Transformation 294: New Year With a Bang.

29/12/2017

This week, the Matrix is a knock out! All in a story that grabs you hook, line and sinker in my look at ISSUE 294!

And with the CHRISTMAS QUIZ over (though click on that link if you want to play for fun before seeing the results), congratulations to winner Colin Hicks. Here are the answers:

1: According to the copy of Frontline that Soundwave show to Starscream in issue 288, what animal has been involved in shenanigans with Elvis?

A Polar Bear.

2: What is the only way Ravage has of telling the Two Megatrons apart?

The scratches he had put on the intruders face when he infiltrated the base.

3: What is Ratchet’s stated reason for rebuilding Goldbug into Bumblebee?

Personal preference, he just liked Bumblebee more.

4: During which Bob Budiansky issue is Prowl’s Perchance to Dream story set?

Decepticon Graffiti, from UK issues 94-95.

5: What is the main change to Emirate Xaaron’s look when he arrives in the American stories?

His head becomes the same colour as his body.

6: Which actor does Nightbeat compare himself to when using the Bird of Prey as a club in the first part of Matrix Quest?

Peter Lorre.

7: Which Autobot does Megatron mistake Prowl for during their battle in Flashback?

Optimus Prime.

8: What is the name of the boy who get implanted with a Cerebro Shell during the event of G.I. Joe and the Tranformers?

Anthony Durantri (I was happy to accept just the first name for this one).

9: What is the name of the Cybertronian insect the flyswatter Starcream uses in Bugged was intended to be used on?

Rustbug.

10: Longtooth lost which leg to the klud in Deadly Obsession?

His left.

11: What was revealed to be Combat Colin’s real name in The Secret of the Combat Trousers?

Colin Doobrey-Smiff.

12: Which Transformers appear in both the first British story, Man of Iron, and the final, End of the Road?

Jazz and Starscream.

9 Comments

Ryan F

29/12/2017 04:33:15 pm

Love that picture you posted of Thunderwing smacking Optimus with the Matrix. Classic Yomtov schoolboy error: he doesn’t realise that Prime’s head is upside-down there, so he colours the faceplate blue and the forehead silver, as if Prime’s head was the right-way-up...

Tim Roll-Pickering link

29/12/2017 10:24:43 pm

Death often sells so turning a shock moment into a selling point is fun.

I suspect Unicron specifically wants Transformers as his agents to act Cybertron though the exact reasoning is never given - perhaps local knowledge? And perhaps he's aware that events are already off course from victory in 2005/6 (the Autobots - and, as we'll later see, the Decepticons too - are now aware of his coming) so can only recruit from that future rather than just follow the script?

The Complete Spider-Man's a bold idea for a title - take the then-four monthly US books and reprint them altogether, sidestepping worries about chronological order. Unfortunately it's a format that will suffer when extended issues, summer twice monthlies, annuals, crossovers and so forth all come along, let alone the Spider-Man Unlimted Quarterly, the Spider-Man 2099 series and even the Spider-Man Classics reprints that are just a few years off. The subsequent Exploits of Spider-Man didn't so rigidly attach itself to particular US books.

There's actually a bit of a history of Marvel UK and the local DC licensee reprinting material the other company had produced stateside, usually because the contracts give the property owners worldwide distribution rights. Examples include Marvel UK reprinting some of the DC Masters of the Universe 1980s series in 1985 and later on Fleetway Editions (the successors to London Editions Magazines) reprinted some Marvel US Toxic Crusaders stories.

Does anyone know why Combat Colin has gone black and white? A dark story, something prepared before the return of colour or some other reason?

Simon Hall

30/12/2017 11:17:58 am

Aye, good cover that. I like the fight here with everything going a bit tits up for the Autobots. Good stuff, aided by some top work from Senior. If not from Yomtov, as Ryan points out.

I wonder if the Complete Spider-Man was launched off the back off Todd McFarlane's top-selling (but badly written) Spider-Man series? After years of nothing in the UK for Spidey (apart from the Zoids 2-in-1), his increased profile stateside at the peak of the speculator boom can be the only reason I can think Marvel went for this. Whatever the reason, it launches a UK format for US reprints that's still with us today (and a cheaper way of collecting the various US comics).

Maybe Combat Colin in b&w was a budget thing...?

Tim Roll-Pickering link

30/12/2017 03:09:51 pm

That's one possibility although another is closer to home. LEM had launched a DC reprints line in 1988, starting with Superman and Batman, and was trying to expand it in 1990/1 (although they never successfully got a lasting title beyond the big two heroes). This was the first big success for the DC heroes on UK newstands and led to a rare period when DC heroes were more dominant than the Marvel ones.

There's also the possibility that Marvel UK wanted some "next generation up" titles for readers to stay within the company when they moved onto from the kid licensed books beyond Doctor Who Magazine (based on a show now off air).

Auntie Slag

31/12/2017 10:46:42 pm

Does anyone else feel that Geoff’s art has changed significantly over the years? I like this story, but I could never shake that the art was getting a little simplified; more blocky and thick felt-pen-like, and less detail. Compare this issue with say, his art in Prey and it feels like he has less time or inclination here. Bits of his older style still shine through, but to me it felt like a band a few albums down the line where their music isn’t so much about the music anymore, man!

John D. link

4/1/2018 10:13:01 pm

Geoff's art certainly seemed different in the recent IDW stuff, but it was still amazing. I don't see much change here from Prey. Andy Wildman's upcoming work is also terrific (the drop in his quality in Regeneration One was however surprising). I suppose both of them realised that drawing for Marvel US was their big chance, which in particular explains the effort Andy Wildman put in (drawing backgrounds and everything). It would be interesting to know how the UK writers and artists got the gig. Did nobody at Marvel US fancy it after Bob and Jose? Was it seen as a dying title? Career cul de sac?

Ryan F

4/1/2018 10:19:01 pm

I think it was just a case of Furman using his new-found clout to secure “jobs for the boys”. That, and the point that you can be a REALLY great comics artist and just suck at robots (“The Human Factor”, the issue that introduced the Neo Knights, had some very er, controversial art). So by being a) enthusiastic; and b) safe pairs of hands, the UK artists were a perfect fit.

John D. link

12/1/2018 08:48:51 pm

Shudder! The Human Factor! Dwayne somebody I think? It was shocking. Reminded me of the really weird inky rough art that was in the final creepy issues of the Zoids comic.

Felicity link

22/12/2019 11:37:36 am

What is the “Late Pretender gag”? Is that an expression?

Around this time Marvel’s “Bullpen” page had a feature called “Coolometer” which arbitrarily assigned things a coolness rating on a thermometer ranging from “Cool” at the top to “Uncool” at the bottom (in the reverse temperature order of a regular themometer, confusingly). One Coolometer had “Hook, Line, and Sinker” near the “Uncool” end, followed by “Dissing fellow pros in print” (perhaps to take the sting out of the previous item). I’ve wondered for years if this was a reference to the trio from this comic or if it was a coincidence.

I love the design of Hook. Line is a bit too curvy and human-looking and what’s the deal with the steam coming out of Sinker’s ears?

Which DC “Star Trek: The Next Generation” comic was it, the original six-part mini-series with Bob Pinaha lettering and the typo “Counseslor” (referring to Troi), or the following ongoing series?

Transformation 294: New Year With a Bang.

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories