Editing Prime's Rib!

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #234
|prev=A Small War!
|next=Deathbringer (issue)
|title="Prime's Rib!"
|image=MarvelUK-234.jpg
|caption="And ''that's'' for leaving your dirty socks lying around!"
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=[[September 2|2nd September]] [[1989]]
|coverdate=[[September 9|9th September]] 1989
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|art=[[Andrew Wildman|Andy Wildman]]
|lettering=[[Helen Stone]]
|cover=[[Geoff Senior]]
|chronology=[[Marvel Comics timeline#Original future|Original future (1995)]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]] ([[Primax 984.20 Gamma|Marvel UK]])
}}
'''Optimus Prime creates a new female warrior to appease human feminists.'''

==Synopsis==
On [[July 15]], [[1995]], in an attempt to forge better relationships with the [[human]]s on [[Earth]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] unveils a new '[[Female Transformer|female]]' [[Autobot]] called [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] to counter claims of sexism from human [[Feminist mob|feminists]]. Much to Prime's bemusement, Arcee doesn’t prove popular with the feminists who complain that she looks weak and shouldn't be pink.

[[File:Arceeprimesrib.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Just like a woman! Complain, complain complain!]]
[[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] are unable to understand what all the fuss is about as the only thing that they can see that separates Arcee from other Autobot warriors is a variation in the upper chassis design.

As Optimus Prime attempts to calm the feminists, the [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]], [[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] and [[Horri-Bull]], led by [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]], launch a surprise attack. Prime orders Arcee to stay back while he handles the Decepticons, much to Arcee's disgust.

Optimus Prime is soon overpowered and Arcee is forced to go to his rescue, managing to drive off the Decepticons. During the confusion, she and Hot Rod collide and end up in a heap on the floor, leading Hot Rod to declare that he's all for female Transformers, much to the feminists' displeasure.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]] (4)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (5)
|c2=
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] (6)
*[[Horri-Bull]] (7)
*[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] (8)
*[[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] (9)
|c3=
*[[Feminist mob|Feminists]] (3)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
[[File:Prime's Rib! enraged feminists.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|They're right, you know.]]

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus Prime appears in his smaller-robot [[Powermaster]] form. As he had stopped using that body before 1995 in the main timeline, then the story possibly takes place in the standard Marvel UK future timeline (which the notes below assume). He was never seen in that body in that timeline either though (which doesn't mean that he couldn't have been a Powermaster in 1995). It's probably best not to think too much about it.

===Continuity notes===
*In terms of story chronology, this is the first UK story set in a future timeline (1995) and centring on the [[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]] cast. The next story, from the movie characters' point of view at least, would be "[[Ark Duty]]", followed by the Shockwave segment of "[[Aspects of Evil!]]".

===Real-life references===
*The title of this issue is derived from the {{w|Adam and Eve|Biblical story of the creation of Eve, who was formed from one of Adam's ribs}}. It is, of course, also a reference to {{w|Standing rib roast|"prime rib" cuts of meat}}.

===Other trivia===
*Issue [[The Hunting Party (Marvel)|#229's]] editorial said "[[Prime's Rib!]]" would be the next UK strip after "[[The Big Shutdown!]]", indicating plans got changed fast as "[[A Small War!]]" ran two weeks later. #229 also claimed this story was "for all you feminists out there" because someone was a troll.
*If transformers had no concept of gender before Arcee arrived, why have they only used male pronouns up to this point? Wouldn't it make more sense to use "he" and "she" indiscriminately or just drop the whole thing and use "it" or "they"? Of course readers know the real reason (Hasbro didn't want a big female presence in a franchise aimed mainly at boys) but in universe it's a bit of a plot-hole. It makes even less sense when you remember the Autobots have been living on Earth for a few years at least, and they still don't know what words like "man" and "woman" mean? Talk about unobservant!
*Another interesting point is Hot Rod's romantic interest in Arcee (something which grows over time in later issues), despite the rest of the cast admitting they see no difference between Arcee and themselves other than her having a slightly altered chassis design. If gender isn't really a thing to our favourite robots, does that mean any two of the "male" cast could start a relationship together? Or are they somehow programmed to be "straight" and Arcee and Hot Rod's encounter is the first instance of transformer/transformer romance in all of their race's history? Makes you think. 

===Back-up material===
*'''Additional ''Transformers'' story:''' "[[King Con!]]"
*'''Other strips:''' ''[[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]]'' - "Airshow" and ''Combat Colin''
*'''Classic Covers Calendar:''' September [[Worlds Apart!|#130]]
*'''Free gift:''' temporary tattoo (Autobot and Decepticon [[Insignia|symbols]])

===Covers (1)===
*'''Issue #234 cover:''' Arcee beats up on Horri-Bull, by Geoff Senior.
<gallery>
File:MarvelUK-234.jpg|'''Issue #234'''
</gallery>

===Reprints===
*'''''[[Transformers: Earthforce]]'' cover:''' [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] thumps a table - crop of the cover to UK issue [[Break-Away!|#263]], by [[Stephen Baskerville]].
*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 17: Matrix Quest''''' Nightbeat and Optimus Prime's corpse.
<gallery>
File:Titan B&W Compilation-Earthforce.jpg|'''''Earthforce''''' (Titan Books, 2005)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v17.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 17: Matrix Quest''''' (Hachette Partworks, Ltd., 2018)
</gallery>

[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]