This thread is full of pure win. I'm glad you decided to give these episode by episode reviews and yes, it only gets better. The next few issues full of some Ratchet awesomeness. Budiansky may not have the epic quality of Furman, but as you can see he's still a really great writer who gave personality to so many of these characters.

Now to say too much but you'll definately be seeing more of G.B. Blackrock as the series goes on. One of Budiansky's strengths was creating some great human characters for the TF universe.

 

I'm a newbie too and I so wish that I had the comics to follow this thread. So my question for all of you.. or who ever wants to answer... Where do you start? And how do you find them? Are they really expensive?

Maybe I haven't looked in the right place or maybe I assumed that it was hard to find everything in order and all that, but this is the first thread I've seen that has suggested that there is a sequential order to the comic books? Am I wrong in this? Educate me please?
 

EDIT:
Actually... maybe this is for a different thread...

 

Truesaphira, check your PM.

Okay, one more for the night. I love Fridays.

The Transformers #7 (August 1985) by Bob Budiansky

I'm hoping these campers are going to be important at some point, because they're wasting a lot of time on them.

Oh, no. Please don't let this turn into an ongoing "Pinocchio story" where Ratchet learns what it means to be human. After Star Trek: The Next Generation beat that into my head with Data, I can't think about it without puking.

Oh, good. Buster's in pain. Err... I mean that in the sense that something exciting will happen.

Whoa, inconsistency alert! Optimus didn't hit him with a beam. Buster touched two live cables to his head!

Now, when I see brand new, expensive equipment laying around in a parking lot, my first instinct is NOT to just grab it and beat feet. Maybe it's just me.

And here is a Laserbeak I prepared earlier. [/Julia Child] Seriously, Soundwave's chest compartment looks like an oven.

I find it unsettling that the personnel of this facility are able to recognize the sound of tearing metal.

Hey! I want a big-screen TV that retracts into the wall!

Oh, I smell a plan cooking in Josie's mind! Could it be something big and impressive?

Ratchet, I only know this from playing a lot of Metal Gear Solid, but loud noises tend to attract enemies when you're in the middle of their base.

Holy crap! Star Trek reference. "Damn it, Optimus, I'm a doctor, not a miracle-worker!"

CALM DOWN, BUSTER! Jeez, I know you've got a lot on your mind (literally), but no need to snap at your incredibly hot girlfriend like that. In fact, what with the world ending and your father in the hospital, I'd use this opportunity to get some sympathy action if I were you... Please tell me I didn't just type that out.

Ratchet, the best words to describe your situation at this point are "Oh" and "****".

Again, Megatron is a sadistic little guy, isn't he? Tearing Ratchet's wires out one by one? Man.

Ratchet is awesome. I love seeing a hero play on a villain's insecurities.

Okay, that whole ritual was a little bizarre, but I can understand why they did it. Ratchet needs a reason NOT to double-cross Megatron. I'm not holding my breath on Megatron keeping any promise, no matter how binding.


Good night, everyone!

 

what else is there to do? star in all hail mega- shockwave?

i'd like a ribeye, please.

shocky's the bot!

well, megatron keeps starscream around. maybe it's tradition.

yup! no automaticly binding nuts and gears here!

wait for it...

so what? only 30 year old man-children read them now.

sure honey, we can afford it!

shh! don't ruin his fun!

tony stark's cousin has a heart of gold!

you can trust this faceplate, can't you?

perhaps tis you who is mistaken!

it's hard to forget!

oh, you poor thing... you really don't know?

megatron: sadistic little guy...

[/thread]

great stuff!

 

Uhh... nope. I just reread it. There was no beam.

EDIT: I just realized something. I've finished the first "season" of TF comics. #1 is labeled for September, and so is the one I'm about to read (#8). Cool.


The Transformers #8 (September 1985) by Bob Budiansky

"I may not kill you after all!" That Shockwave, such a generous little 'bot.

Four million years and the Dinobots are still floating near the surface of the tar pit? That Cybertronian metal must be pretty buoyant.

The Dinobot's names are much simpler than those of the other Autobots.

Thanks a lot, Snarl, you just killed everyone. Am I the only one who finds that funny?

Great... more Shockwave kicking human ass. I have a feeling he's going to fall hard when his time comes.

"What is my reaction"? I'm sick of reporters asking questions the any dumbass would know the answer to.

Oh, and it's nice seeing that Blackrock is genuinely concerned for those working for him. It's not every day you see a sympathetic rich character (which, as someone who's fairly well off, I appreciate).

Yeah, the Creation Matrix seems to work like I thought it would.

Ooh, cyborg Josie. This is going to be good.

Megatron got punk'd! Good thinking, Ratchet.

*laughs histerically* That whole situation with Megatron and the cliff was great.


Another great issue. I'm not stopping anytime soon. TF's second year started off with a bang!


The Transformers #9 (October 1985) by Bob Budiansky

I think I'll side with Blackrock on this. His property is threatened by the Decepticons, and he has every right to develop something to destroy them. The army can suck it.

The Autobots are back in business! Woohoo!

Madonna? You've got to be kidding me. The Human League is better.

There's something grating about Jazz, but I don't know what it is.

However, I LOVE Frenzy. That little tantrum was great.

And Starscream's back to his old tricks. I suppose some things never change.

Wait. If Optimus transferred the Matrix to Buster, then what is Shockwave creating?

Circuit Breaker... damn...

...I call shenanigans. Nobody would make a business deal with someone who talks like Jazz.

Circuit Breaker, you're ruining everything! You were hot, but now I don't like you anymore.


Issue 9 is down. I'm on a role!


The Transformers #10 (November 1985) by Bob Budiansky

I feel like I'm watching a rerun of Frankenstein. I wonder if that's the vibe they were going for with Shockwave's speech.

Again, how were the Constructicons built if Optimus gave the Creation Matrix to Buster?

Hmm... I wonder if Huffer's plans to contact Cybertron will affect the future of the series.

Really, though, the whole tour is taking way too long.

Ah, except that Blackrock has a way for them to listen in on the Decepticons. I see the point of the sequence now.

Hmm... so far we have two humans with superpowers (err... unique to this series, anyway). Could a Buster vs. Circuit Breaker battle be in our future?

FINALLY. I was going to shoot myself if I had to read one more panel about Bomber Bill.

Oh no... he's going to be a recurring character, isn't he? WHY?!

Wait, how can Soundwave not see the Autobots? He's looking right at them!

"Megazord sequence has been initiated". Seriously, That's what I thought when I first saw Devastator.

You know, Soundwave, you could lift a hand to help.

Wait, it's been NIGHT this whole time?

"You speak wisely, Bomber Bill." No. No, he doesn't.

So, Jetfire isn't working because Optimus has no Matrix. Then how did the Constructicons work?


Another great issue (Bomber Bill aside). I may do one more tonight if I have time.


The Transformers #11 (December 1985) by Bob Budiansky

Umm... why did Buster read a book on Advanced Physics from cover to cover? The classes I take never finish the whole book.

Okay, Buster still says Optimus zapped him, but the picture shows him pressing the live wires to his head. I think there's a breakdown in communication between the artist and the writer here.

I was wondering what the hostages were eating all this time. Budiansky doesn't leave any stone unturned, it seems.

And finally, the Matrix subplot is coming to a head. I really want to see where this goes.

I disagree with the worker: cold pizza is a good late-night snack.

Jess... short shorts... That is all.

An old girlfriend shows up and wants to speak to you alone? Guys, this is NEVER a good thing.

Damnit, Sparkplug! It was just getting good!

Wow. Bluestreak is a terrible fighter.

By the power of Greyskull! That's all I could think of when Buster said "I have the power".

Okay, so Shockwave's whole Jetfire plan has backfired horribly.

Time is of the essence. Save Optimus Prime, Autobots!


Okay, with a lead-in like that, something big HAS to happen in the next issue.

 

The Transformers #12 (January 1986) by Bob Budiansky

Okay, they finally have the story straight again: Buster touched the wires to his temple. There were no beams involved.

So he programmed Jetfire to obey him, BUT NEGLECTED TO ERASE SHOCKWAVE'S ORDERS?! That's a rather large oversight.

Whoa! That's a pretty big needle Shockwave is point at Buster's brain. He knows we're a tad more fragile than Optimus, right?

Finally, Optimus will be able to get ahead in life. *commits ritual seppuku for awful pun*

Okay, I'm sick of Optimus feeling sorry for himself. I thought he was supposed to be some kind of epic badass.

POW! Take that, Shockwave!

"Let's get him"? I know they're excited to see that the Decepticons aren't invincible, but I doubt a ragtag bunch of factory workers can take down Rumble.

Optimus, please reclaim your botliness by beating the asses off of every Decepticon in blaster range.

Hmm... apparently Rumble is incredibly weak. They were just humans, you dolt!

"Breached his brain-casing"? Ouch.


Well, that arc rapped up nicely, and we FINALLY got to see Optimus do something useful. Onward to the next issue!

 

Wow. I haven't had a chance to follow along with you yet like I wanted, but man you're bringng back some great memories! I'm glad you stuck with it past the not-so-great introductory mini! Told you it got better. 

And, umm... may want to get used to Prime not being all epicly bad@$$. But don't worry, other characters make up for it. 

 

Op will get his chance, just not until Furman takes over. The teen issues spend a lot of time introducing the "season 2" characters. Issues 17-18 are ones to look forward to, definately classics.

 

The Transformers #13 (February 1986) by Bob Budiansky

So it starts off like a B-grade gangster movie and ends up featuring giant robots. You don't see that every day.

This wimp controls Megatron? Uh-oh. I'm in the process of writing a story with a similar situation (someone with no power suddenly gaining all the power in the world). Not to spoil my story or anything, but lots of people end up dead.

This raises an interesting question: If someone were to prove themselves physically impossible to capture, kill or otherwise impede (someone who wields the power of Megatron, for example), what would the authorities do? There's obviously no real-world precedent for something like that, but I'm curious as to your thoughts. Would the government make futile gesture after futile gesture in an attempt to stop said person, or would it throw up its hands and tell the people to deal?

As soon as he threw that gun, I knew it would end badly.


Sorry for having so little to say, but this issue was WEIRD. Budiansky wrote it, but it bears virtually no similarity to the previous issues. It's not bad, but it's just a huge left-turn in terms of storytelling.


The Transformers #14 (March 1986) by Bob Budiansky

Again, the names of the Autobots are becoming more simple and monosyllabic. Is it from a dearth of ideas, or to make them easier for kids to pronounce?

So the Decepticons are all of a sudden outgunned by human warships? A few issues ago, the humans were completely useless.

Shockwave's still functional?! I thought he'd be gone for at least several issues. Apparently swamps are not as binding as tar pits.

Energon... I've heard that word before, but I never knew what it was until now. And I have a few vague memories of those cubes from seeing one or two episodes of the G1 cartoon.

Again, we know Shockwave is strong enough to decimate that fleet. Why the blinding tactic? My only guess is it's because we have an important character onboard.

Another humorous sequence with the new Autobots at the gas station ("Brick Springhorn"?).

Alright, so they finally made it to the concert. But enough about Wayne's World. Let's talk about the comic.

Yeah, Bumblebee! Signs are for pussies who read!

Wait, so the Decepticons are trying to drain the funk? Those bastards!

Yeah, someone threatening to blow up a heavily populated structure isn't... Forget it. You know what I'm getting at.

Congratulations, Bumblebee. The audience is now blind.


This issue was gimmicky (what with a pseudo-cameo and the power of music and all that jazz), but I see it had to introduce five new toy-err, characters, so perhaps that's what made it seem so middling.

 

If I remember correctly, someone (perhaps Optimus himself during one of his thinky moments) says that giving life to the Constructicons used up the last bits of the Creation Matrix left in his head. Like the dregs at the bottom of a drained coffee cup. And now there's no coffee left to give Jetfire life.

 

great thread, i just read through all these for the first time a few months ago, so they are fresh in my mind, i will be following along

 

That is correct sir. But he won't tell Shockwave that....

BTW, I have very fond memories of #10. It was my first issue, my first real comic book purchase that I kept. Thousands of comics later I'm still here and filling up a house with them...

Victory Leo

 

I've got to keep an eye on this thread.

 

The Transformers #15 (April 1986) by Bob Budiansky

FEEEEED MEEEE!!! Damn, I love Little Shop of Horrors.

Indigestible? I figure they'd have some sort of conversion process in their stomach for situations like this.

"Whether the robots are good or bad is irrelevent. They must all be destroyed! Why? Because I say so!" Seriously, no good reason is given for why all the TFs are dangerous.

That... is the single stupidest plan I've ever heard. No one in their right mind would buy that one man is behind all of those robots.

As stupid as the plan is, I can actually see the conspiracy theorists saying the same thing as the people watching Robot Master's "ultimatum".

Let's see... secret government organization wants me to recant my disbelief of their scam. I have millions of dollars and an army of invincible robots that need me alive. Let's see... I think I'd tell the government agents to leave before I have security throw them out.

Huh huh. That guy called Megatron "ugly" to his face. What most people wouldn't give for an opportunity like that.

****ING MORONS!!!! I'm sorry for that, but I can't stand characters as pigheaded as these III agents. It grates on my nerves like you wouldn't believe.

Congratulations, "Robot Master". Now the government will have you shot for treason.


An irritating issue, if only because this whole situation has damaged the Autobots standing in the eyes of the public. I have the same problem with Jameson in the Spider-Man comics. It just pushes the wrong buttons in my psyche.


The Transformers #16 (May 1986) by Len Kaminski

Well, this is the first change in writers since issue 5. I wonder how it turns out.

Wait, the Autobots only fought the military in the last issue! What's this talk of Wheeljack "armwrestling Decepticons"?

"They'd probably have won that battle"? WHAT BATTLE?! They didn't even defend themselves! Seriously, Kaminski is not making a good impression here. Not being familiar with the work you're following up is just lazy.

"KA-KRA-BOOM"? I've never heard an explosion like that.

Yeah, Bumblebee. They'll never pick you out from that crowd of pristine, non-damaged cars.

Again, another average Joe with the ability to fix a completely alien vessel. The bad writing is returning in rare form, guys.

All this chaos over the weakest of the TFs? This is almost unintentionally humorous.


This issue absolutely REEKED of filler. Nothing new was brought up and nothing was resolved. I was hoping it would set up a long-running thread of some sort regarding Decepticon spies, but no such luck.

 

Don't worry, next couple issues get back to Budinasky and the good stuff. Can't wait to see what you think of those. Personally, it's why I love Blaster so much.

 

Blaster vs Straxus is the last of the top tier pre-Furman stuff IMO, but Bob mostley keeps it together until the Power, Micro and Pretender onslaught of the 40s and 50s.

 

The Transformers #17 (June 1986) by Bob Budiansky

Well, let's see how Cybertron has fared over the past 4 million years.

...

You're kidding me, right? THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING?!?! What the Hell, man? This is ridiculous. Four million years of war would have killed ANY civilization, mechanical or not.

Ah, so Scrounge is the Bumblebee of this group.

Wow... I'm getting a serious Holocaust vibe from those smelting pools. It's actually somewhat unnerving.

Umm... Why did Straxus have those guys brought before him if he was just going to kill them anyway? Granted, you could ask the same question of THOUSANDS of evil warlords over the course of human fiction, but still...

One Autobot marching against a base full of Decepticons? Rambo would be proud.

"Nothing exists that can threaten Straxus!" If Megatron were present, this is when he'd kill Straxus with a single round. Seriously, despite most of his appearances consisting of him getting his ass kicked, Megatron is still by far the most terrifying Decepticon.

"That stuff is hot!" No ****, Sherlock.

Wow. Scrounge's death was actually... touching? They don't make toy advertisements like this anymore.

"Eat hot slag!" DAMN. That was awesome!


The Transformers #18 (July 1986) by Bob Budiansky

Yeah, don't look to see if a bridge is finished before driving over it. Meathead.

I didn't expect for Earth-Cybertron travel to be a plot point this soon. This will complicate matters.

Blaster transforms into... what is that? It looks like a mechanical slug crossed with an old-time computer.

Oh, great. Robot Master. And he's talking smack to Megatron. Do they give out Darwin Awards to fictional characters?

I was wondering what Shockwave has been doing all this time.

I thought Soundwave needed a huge satellite dish to contact Cybertron? Now he can do it with the flip of a switch.

Straxus's cannon looks like a teapot spout.

Oh, God. The thought of them turning Spanner into the bridge... Sweet Jesus, that's what they call Nightmare Fuel.

This battle is positively epic. And now Optimus has reenforcements out the wazoo.


Those two issues were absolutely EPIC. One more for the road.


The Transformers #19 (August 1986) by Bob Budiansky

So the Autobots have a "Megazord" of their own, now? I'm looking forward to Omega Supreme vs. Devastator.

I... did not expect the Dinobots to abandon the cause so easily. But, Optimus, succumbing to a moments Batman-ness, has planned for such an occasion.

Oh, I forgot to mention a few issues ago: Wyoming?! Even less happens there than happens in Oregon!

I'm waiting for Megatron to smash Shockwave any panel now. This situation has got to boil over eventually.

"What, you just collided with an Earth car? No worries, hit-and-runs happen every day! Let's move on now." Our hero, ladies and gentlemen.

"Hey, where'd he come from?" I'd ask the same thing if I was looking in the direction he came from and STILL didn't see him coming.

I'm sorry, but unless Optimus has an ace up his sleeve, I'm calling him out for poor leadership skills. I'm not a military man by any stretch of the imagination, but I could probably have thought of a better plan than "charge straight into the plasma spewing wall of death".

Oh, they just wanted to see Devastator tranform. Makes a tad more sense now.

Megatron is going to get his ass kicked again. And yet he's still awesome. How does that work?

"Nothing more than an Autobot coward"? He just wiped out your entire strike team!

And just like that, half the Decepticons are dead. Wow. Why they don't just send Omega Supreme to stamp out the Decepticon base is beyond me.

Megatron outtalked Shockwave. That was unexpected.

Skids is dead? He only got knocked off the road!


And just like that, I've finished the first two years of Transformers comics. It's been an exciting ride so far. Let's hope it stays that way.

 

oh no! only one more issue to go and youll have surpassed my collection.
with the fun ive been having reading this thread, i MUST stay up to date.

time for a comic store run.

 

The Transformers #20 (September 1986) by Bob Budiansky

If by "battling", you mean "standing and watching the turrets fire", then yes, Ravage was too busy battling the Autobots to notice you leaving.

Oh, so Skids is alive. I thought that didn't look fatal.

Oh my God. Look at those gas prices! $0.98 a gallon! Even after inflation, that's only $1.90 nowadays. Goddamn OPEC.

Unfortunately, we have yet another instance of some random guy being able to fix an alien vehicle.

Wait, what the Hell just happened? Did Skids just wall-drive on a wood plank fence?

I hope Jake can leave the story now. He's getting on my nerves.

I'm getting a weird romantic vibe between Skids and Charlene. The Rule 34 possibilities are making me nauseous.

Okay, now the carwash panel was just plain gratuitous.

Oh damn it all. Jake. AGAIN.

That dream sequence was just plain weird.

After all that, Jake ends up wrecking his own car. Would that be considered irony?

Umm... ha-ha? That punchline at the end was sort of lackluster.


The Transformers #21 (October 1986) by Bob Budiansky

Well, I'll give them credit for taking things in a new direction, but mind control? Seems a tad cliché.

Eww, gross. Licking up a grease stain?

Whatever happened to the Autobots that came through on the bridge? Have they found Optimus yet?

Turn off the Hoover Dam? Please tell me there's not just a button that does that.

Could comics get away with this plot nowasays? The near-destruction of a national landmark? It's amazing how time can change the way we view a piece of fiction.

"The dam's destruction appears imminent". And yet you're still standing on it.

A flying Autobot... scared of heights? Wow. Lame.

Hey! I want a torque rifle! I'd use it on those pesky teenagers next door.

So far, the Aerialbots have left me unimpressed. They're taking a beating.

I Jokingly referred to Omega Supreme as a "Megazord" last post, but Superion REALLY looks like one. The primary colors. The general shape of the head. The odd-shaped feet. If I didn't know Super Sentai predated Transformers by about nine years, I'd say this was an influence in their designs.

I think that was the biggest blow to Megatron's ego we've seen yet. Still awesome.

Isn't Circuit Breaker in violation of public decency laws with a getup like that?

 

Eh... guess you haven't read All Hail Megatron #12, huh? Omega Supreme blasts a huge hole through the Statue of Liberty in the process of destroying Devastator... just sayin'.