The Worse of Two Evils!: Difference between revisions

From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
Emvee (talk | contribs)
mNo edit summary
Line 75: Line 75:


==Notes==
==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Shockwave learned about the oil rig [[The New Order|last issue]] while absorbing Earth television.
*Megatron is still recovering from the poisoned fuel he and the other Decepticons absorbed in [[The Last Stand|issue #4]]. It seems he took it harder than his minions; the other five victims—Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Ravage—are fully recovered by the end of the issue, and swear loyalty to Shockwave. The other Decepticons—Frenzy, Rumble, Soundwave, and Skywarp—have all been active since some point between issue #4 and #5 and were already working for Shockwave last issue, so they've evidently sworn loyalty already and don't need to be part of this scene... but see "Artwork and technical errors," below.
===Continuity and plotting errors===
*Blackrock's oil platform was described as being pretty ostentatious last issue, so the corporate office is houses is perhaps not too much of a surprise... but a fleet of at least eight [[single-man hovercopter]]s? Along with the security force to man them? Harpoon guns? ''Mortar cannons?'' Was G.B. just ''expecting'' a Decepticon attack?
*Ratchet's surprise at seeing Shockwave alive on page 12 is to be expected, but he notes that "last I knew, he was still on Cybertron four million years ago!" That contradicts issues [[Prisoner of War!|#3]] and [[The Last Stand|#4]], in which Ratchet was the one who discovered the Ark's memory bank recording of Shockwave's arrival on Earth and his battle with the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]].
===Artwork and technical errors===
===Artwork and technical errors===
*Josie Beller looks about 10 years older (and about half as bubbly) than she did in the previous issue. Her look will change again for issues #7 and #8, then again for #9.
*Shockwave's color scheme gets an update in this issue, dropping the bright fuschia for the more subdued purple that he will be for the remainder of the Marvel series. He still has the white shoulders of his early color scheme, however, which will take another few issues to be phased out.
*The [[oil]] rig is already on fire on page 3, before Shockwave has even fired a shot. In the same panel, the "base" of Shockwave's gun mode handle is ''huge''.
*Josie Beller looks about 10 years older (and about half as bubbly) than she did in the previous issue. Get used to this; her physical appearance is going to change a lot over the next couple of issues.
*Shockwave's handle is longer than his gun barrel as the harpoon debris snaps free.
*All Decepticon jets appearing in this issue are drawn rigidly in their [[character model]] poses, meaning it looks like they have only one vent-ear.
*The harpoon cables, which should still be speared through Shockwave's gun barrel, have disappeared as he transforms and lands on the rig.
*Page 3: The [[oil]] rig is already on fire before Shockwave has even fired a shot, and the "base" of Shockwave's gun mode handle is ''huge'' and jutting out at a weird angle relative to the rest of his body.
*Throughout the issue, the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] are drawn with the "Van Gogh" ear, later picked up by [[José Delbo]].
*Page 7, panel 2: Shockwave's handle is longer than his gun barrel as the harpoon debris snaps free.
*Skywarp is colored mostly blue on page 9; it's unclear whether this was a genuine mistake or the typical use of blue to represent black from the comics of the time. Also on this page, Frenzy (or Rumble) is depicted as larger than Soundwave.
*Page 8, panel 1: The harpoon cables, which should still be speared through Shockwave's gun barrel, have disappeared as he transforms and lands on the rig.
*Megatron identifies Soundwave, Frenzy and Rumble as boarding Skywarp, but Laserbeak (or Buzzsaw) is shown with them.
*Page 9:
*As Shockwave flies across the landscape, the spatial physics make it look like he's about an instant away from smashing into the commercial street below him. Instead he somehow flies onward into a football field. In the same panel, the toy-based pegs on his arms are on the outside of his arms; if the toy is transformed correctly, those pegs are on the inside—but they really shouldn't be there at all, not being part of his [[character model]].
**Skywarp is colored blue, instead of the darker blue-black normally used for him. unclear whether this was a genuine mistake or the typical use of blue to represent black from the comics of the time.
<!-- It's correct as-is. Shockwave is not at full strength because of the fuel shortage. * On page 16, on the third panel, Megatron's speech bubble was likely meant for Shockwave, though the implication that Shockwave is stronger than Megatron is a bit odd. -->
**Both Frenzy and Rumble are supposed to be in this scene, and are namechecked by Megatron, but the art draw Laserbeak (or is it Buzzsaw?) in place of one of them. Additionally, the Frenzy/Rumble robot is depicted as standing taller than Soundwave.
*Page 14, panel 3: As Shockwave flies across the landscape, the spatial physics make it look like he's about an instant away from smashing into the commercial street below him. Instead he somehow flies onward into a football field. In the same panel, the toy-based pegs on his arms are on the outside of his arms; if the toy is transformed correctly, those pegs are on the inside—but they really shouldn't be there at all, not being part of his character model. This panel also colors Shockwave in his finalized color scheme, with purple shoulders and lighter-purple hand and gun-barrel; see "other trivia" below for more!
*Page 16, panel 3: The speech bubble reading "At your full strength, you are less than me--and you are not at full strength!" is attributed to Megatron, but the flow of dialogue in the rest of the scene indicates that it was meant for Shockwave, as it comes off the back of Shockwave calling Megatron a fool for attacking him, and leads into Shockwave describing how Megatron's wounds have not healed. That said, it doesn't ''scream'' "error"; there ''is'' a fuel shortage going on, and Shockwave's [[bio]] does note that his power is "second only" to Megatron's.
*Page 20, panel 1: Megatron's Decepticon insignia is uncolored.
*Page 21:
*Page 21:
**First panel: one of the Seekers has a bizarrely inflated head.
**The only Decepticons intended to be in this scene with Megatron and Shockwave are the five who have just recovered from fuel poisoning (Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Ravage); the others (Frenzy, Rumble, Soundwave, and Skywarp) all departed for the captured oil rig earlier in the issue, and do not need to be part of a "swearing-in" ceremony, since they've already been serving Shockwave for an issue. Despite this, the art incorrectly depicts Soundwave and Rumble as part of the group, and colors one of the jets as Skywarp (but in the same blue, rather than blue-black, from page 9, and with a red cockpit).
**Second panel: Thundercracker is colored (mostly) like Skywarp, but with a red cockpit and blue face.
**Panel 1: one of the jets has a bizarrely inflated head.
**Frenzy and Soundwave are shown in the assembly, even though they're supposed to be off repairing the oil rig. Shockwave does not list them among the troops.
**Panel 2: Soundwave has his normal pale purple head, but his body is colored blue.
**Soundwave is blue now, with a lavender head.
*Page 22, panel 2: Ratchet has a Decepticon symbol.
*As he mopes with Buster, Ratchet has a Decepticon symbol.
 
===Continuity errors===
*What the hell kind of oil platform is equipped with executive corporate offices, a fleet of [[single-man hovercopter]]s (at ''least'' eight of them) along with the security force to man them, harpoon guns, and freaking ''mortar cannons''? Were they just ''expecting'' a Decepticon attack?
 
===Continuity notes===
*Shockwave learned about the oil rig last issue while absorbing Earth television.
*Megatron is still recovering from the poisoned fuel he and the other Decepticons absorbed in issue #4. Curiously, he seems to be the only one still in recovery.
 
===Real-life references===
*The setting is still rural [[Oregon]], with Shockwave's attack happening off the coast. His battle with Megatron is set in a fictional Oregon town near the volcano.


===UK printing===
===UK printing===
'''Issue #24:'''
'''Issue #24:'''
*'''Back-up strips:''' ''Machine Man'' - "Jolted by Jack O'Lantern" part 3, ''[[Robo-Capers]]'', ''Chromobots'', ''Planet Terry'' and ''Matt and the Cat''
*'''[[Back-up strips]]:''' ''Machine Man''"Jolted by Jack O'Lantern," Part 3, ''[[Robo-Capers]]'', ''Chromobots'', ''Planet Terry''—"The Saga of Princess Ugly," Part 5, and ''Matt and the Cat''
*In ''[[Letters page (Marvel UK)|Soundwaves]]'', [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] reveals that the name "[[Micro Change|Cassette Man]]", given to him in issue [[Raiders of the Last Ark|#21]]'s second part of the Transformers Checklist, is a nickname that select [[Stubbie|humans]] may use to refer to him.
*In ''[[Letters page (Marvel UK)|Soundwaves]]'', [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] reveals that the name "[[Micro Change|Cassette Man]]", given to him in [[Raiders of the Last Ark|issue #21]]'s second part of the Transformers Checklist, is a nickname that select [[Stubbie|humans]] may use to refer to him.


'''Issue #25:'''
'''Issue #25:'''
*'''Back-up strips:''' ''Machine Man'' - "Jolted by Jack O'Lantern" part 4, ''Robo-Capers'', ''Chromobots'', ''Planet Terry'' and ''Matt and the Cat''
*'''[[Back-up strips]]:''' ''Machine Man''"Jolted by Jack O'Lantern" part 4, ''Robo-Capers'', ''Chromobots'', ''Planet Terry''—"The Saga of Princess Ugly," Part 6, and ''Matt and the Cat''. This issue features the last ''Planet Terry'' strip, the first of the UK back-ups to be discontinued.
**''Planet Terry'' finishes in this issue.
*'''[[Fact File|Fact File Interface]]:''' [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]; this is the first "Fact File Interface" page, which is revamped from the original "Fact File" profile page included in previous issues.
*'''[[Fact File|Fact File Interface]]:''' [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
**Fact File Interface was a revamp of the original Fact File series.
*'''October calendar:''' [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], with art adapted from the forthcoming [[:File:M.A.R.B. from Repeat Performance!.jpg|splash page]] of issue [[Repeat Performance!|#27]].
*'''October calendar:''' [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], with art adapted from the forthcoming [[:File:M.A.R.B. from Repeat Performance!.jpg|splash page]] of issue [[Repeat Performance!|#27]].


===Other trivia===
===Other trivia===
[[File:Worseoftwoevilsoriginalpage.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Special Guest Artist?]]
[[File:Worseoftwoevilsoriginalpage.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Special Guest Artist?]]
*The last panel on page 14 (Shockwave being blasted out of [[Mount St. Hilary]] and across town) looks like it was drawn by an entirely different artist. Indeed, a photograph of the original line art reveals the last panel has yellowed at a different rate. (This different artist is likely [[William Johnson]], who draws Shockwave in a more toy-accurate style in the next two issues.)
*The last panel on page 14 (Shockwave being blasted out of [[Mount St. Hilary]] and across town) looks like it was drawn by an entirely different artist. This was verified by a photograph of the original line art, which revealed that panel had yellowed at a different rate to the rest of the art, having been pasted onto the original page. This different artist is likely [[William Johnson]], who draws Shockwave in a more toy-accurate style in the next two issues.
*Transformation in this issue is portrayed by a monochrome colored burst of light around the character. This [[:File:TF-commagmagenta.jpg|led to some problems]] when the issue was recolored for ''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin]]'' in [[Germany]].
*Transformation in this issue is portrayed by a monochrome colored burst of light around the character. This [[:File:TF-commagmagenta.jpg|led to some problems]] when the issue was recolored for ''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin]]'' in [[Germany]].


===Covers (9)===
===Covers (3)===
*'''US issue #6:''' Shockwave blasting Megatron, by [[Alan Kupperberg]].
*'''UK issue #24:''' Shockwave blasting oil rig, by [[Robin Smith]].
*'''UK issue #25:''' reuse of US art.
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:MarvelUS-06.jpg|'''US Issue #6''' - No, they're not fighting on top of the helicopter.
File:MarvelUS-06.jpg|'''US Issue #6''' - No, they're not fighting on top of the helicopter.
File:MarvelUK-024.jpg|'''UK Issue #24''' - Shockwave shows his feelings about rising [[oil]] prices!
File:MarvelUK-024.jpg|'''UK Issue #24''' - Shockwave shows his feelings about rising [[oil]] prices!
File:MarvelUK-025.jpg|'''UK Issue #25''' - Cornflakes. Cornflakes cornflakes cornflakes, cornflakes. Cornflakes! Cornflakes cornflakes cornflakes... cornflakes.
File:MarvelUK-025.jpg|'''UK Issue #25''' - Cornflakes. Cornflakes cornflakes cornflakes, cornflakes. Cornflakes! Cornflakes cornflakes cornflakes... cornflakes.
File:TFUSCollectedComics2BattleContinues.jpg|'''''Collected Comics'' (US) #2'''
File:Tf commag 01.JPG|'''Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #1''' - No really, this cover was used for this story!
</gallery>
</gallery>
*'''US issue #6 cover:''' Shockwave blasting Megatron, by [[Alan Kupperberg]].
*'''UK issue #24 cover:''' Shockwave blasting oil rig, by [[Robin Smith]].
*'''UK issue #25 cover:''' reuse of US art.
*'''''The Transformers: Collected Comics'' (US) #2 cover''': reuse of [[The New Order|issue #5]] cover, by [[Mark Bright|M.D. Bright]].
*'''''Transformers Comic-Magazin'' #1 cover:''' recoloring of the cover to US [[Warrior School!|issue #7]].


===Reprints===
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Titan-BeginningsSC.jpg|'''''Beginnings'' TPB'''
File:TFUSCollectedComics2BattleContinues.jpg|'''[[The Transformers: Collected Comics 2 - The Battle Continues...|''The Transformers: Collected Comics 2 - The Battle Continues...'']]''' (Marvel US, 1985)
File:Titan-BeginningsHC.jpg|'''''Beginnings'' hardback'''
File:Transformers Digest 03-cover.jpg|'''[[The Transformers Comics Magazine issue 3|''The Transformers Comics Magazine'' #3]]''' (Marvel US, 1987)
File:Classic Transformers Vol1.jpg|'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 1'''
File:Tf commag 01.JPG|'''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 1|''Transformers Comic-Magazin'' #1]]''' (Condor Verlag, 1989)
File:TFClassicsVol1.JPG|'''''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 1'''
File:Titan-BeginningsSC.jpg|'''[[Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|''Transformers: Beginnings'']] paperback''' (Titan Books, 2003)
File:Titan-BeginningsHC.jpg|'''[[Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|''Transformers: Beginnings'']] hardback''' (Titan Books, 2003)
File:Classic Transformers Vol1.jpg|'''[[Classic Transformers Volume 1|''Classic Transformers'' Volume 1]]''' (IDW Publishing, 2008)
File:TFClassicsVol1.JPG|'''[[The Transformers Classics, Vol. 1|''The Transformers Classics'', Vol 1]]''' (IDW Publishing, 2011)
</gallery>
</gallery>
*'''''Beginnings'' TPB cover:''' the Ark, Prime, Ravage and half of Cybertron, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Beginnings'' hardback cover:''' Shockwave stands over Blackrock's oil-drilling platform, by [[Ron Garney]] and [[Chris Blythe]].
*'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 1 cover:''' featuring panels from this issue, "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]", "[[Power Play!]]", "[[Brainstorm!]]" and "[[Prime Time!]]".
*'''''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 1 cover:''' Optimus Prime, by [[Guido Guidi]].


===Advertisements===
===Advertisements===
Line 158: Line 152:
*Huffy BMX bikes (rear inside cover)
*Huffy BMX bikes (rear inside cover)
*Young Astronaut Program (rear cover)
*Young Astronaut Program (rear cover)
===Reprints===
*[[1985]] — [[The Transformers: Collected Comics 2 - The Battle Continues...|''The Transformers: Collected Comics'' (US) #2 - The Battle Continues...]]
*[[1987]] — [[The Transformers Comics Magazine issue 3|''The Transformers Comics Magazine'' #3]]
*[[1989]] — [[Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 1|''Transformers Comic-Magazin'' #1]]
*[[2003]] — ''[[Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Transformers: Beginnings]]''
*[[2008]] — [[Classic Transformers Volume 1|''Classic Transformers'' Volume 1]]
*[[2011]] — [[The Transformers Classics, Vol. 1|''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 1]]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Worse of Two Evils!}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worse of Two Evils!}}
[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Revision as of 14:00, 15 November 2017

The Transformers (US) #6
The Transformers (UK) #24–25

Hum "Ride of the Valkyries" here.
"The Worse of Two Evils!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
First published March 1985
Cover date July 1985
Script Bob Budiansky
Art Alan Kupperberg
Colors Nel Yomtov
Lettering Rick Parker
Editor Jim Owsley
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity

Shockwave captures an oil-drilling platform, then is challenged by Megatron for command of the Decepticons.

Synopsis

Shockwave single-handedly attacks a high-tech oil rig belonging to industrialist G.B. Blackrock. The rig's defenses are largely ineffective, and Shockwave quickly conquers the platform. During the attack, electronics designer Josie Beller is severely injured.

Meanwhile, inside the Ark, Optimus Prime's still-living head instructs Buster to connect two wires from Prime's forehead to Buster's own. This results in an electric shock, knocking Buster unconscious. However, he remains unnoticed by the Decepticons, and returns to Ratchet to report his findings.

Megatron is still fuming when Shockwave announces his conquest to the other Decepticons. Unable to control his temper, he breaks free from his repair systems, and attacks Shockwave, blasting him across the Oregon landscape and into Vallemont school. But Megatron's injuries are not healed, leaving him vulnerable. Shockwave quickly defeats him, but refuses to grant him an honorable warrior's death, saying he has more value alive than dead... for now.

As witnessed by Ratchet and Buster, Shockwave returns to the Ark carrying Megatron's injured form. Shockwave uses the broken ex-leader as a demonstration to the other Decepticons of what they can expect if they challenge him... while outside, Ratchet and Buster huddle in despair.

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"I, Shockwave, claim this facility for myself!"
"What the --?! You want one? Build one yourself!"

Shockwave and G.B. Blackrock


"Humans, your actions seek to delay my reign! I have no time to trifle with you! Heed me now -- or feel the wrath of Shockwave!"

Shockwave opens fire


"Shockwave... you are relieved of command!"
BA-KROOM!!

Megatron's opening salvo


"I beg you, Shockwave... spare me the humiliat--"
"NO! I could tear your head from your body and reduce your remains to worthless slag, Megatron... but logic says you have significantly greater value to me alive than dead... for now! Your demise shall come at a time of my choosing... not yours."

Megatron can't even get Shockwave to kill him!

Notes

Continuity notes

  • Shockwave learned about the oil rig last issue while absorbing Earth television.
  • Megatron is still recovering from the poisoned fuel he and the other Decepticons absorbed in issue #4. It seems he took it harder than his minions; the other five victims—Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Ravage—are fully recovered by the end of the issue, and swear loyalty to Shockwave. The other Decepticons—Frenzy, Rumble, Soundwave, and Skywarp—have all been active since some point between issue #4 and #5 and were already working for Shockwave last issue, so they've evidently sworn loyalty already and don't need to be part of this scene... but see "Artwork and technical errors," below.

Continuity and plotting errors

  • Blackrock's oil platform was described as being pretty ostentatious last issue, so the corporate office is houses is perhaps not too much of a surprise... but a fleet of at least eight single-man hovercopters? Along with the security force to man them? Harpoon guns? Mortar cannons? Was G.B. just expecting a Decepticon attack?
  • Ratchet's surprise at seeing Shockwave alive on page 12 is to be expected, but he notes that "last I knew, he was still on Cybertron four million years ago!" That contradicts issues #3 and #4, in which Ratchet was the one who discovered the Ark's memory bank recording of Shockwave's arrival on Earth and his battle with the Dinobots.

Artwork and technical errors

  • Shockwave's color scheme gets an update in this issue, dropping the bright fuschia for the more subdued purple that he will be for the remainder of the Marvel series. He still has the white shoulders of his early color scheme, however, which will take another few issues to be phased out.
  • Josie Beller looks about 10 years older (and about half as bubbly) than she did in the previous issue. Get used to this; her physical appearance is going to change a lot over the next couple of issues.
  • All Decepticon jets appearing in this issue are drawn rigidly in their character model poses, meaning it looks like they have only one vent-ear.
  • Page 3: The oil rig is already on fire before Shockwave has even fired a shot, and the "base" of Shockwave's gun mode handle is huge and jutting out at a weird angle relative to the rest of his body.
  • Page 7, panel 2: Shockwave's handle is longer than his gun barrel as the harpoon debris snaps free.
  • Page 8, panel 1: The harpoon cables, which should still be speared through Shockwave's gun barrel, have disappeared as he transforms and lands on the rig.
  • Page 9:
    • Skywarp is colored blue, instead of the darker blue-black normally used for him. unclear whether this was a genuine mistake or the typical use of blue to represent black from the comics of the time.
    • Both Frenzy and Rumble are supposed to be in this scene, and are namechecked by Megatron, but the art draw Laserbeak (or is it Buzzsaw?) in place of one of them. Additionally, the Frenzy/Rumble robot is depicted as standing taller than Soundwave.
  • Page 14, panel 3: As Shockwave flies across the landscape, the spatial physics make it look like he's about an instant away from smashing into the commercial street below him. Instead he somehow flies onward into a football field. In the same panel, the toy-based pegs on his arms are on the outside of his arms; if the toy is transformed correctly, those pegs are on the inside—but they really shouldn't be there at all, not being part of his character model. This panel also colors Shockwave in his finalized color scheme, with purple shoulders and lighter-purple hand and gun-barrel; see "other trivia" below for more!
  • Page 16, panel 3: The speech bubble reading "At your full strength, you are less than me--and you are not at full strength!" is attributed to Megatron, but the flow of dialogue in the rest of the scene indicates that it was meant for Shockwave, as it comes off the back of Shockwave calling Megatron a fool for attacking him, and leads into Shockwave describing how Megatron's wounds have not healed. That said, it doesn't scream "error"; there is a fuel shortage going on, and Shockwave's bio does note that his power is "second only" to Megatron's.
  • Page 20, panel 1: Megatron's Decepticon insignia is uncolored.
  • Page 21:
    • The only Decepticons intended to be in this scene with Megatron and Shockwave are the five who have just recovered from fuel poisoning (Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Ravage); the others (Frenzy, Rumble, Soundwave, and Skywarp) all departed for the captured oil rig earlier in the issue, and do not need to be part of a "swearing-in" ceremony, since they've already been serving Shockwave for an issue. Despite this, the art incorrectly depicts Soundwave and Rumble as part of the group, and colors one of the jets as Skywarp (but in the same blue, rather than blue-black, from page 9, and with a red cockpit).
    • Panel 1: one of the jets has a bizarrely inflated head.
    • Panel 2: Soundwave has his normal pale purple head, but his body is colored blue.
  • Page 22, panel 2: Ratchet has a Decepticon symbol.

UK printing

Issue #24:

  • Back-up strips: Machine Man—"Jolted by Jack O'Lantern," Part 3, Robo-Capers, Chromobots, Planet Terry—"The Saga of Princess Ugly," Part 5, and Matt and the Cat
  • In Soundwaves, Soundwave reveals that the name "Cassette Man", given to him in issue #21's second part of the Transformers Checklist, is a nickname that select humans may use to refer to him.

Issue #25:

  • Back-up strips: Machine Man—"Jolted by Jack O'Lantern" part 4, Robo-Capers, Chromobots, Planet Terry—"The Saga of Princess Ugly," Part 6, and Matt and the Cat. This issue features the last Planet Terry strip, the first of the UK back-ups to be discontinued.
  • Fact File Interface: Warpath and Ramjet; this is the first "Fact File Interface" page, which is revamped from the original "Fact File" profile page included in previous issues.
  • October calendar: Ratchet, with art adapted from the forthcoming splash page of issue #27.

Other trivia

Special Guest Artist?
  • The last panel on page 14 (Shockwave being blasted out of Mount St. Hilary and across town) looks like it was drawn by an entirely different artist. This was verified by a photograph of the original line art, which revealed that panel had yellowed at a different rate to the rest of the art, having been pasted onto the original page. This different artist is likely William Johnson, who draws Shockwave in a more toy-accurate style in the next two issues.
  • Transformation in this issue is portrayed by a monochrome colored burst of light around the character. This led to some problems when the issue was recolored for Transformers Comic-Magazin in Germany.

Covers (3)

  • US issue #6: Shockwave blasting Megatron, by Alan Kupperberg.
  • UK issue #24: Shockwave blasting oil rig, by Robin Smith.
  • UK issue #25: reuse of US art.

Reprints

Advertisements

  • Reeses Pieces (inside front cover)
  • Oreos (pg 5)
  • Tootsie Roll Swap-a-Joke sweepstakes (pg 7)
  • Secret Wars II (pg 10)
  • Block of various Sketchy Things (pg 12)
  • Power Pack and The Amazing Spider-Man with tips on ways to prevent sexual abuse (pg 21)
  • Marvel Super Mart (pg 23)
  • STAR Comics (pg 26)
  • Bullpen Bulletins (pg 28)
  • Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe
  • Comic subscriptions (pg 32)
  • Huffy BMX bikes (rear inside cover)
  • Young Astronaut Program (rear cover)