Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 19 - Transformers Wiki

Contents

Transformers in Action: Shockwave's Galactic Secret

Shockwave watches an Earth television programme about the danger of meteors and gets an idea—he will construct a blaster, a thousand times bigger than a Transformer's normal neutron blaster, and use it to get energy from meteors.

Meanwhile, Goldbug, Scoop and Landfill are searching a Michigan forest for Quickmix, who had been captured by the Decepticons. The Autobot situation is worse because Optimus Prime is currently missing.

Night comes, and the Autobots pitch their camp in the woods. They hear a high-pitched hum and see a huge green laser beam shoot into the sky. The Autobots find the Decepticon laser cannon, which is the largest laser cannon in the universe. Whilst they are wondering what its purpose could be, they are captured by a squad of Decepticons. Back at the Ark, alarms ring, but are cancelled when it is decided that the laser is not a direct attack.

Galaxies away, Rodimus Prime, the Autobot commander on Cybertron, also wonders what the laser cannon could be for.

In space, the laser hits a metoroid. Shockwave meanwhile interrogates his prisoners, telling them that Quickmix is dead and that the Autobots will help him to build an even bigger gun.

At the Ark, the Assembly of Autobots has consulted with Rodimus Prime and the other Headmasters on Cybertron and decided to not send a rescue party, reasoning that this would put Goldbug in more danger.

Weeks later, Clockwise discovers that the Decepticons are moving a hundred-metre long pipeline into position, and puzzles over the Decepticon's motives, especially where the laser beam is aiming.

The Rescue Force announce that they will head to the laser and rescue Goldbug and the Small Targetmasters. However, Goldbug and his friends had managed to capture a guard and extort their freedom. They rescue the injured Quickmix and escape to the Ark.

Months later, unnoticed by anyone, the meteorite the Decepticons shot flies over their abandoned laser, missing the Earth by 58 km. (source)

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Articles and features

• Character profiles for Hoist and Headstrong.
• Galvatron bookmarks and Decepticon pagemarkers for the reader to colour and cut out.
• Divebomb introduces some dinosaur facts, while Ultra Magnus' miscoloured disembodied head shows us how to make a papier-mache dinosaur.
• The miscoloured Brawl twins present some picture puzzles and a wordsearch.
• A puzzle page featuring pictures of Silverbolt, Superion, Optimus Prime and Blaster for the reader to put back together.
• Results of a competition, featuring a rather nice fan-picture of Overlord fighting Powermaster Optimus Prime.

Reprints

• The Transformers (Marvel UK) #152-153 - "Enemy Action!" Parts 1 & 2

Notes

• The comic is titled "Missing in the Piranacon-Triangle"
• Galvatron's barrel on the cover is black like his prototype toy. Given the rather erratic nature of the coloring, this is more likely due to accident than design however.
• The comic keeps the Marvel UK-only "Jawbreaker" name for Overbite.
• The text story reveals that Transformers, or at least Autobots, have an automatic data transfer system, which transfers records of voice, sight and sound back to control continuously. Presumably it can be shut off if captured: Goldbug knows Quickmix has been captured due to this system, but not where he currently is or his condition.
• Shockwave watches television, but he can't understand the words - he just watches for the pictures.
• Optimus Prime is mysteriously missing (again).
• Goldbug talks about Quickmix, if dead, joining the 'Matrix-pool of all Transformers'.
• The Autobots have a Matrix detector back at the Ark which can apparently detect Quickmix. Presumably this is because Quickmix is a fellow Autobot, not because he currently holds the Matrix.
• Rodimus Prime is described as being the Autobot commander on Cybertron, concurrent with Optimus Prime commanding the Autobots on Earth. Writer Robert Mann also translated the UK future stories, so he has no excuse. Rodimus Prime is also described as a Headmaster, carrying on with the idea that Headmaster is a rank, not an ability.
• Something called The Assembly of Autobots seems to be in charge of sending more troops on missions. Whether this is just a description of the Autobots at the Ark with a random capital letter, or an actual Assembly, is unknown.
• A new Autobot, Clockwise, randomly appears.
• Rescue Force get their first official appearance in fiction. They fail to rescue anyone.
• Everyone in this story is rather inept. Goldbug and his friends get captured in exactly the same way as Quickmix, the other Autobots decide to do nothing to rescue them, Rescue Force decide much later to rescue them, and then do nothing of the sort because Goldbug rescues himself, and then the Decepticons abandon their laser for no reason. Seemingly the day is only saved because Shockwave's calculations were wrong and the meteorite misses the Earth!

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• A one-page advertisement for various cartoon videos.