TFtember: Frenzy

Frenzy 

To get this out of the way, is Frenzy red or blue? At this point, even I don't know

TFtember: The Ultimate Doom, Part 2

 "The Ultimate Doom, Part 2", the Transformers, November 10, 1984

Picking up from the last episode, Cybertron is now in Earth's orbit. The Decepticons have the upper hand and actually drive the Autobots off, Sparkplug going with them. 

Things are getting worse. Dr. Arkeville needs more slaves, which Megatron promises. Spike and Bumblebee get attacked by Laserbeak but the other Autobots manage to drive the Decepticon off. 

Dr. Arkeville is getting annoyed with the Decepticons using his slaves as human shields, but Megatron reminds the doctor of their deal, namely he'll get Earth when Megatron gets his energy. Of course, there won't be much of Earth left after that, but there's no need to let him know that. 

Things really get worse, with the volcano surrounding the Ark going active. A small strike team is assembled, with Spike going on to try and figure out how to free his dad. Lucky he can ask him directly, as Sparkplug finds them as soon as they land and sounds the alarm...

Not bad, but honestly it feels less like a chapter and more cut scenes from Part 1. Sparkplug is still hypnotized and Cybertron's being in orbit doesn't seem to be causing that much destruction except when it does. 

TFtember: Transformers#12

 "Prime Time!" the Transformers#12 (January 1986) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Al Gordon (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Mike Carlin (editor)

So, with Jetfire now loyal to the Autobots and Buster having a good sense of his powers, what's to stop them from rescuing Optimus Prime?

TFtember: F-1 Powerdasher-Aragon

Still on the Powerdasher kick, this time we look at the F-1. Like the drill, this was a randomly sent to lucky kids who sent in money and robot points. The Powerdashers weren't explicitly said to be Cybertronion vehicles but there was some implication. 

And like the drill, the F-1 didn't have a file card. The flyer mentioned they were evolving, so they may not look like they did in the flyer. We know he's an Autobot and that's about it. 

Like the drill, the F-1 didn't earn a name until 2015, where we learn his handle is Aragon and his main function is as a scout.   

If you want comics, you'd have to wait until Dreamwave's Generation One series, where he showed up in a silent cameo. 

And that would be Aragon's main function, just to show up a largely silent cameo. Who know, maybe one day he'll get some dialogue. 

TFtember: The Ulltimate Doom, Part 1

"The Ultimate Doom part 1", the Transformers, November 3, 1984

And back with the cartoon section.

The Decepticons Seekers attack a solar power station off the Indian coast. While the Autobots fend them off, Megatron and Dr. Arkeville watch from a monitor. Part 2 of Operation: Guinea Pig is about to be put into motion.

Rumble and Ravage attack the Ark and while the defending Autobots drive them off, Laserbeak swoops in and kidnaps Sparkplug. Over in India, the Seekers suddenly retreat. 

Sparkplug is dragged back to the Decepticon HQ and inserted with Dr. Arkeville's latest invention-the hypno-chip. Which doesn't sound like a pleasant thing, does it? While Megatron plots to have a human army of slaves at his beck and call, he also calls Shockwave and tells him another space bridge is ready.

The Autobots attack the base and rescue Sparkplug but everyone seems to notice how odd he's acting. They don't have time to wonder about that, as the Decepticons attack! And Sparkplug has sabotaged all their weapons! When the Decepticons retreat, Sparkplug goes with them.

Retreating to the new space bridge, Megatron reveals his master plan. He's not sending things back to Cybertron or going himself. No, he intends to bring Cybertron itself to Earth. This will generate energy they can use. How? That's for Dr. Arkeville to figure out. 

The Autobots track them down and attack, but they are held back by chip controlled humans and Sparkplug. Just when it seems Sparkplug is about to break free, Dr. Arkeville increases the power, driving Sparkplug to help turn on the bridge. 

Optimus Prime and Megaton face off over the last control panel. Optimus could destory it, but if he does, Megatron intones, he'll be responsible for Cybertron's destruction. With two control panels turned on, Cybertron is now on a collusion course with Earth. Turn it off and their home world will be torn apart across the cosmos. 

Agonized, Optimus flips the switch...

Pretty darn good. A few issues, namely the Decepticons retreating when they sprayed with foam, plus Sparkplug doesn't bothered by being at the bottom of the ocean but a nice build to the next episode. 

TFtember: Transformers#11

 "Brainstorm!" the Transformers#11 (December 1985) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Diana Albers (letters), and Mike Carlin (editor)

Kicking off the comic reviews, we take a look at look at Jetfire's first real foray into action. 

When we last left Buster he was freaking out about his sudden mechanical skills. He can't tell his dad and decides to go for a long bike ride with Jessie. He also discovers his powers are becoming a bit more refined, as evidenced by his making Jesse's bike chain break, forcing them to stop by a waterfall.

Back at Blackrock's plant, Optimus Prime hasn't used the Matrix to bring Jetfire to life yet. Shockwave, no dummy he, figures Prime must have passed the power onto someone else, but who? Checking Rumble's memory banks shows him footage of Buster sneaking into the Autobot base.

The Autobots figure Buster is in trouble, thanks to a bug left in the plant. Prowl figures they'd better get to Buster first, so he dispatches Bluestreak and Bumblebee. They get to Sparkplug's shop, but he makes it clear he isn't interested in helping them. Figuring he'd better get to his son first, Sparkplug rushes out, unaware that the Autobots are following him.

Pity that's not the only tail Sparkplug has, as Laserbeak has been following them too. Bluestreak spies the Decepticon spy and manages to beat the bird back, but not before Laserbeak sends Buster's location to Shockwave. 

With the info, Shockwave activates Jetfire properly. He's only a shell and little more than a remote drone, but he's big and works so that's good enough. He gets there super fast but Bumblebee figures that since Jetfire isn't alive, Buster should be able to control him and overwrite his programing.

Buster does just that and give Jetfire the motivation to help them rescue Optimus. Shockwave, however, figures that since Optimus clearly doesn't have the Matrix his usefulness is now officially over. 

Pretty good, although Jetfire does bring up some uncomfortable questions. Like, if Buster can rewrite his personality and tear his body apart, why couldn't Optimus do that? Is it because Jetfire didn't have any programing?

TFtember: Drill Powerdasher-Zetar

 Although I suppose TFpril might be more appropriate. Yeah, back again and we'll be taking a look back at that 80's favorite, the Transformers. 

Yeah, the Powerdashers! Another mail-in exclusive, the Powerdashers featured a pull back motor. You know, pull it back on the table and let it fly. Usually off the table and crashing into the wall. 

The drill (later named Zetar in 2015) was a randomly selected model that you would get if you sent in some money and robot points. Yeah the robot was a sort of mobile drill. Pretty basic, even if the American release blunted the drill bit. 

Since it was a mail-in no cartoon tie ins, but it did manage to appear in the comics a few times. It did show up in the mail-in flyer, although only the jet powerdasher was featured. Seriously, I didn't even know this character existed until a couple of years ago. 

As for the comics proper, don't bother looking until the Dreamwave, which only featured Zetar in a cameo role, which would set the standard for the rest of the character's work. IDW and Kre-O were next, but unless you were especially looking for the character you probably wouldn't even see them. 

The Powerdashers were pretty neat but the getting one by random rather annoyed me. A rant for another day.