Marvel's The Transformers
Transformers 38

COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Transformers #38 Universal
Grade: 9.8
Page Quality: WHITE
Certification #: 1059678013
Owner: AlphaPrimeIan

SET DETAILS

Winning Set: Marvel's The Transformers
Date Added: 8/10/2012
Research: See CGC's Census Report for this Comic

Owner's Description

Highest grade! This is 1 of 15 CGC 9.8 books!

Synopsis "Trial By Fire!"

On their way from Nebulos to Earth, the Autobot Headmasters aboard Steelhaven have been hard at work reconstructing Fortress Maximus into an even more powerful state—he is now twice as large and four times as strong, connected to his binary-bonded partner Galen through an intermediary robot known as Cerebros. The peace-loving Nebulans are questioning Galen's choice of tactics in actively preparing himself for war. Their formerly pacifistic leader assures them it is necessary.

At their destination, the planet Earth, a young college student named Spike Witwicky has arrived at home only to find it completely totaled. He frantically rushes to locate his father in the rubble, only to be relieved when Sparkplug grabs him from behind, alive and well. After hearing about his family's past involvement with the Transformers, Spike takes his car up to Mount St. Hilary to make sure his brother Buster is okay. While exploring the gutted remains of the Autobots' former base, he finds and discards a small, banged-up toy car...

Having arrived in Earth's orbit, the crew of the Steelhaven scans the planet. The Nebulans are amazed by the planet's beauty, and fearful of bringing their war to the inhabitants, but Galen remains cold and business-like, narrowly focused on nothing but the distress call. After triangulating the signal, the Headmasters depart for Oregon. At the Ark's site, they find the transceiver and Goldbug's battered toy form.

As Spike watches on, Chromedome taps into Goldbug's brain module, and holographically replays his recent experiences, including Buster being kidnapped by Ratbat. When Fortress Maximus coldly shoots down Brainstorm's suggestion that they rescue the Earthling in favor of finding the Ark's crew, Spike jumps out from hiding and confronts the Headmasters. He, quite reasonably, asks how they can just leave Buster in the Decepticons' clutches. Even after converting back to his human state, Galen still expresses little sympathy and no responsibility for Spike's situation. As Brainstorm detects a faint rocket emission signature, the Autobots depart and leave Spike to his problems.

In the meantime, Zarak and the Nebulan Decepticons have arrived in the Solar System as well, chasing the crew of the Steelhaven. As the Decepticon Headmasters transport down to the Ark's former cave, Spike sees them and wisely steps out of sight. As the Decepticons begin a search for the Autobots, Spike triggers the transceiver's message again, prompting the Autobots to return to the cave to see what caused the rebroadcast. Spike's actions get him noticed by the Decepticons, though, and he is only saved from Scorponok's interrogations by the arrival of Fortress Maximus and the others.

As the battle rages, Spike skips out and begins running deeper into the volcano to escape the melee. Realizing Fortress Maximus's new size and power put them at a considerable disadvantage, Scorponok goes after Spike to take him as a hostage against the Autobots. In turn, Fortress Maximus follows Scorponok after seeing him leave the battlefield. Both Transformers quickly learn that bigger isn't necessarily better. As Scorponok chases Spike down a smaller passage, Fortress Maximus is forced to separate his Cerebros component to chase after them. Scorponok, in turn, finds it too precarious to follow Spike across a rocky bridge, and pursues him as Lord Zarak. Cerebros is forced to toss his head at Zarak to close the gap between them, and the transforming Galen wrestles his counterpart to the ground. Zarak plays dirty, though, and triggers Scorponok's guns to collapse the ceiling on top of Spike. Galen throws himself between Spike and the falling rocks, and is mortally wounded in the process. Laughing at the death of his enemy, Scorponok leaves to rejoin his troops.

As Galen begins to die, he asks Spike to forgive him for his earlier blindness, and asks the boy to take his control helmet so that Fortress Maximus will survive. Using the helmet, Spike guides Fortress Maximus back to the battle, and drives off the Decepticons. In the aftermath, the Autobots comment on how they may have lost one leader, only to find another...

Published: November 1987
  
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