MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

A Better Tomorrow

2012-06-22T14:33:04Z

108.44.41.189: Pretty sure Sky Lynx was sticking his head through the window.

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #5
|prev=Devisive
|next=Syndromica (1)
|caption=
|image=RID5_cvrB.jpg
|title="A Better Tomorrow"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 30]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=May 2012
|story by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Casey Coller]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''The arrival of Sky-Byte causes events on Cybertron to reach a critical juncture, prompting Ironhide to take a surprising stand.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] watches as another [[NAIL]] shuttle arrives on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], its sole occupant proving to be an ex-Decepticon poet and old acquaintance of his named [[Sky-Byte (G2)|Sky-Byte]]. The obvious distaste Sky-Byte has for his former faction prompts [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to step aside and leave the welcoming to [[Metalhawk]]; [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], meanwhile, eschews taking part at all. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], though, elects to watch Sky-Byte's welcome from afar, with [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] quietly whispering in his ear all the while. He instructs her to get back to looking for [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], but she cautions him to remember that she is not his assassin to order about.

Metalhawk takes Sky-Byte to meet with fellow NAILs [[Tappet]], [[Hipotank]] and [[Zetca (G1)|Zetca]], who address his concerns about Decepticons being allowed to roam free by telling him about the [[inhibitor/deterrence chip]]s, though that only increases his worries about the Autobots' methods. The next day, Sky-Byte withdraws to the edge of the city to ruminate on what he has learned, and is found by Ironhide just as he is composing a poem over some [[Sweep]] remains. Ironhide tells Sky-Byte about his lost memories and the new perspective his missing years have given him, and surprises the shark by proposing that he speak to some Decepticons in order to get the whole picture before making any choices about life on Cybertron. The pair return to the city, and while Sky-Byte heads off to follow Ironhide's suggestion, the old soldier continues to play advice-giver by meeting with Blurr and convincing him to fulfil his old pre-war dream of opening a bar by refurbishing [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]].

Back at Autobot command, Metalhawk kicks off another argument with Bumblebee over the I/D chips, holding up Starscream as evidence that the Decepticons can change. Bumblebee counters with the fact that even the NAILs hate the Decepticons, and orders Prowl to remove Metalhawk, but the police-bot has disappeared during the conversation.

Sky-Byte, meanwhile, has met with [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who tells him of Prowl's recent Decepticon executions, and takes him to a bolt-hole where [[Needlenose]] is watching over [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], from whom they learned of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]' deaths. Unfortunately for them, [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], having learned of Ironhide's suggestion to Sky-Byte, has tricked another NAIL to keep tabs on Sky-Byte's movements for him by telling him that he was responsible for nearly killing Zetca. Following the information he receives, Sideswipe leads [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and Prowl into the Decepticons' hideaway, where a firefight ensues. Dirge and Swindle escape, but Sky-Byte and Needlenose are captured, and a riot ensues when they are brought aboveground and a crowd of NAILs attempts to lynch them. Ironhide comes smashing his way into the crowd and puts the mob down, then, as he finds himself staring down the barrel of Prowl's gun, makes a speech that concludes with a plea to Bumblebee to have the I/D chips turned off as the first step towards equality for the future.

The next morning, Prowl confronts Ironhide and Sky-Byte in the repaired and re-opened Maccadam's, furious over Bumblebee's decision to follow Ironhide's advice and deactivate the chips. Stopped by Blurr before things get physical, Prowl grumpily sits down for a drink with the pair and demands to know why Ironhide is so sure everything is going to work out. Ironhide explains that in the moment when everything turned to white as Cybertron was reborn, he had a vision of the future, of himself and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] telling stories to the next generation of Transformers on [[Gorlam Prime]]. That's how he knows the future is bright: because in it, all the other Autobots and Decepticons and all their old grudges... are dead.

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (1)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (2)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (5)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (9)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (10)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (14)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (18)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (19)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (20)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (21)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (22)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (15)
*[[Needlenose]] (16)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (17)

|h3=[[NAIL]]s|c3=
*[[Metalhawk]] (6)
*[[Sky-Byte (G2)|Sky-Byte]] (8)
*[[Zetca (G1)|Zetca]] (11)
*[[Hipotank]] (12)
*[[Tappet]] (13)

}}

==Quotes==

"Starscream?" 
"My reputation precedes me." 
"You're known '''throughout''' the galaxy. A conniver, a liar, and a killer. In short a—'''Decepticon.'''" 
"I '''like''' this guy."
:—'''Sky-Byte''' and '''Starscream'''

"''Barren wasteland'' 
''consumes so many. Desire'' 
''leaves me alone.''"
:—'''Sky-Byte''' does this thing.

==Notes==

*Sky-Byte swears by [[Primus]], a rare oath in IDW continuity.
*Sky-Byte remarks that a Sweep reminds him of "someone he knew, long ago", a joke about how the Sweeps all look like [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and how [[Sky-Byte (RID)|''Robots in Disguise'' Sky-Byte]] knew [[Scourge (RID)|a different Scourge]].
*Back during ''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness|Heart of Darkness]]'', [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] assembled an army of robots of all shapes and sizes, but by the time ''[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]'' rolled around, these varied mechanoids had vanished, replaced by endless legions of Sweeps. It's unclear if this was intentional at the time (the relationship between ''Hearts of Darkness'' and ''Chaos'' is wobbly at best), but this story touches on the issue, explaining that all the robots were gradually transformed into identical Sweeps, presumably through the power of the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]].
*A passing mention is made of [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], who Ironhide notes has left Cybertron.
*Mention is made of [[Varas Centralus]] and some terrible events perpetrated there by the Constructicons that prompted Sky-Byte to leave the Decepticons.
*Ironhide's loss of memory came about as a product of his death at the [[...For All Mankind|beginning]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]] and subsequent resurrection in [[The Transformers: Ironhide|his own mini-series]].
*Blurr's desire to run a bar was first mentioned by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] in [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More than Meets the Eye'']] [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]].
*A couple of [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] appear among the NAILs on page 9.
*Ironhide's vision of the future consists of the events of [[Pax Cybertronia (issue)|the final issue]] of the ongoing series, at the time merely designed to serve as a coda to the series.

===Errors===
*On page 3, Metalhawk says "Cybertonians" instead of "Cybertronians".
*Sky-Byte's poem, if it is supposed to be a ''haiku'' (and why shouldn't it? He's Sky-Byte!), consists of four, seven, and four syllables, instead of the correct five, seven, and five.

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Bumblebee and Metalhawk argue while Starscream watches, by Andrew Griffith and Josh Perez
* '''Cover B:''' Ironhide charges into action as Bumblebee, Metalhawk and Starscream look on, by Casey Coller and [[Joana Lafuente]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Ironhide and Bumblebee by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the second half of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]]

<gallery>
Image:RID5_cvrA.jpg|
Image:RID5_cvrB.jpg|
Image:RID5_cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===

*''More than Meets the Eye'' #6
*IDW's ''[[Godzilla]]''
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' in color
*''[[Star Trek]]/[[Doctor|Doctor Who]]: Assimilation²''
*''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]''
*IDW's ''Ghostbusters''
*[[John Byrne]]'s ''Trio''

[[Category:Robots in Disguise issues|Better Tomorrow]]

Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime

2011-12-23T21:25:29Z

108.44.41.189: /* Notes */ I don't know how to cite that, but it's in IDW's Death of Optimus Prime thread.

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime]]''
|prev=Pax Cybertronia (issue)
|next=
|next2=
|caption=
|image=TDOOP Cover.jpg
|title="Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 21]], [[2011]]
|coverdate=December 2011
|story by=[[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2011)]]
}}

''' '''

==Synopsis==

==Featured characters==

{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (3)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (5)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (7)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (8)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (21)
*[[Rewind]] (22)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (24)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (25)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (30)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (31)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (32)

|c2=
*[[Sweep]]s (2)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (9)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (12)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (13)
*[[Pounce]] or [[Wingspan]] (14)
*[[Horri-Bull]] (15)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (16)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (17)
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (18)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (19)
*[[Needlenose]] (20)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]]? (26)
*Another Constructicon's foot (27)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (28)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (29)

|h4=[[Nail]]s|c4=
*[[Metalhawk]] (11)
*[[Zetca]] (23)

}}

==Quotes==
"'''No!''' They're just '''using''' you! My Decepticons—we must '''rise''' against the '''Autobots!'''" 
"'''That's''' what you want? Attack and give the '''Autobots''' and these '''rioters''' something to unite against?" 
"You just don't '''understand''', Starscream." 
"Well, I understand why nobody's listened to '''Ratbat''' for four million years."
:—'''Ratbat''' doesn't get much respect from '''Starscream'''

"That '''mob''' outside? We owe them '''nothing!''' '''We're''' the ones who risked our lives against the Decepticons! Where was Metalhawk when Megatron invaded [[Vos]], or- or blew up the '''[[Grand Imperium]]?''' But now that the smoke's cleared, they think they can just '''turn up and reclaim the planet?!''' I don't know what's worse- their '''arrogance''' or their '''cowardice!'''
:-'''Prowl''' protests...too much

==Notes==
*This issue was originally advertised as "issue #125", but was instead sold as a standalone one-shot with a banner that simply identified it as a "celebration" of 125 issues. This count includes all of IDW's different Generation 1 universe series, mini-series and one-shots, with the exception of crossover projects ''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'' and ''[[New Avengers/Transformers]]''.
* The generic Nail who accosts Optimus Prime at the start of the issue, and who is seen again during the battle, is based on the famous British children's book character [[Wikipedia: Noddy (character)|Noddy]], sporting his conical blue "hat" topped in a bell, red torso, blue "shorts" and coloured cheeks. Moreover, his visible [[alternate mode]] components, including a chest grill and large red wheel wells on his shoulders, indicate that he transforms into [http://www.google.com/search?q=noddy%27s+car&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=uWrzTsfWNOOh4gTe9tGNCA&ved=0CGYQsAQ&biw=1320&bih=636 Noddy's car], itself one of the most well-known aspects of the character.
* Sideswipe is now sporting his Generation 2 colors.
* A generic Nail on page 16 has a striking resemblance to that of Movie Barricade. A mostly black body with a partially bronze face as well as red and blue siren lights. This generic is seen being held by Ironhide in a sort of Full Nelson. On the IDW boards, Josh Burcham confirmed that while the character wasn't specified to be Barricade in the script, he looked so much like him that he used Barricade's colors.

===Errors===

===Covers (4)===
* '''Cover A:''' Generation 1 Optimus Prime toy; photo by [[Rik Alvarez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Homage to [[:Image:Transformers (UK) 150.jpg|Marvel UK #150]] cover; art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI-A:''' Homage to "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]" cover; art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
* '''Cover RI-B:''' Montage of covers of the previous 124 issues

<gallery>
Image:TDOOP Cover.jpg
Image:TDOOP B.jpg
Image:TDOOP RIA.jpg
Image:TDOOP RIB.jpg
</gallery>

===Advertisements===

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 issues]]

Pretender Monster

2011-12-22T05:19:42Z

108.44.41.189: /* IDW comics continuity */

{{factions|decepticon}}
:''The Pretender Monsters are a [[Decepticon]] [[subgroup]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:IDW-PrimeSpotlight-Monstercons1.jpg|right|400px|thumb|What's that coming over the hill, is it a monster, is it a monsterrrrrrr.]]
The very presence of the '''Pretender Monsters''' is an ill omen. These foreboding robots tend to show up in hopeless alternate futures and bizarre hidden corners of the universe where mortals have tempted forbidden knowledge. They conceal their monstrous robot forms within even more monstrous [[Pretender|outer shells]]. The team consists of:

*[[Birdbrain]], a talented warrior constantly foiled by a malfunctioning shell;
*[[Bristleback]], a foul-mouthed malcontent rendered sluggish by his shell;
*[[Icepick (G1)|Icepick]], the fervent preacher of planned obsolescence;
*[[Scowl]], whose deafening volume is made worse by his shell;
*[[Slog]], the contemplative artist whose work centers on wild destruction;
*[[Wildfly]], a psychotic and violent "jokester".

They can [[Combiner|combine]] to form the dread behemoth [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[Image:Pretendermonsters-rhythmsofdarkness1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You can almost hear them making repulsive squishy noises.]]
In a post-apocalyptic alternate future set in 2009, where [[Galvatron II|one version of Galvatron]] killed [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and devastated [[United States of America|North America]], the Pretender Monsters were led by to the remains of [[New York City]]. After Galvatron reminded them that they were all disposable cannon fodder to him, he ordered them to search Manhattan in an attempt to root out the last remaining vestiges of Autobot and human resistance. All they managed to find, however, was a human-made booby trap that buried Icepick under tons of debris.

Not long after, the team rejoined the other Decepticons to defend the [[Decepticon Powerbase]] against an Autobot attack. The battle's final outcome is unknown. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

{{-}}
===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:Pretendermonsters-darkhorizon1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|What exactly are Scowl and Slog standing on?]]
Some time prior to 1978, in the Himalayan Mountain region of Tibet, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] led the soon-to-be Pretender Monsters to meet with the underground kingdom of [[Cobra-La]], seeking power and a ringside seat at the death of a planet. En route, they were shot down and damaged by the Chinese Air Force, however, forcing Bludgeon to make a deal with Cobra-La: in exchange for defending Cobra-La's subterranean domain, Cobra-La provided them with life-supporting organic Pretender shells.

At the behest of [[Golobulus]], the Pretender Monsters used their shells to slip past the sensors of the submerged Autobot ship ''[[Arc II]]'', where they made quick work of Skids, Sideswipe and Prowl. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

Later, when GI Joe sent an invasion force against Cobra-La, they merged into Monstructor to repel the invaders. Monstructor wreaked havoc on the Joes but was defeated when the laser squad blew up his head, leaving his component members in an unconscious heap. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{note|Thus far in IDW's universe, they are not actually Pretenders.}}
[[Image:Pretendermonsters-idw1.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Prisoners... of rock and roll.]]
Long millennia ago, Monstructor was the first gestalt, constructed out of the individual Pretender Monsters. Created by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] under the direction of [[Nova Prime]], they were intended to be the ultimate fusion of mind and body: a vast amount of intellect combined with unparalleled strength. Unfortunately, the combined form instead turned out to be an unstoppable, rampaging monster. After Nova Prime and Jhiaxus departed Cybertron in the first ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] locked the six away in a dimensionally-displaced prison to live out the rest of their horrid existence. Eventually they escaped; aboard a starship, they tracked down Omega Supreme's hidden asteroid base. They attacked the base as Monstructor, handily defeating Omega Supreme, but were defeated by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], using Omega's knowledge of Monstructor's built-in weakness. Despite Omega Supreme's protestations about the dangers of gestalt technology falling into Decepticon hands, Prime had the six taken into custody in an attempt to repair their shattered minds. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

The attempt was failing, despite [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire's]] best attempts, when the [[Decepticon Secret Service]] launched an assault on the [[Garrus-9]] penal facility to capture the combiners. Despite the release of the nucking futz [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] successfully captured the Monsters, and Arcee was sent to track them down. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

[[Image:MonstructorArceeBanzaiCombat.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Banzaitron heroically sent wave after wave of his own men at Monstructor until he was forced to shut down.]]
The breakout of the "Monstructor Six" eventually made its way to the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], and from there to Optimus Prime. Although [[Earth]] was currently facing the threat of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Sixshot]], Prime decided that they couldn't risk allowing the Decepticons to gain gestalt technology, and ordered [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s team to abandon Earth and head to Garrus-9. {{storylink|The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation}}

Shockingly, stealing a horrifyingly powerful homicidal monstrosity turned out to be a bad thing, as the [[Dead Universe]] forces activated Monstructor and he mangled his way through the Secret Service. Being beaten up didn't stop [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzaitron]] though, who had already put tracker tags in each of the six and decided to track them down. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Monstructor was tasked by the Dead Universe to guard a [[Nega-Core]] on [[Rotan]], {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} where the Secret Service attempted to recapture them. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

The details of this battle are unknown, but the Secret Service won. Not only did [[Devastator (G1)|combiner technology see wider use]], {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} but the Monstructor Six themselves were drafted into the Decepticon ranks. Under the command of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], they attacked [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] but were defeated by [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#Lost & Found|Lost & Found}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[Image:Pretendermonstercommercial.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Some suspicious parentage.]]
[[Pretender Classics]] [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] lowered the robot forms of the team into vats of brightly colored chemicals, from which they emerged as monsters. Monsters with ''rubbery skin!!'' Monsters with rubbery skin whose inner robots combine to form a "monster Transformer"! {{storylink|Commercial|Commercial}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:Pretendermonsters-toys-shells.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Pardon me. I was just about to do the Monster Mash.]]
* '''Pretender Monsters''' (1989)
**[[Birdbrain]]
**[[Bristleback]]
**[[Icepick (G1)|Icepick]]
**[[Scowl]]
**[[Slog]]
**[[Wildfly]]

The Pretender Monsters were each sold separately in cardback packages. Each came with the inner robot, the outer shell, a shell backing plate, a small hand gun, and a Monstructor component. Slog additionally came with a large gun for Monstructor.

[[Image:Pretendermonsters-toys-robotmodes.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Just crying for a revival with today's toy technology.]]
The inner robots are ''tiny'', standing only slightly taller than the Micromasters dominating the G1 toyline at the time, though they were not marketed as such (and their fictional appearances have treated them as normal-sized Transformers). All six transform into stylized robotic monsters, though their small size means that the transformation schemes are simplified to the point that it's difficult to tell exactly what some of them are supposed to be. Most of the robotic beast modes share some thematic similarities with the corresponding outer Pretender shell. Icepick and Scowl share a transformation scheme (and Slog's is similar to theirs), as do Bristleback and Birdbrain.

[[Image:Pretendermonsters-shellstorage2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Backpacky goodness.]]
Their outer shells are unique in several regards. Instead of splitting in half like most other Pretenders, the shells have a small backing plate that is removed to allow the inner robot to be inserted. This plate can also hold all of the accessories for each robot, including the [[kibble]] for Monstructor—a unique feature among the [[combiner]] teams.

[[Image:Pretendermonsters-toys-shellrot.jpg|left|200px|thumb|I dunno why we're complaining. Aren't they ''supposed'' to be horrifying?]]
The monstrous outer shells are completely without articulation. They are composed of a malleable rubbery substance. This material does not tend to age well, unfortunately, and there have been reports of Pretender Monster shells showing mold-like spotting or secreting an oily residue, likely [[wikipedia:Plasticizer|plasticizer]] escaping the PVC.[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/943d404d3c22900c] Um, ew.

The inner robots are not without their own problems, as [[Slog]] and [[Bristleback]] are largely composed of very [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|GPS-prone]] gold plastic. As one might imagine, this is a very unfortunate problem for a combiner team.

The robots and combiner parts were used to make ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]]'''s [[Dinoforce]] team, which got entirely new outer shells (but still had the same problem with icky residue).

[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]