TFtember: The Transformers#25

 "Gone but Not Forgotten!" the Transformers#25 (Febuary 1987) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

The death of Optimus Prime is still being felt. The Army decides to invade the Decepticons base, but they've left for Florida. Megatron is slowly going crazy, as he simply can't buy that 1) Prime is dead, 2) one lone human really did it and not him. 

The last point is all the proof to Shockwave and Soundwave that Megatron should step down. To help move that along, they summon the Predacons, slap some Autobot symbols on them have the combined form of Predaking attack Megatron.

Pity they didn't subscribe to the 'bigger they are the harder they fall' as Megatron easily blasts them apart. Inside the wreackage, he finds a disc, which he leaps to the idea that Prime didn't die. Soundwave plays the disc, which reveals Shockwave's role. 

Shockwave isn't bothered, as he explains thanks to the disc he was there, here (to where his body is), and everywhere else. This causes Megatron even more stress, so the only thing he can do is blow up the Space Bridge with him on it. 

Good, and nice to see the story move along with emphasis on Megatron. Plus we see Shockwave ad Soundwave scheming, which is always nice. 

TFtember: Overdrive

Overdrive 

And with this we end our lookback at the Omnibots. Overdrive went from a robot to a Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer to the same car but with little wings and a blaster under the hood. 

Overdrive didn't come with a file card in the US, but in Japan he was listed as a stagiest. 

He would eventually show up in the comics, but never in the Marvel series; likewise, the cartoon never featured any Omnibots, so unless you had the mail-in inserts you'd likely never see him or even hear of him. 

TFtember: Atlantis, Arise

"Atlantis, Arise", the Transformers, October 3, 1985

Title is a bit misleading, as Atlantis doesn't factor into the plot. I suppose Sub-Atlantica Arise doesn't quite roll off the tongue the same way. 

The Decepticons discover the undersea kingdom of Sub-Atlantica and enter into an alliance. Neither side trusts the other, but they put up with each other long enough to attack Washington, DC. Megatron even wrecks the Lincoln Memorial to make himself a new throne. 

The Autobots are on the ropes for most of the episode, even with Wheeljack being taken offline. Can the Dinobots turn the tide?

Overall good. You think the Decepticons and Autobots are going to team up, but no. Starscream has several good moments even figuring out the Sub-Atlanticians can't be trusted. 

TFtember: The Transformers#24

 "Afterdeath!" the Transformers#24 (January 1987) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

Woah, this was a big issue. 

We met Ethan Zachary. He's a computer programmer working a new fancy device. Megatron wants said device. 

So he takes the Combaticons with him to the lab to steal the device. Optimus and the Protectobots arrive to stop them, but the resulting fight threatens to destroy the device, so Ethan has a compromise: Optimus and Megatron duke it out in a video game!

Inside the game, each side must be true to their principals. The Autobots must protect the NPCs while the Decepticons try to destroy everyone. The Combaticons get taken out, thus leaving Megatron to take on Optimus and the combined Defensor. Defensor opts to blow up the platform he and Megatron share, thus giving Optimus the win!

Ah, but Megatron cheats! Yup, he uses basically a cheat code and gives himself another life. He also manages to appear right behind Optimus and shoots him square in the back!

But Optimus manages to overcome the odds and win! But some NPCs are destroyed, this Optimus has no other option other than to kill himself and let Megatron leave with the device. 

Yeah, Optimus was kind of a dumbass. What's the quote "Evil always wins because good is dumb"?

Unseen by the mourning Autobots, Ethan manages to save a copy of Prime's brainwaves on a floppy disk. 

Yeah, this was just dumb. I get staying true to your principals but when you'd do more damage to your own side than the enemy maybe you should rethink them?

TFtember: Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime  

Another big one, but again for brevity's sake I'll keep the focus to the Generation One toys, the Marvel Comic, and the Generation One cartoon. 

The toy, which was the pretty much the coolest thing ever, started out as the Diaclone Battle Convoy. The truck was cool, but the trailer that transformed into a base was also pretty nice, and included Roller, something I held an inordinate amount of fondness for. 

There were a few different models depending on the country of release, mostly painting differences, but for the most part the toy stayed the same. There were a few rereleases though, mostly packaged with Megatron. 

1985 saw the release of the first seriously different variant with the introduction of what a few fans dubbed Pepsi Prime (who would later become a seperate character in 2007). It was basically the exact same as the original, save for the Pepsi logos on the trailer. 

1986 saw Ultra Magnus. Now, technically Magnus was a different character, but the truck was a solid white repaint of Optimus. 

The biggest change came in 1988 with the release of the Powermasters. Basically, if you wanted to change Optimus from truck to robot, you had to attach a motor. Never cared for that feature, but I thought the figure looked cool. 

1990 and the Action Masters included Prime as part of the lineup. Overall good, but they made his gun a neon orange for some reason. He was just a straight action figure, although his truck transformed into a base and jet. 

That would be largely it, although the original mold would get reissued in multiple colors over the years starting in 2000. 

The file card was pretty close to what we saw in the cartoons, with him being the commander and ultimate good. It did mention that he was able to split his mind across his body, Roller, and the base although that was never brought up as best as I can tell. 

The comics give him the most characterization and yet also the most infamous moment. He's still in charge and a brave leader. Ine one issue he and Megatron fight it out in a digital landscape, with the loser swearing to blow themselves up.

Prime wins, but in the course of the fight he blows up some virtual people (i.e. NOT REAL/ALIVE) this declares himself the loser in spirit thus he blows himself up. Which causes some problem for the Autobots, as you would well imagine. He manages to get brought to life and even becomes a Powermaster, which he would stay until the end of the series. 

The cartoon was where I grew to know him. Voiced by Peter Cullen, he was there from the start and was one of the few to have a backstory. 

He started out as a laborer named Orion Pax (unlike the comic where he was always Optimus) who was rebuilt into Optimus by Alpha Trion. He was in every episode on seasons 1 and 2. He death in the movie, however, was a low point and brought more than a few kids to tears.

He came back briefly in season 3, first as a zombie but he got better. 

For season 5, Optimus was changed into a narrator, teaching a young human named Tommy about the Autobot's past adventures. 

I honestly thought Prime was the best character. He could play off nearly everyone, and Cullen's voice was the best casting. 

TFtember: The Autobot Run

"The Autobot Run" The Transformers, October 31, 1985

Spike and Chip watch a race and wonder how cool it would be to see the Autobots race each other. 

The Constructicons have unveiled their latest invention-the Transfixatron! It locks a Transformers into their vehicle mode! And look, Laserbeak just told them where the Autobots are going to be and in their vehicle modes too!

The race ends in a tie due to dust, but during the race they all got blasted by the Transfixatron! They don't notice until the Decepticons attack. They try to attack, but their powers are limited as cars. 

Bumblebee takes Spike and Chip back to the Ark. Can they reverse the change before Megatron feeds the captive cars to a giant crusher. 

Animation errors aside, not bad. There is a problem and the Autobots work to fix it. Good use of the cast too, with everyone either showing up at least. 

TFttember: The Transformers#23

"Decepticon Graffiti!" the Transformers#23 (December 1986) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

Skids is in trouble. Thanks to Donny's double cross, he's now in RAAT's custody and about to be dissected. Donny is starting to feel bad about this. 

Megatron unveils two new characters, IE new toys. Runamuck and Runabout are brought from Cybertron and ordered to deliver a message to Optimus Prime-a duel to the death!

Ordered out, the two Battlechargers aren't real keen on listening to a guy they haven't seen in a few million years. Pulling over to ponder, they notice a child spray painting some graffiti on a gas station wall. Inspired, they vow to follow the family and commit similar acts at every stop. 

Pity the family is going on a cross country road trip, so quite a few national monuments are about to covered in Cybertronian profanity. 

RAAT finally figures it out and confronts the pair. Circuit Breaker gets hurt and is ordered to remain at base. She says nuts to that and thanks to a suggestion from Donny, has the perfect idea...

Runamuck and Runabout decide that spray painting the Statue of Liberty would be their magnum opus when Circuit Breaker arrives!

And she's using a Frankenstein Monster's battle mech made from the Autobots she cut up. I somehow doubt Donny suggested that. 

She manages to drive the pair off and even gives the Autobots back their body parts. She is then fired from RAAT for, well, see above. 

Good way to introduce new characters and Circuit Breaker even gets some chracter moments.