...All Fall Down!

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"...All Fall Down!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	December 1986
Cover date	April 1987
Writer	Michael Higgins
Penciler	Herb Trimpe
Inker	Vince Colletta
Colorist	Nelson Yomtov
Letterer	Joe Rosen
Editor	Bob Harras
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

The Autobots, Joe and Cobra devise a plan to deal with Power Station Alpha.

Synopsis

The Autobots, together with their new allies from G.I. Joe and Cobra, take refuge inside the Ark as the area is shook with earthquakes from the effects of Power Station Alpha. At the Decepticon base, Shockwave instructs Bombshell to dispose of Doctor Mindbender but he is saved by the intervention of the Baroness. The two Cobra agents depart, taking Bombshell with them in insect mode, and depart for Seattle, where they are due to rendezvous with a team from G.I. Joe.

Ratchet arrives at the Joes' base to inspect the remains of Bumblebee and is pleased to learn that not only is he still alive but that Mainframe has already begun reconstructing him. With Ratchet's help, the work is soon completed and Bumblebee announces from now on he wishes to be known as Goldbug. Mindbender and Baroness arrive and Mainframe's investigation of the cerebro-shell retrieved from Anthony Duranti is shown to allow them to control Bombshell.

Meanwhile, debate ranges about the fate of Alpha. Both Serpentor and Ace think it should be destroyed but Blaster is worried that, after the Decepticons' modifications, Alpha may now be a sentient being whilst Hawk is concerned about the loss of life if Alpha is destroyed in a populated area. It is eventually decided that a small team consisting of Goldbug, Scarlett and Baroness will plant explosives on Alpha which can be detonated if necessary. In order to prevent the Decepticons intervening, a combined Autobot, Joe and Cobra force will attack their base.

As the attack begins, Shockwave dispatches a group of Decepticon planes to counter the aircraft and also has the Constructicons combine into Devastator. The Aerialbots counter by becoming Superion and battling their opposite number.

Mainframe and Mindbender work out a way to use the cerebro-shell and electronic helmet to control Alpha and send the power station to an unpopulated area. Without permission, Baroness sets the timers on the charges and Alpha explodes harmlessly in orbit. Cobra hastily withdraw from the scene of the battle whilst Mindbender also slips away. Not entirely convinced the Joes weren't in on Cobra's plan, Blaster tells them that with the immediate crisis averted they should leave the Decepticons to them in the future. Ratchet signals that he and Goldbug are on their way back to the Ark.

Later, Hawk watches on as Senator Larkin is taken into custody, only to be shot by a gunman working for Cobra.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"PLANET EARTH WILL DIE! And, in it's wake -- a furious fireball of energy that we will use to ensure our conquest of Cybertron and the obliteration of those annoying Autobots. And now it is time for the Decepticons to evacuate this planet, we shall return to our home world in victory!"

— Shockwave counting his chickens before they've hatched.

"It is time for you to meet your manufacturer, Dr. Mindbender. Only I don't think I want to simply blast you away, Mindy. I think it would be more amusing to shoot you with a cerebro-shell and then watch you rip your limbs from your sockets at my command, imagine the fun!"

— Bombshell being one sick dude.

"From now on, I'd like a name with a little more dignity -- one that may result in a little more respect! From this day forward, I will be known as Goldbug!"

— Goldbug making sure he matches his toy.

"The safety of the Earth is assured...and the Decepticons are retreating. For now...the fighting is over. We cannot ask you to get involved in our age-old struggle. It is a situation that need only concern the Transformers!"

— Blaster brings the crossover to an end.

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• In addition to another anomalous appearance by Ravage, Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp are all shown among the Decepticons at the base. All three of them were captured by the Autobots in "Command Performances!" and in US continuity they wouldn't be freed until "Totaled!".
• A total of seven Seekers are seen taking off from the Decepticon base but only Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Thrust and Ramjet are named. Since Dirge was killed in the previous issue, it's unclear who the other two are meant to be.
• As Devastator transforms, Scrapper appears to already partially be in his position as a leg, while he's also flying into the air.
• Although all six Constructicons are pictured, Shockwave only refers to Mixmaster, Hook, Long Haul, Bonecrusher and Scavenger.

Continuity errors

• Anthony recovered from what was basically full brain surgery incredibly quickly. Normally, a patient in his situation wouldn't be out of the hospital until 3 weeks later, at the earliest.
• In "Power Struggle", Mindbender was able to control Alpha with the helmet alone, but here he apparently also needs the cerebro-shell. This may be due to the Decepticon modifications to Alpha, however.

Continuity notes

One of these happens in the issue.

• Laserbeak is mentioned but not seen.
• Blaster is clearly implied to be in acting command of the Autobots following the death of Optimus Prime.
• Ratchet rebuilds Bumblebee as Goldbug. He will later rebuild Goldbug as Bumblebee, saying he preferred him that way. Maybe he decided he'd made a mistake, turned him back into Bumblebee while he was asleep, only for him to be destroyed again and rebuilt by Wreck-Gar. Stranger things have happened...
• Baroness seemingly wanders into Decepticon base, takes out Bombshell with a single shot (an achievement in itself), then wanders out again with Mindbender. That's great security.
• Similarly, the Decepticons have a massive force assembled around their base but don't bother to leave anyone guarding Alpha.
• Senator Larkin's grave stone gives the date as December 1986.
• By a happy coincidence, the encounter with Snake-Eyes that Mindbender referred to was printed in the UK Transformers comic, simplifying the footnote no end when they printed the story.

Real-life references

• The title, along with the title of last issue, are from the children's nursery rhyme "Ring a Ring o' Roses" (specifically the American version).

UK printing

Issue #277

• Additional Transformers story: "Internal Affairs!"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cold Snap" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Smokescreen and Snarl

Issue #278

• Additional Transformers story: "The House that Wheeljack Built!"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cut and Freeze Dried" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Soundwave and Starscream

Issue #279

• Additional Transformers story: "Divide and Conquer!"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cut and Freeze Dried" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Streetwise and Sunstreaker

Issue #280

• Additional Transformers story: "The 4,000,000 Year Itch!"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cut and Freeze Dried" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Steeljaw and Superion

Issue #281

• Additional Transformers story: "Makin' Tracks!"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cut and Freeze Dried" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Swindle and Swoop

Changes in the IDW Classic Transformers reprint

• On page 11, in the panel that depicts Bumblebee fully rebuilt into Goldbug, Ratchet addresses him as "Bumblebee" in the original printing, but the IDW reprint somehow turns the final "E" into a B", making it "Bumblebeb".

Other trivia

Covers (6)

• 

  G.I. Joe and the Transformers #4

• 

  UK issue #277

• 

  UK issue #278

• 

  UK issue #279

• 

  UK issue #280

• 

  UK issue #281

• G.I. Joe and the Transformers #4 cover: G.I. Joe, Cobra and the Autobots pose next to Power Station Alpha, by Tom Morgan.
• Marvel UK #277 cover: Megatron and Shockwave wrestle at Memphis Airport, by Stewart Johnson.
• Marvel UK #278 cover: Prowl and Wheeljack are ambushed, by Jeff Anderson.
• Marvel UK #279 cover: Springer and Starscream duel in the skies, by Bryan Hitch.
• Marvel UK #280 cover: Swoop tries to keep Slag from smashing through a door; art by ???
• Issue #281 cover: Grimlock glowers while Optimus and Wheeljack puzzle over the sabotage, by John Marshall and Pete Venters.

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US

• M&M's - inside front cover
• Brach's candy - between pages 4 & 5
• MPC Model Kits - between pages 5 & 6
• The Amazing Spider-Man Free the Cap'n Mystery - between pages 7 & 8
• Sales Leadership Club - between pages 8 & 9
• Various comics dealers - between pages 16 & 17
• Brach's candy - between pages 17 & 18
• Century Martial Art Supply, Inc. / Marvel Super Mart - between pages 19 & 20
• Dungeons & Dragons Set #1: Basic Rules - inside back cover
• TSR Marvel Super Heroes RPG (back cover)

UK

????

Reprints

Other than reprints of the full series

• N/A