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{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #198
|prev=The Flames of Boltax!
|next=Time Wars
|title="Cold Comfort and Joy!"
|image=MarvelUK-198.jpg
|caption="Everybody was Kung-Fu fightin'..."
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|coverdate=[[December 31|31st December]] [[1988]]
|plot=[[Simon Furman]]
|script=[[Ian Rimmer]]
|pencils=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inks=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colour=[[Euan Peters]]
|letterer=[[Gary Gilbert|Glib]]
|cover=Andrew Wildman
|chronology=Xmas [[Marvel Comics timeline|1988]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]] ([[Primax 984.20 Gamma|Marvel UK]])
}}
'''Just as Megatron has always told us...everything is Optimus Prime's fault.'''
'''Just as Megatron has always told us...everything is Optimus Prime's fault.'''


=Marvel UK issues #198=
==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], having recently returned to life and the planet [[Earth]], is having difficulty identifying with his past. It appears that his time as a computer-generated character has separated him emotionally from his own past experiences: he is aware of the "old" Prime's thoughts and beliefs, but cannot completely understand them. Most troubling for Prime is his lack of interest in Earth and its [[human|populace]], and how he allowed protecting those people to become his primary goal above stopping the [[Decepticon]]s. Clearly, the Decepticons are a threat to all life in the universe, so why did he previously forestall efforts to totally eradicate the enemy when it might have led to [[human]] losses? Why do the needs of the few so massively outweigh the needs of the many in his past actions?


'''Plot:''' [[Simon Furman]] <br>
Back at the [[Autobot]] [[Ark shuttlecraft|shuttle]], the [[Powermaster]]s are expressing their concern about Optimus Prime while watching television, when suddenly a news report about a nearby "giant robot attack" catches their attention. They decide to leave Prime to his musings and capture the evil Decepticons they are sure were responsible.
'''Script:''' [[Iam Rimmer]] <br>
'''Pencillers:''' [[Andrew Wildman]]<br>
'''Inks:''' [[Stephen Baskerville]]<br>
'''Lettering:''' [[GLIB]]<br>
'''Colour:''' [[Evan Peters]]<br>
'''Cover:''' [[Andrew Wildman]]<br>


Optimus Prime continues his reverie, looking back on the Autobots' earliest encounters with the Decepticons after awakening on this planet. Astonishingly, he then recognizes that he already had the interests of humanity as top priority, even during the first battle on Earth at [[S. Witwicky Auto Repairs & Tow Service|Witwicky Autobody Shop]]. He thinks back even further, to the Decepticon boarding party that led to the Ark's fateful crash on Earth...and with a cold realisation comes to understand his past actions.


*''Characters:'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Slapdash]], [[Joyride]], [[Getaway]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]], [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]
At the devastated town of [[Border Flats]], the Powermasters have arrived to survey the damage and look for clues about the attacking Decepticons. They pick up a trio of Transformer life signs and race off to confront them. To their total surprise, though, the "attackers" are Autobots, specifically three [[Wreckers]] who were stationed on Earth some weeks back. The red-faced Autobots explain how they tried to get involved in the celebration of [[Christmas]], but only ended up panicking the humans and crashed into some buildings while trying to avoid stepping on the little guys.
*''Originally published:'' 31st December, 1988


==Synopsis==
Optimus Prime arrives, and shares in the Wreckers' grief over the harm the Transformers have caused the people of Earth. Optimus has finally remembered the key to his single-minded devotion to protecting Earth's people—it was his hand that triggered the Ark's crash-landing on this planet, and caused the people of Earth no end of tragedy as their war spread over the human's world. Standing with his fellow Autobots, Optimus Prime renews his vow to protect these people from the Decepticons first and foremost, and give his life if necessary to help amend the mistake he made that fateful day.
 
==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.<br>
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (3)
*[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (4)
*[[Getaway]] (7)
*''[[Toaster]]'' (9)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]]'' (17)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (18)
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (19)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (20)
|c2=
*''[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'' (10)
*''[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]'' (12)
*''[[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]]'' (13)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]'' (15)
*''[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]'' (16)
|c3=
*''[[Sparkplug Witwicky]]'' (11)
|h4=[[Nebulan]]s
|c4=
*[[Hi-Q]] (2)
*[[Hotwire (G1)|Hotwire]] (5)
*[[Rev (G1)|Rev]] (6)
*[[Lube]] (8)
}}
 
==Notes==
 
===Production notes===
*This was an early work by Wildman, and Furman (then the editor) phoned him to explain changes that were needed: "[it] went on for about 25 minutes. [Laughs] Apparently everyone stopped work and listened, and felt sorry for Andrew at the other end of the phone." Wildman said "I really upped my game because I realised there was certain things I needed to do. I was relatively fresh into comics, and if I was to have any kind of career in this I needed to respond to the demands that were being made of me. So I was pulled up, I felt really pissed about it for ten minutes, and then I though I’ll just do it."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060629235142/http://fractalmatter.com/main/?p=201 Wildman and Furman 2006 interview at Fractal Images (archived)]</ref>


Optimus Prime, having recently returned to life and the planet Earth, is having difficulty identifying with his past. It appears that his time as a computer-generated character has separated him emotionally from his own past experiences: he is aware of the "old" Prime's thoughts and beliefs, but cannot completely understand them. Most troubling for Prime is his lack of interest in Earth and its populace, and how he allowed protecting those people become his primary goal above stopping the Decepticons. Clearly the Decepticons are a threat to ALL life in the universe, so why did he previously forestall efforts to totally eradicate the enemy when it might have led to human losses? Why do the needs of the few so massively outweigh the needs of the many in his past actions?
===Artwork and technical errors===
*In the flashback to the Autobots' awakening on Earth, [[Aunty|Auntie]] is shown using a [[toaster]] blueprint during the reformatting. Wrong. Hilarious, but wrong. [[Toaster|Or is it...]]
*Optimus Prime makes an its/it's error on page 1, and Slapdash does it again on page 3.


Back at the Autobot shuttle, the [[Powermaster]]s are expressing their concern about Prime while watching television, when suddenly a news report about a nearby "giant robot attack" catches their attention. They decide to leave Prime to his musings and capture the evil Decepticons they are sure were responsible.
===Continuity notes===
*The story is set between "[[Ca$h and Car-nage!]]" and "[[Club Con!]]", shortly after Optimus Prime and the Powermasters first return to Earth from [[Nebulos]], and before they hook back up with the rest of the Autobots.
*The [[Advance Surveillance Unit]] was established in "[[Firebug!]]".
*In the Marvel Transformers (US) comics published by Semic in Eastern/Central Europe (Hungary and Poland among others) this story was published between "[[The Flames of Boltax!]]" and "[[Cold War!]]", despite the comics otherwise only containing US stories (save for "[[Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron]]").
* Andrew Wildman redraws key events from the first couple of issues:
** Page 8, panel 2 is based off of the cover of [[Power Play!|US issue #2]].
** The flashback panels on page 8 and fateful button push on page 14 are based off of panels on page 8 of [[The Transformers (issue)|US issue #1]], including the Decepticon invasion, Prime conferring with Prowl, and the Ark hurtling towards Earth.


Optimus continues his reverie, looking back on the Autobots' earliest encounters with the Decepticons after awakening on this planet. Astonishingly, he then recognizes that he already had the interests of humanity as top priority, even during the first battle on Earth at Witwicky Autobody Shop. He thinks back even further, to the Decepticon boarding party that led to the Ark's fateful crash on Earth...and with a cold realization comes to understanding his past actions.
===Real-life references===
*The show Slapdash is watching ("''[[Miami Metal Clamp]]''... or something like that!") is clearly meant to be ''{{w|Miami Vice}}'', a popular cop show at the time. The scruffy-faced man displayed on the TV screen is undoubtedly meant to be ''Vice'' star {{w|Don Johnson}}.


At the devastated town of Border Flats, the Powermasters have arrived to survey the damage and look for clues about the attacking Decepticons. They pick up a trio of Transformer life signs and race off to confront them. To their total surprise, though, the "attackers" are Autobots, specifically three [[Wreckers]] who were stationed on Earth some weeks back. The red-faced Autobots explain how they tried to get involved in the celebration of Christmas, but only ended up panicking the humans and crashed into some buildings while trying to avoid stepping on the little guys.
===Back-up material===
*'''Back-up strips:''' ''[[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]]'' - "Jungle Moves" and ''[[Combat Colin]]''


Optimus Prime arrives, and shares in the Wreckers' grief over the harm the Transformers have caused the people of Earth. Optimus has finally remembered the key to his single-minded devotion to protecting Earth's people -- it was HIS hand that triggered the Ark's crashlanding on this planet, and caused the people of Earth no end of tragedy as [[Transformers (2007)|Their War]] spread over [[Transformers (2007)|Our World]]. Standing with his fellow Autobots, Optimus Prime renews his vow to protect these people from the Decepticons first and foremost, and give his life if necessary to help amend the mistake he made that fateful day.
===Cover===
*'''Issue #198 cover:''' the Autobot Powermasters ponder the meaning of Christmas, by [[Andrew Wildman|Andy Wildman]].
<gallery>
File:MarvelUK-198.jpg|'''Issue #198'''
</gallery>


==Errors==
===Reprints===
*In the flashback to the Autobots' awakening on Earth, [[Auntie]] is shown using a [[Toaster (G1)|toaster oven]] blueprint during the reformatting. Wrong. Hilarious, but wrong.
*'''[[Transformers Collected Comics|''Winter Special 1991'']]''' cover: Megatron and Galvatron have killed the [[Wreckers]] and [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhems]], by [[Andrew Wildman|Andy Wildman]].
*'''''[[Transformers: Second Generation|Second Generation]]''''' TPB cover: [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] battles [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], by [[Lee Sullivan]].
*'''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection|''Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection:Volume 16: The Primal Scream'']]''': Optimus Prime by Guido Guidi above an interior scene of the Megatron vs Grimlock.
*'''''[[The Transformers Classics UK]]'' [[The Transformers Classics UK Volume 6|Volume 6]]''' cover: [[Ghyrik|General Ghyrik]], a [[Quintesson]] Judge, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] and [[Snarler]]. Art and colors by Andrew Wildman.
<gallery>
File:Tfcolcom19.jpg|'''Winter Special 1991''' (1991, Marvel Comics UK)
File:TitanSG.jpg|'''''Second Generation'' TPB''' (Titan Books, 2004)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v16.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 16: The Primal Scream'''''<br>(Hachette Partworks, 2017)
File:ClassicsUK6.jpg|'''''Classics UK'' Volume 6 TPB''' (IDW Publishing, 2017)
</gallery>


==Items of note==
==References==
*This is one of Marvel UK's annual Christmas issue specials.
{{reflist}}
*The story is set between US #46-47, shortly after Optimus Prime and the Powermasters first return to Earth from [[Nebulos]], and before they hook back up with the rest of the Autobots.
*The Advance Surveillance Unit was established in UK #188.


[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Latest revision as of 18:51, 21 January 2026

« The Transformers (UK) #198 »

"Everybody was Kung-Fu fightin'..."
"Cold Comfort and Joy!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
Cover date 31st December 1988
Plot Simon Furman
Script Ian Rimmer
Pencils Andrew Wildman
Inks Stephen Baskerville
Colour Euan Peters
Letterer Glib
Cover Andrew Wildman
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity (Marvel UK)
Chronology Xmas 1988

Just as Megatron has always told us...everything is Optimus Prime's fault.

Synopsis

[edit]

Optimus Prime, having recently returned to life and the planet Earth, is having difficulty identifying with his past. It appears that his time as a computer-generated character has separated him emotionally from his own past experiences: he is aware of the "old" Prime's thoughts and beliefs, but cannot completely understand them. Most troubling for Prime is his lack of interest in Earth and its populace, and how he allowed protecting those people to become his primary goal above stopping the Decepticons. Clearly, the Decepticons are a threat to all life in the universe, so why did he previously forestall efforts to totally eradicate the enemy when it might have led to human losses? Why do the needs of the few so massively outweigh the needs of the many in his past actions?

Back at the Autobot shuttle, the Powermasters are expressing their concern about Optimus Prime while watching television, when suddenly a news report about a nearby "giant robot attack" catches their attention. They decide to leave Prime to his musings and capture the evil Decepticons they are sure were responsible.

Optimus Prime continues his reverie, looking back on the Autobots' earliest encounters with the Decepticons after awakening on this planet. Astonishingly, he then recognizes that he already had the interests of humanity as top priority, even during the first battle on Earth at Witwicky Autobody Shop. He thinks back even further, to the Decepticon boarding party that led to the Ark's fateful crash on Earth...and with a cold realisation comes to understand his past actions.

At the devastated town of Border Flats, the Powermasters have arrived to survey the damage and look for clues about the attacking Decepticons. They pick up a trio of Transformer life signs and race off to confront them. To their total surprise, though, the "attackers" are Autobots, specifically three Wreckers who were stationed on Earth some weeks back. The red-faced Autobots explain how they tried to get involved in the celebration of Christmas, but only ended up panicking the humans and crashed into some buildings while trying to avoid stepping on the little guys.

Optimus Prime arrives, and shares in the Wreckers' grief over the harm the Transformers have caused the people of Earth. Optimus has finally remembered the key to his single-minded devotion to protecting Earth's people—it was his hand that triggered the Ark's crash-landing on this planet, and caused the people of Earth no end of tragedy as their war spread over the human's world. Standing with his fellow Autobots, Optimus Prime renews his vow to protect these people from the Decepticons first and foremost, and give his life if necessary to help amend the mistake he made that fateful day.

[edit]

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans Nebulans

Notes

[edit]

Production notes

[edit]
  • This was an early work by Wildman, and Furman (then the editor) phoned him to explain changes that were needed: "[it] went on for about 25 minutes. [Laughs] Apparently everyone stopped work and listened, and felt sorry for Andrew at the other end of the phone." Wildman said "I really upped my game because I realised there was certain things I needed to do. I was relatively fresh into comics, and if I was to have any kind of career in this I needed to respond to the demands that were being made of me. So I was pulled up, I felt really pissed about it for ten minutes, and then I though I’ll just do it."[1]

Artwork and technical errors

[edit]
  • In the flashback to the Autobots' awakening on Earth, Auntie is shown using a toaster blueprint during the reformatting. Wrong. Hilarious, but wrong. Or is it...
  • Optimus Prime makes an its/it's error on page 1, and Slapdash does it again on page 3.

Continuity notes

[edit]
  • The story is set between "Ca$h and Car-nage!" and "Club Con!", shortly after Optimus Prime and the Powermasters first return to Earth from Nebulos, and before they hook back up with the rest of the Autobots.
  • The Advance Surveillance Unit was established in "Firebug!".
  • In the Marvel Transformers (US) comics published by Semic in Eastern/Central Europe (Hungary and Poland among others) this story was published between "The Flames of Boltax!" and "Cold War!", despite the comics otherwise only containing US stories (save for "Man of Iron").
  • Andrew Wildman redraws key events from the first couple of issues:
    • Page 8, panel 2 is based off of the cover of US issue #2.
    • The flashback panels on page 8 and fateful button push on page 14 are based off of panels on page 8 of US issue #1, including the Decepticon invasion, Prime conferring with Prowl, and the Ark hurtling towards Earth.

Real-life references

[edit]
  • The show Slapdash is watching ("Miami Metal Clamp... or something like that!") is clearly meant to be Miami Vice, a popular cop show at the time. The scruffy-faced man displayed on the TV screen is undoubtedly meant to be Vice star Don Johnson.

Back-up material

[edit]

Cover

[edit]
  • Issue #198 cover: the Autobot Powermasters ponder the meaning of Christmas, by Andy Wildman.
  • Issue #198
    Issue #198

Reprints

[edit]
  • Winter Special 1991 (1991, Marvel Comics UK)
    Winter Special 1991 (1991, Marvel Comics UK)
  • Second Generation TPB (Titan Books, 2004)
    Second Generation TPB (Titan Books, 2004)
  • The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 16: The Primal Scream (Hachette Partworks, 2017)
    The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 16: The Primal Scream
    (Hachette Partworks, 2017)
  • Classics UK Volume 6 TPB (IDW Publishing, 2017)
    Classics UK Volume 6 TPB (IDW Publishing, 2017)

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Wildman and Furman 2006 interview at Fractal Images (archived)
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