Issue 17, 4 May 1985.
Written by: Simon Furman.
Art by: Mike Collins.
Colours by: Gina Hart.
Letters by: Richard Starkings.
Cover art: Mike Collins.
Plot:The Autobots and Ravage look on as an explosion consumes Brawn. Ravage then takes the oppotunity to use an enormous cannon to blast Starscream down. The other Decepticons (except for Megatron), however, believe it to be the work of the Autobots as sore losers - so while Starscream gets a trip to sickbay, the rest of them rally behind Megatron, for destruction of the Autobots. Meanwhile, Brawn is revealed to be very much alive! It seems that the same accident that made him insane in the first place also upped Mirage's cloaking-and-imaging abilities a thousandfold - he was able to create an image of Brawn to fool the Decepticons. Having proven his loyalty, Brawn is seen to have redeemed himself. Meanwhile, Megatron gets the Decepticons ready for an attack on...the Ark!
Naff dialogue: From the narration, we get 'But no hint of emotion is shown by Optimus Prime - his expression is unfathomable...' Maybe because he doesn't have an expression?
Miserable glitches: I can buy that Mirage got his new trick here, but why the big rush to show it off, and why the amazement over such a thing being possible? (Mirage and Prime clearly thought it was a big deal last issue.) As we see in the 1985 Annual, isn't this pretty much Hound's bog-standard super-power?
Fact-file: Soundwave.
Back-up strip: Machine Man - Arms and the Robot, Planet Terry - A Clue.
Comments: That was a neat trick on Optimus' part, even if it does seem fairly out of character for him (unlike, say, Grimlock or Rodimus, who wouldn't see anything wrong with cheating the cheats before they can cheat you). And Megatron shows a taste for smooth underhandedness that could almost remind one of his namesake from Beast Wars (even if I do have a bit of trouble believing that most of the Decepticons here would really think Starscream was the better choice).