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[[Image:MarvelUS-51.jpg|thumb|200px|right|I'm starting with the man in the machine.  I'm asking him to change his ways.]]
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{{Template:Comicnav | Generation 1 (Marvel Comics) | 51 | seriesname=Marvel U.S. | prev=Dark Star! | next=Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner? | series2=Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)#Marvel UK | seriesname2=Marvel UK | issuenumber2=Issue #211{{n-}}212 | prev2=Dark Star! | next2=Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner? }}
 
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<table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">
 
<tr style="font-size:14px;">
<td class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[Dark Star!|«]]'''
</td><td align="center">[[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #51
</td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|»]]'''
</td></tr>
<tr class="tt1_secondarynav">
<td class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[Dark Star!|«]]'''
</td><td align="center">[[Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #211–212
</td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|»]]'''
</td></tr></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> [[MarvelUS-51.jpg|<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/8/85/MarvelUS-51.jpg/230px-MarvelUS-51.jpg" width="230" height="350" border="0" />]]<br />I'm starting with the man in the machine. I'm asking him to change his ways.
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "The Man in the Machine!"
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Publisher''' </td><td> [[Marvel Comics|Marvel Comics]]
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Date published''' </td><td> December 1988
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Cover date''' </td><td> April 1989
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Writer''' </td><td> [[Bob Budiansky|Bob Budiansky]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Penciler''' </td><td> [[Jose Delbo|Jose Delbo]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Inker''' </td><td> [[Dave Hunt|Dave Hunt]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Colorist''' </td><td> [[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Letterer''' </td><td> [[Bill Oakley|Bill Oakley]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Editor''' </td><td> [[Don Daley|Don Daley]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Continuity''' </td><td> [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel Comics continuity]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
</table>
'''New age pop psychology successfully saves another human-robot partnership.'''
'''New age pop psychology successfully saves another human-robot partnership.'''
{{TOCclear}}
 
==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
Spike Witwicky is dreaming. He dreams of mechanical assailants, and a bottomless maw that he is barely able to escape by grasping a lifeline... before suddenly waking up in his bed at home, in Oregon.
Spike Witwicky is dreaming. He dreams of mechanical assailants, and a bottomless maw that he is barely able to escape by grasping a lifeline... before suddenly waking up in his bed at home, in Oregon.


The next morning, Spike says good morning to his [[Sparkplug Witwicky|father]] and [[Buster Witwicky|brother]] as he's setting off for a ski vacation. He's also planning on getting rid of his [[Headmaster]] control helmet once and for all. Through flashback, Spike relates the end of his experience with the Autobots after the [[Underbase Saga]]. With his brother Buster finally recovered from the Decepticons, Spike is eager to get back to his own life. Optimus Prime reluctantly lets him go, but makes Spike promise to keep his control helmet in case he ever needs to call on Fortress Maximus again. But now, Spike's sure the helmet is partly the cause of his strange nightmares, and is ready to divest himself of it. On the way to San Francisco to pick up his skiing buddy, Cliff, Spike stops off at a junkyard and tosses the helmet into the refuse.
The next morning, Spike says good morning to his father and brother as he's setting off for a ski vacation. He's also planning on getting rid of his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] control helmet once and for all. Through flashback, Spike relates the end of his experience with the Autobots after the [[Underbase Saga|Underbase Saga]]. With his brother Buster finally recovered from the Decepticons, Spike is eager to get back to his own life. Optimus Prime reluctantly lets him go, but makes Spike promise to keep his control helmet in case he ever needs to call on Fortress Maximus again. But now, Spike's sure the helmet is partly the cause of his strange nightmares, and is ready to divest himself of it. On the way to San Francisco to pick up his skiing buddy, Cliff, Spike stops off at a junkyard and tosses the helmet into the refuse.


Not long after Spike departs, though, a pair of Decepticon [[Pretender]] trackers known as Carnivac and Snarler arrive at the junkyard, seeking their prey, Fortress Maximus. [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] has declared that Max's human component should die, and the Pretenders are able to use the spoor left on the helmet to begin tracking Spike anew.
Not long after Spike departs, though, a pair of Decepticon [[Pretender|Pretender]] trackers known as Carnivac and Snarler arrive at the junkyard, seeking their prey, Fortress Maximus. [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] has declared that Max's human component should die, and the Pretenders are able to use the spoor left on the helmet to begin tracking Spike anew.


Back in the car ride to the mountains, Spike has fallen asleep listening to Cliff, and drops back into his reoccurring nightmare. This time, his lifeline changes into a robotic serpent before he can climb it, but he rips out its circuitry and begins climbing the dead thing anyway... only to wake up in the car with Cliff giving him a weird look for all that screaming.
Back in the car ride to the mountains, Spike has fallen asleep listening to Cliff, and drops back into his reoccurring nightmare. This time, his lifeline changes into a robotic serpent before he can climb it, but he rips out its circuitry and begins climbing the dead thing anyway... only to wake up in the car with Cliff giving him a weird look for all that screaming.


Once they hit the slops of the Sierra Nevadas the next day, Spike and Cliff are soon confronted by the Pretender Beasts, who have finally caught up with Spike's trail. Briefly losing them in the trees, Spike throws his jacket into a ravine and has Cliff do the same, hoping to confuse their scents and throw the Decepticons off their trail. The ruse is successful, as Carnivac and Snarler leap down the ravine only to find themselves alone and temporarily trapped until they can climb out.
Once they hit the slopes of the Sierra Nevadas the next day, Spike and Cliff are soon confronted by the Pretender Beasts, who have finally caught up with Spike's trail. Briefly losing them in the trees, Spike throws his jacket into a ravine and has Cliff do the same, hoping to confuse their scents and throw the Decepticons off their trail. The ruse is successful, as Carnivac and Snarler leap down the ravine only to find themselves alone and temporarily trapped until they can climb out.


Seeking refuge in a small cave, Spike unburdens his secrets to Cliff, whose recent stint of self-esteem therapy comes in handy here, as he points out correctly that Spike's dreams are about him running from his "other self": the face of Fortress Maximus. Deliberately falling asleep again, Spike refuses to grab the lifeline as he's falling into the pit, and finds himself face-to-face with Fort Max himself. This renews their psychic link, and enables Spike to call down Fortress Maximus from his storage place aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''.
Seeking refuge in a small cave, Spike unburdens his secrets to Cliff, whose recent stint of self-esteem therapy comes in handy here, as he points out correctly that Spike's dreams are about him running from his "other self": the face of Fortress Maximus. Deliberately falling asleep again, Spike refuses to grab the lifeline as he's falling into the pit, and finds himself face-to-face with Fort Max himself. This renews their psychic link, and enables Spike to call down Fortress Maximus from his storage place aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''.
Line 18: Line 273:
Of more immediate concern, however, is that the Decepticons have found them. After they run out of trees to hinder the Pretenders' path, Spike leads them off a cliff and into Fortress Maximus's waiting hands. Spike tries to guide the Autobot remotely in battle with the Decepticons, but signal lag is putting Maximus at a distinctive disadvantage. Things only get worse when the Beasts split from their shells and start hitting Fortress Maximus from four sides, AND collapse a chair-lift to keep him busy.
Of more immediate concern, however, is that the Decepticons have found them. After they run out of trees to hinder the Pretenders' path, Spike leads them off a cliff and into Fortress Maximus's waiting hands. Spike tries to guide the Autobot remotely in battle with the Decepticons, but signal lag is putting Maximus at a distinctive disadvantage. Things only get worse when the Beasts split from their shells and start hitting Fortress Maximus from four sides, AND collapse a chair-lift to keep him busy.


Spike manages to reclaim his control helmet, and commands Max to release his full [[Headmaster]] armor, which assembles around him. After combining with [[Cerebros]], Spike joins with Fortress Maximus and give the Decepticons his full attention. With a few well placed blasts from several dozen artillery ports, Maximus sends the Decepticons scurrying for cover.
Spike manages to reclaim his control helmet, and commands Max to release his full Headmaster armor, which assembles around him. After combining with [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], Spike joins with Fortress Maximus and give the Decepticons his full attention. With a few well-placed blasts from several dozen artillery ports, Maximus sends the Decepticons scurrying for cover.


==Credits==
'''Script:''' [[Bob Budiansky]] <br>
'''Art:''' [[Jose Delbo]]<br>
'''Inks:''' [[Dave Hunt]]<br>
'''Colors:''' [[Nelson Yomtov]]<br>
'''Lettering:''' [[Bill Oakley]]<br>
'''Editor:''' [[Don Daley]]<br>
'''Editor-in-Chief:''' [[Tom DeFalco]]<br>
*''Originally published:'' April, 1989


===Featured characters===
==Featured characters==
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)''
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
 
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobot]]s
 
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticon]]s
&lt;table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"&gt;
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human]]s
&lt;tr&gt;
|-
&lt;th style="background:#FFEEEE"&gt; [[Autobots|Autobots]]&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th style="background:#EEEEFE"&gt; [[Decepticons|Decepticons]]&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th style="background:antiquewhite"&gt; [[Human|Humans]]
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
&lt;/th&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top"&gt;
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (4)
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (5)


| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top"&gt;
* [[Carnivac]] (7)
* [[Carnivac|Carnivac]] (7)
* [[Snarler]] (8)
* [[Snarler|Snarler]] (8)


| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" |
&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top"&gt;
* [[Spike Witwicky]] (1)
'''Regulars'''
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (2)
* [[Buster Witwicky]] (3)
* [[Clifford Dietz]] (6)
|}


* [[Spike Witwicky|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug Witwicky]] (2)
* [[Buster Witwicky|Buster Witwicky]] (3)
'''Guests'''
* [[Clifford Dietz|Clifford Dietz]] (6)
&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;
==Errors==
==Errors==
* Carnivac and Snarler are both miscolored in this issue when compared to their toys and UK appearances. Still, from a U.S. perspective, this is their only appearance and may not technically be considered an error. Just ask [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s black helmet and gold shirt.
* Carnivac and Snarler are both miscolored in this issue when compared to their toys and UK appearances. Still, from a U.S. perspective, this is their only appearance and may not technically be considered an error. Just ask [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s black helmet and gold shirt.
* And let's not even get started on Fort Max's colors on the cover.
* When Maximus sends the Decepticons packing, Carnivac's shell lets out a couple of yips...
* When Maximus sends the Decepticons packing, Carnivac's shell lets out a couple of yips...


==Items of note==
==Items of note==
* Issue #51 is the first U.S. issue to feature the new Transformers logo, introduced with the 1989 line of toys.  
* Issue #51 is the first U.S. issue to feature the new Transformers logo, introduced with the 1989 line of toys.  
* During Spike's flashback to leaving the ''Ark'', [[Seaspray]] can be seen in the background pushing a deceased [[Blaster]] on a stretcher. While not an outright error, as he was never seen destroyed "on-screen", given that future issues will imply that only organically-enhanced Transformers survived Starscream's rampage, it does seem strange to see him here.
* During Spike's flashback to leaving the ''Ark'', [[Seaspray|Seaspray]] can be seen in the background pushing a deceased [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] on a stretcher. While not an outright error, as he was never seen destroyed "on-screen", given that future issues will imply that only organically-enhanced Transformers survived Starscream's rampage, it does seem strange to see him here.
* Carnivac references being called over from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by way of the [[space bridge]] in order to carry out this mission. In UK continuity, though, Carnivac's story unfolded a bit differently. Carnivac is one of two survivors of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] who were decimated by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Snarler had not previously been seen, though was a comrade of Carnivac from Cybertron. Their assassination attempt in this issue was done for Scorponok in exchange for a refueling and their new Pretender shells. The second surviving Mayhem, [[Catilla]], does not appear in this issue but is said to have been "hanging back on surveillance" during the attack on Spike and Fortress Maximus.
* Carnivac references being called over from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by way of the [[Space bridge|space bridge]] in order to carry out this mission. In UK continuity, though, Carnivac's story unfolded a bit differently. Carnivac is one of two survivors of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem Attack Squad]] who were decimated by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Snarler had not previously been seen, though was a comrade of Carnivac from Cybertron. Their assassination attempt in this issue was done for Scorponok in exchange for a refueling and their new Pretender shells. The second surviving Mayhem, [[Catilla|Catilla]], does not appear in this issue but is said to have been "hanging back on surveillance" during the attack on Spike and Fortress Maximus.
* Despite coming to terms with Fortress Maximus in this issue, Spike once again abandons the Autobot until he's basically forced to bond with him again in U.S. [[The Last Autobot?|issue #79]].
* Despite coming to terms with Fortress Maximus in this issue, Spike once again abandons the Autobot until he's basically forced to bond with him again in U.S. [[The Last Autobot?|issue #79]]. A similar thing happens in G2 [[All or Nothing!|issue #2]]. And people say that ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] has trouble learning from past mistakes.


===References===
===References===
* Buster Witwicky was kidnapped by the Decepticons back in [[Toy Soldiers!|U.S. #37]], and Spike became bonded with Fortress Maximus to rescue him in [[Trial by Fire!|#38]]. Buster was finally rescued, and the Autobot forces crippled, in the climactic battle with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] at the end of the [[Underbase Saga]], in [[Dark Star!|#50]].
* Buster Witwicky was kidnapped by the Decepticons back in [[Toy Soldiers!|U.S. #37]], and Spike became bonded with Fortress Maximus to rescue him in [[Trial by Fire!|#38]]. Buster was finally rescued, and the Autobot forces crippled, in the climactic battle with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] at the end of the [[Underbase Saga|Underbase Saga]], in [[Dark Star!|#50]].


===UK printing===
===UK printing===
* UK issue 211 includes a Transformers A to Z entry for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]].
* UK issue 211 includes a Transformers A to Z entry for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]].
* In [[Dread Tidings]] for issue #211, [[Hi-Test]] happily responds to two letters addressed to him, while [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] explains how [[binary bonding]] allows [[Nebulos|Nebulan]]s and [[human]]s to transform without compound fractures and if he was Decepticon leader, he'd declare a [[Decepticon Day|public holiday]].
* In [[Dread Tidings|Dread Tidings]] for issue #211, [[Hi-Test|Hi-Test]] happily responds to two letters addressed to him, while [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] explains how [[Binary bonding|binary bonding]] allows [[Nebulos|Nebulans]] and [[Human|humans]] to transform without compound fractures and if he was Decepticon leader, he'd declare a [[Decepticon Day|public holiday]].
* UK issue 212 includes another Classic Cover Calendar, this time of [[Enemy Action!|issue #152]] drawn by [[Lee Sullivan]]. While the line art is the same, the new coloring job is much more flat, unlike on the original cover.
* UK issue 212 includes another Classic Cover Calendar, this time of [[Enemy Action!|issue #152]] drawn by [[Lee Sullivan|Lee Sullivan]]. While the line art is the same, the new coloring job is much more flat, unlike on the original cover.
* In Dread Tidings for issue 212, Dreadwind blames the after-effects of ''[[Time Wars]]'' for people being alive when they should be dead, and that he's very fair in that he hates [[Darkwing]] and Hi-Test equally.
* In Dread Tidings for issue 212, Dreadwind blames the after-effects of ''[[Time Wars|Time Wars]]'' for people being alive when they should be dead, and that he's very fair in that he hates [[Darkwing|Darkwing]] and Hi-Test equally.


===Covers===
===Covers===
{{picsneeded|UK covers}}
&lt;table class="gallery" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"&gt;
* '''U.S. cover:''' Fort Max on the slopes, attacked by Carnivac by [[Jose Delbo]]
&lt;tr&gt;
* '''UK issue 211 cover:''' Carnivac and Snarler by [[Andrew Wildman]]
&lt;td&gt;&lt;div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"&gt;
* '''UK issue 212 cover:''' Fort Max loses his head by [[John Stokes]]
&lt;div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"&gt;&lt;div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"&gt;[[MarvelUS-51.jpg|&lt;img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/8/85/MarvelUS-51.jpg/79px-MarvelUS-51.jpg" width="79" height="120" border="0" /&gt;]]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="gallerytext"&gt;
'''US Issue 51''' - Putting the laughter into slaughter!


{{Columnlist|2|
 
[[Image:MarvelUK-211.jpg|thumb|200px|center|211 cover]]
&lt;/div&gt;
[[Image:MarvelUK-212.jpg|thumb|200px|center|212 cover]]
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
}}
&lt;td&gt;&lt;div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"&gt;
&lt;div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"&gt;&lt;div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"&gt;[[MarvelUK-211.jpg|&lt;img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/1/11/MarvelUK-211.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-211.jpg" width="90" height="119" border="0" /&gt;]]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="gallerytext"&gt;
'''UK Issue 211''' - He's a lovable guy, really
 
 
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"&gt;
&lt;div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"&gt;&lt;div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"&gt;[[MarvelUK-212.jpg|&lt;img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/0/0b/MarvelUK-212.jpg/87px-MarvelUK-212.jpg" width="87" height="120" border="0" /&gt;]]&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="gallerytext"&gt;
'''UK Issue 212''' - Boy, that ''was'' a wild night
 
 
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
* '''US issue 51 cover:''' Fort Max on the slopes, attacked by Carnivac by [[Jose Delbo|Jose Delbo]]
* '''UK issue 211 cover:''' Carnivac and Snarler by [[Andrew Wildman|Andrew Wildman]]
* '''UK issue 212 cover:''' Fort Max loses his head by [[John Stokes|John Stokes]]


===Advertisements===
===Advertisements===
* None yet identified.
* None yet identified.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Man in the Machine!}}
 
[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[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]]

Revision as of 07:54, 19 March 2009

<table class="infobox" style="width: 20em;">

<tr style="background-color:#e7d492;text-align:center;font-size:12px;"> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> <table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">

<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers (US) #51 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers (UK) #211–212 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/8/85/MarvelUS-51.jpg/230px-MarvelUS-51.jpg" width="230" height="350" border="0" /><br />I'm starting with the man in the machine. I'm asking him to change his ways. </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "The Man in the Machine!" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr> <tr> <td>Date published </td><td> December 1988 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> April 1989 </td></tr>










<tr> <td>Writer </td><td> Bob Budiansky </td></tr>






























<tr> <td>Penciler </td><td> Jose Delbo </td></tr>

















<tr> <td>Inker </td><td> Dave Hunt </td></tr>










<tr> <td>Colorist </td><td> Nel Yomtov </td></tr>




















<tr> <td>Letterer </td><td> Bill Oakley </td></tr>







<tr> <td>Editor </td><td> Don Daley </td></tr>












<tr> <td>Continuity </td><td> Marvel Comics continuity </td></tr>



</table> New age pop psychology successfully saves another human-robot partnership.

Synopsis

Spike Witwicky is dreaming. He dreams of mechanical assailants, and a bottomless maw that he is barely able to escape by grasping a lifeline... before suddenly waking up in his bed at home, in Oregon.

The next morning, Spike says good morning to his father and brother as he's setting off for a ski vacation. He's also planning on getting rid of his Headmaster control helmet once and for all. Through flashback, Spike relates the end of his experience with the Autobots after the Underbase Saga. With his brother Buster finally recovered from the Decepticons, Spike is eager to get back to his own life. Optimus Prime reluctantly lets him go, but makes Spike promise to keep his control helmet in case he ever needs to call on Fortress Maximus again. But now, Spike's sure the helmet is partly the cause of his strange nightmares, and is ready to divest himself of it. On the way to San Francisco to pick up his skiing buddy, Cliff, Spike stops off at a junkyard and tosses the helmet into the refuse.

Not long after Spike departs, though, a pair of Decepticon Pretender trackers known as Carnivac and Snarler arrive at the junkyard, seeking their prey, Fortress Maximus. Scorponok has declared that Max's human component should die, and the Pretenders are able to use the spoor left on the helmet to begin tracking Spike anew.

Back in the car ride to the mountains, Spike has fallen asleep listening to Cliff, and drops back into his reoccurring nightmare. This time, his lifeline changes into a robotic serpent before he can climb it, but he rips out its circuitry and begins climbing the dead thing anyway... only to wake up in the car with Cliff giving him a weird look for all that screaming.

Once they hit the slopes of the Sierra Nevadas the next day, Spike and Cliff are soon confronted by the Pretender Beasts, who have finally caught up with Spike's trail. Briefly losing them in the trees, Spike throws his jacket into a ravine and has Cliff do the same, hoping to confuse their scents and throw the Decepticons off their trail. The ruse is successful, as Carnivac and Snarler leap down the ravine only to find themselves alone and temporarily trapped until they can climb out.

Seeking refuge in a small cave, Spike unburdens his secrets to Cliff, whose recent stint of self-esteem therapy comes in handy here, as he points out correctly that Spike's dreams are about him running from his "other self": the face of Fortress Maximus. Deliberately falling asleep again, Spike refuses to grab the lifeline as he's falling into the pit, and finds himself face-to-face with Fort Max himself. This renews their psychic link, and enables Spike to call down Fortress Maximus from his storage place aboard the Ark.

Of more immediate concern, however, is that the Decepticons have found them. After they run out of trees to hinder the Pretenders' path, Spike leads them off a cliff and into Fortress Maximus's waiting hands. Spike tries to guide the Autobot remotely in battle with the Decepticons, but signal lag is putting Maximus at a distinctive disadvantage. Things only get worse when the Beasts split from their shells and start hitting Fortress Maximus from four sides, AND collapse a chair-lift to keep him busy.

Spike manages to reclaim his control helmet, and commands Max to release his full Headmaster armor, which assembles around him. After combining with Cerebros, Spike joins with Fortress Maximus and give the Decepticons his full attention. With a few well-placed blasts from several dozen artillery ports, Maximus sends the Decepticons scurrying for cover.


(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)


<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Humans </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">

</td><td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top"> Regulars


Guests




</td></tr></table>

Errors

  • Carnivac and Snarler are both miscolored in this issue when compared to their toys and UK appearances. Still, from a U.S. perspective, this is their only appearance and may not technically be considered an error. Just ask Megatron's black helmet and gold shirt.
  • And let's not even get started on Fort Max's colors on the cover.
  • When Maximus sends the Decepticons packing, Carnivac's shell lets out a couple of yips...

Items of note

  • Issue #51 is the first U.S. issue to feature the new Transformers logo, introduced with the 1989 line of toys.
  • During Spike's flashback to leaving the Ark, Seaspray can be seen in the background pushing a deceased Blaster on a stretcher. While not an outright error, as he was never seen destroyed "on-screen", given that future issues will imply that only organically-enhanced Transformers survived Starscream's rampage, it does seem strange to see him here.
  • Carnivac references being called over from Cybertron by way of the space bridge in order to carry out this mission. In UK continuity, though, Carnivac's story unfolded a bit differently. Carnivac is one of two survivors of the Mayhem Attack Squad who were decimated by Galvatron. Snarler had not previously been seen, though was a comrade of Carnivac from Cybertron. Their assassination attempt in this issue was done for Scorponok in exchange for a refueling and their new Pretender shells. The second surviving Mayhem, Catilla, does not appear in this issue but is said to have been "hanging back on surveillance" during the attack on Spike and Fortress Maximus.
  • Despite coming to terms with Fortress Maximus in this issue, Spike once again abandons the Autobot until he's basically forced to bond with him again in U.S. issue #79. A similar thing happens in G2 issue #2. And people say that Animated Bumblebee has trouble learning from past mistakes.

References

  • Buster Witwicky was kidnapped by the Decepticons back in U.S. #37, and Spike became bonded with Fortress Maximus to rescue him in #38. Buster was finally rescued, and the Autobot forces crippled, in the climactic battle with Starscream at the end of the Underbase Saga, in #50.

UK printing

  • UK issue 211 includes a Transformers A to Z entry for Metroplex.
  • In Dread Tidings for issue #211, Hi-Test happily responds to two letters addressed to him, while Dreadwind explains how binary bonding allows Nebulans and humans to transform without compound fractures and if he was Decepticon leader, he'd declare a public holiday.
  • UK issue 212 includes another Classic Cover Calendar, this time of issue #152 drawn by Lee Sullivan. While the line art is the same, the new coloring job is much more flat, unlike on the original cover.
  • In Dread Tidings for issue 212, Dreadwind blames the after-effects of Time Wars for people being alive when they should be dead, and that he's very fair in that he hates Darkwing and Hi-Test equally.

Covers

<table class="gallery" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/8/85/MarvelUS-51.jpg/79px-MarvelUS-51.jpg" width="79" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> US Issue 51 - Putting the laughter into slaughter!


</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/1/11/MarvelUK-211.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-211.jpg" width="90" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> UK Issue 211 - He's a lovable guy, really


</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/0/0b/MarvelUK-212.jpg/87px-MarvelUK-212.jpg" width="87" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> UK Issue 212 - Boy, that was a wild night


</div> </div></td> </tr> </table>

  • US issue 51 cover: Fort Max on the slopes, attacked by Carnivac by Jose Delbo
  • UK issue 211 cover: Carnivac and Snarler by Andrew Wildman
  • UK issue 212 cover: Fort Max loses his head by John Stokes

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