MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Blastcharge (BM)

2009-12-30T02:24:29Z

74.176.250.154: /* Universe (2003) */

{{factions|vehicon|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Beast Machines Vehicon|the Decepticon-allied Mini-Con|Blastcharge (Cybertron)}}
:''Blastcharge is a [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] from the [[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Continuity family|continuity family]].''

[[Image:Blastchargebm.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Truckery keeps the ritz sharp."]]

'''Blastcharge''' is big, strong and dumb. ''Really'' dumb. Regardless, of all the [[Vehicon general|Vehicon generals]], his strength is second only to [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], so while he may be dumb, he's huge and has big missiles. Which he sometimes uses as cudgels. Aheh.

You can occasionally find him parroting [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. Blastcharge figures that if Megatron's a genius, then he must say genius things, and so if Blastcharge says those same things, then maybe Blastcharge will be a genius too?

Remember, ''dumb''. But an "A" for effort.

==Fiction==
[[Image:Blastcharge wreckers.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Blastcharge can't actually count to ten, but he thinks it sounds cool.]]
===Universe: The Wreckers===
With the emergence of the [[Wrecker]]s, [[Mutants (BW)|Mutants]], and [[Dinobots (BM)|Dinobots]] on Vehicon-controlled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] needed more generals to counter the insurgents. From his vast collection he picked the [[spark]]s of Blastcharge and [[Quake (G1)|Quake]], who served Megatron's [[Megatron (G1)|namesake]] well, and put them in new Vehicon bodies and gave them experimental drones to command.

Blastcharge and Quake were sent first underground, to track down a group of Wreckers. The Vehicon Generals tracked the Wreckers to the underground lair of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. They missed the main group, but [[Fractyl]] was still there. The trip wasn't a complete waste—Blastcharge was able to fit a little target practice into his busy schedule, blowing a large hole in Fractyl's chest with a long-range plasma ultrarocket from a few feet away. Blastcharge is unfamiliar with the meaning of the word "overkill". It's one of several words he's unfamiliar with the meanings of.

Megatron had sent [[Spy Streak]], [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]], and [[Scavenger (BM)|Scavenger]] drones, as well as drones that resembled Blastcharge and Quake, to guard an old [[Autobot]] shuttle from the Wreckers, who wished to use it to get offworld. Blastcharge and Quake arrived late to the battle, as the tide was already turning in the Vehicons' favor. They should have stayed home. Quake was vaporized by the [[Vok]]-powered [[Tigatron]], and as Blastcharge ranted impotently at the departing shuttle, Fractyl showed up in his shiny new body to pay Blastcharge back, slicing him neatly in half right down the middle. {{storylink|Departure}}
{{-}}
===''TransTech''===
[[Image:Blastcharge_withered_hope.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Do you like my chest better up or down?]]
Blastcharge was a member of the [[Axiom Nexus]] [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|Security Administration]]. He was part of the group investigating the discovery of [[Comet]]'s body. He may have been part of the security unit that confronted [[Demolishor (TransTech)|General Demolishor]] in the [[Heap]]. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

Sometime later, Blastcharge (or Sir Please Stop Thumping Me Across The Alleyway, as he is sometimes known) was performing a regular street patrol when he crossed some nut defragging in the streets. This 'bot claimed he was [[Bulletbike (TransTech)|Bulletbike]], 37th richest of all the TransTech population. Blastcharge let him ramble for a little bit, but eventually just pointed him towards the [[Widow's Cafe Cybertronian]] to sleep it off, and went on with his patrol. {{storylink|I, Lowtech}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Beast Machines===
[[Image:BM Blastcharge-toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Michelin Man.]]
* '''Blastcharge''' (Deluxe, 2000)
**''Accessories'': 3 missiles

:Blastcharge is a tan, red and silver Cybertronic six-wheeled armored vehicle with a rotating and elevating turret. This turret stores three missiles, but only the middle missile can be fired with the spring-loaded mechanism. His other spring-loaded [[Gimmick|gimmick]] is that the front portion of his vehicle mode can spring forward and turn independently of the rear portion. The missiles can also be used as clubs. His [[Spark crystal|spark crystal]] is hidden inside his front grille.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2000/Vehicon/Blastcharge/blastcharge.htm More info on Beast Machines Blastcharge at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
===Universe (2003)===
[[Image:TFU03 Blastcharge-toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"No, I'm the freakin' Smart Patrol."]]
* '''Blastcharge''' (Deluxe, 2005)
**''Accessories'': 3 missiles

:The ''Beast Machines'' mold was used for ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', [[Redeco|redecoed]] in black, silver and purples. It is unknown whether the two toys represent the same character, or even alternate-universe incarnations of the same character, but for this wiki's purposes, the first option is assumed.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Blastcharge/blastcharge.htm More info on Universe Blastcharge at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Blastcharge had the preliminary name of '''Blastrax'''.
* Character art on the package of Universe Blastcharge shows his chest gun lowered flat against his abdomen. He is depicted like this in "[[Withered Hope]]" as well. The toy can't do that, however.

[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Vehicons]]

Devcon (G1)

2009-12-30T01:40:20Z

74.176.250.154: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Autobot bounty hunter from Generation 1|the Autobot from Animated|Devcon (Animated)}}
:''Devcon is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Devconbodiesprofile.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's turkey ''and'' jerky!]]

'''Devcon''' is a self-proclaimed bounty hunter, one of the successful few during the years of the Great War. Harboring an intense hatred of Decepticons, he spent his time fiercely hunting those who were too dangerous for the other Autobots to consider. Who he works for or who he would even collect money from for his "finds" is unknown.

It's possible for Devcon to survive for extended periods without refueling due to his incredibly efficient internal systems. This is often what allows him to outlast the efforts of his prey. The origin of his legendary tracking skills are unknown; much of his past is a mystery. In his original body, he has an arm-mounted plasma blaster and a head-mounted laser cannon. His space cruiser mode is capable of long range interstellar flight.<ref name="profile">Devcon's profile in [[Betrayal|''Wreckers'' #2 (revised)]]</ref>

He ''used'' to be friendly, courteous, and jovial, but his post-Great War career as an [[Imperial Peace Marshal]] apparently made him a bitter cynic.

{{quote|He used to call himself a 'bounty hunter', and I never once saw him get paid for his work.|[[Apelinq]] on Devcon|Devcon's profile in [[Betrayal|''Wreckers'' #2 (revised)]]}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Defcon''' (デフコン ''Defukon'')

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[John Stephenson]] (English), [[Hirotaka Suzuoki]] (Japanese)
[[Image:Devcon-Body01.jpg|left|150px|thumb|I feel like I should have a red cape.]]

Devcon left his home planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[MYA|millions of years ago]], "during the Great War" ''(whether he was a bounty hunter at the time or became one later on is anyone's guess)''. He was a nice guy, dedicated to his job, but lonely.

In the Earth year of 1985, Devcon tracked [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] to the gambling asteroid [[Monacus]]. When the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] unknowingly evaded him, he headed to a bar and ended up laying the smack down to a pair of thugs who were picking on [[Slizardo]], the henchman of a local mob boss.

[[Image:Gambler Devcon vehicle.jpg|right|180px|thumb|]]
He quickly ran into [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] and the alien gambler [[Bosch]], who were down on their luck following a bad bet. Devcon was pleased by the presence of another Autobot, and sat down to drink with the pair - but Devcon's life story was interrupted by Slizardo trying to pledge his eternal loyalty to him!

After helping Smokescreen and the other Autobots on Monacus (and declining an offer to join the Autobots on [[Earth]]), Devcon flew off into space with Slizardo in tow as his new sidekick. {{storylink|The Gambler}}
{{-}}

===Universe: Featuring the Wreckers===
[[Image:Devconjerkhole.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Used to be Charlton Heston, now he's Lobo.]]
Devcon was a jerk who ditched that Slizardo loser out an airlock first chance he got.

At the end of the Great War, Devcon retired from his seemingly payless bounty hunter gig and signed on as one of the Maximals' [[Imperial Peace Marshal]]s.<ref name="profile">Devcon's profile in [[Betrayal|''Wreckers'' #2 (revised)]]</ref>

Hundreds of [[Stellar cycle]]s later, Devcon was critically damaged during the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] takeover of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and forced to transfer his [[Spark]] into a [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage drone]]. In need of a ride, he later snuck aboard an [[Autobot shuttle]] the [[Wrecker]]s had stolen to leave Vehicon-controlled Cybertron. After attacking and defeating [[Packrat]], [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]], and [[Mol]] for no reason, he was confronted by the rest of the Wreckers when they were alerted to his presence. {{storylink|Departure}} [[Fractyl]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] were also quickly dispatched before [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Major]] could calm him down.

Devcon proceeded to sow dissent amongst the already-fractured Wreckers with his abrasive, snarky personality. After landing on [[Archa Nine]] and failing to keep the [[Divine Light]] out of the hands of the traitorous [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], the Wreckers gladly built Devcon back into his original body so he could go away. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Having sworn vengeance against Cyclonus, Devcon joined forces at [[Spaceport CSSB-16]] with the [[Beast Era]] [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]] to hunt him down. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

{{note|In the unpublished ''[[Wreckers: Finale Part I]]'', Devcon and the Dinobots returned to Cybertron just in time to stand against the invasion of the [[Quintesson]]s, whom [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] and Cyclonus had partnered with. Hearing the Wreckers had a beeline on the villains, Devcon met up with them deep below Cybertron and did battle with Cyclonus. He was present when [[Primal Prime]] and [[Apelinq]] fused into the [[Primus]]-powered [[Sentinel Maximus]] to oppose the equally empowered Cryotek.}}

As Sentinel Maximus and Cryotek began their epic battle, Devcon and the Wreckers were left to deal with Cyclonus, Cryotek's pet [[Deployer]] [[Chro]], a borrowed swarm of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s, and a legion of drones created by the Divine Light. Typical Wrecker odds. Even their vaunted tenacity started to slip, however, as more and more heroes fell in battle or just [[Cauldron|vanished mysteriously]]. With the drones destroyed and Rodimus occupying Cyclonus, Devcon and the newly arrived [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] were the only ones left standing against the mutated Deployer. A stray shot left Devcon stunned and helpless, and he would have been destroyed by Chro if not for the well-timed arrival of [[Tigatron]] and Arcee with reinforcements. The Wreckers arrived in time for the final conflict between Sentinel Maximus and Cryotek, but were unable to stop their leader from sacrificing himself to carry Cryotek through a portal into the featureless void, opening by their treacherous ally, the Quintesson [[Al-Badur]]. With Rodimus dead and Maximus gone, it was a pyrric victory at best.

After the invasion was quelled, Devcon planned to take off for deep space again. As security chief of Cybertron, [[Rattrap]] offered him a position with planetary defense, but the bounty hunter declined. Devcon finally admitted that he had at least given Slizardo a space suit and survival kit before dumping him out that airlock, and that maybe he'd seek the little guy out to restart their partnership after all. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}
{{note|Devcon's wording suggests that he believes he will still find Slizardo floating in space even though more than 300 years have passed. He shows no sign of knowing of Slizardo's [[Grimlock's New Brain|later criminal career]].}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Devcon empty.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Invisible derelict.]]
Devcon was seen sitting against a pipe along the Resistance's secret route through the [[Old Slave Trails]] on a [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]-controlled Cybertron. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}
{{-}}
===IDW comics continuity===
Devcon was among the mourners at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}
{{-}}
==Toys==
===Expanded Universe (unreleased)===
[[Image:DevconCatalog.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Somehow even snarkier than this wiki.]]
[[Image:Devconslugslinger.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Just try to make a Devcon toy. We dare you.]]
At [[BotCon 2001]], a hand-painted [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]], representing Devcon as seen in the Wreckers comics, was one of several future exclusives that attendees could vote to have produced for [[BotCon 2002]]. He evidently lost the vote, as the ultra-sized [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]] as G1 [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] was produced the following year. The mock-up was put on display along with many other unmade Wreckers toys in the BotCon 2002 art room.

Among the submitted proposals for [[3H Productions|3H]]'s BotCon 2005 exclusives was ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Slugslinger (Energon)|Slugslinger]] (with a new head) as Devcon. Whether it actually would have been produced had 3H kept the convention license is unknown.
{{-}}

==Notes==
* Devcon's name is a play on the word "[[wikipedia:DEFCON|DEFCON]]", an acronym related to military alertness. Although unconfirmed, it is thought that, along with the embargo on the word "nuclear", the writers of the Generation 1 cartoon were not allowed to use the actual word DEFCON in light of heightened Cold War tensions at the time, thus requiring a made-up soundalike word.
* Due to his transformation in "The Gambler", it would be possible to simply repaint a [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] figure as Devcon. Somewhere, a [[Kitbashing|kitbasher]] is doing just that.
* Devcon's inclusion in the Wreckers comic was due to writer [[Rob Gerbracht]] being a big fan of the character. His drastic change in personality would have been explained in a long story arc that never saw the light of day.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Bounty hunters]]
[[Category:Children of Primus]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Star Saber (Armada)

2009-12-30T00:14:07Z

74.176.250.154: /* Dreamwave comics continuity */

{{disambig3|Star Saber}}
:''The Star Saber is a weapon in the [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:ArmStarSaberSword.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Star Saber! Give me sight beyond sight!]]
The '''Star Saber''' is a weapon created by the combination of the [[Mini-Con]] [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]. It is among the most powerful weapons in all existence: the only known defense against it is the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom shield]], though which would give first has yet to be determined. It is also unknown if the Star Saber packs more destructive power than the [[Requiem Blaster]]... but that's all really academic anyway. The point is, the Star Saber can slice and dice pretty much anything within reach, and don't you forget it.

In the hands of those with evil minds, the sword itself sometimes becomes tainted, forming the '''Dark Saber'''.

==Fiction==
===Armada cartoon===
The Star Saber was the source of nigh-unlimited power for an ancient civilization. It was later responsible for its destruction and sinking into the ocean. Sonar's Mini-Con panel was left there and later recovered by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Ruin}}
Later, after invading the Autobot base, [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] used Sonar to locate the other two Mini-Cons and eventually succeeded in forming the Star Saber for the first time in ages. His victory was shortlived as [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] stole it from Megatron. Hot Shot was shaky in his command of the saber and at first did not put up a good offensive against Megatron. After words of advice from [[Rad White]], Hot Shot harnessed the power of the Mini-Cons to defeat Megatron, cutting off his antenna in the process. {{storylink|Swoop (episode)|Swoop}}

Hot Shot continued fighting and defeating Decepticons with the use of the Star Saber. Each time in combat the Saber showed ease in slicing off pieces of his opponents. While in a swordfight with [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], he was hit once, but Starscream's sword was sliced again in two by the Saber. Even with the Saber in his possession, Hot Shot was no match for [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] and was easily defeated. Afterward Scavenger hinted to Megatron about a legend of a [[Skyboom (Armada)|shield]] that could counter the Star Saber. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

Hot Shot practiced with the saber but struggled once again against Scavenger. He eventually used the sword to cut away an unfinished bridge, causing Scavenger to fall. {{storylink|Gale}} In another battle they were transported, along with [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]], to the Decepticon base after grabbing ahold of Megatron. After battling, Sideways was captured by Megatron, who offered a trade for the Star Saber. Hot Shot traded but with Sideways free called back the Star Saber in the form of its three components. Sideways then turned on Hot Shot and knocked it away to Starscream, who then took control of it. {{storylink|Credulous}}

With the Star Saber in hand, the Decepticons won many battles and captured more Mini-Cons. Megatron later tricked Starscream into attacking him and took the Star Saber as the Decepticon view shifted negatively against Starscream. {{storylink|Conspiracy}} Megatron used the Star Saber to attack [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] in super mode but had his attacks parried. He was later thrown into a crevasse, but kept the Star Saber in hand. {{storylink|Trust (Armada)|Trust}} Back at the moon base, Megatron chased around the other Decepticons, notably Sideways, for practice. {{storylink|Vacation}}

With the Star Saber, Megatron believed himself invincible. {{storylink|Reinforcement}} Megatron attacked Optimus Prime with both the Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield. Optimus Prime's gun was cut in two and his arm was damaged. With the help of [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], Optimus was able to steal the Skyboom Shield away from Megatron. Then the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield collided, causing a beam of light to head off into space. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

The Autobots attempted to figure out the origins of the Star Saber while Megatron figured out new ways to attack using it. Optimus later commented that the power released when it hit the Skyboom Shield was due to the "screams of the Mini-Cons." {{storylink|Vow}} When Starscream contested Megatron for leadership of the Decepticons, Megatron bet the Star Saber to the winner. Megatron won the battle and kept the Star Saber for himself. {{storylink|Rebellion}}

[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] asked for the Star Saber as the only way to guarantee Decepticon victory. During the battle, he let Megatron use it and never actually took possession of it. {{storylink|Tactician}} Megatron found himself increasingly frustrated with his inability to harm the Autobots due to the Skyboom Shield. He wounded [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] once with it, but again found further hits parried by the shield. {{storylink|Linkup}}

The Star Saber was drawn toward the Skyboom Shield. Together they caused a signal that awakened the Mini-Cons that combined to create the [[Requiem Blaster]]. {{storylink|Desperate}} Later in the jungle Starscream used it to battle Optimus Prime. The three component Mini-Cons turned the saber off to protest the fighting. {{storylink|Sacrifice}}

After changing sides, Starscream used the Star Saber to attack Megatron and [[Thrust (Armada)|] and used it to block a shot from the Requiem Blaster. Optimus Prime then took it to attack [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]]. {{storylink|Regeneration}} In the attack to save the Mini-Cons, Starscream again battled Megatron and was able to chop off Megatron's turret. {{storylink|Rescue}} On the adventure to Mars, Starscream threw a tantrum and sliced a few mountains with the saber. Later when in the prescence of the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster, all three weapons shone with light and then caused an explosion in space. {{storylink|Mars (episode)|Mars}}

When Starscream eventually changed sides again he took the Star Saber back to the Decepticon side. {{storylink|Crack}} He presented the saber to Megatron and was immediately threatened with it. All three weapons were then combined to power the ultimate weapon, the [[Hydra Cannon]]. {{storylink|Threaten}}

Armed with the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield, [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] led the attack on Cybertron and attacked Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Uprising}} Galvatron later almost handed the Star Saber to [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]], but instead used it to attack [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], who had infiltrated the base. [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] parried the attack. All this prevented Thrust from stealing the Star Saber so instead he ran off with the other two weapons. {{storylink|Dash (episode)|Dash}} When [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] was unable to catch the fleeing Thrust, Galvatron threatened him with the Star Saber. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}} Sideways then got angry at Thrust for not being able to secure the Star Saber with the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster. {{storylink|Portent}}

Galvatron swiped at Starscream with the Star Saber then attacked Optimus Prime when Optimus attempted to negotiate a truce with the Decepticons. Optimus was able to catch the Star Saber in mid-swing. Starscream interrupted the battle, causing Galvatron to attack him. Starscream was able to dodge at first but then allowed himself to be run through. After pulling out the Star Saber from his chassis, Starscream attacked a hovering [[Unicron]]. Unicron retaliated, destroying Starscream utterly. Seeing this, Galvatron picked up the Star Saber and offered it to Optimus Prime, but Sideways appeared and stole it from his hand. {{storylink|Cramp}}

Returning to Unicron, Sideways shoved the saber into the ground, fully awakening him. {{storylink|Alliance (episode)|Alliance}} It then became part of Unicron's body and the component Mini-Cons were said to be impossible to awake. Later when Galvatron and Optimus Prime invaded Unicron's interior, Galvatron saw the Star Saber and reached for it. Tentacles surrounding it attacked Galvatron, causing him to recoil. Eventually the saber was awakened by a Mini-Con song, splitting into the component Mini-Cons. {{storylink|Origin}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Feeling the desire for more power, Megatron ordered the Decepticons raising the [[Armstrong Meat Processing and Packaging plant]] to capture the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]. They were forcibly combined into the Star Saber. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 6}}

On the outskirts of [[Lincoln]], [[South Dakota]], Megatron used the Star Saber to slice into the ground, shaking the Autobase underneath. Megatron goaded [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] out, threatening to level the whole area. Optimus exited and was swiftly sliced by the Star Saber. Optimus somehow grabbed the Star Saber in the ground and pleaded for the individual Mini-Cons to resist whatever Megatron did to them. Megatron took the saber back but it split up into its individual Mini-Cons who turned their firepower against their former master. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7}}

The team combined again for Megatron to help him defeat the dimension-hopping [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Its power allowed Megatron to be able to block a blast from Galvatron's plasma cannon. Galvatron attempted to take control of the saber but its power only flowed through Megatron. Megatron then dealt a fatal blow through Galvatron's chest. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} Megatron sliced Galvatron up and was ready to take on the rest of the world, but the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team|Land Military Team]] fired upon the Star Saber, knocking it out of his hand and letting it split apart. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

===Panini comics continuity===
==Toys==
{{picsneeded|toys}}
===Armada===
*'''Air Defense Team''' (Mini-Con Team, 2002/2003)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MM-02'''

: A trio of high-tech jets, [[Runway]], [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]] and [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] can combine to form the Star Saber sword, which can be held by any other Transformer that has 5mm fist-holes. The Team's main body is cast in transparent plastic in order to utilize the light-up-fist gimmicks in Super Mode [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and the [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases of [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]]. Unfortunately, because of the placement of opaque parts and the lack of a continuous light path from handle to tip, the light-up effect is less than successful.

: For the Team's [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release, they were available both as an individual set, and in a multi-pack with Hot Shot.

: This mold-set was used to make the Takara [[Aerial Extermination Mini-Con Team|Air Assault Mini-Con Team]], and remolded to make the [[Energon Saber]], [[Blizzard Saber]], and the [[Sky Terror Mini-Con Team]].

*'''Air Defense Micron X-Dimension''' (Mini-Con Team, 2003)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MM-07'''

: A [[redeco]] of the Air Defense Team was available in a shorter run in Japan. The [[X-Dimension Mini-Cons|X-Dimension]] Air Defense Team changed the opaque plastics to orange and red, and the paint trim to match. Though fans have dubbed the combined form the "Fire Saber", this name does not appear to be official.

*'''Air Defense Micron''' (Candy toy, 2003)

: Available only in individual boxes each with a small bag of sugar-pellet candy, the [[Kabaya]] [[candy toy]] version of the Team replaced the clear plastics with opaque white. This version is actually a completely new mold-set, with various small differences from the [[Hasbro]]/Takara releases.

*'''Air Defense Micron''' (Micron Booster, 2003)

: Part of the first [[Micron Booster]] set sold only in individual blind-packed boxes, this version of the Team is almost wholly identical to the normal retail release. The only difference is that this version is cast in slightly-sparkly plastic and uses slightly-sparkly paint. The difference is almost unnoticeable unless you look at the two versions side-by-side.

*'''Air Assault Team''' (Mini-Con Team, 2003)

: A "tainted by evil" redeco of the Team released by Hasbro, this version of the trio replaces the transparent plastic with opaque off-white, the other colors turning predominantly black and purple.

: This coloration was altered for the Takara [[Aerial Extermination Mini-Con Team|Air Assault Mini-Con Team]], who are separate characters from the Air Defense Team.

*'''Air Defense Micron Anime Color''' (Mini-Con Team, 2003)

: Cast entirely in blue and clear-blue plastics, this incarnation of the Team is supposed to represent the Star Saber as it appears in the cartoon, with a glowing blue "energy blade". It was only available as a pack-in with the CD single of the ''Micron Legend'' cartoon ending theme, "Never Ending Road".

===Merchandise===
*'''Star Saber''' (Role-play toy, 2003)
*'''Dark Saber''' (Role-play toy, 2003)

: Two versions of the same mold in different colors (even with different [[Paint operation|paint application]] layouts), the role-play version of the Star Saber / Dark Saber is a toy blade about thirteen inches long. Swinging the toy causes electronic "whooshing" sounds followed by a "clank" of metal-on-metal; the Mini-Con sigil also lights up. Pulling down on the tailfin in the middle of the blade portion swings up a pair of clear-plastic "energy" blades to surround the main one, as well as activating power-up noises. In this form (which is not appreciably longer than the other), swinging the toy produces a more impressive-sounding "crashing" noise after the "whoosh".

*'''Convoy Super Mode''' (Super Collection Figure, 2003)

: A special "chase" version of the Super Mode ''Armada'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] PVC figurine, from "ACT-9" of the [[Super Collection Figure]] series, holds the Star Saber rather than his normal hand-cannon.

*'''Convoy Normal Mode''' (Mega Super Collection Figure, 2003)
**''MSCF ID number:'' '''TF-12'''

: The non-super-mode version of MSCF ''Armada'' Optimus Prime comes with a large Star Saber accessory: its blade is mainly detail-less clear-blue plastic to resemble its cartoon appearance.

==Trivia==
* In the English-language dub of the ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' animated series, the [[Energon Sword]] forged from Megatron's spark is mistakenly referred to as the Star Saber on one occasion. For [[Primus|God's]] ''sake''.
* In the Dreamwave comics, the very concept of the Star Saber is coined by Megatron and it is under his ministrations that the Air Defense team develops this ability to combine. As a result, Megatron is the only individual to wield the Star Saber, and it only appears in its "evil" colors in spite of never being referred to as the Dark Saber.

{{stub}}

[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Blades]]
[[Category:Mini-Con weapons]]

Wheelie (ROTF)

2009-12-29T23:50:32Z

74.176.250.154: /* Notes */

{{factions|decepticon|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wheelie}}
:''Wheelie is an Autobot and a Decepticon from the [[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]] portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]]. He is sometimes known as '''Wheels'''.
[[Image:ROTFWheelie.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Whaddaya lookin' at, [[Bonecrusher (ROTF)| slobberpuss]]?!]]
'''Wheelie''' is a sneaky little salvage and scrap bot, always underfoot when you least expect it. As a reconnaissance specialist, he's equipped to the teeth with mid-range surveillance equipment. But his real asset is stealth, tooling along unseen and unsuspected while he accomplishes his mission. Unfortunately for his mission, he often bites off more than he can chew—and ends up being the one chewed on!

Wheelie isn't really a ''bad'' sort: a loving home and a little strict discipline could whip him into shape, although he does seem to have a bit of a "mouth" on him.

{{quote|Easy, [[Mikaela Banes|Warrior Goddess]], I'm just a little salvage scrap drone.|Wheelie, shortly after earning the nickname "Blinky"|''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''}}

:''German name:'' '''Wheeler''' (movie dub only)
==Fiction==

===Titan Magazines===

[[Image:Titan5_Wheeliparatrooper.jpg|thumb|left|150px|"Are you sure this'll take my ''weeeiiiggggh-'' '''*KRNCH*''']]

During the Decepticon plot to frame [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] and [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]], Wheelie was parachuted onto their prison convoy by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. Once there, he swiftly freed the twins and offered them a place in the Decepticons before he made good his escape.

Also, he totally [[:Image:Titan5_Wheeliethemurderer.jpg|murdered two people]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}}

{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' film===
:Voice actor: [[Tom Kenny]] (English), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (Japanese), [[Rainer Fritzsche]] (German), [[Luca Dal Fabbro]] (Italian)
[[Image:Wheelie ROTF movie trailer.jpg|thumb|right|300px|No disassemble!]]

Disguised as a remote-controlled monster truck toy, Wheelie was ordered by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to steal the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] fragment that belonged to [[Mikaela Banes]]. Wheelie attempted to unlock the safe in her garage containing the fragment, but the noise he made in trying to avoid the various dangerous objects on the floor alerted her to his presence, so she picked him up with tongs and burnt out his left eye with a blowtorch. Mikaela then demanded to know what he was doing there, and Wheelie explained that he needed to bring the All Spark shard to the Decepticons, or he'd be terminated, begging mercy of Mikaela, who he dubbed "Warrior Goddess". Despite his protests, Mikaela locked him inside a box, which she took to [[Princeton University]] when [[Sam Witwicky]] told her he had been having visions and breakdowns induced by the fragment. Although [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] later bisected Mikaela's car, Wheelie's box was undamaged and she retrieved and stored it in [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s boot.

Wheelie was let out of the box at [[Seymour Simmons]]'s deli in [[New York City]]. Mikaela held him with a chain, but promised she would not hurt him if he promised to explain the [[Cyberglyphics]] Sam had been hallucinating about. Wheelie identified the symbols as the Language of the [[Dynasty of Primes|Primes]], and said that he couldn't read it. When he noticed the pictures of suspected Transformers, he identified them as the [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seekers]], saying they could read the language and he could tell them where to find them. Wheelie did, and he accompanied Mikaela, Sam, Simmons, [[Leo Spitz]], Bumblebee, [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] to find [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] at the Smithsonian. Wheelie told the humans that Jetfire was a living legend, like "chairman of the board" type, and instructed Sam to point the shard at the Blackbird.

[[Image:ROTF-Wheeliedryhumpsaleg.jpg|left|thumb|300px|This is the culmination of 25 years of Transformers fiction. You've come a long way, baby.]]
The surge of energon sent through Jetfire awoke the ancient Seeker, who was irritable and cantankerous, and Wheelie noted that Jetfire had not aged very well. As the larger Decepticon made his way outside, he inquired on the state of the civil war, and informed the group that he had defected years earlier. Wheelie was shocked by Jetfire's discussion of how he defected from the Decepticons to the Autobots, a thought which had never occurred to him, and decided he too would defect to Warrior Goddess, humping Mikaela's leg in joy. Sam objected, but Mikaela noted Wheelie was faithful, [[Alice|unlike]] her boyfriend. That did not stop Sam from punting Wheelie.

Wheelie was taken by Jetfire's [[space bridge]] to [[Jordan]], and from there he travelled with the humans and Autobots to the [[Pyramid]]s of [[Egypt]]. He was present in when Bumblebee was stopped by the Egyptian checkpoint officers. They arrived in Cairo, where he presumably decided to stay safely while everyone else searched for the [[Tomb of the Primes]]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|Wheelie is never seen again after entering the run-down building in Cairo with the human characters.}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' novelization===
In Egypt, Wheelie stopped a police car by jumping onto its windscreen and smashing it, before Bumblebee and the Twins scared off the officers. After that he ripped off a wiper as a trophy, ran back to Mikaela and buried his face in her cleavage. Bloody hell. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (novel)}}
{{--}}

===Coloring books===
[[Image:Wheels rotfcoloringbook.jpg|thumb|Oh '''SNAP!''']]
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
====Legend class toys====
[[Image:ROTFtoy-WheelieLegends.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Now a toy that actually matches my size.]]
*'''Autobot Wheelie''' (Legends, 2009)

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

====Deluxe class toys====
[[Image:Wheelie ROTF deluxe toy.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[http://www13.atpages.jp/pcwr/top15/log213.htm WHEEL•E]]]
*'''Autobot Wheelie''' (Deluxe, 2009)

:''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Wheelie features an [[insignia]] that changes from Decepticon to Autobot. He is highly poseable, with an articulated neck, individual fingers, eyes, and mouth (all part of his transformation scheme), although his shoulder joints are rather stiff. His chest panel can be switched between Autobot and Decepticon symbols, which is probably the Mech Alive feature of this toy. While transforming him from 'bot to truck, the two halves of the hood and fenders that are suppose to connect together a difficult to push together. Care should be taken when doing this, or you'll break the clear plastic tab that forms his headlights. Another thing is that his legs are extremely difficult to get fully together in R/C truck mode, but not impossible. Oddly enough, his right eye features more detailing than the left. While this suggests that Hasbro knew about his eye damage, both optics are painted in the same (inaccurate) colour. Wheelie also features a highly generic [[alternate mode]], looking nowhere similar to the Ford F-350 body of the RC truck from the [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|movie]]. He has both one of the smallest alternate modes and one of the largest robot modes of any Deluxe Class figure. Odd.

: There is a hinge that holds the tires and arms up that has no prupose in both robot and alt-mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Wheelie/wheelie.htm More information on Wheelie at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[Image:ROTFWheelieprop.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Sadly, you can't buy the big one in stores.]]
*The physical prop for Wheelie's vehicle mode used for the [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|movie]]<ref name="udvarhazy">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/curlrup Various ROTF props and toys on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center], July/August 2009</ref> is a modified monster truck version of a Ford F-350 pick-up truck, specifically a customized Tamiya F-350 High Lift RC toy including a grille guard<ref name="highlift">[http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=58372 Tamiya USA's page for the F-350 High Lift]</ref>, with the body slightly shortened and mounted on an HPI Wheely King chassis<ref name="wheely">[http://www.hpieurope.com/kit-info.php?partNo=10831&lang=en HPI's page for the Wheely King]</ref>. Other modifications include the use of Integy Alloy TVP chassis plates<ref name="alloy">[http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=4943&p_catid=114 Team Integrity's page for the Alloy TVP chassis plates.]</ref>, HPI Spike Truck Wheels<ref name="hpispike">[http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/3082/ HPI page for the Spike Truck Wheels]</ref> and (possibly scratch-built) fender add-ons for the truck body itself. A prop for one of Wheelie's feet, complete with an attached tire, was also made.<ref name="udvarhazy"/>

*Wheelie does not have a fast-talking Brooklyn accent in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] nor in the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]]. Instead, he talks more in a primitive [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Generation 1'' cartoon]]/''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Dinobot (disambiguation)|Dinobot]] fashion.

*Seeing Mikaela for the first time, Wheelie describes her as "hot" but "not too bright." Interesting that a sentient machine would find a human sexually attractive. He, in fact, humps her leg later in the movie (although this could possibly be a behavior he'd observed from Mikaela's slobbering dog).

* In their audio commentary on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' DVD and Blu-ray release, screenwriters [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]] refer to Wheelie by his early working name, "Wheels". [[Michael Bay]], meanwhile, calls him by his toys' name.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen characters]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

Tom Kenny

2009-12-29T23:43:14Z

74.176.250.154: /* Notes */

[[Image:TomKennyArrrr1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Who lives in the ''Nemesis'' up on the moon? "StarBob SquareScream!"]]

'''Thomas James Kenny''' (born [[July 13]]th, 1962) is an American voice actor, actor and stand-up comedian. From the stand-up side, he is known for his Comedy Central special as well as his prominent role on ''Mr. Show''. On the voice-acting side, he is best recognized as the titular character from ''Spongebob Squarepants'', The Penguin from ''The Batman'', The Amazing Mumbo from ''Teen Titans'', Gibson from ''Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go'', Jake from ''My Gym Partner is a Monkey'', Raimundo from ''Xiaolin Showdown'', Heifer Wolfe from ''Rocko's Modern Life'', the mayor and narrator from the ''Powerpuff Girls'', and... jeez, just about everything that's been on [[Cartoon Network]] in the past five years. As an on-camera actor, he has played Patchy The Pirate on segments of ''Spongebob Squarepants'', and very early on in his career, he played the villainous Binky The Clown in Bobcat Goldthwait's cult comedy ''Shakes The Clown''.

==Voice roles==
===''Transformers Animated''===
{{collist|3|
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
* [[Isaac Sumdac]]
* [[Tutor Bot]]
* [[Burger Bot]] ([[Transform and Roll Out]])
* [[Security Bot]] ([[Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec]])
* [[Guard Bot]] (Nanosec)
* [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]]
* [[Wasp|Wasp / Waspinator]]
* [[Skywarp (Animated)|Skywarp]]
* [[Clone number 3370318]]
* [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]]
* [[Clone number 2716057]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
* [[Ramjet (Animated)|Ramjet]]
* [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]]
* [[Rattletrap]]
* [[Beachcomber (Animated)| Beachcomber]] (cut for time)
}}
====Incidentals====
* Commercial Announcer ([[Total Meltdown]])
* Scientist #2 ([[Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found]])
* Truck Driver ([[Garbage In, Garbage Out]])
* Car Driver (Garbage In, Garbage Out)
* Policeman (Garbage In, Garbage Out)

===Revenge of the Fallen===
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]]

==Notes==
* "SpongeBob" is in [[wikipedia:Big_Brother_(Nineteen_Eighty-Four)|Microsoft Office]]'s spell-check lexicon, yet "Starscream" is not. Discuss.

* [[Bill Fagerbakke]], who voices Spongebob's best friend Patrick Star in ''Spongebob Squarepants'' (as well as being Kenny's real-life best friend), also voices [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] in the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]] continuity. Small, hilarious-sounding world.

==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0444786/ Tom Kenny at IMDB]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenny, Tom}}
[[Category:Voice actors]]

The Transformers (Marvel comic)

2009-12-29T22:19:44Z

74.176.250.154: /* Creative team */

{{disambig2|the [[Marvel Comics]] series|other uses of ''The Transformers''|Transformers (disambiguation)}}

{{nav-G1}}

{{bigquote|Four million years ago, they came from '''Cybertron''', a world composed entirely of machinery... a world torn by an age-old war between the heroic '''Autobots''' and the evil '''Decepticons'''. These incredibly powerful living robots, capable of converting themselves into land and air vehicles, weapons and other mechanical forms, continue their conflict here on '''Earth'''. They are...'''THE TRANSFORMERS'''|Marvel US introductory blurb}}
{{-}}

[[Image:MarvelUS-01.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The heroic Autobots fight to crush Earth's highways.]]
'''''The Transformers''''', the monthly comic book published in the U.S. by [[Marvel Comics]], was the very first original fiction to feature the famous robots in disguise, as well as the longest-running. It started life as a four-issue, bimonthly limited series in 1984, but proved so popular that it continued publication as an ongoing monthly until spring of 1991. The series ultimately reached 80 issues and spun off several miniseries.

The series established the [[Marvel Comics continuity]], which would form the basis for several successor stories over the years.

Nearly all of the U.S. stories were later published by Marvel UK, along with new stories that fit between the gaps of the U.S. tales. See [[#Marvel UK|Marvel UK]] below.

==Marvel U.S.==
{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''Marvel US issues:'''
|- align="center"
|| [[The Transformers (issue)|#1]] | [[Power Play!|#2]] | [[Prisoner of War!|#3]] | [[The Last Stand|#4]] | [[The New Order|#5]] | [[The Worse of Two Evils!|#6]] | [[Warrior School!|#7]] | [[Repeat Performance!|#8]] | [[DIS-Integrated Circuits!|#9]] | [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#10]] | [[Brainstorm!|#11]] | [[Prime Time!|#12]] | [[Shooting Star!|#13]] | [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#14]] | [[I, Robot-Master!|#15]] | [[Plight of the Bumblebee!|#16]] | [[The Smelting Pool!|#17]] | [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|#18]] | [[Command Performances!|#19]] | [[Showdown!|#20]] | [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]] | [[Heavy Traffic!|#22]] | [[Decepticon Graffiti!|#23]] | [[Afterdeath!|#24]] | [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|#25]] | [[Funeral for a Friend!|#26]] | [[King of the Hill!|#27]] | [[Mechanical Difficulties!|#28]] | [[Crater Critters|#29]] | [[The Cure!|#30]] | [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|#31]] | [[Used Autobots|#32]] | [[Man of Iron (story)|#33]] | [[Man of Iron (story)|#34]] | [[Child's Play (issue)|#35]] | [[Spacehikers!|#36]] | [[Toy Soldiers!|#37]] | [[Trial by Fire!|#38]] | [[The Desert Island of Space!|#39]] | [[Pretender to the Throne!|#40]] | [[Totaled!|#41]] | [[People Power!|#42]] | [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|#43]] | [[The Cosmic Carnival|#44]] | [[Monstercon from Mars!|#45]] | [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#46]] | [[Club Con!|#47]] | [[The Flames of Boltax!|#48]] | [[Cold War!|#49]] | [[Dark Star (issue)|#50]] | [[The Man in the Machine!|#51]] | [[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#52]] | [[Recipe for Disaster!|#53]] | [[King Con!|#54]] | [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#55]] | [[Back from the Dead|#56]] | [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#57]] | [[All the Familiar Faces!|#58]] | [[Skin Deep|#59]] | [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]] | [[Primal Scream (issue)|#61]] | [[Bird of Prey!|#62]] | [[Kings of the Wild Frontier|#63]] | [[Deadly Obsession|#64]] | [[Dark Creation|#65]] | [[All Fall Down (issue)|#66]] | [[Rhythms of Darkness!|#67]] | [[The Human Factor!|#68]] | [[Eye of the Storm|#69]] | [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#70]] | [[Surrender!|#71]] | [[...All This and Civil War 2|#72]] | [[Out of Time!|#73]] | [[The Void! (US)|#74]] | [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#75]] | [[Still Life!|#76]] | [[Exodus!|#77]] | [[A Savage Circle|#78]] | [[The Last Autobot?|#79]] | [[End of the Road! (US)|#80]]
|}

===Related mini-series===
* ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]''
* ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]''
* ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe]]''
* ''[[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|Transformers: The Movie]]'' (Though published by Marvel in the US and UK, is only related in the UK canon)
* Various ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' stories (Jumps off from the US Marvel comic, but disregards the Marvel UK material and the Generation 2 comic.)

===Overview===
[[Image:Autobotline.gif|left|250px|thumb|After watching traffic reports for an hour, they finally decided to just stay home.]]
The story begins with a brief history of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and its [[Great War (G1)|civil war]], which eventually causes the planet to become lost in space. Battling aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], the original 28 characters crash-land on [[Earth]] four million years ago and awaken in the (then-)present day of 1984. The quest for [[Energon (fuel)|fuel]] becomes their initial goal, driving the first several issues.

As the first fiction in the entire [[Generation 1 (franchise)|franchise]], the initial issues of ''Transformers'' were breaking completely new ground. Early issues contain a variety of plot points and conventions, some of which would go on to shape the very mythos... and others that would fall by the wayside, forgotten and hilariously quaint. The concept of the life-giving [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] is a good example of the former group; "[[Atechnogenesis|naturally occurring gears, levers and pulleys]]" comes to mind for the latter.

[[Image:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|right|150px|thumb|With a single wave of Starscream's hand, Hound, Bluestreak, Mirage, Hoist, Brawn, and Gears cease to occupy valuable page space!]]
The book soon built its own elaborate and wide-reaching universe, including hundreds of characters—[[Transformer]]s, [[human]]s, [[alien]]s—on Earth, Cybertron, and beyond. Late in the series, a long-running plot brought in the sinister menace of [[Unicron]], giving him a backstory and build-up that for many fans surpassed his original appearance in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' for storytelling and gravitas. This backstory would eventually go on to eclipse the origin given in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]].

Because it was a book intended [[to sell toys]], ''Transformers'' featured an ever-rotating cast. New Transformers were often hastily brought in to meet the demands of [[Hasbro]], and older "product" was often swept aside or killed off ''en masse'' in [[Dark Star (issue)|epic, climactic battles]].

After some troubled times and steadily declining readership, the series was finally canceled at issue #80. A combination of factors was likely responsible: the Transformers toyline had become yesterday's fad, the core readership had grown older and moved on, and Hasbro seems to have pulled the plug.

Several subsequent series would build upon the series; see ''[[Marvel Comics continuity]]'' for more information.
{{-}}

===Creative team===
[[Image:MarvelUS-75.jpg|left|150px|thumb|He's authorized to devour anyone not in the current product line.]]
The book featured two primary writers: [[Bob Budiansky]] edited the original 4-part limited series and wrote the book from issue #5 to issue #55. After that, [[Simon Furman]], already heavily experienced from his work on the UK book, took up the reins until the book was cancelled at issue #80.

''Transformers'' is a bit notorious for wild swings in writing quality, as serious plots alternated with such strange concepts as [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|Micromaster wrestling]] and [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|ridiculous bounty hunters]]. Some of this may be attributed to Bob Budiansky's eventual burn-out; after years of having to wrap his stories around to meet the latest toy-appearance demands from Hasbro, his later writing on the book showed a decline in quality. Among Transfans, he is sometimes remembered unfavourably because of this period, perhaps unfairly so considering his fundamental role in shaping the Transformers universe and most of its characters, as well as some of the book's [[Warrior School!|most gripping early stories]]. Still, even such oddball stories as "[[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom]]" and "[[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?]]" have both their merits and their fans.

Budiansky himself proposed that Simon Furman take over as the U.S. series writer.<ref name="steveo otfcc2004">[http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/tidbits/otfcc2004.txt Steve-o's OTFCC 2004 notes]</ref> With the changeover, the stories took on a more serious tone, relying on character conflict more than outlandish plot devices. Many fans regard Furman's run on the original book as one of the high points of all Transformers fiction.

The comic was written in "Marvel Style", where the writer gives the artist a plot outline instead of a full script. The artist then lays out the pages himself; afterward the writer comes back in and scripts the dialog based on the artist's work. This approach gives the artist a larger role in telling the story than simply drawing what the writer tells them to.<ref name="steveo otfcc2004" />

A number of artists worked on ''Transformers'', but the most frequent pencilers included [[Frank Springer]], [[Don Perlin]], [[José Delbo]], [[Geoff Senior]], and [[Andrew Wildman]]. Also of particular note is colorist [[Nelson Yomtov|Nelson "Nel" Yomtov]], who colored every single issue of the book, as well as all of the related mini-series.
{{-}}

===Publication and format===
As ''The Transformers'' title began life as a limited series, it was subject to the conventions Marvel had established for limited series at the time of its publication. "Standard" Marvel comics released concurrently in 1984 cost 60 cents and were printed on newsprint; in contrast, ''The Transformers'' sold for 75 cents and was printed on a whiter, higher-quality stock (for the time) known as "[[Mando paper]]".

Evidently considered a "deluxe format" book by Marvel, ''Transformers'' continued to be printed on Mando paper even after it became an ongoing series. <ref>''Marvel Age'' #23, November 1984</ref> It also remained at 75 cents—at least until [[King of the Hill!|issue 28]], when the price of the book rose to 1 dollar. With the exception of the double-sized [[Dark Star (issue)|issue 50]] and [[On the Edge of Extinction!|issue 75]], which were both priced at $1.50, ''The Transformers'' would remain at 1 dollar for the remainder of its original run.
{{-}}

===Cover dates===
There is some confusion over when issues first appeared, due to changing practices regarding the cover dates. When the comic began in 1984, Marvel issues were normally cover dated four months ahead of their going on sale. This was partially a hangover from the days of fierce newsstand competition when each company tried to make its comics look newer than its rivals and partially a mechanism to compensate for slower distribution on newsstands and overseas sales.

As a result of this, although [[The Transformers (issue)|issue #1]] is cover dated September, it went on sale in May. This is supported by the first Usenet post about Transformers which was posted by Ted Nolan to net.comics on May 22 1984.<ref>Ted Nolan, "[http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/1cdaf7df610e0376?dmode=source&hl=en Year's worst?] in net.comics, 22-May-84 02:07:22 EDT</ref>

In 1989, Marvel decided to rationalize things by moving to a system where the cover date was only two months in advance. In order to achieve this, issues released in August 1989 have the cover date "Mid November", those in September 1989 have "December" and those in October "Mid December". The relevant ''Transformers'' issues were [[Skin Deep|#59]], [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]] and [[Primal Scream (issue)|#61]].
{{-}}

==Marvel UK==
'''Marvel UK''' produced a G1 comic which ran for 332 issues, reprinting the American stories and adding in many new stories built around them.

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''Marvel UK issues:'''
|- align="center"
|| [[The Transformers (issue)|#1]] | [[The Transformers (issue)|#2]] | [[Power Play!|#3]] | [[Power Play!|#4]] | [[Prisoner of War!|#5]] | [[Prisoner of War!|#6]] | [[The Last Stand|#7]] | [[The Last Stand|#8]] | [[Man of Iron!|#9]] | [[Man of Iron!|#10]] | [[Man of Iron!|#11]] | [[Man of Iron!|#12]] | [[The Enemy Within!|#13]] | [[The Enemy Within!|#14]] | [[The Enemy Within!|#15]] | [[The Enemy Within!|#16]] | [[The Enemy Within!|#17]] | [[Raiders of the Last Ark|#18]] | [[Raiders of the Last Ark|#19]] | [[Raiders of the Last Ark|#20]] | [[Raiders of the Last Ark|#21]] | [[The New Order|#22]] | [[The New Order|#23]] | [[The Worse of Two Evils!|#24]] | [[The Worse of Two Evils!|#25]] | [[Warrior School!|#26]] | [[Repeat Performance!|#27]] | [[Repeat Performance!|#28]] | [[Decepticon Dam-Busters!|#29]] | [[Decepticon Dam-Busters!|#30]] | [[The Wrath of Guardian!|#31]] | [[The Wrath of Grimlock!|#32]] | [[DIS-Integrated Circuits!|#33]] | [[DIS-Integrated Circuits!|#34]] | [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#35]] | [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#36]] | [[Brainstorm!|#37]] | [[Brainstorm!|#38]] | [[Prime Time!|#39]] | [[Prime Time!|#40]] | [[Christmas Breaker!|#41]] | [[Crisis of Command!|#42]] | [[Crisis of Command!|#43]] | [[Crisis of Command!|#44]] | [[The Icarus Theory|#45]] | [[The Icarus Theory|#46]] | [[Dinobot Hunt!|#47]] | [[Dinobot Hunt!|#48]] | [[Dinobot Hunt!|#49]] | [[Dinobot Hunt!|#50]] | [[Shooting Star!|#51]] | [[Shooting Star!|#52]] | [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#53]] | [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#54]] | [[I, Robot-Master!|#55]] | [[I, Robot-Master!|#56]] | [[Plight of the Bumblebee!|#57]] | [[Plight of the Bumblebee!|#58]] | [[Robot Buster!|#59]] | [[Robot Buster!|#60]] | [[Devastation Derby!|#61]] | [[Devastation Derby!|#62]] | [[Second Generation!|#63]] | [[Second Generation!|#64]] | [[Second Generation!|#65]] | [[The Smelting Pool!|#66]] | [[The Smelting Pool!|#67]] | [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|#68]] | [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|#69]] | [[Command Performances!|#70]] | [[Command Performances!|#71]] | [[Showdown!|#72]] | [[Showdown!|#73]] | [[In the National Interest|#74]] | [[In the National Interest|#75]] | [[In the National Interest|#76]] | [[In the National Interest|#77]] | [[Target: 2006|#78]] | [[Target: 2006|#79]] | [[Target: 2006|#80]] | [[Target: 2006|#81]] | [[Target: 2006|#82]] | [[Target: 2006|#83]] | [[Target: 2006|#84]] | [[Target: 2006|#85]] | [[Target: 2006|#86]] | [[Target: 2006|#87]] | [[Target: 2006|#88]] | [[Aerialbots over America!|#89]] | [[Aerialbots over America!|#90]] | [[Heavy Traffic!|#91]] | [[Heavy Traffic!|#92]] | [[The Gift|#93]] | [[Decepticon Graffiti!|#94]] | [[Decepticon Graffiti!|#95]] | [[Prey!|#96]] | [[Prey!|#97]] | [[The Harder They Die!|#98]] | [[Under Fire!|#99]] | [[Distant Thunder!|#100]] | [[Fallen Angel (issue)|#101]] | [[Fallen Angel (issue)|#102]] | [[Resurrection!|#103]] | [[Resurrection!|#104]] | [[Afterdeath!|#105]] | [[Afterdeath!|#106]] | [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|#107]] | [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|#108]] | [[Funeral for a Friend!|#109]] | [[Funeral for a Friend!|#110]] | [[King of the Hill!|#111]] | [[King of the Hill!|#112]] | [[Wanted:Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] | [[Wanted:Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#114]] | [[Burning Sky!|#115]] | [[Burning Sky!|#116]] | [[Hunters|#117]] | [[Hunters|#118]] | [[Fire on High!|#119]] | [[Fire on High!|#120]] | [[Mechanical Difficulties!|#121]] | [[Mechanical Difficulties!|#122]] | [[Crater Critters|#123]] | [[Crater Critters|#124]] | [[Ancient Relics!|#125]] | [[The Cure!|#126]] | [[The Cure!|#127]] | [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|#128]] | [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|#129]] | [[Worlds Apart!|#130]] | [[Worlds Apart!|#131]] | [[Kup's Story!|#132]] | [[Headhunt|#133]] | [[Headhunt|#134]] | [[Grudge Match!|#135]] | [[Grudge Match!|#136]] | [[Ladies' Night|#137]] | [[Ladies' Night|#138]] | [[Used Autobots|#139]] | [[Used Autobots|#140]] | [[Child's Play (issue)|#141]] | [[Child's Play (issue)|#142]] | [[Spacehikers!|#143]] | [[Spacehikers!|#144]] | [[Stargazing|#145]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#146]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#147]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#148]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#149]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#150]] | [[The Legacy of Unicron!|#151]] | [[Enemy Action!|#152]] | [[Enemy Action!|#153]] | [[Toy Soldiers!|#154]] | [[Toy Soldiers!|#155]] | [[Trial by Fire!|#156]] | [[Trial by Fire!|#157]] | [[The Desert Island of Space!|#158]] | [[The Desert Island of Space!|#159]] | [[Salvage!|#160]] | [[Salvage!|#161]] | [[Pretender to the Throne!|#162]] | [[Pretender to the Throne!|#163]] | [[City of Fear!|#164]] | [[City of Fear!|#165]] | [[Legion of the Lost!|#166]] | [[Legion of the Lost!|#167]] | [[Meltdown!|#168]] | [[Meltdown!|#169]] | [[Deadly Games!|#170]] | [[Deadly Games!|#171]] | [[Wrecking Havoc|#172]] | [[Wrecking Havoc|#173]] | [[Totaled!|#174]] | [[Totaled!|#175]] | [[People Power!|#176]] | [[People Power!|#177]] | [[The Cosmic Carnival!|#178]] | [[The Cosmic Carnival!|#179]] | [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|#180]] | [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|#181]] | [[Space Pirates!|#182]] | [[Space Pirates!|#183]] | [[Space Pirates!|#184]] | [[Space Pirates!|#185]] | [[Space Pirates!|#186]] | [[Space Pirates!|#187]] | [[Firebug!|#188]] | [[Dry Run!|#189]] | [[Monstercon from Mars!|#190]] | [[Monstercon from Mars!|#191]] | [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#192]] | [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#193]] | [[Club Con!|#194]] | [[Club Con!|#195]] | [[The Flames of Boltax!|#196]] | [[The Flames of Boltax!|#197]] | [[Cold Comfort and Joy!|#198]] | [[Time Wars|#199]] | [[Time Wars|#200]] | [[Time Wars|#201]] | [[Time Wars|#202]] | [[Time Wars|#203]] | [[Time Wars|#204]] | [[Time Wars|#205]] | [[Cold War!|#206]] | [[Cold War!|#207]] | [[Dark Star (issue)|#208]] | [[Dark Star (issue)|#209]] | [[Dark Star (issue)|#210]] | [[The Man in the Machine!|#211]] | [[The Man in the Machine!|#212]] | [[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#213]] | [[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#214]] | [[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#215]] | [[Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|#216]] | [[Recipe for Disaster!|#217]] | [[Recipe for Disaster!|#218]] | [[Recipe for Disaster!|#219]] | [[Recipe for Disaster!|#220]] | [[Survivors!|#221]] | [[Survivors!|#222]] | [[Aspects of Evil!|#223]] | [[Aspects of Evil!|#224]] | [[Aspects of Evil!|#225]] | [[Aspects of Evil!|#226]] | [[Aspects of Evil!|#227]] | [[(Double) Deal of the Century!|#228]] | [[The Hunting Party|#229]] | [[The Big Shutdown!|#230]] | [[The Big Shutdown!|#231]] | [[King Con!|#232]] | [[King Con!|#233]] | [[King Con!|#234]] | [[King Con!|#235]] | [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#236]] | [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#237]] | [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#238]] | [[The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!|#239]] | [[Back from the Dead|#240]] | [[Back from the Dead|#241]] | [[Back from the Dead|#242]] | [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#243]] | [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#244]] | [[The Resurrection Gambit!|#245]] | [[All the Familiar Faces!|#246]] | [[All the Familiar Faces!|#247]] | [[All the Familiar Faces!|#248]] | [[Skin Deep|#249]] | [[Skin Deep|#250]] | [[Skin Deep|#251]] | [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#252]] | [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#253]] | [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#254]] | [[Perchance to Dream|#255]] | [[Perchance to Dream|#256]] | [[Perchance to Dream|#257]] | [[Perchance to Dream|#258]] | [[Primal Scream (issue)|#259]] | [[Primal Scream (issue)|#260]] | [[Primal Scream (issue)|#261]] | [[Bird of Prey!|#262]] | [[Bird of Prey!|#263]] | [[Bird of Prey!|#264]] | [[Once upon a Time...|#265]] | [[Life in the Slow Lane|#266]] | [[Snow Fun!|#267]] | [[Flashback!|#268]] | [[Mystery!|#269]] | [[The Bad Guy's Ball!|#270]] | [[The Living Nightlights!|#271]] | [[Cry Wolf!|#272]] | [[Wolf in the Fold!|#273]] | [[Where Wolf?|#274]] | [[Secrets|#275]] | [[Bugged!|#276]] | [[Internal Affairs!|#277]] | [[The House that Wheeljack Built!|#278]] | [[Divide and Conquer!|#279]] | [[The 4,000,000 Year Itch!|#280]] | [[Makin' Tracks!|#281]] | [[Kings of the Wild Frontier|#282]] | [[Kings of the Wild Frontier|#283]] | [[Kings of the Wild Frontier|#284]] | [[Kings of the Wild Frontier|#285]] | [[Deadly Obsession|#286]] | [[Deadly Obsession|#287]] | [[Deadly Obsession|#288]] | [[Deadly Obsession|#289]] | [[Dark Creation|#290]] | [[Dark Creation|#291]] | [[Dark Creation|#292]] | [[Dark Creation|#293]] | [[All Fall Down (issue)|#294]] | [[All Fall Down (issue)|#295]] | [[All Fall Down (issue)|#296]] | [[All Fall Down (issue)|#297]] | [[Rhythms of Darkness!|#298]] | [[Rhythms of Darkness!|#299]] | [[Rhythms of Darkness!|#300]] | [[Rhythms of Darkness!|#301]] | [[The Human Factor!|#302]] | [[The Human Factor!|#303]] | [[The Human Factor!|#304]] | [[The Human Factor!|#305]] | [[Eye of the Storm|#306]] | [[Eye of the Storm|#307]] | [[Eye of the Storm|#308]] | [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#309]] | [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#310]] | [[Surrender!|#311]] | [[Surrender!|#312]] | [[...All This and Civil War 2|#313]] | [[...All This and Civil War 2|#314]] | [[Out of Time!|#315]] | [[Out of Time!|#316]] | [[The Void! (US)|#317]] | [[The Void! (US)|#318]] | [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#319]] | [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#320]] | [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#321]] | [[On the Edge of Extinction!|#322]] | [[Still Life!|#323]] | [[Still Life!|#324]] | [[Exodus!|#325]] | [[Exodus!|#326]] | [[A Savage Circle|#327]] | [[A Savage Circle|#328]] | [[The Last Autobot?|#329]] | [[The Last Autobot?|#330]] | [[End of the Road! (US)|#331]] | [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''Marvel UK issues (2nd story for issues with two non-reprint TF stories):'''
|- align="center"
|| [[Ring of Hate!|#130]] | [[Ring of Hate!|#131]] | [[Ring of Hate!|#132]] | [[Ring of Hate!|#133]] | [[Broken Glass!|#134]] | [[Broken Glass!|#135]] | [[Broken Glass!|#136]] | [[Broken Glass!|#137]] | [[Love and Steel!|#138]] | [[Love and Steel!|#139]] | [[Love and Steel!|#140]] | [[Love and Steel!|#141]] | [[Brothers in Armor!!|#142]] | [[Brothers in Armor!!|#143]] | [[Brothers in Armor!!|#144]] | [[Brothers in Armor!!|#145]] | ... | [[The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire|#213]] | [[The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire|#214]] | [[Race with the Devil|#215]] | [[Race with the Devil|#216]] | [[Race with the Devil|#217]] | [[Race with the Devil|#218]] | [[Survivors!|#219]] | [[Survivors!|#220]] | ... | [[A Small War!|#232]] | [[A Small War!|#233]] | [[Prime's Rib!|#234]] | [[Deathbringer (issue)|#235]] | [[Deathbringer (issue)|#236]] | [[Way of the Warrior|#237]] | [[Survival Run|#238]] | [[A Savage Place!|#239]] | [[Out to Lunch!|#240]] | [[Rage!|#241]] | [[Assault on the Ark!|#242]] | [[Mind Games|#243]] | [[Two Megatrons!|#244]] | [[Underworld!|#245]] | [[Demons!|#246]] | [[Dawn of Darkness|#247]] | [[Fallen Star!|#248]] | [[Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?|#249]] | [[The Greatest Gift of All!|#250]] | [[The Void! (UK)|#251]] | [[Edge of Impact|#252]] | [[Shadow of Evil|#253]] | [[White Fire|#254]] | ... | [[Perchance to Dream|#259]] | [[Perchance to Dream|#260]] | [[Starting Over!|#261]] | [[Two Steps Back!|#262]] | [[Break-Away!|#263]] | [[Desert Island Risks!|#264]] | ... | [[Shut Up!|#282]] | [[Manoeuvres!|#283]] | [[Assassins|#284]] | [[External Forces!|#285]] | [[The Lesser Evil|#286]] | [[Inside Story!|#287]] | [[Front Line!|#288]] | [[End of the Road! (UK)|#289]]
|}

===Overview===
[[Image:MarvelUK-244.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This is the best Cracker Jack prize ever!]]
Though not without contradiction, the Marvel UK book managed to weave a number of highly complex stories "behind the scenes" of the Marvel U.S. tales. Topics included expanded stories and battles in the early days of the war (before [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave's]] arrival), more intrigue among the [[Decepticon]] commanders on Earth, the [[Autobot]] resistance on Cybertron, and the time-travelling exploits of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who arrives directly from the future world of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.

The UK book's weekly schedule and shorter format meant splitting stories into parts, often right in the middle of the action. Like the U.S. book, Marvel UK featured a regular column of letters from readers; however, these were supposedly answered by various Transformers, including [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], and others. ''See [[Letters page (Marvel UK)]]''.

===Creative team===
[[Image:Megatron-timewars-comparison.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Change of artists? Eh, who'll notice?]]
Most UK-specific stories were written by [[Simon Furman]], who was later assigned to write for the U.S. comic as well. Curiously, it was from this point that the divergences between the UK and U.S. stories became more pronounced.

Regular artists included [[Will Simpson]], [[Robin Smith]], [[Dan Reed]], [[Jeff Anderson]], [[Lee Sullivan]], [[Geoff Senior]], and [[Andrew Wildman]]. The large stable of artists resulted in some extreme contrasts of style throughout the book, such as Reed's highly organic art being followed by the clean, mechanical precision of Sullivan or Senior. Sometimes these changes occurred within the context of a single story.

===Complexity and contradiction in continuity===
[[Image:Goldbugorigins.jpg|right|200px|thumb|In no continuity was his face damaged. Maybe Bumblebee was just really ugly by Transformer standards.]]
Making the new stories align with the U.S. book occasionally involved some bending over backwards in storytelling terms. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], for example, winds up with partial amnesia at the end of [[Resurrection!|one story]], explaining why he doesn't remember the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] when he encounters them again in a [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|later U.S. story]]. U.S. reprints were sometimes physically edited as well; for example, a UK story has [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] being transported to [[Limbo]] after the events of U.S. #23, necessitating the removal of his occasional background appearances thereafter.

Another major change was the exclusion of the ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]'' crossover, which featured [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee's]] destruction and subsequent restoration as Goldbug. UK continuity accounted for the reformatting by showing Bumblebee destroyed by [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]] and rebuilt by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] during "[[Hunters]]". Also, the UK comic continued to feature Megatron and Shockwave after their apparent deaths in the U.S. comic. While Megatron's appearance was eventually [[Two Megatrons!|reconciled]] (sort of, if you squint) with the U.S. continuity, Shockwave's was not.

The "[[Perchance to Dream]]" story in UK #255-260 began the [[Earthforce]] storyline and heralded a nigh-irreconcilable division between U.S. and UK stories. This was in part a deliberate decision to not try to maintain continuity due to past problems,<ref name="furint1">[http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.co.uk - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past']. '''Question''' Why do you feel continuity suffered more instead of less, between Marvel UK and US when you took over the US book? "The problem was, we were badly out of synch with the US material reprints by the time I was also writing the US comic. I was trying my hardest to craft semi-crossover stories (like the [[Deathbringer (issue)|Deathbringer two-parter]] with [[Dark Creation|US #65]]) and then the UK comic would run a batch of old UK reprint material and completely throw it out. I realised I was making matters worse (and more confusing) and not better, and pretty much stopped trying to directly tie the two together. </ref><ref name="furint2">[http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php]; "...because (if I’m brutally honest) I didn't try too hard to make it work in the first place. By that point, I was just trying to tell a bunch of fun UK stories that didn’t necessarily impact on the larger (US) storyline. How was I to know 15 or so years later people would be trying to reconcile it all?"</ref>

===Publication and format===
The Marvel UK book was published fortnightly from #1 to #26, weekly from #27 to #308, and fortnightly again from #309 to its conclusion in #332. These issues used a larger, magazine-sized format, compared to the traditional size for modern U.S. comic books. They contained 23 pages, numbered inclusive of advertising (unlike the U.S. comic). The color and paper quality was better than that of the U.S. comic, resulting in much whiter whites and, in UK-exclusive stories, no ugly dot artifacts in the colored regions.

Typically, 11 pages would be devoted to a U.S. or UK Transformers story, while the remaining pages were divided between a back-up strip, a letters page, small humorous comic strips (most notably ''[[Robo-Capers]]'' and ''[[Combat Colin]]''), and advertisements. Between issues #213 and #289 the format was changed to accomodate three five-page strips: the US reprint (published in colour), a new UK story (published in black and white) and a back-up strip. Issue #289 was the last to contain new UK Transformers stories.

In issue #290 there was another format change, with the comic returning to full colour throughout and reprints of classic UK stories taking the place of new black and white material. The three-strip structure was then dropped for good with issue #309, which returned to the traditional format of an 11-page US reprint and a back-up strip, albeit published fortnightly once more.

UK children's comics typically have a weekly or fortnightly publication schedule, and monthly publication is the preserve of more substantial magazines aimed at older readers. The decision to publish fortnightly necessitated the division of the U.S. storylines between two or more UK comics, otherwise the UK comic would run out of material. The back-up strip then bulked out the issue to an acceptable size. When the comic began to be published weekly, this required still more Transformers material, which led to longer runs of original UK stories.

The Marvel UK series ran for about a year longer than its American counterpart and altogether had about twice as many stories.

===Cover dates===
Similarly to the U.S. comic, there is also some confusion over when issues of the UK comic were published. The date on a British weekly during ''Transformers'''s run was normally the ''off''-sale date when it would be replaced by the next issue. For example [[Manoeuvres!|issue #283]] has a cover date of 18th August 1990 but was released on the 11th August 1990. During at least most of the run, the norm was for weekly comics to come out on a Saturday.

Occasionally, an issue was seen arriving on the Friday before it was "due", with such sightings usually during the Christmas/New Year period when distribution can be unsettled and overcompensated for, but it is hard to verify individual sightings.

===Marvel UK Annuals===
'''Marvel UK Annuals''' were published every year, in summer to autumn in time for the Christmas market, for the life of the comic. Each annual was made up of a combination of a comic strip, text stories and editorial content. Some annuals also contained crossover stories with the main weekly comic in an attempt to boost sales. Due to falling sales, later annuals mainly contained reprinted stories from the comic. (Reprinted stories are not listed below.) These reprints are still of interest, as they present formerly black-and-white works in full colour.

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1986|Marvel UK Annual 1986]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[Hunted!]] | [[Missing in Action]] | [[Plague of the Insecticons!]] | [[And There Shall Come...a Leader!]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1987|Marvel UK Annual 1987]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[In the Beginning...]] | [[The Return of the Transformers]] | [[State Games]] | [[The Mission]] | [[To a Power Unknown!]] |[[Victory!]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1988|Marvel UK Annual 1988]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[Ark Duty]] | [[Doomsday for Nebulos]] | [[Stylor's Story]] | [[The Final Conflict]] |[[Vicious Circle!]] | [[What's in a Name?]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1989|Marvel UK Annual 1989]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[All in the Minds!]] | [[Altered Image!]] | [[Peace]] | [[Prime Bomb!]] | [[The Saga of the Transformers — So Far!]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1990|Marvel UK Annual 1990]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[The Chain Gang!|Chain Gang!]] | [[Destiny of the Dinobots!]] | [[Dreadwing Down!]] | [[The Quest!]] |[[Trigger-Happy!]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1991|Marvel UK Annual 1991]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[The Magnificent Six!]]
|}

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''[[Transformers Annual 1992|Marvel UK Annual 1992]]'''
|- align="center"
|| [[Another Time and Place]]
|}

==Trivia==
[[Image:TransformersGoesMonthly.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Gor strewth kippers chips milk float!]]
* The inside cover infobox in Marvel UK #330 revealed that there were plans for the UK ''Transformers'' comic to continue after #332, albeit with a format change. The book was intended to have become a monthly with issue #333, and would have featured ten pages of recolored Transformers reprints, ten pages of ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'', and a new five-page story per issue. However, by the publication of issue #332, Marvel UK evidently dropped this plan—although the news did not reach ''[[Combat Colin]]'' in time.
* According to the third issue of ''All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z'''s entries on [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]], the events of the Marvel UK Generation 1 comics take place on Marvel [[Earth-120185]]. The universe is named after the publication date of the first Marvel UK-exclusive story, "[[Man of Iron!]]".

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.oneshallstand.com/articles/overview.html Guide to TF UK by Crespo99]
* [http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/browse_thread/thread/4eeba9a9b0fe0817/1cdaf7df610e0376 May, 1984 net.comics review]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers (Marvel Comics), The}}
[[Category:Comics]]
[[Category:Continuities]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]

Sideswipe (Movie)

2009-12-29T21:55:02Z

74.176.250.154: /* PSP */

{{factions|autobot|NEST}}
{{disambig3|Sideswipe}}
:''Sideswipe is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]] portion of the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Revenge of the Fallen Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|300px|Also known as ''"Stabby McWheelfeet"''.]]

'''Sideswipe''' is true to his function of Warrior. Unlike most Autobots, Sideswipe—part of a younger generation built during wartime—was made to fight. He was born during the war and with full knowledge of the Cybertronian battlefield, designed solely for killing. He's master of the quick-change transformation! <ref>''[[Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Sideswipe's Titan profile]]''</ref> Before he enlisted with the Autobots, Sideswipe traveled the galaxy in search of the most proficient warriors and devastating martial arts he could find, leading to him becoming an Autobot combat instructor<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Hasbro Sideswipe Battle Bio]</ref>. Though proficient with guns, he prefers melee combat to ranged weapons, and will employ any maneuver it takes to get close enough to the enemy to use his arm-mounted [[Cybertanium]] swords. His agile, wheel-legged form more than allows for this. His tactics are merciless and he's utterly unapologetic about this—war, after all, is ''messy''.
''

Oh, and he's also not vain at ''all'': those alt modes of his are chosen for speed only. It's a ''total coincidence'' that the fastest one just ''happens'' to be a sleek, sexy, concept model that's better than ''your'' car, honest! <ref>[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe|Transformers: The Movie Universe]]</ref>

{{quote2|Damn, I'm good.|Sideswipe|[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]}}

{{quote2|I am a warrior. I bleed conflict.|Sideswipe|[[Tales of the Fallen issue 2]]}}

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
{{ongoing}}
When Sideswipe joined the Autobots he trained under the veteran warrior [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], learning the arts of war. After his training was complete, he went on to become the protector of a settlement of displaced Autobots. This settlement was found by the pitiless [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]], who slaughtered them nearly to a bot. Sideswipe was ashamed, not only over having failed to protect his charges, but also because he had lived to tell the tale.{{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2}}

After [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s Autobots left [[Mission City]], they left a homing beacon in a junk yard near the metropolis to attract any Autobots who might have heard Prime's rallying call to [[Earth]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 3}} Sideswipe was among those few that answered the beacon and had hidden themselves in the junk yard. Once discovered, they were brought to [[Diego Garcia]] to train with the other Autobots and [[William Lennox|Major Lennox]]'s soldiers in defense of their new home. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 4}} However, Sideswipe proved a loose cannon as he continued his vendetta against Demolishor when the Decepticon turned up in [[Montevideo]], [[Uruguay]]. Showing little regard for humans in pursuing his quarry, Sideswipe's actions prompted Ironhide to arrive on the scene to rein him in. The younger Autobot was openly insubordinate towards Ironhide, warning him not to get in the way. Ultimately all the old veteran could do was to serve as damage control during Sideswipe's singleminded pursuit. Ultimately more reinforcements from [[NEST]] arrived, and Demolishor fled the scene. In the aftermath, Sideswipe saw the fear and mistrust the humans regarded him with because of his violent actions. Understanding this, he was forced to admit that Ironhide's admonishment of him was correct. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2}}

Sideswipe didn't have long to wait for another shot at his nemesis. Soon enough, Demolishor had been sighted in [[Shanghai]], [[China]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 4}}

===Titan Magazines ROTF comic===

{{bigquote|''Skids? Mudflap? Hhh.'' What have I ever done to deserve ''this''?|Sideswipe on his training position, [[Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune]]}}

[[Image:Titan4_Sideswipe.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Look, you guys are the Jar Jar Binks of this franchise. There's ''always'' room for improvement."]]

Sideswipe served as a combat instructor at NEST's Scottish base, and had to put [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] back through basic training—something he was fed up of. As far as he was concerned, they should've been put on charge for causing [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] to escape and he should have better things to do. He dealt with this by putting the twins through simulated combat after simulated combat, finally cracking it up to maximum setting, before [[Ravage (ROTF)|someone knocked him out]].

When he came to, the twins were babbling about how a mysterious and long-vanished Decepticon working for [[Soundwave (ROTF)|another mysterious Decepticon]] had done it and tried to kill them! Sideswipe was having none of it, viewing this as implausible and believing the twins knocked him out in revenge for training and were covering themselves. Between this and Grindor, he was becoming suspicious of them... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.4|New Tricks}}

Following the training, poor Sideswipe took them to [[Diego Garcia]] and continued to be pestered by them for a meeting with Prime. Not trusting them and ignoring their babble about some "[[the Fallen|dude]]", he tried to discourage them, only for the two to sneak off behind his back. Sighing, he went in pursuit... and saw them distract Prime before a [[Scorponok (Movie)|Decepticon attacked]],
Skids tripped over Prime before he could take charge, and Mudflap handed a weapon to [[Sideways (ROTF)|an escaping prisoner]]! When Optimus remarked that someone must've compromised security, Sideswipe fingered the twins: their actions clearly showed they were turncoats! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}

Sideswipe would be part of the team tracking down the twins {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Outlaw Blues}}, and would later be surprised when they were tracked down to [[North Carolina]]... and were ''fighting'' two Decepticons? Why, if he didn't know better, he'd think they were fighting the two 'cons they'd helped! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.7|Turnabout}}

{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie===
:''Voice actor:'' [[André Sogliuzzo]] (English) [[Akio Ohtsuka]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Sideswipe-ROTFdamnImgood.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Damn, he's good... at killing [[Sideways (ROTF)|fleeing cowards]].]]

Sideswipe was one of the Autobots sent to [[Shanghai]] when Decepticon energy signatures were detected, but he was initially held in reserve. As [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] managed to flee from [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] and [[Skids (ROTF)|the]] [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Twins]] in vehicle mode, [[William Lennox|Major Lennox]] ordered Sideswipe deployed. Sideswipe immediately sped in and quickly changed to robot mode. Catching up with Sideways by dexterously skating on his wheel-feet, Sideswipe somersaulted over the Decepticon, threw his right blade in the Decepticon's hood, and then dragged the blade in the opposite direction, tearing Sideways apart. Sideswipe took a moment to reflect on the success of his kill.

Afterwards, he returned with the other Autobots to [[NEST]]'s base in Diego Garcia, where he witnessed Director [[Theodore Galloway]] air the [[Barack Obama|President's]] concerns over the recent spate of Decepticon activity, and how the Autobots remaining on Earth might be the cause of it.

After the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark shard]] was stolen by [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] from NEST's secured bunker and Decepticons were detected heading towards [[Sam Witwicky]] at [[Princeton University]], Sideswipe and the other Autobots were deployed to intercept, but arrived too late: [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] had died protecting the human boy from the resurrected [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]].

[[Image:ROTF Sideswipe in Egypt.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The "Where's Sideswipe?" series of books never really caught on.]]
The Autobots and NEST arrived at a [[United States of America|United States]] air base to discover that they were no longer welcome, following renewed Decepticon aggression after Prime's death, and that they were ordered to return to Diego Garcia. The emotionally overwhelmed Autobots nearly came to blows with their former allies but finally agreed to stand down and remain on Earth. When Major Lennox learned Witwicky had come up with a way to possibly resurrect Optimus Prime, NEST travelled to [[Egypt]] instead. Sideswipe, who had been covered in a cargo net while being transported in vehicle mode, relished the chance to cut through his bonds when deployed from the air. He fought off many Decepticons during [[Operation: Firestorm]], and bore witness to Sam resurrecting Optimus Prime with the [[Matrix of Leadership]], and the death of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Nolan North]] (English)
[[Image:ROTF_360PS3PC_Sideswipe_DLC.jpg|thumb|250px]]
====Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC====

{{Note|Soundwave was absent from the released game, but on [[August 27]], [[2009]], was made available as a playable character (for multiplayer games) as optional downloadable content for Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3 owners. The pack also included a red alternate colour scheme for Sideswipe, as a homage to his [[Generation 1]] [[Sideswipe (G1)|counterpart]].}}
{{-}}

====PSP====

{{note| Sideswipe is one of several Autobots that can be played with during the campaign mode of the game, and thus has no real story of his own apart from the events mentioned below.}}

=====Autobot campaign=====

: Sideswipe managed to get ambushed by the Decepticon forces during the battle in Shanghai, and the Autobots had to move out to save their comrade, leaving the All Spark fragment in the Decepticons' hands.

{{Storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (PSP)}}

{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
====Legends Class toys====
[[Image:Sideswipe ROTF Legends toy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Hey! I have real feet now!]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Legends, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''EZ-06'''

: [[Legends Class]] Sideswipe transforms into a tiny Corvette Stingray concept car. As a Legends toy, he features a simplified transformation sequence that results in swords that consist entirely out of door [[kibble]] and a lack of his trademark wheel-feet.

:This toy was [[redeco]]ed into ''Revenge of the Fallen'' [[Swerve (Movie)|Swerve]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/LegSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Sideswipe at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
[[Image:ROTF_TheFuryofFearswoop.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] as his partner... Screwed, or not screwed?]]
*'''The Fury of Fearswoop''' (Figure multi-pack, 2009)

:A "battle damaged" deco version of Legends Sideswipe was available in the [[Walmart]]-exclusive "The Fury of Fearswoop" 3-pack together with a similarly "battle damaged" version of Legends [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] and Deluxe class [[Fearswoop (ROTF)|Fearswoop]], a ''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' [[Hooligan (G2)|Hooligan]]-themed redeco of [[Movie (toyline)|the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie toyline's]] [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]].
{{-}}

[[Image:ROTF-toy_Legends_BluesteelSideswipe.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Was the painter sleeping at the controls?!]]
*'''Bluesteel Sideswipe''' (Legends, 2010)

:"Bluesteel" Sideswipe is a metallic blue redeco of Legends Sideswipe, also featuring some minor detail changes.

{{-}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
[[Image:ROTFSideswipe 2009 Deluxe.jpg|right|300px|thumb|His heroes are [[Tigatron]] and [[wikipedia:Edward Scissorhands|Edward Scissorhands]].]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Deluxe, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RA-04'''

:Sideswipe transforms into a silver Corvette Stingray concept car. In this mode, he sits so low that it's difficult to roll him without scraping his undercarriage, unless you perform some careful shaping after transforming him (a trait shared by some other live-action movie Deluxe cars, such as [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys|Bumblebee]] and [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]). He has the Corvette twin flag logo sculpted on both the front of the vehicle mode and on the robot mode sternum, although neither is actually painted. Sideswipe's [[Mech Alive]] gimmick is in his knees—bending his legs causes the blue armor plates on his knees to extend. He does have wheels in his feet like his character model, but the toy's feet have been designed in such a way that it can stand alone. The hood halves that become Sideswipe's kibble-backpack are highly poseable due to the way the hinges work and can be reshaped in several ways, including wrap-around chest armor and bat-like wings. Rounding out his robot-mode awesomeness, his hips have an "invisible joint" and moving pistons, while his "blades" are geared to spin out in unison. He is ''totally awesome''.

:Sideswipe's instructions aren't clear as to how his torso is supposed to connect with his chest in robot mode. The torso piece has a square peg on top of it and there is a corresponding square hole between the two screws holding the front of his chest together. Getting his torso section in front of his arm struts can be a somewhat snug fit. Despite this, the chest peg does have a habit of popping loose while posing the upper body, but can easily be fixed with a thin piece of card.

:Some people might notice that his heels can be turned but his "toe" piece can not. It is advised that you do not try.

:He has blue [[light-piping]] for his eyes, but it's ineffective due to backpack kibble blocking the light. Turning his head sideways makes it easier to see.

:This mold was [[retool]]ed into ''Revenge of the Fallen'' [[Swerve (Movie)|Swerve]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Sideswipe at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

[[Image:ROTF_Deluxe_StrikeMissionSideswipe.jpg|thumb|300px|"Well basically, I just copied the Sideswipe we have now. And this racing stripe here I feel is pretty sharp."]]
*'''Strike Mission Sideswipe''' (Deluxe, 2010)

:This redeco of Sideswipe features red translucent windows, a large black racing stripe running down the center of the car and fading black stripes on the doors. Like many Autobots in the NEST Global Alliance ''Revenge of the Fallen'' toyline refresh, he features a version of the NEST logo [[tampograph]]ed on him.
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

====Human Alliance====
[[Image:ROTF_HumanAlliance_Sideswipe_Epps.jpg|thumb|300px|Training with Sergeant Epps really beefed him up!]]
*'''Sideswipe / Tech. Sergeant Epps''' (Human Alliance, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RA-22'''
**''Accessories:''

:Like all [[Human Alliance]] figures, Sideswipe is designed to allow his accompanying human figure, in this case [[Robert Epps]], to ride inside.

:While in many ways simply a larger version of the Deluxe toy, it has several changes. The wheeled feet may now fold out into a stand system, allowing Sideswipe to stand without having to balance on the wheels, or be left as is to retain a more rounded look, and his blades are now rubberized to prevent injury. The sword-hands can also be slotted into a gear system connected to the front wheels, which causes them to spin as the wheels are turned. Like the Deluxe figure, the HA Sideswipe is something of a [[shellformer]] and suffers from an excessive amount of kibble, as nearly the entire top of the vehicle mode is folded up into a backpack, with only the rear bumper being incorporated as Sideswipe's chest. The passenger's seat may either be used as a seat for Epps, or turned into a missile launcher slung over Sideswipe's left shoulder.

:A great deal goes unmentioned in the instructions: in addition to the seats behind Sideswipe's shoulders, there are pegs on both forearms that a Human Alliance human figure can stand on or have plugged into their back, but neither are accomplished very well; the pegs also interfere with free rolling in vehicle mode, scraping on the ground. There is a fold-out handle under the swiveling rear window section, which seems to serve no purpose; it's possible to fold this section over Sideswipe's head (and, by extension, any human figure sitting behind his shoulder), but the handle doesn't line up with anything. There are also small tabs that fold out of Sideswipe's waist to make him more movie-accurate. Finally, Sideswipe has a battle mask; or rather, his normal head '''is''' his battle mask. A thin sliver in the middle of his face flips back to reveal his "real" face. It looks...odd. It's probably best to leave the thing down and never speak of this feature.

====Fast Action Battlers====
[[Image:Sideswipe ROTF FAB toy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Has anyone seen my proportions?]]
*'''Battle Blade Sideswipe''' (Fast Action Battler, 2009)

{{charstubtoys}}

{{-}}
*'''Night Blades Sideswipe''' (Fast Action Battler, 2010)
[[Image:ROTF-toy_FAB_NightBladesSideswipe.jpg|right|thumb|300px|NOT [[Lockdown_%28Animated%29|Lock]][[Lockdown_%28ROTF%29|down]]]]

: This [[redeco]] of Battle Blade Sideswipe colors his car mode dark gray and light green. His robot-mode bits remain silver.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

====Battle Chargers====
[[Image:ROTFSideswipe BattleChargers 2009.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Not [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Battle Charger, 2009)

{{-}}

*'''Hyper Speed Sideswipe''' (Battle Charger, 2009)

{{charstubtoys}}
{{-}}

====Gravity Bots====
[[Image:Sideswipe Gravity Bot.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Before he joined the army, Sideswipe was picked on a lot for his "mass problem".]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Gravity Bot, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''GB-04'''

: As a [[Gravity Bot]], Sideswipe uses gravity-activated [[autotransformation]] to turn into a [[super deformed]] Corvette Stingray when laid on his back. When the car is stood back up, it transforms back into its boxy robot mode. The toy features no [[articulation]].

{{-}}

====Robot Replicas====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_RobotReplicas_Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Robot Replicas, 2009)
:Robot Replicas Sideswipe is a non- transforming, but highly detailed and articulated interpretation of his robot mode from the movie. He features highly posable legs, arms, feet, head, waist, neck and shoulders, making him both an awesome kid's toy and display piece.
:Funnily enough, despite the Robot Replica promise of total movie-accuracy, his arm-blades are [[For safety reasons|considerably shortened]] and are a weird metallic blue colour, rather than the silver/gray you might expect.

{{-}}

====Power Bots====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_PowerBots_Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Crikey!]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Power Bots, 2009)

: [[Power Bots]] Sideswipe is a bulky, non-transforming toy for younger children. He features limited articulation in his limbs and head, two very blunt swords, and various playing sound clips and flashing lights. He has an North Americanised [[Australia]]n accent!

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
====RPMs—Robot Powered Machines====
=====Speed Series=====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_RPM_Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (2009)
*''Number:'' 4

:''[[Robot Powered Machines]]'' Sideswipe is a small, non-transforming car with his robot mode sculpted underneath. Said robot mode has his swords colored red, for some reason.

:Although a stolen [[prototype]] that surfaced in 2008 was pretty accurate to the Corvette Stingray car from the movie, the actual RPM Sideswipe toy has been severely altered and looks more like an Aston Martin. Unfortunately, Mattel was able to secure exclusive rights for releasing a Concept Stingray model car at a 1:64 scale for their ''Hot Wheels'' line (the toy was recently released as part of the "2010 New Models" lineup).

{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Robotheroessideswipesideways.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Still needs training wheels.]]
*'''Sideswipe and Sideways''' (2009)
: Sideswipe is part of the first wave of ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' figures and is packaged versus [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]. He has rotational articulation at both shoulders, but his head is molded into his torso. In order to stand up, the figurine must rest its weight on one of his arms.
{{-}}
[[Image:Robotheroestwinswidewaysprimedemolishorsideswipe.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"Damn, I'm cute."]]
*'''Shanghai Shootout''' (Multi-pack, 2009)
:Shanghai Shootout replicates the opening action scene from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', featuring figurines of [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]/[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (ice cream truck), [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] (vehicle mode), [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]], and Sideswipe (vehicle mode). Demolishor is a slightly-oversized figure and the centerpiece of the box set.
{{comingsoontoy}}

{{-}}

==Trivia==
[[Image:ROTF Sideswipe concept art.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|There was a time he would have had feet.]]
* On June 11, 2008, blurry camera phone photos from the set of ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' offered the first look at Sideswipe's vehicle mode, which was believed to be a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette XR1 at that time.<ref name="fairmont">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-concept-car-at-fairmont-park-base.html Blurry set photos from Fairmont Park]</ref> Ten days later, leaked photos offered a better look at the car being painted by Saleen, which was now revealed to be a never-seen-before Corvette model.<ref name="corvettesaleen">[http://jalopnik.com/396734/transformers-corvette-concept-z28-bumblebee-get-a-close+up Photo of the Corvette being painted by Saleen at Jalopnik]</ref> On August 7, 2008, Jalopnik claimed having received information that the car was a so-called "Corvette Centennial Concept".<ref name"centennial">[http://jalopnik.com/5034285/exclusive-the-transformers-mystery-car-is-the-corvette-centennial-design-concept Jalopnik's story on the "Corvette Centennial Concept"]</ref> [[General Motors]] finally admitted the car's existence at the Chicago Auto Show in February of 2009, now confirming that it was, in fact, a new Corvette Stingray concept.

* Rumored names for Sideswipe in the early days of the movie shooting were "Hot Rod"<ref name="upclose">[http://jalopnik.com/398892/up+close-photos-of-mystery-corvette-concept-from-new-transformers-movie More shots of the Corvette at Jalopnik], July 2009</ref> (which might have been a case of fans simply suggesting a random name and other fans subsequently treating it as gospel) and "Stinger". The latter originated with a (real) call sheet leaked in June 2008, which suggests that "Stinger" was an actual working name.<ref name="bethcall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/06/bethlehem-call-sheet-cast-tf-and-next.html Leaked call sheet at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog], July 2008</ref>

* Thanks to that whole [[General Motors]] bankruptcy thing, Sideswipe may be the closest we'll ever get to seeing a ''real'' Stingray.

* Sideswipe was recently announced as a new downloadable character for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of Revenge of the Fallen, alongside [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. He is the only downloadable character with a G1 homage skin, which makes him twice as awesome.

* Sideswipe's Cybertronian mode was revealed in [[Tales of the Fallen]], as well as the fact he arrived on Earth in November 2008.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Martial artists]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen characters]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]