Internal Affairs!
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| "Internal Affairs!" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||
| First published | 30th June 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | 7th July 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | Simon Furman | ||||||||||||
| Pencils | Simon Coleby | ||||||||||||
| Inks | Michael Eve | ||||||||||||
| Lettering | Stuart Bartlett | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity/Earthforce | ||||||||||||
The Decepticon Civil War ends as Megatron and Shockwave battle for the last time.
Synopsis
Megatron has discovered that Shockwave is undertaking a mission at Memphis Airport Bugged! and the two Decepticon leaders fight whilst the humans cancel planes and start betting on the outcome. From the skies Starscream observes what is going on and is pleased. He then notes that as "a law-abiding citizen" he must report it.
The Autobots receive an anonymous message about the fight and put together a force, but Grimlock and Prowl are both uneasy, suspecting a set-up.
At Megatron's base in Louisiana, Soundwave has brought all the Decepticons outside to meet Starscream. The two second-in-commands explain that they feel it is essential to take matters in their own hands and reunite the Decepticons under their joint leadership. Soundwave thinks to himself that he has no choice because otherwise Starscream would have exposed him as a double agent Secrets but the plan suits him. Each plans to doublecross and destroy the other.
Back in Memphis, the Autobots arrive. Megatron and Shockwave each radios for reinforcements only to learn that they have been deposed. As the two Decepticons flee Shockwave proposes an alliance to destroy their usurpers, to which Megatron agrees.
Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
|
Quotes
"'That's the trouble with being a Decepticon - you never know who to trust!"
- — Megatron on his race's flaws.
Errors
- Megatron's base has changed from a giant metal insect in "Secrets" into some chimneys. It will revert to being a giant metal insect under Starscream and Soundwave's command in "External Forces!".
- This issue repeats the location of the Autobots' base (first given in "Once upon a Time...") as sixteen miles east of Churchill, which would place it in Hudson Bay—however the area around the base is drawn as mountainous and forested, not frozen ice.
- Like Megatron's base above, Earthbase also appears to have rather more chimneys here than would be depicted in its subsequent appearances.
Items of note
- As mentioned above, this issue marks the first appearance of the newly-completed Autobot Earthbase. Wheeljack has been working on it since issue #269, when Skydive described it as a "mess of foundations and a few girders", and it will be unveiled properly in the next issue.
- The Autobots apparently lack a system for monitoring Earth media reports and are instead reliant on phone tip-offs.
Reprints
- This story was reprinted in the Titan Books trade paperback "Fallen Star".
