The Reign of Starscream issue 1

Transformers: The Reign of Starscream #1 »
Grimlock was right... smashing IS fun!
"Transformers: The Reign of Starscream Issue Number One"
Publisher	IDW
First published	May 7, 2008
Cover date	April 2007
Written by	Chris Mowry and Chris Ryall
Art by	Alex Milne
Colors by	Josh Perez
Letters by	Chris Mowry
Edits by	Denton J. Tipton
Continuity	Movie continuity

Starscream takes the mantle of Decepticon leadership after the death of Megatron.

Synopsis

Not the Ark. Seriously?

In the distant past, Optimus Prime launches the Allspark into space to keep it away from Megatron and his Decepticons. Instead of wiping out the Autobots, Megatron pursues the cube and leaves Starscream to eliminate the Autobots. Prime leads a large contingent of Autobots aboard a massive ship to catch Megatron alone in space and recover the Allspark, while some forces stay on Cybertron to deal with the Decepticons. Starscream orders his troops to pursue in their own craft, though Barricade lets his dissent be known. Dreadwing reports that the cube is heading toward the Eshems Nebula, with Megatron following, as well as the Autobots following both of them. The Autobots let loose a volley of mines that damages the Decepticon craft and seriously injures Dreadwing, so the Decepticons are forced to halt for repairs.

Over time, the Allspark lands on Earth and Megatron ends up trapped in the frozen Arctic. Along the way, the Autobots send teams out to different locations, reacting to trace elements of Allspark energy. The Decepticons park their ship on Mars, and Starscream leads a contingent to Earth, traveling in their protoform alternate modes. Wreckage is soon killed by a group of humans, and Starscream concedes that while they may be weak, humans are also dangerous, and he stresses the need to reformat themselves for disguise.

They eventually discover the frozen Megatron at Hoover Dam and mobilize toward him. Starscream destroys the dam's power generators, allowing Megatron to thaw, but when Megatron learns that the humans have taken the Allspark, he can only state that Starscream has failed him again. The Decepticons engage the Autobots, and Ironhide causes Barricade to crash into a barrier. Blackout reports that Barricade may still be alive but Frenzy is most likely dead, but Megatron is still consumed with the cube. As the other Decepticons fall in battle, Starscream is angered by Megatron's non-concern with his brethren and fights the urge to destroy him. Sam Witwicky shoves the Allspark into Megatron's chest, destroying both.

As Starscream declares that the human will pay, a group of jets attacks him. Enraged, he destroys them all. He then travels to see if Barricade is still alive, which he is, though barely. Barricade states that Frenzy has detailed files on the Allspark and Sam. Starscream orders Barricade to continue reconnaissance on the Autobots when he has recovered and to refer to him now as Lord Starscream. Starscream then travels to Hoover Dam to recover Frenzy and prepares to assault the humans there.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Bumblebee (1) Optimus Prime (6) Prowl (7) Jazz (8) Cosmos (9) Ironhide (15)	Megatron (2) Dreadwing (3) Starscream (4) Barricade (5) Blackout (10) Scorponok (11) Wreckage (12) Brawl (13) Bonecrusher (14)

Quotes

• None yet identified.

Errors

• This issue continues the grand tradition of Transformers fiction confusing galaxies with solar systems: In his opening narration for the movie, Optimus Prime states that the Autobots "scattered across the galaxy", thus implying that Cybertron is located within the Milky Way galaxy. Yet when the All Spark arrives on Earth in this issue, Starscream states that its journey ends "galaxies away". This discrepancy is later corrected in issue 5.
• Cybertron is misspelled as "Cyberton" on page 10.

Items of note

• The IDWords section features am interview with John Byrne about Star Trek: Assignment Earth
• Cameos: Payload, Cosmos, Wreckage, Swindle, Sam Witwicky
• The comic specifically follows the continuity of the film itself, rather than IDW's previous adaptation of the film, what with Barricade not having had his head cleaved off.
• Alas, the additional scenes featured in the issue (which take place during both the "prequel" events and the post-movie events) make the comic entirely incompatible with the UK's Titan magazine.
• In addition, the story seemingly attempts to reconcile at least some of the events of IDW's prequel mini-series and the second Target-sponsored prequel comic, what with the inclusion of Wreckage. However, the opening scene (where Starscream is talking to Megatron as the latter sets to leave Cybertron) directly contradicts the events of the "Target" prequel comic, where Starscream is with the other Decepticons when they see Megatron leaving the planet from a distance.
• Reassuring Optimus, Prowl says that he has "turned death into a fighting chance to live" — quoting almost verbatim from Dr. McCoy in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, regarding the sacrifice of the Enterprise.
• Dreadwing assures Starscream that "Unlike your other soldiers, I won't fail you" — a nod to a scene in The Transformers: The Movie where Megatron delivers a very similar slight against Starscream.
• Reflecting on their arrival on Earth, Starscream muses that stealth would yield "some great reward" on Earth, a nod to the album Some Great Reward by British band Depeche Mode.
• Store signs in Mission City seen on page 18 include "J.R.'s Toys" (a nod to one of writer Chris Mowry's friends) and "Hodad's", a one-of-a-kind burger store in Ocean Beach, California (using the actual store logo even). A truck on the same page advertises "Casper FX", another nod to one of Mowry's friends.
• A truck on the highway on page 21 bears the last name of Chris Latta, voice actor for Generation 1 Starscream.
• Starscream makes a sly reference to his G1 self's motto as he prepares his assault at Hoover Dam near the end of the story, stating that "we all know what conquest is made of" (according to G1 Starscream's motto, of the ashes of one's enemies).

Covers (4)

• Cover A: Starscream attacking jets by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
• Cover B: Homage to "The New Order" cover by Gabriel Rodriguez
• Incentive Cover RI: Starscream smashing rocks by James Raiz and Kieran Oats
• Apocalypse Comics Exclusive Cover: Animated version of Movie Starscream by Hasbro

• 
  Starscream needs to stop eating at Taco Bell
• 
  Shockwave, eat your Spark out!
• 
  Raahhrgg, who dares to animate me?!

Advertisements

• The Reign of Starscream #2
• Star Trek: Assignment Earth
• April releases
• The Executioner
• Angel: After the Fall: First Night part 1
• Star Trek: The Enterprise Experiment
• Zombies!: Hunters
• Igor Movie Prequel
• Free Comic Book Day: May 3, 2008
• Obscure: The Aftermath game
• Dead: She Said (back cover)