Thanks to 2005 Boards member Markdelg for sharing in our boards the scans of the unexpected Transformers Binaltech Chapter 20 Manga: Outlier.
This new chapter was included with the recently released Transformers Generations Book 2019. If you followed the Binaltech story (usually released via small texts in the toys packaging and instructions) the story was supposed to be concluded in chapter 19: Unfinished Business, Part 4 (released in 2008) which also set the stage for the beginning of the Alternity toyline and story. 10 years after, we finally have another piece of the Binaltech story.
This time the chapters comes as a proper colored 8-page manga, featuring several characters from the Binaltech line. It’s a very original drawing style, since the characters have no black outlines. The story seems to link to some Beast Wars key events and we can also spot the G1 Dinobots, Carly and several Beast Wars characters. In another unexpected surprise we can see Alternators Decepticharge teaming up with Binaltech Blackarachnia. This was a cancelled redeco of the Decepticharge mold in TM2 Blackarachnia colors.
We hope to get a proper translation of these pages soon, but you can now click on the bar to see the mirrored images on this news post and then share your impressions on the 2005 Boards.
Markdelg
I have Binaltech Ravage, Alternators Decepticharge, and Alternators Optimus Prime and Nemesis Prime. Of them, Ravage is the best because the paint looks great and the die-cast gives him heft and makes him feel like one of those authentic model cars that car guys collect and display, while the others just feel like plastic toys.
Argus
They were intentionally designed to be in scale and interaction wa spromoted even on the MP-04 box art. While 2 lines they were always intended to go together even if many people seem to have forgotten this.
For those still loving the old MP scale, just put them with your BT/Alt stuff. It's official
Lore Keeper
The only Binaltech/Alternators toy I have is Smokescreen, and he does look surprisingly at home lined up with the MP figures. He is much more complex and posable than standard figures.
flux convoy
Art is interesting but even Beast Wars can't make me care much about BT again.
Prime Aspect
I\'m not great at Japanese, and my Kanji memory is terrible, but I can sort of understand the second half of the last page.
Grimlock: (something) The Dinobots! Me Grimlock Happy!
Sludge: Grimlock? (Something) Is that Grimlock I see?
Snarl:No. Small (something) so it\'s just an Autobot I see.
SFX: Raaar, bang! Pow!
Slag: Grimlock, our king!
Grimlock: And so…
Everyone: Long Live Binaltech! (literally: Binaltech Banzai!)
unknown456
Well that's… unexpected. Definitely cool for the people who wanted something more from Binaltech/Alternators.
Digger
Man this is weird. I wish they did binaltech again. Like masterpiece binaltech figures. With better transformations and articulation.
Markdelg
The 19 chapters weren’t comics. They were just stories written in the instruction booklets or packages the toys came in. Synopses of those are at tfwiki.
hthrun
I loved alternators. My perfect G1 toys would be alternators with MP engineering. The poseability of the MP robots with realistic, modern car modes that have opening doors and turning wheels…
Majestic Senzu
Neato! Anywhere you can find the other 19 chapters?
convoy84
excuse me what the fuck
Max Rawhide
Ooh, Binaltech. Makes me hopeful that perhaps we might get some new stuff. Probably not, but still.
I recall that at the time of BT and early MP, Takara said something along the line of that they knew a lot of fans put the MP figures with the Binaltechs and although this wasn't the intent, they were fine with it. Maybe this a referance to that.
Markdelg
From what I understand, scanning and posting the entire magazine would be a no-no (not that I would have done that anyway). Just posting this comic is fine, since other comics such as the Legends and Unite Warriors mangas have been posted by members in the past.
Pavol Palat
I'm just wondering if this would have been allowed and front paged "just so" if this was a US book. Copyright, not sharing and stuff. Oh the horror when somebody posted anything from TFCC magazine, such post was killed instantly.
I've the book for some time, did not dare share images, repsect for the publisher and stuff.
I also wonder how things get selected for front paging. Some people are rejected (no news, nananana) while others can spot an long released toy (or a play mat, stickers crap) "in the right country" and it makes the headline right away.
captain N
I would love to see this as a cartoon series.
Black Convoy
I can't believe we have more of Binaltech story after 10 years. Thanks for sharing!
Markdelg
Cutting and pasting from another post: Some observations about the comic:
-It starts at the end of the previous Binaltech chapter, when Grimlock apparently forgot about the rest of the Dinobots, who were deactivated.
-The comic shows the entry from Ask Vector Prime detailing the creation (and destruction) of the duplicate Maximal shuttle crew from the end of the (American version of) Beast Wars, and Blackarachnia's spark being put into a Binaltech body by Unicron.
– Calcar is shown in a flashback scene attached to machinery containing an alien being floating in a jar. After doing some research I figured out that this creature is an Unleasher, used by the Decepticons to control the Dinobots and make them attack the Autobots, which was why they were deactivated. Calcar is kind of an odd choice, considering he was from the European G1 toyline, was never part of the Japanese G1 toyline, and had nothing to do with Binaltech.
– Rumble is seen in his Alternators body, effectively making that toy a Binaltech toy too.
– Ultra Magnus is shown with his white MP-2 body. Does that mean that this toy has been repurposed as his Binaltech body too?
– Protector Optimus Primal's body is the Black Convoy/Nemesis Prime Alternators/Binaltech body, colored like his season 1 BW body and has his season 1 head.
– Bumblebee is shown with his unproduced Binaltech toy body.
– It looks like Carly uses a Cortexitron to either control Blackarachnia or merge with her. The Cortexitron was the device that Spike used to put his consciousness into a robot body in “Autobot Spike.”
I don’t speak Japanese, so some of these observations could be wrong.
Nevermore
Whatever it is, it's coming a decade too late for me to really care anymore.
Also, what's with the weird art style without black outlines?
Ikkstakk
Binaltech Beast Wars?!
The fricking Blackwidow remold of Overdrive they cancelled like thirteen years ago?!
What is even happening here
Novaburnhilde
Awesome, thanks for posting!
Hope someone translates.