Brainstorm!
| This article is about the comic issue. For the Headmaster character, see Brainstorm. |
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 "Run! He wants revenge for the way we drew him so hideously off-model!" | |||||||||||||
| "Brainstorm!" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||||||||||||
| First published | August 1985 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | December 1985 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | Bob Budiansky | ||||||||||||
| Penciler | Herb Trimpe | ||||||||||||
| Inker | Tom Palmer | ||||||||||||
| Colorist | Nel Yomtov | ||||||||||||
| Letterer | Diana Albers | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Michael Carlin | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Marvel Comics continuity | ||||||||||||
Buster Witwicky is in danger because of his special "gift" from Optimus Prime.
Synopsis
Buster is still confused by his new powers, but conceals the secret of them from his father. Jessie comes around looking to patch things up, and the two go for a bike ride.
At Blackrock Aerospace Assembly Plant Number One, Optimus Prime has not yet given life to Shockwave's latest soldier, Jetfire. Shockwave suspects that Optimus Prime no longer possesses the Creation Matrix, and sets about discovering what has happened to it by probing the memories of Rumble. This leads him straight to Buster.
The Autobots are listening in on this discovery, and send Bumblebee and Bluestreak to protect Buster. The Autobots first visit Sparkplug at his garage, and explain the danger. Sparkplug wants nothing more to do with the Autobots, and refuses to help; but when he goes to find Buster himself, Bluestreak and Bumblebee tail him back to Buster and Jessie.
This unfortunately leads the Decepticons right to their location as well. Bluestreak easily defeats the spying Laserbeak, but Shockwave dispatches the pre-programmed Jetfire to retrieve Buster. While Jetfire makes short work of the Autobots, Bumblebee realizes that Jetfire is not alive, and that Buster can control the Decepticon jet. Revealing his secret, Buster disassembles Jetfire with a thought. Bumblebee and Buster make plans to use Jetfire to aid in the rescue of Optimus Prime.
Shockwave announces his intention to terminate Optimus Prime. An Autobot convoy is already on the way; they can only hope they are not too late.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
|
Quotes
Sparkplug: "I gave Bumblebee the slip... but this other one, Bluestreak, tailed me, pretty good!"
Bluestreak: "I sure did! Now, I don't mean to pry, Buster, but could you explain to me the action you and your human friend were engaged in?"
Buster: "Er... that was a kiss."
Bluestreak: "And what function does "kiss" serve? Is it some sort of energy-transferral process?"
Buster: "It's um... it's kinda hard to explain..."
Bluestreak: "Hmmm... perhaps it is similar to fifth-order tridimensional equations. They too are hard to ex--"
Bumblebee: "Switch your vocal circuitry to off, Bluestreak!"
"What do you think, Dad?"
"You know me, son -- I've never been the interferin'-father type -- at least not for the last minute or two!"
- —Buster and Sparkplug
Notes
Artwork and technical errors
- The cover seems to have Bluestreak and Bumblebee miscolored as Hound and Cliffjumper, respectively.
- Page 3, panel 1: Buster's hair is colored white instead of blonde-yellow.
- Page 7: Across the first three panels, Bluestreak has only one door, then no doors, then both doors.
- Page 21, panel 5: Jetfire's body is all red; it should have some white parts.
Continuity errors
- It seems impossible to believe that Rumble's sight is of such low resolution as to be incapable of discerning a human; likewise, the notion of resolving a recorded image as Shockwave does runs counter to basic notions of digital imagery.
- The Creation Matrix grants Buster control over all kinds of unliving metal... yet Optimus Prime never seems to display any such abilities when the Matrix is in his possession.
Continuity notes
- Although this issue features Jetfire as its centerpiece, he is still not a sentient being, but rather just a lifeless construct.
- On page 4, some of the jets being built resemble Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge.
- Shockwave uses beams from his single eye for all kinds of things in this issue, from activating control panels to projecting imagery and relaying messages to his underlings.
- Bluestreak displays both of his tech-spec based weapons, including high-powered electrical beams and shells with multiple independent warheads. He also displays his penchant for rambling on and on.
- Jetfire's brain is shown to be a tiny yellow box. The size is consistent with other views of Transformer brains that we have seen and will see, but the shape is not.
Real-life references
UK printing
Issue #37:
- Backup strips: Machine Man - "Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!" Part 3, Robo-Capers and Matt and the Cat
- In UK issue #37's letter page, Soundwave revealed that Transformers use various types of droids, including Mechodrones for menial tasks and Combat droids for guard duty. Guardian was one such combat droid. He also suggested that makers of knockoff Shockwave toys might be in for an unpleasant visit by the then Decepticon leader. (But was it simple jealousy, or retool-induced trigger envy?)
Issue #38:
- Backup strips: Machine Man - "Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!" Part 4, Robo-Capers and Matt and the Cat
Other trivia
Covers (8)
-
US issue #11 - Who what where? -
UK issue #37 - Excitement! Danger! Personal stereos! -
UK issue #38 - Nope, still no better... -
The Transformers Comics Magazine #6
- US cover: Jetfire attacking the miscolored Autobots, by Herb Trimpe.
- UK issue #37 cover: Buster and various story events, by John Ridgway.
- UK issue #38 cover: reuse of art from US cover.
- The Transformers Comics Magazine #6 cover: reuse of art from US cover.
-
New Order TPB -
New Order HC -
Classic Transformers Volume 1 -
The Transformers Classics, Vol 1
- New Order TPB cover: Shockwave, Optimus Prime's head, Slag, Jetfire and half of Earth by Andrew Wildman.
- New Order hardback cover: Swoop, Slag, Snarl and Sludge in the Savage Land by Barry Kitson & Chris Blythe.
- Classic Transformers Volume 1 cover: featuring panels from this issue, "The Transformers", "Power Play!", "The New Order" and "Prime Time!".
- The Transformers Classics, Vol. 1 cover: Optimus Prime, by Guido Guidi.
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- Bullpen Bulletins, including notice on death of Danny Crespi
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- Secret Wars II #6
- Morphodroids toys (transforming toys with wired remote control) - back cover
