TFtember: Attack of the Autobots

"Attack of the Autobots" the Transformers, October 4, 1985

The Autobots repel a Decepticon attack on the Ark, but it was actually a diversion. Megatron and Starscream, both coated in invisible paint, sneak into the base and sabotage the Autobot's recharging pods. 

The next day, things start out normal, at least until Optimus Prime smashes their computer. The only Autobots who didn't rechage were Jazz and Bumblebee, who were out in the woods playing with Jazz's new sound system. When Bluestreak tries to force Bumblebee into a pod, Jazz stops it. Sparkplug manages to fix the computer, which tells them the Autobots are now evil.

Optimus leads the Autobots to attack a nearby Air Foce base while Sparkplug and Jazz try to cure them. Sparkplug invents a device that "drain evil then recharge good". Not sure how that works, but ok.  

From there the Autobots continue their assault while the Decepticons try to steal a satellite. Can the uninfected cure the infected in time?

Not terrible, although questions keep getting raised. Invisible paint? Something that drains evil? Plus the Autobots don't get called out for their actions here, but eh, at least Toei is back to doing the animation. 

TFtember: The Transformers#20

"Showdown!" the Transformers#20 (September 1986) with credits to Bob Budiansky (script), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Ian Aiken/Brian Garvey (inks), Nel Yomtov (colors), Janice Chiang (letters), and Mike Carlin (editor) 

And thus we end the comic reviews, at least for a while. 

We open with a chase scene. Donny has finally managed to escape the Decepticons but Ravage is in hot pursuit. He ditches his old Robot Master costume, which buys him some time, but can he find the Autobots in time?

Meanwhile, Charlene is in a spot. Her car has broken down but thankfully Wendell is giving her a ride as she talks about wanting more adventure in her life. Pulling over to stretch their legs, they find Skids. Figuring, "hey, free car!", they give a call to Wendell's cousin Bob to tow Skids into town. Skids, for his part, figures it might be safer to stay as a car.

Charlene drives out of Bob's garage, but Jake (the jerk from last issue) recognizes the van and road rages ensures, at least until Skids takes over and leaves him in the dust. Of course, Charlene is now freaking out a bit as her van seems to be alive. Skids takes her to the outskirts of town and confesses. He's sorry, but he's tired of fighting and wishes to go back to his pre-war job as an anthropologist. Charlene calms a bit and takes Skids home. They chat and start to bond over her love of the Wild West. 

Before things get too cozy though, Donny finds them. He overheard Jake ranting about a living van and tracked Charlene down. Both her and Skids try to ignore him, but when Ravage shows up all three hightail it out of there. They get to old mining town, but while the humans hide Jake runs up and knocks out Skids with a tire iron. 

Yeah, seems a Transformer's windshield is like their skull?

Skids has a dream sequence in which he stares down Megatron in the Old West but Jake manages to redeem himself somewhat by hitting Ravage with his car. Skids manages to come to and knock Ravage down a mineshaft. Skids leaves with Donny, telling Charlene that as much as he enjoyed himself he can't avoid his responsibility to the Autobots. 

Pretty darn good, even if the car wash sequence seems brings to mind far too many questions. Skids really takes the lead here (more than he ever did in the cartoon) and we carry on the story from the previous issues. 

TFtember: Kaltor

Kaltor 

And now we end out look back at the figures, at least until September. Kaltor was a Time Warrior, except instead of being a straight watch, Kaltor was a calculator watch. Very 80's.

He started out as a Takara Kronoform watch and that's about it for his characterization. No file card, comic, or cartoon. Not even any ads or even cameos in later media. 

TFtember: City of Steel

"City of Steel" the Transformers, October 17, 1985

Nearing the end, and oh boy. AKOM.

The Decepticons are in New York City. Are they seeing a Broadway show? Nope, they just stole the Empire State Building. Which doesn't seem to be that big a deal.

The Autobots arrive in Central Park and attack, but Prime gets captured as Megatron reveals his plan-turn New York into New Cybertron! They even rebuilt the Empire State Building into a Cybertronian fortress. 

Megatron, figuring he'd better get rid of Prime, has the Autobot leader cut apart. He keeps the head though. Got to have to something to gloat over, you know. He lets the Constructicons have the rest. 

The Autobots decide to find Prime first. Thankfully he has a homing beacon in all his parts, but what happens when his body has been rebuilt into a giant robot alligator? Gator wrestling, that's what happens. 

They manage to find most of Prime easily enough, save for his arm and his cannon, which has been placed on top of the fortress. 

Can Prime pull himself together? Will Megatron's actions have an impact on the city's rent?

Pretty nuts but AKOM manages to make it memorable but not for the reasons you think. Errors abound, dialogue is messed up and everthing feels more like a knock off.  

TFtember: The Transformers#19

"Command Performance!" the Transformers#19 (August 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) 

At the Ark, Optimus Prime is showing off the Autobot's latest member-Omega Supreme! Built by Grapple and the Creation Maxtrix, Omega brings some much needed muscle. 

Which is good, as the Dinobots have opted to leave. Seems they have some issue with management. 

Speaking of management, the Decepticons are having issues of their own. Publicly, Shockwave and Megatron are sharing the power of leadership. Privately, Shockwave is making it clear he wants to be a solo act, plus he doesn't think too highly of Donny and his whole 'Robot Master' shtick. 

The Autobots launch an assault on the 'cons base, but Skids clips the sportscar of a local d-bag. Obeying orders not to reveal themselves, Skids rushes off, with the dude and his gal in pursuit. They get stopped by troops. 

Megatron awaits at the Space Bridge, but is quite annoyed when Blaster and his Autobot rebels show up instead. When the rest of the Autobots attack, Megatron figures that the Ark must be undefended. Attacking, they run headlong into Omega Supreme. 

Megatron and Laserbeak are the only 'cons to escape in once piece. 

Donny tries to escape, meanwhile, but Ravage stops that real quick. The Autobots opt to retreat, as their real mission was to scan Devastator to figure out the whole combiner thing. Everything would be great, except Skids gets blown up when the jerk from earlier rushes out and distracts him. 

Megatron arrives as the Autobots leave. Shockwave argues that this proves that Megatron is a poor leader, but Megatron counters that while he walked into a trap, Shockwave did nothing as the trap was set and sprung. Seeing the logic in that, Shockwave steps down as leader. 

The Autobots celebrate their victory, unaware of the music that is still playing from Skids' radio...

Good issue, although slight retcon with Blaster and co. arriving, but that's small quibble. Good introduction for Omega Supreme, although Mirage and Bluestreak have seemingly vanished. Which does make sense since their toys were discontinued, although you'd think they at least write them off. 

TFtember: Jet Powerdasher-Cromar

Jet Powerdasher 

Apparently the most common powerdasher that was sent out. The toy was a kind of jet, formerly a Diaclone Sky Dasher, and like the other two the main selling point was the pull motor. Just pull back and let her go.

The character wouldn't be called Cromar until 2019 at least the action figure version. 

No file card for this version, nor comic (Generation One anyway; like his fellows his did show up as a background character in Dreamwave and IDW comics); likewise the cartoon was absent of this fellow. 

Still, for a mail-in, not bad and the motor was neat. 

TFtember: Changing Gears

"Changing Gears" the Transformers, Oct. 1, 1985

We open with the Decepticons attacking a group of miners. Megatron isn't angry about them trying to call for help though, for some reason.

The Autobots arrive, with Gears complaining the whole way. During the fight, Megatron manages to get the drop of Gears and drag the Autobot truck away. Why?

Seems there is a component inside Gears' chest which is vital to the Megatron's latest scheme. With it he can finish his Solar Needle and drain energy from space. Removing it also messes with Gears...in that it turns him nice!

The Autobots race to the rescue though but will they want to fix their friend?

Not terrible but man not that much happens. Gears gets some good moments though and his fnal twist and the end makes it worthwhile.