War Zone



Megatron shows off his new abilities

=Fleetway UK issue #2=

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

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


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

Synopsis
Optimus Prime is weakened after his battle with Bludgeon so tries stalling for time whilst the other Autobots respond to his signal, but Megatron sees through the ruse immediately. His power has been boosted immensely and Prime is soon subdued.

Elsewhere Grimlock slowly recovers after being defeated by Megatron. He had come to Earth to warn Prime about new Decepticons but wound up being taken out by old ones. He summons his fellow Dinobots.

In the ruins of London the Stormtroopers have heard of a fight and are eager for some real action, hoping for Autobots. But then on their telescopic vision they see Megatron about to crush someone. As he is no longer their leader and may be about to destroy Bludgeon they charge in and attack, unwittingly saving Optimus Prime. The battle soon draws in other Decepticons, with the Skyscorchers leaving the Autobots, who rapidly come to the conclusion Prime is in danger.

The Stormtroopers, Skyscorchers and Firecons attack Megatron whilst Prime tries to rise. He is suddenly helped up by Grimlock, Snarl and Slag. Wanting payback they go into action against both Megatron and the other Decepticons. The arrival of Jazz, Sidewsipe and Skram turns the tide and Megatron is concerned about his Energon reserves to orders Starscream to extract him. He plans to return.

Optimus Prime calls a halt to the battle and tells the Autobots to round up the prisoners and leave as soon as possible before the humans launch an indiscriminate counter-strike. He goes to deal with Bludgeon but finds the Decepticon leader has escaped.

Grimlock tells Prime that there are bigger fish to fry. He has discovered that whilst the Autobots were offline a "whole new generation of Decepticons arise!" Later at [[Autobase on an asteroid Grimlock explains how the new Decepticons have spread all over the galaxy, colonising worlds and turning them into little Cybertrons. The Dinobots had caused problems and run into the leader, Jhiaxus, and barely escaped. Grimlock proposes an immediate huge strike but Prime says to wait until he gives the order. Privately he wonders if this is at the root of his visions of an apocalypse or if it is something else...

Items of note

 * All characters are given their European toy names - e.g. "Hawk" not "Eagle Eye".
 * 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, Snarl purple and Slag green where they were once grey. This became especially noticeable when the comic later moved over to reprints of the Marvel US G2 comic, complete with their colours.
 * Optimus Prime asks Megatron: "How did you get out? Skydive reported our spacecraft, the Ark - and all aboard her - destroyed." This suggests that something similar to the events of "All or Nothing!" took place in the Fleetway G2 comic.
 * Similarly Megatron states his new body was created with help from human scientists, again suggesting something similar to "Realignments".
 * Conversely Grimlock has discovered the Cybertronian Empire independently of Optimus Prime, which is not how events panned out in the US "War Without End!"
 * The term "Decepticon" is used consistently for the Cybertronians.
 * During the Generation 1 comics the Firecons never had the chance to go up against Slag. This issue finally sees the Dinobot and a Firecon trade their flame throwers.
 * The issue had a competition to win a complete set of all the Generation 2 toys then on sale. To enter readers had to find a number of Autobot insignia hidden in the artwork and send the correct number in.
 * The inside front and back covers are gatefolds, containing profiles of Piranha, Jazz, Starscream and Blitz. All are illustrated with the relevant package art.
 * Another gatefold on the centre pages contains a "Giant Battle Game!" in which the Autobots and Decepticons race from opposite sides of the board to capture the Warwold in the centre.
 * The issue came with a set of free stickers.