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MarvelUS-27

He's come to Earth to steal all our propane and propane accessories!

Marvel U.S. > Issue #27
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Marvel UK > Issue #111–112
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As the Autobots attempt to choose a new leader, the Decepticons send the giant Trypticon to capture the Ark.


Synopsis[]

Rachel Becker, a student on a search for fossils, finds a strange footprint. Her professor quickly dismisses the footprint as a hoax, since the edges are clearly mechanically carved. However, none of them can deny the shadowy Pterodactyl-like figure that flies past. They decide to set up camp.

The Dinobots have learned of Optimus Prime's death, and prepare to return to the Ark. Grimlock intends to forcibly seize leadership of the Autobots. The Autobots argue that they need a leader who demonstrates wisdom, compassion, and courage, in addition to being a strong warrior. But Grimlock doesn't care. He and the Dinobots prepare to attack their fellow Autobots.

Meanwhile, Shockwave, now leader of the Decepticons, persuades Cybertronian fuel auditor Ratbat to use the space bridge to send the Decepticons' deadliest soldier, Trypticon, to launch a surprise attack on the Ark, in hopes of seizing control of its vast resources. Ratbat agrees, but warns that the use of the space bridge is too costly to allow such uses in the future.

When Trypticon arrives in the middle of the night, Rachel is awakened and goes out to investigate. She manages to avoid being seen, but loses her flashlight while running from the enormous Decepticon, and is unable to find her way back to camp.

The Dinobots arrive back at the Ark to find that the Autobots are already under attack. As Trypticon is easily defeating the Autobots, most of the Dinobots think that the Decepticon is doing their job for them, but Grimlock has misgivings. As he steps back to consider his options, he is confronted by Rachel, and is impressed when the human fails to flee from him in terror. He leaves her in peace.

Unfortunately for Rachel, she is soon discovered by Trypticon's foot soldier Wipe-Out, who takes her captive and brings her to Trypticon. Grimlock, recognizing the human who had previously impressed him, single-handedly attacks Trypticon. The other Dinobots soon join in, and Trypticon is distracted from his attack upon the Ark. Eventually, Ratbat determines that Trypticon has exceeded his energy budget, and recalls Trypticon back to Cybertron. The Dinobots return to the Ark, leaving Rachel Becker as the sole witness to what has just transpired.

The Autobots, believing that Grimlock has displayed all the qualities one would desire in an Autobot leader by Grimlock's selfless actions against Trypticon, proclaim him their leader.

Credits[]

Script: Bob Budiansky
Pencils: Don Perlin
Inks: Ian Akin and Brian Garvey
Colors: Nelson Yomtov
Lettering: Janice Chiang
Editor: Don Daley

  • Originally published: April, 1987

Major characters[]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Guests

Errors[]

  • At one point, Wipe-Out calls his master "Tyrpticon".

Items of note[]

  • This is the last Marvel U.S. issue to be sold for 75 cents.
  • It is also the last issue where Grimlock speaks normally, as opposed to his cartoon incarnation's simpler form of speech.
  • The debut of Trypticon in this issue can sometimes overshadow that it is also the debut of a much more important character: Ratbat.
  • This issue is Wipe-Out's first and last appearance, as he is killed by Snarl.

UK Printing[]

  • Issue #111 featured a Grimlock cover by Lee Sullivan. On it Grimlock shouts "Vote for me!", only a month before the actual 1987 general election.
  • Issue #112 used an extensively recolored version of US issue #27's cover, with a new word caption. The cover was cropped to deemphasize the human element, and emphasize the dinosaur-battle going on. Unfortunately this also served to remove a lot of the menace from the cover.
  • While this is the U.S. début of Ratbat, in the UK comics he first appeared back during the "Prey!" story arc.
  • The cliffhanger for issue #111 is one of the most effective in the UK reprints of U.S. stories — it ends with the sequence of Trypticon emerging from the space bridge, finishing with a massive splash page of the evil Decepticon.

Covers (3)[]

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Specifics: UK cover
  • U.S. cover: Trypticon vs the Dinobots by Herb Trimpe
  • UK issue 111 cover: Grimlock by Lee Sullivan
  • UK issue 112 cover: extensively recolored version of US issue #27's cover, with a new word caption. The cover was cropped to deemphasize the human element, and emphasize the dinosaur-battle going on. Unfortunately this also served to remove a lot of the menace from the cover.

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