The Art of War issue 3

	; Serpentor's got "The Touch!"
Publisher	Devil's Due Press
First published	May 31, 2006
Cover date	May 2006
Script	Tim Seeley
Pencils	Joe Ng & James Raiz
Inks	Rob Ross with M3th
Colors	Kevin Yan & Rob Ruffolo
Flats by	Tom Liu
Letters	Brian Crowley
Editor	Michael O'Sullivan
Continuity	G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers continuity

The G.I. Joes and Autobots chase Serpent O.R. back to Cybertron, while Serpent O.R. expands his new Decepticon army.

Synopsis

In a quaint American household, young Clayton Abernathy plays with some toys, and concludes that in combat, humans are completely ineffective against much larger robots.

In the present, Hawk convinces Perceptor that G.I. Joe should be allowed to travel to Cybertron to aid in the battle against Serpent O.R. Perceptor argues that, without their mechs, the humans are generally ineffective against the much larger Transformers. But Duke insists that G.I. Joe can help clean up the messes it creates.

Meanwhile, Dr. Li helps Mainframe attempt to track down Serpent O.R. When Dr. Li expresses concern for the safety of Serpent O.R., Mainframe punches the doctor out. Professor Martin then explains the technical nature of Serpent O.R., the Serpent Organic Robot. The name "Serpent" was chosen because the technicians couldn't resist the temptation to give the living weapon the personality of Megatron.

Firewall activates the transporter gate, and Mainframe starts to enlist some back-up to aid the team of Joes and Autobots leaving for Cybertron.

Bumblebee, Grimlock, Arcee, Perceptor, Roadblock, Hawk, Snake-Eyes, and Scarlett arrive on Cybertron in an area that Bumblebee likens to a graveyard. Immediately upon arrival, the group is ambushed from all sides by cannibalizers. For the humans' safety, Bumblebee and Scarlett lead a retreat out of the junkyard. But before reaching safety, Bumblebee literally crashes into Predaking and the rest of Serpent O.R's new Decepticon army. Serpent O.R. uses his tendrils to kill Bumblebee and orders his soldiers to take the Joes and Autobots prisoner.

At Capitol City, Optimus Prime and Hot Rod receive a signal Perceptor sent from the Gladiator Zone. They decide that Optimus will proceed with preparations for the peace ceremony, while Hot Rod will go to the Gladiator Zone to find Perceptor and company.

In the Decepticon army's temporary base, Perceptor's team of Autobots and G.I. Joes are held captive. Locked in an ammo crate, Hawk and Roadblock bond. In another crate, Snake-Eyes and Scarlett have another tender moment together, kissing each other after Snake-Eyes shows Scarlett his hideously scarred face.

Sandstorm and Springer search for the missing Autobots and Joes, but fail to notice the Decepticon congregation, thanks to Serpent O.R.'s radar jamming. Within the bunker, Divebomb attempts to recruit Hun-Grrr and the Terrorcons into the new Decepticon army. Hun-Grrr has doubts about the qualifications of the relatively tiny Serpent O.R., but Serpent O.R. again uses his tendrils to show the Decepticons how he is a progeny of Megatron.

At the Autobot peace ceremony, the Decepticons begin their attack. Omega Supreme transforms to defend the Autobots, but is surrounded by Menasor, Predaking, and Piranacon.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	G.I. Joe	Others
Perceptor (2) Grimlock (3) Bumblebee (4) Arcee (13) Optimus Prime (20) Hot Rod (21) Sandstorm (23) Springer (24) Skids (33) Omega Supreme (38)	Predaking (14) Piranacon (15) Dead End (16) Breakdown (17) Wildrider (18) Drag Strip (19) Razorclaw (22) Rampage (25) Reflector (26) Rippersnapper (27) Divebomb (28) Motormaster (29) Hun-Grr (30) Shrapnel (31) Tantrum (32) Buzzsaw (34) Astrotrain (35) Sixshot (36) Blitzwing (37) Menasor (39)	Hawk (1) Roadblock (5) Scarlett (6) Snake-Eyes (7) Mainframe (8) Firewall (12)	Li (9) Professor Martin (10) Serpent O.R. (11)

Notes

The Joes seen on the screen in front of Mainframe when he says he'll arrange reinforcements are, from left to right, Sci-Fi, Quick Kick, Cover Girl, Beachhead, Tripwire, and Storm Shadow.
One of the cannibalizers appears to possess Shockwave's arm, presumably lost when he was killed in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4.

Errors

Sandstorm says "I don't see anything, Sandstorm." while talking to Springer.
Headstrong takes offense to Hun-Grrr's supposed insult when Tantrum is the one being insulted.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Serpent O.R. surrounded by Transformers by Joe Ng, Espen Grundetjern, and Tom Liu. Combines with the Cover A variant covers for issues 1–5 to form a single image.
Cover B: Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Hot Rod and Arcee by Omar Dogan.
UDON Exclusive Cover: Snake-Eyes and Autobot cars vs Storm Shadow and Seekers by Joe Ng: Available at Conventions and on the Club Udon website. Combines with Club Udon variant covers for issues 1–5 to form a single image.