Never insult Cyclonus’s favorite music group.
Transformers Armada #12
Dreamwave (June, 2003)
WRITER: Simon Furman PENCILER: Guido Guidi INKER: Elaine To COLORIST: David Cheung LETTERER: Paul Villafuerte GRAPHIC DESIGN: Heli Bartman
The Autobot Mini-Cons have located survivors from the moon base in Alaska. The Adventure Team goes to investigate but Thrust has also come looking for Mini-Cons. Cyclonus, testing the full power of a multiple link for Megatron, arrives with the Destruction Team linked up, but the power drives him mad. The Autobot Mini-Cons, meanwhile, go to Optimus for help, but he’s busy trying to make contact with Scavenger and Smokescreen, who have found a new Decepticon project. Sparkplug convinces Optimus he needs to help find the lost Mini-Cons to maintain Autobot/Mini-Con relations, so he sends Laserbeak to tell the duo they’re on their own, except it’s already launched. “It” is a Decepticon weapon satellite and Megatron is at the remote controls.
What they got right: While I still say both the comic and TV show never properly utilized the Mini-Cons as play accessories for the Transformers toys, making being linked to multiple Mini-Cons this big a deal is a good idea, as is having the Destruction Team creating safeguards and trying to get a share of power within the Decepticons. It’s also a good explanation as to where Smokescreen and Scavenger have been all this time. It was also a good idea toy-wise to have the Destruction Team multiple link used with Cyclonus. The toys do have an interactive feature together.
What they got wrong: We finally see Sparkplug and Optimus discussing Autobot/Mini-Con relations instead of hinting about it, and it’s a time when Sparkplug is in the wrong. Actually, Optimus should have sent Red Alert with the Mini-Cons (assuming he’s the doctor of this team, which the ambulance usually is) and gone with Hot Shot to back up Scavenger and Smokescreen (not knowing Thrust and Cyclonus were fighting near the frozen area the Mini-Cons pod landed in). But whatever the Decepticons are planning should be looked into, although Optimus could offer what resources he can.
Other notes: Rook is trying to talk the other Mini-Cons into leaving, and Sideways is seen at the launch site. Given their history with Unicron in both the toys and TV show I wonder if there was or wasn’t a plan to use them when the whole Unicron attack begins a few issues from now. It’s one of the things the show got right and having a spy for him among the Mini-Cons and Decepticons, keeping things off-balance before Unicron’s plan strike on Cybertron/Primus would make a good story. I may not like how Furman executes his plans but he does have good ideas now and then.
Recommendation: I’m still enjoying this take on Armada. At any rate it’s still better than the show. Give it a look.
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