The Icarus Theory

Part 1

Issue 45, 25 January 1986.

Written by: Simon Furman
Art by: Barry Kitson
Colours by: Gina Hart
Letters by: Richard Starkings
Cover art: Hmmm...Mr Stokes? Mr Kitson? Anybody?

Plot: A Professor Morris angrily reflects on a meeting at energy company Roxxon. There he declared his theory that the Transformers on Earth were products of their rival, GB Blackrock. He says the robots are using a neural relay system similar to one of his own inventions, and that the attacks on Blackrock facilities are just to throw them off the scent. Morris himself has developed robots he can control with neural relays, but has nowhere near the backing he wants. While reflecting on this, he is fishing in Lake Dena, where he finds the answer to his prayers...
Optimus Prime goes to see the injured Bumblebee to apologise and ask forgiveness - only to find Bumblebee wants to do the same thing. Prime concludes that it seems everyone makes mistakes to learn from.
Caught in his lab using his 'prayer-answer', a security guard tries to blackmail Morris at gunpoint because he might be freelancing with Roxxon facilities. Morris tries to take out the guard with his 'new toy' - and accidentally kills him. He thinks of turning himself in, but he has to get on with his plan.
Back at the Ark, the Autobots deal with an airborne incoming, to discover it's Swoop.

Wicked dialogue: Morris reflects on the Roxxon people: 'They just stuck their heads in the sand...big fat ostriches in business suits.' Oh, come on, that's a very funny picture in your head, isn't it?

Technobabble: Professor Morris has built a neural relay link, which is really a big ol' machine that can transfer the user's sensations to remotely control a robot body.

International Interest: Here begins the story that will bring Swoop back to the fray, an eventually have all the Dinobots where they should be when they return to the US stories. This one worked particularly well, taking advantage of the fact that the Dinobots didn't appear in any US strips between the UK stories that dealt with Swoop's 'death' and his return.

First appearances: Professor Peter Morris, robotics expert from Roxxon.

Miserable glitches: Optimus Prime's pelvis is unpainted again. I guess sometimes you just don't have time to put on your make-up before you come to work.
Is the security guard really that ready to blackmail Morris? True, Morris isn't exactly the most popular man in the company right now, but what's he got on him? Even if he was unscheduled, the man's in his own laboratory at his own place of work. Scarcely evidence of scheming and betrayal. Then again, why does Morris get scared of it? A bunch of the Autobots who come out to meet the threat look kinda odd, and I can't work out who one of them's supposed to be. And who's that who tells Prime that something's coming through the smoke?

Back-up strip: Iron Man.

Notes: Just when you thought it was safe to put the Marvel Universe to rest, here we see Roxxon - who are the popular big bad company in Marvel Comics, particularly popping up to rival Stark Enterprise, who just happen to be run by this week's back-up star, Iron Man!
This issue is dated as taking place over 19-25 January 1986, keeping up the idea that the stories are taking place at more or less the date on the cover.

Comments: Wow. A new big company, the return of Swoop, and a guy with a robot controller. This is one packed issue, and it doesn't even have any Decepticons in it! Once more, I seem to be a rarity amongst Transformers critics in that I actually enjoy the human characters being in it. At least, when the humans are well done I do, and this Morris chap looks interesting. We know it's the first part of a story, but it doesn't have the common weakness that it feels more like it's setting up than having an actual story. If there's a drawback, it might be that the conference room scenes are a bit too talky drag a bit, but they're necessary to the plot. Not bad, overall.