Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"
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 "I've got time for you now! And you! And you..." | |||||||||||||
| "A Rude Awakening" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | IDW Publishing | ||||||||||||
| First published | January 13, 2010 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | December 2009 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Mike Costa | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Don Figueroa | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | James Brown | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Chris Mowry | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Andy Schmidt | ||||||||||||
| Assistant editor | Carlos Guzman | ||||||||||||
| Associate editor | Denton J. Tipton | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | 2005 IDW continuity | ||||||||||||
| Chronology | Current era (2010) | ||||||||||||
Ultra Magnus's arrival casts an unwanted spotlight on recent occurrences within the Earthbound Autobots.
Synopsis
In an old army hangar, Jetfire whines about a headache. Hot Rod comes in and reveals he's changed his mind about getting off Earth as soon as possible, instead wanting to get all the Autobots in human custody out as well. He shows Jetfire their new Decepticon comrades, saying there are no sides anymore.
Meanwhile, at Autobase, Ultra Magnus explains to the bots he's here to investigate what they've been up to. Bumblebee explains the situation, from which Magnus somehow discerns that Ironhide has died.
At Skywatch headquarters, Spike Witwicky tries to talk to Optimus Prime. Spike wants to make things easier for him, but Optimus just accepts his fate and broods. Spike's colleague asks why he's doing this and Spike says he's trying to have something to give his dad when he arrives.
Back at Autobase, Ultra Magnus investigates the events on Earth as if it was a crime scene. He thinks that Bumblebee might not be a capable leader, especially when more Autobots—Hoist, Tracks, Beachcomber and Blurr—leave. Ultra Magnus leaves to find Hot Rod.
Back in Hot Rod's group, Jetfire says he can't build things, to which Hot Rod replies that he isn't building, just disassembling. Also, Red Alert and Mirage aren't too keen on their new Decepticon comrades.
At Skywatch, Spike has detected Blurr's group and sends guys to capture them. Blurr thinks his friends are slow when a Skywatch mine blows him up. Hoist, Beachcomber and Tracks are quickly subdued by Skywatch, but Blurr runs away, breaking the sound barrier. The others are brought back to Skywatch where Spike asks Optimus Prime again if he wants to talk.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Quotes
"I know that spending a lot of time on a planet can start to... influence an outpost. I did a full scan of all our files on contemporary Earth culture, so I won't need any acclimation. I'm on the same page as you, and I want you to know I'm not the bogeyman. I'm not here to "come down" on anybody. I'm not looking for "narcs"."
"What is he talking about?"
- —Ultra Magnus's efforts to speak Earth lingo only baffle Sideswipe
"So. The great Optimus Prime. The guy who knows where all the bodies are buried."
"I'm not sure exactly what that particular idiom means, but it sounds like something I'd probably object to."
- —Spike and Optimus Prime
"I'm not here to be treated kindly."
"I am being stonewalled by a talking truck with self-flagellation issues."
- —Optimus Prime and Spike
Notes
Continuity notes
- The introduction page text states that this issue takes place after Last Stand of the Wreckers #1 (when Magnus took leave of the Wreckers to come to Earth), but before Bumblebee #1.
- It seems that quite a few Decepticons didn't make it off Earth than did during their final evacuation, as the Stunticons, Combaticons, and Constructicons all have team members show up here.
Real-life references
- A Rude Awakening is a story by Brian Aldiss, as are the subtitles to the other issues in Things Fall Apart.
- "Things Fall Apart" is itself a quote from the poem "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats.
Errors
- Hot Rod's group needs to build a new ship from scratch, despite the fact new Autobots had been arriving on Earth and presumably brought ships with them in the process.
- Campolongo's name is spelled "Campologno". Since this is his first appearance, this error wasn't made clear until he was namechecked again in issue 8.
- Hot Rod says that Wheeljack found a way to 'diffuse' the human restraints. He probably means to say 'defuse'.
Covers (3)
- Cover A: Ultra Magnus unloads his weapons on some poor sap; art by Don Figueroa and colors by J Brown.
- Cover B: Hot Rod does a Wolverine pose; art by Andrew Wildman.
- Cover RI: Concept art of Jetfire; art by Don Figueroa.
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"Dammit Hot Rod, the Matrix was meant for me!" -
"I'm the best at what I do, and what I do ain't very nice!" -
"It was logical to reformat... wasn't it?"
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Reprints
- The Transformers, Volume 1: For All Mankind (June 9, 2010) ISBN 1600106846 / ISBN 978-1600106842
- Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #1–6.
- Bonus material includes art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa.
- Trade paperback format.
- The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Six (May 9, 2012) ISBN 1613771835 / ISBN 978-1613771839
- Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart (October 4, 2017)
- Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #2–8.
- Bonus material includes character design sketches by Figueroa, an extract from Decepticomments from The Transformers #4 by Mike Costa, and a bio on IDW Swindle.
- Hardcover format.
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Volume 1: For All Mankind – cover art by Don Figueroa and James Brown -
The IDW Collection Volume Six – cover art by E. J. Su -
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart – cover art by Makoto Ono and Don Figueroa
