Survival Run

Carnivac tries to run for his survival...

=Marvel UK issue #238=

Writer: Simon Furman Art: Lee Sullivan Lettering: Glib


 * Major characters (in order of appearance): Carnivac, Snarler, Bludgeon, Octopunch, Spinister, Needlenose, Stranglehold, US army troops, Texan man, Catilla and Springer.


 * Minor characters (in order of appearance): Broadside, Inferno, and Skids.


 * Originally published: 23rd September 1989. Cover date ("off sale") 30th September 1989.

Synopsis
In the Mexican desert Carniac staggers on amidst heavy heat but collapses as his circuits start to fuse. He tries to carry on as his mind suddenly flashes back to two hours ago:


 * Carnivac manages to wound Bludgeon but the other Mayhems advance on him. Then a blast hits Stranglehold as US army troops arrive. They were sent to deal with the mechanical dog not six giants and are rapidly overwhelmed. Carnivac uses the distraction to escape...

However even now the soldiers' death screams ring in his ears. He sees a town on the horizon and crawls towards it.

In Dallas the man who previously met Carnivac now tells the other Survivors how their fellow is in trouble. Catilla realises that the Decepticons have come for them and urges the others to help, but Springer is adamant that Carnivac forfeited protection when the others ran off. Catilla is disgusted at this and heads off to help. Springer turns to ask the other Autobots if he is right.

In the Mexican town Carnivac has discovered Needlenose and is subdueing him, telling him the Mayhem Attack Squad should not have split up as it makes them easy to pick off one by one. However Octopunch has also arrived and threatens a group of humans unless Carnivac releases Needlenose and comes out of his Pretender shell. Carnivac still feels guilty about leaving one group of humans and so complies.

Octopunch cannt believe that a Decepticon would do such a thing and blasts Carnivac down. He advances and raises his trident, declaring that Carnivac is weak and deserves to die!

Errors

 * In the last panel of page four Broadside, Inferno and Skids are in a line up with their heads are so close together they would have had to contradict their bodies to line up like that.

Items of note

 * The Survivors storyline would eventually tie into the alternate continuity of the Earthforce storyline. It's not clear where one draws the line between the main storyline and this portion of the Earthforce branch.

Reprints

 * This story was reprinted in the Transformers Annual 1992 with additional colours by Steve White. This version was subsequently reprinted in the Winter Special 1994.


 * The original black and white version was reprinted in the Titan Books trade paperback "Way of the Warrior".