War Without End (UK)



The UK gets a new comic and a Decepticon invasion!

=Fleetway UK issue #1=

Script: Simon Furman Pencils: Robin Smith Inks: Bambos Colours: Gill Whelan Letters: Peter Nicholls

Featured characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)


 * Originally published: September 1994; Cover date ("off sale") October 1994

Synopsis
Once a war broke out on Cybertron between two factions - the Autobots and the Decepticons. The war raged for millions of years but then ended "on a world billions of light years distant". But some conflicts "never tuly end!"

In London Bludgeon leads the Decepticons in a savage attack. So far they have issued no demands and are trying to lure Optimus Prime from Cybertron. They are not to be disappointed as Prime has arrived outside the metropolis in response to a message from Grimlock. Prime is aghast that once again hopes the war was over have been dashed.


 * Prime recalls hows four million years ago the Decepticons tried to take control of the Ark and to stop them he tried to destroy it, but instead they crashed on Earth and lived again. He wonders "How many times did Megatron seemingly die, only to return or be replaced?"

Prime orders to Autobots to roll out, whilst worrying about recent nightmares of an apocalyptic future. He would be comforted if they are just warning about Bludgeon.

As they approach London Prime orders Jazz, Sideswipe and Skram to target one Decepticon strike team at a time whilst he goes after Bludgeon. Skram wonders where Grimlock has disappeared to. Behind a hill an unseen figure has blasted Grimlock down and smiles as he watches Prime split off from the others.

Tornado reports to Bludgeon that many Decepticons are low on Energon. The Decepticon leader agrees to a temporary withdrawl to recharge at the Warworld. However Tornado and Ramjet are blasted down as Prime arrives. He reminds Bludgeon that when they last met the Decepticon leader had promised the war was over. But a Decepticon's word should never have been trusted. The two fight as Bludgeon declares he wanted Prime and the Creation Matrix. Meanwhile the other Autobots find the Decepticons tough but not impossible.

Prime and Bludgeon fight as the Decepticon explains how he plans to use the Matrix to bring more Decepticon warriors to life. But Prime is aghast at Bludgeon's willingness to sacrifice a whole planet and the rage emboldens him to knock Bludgeon out. However a new arrival thanks him for this as nothing can now stop the leadership of the Decepticons from being taken by Megatron!

Errors

 * The double page spread on pages 2 & 3 shows the Houses of Parliament, suggesting the Decepticons are on College Green, but the background to the rest of the story looks nothing like Westminster.


 * Similarly the open countryside where the Autobots split up is described as "nearby" to Bludgeon in the centre of London.

Items of note

 * All characters are given their European toy names - e.g. "Tornado" not "Windrazor".
 * Everyone is drawn and coloured in their Generation 2 modes. Because the Dinobots were only released in a single colour each in the UK this means Grimlock is now blue where he was once grey. This became especially noticable when the comic later moved over to reprints of the Marvel US G2 comic, complete with their colours.
 * The flashbacks are an exception, showing Megatron in his original body.
 * Yet another Seeker colour design can be glimpsed in the flashback of Megatron boarding the Ark - a light blue body with white face, light red helmet & thighs and yellow cockpit cover.
 * The issue includes "The Hardware", a list of all the Transformers then available in the UK in the Generation 2 toyline.
 * The inside front and back covers are gatefolds, containing profiles of Megatron, Ramjet, Grimlock and Optimus Prime. All are illustrated with the package art.
 * The profile gives some new names to Optimus Prime's three modes. The cab/robot is described as "The Commander", the cart is now "Scout Car" and the trailer is "Autobot Headquarters" (with the term "combat deck" now used as a description).
 * Another gatefold on the centre pages reveals a four page poster battle.
 * Because of these gatefolds the intro page proclaimed it to be "the Transforming comic!"
 * The issue came with a set of free stickers.