You Have to be Born With a Certain Swag, Je Ne Sais Quoi, That Makes Hustling Your Bag.
Issue 228: Headhunt Part 4/[Double]Deal of the Century! 22nd July 1989.
It neglects to mention the third option...Panic!
Kicking off with the conclusion of Headhunt, issue 228 presents us with yet another unfortunate juxtaposition as a result of being reprinted so close to the Galvatron Aspects of Evil story. It’s almost is if Euan Peters deliberately chose to rerun stories that would make that look as ludicrous as possible.
So just four weeks after merely punching Galvatron could taint the Matrix and harm the souls of all Transformers, we see Rodimus paying an assassin money to kill some people. Which, out of the two acts, is the one I would say is the more morally reprehensible as it doesn’t have the excuse of being done in the heat of the moment. Though oddly I’ve just realised both stories involve Rodimus having a head thrown at him. What are the odds?
Oh, and do read the comments on last week’s issue to see how I missed an obvious in hindsight Fight Club style reading of what was really going on there that’s in keeping with what we’ll be seeing with the next Rodimus story.
On the surface it seems the choice of reprints to follow this should be obvious, continuing the Death’s Head focus. But next week will see a very different tact taken. Either way, the balance of comedy and drama remains perfect and again I have a very strong memory of just how funny I found Cyclonus and Scourge trampling Rodimus underfoot as they run away very fast the first time I read this as a child.
It neglects to mention the third option...Panic!
Kicking off with the conclusion of Headhunt, issue 228 presents us with yet another unfortunate juxtaposition as a result of being reprinted so close to the Galvatron Aspects of Evil story. It’s almost is if Euan Peters deliberately chose to rerun stories that would make that look as ludicrous as possible.
So just four weeks after merely punching Galvatron could taint the Matrix and harm the souls of all Transformers, we see Rodimus paying an assassin money to kill some people. Which, out of the two acts, is the one I would say is the more morally reprehensible as it doesn’t have the excuse of being done in the heat of the moment. Though oddly I’ve just realised both stories involve Rodimus having a head thrown at him. What are the odds?
Oh, and do read the comments on last week’s issue to see how I missed an obvious in hindsight Fight Club style reading of what was really going on there that’s in keeping with what we’ll be seeing with the next Rodimus story.
On the surface it seems the choice of reprints to follow this should be obvious, continuing the Death’s Head focus. But next week will see a very different tact taken. Either way, the balance of comedy and drama remains perfect and again I have a very strong memory of just how funny I found Cyclonus and Scourge trampling Rodimus underfoot as they run away very fast the first time I read this as a child.
I'm sure his origin story won't end up revealing him learning not to sacrifice a team member.
I also remember the black and white pages extremely well. [Double]Deal of the Century! is the first story in the new format to be written as a done-in-one, and to fit five pages Furman does to something that can easily fit a short gasp (indeed, brevity is often to its advantage): Comedy.
The quick gag strips are often divisive amongst fans. It is true to say they don’t all work, but I think the bigger problem is they will often be the only original content in the comic (as is the case here), as a counterweight to a more serious story I suspect they’d be better regarded, when all your getting in your action comic is a rapid-fire joke it can be hard not to be underwhelmed. I on the other hand, tend to love them. I’m sure dear reader you’ve a good grasp of my sense of humour by now and therefore won’t be surprised to know the sillier the pun the better as far as I’m concerned. And we’re going to hit some very silly ones as we go along.
I will admit this opening one probably works better in the Titan trade, without the rest of the issue trying as hard as it can to ruin the joke for you. The story rather depends on the reader not being that familiar with the new toys on the shelf, so that they genuinely think two new characters are being introduced here. Unfortunately the cover makes it clear the humanoid robot Double (with money in one hand and an ‘80’s calculator that only displays $ signs the other!) is actually the villain, making the leap to him being the same person as the bird character Dealer fairly obvious. Something Transformation is keen to hammer home by telling you all about Doubledealer—everybody’s favourite mercenary.
In a comic with Death’s Head in the other story.
Would the end have been a surprise even without those heavy handed hints? Well, the story title does rather hint at it and I doubt many children wouldn’t have worked out the two new robots were working together at least. It’s just a shame so much effort is put into making sure there’s no mystery whatsoever.
The quick gag strips are often divisive amongst fans. It is true to say they don’t all work, but I think the bigger problem is they will often be the only original content in the comic (as is the case here), as a counterweight to a more serious story I suspect they’d be better regarded, when all your getting in your action comic is a rapid-fire joke it can be hard not to be underwhelmed. I on the other hand, tend to love them. I’m sure dear reader you’ve a good grasp of my sense of humour by now and therefore won’t be surprised to know the sillier the pun the better as far as I’m concerned. And we’re going to hit some very silly ones as we go along.
I will admit this opening one probably works better in the Titan trade, without the rest of the issue trying as hard as it can to ruin the joke for you. The story rather depends on the reader not being that familiar with the new toys on the shelf, so that they genuinely think two new characters are being introduced here. Unfortunately the cover makes it clear the humanoid robot Double (with money in one hand and an ‘80’s calculator that only displays $ signs the other!) is actually the villain, making the leap to him being the same person as the bird character Dealer fairly obvious. Something Transformation is keen to hammer home by telling you all about Doubledealer—everybody’s favourite mercenary.
In a comic with Death’s Head in the other story.
Would the end have been a surprise even without those heavy handed hints? Well, the story title does rather hint at it and I doubt many children wouldn’t have worked out the two new robots were working together at least. It’s just a shame so much effort is put into making sure there’s no mystery whatsoever.
"Let's go twat MASK!"
Things do start off well though with a very nice joke (one that would be re-purposed in Last Stand of the Wreckers) that also continues the black and white trend of new toys just appearing as support characters. Autobot Pretender Beast Chainclaw is supposed to be delivering new top secret plans from the Resistance on Cybertron to Optimus Prime, but despite them taking the arguably odd move of meeting in the middle of a field rather than on the Ark the secret has been found out and he’s under attack from a great predatory bird. Which lets Wildman go to town on his panicked face in contrast to the narration box’s calm description of what the Autobot Tactical Manual suggests he should do in this situation. It’s especially amusing to imagine him being bold enough to kill himself.
Optimus Prime and this issue’s other new toys—the Micromaster Race Car Patrol—arrive just in time to see the winged Decepticon grab and fly off with Chainclaw. This is especially interesting in terms of placement, coming as it does before the big American storyline that introduces this characters as the “Lead” Autobot Micromasters and initially shows them in conflict with the Autobots generally and Optimus in particular. If there had been no reprints Budiansky’s Micromaster story (and indeed, entire era) would have wrapped up this issue, suggesting Furman was unaware when writing this what the book was going to have to do to deal with deadlines.
Though it’s also possible stories were moved around, or even that Furman wasn’t that bothered about featuring them here despite it undermining the impact of their American début (and many of the UK stories from here on in are going to take a vague five minutes into the future approach), but it does show how the behind the scenes problems have messed up the big launch for the Micromasters in comparison to the effort put into the other new toy gimmicks over the years. We’re still four weeks away from that push and by that time the initial toys will have been out for months.
Furman does at least let Road Handler show off his edgy personality, being perfectly prepared to kill Chainclaw so as to stopthe loss of the plans. Again, as with Survivors! It feels like a little bit of real military politics is being slipped in, and of course it fits in nicely with Furman’s love of the spy genre. Though equally it can’t help but seem a little over the top considering shooting Chainclaw in the back won’t stop the plans themselves ending up in the wrong hands.
Optimus Prime and this issue’s other new toys—the Micromaster Race Car Patrol—arrive just in time to see the winged Decepticon grab and fly off with Chainclaw. This is especially interesting in terms of placement, coming as it does before the big American storyline that introduces this characters as the “Lead” Autobot Micromasters and initially shows them in conflict with the Autobots generally and Optimus in particular. If there had been no reprints Budiansky’s Micromaster story (and indeed, entire era) would have wrapped up this issue, suggesting Furman was unaware when writing this what the book was going to have to do to deal with deadlines.
Though it’s also possible stories were moved around, or even that Furman wasn’t that bothered about featuring them here despite it undermining the impact of their American début (and many of the UK stories from here on in are going to take a vague five minutes into the future approach), but it does show how the behind the scenes problems have messed up the big launch for the Micromasters in comparison to the effort put into the other new toy gimmicks over the years. We’re still four weeks away from that push and by that time the initial toys will have been out for months.
Furman does at least let Road Handler show off his edgy personality, being perfectly prepared to kill Chainclaw so as to stopthe loss of the plans. Again, as with Survivors! It feels like a little bit of real military politics is being slipped in, and of course it fits in nicely with Furman’s love of the spy genre. Though equally it can’t help but seem a little over the top considering shooting Chainclaw in the back won’t stop the plans themselves ending up in the wrong hands.
Someone needs to do a comic where he meets Counterpunch.
Luckily Optimus (in his smaller body for a change) isn’t so bloodthirsty, instead trying to look for options. Which ties in nicely with the Bird—Dealer—calling him on the Space Phone and offering an exchange: The plans for money (oddly Energon units rather than the UK standard of Shanix). And in another example of real world pragmatism he accepts these terms. But who to send?
This is when Chainclaw’s embarrassed bodyguard Double shows himself and sheepishly offers to do the job as a way of making amends. Road Handler making sure to check his Autobrand is something we’ve not seen before, but it’s key to setting up the ending and actually fits into the Micromaster’s trust no one character.
Which, via another of Furman’s neat “dialogue carries over” transition scenes, leads us to the sting. Inside a barn Dealer has also been on the Space Phone to a very happy Scorponok, selling him the plans before flying out of the door.
From which the other side emerges a damaged Double carrying Chainclaw, babbling about an ambush that makes Optimus lead the Micromasters into what will now become the fight promised by the cover. But—Dah dah dah—Dealer and Double are the same person! Fixing himself and transforming to bird mode he flies off chuckling about how much skulduggery you can get up to when you’re both an Autobot and a Decepticon!
This isn’t a perfect story as there’s a few conceits you need to accept for the Hustle/Mission Impossible scam to work (including Prime just carrying a large sum of money on him) and there’s all sorts of questions about how Doubledealer ended up batting for both teams that just one showing can’t address. But there’s also a lot of nice little character beats (even for a cameo like the happy Scorponok) and the short length means it just gets in, does its thing and gets out without outstaying its welcome.
Wildman has some fun on art, especially making a great stern Optimus when he gets the call from Dealer. He also works to make the bird look thinner and less like the robot folded a different way than the toy so as to help the surprise. Though some of the backgrounds remain a bit empty, the only real flaw is Dealer and Double leaving the barn doesn’t work visually: It only has the one door so how did he transform (and grab Chainclaw) whilst walking through it without being seen by the Autobots outside? How do Midewipe and Weirdwolf not notice Prime standing outside when on guard and facing the exit?
Other than that though, this is a nice fun little story.
This is when Chainclaw’s embarrassed bodyguard Double shows himself and sheepishly offers to do the job as a way of making amends. Road Handler making sure to check his Autobrand is something we’ve not seen before, but it’s key to setting up the ending and actually fits into the Micromaster’s trust no one character.
Which, via another of Furman’s neat “dialogue carries over” transition scenes, leads us to the sting. Inside a barn Dealer has also been on the Space Phone to a very happy Scorponok, selling him the plans before flying out of the door.
From which the other side emerges a damaged Double carrying Chainclaw, babbling about an ambush that makes Optimus lead the Micromasters into what will now become the fight promised by the cover. But—Dah dah dah—Dealer and Double are the same person! Fixing himself and transforming to bird mode he flies off chuckling about how much skulduggery you can get up to when you’re both an Autobot and a Decepticon!
This isn’t a perfect story as there’s a few conceits you need to accept for the Hustle/Mission Impossible scam to work (including Prime just carrying a large sum of money on him) and there’s all sorts of questions about how Doubledealer ended up batting for both teams that just one showing can’t address. But there’s also a lot of nice little character beats (even for a cameo like the happy Scorponok) and the short length means it just gets in, does its thing and gets out without outstaying its welcome.
Wildman has some fun on art, especially making a great stern Optimus when he gets the call from Dealer. He also works to make the bird look thinner and less like the robot folded a different way than the toy so as to help the surprise. Though some of the backgrounds remain a bit empty, the only real flaw is Dealer and Double leaving the barn doesn’t work visually: It only has the one door so how did he transform (and grab Chainclaw) whilst walking through it without being seen by the Autobots outside? How do Midewipe and Weirdwolf not notice Prime standing outside when on guard and facing the exit?
Other than that though, this is a nice fun little story.
I must confez to loving these guys.
Transformation isn’t just determined to spoil the gag, it also talks up the forthcoming origin of the Micromasters in issue 233, though it’s also keen to emphasise the presence of British and American stories. Hang on in there, the reprints are ending soon! It also mentions a forthcoming Punisher comic (with Robocop as a backup), which might seem an odd choice considering even characters like Spider-Man are currently being ignored by Marvel UK. However, 1989 was the year of the Dolph Lundgren film so this may have been an ultimately doomed attempt to cash-in.
Combat Colin begins the first multi-part epic of his full page era, as Colin and Steve decide TV is too dumb to watch and go on patrol instead...only to find some fez wearing rock monsters (and the fact they’re wearing fez’ when they have no reason to is what makes them awesome) in the street and scanning human brainwaves to see if they’re stupid enough for their plans yet. Pursuit leads to a fall underground and a confrontation with a major new recurring villain (though he isn’t named yet): Mega Brain! As well as fez monsters a cruel dig at Neighbours (“Strewth Scott, wallpaper really matches your ear-rings!”) also raised a good laugh from me.
Unsurprisingly on the letters page Dreadwind reveals Colin and Steve are feared throughout the 12 star systems. In reply to the same letter—from Shaun Hunt of Belper—he explains Transformers: Universe was a limited mail order only publication and can now only be bought second hand. He also actually manages to come up with a sensible answer to a garbled question from Robin Tipler of Farmoor on why Cloudburst survived losing his noggin when Cyclonus didn’t (someone was on hand to reattach it).
Combat Colin begins the first multi-part epic of his full page era, as Colin and Steve decide TV is too dumb to watch and go on patrol instead...only to find some fez wearing rock monsters (and the fact they’re wearing fez’ when they have no reason to is what makes them awesome) in the street and scanning human brainwaves to see if they’re stupid enough for their plans yet. Pursuit leads to a fall underground and a confrontation with a major new recurring villain (though he isn’t named yet): Mega Brain! As well as fez monsters a cruel dig at Neighbours (“Strewth Scott, wallpaper really matches your ear-rings!”) also raised a good laugh from me.
Unsurprisingly on the letters page Dreadwind reveals Colin and Steve are feared throughout the 12 star systems. In reply to the same letter—from Shaun Hunt of Belper—he explains Transformers: Universe was a limited mail order only publication and can now only be bought second hand. He also actually manages to come up with a sensible answer to a garbled question from Robin Tipler of Farmoor on why Cloudburst survived losing his noggin when Cyclonus didn’t (someone was on hand to reattach it).
Of course, the film came in for some PUNISHMENT from critics.
But just as I thought we’d go a week without an example of Dreadwind Fails to Answer Questions Properly!, Dreadwind fails to answer a question from Steven Ackroyd of Hitchin about the black and white format. Instead going “I’ve already explained [about that], where were you?”. Which rather cruelly ignores the facts that Dreadwind has chosen to publish the question when he didn’t have to if he thought it had been covered and that Steven probably hadn’t seen the previous comments when he wrote the letter because the comic took so long in addressing the issue. A comment about reprints also barely gets more than a shoulder shrug suggesting newer readers are all the book is interested in now.
Mind, Steven also complains about Action Force being a reprint of an American G.I. Joe issue now, suggesting he hasn’t been paying attention. Speaking of which, part four of Cross Purposes sees Buzzer rushing to warn the Cobra Consulate about the missile whilst we get a nice bit of comedy of the Dreadnoks thinking the Forcies are protecting said missile and fighting them even though both are actually trying to destroy it.
Without wishing to be accused of doing an advert again (I think Hachette would be better off having the people they pay already make a better website rather than slipping me £50 notes clandestinely under the table. For the record, in 12 years of talking toot about Transformers comics I’ve on three occasions had an advance PDF of a forthcoming issue. One of which—for Titan’s Age of Extinction comic—was passed on to me by someone else who wasn’t interested. As much as I’d like to get rich doing this I’m really not important enough for anyone to try and buy), the test area for the Part Work turned out to be Manchester and issue 2 should be out now if people fancy having a look at it.
Also, the first (free) part of Furman and Senior’s To the Death is now up, as is the Kickstarter campaign. Whilst it’s very much both creators in their comfort zone, it’s a good comfort zone and very enjoyable. Simon and Geoff are clearly having fun with it, you can practically hear them giggling when crafting some of the OTT action moments.
Next week, Spinister and Needlenose do that episode of The New Avengers.
ISSUE 227
1989
COMMENT
Mind, Steven also complains about Action Force being a reprint of an American G.I. Joe issue now, suggesting he hasn’t been paying attention. Speaking of which, part four of Cross Purposes sees Buzzer rushing to warn the Cobra Consulate about the missile whilst we get a nice bit of comedy of the Dreadnoks thinking the Forcies are protecting said missile and fighting them even though both are actually trying to destroy it.
Without wishing to be accused of doing an advert again (I think Hachette would be better off having the people they pay already make a better website rather than slipping me £50 notes clandestinely under the table. For the record, in 12 years of talking toot about Transformers comics I’ve on three occasions had an advance PDF of a forthcoming issue. One of which—for Titan’s Age of Extinction comic—was passed on to me by someone else who wasn’t interested. As much as I’d like to get rich doing this I’m really not important enough for anyone to try and buy), the test area for the Part Work turned out to be Manchester and issue 2 should be out now if people fancy having a look at it.
Also, the first (free) part of Furman and Senior’s To the Death is now up, as is the Kickstarter campaign. Whilst it’s very much both creators in their comfort zone, it’s a good comfort zone and very enjoyable. Simon and Geoff are clearly having fun with it, you can practically hear them giggling when crafting some of the OTT action moments.
Next week, Spinister and Needlenose do that episode of The New Avengers.
ISSUE 227
1989
COMMENT
