Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 12
From MediaWiki
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 Well at least there isn't a random little kid on this one... | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Condor Verlag | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | December 1990 | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity | ||||||||||||
| Price | 3.50 DM | ||||||||||||
Contents
Transformers in Action: "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!"
The mood inside the Ark is solemn. During a mission, Ruckus has been wounded heavily by stray Autobot fire. Reason enough for Optimus Prime to give his troops a stern talking-to about the importance of being able to tell friend from foe. He explains how the Decepticons are recognizable by their generally hostile and sinister appearance and more powerful weaponry.
When Backstreet and Bumblebee point out that the constant stream of new arrivals makes it hard to tell Autobots from Decepticons, Optimus starts an educational program on the Ark's computer, running down a list of Transformers found on Earth at the time. He announces a combat simulation that will take place after his return as he leaves on a recon flight.
The program lists Autobots and Decepticons by sub-group. (source)
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots |
|---|
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Articles and features
- Profiles for Bruticus, Breakdown, Brawn and Brawl
- A picture of Optimus Prime with a grid for kids to copy it onto.
- In the treasury of the Decepticons: a puzzle which sees Shockwave in a room full of toys and trafficlights. Shockwave looks understandably confused.
- Alarm! Megatron in the Ark!: A puzzle where the reader must match closeups of a crudely drawn image to the overall picture. Megatron is notable by his absence.
- An animal wordsearch which has a picture of Optimus Prime slapped onto it.
- A maze where the reader must find which of Optimus Prime's 3 laser beams is cruelly murdering Megatron (who is coloured like Shockwave).
Reprints
Notes
- The reprinted strip is titled "The Hunter of the Cosmos"
- With this issue, the comic starts to print character profiles.
- The text story is basically just a list of toys with very little story framework. However, it is somewhat revealing in regard to the mythology with which the writer Robert Mann is working. It is explained that the Decepticons are intentionally using aggressive and mean-looking altmodes, while the Autobots are doing their best to appear peaceful - a theme that is reinforced several times during the cast rundown.
- Optimus Prime appears to be able to achieve flight. This might be a reference to his Action Master vehicle, which is advertised in the same issue. It's a little odd, in any case, seeing as the Autobots explicitly shun flight modes in the Condor sub-continuity.
- Bumblebee's lament about the ongoing flood of new arrivals feels suspiciously like a frustrated author's outlook on a large, ever-changing cast.
- The story becomes increasingly transparent as copied toy specs as it goes on. This is particularly notable in the section about the Ultra Pretenders, as it explicitly speaks of "figures".
- The dimensional bridge to Cybertron seems to be a permanent link, with time travel capabilities.
- Some Decepticons love to pretend to be Autobots to trick their foes apparently. Like uh, Ruckus maybe, who in this story seems to be everyone's friend!
- The Classic Pretender shells are modelled on 'gladiators of the future.'
- Groundshaker is mentioned as the Autobot Ultra Pretender, whilst Skyhammer is the Decepticon one! While this could be an error, Groundshaker is running about in issue 16 doing a lot of Autobot things, and we saw Skyhammer as an Autobot in issue 9. Did Skyhammer later defect due to the Autobot's disapproval of flying alternate-modes? Does this also mean that Groundshaker is a redeco of Roadblock?
Errors
- The text story starts with Optimus Prime getting upset because someone shot Ruckus, his friend. He then shouts at the Autobots for not being able to tell who is a Decepticon. Whoops.
- In a story about the importance of keeping friends and foes straight, the clarifying rundown of Transformers on Earth is riddled with errors like misspelled names and switched allegiances. Autobots listed as Decepticons include Override, Guzzle, Pincher, Doubleheader, Pretender Grimlock, Skyhammer and the Micromaster Battle Patrol. Decepticons identified as Autobots include Ruckus, Windsweeper, Cindersaur, Sparkstalker, Octopunch, Stranglehold and the Micromaster Race Car Patrol.
Advertisements
- A one page advertisement for Action Masters.
- A one page advertisement for Action Master Optimus Prime.
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Action Master Prime: Faster, stronger, more alive... than YOU?
