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Blacker

2010-11-13T23:39:51Z

64.119.146.254: /* Dreamwave comics continuity */

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Blacker is an [[Autobot]] [[Brainmaster]] from the [[Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Blacker.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I don't have time to have a PC name.]]
'''Blacker''' (ブラッカー ''Burakkā'') is the commanding officer of the [[Brainmaster]]s car trio and second in rank to [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] among the [[Earth]] [[Autobot]]s. Blacker is possibly the most experienced warrior among the Autobots on Earth, making him one of the most respected Autobots around, and Blacker takes this reputation very seriously. He is constantly trying to set a proper example for his fellow warriors, but as he's not really a people person, he does so in the bluntest, curtest manner imaginable. This failure to pull any metaphorical punches leaves him coming off very patronizing, particularly in the eyes of [[Wingwaver]] and the [[Multiforce]], but most Autobots take this in stride and tell them to do the same. Regardless, Blacker really couldn't care less what others think of him, and he doesn't let their opinions impede him in his duties—in fact, he is more than willing to put himself at risk for the sake of others and has been crippled several times doing so.

As a Brainmaster, Blacker possesses incredible skill, strength, intelligence and courage. Among the group, Blacker exemplifies strength in particular; his smallest robot form is the '''Brain of Strength''' (力のブレイン ''Chikara no Brain''), which combines with a [[Transtector]] that transforms into a dune buggy. In this mode, Blacker can expand his tires and fire their needle-like studs at his enemies in a technique known as the "Needle Wheel Attack". Blacker combines with his fellow Brainmasters [[Braver]] and [[Laster]] into [[Road Caesar]], forming both the torso and arms of the super robot.

:''English/Malay dub name:'' '''Roader'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Kōji Totani]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Brainmaster trio cartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Seen here with Redder and Yellower.]]
In the run-up to the year 2025, Blacker was the commander of the "Sector One" contingent of the [[Galactic Defense Force]], protecting [[Earth]] and other planets in his sector from the renewed threat of the [[Decepticon]]s and their emperor, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]. When Deathsaurus began focusing his attacks on Sector One, Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] Star Saber decided to take command of Blacker's forces himself, with Blacker operating under him as his Lieutenant Commander. As they were old friends, this didn't bother Blacker in the slightest. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

On the day that Star Saber was due to arrive to take command, Blacker was seeing visiting Sector Two commander [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]] off when [[Holi]] and Star Saber's human son [[Jean Minakaze|Jean]] informed him that the Decepticons' [[Dinoforce]] had attacked the human [[Lunar Base (Victory)|Lunar Base]] on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Blacker, Braver and Laster immediately headed to the Moon and engaged the bumbling villains in combat, during which Braver was knocked into a chasm, leaving the team unable to combine into Road Caesar. Luckily, Star Saber arrived to save the day. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} The Brainmasters subsequently battled [[Dinoking]] in space while the staff of the lunar base were transported back to Earth aboard the Autobots' [[Shuttle Base]]. {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}}

With the Shuttle Base now established as their Earth-based headquarters, the Autobots set about scanning the planet for Decepticon activity. The first attack came on Jean's first day at school, when the Dinoforce and [[Leozack]] pursued Star Saber to the school and attacked. Blacker and the other Brainmasters arrived on the scene to aid their commander and merged into Road Caesar, defeating Dinoking while Star Saber dealt with the [[Breastforce]]r. {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} The trio later battled the Breastforce at a desert energy plant, {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} and again combined into Road Caesar to battle Dinoking once more at the Ocean Exhibition amusement park. {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}}

[[Image:Blacker and wingwaver.jpg|right|230px|thumb|If I was any blacker, they'd have to call me Dolemite.]]
When Wingwaver volunteered to join Laster and Braver on a mission to rescue humans trapped in the Neo Uranium mines, Blacker cautioned the over-eager "kid" that he might lose his life in the process. Wingwaver was adamant on going, grumbling to Laster and Braver about Blacker's patronizing attitude all the way, but when the mission resulted in success, Blacker was first to congratulate Wingwaver on a job well done. {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} That didn't really do much to improve their relationship, however; Blacker still doubted Wingwaver's judgment and later insisted that he be allowed to lead the Multiforce on a mission into the Amazon to locate a Decepticon energy base. Infuriated by Blacker's consistently condescending commands, Wingwaver wound up striking a tree in his anger, startling a flock of birds and inadvertently giving away the Autobots' position to the Decepticons. In the ensuing attack, Blacker risked life and limb hauling [[Dashtacker]] out of a river when he got stuck in its muddy bed, and then broke off from the Multiforce to lead the pursuing Dinoforce away from them. Guilty over his mistake, Wingwaver followed Blacker and aided him in holding off the Dinoforce. With the two Autobots keeping the Dinoforce busy, Star Saber was able to destroy the Decepticons' energy base. Blacker wrote off the shambles the mission had descended into on his own carelessness. Star Saber could clearly see that he was attempting to cover for Wingwaver, but said nothing, merely requesting that Blacker stop referring to Wingwaver as a "kid". {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}}

[[Image:Blacker legstab.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The moral of the story? Blacker is effing hardcore.]]
Blaster later accompanied Star Saber and the other Brainmasters on a mission into the tunnels of an American subway system, where he battled Leozack and [[Killbison]] in the confined quarters. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}} When the Breastforce were joined by [[Hellbat]], Blacker and the Brainmasters ambushed the sneaky new warrior, only to fall victim to the full force of his hypnotic wave power. Never one to allow risks to his health to deter him, Blacker ''stabbed himself in the freaking leg with his own damn sword'' to keep the waves from making him drowsy, but was then attacked by Hellbat's [[Kōmoribreast]]. Braver saved him by redirecting a blast from Killbison's cannons, and then used his recently invented brainwave scanner to scramble the Decepticons' brains and force them to flee. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}}

After escorting an oil tanker safely into port, {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} Blacker discovered that oil tankers seemed to be the order of the day, as he soon found himself attempting to thwart a Decepticon plot to steal fuel from the tanker ''Big Baron''. Grappling with the cowardly Dinoforcer [[Kakuryū]], Blacker forced him to reveal that the Breastforce were planning to destroy [[Marine City]] with a neutron bomb if the tanker was not delivered to them. Heading out to sea and clinging to the side of the tanker, Blacker was able to spy on the villains and learn the hidden location of the bomb. With this information, the Autobots were able to find and defuse the bomb and rout the Decepticons once again. {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} Later, oil tankers were still all the rage, as Blacker and the Brainmasters again stopped the Breastforce from purloining fuel from a fleet of them. {{storylink|Rescue Jean!!}}

[[Image:Blacker disarmed.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she steps outside, the phone rates go down!]]
When Star Saber ventured into the asteroid belt to expose a hidden Decepticon kidnapping operation, he soon called in Blacker and the Brainmasters to help rescue the captive humans while he battled the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} The Brainmasters and Multiforce were subsequently left to protect Earth alone while Star Saber headed off to planet [[Micro]], but the Breastforce had also left the planet, meaning they only had the Dinoforce to deal with. Not exactly a challenge. {{storylink|Rescue! Gaihawk}} Upon the return of both groups from space, Blacker and the Brainmasters found themselves merging into Road Caesar to go up against the Breastforce's combined form of [[Liokaiser]]. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}}

Lured into the desert by the Breastforce, Blacker suddenly found himself fighting alone when Laster and Braver's heavy vehicle modes caused them to sink beneath the shifting sands, just as the villains had planned. As a dune buggy, Blacker was able to manoeuvre just fine, but found himself badly outnumbered and at the mercy of the Breastforce until the wandering samurai Autobot [[Greatshot]] arrived to help him. When Greatshot was nearly overwhelmed, Blacker leapt to his aid, but had his arm blown off by Decepticon fire. Fortunately, Star Saber arrived to pluck Braver and Laster out of the sand so that they could get Blacker to safety while he dispatched the Decepticons. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}}

[[Image:Blacker wounded.jpg|left|205px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she sits in the hot tub, the water turns to coffee!]]
With both Blacker and Star Saber injured, the Decepticons increased the frequency of their attacks, until Star Saber was left with no choice but to go into battle despite his wounds. He instructed Braver and Laster to keep this fact from the invalid Blacker, but Blacker easily wrung the truth from his subordinates and promptly pulled rank on them, ordering them to join Star Saber in battle while he looked after the Shuttle Base alone. {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}} A little later, his wounds healed somewhat, Blacker decided it was time to get back into action and joined the Multiforce and [[Rescue Patrol Team]] in battling the Dinoforce in Cheyenne. His transformation systems were still a little rough, though, as he found out when he attempted to transform in mid-air and failed. Ever proud, Blacker refused first aid from [[Pīpō]] and got on with the fighting, but ultimately, the Autobots were stretched too thin and were defeated. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!|Ginrai Dies!!}} Even though this had proven he was not entirely over his injuries, Blacker was all set to go into battle with the Decepticons on "[[Energy Road]]" in America, but Star Saber stopped him and sent [[Victory Leo]] instead. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

Blacker was finally healed by the time Deathsaurus unleashed his newest weapon: super smart-missiles launched from an orbital weapons platform that could strike anywhere on Earth faster than the Autobots could react. Forced to stay their hands and allow the Decepticons to carry out energy thefts for fear of explosive reprisal, Blacker and the Brainmasters had to speed to Pakistan to inform Victory Leo of the situation before he attacked the Dinoforce. Unable to do anything but watch the Dinoforce steal right in front of them, the Brainmasters were pushed to the breaking point, until Star Saber and Victory Leo revealed their new power: They combined into Victory Saber and outraced Deathsaurus's missile launch system, successfully destroying it and freeing up the Brainmasters to make short work of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}

[[Image:Brainmasters vs victoryleo.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she gets in a car, the oil light turns on!]]
While Star Saber was off-planet attending a [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] conference, Leozack exploited his absence by donning an exo-skeleton that allowed him to pose as the Autobot leader and infiltrate the Shuttle Base. Victory Leo could tell that something was not right, but Blacker and the Brainmasters would not hear his allegations. They were nearly duped into attacking Victory Leo by the faux Star Saber, but the return of the real deal and the exposure of Leozack's plot left them eating crow. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} Later, the Brainmasters came to Star Saber's rescue when the Decepticons attacked him with the metal-eating [[Dorya]] insects, and they suffered the pain of the bugs' bite themselves before it was discovered that intense cold stopped the little critters. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

[[Image:Brainmasters tidalwave rescue.jpg|left|230px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, she went to night school and was marked absent!]]
Blacker and the Brainmasters aided in relief efforts for the coastal cities devastated by tidal waves caused by the Decepticons' raising of [[Atlantis]], {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} and then headed out into space alongside [[Greatshot]] to serve as the first line of defence against Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], which had finally been reactivated by the energy stolen from the sunken continent. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar, but were no match for the fortress's power, so they were sent back to Earth to recuperate by Victory Saber when he arrived to take up the fight. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} The team's injuries prevented them from aiding their commander in the final battle with the fortress, but in the end, Star Saber emerged victorious and destroyed the planet-killing weapon.

With the threat of Deathsaurus at last ended and Star Saber fulfilling his duties as Supreme Commander, Blacker, Braver and Laster were appointed joint commanders of the Sector One defense force. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
{{-}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
When the injured Star Saber appointed Autobot [[Powered Master]] [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] the new Supreme Commander, Blacker, Laster and Braver were all present, standing on stage in their combined form of Road Caesar. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Victory'' comic===
[[Image:Blacker victories.jpg|left|325px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she rides a motorcycle, she gets a ticket for tinted windows!]]
When Deathsaurus began his campaign against the Earth in 2025, Blacker and the Brainmasters didn't roll onto the battlefield right away, being instructed by Star Saber to remain behind on [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] while he and the Multiforce took on Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}} They later got their chance to join the fighting when Deathsaurus started a massive forest fire, but even as Road Caesar, they were thrashed by the Decepticon Emperor thanks to the power boost he gained by absorbing energy from the fire. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Star Saber}}

Travelling from Earth to Planet V, Blacker was greeted upon arrival by [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab]], two old human allies of the Autobots who had befriended Star Saber's son, Jean. Together with Jean, the young lads had formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]], donning armor based on the Brainmasters. Eyeing Shūta and Cab's Braver- and Laster-inspired suits, Blacker grinned at the assumption Jean was wearing a suit based on him, only to have his dreams quashed by the revelation that Jean was wearing armor styled after Star Saber. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

[[Image:Blacker and solon.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she goes swimming, it looks like an oil spill!]]
Combined as Road Caesar, the Brainmasters arrived in time to see the tail end of Star Saber's battle with Deathsaurus, Dinoking and Liokaiser, which was won thanks to the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom Star Saber combined to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} When Deathsaurus tried to counter the power of this combination by creating a mech for his own human cyborg son [[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|Solon]], Blacker and the Brainmasters delivered an intelligence report to Star Saber informing him of what the villain was up to. In the ensuing battle, Solon was confronted with the truth of his human heritage, {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}} and in the midst of a later conflict, Blacker approached the boy on the battlefield in an attempt to convince him further to do the right thing. Solon had always considered himself apart from humans and the Earth because of his cyborg body, but Blacker confronted him with the fact that being human was so much more than simply being organic or mechanical. Leaving Solon with this wisdom and a suit of Victories armor crafted in his own likeness, Blacker sped off to rejoin the battle, but his words were soon revealed to have struck home, as Solon turned on his Decepticon father and joined up with the Victories, choosing to fight to save his homeworld. The united forces of the Autobots and Victories then performed the "Five Stars of Victory" attack, with each of the Victories transferring their power into their Autobot counterpart for a super-charged attack. Solon channelled his strength into Blacker, and together, the power of the attack took out both Deathsaurus and Liokaiser in one blast. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his "Space Stronghold" upon the Earth, Blacker and the Brainmasters joined in the united Autobot attack against it, but were left dumbfounded when they discovered that the fortress was actually home to the Decepticons' families, and that all along, the Decepticons had been committing their evil deeds in order to keep those families safe. Inspired by the example their two sons had set, Star Saber and Deathsaurus declared a truce, and peace came to the Transformers... the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Brainmasters dreamwave.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"Yo mamma's so Blacker, she- URK!"<br>
"The next faggot that makes that joke will end up like Terrorsaur on that grill! Got it?!"<br>
(Nod nod)]]
Blacker, Braver and Laster were all seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], looking out a window while [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] sat and talked nearby. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Blacker''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-320'''[[Image:Blacker g1toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Not just Black, but not quite Blackest.]]
**''Accessories'': "Brain of Strength" Brainmaster figure, sword, blaster/Road Caesar head, shield/Road Caesar chestplate

: Blacker transforms into a racing buggy with oversized studded tires. His transformation is notably simplistic for his size, but is a consequence of the Brainmaster gimmick which dominates his torso. Placing the small "Brain of Strength" figure into the open chest cavity then closing the plate pushes the inner core of the small robot up, forming the larger robot's face. As with the other Brainmasters, the Brain of Strength is designed to look like a miniature version of Blacker's larger robot mode. While Blacker is in vehicle mode, the Brain of Strength rides in his hinged cockpit.

:Blacker is equipped with quite a few weapons, coming with a sword, a double-barrelled blaster, and a shield that mounts on his arm. When Blacker is in vehicle mode, his shield and blaster combine to form an elaborate weapons array that mounts on his roof. Blacker also combines with Laster and Braver (sold separately) to form Road Caesar, and his weapons form integral parts of the super robot; his blaster transforms into Road Caesar's head, his shield becomes his chestplate, and his sword combines with those of his teammates to create a large blade for Road Caesar to wield. The team's combination is rather non-standard, with Blacker forming everything above the knees.

: Reportedly, there is a variation on the Brainmaster figure: Initial releases of the toy gave the large robot face yellow optics, while later releases gave it the cartoon-Autobot medium blue.

: This mold was later used to make [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/Blacker/blacker.htm Blacker at TFU.info]''

*'''Road Caesar''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-323'''

: Blacker, Braver and Laster were available in Japan both in individual boxes and in a complete Road Caesar gift-set.

==Notes==
[[Image:Victory blacker.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Blink and you'll... nope, sorry, you missed it.]]
*The Brainmasters, despite it being their central toy gimmick, never use their smaller robot components in the anime outside of stock footage sequences. Because he's the leader of the team and the star of their stock footage sequence, Blacker has the most shots of his brain unit visible in these cut scenes—including the ''only'' close-up shot of any kind from the trio's brain units. This shot appears for about one second.
*Blacker's Brainmaster figure has for years been (and continues to be) incorrectly referred to by fans with the names "Riki" and "Sala", mistakenly derived from Japanese words meaning "strength" (力 ''chikara''). In truth, like all Brainmaster units, it does not have a proper name, but is known simply by the title used in this article, the "Brain of Strength".

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Victory characters]]

Blacker

2010-11-13T23:36:36Z

64.119.146.254: /* Dreamwave comics continuity */

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Blacker is an [[Autobot]] [[Brainmaster]] from the [[Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Blacker.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I don't have time to have a PC name.]]
'''Blacker''' (ブラッカー ''Burakkā'') is the commanding officer of the [[Brainmaster]]s car trio and second in rank to [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] among the [[Earth]] [[Autobot]]s. Blacker is possibly the most experienced warrior among the Autobots on Earth, making him one of the most respected Autobots around, and Blacker takes this reputation very seriously. He is constantly trying to set a proper example for his fellow warriors, but as he's not really a people person, he does so in the bluntest, curtest manner imaginable. This failure to pull any metaphorical punches leaves him coming off very patronizing, particularly in the eyes of [[Wingwaver]] and the [[Multiforce]], but most Autobots take this in stride and tell them to do the same. Regardless, Blacker really couldn't care less what others think of him, and he doesn't let their opinions impede him in his duties—in fact, he is more than willing to put himself at risk for the sake of others and has been crippled several times doing so.

As a Brainmaster, Blacker possesses incredible skill, strength, intelligence and courage. Among the group, Blacker exemplifies strength in particular; his smallest robot form is the '''Brain of Strength''' (力のブレイン ''Chikara no Brain''), which combines with a [[Transtector]] that transforms into a dune buggy. In this mode, Blacker can expand his tires and fire their needle-like studs at his enemies in a technique known as the "Needle Wheel Attack". Blacker combines with his fellow Brainmasters [[Braver]] and [[Laster]] into [[Road Caesar]], forming both the torso and arms of the super robot.

:''English/Malay dub name:'' '''Roader'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Kōji Totani]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Brainmaster trio cartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Seen here with Redder and Yellower.]]
In the run-up to the year 2025, Blacker was the commander of the "Sector One" contingent of the [[Galactic Defense Force]], protecting [[Earth]] and other planets in his sector from the renewed threat of the [[Decepticon]]s and their emperor, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]. When Deathsaurus began focusing his attacks on Sector One, Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] Star Saber decided to take command of Blacker's forces himself, with Blacker operating under him as his Lieutenant Commander. As they were old friends, this didn't bother Blacker in the slightest. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

On the day that Star Saber was due to arrive to take command, Blacker was seeing visiting Sector Two commander [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]] off when [[Holi]] and Star Saber's human son [[Jean Minakaze|Jean]] informed him that the Decepticons' [[Dinoforce]] had attacked the human [[Lunar Base (Victory)|Lunar Base]] on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Blacker, Braver and Laster immediately headed to the Moon and engaged the bumbling villains in combat, during which Braver was knocked into a chasm, leaving the team unable to combine into Road Caesar. Luckily, Star Saber arrived to save the day. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} The Brainmasters subsequently battled [[Dinoking]] in space while the staff of the lunar base were transported back to Earth aboard the Autobots' [[Shuttle Base]]. {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}}

With the Shuttle Base now established as their Earth-based headquarters, the Autobots set about scanning the planet for Decepticon activity. The first attack came on Jean's first day at school, when the Dinoforce and [[Leozack]] pursued Star Saber to the school and attacked. Blacker and the other Brainmasters arrived on the scene to aid their commander and merged into Road Caesar, defeating Dinoking while Star Saber dealt with the [[Breastforce]]r. {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} The trio later battled the Breastforce at a desert energy plant, {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} and again combined into Road Caesar to battle Dinoking once more at the Ocean Exhibition amusement park. {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}}

[[Image:Blacker and wingwaver.jpg|right|230px|thumb|If I was any blacker, they'd have to call me Dolemite.]]
When Wingwaver volunteered to join Laster and Braver on a mission to rescue humans trapped in the Neo Uranium mines, Blacker cautioned the over-eager "kid" that he might lose his life in the process. Wingwaver was adamant on going, grumbling to Laster and Braver about Blacker's patronizing attitude all the way, but when the mission resulted in success, Blacker was first to congratulate Wingwaver on a job well done. {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} That didn't really do much to improve their relationship, however; Blacker still doubted Wingwaver's judgment and later insisted that he be allowed to lead the Multiforce on a mission into the Amazon to locate a Decepticon energy base. Infuriated by Blacker's consistently condescending commands, Wingwaver wound up striking a tree in his anger, startling a flock of birds and inadvertently giving away the Autobots' position to the Decepticons. In the ensuing attack, Blacker risked life and limb hauling [[Dashtacker]] out of a river when he got stuck in its muddy bed, and then broke off from the Multiforce to lead the pursuing Dinoforce away from them. Guilty over his mistake, Wingwaver followed Blacker and aided him in holding off the Dinoforce. With the two Autobots keeping the Dinoforce busy, Star Saber was able to destroy the Decepticons' energy base. Blacker wrote off the shambles the mission had descended into on his own carelessness. Star Saber could clearly see that he was attempting to cover for Wingwaver, but said nothing, merely requesting that Blacker stop referring to Wingwaver as a "kid". {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}}

[[Image:Blacker legstab.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The moral of the story? Blacker is effing hardcore.]]
Blaster later accompanied Star Saber and the other Brainmasters on a mission into the tunnels of an American subway system, where he battled Leozack and [[Killbison]] in the confined quarters. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}} When the Breastforce were joined by [[Hellbat]], Blacker and the Brainmasters ambushed the sneaky new warrior, only to fall victim to the full force of his hypnotic wave power. Never one to allow risks to his health to deter him, Blacker ''stabbed himself in the freaking leg with his own damn sword'' to keep the waves from making him drowsy, but was then attacked by Hellbat's [[Kōmoribreast]]. Braver saved him by redirecting a blast from Killbison's cannons, and then used his recently invented brainwave scanner to scramble the Decepticons' brains and force them to flee. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}}

After escorting an oil tanker safely into port, {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} Blacker discovered that oil tankers seemed to be the order of the day, as he soon found himself attempting to thwart a Decepticon plot to steal fuel from the tanker ''Big Baron''. Grappling with the cowardly Dinoforcer [[Kakuryū]], Blacker forced him to reveal that the Breastforce were planning to destroy [[Marine City]] with a neutron bomb if the tanker was not delivered to them. Heading out to sea and clinging to the side of the tanker, Blacker was able to spy on the villains and learn the hidden location of the bomb. With this information, the Autobots were able to find and defuse the bomb and rout the Decepticons once again. {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} Later, oil tankers were still all the rage, as Blacker and the Brainmasters again stopped the Breastforce from purloining fuel from a fleet of them. {{storylink|Rescue Jean!!}}

[[Image:Blacker disarmed.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she steps outside, the phone rates go down!]]
When Star Saber ventured into the asteroid belt to expose a hidden Decepticon kidnapping operation, he soon called in Blacker and the Brainmasters to help rescue the captive humans while he battled the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} The Brainmasters and Multiforce were subsequently left to protect Earth alone while Star Saber headed off to planet [[Micro]], but the Breastforce had also left the planet, meaning they only had the Dinoforce to deal with. Not exactly a challenge. {{storylink|Rescue! Gaihawk}} Upon the return of both groups from space, Blacker and the Brainmasters found themselves merging into Road Caesar to go up against the Breastforce's combined form of [[Liokaiser]]. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}}

Lured into the desert by the Breastforce, Blacker suddenly found himself fighting alone when Laster and Braver's heavy vehicle modes caused them to sink beneath the shifting sands, just as the villains had planned. As a dune buggy, Blacker was able to manoeuvre just fine, but found himself badly outnumbered and at the mercy of the Breastforce until the wandering samurai Autobot [[Greatshot]] arrived to help him. When Greatshot was nearly overwhelmed, Blacker leapt to his aid, but had his arm blown off by Decepticon fire. Fortunately, Star Saber arrived to pluck Braver and Laster out of the sand so that they could get Blacker to safety while he dispatched the Decepticons. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}}

[[Image:Blacker wounded.jpg|left|205px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she sits in the hot tub, the water turns to coffee!]]
With both Blacker and Star Saber injured, the Decepticons increased the frequency of their attacks, until Star Saber was left with no choice but to go into battle despite his wounds. He instructed Braver and Laster to keep this fact from the invalid Blacker, but Blacker easily wrung the truth from his subordinates and promptly pulled rank on them, ordering them to join Star Saber in battle while he looked after the Shuttle Base alone. {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}} A little later, his wounds healed somewhat, Blacker decided it was time to get back into action and joined the Multiforce and [[Rescue Patrol Team]] in battling the Dinoforce in Cheyenne. His transformation systems were still a little rough, though, as he found out when he attempted to transform in mid-air and failed. Ever proud, Blacker refused first aid from [[Pīpō]] and got on with the fighting, but ultimately, the Autobots were stretched too thin and were defeated. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!|Ginrai Dies!!}} Even though this had proven he was not entirely over his injuries, Blacker was all set to go into battle with the Decepticons on "[[Energy Road]]" in America, but Star Saber stopped him and sent [[Victory Leo]] instead. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

Blacker was finally healed by the time Deathsaurus unleashed his newest weapon: super smart-missiles launched from an orbital weapons platform that could strike anywhere on Earth faster than the Autobots could react. Forced to stay their hands and allow the Decepticons to carry out energy thefts for fear of explosive reprisal, Blacker and the Brainmasters had to speed to Pakistan to inform Victory Leo of the situation before he attacked the Dinoforce. Unable to do anything but watch the Dinoforce steal right in front of them, the Brainmasters were pushed to the breaking point, until Star Saber and Victory Leo revealed their new power: They combined into Victory Saber and outraced Deathsaurus's missile launch system, successfully destroying it and freeing up the Brainmasters to make short work of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}

[[Image:Brainmasters vs victoryleo.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she gets in a car, the oil light turns on!]]
While Star Saber was off-planet attending a [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] conference, Leozack exploited his absence by donning an exo-skeleton that allowed him to pose as the Autobot leader and infiltrate the Shuttle Base. Victory Leo could tell that something was not right, but Blacker and the Brainmasters would not hear his allegations. They were nearly duped into attacking Victory Leo by the faux Star Saber, but the return of the real deal and the exposure of Leozack's plot left them eating crow. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} Later, the Brainmasters came to Star Saber's rescue when the Decepticons attacked him with the metal-eating [[Dorya]] insects, and they suffered the pain of the bugs' bite themselves before it was discovered that intense cold stopped the little critters. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

[[Image:Brainmasters tidalwave rescue.jpg|left|230px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, she went to night school and was marked absent!]]
Blacker and the Brainmasters aided in relief efforts for the coastal cities devastated by tidal waves caused by the Decepticons' raising of [[Atlantis]], {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} and then headed out into space alongside [[Greatshot]] to serve as the first line of defence against Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], which had finally been reactivated by the energy stolen from the sunken continent. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar, but were no match for the fortress's power, so they were sent back to Earth to recuperate by Victory Saber when he arrived to take up the fight. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} The team's injuries prevented them from aiding their commander in the final battle with the fortress, but in the end, Star Saber emerged victorious and destroyed the planet-killing weapon.

With the threat of Deathsaurus at last ended and Star Saber fulfilling his duties as Supreme Commander, Blacker, Braver and Laster were appointed joint commanders of the Sector One defense force. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
{{-}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
When the injured Star Saber appointed Autobot [[Powered Master]] [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] the new Supreme Commander, Blacker, Laster and Braver were all present, standing on stage in their combined form of Road Caesar. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Victory'' comic===
[[Image:Blacker victories.jpg|left|325px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she rides a motorcycle, she gets a ticket for tinted windows!]]
When Deathsaurus began his campaign against the Earth in 2025, Blacker and the Brainmasters didn't roll onto the battlefield right away, being instructed by Star Saber to remain behind on [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] while he and the Multiforce took on Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}} They later got their chance to join the fighting when Deathsaurus started a massive forest fire, but even as Road Caesar, they were thrashed by the Decepticon Emperor thanks to the power boost he gained by absorbing energy from the fire. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Star Saber}}

Travelling from Earth to Planet V, Blacker was greeted upon arrival by [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab]], two old human allies of the Autobots who had befriended Star Saber's son, Jean. Together with Jean, the young lads had formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]], donning armor based on the Brainmasters. Eyeing Shūta and Cab's Braver- and Laster-inspired suits, Blacker grinned at the assumption Jean was wearing a suit based on him, only to have his dreams quashed by the revelation that Jean was wearing armor styled after Star Saber. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

[[Image:Blacker and solon.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Yo mamma's so Blacker, when she goes swimming, it looks like an oil spill!]]
Combined as Road Caesar, the Brainmasters arrived in time to see the tail end of Star Saber's battle with Deathsaurus, Dinoking and Liokaiser, which was won thanks to the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom Star Saber combined to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} When Deathsaurus tried to counter the power of this combination by creating a mech for his own human cyborg son [[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|Solon]], Blacker and the Brainmasters delivered an intelligence report to Star Saber informing him of what the villain was up to. In the ensuing battle, Solon was confronted with the truth of his human heritage, {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}} and in the midst of a later conflict, Blacker approached the boy on the battlefield in an attempt to convince him further to do the right thing. Solon had always considered himself apart from humans and the Earth because of his cyborg body, but Blacker confronted him with the fact that being human was so much more than simply being organic or mechanical. Leaving Solon with this wisdom and a suit of Victories armor crafted in his own likeness, Blacker sped off to rejoin the battle, but his words were soon revealed to have struck home, as Solon turned on his Decepticon father and joined up with the Victories, choosing to fight to save his homeworld. The united forces of the Autobots and Victories then performed the "Five Stars of Victory" attack, with each of the Victories transferring their power into their Autobot counterpart for a super-charged attack. Solon channelled his strength into Blacker, and together, the power of the attack took out both Deathsaurus and Liokaiser in one blast. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his "Space Stronghold" upon the Earth, Blacker and the Brainmasters joined in the united Autobot attack against it, but were left dumbfounded when they discovered that the fortress was actually home to the Decepticons' families, and that all along, the Decepticons had been committing their evil deeds in order to keep those families safe. Inspired by the example their two sons had set, Star Saber and Deathsaurus declared a truce, and peace came to the Transformers... the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Brainmasters dreamwave.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"Yo mamma's so Blacker, she- URK!" "The next faggot that makes that joke will end up like Terrorsaur on that grill! Got it?!"
(Nod nod)]]
Blacker, Braver and Laster were all seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], looking out a window while [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] sat and talked nearby. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Blacker''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-320'''[[Image:Blacker g1toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Not just Black, but not quite Blackest.]]
**''Accessories'': "Brain of Strength" Brainmaster figure, sword, blaster/Road Caesar head, shield/Road Caesar chestplate

: Blacker transforms into a racing buggy with oversized studded tires. His transformation is notably simplistic for his size, but is a consequence of the Brainmaster gimmick which dominates his torso. Placing the small "Brain of Strength" figure into the open chest cavity then closing the plate pushes the inner core of the small robot up, forming the larger robot's face. As with the other Brainmasters, the Brain of Strength is designed to look like a miniature version of Blacker's larger robot mode. While Blacker is in vehicle mode, the Brain of Strength rides in his hinged cockpit.

:Blacker is equipped with quite a few weapons, coming with a sword, a double-barrelled blaster, and a shield that mounts on his arm. When Blacker is in vehicle mode, his shield and blaster combine to form an elaborate weapons array that mounts on his roof. Blacker also combines with Laster and Braver (sold separately) to form Road Caesar, and his weapons form integral parts of the super robot; his blaster transforms into Road Caesar's head, his shield becomes his chestplate, and his sword combines with those of his teammates to create a large blade for Road Caesar to wield. The team's combination is rather non-standard, with Blacker forming everything above the knees.

: Reportedly, there is a variation on the Brainmaster figure: Initial releases of the toy gave the large robot face yellow optics, while later releases gave it the cartoon-Autobot medium blue.

: This mold was later used to make [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/Blacker/blacker.htm Blacker at TFU.info]''

*'''Road Caesar''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-323'''

: Blacker, Braver and Laster were available in Japan both in individual boxes and in a complete Road Caesar gift-set.

==Notes==
[[Image:Victory blacker.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Blink and you'll... nope, sorry, you missed it.]]
*The Brainmasters, despite it being their central toy gimmick, never use their smaller robot components in the anime outside of stock footage sequences. Because he's the leader of the team and the star of their stock footage sequence, Blacker has the most shots of his brain unit visible in these cut scenes—including the ''only'' close-up shot of any kind from the trio's brain units. This shot appears for about one second.
*Blacker's Brainmaster figure has for years been (and continues to be) incorrectly referred to by fans with the names "Riki" and "Sala", mistakenly derived from Japanese words meaning "strength" (力 ''chikara''). In truth, like all Brainmaster units, it does not have a proper name, but is known simply by the title used in this article, the "Brain of Strength".

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Victory characters]]

Don Figueroa

2010-04-24T20:23:37Z

64.119.146.254:

{{disambig3|Don}}
{| style="margin:0 1em 0 2em; padding:.5em; background:#f7f8ff; border:thin solid #aaa;display:block;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"
|-
|''This article is about the nonfictional Transformers artist. Para el técnico oficial de la película de 2007, véase [[Jorge Figueroa]].''
|}

[[Image:Don figueroa.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The DON, artist, designer and a career batting average of 99.94]]
'''Don Allan Figueroa''' is a Filipino-American artist and a toy designer. In his early years in comics, he was the writer and artist of the fan-comic series "Macromasters," featuring his original ''Transformers'' designs, of which he also built large transformable, scratch-built toys.

When [[Dreamwave Productions]] received the ''Transformers'' comic book license, Figueroa was initially signed on to illustrate packaging art for the ''[[Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' toy line. He went on to pencil ''[[The War Within]]'' miniseries, for which he designed a pre-Earth mode for every single character that appeared in the series (with the exception of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], whose design was done by [[Pat Lee]]). [[Aaron Archer]] took notice of his talents, and [[Hasbro]] hired Figueroa to help design toys for them, most notably the [[Titanium Series|Titanium]] and [[Classics (2006)|Classics]] series. Since then, he has also contributed art to [[IDW Publishing]]'s new range of ''Transformers'' comics.

Eventually Don became burnt out on ''Transformers'' and left the franchise as his primary creative work, and was said to be taking an indefinite break. He briefly returned to illustrate the ''[[Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass]]'' comic. He eventually came back to ''Transformers'' full-time, illustrating several works for IDW Publishing, including [[Defiance issue 3|issue 3]] of ''[[Defiance]]'', part of [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|issue 13]] of ''[[All Hail Megatron]]'' and serving as illustrator for IDW's new [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing ''Transformers'' comic]], all done in a new [[Live-action film series|live-action movie]] style first seen in ''Defiance'' #3.

Don also still creates [http://robotjapan.proboards12.com/index.cgi?board=fancustom&action=display&thread=12538 amazing gigantic scratch-built transforming robot toys] in his spare time.

[[Pat Lee]] owes him more than $15,435.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=14886# http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=14886#]</ref>{{now|Feb-28-05}}

==Comic book art==
===Dreamwave===
[[Image:DW 20th Anniversary Lithograph image.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Let's hope he got paid for this one!]]
* ''[[The War Within]]'' [[The War Within issue 1|#1]], [[The War Within issue 2|#2]], [[The War Within issue 3|#3]], [[The War Within issue 4|#4]], [[The War Within issue 5|#5]], [[The War Within issue 6|#6]]
* ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Armada]]'' [[Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4|#14]], [[Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4|#15]], [[Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4|#16]], [[Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4|#17]]
* [[Generation One (Dreamwave comic)|''Generation One'' ongoing]] [[Generation One issue 0|#0]], [[Night of the Combaticons|#1]], [[Black Sunshine|#2]], [[Skyfire (issue)|#3]], [[The Omega Effect|#4]], [[Original Sin|#5]], [[Atonement|#6]], [[Infestation|#7]], [[Extermination|#8]], [[Lost and Found (issue)|#9]], [[The Route of All Evil|#10]]
* [[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|''Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye'' Profile books]] (select pages)
* [[More Than Meets The Eye (Armada)|''Transformers Armada: More Than Meets The Eye'' Profile books]] (select pages)
* [[20th Anniversary Lithograph]]

===IDW Publishing===
* ''[[The Gathering]]'' [[The Gathering issue 1|#1]], [[The Gathering issue 2|#2]], [[The Gathering issue 3|#3]], [[The Gathering issue 4|#4]]
* ''[[Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer]]'' [[Stormbringer issue 1|#1]], [[Stormbringer issue 2|#2]], [[Stormbringer issue 3|#3]], [[Stormbringer issue 4|#4]]
* ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' [[The Gathering Storm|#1]], [[To the Death—and Beyond!|#2]], [[Terror on Two Worlds!|#3]], [[Matrix Quest!|#4]]
* ''[[Movie Prequel (2007)|Movie Prequel]]'' [[Movie Prequel issue 1|#1]], [[Movie Prequel issue 2|#2]], [[Movie Prequel issue 3|#3]], [[Movie Prequel issue 4|#4]]
* "[[Spotlight: Optimus Prime]]"
* ''[[The Ascending]]'' [[The Ascending issue 1|#1]], [[The Ascending issue 2|#2]], [[The Ascending issue 3|#3]]
* [[Beast Wars Sourcebook|''Beast Wars'' Sourcebook, part 1]] (cover and select pages)
* ''Beast Wars'' Sourcebook, part 2 (cover and select pages)
* ''Beast Wars'' Sourcebook, part 3 (cover and [[Optimus Primal]])
* ''Beast Wars'' Sourcebook, part 4 ([[Torca]])
* ''[[Defiance|Transformers: Defiance]]'' [[Defiance issue 3|#3]]
* "[[Spotlight: Cliffjumper]]" (alternate cover)
* ''[[All Hail Megatron]]'' [[All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|#13: "Old Ways"]]
* ''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' ongoing series

===Titan Magazines===
* [[Transformers Comic issue 4|''Transformers Comic'' #4]]

===Fun Publications===
* ''[[Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass]]''

==DVD cover art==
===Madman Entertainment===
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (2003 Australian DVD release)

===Sony Wonder===
* ''The Transformers: The Movie'' 20th Anniversary Edition DVD

===Shout! Factory===
* [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Shout! Factory (US, 2009)|The Transformers — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition]]

==Transformers packaging art==
===''Armada''===
{{collist|3|
* [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]]
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]]
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]]
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Powerlinx Hot Shot]]
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]]
* [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Powerlinx Optimus Prime]]
* [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]]
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]]
* [[Street Speed Mini-Con Team]]
* [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]]
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]]
* [[Unicron]]
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]]
}}

===''Energon''===
{{collist|3|
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]]
* [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]]
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]]
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]
* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]]
}}

===Timelines===
* "[[Games of Deception]]"

===Universe (2008)===
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] Special Edition (heavily reworked by an unknown artist from an existing piece of stock ''Generation 1/Universe'' art)

==Merchandise packaging art==
===Kinnerton===
* [[Kinnerton|2008 Transformers Christmas Advent Calendar]]

===JayJay's===
* About a billion t-shirts, jackets, hoodies and other assorted clothing

===Hot Topic===
* About a billion t-shirts, jackets, hoodies and other assorted clothing

==Toys Don is known to have had a hand in designing==
===Titanium===
* [[Titanium Series|All 6" Titanium figures]]

{{note|Hasbro-Galoob's adherence to his concept designs varied '''''wildly'''''.}}

===Classics===
{{collist|3|
* [[Astrotrain (G1)#Classics (2006)|Astrotrain]] (with [[Takashi Kunihiro]])
* [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Classics (2006)|Grimlock]]
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Classics (2006)|Rodimus]]
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Classics (2006)|Optimus Prime]] — Voyager class (with [[Takio Ejima]] and [[Alex Kubalsky]] the latter of whom designed the transforming smokestack gun, which was not a part of Don's design)
* [[Ramjet (G1)#Classics (2006)|Ramjet]]
* [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Classics (2006)|Starscream]] (with [[Shogo Hasui]])
}}

{{note|Despite popular opinion to the contrary, Don did not actually design ''Classics'' [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. According to him, he had seen the design some time before the public did, and decided to use it in IDW Publishing's ''[[Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer]]'' mini-series.}}

===Universe (2008)===
* [[Cyclonus (G1)#Universe (2008)|Cyclonus]] and [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]] (with [[Bill Rawley]] and Takashi Kunihiro)
* [[Ravage (G1)#Universe (2008)|Ravage]] (with Bill Rawley and Alex Kubalsky)

===Crossovers===
* [[Hulk]]

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
* [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon (Voyager)]] (concept)

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Image:WorldsCollide3 MegatronVsGalvatron.jpg|
Image:IDWG1Movie TheGatheringStorm UnicrondevoursLithone.jpg|
Image:Lio V Ravage.jpg|
Image:Jazz-g1-shout-dvds.jpg|
Image:Defiance3 OptimusPrime battle.jpg|
Image:Brawn stands up.jpg|
</gallery>

*''[[:Category:Images by Don Figueroa|Extended Don Figueroa gallery]]''</center>

==Notes==
* Don developed a very early concept of [[Masterpiece|20th Anniversary]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#20th Anniversary/Masterpiece|Optimus Prime]] that transformed similarly to the original Optimus Prime, though with plenty of modern design elements to better resemble his cartoon and comic appearances.
[[Image:DonJoeTFConcepts.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We suffer from a depressing series of rejections!]]
* Don came up with his own ''Transformers''/''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' story pitch back when the [[Transformers/G.I. Joe|original Dreamwave ''G.I. Joe'' crossover]] was in production. Dreamwave did not approve this pitch, instead going with ''[[Transformers/G.I. Joe: Divided Front]]''. After Dreamwave's bankruptcy—when Don was under contract with [[Devil's Due Press]]—he tried pitching his story again, including designs for [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as the Rolling Thunder and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] as [[Destro]]'s Dominator; Devil's Due instead opted to continue their own crossover universe. Don was subsequently assigned to pencil the third Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe/Transformers'' crossover, at the time a [[Cobra-La]]-centric story; however, Hasbro then told them that Cobra La could not be used. Don tried submitting his pitch again to fill the apparent story-void, but it was once more rejected... and then on top of that, Devil's Due was told that they could not publish another ''Transformers'' crossover until 2006. Don would leave for [[IDW Publishing]] not too long afterward.<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/people/interviews/view.php?interview_id=13 Don Figueroa interview at Seibertron.com]</ref>

* According to ''[[Transformers (2007)|Transformers]]'' screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]], the surname of [[Jorge Figueroa]] refers to both a friend of the writer and Don Figueroa.<ref>[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=361118&postcount=4280 Orci at the Transformers Movie boards]</ref>

* The origin of ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Voyager class Bludgeon is older than one may expect. Figueroa submitted a concept for a [[Unicron Trilogy]] Bludgeon toy that looked ''very similar'' to the final product way back during the development of the ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' or ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' toylines. Obviously, the concept wasn't put into production as a toy at the time, so Figueroa used it as inspiration for his [[IDW Publishing]] "[[Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer]]" [[Bludgeon (G1)#IDW comics continuity|rendition of Generation 1 Bludgeon.]] However, Hasbro evidently resurrected the concept for the ''Universe'' and then the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' lines. Figueroa notes that his contribution on this toy is very small, as his work on it ended when he submitted the concept to Hasbro way back when.
{{-}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://donfig.deviantart.com/ Don Figueroa on DeviantART]
* [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=159034 Interview with Don Figueroa at TFW2005.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Figueroa, Don}}
[[Category:Designers]]
[[Category:Dreamwave]]
[[Category:Hasbro]]
[[Category:Illustrators]]
[[Category:Pencillers]]
[[Category:Inkers]]
[[Category:IDW]]