The Transformers #18-21 (UK): Raiders Of The Last Ark (G1)

Script: Simon Furman
Art: Mike Collins, Jeff Anderson

By implication following-on from The Enemy Within!, Raiders Of The Last Ark introduces us to two brand new characters, both of whom are then quickly written-out again to avoid any continuity issues with the concurrent US strips.

The first is "AUNTIE" – alias the Ark's computer system - who had already been mentioned back in issue #2, (reprinting the US #1) albeit with a slightly different spelling.


In this new story, AUNTIE's character gets, er... fleshed-out, with a face, a voice, and a whole deranged personality to go with them.


No wonder Megatron looks so unhappy. He's clearly furious at being remarketed as a toy for girls, judging by that heart the UK artist has drawn on his chest.

The second new character is AUNTIE's protector-bot. Watch carefully now – see if you can spot his name.


That's one fearsome-looking droid. He's enormous! Just how on Earth can Windcharger and Ravage possibly escape from this end-of-issue cliffhanger?


Oh, right, those are the only two panels he's in.

Well, they still have to cleverly outwit the all-powerful AUNTIE too.


Oh, right, she gets defeated in exactly the same way.

Well, you can hardly blame them for hurrying this plot along. This story was published at a point in time when Marvel UK were squeezing so many other strips into Transformers comic that the lead strip was becoming ever-shorter. That last episode was a mere five pages long – less than half the lead strip's length back in issue #1.

But then, what else can you expect from a 32-page comic packing-in a whopping six strips, plus adverts and features? The Planet Terry 'back-up strip' got nine pages! Maybe it was a costcutting measure due to the US material drying-up.

Although the comic itself was rearranging its parts and transforming into something new, I can't help thinking that what it really wanted to do was to change back.

The Transformers (G1, UK) #1-8: The Transformers / Power Play! / Prisoner Of War! / The Last Stand here.
The Transformers: Man Of Iron (G1, UK) here.
The Transformers (G1, UK) #13-17: The Enemy Within here.