Brainstorm!

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This article is about the comic issue. For the Headmaster character, see Brainstorm.

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<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers (US) #11 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers (UK) #37–38 </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/1/13/MarvelUS-11.jpg/230px-MarvelUS-11.jpg" width="230" height="361" border="0" /><br />"Run! He wants revenge for the way we drew him so hideously off-model!" </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "Brainstorm!" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr> <tr> <td>Date published </td><td> August 1985 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> December 1985 </td></tr>

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

<tr> <td>Penciler </td><td> Herb Trimpe </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Inker </td><td> Tom Palmer </td></tr>

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

<tr> <td>Letterer </td><td> Diana Albers </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Editor </td><td> Michael Carlin </td></tr>

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

</table> Buster Witwicky is in danger because of his special "gift" from Optimus Prime.

Synopsis

Buster is still confused by his new powers, but conceals the secret of them from his father. Jessie comes around looking to patch things up, and the two go for a bike ride.

At the Blackrock Aerospace Assembly Plant, Optimus Prime has not yet given life to Shockwave's latest soldier, Jetfire. Shockwave suspects that Optimus Prime no longer possesses the Creation Matrix, and sets about discovering what has happened to it by probing the memories of Frenzy. This leads him straight to Buster.

The Autobots are listening in on this discovery, and send Bumblebee and Bluestreak to protect Buster. The Autobots first visit Sparkplug at his garage, and explain the danger. Sparkplug wants nothing more to do with the Autobots, and refuses to help; but when he goes to find Buster himself, Bluestreak and Bumblebee tail him back to Buster and Jessie.

This unfortunately leads the Decepticons right to their location as well. Bluestreak easily defeats the spying Laserbeak, but Shockwave dispatches the pre-programmed Jetfire to retrieve Buster. While Jetfire makes short work of the Autobots, Bumblebee realizes that Jetfire is not alive, and that Buster can control the Decepticon jet. Revealing his secret, Buster disassembles Jetfire with a thought. Bumblebee and Buster make plans to use Jetfire to aid in the rescue of Optimus Prime.

Shockwave announces his intention to terminate Optimus Prime. An Autobot convoy is already on the way; they can only hope they are not too late.

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">

• Optimus Prime (5)
• Jetfire (6)
• Prowl (7)
• Ratchet (8)
• Bumblebee (10)
• Bluestreak (11)

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• Shockwave (3)
• Laserbeak (4)
• Rumble (9)

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

• Buster Witwicky (1)
• Sparkplug Witwicky (2)

Guests

• Ferdy and Gabe (12)
• Colonel Hawthorn (13)
• Jessie (14)
• Murray (15)

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Errors

• The cover seems to have Bluestreak and Bumblebee miscolored as Hound and Gears, respectively.
• It seems impossible to believe that Rumble's sight is of such low resolution as to be incapable of discerning a human.

Items of note

Blackrock Industries loves making fake jets.

• Although this issue features Jetfire as its centerpiece, he is still not a sentient being, but rather just a lifeless construct.

• In UK issue #37's letter page, Soundwave revealed that Transformers use various types of droids, including Mechodrones for menial tasks and Combat Droids for guard duty. Guardian was one such combat droid. He also suggested that makers of knockoff Shockwave toys might be in for an unpleasant visit by the then Decepticon leader. (But was it simple jealousy, or remold-induced trigger envy?)

• On page 4, some of the jets being built resemble Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge.

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/1/13/MarvelUS-11.jpg/76px-MarvelUS-11.jpg" width="76" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> US issue #11 - Who what where?

</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/d/d9/MarvelUK-37.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-37.jpg" width="90" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> UK issue #37 - Excitement! Danger! Personal stereos!

</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/8/8e/MarvelUK-38.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-38.jpg" width="90" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> UK issue #38 - Nope, still no better...

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• US cover: Jetfire attacking the miscolored Autobots, by Herb Trimpe.
• UK issue #37 cover: Buster and various story events, by John Ridgway.
• UK issue #38 cover: reuse of art from US cover.

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