The Transformers #48

Marvel's long-running Transformers series hits a dramatic fever pitch with issue #48, cover-dated January 1989, as the bold title "The Return of Megatron — The End of Optimus Prime?!" sets the stakes immediately. José Delbo and Dave Hunt's cover puts a triumphant, fusion-cannon-raised Megatron front and center, striding over what appears to be a fallen, badly damaged Optimus Prime amid smoldering debris and a sea of battle-worn Transformers stretching into a fiery red sky. Part two of "The Underbase Saga," written by Bob Budiansky with interior art by Delbo, promises plenty of Cybertronian chaos for fans already hooked on one of Marvel's most enduring licensed titles.