The Gift

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They're actually both looking for characterization.

<span style="font-size:125%;font-weight:900;">Let's see what you can see...</span><hr /> This article is in need of images.

</div><small>Specifics: Collected Comics 11 cover</small> </td></tr></table> </center> <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 (UK) #93 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center"> </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/f/f9/MarvelUK-093.jpg/230px-MarvelUK-093.jpg" width="230" height="308" border="0" /><br />Come with me if you want to BWAH. </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "The Gift" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> 27th December 1986 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Writer </td><td> James Hill </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Pencils </td><td> Martin Griffiths </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Inks </td><td> Tim Perkins </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colours </td><td> Steve White </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Lettering </td><td> Robin Riggs </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Editor </td><td> Ian Rimmer </td></tr>

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

</table> On Christmas Eve, Jetfire struggles with his place amongst his peers.

Synopsis

Buster Witwicky is spending the Christmas holidays studying for a test on the American War of Independence when he is disturbed first by a news report on recent Transformer activity at a Blackrock facility in Portland then by the appearance of Jetfire at his window.

Jetfire wants to discuss his recent contrasting behaviour. The Autobots learned that the Decepticons had taken over a NASA facility and Jetfire was assigned as back-up to Prowl and Trailbreaker. He arrived to find them locked in combat with Dirge and Kickback while Soundwave transmitted a message to the Decepticons on Cybertron. Ignoring Prowl's orders to stop Soundwave, he instead tried to help his comrades but the Decepticons easily evaded his attack and fled, possibly having completed the transmission.

Jetfire explains that he was also present at the incident in Portland - he and Jazz were supervising a shipment when they were ambushed by Thrust and Bombshell. The Autobots were quickly overcome and Blackrock realised that a fire started during the battle was in danger of starting a chain reaction and filling the atmosphere with toxic chemicals that would kill thousands. Hearing this, Jetfire easily defeated the Decepticons and put out the fire with the contents of a water tank.

Jetfire feels that he reacts better when humans are in danger than when fellow Autobots are, because he was created on Earth, and thinks he would betray his comrades to help them. Buster tells him that Optimus Prime values his outlook on life and he should be proud of it, saying the words are his Christmas gift to him.

Featured Characters

(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">

• Jetfire (2)
• Optimus Prime (3)
• Prowl (4)
• Trailbreaker (5)
• Wheeljack (6)
• Jazz (10)

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• Dirge (7)
• Kickback (8)
• Soundwave (9)
• Thrust (12)
• Bombshell (13)

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• Buster Witwicky (1)
• G.B. Blackrock (11)

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Errors

• Buster says that Jetfire is the first of a generation of Terran Transformers, when in fact the Constructicons were activated before him.
• In the first panel featuring him, Jazz appears to be missing the Autobot symbol from his chest.

Items of note

• The media still believe Robot Master is responsible for the Transformers.
• There are many references to past stories including Buster's part in Jetfire's creation ("Brainstorm"), the Autobots' deal with Blackrock ("DIS-Integrated Circuits"), the creation of the Stunticons ("Heavy Traffic") and Jetfire and Jazz's recent experiences with Galvatron ("Target 2006"). Prowl also makes an oblique reference to Trailbreaker being injured in that story, noting he is now up and about.
• Although Galvatron appears on the cover, he plays no part in the story. (Although he would keep his promise to return eight issues later in "Fallen Angel".)

Back-Up Stories

• Spitfire and the Troubleshooters - "Behemoth" Part 3
• Robo-Capers

Reprints

• Together with the Christmas stories either side of it, "Christmas Breaker" and "Stargazing", this story was reprinted in Collected Comics #11.
• It was reprinted again in the Titan Books trade paperback "Second Generation".

Covers (3)

<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/f/f9/MarvelUK-093.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-093.jpg" width="90" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Issue #93 - The Treebots were a massive failure on the battlefield.

</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div style="height: 152px;">Tfcolcom11.jpg</div> <div class="gallerytext"> Collected Comics #11

</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/9/92/TitanSG.jpg/88px-TitanSG.jpg" width="88" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Transformers: Second Generation - Outta the way, kid!

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• Issue #93 cover: Galvatron spreading some holiday cheer, by Robin Smith.
• Collected Comics #11 cover: Starscream decorating a Christmas tree, by Robin Smith.
• Transformers: Second Generation cover: Superion fights Bruticus, by Lee Sullivan.