Infiltration issue 4

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|- {{#if: IDW Publishing | |Publisher || IDW Publishing}} |- {{#if: | |Published by || }} |- {{#if: | |Imprint || }} |- {{#if: | |Published in || }} |- {{#if: April 12, 2006 | |First published || April 12, 2006}} |- {{#if: | |Shipping date || }} |- {{#if: | |On-sale date || }} |- {{#if: March 2006 | |Cover date || March 2006}} |- {{#if: | |Credits || }} |- {{#if: | |By || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story & art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story and color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story consultants || }} |- {{#if: | |Story concept || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay by || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adapted by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation || }} |- {{#if: | |Based on || }} |- {{#if: | |Writer || }} |- {{#if: | |Writers || }} |- {{#if: | |Writing || }} |- {{#if: Simon Furman | |Written by || Simon Furman}} |- {{#if: | |Written & art || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotter || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotters || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot by || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot/Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripter || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripters || }} |- {{#if: | |Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripting || }} |- {{#if: | |Script by || }} |- {{#if: | |Script and art || }} |- {{#if: | |Sript [sic] consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Translation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Comic artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Artists || }} |- {{#if: | |Art || }} |- {{#if: E. J. Su | |Art by || E. J. Su}} |- {{#if: | |Additional art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Flashback art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assistant || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciller || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencillers || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencilers || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil art || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencils || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencils by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciled by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciling || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Layouts || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrator || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrated by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations by || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished pencils || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished art || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Inkers || }} |- {{#if: | |Inks || }} |- {{#if: | |Inks by || }} |- {{#if: | |Ink finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Ink assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional inks || }} |- {{#if: | |Inking || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorists || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour || }} |- {{#if: | |Colours || }} |- {{#if: | |Colored by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color by || }} |- {{#if: John Rauch | |Colors by || John Rauch}} |- {{#if: | |Color art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assistance by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour/Computer FX || }} |- {{#if: | |Computer coloring/effects || }} |- {{#if: | |Color Reconstruction || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats by || }} |- {{#if: | |MTMTE Profiles || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterer || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterers || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering || }} |- {{#if: | |Letters || }} |- {{#if: Tom B. Long | |Letters by || Tom B. Long}} |- {{#if: | |Lettered by || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering|Production || }} |- {{#if: | |Special Thanks{{#if: | To}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Collaborators || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editing || }} |- {{#if: Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor | |Edits by || Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor}} |- {{#if: | |Compiled and Edited by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original series editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Original Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Deputy editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Assistant editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial assistant{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial Assistance
provided by || }} |- {{#if: | |Senior editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Associate editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Story consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Project manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Production by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designed by || }} |- {{#if: | |Design/editorial || }} |- {{#if: | |Book design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Creative Director{{#if: | / Layout}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributing editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Research editor{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Managing editor || }} |- {{#if: | |{{#if: |Editor-in-chief|Editor in chief}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Dinosaur consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Publishing manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover art{{#if: |ist}}{{#if: | by}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover Design {{#if: |and Elements }}by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inside cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Apologies to || }} |- {{#if: IDW continuity | |Continuity || IDW continuity}} |- {{#if: 2006-7 | |Chronology || 2006-7}} |- {{#if: | |ISBN || }} |- {{#if: | |TPB ISBN || ISBN }} |- {{#if: | |UPC || }} |- {{#if: | |Page count || }} |- {{#if: | |Price || }} |- {{#if: | |Packaged with || }} |- {{#if: | |Printed in || }} |- {{#if: | |Animation || }} |- {{#if: | |Music || }} |}{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

Ratchet and Bumblebee contend with a Decepticon attack while the humans explore the abandoned Decepticon base.

Synopsis

Three years ago, a young Verity Carlo meets with a social worker after running away from yet another foster home. Her social worker sees right through Verity's tough façade and states that all she sees is a girl "in a world of hurt and pain".

In the present day, Hunter O'Nion, and Jimmy Pink watch as Verity rappels into the depths of an abandoned Decepticon fortress in the wilderness of Nebraska. Using their holomatter avatars, Ratchet and Bumblebee watch on; Ratchet is adamant that when this escapade is over, the humans are going home, while Bumblebee warns the trio to watch for booby traps.

As the two boys follow Verity into the shaft and split up to investigate, Bumblebee confides to Ratchet that he thinks that the Autobot medic might be right -- but to change Prowl's mind, they'll need hard evidence that something's wrong... and the humans fall into the "acceptable losses" category if it means getting that evidence.

In Dallas, Texas, Drake meets with a group of humans in the Epsilon Holdings building -- a front for the shadowy group known as the Machination led by Abraham Dante. Jolly reports on recent events: a series of anomalous vehicle attacks throughout the southwest United States have led the group to conclude that the "visitors" are moving into the next stage of their operations. Having received a homing signal from their deceased operative Stoker, Drake and his team of operatives are dispatched to "accelerate" their "acquisition strategy..."

Deep inside the Decepticon bunker, Verity discovers a strange sight: a jumbled series of glowing green tubes, each one big enough to hold a human. Ignoring Jimmy's warnings, Verity goes ahead and opens one... and is immediately confronted by the gruesome sight of a rotted corpse wearing a military uniform. Despite the shock, Verity manages to compose herself and move on; as she does so, however, she's unaware that, topside, the two Autobots have visitors of their own in the shape of Skywarp and Blitzwing. Paying no heed to the Autobots, the two fliers launch a massive bombing run on the base, forcing the two Autobots to outrun the explosions!

Ratchet yells for the humans to evacuate the base as fast as possible; while Jimmy and Hunter comply, Verity, determined to make up for losing her cool earlier, ignores Ratchet's orders and goes to investigate the last section of the base. As she does so, battle breaks out as the Autobots try to buy time for the humans — Bumblebee pits his superior processor speed against Skywarp's teleportation power and comes out on top, while Ratchet shoots Blitzwing out of the sky. When the medic goes to make sure that his opponent is downed for good, however, he's not so lucky, and is quickly taken out by a volley from his opponent's tank mode...

.. and, underground, Verity discovers that she's not the only occupant of the Decepticon fortress as she enters the last room of the base and comes face to face with its other occupant: Megatron!

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
{{#if: ||(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)}}

{{#if:*Ratchet (5)

Bumblebee (6)|

{{#if:*Ratchet (5)

Bumblebee (6)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Ratchet (5)
Bumblebee (6) }}{{#if:*Blitzwing (12)
Skywarp (13)
Megatron (14)|

Autobots }}{{#if:*Blitzwing (12) Skywarp (13) Megatron (14)\|	Decepticons }}{{#if:*Social worker (1) Verity Carlo (2) Hunter O'Nion (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Drake (7) Abraham Dante (8) Svenson (9) Jolly (10) Stoker (11)\|	Humans }}{{#if:\|	Others }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Blitzwing (12) Skywarp (13) Megatron (14) }}{{#if:*Social worker (1) Verity Carlo (2) Hunter O'Nion (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Drake (7) Abraham Dante (8) Svenson (9) Jolly (10) Stoker (11)\|	Social worker (1) Verity Carlo (2) Hunter O'Nion (3) Jimmy Pink (4) Drake (7) Abraham Dante (8) Svenson (9) Jolly (10) Stoker (11) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Quotes

"Autobots. What are they doing here?"
"Who cares?"
"MM. Good point."

—Blitzwing and Skywarp talk tactics

"This is the bit where I wish I had a really big gu-nuuugh!"
"Lock... and load."

-Ratchet and Blitzwing

Notes

Continuity notes

The prologue to the story mentions that Verity ran away from home at least three years ago.
The purpose of the human corpse isn't immediately elaborated on here, but later installments in the IDW continuity will shine light on the concept of facsimile constructs and their use in the infiltration protocol.
Oh snap, it's Megatron! Who he's talking to on the other end of the screen isn't made clear, but Stormbringer #3, which is set just before this issue, will reveal that he's having a chat with Razorclaw.

Transformers references

Real-life references

Some of the binary on Bumblebee's windshield on page 17 reads 'idw', 't' and 'f'.
Hunter mentions "Snappy-Meal cartons," which seem like a legally-safe reference to McDonalds' Happy Meals.

Errors

This issue has the same publish date as issue #3.
Drake's team is assembled. None of them particularly resemble any of the members of the team as seen in Escalation.

Other trivia

The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: Infiltration #5, The Gathering #4, Generations #3.

Covers (8)

Infiltration #4 cover A - Starscream shoots his shot... ewwww!
Infiltration #4 cover B - Skywarp likes it when bad things happen to Bumblebee. So do we!
Infiltration #4 cover C - Transformers equivalent of the Big Johnson shirt.
Infiltration #4 cover D - Hunter looks a little less goofy here.

Infiltration #4 cover A: Starscream by E. J. Su, would later become part of the wraparound cover RI-A for issue #5.
Infiltration #4 cover B: Bumblebee on Blitzwing's turret, by Guido Guidi.
Infiltration #4 cover C: Bumblebee with giant-ass gun, by Andrew Wildman.
Infiltration #4 cover D: Humans, by James Raiz.

Infiltration #4 cover RI-A - Very Freudian
Infiltration #4 cover RI-B - Trigger crotch, yeessssss!
Infiltration #4 cover RI-C - Top o'the mornin' to ya!
Infiltration #4 cover RE-A - What are Prime and Megs doing? I don't think I want to know!

Infiltration #4 cover RI-A: Foil stamp of cover C, without the background.
Infiltration #4 cover RI-B: (Mostly) toy-accurate Megatron, by Guido Guidi.
Infiltration #4 cover RI-C: Saluting Bumblebee, by Guido Guidi (includes 3 mini-prints).
Infiltration #4 cover RE-A: Megatron and Optimus Prime, by Andrew Wildman (drawtheworldtogether.com exclusive).

Reprints

The Transformers: Infiltration TPB (September 13, 2006) ISBN 1600100104 / ISBN 978-1600100109
The Transformers: Infiltration Manga TPB (November 29, 2006) ISBN 1600100198 / ISBN 978-1600100192
The Transformers: The Premiere Collection Volume 1 HC (December 5, 2007) ISBN 1600101186 / ISBN 978-1600101182
The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One HC (May 26, 2010) ISBN 1600106676 / ISBN 978-1600106675
The Transformers: Phase One Omnibus TPB (September 10, 2014) ISBN 1631401130 / ISBN 978-1631401138

Infiltration issue 4

Contents

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes