Totaled!

2010-02-28T06:38:51Z

141.225.193.182: /* Synopsis */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #41
|prev=Pretender to the Throne!
|next=People Power!
|title="Totaled!"
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #174–175
|prev2=Wrecking Havoc
|next2=People Power!
|image=MarvelUS-41.jpg
|caption=My money's on Cosmos.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=February 1988
|coverdate=June 1988
|writer=[[Bob Budiansky]]
|pencils=[[José Delbo]]
|inks=[[Danny Bulanadi]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Bill Oakley]]
|editor=[[Don Daley]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''It starts with Grimlock vs. Fruitloop Multipuck, but things never end that simply do they?'''

==Synopsis==
Optimus Prime explodes! Having acquired Prime's mind on a disc, the [[Autobot]]s on the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' have initiated [[Project Prime]], an attempt to build a new body for the Autobot leader. [[Project Prime team|The team]] isn't having much luck, as the ship's resources have been depleted by reconstructing Fortress Maximus and Goldbug and creating the Autobot [[Pretender]]s. Hot Rod, however, has tracked down the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]; Fortress Maximus decides to approach Grimlock, leader of the Autobots on [[Earth]], for help.

[[Image:Snarladjustscrown.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Grimlock: Tyrant, bully, metrosexual.]]
Grimlock doesn't want to help, and instead demands Fortress Maximus hand over the fugitive Goldbug. Maximus refuses, but to avoid a conflict, Goldbug surrenders. Grimlock is still not satisfied; he challenges Fortress Maximus to one-on-one battle for the leadership of the Autobots under the archaic [[Code of Combat]].

In the brig, Goldbug finds Blaster, strapped to an energy-sucking [[variable voltage harness]]. Blaster has become apathetic from his time wasting away, but Goldbug talks him into fighting in the injured Fortress Maximus' place.

[[Image:Omegasupreme-blasterandgrimlock.jpg|right|250px|thumb|So much for democracy!]]
Elsewhere, Soundwave has been tracking the ''Steelhaven''... which has led him to the Ark as well. Ratbat is pleased at the chance to destroy all of Earth's Autobots at once.

The two ships land on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. The crews from both the Ark and the ''Steelhaven'' assemble to watch Grimlock and Blaster fight it out.

The battle soon draws Blaster and Grimlock away from the rest of the Autobots. In their absence, Ratbat's [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] unleash their attack. Onslaught leads the Decepticon assault on the Autobots, while Bonecrusher (!) leads the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] in an attack on the unmanned Ark, to retrieve Decepticon prisoners.

Without strong leadership, the Autobots were losing the battle, so (rather than taking command) Fortress Maximus orders Goldbug to take the skeleton crew on the ''Steelhaven'' and leave the scene.

[[Image:Grimlockokeydokeyblaster.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Grimlock goes from brutal tyrant to doofus in 22 pages.]]
Grimlock and Blaster are still fighting when Blaster notices the battle going on far in the distance. Setting their differences aside, the two Autobots rejoin the battle. Working together, Grimlock and Blaster manage to turn back the Decepticons and damage their ship enough to force a full Decepticon retreat.

Grimlock finally accepts the possibility of working with others, noting that he and Blaster are an effective team. With the Ark and many Autobots damaged, repair work is urgent. But Fortress Maximus notes that the ''Steelhaven'' will be unable to help; seeing the need for a true great leader, he has sent the ship to [[Nebulos]], the one place with the technology to properly rebuild Optimus Prime.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (1)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Brainstorm]] (4)
* [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (5)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (6)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (8)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (9)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (10)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (11)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (12)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (13)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (17)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (18)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (19)
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (20)
* [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (21)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (22)
* [[Grapple]] (23)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (24)
* [[Slapdash]] (25)
* [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]] (26)
* [[Getaway]] (27)
* [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (28)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (29)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (31)
|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (14)
* [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (16)
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (30)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (32)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (33)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (34)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (35)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (36)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (37)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (38)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (39)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (40)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (41)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (42)
|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
* [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] (15)
}}

==Errors==
* Helicopters should not be able to fly in a vacuum, but obviously no one ever told Vortex.
* None of Fortress Maximus's Autobots are seen after they exit the ''Steelhaven''. It's only the older toys shown getting their butts kicked.
* A huge crowd of Decepticons is shown surrounding the Autobots... but the combined forces of the Ark and the ''Steelhaven'' should outnumber Ratbat's Decepticons by 2 to 1 or more.

==Items of note==
* Unlike in the cartoon, writer Bob Budiansky always made sure sound didn't travel in space sequences in the ''Transformers'' comic. To this end there's no 'sound effects' during the entire 13-page moon battle sequence. The Transformers used radio to communicate over these pages.
* This even plays a part in the plot — Grimlock and Blaster don't notice the Decepticon attack on their fellows immediately because they can't hear the battle.

* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and [[Outback]] briefly make their first US appearances here. This is a bit of an oddity since characters tended not to 'just appear' in the Marvel comics without ''some'' explanation how they got there. Artist [[José Delbo]], who had to draw over 120 ''different'' Transformers for this issue's 3-way battle — many of them in multiple modes — may simply have "oopsied," while trying to cram them all in. In the ''UK'' stories both characters were active on Cybertron, and changes were made when the story was reprinted to accommodate this. (see below)
*How can one not love the nicknames all through this issue? "Doc Ratchet," "Grimbo," and of course Grimlock's constant reworking of Fortress Maximus' name. He calls him "Fruitloop Multipuck," "Forktongue Maxiface" and even the ever-classic "Fullstrength Motleypuss."

[[Image:Totaledarkdisembark.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Protectobots, where art thou?]]
* The letters page of this issue featured two competitions, [[Spot the Shingo]] and a competition to name all the Transformers pouring from the Ark on page 10 of the issue. The prizes were not really disclosed.
* This group shot is the first real appearance some characters have had for dozens of issues. Sunstreaker, for example, was last seen in [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|issue 10]], still deactivated from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s demonstration in [[The New Order|issue 5]]. He hadn't been online since the original miniseries.
* Likewise, many of the other Autobots who are seen exiting the Ark had "disappeared" long ago to make room for newer characters.
* Perhaps more interesting is the absence of the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], who were last seen on [[Earth]] disobeying Grimlock's orders to bring in Blaster for execution... for disobeying orders. A conspicuous omission for a groupshot otherwise so completist -- so, yeah, they're probably keeping their distance.
* There's also no [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] for absolutely no reason.

* The massed Autobots apparently sit around on the Moon licking their wounds until [[Club Con!|issue 47]], at the beginning of which they are all back on Earth. It's implicitly clear that Optimus Prime eventually picks them up using the ''Steelhaven'' (after rescuing [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] from the [[The Cosmic Carnival!|Cosmic Carnival]]), re-assumes command, and then they all return to Earth, but it's not depicted outright.
* Though not mentioned, [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] and [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] were among the Decepticons in Autobot custody, and may have been retrieved as well. Blast Off had been captured in [[Spacehikers!]], and Dirge (US continuity only) was blown out of the sky in [[Ashes, Ashes...]]. Neither showed up for the remainder of the G1 continuity except for crowd scenes, but it's worth noting.

===References===
* The Decepticons retrieved by the Constructicons in this issue were captured in battle with Omega Supreme way back in U.S. [[Command Performances!|#19]].
* Optimus Prime was put on a disc after his death in U.S. [[Afterdeath!|#24]].
* There are numerous references to the [[Pretender to the Throne!|previous issue]], including the acquiring of the Prime disc, the rebuilding of Goldbug, and the creation of the Pretenders.
* Fortress Maximus was still recovering from his battle with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] in issue [[The Desert Island of Space!|#39]].

===UK printing===
* The title was given a second "L." (Because that's the correct spelling in the Queen's English, you colonial fools.)
* Issue #174 included Transformers A-Z's for Jazz and Jetfire.
* A flashback to the events of "[[Spacehikers!]]" (actually re-drawing a panel from that story) again includes an appearance by [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], among the Autobots encouraging Blaster to assume leadership of the Autobots. Unfortunately, in the ''UK''-originated material, Sandstorm was with the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and could not possibly have been present on the Ark at this time. It's possible that this non-speaking [[Block coloring|block colored]] Autobot was instead a [[Generic]] lookalike (from a pure continuity standpoint,) though artist [[José Delbo]] certainly ''intended'' it to be Sandstorm.

[[Image:Broadsidetotaled.jpg|right|250px|thumb|In the UK, I was replaced by some other dude!]]
* Issue #175 features some of the most aggressive art edits done to a US story to bring it into line with UK continuity. Because Broadside was a member of the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]], (and on Cybertron at this time,) Broadside's close-up had to be edited to turn him a new character; the head partially redrawn and his blue parts colored green, creating a new, generic robot. (detail at right)
* Likewise, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] was in [[Limbo]] at this point in UK continuity, so the image of him leaving the Ark with the other Autobots was given a new head and headlamps. Ironically his new head resembles that of [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]], which is how Skids would come to be portrayed in later UK stories anyway.
* The boxes containing the rescued Decepticons were edited to remove and rearrange the names, since most of the "inactive" Decepticons [[Command Performances!|defeated by Omega Supreme]] had already been revived during the UK's "[[Target: 2006]]" storyline. The Constructicons' mission now only freed Rumble and Buzzsaw (and possibly Skywarp, absent since his "destruction" in Target 2006 but back among Ratbat's forces in their next appearance.) Long Haul's dialog to his fellow Constructicons was also altered, discarding a statement about the many Decepticons they had to free and replacing it with a much vaguer "We have a lot more work to do!" In US continuity the rescued Decepticons were: Buzzsaw, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Rumble, Frenzy and Starscream.
* In the [[Grim Grams]] for issue #174, Grimlock states that he doesn't want a toy of his Cybertronian form to be created and that people should be happy with him as he is!
* In the Grim Grams for issue #175, Grimlock identified the [[Generic]] transformer from the opening splash page of UK issue #164 as "[[Chuffer]]".

===Covers (3)===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-41.jpg|'''US Issue 41''' - Or: How to give [[José Delbo]] a nervous breakdown
Image:MarvelUK-174.jpg|'''UK Issue 174''' - Use the FLAT of your blade, Grimlock!
Image:MarvelUK-175.jpg|'''UK Issue 175''' - Grimlock won't stop dancing for anyone.
</gallery>
* '''U.S. issue 40 cover:''' battle royal by [[José Delbo]]
* '''UK issue 174 cover:''' Grimlock and Spike by [[Jeff Anderson]]
* '''UK issue 175 cover:''' Grimlock and Blaster by [[Lee Sullivan]]

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[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

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Totaled!