My Voodoo Child.
Issue 167: Legion of the Lost! Part 2. 21st May 1988.
I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you again. Especially like this! The chairman of the ludicrously pompous council of Autobot elders and his fearless commando unit the Wreckers... All helpless. All my prisoners!
We kick off the back half of the series with an issue that holds a special place in my heart as the Collected Comics that reprinted it in the spring of 1993 was the last Marvel Transformers comic I bought on release. Indeed, it was the last I was even aware of. With the main comic long gone there was little opportunity to find out about the existence of new specials unless you saw them in the shop, hence me missing the previous winter collection with the first half of the story in it. But that's more of a conversation for when we reach the dying days of the line.
After three issues of widescreen horror film action, this fourth part pulls things back to provide a breather (and also exposition) before the grand final kicks off next week. Even more so than the second part of The Legacy of Unicron!, this is the most contained issue the series has yet done with everything bar a brief cutaway taking place in just the one room and its adjacent ventilation shaft. This allows for a focused, claustrophobic character study of two of our leads.
The first to get a focus is the normally cool and unflappable Emirate Xaaron. Up to now he has basically been, as I've said on more than one occasion before, the Ian Richardson of Transformers, a canny and smooth political operator who is always two steps ahead of everyone else. Here, robbed of his dignity by being strapped into an inhibitor band and then locked up before being confronted by two ghosts from his past, we see a completely different side to him.
I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you again. Especially like this! The chairman of the ludicrously pompous council of Autobot elders and his fearless commando unit the Wreckers... All helpless. All my prisoners!
We kick off the back half of the series with an issue that holds a special place in my heart as the Collected Comics that reprinted it in the spring of 1993 was the last Marvel Transformers comic I bought on release. Indeed, it was the last I was even aware of. With the main comic long gone there was little opportunity to find out about the existence of new specials unless you saw them in the shop, hence me missing the previous winter collection with the first half of the story in it. But that's more of a conversation for when we reach the dying days of the line.
After three issues of widescreen horror film action, this fourth part pulls things back to provide a breather (and also exposition) before the grand final kicks off next week. Even more so than the second part of The Legacy of Unicron!, this is the most contained issue the series has yet done with everything bar a brief cutaway taking place in just the one room and its adjacent ventilation shaft. This allows for a focused, claustrophobic character study of two of our leads.
The first to get a focus is the normally cool and unflappable Emirate Xaaron. Up to now he has basically been, as I've said on more than one occasion before, the Ian Richardson of Transformers, a canny and smooth political operator who is always two steps ahead of everyone else. Here, robbed of his dignity by being strapped into an inhibitor band and then locked up before being confronted by two ghosts from his past, we see a completely different side to him.
"Wait for Headmasters to do that!"
His reaction to the sight of zombie Impactor barging into his cell is one of shock and disbelief, though he does manage to rally round to give a, albeit pleading, speech appealing to the former Wrecker's memories. It's the second dead old friend that walks in behind Impactor who really rattles Xaaron's cage.
It's easy to forget in this age where the comics tend to be more morally ambiguous (indeed, the mostly Decepticon free set up of More Than Meets The Eye requires Autobot antagonists as a regular feature), that the rather wonderful looking Flame is our first straight up evil Autobot in any medium. No mind control or outside constraints forcing him into wicked behaviour, he's fully mentally unhinged and out for blood.
A figure from Xaaron's past is the catalyst for exploring his own back-story for the first time, as we learn that following Megatron's disappearance on the Ark he was head of the Autobot Science Council (this rather contradicts ...and There Shall Come a Leader! where he was on the government prior to Ark-launch. But we've already had a second "First meeting" between Prime and Megatron so continuity is shot there already. Plus he may have been pulling double duty) and actively stopped the over enthusiastic Flame from following through on his plan to reactivate Megatron's planetary battle station.
Flame took the news of having his life's work blocked badly and embezzled funds (weirdly one of the few signs of a Cybertronian economy during the war) to carry on, before he got "careless" and created an explosion that made everyone else think he was dead but actually revealed the entrance to the tunnel that led to the abandoned engines.
It seems spending four million years (and it taking that long to get things up and running again is one of the flaws in the story. Then again, he was having to work alone on a project affecting a Saturn sized planet) has sent Flame a bit peculiar as for all the ranting insanity he displays here Xaaron clearly remembers him as a good friend despite his obsessions.
This results in a Xaaron who clearly has no idea how to handle the situation, reduced to begging in an almost pathetic way that Flame listen to reason about the dangers of the engines. All he gets for his pains is a whack on the head from Impactor, and the panel of a destitute Xaaron quietly pleading with Flame not to destroy their world is amazingly effective and shows the character at his lowest ebb.
It's easy to forget in this age where the comics tend to be more morally ambiguous (indeed, the mostly Decepticon free set up of More Than Meets The Eye requires Autobot antagonists as a regular feature), that the rather wonderful looking Flame is our first straight up evil Autobot in any medium. No mind control or outside constraints forcing him into wicked behaviour, he's fully mentally unhinged and out for blood.
A figure from Xaaron's past is the catalyst for exploring his own back-story for the first time, as we learn that following Megatron's disappearance on the Ark he was head of the Autobot Science Council (this rather contradicts ...and There Shall Come a Leader! where he was on the government prior to Ark-launch. But we've already had a second "First meeting" between Prime and Megatron so continuity is shot there already. Plus he may have been pulling double duty) and actively stopped the over enthusiastic Flame from following through on his plan to reactivate Megatron's planetary battle station.
Flame took the news of having his life's work blocked badly and embezzled funds (weirdly one of the few signs of a Cybertronian economy during the war) to carry on, before he got "careless" and created an explosion that made everyone else think he was dead but actually revealed the entrance to the tunnel that led to the abandoned engines.
It seems spending four million years (and it taking that long to get things up and running again is one of the flaws in the story. Then again, he was having to work alone on a project affecting a Saturn sized planet) has sent Flame a bit peculiar as for all the ranting insanity he displays here Xaaron clearly remembers him as a good friend despite his obsessions.
This results in a Xaaron who clearly has no idea how to handle the situation, reduced to begging in an almost pathetic way that Flame listen to reason about the dangers of the engines. All he gets for his pains is a whack on the head from Impactor, and the panel of a destitute Xaaron quietly pleading with Flame not to destroy their world is amazingly effective and shows the character at his lowest ebb.
Eat your heart out Hot Rod.
And yes, an insane scheme involving vast powers that will wreck the planet in the process? This is where the story really starts to feel like a refinement of the volcano arc.
After a brief visit to Flame's control room to establish that Magnus has sent Flywheels for help (as an aside, the tension this will cause is likely the reason for Furman simplifying the Duocon gimmicks as we'll discuss next week) and the non flying-vehicular mode Sparkler's don't like it, we return to the cell and our second character study of the issue: Springer.
This works out as somewhat less interesting than the Xaaron half of the issue as it's basically a rerun of Megatron's plot in Salvage!, reduced to a catatonic state by the sight of Impactor Springer needs to be brought back round to a state of action just as Megs did after he was confronted by the image of Optimus.
How this is done is interesting though, Xaaron has used the break to pull himself back together and is able to speak to Springer as someone who knows what it is to be nearly broken by their past. He's able to rally Springer round by making him look at Impactor and pointing out the horrors done to him by Flame's zombification, and that his former mentor now not only needs his help but would want Springer to fight to the last. With this in mind Springer uses his leaping ability to escape the cell through a ventilation shaft, albeit taking the briefly hesitant Impactor with him.
What's really telling is that, despite having portrayed the shaft as their last chance, as soon as Springer is out of the room Xaaron has the other Wreckers work on a plan to escape the cell. This is something they'll achieve so easily it won't even be shown on panel. Was Xaaron just finding something for Springer to do to help him, focus? Wily old buzzard indeed.
After a brief visit to Flame's control room to establish that Magnus has sent Flywheels for help (as an aside, the tension this will cause is likely the reason for Furman simplifying the Duocon gimmicks as we'll discuss next week) and the non flying-vehicular mode Sparkler's don't like it, we return to the cell and our second character study of the issue: Springer.
This works out as somewhat less interesting than the Xaaron half of the issue as it's basically a rerun of Megatron's plot in Salvage!, reduced to a catatonic state by the sight of Impactor Springer needs to be brought back round to a state of action just as Megs did after he was confronted by the image of Optimus.
How this is done is interesting though, Xaaron has used the break to pull himself back together and is able to speak to Springer as someone who knows what it is to be nearly broken by their past. He's able to rally Springer round by making him look at Impactor and pointing out the horrors done to him by Flame's zombification, and that his former mentor now not only needs his help but would want Springer to fight to the last. With this in mind Springer uses his leaping ability to escape the cell through a ventilation shaft, albeit taking the briefly hesitant Impactor with him.
What's really telling is that, despite having portrayed the shaft as their last chance, as soon as Springer is out of the room Xaaron has the other Wreckers work on a plan to escape the cell. This is something they'll achieve so easily it won't even be shown on panel. Was Xaaron just finding something for Springer to do to help him, focus? Wily old buzzard indeed.
"How much ventilation do we need anyway?"
The ventilation shaft is rather an area of weakness in the story. Large ones are always a contrivance in fiction, but even more so here considering Transformers don't need to breath and can survive such extremes of temperature that air conditioning is unlikely to be essential. So why would a cell not only have an air vent, but one large enough to let two giant robots straddle each other in it?
Nicely though, in the same way Xaaron used his own experience to motivate Springer, Springer in turn brings Impactor's... Well humanity back to the surface by using what he has just been through to appeal to what is left of his better nature. Impactor's hesitant words (in a zombie speech bubble!) about his horror at what has happened to him before he and Springer split up--walking because the shaft is so large!--makes for a low key ending to a low key, but nicely effective, issue.
Furman remains on fine form here, making an issue of characters talking at one another tense and interesting. Jeff Anderson also excels with Flame, the slightly too manic body language is unsettling--especially in comparison to how still everyone else is--and helps to make for a villain who is memorable for reasons beyond being our first evil Autobot. The Next Week box makes it seem the creative team were worried readers would find Flame underwhelming and tries to reassure them that the extent of the threat he poses will be revealed next week. They needn't have worried.
Jerry Paris tops off the comic with a great and well remembered cover of Impactor and Springer fighting, so good in fact it would wind up on the cover of the Collected Comics with the first half of the story in it.
Nicely though, in the same way Xaaron used his own experience to motivate Springer, Springer in turn brings Impactor's... Well humanity back to the surface by using what he has just been through to appeal to what is left of his better nature. Impactor's hesitant words (in a zombie speech bubble!) about his horror at what has happened to him before he and Springer split up--walking because the shaft is so large!--makes for a low key ending to a low key, but nicely effective, issue.
Furman remains on fine form here, making an issue of characters talking at one another tense and interesting. Jeff Anderson also excels with Flame, the slightly too manic body language is unsettling--especially in comparison to how still everyone else is--and helps to make for a villain who is memorable for reasons beyond being our first evil Autobot. The Next Week box makes it seem the creative team were worried readers would find Flame underwhelming and tries to reassure them that the extent of the threat he poses will be revealed next week. They needn't have worried.
Jerry Paris tops off the comic with a great and well remembered cover of Impactor and Springer fighting, so good in fact it would wind up on the cover of the Collected Comics with the first half of the story in it.
I wish I'd seen this when putting the Dragon's Claws piece together last week.
Despite the continued excellence of the lead story, Transformation is almost entirely given over to promotion for forthcoming comics, the actual contents can only get a mention near the end with a "Oh yeah..." instead the big news is that the one page Death's Head story drawn in a hurry over a year ago to ensure Marvel owned the copyright on him is finally published here. Transformation doesn't quite come out and say he'll be getting his own book--we've still got a long road before he finally reaches that stage--but the fact this is being published as part of the promotion for Dragon's Teeth does rather signpost it. As well as Transformation, the Teeth also get a half page promotional piece just before the Death's Head story that not only makes it clear he'll be guest staring in that title but gives you a chance to see the original series logo before the title change.
I'll talk more about High Noon Tex! when I cover his own series, but suffice to say it's a good solid introduction to solo-Death's Head's adventures. The credits use the Dragon's Claws emblem as well, as that wouldn't have been designed when Bryan Hitch drew this presumably it has been added to emphasise the connection to the book that is actually launching this week.
On Grimgrams we get our first acknowledgement in a long time of the existence of the American book as Christian Haywood (very local to me in Stourbridge) asks about whether the British stories are entirely original or adapted from the American. Presumably this was published because Christian not only flat out says the British stories are better (even if the question implies he's not been paying close attention) but asks if the "Superb" Death's Head is British or not. Grimlock is keen to point out that though some "episodes" are produced in the U.S. the series is not two separate stories. Even if he then admits they now focus on different things with the British being all about the future cast.
I did wonder if the lack of a video release at this stage for The Return of Optimus Prime would leave kids confused by the dead Autobot leader being in the Headmasters release, and indeed John Butcher from Bishop's Stortford asks if it's set before the film (as Prime and Hot Rod are in it) or after (as Galvatron is in it). Grimlock's unhelpful answer is that the show takes such liberties with the facts of the Transformers war that it's likely not even the people making it know when it's set!
Rounding out a packed letters page, Grimlock assures Kyle Roper from Kesgrave that characters introduced after issue 100 (ish) will be covered by AtoZ after the current cycle has run through. Amazingly the book will last long enough for this to happen. Meanwhile he has to explain to Peter Bournous of Bletchley what was going on with the two poorly drawn Shockwave's on the front off issue 159. If memory serves this is not the last time that will come up.
The second part of Thunder Machine sees Action Force chase the disguised Zartan and family around the Pit before they manage to get away. This is probably the least essential Action Force instalment to date, mainly because it's a straight and rather lazy rehash of Zartan's solo near-escape in the very first story presented as part of the merger.
Combat Colin rounds things out as Colin arranges an escape from robo-Nessie by feeding it one of Semi-Automatic Steve's deadly curried prunes and baked beans sandwiches. The result being them literally shat out. I'm not sure how that works with a robot, but it's fair to say that didn't happen to Sir Roger Moore in The Saint episode this is likely riffing on.
Before I sign off: Book update!!!: I currently have a test copy whizzing through the post to me, it should take about a week to arrive so--unless having it in hand shows some more changes that need making (the cover might be slightly misaligned, but otherwise it should be fine) -- it will be on sale either by the next Transformation entry or shortly afterwards. The price will be £15 (plus postage, which if you go for the cheapest option will make it around £18), for coverage of issues 1-112 and all sorts of new material and revised content at 304 pages.
If you're going to Auto Assembly and fancy a copy, I'll be selling them there for a mere £10 (which, once the postage is taken into account, is basically cost to me rounded up slightly to avoid fiddly change). I'm not going to bring a huge amount with me due to weight so if anyone is interested just let me know either here or twitter. I won't take money until we meet at the convention but I will swap contact details so we can find each other there.
Watch out for a video showing off the proof copy when it arrives.
And with that advert over, next week: is Flame heading for a meltdown?
ADDENDUM 13
1988
COMMENT
I'll talk more about High Noon Tex! when I cover his own series, but suffice to say it's a good solid introduction to solo-Death's Head's adventures. The credits use the Dragon's Claws emblem as well, as that wouldn't have been designed when Bryan Hitch drew this presumably it has been added to emphasise the connection to the book that is actually launching this week.
On Grimgrams we get our first acknowledgement in a long time of the existence of the American book as Christian Haywood (very local to me in Stourbridge) asks about whether the British stories are entirely original or adapted from the American. Presumably this was published because Christian not only flat out says the British stories are better (even if the question implies he's not been paying close attention) but asks if the "Superb" Death's Head is British or not. Grimlock is keen to point out that though some "episodes" are produced in the U.S. the series is not two separate stories. Even if he then admits they now focus on different things with the British being all about the future cast.
I did wonder if the lack of a video release at this stage for The Return of Optimus Prime would leave kids confused by the dead Autobot leader being in the Headmasters release, and indeed John Butcher from Bishop's Stortford asks if it's set before the film (as Prime and Hot Rod are in it) or after (as Galvatron is in it). Grimlock's unhelpful answer is that the show takes such liberties with the facts of the Transformers war that it's likely not even the people making it know when it's set!
Rounding out a packed letters page, Grimlock assures Kyle Roper from Kesgrave that characters introduced after issue 100 (ish) will be covered by AtoZ after the current cycle has run through. Amazingly the book will last long enough for this to happen. Meanwhile he has to explain to Peter Bournous of Bletchley what was going on with the two poorly drawn Shockwave's on the front off issue 159. If memory serves this is not the last time that will come up.
The second part of Thunder Machine sees Action Force chase the disguised Zartan and family around the Pit before they manage to get away. This is probably the least essential Action Force instalment to date, mainly because it's a straight and rather lazy rehash of Zartan's solo near-escape in the very first story presented as part of the merger.
Combat Colin rounds things out as Colin arranges an escape from robo-Nessie by feeding it one of Semi-Automatic Steve's deadly curried prunes and baked beans sandwiches. The result being them literally shat out. I'm not sure how that works with a robot, but it's fair to say that didn't happen to Sir Roger Moore in The Saint episode this is likely riffing on.
Before I sign off: Book update!!!: I currently have a test copy whizzing through the post to me, it should take about a week to arrive so--unless having it in hand shows some more changes that need making (the cover might be slightly misaligned, but otherwise it should be fine) -- it will be on sale either by the next Transformation entry or shortly afterwards. The price will be £15 (plus postage, which if you go for the cheapest option will make it around £18), for coverage of issues 1-112 and all sorts of new material and revised content at 304 pages.
If you're going to Auto Assembly and fancy a copy, I'll be selling them there for a mere £10 (which, once the postage is taken into account, is basically cost to me rounded up slightly to avoid fiddly change). I'm not going to bring a huge amount with me due to weight so if anyone is interested just let me know either here or twitter. I won't take money until we meet at the convention but I will swap contact details so we can find each other there.
Watch out for a video showing off the proof copy when it arrives.
And with that advert over, next week: is Flame heading for a meltdown?
ADDENDUM 13
1988
COMMENT
