Wrath of Karza issue 1
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 I have waited fifteen years for this, Kirk! | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | IDW Publishing | ||||||||||||
| First published | April 26, 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | April 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Cullen Bunn and Jimmy Johnston | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Andrew Griffith (pg 1-15, 17-20) and Ron Joseph (pg 4-5, 10-11, 16) | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | David Garcia Cruz | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Tom B. Long | ||||||||||||
| Editor | David Hedgecock | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | IDW continuity | ||||||||||||
| Chronology | Current era (2017) | ||||||||||||
The forces of Microspace descend on Earth after Baron Karza does the unthinkable to save his people.
Synopsis
In preparation for his invasion of Earth to save the people of Microspace, Baron Karza first takes steps to neutralise Earth's defenders: M.A.S.K., G.I. Joe, and the Transformers.
In Scotland, Scarlett, Rock 'n Roll, Snake Eyes, and Skywarp investigate a rural cottage infested by Dire Wraiths. Though Skywarp arrives to help, they’re intercepted by a mysterious portal and a diminutive craft that disgorges a platoon of Microspace warriors, overwhelming the ex-Decepticon and forcing him into stasis.
In Monument Valley, Optimus Prime, Jazz, and Arcee arrive at the former resting site of Autobot City to investigate a recent spacebridge fluctuation in the area. A repentant Optimus muses that if it weren’t for his annexation of Earth into the Council of Worlds, the crisis might never had occurred at all, a notion Jazz tries to disabuse his leader of. Arcee and Jazz argue as Prime realizes that their trip might have been in vain… but he’s interrupted from his philosophizing when a gigantic Baron Karza, wearing the Enerchanged body of Micronus Prime, makes short work of Prime's comrades before crushing the Autobot leader underfoot!
With the other potential threats taken out of action, only one thing stands in Karza's way... Oziron Rael and his crew of Micronauts.
Featured characters
Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | G.I. Joe | M.A.S.K. | Micronauts | Ministry of Defense | Others | |||
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Notes
IDW continuity notes
- Karza previously made a trip to Earth as part of the original Revolution crossover, where he worked alongside Miles Mayhem as one of his main collaborators. Karza remembers his defeat at the hands of the protagonists of that crossover.
- Karza remembers being lost for years within the entropy cloud, as he related to the Micronauts in Revolution #3.
- Micronus Prime was established as the creator of Microspace in 2016's Micronauts: Revolution one-shot issue, leading into the Revolution crossover where the heroes used his spacebridge to travel to Earth.
- Monument Valley was the resting place of Metrotitan, temporary base of Autobot City, and the site of the last big battle of the IDW universe: the big crossover dustup in Revolution. The leftover crater was created during this battle as Metrotitan transformed into his spaceship configuration and lifted off.
- Arcee recalls her and Jazz's battle in Portland, which occurred in Revolution #1.
- Karza has apparently gleaned some of Micronus's own knowledge from his repeated enerchanges with the Cybertronian; he notes that Micronus was apparently a god among "his people", but later "abandoned" them. This certainly fits with what we learned from Sentinel Prime in The Transformers #57; according to Sentinel, Micronus Prime ruled over Prion's colony world of Mini-Cons for some time before leaving via spacebridge and (presumably) creating Microspace.
Errors
- The discussion of Rock 'n Roll's shotgun seems pretty confused: the dialogue seems to be saying it's a regular shotgun, despite it being clearly established as a Cybertronian laser weapon back in G.I. Joe #1, and on top of that it's drawn as his machine gun from the first half of that issue!
Covers (5)
- Regular cover: Baron Karza sits on his throne, by Alex Ronald.
- Subscription cover: Karza surrounded by mechanics, by Michael Golden.
- Retailer incentive cover A: Larissa and Phen, by Valentina Pinto.
- Retailer incentive cover B: Baron Karza, by Paul Pope and Lovern Kindzierski.
- Retailer incentive cover C: Colorless version of subscription cover, by Michael Golden.
Advertisements
- Wrath of Karza #2
- "The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page promoting April's Hasbro Universe titles, including this issue, Optimus Prime #6, G.I. Joe #5, Revolutionaries #5, Lost Light #5, and Till All Are One #9.
