Command Performances!
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 Asses: handed to Decepticons. | |||||||||||||
| "Command Performances!" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||
| First published | April 1986 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | August 1986 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | Bob Budiansky | ||||||||||||
| Penciler | Don Perlin | ||||||||||||
| Inkers | Ian Akin and Brian Garvey | ||||||||||||
| Colorist | Nel Yomtov | ||||||||||||
| Letterer | Janice Chiang | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Michael Carlin | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity | ||||||||||||
Omega Supreme defends the Ark while the Autobots invade the Decepticons' base.
Synopsis
Outside the Ark, Optimus Prime presents to the Autobots their newest member, the titanic Omega Supreme. With his completion, the Autobots are free to mount a raid on the Decepticon base in order to steal the technology required to create combining robots. While nearly the entire Autobot force goes on the mission, Omega Supreme is left behind to guard the Ark.
Still bickering with his temporary co-leader Shockwave, Megatron takes most of his original crew to greet the Decepticons of Cybertron, who are anticipated to be arriving shortly via the space bridge.
During their journey to the Decepticon base, Skids runs afoul of a human driving an expensive Lamborghini, but Prime orders him to continue on. The Autobots arrive at the Decepticons' base and attack.
Megatron, meanwhile, finds that a group of Autobots has crossed the bridge instead of Decepticons; but before he can lead an attack, Shockwave radios him about the Autobot attack at their base. Megatron tries to take advantage of the situation by attacking the Ark, but his squad is soundly defeated by Omega Supreme, with only Megatron and Laserbeak escaping.
At the Decepticon base, Donny Finkleberg takes advantage of the battle to attempt an escape. When Shockwave sends Devastator against the Autobots, they gain the information they were looking for, and retreat. As the Autobots leave, the Lamborghini driver cuts Skids off, allowing Ravage to blast Skids with one of his missiles.
The battered Megatron returns, and though Shockwave accuses him of gross incompetence, Megatron reasons that Shockwave sat and did nothing while a trap—an attack that surely had an ulterior motive—sprang up around him. Shockwave cedes command in the face of Megatron's sound argument.
The Autobots are enthusiastic at their victory, but Optimus Prime cannot celebrate, as Skids is presumed lost...
Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Regulars
Guests
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Errors
- In Blaster's lone panel appearance, he's colored like Optimus Prime.
- Starscream is colored as Skywarp when he's destroyed by Omega Supreme.
- The army guard still has his gun on Jake when Skids shows up and Jake flags him down. In all likelihood, Jake would have been shot.
- Skywarp has blue trim instead of purple on the cover.
Items of note
- Dialogue in the UK version has been altered from the US version. In the US version, Grimlock says, "Bah! You are a coward, Optimus Prime. You do not fight!" and then "Dinobots understand we are warriors—but because you say we would stand out among humans we never go to war! Now you tell us to go to war but not to fight! Commander who attacks to run away cannot command Dinobots!" In the UK version, this is replaced with "Enough talk. When do we get to hit something?" and then "Oh, we understand, all right. Once again, you've clearly demonstrated how unfit you are to lead the Dinobots. We'll have no part in this fool's errand. Back to the Ark, Dinobots. We've got some talking to do..." The US dialogue appears to be an explanation for why the Dinobots haven't been around for a while. Apparently, the UK comic staff thought this explanation would be somewhat out of continuity with the UK comic, since the Dinobots had been featured heavily in several UK-exclusive stories, where they spent their time fighting Guardian, going nuts and falling into comas (among other things). Also, note that in the US version of the dialogue, Grimlock talks like cartoon Grimlock, whereas in the UK version of the dialogue, he does not (consistent with how he talks in the previous UK-exclusive Dinobot stories).
- This issue was reprinted in the Titan Books collection "Showdown".
References
- Grapple began work on Omega Supreme in US issue #14.
- Megatron finally retakes command of the Decepticons from Shockwave after losing it back in US issue #5.
Covers (3)
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US issue #19 - The Decepticons look on in horror as Omega Supreme shoots Some Guy. -
UK issue #70 - The cover lets you know that in this issue, Autobots fight Decepticons. -
UK issue #71 - Oh yes. Ha ha. I see what you did there... -
Titan Showdown TPB -
Titan Showdown HC
- US cover: Omega Supreme kicking Decepti-ass, by Herb Trimpe.
- UK issue #70 cover: Autobots attacking, by John Stokes.
- UK issue #71 cover: reuse of art from US cover.
- Titan TPB cover art: Soundwave, Rumble, Cosmos, Warpath, Powerglide and the other half of the space bridge by Andrew Wildman.
- Titan hardback cover art: Optimus Prime's head by Alan Davis, Mark Farmer, & Chris Blythe.
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