Transformers #38 (1988)

Continued from last issue and Headmasters #4... The Autobot Headmasters and their allies are heading toward the planet Earth from Nebulos after receiving a distress call from that planet, with the Decepticons from Nebulos following not far behind. In order to make them a more powerful combat unit, the group has been busy expanding and upgrading Fortress Maximus. Once complete he is much larger, and his head transforms into the body of a new robot named Cerebros, whom Galen is the Headmaster component for. While on the planet Earth, Spike Witwicky returns home from college to find his family home and his father's garage totaled. His father, Sparkplug, turns out to be okay and got out of the wreck with only a few scratches. He explains to Spike what happened to his brother Buster, prompting Spike to head out to Mount St. Hilary to see if Buster is okay. There he comes across the cavern where the Ark used to sit, a pile of left over equipment, and the wrecked body RC car body of Goldbug, which he dismisses as junk. Back aboard the Steelhaven, the Nebulan Autobots arrive in Earth orbit, where Fortress Maximus orders all the other Autobots remain aboard the ship while he and the Autobot Headmasters explore the planet below. They arrive at the cavern soon after, prompting Spike to hide. When the Autobots check the device they head Goldbug's recording once more but are at a loss to find him. Chromedome then picks up a faint signal and they realize that Goldbug's mind has been implanted into a toy car. Patching himself into Goldbug, Chromedome projects an image showing the capture of Buster by Ratbat. Seeing this Spike reveals himself and asks for the Autobot's help in rescuing his kid brother. However, Fortress Maximus shows no interest in rescuing Buster, and when Spike calls him a heartless machine, Galen reveals himself. Galen explains that their primary mission is to find the missing Autobots. Detecting exhaust from the Ark, they decide to track that leaving Spike alone. Spike camps out for the night in the cavern and is suddenly awoken by the arrival of the Decepticon Headmasters who had just arrived on Earth. Realizing that these Transformers are evil, Spike activates the distress signal again. It alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons. The Decepticons attempt to attack Spike, while the Autobots are drawn back thinking another of their kind had returned. When Fortress Maximus returns to the cavern, he realizes the error he's made in luring the Decepticons here and soon they end up clashing. Spike flees for cover but is followed by Scorponok, who transforms into his scorpion mode. Going back further to a more active part of the volcano, Spike is trapped between Scorponok and the molten lava of the volcano. Fortress Maximus attempts to come to Spike's rescue but proves to be too big. He lets loose Cerebros to tackles Scorponok, and while his larger body is occupied, Scorponok sends Lord Zarak to attack Spike. Cerebros tosses Galen to battle Zarak, and when Galen proves to be too much of a match, Zarak orders Scorponok to fire at the ceiling causing rocks to fall down toward Spike. Seeing this Galen leaves Zarak and pushes Spike out of the way, getting pinned under the rocks himself. With the volcano growing more unstable and Galen's death a certainty, he passes Spike his control helmet so that he does not die in vein. Controlling Fortress Maximus, Spike leads the giant Autobot out to the main battle where he sends the Decepticons fleeing. Leaving the base with the Autobot Headmasters, just as the volcano explodes the other Autobot Headmasters device that Spike will make a fitting commander for them now that Galen has died.