Transformers #3

cover date: January 1985

    Back in 1984, I hadn’t started going to a comicbook specialty store yet. Since I was reliant on the newsstand, I’d sometimes miss out on something. Like Transformers #1. And, as far as my memory goes, #2. I had to go back and re-read #2 and #3 to decide which was my first issue. In the end, I’m about 80% sure that #3 was my first issue. It didn’t take me long to find the missing issues. Back then, Toys R Us still had those wonderful bags of three comics—often “kids” titles like Transformers. Gosh, I miss those grab-bags. Anyway, my buying Transformers was a no-brainer. 

     Originally meant as a four-issue limited series, Transformers quickly became an ongoing. It also started as part of the Marvel Universe. This wouldn’t be the first time that Marvel had toy-based comics taking place in the Marvel U. Rom, Micronauts, and Shogun Warriors all took place in the Marvel Universe. Why did they quickly change it to its own continuity? I have no idea.

     “Prisoner of War!” was written by Jim Salicrup, penciled by Frank Springer, and inks by “DeMulder and Esposito.” I presume that Esposito is Mike Esposito by the DeMulder name isn’t familiar to me. It is also worth noting that Bob Budiansky was the editor. Budiansky was crucial to the development of the American version of the Transformers. Like last week’s column about G.I.Joe, I’m going to presume that you’re familiar with the characters so I don’t spend twenty pages just introducing everybody.

     The story starts with the three Decepticon F-15s are transferring a human prisoner. He is William “Sparkplug” Witwicky, the owner of a small repair shop and a decent engineer. He had promised to help the Autobots develop a way to make ordinary gasoline useable by Transformers. For this reason, the Decepticons have abducted him and made him the prisoner of war given in the title. The jets arrive at the Decepticon fortress. Starscream lets his prisoner out. The other jets discharge the non-flying Decepticons.

     Despite the fact that their base is built out of pieces stolen from a nuclear facility (the previous issue), the Decepticons didn’t know what to do with it and still need Sparkplug’s fuel conversion process. He refuses to cooperate, though. In spite of the terrifying things happening around him, he has the courage to stand fast against them.

      Back at Sparkplug’s garage in Portland, Oregon (hurrah!), the Autobots are still recovering from the battle where they lost Sparkplug to their evil counterparts. There is plenty of blame to go around. The Autobots prepare to return to their base, the crashed starship The Ark. Buster, son of Sparkplug, insists on returning with them.

     I’m going to take a moment to talk about a problem I have with Optimus Prime now that I didn’t way back then. Back then, I didn’t know about trip permits and weigh stations required for big rigs like Optimus Prime’s vehicle form. To go from Portland to Mt. Hood—I mean Mt. Saint Hillary (the comicbook version of Mt. Hood)—might be okay. Later in the series, though, Optimus travels great distances but never has to worry about stopping at weight stations, producing a log book, having his trailer inspected…all kinds of things that I now know big rigs have to do.

     Back to the story, Optimus and his warriors return to The Ark where Ratchet has been overseeing repairs on the wrecked starship. He’s found something interesting in the ship’s memory banks but Optimus is too busy to listen to it then. He orders refueling for himself, Cliffjumper, Brawn, Sunstreaker, Windcharger, Hound, Gears, and himself. This will be the team that will attack the Decepticon base to try and rescue Sparkplug.

     Meanwhile, Megatron has finally scared Sparkplug enough that the human agrees to help him. To start with, Sparkplug needs a sample of their fuel. Note that this is “fuel,” not the “energon” that would be introduced later. Rumble’s fuel supply is used for Sparkplug’s sample. Other things that Sparkplug needs are stolen by the Decepticons. Soundwave steals equipment from the chemistry department of the University of Oregon. Rumble and Starscream steal a tanker full of fuel.

     The invasion hasn’t gone unnoticed. Washington D.C.’s politicians think it’s the Russians. In Moscow, the Kremlin thinks that the U.S.A. is working on their “Star Wars” program. (For you youngsters, the “Star Wars” program was a proposed defense system against missle-launched nuclear weapons. Yes, once upon a time, the Russians were our enemies.) In the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Dum Dum Dugan asks Nick Fury if they’re going to Oregon to check it out. Nick replies, “Dum Dum, if that big, green, fire-snortin’ lizard is loose again, I quit!” In New York City, editor Joe Robertson worries about the photographer he sent West to cover the story—one Peter Parker.

     Peter, meanwhile, is just one of dozens of members of the press near the Decepticon base. Unable to obtain any decent photos that way, he sneaks off and his street clothes transform into his black costume. This was sure new to me! I wasn’t a superhero reader at that point and knew zip about the black costume. Peter’s thought balloon told me all I need to know at that point—that all he had to do was think about changing and the costume handled the rest. As Spider-Man, he heads into the danger zone for better photographs.

     The U.S. Army has tried to contact the Decepticons. Megatron’s answer? He sends the Decepticon jets to attack the Army. From his vantage point, Spider-Man sees a truck sneaking into the area and transforming. Mistaking Gears for one of the bad robots, Spidey jumps on him to distract him. Spidey is quickly convinced that Gears is one of the good guys when Thundercracker throws a tank (which looks a LOT like a G.I.Joe MOBAT) at them. Gears catches the tank, saving several journalists from being squished.

     Gears introduces Spider-Man to Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Optimus wants Spider-Man to ask the military to stand down and let them do the fighting. Spidey knows how well he is regarded, though, and comes up with a different plan. He disguises himself as a soldier and rides in Hound’s vehicle form—a military Jeep. He’s able to bluff his way past the front lines. The military has already been ordered to pull back and the grunts don’t question all the civilian vehicles following the Jeep. Yeah. I didn’t buy it even back then, either. As soon as the Autobots transform into their robot modes, they are attacked by both the Army and the Decepticons. They won’t attack the humans but give good measure against their Decepticon attackers.

     In the meantime, Spidey and Gears are sneaking around back. Gears is one of the few Autobots with flight capabilities but it fails him. Spidey quickly snags him with a web-line but the mass of the giant robot puts a strain on his webbing, muscles, and sticking power. They quickly finish scaling the cliff and climb over a parapet into the Decepticon base.

     Megatron detects their intrusion just after Sparkplug reports that he has finished the calculations for the fuel conversion. Frenzy is carrying Rumble, who has been injured in battle, to a repair station. Spider-Man fires a web-line and trips the twins. The heroes are next attacked by Ravage. Spidey’s spider-sense allows him to avoid Ravage’s attacks—something that is normally impossible—and set him up to be KO’d by Gears. Spidey dives under a closing blast door; Gears simply smashes his way through. Waiting for them, though, is Soundwave. Spider-Man is able to distract Soundwave long enough for Gears to gain the upper hand in that fight, too.

      They burst in on Megatron and Sparkplug. Megatron didn’t expect them to make it that far and is actually surprised. Spidey quickly cocoons Megatron in webbing while Gears grabs Sparkplug. The web trap doesn’t last long, though, and Megatron quickly bursts out. Since Sparkplug is no longer needed, Megatron uses his fusion cannon to blast the floor out from underneath Gears & the human. Spider-Man dives out the hole after them. He quickly fires web-lines to the two of them and the cliff. The momentum and mass of Gears is too much and his web-line snaps. He falls hundreds of feet to the ground below.

     The other Autobots collect all of his parts but the humans can’t understand the Autobots’ reaction to the death of their friend. Back at The Ark, the Autobots explain that while Gears isn’t alive, neither is he what humans would call dead. Spider-Man is amazed by The Ark and is sure that even Reed Richards would be impressed. Optimus appreciates Spider-Man’s help but assures him that this is their war, not Spidey’s. Spider-Man heads for home.

     Ratchet is able to revive Gears to minimum operating status. Gears has just enough strength to give the Autobots the bad news: Sparkplug gave the Decepticons the fuel conversion formula!

     The character designs in this issue started changing to be less toy-based. The first two issues had the characters’ vehicle and robot modes modeled fairly closely on the toys but that soon changed. With this issue, Ratchet and Ironhide lost their toy looks and took the appearance used in the cartoon. Ratchet’s mobile workstation does appear in this issue but I think it is the last time we ever saw it.

     I only collected this series into its mid-30s. The stories started going in directions that just didn’t appeal to me. I have since collected some of the later issues but my original impression stands—they just weren’t for me.