Transformers Comic issue 4.16

Fury from the Deep
A sudden storm came upon the ship Mary Jane'', tearing it apart... as most of the crew are lost, the survivor clings onto some wreckage and sees it.. the monster!''
 * Script: Chris Cooper
 * Art: Dario Brizuela
 * Lettering: Comicraft
 * Continuity: Transformers: Prime

So says Al, who is telling his story to Miko, Jack and Raf at some burger bar during their summer holiday. The burly waiter removes Al from his restaurant, but Miko's already intrigued by his story, and jumping to conclusions about Decepticons after seeing the metal 'tooth' hanging round Al's neck. Raf is on the case, laptop in hand, finding that the Mary Jane sank 10 years ago in Devil's Cove (where else?) not far away. Jack's not too sure, but the idea of beach time persuades him to go along with the others in Bumblebee to check it out.

At the cove, the kids head out in a dinghy and spend an hour not doing much. From a rocky overhang above, Bumblebee spots something large heading straight for them underwater, and just as it attacks ('SPWOOOOSH') he jumps in to rescue the kids. Underwater, the huge bulk of Piranacon rises behind him...

The kids find themselves in an underwater cave, next to the Mary Jane. As they explore further, they find more and more wrecked ships, all stripped of parts. Raf notices that one of the 'wrecks' is not from Earth, but a Decepticon, and gets on the Autobot Archive to find out who. Miko notes that this means she owes Jack lunch.

The remains are of Snaptrap, the leader of the Seacons, a special team of Decepticons adapted for underwater combat. There are another five Seacons out there, combined into Piranacon—but without Snaptrap in command he's "pretty much a mindless monster".

Bumblebee already knows this of course, and is doing his best to stay alive against the huge Decepticon. With the help of some narrative captions, Bumblebee uses some rocks to inflict a bit of damage, but eventually Piranacon captures 'bee in his tentakils, er, tentacles.

The kids have found a pile of unexploded World War II mines, and use them to blow a hole in the side of their cave, thus freeing them. The resulting explosion sends huge boulders shooting through the water, one of which fatally wounds Piranacon (in the face), who sinks into the abyss... The kids of course are drowning, having been knocked unconscious by the explosion, but valiant Bumblebee saves them from joining the Seacons by grabbing them and making for the surface.

The story ends on the beach at sunset, with Miko and Jack wrapped in towels round a fire planning a staycation next time... while Raf, still in his trademark tank-top, shirt and jeans, laptop under his arm, gives Bumblebee a high-five.

Autobots

 * Bumblebee

Decepticons

 * Piranacon
 * Snaptrap

Humans

 * Al
 * Miko Nakadai
 * Jack Darby
 * Raf Esquivel

Quotes
"AARROOOOOOOOOOO"
 * —Piranacon

"Mechanical elements compatible. De-construct Autobot with maximum force. Zzk!"
 * —Piranacon gets more coherent the closer he is to victory.

Articles and features

 * Beast Hunters Sneak Peak! -preview of Season 3 of Transformers: Prime.
 * Front Line!. Newspaper front page, but also done up a bit like the comic front page, advertising the comic's contents... A bit confused. There will be a Transformers: Prime UK tour again this year (8th Aug - 7 September). And regarding Transformers 4: "IT'S HAPPENING!" the headline threatens.
 * All About Ultra Magnus profile page
 * Competition: Win a Transformers: Prime: Decepticons Unleashed DVD or a Beast Hunters voyager figure.
 * Kre-O Transformers Conundrums puzzles
 * Bumblebee's Beach Bonanza! more puzzles
 * Soundwave's Stumpers yet more puzzles.
 * X Marks The 'Bot - a codebreaker puzzle.
 * Poster of Optimus and Ratchet
 * Mega-Mouth: Megatron and Arcee answer letters and critique art again.

Free Gift!

 * I got a disc shooter and a water pistol. Did everyone else get the same thing, or are they just clearing out the warehouse? Am I the only one buying this any more?

Mega-Mouth
"Fleshbags, I have to admit your efforts on these pages have improved. Who knew such pathetic creatures could be so creative? I may just let you live today."


 * —Megatron loves us all really.

Errors

 * When the group first arrive at the beach, Bumblebee is in his altmode from the movies, even going so far as showing the Chevrolet logo on his front bumper.

Trivia

 * There's a moth in here with me.

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 * Transformers Comic issue 4.17 — this will be the Beast Hunters Issue! with the usual selection of features, on sale 10 October.