumblebee's design has changed as well, now being a cross between Don Figueroa's original design and Guido Guidi's very simplistic reinterpretation from the previous issue. The most notable change is the return of the split Dodge Challenger hood chest and the Autobot symbol underneath it. Meanwhile, the Combaticons have less detailed character models that more closely resemble their original toys than the Dery-based models seen in the previous issue.
• Onslaught, the guy whose personality revolves around making plans, can't think up a plan without Swindle's help?
• On page 8, Prime's license plate is blank
• On page 11, when Vortex speaks to Kim Jong Du, the "<" is missing.
• On page 13, when being viewed through binoculars, all three Combaticons are missing their Decepticon insignia.
• Also on page 13, one of the military guys describes the Combaticons as "tough costumers" instead of "tough customers".
• On page 15, when Vortex attacks Cliffjumper, the latter is colored like Smokescreen.
• On page 22, Bumblebee's wings are colored to match the television screens.
• The Photoshopped faction symbols are rather sloppily applied throughout the issue.

Other trivia

• If you toss an unconscious guy into the water, they'll drown. Skywatch totally killed that dude.
• When Spike is removing hay from Prime, the side of his vehicle mode says Cybertron. Guess he really misses home?
• Using mechanical suits and guns on vehicle modes are such good ways to be in disguise.

Covers (2)

• Cover A: Jetfire getting blasted out of the sky; art by Guido Guidi, colors by J. Brown
• Cover RI: The Autobots in the darkness; art by Charles Paul Wilson III

• 
  GEEWUN or die!
• 
  "Will someone please turn on their slaggin' headlights?!"

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• The Transformers #11
• Various August new titles: Locke & Key, Phantom Jack, After the Fire, Phoenix Without Ashes
• TBD

Reprints

• The Transformers, Volume 2: International Incident (December 8, 2010) ISBN 1600108040 / ISBN 978-1600108044
  • Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #7–12.
  • Bonus material includes art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa.
  • Trade paperback format.

• The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Seven (October 17, 2012) ISBN 1613774060 / ISBN 978-1613774069
  • Collects Infestation issues #1–2, The Transformers (2009) issues #7–18, and Ironhide issues #1–4.
  • Hardcover format.

• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 47: International Incident (March 3, 2019)
  • Collects Bumblebee issues #1–4, and The Transformers (2009) issues #9–12.
  • Bonus material includes an interview with Zander Cannon and breakdowns for pages 1–4 of each issue of the Bumblebee mini-series.
  • Hardcover format.

• 
  Volume 2: International Incident – cover art by Guido Guidi and James Brown
• 
  The IDW Collection Volume Seven – cover art by E. J. Su
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 47: International Incident – cover art by Don Figueroa and Guido Guidi