The Gray Race
Template:Comicnav There's big trouble in Little Iacon as Big Daddy and Roadhandler mix it up. Plus, Countdown claims to know a lot about the future, Skystalker returns to Cybertron, and someone has plans for the Hot Rod Patrol!
Micromasters #2
Writers: James McDonough, Adam Patyk
Pencils: Rob Ruffolo
Inks: Erik Sander, Rob Armstrong
Colors: David Cheung, Josh Perez
Letters: Benjamin Lee
V/P Editor in Chief: Roger Lee
President: Pat Lee
- Preceded by: Destined For Nothing
- Followed by: Recipe for Hate
- Major characters (in order of appearance): Motorhead, Hubs, Barricade, Ground Hog, Venom, Chop Shop, Ransack, Barrage), Big Daddy, Trip-Up, Greaser, Roller Force, Groundshaker, Shockwave, Countdown, Roadhandler, Skystalker, Skyhopper
- Cover date: July, 2004
- Release date: August 4th, 2004
- Chronology: Micromasters
Synopsis
As the issue begins, the Hot Rod Patrol and the Race Track Patrol are in grave danger, under assault from the Deluxe Insecticons. Falcon is killed by Venom and drained of his Energon. The situation looks dire, until Groundshaker shows up in his ATV and rescues the Hot Rod Patrol. Groundshaker offers the Race Track Patrol a ride as well, but they choose to travel to Little Iacon on their own, despite the rampaging Insecticons hovering right over their heads. However, as soon as Groundshaker pulls away, Shockwave arrives. He explains that he may have been rash in judgement, and the Race Track Patrol are free to do as they wish. They speed off towards Little Iacon, while Flanker stays behind, ready to return to Decepticon headquarters with Shockwave. However, Shockwave promptly feeds him to the Insecticons, who have "new orders."
Meanwhile, the Hot Rod Patrol interrogate Groundshaker; it is revealed that he is one of the first Micromasters, full-sized Transformers that willingly downgraded to smaller, more efficient bodies, as opposed to the second generation of Micromasters, who were created in those forms. Groundshaker soon takes the patrol to meet Countdown, who not only claims to have seen the future, but insists that the Hot Rod Patrol will play a part in "making things right." They are suitably unnerved by this, and depart for Little Iacon, with Countdown's blessing.
In Little Iacon, the Hot Rod Patrol enter a secret nightclub where Autobot and Decepticon Micromasters mingle, drink, and throw globs of ooze at likenesses of Optimus Prime and Megatron. Inside the club, Greaser informs Motorhead that Crunch is dead, which shakes the Decepticon further. Meanwhile, Ground Hog suggests that Greaser and his teammates join up with them, after all there is strength in numbers. Trip-Up and Roller Force get into a scuffle over seating arrangements, while Roadhandler confronts Big Daddy about his loyalties, which results in the two racing. The race attracts the attention of all the Micromasters in the area, as Roadhandler is the current champion. Big Daddy puts up a valiant effort, but is beaten in the final stretch by Roadhandler. The Hot Rod Patrol rally around their leader, even though he lost, and it is revealed that someone mysterious is watching them with great interest.
Meanwhile, a shuttle carrying Skystalker and Skyhopper returns to Cybertron!
Items of note
- This issue was available in two covers:
- Cover A: By Pat Lee, featuring a poster from Holigan Skateboards
- Cover B: By Rob Ruffalo
- This issue takes its name from the ninth album by Bad Religion.
- It is patently obvious that Rob Ruffolo was drawing the Micromasters from model sheets that did not include their backs, as the back detail on most characters is generic, at best.
- During a sequence in Little Iacon, a dart board is visible with Optimus and Megatron from the 2nd Printing of Prime Directive #2 (art by Pat Lee). The problem is that Prime and Megatron appear as they did on modern Earth - hundreds of years after this miniseries occurs.
- If large portions of the dialogue are incoherent to you, you've not the only one, after release, several people made comparisons because the slang in this issue and the "Jive-talk" from the movie Airplane!
- In the spread in Little Iacon, one of the Micros is bearing a Blendtron logo. Issue #4 confirms that this is just a "tatoo" and has no deeper meaning.
- Reader mail is answered by Matt Hansen
- The issue contained advertisements for:
- Transformers 2005 Calendar
- Dreamwave Pockets (two separate pages)
- Transformers poster book
- Dreamwave Online store (double-page Centerfold)
- Multiplicity: Energon 26
- Extermination: "Let the Squishing Begin" Generation 1 Ongoing #8
- The War Within: The Age of Wrath
- Transformers/G.I. Joe Trade Paperback (back cover)
- Wavelengths contain an article from the desk of David Cheung
