It's not time for a Comics Reading Club review this month yet, but I wanted to squeeze in a review for a very short, official Transformers story which a lot of people probably don't even know exists.

"The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" is a four-page mini-comic that was printed in the December 26, 1985 issue of Woman's Day magazine.  While uncredited, it's written by Bob Budiansky with artwork by Herb Trimpe..  The story is structured in such a way that it could easily take place within the continuity of the other Marvel Comics stories.  It would need to take place after issue #14, which introduces characters who appear in this story.  

As an aside, issue #14 has a cover date of March 1986, but it was originally published on December 12, 1985, just before the holidays.  So, "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" was likely written and illustrated right after issue #14 was finished, so I think in some ways this can be considered issue #14.5.  

Our story begins thusly: Bill and Cynthia Perry, typical suburban couple, are driving with their young daughter Megan towards the center of Midville to watch the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.  However, the town is dark, because the Decepticons are siphoning the electricity.  After spotting them, Bumblebee summons help in the form of Prowl, Hoist, and Tracks to intercept them.

Laserbeak picks up Soundwave in tape deck mode and they escape, with Bumblebee and Tracks in hot pursuit.  Hoist and Prowl remain behind to conduct repairs.  When Bumblebee nearly collides with the Perry family car, Bumblebee attempts to help the car by removing the "organic structure" from its roof (the Christmas tree) and seems concerned that the car is unconscious.  

The Perry family asks Bumblebee for a lift so they can finish their trip into town to deliver gifts and place them under the Christmas tree in the town square.  Elsewhere, Tracks regroups with Hoist and Prowl, and they follow Bumblebee's tire tracks into town.  They find him donating electricity in order to properly illuminate the lights on the tree, and wishes his fellow Autobots a merry Christmas.  

It's hard to take a micro-story like this too seriously.  The two biggest problems are that Bumblebee is acting like he thinks an Earth car should be alive.  I could see a newer Autobot like Hoist or Tracks possibly making this mistake, but not Bumblebee.  By this point in his career, he should be among the most Earth-savvy of the Autobots.

Also, Prowl is featured in this story, but he shouldn't be.  As far as I can tell, he was disabled in issue #12, and he's been effectively removed from the roster of active Autobots.  In fact, issue #26 goes to great pains to point out that Prowl is barely alive.  So, his being active and functional in this story creates a continuity mistake.  (He appears in issue #16 as well, though.  Maybe somebody got Prowl and Bluestreak mixed up.)

The Transformers comic book as published in the UK typically printed a Christmas story every year, but this is the closest thing we ever got to one in the USA.  It's a cute story that I didn't know about until fairly recently.  

Zob (gonna decorate for Halloween today, if all goes according to plan)

On Friday, October 1, 2021 at 8:24:53 AM UTC-7, Zobovor wrote:
> It's not time for a Comics Reading Club review this month yet, but I wanted to squeeze in a review for a very short, official Transformers story which a lot of people probably don't even know exists.
>
> "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" is a four-page mini-comic that was printed in the December 26, 1985 issue of Woman's Day magazine. While uncredited, it's written by Bob Budiansky with artwork by Herb Trimpe. The story is structured in such a way that it could easily take place within the continuity of the other Marvel Comics stories. It would need to take place after issue #14, which introduces characters who appear in this story.
>
> As an aside, issue #14 has a cover date of March 1986, but it was originally published on December 12, 1985, just before the holidays. So, "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas" was likely written and illustrated right after issue #14 was finished, so I think in some ways this can be considered issue #14.5.
>
> Our story begins thusly: Bill and Cynthia Perry, typical suburban couple, are driving with their young daughter Megan towards the center of Midville to watch the annual lighting of the Christmas tree. However, the town is dark, because the Decepticons are siphoning the electricity. After spotting them, Bumblebee summons help in the form of Prowl, Hoist, and Tracks to intercept them.
>
> Laserbeak picks up Soundwave in tape deck mode and they escape, with Bumblebee and Tracks in hot pursuit. Hoist and Prowl remain behind to conduct repairs. When Bumblebee nearly collides with the Perry family car, Bumblebee attempts to help the car by removing the "organic structure" from its roof (the Christmas tree) and seems concerned that the car is unconscious.
>
> The Perry family asks Bumblebee for a lift so they can finish their trip into town to deliver gifts and place them under the Christmas tree in the town square. Elsewhere, Tracks regroups with Hoist and Prowl, and they follow Bumblebee's tire tracks into town. They find him donating electricity in order to properly illuminate the lights on the tree, and wishes his fellow Autobots a merry Christmas.
>
> It's hard to take a micro-story like this too seriously. The two biggest problems are that Bumblebee is acting like he thinks an Earth car should be alive. I could see a newer Autobot like Hoist or Tracks possibly making this mistake, but not Bumblebee. By this point in his career, he should be among the most Earth-savvy of the Autobots.
>
> Also, Prowl is featured in this story, but he shouldn't be. As far as I can tell, he was disabled in issue #12, and he's been effectively removed from the roster of active Autobots. In fact, issue #26 goes to great pains to point out that Prowl is barely alive. So, his being active and functional in this story creates a continuity mistake. (He appears in issue #16 as well, though. Maybe somebody got Prowl and Bluestreak mixed up.)
>
> The Transformers comic book as published in the UK typically printed a Christmas story every year, but this is the closest thing we ever got to one in the USA. It's a cute story that I didn't know about until fairly recently.
>
>
> Zob (gonna decorate for Halloween today, if all goes according to plan)

Never even knew this existed after all of these years, Zob. Thank you for illuminating it!

JB