Contents

introduction to the Autobots and the Decepticons -- 4 pages

“Plague of the Insecticons!” -- 20 pages

• written by Simon Furman
• pencils by Jeff Anderson
• inks by Mike Collins
• split into two parts
• Optimus Prime, Prowl, and Warpath go to Washington, D.C., to meet with the President, but the Insecticons attack, ensuring that humans won’t ally with the Autobots anytime soon (unlike in the cartoon show)
• the U.S. President is clearly drawn to resemble Ronald Reagan
• Megatron revives the Insecticons, as if they’ve been around all along, although they are shown on Cybertron (in Transformers Vol. 1 #17-18 and “Target: 2006″) and come to Earth in Transformers Vol. 1 #21 (although a simple dialogue change, suggesting that the Insecticons were merely healing following Transformers Vol. 1 #21, could fix this)
• in a less easily resolved continuity problem, Ravage is shown controlling the Insecticons, although he was left at the bottom of a mine shaft in Transformers Vol. 1 #20 (Ravage was shown escaping the mine shaft in “Time Wars,” so fixing this continuity error would require new pages showing him being retrieved from the mine shaft, after Transformers Vol. 1 #20, then being returned to it after this story)

“Missing in Action” -- 7 pages

• illustrated prose story
• split into two parts
• after Tracks goes missing, Optimus Prime sends Autobots to retrieve him
• features Tracks, Hoist and Grapple (who debuted in Transformers Vol. 1 #14)
• features Cosmos, a continuity error, since he was with Blaster’s crew from Cybertron (which was apparently captured almost immediately after arriving on Earth in Transformers Vol. 1 #18)
• features Rumble, who was deactivated in Transformers Vol. 1 #19 (and not revived until Transformers Vol. 1 #41)
• refers to Megatron as the Decepticon leader, which places this story after Transformers (U.K.) Vol. 1 #65 (and not during “Target: 2006,” during which he’s temporarily deposed)
• features Inferno, who wasn’t shown with Earth’s Autobots in the U.S. issues at all and wasn’t shown in the U.K. issues until Transformers (U.K.) Vol. 1 #188 (although he has no introduction there, and there are some theories that he was hanging around in the background all along)

“And There Shall Come… a Leader!” -- 10 pages

• written by Simon Furman
• art by John Stokes
• takes place early during Transformers Vol. 1 #1
• Optimus Prime saves Iacon, defeats Megatron, and becomes Autobot leader
• split into two parts

“Hunted!” -- 7 pages

• illustrated prose story
• features the Jumpstarters (Top Spin and Twin Twist), although they had not been introduced and would never be shown with Earth’s Autobots
• features Thrust and Dirge, who (although earlier seen on Cybertron) arrived on Earth in Transformers Vol. 1 #21 (perhaps the best solution would be to simply rename and recolor Thrust and Dirge as Skywarp and Thundercracker)
• refers to Megatron as the Decepticon leader, which places this story after Transformers (U.K.) Vol. 1 #65 (and not during “Target: 2006,” during which he’s temporarily deposed)
• Megatron is trying to find crystals that will help him create new Decepticons (thematically tying this story to the Second Generation arc)
• features Ravage, who was left at the bottom of a mine shaft in Transformers Vol. 1 #20 (note that Ravage presents a similar continuity problem for this issue’s “Plague of the Insecticons!”)
• features Starscream, who was deactivated in Transformers Vol. 1 #19 and not revived until much later (despite briefly beging revived in “Target: 2006″)

various puzzles -- 10 pages

Additional Images

The first page of the two-page introduction to the Decepticons, using art from the Transformers toys.

The second page of the two-page introduction to the Decepticons, using art from the Transformers toys.

The two-page introduction to the Autobots, using art from Transformers Vol. 1 #1.

Megatron revives the Insecticons on page five of “Plague of the Insecticons!” (from Transformers Annual 1986).

The final page of “Plague of the Insecticons!” (from Transformers Annual 1986). Note that, in the comics (unlike the cartoon), humans in general never quite figured out that the Autobots were good guys, unlike the Decepticons.

The first page of “Missing in Action” (from Transformers Annual 1986).

The second page of “Missing in Action” (from Transformers Annual 1986).

The first page of “And There Shall Come… a Leader!” from Transformers Annual 1986.

The first page of “Hunted!” (from Transformers Annual 1986).

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See It in Context on the Continuity Pages: