King Con!

	; A big ape is rolling in his grave...
	"King Con!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	March 1989
Cover date	July 1989
Writer	Bob Budiansky
Pencil breakdowns	José Delbo
Ink finishes	Danny Bulanadi
Colorist	Nel Yomtov
Letterer	Jim Massara
Editor	Don Daley
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

It's the latest craze—young, crass heroes with no time for the adults' rules!

Synopsis

Three men head into the New Jersey swamps in the dead of night, in order to deal with alleged "creature sightings" that have been plaguing their community. They thought it would be a bear—they were wrong. The Decepticon Pretender known as Iguanus steps out of the marsh, and blows the would-be hunters away with his hurricane air blaster. They take off on foot as fast as their puny human legs can carry them.

A few days later, Optimus Prime and Hi-Q pull into an abandoned gas station. Because of the recent losses they suffered at the hands of Starscream, the Autobots of Earth have requested reinforcements be sent from Cybertron by Trans-Dimensional Warp. Those reinforcements arrive in the form of eight Micromaster Transformers—the Off Road Patrol and Race Car Patrol, commanded by Powertrain and Roadhandler respectively. After the Micromasters and Hi-Q toss several clichés back and forth about size, discipline, and the overconfidence of youth, Optimus proceeds with the mission briefing the Micromasters have been selected for.

Two seemingly unrelated stories have caught Optimus Prime's attention. One, the creature sightings now being substantiated by interviews with the erstwhile hunters, and second, a bizarre weather phenomena causing massive storm fronts to gather and hold steady over Manhattan, New York, and the surrounding New Jersey swamplands where the three men supposedly saw their "creature". Fearing Decepticon activity, Prime sends the Micromasters to investigate the situation.

At the same time, Cecilia Santiago—the reporter who interviewed the hunters—has entered the swamp in the hopes of finding the creature for herself.

In the new Decepticon underground base in New Jersey, Scorponok is outlining their latest energy-gathering plan for the Pretenders. They have constructed a massive energy conversion device within their base, and the Stormmaker Station in the nearby swamps has been responsible for the growing weather problems. Scorponok plans to gather the full electrical power of the storm he has created. While Skullgrin guards the Stormmaker Station, Finback and Submarauder lay an extended cable underwater from the base to Manhattan, in order to absorb and conduct the electricity back to the base. Iguanus is to place their electrostator device at the proper place as a high-tech lightning rod, gathering the total electrical potential of the storm and channeling it down through the ground and the conductor cables. Bugly and Bomb-Burst are charged with retrieving Iguanus before the electrical surge strikes the electrostator and overwhelms him. As the Pretenders disperse to carry out their duties, Iguanus has a little fun at Skullgrin's expense, taunting him as a "fleshling lover" thanks to his recent movie career.

Back in the swamp, Cecilia has wandered into sight of the Stormmaker Station. After overhearing the Decepticons' plans, she tries to escape but makes too much noise and is captured by Iguanus. The reptilian Pretender is prepared to exterminate her right there, but Skullgrin tries to convince him to give the woman over to him. As they grapple with one another, Mudslinger arrives on the scene. As he and the rest of the Off Road Patrol jump into battle with the two Pretenders, Cecilia runs off to safety. Powertrain radios the Race Car Patrol to intercept the human as she emerges from the swamp, in case she has any information.

Roadhandler succeeds in picking her up on the side of the road, but Cecilia quickly sees through his "mannequin driver" disguise. After a brief conversation to convince her of his good intentions, Cecilia tells Roadhandler what she overheard about the threat to New York City. Roadhandler tries to get rid of her after that, but she proves tough to shake.

Iguanus has moved on from the swamp, and approaches his destination at the Empire State Building. He plans to place the electrostator at the very top of the antenna, channeling the electrical energy down through the building and out through the conduit cables which Finback and Submarauder have placed by the river. This will feed the Decepticons massive amounts of power, but destroy half the city in the process.

Back at the swamps, the Off Road Patrol manages to delay Skullgrin long enough for Mudslinger to destroy the Stormmaker, but it is too late—the storm has grown too strong on its own, and can no longer be dissipated so easily.

As the Race Car Patrol and Cecilia make their way to the top of the building, King 'Con Iguanus grabs the woman with his tail and dangles her high above the streets below. Iguanus drops her into Roadhandler's waiting arms, and triggers the electrostator on top of the building. Roadhandler uses his projectile fist to knock the device loose, however, forcing Iguanus to leap out into space in a vain attempt to retrieve it. Instead, the lightning strikes down on the device, channeling the full electrical force through Iguanus alone. The electricity disperses, the Decepticons receive no energy, and Iguanus is crispy-fried in the process. As the Pretender crashes to earth, the Micromasters decide to set up residence in the Big Apple...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Nebulans	Others
Optimus Prime (6) Powertrain (8) Highjump (9) Mudslinger (10) Tote (11) Tailspin (12) Free Wheeler (13) Roadhandler (14) Swindler (15)	Iguanus (5) Skullcruncher (19) Scorponok (20) Weirdwolf (21) Mindwipe (21) Finback (22) Submarauder (23) Bugly (24) Skullgrin (25) Bomb-Burst (26)	Gus (1) Morrie (2) Juan (3) Cecilia Santiago (16) Harvey (17) Sid (18)	Hi-Q (7)	Lady (4)

Quotes

"We fight differently. And we play by our own rules."
"Optimus, they answer to no one! How can we trust them?"

— Roadhandler is one outrageous dude! He's totally in Hi-Q's face!

"They wield their independence like a club. "

— Hi-Q on the Micromasters

"We don't need your help!"
"Everyone needs some help some time -- even you. Would you rather still be driving in circles around that swamp?"
"..."
"No, I didn't think so."

— Roadhandler gets a little comeuppance from Cecelia

"Those humans were very agreeable... especially after we suspended them from the lamp pole."

— Swindler seems to be fitting in just fine on Earth.

"Can you operate it, Tailspin?"
"I think it's a binary code..."
"Try talking to it."

— Freewheeler and Tailspin face their greatest foe yet: an elevator.

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

José Delbo redrew the packaging art of the Off Road Patrol (particularly Powertrain and Tote) and Race Car Patrol as they introduce themselves and transform. The Race Car Patrol box art was redrawn twice.
On the second-to-last page, Roadhandler is called "Roadmaster".

Continuity errors

Optimus Prime transforms into robot mode without his Powermaster engine installed. While not necessarily an error in this continuity, it goes against the toy gimmick. Prime's fellow Powermaster, Slapdash explicitly cannot transform without his engine according to his toy bio, his Universe profile, and the UK story "Prime Bomb!".

Continuity notes

This issue is the first appearance of the Race Car Patrol, Off Road Patrol, and of the Micromaster concept in general.
The Decepticon base underneath the New Jersey garbage dump makes its first appearance here. A new base was necessary after Starscream destroyed both Ratbat's island ship and Scorponok's starcruiser in US issue #50. Also, this was foreshadowed by Scorponok's scouting mission for Skullgrin in issue #45.
This is the third of the four times that Powermaster Optimus Prime is seen in his smaller robot form, and the first time that his forearms are correctly coloured as all blue.
Optimus Prime mentions the Autobots' recent staggering losses, from US #50, and their failed attempt to repair those warriors from issues #52–#53.
Iguanus and Skullgrin argue over how Skullgrin's time as a movie star in issue #45 may have made him too friendly towards humans.
Iguanus seems to be destroyed at the end of the issue - hit by the city-destroying mega-lighting bolt and then plunging from the top of the Empire State Building - but he's back with the Decepticons just three issues later.
At least twice, Roadhandler displays the ability to fire his fist off like a rocket.

Real-life references

This story is the second appearance of an overt King Kong homage of King Kong climbing the empire state building in the official Generation 1 fiction, the first being the cartoon episode "City of Steel".
The action is set in the north New Jersey swamps, and in Manhattan just over the river. There are a couple of landfills in New Jersey within direct sight of the Midtown Manhattan skyline, along the New Jersey Turnpike.

Bot Roster

Autobots: 21 active; 8 rogue Micromasters; 1 in storage, 31 offline, 27 presumed offline. (88 total)
Decepticons: 20 active (even after Iguanus's misadventure); 26 offline, 25 presumed offline, 4 offline/missing. (79 total)

Courtesy of my...

Iguanus literally blows the would-be hunters away.

UK Printing

Issue #232

Additional Transformers story: "A Small War!"
Reprint Transformers story: "Resurrection!"
Other strips: Combat Colin
Free gift: magnifying glass

Issue #233

Additional Transformers story: "A Small War!"
Other strips: Action Force - "Airshow" and Combat Colin
AtoZ: Rampage and Ratbat
Free gift: temporary tattoo

Issue #234

Additional Transformers story: "Prime's Rib!"
Other strips: Action Force - "Airshow" and Combat Colin
Classic Covers Calendar: The ninth in a series of monthly calendars that showcased inks from covers of yesteryear with new colours. This September edition used Geoff Senior's inks from issue 130.
Free gift: temporary tattoo (Autobot and Decepticon symbols)

Issue #235

Additional Transformers story: "Deathbringer"
Other strips: Action Force - "Airshow" and Combat Colin

Covers (5)

US issue #54 cover: Iguanus, Micromasters and Cecilia, by José Delbo and Danny Bulanadi.
UK issue #232 cover: Thunderwing and Micromasters, by Lee Sullivan.
UK issue #233 cover: Bomb-Burst, Iguanus and a friendly chap, by Jeff Anderson.
UK issue #234 cover: Arcee vs Horri-Bull, by Geoff Senior.
UK issue #235 cover: Deathbringer and a defeated Prime, by Geoff Senior.

US issue #54 - They're great! Buy them! Now!
UK issue #232 - Luckily the issue came with a free magnifying glass! (It was rubbish)
UK issue #233 - The best free gift ever!
UK issue #234 - Not so gentle, really.
UK issue #235 - If only the actual Deathbringer story was this great...

Reprints

Transformers: Last Stand TPB cover: Swindler, Rippersnapper, Snarler, Astrotrain and half a Mecannibal, by Andrew Wildman.
Transformers: Last Stand Hardback cover: A damaged Fortress Maximus battling Snarler and Carnivac, by Frank Quitely.
Classic Transformers Volume 4 cover: Panels from US issues #59 and #60, pencils by José Delbo, inks by Dave Hunt and colours by Nel Yomtov.
The Transformers Classics, Vol. 5 cover: Prowl by Guido Guidi.
Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection:Volume 15: Time Wars: Highbrow profile pic over Galvatron blasting the Wreckers from issue #204; art by Lee Sullivan (pencils #204), Stephen Baskerville (inks, #204) and Don Figueroa? (Highbrow).

Transformers: Last Stand TPB (Titan Books, 2005)
Transformers: Last Stand HC (Titan Books, 2005)
Classic Transformers Volume 4 (IDW Publishing, 2009)
The Transformers Classics, Vol. 5 (IDW Publishing, 2012)
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 15: Time Wars
(Hachette Partworks, 2019)

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