Brothers in Armor!!
To ensure the safety of Nebulos, Galen and Lord Zarak must each make a huge sacrifice.
Headmasters #4
(Story also appears in: Marvel UK issues #142-145)
Script: Bob Budiansky
Pencils: Frank Springer
Inks: Ian Akin & Brian Garvey
Lettering: Jack Morelli
Colors: Nelson Yomtov
Editor: Don Daley
- Major characters (in order of appearance): Scorponok, Snapdragon, Mindwipe, Apeface, Spasma, Vorath, Krunk, Monzo, Lord Zarak, Blurr, Kup, Hot Rod, Galen, Slugslinger, Triggerhappy, Scourge, Misfire, Cyclonus, Duros, Gort, Arcana, Stylor, Fortress Maximus, Hardhead, Highbrow, Brainstorm, Chromedome
- Originally published: January, 1988
Synopsis
With most of their opposition incapacitated, the Decepticons continue their conquest of Nebulos. Lord Zarak finds himself torn by his loyalties to the world he loves and his link to the Headmaster leader, Scorponok. As the Autobots further experiment with Nebulan binary-bonding by creating the Targetmasters, Galen pleads with Zarak to see what the Decepticons are doing to their world.
After being defeated in an attack by the Autobot Targetmasters, Zarak begins to see that Galen was right, and while the Decepticons escalate the conflict by creating their own Targetmasters, Zarak frees his prisoners, pleading with them to take the battle offworld to join Transformers already on the planet Earth. Zarak knows that if the Autobots leave Nebulos, the Decepticons will follow, and his world might yet be saved. The Autobots agree to this proposal, and abandon the planet, leaving a war-torn Nebulos to rebuild once the Transformers have left.
Errors
- Cover - Kup is miscolored as gold instead of teal.
- Page 3 - First panel: Spasma's dialogue is attributed to Zarak/Scorponok.
- Page 5 - Third panel: Pinpointer's dialogue is attributed to "Sparks."
- Page 16 - Eighth panel: Gort's suit is once again drawn as Chromedome's body.
- Page 18 - Second and third panels: And again, Fortress Maximus is drawn with Cerebros' head.
- Page 21 - Second panel: Pointblank is missing his head.
- Page 22 - The Decepticon ship is written as having been parked in orbit like the Steelhaven, but Springer draws it as if it launches from the ground, complete with launching pad. (Consequently, this confused later artist Jose Delbo, and thus the ship is drawn in its second appearance in "Trial by Fire!" with its launching platform attached to it.)
Items of note
- References to other Transformers continuities/issues: The message Hot Rod receives on page 6 was sent by Goldbug in Marvel US issue #37.
- Advertised as part 4 in a 4-issue limited series.
- Two exclamation points. Because it's that exciting.
