Out Wednesday, February 6th.

Very good.

Josh, you need to color everything ever.

And the Reapers actually came off as something resembling a threat!

I liked the new wrinkle to Megatron and Starscream's past relationship too.

Am I the only one who hasn't been able to find this issue today?

Another superb issue. Devastation is the best comic series we've gotten in ages. Possibly the best.

Prime's REALLY going out on a limb if he means to abandon Earth while the Decepticons AND the Reapers are running wild.

Love how Starscream took down Sixshot. It made perfect sense for Meggy to have taken precautions when Sixshot was first created, and it made even more sense that Starscream would uncover them. And poor Sixshot, you really are nothing more than a fancy weapon with a brain and an attitude, aren't you?

Lot of things in this issue make me feel this story would read a lot, lot, better as a trade.

This would have made the last issue more fuffiling.


Anyways, opinion time. I like how this Prime even though it's his own fault and he's a bit embarassed, (to admit it) had to actually take point and go deal with something more important than protecting a world like earth.

Makes me wonder is this what hail Megatron is about? The Decepticons are exposed. The Reapers are attacking them. Megatron seems to have a senator in the Government. Makes one wonder now. Will Megatron use propaganda to achieve his aims? Will he try to appear like he's some benvolent benefactor on earth to protect worlds from alien threat? How will this change the Decepticon war policy.


Maybe, Megatron's self exposure wasn't so foolish. The Brasyna conflict could be seen as him trying to protect the earth from Prime. If theres enough lies on his side to get humans under his thrall. Things is I don't think Megatron has ever had to use propaganda on an alien world to get his way. How will this change him. I can see him becoming a more dangerous schemer now. First he learned that siege bunkers and deception are effective. Now he's learning that getting people to like him through propaganda is also effective. I hope if this is the direction they go in that they do it as beleivably as possible and use it to let his character evolve a bit.


Also when Prime returns to earth imagine the trouble he has to deal with. While this unexpected development came a little faster than I liked. I wanted more emphasis on siege phases, the role of the Decepticon bunker and the cold war between the Autobots and cons.

Still this is something that I didn't expect. I really wan't to see whats going to happen. Will Megatron ally himself with the US government? We still have covert Decepticons (Machination maybe Shockwave in the future) and this means the Autobots will be seen as villains. At the very least this is a lot better than Megatron's Master Plan.

Now we also have the possibility of 4 decepticon groups. The Decepticon Army being led by Megatron. The machination maybe being led by Scorpy. Shockwave coming back and making his own agenda.

So theres two Decepticons that still have to be covert. Since Shocky might be seen as Traitor and probably would prefer to work on restoring Cybertron. Scorponok is of course a war Criminal who Megatron more than likely wants dead.

I just hope that in Spotlight Arcee we actually see Megatron designating some orders to the Decepticons in space about the issue that Prime has to deal with. Since, that would be something pretty important to Meg's.

As for Jimmy and Verity. Although the deaths felt anticlimatic. I wasn't really surprised that they were going to be brought back to life. I can see Cybertronians maybe even having the tech to repair minor brain damage as well. So it's hard to say what might happen here. Still It felt like trying to bring them back to life needed a story all it's own like a spotlight about ratchet doing what he does best. It seemed a like it had to be forced in with the rest of the story. Ratchets thoughts on his responsibility to cure others would have been nice. It would have also made me feel like caring about the situation a lot more.

Loved it again, though the story is still slow-sailing. Great for a trade, but inching forward each issue is driving me crazy.

Loved some of the dialogue in this issue though. Megatron made me Lolzzz a couple times.
HAD to pick up Nick's cover for this one.....SS and Megs look so brotherly together hehe hehe
Flashback scenes are always win.

**Now to see what surprises the BW Sourcebook has waiting for me.**

Starscream and Sixshot's enmity for each other was a nice touch. probably sealed the deal for Sixshot, having someone he hates attack him.

And wow, Starscream's relationship with Megs as established on the first page was more in-depth and intriguing than the whole of their scenes in Megatron Origin.

Excellent stuff as always. My comic store only seems to be getting on version of the TF comics lately, either way both covers were awesome.

Randy

That Roche cover really reminds me of a picture you would see of a couple in the 1st year of their relationship....all happy and smiles. Fast forward a couple years and yeah, you get Megs Vs SS bitching at each other all day long as seen in the G1 cartoon.

Nightbeat appears to be solving a riddle that will most likely lead him to the conclusion that he's done it

I'm also wondering about what Furman is planning with this little group of traitors. SS actually having some backing on his schemes must mean that Megatron really isn't that popular anymore among his troops. Maybe they resent him for dragging them into this loooong war, or maybe they're just sick of his tyrant behavior. I wonder if other parts of the Decepticon army feel this way and if Megatron might finally lose control of the tight ship he's been running.
Would be interesting to see a war machine that's been running efficiently for thousands of years fall apart.

True, but I'm thinking Hound & co + maybe Grimlock/Sunstreaker etc should keep things at least sorta in check.
I like it how this Prime will prioritize and move on to bigger things if he feels it's the right thing to do.

It's possible and that could explain why someone like Shockwave could take the reigns in the future. I'm betting that it might just be that despite Starscream's treachery him and Megatron used to have a really close relationship. Maybe they thought only Starscream knows Megatron enough to talk him down and get him to his rational self.

I think their really trying to give a real and positive explanation as to why their bickering with eachother and why Starscream has become treacherous. If anything even though Megatron is meant to be a tyrant and can't risk dissention. If Starscream has a fair argument as for his betrayal. There may yet be something that Megatron has to admit or apoligize for that might have turned Starscream against him. I get the impression that even though Megatron is pretty much a dictator he does seem to see his troops as comrades in arms to a specific extent. Maybe as far as someone like Hitler might have viewed his inner circle the ones that helped bring him to power and preservered with him. This Megatron seems to view himself as the Decepticons benefactor.

Still, it seems like he got more arrogant and powerhungry over time and maybe started to become more seperated from his men eventually becoming more authoratative and blinded by his power. This could be why Starscream couped against him. Definately Meg's dosen't seem to wan't to give any forgiveness yet. Still I can see either him and Starscream coming to a resolve or Starscream's banishment from the Decepticons. Maybe even his escape after this fiasco.

I also wouldn't doubt that Starscream will continue to be treacherous but more in a only when the time is right sense than as foolhardishly and directly like he did in this part of the seriesl Still I guess it's all a wait and see.

Someone like Ramjet probably would not have a developed close freindship or have as much strategic value to him. That could explain his quick death at Megatron's hand without any real anger or remorse either. Just a cold, brutal efficient execution and a pat on the back for a job well done.

Also, I think im fine with Megatron letting Screamer live this time around. It actually seems like Megatron and Starscream were once freinds and equals. Kind of weird and scary. I can see it being the more younger slightly less despotic budding warlord Megatron hanging with his gang of military thugs. Compared to heavily experienced military dictator commanding an intergalactic empire.

Also it's hard to say if Screamer was already the cruel and corrupt sneak and he just tricked Megatron to give him Sixshot's code...

Go Hunter! Just like in Masterforce with the enhancements! W00T!

Prime calling to retreat without picking up Sunstreaker and Ironhide certainly is going out on a limb, despite leaving behind the Decepticons. Talk about being royally screwed from all sides. I'll admit, bit of fresh change compared to earlier Primes.

Sixshot with an off switch just like that. Ye gods... Quite the change in relationship between Megatron and Starscream compared to then and now. They appeared more amicable.

Machination Headmasters are certainly cocky little b45t4rds.

Grimlock? SWEEET. But under Sky Watch? Not so sweet. He's gonna be one POed T-Rex when he wakes up.

Any folks out there with medical backgrounds? Jazz says 5.62 minutes Jimmy and Verity have been out, and most sources I found say that 5 minutes is about the limit where the brain can go without oxygen before problems kick up if the cause is cardiac arrest, if I'm reading it right.



Unless the red light is turning Thundercracker's paint job purple on page 4 (5?), what the frell?

Who did Ratchet's helm colors? Third time, I think.

As much as the seemingly slow pace is killing me, I absolutly love these books. There really is alot going on, and all things considered.. its being handled quite well. I like the flow bewteen scenes and we always get charachters that develop (even though the story is developing at a slower rate)
Devestation 6 should be the big payoff... and I can't wait. I'd guess that The Decepticons defeat the Reapers making them Earth's "protectors" (which would lead in to All Hail Megatron) and Hunter/Sunstreaker end up hooking up with Hot Rod and Wheeljack to fight off the bad Sunstreakers and rescue Ironhide.

On a side note, I really hope that if Starscream is back in the fold, that we don't go through yet another Starscream attempts to overthrow Megatron story again. I'd much rather see him be Megatron's "voice of "reason" as he does seen to put the Deception cause above himself.

this is the first time i hit a thread like this prior to reading it - and all it did was make me want to read it more!!!

damn i can't wait to see this issue.

Finally got this one today. Wow. Golden all around. Though now I'm wondering what the purpose behind Jimmy & Verity's ever-so-brief demises is.

Yeah I thought they were going the Headmasters or somesuch route. Wait All Hail Megatron is for the regular comic? I thought it was an What If type deal.

Yeah, I think people are getting things mixed up. "All Hail Megatron" is supposed to be set in a world where only the Decepticons arrive on Earth. The confusion probably set in because of Op & Co pulling out, but I'm sure there will still be a decent amount of Autobots left on Earth. Sunstreaker, Hound & Co., The Dinobots, ect.

just read it...poor Sunny...great read.

i don't get though, pardon my obtuseness - if Sixshot was blowing off the Reapers, why did he fight Starscream?

again, an issue with almost no real progress made.
this story has so much going on nothing really gets the time it needs.
"The Reapers are going to attack"
next issue
"The reapers are attacking!"
this issue
"Let's start fighting them!"

"I've become"
"A Headmaster? Okay"
"I guess I'll finish the process."
"And"

"Jimmy and Verity are dead-"
"-bodies. unless I save them by-"

And Hot Rod and Wheeljack are STILL doing their thing.

THAT ALL SAID
And how do all these things pile up? Well, that's what happens when you have the core -ation series just adopting all these stray plot threads adopted from each of the spotlights. And then additional page space is lost with Prime saying "Oh yes, I'm sure those exciting events in the tie in are certainly worth reading about. Prime Out."
This issue was much enjoyable. Simply fairly fun to read. A nice reveal at the end which I'm sure will become important to the plot in the next miniseries. Maybe even before the middle of it.

And the art's better in this issue, too.

ultracrazy thought:
Reapers, seeing how they're outclassed by Ore-13 enhanced Decepticons, become reformatted as Headmasters? Oooh.

just might be on to somethin here

Was it ever said that All Hail Megatron was a "what if" or did everyone just assume it would be?

Let me put it to ya this way. You're a big, powerful guy who is used to smashing his way through his problems. Suddenly there's this other guy, one so strong that you can't smash him one-on-one, and he's drilling these thoughts into your head. Playing on all your insecurities and weaknesses. Now here comes this big-mouthed shrimpy guy picking a fight with you. Technically he's on your side, but right now you desperately need to smash something. Fight picked? You bet!

there's been no word officially on that

...I got the impression that Sixshot had finally agreed to join the Reapers after Deathbringer's last speech, from his "I-should thank you, Starscream...for making this decision that much easier," upon which he turns on his fellow 'Con. I read it as "It'll be that much easier to live with my decision to turn on the Decepticons considering the first person I see after deciding is a guy who's always hated me and probably vice-versa". ^_^

...actually, considering Sixshot seems to me to have cut ties with the Cons here, if the Reapers are taken out of the picture...I wonder if he'd end up falling in with Galvatron's camp, since they're trying to spread death and destruction as well. It'd be awesome to have all the super threats like Sixshot and Thunderwing on the side of the Dead Universe.

I'm not sure which conversation I preferred in this issue, Megatron and Starscream's awesome character-building talk at the beginning, or Megatron and Blitzwing's exchange when the Reapers are strafing their base. Blitzwing's "Er, ditto" and Megatron's deadpan "You Don't Say" had me chortling heartily. ^ ^

And Prime deciding that other events took priority, even while Earth is in a state of havoc? Just awesome. And you could really understand it not just from the danger that the release of the Monstructor units would pose, but because the Autobots simply have played all of their available cards. Wonder how Hound will feel being left holding the ball rather abruptly. I do like the idea that Prime's unit is leaving Earth and his is en-route, though; it should lead to them taking up the starring roles in the main book, whereas if Prime's bots had stayed on Earth along with Hound's unit, we would have had a few too many characters in the picture at once.

But Prime's exit--This is the kind of realistic handling that makes me love this 'verse. But I hope they have time to pull Ironhide out of the fire!

And I loved Megatron's discussion of the battle cry being honorably raised. Hey, Decepticons with an (Albeit unusual) sense of honor as something canonical instead of just interpreted out of the G1 toon! ^ ^

And dannnng...my favorite bot, Grimlock, back in action! My other fave bot, Starscream back, too. Life is good.

I really don't see how they can't, as we see Ironhide right there were Wheeljack and Hot Rod are.....I even think Ironhide is one of the cars that falls on Wheeljack, but I can't check right now.

Oh, you're right...! He's in the stack in the background when Hot Rod's facing off with the Headmaster.

ok, i can see Sixshot using Starscream to blow off some steam, but why is Starscream starting the fight? i better go read it agian.

Cause one, he knows he can win, and two he probably figures this will get him back into Megatron's good graces if he forces Sixshot's hand and makes him look like a traitor.

now THAT makes complete sense, and leaves me no unanswered questions. Thank you!

I have a feeling Sixshot's eventual destiny is obvious when you think of it. He's a warrior created to be a weapon by someone. Clearly it seems not to be Megatron. It does seem that Meg's found him and gave him some purpose. Sixshot still isn't happy, he's trapped in his instincts and the cons are just pretty much using him. So he's isolated, can't concentrate on anything but destruction, knows his own camp fears him and is just using him, but he's thankful that at least they give him a purpose, and yet he still dosen't know what his life should be about.

It's great this gives much more meaning to his spotlight. The kind of meaning I was hoping it would give.

I don't think he will fall with the Reapers. The Reapers are simalir to him yes. Also, I will agree the Reaper's may give him more companionship, understanding then the cons. Yet their misguided.

I have an idea of whats going to happen eventually. Theres a warrior that will eventually make Sixshot understand the true purpose of a soldier and he's the only one that can.

good issue, luckily i got to read issue 6.... dannnnng

you perk-enjoying bastich.

Just kidding btw did you just start working for them in the past few months? I remember back in the day seeing your coloring projects. glad to see you where you are now!!

been doing stuff for idw for about 1/2 years now

i did hot rod then not a lot for a lil bit then whamo

Speaking of Dev 6, any idea when we'll see it in stores?

March 6th, maybe? But I had the same reaction: boy, I wonder when the next issue comes out, this last one was awesome...damn, right, another month. ^ ^

well iv seen the final lettered version with ads, which would mean that its most likely at the printers in Korea. Other then that all i know is josh did an ace job.

now back to the spotlight

Hey isn't 5.62 minutes just 6.02 minutes?

didnt simon say on his site that sixshot would make an appearance in dev#6? so its doubtful that hes permanently off-line
i realy do think that all hail megatron is in continuey as the facsimiles are still in the pentagon+whitehouse and ive got a feeling they can put a positive spin on the whole reaper/decep conflict.
as for the autobots left on earth, if they do become "freedom-fighters" where would their base of operations be? the ark that hound/sideswipe ect are using for transit to earth? would they act alongside skywatch?

HAR HAR...no.

Love the issue. Completely absorbed by it but I turn another page and its the last one of the story! ARGH!

I don't have patience to wait for the trades but the six issues would work a whole lot better in that format than being slowly drip fed the issues.

Kinda disappointed the whole Ironhide and Sunstreaker sub-plots are being dragged out this long like a DBZ fight and I worry that the next issue will rush to tie up plot threads or leave us still wanting a whole lot more.

Is Sixshot switched off for good? I hate it when a very powerful character or weapon is taken down by teh simplest of means. The matrix... an off button... I'd like to see more epic battles where the enemy doesn't have any exploitable weaknesses and is taken down by an even superior force.

Also, it really does make me ask new questions of what will happen when the Autobots do leave Earth. Or will they do a 180 on that particular cliffhanger like they have done in the past (the humans are dead! no wait, we can revive them!). Some cliffhangers seem very forced like to the point the scenes are in the comic just to have a cliffhanger. and after reading every issue, they are beginning to get tiresome how quickly they are resolved in the next issue.

And Grimlock will be back in his own Spotlight.

I don't think it's really so much that the Ironhide and Sunstreaker storylines are being drawn out that long, it's just that we have so many threads going on at the same time that they have to cut between them all and each one only gets a couple pages.

That being said, I think they're doing a great job juggling them all creating a sense of urgency, keeping me on the edge of my proverbial seat. The series isn't that strong as individual issues with self-contained stories, but as a whole, its a very entertaining series they've come up with. Can't wait for issue 6.

Honestly, I loved the Sixshot anti-climax; it just made Starscream look *so* suave, and was so totally in-character for the sneaky bastard. Considering the relentless battle against impossible odds was last issue (Autobots vs. Sixshot), and I loved it then, I was ready for something new. Plus, I think in terms of comparing the two issues, that Autobot one proved that it's virtually impossible to fight Sixshot to a standstill; even their best (Prime, who took down Monstructor...!) couldn't stop him, so (I hate to say it, but...) with regard to the Decepticons, what chance did they have? Clearly an alternate solution was necessary, and presented itself in terms of his deactivation code. ^_^

Honestly, it almost had an "Indy shooting the swordsman" vibe to me (Or in the case of G.I. Joe 21, Snake Eyes just chucking a grenade at a red ninja.)

Plus, FINALLY, a rampaging super-weapon with an off-switch built in; after so many rampaging raptors and crazed computers that can only be deactivated by crawling inside them, it's just a breath of fresh air and quite realistic to see the villain pull this off. Now all Simon has to do is have someone like Mr. Dante just say "Uh, no, kill them" instead of revealing his schemes for the Machination to Hunter Bond Villain (Or DW Shockwave...ugh) style.

I'm also disappointed how we didn't see Sixshot's internal monologues either. They really would have helped make him a proper character. In the -ation series, he really is a living weapon but not much of a character.

Loved this issue. Gotta say that I'm not really digging the Jimmy/Verity and Hot Rod/Sunstreaker subplots so much, but only because the main one is so awesome...

I really love Starscream here. I got a definite vibe that what Megatron "sees clearly" now is that he can't just step in, eliminate Starscream, and expect the other 'Cons to be A-OK with that. Remember, all the other Decepticons had been serving under Starscream for a long time...they probably LIKE the guy, if not out and out respect him. Even if he was turning treacherous, it's hard to completely take him out of the picture. I'm really hoping that Starscream and Megatron continue their interesting dynamic here, instead of just going back into the "Starscream is treacherous" plots of G1. Much more interesting to have Starscream be a Decepticon patriot who simply disagrees with Megs and wants to keep him on track rather than overthrow him out of pure ambition.

Skullgrin: No idea if this is true, but I think I've definitely got a different view of the backstory to this universe than you. I figure all the Ratbat stuff is far in the past, the Senate is gone, and the entire Transformer race as a whole is out as either Autobots or Decepticons, fighting their various secret/cold wars. Remember, Cybertron is dead and uninhabited now...I really doubt that the 'bots and 'cons are small subsets of a larger, neutral Transformer population with senators and the like. Maybe originally Megatron started off with the propoganda of spreading peace through tyranny, but I doubt it's on his mind nowadays. But one never knows...

And man, Prime. What a dick. Shame they're pulling out, I was looking forward to seeing Prowl and Hardhead get some time in the spotlight.

Only complaints are art-wise...Su looked a bit rusty (totally forgiveable); Thundercracker and Skywarp were colored all-purple and all-black on page 4, and Jetfire was colored blue.

I really think Jimmy and Verity will be saved by becoming Nightbeat and Hardhead's headmaster partners. they have brain damage so maybe binary bonding with a transformer would fix that.

in terms of storyline, why Nightbeat and Hardhead in particular? because they're active... yes... The only other Autobots active are Ratchet, Prowl and Optimus Prime.

Optumus and crew don't even know what a headmaster is right now do they?

Hot Rod and Wheeljack never got back to Prime or the others soo I dont think they know...

I hope not...I like being original. Would be more fun to see Hardhead NOT become a Headmaster.

Though at this point I wouldn't be surprised...Ratchet probably would be out because he would need to perform the operation himself, Prowl would decline, and Prime is too important. Not sure I can see Nightbeat volunteering, he seems rather independent, though.

The "All Hail Megatron) story looks like will be the next arc. proof here...

http://www.seibertron.com/news/view.php?id=12478



Now it all makes sense. and with Furmans Mosiac which is in the continuity. it makes perfect sense.

That's how I've been looking at it. There's only so much you can do in 2 or 3 pages per month. I consider both of those storylines to be subplots.


QFT.

After 4 issues or so, if you go back and re-read them, you can really see how far things have come and how much has changed since issue 1. Unlike Escalation (which I also enjoyed), every issue of Devastation has had a different main plot. So we don't have the problem of spending the majority of 3 issues in the same place (i.e. Brasnya, even though I thought it was broken down well). And we've had a ton of subplots throughout. 5 issues in, I'm feeling pretty good about this arc has progressed and also how it has added to the universe.