External Forces!
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| "External Forces!" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||
| First published | 25th August 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | 1st September 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | Simon Furman | ||||||||||||
| Pencils | Pete Knifton | ||||||||||||
| Inks | Pete Venters | ||||||||||||
| Lettering | Julie Hughes | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity/Earthforce | ||||||||||||
Starscream and Soundwave fight as the true plotters are revealed...
Synopsis
Starscream returns to the Decepticon base and attacks Soundwave, demanding to know why he hired the assassins. Soundwave denies doing so and, via a prerecorded message to allow him time to fight, explains that, although he had ample reason, if he had wanted Starscream dead he would have either made it look like an accident or employed professionals—employing amateurs is not his method. Starscream agrees, and they ponder who would benefit the most if one or both died. But before they can think further, the base is invaded by Bludgeon, Octopunch, and Stranglehold. They have been sent to kill the survivor, but realise they can now charge double.
Outside, a squad of Autobots observes the new arrivals and realise it complicates their plans to capture Starscream alive. However, this is at odds with the plans of two further arrivals—Megatron and Shockwave!
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
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Quotes
"The Louisiana Bayou and Starscream announces his return to the Decepticon base...[Starscream explodes through the base wall]...in his own subtle style!"
- —The Narrator gets sassy.
"Why, Soundwave? Why did you try to kill me?"
"I didn't. But as I will shortly be too busy defending myself to make a speech about it...here's one I prepared earlier!"
- —Starscream and Soundwave
"Well, looky here! We're being paid to kill whoever survived! Guess we get to charge double!"
- —Bludgeon loves his job.
Notes
Artwork and technical errors
- Despite knowing that a furious Starscream will come after him, Soundwave is not wearing his shoulder cannon.
Continuity errors
- TBD
Continuity notes
- When Prowl gets frustrated with Grimlock, he literally thinks of a brick.
Real-life references
- TBD
Other trivia
- TBD
Back-up material
- Additional Transformers story: "Kings of the Wild Frontier."
- Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Into the Breach" and Combat Colin
- AtoZ: Trailbreaker and Trypticon
Cover
- Issue #285 cover: Starscream prepares to destroy Soundwave, by Stewart Johnson.
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Issue #285
Reprints
- Transformers: Fallen Star TPB (November 16, 2005) ISBN 1845760603
- Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20: End of the Road: (January 10, 2018)
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Fallen Star; cover art by Stewart Johnson -
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20; cover art by ??? and Andrew Wildman
