« Kids' Comic Special » The Transformers (US)
"The Night the Transformers™ Saved Christmas"
Published in	Woman's Day
First published	December 26,1985
Writer	Bob Budiansky (uncredited)[1]
Penciler	Herb Trimpe (uncredited)
Inker	uncredited
Colorist	Nelson Yomtov (uncredited, assumed)
Letterer	uncredited
Editor	Ellen Levine
Continuity	(probably)Marvel Comics continuity

Bumblebee and the Autobots learn the true meaning of Christmas: electricity!

Synopsis

Soundwave andLaserbeak are drawing the power away fromMidville town square by using anenergy siphon at an electrical substation.Bumblebee had previously spotted theDecepticons while on a scouting mission, so a team ofAutobots arrive to chase them away. While retreating, Laserbeak knocks a tree across the road to block the Autobots' pursuit. The tree falls on the Perrys' automobile. Bumblebee stops to help them, while the rest of the Autobots try to fix the substation.

LittleMegan tells Bumblebee that they are on their way to town to deliverChristmas presents to the needy under Midville's Christmas tree. She says that the best part is when the tree's lights are turned on. Unfortunately, due to the Decepticons' actions, power is out!

After the other Autobots finish attempting repairs, they follow Bumblebee's tracks to Midville where he is supplying power to the town Christmas tree.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

• This 4-page story was published inWoman's Day magazine as a "Kids' Comic Special". However, it is obviously aMarvel Comics production.
• There's a neat bit where Laserbeak transports Soundwave in his cassette player mode—Soundwave transforms and Laserbeak picks him up in his beak.

Continuity notes

• In real-world terms, this story was written to take place after "Rock and Roll-Out!" (issue #14), published earlier in the month, which debuted the 1985Autobot Cars. It probably comes before the next issue, "I, Robot-Master!", released at the end of the year, seeing as the humans don't seem to think the robots are in the thrall of a spandex terrorist.

Real-life references

• Like a real VW Beetle, Bumblebee's engine is in the rear of his car mode.

Continuity and plotting errors

• If thisis between "Rock and Roll-Out!" and "I, Robot-Master!", Prowl should be out of action.
• Bumblebee thought the Perrys' car was unconscious. Dude, it's December 1985, you should know better by now.
• Hoist gives up repairing the substation stating that the human engineers could fix the substation better than he could. He should really come up with more believable excuses.

Reprints

• Transformers: Best of the Rarities:Soundwave andRavage "cassette" byJames Biggie.

• 

  Transformers: Best of the Rarities
  (IDW Publishing, 2022)

References

External links

• Branded in the 80s! blog presents "The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas." (via the Internet Archive)