Dispatches

<table class="infobox" style="width: 20em;">

<tr style="background-color:#e7d492;text-align:center;font-size:12px;"> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> <table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">

<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center">Transformers Animated: The Arrival #1 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center"> </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink"> </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/c/c8/AnimatedArrival1cvrA.jpg/230px-AnimatedArrival1cvrA.jpg" width="230" height="356" border="0" /><br />I'm having so much gosh-darn fun I can't stand it! </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> IDW Publishing </td></tr> <tr> <td>Date published </td><td> August 13, 2008 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> August 2007 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Written by </td><td> Marty Isenberg </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Pencils by </td><td> Dario Brizuela </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Inks by </td><td> Leandro Corral </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colors by </td><td> Liam Shalloo </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Letters by </td><td> Chris Mowry </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Edits by </td><td> Denton J. Tipton </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Continuity </td><td> Animated continuity </td></tr>

</table> A million stellar cycles of peace is threatened when the Transformers and the AllSpark arrive on Earth.

Synopsis

Ultra Magnus informs the Elite Guard of the current situation as regards to Optimus Prime's crew, the AllSpark, the Decepticons, and their subsequent disappearance. He confirms that there are search and rescue crews at work, but as yet they have found nothing.

On Earth, Optimus is in stasis, dreaming of his battle with Megatron, where he was the only thing standing between the Decepticon overlord and ultimate power.

On the colony New Kaon, Blitzwing hosts Megatron's funeral, having erected a monument to his leader, and vows vengeance... and mustaches. Meanwhile, in Iacon, Sentinel Prime is forced to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of Optimus' crew. Afterward, Longarm Prime pushes that they continue the search, but Sentinel thinks it's best to leave things buried. Meanwhile, a furious Lugnut refuses to accept Megatron's death, destroys Blitzwing's monument and the two begin to fight.

On Earth, Isaac Sumdac discovers Megatron's head, and over the next 50 years, progresses from simple attempts at reverse engineering to the establishment of Sumdac Systems.

The Autobots awaken, and meet Sari, establishing themselves as Detroit's new heroes.

On the Decepticon warship, Starscream is reviewing footage of the Autobots at work, when an intruder alert goes off. Blackarachnia arrives, and during a scuffle offers to team up. Starscream declines and Blackarachnia makes her escape, placing a tracer on him. The distraction causes Starscream to miss a proximity warning, and he promptly crashes into the Moon.

Sometime later, Starscream attacks, and during the battle, the AllSpark is briefly opened. The resulting energy burst is detected by both the Autobots and the Decepticons, and the two groups make tracks for Earth.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Humans</th><th style="background:#FFEEB8"> Others </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

• Optimus Prime (1)
• Longarm Prime (3)
• Sentinel Prime (4)
• Ultra Magnus (5)
• Blurr (6)
• Bulkhead (13)
• Prowl (14)
• Bumblebee (15)
• Ratchet (16)
• Jazz (20)

</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">

• Megatron (2)
• Blitzwing (7)
• Lugnut (8)
• Starscream (17)
• Blackarachnia (18)

</td><td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top">

• Isaac Sumdac (9)
• Captain Fanzone (11)
• Sari Sumdac (12)
• Mayor Edsel (19)

</td><td style="background:#FFEEB8" valign="top">

• Sparkplug (10)

</td></tr></table>

Quotes

Icy Blitzwing: "It is with heavy sparks that we who proudly display the Decepticon symbol must learn to accept the inevitable conclusion, however unpleasant... Our leader has fallen. Megatron is no more. Rest assured, he will not be forgotten."<br /> Hothead Blitzwing: But first we will CRUSH the miserable Autobot scum responsible for destroying him!<br /> Random Blitzwing: Oooh! And then we'll paint mustaches on their faceplates! Mustaches are funny! Hahahahahaha!<br />

—No funeral is <s>safe</s> sane when Blitzwing is around.

Errors

• Both Sentinel and Longarm bear the wrong symbol, with Longarm wearing the Elite Guard emblem, and Sentinel possessing the standard Autobrand.
• On cover B Optimus' shoulder is sideways making it look like Ratchet's autobrand is sideways

Items of note

• The plot is a retelling of "Transform and Roll Out", but from different perspectives and with many additional details.

Covers (3)

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<td style="padding:0 1em 0 1em;text-align:right;"><div class="tti_messageboxdiv" style="width:100%;padding:.5em; background-color:#efefff; border:solid 1px #9f9fff;text-align:center;margin:auto;">

They're actually both looking for characterization.

<span style="font-size:125%;font-weight:900;">Let's see what you can see...</span><hr /> This article is in need of images.

</div><small>Specifics: Cover B and RI</small> </td></tr></table> </center>

• Cover A: Sari, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Sparkplug, Tutor Bot, and a lot of balloons; art by Alex Milne & colors by Josh Perez.
• Cover B: The Autobots half of the RI cover.
• Incentive Cover RI: Front to back cover of the Autobots and Sari vs the Decepticons and the Angry Archer; art by Marcelo Matere.

<table class="gallery" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/c/c8/AnimatedArrival1cvrA.jpg/77px-AnimatedArrival1cvrA.jpg" width="77" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> </div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div style="height: 152px;">Arrival1 coverB.jpg</div> <div class="gallerytext"> </div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div style="height: 152px;">Arrival1 coverRI.jpg</div> <div class="gallerytext"> </div> </div></td> </tr> </table>

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