Decepticon Graffiti!: Difference between revisions
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==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
===Artwork and technical errors=== | ===Artwork and technical errors=== | ||
*Unsurprisingly, Runabout and Runamuck have their colors switched in one panel while in Philadelphia. | *Unsurprisingly, Runabout and Runamuck have their colors switched in one panel while in Philadelphia, on page 14, panel 1. | ||
*On page 18, panel 2 Runamuck and Runabout are given tones that indicate the wrong Battlechanger. Runabout is light toned, Runamuck is light toned, not the other way around. It makes who's talking a little bit confusing. | |||
*Similarly on page 20, panel 6 Runabout is colored as Runamuck. | |||
*Noah's red T-shirt has two white stripes on it in some panels and three stripes in others. | *Noah's red T-shirt has two white stripes on it in some panels and three stripes in others. | ||
* The combined Autobot monster thing doesn't contain any parts belonging to any of the captive Autobots. | * The combined Autobot monster thing doesn't contain any parts belonging to any of the captive Autobots. | ||
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* This issue remain a heavy fan favorite, almost entirely due to the miscreant characterization of the Battlechargers. When ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' rose to popularity some ten years later, fans immediately saw them as the Battlechargers reincarnated - though it's actually just Runamuck who constantly chuckles to himself (heh-heh), while Runabout seems to have delusions of sophistication. Both of them seem very impressed by the literary prowess of their graffiti. When we finally get to see what they're writing, it turns out to be stuff like "Humans are Wimps". | * This issue remain a heavy fan favorite, almost entirely due to the miscreant characterization of the Battlechargers. When ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' rose to popularity some ten years later, fans immediately saw them as the Battlechargers reincarnated - though it's actually just Runamuck who constantly chuckles to himself (heh-heh), while Runabout seems to have delusions of sophistication. Both of them seem very impressed by the literary prowess of their graffiti. When we finally get to see what they're writing, it turns out to be stuff like "Humans are Wimps". | ||
*This was one of Budiansky's favorites.<ref>[http://traffic.libsyn.com/moonbase2/BobBinterview.mp3 Bob Budiansky interview] at Moonbase 2</ref> Also, Stan Lee himself likes this story, writing in a letter and everything!<ref>[http://www.oneshallstand.com/articles/bob_budiansky.html An interview with Bob Budiansky] at OneShallStand.com</ref> | *This was one of Budiansky's favorites.<ref>[http://traffic.libsyn.com/moonbase2/BobBinterview.mp3 Bob Budiansky interview] at Moonbase 2</ref> Also, Stan Lee himself likes this story, writing in a letter and everything!<ref>[http://www.oneshallstand.com/articles/bob_budiansky.html An interview with Bob Budiansky] at OneShallStand.com</ref> | ||
===Changes in the IDW ''Transformers Classics'' reprint=== | |||
* As of this printing Noah no longer has a Spider-man T-shirt. | |||
* On page 12 and 13 Runamuck's light blue tone is now too dark a shade, giving him the impression of having been colored completely blue, rather than being a toned white. | |||
===Covers (6)=== | ===Covers (6)=== | ||
Revision as of 03:54, 4 April 2015
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 Runabout and Runamuck do America. | |||||||||||||
| "Decepticon Graffiti!" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||
| First published | August 1986 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | December 1986 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | Bob Budiansky | ||||||||||||
| Penciler | Don Perlin | ||||||||||||
| Inkers | Ian Akin and Brian Garvey | ||||||||||||
| Colorist | Nel Yomtov | ||||||||||||
| Letterer | Janice Chiang | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Don Daley | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity | ||||||||||||
Megatron has a message for Optimus Prime, and sends the Battlechargers out to deliver it.
Synopsis
At RAAT headquarters, Circuit Breaker experiments on Skids in an attempt to learn more about the Transformers. Meanwhile, at the Decepticon base in Wyoming, Megatron recruits Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck from Cybertron to deliver a message to Optimus Prime—challenging him to a duel to the death.
The Battlechargers depart, irritated that Megatron still acts like he's in charge after a four-million-year absence. Deciding that they'd rather run rampant on the unsuspecting planet Earth, they pause to ponder what they should do. They observe a family, the Actons, on summer vacation. One of the family members, Noah, is bored with the vacation. Noah rebels by writing "Vacations are the pits" on a store wall. This act of defiance inspires the Battlechargers to follow the Actons on their tour of America, spray-painting Cybertronian graffiti on national monuments as they go. Their targets include Mount Rushmore and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
These acts of graffiti are broadcast via news reports, and RAAT is sent to investigate and engage the robot(s) perpetrating these crimes. When the Battlechargers strike the Washington Monument, Circuit Breaker discovers a link between the incidents and the Acton family and is able to intercept the Battlechargers at the Acton's next stop, Independence Hall in Philadelphia. While RAAT is able to prevent Independence Hall from being vandalized, Circuit Breaker is injured while saving Noah Acton from being killed in the crossfire. She is ordered to stay behind and recover while RAAT journeys to intercept the Battlechargers at the Statue of Liberty (this time having taken the appropriate precautions to avoid civilian interference).
Circuit Breaker is frustrated by her inability to join in the fight, but is too weak to go against the robots alone. Donny Finkleberg convinces her to use the Autobots she has imprisoned to fight the Battlechargers. This is done by means of building the bodies of these Autobots into a jury-rigged gestalt, which she controls from a position at the gestalt's chest. They engage the Battlechargers at the Statue of Liberty, but not before the robots manage to deface the Statue with another message, this one intended for the humans and written in English: "Humans are Wimps". Circuit Breaker is able to defeat the Battlechargers, who are last seen falling to the ocean as burnt-out husks.
Circuit Breaker frees the Autobots, apparently as part of an agreement she made with them in order to gain their cooperation. She and Finkleberg are fired from RAAT for this act of insubordination.
Finkleberg returns to his New York apartment and watches the televised report of the defacing of the Statue of Liberty. In an act of uncharacteristic self-sacrifice, Finkleberg signs over the $50,000 he earned for betraying Skids, in order to fund repairs on the monument.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Quotes
"When I want your opinion, I'll tell you what to say, Soundwave!
- —Megatron
"Heh heh heh! Let's tell the fleshlings what we think of them! Heh heh heh!"
"Oh, Runamuck, what a wonderfully wicked thing to write! You really do have a talent for the one-liner!"
"Yours is funny too, Runabout. It makes me laugh. [pause] Heh heh."
- —The Battlechargers take on the Washington Monument
"Heh heh! That was the most fun we've had yet, Runabout!"
"A marvelous experience, Runamuck! We simply must stop by again some day! But these fleshlings -- they never get as angry about what we write as that other fleshling did a few days ago in the parking lot, Runamuck."
"Yeah. They just seem... confused."
"No doubt our wit is too slyly subtle for them to appreciate."
"Yeah, that's it! Heh heh."
- —The Battlechargers reflect on their graffiti skills.
"My friction ray will hit her first, Runabout! Heat up her molecules, make her explode! Heh heh! Big mess! ...I love a big mess!"
- —Runamuck (miscolored as Runabout)
"Such a perfectly awful looking monstrosity, Runamuck! Whatever could it possibly be?"
"Shoot first, ask questions later, Runabout! Heh heh heh!"
- —Runabout and Runamuck
"Heh heh. Fleshling likes to give orders to Transformers! What will you say after I've burnt you to carbon ash, fleshling, eh? Heh heh!"
- —Runamuck
Notes
Artwork and technical errors
- Unsurprisingly, Runabout and Runamuck have their colors switched in one panel while in Philadelphia, on page 14, panel 1.
- On page 18, panel 2 Runamuck and Runabout are given tones that indicate the wrong Battlechanger. Runabout is light toned, Runamuck is light toned, not the other way around. It makes who's talking a little bit confusing.
- Similarly on page 20, panel 6 Runabout is colored as Runamuck.
- Noah's red T-shirt has two white stripes on it in some panels and three stripes in others.
- The combined Autobot monster thing doesn't contain any parts belonging to any of the captive Autobots.
Continuity errors
- Circuit Breaker protests that it would take days to get the Autobots operational. This is apparently part of the justification in using the Circuit Breaker-controlled gestalt. Yet, after the battle (which itself was the next day), only "several hours later," the Autobots are gone, apparently restored to their autonomous forms.
Continuity notes
- The Battlechargers are able to fly in robot mode using short-range rocket jumpers which are installed to the backs of their legs. This appears to be special equipment they use for this mission only. They weren't wearing the rocket jumpers when Megatron first gave them the assignment.
- The Battlechargers never delivered Megatron's message.
- Circuit Breaker continues to collect Transformers' faces in this issue, adding Skids and the Aerialbots to her collection. They were captured in issue #22.j They've been rearranged to accommodate the Aerialbots (and presumably Skids, though he's not visible.)
- Our third look at a Transformer's brain module (following from issues #9 and #11.) This time it's an orb with some circuit patterns and dangling wires.
- We get Circuit Breaker history flashbacks to issue #6 and #9.
Real-life references
- This story's title possibly alludes to the 1973 film American Graffiti.
- The issue notes that the Statue of Liberty had recently reopened after extensive renovations. The statue was closed from 1984 to 1986. The cartoon also touched on this theme.
- We visit a variety of real-life American landmarks, including:
- Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
- The Gateway Arch, St. Louis
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia
- The Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.
- The Statue of Liberty (with a mention of its recently completed renovation) adjacent to New York City
- Recurring locations include the Decepticon base in eastern Wyoming and RAAT headquarters in southern New Jersey. Donny returns home to Manhattan's Upper West Side.
- Prompted by a call to "the Defense Department", the Air Force sends F-16s toward Washington, too late to help.
UK printing
Issue 94
- Backup strips: Spitfire and the Troubleshooters - "Behemoth" and Robo-Capers
- In Grim Grams, Grimlock reveals that Ultra Magnus weighs 90 tons.
Issue #95
- Backup strips: Spitfire and the Troubleshooters - "Counterattack" Part 1 and Robo-Capers
Letters pages
Transmissions
- The upcoming Transformers/G.I. Joe team-up is confirmed.
- A sneak-peak of the upcoming The Transformers Universe profile books is included.
- Shingo is once again encouraged to write in.
Other trivia
- This issue remain a heavy fan favorite, almost entirely due to the miscreant characterization of the Battlechargers. When Beavis and Butt-Head rose to popularity some ten years later, fans immediately saw them as the Battlechargers reincarnated - though it's actually just Runamuck who constantly chuckles to himself (heh-heh), while Runabout seems to have delusions of sophistication. Both of them seem very impressed by the literary prowess of their graffiti. When we finally get to see what they're writing, it turns out to be stuff like "Humans are Wimps".
- This was one of Budiansky's favorites.[1] Also, Stan Lee himself likes this story, writing in a letter and everything![2]
Changes in the IDW Transformers Classics reprint
- As of this printing Noah no longer has a Spider-man T-shirt.
- On page 12 and 13 Runamuck's light blue tone is now too dark a shade, giving him the impression of having been colored completely blue, rather than being a toned white.
Covers (6)
-
US issue #23 - Lady Liberty sheds a tear. -
UK issue #94 - Blurr wants a word with these guys. -
UK issue #95 - Ha. Ah ha. Got it. -
Transformers: Showdown TPB
- US cover: Battlechargers defacing the Statue of Liberty, by Herb Trimpe.
- UK issue #94 cover: Battlechargers, by Lee Sullivan.
- UK issue #95 cover: reuse of art from US cover, with some new word balloons.
- Transformers: Showdown TPB cover: Soundwave, Rumble, Cosmos, Warpath, Powerglide and half of the space bridge, by Andrew Wildman.
-
Transformers: Showdown hardback -
The Transformers Classics Vol. 2
- Transformers: Showdown hardback cover: Optimus Prime's head, by Alan Davis, Mark Farmer, & Chris Blythe.
- The Transformers Classics Vol. 2 cover: Megatron, by Guido Guidi.
Advertisements
- M&M's - inside front cover
- Lazer Tag
- Bonkers! (candy)
- Westfield Comics Subscription Service
- NBC Saturday morning cartoons: Kissyfur, Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Smurfs, Punky Prewster, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Foofur, Kidd Video, plus: One to Grow On.
- Adidas Astronauts (boys & girls activewear)
- Marvel subscription service
- Dungeons & Dragons set #1: Basic Rules - inside back cover
- Brach's (candy) - back cover
Reprints
References
- ↑ Bob Budiansky interview at Moonbase 2
- ↑ An interview with Bob Budiansky at OneShallStand.com
