Shooting Star!

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This article is about the Marvel comic issue. For the Autobot satellite, see Shooting Star.
« The Transformers (US) #13 »
« The Transformers (UK) #51–52 »

I am the NRA.
"Shooting Star!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
First published October 1985
Cover date February 1986
Writer Bob Budiansky
Penciler Don Perlin
Inker Al Gordon
Colorist Nel Yomtov
Letterer Janice Chiang
Editor Michael Carlin
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity

A small-time crook's life changes when he finds a special gun.

Synopsis

Wherever you are
you're gonna see me fly
like a shooting star
across a midnight sky

A small-time loser named Joey Slick flees through the woods, attempting to escape from thugs trying to kill him. He stumbles across a gun in a stream, but it doesn't work... until the two laughing thugs tell it to blast them, which it does.

Retreating to an empty warehouse, Joey soon discovers that his gun is a Transformer called Megatron. Megatron is unable to think for himself, due to damage from his fall during his battle with Ratchet, and can only respond to what he is told or asked.

Crime lord Jake Lomax, the gangster who sent the thugs after Slick because of an unpaid debt, is incensed that they failed. Crunching up his newspaper, he orders that Slick be killed immediately.

Returning to his run-down apartment in an immigrant neighborhood, Joey is again attacked by thugs. He uses Megatron to delay them long enough to escape, then flees. Needing money after being rejected by a crummy motel for being two dollars short, he holds up a convenience store... then uses Megatron's firepower to stop pursuing police cars. Realizing the possibilities, he soon uses Megatron to strike a one-man crime wave.

Redolent in riches, Joey finds himself surrounded by hangers-on and wannabes. Trying to reconnect with the things that matter, he returns to his old neighborhood, only to find himself feared and worshipped for his "super gun". He realizes he has to face up to his problems.

Joey blasts his way into Lomax's compound and confronts the gangster one on one. Despite his earlier bluster, Lomax pleads for his life. No longer afraid of Lomax, Joey tosses the gun away, and punches him out. Joey throws the owed money at his unconscious form. Joey turns to find Megatron looming over him—the impact reconnected his higher brain functions. Megatron is furious at Joey for attempting to command him, and attempts to kill the impudent fleshling. But when Joey shows absolutely no fear before him, Megatron is impressed and spares him. Megatron leaves to rejoin the Decepticons, and Joey is willingly arrested by the civil authorities.

(Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.) (Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Quotes

"You are not dead. I am not a weird angel. I am a Transformer."

—Megatron


"You made all this possible. But it ain't all I thought it would be -- I got everything that I could want. So how come I feel like I got nothin'? Heck, you're the only one I feel I can talk to -- and you're as brainless as a beer can! That ain't right, right?"

—Joey Slick


"You're not gonna kill me?"
THWOK
"...Heck no! I'm just gonna pay back what I owe you -- 600 dollars plus interest! Now we're even, slimeball! Spend some of it to fix up your house, okay?"

—Jake Lomax gets punched out by Joey Slick, after Slick has trashed his mansion


"But Megatron gives no thanks -- he only takes. And now I take your life, fleshling!"
"M-my life? ...Sure, why not, take it! Jake Lomax wanted my life. I thought he was the most terrifyin' thing I could imagine! Well, I just punched him out! Nothin' you can do to me now can take that away from me -- ever! Do what you want, Megatron!"
"You surprise me, fleshling. Such audacity in a member of your species is wholely unexpected. It is deserving of Megatron's respect -- not his wrath!"

—Megatron and Joey Slick have a little heart to heart

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

  • Page 5: in the flashback panel, Starscream appears to be wearing eyeglasses!

Continuity notes

  • Megatron was defeated by Ratchet in US issue #8. A front page headline on a newspaper reads, "ROBOTS LEAVE PLANE PLANT," a reference to the Decepticons' defeat in #12.
  • This is one of the few issues of the series in which no Autobots appear, other than Ratchet in flashback; in fact, Megatron is the only Transformer shown in the actual story, which is almost entirely centered around its one-shot human cast.
  • Two fictional newspapers appear: the Globe Journal and the Daily Globe.

Real-life references

  • The action's set in and around Portland, Oregon. Joey lives in the Southwest section, an actual designation for part of town, though it's drawn looking a lot more like a New York neighborhood.
  • The kids on Joey's block mention the Seattle Seahawks (which is the local favorite since Portland doesn't have its own NFL team); Joey mentions the NFL by name as well.
  • Joey robs a "6-12" convenience store, a reference to 7-Eleven.
  • Joey feels the kids are treating him "like Al Capone".

UK printing

Issue #51:

Issue #52:

  • Back-up strips: Robotix - "A World in Chaos" Part 2, Robo-Capers and Matt and the Cat
  • Free Gift: A Panini Transformers sticker album.

Other trivia

  • Although this story is often criticized by fans, it is one of few stories in any continuity to make full use of the fact that Megatron's alternate form is a realistic-looking handgun.
  • The sole decorations in Joey's apartment: a couple of pinup girls. Classy!
  • This issue was reprinted in the Titan Books collection Transformers: Cybertron Redux.
  • This issue was reprinted as issue #2 of IDW Publishing's Generations series.

Covers (12)

  • US issue #13 - Look, it's STILL a gun...
    US issue #13 - Look, it's STILL a gun...
  • UK issue #51 - A purple Megatron? That is just crazy!
    UK issue #51 - A purple Megatron? That is just crazy!
  • UK issue #52 - The UK gets free sticker albums. What do you get?
    UK issue #52 - The UK gets free sticker albums. What do you get?
  • The Transformers Comics Magazine #7
    The Transformers Comics Magazine #7
  • US cover: Gun mode Megatron Prime, by Don Perlin.
  • UK issue #51 cover: Megatron and Joey Slick, by Geoff Senior.
  • UK issue #52 cover: reuse of art from US cover.
  • The Transformers Comics Magazine #7 cover: reuse of art from US cover.

Advertisements

I'm sure this is cheating somehow.
  • The original US printing of this issue features not one, but two advertisements related to GoBots! One is for a Nestlé Quik-sponsored contest to win a "complete set of GoBots toys" between pages 4 & 5, while another is for the syndicated Hanna-Barbera Challenge of the GoBots television series between pages 7 & 8. One must assume that Marvel didn't run advertising approvals by Hasbro...
  • G.I. Joe and Transformers on videocassette from Family Home Entertainment, 5 new adventures for each title now $14.95 each—upper half of page between pages 16 and 17

Reprints

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