The Mission
Jazz rushes to save Hoist in barren Alaska— but who is going to save Jazz?
Marvel UK Annual 1986
Writer: Jamie Delano
Art: ?
Colouring: ?
- Characters: Hoist, Jazz, The Constructicons
- Originally published: December 1985?
Synopsis
Hoist accidentally falls into an abandoned human mineshaft while tracking the Constructicons in the Alaskan Wilderness. Totally exposed, he sends out a a signal on the Urgent Distres Frequency.
Jazz arrives from the 200-miles distant Skagway before the Constructicons emerge from their sub-terranian base, but having psyched himself out with the oppressively barren landscape and his own low estimation of Hoist's skills as a scout, mistakes Hoist's head above the snow as his severed head, and believes he's walking into a Constructicon trap. When Hoist spots him and turns his head, the wired Jazz shoots- alerting the Constructicons to their presence.
While freeing Hoist from the mines, Jazz is shot in the head, destroying his logic circuits and reducing him to the level of a toddler with no understanding of the world. Hoist spends several hours pushing, pulling and shoving Jazz through an Alaskan forest ahead of him while the Constructons pursue.
Hoist has been heading downhill, he plans to find the river running through this area and build a raft to carry them away from the pursuing Constructicons. However when they reach the river, a dam has reduced it to a trickle, probably insufficient to the task.
Jazz, whose childlike mind had previously marveled at a deer, is profoundly disquieted by the Dam's intrusion on the untouched landscape. He is staring angrily at the dam when the Constructicons (who have formed Devastator) shoot at him. Hoist tackles him, and the shot instead blows a hole in the dam, which crumbles. Hoist drags Jazz onto his makeshift raft as the Constructicons are separated and swept away by the torrent.
Two days later, Hoist crosses the border back into the United States from Canada, Jazz in tow.
Items of note
- The nature of the Constructons' excavation under the mountain is never revealed.
- Dude, dragging your brain-damaged fellow soldier across hostile terrain? Hardcore.
