Transformers #37 (1988)

After the Predacons succeed in stealing a supply of LOX and the Constructicons pilfer building supplies, III demands that Walter Barnett gets some secrets out of the captured Throttlebots. After interrogating the Autobots, they continue to try to explain to Barnett that there are two different factions of Transformers, however, Barnett refuses to be convinced. Before leaving the Institute with his family, Forrest Forsythe tells him that it may be too late to get whatever information they can out of the Autobots. That night as Walter and his wife watch the evening news, Forsythe does an interview where he warns against any more robot attacks. Failure to stop will lead in the destruction of the six captured Autobots. The next morning Walter barges into his superior's office and tries to convince him that doing so is playing into the Decepticons hands, now finally believing Goldbug's story. However, it is too late and following the news broadcast there was another robot attack. Forsythe then informs Barnett that he intends to execute the Autobots the next evening at 6:00 on national television. Unable to sleep, the guilt-ridden Barnett returns to III headquarters, smuggling in six of his sons radio controlled cars and removes the Autobots brain components and places them in the toy cars. Sure enough the next evening at 6:00 the Autobots bodies are destroyed. When news reaches the Witwicky's, who are awaiting the return of Buster's brother Spike from college, they mourn the loss of the destroyed Autobots. Buster is particularly upset because one of the destroyed robots resembled his old friend Bumblebee. When news reaches the Decepticons, Ratbat, and the Predacons are dispatched to III to confirm that the Autobots have been destroyed. There they easily smash through the defenses and before Forsythe tear open the crumpled Autobot bodies but find no brain components. Demanding to know where the Autobots minds are, Forsythe realizes far too late that there really were two different factions of Transformers. Walter Barnett meanwhile, on Goldbug's advice, sought out the aid of Buster Witwicky. At the Witwicky garage, Goldbug and Barnett explain everything and Sparkplug allows Buster to go with Barnett to seek out the Autobots. With their batteries running low, they decide to go to the mall first to pick up more. When the Predacons and Ratbat arrive at Sparkplug's garage, he refuses to tell the Decepticons where the Autobots are and in retaliation they destroy his garage. They track the Autobots, Buster, and Walter to the mall where they put up a chase, the Autobots in their small RC car bodies manage to trip up the Predacons and make good their escape. As Buster and Goldbug flee the mall, Buster takes the batteries out of his boom box to replenish Goldbug's dying ones, leaving it open for Ratbat to hitch a ride. When they arrive at Mount St. Hillary, they are shocked to find that the Ark is missing. However, they do find some radio equipment and beam out an SOS message in the hopes that the Autobots come back for them. Just then Ratbat pops out of Buster's boom box, crushes Goldbug and captures Buster. This story is continued next issue...