Page by Paul Frawley Last Updated: 26 Mar 2001
Paul's Web Space: Transformers: Book Guide: Ladybird Books
The books published by Ladybird were available by themselves,
or (apparently) also with a cassette tape reading of the story.
These books were British in origin.
The artist of several, NAMENAME, also did artwork for the
comic book, notably the story "The Enemy Within".
The first four books from 1985 had a mini character guide on the inside front/back covers and facing pages. The Autobot page described Optimus, Hound, Sideswipe, Huffer, Jazz and Gears. The Decepticon page described Megatron, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Starscream, Rumble and Ravage. These entries were based on the tech specs. The first book, (Autobots' Lightning Strike) features a very brief introduction to the Transformers story. The other three (Megatron's Fight for Power, Autobots Fight Back and Laserbeak's Fury) have a longer introduction, which mentions the four million years buried in the volcano. Laserbeak's Fury was released after Megatron's Fight for Power and Autobot's Fight Back which were released at the same time.
The next two books - Galvatron's Air Attack and Decepticon Hideout - were published in 1986. Their inside front covers show a picture of Galvatron, Astrotrain, Scourge and Ramjet battling Ultra Magnus, Jetfire (looking like the toy), Jazz and Hot Rod. The introduction within these books hints at the same reality as the comic's Target 2006 storyline. "Galvatron travels back from the 21st century to take over from Megatron...", while "the strange disappearance of Optimus Prime leaves the Autobotss without a leader, and Ultra Magnus arrives from Cybertron to take his place, as the Autobot's new commander." Characters killed in the movie (Ratchet, Wheeljack and Starscream) appear alongside newcomers (Kup, Cyclonus, and Metroplex).
The last two books - Decepticons at the Pole and Autobots Strike Oil - were published in 1998. Their inside covers show a battle between the targetmaster Hot Rod and Cyclonus, with shilouttes in the background (possibly Brainstorm, Misfire, and three others that don't have familar looks).
Author: John Grant
Artists: Mike Collins and Mark Farmer
The Heroic Autobots: Optimus Prime, Jazz,
Hound, Sideswipe Sunstreaker, Huffer, Gears, Bluestreak, Ratchet
The Evil Decepticons: Megatron, Starscream,
Skywarp, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Rumble, Ravage, Frenzy
Spike is surprised when the Autobots think they are under attack, but it is actually only a thunderstorm something unknown on Cybertron. Sparkplug explains lightning to Optimus Prime who thinks that they could harness a lightning storm's power. Huffer, with the help of Gears builds a lightning collector. Laserbeak describes the tower and the Decepticons presume it is a radio mast. Soundwave goes to investigate but the tower is gone until it rises from it's storage within the mountain. Soundwave finds no radio transmissions from the tower. Megatron assumes that the communications technology is extremely advanced and wants to capture it. When he learns that Starscream and Rumble have gone off to destroy it, the Decepticons pursue them. The Decepticons are therefore hit by the electrical surge when lightning hits the tower causing malfunctions. Megatron fears it is an Autobot trap. The Autobots who have been watching the tower and lightning storm are surprised to see the malfunctioning Decepticons fleeing. Huffer reports that the device is not perfect yet but works.
Say it again: Optimus Prime: "We have electricty on Cybertron but it does not fall from the sky and destroy things."
Sparkplug: "There will be a thunderstorm sooner
or later. We have to wait."
Gears: "OK. We wait. We've only been on this Earth of yours
for four million years. So, lets wait!"
Continuity: The story seems like one that belongs in the cartoon continuity, especially because of Spike being an engineer. But Rumble is black and red :-)
Comments: While it is hard to imagine robots,
who use electricity, could be so ignorant of lightning, the story
is quite original. The Autobots go about their business trying to
harness earth's power, while the Decepticons misunderstand and
cause their own problems. One of the few Transformer stories at
all that doesn't have a battle or confrontation between the
two sides.
Sparkplug is referred to only as Spike's father. Ravage is
referred to as a hound in the text, when of course Ravage is a
big cat. Huffer and Gears are miscoloured on pages 10 and 11,
Huffer with his orange and blue parts reversed, and Gears purple
(instead of Red) and orange (instead of Blue), probably a mistake
in colour plates on printing.
Author: John Grant
Artists: Mike Collins and Mark Farmer
The Heroic Autobots: Optimus Prime, Hound,
Ironhide, Mirage, Gears, Huffer,
The Evil Decepticons: Megatron, Soundwave,
Buzzsaw, Starscream, Rumble
Both the Autobots and the Decepticons have little power for their nearly repaired spaceships. Megatron has Buzzsaw sent out to scout for energy sources. Buzzsaw finds a source but it is past his range. Megatron and Soundwave go to investigate and discover a human solar power complex. Ironhide detects the movements of the Decepticons. Optimus Prime, Spike and Sparkplug head off to investiagate. Starscream attempts to overthrow Megatron as leader but fails. Megatron orders the Decepticon's to begin fueling energon cubes. Optimus Prime and the humans arrive. Spike and Roller sneak in and use the solar collector to destroy the Decepticon's store of Energon. Angryily Megatron departs.
Say it again: Ironhide after Spike says the Decepticons are going to visit the solar complex: "One thing's for sure, they're not going to arrive with a box of chocolates!"
Megatron: "So, you are prepared to be merciful, Starscream? You will never make a Decepticon leader. Decepticon leaders do not show mercy. They are ruthless. They are also cunning. Did you really think that I would sit alone to await your pleasure?"
Not evil enough: The Decepticons wait until ???
Comments: A very familiar Transformers story
like many of the cartoon. The Decepticons try to seize a human
power station and the Autobots stop them. The attempted takeover
by Starscream is too brief as usual, and Spike manages to save
the day, with help from Roller. The best thing going for this
tale is the way it's mostly about the Decepticons, with Optimus
Prime the only Autobot with a major part.
This book features one of the very few appearances of Roller, the
minicar part of Optimus Prime. Again, Sparkplug is referred to
only as Spike's father. It also features Buzzsaw, one of the
underused Decepticons in the cartoon, instead of Laserbeak
Author: John Grant
Artists: Mike Collins and Mark Farmer
The Heroic Autobots: Optimus Prime,
Bumblebee, Jazz, Trailbreaker, Hound, Ratchet
The Evil Decepticons: Megatron, Soundwave,
Starscream, Ravage
Soundwave detects Bumblebee spying on the Decepticons and sends Ravage after him. Bumblebee escapes by blinding Ravage. When Ravage's optics clear, he finds a mine tunnel. Megatron decides to use the old tunnel as a space-drive test rig to repair their ion drive. When Bumblebee returns to the Decepticon base he finds it deserted. Worried, Optimus sends Trailbreaker and Hound to intercept Decepticon transmissions and they find that they have relocated into low hills near an abandonded quarry. When Ironhide and Spike head into town to pick up food for the humans, Spike notices a poster for a car rally. The rally goes through the area the Decepticons are in and suggests that the Autobots could use it as cover. Jazz and Spike participate in the rally. They find an old railway and a tunnel along it that has been converted by the Decepticons. The Autobots attack but the Decepticons are well fortified. Jazz uses a set of train wagons to ram the Decepticons, destroying all the equipment.
Say it again: Soundwave noticing the train tracks: "Metal strips suggest crude energy conductor system"
Bumblebee: "So it seems the Decepticons are having
problems with their ion-drive!"
Trailbreaker: "More trouble than they're worth. Give me good
old-fashioned neutron-drive every time."
Ironhide complaing about Spike's groceries: "Hey, you guys, ever think of going on a diet? It would do you good, and it would sure take some strain off my suspension."
Where in the World: According to the Map Spike consults, the Autobots and Decepticons are in Oregon. The Decepticon mine is in between the towns of Valegenia and Paprika Plain.
Not evil enough: All the Decepticons are up to is testing their space drive. Nothing particularly bad about that.
Comments:
Different plot, not energy based, but system checking. Surely
Decepticon technology could find remaining coal desposits unfound
by miners.
As in some other stories in the cartoon and books an Autobot
enters a car race.
Two nice spreads one of Trailbreaker and Hound transforming, and one of Bumblebee transforming
Author: John Grant
Artists: Mike Collins, Mark Farmer, Steve
Whitaker
The Heroic Autobots: Optimus Prime, Hound,
Cliffjumper, Ironhide, Windcharger, Sunstreaker, Ratchet
The Evil Decepticons: Megatron, Starscream,
Soundwave, Laserbeak, Rumble
Megatron sends Laserbeak to observe humans, hoping to find a way to use the Autobot's protective nature against them. Laserbeak follows a car back to a farm, but with his curoisty piqued by the strange site of a windmill he collides with powerlines. Laserbeak falls to the ground in cassette mode and is unable to transform back. Both the Decepticons and the Autobots (who had been evaesdropping on the communications) are puzzled by the windmill, a machine totally alien to them because it has no magnetic output. Engineers find Laserbeak but when the try the tape in their car's player no music comes out, so they toss the tape out the window [what about littering laws???] The tape is found by a farmer's son and accidently gets put in with other tapes that are to be used at a disco. Hound and Spike find the Decepticons investigating the windmill and send for help. When Laserbeak is played at the disco he transforms and flies away, frightening the humans who in the dark light mistake the robotic bird for a demon. Laserbeak finds the other Decepticons and a battle between them and the Autobots begin. Spike disconnects a break on the windmill, and the turning arms hit Laserbeak. Starscream's null-ray does not stop the windmill but Rumble's piledrivers bring it crashing down on top of the Decepticons.
Say it again: Megatron: "It is unthinkable that I, the mighty Megatron, should be thwarted again and again by those fools and weaklings the Autobots!' [But not to us!]
Where in the World: The Parprika Plains Informer reports on Laserbeak's appearance at the disco. Paprika Plains appeared on the Oregon map shown in Autobots Fight Back. The windmill though is described as being in a remote village. (Is it me or does the phrase 'remote village' sound like a British phrase rather than an American one?)
Continuity: When the black and red Rumble creates earth tremors it is with the piledrivers he possesses in the catroon, and clashes with the rest of the art that gives the characters a toy look.
Comments: A different sort of story. This one
focuses on one of the Decepticon cassettes as the main character,
and one that actually can't talk. Still Laserbeak is pretty
popular for a squawking bird type thing.
This book is copyrighted as 1986, but is still one of the orignal
four
Why is Megatron so amazed by such a low technology device?
Because it has no magnetic field or electric parts. Seemingly
he'd be amazed by any human device used before we used
electricity, including wheelbarrows???
Cliffjumper is coloured yellow so it looks like Hub Cap has made
an appearance. [Hub Cap is one of the few minibots that was never
used. I don't remember him in the cartoon, and he wasn't even in
the UK comics like Pipes and Outback. He appears in a few G2
books when he was rereleased but his color was now Red so it's a
wonder the toy wasn't just released as Cliffjumper. A second Hub
Cap appears in the Machine Wars.]
Every hear
The truck belonging to the engineers that fix the powerlines
Laserbeak hit has the name "LEWIS ST --- NGER". Could
it be a reference to Le?? Stringer who did the Robo-capers and
Combat Colin strips in the Transformers UK comics?
The art of Laserbeak's emergence at the disco does look rather
cool.
Author:
Artist:
The Heroic Autobots:
The Evil Decepticons:
Plot
Say it again:
Where in the World:
Puzzling:
Continuity:
Comments:
Author:
Artist:
The Heroic Autobots:
The Evil Decepticons:
Plot
Say it again:
Where in the World:
Puzzling:
Continuity:
Comments:
Author:
Artist:
The Heroic Autobots:
The Evil Decepticons:
Plot
Say it again:
Where in the World:
Puzzling:
Continuity:
Comments:
Author:
Artist:
The Heroic Autobots:
The Evil Decepticons:
Plot
Say it again:
Where in the World:
Puzzling:
Continuity:
Comments:
Page by Paul Frawley
Last Updated: 26 Mar 2001