Transformation 196: Flame On.

12/2/2016

Four exciting and amazing events happen in this week's issue:

The first appearance of Megatron in an American story in nearly two years!

A unique and almost totally rewritten AtoZ profile for the Ex Decepticon commander!

The first ever appearance of the Giggly Sisters!

And, above and beyond all others: The POWERMASTER TORCH. Watch its holy light burn through to your very soul.

All in my look at The Flames of Boltax Part 1!

8 Comments

Alex link

12/2/2016 04:14:15 pm

It's like a jungle sometimes,
It makes me wonder
How I keep from going under.

One of the Giggly sisters is Julie, isn't she? I want to say the other one's Janine, but it doesn't sound right...

bouncelot

12/2/2016 05:44:47 pm

I think the other one is Joanne.

On another note, I don't recall anything from "And There Shall Come A Leader" that implies Megatron and Prime haven't met each other berore.

Nathan Webb

15/2/2016 04:31:53 pm

This story wasn't the most action packed or best written, it didn't have the largest cast or feel epic. But I do remember feeling that it was a great mystery, and it gave more depth to the legend. I couldn't wait to find out what it was all about.

Ralph Burns

16/2/2016 07:24:49 pm

Perhaps the POWERMASTER TORCH is in fact THE DEADLY TOMB OF FUTURE HI-Q COME TO LIFE ON A MISSION OF DEATH!!!

SPECIAL TEAMS!

Tim Roll-Pickering link

16/2/2016 07:30:19 pm

Not the most exciting of issues to be honest. And no attempt is made to explain why the Triggerbots and Triggercons ("Alright Dave?") have the same special ability - is this the first such gimmick to not get explained?

And what a pity the flashback wasn't used to spotlight some long forgotteno r even never used characters.

I'd previously assumed Starscream had led a defection from the remains of Shockwave's troops as the explanationf or both his sudden promotion and the presence of various Decepticons from Salvage now on Ratbat's forces (and also for why all the future 'Cons are still taking Shock wave seriously). But if Starscream thinks Megatron is still dead then that puts a crimp on it.

And yes, the Giggly Sisters have names which we'll often see in the years to come.

Simon Hall

16/2/2016 08:07:57 pm

Another story I like even though its a bit rubbish! Hooray! I like Delbo's weird sci-fi art on this on establishing pre-war Cybertron. Soundwave still looks weird with a mouth. And in purple. Its another US story that doesn't suit being split in two though and I think I probably like it a bit more for having discovered the magical world of comic shops by this point and picking up a few US issues from around this time, so I read this in one go and thought it was pretty good.

These weaker US stories are also, I note, failing to inspire the UK team to come up with some decent covers, which have all been poo over the last few weeks. This is a story called 'The Flames Of Boltax!' and we get Dogfight and Prime tied up in red licorice on the cover? Boooooooo

Nathan Webb

18/2/2016 10:32:41 pm

Yes now you've come to mention it the cover, although technically well drawn with a nice (but flat) airbrushed background is actually quite boring and lacking action.

Felicity link

14/11/2019 07:34:31 pm

Great point about the parallel with the last Optimus/Megatron conflict.

Another parallel: in theory it’s not very smart for Ratbat and Starscream to watch the events of a story for which they already know the outcome and yet be rooting for a different outcome and be disappointed, but then again, I re-read comic books all the time and keep involuntarily trying to will the story in a different direction when something tragic happens. So perhaps we’re not so different.

The Triggerbots are fine. I’d forgotten about this appearance when I was defending them earlier and mentioning their segment of the Matrix Quest. Their modes do look a little Earthen but not too much; there aren’t many cars on the road here that look like Backstreet. :-)

Transformation 196: Flame On.

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