TFtember: Mirage

Mirage 

The not street legal playboy of the Autobot team. 

The toy, which was incredibly common from what I recall, started out as a Diaclone F-1 Ligier JS11. The transformation was basic as was usual at the time, but a bit fragile. 

There was another figure, but it was more or less the same. It was a Japan only release as part of the Farewell Convoy 3 pack. 

The file card paints an interesting character. He's mentioned as not only being rich but that his heart isn't fully in the Autobot cause. They even end on how he can't be trusted. 

The comic continued this. In the early issues, he tries to befriend Ravage but when Brawn saves him, he equally throws his support to him. 

That would be his main trait. The other was him showing up, getting blasted, then getting repaired only to get blasted again. This would keep up until #50 then he got blasted again, this time fatally. 

Voiced by Frank Welker, Mirage didn't do a whole lot in the cartoon. Early episodes had him wanting to leave the Earth and get back to Cybertron not matter what but that was dropped early on; after that he was able to make himself invisible. That's about it, although he was scripted to die in the movie but that scene was never made. 

TFtember: The Immobilizer

"The Immobilizer", the Transformers, September 24, 1985

Wheeljack is showing off his latest invention-the Immobilizer! Sadly, while demonstrating its use, Ironhide mistakes a nearby hologram for the real thing and blows up some of the base. Spike and Bumblebee are tasked to get the needed parts to repair it. 

While taking a small break in the arcade, Spike has an awkward meet cute with a gal named Carly. The pair leave but get stopped by a cop. Ravage attacks, but Spike manages to drive the cat off. He fails to see the tiny spy camera that got planted on Bumblebee. 

They decide to have a demonstration outside, but thanks to some shenanigans Wheeljack ends up getting shot with the device and turned immobile. Also Carly tries to sneak into the base, gets caught by Ironhide, and manages to talk the older bot out of retiring when he blames himself for the Autobots getting ambushed by the Decepticons. 

Megatron and co. manage to steal the Immoblizer, but a river washes them away. Wheeljack comes to, but there are bigger problems. Seems Carly stole a grenade! Why?

To blow up the Decepticons of course. Girl has some goals, you have to respect that. 

So with a rescue party on the way, can they rescue Carly in time? 

Carly would go on to be bigger part of the show, somewhat. I don't recall her being quite this competent after this episode. She's also an MIT student, which does raise some questions. 

TFtember: The Transformers#22

"Heavy Traffic!" the Transformers#22 (November 1986) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Hans IV (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

We open with RAAT HQ, and commander Walter Barnett talking with Circuit Breaker. He notes how eager she seemed in capturing the Autobots. She also turns down an offered bonus check, as smashing robots is its own reward. 

Ratchett, meanwhile, is fixing up Optimus. Unseen by the 'bots, Bombshell slips a mickey into Prime's programing. He fails, however, and is unable to take control of Prime. He can monitor his thoughts though, so it's not a total loss. 

With this in place, Megatron steals some energy from Prime's matrix as he reanimates the Aerielbots and uses that to bring the Decepticon's newest faction to life!

Yes, here we we met the Stunticons.

Skids and Donny, meanwhile, are on their quest. They spot a downed motorist, trapped by power lines. Skids rushes to help, much to Donny's annoyance. The event gets them mentioned on the news, which finds its way to RAAT. 

Barnett is fascinated and starts to rethink his position on aliens. Circuit Breaker? Not convinced. The Decepticons also see the report. Deciding to test their newest recruits and wanting to keep the public opinion against the largely car based Autobots, the Stunticons are on the way.

The next day, Stunticons track Donny and Skids down and attack. The Aerielbots make the scene and combine to form Superion! Pity the Stunticons combine to form Menasor!

RAAT attacks too, but Circuit Breaker decides to focus on Superion. She's also convinced, but thanks to some trickery, she leaves even more convinced that both sides are equally evil. 

Skids and Donny flee and spend the night at a motel. Donny calls Barnett and asks how much is he willing to pay for an Autobot?

Good, but Circuit Breaker's schtick is starting to wear then. Plus when she arrives, the Stunticons clearly call themselves evil, so why does she focus on the Autobots? Is she going alphabetical order?

TFtember: Megatron

Megatron 

Now this one might be a long one. In order to keep it under a few thousand words, I'll be focusing on just the Generation One toys, the Marvel Comics, and the Generation One cartoon.

Now this was the Holy Grail for Transformers fans, at least the ones I knew. Nobody had it, as the schools made it clear anyone bringing it in would lose it. Which was understandable, as the robot changed into a fairly realistic Walther P-38. Parents also hated it, as I recall more than a few kids being accused of budding juvenile delinquents jut for looking at the thing. Starting out as a Microman Gun Robo P38 UNCLE, I'm told the Japanese version could shoot plastic bullets as well. 

Speaking of Japan, the first major variant was released there as part of a two pack with Convoy (Optimus Prime). The major difference is the figure lacked the scope, silencer, and stock in pistol mode, but it did come with a pretty cool sword. 

And the next variant would also only be released in Japan too. Dubbed the Good Bye Megatron, this one came with only the sword and scope, as well as sporting a different paint job. 

The last official Megatron figure was part of the Action Masters line released in 1990. That one I had some reservations about; on the one hand it did finally resemble the cartoon version and on the other it lacked the cannon that was so distinctly the character's; plus, I didn't care for the Action Masters' main gimmick of simple robot action figures and transforming vehicles. The tank that turned into a base/jet was ok, even if I think it would have fit GI Joe better. 

The file card was pretty close to what we see saw in the show and comic. "Peace through tyranny" sums him up pretty well. Cunning, ruthless, and possessing no weakness also sums up his character perfectly. 

The comic version was pretty similar, although some details differ; the UK comic goes into his background as a gladiator more and provides more motivation. The US comic had him being more of a straight evil overlord, albeit a competent one. Funny enough his biggest rival was Ratchet, rather than Optimus Prime, with the two even being fused together at one point. 

His relationship with Galvatron (and we'll get to him in a bit) was...well they had one certainty. Megatron would be a strong part of the comic up until #79 when he and Galvatron II seemingly got blown up by Ratchet. He'd get better in the Generation Two book, but we'll cover that later. 

The cartoon was where I really grew to know the character. Voiced by Frank Welker, Megatron was the chief villain for the first two seasons and the movie. Problems with his backstory, however. Either he was created by the Constructicons or he created them or maybe he was already working for the Decepticons and helped them develop the power to transform. 

The movie was both his best and worst though. The best was seeing him being utterly ruthless and slaughtering his way through the Autobots and the worst was him getting turned into Galvatron. Never agreed with that. 

He did show up in the Scramble City OVA, although he mostly stood on the sidelines and ordered his forces around. 

The character has endured though, and I can see why. He can be a multifaceted character, or he can be a one hundred percent evil jerk and I can respect that. 

TFtember: Traitor

"Traitor" the Transformers, September 7, 1985

At a research lab, scientists have just created new electro-cells that will, hopefully, end the energy crisis. Assuming they can keep the things from blowing up first though. 

The last point isn't a concern for Starscream and Skywarp, who arrive and bust up the lab. Megatron arrives, and after taking the cells, blows up the lab. Decepticons roll like that. 

Cliffjumper rushes into the base and tells the Autobots he found the cells. They are in the exact place Mirage patrolled yesterday. Before he makes his accusation formal, Optimus sends the team out. 

Mirage's every action seems to convince Cliffjumper he's a Decepticon agent. Can he prove his name in time?

Not bad, although Cliffjumper's paranoia does come out of nowhere. 

TFtember: The Transformers#21

 "Aerialbots over America!" the Transformers#21 (October 1986) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Mike Carlin (editor)

 With the Space Bridge finally repaired, Megatron moves onto the next step of his plan. With the Insecticons in tow, he manages to take over Hoover Dam. 

Skids, with Danny in tow, returns to the Autobots. Sending a team to check out Danny's claims, they get news of Megatron's actions. So why not send the newest Autobots to handle it? Yeah, here we see the newly built Aerialbots!

The Aerialbots fight with the Decepticons, who have managed to open a Space Bridge by the dam to steal all the water. The Aerialbots transform into Superion and drive them off, although unseen by all Bombshell manages to hitch a ride on Aerialbot Silverbolt's wing. 

Danny leads the Autobots to where he spotted the newly arriving Autobots. They're not there, but there is enough evidence to suggest that Danny was telling the truth. So where did they go?

The RAATS (Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team) can answer that. They managed to subdue and capture all seven Autobots, which pleases their boss, Circuit Breaker.

Pretty good. We finally get a pay off to Danny, the new toys get a good showing, and we see the introduction of a new faction. 

TFtember: Laserbeak

Laserbeak 

Bringing this one back, and why not start out with the Decepticon's number interrogator?

The toy, which had three variants, was the exact same as Buzzsaw. The first one came in a two-pack with Frenzy. The second one was released by Milton Bradley in Europe, and the third one came in a single pack in Japan. All three are the exact same toy, a simple micro-cassette that turned into a condor. 

Checking out the file card shows a slightly different character. According to that he's a sadist, a coward, and he's fast. Aside from his function as a interrogator there's not much mention of what he does. Honestly you might think he's a scout from the wording. 

For the comic, things were different. For starters, Laserbeak actually talked (or at least thought to himself) and played an active role. Granted that role was usually Soundwave's sidekick, but he did manage to do things, small though they were. Like many other characters he got blown up in #50.

For the cartoon, Laserbeak acted more like how most fans recall. Offically voiced by Chris Latta, Laserbeak was there from the first episode (and most episodes too) acting as Soundwave's eyes and ears on the Autobots and humans. Neither side noticing the giant robot bird for some reason. 

The character would stick with the show until the very end, and even appeared in the Japanese Headmasters series, although his role was greatly reduced in that series.