Robot Buster!

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<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) #59–60 </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/5/52/MarvelUK-059.jpg/230px-MarvelUK-059.jpg" width="230" height="307" border="0" /><br />Buster takes Frenzy from behind. </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "Robot Buster!" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> 3rd May - 10th May 1986 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Writer </td><td> Simon Furman </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Art </td><td> Barry Kitson </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colours </td><td> Josie Firmin (59), T.M. Cooks (60) </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Lettering </td><td> Annie Halfacree </td></tr>

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

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

</table> Wheeljack builds an exo-suit for Buster who uses it to confront Shockwave.

Synopsis

Wheeljack and Ratchet ask Optimus Prime to visit their lab to see their newest creation-- a large mechanical suit for Buster Witwicky that will allow him to fight alongside the Autobots. Optimus Prime is outraged at the notion of endangering Buster's life in battle and orders the suit dismantled. Buster commandeers the suit that night, convinced that Optimus will change his mind if he can defeat a Decepticon on his own. Approaching the Decepticons' mountain base, he finds Frenzy alone and manages to defeat him, although the fight alerts current Decepticon commander Shockwave to Buster's presence.

After spending most of the night running from Shockwave and making futile attempts to combat him, Buster escapes momentarily by throwing sand in Shockwave's optic sensor. Shockwave recalls his recent burial at the hands of the Dinobots, augmenting his fury toward Buster. Buster reconfigures his suit to channel all of its energy into one blast against Shockwave, but the effort proves futile as Shockwave recovers and prepares to kill Buster. The Autobots arrive in time to save Buster and he agrees to resign from fighting the Decepticons. Shockwave, retreating in humiliation, concludes that the Autobots' concern for humans is a weakness he can exploit at a later date.

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 (1)
• Ratchet (2)
• Wheeljack (3)
• Trailbreaker (7)
• Bumblebee (8)
• Prowl (9)
• Tracks (10)

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

• Frenzy (5)
• Shockwave (6)

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

• Buster Witwicky (4)

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

Errors

• At the end of part one Shockwave declares Buster will die at his "hands". He's only got one.

Items of note

• The story idea for "Robot Buster" is attributed to artist Barry Kitson.
• Part two has a flat colouring that is very different from that used in other UK originated issues in the comic's first two years but which became the norm from issue #93 onwards.

Back-Up Stories

Issue #59:

• Rocket Racoon - "Masque of the Red Breath" Part 2
• Matt and the Cat
• Robo-Capers

Issue #60:

• Rocket Racoon - "Masque of the Red Breath" Part 3
• Robo-Capers

Reprints

• This issue was reprinted in Collected Comics #9 in 1988.
• It was also reprinted as part of Titan Books trade paperback "Second Generation" in 2005.

Covers (4)

<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/5/52/MarvelUK-059.jpg/90px-MarvelUK-059.jpg" width="90" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Issue #59 - Who ya gonna call? Not Buster!

</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/b/b4/MarvelUK-060.JPG/90px-MarvelUK-060.JPG" width="90" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Issue #60 - I spy with my little eye...

</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/5/57/Tfcolcom09.jpg/91px-Tfcolcom09.jpg" width="91" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Collected Comics #9 - Busted!

</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 - I use the power of PERSPECTIVE to make my fist bigger!

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

• Issue #59 cover: Robot Buster takes down Frenzy, by Geoff Senior.
• Issue #60 cover: Shockwave has Buster in his sinister hand, by Barry Kitson.
• Collected Comics #9 cover: Shockwave stalks Robot Buster and a vanquished Frenzy, by Bryan Hitch.
• Transformers: Second Generation cover: Superion vs Bruticus, by Lee Sullivan.