The Transformers #55
The Transformers #55 — 'The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!' — marks the end of Bob Budiansky's tenure as the series' primary writer, closing a run that began with issue #5 and shaped the entire Marvel Comics continuity for the franchise. It is also the in-continuity debut of the Decepticon Micromasters, specifically the Air Strike Patrol, tying the comic directly to Hasbro's final wave of Generation 1 toys and signalling the line's late-era direction. The issue represents a clear creative crossroads: the tongue-in-cheek, human-centric storytelling style Budiansky had championed for over fifty issues gives way, starting with the very next chapter, to Simon Furman's darker, mythology-driven approach. Taken together, #55 is simultaneously a closing chapter and an opening — the last moment of one era and the implied beginning of another.
In "I, Robot-Master!, Part 1," a desperate comic-book writer named Donny Finkleberg is thrust into a role he never asked for—posing as the mysterious Robot-Master to manipulate the Transformers. Written by Bob Budiansky and illustrated by Don Perlin, with inks by Keith Williams and colors by Nel Yomtov, this 1986 Marvel UK issue sees Finkleberg’s scheme unravel when he’s captured by Megatron and the Decepticons. The cover, by Herb Trimpe, captures the moment’s tension with sharp, dynamic lines.
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Bob Budiansky had edited the original Transformers four-issue limited series before becoming the ongoing title's principal writer from issue #5 onward; by 1989 he was eager to leave but was repeatedly prevented from doing so by editor Don Daley, who felt no one else at Marvel US had sufficient command of the sprawling cast. The story itself was directly inspired by real-world events: Budiansky overheard Marvel Bullpen colleagues enthusiastically recounting their trips to professional wrestling matches in New York City and wove the anecdotes into the plot. For this final issue Budiansky also served as penciller alongside Jim Fern, with inks by Mike Gustovich, colors by Nelson Yomtov, and editing by Don Daley under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco. Starting with issue #56, Simon Furman — already battle-hardened from years writing original stories for Marvel UK's weekly — took over the US book as well.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published August 1989 (US) by Marvel Comics; story title: 'The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!' Cover art by Jose Delbo and Danny Bulanadi.
- Bob Budiansky's final issue as writer of the US series; he had written the comic from issue #5 through #55 (with one fill-in by Len Kaminski in #16).
- First in-continuity appearance of the Decepticon Micromasters, specifically the Air Strike Patrol (Storm Cloud, Tailwind, Whisper, Nightflight), tying the comic to Hasbro's new late-G1 toy sub-line.
- Budiansky also served as co-penciller on this issue alongside Jim Fern — an unusual dual writing/art credit for him.
- The story's wrestling-match premise was inspired by Marvel Bullpen staffers sharing accounts of attending professional wrestling events in NYC, which Budiansky overheard and incorporated.
- Simon Furman — already experienced from years of original writing on the Marvel UK weekly — assumed the US title beginning with issue #56, on Budiansky's own recommendation.
- The US issue was later reprinted across four consecutive issues of the Marvel UK weekly as issues #236–239 (September–October 1989), under the slightly modified title 'Wrestle-Mania' in issue #237 to fit the page layout.
- A Mark Jeweler insert variant of US #55 exists, distinguishable by the advertising insert common to Marvel comics sold through military exchanges in that era.
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↩ Reprints Rocket Raccoon #1 (1985), The Transformers #15 (1986)
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