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Post by Pinwig on Nov 21, 2017 22:17:57 GMT
I noted while reading Transformation that Stuart is quite scathing of Uncle Bob's output at this point, going as far as saying some people regard Child's Play as the worst of the 80 issues. I don't think it's that bad a story. I like the fact it's a good old fashioned show down between two combining teams. Maybe it's because of the way Furman fed the Combaticons into Ladies' Night to set up the chase going on at the start of Used Autobots, but the UK/US stories really felt united at that point. I also like that because the Headmasters mini dealt with so many of the new '87 toys that the main comic could plod along using a cast made up of 85/early 86 characters and really focus on them.
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Post by Pinwig on Nov 28, 2017 19:12:04 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #142Child's Play - Part Two. While Bruticus stuns Defensor by hitting him with a train, Blaster persuades his rescuers to remove the transformation lock keeping him in cassette deck mode. He is spotted by Bruticus and tries to bluff his way out of the situation by claiming to have switched sides, apparently shooting one of the children to prove it. Amazed by this, Bruticus is caught off guard, and Blaster hits him with a thousand volts from a fallen pylon. Afterwards, Sammy reveals he faked being shot to help Blaster, and Hot Spot realises he wasn't doing his job of protecting the humans and frees Blaster for his valour. Having attached the transformation lock to Blast Off, Blaster and the children head into space - only to be shot at by the newly restored Ark. Brothers in Armor - Part One. The Monsterbots become the sole survivors of a Decepticon attack as Scorponok's reign of terror continues. Questioned by a Nebulan news crew, Zarak again claims Galen to be a traitor, and pauses only momentarily to survey the devastation around him when asked if he considers the battle a victory. The Monsterbots return to the few remaining Autobots, who are visited by a group of Nebulans worried that Zarak will next attack the main Nebulan agricultural plant - The Nursery. Determined to defend it, the beleaguered Autobots set off. Elsewhere, Transformation reveals that this year's Christmas issue will feature a special one-off story featuring Starscream, and on the letters' page, Grimlock smooths out more continuity problems while suggesting that Centurion may have survived his dunking in the Thames.
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Post by Pinwig on Dec 5, 2017 19:24:45 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #143Spacehikers - Part One. Wheeljack contacts his old friend Sky Lynx in a desperate bid to get help to rid the Autobots of Grimlock, but then panics when it looks like Blaster has switched sides and the new Autobot leader might be right about him after all. The Ark opens fire on Blast Off. On board, Blaster fears for the lives of the children and slows the captured Decepticon to a halt so he can be taken aboard the Ark. Before that happens, Sammy decides to throw Blaster out of the airlock to help him escape. The Autobots discover the children and Blaster commandeers a satellite to keep up outside. Brothers in Armor - Part Two. Llyra visits the imprisoned Galen but remains of the opinion he is at fault for the conflict. Zarak and Galen argue, but Zarak leaves with the Decepticons when he hears Autobots have been sighted at the Nursery. The Autobots learn about the agricultural plant from the Nursery's senior engineer, Selani, but prepare for battle when Zarak's forces arrive. Elsewhere, the winners of the Transformers: The Movie video competition are announced, the A-Z covers First Aid and Frenzy, and on the letters' page, Grimlock tries to explain that although the main strip in issue 3 of Action Force showed a bus advertising the Transformers comic, that doesn't mean Transformers don't actually exist in that world too.
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Post by The Doctor on Dec 5, 2017 21:28:48 GMT
Needed more Captain Rik.
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Dec 12, 2017 20:12:45 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #144Spacehikers - Part Two. Grimlock sets a trap to try and draw Blaster out by threatening to execute the children, but they're rescued by Sky Lynx while Blaster sneaks aboard the Ark. As Blaster is reunited with his fellow Autobots, Grimlock leads the Dinobots after Sky Lynx. Seeing the situation unfolding, Blaster decides to surrender himself to Grimlock in the hope the surrounded Sky Lynx will be able to keep the children safe. Brothers in Armor - Part Three. The Autobot Targetmasters let rip against the Decepticons, but seeing The Nursery being severely damaged in the process decide to retreat. Vorath unveils the Decepticon Targetmasters. Zarak realises he is being taken over by Scorponok and tries to stop the process by freeing Galen and the other Autobot Headmasters before it's too late. Elsewhere, Transformation gets excited about the impending switch back to UK originated stories, starting next week with the special Christmas edition; there's a reminder than this year's Transformers annual would make an excellent stocking filler; and on the letters' page, Grimlock once again has to fend off further calls for the Dinobots to form their own combiner.
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Post by Pinwig on Dec 19, 2017 19:45:25 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #145Stargazing. Freed from his cryogenic capsule, a morose Starscream pines for Cybertron before encountering a boy who tells him to cheer up. Too depressed even to kill him, Starscream plays along with the boy's wish to show him the spirit of Christmas and the pair end up helping a stranded mini-bus of OAPs. Streetwise, coming to the bus's aid, discovers Starscream and attacks. The battle is interrupted by the boy, who chastises the ' darn fool Autobot' for stopping Starscream from helping. Streetwise leaves, and after telling the boy he took no pleasure in helping the old folk, Starscream thinks better of the situation and wishes him a merry Christmas. Brothers in Armor - Part Four. The Autobot Headmasters engage the Decepticons, but leave when they realise all they'll do is damage the city. Zarak's internal battle continues to rage and Llyra witnesses him demanding the Decepticons destroy the Autobots. Galen decides the only thing they can do to save Nebulos is leave the planet and hope the Decepticons follow them. They settle on Earth as a target. Llyra seeks reconciliation with Galen, but he lies to her to protect her. The Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters leave Nebulos with the Decepticons in pursuit, and Llyra can only look on in tears. Elsewhere, it's a busy issue for once. There's a spot the difference competition to win one of forty copies of the exciting new VHS video release - Heavy Metal Wars & The Girl Who Loved Powerglide; Robo-capers has a festive theme; the back cover features an advert for the exciting new Action Force game (out for Commodore 64/128 and Spectrum 48/128/+3); and on the letters' page, Grimlock disappoints readers by explaining that they're out of luck if they think the Predacons, Trypticon, Fort Max, the Monsterbots, Sky Lynx, the clones and Sixshot are ever coming out in the UK, but... he has heard Hasbro UK will be releasing a six changer next year. ![](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4736/24233766657_2c653125b8_c.jpg)
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Post by Pinwig on Dec 29, 2017 15:59:09 GMT
Just occurred to me I forgot to post this on Boxing Day 30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #146The Legacy of Unicron - Part 1. Death's Head chases Scourge and Cyclonus to the planet of Junk in pursuit of the reward for their heads offered by Rodimus Prime. There he makes a pact with the Decepticons and a Junkion who pleads for his help - a malevolent force has taken control of the rest of the Junkions and Death's Head senses there's money to be made. Meanwhile on Cybertron, Wreck-Gar bids Rodimus farewell and prepares to return to his home planet. Back on Junk, Death's Head discovers he has been lead into a trap as he, Cyclonus and Scourge come face to face with the living head of Unicron. Elsewhere, Iron Man returns to the back up slot and finds Stratosfire one upping him as he tries to rescue people from the damaged Golden Gate Bridge; Gears and Grapple make an appearance in the A-Z; and Grimlock reveals on the letters' page that the often used exclamation " by the Primordial Program!" refers to the program encoded into the Creation Matrix that grants new life to Transformers.
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 2, 2018 19:37:13 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #147The Legacy of Unicron - Part 2. Under Unicron's control, Death's Head returns to Shockwave with the bodies of Cyclonus and Scourge. Sensing a trap, Shockwave has Soundwave scan the room and learns that the pair are still alive. A tense gunfight ensues which concludes with Death's Head utterly destroying Shockwave, something even the bounty hunter regrets. He swears vengeance for himself and Shockwave as Cyclonus and Scourge are named the new Decepticon leaders - both also under Unicron's control. Meanwhile on Junk, Smokescreen, Inferno and Wreck-Gar discover Unicron's head and overhear his plan to pit the Decepticons against the Autobots to weaken Cybertron in readiness for his second coming. Elsewhere, Transformation is excited about the fact over 17,000 readers entered issue #130's Headmasters video competition - a new record for the comic; the 250 first place winners get a page to themselves; and on the letters' page, Grimlock offers an interesting insight into production times by saying that artist Robin Smith has already completed the strip art for the next Transformers annual, which is so impressive that " we're going to get him to do some pages of the comic strip for the weekly". This will eventually turn out to be Meltdown! in issue 168, published five months later at the end of May.
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 2, 2018 20:06:41 GMT
17,000 readers. My goodness.
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 2, 2018 21:19:16 GMT
I found the bit about Robin Smith having already done the illustrations for Prime Bomb interesting. That annual is stretched right out over the year. If he was already illustrating that story at the tail end of 1987, there's also Altered Image in there, which follows on from Dry Run, which was in #189, which was published a month after the annual in October 88.
So if the annual production was underway as early as Oct/Nov 87, how far in advance were they planning to also be able to include a sequel to a strip from the weekly that was a year away from being published?!
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 2, 2018 21:28:43 GMT
Annuals are often done quite far in advance of publication. The new Dandy Annuals often have strips done over a year before they come out!
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 2, 2018 21:43:03 GMT
Yeah, I can understand that, but the fact it has a sequel to a strip in it that wasn't published until October 22nd shows they were planning the UK weekly stories quite a long way ahead too!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 2, 2018 22:07:20 GMT
17,000 readers. My goodness. -Ralph Not 17,000 readers 17,000 entered the competition !
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primenova
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Post by primenova on Jan 3, 2018 7:39:04 GMT
There is also the issue of when they print the run of US issues & when you are getting the caps filled in. ie keeping issue run for epics. So the fact that other stories needed printing before Dryrun. Also makes everyone have to get the annual too - if the story you are reading needs you to read the annual story to.
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 3, 2018 8:12:02 GMT
17,000 readers. My goodness. -Ralph Not 17,000 readers 17,000 entered the competition ! I know. Amazing. -Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 4, 2018 13:46:16 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 4, 2018 15:14:07 GMT
TWENTY SIX YEARS!
-Ralph
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The Huff
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Post by The Huff on Jan 4, 2018 16:44:55 GMT
Is that all? Feels like an eternity. I miss TFUK...
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 4, 2018 17:22:59 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 4, 2018 21:03:05 GMT
I AM TIRED OF TEDIUM.
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 4, 2018 21:27:54 GMT
I'd suggest trying Transformers then.
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 9, 2018 19:19:18 GMT
30 Years Ago This Week: Issue #148The Legacy of Unicron - Part 3. Just as Rodimus and Kup muse over how quiet things are, the Decepticons launch their attack. Unicron watches from Junk through the eyes of Cyclonus and Scourge, crowing over his brilliance, so Inferno, Smokescreen and Wreck-Gar decide to act. Wreck-Gar is forced to shoot and kill another Junkion when they are caught, and Unicron forces Death's Head to go after the trio. The bounty hunter shoots and injures Inferno, but Wreck-Gar distracts him long enough to allow the others to escape in their shuttle. Fighting against Unicron's control, Death's Head urges Wreck-Gar to leave, and then suffers as Unicron turns his wrath on him. Elsewhere, Transformation offers lucky readers the chance to win one of six pairs of new Marvel 'choose your own adventure' style gamebooks featuring Spider-Man and Captain America; Grimlock and Groove feature in the A-Z; and on the letters' page, Grimlock explains that Autobot City was referred to as Fortress Maximus in the movie adaptation special because Autobot City's battle mode is named that after the Headmaster commander.
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 9, 2018 21:40:47 GMT
Grimlock lies.
-Ralph
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The Huff
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Post by The Huff on Jan 10, 2018 12:01:24 GMT
I loved the art in this issue!
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 16, 2018 18:45:00 GMT
The Legacy of Unicron - Part 4. Smokescreen tries to pilot the shuttle back to Cybertron with the badly damaged Inferno on life support. They are about to be shot down by Cyclonus and Scourge when the shuttle's engines gain a sudden power boost and Smokescreen realises Inferno has repaired them. Inferno throws Smokescreen through the windscreen to save him, and then sacrifices his life by downing the shuttle in the middle of the Decepticon vanguard. While Rodimus decides to take the Dinobots to Junk, Death's Head ascends to the astral plane to combat Unicron psychically. Elsewhere, Iron Man loses an exciting battle with Stratosfire in the back up slot; the long standing Marvel Comics classified ads make an appearance (with fondly remembered shops including Mega City, Odyssey 7, John Fitton and Wonderworld advertising exciting mail order catalogues); and the next week box promises the honest-to-goodness origin of the Transformers is just seven days away!
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 16, 2018 19:20:37 GMT
I love the way Furman plays fast and loose with characters in this because he knows he can off ones that are on the way out anyway in the '88 continuity knowing full well the 2008 continuity is his own domain. It's gripping stuff; first Shockwave, now Inferno.
It is an odd story though. The biggest battle in the history of the comic going on quietly in the background of all these character pieces. At this point it's so different to the Spacehikers stuff in the US comic.
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 16, 2018 19:30:47 GMT
I made mention of the classified ads because that page really does live in the memory. I fondly remember sending SAEs to comic shops for catalogues and very carefully going over them. John Fitton's Doctor Who catalogues were the stuff of dreams, and getting Wonderworld's led to my first visit to a comic shop down in Bournemouth.
Years later when I was on the committee of the Bournemouth arm of the Starfleet Star Trek fan organisation, Wonderworld used to come and run a stall in our dealers' room every month and I'd get good discounts on tat if they'd had a good day. I think I got most of the Playmates TNG figures that way.
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Post by The Doctor on Jan 16, 2018 19:47:17 GMT
I too used to stare intently at the Classified ads.
-Ralph
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Post by Fortmax2020 on Jan 16, 2018 19:59:02 GMT
Fond memories of picking up many back issues of TFs and new issues of G2 from Wonderworld's Boscombe store.
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 16, 2018 20:46:56 GMT
Oh brilliant! The Boscombe shop was great. I remember the later one in Bournemouth too on the big roundabout.
I first went to the Boscombe shop to get the radio series of Hitch-Hikers on cassette, didn't realise at the time I was buying a bootleg. Spent ages looking through long boxes for Iron Man and West Coast Avengers issues. Over thirty years ago.
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