THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

CURRENT TRANSFORMERS COMICS FROM IDW PUBLISHING

The Transformers: Infiltration

| #0 | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | TPB | Manga | PREVIEWS |

Infiltration #0: Prelude to Infiltration

Released 19th October 2005. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Letters by Tom B Long and Robbie Robbins. Edited by Chris Ryall. $0.99 introductory offer price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: Verity eyes up a potential victim, unaware that the man is also being observed by Runabout from the bus station parking lot. Once onboard the bus, she slits the salesman's bag and steals the handheld computer she saw him using earlier. She then gets off the coach partway through its route, feigning illness, not noticing two (Decepticon) cars drive past as she surveys the contents of her rucksack. Elsewhere, Starscream receives a report that a target has been "sanitized" but a "cache" is missing.

Verity hitchhikes and is picked up by Hunter (a slightly older geek), in conversation picking up that he's a bit of a sci-fi nutThey come across the bus Verity was on earlier, off-roaded and the "salesman" missing. Continuing on their way they're surprised by Thundercracker's sonic boom, only just escaping as the jet blows up Hunter's camper van. They run, picked up at the last minute by Ratchet (in vehicle mode) who targets the airborne Decepticon and sends him spiralling off-course.

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Unnamed salesman, Runamuck / Ratchet / Runabout in vehicles modes in the bus station parking lot, Verity, Hunter, Thundercracker in jet form, Starscream.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #1

Released 18th January 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch and Josh Burcham. Letters by Tom B Long and Robbie Robbins. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: We open on a student's darkened room, where he updates his website and expounds upon a theory that Earth has been invaded by giant alien mechanoids. Cut directly to the interior of an ambulance doing about 200mph across Southeast California, in the company of a young female hitchhiker and a grinning Arnie-lookalike who appears to be a projection.

Cue flashbacks in which Verity was picked up by Hunter travelling into the desert, after starting the journey to LA in an interstate bus. Whilst the Arnie-lookalike — who Hunter has correctly guessed is an alien — makes light conversation, outside two Transformers in car modes try to run the ambulance off the road. These characters are, of course, Runabout/Runamuck/Ratchet.

A protracted battle in vehicle modes ensues, with Ratchet being battered but the two cars being blasted off-course. Unfortunately, a Thundercracker in jet form is right behind them — Ratchet manages to distract him with a clinging smokescreen and buy a few minutes without pursuit. Verity shows some initative, hooking up a handheld computer to find them a bolthole in the area, whilst we get a flashback of Ratchet being denied authorisation to investigate the man we saw earlier on Verity's bus.

The bolthole turns out to be in Riverside, in the garages worked by a young guy who Verity knows through online communications as Jimmy Pink. He's able to patch Ratchet up externally, and we get some background interchange between the human characters. Elsewhere, the three Decepticons are hunting for the handheld computer, waiting for one of the humans to switch it on again and connect to the phone network... which a curious Hunter promptly does.

Looking through the computer, Hunter finds images of Starscream mid-transform and puts two and two together, realising that they've been been targeted because of the device. He astutely accuses Verity of stealing it, and she stamps out. The next sight we catch of her is as she runs back in, and the humans scramble into Ratchet as Runabout and Runamuck tear off the doors to the garage and demand the computer!

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Hunter O'Nion, Verity Carlo, Ratchet's holo-human, people in bus flashback, Runamuck, Runabout, Jimmy Pink, Thundercracker.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #2

Released 8th February 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Letters by Tom B Long. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: Ratchet makes it look as if he's giving Runabout the handheld computer, instead using his holo-matter generator to give the black battlecharger a disabling shock. Runamuck is then temporarily disabled by Ratchet's wrist cannon, giving time for the Autobot and three humans to make a break for it. Elsewhere, police have turned up the body of the "salesman" who previously had the computer, and one trooper radios to a mysterious corporation that it's the man they were looking for.

The battlechargers pursue Ratchet through congested traffic, when Thundercracker suddenly joins the pursuit and the two Decepticons on the road transform to "ramming" modes and break through to attack the Autobot medic. Elsewhere, Starscream announces to Blitzwing that he expects reprisals for his actions in breaking cover on Earth and intends to be ready.

With some skillful driving Ratchet gets Runabout and Runamuck driven off the road and out of action, causing Verity to have a panic attack and a short stop be made. Thundercracker proves not to be as lost as the other two and makes a reappearance, requiring more evasion from Ratchet. At this point, Autobots (radioed by Ratchet whilst they were at the garage) show up and drive Thundercracker off. The Autobots are not happy about Ratchet's breach of cover, to which he responds simply: "siege mode".

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Hunter, Jimmy, Verity, Ratchet, Runabout, Runamuck, state police, dead salesman, shady men with laptops in boardroom, Starscream, Blitzwing, Thundercracker, Ironhide, Prowl, Sunstreaker.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #3

Released 8th March 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Letters by Tom B Long. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: The humans are in a holding cell, watched by Autobots. Verity threatens to wipe the handhold computer in her possession unless they're let out. Surrounded by fellow Autobots, Ratchet and Prowl argue about Ratchet's breach of protocol in making contact with Earth's native species. Accusations fly from both, until Prowl ends the conversation with the decision to not contact Optimus Prime until the data has been reviewed. He also wants the humans off the base. Meanwhile, Skywarp and Blitzing have been sent to obliterate any loose ends — including the trailer the dead "salesman" was renting, Jimmy's auto garage, and the coach that the "salesman" and Verity travelled on.

Ironhide weighs up whether to contact Prime in light of what Ratchet has said. Meanwhile, the Autobot medic convinces Verity to lend him the computer, discussing the Decepticon infiltration process with them as he surveys the data. The humans offer to help him obtain the further data he needs to convince Prowl, arguing that the old Decepticon bunker in Nebraska is abandoned. After a conversation with Bumblebee, Ratchet reluctantly accepts.

The issue concludes with Starscream ordering his clean-up crew over to the bunker to bury it.

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Hunter / Verity / Jimmy (on screen), Sunstreaker, Ratchet, Prowl, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Jazz, trailer park owner, sheriff, Skywarp, Blitzwing, blonde reporter, camera-man, sound-man, coach lot owner, Starscream.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #4

Released 12th April 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Letters by Tom B Long. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: We open on a flashback to Verity's childhood, then she and the other humans descend into the Decepticon bunker in Nebraska. Ratchet and Bumblebee remain topside, as they can't risk a holomatter recce or invasive scan. Elsewhere in Texas, a mysterious corporation make plans to steal or salvage the alien tech they've become aware of. In the bunker, Verity discovers an extraction or cloning device, complete with dessicated human corpse whilst above the two Autobots are strafed by Blitzwing and Skywarp (sent by Starscream last issue to destroy the bunker and any remaining evidence of his mutinous bid for power.) Bumblebee brings down Skywarp whilst Ratchet does the same to Blitzwing... except the triple-changer isn't out of action, and blasts him at point blank range. As if things couldn't get worse, Verity stumbles across a Decepticon in the bunker... and it turns out Megatron has taken a trip over from Cybertron.

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Social worker, Verity, Hunter, Jimmy, Bumblebee, Ratchet, receptionist, Drake, Mister Dante, Miss Svenson, Mister Jolly, Machination team, Stoker (photo), corpse, Blitzwing, Skywarp, Megatron.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #5

Released 31st May 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Letters by Tom B Long. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: Ratchet has been mown down by Blitzwing, but the 'Cons have returned to their mission of destroying all trace of the bunker. The humans, meanwhile, are still in the base, and Verity comes face-to-face with Megatron. Elsewhere, Starscream is focused on powering up with the ore the Decepticons have discovered. Bumblebee manages to save all three of the squishies, allowing the Autobots to withdraw before Megatron turns his attention to Skywarp and Blitwing. Neither gets a friendly reception. With Megatron then gunning for Starscream, the Autobots face the reality of being stuck on a planet about to become ground zero of a civil war.

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Ratchet, Bumblebee, Hunter, Jimmy, Verity, Megatron, Astrotrain, Starscream, Skywarp, Blitzwing, Prowl, Ironhide.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration #6

Released 12th July 2006. Written by Simon Furman. Art by E J Su. Colours by John Rauch. Colour assists by Simon Bork, Mark Englert, Aaron Myers, Sunder Raj and Kevin Senft. Letters by Robbie Robbins. Edited by Chris Ryall and Dan Taylor. $2.99 cover price, choice of covers.

Synopsis: The Decepticons await Starscream's emerging from the Ore-13 fueling chamber, which is suitably showy when it occurs. Elsewhere, Ratchet drives the exhausted and emotionally exhausted humans through Iowa back towards the Autobot base. Bumblebee has been left to keep an eye on the Oregon bunker, whilst the other Autobots race to meet him there. Megatron teleports in, roaring a challenge to Starscream, who sends out a welcoming committee. They stand down, however, leaving Starscream to make an attack on his own. It's impressive, but not enough to stop Megatron, who deals even more damage than Skywarp sustained last issue. After witnessing this, the Autobots make a retreat, finding Optimus Prime waiting for them on their return. However, they've been seen by Agent Dante, and the location of the Lake Michigan base has been compromised.

Characters Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Runabout, Astrotrain, Starscream, Ratchet, Hunter, Verity, Jimmy, Wheeljack, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Ironhide, Prowl, Bumblebee, Megatron, Thundercracker, Runamuck, Drake, other Machination agents, Optimus Prime.

Reviews & Commentary: Reviewed by Denyer

Infiltration TPB

Released 13th September 2007. $19.99 list price. Reprints issues #0-6 of Infiltration. Publisher solicitation: Earth: 2006, and the fate of the planet is already sealed, its destiny decided... by the marauding mechanical beings known as DECEPTICONS. In their way stand an embattled crew of seven hardy AUTOBOT warriors, sworn to prevent the impending Armageddon at any cost, and an unlikely trio of human misfits, pulled kicking and screaming into a hitherto hidden world of pain and hurt. The can of worms is open, the genie out of bottle... and nothing will ever be the same again! Before ESCALATION begins next month, see how it all started—the saga of the war-torn robots in disguise, the TRANSFORMERS! Browse at Amazon.com | Browse at Amazon.co.uk

Infiltration "manga" reprint

Released 29th November 2007. $10.99 list price. Reprints issues #0-6 of Infiltration in grayscale. Publisher solicitation: IDW presents a special digest-sized version of the hit Transformers: Infiltration that features the stunning original black and white artwork of E.J. Su. Browse at Amazon.com | Browse at Amazon.co.uk

 

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