Rock and Roll-Out!

Part 2

Issue 54, 29 March 1986.

Written by: Bob Budiansky
Art by: Don Perlin (pencils), Al Gordon (inks)
Colours by: Nel Yomtov
Letters by: Janice Chiang
Cover art: It looks like it could be Don Perlin. Or maybe not.

Reprinted from US issue 14.

Plot: Bumblebee and his 'students' head to a concert by Brick Springhorn (see below) and the Tenth Avenue band. Much as Skids would probably like the ambience, it's to follow up a report about the Decepticons stealing sonic energy. Their method of doing so is (literally) detracting from the band's performance. The Autobots put a stop to it, send the Decepticons packing, and let the concert continue.
Triple-I (the top secret Intelligence and Information Institute) are getting pressure from the White House to stop the spread of panic over robots appearing all over the place.

First appearances: Forrest Forsythe, director of Triple-I , and Barnett's superior. Superior in that Barnett works for him. I don't think he's all that superior myself. He's all nasty and Barnett's much cooler.

Wicked dialogue: When a guy at Burger Shed tells Bumblebee that he has to come in and eat or leave the car park, Bumbles replies, deadpan: 'Our apologies, Sign Enforcement Officer.'
When Skids notices that part of the sound is missing (because of the Decepticons stelaing sonic energy), he exclaims, 'Something is wrong with the music!' Tracks: 'So, you finally agree with me!'
Bumblebee: 'Y'know, Skids...I think sign-reading is too advanced for this training session. We haven't once gotten it right yet.'

Naff dialogue: Smokescreen: '...an explosive dose of my electronic jamming missile seems to have thrown off your aim!' Shoot. Don't give weapon stats. Oy.

Miserable glitches: As the Autobots leave Burger Shed, Skids - in van mode - is backed against the wall, on the pavement, between Bumblebee and another car at a curious angle. It's not impossible for a car to get there, but why would he?
The rock star is called Brick Springhorn this issue, yet last week the rude service station guy said that his name was Brick Springstern.
Starscream's got another new colour scheme, but at least this one is closer to his 'real' one.
Given what it did to Shockwave and the Strike Planes, it's lucky that throwing the energon cube in the path of Shock's blast didn't create an awful lot of human casualties..
Do Triple-I's worries about the public learning about and panicking over robots include the mass media reports and exodus of Portland in issue 7?
I don't really understand how the Decepticons are stealing sonic energy at all. I don't know why it needs to make the concert quiet. I don't know why it needs the concert. I don't know why they go to all this trouble to steal rock music and they can't even build a decent solar collector and shut up about it.

Back-up strip: Robotix.

Notes: This story was reprinted as part of Transformers - Cybertron Redux (Titan, 2003).
Once more, for the story content I'm using the Marvel US originals, for what good or ill that may bring.

The Rite of the Autobrand seems to involve not only the actual branding, but taking of fuel mixed from the fuel of other Autobots. Ew, I guess. Notice that this is one of the occasions when a Transformer doesn't directly drink fuel, lest he feel like a vampire!

Comments: Do we need to mention that 'Brick Springstern' is a take on 'Bruce Springsteen'? I didn't think so. Bob's sailing close to the wind with this one as it is (Born in America = Born in the USA, Dancing in the Night = Dancing in the Dark and so on). Interestingly, at other points in the run, real celebrities do turn up or are mentioned (Madonna, Richard Branson...)
Bumblebee's showing a lot of bottle this issue, isn't he? It's good to see that less than 'the Little Autobot that Could', he's working his way along. His 'oh, bugger it' attitude when it comes to obeying signs and following Prime's orders in absentia is very good to see. The 'rock music' plot is straight out of the period, too - the bandanna-wearing Brick is straight out of the mid-1980s. I didn't find it all that painful, though; it's not as if the Autobots suddenly started speaking in 'cool' slang or getting down to the rocking beat or anything. Well, Hoist's bizarre pose on the cover notwithstanding.