Transformers, Headmasters

Transformers 1-12, 14, 16-19, 21-25, 27, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 38-42, 46-50

Headmasters 1-4

Transformers.  My favorite toys growing up.  My very first comic book. 

This isn't my copy, but it's just as beat up.

I’m super grateful to my mom for buying this for first issue for 7 year-old me.  To think that it started a passion that’s lasted my entire lifetime is truly mind-blowing.  Unlike some other parents, she never saw comics as less than books without pictures.  Reading’s reading, and she always encouraged me to do that.  Maybe she didn’t buy me all the Transformer toys I wanted (who could blame her?  Certainly not I in hindsight), but she was always willing to get me the latest issue of my favorite title from the local grocery store (Laneco).  Thanks, Mom. Love you.

There’s no way for me to rate these comics with an objective eye.  I’ve read these issues countless times, they brought me so much joy as a kid.  Every month, writer Bud Budiansky (the Larry Hama of the Transformers universe) brought me the latest Transformers in a seemingly endless run of awesome stories.  A particularly awesome streak starting with issue nineteen stands out, even today:

19 - Omega Supreme!

21 - The Aerialbots!

22 - The Stuntacons!

24 - Optimus Prime dies!  The Protectobots and the Combaticons!

25 - Megatron dies!  The Predacons! 

A robotic Murderers’ Row.

BTW, I have gaps in my collection because I gave the issues that I didn’t like to a friend of mine who was moving away back when I was in seventh grade.  You’d think that the completionist in me would do whatever it takes to reacquire the missing issues, but looking back at them, they really weren’t that good.  I actually enjoyed this memory walk through my collection, without needing to read the sub-par stories. (The Mechanic? Robot Master? Those UK reprints? Ugh.)  I’m good with what I have. 

Some other highlights:

William Johnson’s the artist for issues seven and eight, and he’s really quite amazing.  His art has a level of detail and quality that’s a step above the other pencillers on the series.  It’s a shame that he didn’t do a lot more work in his career. His impact on hooking me as a fan of this medium can’t be measured.

Great action panels.

Creeepy smile in the last panel.

Graham Nolan of Batman fame provides the other artistic highlight of this series with a guest-penciller spot on issue sixteen.  Nel Yomtov, who colored most of the 80-issue run of Transformers, really did his best work with Johnson and Nolan.

Love the colors on Optimus.

Wonderful use of red in the last panel.

The smelting pools of Cybertron were legitimately disturbing to me as a kid.  

Scrounge's death still moves me.

I really consider the first fifty issues as the first phase of my comic collecting life, capped by the Underbase Saga that killed of a crap ton of Transformers.  After this issue, my fond memories start dropping off - I think that I started losing interest in the title around here, as I moved across the country, switched schools, and started sixth grade.  The Major Feels rating for Transformers stops after this point.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Major Feels