TFtember: Grapple

Grapple 

Ok, now we're getting back into characters that were actually in the show/did things. This time we'll be looking at the Autobot's official architect. 

The toy started out as a Diaclone, sharing the same body as Inferno. He only had the one figure during Generation One but he went from a crane to a robot with (Japan only) spring loaded drills for hands. I wonder if they made it hard to type?

The file card paints an interesting figure. Back on Cybertron his work is considered art yet when one of his works is destroyed he falls into a depression. In vehicle mode he's prone to breakdowns. 

 

The comic was similar in terms of jobs. He also built Omega Supreme, apparently by himself. That's about it, mostly he was used as filler in group shots. 

The cartoon, where he was voiced by Peter Renaday, usually paired him up with Hoist. He actually had an episode devoted to him ("The Master Builders") where he opts to work with the Constructicons to try and make something useful. The rest of season two would limit him to background shots, although he was used in "Prime Target" as one of the captured Autobots. Captured in a trap he could easily escape from, so yeah. He later showed up in the Movie but he did survive so good for him. 

TFtember: Auto-Bop

  "Auto-Bop", the Transformers, Nov. 13 1985

The dancing episode

Raoul and his pals are just trying to earn some scratch via breakdancing. Pity they opted to dance near the Danitron disco, who send out some punks to run them off. Thankfully Blaster and Tracks happen by and rescue the teens.

The 'bots enter the disco and notice right away something is amiss. Among the usual teenagers, they spot a middle aged businessman, a woman in hair rollers, a garbage man, etc. 

Raoul and his pals are taking a train home when the conductor goes loopy and tries to crash the train. Hooking back up with the 'bots, Raoul and Tracks notice there's an active construction sit. By itself? Not odd. At one in the morning with the same crew they spotted in the disco? Now that might warrant another look.

Yeah, turns out it's a Decepticon trap. Overall good and Tracks does pretty good. The big reveal was a pinch telegraphed but a decent ride all things considered. 

TFtember: Transformers#52

 "Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner!" the Transformers#52 (May 1989) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Jose Delbo (pencils), Dave Hunt (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Manny Manos (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

Checking in with the rest of the Autobots, things are looking grim. Dozens are still downed with injuries so Optimus Prime sends out Autobot Pretenders Landmine and Cloudburst to snag some microchips from the Grand Central Space Station. 

They get to the station but things are looking even worse there. Seems the chip market is run by Powermasters Hi-Test and Throttle, neither being particularly loyal to the Autobot ideal. They do manage to lead the two to the missing Sky-Lynx. They find him hanging with the Mecannibals, aliens who just having strangers over for dinner. 

The Powermasters are ecstatic, because that's were Sky-Lynx-he's being had for dinner. Can our heroes rescue their friend? Will they be exposed? Will they stop panicking about being thrown into space long enough to realize they don't need to breathe oxygen?

Ok, good intro for some characters but the Pretenders hard shell? I 'm sorry I just can't buy a three story tall human walking around other humans and not keeping any one fooled. 

Can our heroes escapce?

TFtember: Freezon

Freezon

Well, bit a first here. We have the first female Decepticon and the first journalist of the Transformers. 

Some backstory: Freezon and Natron came included with a slot racing set made by Tyco. Yeah, a toy made by another company. Slot racers were a bit neat. You have a car fitted for a race track and you race them around, usually with one of them crashing. 

Freezon the toy was a generic mustang (even if there seems to be some issue on which car she is) that popped open to reveal the robot inside. 

As far the bio goes, we get a unique one but slim. She's a gossip columnist for an intergalactic magazine. That raises some questions which at no point does anyone attempt to answer. 

TFtember: Prime Target

 "Prime Target", the Transformers, Nov. 14 1985

Or, the One Where Optimus Prime said "boobies"

We open with a proper crossover with GI Joe, as an Oktober Guard jet is speared by a submarine. The culprit is Lord Chumley, big game hunter and he's looking to nab the ultimate prize for his collection: The Head of Optimus Prime!

Chumley and his manservant Dinsmore capture several Autobots first. With world tensions reaching fever pitch, Chumley manages to capture several more before sending a message to Prime-his life for his friends. Prime is rather annoyed but Megatron (who's been spying on the conversation) is rather happy. The Decepticon sends Blitzwing and Astrotrain to check out Chumley's lair. They get captured rather quickly.  

Prime fights his way through Chumley's estate and manages to finds his friends. Chumley frees the two Decepticons to fight Prime but turns out you really can't trust someone called a Decepticon. 

Amusing plus we see Hector Ramirez the newscaster here. A rather nice rift on the Most Dangerous Game which has been done before but still rather neat here.   

TFtember: Transformers#51

"The Man in the Machine!" the Transformers#51 (April 1989) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Jose Delbo (pencils), Dave Hunt (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Bill Oakley (letters), and Don Daley (editor)

Spike's been having some rough nights. While he's glad his brother Buster is back, he's been plagued by increasingly horrible nightmares. He vows to do something about-while he's on a skiing vacation with his buddy Cliff he'll toss his headmaster control helmet away at the earliest opportunity.

He does so at a junkyard they pass on the way to the mountains but this doesn't quiet the nightmares. It also provides Decepticon trackers Carnivac and Snarler the scent to track him down. Which they do as Spike and Cliff try to enjoy the slops. 

Ditching the killer robots for a moment, Cliff relies on his few semesters of classes to try and help Spike, who realizes the nightmares aren't some hidden meaning fluff but rather Fortress Maximus calling for help. Falling asleep, Spike makes contact with the giant robot and summons him for help. 

Pretty decent and the action moves at a good pace.  

TFtember: Electric Train and Battle Set

Electric Train and Battle Set

Bringing this feature back, so this time out we look at one of the more unique items in the Transformers universe. First, this was made by Tyco and not Hasbro.

I always had a fondness for model trains but never the room. The set here features a train (of course), a mat, several Transformers figures and a few buildings. The train is the main feature, and it is a beau. Every car changes, although some are more advanced than others. The engine, for example, just has a panel that flips up, whereas the caboose changes into a Hawkjet. The coal tender just flips over to reveal a laser turret and the box car turns into a weapon center. Impressive, all things considered. 

The figures, with Autobots one color and Decepticons another, were basic and non-transforming. Nice but nothing amazing. The buildings were your basic cardboard but the set up was nice. 

Interesting idea but train sets were quickly fading as a child's toy by this point. Tyco went all in on licensed sets, ranging from Rambo to MASK. The Transformers one at least changed the playmat up a little bit. 

Odd but sometimes odd isn't so bad.