#3 - "Homecoming"

Credits

Writer - Simon Furman / Pencils - Marcelo Matere, Makoto Ono, James Raiz / Inks - Chuck Gibson, Ted Pertzborn, and Glass House Graphics / Colors - Glass House Graphics and Krista Ward

Story

Even as the Maximal High Council on cybertron reflects on the events surrounding Optimus Primal's resurrection, he bursts into the room, bluntly summarizing recent events -- the return of Unicron, his attempts to abduct and corrupt Transformers from across the multiverse, and Primal's resurrection by Primus and subsequent rescue (see last issue). Primal closes by urging the High Council to rally all of Cybertron in anticipation of Unicron's next attack. The High Council responds with shock and disbelief; Magnaboss, the senior member, cautiously urges further investigation, and reminds Primal that Primus is merely an abstraction. Magnaboss then declares Primal's claims of resurrection to be tasteless and has him arrested, leaving Primal to be dragged away screaming disbelief.

Within the dormant Unicron, Blackarachnia admits to Tarantulas that being a hero didn't suit her. Tarantulas informs her that, because Primus is now aware of their efforts to revive Unicron, their counterattack is to cut off the Transformers' tie to Primus by killing Alpha Trion -- with the help of a pack of Piranacons...

In a Cybertronian med lab, Ratchet and Striker are trying to purge Sideswipe of a virus he picked up from his time in Unicron, while Cheetor, Silverbolt, and Rattrap discuss Primal's death and resurrection. Ratchet snaps at them in frustration; aside from the rapid mutation rate of the virus, he's also anxious at being out of his own reality. Trailbreaker sympathises, then leads the Maximals outside. Their chat continues with Cheetor and Silverbolt doubting Primal's resurrection story and motives, while Rattrap and Trailbreaker voice their support.

Elsewhere within Cybertron, a warp portal opens, releasing Blackarachnia and her team. She directs them to Primus' chamber via a sealed utility tunnel under the Rust Sea, whose corrosive gasses make the Piranacons wary. And within his chamber, Primus and Alpha Trion talk about how Unicron has shielded himself, and the danger of a surprise attack. Alpha Trion then tells Primus that Optimus Primal has been arrested; Primus notes that he has sent Snarl to rescue him.

In his cell, Optimus Primal is surprised at Snarl's arrival. A warp gate opens in the cell, and the two step through to emerge in Primus' chambers. Alpha Trion teases Primal about his tactless delivery, and Primus offers some words of encouragement. Alpha Trion tells them that work has begun on a cloaked orbital defense base, and proposes a secret force to infiltrate Unicron and rescue any other Transformers trapped within. Displaying a viewscreen of prominent Transformers past and present, Alpha Trion asks Primal to pick leaders for those endeavors.

After confirming that Primus can resurrect dead Transformers, Primal picks his candidates -- Rhinox and Depth Charge. Rhinox is confused at his returned, but Depth Charge is angry; he had grown tired in his crusade against Protoform X, and had gladly embraced death. Alpha Trion intervenes and gives Depth Charge his leave to live as he pleases; Depth Charge thanks him and departs, while Rhinox pledges to help Primal as atonement for his crimes as Tankor.

Blackarachnia: still cheesecake after all these years.

After ascending to the surface, Depth Charge's study of the new techno-organic Cybertron is interrupted by a loud noise nearby. It's Rattrap, who was out wandering around when he was ambushed by Blackarachnia! She shoots him with a tranquilizer dart, only to get attacked by Depth Charge in return! Despite his own reluctance to fight again, Depth Charge quickly knocks out Blackarachnia and frees Rattrap. Rattrap mentions that Blackarachnia had said something about having troops near the Rust Sea, but Depth Charge doesn't want to get involved. Rattrap accuses him of always being selfish, then falls unconscious as the tranqulizers take effect.

Back in Primus' chambers, Alpha Trion assuages Optimus Primal that Depth Charge's refusal was a personal decision and not a reflection on his leadership. Changing the subject, Alpha Trion introduces another candidate Primus has summoned... And at the edge of the Rust Sea, Depth Charge dives in to investigate -- only to be confronted by a pack of Piranacons!

Notes and Comments

• The comic book was published by 3H Productions, the organizers of the Official Transformers Collectors' Convention. It was available to attendees of OTFCC 2004.
• This issue also includes character profiles for Depth Charge and Ratchet.
• The Maximal High Council is composed of:
  • Air Hammer (Beast Wars Fuzor)
  • Bantor (Beast Wars)
  • Battle Unicorn (Beast Machines)
  • Corahda (Beast Wars Neo)
  • Magnaboss (Beast Wars combiner)
  • Torca (Beast Wars Fuzor)
• The Piranacons assigned to Blackarachnia are based on the Decepticon Seacon Overbite.
• Rhinox had died (as the Vehicon Tankor) in the Beast Machines episode, "End of the Line". Depth Charge died in the Beast Wars episode, "Nemesis, part 1".
• The unseen Transformer whom Primus summons at the end appears to be Omega Prime, a fusion of Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus from the Transformers: Robots In Disguise series.
• After the publication of Transformers: Universe #3, Hasbro stripped 3H Enterprises of all licenses to Transformers, citing 3H's ongoing problems of meeting customers' orders problems as a breach of contract. As a result, it seems unlikely that any more issues of Transformers: Universe will be published.