The Test (issue)

This article is about the Blackthorne comic issue. For the Robots in Disguise episode, see The Test (RID episode).

These poses were good enough for the toys. They're good enough for the comic.

The Transformers investigate a potential source of Energon. But who's studying who?

Blackthorne 3-D issue #1

Script: Tim Tobolski
Art: Tim Tobolski and Bob Versandi

• Major characters (in order of appearance): Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Fortress Maximus, Lightspeed, Blurr, Searchlight, Scorponok, Galvatron, Ratbat, Cyclonus, Scourge, Sky Lynx, Sixshot
• Originally published: Fall, 1987

Synopsis

The Transformers investigate a mysterious Energon source, which seems to be connected to strange aliens each faction discovers. Each faction brings an alien back to their base, and attempts to study it to figure out it's connection to the Energon. As it turns out, the aliens are agents of the Quintessons, having been sent to study the Transformers and report their findings. But even they aren't sure why....

Errors

• Galvatron seems amazed that they've discovered "a source of true Energon just inside our galaxy!" Wow! Who knew Energon was so scarce you had to go to other galaxies to find it?

Items of note

• The interior notes state that this issue is "Blackthorne 3-D Series #25."
• Although Fortress Maximus and Scorponok are featured, Headmasters (as such) appear not to have been created yet. Hot Rod makes a reference to "making some progress" on the technology, having found a planet (apparently Nebulos) "with the proper capability about 7 parsecs away."
  
  
  From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.