Escalation issue 5

<table class="infobox" style="width: 20em;">

<tr style="background-color:#e7d492;text-align:center;font-size:12px;"> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> <table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">

<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers: Escalation #5 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center"> </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink"> </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/b/bc/Escalation_5a.jpg/230px-Escalation_5a.jpg" width="230" height="349" border="0" /><br />Now that's gotta hurt! </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> IDW Publishing </td></tr> <tr> <td>Date published </td><td> March 28, 2007 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> March 2007 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Written by </td><td> Simon Furman </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Art by </td><td> E. J. Su </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colors by </td><td> Zac Atkinson </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Letters by </td><td> Robbie Robbins </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Edits by </td><td> Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Continuity </td><td> IDW continuity </td></tr> <tr> <td>Chronology </td><td> Escalation </td></tr>

</table> The Machination's plans proceed as another group enters the field. Oh, and Prime fights Megatron.

Synopsis

An unidentified Transformer, appearing to be severely damaged, speaks with Abraham Dante of the Machination on the successful outcome of their latest test subject. The Transformer expresses his appreciation for Dante's selfishness and how that quality will help them work well together.

In Brasnya, Megatron and Optimus Prime square off. Megatron brags about the enhancements that have come with his Ore-13 power, but Prime isn't intimidated. As the Russian and Brasnyan forces watch in gaping amazement, the two Transformer leaders engage in a colossal battle as the other Autobots skirmish with the Decepticons. Meanwhile, Hot Rod and Prowl chase after the facsimile of Georgi Koska, hoping to grab him alive before Russian soldiers shoot him dead. The Autobots need his cellular template in order to identify other facsimiles on Earth.

In Fort Wayne, Ironhide and Ratchet are waiting outside the auto parts store; they're worried because Verity and Jimmy haven't reported in for over 10 minutes. Ironhide smashes through the front window and sends his holomatter avatar into the secret compartment in the back where he discovers the two humans unconscious (gassed) and a timer counting down to something decidedly nasty.

Back in Brasnya, Megatron and Prime have tossed aside their weapons and are fighting hand to hand. The close proximity allows Megatron to shoot Prime in the face with an Ore-13-enhanced blast from his mouth, blinding and stunning the Autobot leader. Megatron then smashes Prime twice in the chest, grabs his spark chamber and gives it a crushing squeeze.

Prowl and Hot Rod manage to stop Koska from getting shot by Russian troops. Prowl advises the Russians to disengage and they do so hastily. Next, he tries to contact Prime to give a report but he doesn't get a response. That's because Megatron is squeezing the life out of Prime's spark, but before he can finish what he started Roller blasts him. Distracted, Megatron smashes his fist into the mountainside, which sends an avalanche of rocks and snow over Roller. He then turns his attention back to Prime, but finds a lifeless corpse. Ahhh, the perfect time to gloat.

On the human side of things, the archaeological dig in Eureka has been taken over by Skywatch agents, who have uncovered parts of Shockwave and the Dinobots.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Humans </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

• partially uncovered Dinobots (17)
• Hot Rod (10)
• Ironhide (12)
• Jazz (6)
• Optimus Prime (4)
• Prowl (11)
• Ratchet (13)
• Roller (8)
• Wheeljack (7)

</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">

• Astrotrain (9)
• Megatron (3)
• Shockwave (16)
• Skywarp (5)

</td><td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top">

• Verity Carlo (15)
• Dante (1)
• Georgi Koska (12)
• Jimmy Pink (14)

</td></tr></table>

Errors

• Skywarp is coloured as Thundercracker when Megatron calls to him for evacuation.

Trivia

• When a Skywatch agents comments on taking over the archaeological dig, she states that they've done so "in the national interest, of course." This is a verbatim repeat of a phrase uttered by a Triple-I agent that bookended the Marvel UK comic story, In the National Interest.

Items of note

• The "Decepticomments" section has readers' mail answered by Dan Taylor.
• When Ironhide smashes into the shop, a poster featuring a girl next to a car advertises "Kiss Players". Optimus wasn't kidding when he said they were exposed...

Covers (4)

Dragon-breath

• Cover A: Megatron over a fallen Prime by E. J. Su
• Cover B: Optimus Prime in Megatron's sights by Klaus Scherwinski
• Cover RI-A: cover A, uncolored
• Cover RI-B: cover B, uncolored

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• Manga versions of The Gathering and Stormbringer
• Movie Prequel comic (issues 2, 3, 4)
• Optimus Prime Alternators toy
• Star Trek: Klingons: Blood Will Tell
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Space Between
• IDW trade paperbacks (Infiltration, Stormbringer, The Gathering, Hearts of Steel, War and Peace, Generations
• Transformers posters
• Transformers Classics toys
• Transformers movie (back cover)