Where Do We Go From Here?
Issue 323: Still Life! Part 1. 31st August 1991.
I think Krok, we should examine... options!
Sometimes being uncancelled can wind up being a bad thing for a series. No one will ever argue that season 5 of Babylon 5 was a worthwhile endeavour after all.
The advantage Furman has going in here though is that the toy based nature of the book required him to seed future plot-lines even in the face of almost certain doom, meaning this doesn’t have to be a hill start, but can instead hit the ground running a bit more smoothly with stories already in motion.
It also frankly has the advantage of the book not lasting that much longer, the five stories we have left making for a nice coda to the series, the equivalent of the epilogues to Lord of the Rings, giving closure to things in a way the all action finale couldn’t.
Which of course, made it very hard for ReGeneration One, a series specifically tasked with wrapping up loose ends when there are no interesting ones left.
The advantage this final arc also has is it can do something we’ve not seen before and rarely have since. What happens when the war actually ends? Especially in this case, where it effectively stops because there’s no resources left to fight with rather than anyone winning outright. This will provide one of the key threads over the next ten issues, and will give us some of Furman’s best material.
I think Krok, we should examine... options!
Sometimes being uncancelled can wind up being a bad thing for a series. No one will ever argue that season 5 of Babylon 5 was a worthwhile endeavour after all.
The advantage Furman has going in here though is that the toy based nature of the book required him to seed future plot-lines even in the face of almost certain doom, meaning this doesn’t have to be a hill start, but can instead hit the ground running a bit more smoothly with stories already in motion.
It also frankly has the advantage of the book not lasting that much longer, the five stories we have left making for a nice coda to the series, the equivalent of the epilogues to Lord of the Rings, giving closure to things in a way the all action finale couldn’t.
Which of course, made it very hard for ReGeneration One, a series specifically tasked with wrapping up loose ends when there are no interesting ones left.
The advantage this final arc also has is it can do something we’ve not seen before and rarely have since. What happens when the war actually ends? Especially in this case, where it effectively stops because there’s no resources left to fight with rather than anyone winning outright. This will provide one of the key threads over the next ten issues, and will give us some of Furman’s best material.
"Do you have an asprin?"
We open with a new variation on the opening blurb, this time clarifying the new post-Unicron status quo, before panning over the corpses of several Transformers, including Scorponok.
And Optimus Prime. Kept alive by the vestige of Matrix energy (and a flashback to his sacrifice shows us how Wildman would have drawn it), but a desecrated corpse so horrific looking everyone present—Prowl, Wheeljack, Darkwing, Quake (feeling better) and new Decepticon leader Bludgeon—are horrified as the last vestige of life leaves him. It’s a brutal, shocking image, especially Prowl’s big “NO” as Prime finally dies.
But before he goes, Optimus passes on a message, one Prowl has to give to Grimlock.
Yes, the Dinobot is once again Autobot leader. When I first read this as a kid, coming off the back of the Earthforce stories, this made sense. Grimlock is rough and tough, but gets things done.
Of course, now having read the earlier stories and how inept his first attempt was, this is ridiculous. Prime is either making a massive mistake through the pain of his death, or deliberately trolling the Autobots on the assumption he’ll be back soon anyway and doesn’t want to leave a better option in charge.
Prime isn’t completely dead though. HiQ is still alive, and though we don’t get a good close up look at him this issue, is now drawn to look exactly like Patrick Stewart. And he’s being chased by the mutants who ate Battletrap and Runabout last time whilst thinking mysterious thoughts about something that’s happening between him and Prime that the Autobot misunderstood.
And Optimus Prime. Kept alive by the vestige of Matrix energy (and a flashback to his sacrifice shows us how Wildman would have drawn it), but a desecrated corpse so horrific looking everyone present—Prowl, Wheeljack, Darkwing, Quake (feeling better) and new Decepticon leader Bludgeon—are horrified as the last vestige of life leaves him. It’s a brutal, shocking image, especially Prowl’s big “NO” as Prime finally dies.
But before he goes, Optimus passes on a message, one Prowl has to give to Grimlock.
Yes, the Dinobot is once again Autobot leader. When I first read this as a kid, coming off the back of the Earthforce stories, this made sense. Grimlock is rough and tough, but gets things done.
Of course, now having read the earlier stories and how inept his first attempt was, this is ridiculous. Prime is either making a massive mistake through the pain of his death, or deliberately trolling the Autobots on the assumption he’ll be back soon anyway and doesn’t want to leave a better option in charge.
Prime isn’t completely dead though. HiQ is still alive, and though we don’t get a good close up look at him this issue, is now drawn to look exactly like Patrick Stewart. And he’s being chased by the mutants who ate Battletrap and Runabout last time whilst thinking mysterious thoughts about something that’s happening between him and Prime that the Autobot misunderstood.
"Prime totally said this. He gave a speech in space last issue, whilst he's dying is easy"
Over at the combined base (where they’re literally nailing the faction symbols to the wall), Prowl reluctantly passes on Prime’s message. And blatantly adds a massive extra bit of his own that Prime had no time to say about upholding Autobot ideals.
This is also where we get a real idea of the stress of the situation. The last time Prowl challenged the main Autobot leader, way back in Crisis of Command!, he spoke discreetly to him out of earshot of the other troops and effectively did things formally and by the book. Here he’s out and out shouting at Grimlock in front of everyone about how he doesn’t understand the responsibilities he’s been given, getting even angrier when Grimlock won’t even turn to face him after saying he’s leaving to do something when there’s so much to take care of here.
Grimlock repeats his rather weak claim from last issue that Prowl isn’t smart and is just a solider. But his real point is there are plenty of Autobots still on the Ark who need reviving, and the ship has been stolen, so he’s off to find it before the thief flies off.
Which is where Prowl makes his BS claim about Prime’s last words, but does at least get him to promise to do the job to that standard. Not that Prowl looks like he believes him. Blaster (and it’s odd seeing him in his smaller animation model in a US story) decides this is the perfect time to bring his own bad news about seismic activity.
This is where we get a feel for what Bludgeon’s leadership will be like as he just watches and observes everything, alongside his old confident Stranglehold...
No, wait... Octopunch.
Krok. I mean Krok. You all remember Krok, right? An impressive and important character who would of course instantly become Decepticon second in command when guys like Soundwave are still about. What a guy.
It’s amazing Furman got to keep Bludgeon as leader rather than being forced to bring someone like Gutcruncher in.
This is also where we get a real idea of the stress of the situation. The last time Prowl challenged the main Autobot leader, way back in Crisis of Command!, he spoke discreetly to him out of earshot of the other troops and effectively did things formally and by the book. Here he’s out and out shouting at Grimlock in front of everyone about how he doesn’t understand the responsibilities he’s been given, getting even angrier when Grimlock won’t even turn to face him after saying he’s leaving to do something when there’s so much to take care of here.
Grimlock repeats his rather weak claim from last issue that Prowl isn’t smart and is just a solider. But his real point is there are plenty of Autobots still on the Ark who need reviving, and the ship has been stolen, so he’s off to find it before the thief flies off.
Which is where Prowl makes his BS claim about Prime’s last words, but does at least get him to promise to do the job to that standard. Not that Prowl looks like he believes him. Blaster (and it’s odd seeing him in his smaller animation model in a US story) decides this is the perfect time to bring his own bad news about seismic activity.
This is where we get a feel for what Bludgeon’s leadership will be like as he just watches and observes everything, alongside his old confident Stranglehold...
No, wait... Octopunch.
Krok. I mean Krok. You all remember Krok, right? An impressive and important character who would of course instantly become Decepticon second in command when guys like Soundwave are still about. What a guy.
It’s amazing Furman got to keep Bludgeon as leader rather than being forced to bring someone like Gutcruncher in.
STILL life.
The Dinobots walk outside is where things fall apart slightly, as Furman uses Grimlock as mouthpiece for his theories on the source of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict: Genetics. Primus actually created two species, one good and one evil and that’s that.
For a storyline that’s going to do some surprisingly nuanced things with the idea of post-war Cybertron—not to mention from a writer who has created several likeable Decepticons—this feels like a cartoon level idea and rather regressive compared to what’s going on around it. And though you can pass it off as Grimlock’s bigotry, the Furman version is usually a bit more level headed and pragmatic to go than to go with “The Decepticons are naughty because they have naughty genes”. Not to mention that Furman will treat the idea completely seriously in, sigh, ReGeneration One.
Luckily he’s shut up by suddenly freezing in place, after it turns out his neck had been the first thing to go during his confrontation with Prowl. The image of him stuck mid-step is great as he looks actively embarrassed. He’s even about to admit it might be down to Nucleon in a very sheepish way when HiQ appears to say he needs help because behind him are these big--
And the issue ends mid-sentence again. Though the NEXT box adds the “—Monsters!”.
This issue is a low key pause that is actually quite brave for an action comic, being entirely about characters talking. But, other than Grimlock’s silly genetics, it’s good dramatic talk topped and tailed by two great images in corpse Prime and still Grimlock.
On art, Wildman gets to do what he does best, putting lots of expression into every face. This is an issue that probably wouldn’t have worked as well with any of the other artists.
For a storyline that’s going to do some surprisingly nuanced things with the idea of post-war Cybertron—not to mention from a writer who has created several likeable Decepticons—this feels like a cartoon level idea and rather regressive compared to what’s going on around it. And though you can pass it off as Grimlock’s bigotry, the Furman version is usually a bit more level headed and pragmatic to go than to go with “The Decepticons are naughty because they have naughty genes”. Not to mention that Furman will treat the idea completely seriously in, sigh, ReGeneration One.
Luckily he’s shut up by suddenly freezing in place, after it turns out his neck had been the first thing to go during his confrontation with Prowl. The image of him stuck mid-step is great as he looks actively embarrassed. He’s even about to admit it might be down to Nucleon in a very sheepish way when HiQ appears to say he needs help because behind him are these big--
And the issue ends mid-sentence again. Though the NEXT box adds the “—Monsters!”.
This issue is a low key pause that is actually quite brave for an action comic, being entirely about characters talking. But, other than Grimlock’s silly genetics, it’s good dramatic talk topped and tailed by two great images in corpse Prime and still Grimlock.
On art, Wildman gets to do what he does best, putting lots of expression into every face. This is an issue that probably wouldn’t have worked as well with any of the other artists.
Perfick.
Transformation gives us a subtle reminder to go buy Havoc and Meltdown, suggesting the books are already in trouble (and neither would last much longer).
Blaster has Robert Mills of Hampshire point out the toilet doors on Unicron’s chest, leading to the Autobot revealing how flushed he is ect. This week’s fan art based on my sense of humour sees Daniel Jenkinson of Hull produce Motor Monster, the Stunticon leader crossed with... well, a monster.
AtoZ covers Grotusque, claiming his first appearance is “Right here”, meaning someone is repressing Headmasters.
The Return to Active Service of Combat Colin sees the henchmen defeated, the Giggly Sisters released from their prison in Dimension X and Mutant Master decide it’s the time to strike personally. But the key moment is Madprof mocking Semi-Automatic Steve’s “Pop gun”, only for it to be a “Pop Larkin gun” that shoots little flying things that keep shouting “Perfick” at you. Which naturally breaks the Professor and may well be my favourite Lew Stringer gag.
Next week… Monsters!
ISSUE 322
1991-1994
COMMENT
Blaster has Robert Mills of Hampshire point out the toilet doors on Unicron’s chest, leading to the Autobot revealing how flushed he is ect. This week’s fan art based on my sense of humour sees Daniel Jenkinson of Hull produce Motor Monster, the Stunticon leader crossed with... well, a monster.
AtoZ covers Grotusque, claiming his first appearance is “Right here”, meaning someone is repressing Headmasters.
The Return to Active Service of Combat Colin sees the henchmen defeated, the Giggly Sisters released from their prison in Dimension X and Mutant Master decide it’s the time to strike personally. But the key moment is Madprof mocking Semi-Automatic Steve’s “Pop gun”, only for it to be a “Pop Larkin gun” that shoots little flying things that keep shouting “Perfick” at you. Which naturally breaks the Professor and may well be my favourite Lew Stringer gag.
Next week… Monsters!
ISSUE 322
1991-1994
COMMENT
