The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire.

« The Transformers (UK) #213–214 »
Three great cost-cutting exercises inside!!
"The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire."
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Cover date	15th April - 22nd April 1989
Writer	Simon Furman
Art	Lee Sullivan
Colours	Stuart Place
Lettering	Glib
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Megatron returns to Cybertron intending to rebuild the Decepticon Empire.

Synopsis

Following the Time Wars, Megatron and Ravage use the Mayhem Attack Squad's ship to return to Cybertron. Disgusted at the lack of Decepticon control of the planet, Megatron makes his way to Helex, the Decepticon capital. There he confronts the ruling Decepticon Triumvirate of Legonis, Octus, and Seizer.

Having grown indolent and complacent, the three have abandoned the idea of conquest, instead preferring to be entertained with gladiatorial combat. They cast Megatron into the area to face a variety of opponents. Megatron dispatches them all easily, reveling in the destruction.

Eventually he realizes the futility of what he is doing and appeals to the crowd of Decepticons to rise up and reclaim their warrior heritage. Inspired to take action, the already dissatisfied Triggercons attack and kill the Triumverate and the Decepticons declare Megatron their leader. Megatron declares that this time he intends to do things right... knowing his destiny is to become the unbeatable Galvatron!

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Decepticons
Straxus-Megatron (1) Ravage (2) Legonis (3) Octus (4) Seizer (5) Quake (6) Ruckus (7) Crankcase (8) Windsweeper (9)

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• This was the last UK strip to be originally printed in colour due to falling sales.
• Bob Budiansky, José Delbo, Manny Manos, and Nel Yomtov are accidentally credited for creating the second half of this story; they had created "Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?", the story running alongside this one.

Continuity notes

• Issue #213 was the first UK issue to be printed with three strips per issue, a US reprint, a UK story, and a back-up Visionaries strip. This was done as a cost-cutting exercise. The story, however, was written before the decision was taken, so it had to be split in two and printed across two issues instead of one. This led to a rather unexciting ‘cliffhanger’ at the end of #213.
• Ironically, the Megatron featured here is later shown in "Two Megatrons!" to be a clone of the previous ruler of Cybertron, Straxus.
• "Trigger-Happy!" is the only other story where Megatron changed his behaviour and actions due to the secure knowledge he'd become Galvatron.

Real-life references

• The Triumverate are inspired by the Triumvirate of ancient Rome.
• The title of this story was most likely inspired by The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
• Octus is based on a Dalek from Doctor Who.

Back-up material

Issue #213

• Additional Transformers story: "Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?"
• Back-up strips: Visionaries - "The End..." and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Mirage and Mixmaster
• With this issue, the cover subtitle went from Action Force to Visionaries, again.

Issue #214

• Additional Transformers story: "Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner"
• Back-up strips: Visionaries - "The End..." and Combat Colin

Generics

• 
  Megatron beats a generic Autobot into submission.
• 
  Another Autobot attempts to assassinate Megatron. This ends badly for the Autobot.
• 
  Megatron's speech rallies some generic—if colourful—Decepticon troops.

Covers (2)

• UK issue #213 cover: Landmine and Cloudburst / Megatron / Visionaries by John Stokes.
• UK issue #214 cover: Mecannibals / Megatron vs Quake by John Stokes.

• 
  UK issue #213 - It's even better if you mix up all the taglines.
• 
  UK issue #214 - ...but are they hungry for Quake's gigantic crotch?

Reprints

• Holiday Special 1993 cover: Ultra Magnus fights Hooligan in the "Deadly Games!" Recoloured version of UK issue #171's cover, art by Jerry Paris.
• Transformers: City of Fear: Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers battle the zombie horde, art by Geoff Senior.
• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection:Volume 16: The Primal Scream: Optimus Prime by Guido Guidi above an interior scene of the Megatron vs Grimlock.
• The Transformers Classics UK Volume 6: General Ghyrik, a Quintesson Judge, Metroplex, Galvatron, Optimus Prime, Arcee, Carnivac and Snarler. Art and colors by Andrew Wildman.

• 
  Holiday Special 1993 (Marvel Comics UK, 1993)
• 
  Transformers: City of Fear (Titan Books, 2004)
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 16: The Primal Scream
  (Hachette Partworks, 2017)
• 
  Classics UK Volume 6 TPB (IDW Publishing, 2018)