Stargazing

2009-12-27T00:11:23Z

24.2.83.35:

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #145
|prev=Spacehikers!
|next=The Legacy of Unicron!
|title=Stargazing
|image=MarvelUK-145.jpg
|caption=He's Jewish, you see.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|coverdate=[[December 26]]th 1987
|plot=[[Simon Furman]]
|script=[[Ian Rimmer]]
|pencils=[[Jeff Anderson]]
|inks=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colours=[[Euan Peters]]
|lettering=[[Annie Halfacree]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''A boy tries to teach Starscream the meaning of Christmas.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Starscreammerrychristmas.jpg|left|175px|thumb|Starscream's spark grew three sizes that day... then immediately collapsed on itself.]]
Starscream has awakened from his [[deep sleep capsule]] {{storylink|Target: 2006}} and come to a personal revelation. For all his treachery and lust for conquest, what he really wants is to see his home again. His angst is interrupted by a young man who tells Starscream to cheer up—it's [[Christmas]] Eve! Starscream is not impressed; he'd squash the fleshling then and there if he weren't so depressed.

Stubbornly, the kid refuses to leave until he demonstrates the Christmas spirit to Starscream. Starscream reluctantly flies him into town, where along the way they spy a van full of senior citizens stuck in some snow. Stopping, the kid suggests to Starscream that he should rescue them. ''But what's in it for me?'' Starscream asks.

As Starscream reaches for the van, he is blasted from behind by Streetwise, who suspects ill-doing from the Decepticon. After a heated battle, both are interrupted by the kid, who chastises Streetwise for jumping to conclusions. As Streetwise watches, Starscream picks up the van and sets it back down on the road. Streetwise escorts the van to its destination.

Later, downtown in front of a Christmas tree, the kid explains to Starscream the meaning of the Christmas spirit, of charity, and the communal reassurance of good will. Starscream doesn't care. The kid is confused -- didn't Starscream enjoy saving the elderly humans in the van? No, Starscream counters, he was merely pleased to humiliate the Autobot.

Distraught, the kid wanders away, finally conceding defeat. Starscream laughs, momentarily thinks better of it, and finally wishes the surprised kid a Merry Christmas.

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (2)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (3)
* [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (5)
|c2=
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (1)
|c3=
* [[Christmas kid]] (4)
}}

==Items of note==
[[Image:Biggrim christmas.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Me Grimlock no like fruitcake!]]
*As far as American Marvel continuity goes, Starscream was sealed in a capsule after getting fragged by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and wasn't up and about again until [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] had him liberated in time for the [[Underbase Saga]]. Marvel UK, however, had Screamer awaken during "[[Target: 2006]]" as a result of a simple mechanical error in his capsule not being caught; [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] sealed him back up at the end of that story, to return the status quo so it wouldn't interfere with any further US stories, and then this issue came along - which makes it appear that they just ''left the capsule lying in a field''. Starscream drops off the board after this story until the Underbase Saga, when he just chooses to hook up with Ratbat for convenience's sake, rather than having been freed by him.

*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] shows up in a Father Christmas costume, opening a letter with his [[Energo weapon|energo-sword]] in ''[[Letters page (Marvel UK)|Grim Grams]]''.

*This is [[A Rage in Heaven!|not the only time]] that Starscream does the right thing.

==Secondary Transformers Stories==
On rare occasions, the Marvel UK issues ran two new (to the UK audience, at least) Transformers stories in the same issue. This is the case for "Stargazing", the back-up story in this case being part 4 of "[[Brothers in Armor!!]]".

==Back-Up Stories==
'''Issue #145:'''
* [[Robo-Capers]]

==Reprints==
* This story was reprinted in [[Collected Comics (Marvel)|Collected Comics]] #11.
* It was reprinted again in the [[Titan Books]] trade paperback "Second Generation".

==Covers (3)==
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUK-145.jpg|'''Issue #145'''
Image:Tfcolcom11.jpg|'''Collected Comics #11'''
Image:TitanSG.jpg|'''Second Generation TPB'''
</gallery>
* '''UK issue #145 cover: '''Starscream sneers at your [[Christmas]], by [[Barry Kitson]] & [[Robin Bouttell]].
* '''Collected Comics #11 cover: '''Starscream decorating a Christmas tree, by [[Robin Smith]].
* '''Second Generation TPB cover: '''[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] fights [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], by [[Lee Sullivan]].

[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

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Stargazing