Transformers (2023) issue 6

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« Transformers #6 »

When you were standing in the wake of devastation
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown...
Publisher Image Comics
Skybound Entertainment
First published March 13, 2024
Cover date March 2024
Written by Daniel Warren Johnson
Art by Daniel Warren Johnson
Colors by Mike Spicer
Letters by Rus Wooton
Editors Sean Mackiewicz
Continuity Energon Universe

The Autobots face total devastation! And the loss of one of their bravest soldiers...

Synopsis

The Autobots and Sparky Witwicky attempt to take cover inside the Ark as Devastator attacks. Having fallen behind, Cliffjumper attempts to assist, but Carly advises him instead to look for an alternate way into the Ark so that they can find more firepower. Starscream cackles in delight at the destruction wrought by the Decepticon combiner, only to be summarily kicked in the face by Optimus Prime. Devastator grabs Prime and tosses him around, severely injuring the Autobot leader. Arcee drags him into the Ark while Jazz lays down suppressive fire. Devastator then grabs Ratchet and attempts to drag him out, forcing the Autobots to close the Ark’s bay doors and cutting off Ratchet’s leg in the process. Devastator tries to punch through the door, but Soundwave orders him to stop as to not damage their sanctuary, instead suggesting getting into the Ark by digging through the mountain; Devastator complies. Cliffjumper and Carly scale the side of the mountain and reach the access port on the back of the ship, however they are soon confronted by Starscream.

Remember all the sadness and frustration?
And let it go, let it go.

The other Autobots get Optimus onto a table, but Ratchet tells them that his wounds are too severe for him to fix. As he starts to succumb to his injuries, Optimus apologizes to his friends for leading them on false hope. He takes the Matrix of Leadership from his chest and attempts to give it to one of them, but is so weakened he drops it on the floor. Sparky approaches it, contemplating that everytime something bad has happened to the people he cares about, he’s always wondered if he could have somehow taken their place. He places his hand inside the Matrix and asks Optimus to tell Spike Witwicky how proud he is of him before entering the Matrix completely, renewing its energy and repairing Prime in the process. Revitalized, Prime says Sparky will not be forgotten and promises to protect Spike and the whole world. At that moment, Devastator breaks through the ceiling of the ship, but a resolute Prime simply grabs him by the finger and rips it off! He then grabs his ion blaster and uses it in tandem with Megatron’s fusion cannon to unleash hell on the giant gestalt.

Meanwhile, Starscream has Cliffjumper pinned down and gloats about how he massacred the Autobot's clan. As the two grapple, Carly aims one of the Transformers' guns at Starscream and fires. Cliffjumper then takes the gun and aims it directly at Starscream's head. He tells the Seeker that he's always wondered what this moment would feel like, ready to pull the trigger... but he can't do it. Carly angrily reminds Cliff of everything Starscream has done, but Cliff is simply too tired of all the fighting and death. However, his hesitation gives Starscream the chance to recover and he grabs Carly and begins to squeeze. Outside, Optimus leads Devastator to the edge of a cliff, goading him to follow him. As Devastator attempts to rush Optimus, Prime maneuvers under the giant and pushes him over the edge, where he falls right on top of Starscream and frees Carly from the Decepticon's grip. With their leader damaged, the Decepticons decide to retreat, the Constructicons hauling Starscream away. Optimus attempts to make peace with Soundwave so that the two sides can work together to save their home, but Soundwave rejects the parlay and flies off with Thundercracker.

Back at the Farmingham Hospital, Spike wakes up. The Doctor tells him not to speak, so on a nearby piece of paper Spike writes just one thing: "Where's my dad?"

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Quotes

"My men. Jimmy. Spike. Whenever something bad happened to them... I'd always think... "If only I could have taken their place. If only it was me instead of them." Maybe now is my chance. I know you're going to care for this world like I care for my boys."
"Sparky..."
"Watch over them for me? And when Spike wakes... Tell my son I'm proud of him."
"You will not be forgotten, Sparky. And I promise, I will protect your son. I will protect the whole Earth."

-Sparky gives his life to energize the Matrix as Optimus Prime swears to protect humanity.

Notes

Continuity notes

  • Ratchet is missing most of his left leg when we first see him, reflecting the injury inflicted upon him by Scavenger at the end of last issue. He loses the other leg to Devastator later in the issue... which cruelly, ironically recalls his buddy Wheeljack, who was working as only his top half back at the dam.
  • Thundercracker continues to believe that the Autobots are to blame for what Starscream and Soundwave did to Skywarp at the end of issue #3.
  • The opening Carly and Cliffjumper (and later Starscream) climb into is the exact same hexagonal opening to Teletraan One's room that's been shown in nearly every issue up to this point, beginning all the way back with Jetfire flying in through it in issue #1.
  • Cybertronians were shown to not have the concept of “father” in issue #2. To be fair to Starscream, even we weren't aware the guy named "Davey" he crushed was Carly's dad until the end of that same issue!
  • Starscream was established to have wiped out Cliffjumper’s clan in issue #4.
  • As he's dying, Optimus recalls Jetfire's dying words from issue #1.
  • Though it is shaped near-identically, the Cybertronian pistol Carly fires at Starscream isn't actually the one Cliffjumper was using -- we can see Carly running towards it at the very start of the fight.
  • Optimus finds a new way to use the fusion cannon in his vehicle mode other than the oversized smokestack seen in the previous issue: it mounts backwards on his truck roof to serve as a powerful rocket booster he uses to race ahead Devastator as he lures him to the cliff's edge.

Transformers references

  • Optimus' near death is an homage to his death in The Transformers: The Movie, with panels even recreating specific shots from the scene.
  • As Optimus unleashes his firepower on Devastator and leaps to kick the combiner in the face, the sound effects of those two panels spell out "AW YEAH" and “YOU KNOW THE SONG,” cueing the reader to hear "The Touch" by Stan Bush, the song from The Transformers: The Movie used whenever Optimus does something insanely awesome.

Real-world references

  • Starscream raises "the horns" with both hands as he watches Devastator stomp across the battlefield.
  • Jazz's musical references continue, as he says that Optimus "might be coming up on that final encore..."
  • Optimus' license plate, as seen when he drives away from Devastator, reads "MF." As amusing as it might be to consider the possibility of a hard swear sneaking its way into a Transformers comic, this is almost certainly short for "Murder Falcon", continuing the gag of DWJ using license plates to reference his previous work with Skybound.
  • This issue ends with a dedication thanking Peter Cullen for the inspiration for the story from Daniel Warren Johnson.

Errors

  • In the fourth panel on page one, Jazz is miscolored as Cliffjumper.
  • In the fifth panel on page one, Jazz and Sparky have seemingly teleported to the opposite side of Optimus.

Other trivia

  • In the physical release, the moment where Optimus tosses Devastator onto Starscream is a vertical double-page spread, requiring the reader to turn the comic in a way that mimics the motion of Optimus’ action, as well as acting as a callback to a similar moment from issue #1 when Optimus and Ratchet transformed for the first time.

Covers

  • Cover A: Sparky stands over a defeated Optimus Prime, by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer.
  • Cover B: Optimus lies before Devastator, by James Stokoe.
  • Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Connecting cover by Orlando Aroecena.
  • Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Devastator winds up a massive punch, by Eric Canete.
  • Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): The Autobots standing their ground inside the Ark as seen from Devastator's perspective, by Joe Quinones.


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Reprints

  • Transformers Volume 1 (May 7, 2024) ISBN 1534398171 / ISBN 978-1534398177
    • Collects issues #1-6.
    • Trade paperback format.
  • Transformers Volume 1: Robots in Disguise Direct Market Exclusive (May 8, 2024)
    • Variant cover version of the above trade paperback, exclusively sold through the comic book direct market.

References

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