Transformers US #2

The Facts

Dated: November 1984

Cover: Artist Unknown

Story: "Power Play" (25 pages)

Credits: Bill Mantlo (plotter); Jim Salicrup (scripter); Frank Springer (penciller); Kim Demulder (inker); Janice Chiang (letterer); Nelson Yomtov (colourer); Bob Budiansky (editor); Jim Shooter (editor in chief)

Reprints: Reprinted partly in black and white in UK #3 and #4, and in full colour in Collected Comics 1, in hardcover format in The Complete Works Volume 1, and currently available in the Titan graphic novel Beginnings.

In Brief

Which one is this?

The Decepticons steal a nuclear power plant, Bumblebee meets some little pink things who have just repaired him, and there's a battle at Sparkplug's junkyard.

Firsts and Lasts

• The first Transformers work of both Jim Salicrup and Janice Chiang
• The first link to the Marvel Universe - The Dazzler (of X-Men fame) is interviewed on "O"'s radio.
• There's the first of many Optimus Prime vs Megatron fights.

Memorable Moments / Dialogue Triumphs

Sparkplug hears Buster's account of the fight at the Drive-in and says: "I don't know what they put in that popcorn at the drive-in, but I hope it's not habit-forming.'

The Decepticons retreat and Prime says that the Autobots are unable to chase after them because they need immediate refueling, at which point the Autobots all collapse.

Miserable Moments / Dialogue Disasters

Well there's lots of corny dialogue, but nothing stands out as particularly horrendous.

The Characters

Autobots

Behind the Scenes

Decepticons:

Humans:

The Story

Synopsis

The Decepticons discover the construction site of the Harrison Nuclear Power Plant. After Ravage scouts around the site, the Decepticons attack and carry off large chunks of the plant's technology. Meanwhile, at the Witwicky garage, Bumblebee explains to his father exactly what happened at the battle at the drive-in. He convinces Sparkplug to repair Bumblebee and, though Bumblebee is unlike anything Sparkplug's seen before, he succeeds. Bumblebee then transforms and Sparkplug agrees to help the Transformers adapt to be able to run on gasoline. He then takes Buster to inform the Autobots about what has happened. En route, they meet Jesie and "O", but Ravage is listening in to their conversation. Meanwhile, at the Ark, the Autobots discover that they have very little in the way of fuel reserves. Prime decides that the best solution is to bargain Cybertron's technology for fuel. As Prime decides, they receive a signal from Bumblebee, who has returned to the Witwicky garage due to lack of fuel. Bumblebee reports his deal with Sparkplug, and Prime takes most of the Autobots with him. When they arrive at the garage, the Decepticons attack them. During the battle, the Decepticons snatch Sparkplug and then leave. The Autobots are unable to pursue them because they urgently need to riefuel.

Goofs

• How does Ravage know that the Autobots have established contact with humans? Or that "O" and Jessie are friends of Buster?
• There are lots of inconsistencies in which Autobots went to the Witwicky Garage. Most noticably, Ratchet is explictly said to have stayed behind, yet there's clearly an ambulance in the group that arrives.
• There's a panel in the fight scene where the artist only bothered drawing half of Prime's right leg.

Analysis

'Do all small pink things ask so many questions?' A distinct improvement on the previous issue, Power Play begins establishing the Transformers as characters in their own right. The Decepticons all get a chance to show us who they are in the "battle" at the power plant, and they come across as the efficient war machines they always should have been. Bumblebee gets some great interaction with Buster and Sparkplug, and the fight scene - though hardly the best in Transformers history - is reasonably good. Now, if only they'd sort out the art errors and the clunky and corny dialogue.

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