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 questioning the use of Earth's Children for distribution cybertronian weapons. Simpson counters that the community is used to exchange weapons, as well as first-aid and survival advice, for their own safety and defense, as is their "right". When pressed, he rants about the United States government's collaboration with the extraterrestrials, and states his refusal to accept the latter's explanations. Nina brings up reports of Joe Gladki having heard voices that may have compelled his assassination attempt, which apparently started just after Gladki had purchased the weapon via the website. Simpson dismisses any link: hundreds of people own such devices, there have been no other reports of mental illness, and the weapons are perfectly safe...

Megatron had had almost three years of work on him to save his life, having been carried from the battlefield by Starscream, tended to aboard Astrotrain, and left watching 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 denounced the choice to rebuild Megatron instead of concentrating on a way to get off the asteroid they were trapped on, but Megatron revealed that Shockwave had done both. The bridge led 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's intervention removed this obstacle and allowed Megatron to take charge once more.

Megatron put his plan into motion. Shockwave sent the cache of weapons to crash on Earth where they were soon distributed, including 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 used his link to talk to Gladki through the radio and television, claiming to be a from an alien world ravaged by machine invaders and instructing Gladki to use the gun. The gun then led him to the military base where Gladki used it to shoot Bumblebee.

In the present at the Skywatch base, the Autobots discuss the escape of their prisoners, confused as to why the Decepticons didn't also take Gladki's gun (which the Autobots believe is Megatron). Ultra Magnus decides that the base is no longer safe and that they should evacuate to Omega Supreme, even though it means moving Bumblebee and Kyle Pennington, who is in critical condition following the attack. 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 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 wonders if his visitor 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.
  • Megatron's new body totally comes equipped with an Inspector Gadget-style phone in his hand, with the receiver in his thumb and the mouthpiece in his pinky.
  • 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.
  • There's some funky stuff going on with Starscream's body in this issue. He now seems to have changed to the same F-22 based form as Thundercracker. He is also drawn in this form during the flashback to Hot Rod attacking him. This wouldn't normally be an error, rather standard IDW "each artist draws Transformers however the hell they want", except that in the flashbacks to "All Hail Megatron" and Soundwave arguing with Starscream just after, he is drawn in his correct Masterpiece/F-15 based form. So at some point, while marooned far from Earth and with limited resources, Starscream converted himself from one Earth alt-mode to another, before there was any reason to do so.
  • While being carried by Starscream during the "All Hail Megatron" flashback, Megatron's forearm is coloured in blue. It looks like the colorist mistook it for Starscream's arm.
  • 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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