Target: 2006

The New Leaders are here...apparently.

Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge travel back in time with a plan to destroy Unicron.

Generation 1 (Marvel UK) > Issue # 78-88
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Marvel UK issues #78-88

Writer: Simon Furman
Pencillers: Jeff Anderson, Geoff Senior, Will Simpson, Ron Smith
Inks: Tim Perkins, Geoff Senior
Lettering: Starkings
Colors: Tony Jozwiak
Editor: Ian Rimmer

• Characters Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Laserbeak Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, Ironhide, Jazz, Prowl, Emirate Xaaron, Impactor, Shrapnel, Roadbuster, Twin Twist, Springer, Sandstorm, Broadside, Ultra Magnus, Jetfire, Trailbreaker, Starscream, Grapple, Inferno, Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr
• Originally published: 13th September 1986 - 22nd November 1986

Synopsis

Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge travel back to 1986 from 2006 to escape Unicron. The time travel device causes three Autobots - Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet - to be displaced to a holding dimension. Ironhide, Jazz and Hound go to spy on the Decepticons, certain that they are to blame for their leader's disappearance.

Galvatron userps command of the 'local' Decepticons from Megatron, burying his former self and Soundwave under a rock fall. Then he takes the Constructicons off to begin building a giant laser cannon. The cannon will fire upon his return to 2006 destroying Unicron.

On Cybertron, the Matrix Flame, the embodiment of the Creation Matrix, is extinguished as Optimus Prime is removed from this reality. As a result Autobot resistance leader Emirate Xaaron sends Ultra Magnus to Earth to hunt for the missing Autobot leader and the Creation Matrix, despite him being a crucial part of Operation: Volcano, an Autobot plan to lure the Decepticons' most vicious killers into the open and destroy them.

On Earth Jazz is captured by Galvatron and tortured to provoke the Autobots into making a hasty attack. Unwilling to interupt his mission, Ultra Magnus refuses to accompany his fellow Autobots.

Galvatron indulges in his passion for S&M.

The Autobots are humiliated by Galvatron and decide they need help. So they dig Megatron out from the rock fall and ally themselves with him. Under Megatron's leadership they successfully capture Scourge and plan to exchange him for Jazz. Starscream, seeking to gain power for himself betrays Megatron and the Autobots to Galvatron.

Galvatron tricks the Autobots by unleashing a remote controlled Jazz at the exchange, inflicting yet another defeat on them. While the exchange is underway Megatron attempts to destroy Galvatron's weapon but is surprised by Starscream and knocked unconscious.

Come and 'ave a go if you think you're 'ard enough.

Back in 2006, Unicron realises what Galvatron is planning and takes mental control of Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr and sends them back in time to sabotage Galvatron's plan. In 1986 they tell Ultra Magnus that Optimus Prime’s disappearance is related to Galvatron and he agrees to help them send him back to his own time.

Ultra Magnus attacks Galvatron and the two battle each other, keeping Galvatron distracted while Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr prepare their plan. Once they are ready they use a remote controlled Skywarp, disguised as Starscream to destroy Galvatron’s weapon.

Enraged, Galvatron destroys “Starscream”. Knowing that Stascream is not destined to die until 2006 he becomes convinced that he had travelled back in time to a dimension other than his own and that nothing he achieves here will affect his future. He reluctantly decides to abandon his plan and returns to 2006 where he is punished by Unicron.

Satisfied with himself Unicron returns, Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr to the future. Once Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge return to their own time, Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet return.

Ultra Magnus returns to Cybertron only to find that he is too late, Operation: Volcano has begun. The leader of the Wreckers, Impactor dies saving Xaaron’s life, but the plan comes to nothing as Megatron contacts Cybertron and orders the Decepticons to return to their headquarters.

Errors

• It is implied that Galvatron builds his weapon on the site of the future Autobot City so that when the weapon fires in 2006 it will destroy Autobot city and Unicron. How the builders of Autobot City would fail to spot the 500 foot gun in the middle of their building site is left unexplained.

Items of note

• The epic Transformers story that everyone remembers from the UK comics.
• The Movie was originally planned to take place in 2006 but was changed to 2005 very late in production by which time Target 2006 had already been given a title. As a result, all of the UK comics future stories were set twenty years in the future of the 'real' year.
• Galvatron time jumps just at the point in the Movie after he says "Decepticons, to Earth".
• According to Galvatron in issue 78, Earth has a weather control system as of 1995. (Our Earth is clearly behind schedule.)
• The character designs for Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge in issue 78 are based on they toys rather than the Movie look as the issue was designed before the artist got to see the Movie designs.
• For this story and all future appearances Galvatron would appear in his grey and purple toy colour scheme rather than the Movie's predominantly purple colour.
• Events in this story cause ramifications for over 150 issues of the UK comic.
• Simon Furman reused issue 78's sequence with Emirate Xaaron and captions about the Autobot movement going literally underground almost verbatim when he took over the US strip some years later.
• Reprinted as a Trade Paperback by Titan Books in August 2002. A hardback version with an exclusive cover was made available at the Transforce 2002 convention in the UK.
• Reprinted in 5 parts by IDW in 2007 as part of their Generations series.