You know you would read that comic.
The Transformers #15
Marvel Comics (April, 1986)
“I, ROBOT MASTER!” WRITER: Bob Budiansky PENCILER: Don Perlin INKER: Keith Williams LETTERER: Janice Chiang COLORIST: Nel Yomtov EDITOR: Michael Carlin
Megatron arrives at a strip mining operation and runs out of fuel. Barnett sees one of his son’s comics and goes to the writer, Donny Finkleberg, just as he’s been fired by Marvel for coming up with stories that are TOO ridiculous just to prove he can. (Potato Salad Man, for example.) Finkleberg ends up playing his own comic character, Robot Master (well, not Potato Salad Man), to convince people that HE is the force behind the Transformers (because Forsythe refuses to believe G.B.’s story about two factions of living mechanoids from another world). When a picture of the inactive Megatron hits the press, III, G.B., the Autobots, and Soundwave all rush to the coal mining pit to claim him. In the end, “Robot Master” becomes the Decepticons’ prisoner and Megatron claims the pit as his new base of operations.
What they got right: The return of Megatron! Apparently Marvel Comics exist in this universe. Also, the introduction of Donny Finkleberg, who be an interesting character to watch. (More on that in the notes.)
What they got wrong: I realize that even this offshoot of the Marvel Multiverse isn’t any brighter than the other arms and it isn’t a very popular comic, but didn’t anyone, even someone at Marvel, recognize Robot Master or where the idea came from? It’s the same costume from the comic. (Granted, not an intimidating one, orange with a red cape and glove plus a symbol that looks like a pie chart.) And Forsythe, why bring in an expert if you’re NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO HIM! Finally, there’s this one shot of Megatron that has this huge grill in his mouth. It looks stupid.
Other Notes: We’ll see more of Finkleberg a few issues later, and he’ll be part of the story for some time to come before disappearing for good. Also, the coal mine will continue to be the new Decepticon base until issue #26. Megatron will try to keep “Robot Master” around to discredit the Autobots, and it isn’t the only time he’ll do so. In a strange moment of logic, Megatron knows that having the humans attack the Autobots, who unlike the Decepticons won’t strike back, gives his side an edge. This is another reason why I favor human allies for the Autobots and think Optimus should have tried to form more alliances with the humans.
Also, early readers of the site may recall I was using the expression “pulling a Finkleberg” to describe coming up with an idea just to prove he can make it work. Realized that was pretty much the Silver Age and anything by Bob Haney so it kind of died.
Recommendation: By itself, it isn’t the strongest of Budainsky’s stories but events here shape future events so it’s at least worth a read.
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