TRANSFORMERS #1
"The Transformers" Synopsis

Plot by Bill Mantlo, Script by Ralph Macchio
Pencils by Frank Springer, Inks by Kim DeMulder

"Apparently, we can now transform into likenesses of beings who inhabit this world, as the Decepticons have done."

Four million years ago, a war waged on the entirely mechanical planet of Cybertron between the noble Autobots, Cybertron's dominant life form, and the rogue Decepticons led by the powerful Megatron.  After Cybertron itself is shaken loose from its orbit and enters the path of an asteroid field, Autobot leader Optimus Prime leads a team aboard a newly-constructed space craft known as the Ark in order to clear a path through the asteroids so that Cybertron can pass safely.

The Decepticons intercept the Ark, attacking it and finally boarding the craft.  Not willing to let the Ark fall into the hands of the Decepticons, Optimus Prime sets course directly for a lifeless planet nearby, crashing into a volcano.  The Ark lies dormant for millions of years until the volcano erupts, awakening the Ark's computers.  It sends out a probe to learn about the planet, known to the inhabitants as Earth, but the probe mistakes the machinery of the planet for its dominant life forms rather than the organic life.  Using the information from the probe, the Ark's revival drones rebuilds the Ark's crew into Earth-like forms to adapt them to this new world, but its memory of the war was erased on the crash, so it revives both Autobot and Decepticon alike.

The Autobots send a reconnaissance team led by Prowl to investigate the planet and discover an assembly of automobiles congregated at a drive-in movie theater.  Intending to prevent the Autobots from forging an alliance with the Earth natives, the Decepticons launch an attack in which Bumblebee is damaged.  After the Autobots notice that the vehicles at the drive-in have done nothing to defend themselves during the attack, they realize that it's not the vehicles that are sentient but the small organic beings that were inside them.  A bit perplexed by this development, the Autobots return to the Ark.  

Bumblebee, meanwhile, has accidentally crashed into Buster Witwicky's car.  Buster hears the Volkswagen make a cry of distress, and not really knowing why, he enters the vehicle and allows it to drive him away as he steers it toward his father's garage.  Sparkplug awakens that night and discovers Buster tinkering away at the vehicle, which pleads, "Help me, please!  I'm dying!"...

First Appearances: A large cast of Transformers is introduced in this issue, consisting of the entire toy character assortment available in 1984:  Blue Streak; Bumblebee; Brawn; Cliffjumper; Gears; Hound; Huffer; Ironhide; Jazz; Mirage; Optimus Prime; Prowl; Ratchet; Sideswipe; Sunstreaker; Trailbreaker; Windcharger; Wheeljack; Buzzsaw; Frenzy; Laserbeak; Megatron; Ravage; Rumble; Skywarp; Soundwave; Starscream; Thundercracker.  Also, Buster and Sparkplug Witwicky, as well as Jesse and "O" make their first appearances.

Transfacts:

• Though the comic book's stories would diverge considerably from those of the cartoon series (enough that the comic book is considered to take place in a separate continuity altogether) this first issue contains many similarities to the first episode of the cartoon show, including the Decepticon attack on the Ark, the Ark's subsequent crash into a volcano, and the conversion of the Autobots and Decepticons into Earth vehicular forms based on information gathered by a probe, and the characters of Sparkplug Witwicky and son being the first humans to become friends with the Autobots.

• Almost all the character traits and abilities that the Autobots and Decepticons cite while introducing themselves in this issue were taken directly from their toy tech specs and biographies.  These would later serve as the basis for the more expanded biographies featured in the TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE mini-series.

• This is one of the few stories in which the animal cassette Decepticons such as Laserbeak and Ravage can speak.  In later stories, they would become more like their cartoon counterparts and communicate with animal sounds.

• Although the toy is known as Bluestreak, the comic book character's name is two words, Blue Streak.

 

This Page Created 3/1/2001
Last Update: 3/1/2001