Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon

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File:Transformers 15A.jpg
"Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published January 5, 2011
Cover date January 2011
Written by Mike Costa
Art by Don Figueroa
Colors by Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Chris Mowry
Editor Andy Schmidt
Assistant editor Carlos Guzman
Continuity IDW continuity
Chronology Current era (2011)

Megatron deploys his master plan while the Autobots deal with the loss of their allies.

Synopsis

Nina continues to interview Ben Simpson again raising the question of the Earth's Children community being used for the distribution of weapons. Simpson avoids this stating that the community is used for sharing information such as first-aid and survival advice. Nina presses the point but Simpson retorts that people have the right to defend themselves and that such trade is not illegal. Nina is clearly unimpressed, stating that Simpson's reply seems a bit obtuse. This rattles Simpson who gets increasingly annoyed and rants about the President, saying that he is the obtuse one, having denounced other countries for collaborating with the extraterrestrials, only for the Government to have to admit five days later that they have been allied with the invaders for some time, without explanation. Nina responds by suggesting that an explanation was forthcoming but was interrupted by the gunman. Simpson does not accept this as Bumblebee has no say in United States policy and the notion that he does is insane. Nina points out that insanity may be relevant to proceedings as Joe Gladki's family have said he was hearing voices and that these voices may have compelled his assassination attempt. These voices apparently started just after Gladki had purchased the weapon via the "Earth's Children" website. Simpson dismisses any link claiming that hundreds of people own such devices, that there have been no other reports of mental illness and that the weapons are perfectly safe...

Some time ago, Megatron contemplates his situation alone. He has had almost three years of work on him to save his life. He considers how he was carried from the battlefield by Starscream, tended aboard Astrotrain and watched helplessly as his troops fell apart on their isolated asteroid base. A year after arriving on the asteroid, Soundwave gave up on salvaging his body and disconnected it from life support deciding instead to work with Shockwave on a new body for their fallen leader.

Some time later, Starscream discovered what they were up to while checking up on Shockwave's space bridge project. Starscream soon realized that the pair had cannibalized Megatron's old body to make a cache of human sized weapons. He feigned outrage whilst being secretly pleased, believing Soundwave and Shockwave had put an end to his "Megatron problem". Unfortunately, Starscream had no time to enjoy the moment, as Megatron revealed himself in his new body. Sulking and shocked, Starscream berated the choice to rebuild Megatron instead of concentrating on a way to get off the asteroid they are trapped on. Megatron sarcastically revealed that they had also built a functional space bridge as Shockwave is a dedicated multi-tasker. Shockwave explained that the bridge leads to Earth's orbit, a fact that both shocked and confused Starscream.

Megatron was wary to move against Starscream and re-take leadership of the Decepticons while Starscream still possessed the Matrix of Leadership, believing it to be a potential threat. Luckily, Hot Rod intervened, giving Megatron chance to remove the obstacle and take charge once more.

His contemplation over and with a sense of glee, Megatron puts his plan into motion having Shockwave send the cache of weapons to Earth where they are soon distrubuted, eventually reaching America and, via the Earth's Children site, to Gladki. Each gun is linked to Megatron and, with enough of these in proximity, a neural net is formed allowing him to "reach out and touch someone". Megatron uses his link to talk to Gladki through the radio and television. The voices claim to be a from an alien world ravaged by the machine invaders and instruct Gladki to use the gun. The gun then takes him to the military base where Gladki uses it to shoot Bumblebee.

In the present at the base, the Autobots discuss the new situation, confused as to why the Decepticons didn't take Gladki's gun (believing it to be Megatron) or try to finish them off. Brawn asks Schwalbe how sure he is about the new supressors they have attached to the gun. Schwalbe, however, is too busy working on Bumblebee to answer other than muttering expletives under his breath. Ultra Magnus states that the base is no longer safe and that they should evacuate; Silverstreak, though, is concerned about moving Kyle Pennington, who is in a critical condition following the Decepticon attack. Magnus points out that it would be more dangerous to remain and makes plans to run away to Omega Supreme. Before they leave, Magnus gives Brawn a mission to go and find someone for him, believing that Brawn has the best chance of surviving out there on his own.

Later, Thundercracker arrives back at his hideout to find that his beloved television screens have been trashed and that he is not alone. Thundercracker says he wasn't expecting to see his visitor again so soon and wonders if he is expects help after last time. "I certainly hope so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come so far to convince you...brother", replies Starscream.

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Notes

  • The title of this issue likely refers to Altered Carbon, a 2002 science fiction novel by Richard K. Morgan. The theme of downloading one's consciousness into a new body is particularly relevant.
  • During Megatron's flashback we presumably see inside Astrotrain as his fallen commander is tended for in triage though whether or not this is Astrotrain or equipment that he is carrying is unclear.
  • On pages 14 and 15, Megatron's neural net allowed him to "reach out and touch someone". This phrase is likely a reference to a 1980s slogan from telephone company AT&T.
  • The Megatron guns come in assorted sizes, ranging from basic human to Transformer size.

Errors

  • Repeating the continuity error from last issue, Frenzy is once again shown working with Soundwave prior to the breakout at Skywatch, this time back on the Decepticons' asteroid base before they even returned to Earth. The Transformers: Bumblebee previously indicated Frenzy was left behind on Earth after All Hail Megatron, and was captured by the Autobots for Skywatch.
  • In the flashback to "Heart Like a Wheel", Megatron is shown shooting Hot Rod with his original fusion cannon arm instead of the new arm-weapon from the body he revealed in that issue. Likewise, the Matrix is shown being shot off Hot Rod, while in "Heart Like a Wheel", it was still on Hot Rod while he drifted through space.
  • Last issue Megatron's dismembered head was shown with the remnants of a face, but in this issue his helmet was empty when it landed.

Covers (3)

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