Transformers Comic issue 8



Transformers #8 was published by Titan Magazines in January 2008.

Magazine Credits
Editor: Steve White Designer: Danny Preston Deputy Editors: Den Patrick Publishing Manager: Darryl Curtis

Scorpion Sting

 * Script: Simon Furman
 * Art: Staz
 * Colors: Kris Carter
 * Lettering: Jimmy Betancourt/Comicraft

Qatar - and Ironhide tears apart an army vehicle, screaming at the soldiers to run & hide before he kills them: he is now a slave to the will of Scorponok!

Earlier, at a local US air base, Ironhide discovers Captain Lennox has been reassigned; Captain Cartwright's team of Army Rangers will instead be assisting him in hunting for Scorponok. Ironhide is slightly perturbed by the change of plan, and when asked to "show us some credentials" merely transforms as a show of force. Cartwright admits that'll do. As they head out, Ironhide grills Cartwright on what he knows about the quarry and questions if they're ready for the Decepticon to fight. The soldiers reply in the affirmative - but nobody realises the Decepticon is tracking them.

Picking up multiple weak contacts, Ironhide transforms to get a better view - Cartwright is barely able to realise these are "ghost" contacts to confuse them before Scorponok emerges. Ironhide is hit before he can respond, and the Decepticon drills into his head & takes over his motor functions. As the Decepticons forces him to attack and he screams at the Rangers to run, Cartwright orders a barrage of shoot-to-disable sabot rounds. But the rounds, unlike against the Decepticons previously, have no effect...

The Autobot grabs one tank and uses it to smash another, possibly killing or injuring two of the Rangers. Cartwright swiftly regroups his team and orders Weapons Sergeant Darius Gale to sever Scorponok's connection with Ironhide. The other Rangers distract the enemy, who forces Ironhide to fire on them, allowing Gale to reach a XM8 Carbine with armour-piercing rounds and draw a bead on Scorponok. He severes the Decepticon's connection, allowing an enraged Ironhide to grab him and viciously kill him.

Watching the fiery wreckage, the Rangers "figure we can tell Lennox... job done!".

Articles & features

 * Character Profile: Bonecrusher
 * Top Gear: Promotion of and a chance to win Beast Machines Series 1 DVD (the second time this has been promoted), Transformers caps, and GI Joe VS The Transformers Omnibus by Devil's Due.
 * How to Draw Bumblebee feature: "You love him. You admire him. He makes you laugh because he wees on the bad guys. Now's your chance to draw him!"
 * Poster of the cover image.
 * Star Screams: Letters and art from readers, answered by Starscream.

Free Gift

 * "Awesome Tattoos & Sweat Band!" - temporary Autobot or Decepticon related tattoos/stickers, and a sweat band with an Autobot or Decepticon insignia. Whether you get an Autobot or Decepticon set depends on which issue you bought, with both being printed in equal numbers; the labels ask "Who's [sic] Side Are You On?".

Reprints
Reprinted stories are only a portion of their respective issues.
 * Transformers: Movie Prequel, part 3b (7 pages)
 * Beast Wars: The Gathering, part 3b (8 pages)

Items of note

 * This is the first issue to have a comic-art cover instead of a stock photo image.
 * As with last issue, it is set between the movie's final battle and the dumping of the Decepticon corpses into the ocean.
 * Scorponok can hijack an enemy's motor functions, and can fool enemy radar.
 * Whereas sabot rounds were effective against Decepticons, Ironhide can shrug them off; the Ranger's dialogue suggests this is a unique feature of what Ironhide is built of.
 * Starscream wishes more people would send in fanart of him rather than Optimus Prime; he also dislikes the film because "all my best scenes were cut, some of my best lines never made it into the final film, and I never got a chance to pulverise any of the Autobots. How dull!".
 * Starscream also states that Movie-Optimus carries the Matrix of Leadership.

Errors

 * The free gift labels misspell "Whose" as "Who's".
 * Top Gear shows the Beast Machines Series 2 cover while promoting Series 1.
 * Ravage's arrival in Beast Wars is described as "Magmatron's minions come face-to-muzzle with a terrifying new 'creature'!", even though in the reprint they're reviving him as an ally.