Transformers Comic issue 2.10

This article is about the Revenge of the Fallen issue. For the Cyberverse episode, see Bring Me The Spark Of Optimus Prime.

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Publisher	Titan Comics
First published	25 February 2010
Editor	Steve White
Deputy editor	Den Patrick
Designer	Danny Preston
Publishing manager	Darryl Curtis
Price	£2.50

GIVE ME PRIME'S FACE.

Bring Me the Head of Optimus Prime

• Script: Robin Etherington
• Art: Jon Davis-Hunt
• Colours: Hi-Fi Design
• Lettering: Den Patrick
• Continuity: Revenge of the Fallen (sequel)

NEST intercepts a distress signal from Malmstrom Air Force Base (Montana) at 07:47, reporting a "robot attack". Optimus Prime is air-dropped in, noting damage consistent with human weaponry but a slaughter reminiscent of Decepticons. Discovering that several transporters have been stolen, he tracks them to a ravine on the Canadian border...and is knocked out by a powerful bomb...

...only to wake up chained down, with a badly scarred loony in combat fatigues talking at him. The man knows who Optimus is (everyone with a TV knows that these days!), and, ominously, he mentions how he killed the time waiting for Prime by killing the local wildlife...

Back at Malmstrom, Robert Epps and Bumblebee have arrived. With Lennox's team hunting down the remaining Seekers, they're all NEST can spare. A quick inventory check finds a non-nuclear electromagnetic bomb has been stolen from the base, which Epps believes is related to that huge blast noticed in the Rockies and the disappearance of Prime. Luckily, Bumblebee is capable of tracking his boss down!

Prime struggles and fails to escape his shackles, while his captor reveals himself to be Trophy White, head of the well-armed Free Men militia. Prime is in their Montana compound, where White keeps his vast collection of trophies: stuffed and mounted heads of endangered species! The attack on Malmstrom and a false "robot attack" message was all to draw Optimus out, so White could go down in hunting history as the first man to bag an Autobot! Now it's time for Prime's head to join the collection...

Meanwhile, Bumblebee has tracked Optimus to the ravine. He's able to jump it (though he doesn't warn poor Epps first), and our dynamic duo find their way to the Free Men camp. Using high-power binoculars, Epps notices White about to decapitate Optimus, so he arms up and authorises Bumblebee to go weapons free! The camp is blown wide open, with the Autobot destroying the Free Men's defences and vehicles while Epps coolly takes down their gunners. A panicked White orders his men to shoot back... only for Optimus to break loose and unsheathe his blade. The Autobot coldly repeats the hunter's own previous taunts about fear to him, leaving the man gibbering about how Optimus can't do this, as there are rules. That doesn't stop Optimus from...

...destroying White's trophies to end the man's "distasteful hobby". (Why, whatever did you think Optimus was doing?)

As the Free Men surrender, Epps notices the chains couldn't have ever held Optimus. In full earshot of White, Prime says he knew the militia had the NNEMB, and he needed to make sure it was detonated away from civilians. As for escaping? He wanted to wait for the funniest moment to do it!

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Humans
Bumblebee Optimus Prime	William Lennox Robert Epps Trophy White Free Men

Quotes

"Got so bored of killin' time I had to go kill me somethin' else. And what do ya know, I found me a gray wolf! Walked right into my sights. Ain't it funny how the endangered ones are always the dumbest."

–"Trophy" White

"You can probably work out where I got my nickname."

–"Trophy" shows off his, er, trophies.

"If you are trying to intimidate me, you are in for a long wait."

–Optimus Prime

SHUNK
"Optimus...what have you done?"
"Do not worry, Sgt. Epps. I was simply putting an end to this human's distasteful hobby."

–Epps is right to worry about Optimus Prime when it comes to possible head-shunking...

"And I could not escape at just any moment...only when it was funny."

–Optimus is just a joker at heart!

Errors

• The start of this issue doesn't really mesh with last ish, where it was a NEST remote unit calling for assistance.

Notes

• Starting this issue, the strip is reduced to eight pages.
• Not only are the Autobots public knowledge post-ROTF, Optimus Prime's name is said to be commonly known.
• This comic is the first one to suggest that someone might be concerned about all the dormant Seekers on Earth, with NEST going after them in the background.
• Epps and Bumblebee seem to be familiar with each other, as if they've worked together before.
• "Trophy" White claims this is the Montana compound for the Free Men, which could mean they have some in other states.
• Tyler White is going to cut Optimus's head off with a cutlass! He is so naive...
• Epps uses a machine gun on the Free Men! They are wearing body armour and it's not explicitly stated, but it's quite likely he's killed and Bumblebee killed (or at least hideously wounded) some people. It is explicitly stated that the Free Men killed people at Malmstrom.
• Prime's final line is taken straight from the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
• This story is a modernized and more realistic version of the Generation 1 cartoon episode "Prime Target".
• The story's name is a reference to Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Sam Peckinpah's shockingly violent 1974 western. This is not the first time Transformers media has referenced Peckinpah.

Contents

Articles and Features

• Pop Quiz, Hotshots: Three quizzes about Revenge of the Fallen, with increasing difficulty ("Noob", "Nerd", "Ubernerd").
• Way Past Cool: Video game pimping, allegedly written by Bumblebee.
• Character Profile: Soundwave, and a challenge to find five Ravages hidden in it.
• Puzzles.
• Competition for Lego and Ben 10 toys.
• Law and Disorder: Letters, art and photos from readers, answered by Barricade and Ironhide.
• Starscream's Stars: Comedy horrorscope.
• Poster of the cover

Free gifts

• "Dart Shooter/Wrist Mounted Missile Battery" — foam missile gun (again!!), with differing names on the cover and packet. There's a very prominent dinosaur footprint logo on it, so presumably this is a recycled mould from something else.

Law and Disorder

"Defect? From the Decepticons? Do you know what the penalties are for that? They involve 're-education' with sharp, pointy spikes that issue six-million volt reminders of whose side you're on."
"Well, can you tell [Sideways] to send someone to collect Wheelie? That tiny toaster-sized idiot is beginning to test my patience!"

—Barricade and Ironhide

"Did you know that humans leak? They leak from about five different places! Disgusting."

—Barricade

"See the new film? You're only five years old! I have friends and allies that died during the making of this film..."
"I don't think humans find robots getting smashed up as upsetting as we do, Barricade..."
"Humans really are savages!"

—Barricade and Ironhide

"Unfortunately, I have every faith those idiots, Skids and Mudflap, will return to do whatever it is they do."

—Barricade

"Blackout. Grindor. They all look the same to me."

—Ironhide

Starscream's stars

"CANCER (22 JUN - 22 JUL): The stars are providing you with plenty of luck and everything is coming up roses. Sadly, you're allergic to roses. Expect anaphylactic shock any time now."

"AQUARIUS (20 JAN - 18 FEB): Your lucky karaoke song will be 'Milkshake' by Kelis. Unfortunately, it will only bring boys to the yard, not the control of the planet Earth you hoped for."

"PISCES (19 FEB - 20 MAR): Saturn is behind you this month. No, Saturn, not Satan. Put the crucifix and holy water down."

Notes

• The price is down to £2.50.
• Ironhide recognises that Prime is a decapitation freak in the letter page! Equally fan-pleasing, the quiz asks how many members are there for the Dynasty of Primes and gives the answer as "seven (although you could have said 13!)".
• Titan supports one of the three meanings for NEST. Unfortunately, it's "Networked Elements: Supporters and Transformers".