War Without End (issue)

Transformers: Generation 2 (Fleetway) #1 »
Well it won't be until next issue.
"War Without End"
Publisher	Fleetway
First published	September 1994
Cover date	("off sale") October 1994
Script	Simon Furman
Pencils	Robin Smith
Inks	Bambos
Colours	Gill Whelan
Letters	Peter Nicholls
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

The UK gets a new comic and a Decepticon invasion!

Synopsis

Once upon a time, 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 truly 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 that the war was over have been dashed.

Optimus Prime recalls how 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?"

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

As they approach London, Optimus Prime orders Jazz, Sideswipe, and Skram to target one Decepticon strike team at a time while 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 Optimus Prime split off from the others.

Tornado reports to Bludgeon that many Decepticons are low on energon. The Decepticon leader agrees to a temporary withdrawal to recharge at the Warworld. However, Tornado and Ramjet are blasted down as Optimus 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 wants Optimus Prime and the Creation Matrix. Meanwhile, the other Autobots find the Decepticons tough but not impossible.

Optimus 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!

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• Everyone is drawn and coloured in their Generation 2 modes. Because the Dinobots were only released in a single colour each in the United Kingdom, this means Grimlock is now blue where he was once grey. This became especially noticeable when the comic later moved over to reprints of the Marvel Generation 2 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 and thighs and yellow cockpit cover.
• The double page spread on pages 2 and 3 shows the Palace of Westminster (including Elizabeth Tower), suggesting the Decepticons are on Parliament Square, 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.
• Hydradread is coloured all wrong.

Continuity errors

• All characters are given their European toy names—e.g. "Tornado" not "Windrazor".

Continuity notes

Real-life references

• The movie theater under attack by Bludgeon's group is shown to be playing Jurassic Park

Other trivia

• The issue includes "The Hardware", a list of all the Transformers then available in the United Kingdom in the Generation 2 toyline.
• 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).
• The inside front and back covers are gatefolds, containing profiles of Megatron, Ramjet, Grimlock, and Optimus Prime. All are illustrated with the package art.
• Another gatefold on the centre pages reveals a four page poster battle from cover artist Nigel Kitching of Optimus Prime and Megatron going at it.
• Because of these gatefolds the intro page proclaimed it to be "the Transforming comic!"
• The issue came with a set of free stickers.

Covers (1)

• 

  Issue #1 HulkMegatron angry, HulkMegatron smash.

• Issue #1 cover: Megatron sneaks up on Optimus, by Nigel Kitching.

Reprints

• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 90: Generation 2 Part 1 (February 5, 2020): Red Alert, by Dreamwave Productions and Kup, by Derek Yaniger

• Primarily a collection of the U.S. Generation 2 issues 0–6.
• Bonus material includes an article about Fleetway's UK Generation 2 comic, including [small-scale scans of] "War Without End", a cover gallery and an intro by Simon Furman.

• 

  The Definitive G1 Collection Vol. 90: Generation 2 Part 1