Fuck You, I Won't Do What You Tell Me.
Issue 224: Wanted: Galvatron--Dead or Alive! Part 4/Aspects of Evil 2. 24th June 1989.
I decided to cut Blurr off...literally!
That was a fantastic first TFNation convention. Special thanks to everyone who bought a copy of The Book (STILL AVAILABLE if you missed it), or who talked to me about the website. Especially random passer-by Allister. I also got to have a nice chat with Simon Furman about his new project with Geoff Senior, To The Death. It’s well worth looking at the website HERE when it launches on September 10th. It’s very much in the Dragon’s Claws/Death’s Head tradition and...well, Geoff Senior.
Meanwhile, back in 1989...
The reprint of Wanted... comes to its conclusion. By which I mean the reprint of the Galvatron and the Volcano story comes to its conclusion, with Bumblebee exploding and Death’s Head at large in 1987. The next few weeks before the resumption of the American series is going to be a bit of a random hodgepodge and means it was years before I found out what happened next. Indeed, it was only when I picked up the ’87 Annual from Oxfam within a year or so this that I found out the story had a continuation at all. I just assumed everything Death’s Head got up to in the past was just recapped by Blot at the start of the next adventure.
If the rationalisation beyond the scheduling issues for the reprints was that there were younger readers who might not have read them, leaving a story that’s barely started on a cliff-hanger seems counter-productive. At the very least the sensible thing once they realised it would take up more space than they had left before the American stories resumed would have been to schedule the rest in the next few Collected Comics. As it is, this would have been unlikely to win over people that the reruns were a good idea.
I decided to cut Blurr off...literally!
That was a fantastic first TFNation convention. Special thanks to everyone who bought a copy of The Book (STILL AVAILABLE if you missed it), or who talked to me about the website. Especially random passer-by Allister. I also got to have a nice chat with Simon Furman about his new project with Geoff Senior, To The Death. It’s well worth looking at the website HERE when it launches on September 10th. It’s very much in the Dragon’s Claws/Death’s Head tradition and...well, Geoff Senior.
Meanwhile, back in 1989...
The reprint of Wanted... comes to its conclusion. By which I mean the reprint of the Galvatron and the Volcano story comes to its conclusion, with Bumblebee exploding and Death’s Head at large in 1987. The next few weeks before the resumption of the American series is going to be a bit of a random hodgepodge and means it was years before I found out what happened next. Indeed, it was only when I picked up the ’87 Annual from Oxfam within a year or so this that I found out the story had a continuation at all. I just assumed everything Death’s Head got up to in the past was just recapped by Blot at the start of the next adventure.
If the rationalisation beyond the scheduling issues for the reprints was that there were younger readers who might not have read them, leaving a story that’s barely started on a cliff-hanger seems counter-productive. At the very least the sensible thing once they realised it would take up more space than they had left before the American stories resumed would have been to schedule the rest in the next few Collected Comics. As it is, this would have been unlikely to win over people that the reruns were a good idea.
The single most obvious image to go for, but you can't not do it.
With the colour story having people looking for Galvatron, it’s amusing Aspects of Evil 2 finds him so easily. Keeping people dead is a problem in comics of course, especially Transformers ones where it’s too easy to repair people. It is unfortunate that Galvatron comes back so soon after such a memorable death, and my memory of this one is that it was the second weakest story in this sequence.
Upon rereading the surprise is—as with last week—how much of an eye Furman has on the future here. Not just in how to continue the popular future stories, but in terms of him trying out ideas he was clearly thinking of toying with on the American book. Effectively the British series has become a testing ground.
So, back in the early 21st century (presumably still 2009), Rodimus has come home to find history has been changed by Time Wars. Oddly this is frequently ignored by fans who often try to make the film sequel stories fit in with what the US book is about to do, but he’s fairly bold in saying the future we’re getting from 1989 isn’t the one we had prior to that (which of course neatly explains minor discrepancies between his memories of 1991 last week and what “Really” happened, he’s remembering the original history he lived through!). Furman would almost certainly have had his sights set on doing Unicron on the American book by now, so it actually feels like a deliberate attempt to try and smooth over the Unicron turning up 20 years early thing for British readers.
It’s also of course, an excuse to bring Galvatron back. According to Rodimus this version was created by Unicron but never went back in time, so presumably this is not the same Galvatron we’ll be meeting in Perchance to Dream! or Rhythms of Darkness! (who may or may not be the same Galvatron. This isn’t the Rhythms time-line as Cybertron had been eater by Unicron in that), and he’s probably the most successful Galvatron as he’s actually conquered Cybertron and put the Autobots on the back foot.
Upon rereading the surprise is—as with last week—how much of an eye Furman has on the future here. Not just in how to continue the popular future stories, but in terms of him trying out ideas he was clearly thinking of toying with on the American book. Effectively the British series has become a testing ground.
So, back in the early 21st century (presumably still 2009), Rodimus has come home to find history has been changed by Time Wars. Oddly this is frequently ignored by fans who often try to make the film sequel stories fit in with what the US book is about to do, but he’s fairly bold in saying the future we’re getting from 1989 isn’t the one we had prior to that (which of course neatly explains minor discrepancies between his memories of 1991 last week and what “Really” happened, he’s remembering the original history he lived through!). Furman would almost certainly have had his sights set on doing Unicron on the American book by now, so it actually feels like a deliberate attempt to try and smooth over the Unicron turning up 20 years early thing for British readers.
It’s also of course, an excuse to bring Galvatron back. According to Rodimus this version was created by Unicron but never went back in time, so presumably this is not the same Galvatron we’ll be meeting in Perchance to Dream! or Rhythms of Darkness! (who may or may not be the same Galvatron. This isn’t the Rhythms time-line as Cybertron had been eater by Unicron in that), and he’s probably the most successful Galvatron as he’s actually conquered Cybertron and put the Autobots on the back foot.
"My plan entirely depends on no one stopping Rodimus from trying to kill me!"
As an intended set up for the future adventures of Rodimus this is incredibly bleak, especially is it could still well be The Future of the main time-line at the point the series ends. The sight of a depressed Rodimus having Galvatron chuck Blurr’s head (the birth of Titan Master Blurr!) with a groan inducing smug bad pun is as dark as the book ever got. As a place for the occasional future set story to happen (though in practice there will only be one more Rodimus arc) this has huge amounts of potential. The problem is Galvatron himself.
Furman has obviously brought him back in this setting for the sake of future stories, but Galvatron won’t feature in the B&W future stuff again bar the briefest of cameos in three weeks. The EVIL Rodimus storyline would work just as well if they’d been fleeing a Soundwave controlled Cybertron and if a different character had been used here and in Perchance to Dream!, his American return would have much more impact. As with the Civil War stuff last week, this is playing with concepts that haven’t quite solidified yet, and whilst it’s interesting to see the process at work it does wind up leaving the character resurrection here a pointless diversion.
Speaking of playing with concepts that will be more developed down the line, Furman has clearly decided on doing a Matrix Quest at this point and has started to think about how it might end. So Galvatron’s entire plan here depends on pissing off Rodimus so much his anger taints the Matrix and makes it EVIL.
Furman has obviously brought him back in this setting for the sake of future stories, but Galvatron won’t feature in the B&W future stuff again bar the briefest of cameos in three weeks. The EVIL Rodimus storyline would work just as well if they’d been fleeing a Soundwave controlled Cybertron and if a different character had been used here and in Perchance to Dream!, his American return would have much more impact. As with the Civil War stuff last week, this is playing with concepts that haven’t quite solidified yet, and whilst it’s interesting to see the process at work it does wind up leaving the character resurrection here a pointless diversion.
Speaking of playing with concepts that will be more developed down the line, Furman has clearly decided on doing a Matrix Quest at this point and has started to think about how it might end. So Galvatron’s entire plan here depends on pissing off Rodimus so much his anger taints the Matrix and makes it EVIL.
"So, erm, just stay there whilst we run away"
Now even beyond the obvious flaws here—said plan involves letting Rodimus try and punch him to death and just last week Rodimus shot an unarmed prisoner in the face without it ruining the Matrix—this is a really stupid plan. The Autobot leader is a military dictator after all, we’ve seen Optimus and Rodimus fight and fight hard many times over the years. Yes they use sense and are not mindless killing machines, but if a minute of Rodimus slapping Galvatron causes such damage to the Matrix the other Autobots present (Kup, Arcee and the Micromaster Battle Patrol as this issue’s new toy initiative) instantly feel massive pain then Optimus throwing a Decepticon onto a massive spike back in...The Harder They Die! should probably have killed every Autobot on the planet. It’s a much more childish take on some quite big concepts than the comic usually does (it will certainly do it better through Thunderwing) and has no dramatic weight to it.
Also, the Matrix isn’t just the Autobots sacred life force but that of all Transformers, so how is this good for the Decepticons as well?
Arcee convincing Rodimus he needs to be nice (after she and the others have beaten the crap out of the Triggercons, because violence is...err...the solution sometimes?) and they run away from Galvatron even though they could just as easily take him prisoner makes for a mildly rubbish ending as well. It’s only the ongoing mystery of the Student on the final page and his obvious interest in Unicron (and that Rodimus is stalling telling that story) that holds the attention.
Sadly, whilst the ambition is to be appreciated there’s very little other than the dark mood that’s good here. Art Wetherell’s art has a nice chunky feel to it and he has Rodimus throw some great punches, but also comes across as very plain as if he was still waiting for colour to be added. And he’s no idea how tall Micromasters are supposed to be...
Also, the Matrix isn’t just the Autobots sacred life force but that of all Transformers, so how is this good for the Decepticons as well?
Arcee convincing Rodimus he needs to be nice (after she and the others have beaten the crap out of the Triggercons, because violence is...err...the solution sometimes?) and they run away from Galvatron even though they could just as easily take him prisoner makes for a mildly rubbish ending as well. It’s only the ongoing mystery of the Student on the final page and his obvious interest in Unicron (and that Rodimus is stalling telling that story) that holds the attention.
Sadly, whilst the ambition is to be appreciated there’s very little other than the dark mood that’s good here. Art Wetherell’s art has a nice chunky feel to it and he has Rodimus throw some great punches, but also comes across as very plain as if he was still waiting for colour to be added. And he’s no idea how tall Micromasters are supposed to be...
Combat Colin IS my hero!
The Transformation page promises a new look to the book, but it’s a mainly superficial moving of a couple of things about. Most notably Combat Colin is now a full black and white page, with The Mighty Marvel Checklist now taking its place below the Next Week box. Talking about this (and explaining how you need to remove and then reattach some pages from the middle to get the July Classic Covers Calendar--immortalising Buster Witwicky and the Carwash of Doom!—out) means the page doesn’t have the space to talk about the reprint for the first time since they started. Which of course means no context for the forthcoming story jump...
Obviously no one told Lew Stringer he’d now be doing a full page with enough notice as the new format starts with Combat Colin’s Fun Page, spoofing similar things in more juvenile British comics it includes cut out badges (“Dignity at all Times”) and membership of the Combat Colin Fan Club. Is it too late to join?
Dreadwind actually does a solid job on answering letters this week, and gets to be horrified by the idea of Carl Carter from Heanor’s mom throwing out Ghostbusters comics. However, we get another long letter on the subject of the format change, addressed directly to the Marvel Stubbies. Robert Cox from Hereford—who has been buying the comic for four years, eight months and seven days—is to put it mildly, not happy. “This is 1989, not 1969!”, “Has that mega-cool guy Dreadwing [His spelling!] finally blasted the stubbie colourists with an ion-disintergrator cannon or have they taken a surprise vacation?” and “The old below average black and white” being highlights. I’m actually feeling rather sorry for the new format now, thank goodness twitter wasn’t around back then. Dreadwind’s response is a fairly subdued “I thought it looked quite good”, suggesting his energy for this argument has run out.
Obviously no one told Lew Stringer he’d now be doing a full page with enough notice as the new format starts with Combat Colin’s Fun Page, spoofing similar things in more juvenile British comics it includes cut out badges (“Dignity at all Times”) and membership of the Combat Colin Fan Club. Is it too late to join?
Dreadwind actually does a solid job on answering letters this week, and gets to be horrified by the idea of Carl Carter from Heanor’s mom throwing out Ghostbusters comics. However, we get another long letter on the subject of the format change, addressed directly to the Marvel Stubbies. Robert Cox from Hereford—who has been buying the comic for four years, eight months and seven days—is to put it mildly, not happy. “This is 1989, not 1969!”, “Has that mega-cool guy Dreadwing [His spelling!] finally blasted the stubbie colourists with an ion-disintergrator cannon or have they taken a surprise vacation?” and “The old below average black and white” being highlights. I’m actually feeling rather sorry for the new format now, thank goodness twitter wasn’t around back then. Dreadwind’s response is a fairly subdued “I thought it looked quite good”, suggesting his energy for this argument has run out.
Yep, that'll get the kids buying the comic.
In Action Force, the current story concludes with Cobra Commander basically failing to do any real damage to Action Force in his POGO. As reader Tim Roll-Pickering pointed out in the comments a few weeks ago, this entire story was written around a TV commercial for the POGO, which might explain why Hama doesn’t seem to give a fuck by this point. Meanwhile Billie meets Jinx, but it’s the strange turn the Cobra Commander story is about to take is what I suspect readers really remember.
There’s also a full page advert for The Sleeze Brothers, and it feels like the attempts to make us care about them have been going on for years but issue 1 is out now. A rerun of the Micromasters competition was probably more exciting for most readers though.
Next week, the logical choice for a study of EVIL. Though interestingly the Next Week box actually uses a Geoff Senior panel of Shockwave from The Legacy of Unicron!, meaning both he and the Cyclonus image used from Headhunt! are pointing at the reader.
ISSUE 223
1989
COMMENT
There’s also a full page advert for The Sleeze Brothers, and it feels like the attempts to make us care about them have been going on for years but issue 1 is out now. A rerun of the Micromasters competition was probably more exciting for most readers though.
Next week, the logical choice for a study of EVIL. Though interestingly the Next Week box actually uses a Geoff Senior panel of Shockwave from The Legacy of Unicron!, meaning both he and the Cyclonus image used from Headhunt! are pointing at the reader.
ISSUE 223
1989
COMMENT
