In my informal poll, site visitors expressed similar opinions, so we'll continue with the characters of 1988 rather than 2008!  Back then, (unlike today) we were starved for good new Transformers stories and those we got left plenty to be desired!  Transformers (Marvel Comics) issue #40 was of particular interest because it featured the international debut of both the Autobot and Decepticon Pretenders.

The first 6 pages of which were very small panels, each crammed with text!  The idea was that Optimus Prime had been destroyed in episode #24.  BUT, thanks to the last second heroics of computer nerd, Ethan Zachary, he saved our beloved Autobot leader.  In his own words,

"But in a computer-simulated battle you lost to the Deceps, who, I'm sure, cheated.  As a consequence you were destroyed in real life.  But I copied your mind onto a floppy disc before that happened."

Thank goodness!  Isn't it AMAZING what could be stored on a floppy disk back in then?  Surely, many of you are thinking, what's a floppy disk?  Think of it like a CD-ROM, except it was bigger and only held less than 1/1000th of the amount of information as a CD.  BUT, Ethan figured out a way to download the personality of Optimus Prime, just before his body was destroyed in issue #24!

Fortunately, the coolness of the issue was (somewhat) redeemed a few pages later when Scorponok creates the Decepticon Pretenders!  Among them was today's character of the day, FINBACK.  His all new character page is now available for your viewing pleasure in the 1988 Transformers Section!