« Transformers: Nefarious #5 »
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	July 21, 2010
Written by	Simon Furman
Art by	Carlos Magno
Colors by	Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by	Chris Mowry
Editor	Andy Schmidt
Assistant editor	Carlos Guzman
Continuity	Movie continuity

Can Soundwave's uneasy alliance with the Autobots stand against the forces of the Initiative?

Synopsis

Following Soundwave's lead, the Autobots and NEST arrive at the site of the Initiative's base in Inyokern, California, only to discover that the base has completely disappeared! Suspecting some kind of mobile/modular headquarters, Optimus Prime's fear that their enemies have access to Cybertronian technology continues to grow, and Soundwave, seeking to maintain the upper hand in their uneasy alliance, refrains from confirming Prime's suspicions by telling them about the mind-controlled Transformers he battled previously. While the NEST team preps for departure and Galloway gives Lennox some uncharacteristic words of encouragement, Ironhide escorts Soundwave to a nearby cellular tower, where the spymaster uses his abilities to track the Initiative down.

Behold my thimbles of DOOM.

The Initiative base, meanwhile, has relocated to Crater Lake in Oregon, where the facsimile AllSpark has been briefly stabilized by the infusion of the residual energy harvested from Hoover Dam. Exploiting this lull, Carter Newell uses some kind of technological apparatus to link himself into the cube's energies, finally giving him control of them. Soon after, when the Initiative's board of directors convenes in their virtual reality boardroom, the directors announce their intention to force Carter out... and Carter responds by transmitting AllSpark energy through the virtual systems, into the board members offices, where it brings various pieces office equipment to life. The feral AllSpark Mutations kill all the board members, leaving Carter in sole control of the Intiative and Project: Nefarious.

The surge of AllSpark energy released by Carter is felt from afar by Optimus Prime as he, the Autobots and NEST home in on the Initiative's new location. The group divides to attack the base from every side, and the Initiative's human troops quickly fall before their superior opponents. Carter demands that every Transformer the Initiative has captured over the years be thawed out to join the battle, as he activates the counterfeit AllSpark to supply them with the necessary power. The Autobots react in horror to the sight of familiar friends and foes emerging from the Intiative base, but a greater horror is brewing within... the energy demands Carter has placed upon the AllSpark prove too much, too soon, and it begins to go into meltdown!

Featured Characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Prattling fools. Speak only about destruction."

—Soundwave does not appreciate your fight banter.

"Aye Caramba!"

—Bumblebee channels his inner Bart Simpson

Notes

Errors

• In issue 1, there are six Initiative board members besides Carter Newell. In this issue, that count's down to four.
• Ingrid appears to spy on Hank Kirkpatrick going into Isolation-1, and in the next issue uses a recording of it to get into Isolation-1 herself. As previously established, only Carter Newell has access, and a few panels later, she tells Kirkpatrick that Newell is in Isolation-1, suggesting that the artist drew in the wrong character.

Real-life references

• Bumblebee channels The Four Tops, Snow Patrol, and The Simpsons in his radio speak.

Other trivia

• Identifying the Transformers under the control of the Initiative is... difficult. Artist Carlos Magno has redesigned several of them into more monstrous forms, as he did with Ransack and Reverb earlier in the mini-series, and the coloring certainly doesn't do them any favours. With careful examination, details from future issues and the input of Simon Furman, it's been possible to identify all of them.
  • The first enthralled robot to appear is Lockdown, recognizable thanks to the large hook on his right hand. He's colored entirely gray here, but will become green next issue.
  • Lockdown is joined by two jets, also colored grey and identified by Jolt as Decepticons. One is identifiable as Thrust, since Magno has retained the characteristic "cockpit head" of his toy. The other is an unrecognizable Ramjet, identified only thanks to Furman posting a script extract on Twitter.^[1] Next issue, Thrust will be colored grey and Ramjet red, presumably thanks to the colorist being unsure which was which.
  • A robot with noticeable caterpillar tracks appears in the background of the next group. Next issue and the later Rising Storm mini-series will see him colored blue, marking him as Tankor.
  • Next to Tankor is a robot with stealth jet wings, who will acquire red and black colors next issue and ultimately be confirmed as Skystalker in Rising Storm #1.
  • Armorhide is referred to by name, and while his inclusion was no doubt inspired by the Revenge of the Fallen toy, Magno's design for him draws upon his original 2007 figure, transforming into a semi-truck. This issue he's colored black and yellow like the 2007 toy, but next issue and in Rising Storm he's green like the Revenge of the Fallen one.
  • Blazemaster is pretty recognizable as a blue and gold helicopter, and will be referred to by name next issue.
  • Bullbar kibble and the green and yellow colors he receives next issue mark the final robot in the foreground as Brawn.

Covers (3)

• Cover A: Renders of Optimus Prime's alt mode watching Sideswipe being awesome the background by Brian Rood
• Cover B: Carter Newell hooked up to the AllSpark, art by Carlos Magno and colors by Andrew Dalhouse
• Cover RI: Text-free version of Cover A

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• Nefarious #6
• The Transformers #9
• Transformers, Volume 1: For All Mankind TPB
• Archie: The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics 1946-1948 TPB
• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #156 (back cover)

References