Dave's Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine Rant

     August/September 2005 (Issue 4)

     Much the same as previous issues.  I got my copy shortly before leaving
for a conference, and almost didn't review it at all, but decided I had a few
things to say after all.  I will talk about the comic and speculate some
about it, which constitutes spoilers, so fair warning.

     Oh, and this issue is shorter than #2, but taller than #3.  Heh.

     There's reviews of Cybertron Hardtop and Alpha Quintesson, plus a
retrospective of the three Jetfires of recent years.  The flashback review is
of the 3-D Starscream jigsaw puzzle (which I own, and can attest to the
fragility of, especially the central torso).  There's an interview with Dan
Taylor of IDW and a call for fan art.

     The big news item of the issue is a series of pictures of Primus, the
next Supreme size mold.  My guess is that the pictures of robot mode are
computer colored, and that there was not an actual painted prototype
available at the time.
     The transformation reminds me most strongly of the EggBot (seen in BWII,
a recolor of a much older toy), but with Unicron-like rotating planet shell
bits on the boots.   There's a certain amount of backpackage, but Primus
looks to be more compact and less shellmaster-y than Unicron.
     "The source from which the planet Cybertron was created, Primus is the
original ancestor to all Cybertronian Transformers.
     "Buried deep within the planet Cybertron lies Primus's dormant core
consciousness waiting for the day when four Cyber Planet Keys can unlock the
ultimate key to his transformation.  That day now approaches!
     "Coming next year to Transformers Cybertron for a suggested retail rate
of $49.99 is Cybertron itself, Primus!  Featuring missile firing action, a
level four transformation difficulty, as well as some famous city sceneries
from the comics and television series, Primus will be ready for battle in the
fall of 2006."
     Unless there's some weird panel folding like in Slugslinger, I'd say
Primus isn't a level 4 difficulty, maybe 3 at most.  There's definitely
shoulder missiles, but it's not clear if the boot missiles actually fire.
From the wording of the ad, I'd guess that Primus has four key slots and may
come with four keys.

     Skyfall gets an expanded "More Than Meets The Eye" style entry in this
issue, which practically hits us over the head with a future plot point:
Ramjet's gonna get Skyfall on his side by lying about knowing his past.
     The comic has Skyfall fight (and then run away from) Dark Scorponok, who
then goes to a location that the good guys think Ramjet would attack.  It's
revealed that Dark Scorponok is essentially an energon vampire now, an
affliction that can be transmitted to any sapient victim (the Rumbles are,
at least in the comic, non-sapient...called non-sentient, but they can
clearly sense things, a common misuse of terms).  There's a rather cute panel
in which a bunch of Rumbles are sitting around in storytime mode while Ramjet
exposits at them.  And, despite the greater amount of action sequences here,
there's still a lot of fairly dry exposition.  I can only assume Rumbles are
easily entertained.  :)
     Anyway, I seriously doubt Ramjet ever met Skyfall before (as he
claims).  Rather, he used his surveillance system to determine who Skyfall
was and what his quest was, and is now going to string him along.

     Dave Van Domelen, now to go start up the BKformers review.