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''You'' are the editor of [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK's]] brand new ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Transformers]]'' comic. You need to run the US issues in smaller chunks, in order to keep a fortnightly (later weekly) frequency without running out of stuff. But... what are you going to run in the rest of the comic? Features alone won't grab the kiddies! You need more strip! You need...
''You'' are the editor of [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK's]] brand new ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Transformers]]'' comic. You need to run the U.S. issues in smaller chunks, in order to keep a fortnightly (later weekly) frequency without running out of stuff. But... what are you going to run in the rest of the comic? Features alone won't grab the kiddies! You need more strip! You need...


'''Back-up strips!'''
'''Back-up strips!'''


=Marvel UK=
==Marvel UK back-up strips==
A great way of padding out the comic while not taking the mick, back-up strips ran throughout the entire Marvel UK run. These would almost always be reprints of other Marvel titles.
A great way of padding out the comic while not taking the mick, back-up strips ran throughout the entire Marvel UK run. These would almost always be reprints of other Marvel titles.


{{bigquote|...anything, in truth, that featured a robot or someone in an iron suit|Editorial in [[Titan Books]] "[[Transformers: Legacy of Unicron|The Legacy of Unicron]]" trade}}
{{bigquote|...anything, in truth, that featured a robot or someone in an iron suit|Editorial in [[Titan Books]] "[[Transformers: Legacy of Unicron|The Legacy of Unicron]]" trade}}


==Action Force==
===In-house strips===
Ran from issue [[Under Fire!|99]] through to issue [[Fallen Angel|102]], then as a special preview in issue [[Mechanical Difficulties!|122]]. It became a permanent fixture from issue [[Enemy Action!|153]] through to issue [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|181]]. It ran again from issue [[Monstercon from Mars!|191]] through to [[The Man in the Machine!|212]]. It reappeared as the back-up once again from issues [[Recipe for Disaster!|220]] through to [[Eye of the Storm|305]], albeit rebranded as ''G.I. Joe - The Action Force'' from issue [[Skin Deep|249]] until [[The Human Factor!|305]].
====''The Chromobots''====
A light-hearted action strip by ''Matt and the Cat''{{'}}s  Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid, ''The Chromobots'' ran from [[Man of Iron (issue)|issue 12]] to [[Warrior School!|issue 26]]. It told the story of Dudley, a young comic book reader ''just like [[you]]'' whose dreams of adventuring like his heroes came unexpectedly true when he fell in with a trio of alien Chromobots who were pursuing a criminal that had escaped from their homeworld.
:*''{{TFUK|The Chromobots|More information on ''The Chromobots'' at The Transformers UK Appendix}}''


[[Action Force (team)|Action Force]] was the European equivalent of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. Initially, there was a separate [[Action Force (comic)|''Action Force'' comic]] but it was cancelled after fifty issues. As was standard in UK comics, it was merged with the more successful ''Transformers'' and the title was changed to ''Transformers and Action Force/G.I. Joe the Action Force'' until the strip ended.
====''Combat Colin''====
 
{{main|Combat Colin}}
==Chromobots==
Ran from issue [[Man of Iron (issue)|11]] to issue [[Warrior School!|26]]
 
An in-house strip created by Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid.
 
==Combat Colin==
Ran from issue [[Enemy Action!|153]] all the way through to issue [[End of the Road! (US)|332]]
Ran from issue [[Enemy Action!|153]] all the way through to issue [[End of the Road! (US)|332]]


A humor strip by [[Lew Stringer]], for more information, see the [[Combat Colin]] article.
A humor strip by [[Lew Stringer]]; for more information, see the [[Combat Colin]] article.


==Hercules==
====''Matt and the Cat''====
Ran from issue [[Command Performances!|70]] through to issue [[Target: 2006|85]].
This half-page comic strip by Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid was a spin-off from his newspaper strip in the ''Bradford Telegraph & Argus'', telling the story of how an ordinary boy named Matt and his bizarre bipedal cat Humph got whisked away on a space adventure when abducted for an intergalactic slave trade.  ''Matt and the Cat'' ran between [[Prisoner of War!|issue 5]] and [[Showdown!|issue 73]].
:*''{{TFUK|Matt and the Cat|More information on ''Matt and the Cat'' at The Transformers UK Appendix}}''


Hercules is a Demi-God. He is the son of Zeus and a mortal women, and eventually a member of the pantheon of Olympus.
====''Robo-Capers''====
{{main|Robo-Capers}}
Ran from issue [[The Enemy Within!|15]] to issue [[Enemy Action!|152]]


===External links===
A humor strip by [[Lew Stringer]]; for more information, see the [[Robo-Capers]] article.
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:Hercules_(Earth-616)|Hercules at Marvel Database]]


==The Inhumanoids==
====''Spider-Man''====
Ran from issue [[Resurrection!|103]] through to issue [[Hunters|118]]
Bitten by a radioactive spider, geeky high school student Peter Parker acquires the proportionate strength and agility of a spider, becoming The Amazing [[Spider-Man]]


Another [[Hasbro]] property with an obligatory [[Marvel Comics]] series, in this case just four issues reprinted in chunks in the UK. [[Inhumanoids|The Inhumanoids]] were a group of subterranean monsters who were sealed beneath the Earth until accidentally released by humans, and were opposed by the [[Earth Corps]] and a race of good mutants known as the Mutores.
Appeared as a four page insert on "stranger danger" in issue [[Kup's Story!|132]].


===External Links===
===Reprints===
*[[Wikipedia:Inhumanoids|The Inhumanoids]] at Wikipedia
====''Action Force''====
{{main|Action Force (team)}}
Action Force was the European equivalent of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. Initially, there was a separate [[Action Force (comic)|''Action Force'' comic]] but it was cancelled after fifty issues. As was standard in UK comics, it was merged with the more successful ''Transformers'' and the title was changed to ''Transformers and Action Force'' when Action Force strips were run. From [[Skin Deep|249]] it was rebranded as ''G.I. Joe - The Action Force'' and the comic was rebranded as ''Transformers and G.I. Joe - The Action Force''.


==Iron Man==
Treated as main stories (no backup strips), the [[Ancient Relics!]] UK cross over story ran in #125 continuing in Action Force #24–27 and the U.S. cross over series ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers (comic)|G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]'' ran in issues [[Blood on the Tracks|#265]] to [[...All Fall Down!|#281]]


Ran from issue [[Crisis of Command!|43]] through to issue [[Dinobot Hunt!|50]] then again from issue [[Fire on High!|119]] through issue [[Ancient Relics!|125]] as The Iron Man of 2020, before returning as the present day Iron Man in issues [[The Cure!|126]] through issue [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|129]]. Iron Man returned as a back up strip once again in issues [[The Legacy of Unicron!|146]] through [[Enemy Action!|152]]
{|
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''G.I. Joe at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Under Fire!|#99]] - [[Fallen Angel|#102]] || "Improvisation on a Theme" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44]]
|-
|[[Mechanical Difficulties!|#122]] || "Dummy Run!" || ''Action Force #18''
|-
|[[Enemy Action!|#153]] - [[Trial by Fire!|#156]]  || "Slaughter" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48]]
|-
|#157 - [[Salvage!|#160]] || "Serpentor" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49]]
|-
|#161 || "Road Safety - From the Air!" || ''in-house story''
|-
|#161 || "Battle Island!" || ''in-house story''
|-
|[[Pretender to the Throne!|#162]] - [[City of Fear!|#165]] || "The Battle of Springfield" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50]]
|-
|[[Legion of the Lost!|#166]] - [[Meltdown!|#169]] || "Thunder Machine" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51]]
|-
|[[Deadly Games!|#170]] - [[Wrecking Havoc|#173]] || "Snap Decisions" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52]]
|-
|[[Totaled!|#174]] - [[People Power!|#177]]  || "Pit-Fall" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53]]
|-
|[[The Cosmic Carnival|#178]] - [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|#181]] || "Launch Base" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54]]
|-
|[[Monstercon from Mars!|#191]]  -[[Club Con!|#194]]|| "Unmaskings" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55]]
|-
|#195 - [[Cold Comfort and Joy!|#198]] || "Jungle Moves" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56]]
|-
|#199 & 201-203 || "Hush Job" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3|G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3]]
|-
|[[Time Wars|#204]] - [[Cold War!|#207]] || "Strange Bedfellows" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57]]
|-
|[[Dark Star|#208]] - [[The Man in the Machine!|#212]] || "Desperate Moves" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58]]
|-
|[[Recipe for Disaster!|#220]]-224 || "Divergent Paths" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59]]
|-
|[[Aspects of Evil!|#225]] - [[The Hunting Party (Marvel)|#229]] || "Cross Purposes" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60]]
|-
|#230-231 & 233-235 || "Airshow" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12]]
|-
|[[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#236]] - [[Back from the Dead|#240]] || "Beginnings and Endings" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61]]
|-
|#241 - [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#245]] || "Evasion" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6]]
|-
|[[All the Familiar Faces!|#246]] - #247 || "Law of the Jungle" || ''Action Force #40 - #41''
|-
|#248 - [[Skin Deep|#249]] & #251 - [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#253]] ||  "The Lower Depths" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21|G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21]]
|-
|#254 - [[...Perchance to Dream|#257]] || "Transit" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62]]
|-
|#258 - [[The Primal Scream|#261]] || "Going Under" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63]]
|-
|[[Bird of Prey!|#262]] - [[Once upon a Time...|#265]] || "Maneuvering for Position" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64]]
|-
|[[Life in the Slow Lane|#266]] - [[Mystery!|#269]] || "Shuttle Complex" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65]]
|-
|[[The Bad Guy's Ball!|#270]] - [[Wolf in the Fold!|#273]] || "The Tenth Letter" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66]]
|-
|[[Where Wolf?|#274]] - [[Internal Affairs!|#277]] || "Cold Snap" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 67|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1  #67]]
|-
|[[The House that Wheeljack Built!|#278]] - [[Makin' Tracks!|#281]] || "Cut and Freeze Dried" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68]]
|-
|[[Kings of the Wild Frontier.|#282]] - #285 || "Into the Breach" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69]]
|-
|[[Deadly Obsession|#286]] - #289 || "Fair Trade" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70]]
|-
|[[Dark Creation|#290]] - #293 || "Bailout" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71]]
|-
|[[All Fall Down|#294]] - #297 || "Stiletto" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72]]
|-
|[[Rhythms of Darkness!|#298]] - #301 || "Divided We Fall" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73]]
|-
|[[The Human Factor!|#302]] - [[Eye of the Storm|#305]] || "Alliance of Convenience" || [[wikia:Marvel:G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74]]
|-
|}


Tony Stark is an industrialist playboy who fights crime in a powered suit as [[Iron Man]].
====''Hercules''====
Hercules is a Demi-God. He is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, and eventually a member of the pantheon of Olympus.  


===External links===
{|
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:Iron_Man_(Earth-616)|Iron Man at Marvel Database]]
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Hercules at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Command Performances!|#70]] - [[Showdown!|#73]] || "What Fools These Immortals Be!"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Hercules Vol 1 1|Hercules Vol 1 1]]
|-
|[[In the National Interest|#74]] - #77 || "For the Love of Gods" || [[wikia:Marvel:Hercules Vol 1 2|Hercules Vol 1 2]]
|-
|[[Target: 2006|#78]] - #81 || "Whom the God Would Destroy!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Hercules Vol 1 3|Hercules Vol 1 3]]
|-
|#82 - #85 || "...Not Just Another Galactus Story!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Hercules Vol 1 4|Hercules Vol 1 4]]
|}


==Machine Man==
====''From the Fact Files''====
Ran from issue [[The Transformers (issue)|1]] to issue [[The Worse of Two Evils!|25]], and again from issue [[Repeat Performance!|27]] to issue [[Crisis of Command!|42]], this time set in the year 2020. Machine Man was also the back-up strip from issue [[The Pri¢e of Life!|309]] through to issue [[Surrender!|312]] and resuming once more for issues [[The Void! (US)|318]] through [[The Last Autobot?|329]].
Presented as an extension of ''The Transformers''{{'}}s ''[[Fact File]]s'', these strips were produced by and for the Franco-Belgian comic ''[[w:Tintin (magazine)|Le Journal de Tintin]]'' and translated into English for use by Marvel UK.  Each story seemed to be cherry-picked for retelling an historical event, with a particular focus on derring-do.
:*''{{TFUK|From the Fact Files|More information on ''From the Fact Files'' at The Transformers UK Appendix}}''
{| class=wikitable style="width: 100%;"
! scope="col" style="width: 9%;" | Issues
! scope="col" style="width: 40%;" | Story
!Original printing
|-
|[[The Enemy Within!|#15]]
|{{TFUK|Trapped Beneath the Waves!|"Trapped Beneath the Waves!}}
|"27 h prisonniers sous la mer", ''Le Journal de Tintin'', 22nd January 1985
|-
|[[The Enemy Within!|#17]]
|{{TFUK|The Truth About Alcatraz!|"The Truth About Alcatraz!"}}
|"La dramatique histoire d'Alcatraz", ''Le Journal de Tintin'', 21st February 1984
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#19]]
|{{TFUK|The Battle of Hastings – The True Story.|"The Battle of Hastings – The True Story."}}
|"De slag van Hastings", ''Kuifje'', 27th March 1984
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#21]]
|{{TFUK|The Saga of Erik the Red|"The Saga of Erik the Red"}}
|"La saga d'Erik Randa", ''Le Journal de Tintin'', 17th January 198
|}


''Machine Man'' aka 2ZP45-9-X-51, was a robot built from a durable titanium alloy, trying to live as a human and carry on the dream of his  creator, Dr. Able Stack.
====''Inhumanoids''====
===External links===
{{main|Inhumanoids}}
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:2ZP45-9-X-51_(Earth-616)|Machine Man at Marvel Database]]
Another [[Hasbro]] property with an obligatory [[Marvel Comics]] series, in this case just four issues reprinted in chunks in the UK. The Inhumanoids were a group of subterranean monsters who were sealed beneath the Earth until accidentally released by humans, and were opposed by the [[Earth Corps]] and a race of good mutants known as the Mutores. The series was cancelled after only four issues, ending on a cliffhanger.


{|
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Inhumanoids at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Resurrection!|#103]] - [[Afterdeath!|#106]] || "The Coming of the Inhumanoids, Part 1"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Inhumanoids Vol 1 1|Inhumanoids Vol 1 1]]
|-
|[[Gone but Not Forgotten!|#107]] - [[Funeral for a Friend!|#110]] || "I Left My Monsters in San Francisco"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Inhumanoids Vol 1 2|Inhumanoids Vol 1 2]]
|-
|[[King of the Hill!|#111]] - [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#114]] || "The Battle Down Below!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Inhumanoids Vol 1 3|Inhumanoids Vol 1 3]]
|-
|[[Burning Sky!|#115]] - [[Hunters|#118]] || "Metlar Unleashed!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Inhumanoids Vol 1 4|Inhumanoids Vol 1 4]]
|}


==Matt and the Cat==
====''Iron Man''====
Ran from issue [[Prisoner of War!|5]] to issue [[Showdown!|73]]
Tony Stark is an industrialist playboy who fights crime in a powered suit as [[Iron Man]].


An in-house humor topic created by Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid, featuring a man named Matt a cat. Based on Kazybrid's characters in newspaper strips for the ''Bradford Telegraph & Argus'' and  ''The Manchester Evening News.''
''"Man of the Year"'' was a [[Spider-Man]] story set in 2020; however it was rebranded as ''The Iron Man of 2020'' after the more prominent guest star.


==Planet Terry==
{|
Ran from issue [[The Enemy Within!|16]] to issue [[The Worse of Two Evils!|25]]
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Iron Man at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Crisis of Command!|#43]] - [[The Icarus Theory|#46]] || "Night of the Octopus" || [[wikia:Marvel:Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 22|Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 22]]
|-
|[[Dinobot Hunt!|#47]] - [[Dinobot Hunt!|#50]] || "From the Ashes"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 23|Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 23]]
|-
|[[Fire on High!|#119]] - [[Ancient Relics!|#125]] || "Man of the Year"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 20|Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 20]]
|-
|[[The Cure!|#126]] - [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|#129]] || "Deep Trouble!"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Iron Man Vol 1 218|Iron Man Vol 1 218]]
|-
|[[The Legacy of Unicron!|#146]] - [[Enemy Action!|#152]] || "Stratosfire"|| [[wikia:Marvel:Iron Man Annual Vol 1 9|Iron Man Annual Vol 1 9]]
|}


Often regarded as the worst of the UK back-up strips, Planet terry was pitched at younger readers and starred the eponymous Terry, who is searching for his parents after being accidentally jettisoned off their ship.
====''Machine Man''====
X-51 was born on an assembly line but raised like a son as an experiment by Dr Abel Stack.  Forced to leave his father's care early, Aaron Stack now seeks to live among Johnny Average while contending with anti-robot persecution as his superhero alter ego, Machine Man.


===External Links===
After the reprints of the ''Machine Man'' ongoing series concluded, ''The Transformers'' transitioned to printing Machine Man's 1984 limited series.  It saw Aaron revived in the far future year of 2020, after over thirty years in storage, where he had to contend with a technocratic megacorporation as well the mercenary Arno Stark, alias the Iron Man of 2020.
*[[Wikipedia:Planet Terry|Planet Terry]] at Wikipedia


==Robo-Capers==
The impact of this seemingly innocuous reprint was ''huge'' for Marvel UK: in 1987, ''The Transformers'' would print the ''Spider-Man'' story "Man of the Year" off the back of it featuring the origin of Iron Man 2020. After [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]]'s solo series saw him relocated to 2020 for an anti-hero team-up (read: fight) with Arno, the setting would recur alongside many similar cyberpunk futures as part of the expansive [https://downthetubes.net/british-comics-reference/marvel-uks-genesis-92-looking-back-and-what-might-have-been/ "Genesis '92"] line-up, an attempt for Marvel UK to really break into the U.S. market.
Ran from issue [[The Enemy Within!|15]] to issue [[Enemy Action!|152]]
 
A humor strip by [[Lew Stringer]], for more information, see the [[Robo-Capers]] article.
 
==Robotix==
Ran from issue [[Shooting Star!|51]] to issue [[Rock and Roll-Out!|54]]
 
[[Robotix]] was a  [[Hasbro]] toyline about two warring robotic races which had a tie in cartoon by [[Sunbow Productions]] and a comic series by [[Marvel Comics]]. As this is a completely ludicrous idea that could never catch on, it was short-lived.


===External Links===
:*''{{TFUK|Machine Man|More information on ''Machine Man'' at The Transformers UK Appendix}}''
*[[Wikipedia:Robotix|Robotix]] at Wikipedia
{| class=wikitable style="width: 100%;"
! scope="col" style="width: 9%;" | Issues
! scope="col" style="width: 40%;" | Story
!''Machine Man'' at Marvel Database
|-
|[[The Transformers (issue)|#1]]
|{{TFUK|Introducing Machine Man|"Introducing Machine Man"}}
|Three pages from [[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 10|Machine Man Vol 1 10]], edited into a ''Machine Man'' primer
|-
|[[The Transformers (issue)|#1]] - [[Power Play!|#3]]
|{{TFUK|Byte of the Binary Bug!|"Byte of the Binary Bug!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 11|Machine Man Vol 1 11]]
|-
|[[Power Play!|#4]] - [[Prisoner of War!|#5]]
|{{TFUK|Where Walk the Gods!|"Where Walk the Gods!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 12|Machine Man Vol 1 12]]
|-
|[[Prisoner of War!|#6]] - [[The Last Stand|#7]]
|{{TFUK|Xanadu!|"Xanadu!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 13|Machine Man Vol 1 13]]
|-
|[[The Last Stand|#8]] - [[Man of Iron (issue)|#9]]
|{{TFUK|The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls|"The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 14|Machine Man Vol 1 14]]
|-
|[[Man of Iron (issue)|#10 - #11]]
|{{TFUK|Kill Me or Cure Me|"Kill Me or Cure Me"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 15|Machine Man Vol 1 15]]
|-
|[[Man of Iron (issue)|#12]] - [[The Enemy Within!|#14]]
|{{TFUK|Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!|"Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 16|Machine Man Vol 1 16]]
|-
|[[The Enemy Within!|#15 - #17]]
|{{TFUK|Arms and the Robot!|"Arms and the Robot!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 17|Machine Man Vol 1 17]]
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#18 - #21]]
|{{TFUK|Alone Against Alpha Flight!|"Alone Against Alpha Flight!}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 18|Machine Man Vol 1 18]]
|-
|[[The New Order|#22]] - [[The Worse of Two Evils!|#25]]
|{{TFUK|Jolted By Jack O'Lantern!|"Jolted By Jack O'Lantern!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 1 19|Machine Man Vol 1 19]]
|-
|[[Repeat Performance!|#27]] - [[Decepticon Dam-Busters!|#30]]<br>[[The Pri¢e of Life!|#309]] - [[Surrender!|#312]]
|{{TFUK|He Lives Again!|"He Lives Again!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 2 1|Machine Man Vol 2 1]]
|-
|[[The Wrath of Guardian!|#31]] - [[DIS-Integrated Circuits!|#34]]<br>[[The Void! (US)|#318]] - [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#321]]
|{{TFUK|If This Be Sanctuary?!|"If This Be Sanctuary?!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 2 2 |Machine Man Vol 2 2]]
|-
|[[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#35]] - [[Brainstorm!|#38]]<br>[[On the Edge of Extinction!|#322]] - [[Exodus!|#325]]
|{{TFUK|Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!|"Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 2 3|Machine Man Vol 2 3]]
|-
|[[Prime Time!|#39]] - [[Crisis of Command!|#42]]<br>[[Exodus!|#326]] - [[The Last Autobot?|#329]]
|{{TFUK|Victory|"Victory"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Machine Man Vol 2 4|Machine Man Vol 2 4]]
|-
|}


==Rocket Raccoon==
====''Planet Terry''====
Ran from issue [[I, Robot-Master!|55]] through to issue [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|69]]
In 1984, Marvel U.S. created the {{w|Star Comics}} imprint to fill the gap in the younger kids comic market recently vacated by {{w|Harvey Comics}}, including poaching some of its creative team.  One of Star Comics' original titles was ''Planet Terry'', which told the story of a young space traveller, also named Planet Terry, searching the universe after being accidentally separated from his parents at birth.


Ranger ''Rocket Raccoon'' is a genetically-engineered raccoon who is a law enforcement officer on Halfworld.
''Planet Terry'' made its way into ''The Transformers'' UK under editor [[Sheila Cranna]], who intended for the book to have a generalist approach with something for readers of all ages.  (Cranna also brought Star's [[wikia:Marvel:Wally the Wizard Vol 1|''Wally the Wizard'']] into [[wikia:britishcomics:Spider-Man Comics Weekly Vol 1|''The Spider-Man Comic'']] around the same time.)  This didn't quite work out, as ''Planet Terry'' got a drubbing in the [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letters pages]] from those slightly older readers, who branded it "babyish".  When [[Ian Rimmer]] took the editorial chair, he decided to focus on ''Transformers'', culling many of the comic's recurring strips and features.  After two full adventures and a truncated abridgement of a third, ''Planet Terry'', much like the infant Terry himself, was jettisoned.


===External Links===
:*''{{TFUK|Planet Terry|More information on ''Planet Terry'' at The Transformers UK Appendix}}''
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:Rocket_Raccoon_(Earth-616)|Rocket Raccoon]] at Marvel Database
{| class=wikitable style="width: 100%;"
! scope="col" style="width: 9%;" | Issues
! scope="col" style="width: 40%;" | Story
!''Planet Terry'' at Marvel Database
|-
|[[The Enemy Within!|#16]]
|{{TFUK|The Search|"The Search"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 1|Planet Terry Vol 1 1:]] "The Search"
|-
|[[The Enemy Within!|#17]]
|{{TFUK|A Clue|"Part II: A Clue"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 1|Planet Terry Vol 1 1:]] "A Clue"
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#18]]
|{{TFUK|Some Answers|"Part III: Some Answers"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 1|Planet Terry Vol 1 1:]] "Some Answers"
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#19]]
|{{TFUK|Malt Shop Menace|"Part IV: Malt Shop Menace"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 1|Planet Terry Vol 1 1:]] "Malt Shop Menace"
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#20]]
|{{TFUK|The Saga of Princess Ugly|"The Saga of Princess Ugly"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 2|Planet Terry Vol 1 2:]] "The Saga of Princess Ugly"
|-
|[[Raiders of the Last Ark|#21]]
|{{TFUK|Too Close (Enough) for Comfort|"Part 2: Too Close (Enough) for Comfort"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 2|Planet Terry Vol 1 2:]] "Too Close (Enough) for Comfort"
|-
|[[The New Order|#22]]
|{{TFUK|The Doom of the Domed City|"Part 3: The Doom of the Domed City"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 2|Planet Terry Vol 1 2:]] first four pages of "The Doom of the Domed City"
|-
|[[The New Order|#23]]
|{{TFUK|The Doom of the Domed City#Part 4|"The Saga of Princess Ugly part 4"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 2|Planet Terry Vol 1 2:]] last three pages of "The Doom of the Domed City"
|-
|[[The Worse of Two Evils!|#24]]
|{{TFUK|The Secret of the Space Warp|"The Secret of the Space Warp"}}
|[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 3|Planet Terry Vol 1 3:]] two complete pages of "The Secret of the Space Warp", one complete page of "Found", and two pages abridging both stories
|-
|[[The Worse of Two Evils!|#25]]
|{{TFUK|The Saga of Princess Ugly part 6|"The Saga of Princess Ugly part 6"}}
||[[wikia:Marvel:Planet Terry Vol 1 3|Planet Terry Vol 1 3:]] last three pages of "Found" (with one panel from "Deadly Games")
|}


==Spider-Man==
====''Robotix''====
Appeared as a special on "stranger danger" in issue [[Kup's Story!|132]]. Another Spider-Man story was reprinted from issue [[Fire on High!|119]] through issue [[Ancient Relics!|125]]; however it was rebranded as [[#Iron Man|The Iron Man of 2020]] after the more prominent guest star.
{{main|Robotix}}
 
Robotix was a [[Hasbro]] toyline about two warring robotic races which had a tie in cartoon by [[Sunbow Productions]] and a single comic issue by [[Marvel Comics]]. As this is a completely ludicrous idea that could never catch on, it was short-lived.
Bitten by a radioactive spider, geeky high school student Peter Parker acquires the proportionate strength and agility of a spider, becoming The Amazing [[Spider-Man]]


===External Links===
{|
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:Peter Parker(Earth-616)|Spider-Man]] at Marvel Database
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Robotix at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Shooting Star!|#51]] - [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#54]] || "A World In Chaos" || [[wikia:Marvel:Robotix Vol 1 1|Robotix Vol 1 1]]
|}


==Spitfire and the Troubleshooters==
====''Rocket Raccoon''====
Ran from issue [[Target: 2006|86]] through to issue [[...The Harder They Die!|98]]
Ranger Rocket Raccoon is a genetically-engineered raccoon who is a law enforcement officer on Halfworld.


One of [[Marvel Comics]] New Universe titles. Professor Jenny Swenson dons the Man-Assisted eXperimental armor, she takes the codename Spitfire and a group of her college students did the same, becoming The Troubleshooters. They fought crime
{|
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Rocket Raccoon at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[I, Robot-Master!|#55]] - [[Plight of the Bumblebee!|#57]] || "Animal Crackers" || [[wikia:Marvel:Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 1|Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 1]]
|-
|#58 - [[Devastation Derby!|#61]] || "The Masque of the Red Breath" || [[wikia:Marvel:Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 2|Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 2]]
|-
|#62 - [[Second Generation!|#65]] || "The Book of Revelations!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 3|Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 3]]
|-
|[[The Smelting Pool!|#66]] - [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|#69]] || "The Age of Enlightenment" || [[wikia:Marvel:Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 4|Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 4]]
|}


===External Links===
====''Spitfire and the Troubleshooters!''====
* [[wikia:c:Marveldatabase:Jenny_ Swensen_(Earth-148611)|Spitfire]] at Marvel Database
One of [[Marvel Comics]]' [[wikia:Marvel:Earth-148611|New Universe]] titles. Professor Jenny Swenson dons the Man-Assisted eXperimental armor, she takes the codename Spitfire and a group of her college students did the same, becoming The Troubleshooters. They fought crime.


==Visionaries==
{|
Appeared as a preview in issue [[The Desert Island of Space!|158]], reappeared as a back up strip from issues [[Space Pirates!|183]] through [[Monstercon from Mars!|190]] and again from issues [[The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire.|213]] through to [[Survivors!|219]].
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Spitfire and the Troubleshooters at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Target: 2006|#86]] - [[Aerialbots over America!|#90]] || "Beginnings" || [[wikia:Marvel:Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 1|Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 1]]
|-
|[[Heavy Traffic!|#91]] - [[Decepticon Graffiti!|#94]] || "Behemoth" || [[wikia:Marvel:Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 2|Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 2]]
|-
|#95 - [[...The Harder They Die!|#98]] || "Counterattack" || [[wikia:Marvel:Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 3|Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 3]]
|}


====''Visionaries''====
{{main|Visionaries}}
Set on the planet [[Prysmos]], ''[[Visionaries]]'' depicted the struggle between the heroic Spectral Knights and the villainous [[Darkling Lord]]s at the dawn of a quasi-feudal age of magic.
Set on the planet [[Prysmos]], ''[[Visionaries]]'' depicted the struggle between the heroic Spectral Knights and the villainous [[Darkling Lord]]s at the dawn of a quasi-feudal age of magic.


Visionaries was another [[Hasbro]] property, with a colorful hologram [[gimmick]] used on the figures chests and weaponry. This was another comic that was cancelled and merged into ''Transformers'', changing the name to ''Transformers and Visionaries''.
Visionaries was another [[Hasbro]] property, with a colorful hologram [[gimmick]] used on the figures' chests and weaponry. A preview copy in [[The Desert Island of Space!|#158]] printed the first two and a half pages of the first story. When the comic was cancelled it merged into ''Transformers'' (changing the name to ''Transformers and Visionaries'') and printed the remainder of the stories. Later Transformers reprinted the first issue in full.


=Other Series=
{|
|''Issues''|| ''Story'' || ''Visionaries at Marvel Database''
|-
|[[Space Pirates!|#183]] - #186 || "Quest of the Four Talismans Part 1" || [[wikia:Marvel:Visionaries Vol 1 5|Visionaries Vol 1 5]]
|-
|#187 - [[Monstercon from Mars!|#190]] || "Wings: Quest of the Four Talismans Part 2" || [[wikia:Marvel:Visionaries Vol 1 6|Visionaries Vol 1 6]]
|-
|[[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#213]] - #219 || "The End -- -- The Beginning!" || [[wikia:Marvel:Visionaries Vol 1 1|Visionaries Vol 1 1]]
|}


==Other Series==
[[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|Panini's Armada]] and [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movie series comic]] have both used the same tactic, Panini with original Transformer strips, and Titan with IDW reprints and unused ''[[Transformers Animated (Titan)|Transformers Animated]]'' strips ([[Transformers Comic issue 17#Dino-MIGHT|and one new one]]).
[[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|Panini's Armada]] and [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movie series comic]] have both used the same tactic, Panini with original Transformer strips, and Titan with IDW reprints and unused ''[[Transformers Animated (Titan)|Transformers Animated]]'' strips ([[Transformers Comic issue 17#Dino-MIGHT|and one new one]]).


[[Category: Back-up strips| ]]
[[Category:Back-up strips| ]]
[[Category:Generation 1 comic series]]
[[Category:Generation 1 comic series]]
[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category: Marvel Comics]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics]]
[[Category:Marvel properties]]
[[Category:Marvel properties]]

Latest revision as of 17:01, 21 April 2026

You are the editor of Marvel UK's brand new Transformers comic. You need to run the U.S. issues in smaller chunks, in order to keep a fortnightly (later weekly) frequency without running out of stuff. But... what are you going to run in the rest of the comic? Features alone won't grab the kiddies! You need more strip! You need...

Back-up strips!

Marvel UK back-up strips

[edit]

A great way of padding out the comic while not taking the mick, back-up strips ran throughout the entire Marvel UK run. These would almost always be reprints of other Marvel titles.

“ ...anything, in truth, that featured a robot or someone in an iron suit ”

—Editorial in Titan Books "The Legacy of Unicron" trade

In-house strips

[edit]

The Chromobots

[edit]

A light-hearted action strip by Matt and the Cat's Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid, The Chromobots ran from issue 12 to issue 26. It told the story of Dudley, a young comic book reader just like you whose dreams of adventuring like his heroes came unexpectedly true when he fell in with a trio of alien Chromobots who were pursuing a criminal that had escaped from their homeworld.

Combat Colin

[edit]
Main article: Combat Colin

Ran from issue 153 all the way through to issue 332

A humor strip by Lew Stringer; for more information, see the Combat Colin article.

Matt and the Cat

[edit]

This half-page comic strip by Mychailo "Mike" Kazybrid was a spin-off from his newspaper strip in the Bradford Telegraph & Argus, telling the story of how an ordinary boy named Matt and his bizarre bipedal cat Humph got whisked away on a space adventure when abducted for an intergalactic slave trade. Matt and the Cat ran between issue 5 and issue 73.

Robo-Capers

[edit]
Main article: Robo-Capers

Ran from issue 15 to issue 152

A humor strip by Lew Stringer; for more information, see the Robo-Capers article.

Spider-Man

[edit]

Bitten by a radioactive spider, geeky high school student Peter Parker acquires the proportionate strength and agility of a spider, becoming The Amazing Spider-Man

Appeared as a four page insert on "stranger danger" in issue 132.

Reprints

[edit]

Action Force

[edit]
Main article: Action Force (team)

Action Force was the European equivalent of G.I. Joe. Initially, there was a separate Action Force comic but it was cancelled after fifty issues. As was standard in UK comics, it was merged with the more successful Transformers and the title was changed to Transformers and Action Force when Action Force strips were run. From 249 it was rebranded as G.I. Joe - The Action Force and the comic was rebranded as Transformers and G.I. Joe - The Action Force.

Treated as main stories (no backup strips), the Ancient Relics! UK cross over story ran in #125 continuing in Action Force #24–27 and the U.S. cross over series G.I. Joe and the Transformers ran in issues #265 to #281

Issues Story G.I. Joe at Marvel Database
#99 - #102 "Improvisation on a Theme" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 44
#122 "Dummy Run!" Action Force #18
#153 - #156 "Slaughter" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 48
#157 - #160 "Serpentor" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 49
#161 "Road Safety - From the Air!" in-house story
#161 "Battle Island!" in-house story
#162 - #165 "The Battle of Springfield" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 50
#166 - #169 "Thunder Machine" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 51
#170 - #173 "Snap Decisions" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 52
#174 - #177 "Pit-Fall" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 53
#178 - #181 "Launch Base" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 54
#191 -#194 "Unmaskings" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 55
#195 - #198 "Jungle Moves" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 56
#199 & 201-203 "Hush Job" G.I. Joe: Yearbook Vol 1 3
#204 - #207 "Strange Bedfellows" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 57
#208 - #212 "Desperate Moves" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 58
#220-224 "Divergent Paths" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 59
#225 - #229 "Cross Purposes" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 60
#230-231 & 233-235 "Airshow" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 12
#236 - #240 "Beginnings and Endings" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 61
#241 - #245 "Evasion" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 6
#246 - #247 "Law of the Jungle" Action Force #40 - #41
#248 - #249 & #251 - #253 "The Lower Depths" G.I. Joe Special Missions Vol 1 21
#254 - #257 "Transit" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 62
#258 - #261 "Going Under" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 63
#262 - #265 "Maneuvering for Position" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 64
#266 - #269 "Shuttle Complex" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 65
#270 - #273 "The Tenth Letter" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 66
#274 - #277 "Cold Snap" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 #67
#278 - #281 "Cut and Freeze Dried" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 68
#282 - #285 "Into the Breach" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 69
#286 - #289 "Fair Trade" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 70
#290 - #293 "Bailout" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 71
#294 - #297 "Stiletto" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 72
#298 - #301 "Divided We Fall" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 73
#302 - #305 "Alliance of Convenience" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Vol 1 74

Hercules

[edit]

Hercules is a Demi-God. He is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, and eventually a member of the pantheon of Olympus.

Issues Story Hercules at Marvel Database
#70 - #73 "What Fools These Immortals Be!" Hercules Vol 1 1
#74 - #77 "For the Love of Gods" Hercules Vol 1 2
#78 - #81 "Whom the God Would Destroy!" Hercules Vol 1 3
#82 - #85 "...Not Just Another Galactus Story!" Hercules Vol 1 4

From the Fact Files

[edit]

Presented as an extension of The Transformers's Fact Files, these strips were produced by and for the Franco-Belgian comic Le Journal de Tintin and translated into English for use by Marvel UK. Each story seemed to be cherry-picked for retelling an historical event, with a particular focus on derring-do.

Issues Story Original printing
#15 "Trapped Beneath the Waves!  "27 h prisonniers sous la mer", Le Journal de Tintin, 22nd January 1985
#17 "The Truth About Alcatraz!"  "La dramatique histoire d'Alcatraz", Le Journal de Tintin, 21st February 1984
#19 "The Battle of Hastings – The True Story."  "De slag van Hastings", Kuifje, 27th March 1984
#21 "The Saga of Erik the Red"  "La saga d'Erik Randa", Le Journal de Tintin, 17th January 198

Inhumanoids

[edit]
Main article: Inhumanoids

Another Hasbro property with an obligatory Marvel Comics series, in this case just four issues reprinted in chunks in the UK. The Inhumanoids were a group of subterranean monsters who were sealed beneath the Earth until accidentally released by humans, and were opposed by the Earth Corps and a race of good mutants known as the Mutores. The series was cancelled after only four issues, ending on a cliffhanger.

Issues Story Inhumanoids at Marvel Database
#103 - #106 "The Coming of the Inhumanoids, Part 1" Inhumanoids Vol 1 1
#107 - #110 "I Left My Monsters in San Francisco" Inhumanoids Vol 1 2
#111 - #114 "The Battle Down Below!" Inhumanoids Vol 1 3
#115 - #118 "Metlar Unleashed!" Inhumanoids Vol 1 4

Iron Man

[edit]

Tony Stark is an industrialist playboy who fights crime in a powered suit as Iron Man.

"Man of the Year" was a Spider-Man story set in 2020; however it was rebranded as The Iron Man of 2020 after the more prominent guest star.

Issues Story Iron Man at Marvel Database
#43 - #46 "Night of the Octopus" Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 22
#47 - #50 "From the Ashes" Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 23
#119 - #125 "Man of the Year" Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 20
#126 - #129 "Deep Trouble!" Iron Man Vol 1 218
#146 - #152 "Stratosfire" Iron Man Annual Vol 1 9

Machine Man

[edit]

X-51 was born on an assembly line but raised like a son as an experiment by Dr Abel Stack. Forced to leave his father's care early, Aaron Stack now seeks to live among Johnny Average while contending with anti-robot persecution as his superhero alter ego, Machine Man.

After the reprints of the Machine Man ongoing series concluded, The Transformers transitioned to printing Machine Man's 1984 limited series. It saw Aaron revived in the far future year of 2020, after over thirty years in storage, where he had to contend with a technocratic megacorporation as well the mercenary Arno Stark, alias the Iron Man of 2020.

The impact of this seemingly innocuous reprint was huge for Marvel UK: in 1987, The Transformers would print the Spider-Man story "Man of the Year" off the back of it featuring the origin of Iron Man 2020. After Death's Head's solo series saw him relocated to 2020 for an anti-hero team-up (read: fight) with Arno, the setting would recur alongside many similar cyberpunk futures as part of the expansive "Genesis '92" line-up, an attempt for Marvel UK to really break into the U.S. market.

Issues Story Machine Man at Marvel Database
#1 "Introducing Machine Man"  Three pages from Machine Man Vol 1 10, edited into a Machine Man primer
#1 - #3 "Byte of the Binary Bug!"  Machine Man Vol 1 11
#4 - #5 "Where Walk the Gods!"  Machine Man Vol 1 12
#6 - #7 "Xanadu!"  Machine Man Vol 1 13
#8 - #9 "The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls"  Machine Man Vol 1 14
#10 - #11 "Kill Me or Cure Me"  Machine Man Vol 1 15
#12 - #14 "Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!"  Machine Man Vol 1 16
#15 - #17 "Arms and the Robot!"  Machine Man Vol 1 17
#18 - #21 "Alone Against Alpha Flight!  Machine Man Vol 1 18
#22 - #25 "Jolted By Jack O'Lantern!"  Machine Man Vol 1 19
#27 - #30
#309 - #312 		"He Lives Again!"  Machine Man Vol 2 1
#31 - #34
#318 - #321 		"If This Be Sanctuary?!"  Machine Man Vol 2 2
#35 - #38
#322 - #325 		"Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!"  Machine Man Vol 2 3
#39 - #42
#326 - #329 		"Victory"  Machine Man Vol 2 4

Planet Terry

[edit]

In 1984, Marvel U.S. created the Star Comics imprint to fill the gap in the younger kids comic market recently vacated by Harvey Comics, including poaching some of its creative team. One of Star Comics' original titles was Planet Terry, which told the story of a young space traveller, also named Planet Terry, searching the universe after being accidentally separated from his parents at birth.

Planet Terry made its way into The Transformers UK under editor Sheila Cranna, who intended for the book to have a generalist approach with something for readers of all ages. (Cranna also brought Star's Wally the Wizard into The Spider-Man Comic around the same time.) This didn't quite work out, as Planet Terry got a drubbing in the letters pages from those slightly older readers, who branded it "babyish". When Ian Rimmer took the editorial chair, he decided to focus on Transformers, culling many of the comic's recurring strips and features. After two full adventures and a truncated abridgement of a third, Planet Terry, much like the infant Terry himself, was jettisoned.

Issues Story Planet Terry at Marvel Database
#16 "The Search"  Planet Terry Vol 1 1: "The Search"
#17 "Part II: A Clue"  Planet Terry Vol 1 1: "A Clue"
#18 "Part III: Some Answers"  Planet Terry Vol 1 1: "Some Answers"
#19 "Part IV: Malt Shop Menace"  Planet Terry Vol 1 1: "Malt Shop Menace"
#20 "The Saga of Princess Ugly"  Planet Terry Vol 1 2: "The Saga of Princess Ugly"
#21 "Part 2: Too Close (Enough) for Comfort"  Planet Terry Vol 1 2: "Too Close (Enough) for Comfort"
#22 "Part 3: The Doom of the Domed City"  Planet Terry Vol 1 2: first four pages of "The Doom of the Domed City"
#23 "The Saga of Princess Ugly part 4"  Planet Terry Vol 1 2: last three pages of "The Doom of the Domed City"
#24 "The Secret of the Space Warp"  Planet Terry Vol 1 3: two complete pages of "The Secret of the Space Warp", one complete page of "Found", and two pages abridging both stories
#25 "The Saga of Princess Ugly part 6"  Planet Terry Vol 1 3: last three pages of "Found" (with one panel from "Deadly Games")

Robotix

[edit]
Main article: Robotix

Robotix was a Hasbro toyline about two warring robotic races which had a tie in cartoon by Sunbow Productions and a single comic issue by Marvel Comics. As this is a completely ludicrous idea that could never catch on, it was short-lived.

Issues Story Robotix at Marvel Database
#51 - #54 "A World In Chaos" Robotix Vol 1 1

Rocket Raccoon

[edit]

Ranger Rocket Raccoon is a genetically-engineered raccoon who is a law enforcement officer on Halfworld.

Issues Story Rocket Raccoon at Marvel Database
#55 - #57 "Animal Crackers" Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 1
#58 - #61 "The Masque of the Red Breath" Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 2
#62 - #65 "The Book of Revelations!" Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 3
#66 - #69 "The Age of Enlightenment" Rocket Raccoon Vol 1 4

Spitfire and the Troubleshooters!

[edit]

One of Marvel Comics' New Universe titles. Professor Jenny Swenson dons the Man-Assisted eXperimental armor, she takes the codename Spitfire and a group of her college students did the same, becoming The Troubleshooters. They fought crime.

Issues Story Spitfire and the Troubleshooters at Marvel Database
#86 - #90 "Beginnings" Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 1
#91 - #94 "Behemoth" Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 2
#95 - #98 "Counterattack" Spitfire and the Troubleshooters Vol 1 3

Visionaries

[edit]
Main article: Visionaries

Set on the planet Prysmos, Visionaries depicted the struggle between the heroic Spectral Knights and the villainous Darkling Lords at the dawn of a quasi-feudal age of magic.

Visionaries was another Hasbro property, with a colorful hologram gimmick used on the figures' chests and weaponry. A preview copy in #158 printed the first two and a half pages of the first story. When the comic was cancelled it merged into Transformers (changing the name to Transformers and Visionaries) and printed the remainder of the stories. Later Transformers reprinted the first issue in full.

Issues Story Visionaries at Marvel Database
#183 - #186 "Quest of the Four Talismans Part 1" Visionaries Vol 1 5
#187 - #190 "Wings: Quest of the Four Talismans Part 2" Visionaries Vol 1 6
#213 - #219 "The End -- -- The Beginning!" Visionaries Vol 1 1

Other Series

[edit]

Panini's Armada and Titan's movie series comic have both used the same tactic, Panini with original Transformer strips, and Titan with IDW reprints and unused Transformers Animated strips (and one new one).

Retrieved from "https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=Back-up_strips&oldid=1910699"