And There Shall Come...a Leader!

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And There Shall Come...a Leader!
Publisher	Marvel Comics in association with Grandreams
First published	December 1985
Cover date	1986
Writer	Simon Furman
Art	John Stokes
Colours	Gina Hart
Lettering	Starkings
Editor	Sheila Cranna
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

The greatest son of Iacon steps forth from the ashes of war.

Synopsis

Roget's Rules of Warfare

Five million years ago, the Decepticons are attacking the domed city of Iacon, Cybertron's capital city-state. Inside the celestial temple, progressive council member Emirate Xaaron finally manages to convince his fellow councillors to cede leadership to a battlefield commander, instead of trying to run the war while hidden away in their protective bunkers. He entreats High Councillor Traachon to give the burden of responsibility to (dramatic pause)...Optimus Prime.

On the battle grounds, Optimus is coordinating several strike squads at once, while waiting for word of his couriers, Bluestreak and Fusion.

On their way back to Prime with a cache of shatter bombs, Bluestreak is carrying the precious cargo while Fusion runs interference for him. The Decepticons attempt to blow out the bridge they're driving on. Bluestreak makes the jump with inches to spare, but Fusion is not so lucky and is destroyed by Decepticon laser fire.

At Optimus Prime's command post, he receives the good news from Xaaron that command of the armed forces is now totally under his control. This means Optimus can go ahead with the plan he was planning to put forth anyway, even without council approval. (How can you not love this guy?)

As Megatron personally leads his troops in advancing on the Autobots of Iacon, Optimus places himself in Megatron's path. As the battle commences on the last bridge to Iacon, Gears is placing the shatter bombs on the support posts beneath the bridge at Prime's command. At Gears' signal, Optimus actively keeps Megatron occupied on the bridge while his fellow Autobots flee the imminent blast zone. When all the Autobots except Prime are safely away, Gears activates the shatter bombs and destroys the bridge.

Thanks to a pre-arranged escape plan, Optimus Prime is magnetically drawn to safety by Windcharger's power, while Megatron and the Decepticons are smashed under the falling debris of the bridge's collapse. Thus Iacon is saved and Megatron is dealt a crushing defeat in only a few cycles after Optimus Prime is named to command.

'Til all are one!

Chronologically, the events of this issue occur during the early events of The Transformers.

Featured Characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Pulsar Tempest Xaaron Tomaandi Traachon Optimus Prime Fusion Bluestreak Ironhide Brawn Prowl Gears Windcharger	Megatron Soundwave

Errors

• Ironhide is coloured shades of blue and white.
• It looks like Mirage, but it sounds like Soundwave. Weeeeird.
• Though Optimus Prime introducing himself to Megatron isn't an error at the moment, it would later be retconned by State Games and several other sources that the two knew each other in the gladiatorial games before the war.
• In the Plague of the Insecticons! special reprint the first and second pages were printed the wrong way round. This was corrected for the 1994 Holiday Special reprint.

Items of note

• The depiction of Iacon is based on the imagery of Cybertron as seen in the cartoon episode "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1". Several buildings and structures are clearly taken from the cartoon, and the most precious comparison has to be the tunnel entrance used by Fusion and Bluestreak to get shatter bombs to the Great Dome, which is exactly the same one Wheeljack and Bumblebee used to get energy conductors to the cartoon's dome-shaped Autobot headquarters. The only difference is that the next piece of road for Fusion and Bluestreak is the same road Wheeljack and Bumblebee drove over befóre entering the tunnel.
• This issue is prefaced with the title "Tales of Cybertron".
• Emirate Xaaron and his fellow council members make their first appearances.
• Optimus Prime is officially named leader of the Autobots.
• Hound and Ratchet are mentioned as being off-panel.

Reprints

• The story was reprinted in "The Transformers: Plague of the Insecticons!", a one-off reprint special released in 1986.
• It was reprinted again in the 1994 Holiday Special.
• It was once again reprinted in the trade paperback "Best of Optimus Prime".

Covers (3)

• 
  The Transformers Annual
• 
  Plague of the Insecticons!
• 
  1994 Holiday Special