When the Storm Arrives, Would You be Seem With Me?
Issue 306: In the National Interest Part 5/Eye of the Storm Part 1. 19th January 1991.
I was right—the servo-droid did it!
We’ve had some fantastic covers from Staz over the last few months and have many more to come, but his collaboration with Robin Bouttell here is one of the standouts of the entire series. Powermaster Prime in the Thinker pose, with a classical quote from Tacitus alongside it. That’s pretty remarkable for a kids comic and perfectly reflects the tone of the American story that kicks off our new format.
Well, I say new format, but it only lasts three weeks. I’m mildly curious as to why the book didn’t just go fortnightly now rather than having a transition period. It’s possible this was intended to be the permanent change—there’s a good backlog of American stories now (this was originally published six months prior) meaning they could have split the main strip into three parts rather than four for a good while before having to worry about what to do next. But declining sales then meant an even more drastic change was needed.
He doesn't have a leg to stand on.
On the other hand, it might be that the book was always intending to shift the publication schedule, but they decided to fudge the change on the grounds that if you’re going to double the length of time between issues it is best to have a really strong cliff-hanger so as to make sure kids remember to come back. And the one we’re getting in issue 308 is a zinger that certainly beats the end of The Human Factor!
The change in format, coupled with the loss of G.I. Joe: The Action Force, means we get the entire third part of In the National Interest, though it is now part 5 and still split in two at the front and back of the issue. Presumably to keep the American story on the different paper stock used in the middle of the issue (more of that later).
Eye of the Storm is a very important story, effectively kicking off what was intended to be the final story arc of the series. Furman is clearly a fan as well, picking it to be the first issue in the first trade reprinting the series from Titan, considering it both good and an excellent starting point. For UK readers, the fact this is starting something new is made more obvious by the fact that, for the first time, the story opens with the descriptive banner at the top of the first page that was standard for Marvel US comics, but had always been left off the local printing. This sets up the basic premise of the series, with this iteration emphasising the approach of Unicron and the more mythical side of the robots (“They were the dream...”) being new starting with this story as well.
The change in format, coupled with the loss of G.I. Joe: The Action Force, means we get the entire third part of In the National Interest, though it is now part 5 and still split in two at the front and back of the issue. Presumably to keep the American story on the different paper stock used in the middle of the issue (more of that later).
Eye of the Storm is a very important story, effectively kicking off what was intended to be the final story arc of the series. Furman is clearly a fan as well, picking it to be the first issue in the first trade reprinting the series from Titan, considering it both good and an excellent starting point. For UK readers, the fact this is starting something new is made more obvious by the fact that, for the first time, the story opens with the descriptive banner at the top of the first page that was standard for Marvel US comics, but had always been left off the local printing. This sets up the basic premise of the series, with this iteration emphasising the approach of Unicron and the more mythical side of the robots (“They were the dream...”) being new starting with this story as well.
"You nearly ruined my one scene!"
Transformation attempts to assure readers this is more action packed after the “Lull” of The Human Factor!, but if anything the reverse is true. As the title suggests, this is a pause, a chance for characters to take stock and make decisions before things really kick off. Something emphasised by the first page of Autobots relaxing on the Ark—Chromedome making jokes with Hot Rod, Nightbeat watching a SPACE cop show—with an ominous narration talking about how peace is not the usual state for these beings who are grabbing a chance to rest and recover.
Except for one.
Which gives us our one action scene of the issue: Grimlock ripping apart his quarters (including a stuffed dinosaur, drink and book that may well be the copy of the Autobot Code he was so disparaging of back in issue 265) in impotent rage. Amazingly, of all the characters who could pop their nose in to see what’s happening, we get Waverider. Remember Waverider? No, me neither. But this is easily his biggest role ever. Good for you, Waverider.
There’s a bit of exposition here as Waverider recounts how they rescued Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee at the last second from VsQs. But the meat is him simply not understanding why Grimlock is so angry and depressed when he’s alive, has a fancy (otherwise quietly forgotten) Pretender shell and is much better off than all the Autobots deactivated in pods down in the lower decks.
Like the other Dinobots.
Except for one.
Which gives us our one action scene of the issue: Grimlock ripping apart his quarters (including a stuffed dinosaur, drink and book that may well be the copy of the Autobot Code he was so disparaging of back in issue 265) in impotent rage. Amazingly, of all the characters who could pop their nose in to see what’s happening, we get Waverider. Remember Waverider? No, me neither. But this is easily his biggest role ever. Good for you, Waverider.
There’s a bit of exposition here as Waverider recounts how they rescued Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee at the last second from VsQs. But the meat is him simply not understanding why Grimlock is so angry and depressed when he’s alive, has a fancy (otherwise quietly forgotten) Pretender shell and is much better off than all the Autobots deactivated in pods down in the lower decks.
Like the other Dinobots.
"Happy warriors? Can't have that. What's the best way to depress them?"
Which was the wrong thing to say as Grimlock lobs his sword as Waverider, only just missing him. That was a moment that completely shocked me as a kid, and it still packs a punch because you’re not entirely sure if Grimlock threw to miss just to make a point, or if it was a wild thrust that could have just as easily have cut down the Autobot during his one big moment.
At the moment Grimlock’s rage seems entirely down to not having beaten Thunderwing and being rescued by Autobots. But it’s his last line as he leaves the room that really signposts what is fuelling him: “Whatever Optimus Prime say, I will have my Dinobots back!”
Which, again against all odds, lets Waverider have the last line as he wonders if he should report this.
Meanwhile, Optimus Prime is well into his conflicted and self-doubting phase that will pretty much be standard whenever Furman writes him from now on. Here his concern is that his troops are too cheerful and not taking the threat of Unicron seriously enough now the initial shock of Primus being found has worn off.
Which frankly makes Prime a bit of a dick. As Furman’s narration noted in the opening, the Autobots need this breathing space after everything they’ve been through recently and what exactly would them sitting around very seriously thinking sad thoughts about Unicron actually achieve to help the situation? He’s focusing on entirely the wrong problem here, which makes it no small wonder he has apparently misjudged a recent conversation with Grimlock.
At the moment Grimlock’s rage seems entirely down to not having beaten Thunderwing and being rescued by Autobots. But it’s his last line as he leaves the room that really signposts what is fuelling him: “Whatever Optimus Prime say, I will have my Dinobots back!”
Which, again against all odds, lets Waverider have the last line as he wonders if he should report this.
Meanwhile, Optimus Prime is well into his conflicted and self-doubting phase that will pretty much be standard whenever Furman writes him from now on. Here his concern is that his troops are too cheerful and not taking the threat of Unicron seriously enough now the initial shock of Primus being found has worn off.
Which frankly makes Prime a bit of a dick. As Furman’s narration noted in the opening, the Autobots need this breathing space after everything they’ve been through recently and what exactly would them sitting around very seriously thinking sad thoughts about Unicron actually achieve to help the situation? He’s focusing on entirely the wrong problem here, which makes it no small wonder he has apparently misjudged a recent conversation with Grimlock.
Bogart never had to deal with this sort of thing.
Thankfully his berating of his troops for not devoting every waking second to devising a way of killing the devil is ended as his briefly collapses in pain. Though this won’t be apparent for a long time as he draws it out to the very end of the series, but this is Furman starting to move things into position to introduce Action Master Prime. Which is a tad underwhelming, but it’s an intriguing little mystery here.
Recovering, Prime goes into a lab to see Nightbeat (with magnifying glass and fedora on his desk), having tasked him to look into Ratchet’s death on just a hunch because of caring about his friend. Which is far more in character for him. There’s some retconing here as Nightbeat explains there were two explosions in Megatron’s base, a small one and the one that took it down. I don’t recall the separate explosions ever being explained, but it gives us our cliff-hanger: What if the first bang knocked the two fighting Transformers into the open dimensional portal?
This is more than just a return to form after the last few weeks, Eye of the Storm is really unlike anything we’ve had before on the American series and it can be argued that Furman took a very bold move in doing an introspective character driven issue. And it’s a choice that pays off, with this opening third managing to be tense despite there several pages with no obvious cause of tension and everything very carefully set up for the full storm to hit.
Recovering, Prime goes into a lab to see Nightbeat (with magnifying glass and fedora on his desk), having tasked him to look into Ratchet’s death on just a hunch because of caring about his friend. Which is far more in character for him. There’s some retconing here as Nightbeat explains there were two explosions in Megatron’s base, a small one and the one that took it down. I don’t recall the separate explosions ever being explained, but it gives us our cliff-hanger: What if the first bang knocked the two fighting Transformers into the open dimensional portal?
This is more than just a return to form after the last few weeks, Eye of the Storm is really unlike anything we’ve had before on the American series and it can be argued that Furman took a very bold move in doing an introspective character driven issue. And it’s a choice that pays off, with this opening third managing to be tense despite there several pages with no obvious cause of tension and everything very carefully set up for the full storm to hit.
Everything about the future, except the Big change a-coming...
The big thing of course, is the arrival of Andrew Wildman on American art. It actually doesn’t look much like his usual work, as noted US editor Don Daley was not a fan and took some serious persuading to give him a chance, with toning down his style to be more on-model being one of the conditions. That will only last for this story, but that coupled with him inking himself for all but one page (done by Harry Candelario) rather than the yet to arrive Stephen Baskerville means I suspect many readers would not have realised it was him if Transformation didn’t make a fuss out of it.
However, whilst not as striking as Senior’s first US issue would have been to people coming off the back of Jose Delbo, it’s still an improvement on what we’ve had the last four weeks and is generally strong and solid work that tells the story well. In particular he manages what Delbo never could quite achieve and makes the Transformers stand and move in more natural ways. Still, the best is yet to come.
The sidebar on Transformation promises to tell us about the future of the book. Instead (possibly because it’s still up in the air at this point) it makes a Bruce Forsyth gag about the cover, the result of Staz having jokingly written “Good game, good game, nice to see you, to see you... nice” as the tag-line on the pencils. It’s lucky the editor didn’t get confused and have Brucey on the cover and Tacitus on the editorial.
The rest is given over to talking about the massive run of great Andy Wildman art we’re about to start on before Geoff Senior returns in “About” 12 issues. Interestingly On the Edge of Extinction! is described as the conclusion to Matrix Quest, which is arguably true (though you can extend the arc back further to Primal Scream!), but feels odd to say at the start of an issue that is otherwise trying to feel like a fresh start.
Combat Colin and Semi-Automatic Steve Meet the Mutant Master, as the mystery masked figure uses a dimensional portal of the sort Ratchet and Megatron got blown through to kidnap the head of the Ministry of Daft Ideas as they discuss their plan to build an Earth-Moon bridge. Of course, the ministry building is built upside down as that’s a daft idea.
However, whilst not as striking as Senior’s first US issue would have been to people coming off the back of Jose Delbo, it’s still an improvement on what we’ve had the last four weeks and is generally strong and solid work that tells the story well. In particular he manages what Delbo never could quite achieve and makes the Transformers stand and move in more natural ways. Still, the best is yet to come.
The sidebar on Transformation promises to tell us about the future of the book. Instead (possibly because it’s still up in the air at this point) it makes a Bruce Forsyth gag about the cover, the result of Staz having jokingly written “Good game, good game, nice to see you, to see you... nice” as the tag-line on the pencils. It’s lucky the editor didn’t get confused and have Brucey on the cover and Tacitus on the editorial.
The rest is given over to talking about the massive run of great Andy Wildman art we’re about to start on before Geoff Senior returns in “About” 12 issues. Interestingly On the Edge of Extinction! is described as the conclusion to Matrix Quest, which is arguably true (though you can extend the arc back further to Primal Scream!), but feels odd to say at the start of an issue that is otherwise trying to feel like a fresh start.
Combat Colin and Semi-Automatic Steve Meet the Mutant Master, as the mystery masked figure uses a dimensional portal of the sort Ratchet and Megatron got blown through to kidnap the head of the Ministry of Daft Ideas as they discuss their plan to build an Earth-Moon bridge. Of course, the ministry building is built upside down as that’s a daft idea.
A perfectly natural question gets a perfectly natural answer.
Colin and Steve are summoned by the Saucepan signal and use their Combat Roller Skates (battery powered, lead free, ozone friendly) to race to the scene... but are confronted by a huge—yet cute—dragon! Looks like things are about to heat up.
Before hitting Darn’N’Blast (on the back page again as there’s no Next Week box), there’s something from last week I forgot to mention that will be important going forward: Blaster mentioned that we’ll be getting a brand new Death’s Head miniseries in the Spring from Furman and Senior. We shall see how well that goes.
This week, Blaster has had a chance to think through the design of his page and isn’t to sure about it. For now this simply means going back to black ink for replies, but more is coming. Meanwhile, he tells Ben Mathews of Selsdon that his Action Master partner is the unimaginatively named Flight Pack and that Spike Witwicky’s hairdresser also works on Brookside.
Following a suggestion from Ian Jackson of Harwell that the comic use the same paper stock throughout, Blaster reveals that from issue 309 the comic will indeed be using the cheaper... I mean more absorbent and better for the art Kympress paper on every page rather than just the middle eight, with other big changes afoot. Which suggests the fortnightly move was indeed planned by at least the point this page was put together.
It’s clearly a good week for paper fans as Tim Harding from Halstead asks if the book is printed on recycled paper. Blaster has to admit it isn’t, but assures his Knights of Pendragon is printed on Scangloss, using half the amount of trees and minimal chlorine bleach.
Now, reader Ian Hewett told me recently that the letter of his we’ll be seeing in a few weeks had an additional sentence put into it by Marvel UK (and more on that when we get there). Call my cynical, but this sudden interest in paper quality from two readers in the same issue when I think at most we’ve had one previous letter on the subject in six years feels very suspicious. Was someone keen to push both the forthcoming change for this book and the environmentalism of Pendragon? Does Blaster have shares in scangloss?
Next week: When Unicron met Galvatron.
ISSUE 305
1991-1994
COMMENT
Before hitting Darn’N’Blast (on the back page again as there’s no Next Week box), there’s something from last week I forgot to mention that will be important going forward: Blaster mentioned that we’ll be getting a brand new Death’s Head miniseries in the Spring from Furman and Senior. We shall see how well that goes.
This week, Blaster has had a chance to think through the design of his page and isn’t to sure about it. For now this simply means going back to black ink for replies, but more is coming. Meanwhile, he tells Ben Mathews of Selsdon that his Action Master partner is the unimaginatively named Flight Pack and that Spike Witwicky’s hairdresser also works on Brookside.
Following a suggestion from Ian Jackson of Harwell that the comic use the same paper stock throughout, Blaster reveals that from issue 309 the comic will indeed be using the cheaper... I mean more absorbent and better for the art Kympress paper on every page rather than just the middle eight, with other big changes afoot. Which suggests the fortnightly move was indeed planned by at least the point this page was put together.
It’s clearly a good week for paper fans as Tim Harding from Halstead asks if the book is printed on recycled paper. Blaster has to admit it isn’t, but assures his Knights of Pendragon is printed on Scangloss, using half the amount of trees and minimal chlorine bleach.
Now, reader Ian Hewett told me recently that the letter of his we’ll be seeing in a few weeks had an additional sentence put into it by Marvel UK (and more on that when we get there). Call my cynical, but this sudden interest in paper quality from two readers in the same issue when I think at most we’ve had one previous letter on the subject in six years feels very suspicious. Was someone keen to push both the forthcoming change for this book and the environmentalism of Pendragon? Does Blaster have shares in scangloss?
Next week: When Unicron met Galvatron.
ISSUE 305
1991-1994
COMMENT
