Resurrection!

« The Transformers (UK) #103–104 »
So we will walk through the fire And let it Burn Let it burn
"Resurrection!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	Part 1: 28th February 1987 Part 2: 7th March 1987
Cover date	Part 1: 7th March 1987 Part 2: 14th March 1987
Script	Simon Furman
Art	Part 1: Will Simpson Part 2: Jeff Anderson
Colour	Steve White
Letters	Annie Halfacree
Editor	Ian Rimmer
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Whilst Optimus Prime brings new life to the Autobots on Cybertron, Lord Straxus faces down Megatron.

Synopsis

Part 1

On Cybertron, Octane delivers a report to Lord Straxus concerning a recent Autobot attack on a Decepticon fuel storehouse, led by Optimus Prime himself. Though Octane alleges that he threw himself into the battle, only to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, Straxus isn't fooled; in reality, the Triple Changer tried to run away, but tripped over a pipe and knocked himself out. Still, it doesn't change the fact that the Autobots made off with the facility's energon cubes—just the latest in a series of successful raids the Autobot resistance has been able to carry out, emboldened by the return of Optimus Prime to Cybertron. Straxus places the blame for Prime's return on Megatron, who is also proving to be a problem to his fellow Decepticons himself, as his mental state continues to deteriorate... an issue punctuated by the arrival of Ratbat, who informs Straxus that Megatron has nearly torn two guards apart for betting on where Prime would strike next. As a group of technicians finish attaching some kind of device to his life-support bubble, Straxus declares that the time has come to act, and calls for Megatron to be summoned before him.

Meanwhile, in Iacon, the Autobots celebrate their successful mission. Optimus Prime cautions them that he will soon have to go back to Earth to stop the Decepticons' energy-gathering efforts there, but promises to return to lead the Autobots to their final victory. This news doesn't thrill Emirate Xaaron, who unsuccessfully tries to convince Prime to stay; Ultra Magnus, on the other hand—his confidence shaken by recent mistakes—asks to join Prime in returning to Earth, thinking he can do more good there than on Cybertron, but Prime insists he must stay to help on their homeworld.

Back on Earth, Perceptor, Blaster, and the other arrivals from Cybertron finally reach the Ark, and inform Ironhide of their recent encounter with Galvatron and the Dinobots. The new arrivals are shocked to learn that the Autobots believe Optimus Prime is dead.

When Megatron arrives in response to Straxus's summons, Straxus gives Megatron one final chance: he urges him to return to Earth, in the hope that Prime will follow. But when this suggestions only causes Megatron to fly into a rage and threaten to kill Straxus, Straxus blasts Megatron with the device attached to his life-support bubble. As Megatron howls in agony, Straxus explains that the device will exchange their minds, placing Straxus in control of Megatron's body, and trapping Megatron in Straxus's, after which Straxus will terminate him completely. Megatron struggles against the process, and manages to smash the life support machine, then crushes Straxus's head. But then, holding the his rival's ruined remains aloft, he announces that the process was a success, and that Lord Straxus now lives in Megatron's place!

Part 2: "Whose Death Is It Anyway?"

On Earth, the Autobots hold a funeral for Optimus Prime, and in accordance with Earth customs, they dig a grave and bury what they believe to be his body (but which, unbeknownst to them, is actually a facsimile construct). Blaster whispers to Perceptor that he would rather the body was blasted into space in accordance with Cybertronian tradition, but Perceptor responds that the Autobots who know Prime better have decided that this is what he would have wanted.

On Cybertron, Optimus Prime lays out the details of the Autobots' next mission. While the Wreckers stage a diversionary attack on a fuel store to draw out the Decepticons' security forces, he and Ultra Magnus will invade Polyhex, so that he can take down Megatron once and for all. Ultra Magnus feels the attack is risky, but Prime can wait no longer; he must end Megatron's threat now so that he can return to Earth.

Inside the Polyhex Decepticon stronghold, Megatron's body sits on a throne, racked by confusion. Memories explode across his mind... first those of Megatron himself, then those of Straxus, and it becomes apparent that the mind-transference procedure has not worked all the way: thanks to Megatron resisting the process, now, both Megatron and Straxus's minds are sharing Megatron's body, fighting for dominance. The strain is almost too much to bear, until Ratbat suddenly appears with news of the Autobots' new attack. While this snaps Megatron/Straxus out of his spiral, Ratbat takes notice of his peculiar behaviour, and is quick to realise what has really happened to his leader.

Megatron/Straxus wanders through the base, trying to remember recent events, but his memories are jumbled, and he can't even remember how he came to Cybertron, only vaguely recalling a battle with Optimus Prime. Suddenly, he is confronted by Prime and Magnus, and is quickly subdued by the powerful Magnus, still seeking to make amends for his recent failures. Before Prime can finish him off, however, Megatron brings his antimatter channeling ability to bear, causing a cloud of the volatile substance to emanate from his eyes. This causes an explosion that sends Prime and Magnus reeling, but Megatron stands unaffected, his anti-matter cloud growing larger. Monitoring the battle from elsewhere in the base, Ratbat realises that if unchecked, Megatron/Straxus will destroy them all. With the Predacons just having coming across the space bridge from Earth, Ratbat instructs Octane to redirect the bridge so that it materialises right next to the combatants; another explosion results, hurling Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Ultra Magnus to Earth. Unfortunately, it turns out that the Predacons had actually come to find Megatron and Prime, as Shockwave had deduced their location... but now that Ratbat has sent Megatron back to Earth, Razorclaw figures that Shockwave will soon be destroyed for his treachery.

But Shockwave is in luck. A confused Megatron materialises in the Decepticons' coal mine base, and merely berates Shockwave for doing nothing in his absence. Soundwave discreetly reads Megatron's thoughts and discovers that the clashing personalities within his mind have affected his memories, and he has forgotten Shockwave and the Predacons' betrayal. Shockwave realises he is back to square one, but that he will have other chances to overthrow Megatron.

Optimus Prime, meanwhile, appears atop his own grave just as his "funeral" is ending. He compliments the confused Autobots on their choice of headstone, and begins to answer their questions... while, somewhere else on Earth, Ultra Magnus finds himself alone in the woods, excited at the prospect of exploring the Earth as he searches for the Ark.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots

Decepticons

Pipes (2) Topspin (3) Twin Twist (4) Optimus Prime (5) Ultra Magnus (6) Springer (7) Sandstorm (8) Roadbuster (9) Xaaron (11) Outback (12) Broadside (14) Tailgate (15) Ironhide (16) Warpath (17) Seaspray (18) Powerglide (19) Perceptor (20) Blaster (21) Cosmos (22) Beachcomber (24) Brawn (28) Bumblebee (29) Wheeljack (30) Jetfire (31) Prowl (32) Silverbolt (33) Hound (34) Smokescreen (35) Jazz (36) Omega Supreme (37) Ratchet (38)

Octane (1) Straxus (10) Ratbat (13) Galvatron (23) Megatron (25) Blitzwing (26) Astrotrain (27) Tantrum (39) Razorclaw (40) Headstrong (41) Frenzy (42) Soundwave (43) Shockwave (44)

Quotes

"But fear not. When I return here, it will be to lead you to our ultimate victory over tyranny and oppression! And all will be one!"

—Optimus Prime inspires the Cybertron Autobots.

"Galvatron! Aww no, tell me it isn't so! I thought we'd got rid of him for good after his last visit."
"Sadly, your analysis was an evident misconception, considering the variables inherent in traversing the time stream."
"Huh?"

—Ironhide is confounded by Perceptor.

"Optimus Prime still lives! What are you going to do about it, eh? Render a few more of my troops inoperative, perhaps?"

—Straxus gets his sass on.

"Hmm...I approve of the headstone, Autobots. It's a nice touch."

—Optimus Prime

Notes

Continuity notes

• After a two-issue break, the comic returns to the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron on Cybertron. Flashbacks recap the earlier chapters of the story, as seen in issues #96-100.
• The device Straxus uses to attempt his mind-exchange with Megatron is the "equipment" he ominously referred to back in issue #99.
• Pipes and Tailgate make their first appearances in the comic in Part 1; Pipes appears next to Topspin as part of Optimus Prime's raiding party on page 2, while Tailgate is a member of the audience for Optimus Prime's speech on page 7 (right). They aren't named, don't speak, and won't reappear until issue #245.
• Ultra Magnus recalls his previous visit to Earth in issues #78-88. He wants to return to the planet because he previously enjoyed success there, helping to defeat Galvatron, while on Cybertron, he has experienced only failure, having caused by inaction the death of Impactor (as seen in issue #88). His desperate need to make up for the failing has led to him making errors in judgement, as previously seen in issue #99 (right).
• The American stories never actually showed Blaster and the "Cybertron Seven" reaching the Ark and joining the Earth-based Autobot forces; they just appeared among them in issue #109 (US issue #26), having arrived between issues. The UK series is thus able to fill that gap by showing the group's arrival in this story, following their encounter with Galvatron in the previous two issues.
• Blaster's remark that Optimus's body should have been "blasted off into space in accordance with Cybertronian customs" is written with foreknowledge of upcoming American stories, which will see Prime actually die, and his body launched into space in issue #110 (US issue #26). The UK comic never actually offers an explanation for the difference between the two funerals; we can only presume that Prime must inform the Autobots between issues that he would actually prefer to be launched into space rather than buried on Earth.
• Megatron's little-used ability to tap into antimatter was previously seen in issues #20-21.
• Ratbat's inclusion in this story as a member of Straxus's court is another story point written with knowledge of the upcoming US stories that will depict the fuel auditor as the top 'Con on Cybertron, a position he will now be able to slip into following Straxus's departure. He will first appear in this role in issue #111 (US issue #27).
• There's a noticeable amount of "putting the toys back in the box" at the end of this story, with the Predacons returning to Cybertron and Megatron losing his memory of their betrayal—necessary moves to get things in line with the next batch of US reprints, which will see Shockwave summon the Predacons (back) to Earth for a new mission in issues #107-108 (US issue #25).
• This issue marks the last appearances of Jazz, Brawn, Prowl, Hound, and Ironhide as operational members of the Autobot forces for the next year or so. In US stories, these characters were taken offline in issue #40 (US issue #12), but UK stories have continued to present them as fit and functional. This belated phasing-out brings their status in the UK stories into line with US continuity, but is given no in-universe explanation. Most of them will not reappear until issue #174, when the US stories reintroduce all the various offlined characters. Prowl will be temporarily brought back online in issue #110, before being shown to be active again in issue #144.

Transformers references

• Optimus Prime vows that "all will be one," alluding to the Autobot mantra, "'Til all are one," introduced in The Transformers: The Movie.
• In another reference to the movie, as in issue #101, Perceptor is again speaking with the overdeveloped vocabulary that confuses those around him, a running gag from the film.

Real-life references

• The title of Part 2, "Whose Death Is It Anyway?", given by the "next issue" box at the end of Part 1, is a riff on the name of the 1981 movie, Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Artwork and technical errors

Part 1:

• Page 1:
  • Panel 4: The flashback to Megatron and Prime crossing the space bridge shows Megatron with his fusion cannon, which has been stolen by Divebomb at that point.
  • Panel 6: Repeating a recurring error from issue #100, also drawn by Will Simpson, Outback's injury is on the right side of his torso instead of the left.
• Page 7:
  • Panels 2-3: Ultra Magnus is missing his shoulder launchers.
  • Panel 4: Ultra Magnus's name is misspelled as "Ultra Magus."

Part 2:

• Wheeljack and Ratchet appear throughout this issue with the alternate colour schemes seen in past issues; Wheeljack's shoulder fins are red instead of blue, while Ratchet's boots are red instead of white.
• Page 1: Arist Jeff Anderson always has a tendency to draw character who aren't meant to be absolutely gigantic as all being the same sort of height, but it's especially pronounced in the shoulder-to-shoulder Autobot line-up at Optimus's funeral (right), which shows characters as diverse as regular Autobot Cars, Mini-Bots, and even Jetfire all being all tall as each other.
• Page 3: Ultra Magnus is missing his shoulder launchers again.
• Page 4, panel 1: Outback's wound is missing.
• Page 8, panel 4: Ultra Magnus's right arm is miscoloured; his bicep is blue, as if it were his shoulder, while his shoulder is white, as if it were the pylon that sits on top of it. He also seems to be missing his launcher again.
• Page 9:
  • Panel 2: Magnus. Launchers.
  • Panel 5: Razorclaw's lion-head is red instead of yellow.
• Panel 10:
  • Panel 1: Megatron is missing the buttons on his midriff.
  • Panel 4: Soundwave is missing his shoulder cannon, but the borderless bust-shot nature of the panel suggests this might be for deliberate artistic effect.
• Page 11, panel 2: Bumblebee's horns are missing.

Back-up material

Issue #103:

• Back-up strips: The Inhumanoids ("The Coming of the Inhumanoids," Part 1) and Robo-Capers
• Other features: A competition to win one of 25 copies of Video Gems' VHS release of "The Key to Vector Sigma" and "War Dawn." Entrants are asked to name "any three" Transformers who have appeared on the covers of any Video Gems Transformers tapes, though in reality, only three characters had appeared on the four releases up to that point: Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Silverbolt.

Issue #104:

• Back-up strips: The Inhumanoids ("The Coming of the Inhumanoids," Part 2) and Robo-Capers
• Other features: A competition to win one of 200 Battle Beasts action figure two-packs. Entrants must answer three "Fire, Wood, and Water" themed questions, identifying the Protectobot you call in case of a fire (Hot Spot), the Decepticon cassette who can slice through wood (Buzzsaw), and the Mini Autobot who can race over water as well as land (Seaspray).

Foreign Localization

• Swedish

• Title: "Återuppståndelse" ("Resurrection")

Covers (2)

• Issue #103: Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus fight through the flames, by Martin Griffiths & Robin Bouttell.
• Issue #104: Prime and Magnus give Megatron a damn good thrashing, by Geoff Senior.

• 
  Issue #103
• 
  Issue #104

Reprints

• 
  Issue #229
  (Marvel UK, 1989; reprints first half of #103)
• 
  Issue #230
  (Marvel UK, 1989; reprints second half of #103)
• 
  Issue #231
  (Marvel UK, 1989; reprints first half of #104)
• 
  Issue #232
  (Marvel UK, 1989; reprints second half of #104)
• 
  Transformers Comic-Magazin #10
  (Condor Verlag, 1990)
• 
  Transformers: Prey TPB
  (Titan Books, 2004)

• 
  Best of UK: Prey #4 regular cover
  (IDW Publishing, 2009)
• 
  Best of UK: Prey #4 RI cover
  (IDW Publishing, 2009)
• 
  Best of UK: Prey TPB
  (IDW Publishing, 2010)
• 
  The Transformers Classics UK Volume 3:
  (IDW Publishing, 2012)
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection, Vol. 7: The Harder They Die
  (Hachette Partworks, Ltd. 2017)
• 
  Transformers: I siktet 2006 (Ades Media, 2021)

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Issue #103

• Action Force #1 (includes issue #2 free!)
• The Special Teams
• Miscellaneous classifieds
• ThunderCats crunchy potato snacks! (back cover)

Issue #104:

• ThunderCats #1
• Action Force: "Operation Prisoner Release" - Double-page spread photocomic advert for the toyline, centering on the Dragonfly assault copter
• S.T.A.R.S. Membership Kit (back cover)