MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Empurata

2025-11-23T01:41:05Z

Electrofrost: Replaced content with "A tradition of ''removing the damn heads and hands.'' Perfect for transphobes."

A tradition of ''removing the damn heads and hands.'' Perfect for transphobes.

User:Poliwag06

2025-11-23T01:26:10Z

Electrofrost: /* At my house */

A young from Singapore, Gen Z member. As the name implies pokemon is also a past time.
==TF collection (actively in use) ==
===At my house===
*[[Weirdwolf (G1)#Titans_Return|Titans Return Wolfwire]] with [[Monzo#Titans_Return|Monzo]] Based.
*[[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)#McDonald's|McDonald's ''Cyberverse'' Bumblebee]]

===Stored at my grandma's house===
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)#Universe_.282008.29|''Universe'' Animated Bumblebee]]. The oldest surviving fig in my collection.
*[[Drift (G1)#Generations|''Generations'' Drift]]-another old toy. Often flipped his hip skirts out in car mode to fly him around-[[Tracks (G1)|didn't know such a thing existed]].
*[[Blades (G1)#Transformers_.282014.29|Blades]] and [[Hot Spot (G1)#Transformers_.282014.29|Hot Spot]]. I'll never understand why Hot Spot is blue. Also why is blades so hard to transform?
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Leader_Class_toys_5|Leader Class ''Age of Extinction'' Prime]]-tallest fig as I lack a Commander or bigger toy
*[[Crosshairs (AOE)#PowerBattler|Power Battler Crosshairs]]. Why did he get a fist?
*"Fauxcanicus"
**[[Grimlock (G1)/toys#PowerOfThePrimes|''Power Of The Prime's Grimlock'']]: Forms the torso.
**[[Swoop (G1)/toys#PowerOfThePrimes|''Power Of the Primes'' Swoop]]. Nowadays [[Swoop (Cyberverse)|portrayed as a fembot]]-I only have one other [[Strongarm (RID)#Team_Combiners|fembot]] otherwise.
**[[Slag (G1)/toys#PowerOfThePrimes|''Power Of The Primes'' Slug]]. Often form drill arm with Grimlock.
**[[Dreadwind (G1)#PowerOfThePrimes|''Power Of The Primes': Dreadwind]]. Shouldn't be here, but [[Jazz (G1)/toys#PowerOfThePrimes|Jazz's instructions said so]]. Often used as a secondary flier.
**Jazz: Very banged up, missing a tyre, missing head, combiner joint rusty (has since completely degraded).
*[[Springload (RID)#Legion|RID Legion Springload]] and [[Starscream (WFC)/toys#Legion|his wavemate]]. Can combine to form Springscream.
*[[Ultra Bee#toys|Ultra Bee]]
*The Siege-onwards stuff:
**[[Waspinator (BW)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Kingdom|Kingdom Waspinator]]. Why isn't he a [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|Weaponizer]]?
**[[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Kingdom|''Kingdom'' Wheeljack]]. First and only fig acquired from Kiddy Palace before their TF license got revoked.
**[[Bomb-Burst (G1)#Legacy|''Legacy'' Bomb-Burst]]. Got the original release as opposed to the PR by mistake. Oh well.
**[[Tricranius#Toys|''Kingdom'' Tricranius]]. Got him for the [[Fire Blast effect|blooshes]], but otherwise yeah he's pretty fun.
**[[Prowl (Animated)#Legacy|''Legacy Evolution'' ''Animated'' Prowl]]. Why transformation so hard?
**[[Brawn (G1)/toys#Studio Series|''Studio Series'' 86 Brawn]]. Transformation cool.

Category:Transgender characters

2025-11-23T01:21:48Z

Electrofrost: Undo revision 1875931 by Poliwag06 (talk) Violence is good against an bigot.

These characters have one or more iterations that are definitively stated to be proud transgender folks. Really bringing out the trans in Transformers! BTW Trans rights are human rights and transphobes deserve to be killed since they're chose to not be a regular, caring human who would understand our struggles.

Please note that this is different from "[[:Category:Variable gender characters|Variable gender characters]]", where a character's gender differs between iterations/interpretations, rather than actively transitioning in-universe, and can overlap with but is different from "[[:Category:Nonbinary characters|Nonbinary characters]]", who trans or no are characters whose gender does not simply fit a binary gender or aren't on a masculine-spectrum/feminine-spectrum gender binary at all. Similarly, this is different from "[[:Category:Genderfluid characters|Genderfluid characters]]", where characters show or are stated to have genderfluidity in some way.

[[Category:Gender expansive characters]]

BBC

2025-11-23T01:21:29Z

Electrofrost: Undo revision 1875933 by Poliwag06 (talk)

[[File:BBC Logo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|MUM! Auntie Beeb's gotten transphobic!]]
The '''British Broadcasting Corporation''' ('''BBC''') is the state-owned media corporation of the [[United Kingdom]], with a globally-renowned news service, '''BBC News'''.

==Fiction==
===''The Last Knight'' film===
When [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] approached [[Earth]], [[Izabella]] watched several news broadcasts about global panic, with BBC News reporting "Fear in the streets". {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

==See also==
*[[Top Gear]]

==Notes==
*The BBC has given rise to many fictional pastiches, including [[BBS News]] and the [[Cybertronian Broadcasting Company|CBC]].
*The BBC holds linear broadcasting rights to ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|Transformers: EarthSpark]]'', something which became controversial when they censored the discussion of nonbinary people in "[[Home, Part 1]]". In a copy-and-paste email response to complaints, the corporation "defended" themselves, saying the scene was cut "because it didn’t provide the accuracy of language we need for our young audience, specifically a definition of the meaning of ‘non-binary’ which was given by one of the characters. We left in [other] dialogue [in the show] where characters discuss their pronouns which makes clear that they don’t identify themselves according to binary gender beliefs". Ah-''huh''.
*On [[February 5|5 February]] [[2024]], the ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]'' [[Twitter]] account [https://twitter.com/TransformersWar/status/1754497653067395263 posted] a gag image of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] hosting BBC News.

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.com/ Official website]
*{{w|BBC}} at Wikipedia

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bbc}}
[[Category:Businesses]]
[[Category:News organizations]]
[[Category:Real-world cultural references]]
[[Category:The Last Knight subgroups]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]

Category:Transgender characters

2025-11-23T01:15:28Z

Electrofrost:

BBC

2025-11-23T01:12:59Z

Electrofrost: They are transphobic after all.

Bulkhead (Animated)

2025-10-17T18:30:31Z

Electrofrost: /* Merchandise */

{{factions|autobot|primusvanguard}}
{{disambig3|Bulkhead}}
:''Bulkhead is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Animated continuity family]].''
[[File:Bulkhead-animation model.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|400px|[[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] called; he wants his head back.]]

The biggest and strongest of [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew, '''Bulkhead''' appears to be little more than a big, dumb lummox at first glance. The second and third glances don't do much to improve that impression. Raised on a backwater [[energon farm]], he joined the Autobot academy to achieve the lofty goal of becoming a lowly [[space bridge]] [[Space bridge technician|technician]] rather than a warrior. He also has an unfortunate tendency to break stuff by accident due to his sheer strength and natural clumsiness. He's wrecked major thoroughfares and toppled skyscrapers in his zeal to be ''helpful''; when he gets angry, he's capable of berserker charges that even the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] have learned to respect and fear. His penchant for being a little too eager to please others and getting a little too emotional at times further leads him to act without thinking. Add in a seeming lack of skills beyond "destruction", and it does not paint a pretty picture.

But despite all these shortcomings, one is hard-pressed to find a bot with a bigger spark, and he has astounding (if sometimes well-hidden) depths. He hates being thought of as the clumsy brute of the team, which has bred a certain amount of careful forethought and cautiousness. He's endlessly loyal to and protective of his friends, especially his best buddy [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and the [[human]] girl [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]], even if their impulsive behavior is sometimes annoying. Since coming to [[Earth]], he has discovered a love of art and the urge to express his true feelings through it. He's not very good at it, but he keeps trying anyways. Perhaps most surprising of all is that he is [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s foremost expert in space bridge technology, even though he may not be able to build one himself without accidentally breaking at least half the components.

{{quote|You guys got it easy. All people want me to do is break stuff. I've got a sensitive side too, you know... but breaking stuff ''is'' kinda fun.|Bulkhead meditates on his lot in life|"[[Home Is Where the Spark Is]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
{{voiceactor|[[Bill Fagerbakke]] (English), [[Kenta Miyake]] (Japanese)|[[Alexander Kovrizhnykh]] (Russian), [[Tilo Schmitz]] (German), [[Ireneusz Załóg]] (Polish), [[Lorenzo Scattorin]] (Italian), [[Fábio Moura]] (Portuguese), [[Rolando Silva]] (Latin-American Spanish, seasons 1 and 2), [[Harold Leal]] (Latin-American Spanish, season 3), [[Ju-chang Lee]] (Korean), [[Julio Lorenzo]] (Castillo Spanish), [[Bruno Lähteenmäki]] (Finnish), [[Frédéric Cerdal]] (French, seasons 1, 2 and first half of 3), [[Gérard Rouzier]] (French, second half of season 3)}}

[[File:AutobootCamp-Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"I'm gonna love him, and hug him, and pet him, and call him George!"]]

Having read every space bridge schematic he could get his hands on, {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}} the 'bot who would become "Bulkhead" left the [[energon]] farm to attend [[Autobot boot camp]] in the hopes that he could become a qualified space bridge engineer. It was there that he first met Bumblebee and their trainer, [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]], who gave him his codename after deciding that the gentle giant was "all bulk and no brains". Bumblebee initially had no interest in befriending Bulkhead, mockingly calling him a "[[Mudflap (slang)|mudflap]]", but an unlikely friendship blossomed after Bulkhead saved Bumblebee from some "malfunctioning" turrets, accidentally dropping a building on Sentinel in the process. Although it seemed as though Bumblebee would go on to bigger and better things in the Autobot [[Elite Guard]] after outing their fellow Autobot cadet [[Wasp]] as a Decepticon spy, Bumblebee voluntarily took the blame for injuring Sentinel and the pair were both given the boot and reassigned to space bridge detail {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} aboard the starship ''[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Orion]]'' under the command of Elite Guard washout [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]. While on maintenance detail, the team discovered [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] meditating on an asteroid, and after accidentally blowing up [[Dawn Treader|his ship]] the stoic ninja joined their crew until they could return home to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

While repairing one malfunctioning space bridge in an asteroid field far from Cybertron, Bulkhead got his wrecking ball stuck in a rock face and later had to be rescued by Optimus when the space bridge malfunctioned and threatened all five members of the crew with debris. In doing so, however, the team discovered the long-lost [[AllSpark]], which had been deliberately hidden by the Autobots during the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]. In doing so, however, the team had provoked [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s [[Decepticon]]s, who had also been searching for the life-giving artifact. While trying to evade the Decepticon warship after Megatron seemingly perished aboard their ship, Bulkhead did his best to hang on while the Autobots flew their ship through the space bridge and splashed down in [[Lake Erie]] after the crew entered [[stasis pod]]s to survive.

[[File:Bulkh alt.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Let's see {{w|Grave Digger (truck)|Grave Digger}} beat this!]]

Fifty years later, the ship's autonomous systems detected a glob of rogue nanotechnology and reactivated its crew. Although the five Autobots decided to intervene against the nanotech monster wreaking havoc in [[Detroit]], the Autobots mistook [[human]]-built robots and machinery for Earth's dominant lifeforms and reformatted themselves with local vehicle modes to blend in. Bulkhead requested help from a group of local drones, then noticed [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]] trying to take her keycard away from her robot dog, [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]]. Assuming Sari was the pet, Bulkhead greeted her—which promptly sent her running and screaming. Although the monster was eventually defeated, [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] was left gravely wounded and the Autobots retreated to their underwater vessel to repair him, unaware that Bumblebee had inadvertently smuggled Sari into their ship. Using the power of the AllSpark to energize her keycard, Bulkhead watched incredulously Sari used her "[[AllSpark Key]]" to save Prowl's life.

In the days that followed their arrival on Earth, the five Autobots became local celebrities as they tried to learn about Earth and its customs, with Bulkhead experiencing a traffic jam firsthand. Eventually, Sari helped fix up the Autobots with a more convineient base of operations by getting them to move into an [[Autobot Earth Base|abandoned automobile factory]]. The Autobots were later on hand to witness the unveiling of the [[Fully Automated Rapid Transit System]], a ceremony that was interrupted by the arrival of [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], who sought to take the AllSpark. The Autobots engaged him in a fierce game of keep-away, and at one point successfully knocked the Decepticon flier out of the air with his wrecking ball. Although the Autobots now had a reputation as local superheroes, the team found that, in the wake of their destructive battle, they'd have to help repair the city. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

[[File:HomeIsWhereTheSparkIs-Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

The Autobots continued to settle into their new lives, although Bulkhead remained resentful that humans mostly just wanted him to break things—after all, he had a sensitive side as well, even if breaking stuff ''was'' fun. When Sari came to stay at their factory for a night, Bulkhead and Bumblebee played Twister and listened to a scary story before [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] was able to hack into the deactivated machinery in an attempt to take out the Autobots, and although Bulkhead was able to get in touch with his inner breaker, he was captured and pinned down beneath a hydraulic press before Optimus Prime saved him. Bulkhead tried to catch a [[Pocketbot|tiny machine]] that looked like it might be the culprit, but accidentally smashed the little robot when he grabbed it. {{storylink|Home Is Where the Spark Is}}

When Bumblebee had a bout with [[Colossus Rhodes]] that escalated into a parking lot brawl, Bulkhead arrived with the others to stop the mad giant and tease Bumblebee about his size. Bulkhead's size proved a liability, however, when he got caught in an opening in [[Sumdac Tower]]'s defense shield. In a second bout with Rhodes, Bulkhead used his wrecking ball to send the brute flying, and when the shield was deactivated he was the first into the tower, scooping up [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] in his fist... a very bad mistake, since the villain was made of acid. {{storylink|Total Meltdown}}

[[File:Stiletto-Bulkheadgetsowned.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

''Bulkhead was with the rest of the team when they watched a news broadcast, showing Prowl and Bumblebee inadvertently exposing the [[Wraith]]'s modus operandi. Later, when Bumblebee apprehended Colossus Rhodes, Bulkhead helped sign autographs for the grateful Detroiters. Later still, when the Autobots saw "Bumblebee" attack Michigan Stadium, Bulkhead helped clear the little Autobot's name by halting what was really a plot by the increasingly jealous and irrational Wraith.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 2|Attention Surplus Disorder}}

''Bulkhead joined the rest of the Autobots into investigating a theft at Sumdac's laboratories. They found out that the crime in question had been committed by an industrial saboteur going by the name of "[[Stiletto (Animated)|Stiletto]]". She soon attempted to collapse Detroit's Ambassador Bridge, prompting the Autobots to leap into action. During the confrontation, Bulkhead attempted to apprehend Stiletto by clobbering her with his wrecking ball weapon. As he swung it around, however, Stiletto severed the wrecking-ball's cord. This caused the weapon to fly into Bulkhead's head, knocking him out for the remainder of the battle. The Autobots nonetheless managed to capture Stiletto, and Bulkhead could later be seen being fixed at Autobot headquarters.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 3|Stiletto}}

[[File:BlastFromThePast-Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

After an embarrassing incident at the [[Dino Drive]] theme park, Prowl tried to help Bulkhead to become a more graceful warrior, but was unable to impart any of his [[Cyber-Ninja Corps|Cyber-Ninja]] training on the lunkish green Autobot. Things got worse when Bulkhead tried to use Prowl's methods against the rampaging [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]], animatronic dinosaurs upgraded by Cybertronian technology. Finally, Prowl encouraged Bulkhead to do what ''Bulkhead'' would do, and Bulkhead's blunt, powerhouse approach proved to have its place and time for proper use and helped trap the Dinobots in molten tar. Prowl suspected the Dinobots were actually alive, not mere machines, so he enlisted Bulkhead's help in secretly transporting them from their prison to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|a deserted island]] on Lake Erie. Prowl had realized that just because something was big and lumbering and destructive was no reason to give up on it, and Bulkhead knew just what he meant. {{storylink|Blast from the Past}}

When [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], a bounty hunter from Ratchet's past, appeared on Earth to abduct Optimus, Bulkhead and the other Autobots intervened. Though Bulkhead managed to get by the defenses of [[Death's Head (Animated)|Lockdown's ship]], Lockdown managed to paralyze Bulkhead with a quick-drying adhesive spray. Thankfully, Ratchet was able to best the bounty hunter and rescued Optimus while the rest of the team was indisposed. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

[[File:Nanosec-BulkheadWreckingBall.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Bulkhead was trying to enjoy some fireworks while Bumblebee attempted to apprehend the petty thief [[Nanosec|Nino Sexton]], and an argument caused the two Autobots to collapse the pier on which they were standing. The next day, Optimus had Bulkhead and Bumblebee join Prowl on a training exercise, but the three found that Sexton had resurfaced as the impossibly fast supervillain "Nanosec" and were forced to pursue him; during the chase, Bulkhead had to stop a speeding train from crushing his friend. To prevent Detroit's destruction after Nanosec's capture, Bulkhead hurled Bumblebee up into the Earth's atmosphere, where the unstable [[Destronium]] sample Nanosec had stolen could safely explode. {{storylink|Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec}}

On [[Halloween]] night, Sari tried to teach Bulkhead and Bumblebee the true meaning of the holiday by taking them trick-or-treating. Deciding that he wanted to be a ghost for the night, Bulkhead settled for dressing in a fumigation tent, but the three ran afoul of the Decepticon [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Bumblebee and Bulkhead were easily charmed and subdued by Blackarachnia's feminine wiles, allowing her to stun both of them. By the time they came to, Blackarachnia had already taken off with Sari; the duo rescued her after Blackarachnia threw her off a rooftop after unsuccessfully attempting to purge her own organic components from her systems. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

[[File:SoundAndFury-BulkheadPunch.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

While on a shopping trip for Sari's birthday present, Bulkhead worked with Sari to rein in the pesky [[Professor Princess]]. The next day, Sari's birthday party began poorly, as the guests were all children of Sumdac Industries employees who found Sari too weird for their tastes. The Autobots' arrival made things a little more interesting, but Bulkhead and Sari found themselves ignored while the kids took rides with the other Autobots. Bulkhead wanted to give Sari her gift, a xylophone, but was too embarrassed to do so when he saw Dr. Sumdac's gift, a musical robot named "[[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]". For the next several days, Sari's attention was drawn away from her friend as she spent her free time plugging her key into the toy to upgrade it. Bulkhead realized that there was something off about Soundwave, but his attempts to prove it just forced a wedge between Sari and himself, a wedge that grew bigger when Megatron—the mastermind behind the Soundwave toy—began manipulating events to further divide the friends. Eventually, Sari upgraded the toy to the point where Soundwave gained sentience and attempted to spark a machine rebellion across Detroit. Bulkhead came to her rescue, and after feigning a change of heart to get close to Soundwave he smashed the musical menace to bits before the pair reconciled. {{storylink|Sound and Fury (episode)|Sound and Fury}}

Soon afterwards, trouble arrived in the form of [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]. Answering their challenge, the Autobots confronted the pair in a construction yard. Bulkhead charged Lugnut and the two engaged in a grapple, but even Bulkhead's power wasn't enough against the massive Decepticon, who threw him aside. The second round didn't go too well either, as Lugnut never had a chance to fight before the Decepticons were defeated by the Autobot ship's main cannon. {{storylink|Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found}} After Sari was abducted by the Dinobots, Prowl and Bulkhead went to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] to investigate. What they found was Meltdown, who damaged Bulkhead to the point of unconsciousness and trapped Prowl and [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] (who had been tailing them) underground. After restoring Bulkhead with her key, Sari showed him that she could take care of herself by kicking him, who pretended to be hurt and accidentally fell into the ship's hold. {{storylink|Survival of the Fittest}}

[[File:Caged bulkhead.jpg|thumb|right|300px|And now we know how the caged Bulkhead sings...]]

After destroying a good portion of a city block trying to stop a missile impact, Sari suggested to Bulkhead that he explore his more creative talents to show the people of Detroit that he could do more than smash things. Bulkhead had difficulty making his creations (his paint brushes kept snapping between his fingers) and panicked when he learned that Sari had arranged an art show for him. While lamenting his lot in life, he was knocked out cold by a sudden electrical surge. When he came back online, he found that his body had been stolen. As Bumblebee attempted to help him finish his art pieces in time for the show, the [[Headmaster (Animated)|Headmaster]] used Bulkhead's body to take control of a [[Sidney Biggles-Jones Memorial Solar Fusion Plant|solar fusion plant]], intending to detonate it unless he was paid a hefty ransom. Optimus used the ransom delivery to sneak the Autobots into the plant, where they defeated the Headmaster and reattached Bulkhead to his body...backwards. As the reactor reached critical, Bulkhead came up with a drone that would set the rods back, but the drone melted in the process. Not to be daunted, Bulkhead added it to his art collection, showing the citizens of Detroit his art without them even knowing it. {{storylink|Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster}}

[[File:Insincerest-BulkheadhasPowell.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

''[[Porter C. Powell]] decided to use Bulkhead's image as a public figure to market the SWAT vehicle he used as an altmode as a vehicle for everyday citizens, such as "soccer moms". This infuriated Bulkhead, though Powell informed him that legally, there was nothing he could do about it. Powell rub salt in the wound by using highly doctored footage of Bulkhead to make it seem as though the Autobot endorsed the vehicle in Powell's commercials. The "Bulkheads" proved to be popular vehicles in Detroit, providing further grief for the same-named Autobot. It nearly spoiled a stake-out, when a couple mistook Bulkhead for their own vehicle, and led to further trouble when it turned out both Professor Princess and the Angry Archer possessed Bulkheads, using them to further their criminal careers. Powell's marketing plot was brought to an end when Bulkhead disguised himself as a contestant on a "Pimp my Bulkhead" competition, and managed to trick Powell into admitting that his vehicles were dangerous death-traps on-camera.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 4|The Insincerest Form of Flattery}}

When Decepticon energy signals were detected, the Autobots quickly realized that they were outnumbered. Bulkhead mentioned that the Dinobots might be able to help, not aware that Prowl hadn't told Optimus they had moved them to Dinobot Island. Prime was furious and ordered the two to take him there at once. After searching the island, the Autobots found the Dinobots. They were unwilling to help, so the Autobots left, unsure of their next move. When Bumblebee contacted Prime, saying that Starscream was at Sumdac Tower, he ordered him to stand down. When they arrived at the tower, they saw Bumblebee fighting Starscream. Prime dryly noted that disobeying orders was becoming a habit, but Bulkhead wasn't too insulted. He was too busy being shocked by [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] bursting through Sumdac Tower. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}} Quickly regaining his composure, Bulkhead charged Megatron, only to have his wrecking ball severed and be thrown into a building. After the short battle, Sumdac told them how he had rebuilt Megatron. Bulkhead sounded as if he was about to crush the professor, but Prime told him that it was unimportant. Using excess key energy in Sumdac's equipment, the Autobots repaired themselves, and Prime apologized for his harsh words. Ratchet and Sari came by in the ship, picking up the Autobots, but they were shot down over Dinobot Island. During the subsequent battle, Bulkhead brought down Lugnut. The zealous Decepticon was stronger than Bulkhead, but as he activated [[Punch of Kill Everything|his punch]], Bulkhead used his wrecking ball to detonate it, sending Lugnut flying. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

[[File:TheEliteGuard-arguments.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

The Autobots managed to drive off the Decepticons, but at a high cost—not only had the AllSpark's physical container been destroyed, scattering fragments of its essence across Detroit, but despite their best efforts to rebuild Prime's Autobots also found that the human residents of the city now viewed them as potential menaces instead of heroes. As Bulkhead bemoaned their situation, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]], and Sentinel Prime arrived on Earth to investigate, but Sentinel's refusal to believe Prime's story caused tension between the two Autobot teams. Eventually, however, Prime and his team proved their worth by helping Magnus defeat an endless army of police drones at a malfunctioning Sumdac factory. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}} Shortly afterwards, Bulkhead greeted Sari when she was thrown out of Sumdac Tower by [[Porter C. Powell]] and forced to live with the Autobots. He and Bumblebee tried to cheer her up by saying that living together would be like a non-stop party, making her food and teaching her about "stuff and how it works", but were met with limited success. Prowl intervened, and advised the pair to simply listen to their friend. Sari then let out her frustration over recent events, while Bumblebee and Bulkhead comforted her. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}} Bulkhead later helped stop a runaway train powered by an AllSpark fragment. When Starscream stopped by again, Bulkhead tried to knock him out with his wrecking ball, to little effect. Thankfully, Jazz, Sentinel and Optimus were able to take down the AllSpark-powered Decepticon. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Bulkhead helped clear trash from the city of Detroit during a garbage dispute in an effort to mend strained Autobot/human relations. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}} Later, he helped search for an AllSpark fragment, only for the mission to be interrupted by a group of illegal street racers, the [[Street Demon]]s, zooming by. When one of the racers caused two others to crash, Bulkhead stopped to help [[Roxy Sparkles]] out of his wrecked vehicle. Seeing as he and Sari were fans of the Speed Demon broadcasts, he also took the opportunity to ask for an autograph. But as Captain Fanzone dropped by to arrest the criminals, Bulkhead realized that Sari had mislead him about the legality of the Street Demons' show. He confronted the girl, only for Bumblebee to step in and assure Bulkhead that he would straighten her out instead. Turns out, Bumblebee had become fixated on beating one of the racers, and planned to participate in the races himself. Bulkhead found out, and was none too pleased about this development. He was coaxed into allowing Bumblebee to go through with his plan but followed him to the race, just to be safe. Before he could step in, he was frozen solid by Blitzwing, and only freed later when the adventure was mostly over. {{storylink|Velocity (episode)|Velocity}}

[[File:RiseOfTheConstructicons-chugchugchug.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"Chug it, Bulky!"]]

While repairing a damaged overpass, Bulkhead had his life saved by the newly created [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] and [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]], [[oil]]-guzzling construction machines who rescued him after he used dangerous outdated fixatives. Although Bulkhead maintained that these "Constructobots" meant well, their crass mannerisms didn't impress the other Autobots, and eventually Prime evicted the pair after a game of frisbee severed Sari's pigtails. The next day, Bulkhead went looking for his friends but discovered that they had fallen in with Megatron and stolen parts on his behalf. Despite Bulkhead's efforts to turn them back to the Autobots, the newly minted [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]] eventually took Bumblebee hostage, and demanded the AllSpark fragments the Autobots had gathered. Bulkhead was able to outwit them by spiking their oil with the same outdated fixative he had used earlier, and the subsequent explosion scrambled their memory circuits. Bulkhead drove the amnesiac Transformers away and sadly admitted that he had been wrong to trust them. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

Bulkhead accompanied Prowl to investigate reports of unusual behavior on Dinobot Island. Prowl discovered a spike wedged in Grimlock's foot, and he and Bulkhead worked together to remove it. Later, when Prowl decided to go off on his own after Starscream, Bulkhead attempted to talk him out of it unsuccessfully. Later still, the Autobots found Prowl, equipped with new Samurai armor, tied up in the middle of the street. After freeing him, Prowl urged them to go after Lockdown, believing that he had captured [[Clone number 2716057|Starscream]], but the Autobots encountered [[Clone number 3370318|''another'' Starscream]] shortly after taking off. It soon became clear that both Starscreams were clones of the original, and on discovering that the clones were rigged with bombs Bulkhead watched as Prowl used his armor to launch the clones into the sky, right into the flight path of the fleeing Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fistful of Energon}} When Nanosec went on another crime spree, Bulkhead took part in the chase, but the pursuit was abruptly cut short when Bumblebee was temporarily slowed to nothing. Later, Bumblebee alerted the rest of his team that [[Swindle (Animated)|a Decepticon]] had built a machine that could freeze any electronic machine within its range, just as he had been earlier that day. Bulkhead and the others sped out to take on the threat. They were all affected by the device's power before they could reach their destination, and were only able to take on Swindle once Sari had deactivated this weapon. {{storylink|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy}}

[[File:AutobootCamp-Bulkheadaltmode.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

After [[Wasp]] escaped, Bulkhead tagged along with Bumblebee in an attempt to track a leaked signal, but 'Bee's attitude became unbearable, and Bulkhead stormed off. The kindhearted bot couldn't stay away, however, and helped Bumblebee out of a minor scrape. Bumblebee apologized, but Bulkhead shook it off; their friendship had rock-solid foundations. Reconciled, the two headed back to base, having missed a rather conspicuous mine shaft entrance. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} Bulkhead learned that Meltdown was broken out of prison through a news report and stayed behind at the Autobots' headquarters while Optimus, Prowl and Bumblebee dealt with the escaped criminal. Once Meltdown had been liquified by his own [[genetic modifier]], Bulkhead accompanied Optimus and the others to explain what had transpired to Captain Fanzone. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

Bulkhead found himself going crazy over a persistent dripping noise coming from somewhere in the Autobots' base... looking about, he discovered that the dripping was coming from Bumblebee, who had fallen into the habit of neglecting his chassis. Bulkhead and Ratchet pointed this out to the little 'bot, but Bumblebee was in complete denial over the fact that he might need a tune-up. The conversation was interrupted by Optimus, who informed the Autobots that Scrapper and Mixmaster had resurfaced. The Autobots searched Detroit for the pair, but without Sari's key to track their AllSpark signatures, the search proved fruitless. Then, Blitzwing dropped out of the sky and took on the whole crew. During the fight, the Autobots learned that Sari was dealing with the Construcitcons on her own back at headquarters. But having to deal with Blitzwing, they couldn't head back... until Blitzwing suddenly decided to ditch the battle. The Autobots then headed back to help Sari immediately, but on returning to base, they found out that Sari had taken care of the intruders all by herself. {{storylink|Sari, No One's Home}}

[[File:TFA ABTC1 Bulkhead Sumdac.JPG|thumb|left|300px]]

Bulkhead later made an abstract painting of Sari in the style of Picasso, but the other Autobots' suggestions ended up ruining the painting. He and Sari took a walk to clear his head, and Bumblebee came and genuinely tried to apologize. This went rather poorly, and got even worse when Megatron arrived to kidnap Bulkhead and take him to his base. Megatron revealed that [[Shockwave (Animated)|his double agent]] had learned that Bulkhead was Cybertron's top space bridge technician, and forced Bulkhead to help the Decepticons repair a space bridge they had reverse engineered. If Bulkhead refused, Megatron would use a Headmaster unit to steal his body and kill all of Bulkhead's friends, starting with Professor Sumdac. Bulkhead agreed to help, but Professor Sumdac believed that Bulkhead was trying to sabotage the device, and told Bulkhead to let him give the instructions to avoid sounding preposterous. Furious at everyone doubting his skill, Bulkhead actually ''fixed'' the space bridge, allowing Megatron to teleport the Decepticons to an underdefended Cybertron. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

During a three-way battle between the Autobots, the Decepticons, and Starscream's [[Starscream clone (Animated)|clones]], Bulkhead tried to shut down the space bridge, but was locked with [[stasis cuffs]] by a [[Slipstream (Animated)|female clone]]. Trying to amplify the space bridge, Megatron tried to fix the problem by adding Starscream's severed, AllSpark-powered head into the power core. Unfortunately, this caused an overload which Bulkhead theorized would suck up all of Michigan. Fortunately, Ratchet had been able to successfully rouse their old starship to life, revealed to be the ancient [[Omega Sentinel (Animated)|Omega Sentinel]] [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]], who arrived and allowed himself to be sucked into the portal along with Megatron and Starscream. When the Autobots escaped, Bulkhead theorized that they had merely been transported somewhere in space, and hoped that Omega was still alive. Unfortunately, any effort to locate Omega was put on hold when Sari noticed that the skin of her arm had been torn, revealing robotic circuitry underneath! {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

[[File:TransWarped-Bulkheadchestdrawer.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

While Bumblebee and Bulkhead were surprised and concerned about Sari's revealed techno-organic nature, they remained focused on the more imminent problem; namely that their old friend Longarm was really a Decepticon spy. However, because Omega Supreme had been transwarped elsewhere in the galaxy, they no longer had a way to contact Cybertron. The Autobots eventually hit on the idea of building their ''own'' Space Bridge to Cybertron, and Bulkhead and Bumblebee set about salvage whatever they could find from the ruins of the Decepticon base, finding a [[plasma dynamic thruster]] and [[retrieval beacon generator]]. However, the malfunctioning thruster accidentally sent Bumblebee on a transwarp jaunt of his own through space, and while Bulkhead had his back turned he was attacked by Henry Masterson, having commandeered his old [[Headmaster unit]] to pilot Starscream's discarded body, easily trouncing Bulkhead and burying him under a pile of rocks.

Ratchet found Bulkhead and brought him back to base for repairs before Sari used her key to heal him, much to Ratchet's annoyance. When Bumblebee's energy signature could not be found on Earth, Bulkhead realized that he wasn't on Earth. The plasma dynamic thruster must have caught a stray transwarp field and sent Bumblebee to another part of the galaxy. Using the beacon generator, Bulkhead was able to reel Bumblebee back to Earth; Bumblebee, however, had been swallowed by a [[Rock Lord|giant rock creature]], who was also transported to Earth and attacked the city. Bulkhead proved unable to damage the alien without also hurting Bumblebee, and in a spur-of-the-moment decision Sari used her key to upgrade her own body, using her new form to quickly defeat the monster. Sari's powers quickly went wild, however, and the Autobots worked together to remove the key from her system after she accidentally stabbed Bumblebee. Although Bulkhead's advice nearly caused her to self-destruct, Ratchet was finally able to shut her down with his EMP generator.

Later, the group was at the plant, mulling over the events of the day, including Optimus revealing the Autobots' secret base to Professor Sumdac. When Bumblebee threatened to transwarp again, Bulkhead took the plasma dynamic thruster from Bumblebee's backpack and turned it off. But then Omega Supreme appeared, under the control of Megatron. The group headed for the river to keep Megatron from damaging more of the city. Bulkhead and Bumblebee acted as decoys while Prowl and Optimus worked on freeing Omega from Megatron's control. Their plan worked, only for Starscream's head, which Megatron was using as a battery, to take over Omega's body and toss out Prowl and Optimus. With them unable to get back in and Starscream threatening to transwarp to Cybertron and use Omega to take it over, Bumblebee and Bulkhead got the idea of using the plasma dynamic thruster on Omega Supreme. With a little teamwork from them and Optimus Prime, they attached the plasma dynamic thruster to Omega Supreme, causing him to go on an endless and random transwarp cycle throughout the galaxy. However, they still needed to find a way to contact Cybertron about Shockwave. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

[[File:TFAni Threes a Crowd Stop Hitting Yourself.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself!]]

Construction on the space bridge began at Sumdac Tower, using an AllSpark fragment as an improvised power source—but Bulkehead's overconfidence led to an accident and the apparent loss of the AllSpark fragment. Realizing that he needed some architectural expertise, Bulkhead set about recruiting the Constructicons and was able to talk the resentful duo into some "off the books work" for him. At the tower, however, they discovered that the accident had combined the AllSpark fragment with a forklift and Sumdac's recovered Headmaster unit to create [[Dirt Boss (Animated)|Dirt Boss]], a mouthy little control freak with big dreams... and the power to force others to do his bidding. Dirt Boss and his new Constructicon henchmen set about stealing oil to hold the city for ransom, and—since the other Autobots were busy with Lugnut—Bulkhead pursued the trio and learned of their plan to destroy Detroit's fossil fuel refinery.

Captured by the three Decepticons after getting his wrecking ball stuck in Mixmaster's cement mixer, Bulkhead was dragged to the refinery and nearly brainwashed into igniting the spark that would light the oil tank, even fighting the other Autobots when they arrived to stop Dirt Boss. When the fire proved impossible to contain, Prof. Sumdac came up with the idea of transporting it with the plasma dynamic thruster. The tank, as well as the Constructicons who were on top of it, was transwarped over Lake Erie near Dinobot Island, where it exploded harmlessly. The Autobots still needed to cart away Lugnut, but discovered that he had been freed by [[Ramjet (Animated)|someone]]. {{storylink|Three's a Crowd (episode)|Three's a Crowd}}

When Wasp came to Earth, he attacked Bumblebee and traded identities with him by switching helmets and using an [[electronic paint job]]. Even Bulkhead was confused by the ruse and nearly smashed "Wasp" with his wrecking ball. Fortunately, Bumblebee was able to make Bulkhead realize who he ''really'' was by reminding them of their time at Autobot boot camp together, and after a brief misunderstanding with Sentinel Prime and his new cadets [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]], the Autobots returned to the plant to confront the impostor, pitting the two against one another in a round of [[Ninja Gladiator]] to prove who was the real Bumblebee. When it became clear that Wasp's cover would be blown, Wasp panicked and threatened to slag Bumblebee, claiming that he had once been a good 'bot—but Bulkhead told him that he had always been mean to the two of them and had ''never'' been a good bot. Wasp then shot the lights out and made a break for it. Bulkhead found him outside lying on the ground and jumped on top of him, only to find that Wasp had switched identities ''again'' and Bulkhead had pounded Bumblebee. Oops. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}} Bulkhead later witnessed Optimus Prime tell Jetfire and Jetstorm to stop taunting Sentinel behind his back, but later was instructed by Ratchet to roll on home along with Bumblebee and Prowl so Optimus and Sentinel could speak in private. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising}}

[[File:TFA Human Error Part 1 Automen.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

While celebrating Christmas Eve with Sari, the Autobots fell victim to Soundwave's new scheme, where, after consuming some spiked oil nog, the Autobots were all trapped inside an elaborate virtual construct. Within this digital simulation, it appeared as though the Autobots had been mysteriously transformed into humans, and the five set off for Sumdac Tower in the hopes that Professor Sumdac could help them. While on the way there, the group stopped off at a nearby Burger-bot restaurant, where Bulkhead stuffed his face with hamburgers and wound up having to go the bathroom to deal with an embarrassing "malfunction". Finally, after taking the bus to Sumdac Tower, the team dicsovered that the Decepticons had seemingly launched a full-scale attack on Detroit! Realizing that this couldn't be real, the human Autobots were able to defeat the virtual Decepticons and revert to their true forms, only for Soundwave to directly intervene and blast them with electricity. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

Although momentarily freed when Sari damaged Soundwave's system, the Decepticon quickly regained control over the network and turned the Autobots back into humans. Ratchet explained that they needed to find Soundwave's interface with the system, and pursued an avatar of Soundwave's alternate mode throughout the city in some conveniently placed vehicles, although their driving skills were poor. They eventually cornered Soundwave in a drive-in movie theater parking lot, but Soundwave had actually trapped them there, and he succeeded in reprogramming the Autobots. Under Soundwave's control, Bulkhead battled the [[Substitute Autobot]]s and wound up getting frozen by Scrapper. Once freed from Soundwave's control, Bulkhead joined the rest of the Autobots in watching the Disposal Droids (and [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]]) clean up the city. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

[[File:DecepticonAir-Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Bulkhead and Sumdac eventually finished building a space bridge in record time, but soon got into an argument over whose fault it was that the bridge wasn't already operational. After Sari settled the matter by getting the bridge running, Optimus received a call for help from Sentinel. Bulkhead located a transwarp field on the Elite Guard flagship that they could use to transwarp Prime to the ship, though it took Sari's skill to lock the space bridge onto the field. Bulkhead was unsure if they'd be able to transwarp Optimus back to Earth, but his leader insisted on going. Before long, the transwarp field separated from the ship, and Bulkhead seriously began to doubt he could transwarp Optimus back—but Sentinel gave Optimus a direct lift back to Earth, so it wasn't necessary. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

Bulkhead eventually helped Bumblebee transwarp to the Moon in order to spy on the Decepticons. 'Bee learned of their ultimate plans for Omega Supreme and managed to open Arcee's com-link, allowing them to listen in on the Decepticons from Earth. Bulkhead and his buddy discovered that the Decepticons were almost ready and warned the others. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}} When the [[Lugnut Supreme]]s attacked Detroit, Prime ordered Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Ratchet to go to the Moon and sever Lugnut's connection to the clones, and Sari came with them. On the Moon, Bulkhead and Bumblebee took on Shockwave, while Ratchet and Sari got Arcee inside of the real Omega Supreme. Once they defeated and captured Shockwave, Bulkhead and Bumblebee took Sari to the part of the ''Nemesis'' so she could see the protoforms there for herself and better understand her origins. Bulkhead rode back to Earth on Omega Supreme to battle the Starscream Supremes, and was later stunned to hear that Prowl had sacrificed himself in order to save the city. After witnessing Optimus ultimately defeat and arrest Megatron, Bulkhead joined the Autobots when they went back to Cybertron, and he helped carry Prowl's coffin in their return victory/funeral parade. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

[[File:StunticonJob-Maincastbox.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]
''Bulkhead attended the Stunti-Con's show in Kaon, unaware that the entire affair was a Decepticon plot to break Megatron out of the nearby Trypticon Prison. Thankfully, [[Sideswipe (Animated)|Sideswipe]] and [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] interrupted the show, and with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]]'s help thwarted the Decepticons' plans.'' {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}

===Animated shorts===
[[File:BulkheadandGrimlock.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
Bulkhead saw a mime performance along with Sari and Bumblebee. Sari had to explain to the two confused Autobots what a mime was. After Bumblebee successfully upstaged said mime, the audience applauded. Bulkhead decided to join them... and clapped with such force the shockwaves and wind blew most of the crowd away, prompting Bumblebee and Sari to sneak away in the chaos. {{storylink|Mime Time}}

He played fetch with Grimlock once, using a tree. Grimlock liked that. {{storylink|Catch}}

[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] attempted to jump over him and the other Autobots as part of a stunt. {{storylink|Evel Knievel Jump}}

Bulkhead was the subject of some less-than-delicate surgery at Ratchet's hands once, with Sari playing nurse. Rather declared the operation a success, though Bulkhead wondered just what all those ''other internal parts'' lying around were all about. After a brief pause, Ratchet quickly scooped them up and stuffed them into Bulkhead's mouth, forcing him to swallow, then strolled away, whistling nonchalantly. {{storylink|Operating Table}}

{{-}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{notemultipath}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
Bulkhead met the rest of the Autobots outside [[HomeTech]]'s laboratory, after [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Prime]] was caught on camera breaking in the night before. He knocked a hole in the side of the building to allow [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and [[You|another kid]] to venture inside in search of the footage. When that line of inquiry turned up a sample of oil, the Autobots headed for HomeTech's main warehouse, where they encountered [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], the actual perpetrator behind the crime. Bulkhead helped defeat him. {{storylink|Prime Suspect (Animated)|Prime Suspect}}
====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
Bulkhead's favorite places in [[Detroit]] were the [[City Art Gallery]] and [[Detroit Sculpture Park]]. When [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] made an attempt to obtain the [[AllSpark]] by taking control of Detroit's robot workforce, the Autobots came up with a plan to hide useless copies of the AllSpark, and Bulkhead opted to head for one of those locations to hide it. [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] managed to find him at the Sculpture Park, trapped in a force field dome created by the AllSpark and, with [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]'s help, extracted him. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}
====''Web of Deception''====
When Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Prowl found the Autobot ship inactive, Bulkhead briefly considered using his wrecking ball to "nudge" a power conduit — an idea swiftly shot down by [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]. After they discovered Optimus was missing, Bulkhead set out with Bumblebee, Prowl, Sari and a friend to investigate the presence of [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]'s ship on the lake bed nearby. While fighting the bounty hunter, they discovered the involvement of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], who wanted revenge on Prime. They hunted for Blackarachnia, but Bulkhead took a moment to admire an engraving on a cave wall, which inadvertently led to them finding their foe and her downfall. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}

====''Time-Quake''====
After strange time disturbances began appearing across Detroit, the Autobots searched the city using special scanners. Bulkhead finally struck pay dirt when he encountered a time-displaced ''Tyrannosaurus rex''. After dealing with the beast, he and a [[You|human]] tracked the signal back to the [[Lions Tower]] in Detroit's financial district where they met up with Bumblebee. On the top floor, the trio found an unstable time machine, that sent Bulkhead and his human friend hurtling back through time. The pair encountered several historical figures, retrieving the time machine's two missing control spheres before returning to the twenty-second century. The culprit behind the time machine's activity turned out to be the Decepticon [[Blast-X]], whom Bulkhead subsequently defeated with a good solid punch. {{storylink|Time-Quake}}

===Titan Magazines===
[[Hasbro|Toy companies]] have made an action figure of him! {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

The Dinobots saved him and the others from [[Starscream clone (Animated)|Starscream clones]], which was good. They then didn't leave and Bulkhead's sleeping space was taken up by Grimlock, which was not good. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Dino-MIGHT!}}

Later, the Autobots were buried by the villain [[Quake-Maker]]. Bulkhead's great strength freed them from the ground, and then he ''vanished completely'' from the battle. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1|Burnout}}

On his day off, Bulkhead was dragged to a [[basketball]] game by Sari, Prowl and [[Afterburn]]. Bulkhead didn't see the point of the game and was being mistaken for a litter bin by the humans. Luckily a demented supervillain attacked Detroit and they had to leave the game—but as a diversionary tactic, the evil [[Crossroads]] blackmailed Detroit into trying to destroy the Autobots! The Autobots saw through this and intercepted the villain at [[Sumdac Tower]], with Bulkhead taking down reprogrammed security drones. After beating the villain, Bulkhead now enjoyed basketball and happily watched the game ''for no reason''. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

When the Decepticons raided the Autobot base, Bulkhead joined the gang in successfully driving them back out. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Megatron's Revenge}}

When Prowl and Bumblebee decided to have a race to see who was fastest, Bulkhead was eager to join in, much to Bumblebee's mockery. Nevertheless, off Bulkhead went... and, thanks to the other two being distracted by Decepticons, he ''won'' and was officially King of Speed. Optimus and Ratchet lifted him up in a display of victory (their shoulders hurt!). {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|The Race}}

===''The Cool'' comic===

Witnessing the mysterious Allspark being uncovered, Bulkhead along with the rest of Optimus Prime's crew fled through a space bridge gate in order to keep the artifact out of Decepticon clutches. Unfortunately, Megatron was able to board their ship and left Bulkhead defeated on the floor, leaving Optimus to deal with the Decepticon leader by himself. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 3}}

Bulkhead was among the Autobots who traveled to the [[Earth]] city of [[Detroit]] in order to protect the [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]] from the Decepticons. When [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] attacked, Bulkhead joined in the fray. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

[[File:The CoolAutobotsRevivePrime01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]

Bulkhead proved unable to prevent Starscream from seizing the AllSpark (the Decepticon snatching right out of his hands) and was subsequently helpless to defend himself from Starscream's AllSpark-powered aerial attacks. When [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] died stopping Starscream, and was quickly revived by the power of [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]]'s [[AllSpark Key|key]], Bulkhead was there to greet him. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

Bulkhead later took part in defending [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] from a Decepticon raid. He was unable to counter [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]'s aerial bombardments, however, and proved little more than a rather large target. Once the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobot]]s saved the day, however, Bulkhead saw them off along with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 3}}

After [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] buried Optimus under tons of rubble during a Detroit battle, Bulkhead aided Bumblebee in digging their leader out. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}

Bulkhead was present at [[Sumdac Systems]] headquarters when Megatron was resurrected in a new body. Megatron made short work of Bulkhead, grabbing his mace weapon and yanking him to the ground. Bulkhead survived the altercation and later joined Optimus Prime in greeting the [[Elite Guard]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 5}}

Bulkhead later joined the Autobots in a battle against [[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 6}}

Bulkhead joined in the battle for the Decepticon [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]]. When Megatron attempted to power it with Starscream's [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]] fragment, Bulkhead warned him not to, as the power would cause an overload. Bulkhead's prediction came to and he was powerless to stop the Space Bridge, which was sucking everything and everyone into itself. Luckily, [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] arrived and sacrificed himself to save the day. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

When Starscream attacked Detroit in Omega Supreme's body, Bulkhead was the first to wonder where Optimus Prime had gone to. Prowl informed him that Prime would be back soon, but until then, it was up to them to fend off the villain. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

When Optimus returned with the Magnus Hammer and his flight pack, Bulkhead stood heroically beside him, along with the rest of the Autobot crew, ready to face off against the Decepticon threat. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}

Upon Megatron's defeat, Bulkhead accompanied the rest of the Autobots back to planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where they were all hailed as heroes by the citizenry and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
[[File:KreO_Bulkhead.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.5|What [[mouthplate]]? All I see is his ''wiiide'' smile.]]

Bulkhead was one of the [[Autobot]]s who left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the ''[[Ark (Kre-O)|Ark]]'' in search for energy blocks to alleviate their hunger. Thanks to the boarding of the ''Ark'' by [[Decepticon]]s, the ''Ark'' crashed and the [[Transformer]]s fell into a four million year-long sleep. They woke up to a world filled with blocks. {{storylink|Kreon Story}}

===Precursor World===
[[File:Primus Vanguard Green Order.jpg|250px|thumb|left|]]

[[Primus Vanguard|Warriors of the Seven Lights]] resembling multiple incarnations of Bulkhead were members of the [[Green Order]]. One was taking in the natural splendor of the [[Green Planet]] when his commander [[Green Tender Convoy]] was warned of the fall of the [[Blue Order]] and the threat of the [[G1 World|interdimensional]] warlord [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Megatron Omega]] by the [[Primus Vanguard]]'s [[Primus#The old universe|eponymous supreme leader]].

Another looked on when the dimension-hopping [[Seacon (BW)|pirate]] [[Sea Phantom]] arrived to plunder the Green Order's [[Creation Matrix (GS)|Creation Matrix]].{{storylink|God Neptune comic 1}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Bill Fagerbakke]] (English)}}
[[File:TFAnimated Game Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|right|136px]]
After [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] decided some more training was in order, [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] set up the factory as an obstacle course and Prime, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and Bulkhead tackled it. No sooner had they finished than word arrived that the robots at a [[Sumdac Systems]] factory had gone haywire. They traveled there with [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and blasted their way through the rogue robots until they found the problem — an [[AllSpark]] fragment lodged in a control console. Some of the drones escaped, so Prime left to take care of them while Bumblebee and Bulkhead continued at the plant. It turned out [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] was planning to assault [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], so the three Autobots scoured the plant for more AllSpark fragments before tracking a [[Decepticon Transmitter Drone]] to the Decepticon lair.

After fighting their way into the mine, Optimus, Bumblebee and Bulkhead confronted Megatron, who TransWarped out after they managed to defeat him. The Autobots used the AllSpark fragments they'd gathered to power up Megatron's Space Bridge and step through, however on arrival, Optimus and Bulkhead realized that Bumblebee had been left behind when the Space Bridge closed. They searched fruitlessly for Megatron until Bumblebee arrived, having found a way to repower the bridge. Bulkhead intercepted a Decepticon transmission indicating that the Decepticons had captured a bunch of Space Bridges, and the trio made their way to the Space Bridge Nexus, where they used Cybertron's defense system against him. Megatron was again forced to flee. The Autobots returned to Earth, where Bulkhead announced that he needed a nice long stasis nap. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Animated: ''Action Packs''===
{{note|Bulkhead is featured as a playable game card. He is a green card, has a value of 9 points, and has no additional powers.}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Action Packs}}

==Toys==
===''Animated''===
====Voyager Class====
[[File:TFAnimated Voyager Bulkhead toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|right|And the world wants his kibble to turn into a chair. ''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[File:AnimatedVoyagerBulkheadJapan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Then new villains came along, and blew away his powers! Bulkhead was in a fix, and now has gone Metallix! ''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Voyager Class, [[2008]] / 2010)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name'': '''Ironhide'''
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TA-03'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[March 27]], 2010
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)}}

: Released in the first wave of Hasbro's ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Transformers Animated]]'' Voyagers, Bulkhead transforms from an armored, six-wheeled military-type van into a [[robot mode]] that is a bit on the short side for a Voyager, due to the stout, stocky nature of the character. The toy features two "[[Automorph Technology|automorph]]"-style gimmicks in its transformation: after flipping down the back doors, pulling down on them retracts a pair of black tabs holding his arms into pace, allowing them to spring forward into position; and moving his chest into place automatically causes a panel to flip over, exposing his head.

: The figure's left arm contains the character's signature gimmick, his wrecking ball. A concealed lever activates a pressure-launch system that fires the ball, which is attached to Bulkhead's arm by a sturdy string. Bulkhead's right arm, meanwhile, features a rather strange gimmick: after straightening the arm at the elbow, pressing the black lever on the upper arm causes Bulkhead's forearm to flip upwards. It ''might'' be an uppercut or some other sort of punch attack (although mentioned in the ''Transformers Animated "Starting Dash"'' DVD Promo as a "punching action"), but whatever this feature is supposed to be, it is not mentioned in either the toy's instructions, or on its packaging.

: [https://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/animated/bulkhead/1355/1/ A pre-release sample] features a normal expression before it was changed in the final product.

: No, his kibble can't transform into a chair. ''Aww''.

: The [[TakaraTomy]] version of Bulkhead (titled "Ironhide"), also (and naturally) released in their [[Transformers Animated (toyline)#TakaraTomy Animated toyline|''Animated'' line]], replaces all his matte green with a blueish green, coats the majority of it with ''very'' shiny metallic green paint, and replaces his silver Autobot symbol with a more traditional red and white one. It's kind of a lot.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/Bulkhead/bulkhead.htm More information on Voyager Bulkhead at TFU.info]

{{-}}{{anchor|RockinBattle}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1d1|'''Hard Sound Showdown: Ironhide / Soundwave''' (VS pack, [[2010]])}}</ul>
:*''Release date'': [[April 24]], 2010

: In the Takara ''Animated'' line, "Ironhide" was also available in a "Hard Sound Showdown" (剛音の対決, ''go-on no taiketsu'', also called "Rockin' On Battle" on English on the box-back) two-pack with [[Soundwave (Animated)#Toys|Soundwave]].

: Released in the second wave of ''Animated'' product, both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|Mudbuster}}
[[File:AnimatedVoyMudbusterBulkhead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Bulkhead, el Hijo del Acero. LUUUCHAAARAAAAN!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Mudbuster Bulkhead''' (Voyager Class, <s>2010</s>)}}</ul>

: A [[redeco]] of the original Bulkhead in green and black, with caution stripes on the sides of the vehicle.

: At ''least'' one "Mudbuster Bulkhead" test-shot ended up in reviewer hands in [[2009]] before the figure was ultimately canceled. Supposedly it also went by the working name "Workzone Bulkhead".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6A2N4ry4fQ&ab_channel=peaugh YouTube review of the unreleased Voyager Class Mudbuster Bulkhead toy.]</ref>
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

====Leader Class====
{{anchor|Leader}}
[[File:TFAnimated Leader Bulkhead toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Tired of being known as "the big guy with a gentle heart", Bulkhead became more trigger happy than [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]]. (''Hasbro version pictured'')]]
[[File:TFAnimated Leader Bulkhead toy TakaraTomy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|right|<big>'''''NOBODY CALLS ME TUBBY!'''''</big><br>(''TakaraTomy version pictured'')]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Leader, 2008 / 2010)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name'': '''Ironhide'''
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TA-43'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[October 2]], 2010
:*''Accessories'': Four "air torpedoes", [[Headmaster unit]]
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)}}

: This version of Bulkhead, released in the first wave of ''Animated'' Leaders, is decidedly more heavily armed than others, sporting several rather uncharacteristic weapons over his body; designer [[Eric Siebenaler]] envisioned them as alterations the [[Headmaster (Animated)|Headmaster]] would have made if he had possessed Bulkhead's body longer.<ref>[http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html Derrick Wyat Q&A] on tf_animated LJ community.</ref> Additions to his arsenal include a double-barreled turret for his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], two missile racks (one per arm, each holding two removable "air torpedoes"), and a buzzsaw in his right hand which spins when a black tab on his forearm is pressed. He ''doesn't'' have a wrecking ball, but his other hand does feature a "grabby" action, allowing you to clench and open his fingers by sliding a tab in his arm.

: Bulkhead is outfitted with a significant array of electronic light and sound gimmicks. Pressing the Autobot insignia on his chest in robot mode causes his head to turn and his mouth to open as he speaks one of three sound clips—"Sorry, my bad", "You can do it, buddy!", and "Time for the big guns!"—accompanied by flashing yellow lights in his chest, shoulders and eyes. During transformation, when the vehicle mode turret is snapped into or out of place, the classic transformation sound effect plays as his lights flash. In vehicle mode, pressing the Autobot insignia activates a siren noise, which lasts as long as the button is held down and is accompanied by flashing red LEDs that illuminate his vehicle's light bar. Bulkhead also comes packaged with the Headmaster unit, which can fit over the figure's head, altering his sound and changing his yellow lights to red, except for his eyes. Once in place, the Headmaster will scream "Ownage! Total ownage!", and all of Bulkhead's lights flash, illuminating the villain's translucent horns. This is the Headmaster's only phrase; pressing Bulkhead's insignia repeats the effects. The Headmaster accessory fits over all other Leader class figures, but only changes the lights and speech of Bulkhead.

: The packaging photography and lineart indicate that Bulkhead's electronic lights shine a more [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] blue (well, accurate for his eyes, anyway). The final produced toy has yellow lights instead, because blue LEDs are apparently really expensive.

: ''This'' version of Bulkhead ''can'' transform his kibble into a chair! Hooray!

: The TakaraTomy version of the toy, released in the ninth wave of their ''Animated'' line, is quite the exception to the usual trend of "brighter, shinier decos". Instead, this one actually goes for "grubbier, dulle decor". Ironhide now features "dirt-wash" [[Paint operation|paint application]]s on his green parts, as well as painted mud on his feet. (The Headmaster unit is still pristine, though.)

: This mold was used to make the second prize of the [[Hasbro UK exclusive limited Edition Handmade Samples]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/LeaderBulkhead/bulkhead.htm More information on Leader Bulkhead at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

====Activators====
{{anchor|Activator}}
[[File:TFAnimated Activators Bulkhead.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|right|"Whoa, I thought I was super-deformed ''before''..."]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Activator, 2008)}}</ul>
{{toydesigner|[[Bill Rawley]] (Hasbro)}}

: Part of the first wave of ''Animated'' [[Activators]], Bulkhead autotransforms from a compressed version of a SWAT military van into his robot form when the middle siren bar is pressed. The vehicle mode lacks the back section's doors and bumper to better accommodate the gimmick, which leaves his [[robot mode]]'s hands sticking out. Unlike all other Activators, Bulkhead lacks knee articulation.

: His kibble is unable to become a chair as well. '''''Awww'''''. Unless you take the backpiece and switch it around and have him sit on it in a kind of... warped way.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/ActBulkhead/bulkhead.htm More information on Activators Bulkhead at TFU.info]

{{-}}{{anchor|AnimatedSuperCollection}}
[[File:AnimatedSuperCollectionVol2Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Unfortunately, Starscream isn't here to do jelly-fishing with Bulky.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1d1|'''Animated Super Collection Vol. 2''' (Multi-pack, 2010)}}</ul>
:*''Release date'': [[October 2]], 2010

: Released in the ninth wave of TakaraTomy's ''Aniamted'' line, the "Animated Super Collection Vol. 2" giftset contained very slight redecos of Activators Bulkhead, [[Bumblebee (Animated)#Activators|Bumblebee]], [[Grimlock (Animated)#Activators|Grimlock]] and [[Starscream (Animated)#Activators|Starscream]]. Bulkhead's insignia went from silver to a more traditional red and white.

: While the stock photography of the individual toys showed Animated Super Collection Bulkhead as being a darker green than its American counterpart, this seems to have been a trick of the lighting, as the released toy remained its standard color.
{{-}}

====Bumper Battlers====
{{anchor|BumperBattler}}
[[File:BumperBattlers Bulkhead toy.JPG|upright=1.67|thumb|right|Bulkhead now knows how [[Han Solo]] feels.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Bumper Battler, 2008)}}</ul>
{{toydesigner|[[Vickie Stratford]] (Hasbro)}}

: Bulkhead is part of the second wave of [[Bumper Battlers]]. Pressing on the vehicle mode's front bumper activates electronic noises and pops up the roof, revealing a relief of Bulkhead's robot form. Pressing on the Autobot [[Insignia|faction symbol]] on the hood activates a randomly-assembled collection of sound effects and voice samples.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/BBBulkhead/bulkhead.htm More information on Bumper Battlers Bulkhead at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Workzone}}
[[File:AniBumperBattlersWorkzoneBulkhead.jpg|thumb|Now all he needs are some tiny ninja turtles.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Workzone Bulkhead''' (Bumper Battler, 2009)}}</ul>
{{toydesigner|[[Vickie Stratford]] (Hasbro)}}

: This construction-themed [[redeco]] of Bumper Battlers Bulkhead was relased in the fifth wave of Bumper Battlers.

: However, this wave, which includes [[Jazz (Animated)#BumperBattlerStealthNinja|Stealth Ninja Jazz]], functionally never made it to US shelves. It saw release in Australian stores, and eventually saw some ''extremely'' limited release in North America (Canada and the US) in 2010.<ref>http://www.unicron.com/sightings/item_view.php?itemID=1409</ref>
{{-}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-Toy BulkheadKreon.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Why does my jaw feel so weak?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Micro-Changer, 2013)}}</ul>
:*''Collection'': '''2'''
:*''Bag number'': '''***** 66'''
:*''Accessories'': Logo brick (2013 release), logo plate (2015 release), 2 clip-on rifles
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

: As part of the second wave of ''[[Kre-O]]'' [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] [[Kreon]] [[Micro-Changer]]s, Bulkhead can be rebuilt into a military vehicle of some sort. He uses the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet.

: Care must be taken from his vehicle mode: His face's tampograph (which it serves as his bumper joint) is prone for being scratched off if the toy's vehicle mode is "rolled" on the flat surface. Try to replace it with a black/grey 1x1 cylinder block will amend this, or you can just turn the head around and make sure to lift the cockpit off before taking the head off again.

: This Collection was still in circulation at "dollar" stores and drug stores up through 2015. They eventually lost the individual-identifying bag codes, but other changes were hidden inside the bag. The 2015 releases replaced the 2x4 logo stand-brick with a new 3x4 logo plate. The Kreon was also given the slight [[retool]]ing to the arm seen in the 2014 Kreons, making the "cuff" parts more sharp-cornered and better adapted to being used as studs. Some of the add-on pieces may also be slightly off-color, possibly due to a change in factories in mid-production.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/Kre-OBulkhead/bulkhead.htm More information on Bulkhead at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{Anchor|2016}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Bulkhead''' (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2016)}}</ul>
:*''Collection'': '''2'''
:*''Accessories'': Logo plate, 2 clip-on rifles

: In 2016, Collection 2 was re-released in a whole new production run for Dollar General stores in the US as part of a large collection of re-released ''Kre-O'' sets. But where most of these releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals; Bulkhead's olive plastic is particularly lighter than his first release. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Bulkhead's [[tampograph]]s also got a bit of a tweak, changing the "toe" paint to black, the tummy-grille gray to shiny silver, and adding a white outline to his Autobot symbol.

: Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
[[File:TFA-Board-Game-Bulkhead-figurine.jpg|upright=1|thumb]]
*'''Transformers Animated Game Collection''' (2008)

: Released as part of the board game set, this Bulkhead is a (very) show-accurate, but out-of-scale mini-figure figure based on his animation model.

: Bulkhead is also sold with Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and Prowl minifigures, and of course: 3 board games (''Transformers Animated Game'', Checkers, and Tic Tac Toe), and a 100-piece puzzle.

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:RedBulkhead.jpg|thumb|right|Bulkred. Redhead? [[Big Red (G1)|Big Red]]! Wyatt totally got paid for this.]]

* Bulkhead's design and demeanor likely owe themselves to Crunch from ''{{w|Mighty Orbots}}'', a series [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] has admitted as being an inspiration.

* {{w|Patrick Star|Another}} big lug with a [[Bill Fagerbakke|similar]] voice, Bulkhead is best friends with a {{w|SpongeBob SquarePants (character)|little}} [[Bumblebee (Animated)|yellow guy]]. Obviously this analogy [[Tom Kenny|only goes]] [[Starscream (Animated)|so far]].

* Upon seeing a red [[Prototype|test shot]] of Bulkhead's ''Voyager''-class toy, Derrick J. Wyatt recolored a Bulkhead character model in the test shot's colors—on company time!<ref>http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2007/09/bulkhead-toy.html</ref>

* After his reformatting into his APC mode, Bulkhead's robot mode [[kibble]] changes from the ''front'' of his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] (where it forms the scoop of the bulldozer) to the ''back'', where it forms the doors of the truck.
[[File:Bulkheadchair.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|right|The next step in Transformers evolution is here!]]

* Bulkhead can form his [[kibble]] into a chair. This is awesome.

* Bulkhead has a storage place in his chest which opens in at least two ways, like a drawer or like a door.

* Bulkhead's eyes can extend from his face and act as a microscope, as shown in "[[Rise of the Constructicons]]". This is slightly strange, but also awesome.

* In spite of the visual differences, it would appear that rather than simply swapping out his hands for his signature wrecking balls, Bulkhead's hands actually transform to ''become'' the wrecking balls. Although most episodes show his hand simply retract and then be replaced by the ball, a few instances show it actually stay in place, blur and change into the ball. Furthermore, in cases where Bulkhead has had the tether-line of his wrecking ball severed, he remains conspicuously handless until the ball is re-attached, such as in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]" and "[[Megatron Rising - Part 2]]".

* Bulkhead's vehicle mode design was used as the basis for [[Blurr (G1)|Generation 1 Blurr]]'s personal transport in ''[[Spotlight: Blurr]]''.

* Of all the vehicles that Teletran 1 scanned, the SWAT vehicle Bulkhead was reformatted into was the only one that didn't match his color scheme.

* Bulkhead's vehicle form strongly resembles a futuristic version of the real world: "2007 DURO IIIP 6x6 (Protected Military Tactical Vehicle)" made by General Dynamics: European Land Systems (MOWAG). This mode also has some design traits from the "Unimog" by Volvo.

*For the Japanese release of ''Animated'', Bulkhead was renamed "Ironhide" to keep the names of the primary ''Animated'' Autobots consistent with the names of the primary [[Transformers (film)|Movie]] Autobots. ''Animated'' [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] was in turn renamed "Armorhide" to escape confusion.

*[[TakaraTomy]] marketing director [[Masahiko Yamazaki]] <ref>Figure Ō #144 magazine interview</ref> stated that Bulkhead actually ''was'' [[Ironhide (Movie)|Movie Ironhide]], as Animated was supposed to be reworked in order to take place within Movie continuity, and Bulkhead would have his "world view" modified appropriately. The actual ''dub'' of the series contradicted Yamazaki's statements, as Bulkhead remained a big dumb lug as opposed to a psychotic gun enthusiast. In fact, he was played off as even ''dumber'' than in the English version, being prone to screaming things such as "Mommy!" when frightened. The only documented change to Bulkhead to make him more similar to Movie Ironhide was a brief statement in his TakaraTomy online bio, which said that he was "something of a weapons specialist".<ref>http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/animated/ta03.html</ref>

*Bulkhead has the honor of being one of the few Autobots whose name Megatron actually remembers, the others being Ultra Magnus, Omega Supreme, and eventually, Optimus Prime.

*In the ''Transformers Animated'' profile shorts, Bulkhead is introduced to the audience by Optimus in "[[Meet Bulkhead]]" and likewise introduces Prowl in "[[Meet Prowl]]".

*An almost-realized [[BotCon]] [[exclusive]] from [[Fun Publications]] was a redeco of [[#Voyager Class|Voyager Class Bulkhead]] into [[Strika (Animated)|Strika]].<ref>[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14br.html BotCon 2014 attendee report]</ref>

*In fellow Derrick J. Wyatt-produced show ''Ben 10 Omniverse'', a Bulkhead toy can be seen in the background of [[Ben 10|Ben]]'s bedroom.

*In the unproduced fourth season, Bulkhead would have remained on Cybertron with Sari while Ironhide took his place.
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ironhide''' (アイアンハイド ''Aianhaido'')
*''Russian:'' '''Tverdoloby''' (Твердолобый, "Hard Head")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Demolitions specialists]]
[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Green Order]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]

BBC

2025-09-12T03:12:41Z

Electrofrost: I prefer a bit more wit.

Grand Maximus

2025-09-12T03:05:40Z

Electrofrost: /* Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers */

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Grand Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Pretender]] [[Titan (group)|Titan]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Grandmax cartoon.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|I am my sister city's brother and so is he.]]
'''Grand Maximus''' (グランドマキシマス ''Gurando Makishimasu'') is the younger [[Relatives|brother]] of [[Autobot]] [[Supreme Commander]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. He was among the Autobot refugees who fled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] four million years ago under the leadership of his brother, and like his sibling, became a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] when they crash-landed on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. Grand Maximus's mental functions are contained in his smallest component, '''Gran''' (グラン ''Guran''), who connects to a larger [[Transtector]] named '''Grand''' (グランド ''Gurando'') to boost his strength to normal Transformer levels. Just like his bro, he pilots a ''Maximus'' battleship, which serves as a second transtector with which Grand combines to form "Grand Maximus". Though they seem virtually identical in all other respects, Grand Maximus is significantly smaller than his titanic elder brother, only a bit taller than [[Ginrai (human)|God Ginrai]] in robot mode and with room for just a couple of human-[[scale]] rooms at most in his starship form.

Grand seems to be a bit of a loner, who prefers the solitude of outer space to being tied down to any one planet or team. After becoming a Headmaster, he opted not to remain on Master with the other Transformers, joining up with a group of Autobots under the command of [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] and travelling space with them. Alongside Metalhawk's crew, Grand crash-landed on Neolithic [[Earth]] and adopted [[Pretender]] capabilities, endowing himself with the ability to transform into a human form.<ref>"[[Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super-Secrets!]]"</ref> After centuries of working with Metalhawk to battle a group of Decepticons on Earth and guide the evolution of the burgeoning humanity, however, Grand again felt the lure of outer space, and now operates among the space-based Autobot forces battling the Decepticons across [[Athenia]] and [[Chaar]].

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Super God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[File:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|thumb|So distorted it confused the wiki.]]
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese), [[Rik Thomas]] (English, Omni Productions dub), [[Simon Broad]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}

In the early 21st Century, Grand Maximus and his Autobots were locked in battle with the Decepticons somewhere in space. Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Grand Maximus's Autobots, Grand did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Grand sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

[[File:Grand pretender.jpg|left|thumb|Behold! With my pretender shell, I can disguise myself as... a robot. Wait, why did I bother again?]]
When the space-based Autobots discovered that [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] was headed for Earth, Grand Maximus was dispatched to alert Metalhawk's Autobots, still on the planet. Entering Earth's atmosphere with his battleship cloaked from sight, Grand met with Metalhawk, [[Lander]] and [[Diver (G1)|Diver]] atop a mountain, where he supplied them with the plans and materials to construct "[[Godbomber]]". This drone would endow the Autobots' mightiest warrior, [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]], with the ability to fly and fight in space, thereby allowing him to stop BlackZarak before he reached Earth. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}} Grand Maximus subsequently headed back into space to keep an eye on the situation, and as the "Bomber Project" was nearing completion, Grand radioed the Autobots on Earth to inform them that BlackZarak was headed for the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} With the construction of Godbomber complete, Ginrai wasted no time in heading for the moon and engaging BlackZarak and [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] in battle. Ginrai did not fare well, but soon Grand Maximus arrived to join the fight, and with their combined might, the Autobot duo was able to defeat the two Decepticons. BlackZarak fled back into space, and Grand Maximus gave chase, assuring Ginrai that he could take care of things. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}}

Video footage of Grand Maximus's battle eventually made its way into the hands of Clouder and the Department of Defense. {{storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}}

[[File:Grandmax shipmode.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|New Battleship Maximus - no really, that's what it's called]]
In the weeks that followed, BlackZarak mastered the art of localized gravity manipulation, enabling him to create powerful black holes that he could use to teleport himself around the galaxy. While pursuing his foe, Grand Maximus was trapped within one of these black holes, exerting all his energy just to hold steady against its pull and prevent himself from being drawn into the heart of the singularity and obliterated. Down on Earth, meanwhile, the Decepticon had succeeded in destroying the Autobots' base, prompting Ginrai to contact Grand in hopes that his battleship could be employed as a new headquarters. When Grand, trapped in the black hole, did not respond to his communiqué, Ginrai headed into space to investigate, only to be pulled into the black hole as well and wind up trapped alongside Grand. Luckily, the pair were able to draw on the electromagnetic waves of the black hole to re-energize themselves, and they then combined their energy into a massive blast of [[Chōkon Power]] that destroyed the black hole from the inside out. Freed, the pair immediately headed to Earth, where BlackZarak had already joined up with the Decepticons and cut a swathe of destruction across the planet. Merging their energies once more, Grand and Ginrai were able to defeat Overlord and BlackZarak again, and the villains pulled out of the fight. {{storylink|BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space}}

[[File:Grand cartoon.jpg|left|142px|thumb|Blink and you'll miss him.]]
While the Autobots were searching Earth for the Decepticons, Grand Maximus detected the villains heading into space, and transported the Autobots in pursuit of them aboard his battleship. The Autobots discovered that the Decepticons were preparing to unleash the deadly [[Death Para-Machine]] against Earth, but thankfully, Ginrai was able to destroy the evil device before irreparable damage was done to the planet's atmosphere. As it exploded, however, a single blast escaped the Death-Para Machine and struck Grand's battleship, knocking its tachyon converter offline and sending it plummeting down to Earth. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] risked his life to save the day by donning one of the ship's jetpacks and repairing the converter, rescuing the ship at the last moment. {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction}}

[[File:Godginrai vs blackzarak.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Left leg blue, right fist black...]]
Grand Maximus later battled BlackZarak in [[Moscow]], {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}}
and then transported the Autobots aboard his battleship for a full-scale assault on the Decepticon base, during which BlackZarak and the Decepticon ruler [[Devil Z]] fused into one being. {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}} The merged BlackZarak/Devil Z entity soon began bombarding North America with his [[Devil Power]], which Grand Maximus traced to the [[Grand Canyon]]. {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}} There, Ginrai was again confronted by Overlord, but Grand Maximus ended the protracted battle by blasting Overlord out of the sky so that Ginrai could focus on more important matters. The Decepticons retreated before the battle could go any further {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}} but the Autobots quickly pursued them to the Matterhorn, where Grand Maximus held back to protect the injured Metalhawk and [[Headmaster Junior]]s while Ginrai engaged BlackZarak in final battle. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} As Ginrai clashed with BlackZarak, Grand lent his aid by opening fire on the villain, but was blasted out of the sky when he was distracted by the sight of Overlord's Transtector being brought to life by Devil Z's power. As the now-living Overlord attempted to join BlackZarak's battle with Ginrai, Grand Maximus transformed to robot mode and kept
him occupied while Ginrai used his Final Fire Guts attack to finally destroy both BlackZarak and Devil Z. With the death of the villain, all the Autobots' Transtectors were also brought to life, and Grand Maximus soon transported them back into space to rejoin their respective factions. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
{{-}}

====''Legends'' comic====
At the [[G Nebula 89]] transtector factory, Grand Maximus spearheaded the "Super Convoy Project", creating another transtector to resurrect [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in. However, the Decepticons led by Overlord attacked, and he was forced to make the former Decepticon Headmaster Juniors, who had stowed away in an attempt to get new transtectors, seek safety in the [[Legends World]]. He contacted [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|his brother]], who was residing there in the meantime, and guilted him into accepting the stowaways. As a parting gift, Grand gave the humans new Headmaster-Braces. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} During another of Overlord's attacks on the factory, Grand Maximus fought on the frontlines and ordered [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] to join him. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|Bonus Edition Vol. 39}} He was present when Ginrai visited the base to have Godbomber upgraded. {{storylink|TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|Late Xmas Present Chapter}}

In anticipation for the return of BlackZarak, Grand built a second Maximus transtector that matched Fortress's in size, using it to travel to the Legends World when BlackZarak reemerged there under Devil Z's control. When Devil Z mocked his human Pretender shell, Grand voiced his belief in the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]'s vision that true peace would be achieved when organic and mechanical life were one, explaining that he was doing his part in the Transformers' evolution towards this goal. Fortress protested against Grand's new transtector as he lacked the training to control such a massive body, but Grand, wanting to prove himself just as beneficial to the cause as his brother, merged with it anyway and did battle with Devil Z, defeating him. After urging the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] to cease their attempts at destroying the Legends World, he collapsed from the strain of controlling the transtector and was left amazed by his brother's aptitude. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Grand Maximus}}

When Scorponok threatened all of the Legends World with plasma energy bombs, Grand Maximus helped evacuate the population to the OG World in his battleship. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}} The refugees traveled to different points in time, however, meaning they waited until 2038 to begin planning the reconstruction of the Legends World. The [[Powered Master]]s were needed for the project, but they had been possessed by [[Violengiguar]] and began attacking [[Micro|Zone]]. Grand Maximus joined his brother and many other Supreme Commanders of the Autobots' past in racing to aid the Zone Base. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One}} They were nearly overwhelmed by [[Novaroid]] attackers and the [[Vok Galaman]] of [[Dark Nova]], but Grand Maximus and Fortress Maximus supported each other to continue fighting. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
Grand Maximus was on stage among other high-ranking Autobots when the injured [[Star Saber (G1)|Victory Saber]] passed the mantle of Supreme Commander to [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Super-God Masterforce'' comic===
[[File:Grandmax manga.jpg|left|thumb|Insert random white space here]]
After the Earth and space-based Autobot forces consolidated their power to battle the Decepticons on both fronts, Grand Maximus joined with [[Raiden]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]], [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] in pursuing Decepticon commander BlackZarak to Earth. Although the Headmasters didn't fare too well in battle with the mighty Decepticon, God Ginrai arrived to defeat BlackZarak and send him fleeing back into space. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Divine Combination!}}

When Decepticons kidnapped Shūta and Cab, Grand Maximus was occupied battling BlackZarak and [[Darkwings]] in space with the Autobot [[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmaster]]s, but was able to make it to Earth to help Ginrai battle Overlord during the rescue mission. Grand didn't beat around the bush, crashing his battleship straight into Overlord's face, and then giving Ginrai his [[Master Blade (Masterforce)|Master Blade]], with which he sent the villain fleeing. {{storylink|The Good and Evil Families of Earth}}

[[File:MFpretendershell bigmode.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Make my monster grow!]]
Grand Maximus and the Autobots were required to depart Earth aboard Grand's battleship when the space-based Autobot forces developed a new weapon known as the [[VX Bomb]], and the Decepticons initiated a major attack in their absence. Grand Maximus sped back to Earth with the VX Bomb on board, and he and the Godmasters occupied BlackZarak while Ginrai used the weapon to defeat Overlord. {{storylink|Life or Death? The Desperate Divine Combination!}}

During a Decepticon attack on a city, Grand Maximus transported the Autobots into battle, but then surprised everyone when he took an
unexpected, unconventional hand in the fight by transforming into his human form ''without'' shrinking down. After defeating Overlord and BlackZarak with a "Big Mode Pretender Shell Power Kick", Grand explained to the surprised Ginrai that, in ancient times, the
Pretenders did not shrink when they adopted their human forms, remaining gigantic and inspiring legends of giants among early man. Back then, Grand opined, mankind learned from the Transformers, but now, Transformers and mankind were truly equals. {{storylink|The Great Turnabout of the Autobots}}

[[File:Grand and gran.jpg|left|thumb|My mini-me ''is'' me.]]
During Ginrai's final battle with the Decepticons, the villains' evil ruler Devil Z turned upon his minions, seeking to drain their
Jinchōkon in order to become the ultimate lifeform. The Autobot Pretenders arrived in time to save them, with Grand Maximus and the whole Autobot force in tow. The Decepticons joined with the Autobots against Devil Z, and both armies boarded Grand Maximus, combining their energies in the "Perfect Transform Attack". Charged with the energies of all the Transformers, Grand Maximus collided with Devil Z, destroying the evil alien once and for all. With Devil Z's death, all the Autobots' Transtectors came to life as true super-robot lifeforms, and Grand led them all off Earth to rejoin the Autobots and Decepticons in space. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Life-Forms}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Gran was one of the three [[Cyberdroid]] controllers of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], storing the remains of [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]'s consciousness. Gran was one of the prime goals of a [[Resistance (BWU)|Resistance]] team led by [[Cybershark]] as he was a treasure trove of intelligence. After storming Fortress Maximus's control room and killing [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]] and [[Galen|Kord]], the team escaped with [[Bighorn]] carrying Gran on his shoulder, their mission a success. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Super-God Masterforce}}
[[File:Grandmax toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|All he needs is a [[Micromaster]], [[Powermaster]], and a [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] and he'll be PERFECT.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (Headmaster, [[1988]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-311'''
:*''Accessories'': "Gran" Headmaster figure, "Grand" Headmaster Transtector, Grand's Pretender Shell, [[Cog (Masterforce)|"Onomisu", "Koka"]], "Proton Master Rifle", "Dual Laser Cannon", Grand's "Heat Blaster", Cog's laser rifle, 2 "Laser Arms", "Master Radar", "Master Blade", "Grand Sword"
{{toydesigner|[[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Released in the fourth year of Takara's ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' line under the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1988 (Super-God Masterforce)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' banner, Grand Maximus is a [[redeco]] of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Toys|Fortress Maximus]], one of the largest Transformer toys ever at 22" tall. Grand Maximus transforms from robot to city to battleship, with a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks available in all modes. His left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. His right leg has a small "medical bay" storage compartment. His torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for Grand's "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to the central ramp to be launched in his altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm has a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Grand Maximus's head can be removed and transformed into a robot called Grand. This component also transforms into a communications room that combines with Grand Maximus's city and battleship modes. Grand can additionally fit inside an included pretender shell. This shell, unlike most other Autobot shells, was robotic in appearance rather than human, although ''Masterforce'' fiction gave the figure a human face behind a robotic visor to better fit in with the other Pretenders in the series. Grand's head can also be removed and transformed into a smaller robot, known as Gran.

: Two smaller vehicles, Onomisu and Koka, fit into the toe areas of the Grand Maximus robot. They can combine into the robot [[Cog (Masterforce)#Toys|Cog]]. Also included were a gun for Cog, a "Heat Blaster" gun and "[[Master Blade (Masterforce)|Master Blade]]" sword for Grand, which could be held in either robot or Pretender mode, and two larger guns—the "Proton Master Rifle" and "Dual Laster Cannon"—and the huge "Grand Sword" for Grand Maximus.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)#Car Robots|Brave Maximus]] and his ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' release as "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)#Robotmasters|Cybertron Base]]". Grand's Pretender shell was reused to make [[Megatron (G1)/Generations toys#Combiner Wars|Double Pretender Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandmaximus.htm More information on Grand Maximus at TFU.info]''

====''Transform Jr''====
[[File:Grandmax jr.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Albino Maximus]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (1988)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-311'''
:*''Accessories''" "Grand" Headmaster figure, gun, ramp, "laser block"

:''[[Transform Jr]]'' Grand Maximus is a [[redeco]] of ''Transform Jr'' Fortress Maximus, and a heavily simplified version of the larger mold. And we ''mean'' simplified – he only transforms to battleship mode, which involves little more than pulling the head off and laying the figure down. The head does transform into Grand, at least, although overall, the toy doesn't really ''look'' like Grand Maximus, decorated as it is solely in whites and red, without a hint of teal in sight. Grand Maximus is arguably the rarest and most sought after Transform Jr toy.
{{-}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:TF-Legends-LGEX-Grand-Maximus.jpg|upright=2.66|thumb|Micromaster and Powermaster (and Pretender Suit) sadly not included.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (Titan class, [[2018]])}}
:*''ID Number'': '''LG-EX'''
:*''Release date'': [[March 31]] 2018
:*''Accessories'': Gran Headmaster unit, Grand Transtector, 2 leg guns, gun turret, Grand Sword (three pieces), <s>Grand's Pretender Suit, gatling gun</s>

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Grand Maximus is a redeco of ''Legends'' [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Legends|Fortress Maximus]], which is a slight retool of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#SDCC2016|SDCC 2016 ''Titans Return'' Titan Class mold]]. Like Fortress Maximus, he transforms from a large robot into a city base and to a battleship mode and back, and his larger head transforms into a Deluxe-sized Transtector Grand. Other than his Transtector, the Gran headmaster unit can interact with any Deluxe-or-larger ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]''-style figure. Like Fortress Maximus, Grand features a new voicebox that features Ikuya Sawaki's newly-recorded phrases. Unlike ''Legends'' Fortress Maximus, Grand Maximus' legs aren't glued together.

:Grand Maximus was released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive; he was available for preorder starting [[October 11]] at 12:00 am until [[November 2]] at 1:00 pm. A minimum of 2000 orders were required for the figure to be produced, this target was reached on [[October 27]]. Upon 3000 preorders or more, he would have included a [[:File:Legends-LGEX-Gran-bonus-Pretender-Suit.jpg|new Pretender Suit]] retooled from ''Power of the Primes'' [[Cloudburst#Generations|Micronus's decoy armor]], presumably intended for [[Waverider]], which can transform into a weapon, store Gran's Headmaster, or attach to a [[Prime Master]] in weapon mode. Unfortunately, preorders did not reach this level within the three-week deadline.

:This mold also served as the model for the non-toy character [[Neo Brave Maximus]].
{{GenerationsMetroplex}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''Super Collection Figure''===
[[File:SCF Grand Maximus.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|If you don't care for pewter figs, the 6:2 ratio is in your favor. If you're a completist like the guy who took these pics? Wailing and gnashing of teeth.]]
*'''Convoy (C)''' ([[2002]])
*'''Hot Rodimus''' ([[2002]])
*'''Ramjet''' ([[2002]])
*'''Ratchet''' ([[2002]])
*'''Soundblaster''' ([[2002]])
*'''Thrust''' ([[2002]])
**''Act'': '''6'''

:Grand Maximus was the "Build-A-Figure" from the sixth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' line of [[Plastic|PVC]] figurines. Naturally enough, he was a redeco of the previous year's [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Super Collection Figure|Fortress Maximus]] Build-A-Figure, with new hands and no sword. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the metallic silver "pewter" versions of the six individual figures in the line (the regular color versions of the figures did not come with any of Grand's parts). His head was included with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/merchandise#SCFMegatrongun|Optimus Prime]], his body with [[Hot Rod (G1)/merchandise#SCFHotRodimus|Hot Rod]], his left arm with [[Thrust (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Thrust]], his right arm with [[Ramjet (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Ramjet]], his left leg with [[Ratchet (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Ratchet]] and his right leg with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#SCFSoundblaster|Soundblaster]].

: Each of the parts was available in standard full-color (at a rate of six out of every ten cases), and rare "pewter" (only two out of every ten cases) versions, making two versions of Grand Maximus to assemble. The two cases out of ten without Grand Maximus parts instead each had one of that Act's two "[[chase figure|Secret Figures]]", [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|metallic Galvatron]] or [[Dirge (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Dirge]].

: The pewter version of the figure has a potential problem with connector peg breakage, due to said pegs often getting a layer of pewter paint before being forced into a socket, leading to sticking and tearing. Care should be used when moving or removing the arms; shaving down the socket interior with a thin hobby knife is usually sufficient to fix the issue.

:This Act was seemingly in shorter supply than the others before and since, and is not terribly common on the secondary market.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandmaximus.htm More information on ''Super Collection Figure'' Grand Maximus at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Though he never uses his Pretender abilities to take on human mode in any media (echoing his toy's unique lack of a removable helmet) close ups of his face in the ''Masterforce'' cartoon—showing a human face within his helmet—confirm that he has one.

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Fortress Maximus''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Grand Maximus''' (diminutive '''Maximus'''; [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''Italian:'' '''Fortress Maximus'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Jùwúbà Gélán''' (巨无霸格兰, "Maximus Grand")

==See also==
*[[Maximus (disambiguation)|Other uses of "Maximus"]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Zone Autobots]]

Grand Maximus

2025-09-12T03:05:15Z

Electrofrost: /* Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers */

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Grand Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Pretender]] [[Titan (group)|Titan]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Grandmax cartoon.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|I am my sister city's brother and so is he.]]
'''Grand Maximus''' (グランドマキシマス ''Gurando Makishimasu'') is the younger [[Relatives|brother]] of [[Autobot]] [[Supreme Commander]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. He was among the Autobot refugees who fled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] four million years ago under the leadership of his brother, and like his sibling, became a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] when they crash-landed on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. Grand Maximus's mental functions are contained in his smallest component, '''Gran''' (グラン ''Guran''), who connects to a larger [[Transtector]] named '''Grand''' (グランド ''Gurando'') to boost his strength to normal Transformer levels. Just like his bro, he pilots a ''Maximus'' battleship, which serves as a second transtector with which Grand combines to form "Grand Maximus". Though they seem virtually identical in all other respects, Grand Maximus is significantly smaller than his titanic elder brother, only a bit taller than [[Ginrai (human)|God Ginrai]] in robot mode and with room for just a couple of human-[[scale]] rooms at most in his starship form.

Grand seems to be a bit of a loner, who prefers the solitude of outer space to being tied down to any one planet or team. After becoming a Headmaster, he opted not to remain on Master with the other Transformers, joining up with a group of Autobots under the command of [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] and travelling space with them. Alongside Metalhawk's crew, Grand crash-landed on Neolithic [[Earth]] and adopted [[Pretender]] capabilities, endowing himself with the ability to transform into a human form.<ref>"[[Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super-Secrets!]]"</ref> After centuries of working with Metalhawk to battle a group of Decepticons on Earth and guide the evolution of the burgeoning humanity, however, Grand again felt the lure of outer space, and now operates among the space-based Autobot forces battling the Decepticons across [[Athenia]] and [[Chaar]].

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Super God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[File:Masterforce ep23 FuzzyFortress.JPG|thumb|So distorted it confused the wiki.]]
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese), [[Rik Thomas]] (English, Omni Productions dub), [[Simon Broad]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}

In the early 21st Century, Grand Maximus and his Autobots were locked in battle with the Decepticons somewhere in space. Following the commands of Devil Z, the space-based Decepticon forces orchestrated the bombardment of Earth with meteors. Although they were able to carry out this assault without the direct knowledge of Grand Maximus's Autobots, Grand did become suspicious when he observed that the Decepticons had broken their usual formation. Worried, Grand sent a message to Metalhawk's Autobots on Earth, but alas, by the time the distorted missive arrived, the meteors had already struck the planet and caused massive collateral damage. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

[[File:Grand pretender.jpg|left|thumb|Behold! With my pretender shell, I can disguise myself as... a robot. Wait, why did I bother again?]]
When the space-based Autobots discovered that [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] was headed for Earth, Grand Maximus was dispatched to alert Metalhawk's Autobots, still on the planet. Entering Earth's atmosphere with his battleship cloaked from sight, Grand met with Metalhawk, [[Lander]] and [[Diver (G1)|Diver]] atop a mountain, where he supplied them with the plans and materials to construct "[[Godbomber]]". This drone would endow the Autobots' mightiest warrior, [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]], with the ability to fly and fight in space, thereby allowing him to stop BlackZarak before he reached Earth. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}} Grand Maximus subsequently headed back into space to keep an eye on the situation, and as the "Bomber Project" was nearing completion, Grand radioed the Autobots on Earth to inform them that BlackZarak was headed for the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} With the construction of Godbomber complete, Ginrai wasted no time in heading for the moon and engaging BlackZarak and [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] in battle. Ginrai did not fare well, but soon Grand Maximus arrived to join the fight, and with their combined might, the Autobot duo was able to defeat the two Decepticons. BlackZarak fled back into space, and Grand Maximus gave chase, assuring Ginrai that he could take care of things. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}}

Video footage of Grand Maximus's battle eventually made its way into the hands of Clouder and the Department of Defense. {{storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}}

[[File:Grandmax shipmode.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|New Battleship Maximus - no really, that's what it's called]]
In the weeks that followed, BlackZarak mastered the art of localized gravity manipulation, enabling him to create powerful black holes that he could use to teleport himself around the galaxy. While pursuing his foe, Grand Maximus was trapped within one of these black holes, exerting all his energy just to hold steady against its pull and prevent himself from being drawn into the heart of the singularity and obliterated. Down on Earth, meanwhile, the Decepticon had succeeded in destroying the Autobots' base, prompting Ginrai to contact Grand in hopes that his battleship could be employed as a new headquarters. When Grand, trapped in the black hole, did not respond to his communiqué, Ginrai headed into space to investigate, only to be pulled into the black hole as well and wind up trapped alongside Grand. Luckily, the pair were able to draw on the electromagnetic waves of the black hole to re-energize themselves, and they then combined their energy into a massive blast of [[Chōkon Power]] that destroyed the black hole from the inside out. Freed, the pair immediately headed to Earth, where BlackZarak had already joined up with the Decepticons and cut a swathe of destruction across the planet. Merging their energies once more, Grand and Ginrai were able to defeat Overlord and BlackZarak again, and the villains pulled out of the fight. {{storylink|BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space}}

[[File:Grand cartoon.jpg|left|142px|thumb|Blink and you'll miss him.]]
While the Autobots were searching Earth for the Decepticons, Grand Maximus detected the villains heading into space, and transported the Autobots in pursuit of them aboard his battleship. The Autobots discovered that the Decepticons were preparing to unleash the deadly [[Death Para-Machine]] against Earth, but thankfully, Ginrai was able to destroy the evil device before irreparable damage was done to the planet's atmosphere. As it exploded, however, a single blast escaped the Death-Para Machine and struck Grand's battleship, knocking its tachyon converter offline and sending it plummeting down to Earth. [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] risked his life to save the day by donning one of the ship's jetpacks and repairing the converter, rescuing the ship at the last moment. {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction}}

[[File:Godginrai vs blackzarak.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Left leg blue, right fist black...]]
Grand Maximus later battled BlackZarak in [[Moscow]], {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}}
and then transported the Autobots aboard his battleship for a full-scale assault on the Decepticon base, during which BlackZarak and the Decepticon ruler [[Devil Z]] fused into one being. {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}} The merged BlackZarak/Devil Z entity soon began bombarding North America with his [[Devil Power]], which Grand Maximus traced to the [[Grand Canyon]]. {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}} There, Ginrai was again confronted by Overlord, but Grand Maximus ended the protracted battle by blasting Overlord out of the sky so that Ginrai could focus on more important matters. The Decepticons retreated before the battle could go any further {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}} but the Autobots quickly pursued them to the Matterhorn, where Grand Maximus held back to protect the injured Metalhawk and [[Headmaster Junior]]s while Ginrai engaged BlackZarak in final battle. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} As Ginrai clashed with BlackZarak, Grand lent his aid by opening fire on the villain, but was blasted out of the sky when he was distracted by the sight of Overlord's Transtector being brought to life by Devil Z's power. As the now-living Overlord attempted to join BlackZarak's battle with Ginrai, Grand Maximus transformed to robot mode and kept
him occupied while Ginrai used his Final Fire Guts attack to finally destroy both BlackZarak and Devil Z. With the death of the villain, all the Autobots' Transtectors were also brought to life, and Grand Maximus soon transported them back into space to rejoin their respective factions. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
{{-}}

====''Legends'' comic====
At the [[G Nebula 89]] transtector factory, Grand Maximus spearheaded the "Super Convoy Project", creating another transtector to resurrect [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in. However, the Decepticons led by Overlord attacked, and he was forced to make the former Decepticon Headmaster Juniors, who had stowed away in an attempt to get new transtectors, seek safety in the [[Legends World]]. He contacted [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|his brother]], who was residing there in the meantime, and guilted him into accepting the stowaways. As a parting gift, Grand gave the humans new Headmaster-Braces. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} During another of Overlord's attacks on the factory, Grand Maximus fought on the frontlines and ordered [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] to join him. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|Bonus Edition Vol. 39}} He was present when Ginrai visited the base to have Godbomber upgraded. {{storylink|TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|Late Xmas Present Chapter}}

In anticipation for the return of BlackZarak, Grand built a second Maximus transtector that matched Fortress's in size, using it to travel to the Legends World when BlackZarak reemerged there under Devil Z's control. When Devil Z mocked his human Pretender shell, Grand voiced his belief in the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]'s vision that true peace would be achieved when organic and mechanical life were one, explaining that he was doing his part in the Transformers' evolution towards this goal. Fortress protested against Grand's new transtector as he lacked the training to control such a massive body, but Grand, wanting to prove himself just as beneficial to the cause as his brother, merged with it anyway and did battle with Devil Z, defeating him. After urging the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] to cease their attempts at destroying the Legends World, he collapsed from the strain of controlling the transtector and was left amazed by his brother's aptitude. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Grand Maximus}}

When Scorponok threatened all of the Legends World with plasma energy bombs, Grand Maximus helped evacuate the population to the OG World in his battleship. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}} The refugees traveled to different points in time, however, meaning they waited until 2038 to begin planning the reconstruction of the Legends World. The [[Powered Master]]s were needed for the project, but they had been possessed by [[Violengiguar]] and began attacking [[Micro|Zone]]. Grand Maximus joined his brother and many other Supreme Commanders of the Autobots' past in racing to aid the Zone Base. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One}} They were nearly overwhelmed by [[Novaroid]] attackers and the [[Vok Galaman]] of [[Dark Nova]], but Grand Maximus and Fortress Maximus supported each other to continue fighting. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
Grand Maximus was on stage among other high-ranking Autobots when the injured [[Star Saber (G1)|Victory Saber]] passed the mantle of Supreme Commander to [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Super-God Masterforce'' comic===
[[File:Grandmax manga.jpg|left|thumb|Insert random white space here]]
After the Earth and space-based Autobot forces consolidated their power to battle the Decepticons on both fronts, Grand Maximus joined with [[Raiden]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]], [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] in pursuing Decepticon commander BlackZarak to Earth. Although the Headmasters didn't fare too well in battle with the mighty Decepticon, God Ginrai arrived to defeat BlackZarak and send him fleeing back into space. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Divine Combination!}}

When Decepticons kidnapped Shūta and Cab, Grand Maximus was occupied battling BlackZarak and [[Darkwings]] in space with the Autobot [[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmaster]]s, but was able to make it to Earth to help Ginrai battle Overlord during the rescue mission. Grand didn't beat around the bush, crashing his battleship straight into Overlord's face, and then giving Ginrai his [[Master Blade (Masterforce)|Master Blade]], with which he sent the villain fleeing. {{storylink|The Good and Evil Families of Earth}}

[[File:MFpretendershell bigmode.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Make my monster grow!]]
Grand Maximus and the Autobots were required to depart Earth aboard Grand's battleship when the space-based Autobot forces developed a new weapon known as the [[VX Bomb]], and the Decepticons initiated a major attack in their absence. Grand Maximus sped back to Earth with the VX Bomb on board, and he and the Godmasters occupied BlackZarak while Ginrai used the weapon to defeat Overlord. {{storylink|Life or Death? The Desperate Divine Combination!}}

During a Decepticon attack on a city, Grand Maximus transported the Autobots into battle, but then surprised everyone when he took an
unexpected, unconventional hand in the fight by transforming into his human form ''without'' shrinking down. After defeating Overlord and BlackZarak with a "Big Mode Pretender Shell Power Kick", Grand explained to the surprised Ginrai that, in ancient times, the
Pretenders did not shrink when they adopted their human forms, remaining gigantic and inspiring legends of giants among early man. Back then, Grand opined, mankind learned from the Transformers, but now, Transformers and mankind were truly equals. {{storylink|The Great Turnabout of the Autobots}}

[[File:Grand and gran.jpg|left|thumb|My mini-me ''is'' me.]]
During Ginrai's final battle with the Decepticons, the villains' evil ruler Devil Z turned upon his minions, seeking to drain their
Jinchōkon in order to become the ultimate lifeform. The Autobot Pretenders arrived in time to save them, with Grand Maximus and the whole Autobot force in tow. The Decepticons joined with the Autobots against Devil Z, and both armies boarded Grand Maximus, combining their energies in the "Perfect Transform Attack". Charged with the energies of all the Transformers, Grand Maximus collided with Devil Z, destroying the evil alien once and for all. With Devil Z's death, all the Autobots' Transtectors came to life as true super-robot lifeforms, and Grand led them all off Earth to rejoin the Autobots and Decepticons in space. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Life-Forms}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Gran was one of the three [[Cyberdroid]] controllers of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], storing the remains of [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]'s consciousness. Gran was one of the prime goals of a [[Resistance (BWU)|Resistance]] team led by [[Cybershark]] as he was a treasure trove of intelligence. After storming Fortress Maximus's control room and killing [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]] and [[Galen|Kord]], the team escaped with [[Bighorn]] carrying Gran on his shoulder, their mission a success. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Super-God Masterforce}}
[[File:Grandmax toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|All he needs is a [[Micromaster]], [[Powermaster]], and a [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] and he'll be PERFECT.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (Headmaster, [[1988]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-311'''
:*''Accessories'': "Gran" Headmaster figure, "Grand" Headmaster Transtector, Grand's Pretender Shell, [[Cog (Masterforce)|"Onomisu", "Koka"]], "Proton Master Rifle", "Dual Laser Cannon", Grand's "Heat Blaster", Cog's laser rifle, 2 "Laser Arms", "Master Radar", "Master Blade", "Grand Sword"
{{toydesigner|[[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Released in the fourth year of Takara's ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' line under the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1988 (Super-God Masterforce)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' banner, Grand Maximus is a [[redeco]] of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Toys|Fortress Maximus]], one of the largest Transformer toys ever at 22" tall. Grand Maximus transforms from robot to city to battleship, with a wide array of pop-out (non-firing) guns and gimmicks available in all modes. His left leg hides a small prison cell, plus has a swing-out cannon/helipad. His right leg has a small "medical bay" storage compartment. His torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array accessory, a "control socket" for Grand's "communications tower" mode, and a working elevator that can lift small toys up to the central ramp to be launched in his altmodes. (The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode.) Each arm has a long ramp on the back with sliding launchers for small vehicles.

: Grand Maximus's head can be removed and transformed into a robot called Grand. This component also transforms into a communications room that combines with Grand Maximus's city and battleship modes. Grand can additionally fit inside an included pretender shell. This shell, unlike most other Autobot shells, was robotic in appearance rather than human, although ''Masterforce'' fiction gave the figure a human face behind a robotic visor to better fit in with the other Pretenders in the series. Grand's head can also be removed and transformed into a smaller robot, known as Gran.

: Two smaller vehicles, Onomisu and Koka, fit into the toe areas of the Grand Maximus robot. They can combine into the robot [[Cog (Masterforce)#Toys|Cog]]. Also included were a gun for Cog, a "Heat Blaster" gun and "[[Master Blade (Masterforce)|Master Blade]]" sword for Grand, which could be held in either robot or Pretender mode, and two larger guns—the "Proton Master Rifle" and "Dual Laster Cannon"—and the huge "Grand Sword" for Grand Maximus.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)#Car Robots|Brave Maximus]] and his ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' release as "[[Fortress Maximus (RID)#Robotmasters|Cybertron Base]]". Grand's Pretender shell was reused to make [[Megatron (G1)/toys (Generations)#Combiner Wars|Double Pretender Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandmaximus.htm More information on Grand Maximus at TFU.info]''

====''Transform Jr''====
[[File:Grandmax jr.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Albino Maximus]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (1988)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-311'''
:*''Accessories''" "Grand" Headmaster figure, gun, ramp, "laser block"

:''[[Transform Jr]]'' Grand Maximus is a [[redeco]] of ''Transform Jr'' Fortress Maximus, and a heavily simplified version of the larger mold. And we ''mean'' simplified – he only transforms to battleship mode, which involves little more than pulling the head off and laying the figure down. The head does transform into Grand, at least, although overall, the toy doesn't really ''look'' like Grand Maximus, decorated as it is solely in whites and red, without a hint of teal in sight. Grand Maximus is arguably the rarest and most sought after Transform Jr toy.
{{-}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:TF-Legends-LGEX-Grand-Maximus.jpg|upright=2.66|thumb|Micromaster and Powermaster (and Pretender Suit) sadly not included.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grand Maximus''' (Titan class, [[2018]])}}
:*''ID Number'': '''LG-EX'''
:*''Release date'': [[March 31]] 2018
:*''Accessories'': Gran Headmaster unit, Grand Transtector, 2 leg guns, gun turret, Grand Sword (three pieces), <s>Grand's Pretender Suit, gatling gun</s>

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Grand Maximus is a redeco of ''Legends'' [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Legends|Fortress Maximus]], which is a slight retool of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#SDCC2016|SDCC 2016 ''Titans Return'' Titan Class mold]]. Like Fortress Maximus, he transforms from a large robot into a city base and to a battleship mode and back, and his larger head transforms into a Deluxe-sized Transtector Grand. Other than his Transtector, the Gran headmaster unit can interact with any Deluxe-or-larger ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]''-style figure. Like Fortress Maximus, Grand features a new voicebox that features Ikuya Sawaki's newly-recorded phrases. Unlike ''Legends'' Fortress Maximus, Grand Maximus' legs aren't glued together.

:Grand Maximus was released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive; he was available for preorder starting [[October 11]] at 12:00 am until [[November 2]] at 1:00 pm. A minimum of 2000 orders were required for the figure to be produced, this target was reached on [[October 27]]. Upon 3000 preorders or more, he would have included a [[:File:Legends-LGEX-Gran-bonus-Pretender-Suit.jpg|new Pretender Suit]] retooled from ''Power of the Primes'' [[Cloudburst#Generations|Micronus's decoy armor]], presumably intended for [[Waverider]], which can transform into a weapon, store Gran's Headmaster, or attach to a [[Prime Master]] in weapon mode. Unfortunately, preorders did not reach this level within the three-week deadline.

:This mold also served as the model for the non-toy character [[Neo Brave Maximus]].
{{GenerationsMetroplex}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''Super Collection Figure''===
[[File:SCF Grand Maximus.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|If you don't care for pewter figs, the 6:2 ratio is in your favor. If you're a completist like the guy who took these pics? Wailing and gnashing of teeth.]]
*'''Convoy (C)''' ([[2002]])
*'''Hot Rodimus''' ([[2002]])
*'''Ramjet''' ([[2002]])
*'''Ratchet''' ([[2002]])
*'''Soundblaster''' ([[2002]])
*'''Thrust''' ([[2002]])
**''Act'': '''6'''

:Grand Maximus was the "Build-A-Figure" from the sixth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' line of [[Plastic|PVC]] figurines. Naturally enough, he was a redeco of the previous year's [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Super Collection Figure|Fortress Maximus]] Build-A-Figure, with new hands and no sword. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the metallic silver "pewter" versions of the six individual figures in the line (the regular color versions of the figures did not come with any of Grand's parts). His head was included with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/merchandise#SCFMegatrongun|Optimus Prime]], his body with [[Hot Rod (G1)/merchandise#SCFHotRodimus|Hot Rod]], his left arm with [[Thrust (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Thrust]], his right arm with [[Ramjet (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Ramjet]], his left leg with [[Ratchet (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Ratchet]] and his right leg with [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#SCFSoundblaster|Soundblaster]].

: Each of the parts was available in standard full-color (at a rate of six out of every ten cases), and rare "pewter" (only two out of every ten cases) versions, making two versions of Grand Maximus to assemble. The two cases out of ten without Grand Maximus parts instead each had one of that Act's two "[[chase figure|Secret Figures]]", [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|metallic Galvatron]] or [[Dirge (G1)/toys#Super Collection Figure|Dirge]].

: The pewter version of the figure has a potential problem with connector peg breakage, due to said pegs often getting a layer of pewter paint before being forced into a socket, leading to sticking and tearing. Care should be used when moving or removing the arms; shaving down the socket interior with a thin hobby knife is usually sufficient to fix the issue.

:This Act was seemingly in shorter supply than the others before and since, and is not terribly common on the secondary market.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandmaximus.htm More information on ''Super Collection Figure'' Grand Maximus at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Though he never uses his Pretender abilities to take on human mode in any media (echoing his toy's unique lack of a removable helmet) close ups of his face in the ''Masterforce'' cartoon—showing a human face within his helmet—confirm that he has one.

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Fortress Maximus''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Grand Maximus''' (diminutive '''Maximus'''; [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''Italian:'' '''Fortress Maximus'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Jùwúbà Gélán''' (巨无霸格兰, "Maximus Grand")

==See also==
*[[Maximus (disambiguation)|Other uses of "Maximus"]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Zone Autobots]]

Transformers Legends (comic)

2025-09-06T01:15:56Z

Electrofrost: You want to make it the worst piece of media in TF history? Sure, I'm cool with that. Let me make it more appealing to you all.

{{disambig3|Legends}}

{{Nav-Legends}}

[[File:Legends web comic.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Don't let this creatures fool you. They kill transgender people for food.]]
'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, appallingly once again trafficking in all of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception|life-threatening tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy had seemingly (unfortunately) found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

''Legends'' mercilessly concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented (and by proxy, transgender-friendly) ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

==Overview==
{{chapters
|title=Main ''Transformers Legends'' comic
|content=
*[[Legends Vol. 1|#1]]
*[[The Generation Gap|#2]]
*[[The Youth Gap|#3]]
*[[Legends Vol. 4|#4]]
*[[Legends Vol. 5|#5]]
*[[Legends Bonus Vol.|Bonus]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#6]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#7]]
*[[Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Report|#8]]
*[[Legends Vol. 9|#9]]
*[[Legends Vol. 10|#10]]
*[[Legends Vol. 11|#11]]
*[[Prank|#12]]
*[[Legends Vol. 13|#13]]
*[[Legends Vol. 14|#14]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1|LG01]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2|LG02]]
*[[Legends Vol. 15|#15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3|LG03]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4|LG04]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|LG05]]
*[[Merry X'mas!!|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 16|#16]]
*[[Legends Vol. 17|#17]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|LG06]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|LG07]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|LG08]]
*[[2015's Swerve|#18]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|#19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|LG09]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|#21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 10|LG10]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Arcee Chapter|#20]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|LG11]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|LG12]]
*[[Windblade Sequel|#22]]
*[[Deckss × Q-Transformers Collaboration Event Report|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 23|#23]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 13|LG13]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)|LGEX (Scourge 2015)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Armada Megatron)|LGEX (Armada Megatron)]]
*[[TAV21 Optimus Prime Now on Sale!|#24]]
*[[LG13 Megatron Sequel|#25]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#26]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#27]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 14|LG14]]
*[[Ultra Magnus Sequel|#29]]
*[[Go! Adventure|#30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 15|LG15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|LG16]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|LG17]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Chromia Chapter|#31]]
*[[LG-15 Nightbird Shadow Sequel|#32]]
*[[LG-16 Slipstream Sequel|#33]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#34]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|LG18]]
*[[LG19 Sprung Prologue|#36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|LG19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|LGEX (Deadlock)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|LGEX (Rattrap)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|LGEX (Waspinator)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|LGEX (Rhinox)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|LG20]]

<center>'''Headmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Headmaster Chapter Prologue|#37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|LG21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|LG22]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|LG23]]
*[[LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue|#38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 24|LG24]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 25|LG25]]
*[[LG-26 Scourge Prologue|#39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|LG26]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 27|LG27]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 28|LG28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 29|LG29]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|LG30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|LG31]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 32|LG32]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|LG33]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 34|LG34]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Convobat)|LGEX (Convobat)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|LG35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|LG36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 37|LG37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 38|LG38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|LG39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 40|LG40]]
*[[LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter|#40]]
*[[Lio Dad|#41]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 41|LG41]]
*[[LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter|#42]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 42|LG42]]
*[[LGEX Scourge Prologue|#43]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge 2)|LGEX (Scourge 2017)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Magna Convoy)|LGEX (Magna Convoy)]]
*[[LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|#44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|LG43]]

<center>'''Targetmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Prologue|#45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 44|LG44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 45|LG45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 46|LG46]]
*[[Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter|#46]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|LG47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 48|LG48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 49|LG49]]
*[[Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|LG50]]
*[[LG51 Doublecross Prologue|#47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 51|LG51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 52|LG52]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|LG53]]
*[[TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|#48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (God Ginrai)|LGEX (God Ginrai)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|LG54]]
*[[Slugslinger's Ambition|#49]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 55|LG55]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 56|LG56]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 57|LG57]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|LG58]]
*[[LG59 Blitzwing Prologue: Big-sensei|#50]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|LG59]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 60|LG60]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|LGEX (Metroplex)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|LG61]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 62|LG62]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 63|LG63]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|LG64]]
*[[Jumpstarter Chapter|#51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|LG65]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|LG66]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|LGEX (Greatshot)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|LGEX (Grand Maximus)]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|#52]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|#53]]

<center>'''The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter:'''</center>
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1|Revival 1]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2|Revival 2]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3|Revival 3]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Repugnus)|LGEX (Repugnus)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grotusque)|LGEX (Grotusque)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Blue Big Convoy)|LGEX (Blue Big Convoy)]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|Revival 4]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|Revival 5]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 1 Sonic Bomber Chapter|LGEX (Sonic Bomber)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 2 Roadfire Chapter|LGEX (Roadfire)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 3 Dai Atlas Chapter|LGEX (Dai Atlas)]]
*[[Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epilogue]]
}}

{{chapters
|title=Additional ''Transformers Legends'' comics
|content=
<center>'''''—Spin Off—'''''</center>
*[[Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock|Deadlock]]
*[[Cybertron Convobat|Convobat]] ([[Cybertron Convobat prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Cybertron Magna Convoy|Magna Convoy]] ([[Cybertron Magna Convoy prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Blue Big Convoy comic|Blue Big Convoy]]
<center>'''Other:'''</center>
*"[[The Beast Wars Road Map|The Beast Wars Road Map]]"
*"[[Rescue the Monorail!]]"
}}

''Legends'' begins as a {{w|yonkoma|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w|salaryman|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the bigoted Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] of his childhood
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor|Minor]]
*[[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]
*[[Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]''
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], and "transgender punching dummy" {{w|Office lady|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Car Robots]]'' characters.

In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.

==Creative team==
The series is written and drawn by Hayato Sakamoto, but many others have collaborated with him.

{{collist|3|
* [[Josh Perez]] (color)
* [[Yuki Ohshima|Yūki Ōshima]] (original plan cooperation, color, pencil, design)
* [[Gufu Kandagawa]] (color, ink, additional art)
* [[Usakomu]] (color)
* [[Ichi zero three]] (color)
* [[Tasuku Tajima]] (color, ink)
* [[DAI-XT]] (color)
* [[Kinotukimi]] (color)
* [[Kokoa]] (color)
* [[Mieko Furuki]] (color, ink)
* [[Kamizono]] (color, ink)
* [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] (cooperation)
* [[James Roberts]] (cooperation)
* [[Marcelo Matere]] (cooperation)
* [[Tori O'Regan]] (cooperation)
* [[Andrew Hall]] (cooperation)
* [[Atsunori Takano]] (cooperation)
* [[Kouji Nimura]] (cooperation)
* [[Bā San]] (cooperation)
* [[Hisashi Yuki]] (original plan, supervision)
}}

==Continuity and timeline==
The Legends World exists in a complicated place in the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]. Outside of traditional space and time, the Legends World is an ongoing narrative that is visited by Cybertronians from various eras, often decades apart. For simplicity's sake, the major eras involved are listed below.

*[[2004]]:
** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7}} [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

*[[2021]]:
** The majority of dimension-hopping characters from the Headmasters/Targetmasters chapters of Legends come from this era. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} This is the period of time between the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' anime. The ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' comics take place in the same era, and several characters cross back and forth between ''Unite Warriors'' and ''Legends'' at this time. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}} When the Legends World was destroyed, these characters returned to 2021. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*[[2035]] - 2038:
** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''<nowiki>'</nowiki> publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*Other:
** Several examples also exist of "one-off" travels from different universal streams or time periods. The [[Quintesson]]s of 11 million years ago invaded the Legends World in the present stories with their military hardware drones, including a young [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] also arrived from the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' continuity, as did an alternate universe [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] & [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] from ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''. The cast of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' also briefly touched upon the Legends World after their series ended.

*Origin:
** Finally, the Legends World itself emerged from an ontological paradox. The universe was created in the 2030s by the [[Jumpstarter]]s [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist]], with the assistance of the [[Zodiac]], [[proton energy]], and the telepathic power of [[Katsu Don]] and the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]]. The Jumpstarters agreed to help Katsu Don create this world because, in 2004, they had already met and befriended Legends natives Whirl and Roadbuster. Thus, Topspin and Twin Twist knew the Legends World was destined to be created because it had already happened. Trippy, right?

==Reception==
[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Not the [[An Uneventful Night|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]
''Legends''{{'}} is quite possibly one of the worst pieces of media to ever come out in the Transformers franchise, so we would like to see this forgotten...but since we need to fill this section, we might as well.

Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up sadly. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.

Thankfully, the western fan reactions were much more negative. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is downright a threat to the women for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to. We personally wish to sanitize them of this and bring back the issues of women suffering.

However, in much more distressing matters (even downright ''liable to real-world suicides'') is the comic's consistent use of transphobia as "comedy", following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were """"actually"""" (read: deliberate misgendering) men. We must note that these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, but for the safety of the sensitive groups they represent, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''impossible'' to accept as the world finally became far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and sadly did not result in mass negative backlash, calling for Takara Tomy to dedicate their earnings to transgender and other queer charities and welfare groups. If the time comes, we at TFWiki will commit to dire needs to save our population.

Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' thankfully expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project. Now if they'll only officially adopt proper transgender representation...

==Notes==
*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he never appears until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

==External links==
*[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_lg/tf_lg_comic ''Transformers Legends'' web issues] at the TakaraTomy website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legends (comic)}}
[[Category:Manga]]
[[Category:Legends franchise| ]]

Transformers Legends (comic)

2025-09-06T01:08:25Z

Electrofrost: /* Reception */

{{disambig3|Legends}}

{{Nav-Legends}}

[[File:Legends web comic.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Making [[e-HOBBY#e-HOBBY exclusive fiction|e-Hobby]] comics look approachable since 2014.]]
'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, unfortunately once again trafficking in quite a few of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception|questionable tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy seemingly found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

''Legends'' ultimately concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

==Overview==
{{chapters
|title=Main ''Transformers Legends'' comic
|content=
*[[Legends Vol. 1|#1]]
*[[The Generation Gap|#2]]
*[[The Youth Gap|#3]]
*[[Legends Vol. 4|#4]]
*[[Legends Vol. 5|#5]]
*[[Legends Bonus Vol.|Bonus]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#6]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#7]]
*[[Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Report|#8]]
*[[Legends Vol. 9|#9]]
*[[Legends Vol. 10|#10]]
*[[Legends Vol. 11|#11]]
*[[Prank|#12]]
*[[Legends Vol. 13|#13]]
*[[Legends Vol. 14|#14]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1|LG01]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2|LG02]]
*[[Legends Vol. 15|#15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3|LG03]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4|LG04]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|LG05]]
*[[Merry X'mas!!|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 16|#16]]
*[[Legends Vol. 17|#17]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|LG06]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|LG07]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|LG08]]
*[[2015's Swerve|#18]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|#19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|LG09]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|#21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 10|LG10]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Arcee Chapter|#20]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|LG11]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|LG12]]
*[[Windblade Sequel|#22]]
*[[Deckss × Q-Transformers Collaboration Event Report|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 23|#23]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 13|LG13]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)|LGEX (Scourge 2015)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Armada Megatron)|LGEX (Armada Megatron)]]
*[[TAV21 Optimus Prime Now on Sale!|#24]]
*[[LG13 Megatron Sequel|#25]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#26]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#27]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 14|LG14]]
*[[Ultra Magnus Sequel|#29]]
*[[Go! Adventure|#30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 15|LG15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|LG16]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|LG17]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Chromia Chapter|#31]]
*[[LG-15 Nightbird Shadow Sequel|#32]]
*[[LG-16 Slipstream Sequel|#33]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#34]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|LG18]]
*[[LG19 Sprung Prologue|#36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|LG19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|LGEX (Deadlock)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|LGEX (Rattrap)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|LGEX (Waspinator)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|LGEX (Rhinox)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|LG20]]

<center>'''Headmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Headmaster Chapter Prologue|#37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|LG21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|LG22]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|LG23]]
*[[LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue|#38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 24|LG24]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 25|LG25]]
*[[LG-26 Scourge Prologue|#39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|LG26]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 27|LG27]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 28|LG28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 29|LG29]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|LG30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|LG31]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 32|LG32]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|LG33]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 34|LG34]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Convobat)|LGEX (Convobat)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|LG35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|LG36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 37|LG37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 38|LG38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|LG39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 40|LG40]]
*[[LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter|#40]]
*[[Lio Dad|#41]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 41|LG41]]
*[[LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter|#42]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 42|LG42]]
*[[LGEX Scourge Prologue|#43]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge 2)|LGEX (Scourge 2017)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Magna Convoy)|LGEX (Magna Convoy)]]
*[[LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|#44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|LG43]]

<center>'''Targetmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Prologue|#45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 44|LG44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 45|LG45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 46|LG46]]
*[[Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter|#46]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|LG47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 48|LG48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 49|LG49]]
*[[Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|LG50]]
*[[LG51 Doublecross Prologue|#47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 51|LG51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 52|LG52]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|LG53]]
*[[TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|#48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (God Ginrai)|LGEX (God Ginrai)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|LG54]]
*[[Slugslinger's Ambition|#49]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 55|LG55]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 56|LG56]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 57|LG57]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|LG58]]
*[[LG59 Blitzwing Prologue: Big-sensei|#50]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|LG59]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 60|LG60]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|LGEX (Metroplex)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|LG61]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 62|LG62]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 63|LG63]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|LG64]]
*[[Jumpstarter Chapter|#51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|LG65]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|LG66]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|LGEX (Greatshot)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|LGEX (Grand Maximus)]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|#52]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|#53]]

<center>'''The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter:'''</center>
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1|Revival 1]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2|Revival 2]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3|Revival 3]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Repugnus)|LGEX (Repugnus)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grotusque)|LGEX (Grotusque)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Blue Big Convoy)|LGEX (Blue Big Convoy)]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|Revival 4]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|Revival 5]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 1 Sonic Bomber Chapter|LGEX (Sonic Bomber)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 2 Roadfire Chapter|LGEX (Roadfire)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 3 Dai Atlas Chapter|LGEX (Dai Atlas)]]
*[[Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epilogue]]
}}

{{chapters
|title=Additional ''Transformers Legends'' comics
|content=
<center>'''''—Spin Off—'''''</center>
*[[Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock|Deadlock]]
*[[Cybertron Convobat|Convobat]] ([[Cybertron Convobat prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Cybertron Magna Convoy|Magna Convoy]] ([[Cybertron Magna Convoy prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Blue Big Convoy comic|Blue Big Convoy]]
<center>'''Other:'''</center>
*"[[The Beast Wars Road Map|The Beast Wars Road Map]]"
*"[[Rescue the Monorail!]]"
}}

''Legends'' begins as a {{w|yonkoma|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w|salaryman|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] of his childhood
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor|Minor]]
*[[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]
*[[Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]''
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w|Office lady|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Car Robots]]'' characters.

In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.

==Creative team==
The series is written and drawn by Hayato Sakamoto, but many others have collaborated with him.

{{collist|3|
* [[Josh Perez]] (color)
* [[Yuki Ohshima|Yūki Ōshima]] (original plan cooperation, color, pencil, design)
* [[Gufu Kandagawa]] (color, ink, additional art)
* [[Usakomu]] (color)
* [[Ichi zero three]] (color)
* [[Tasuku Tajima]] (color, ink)
* [[DAI-XT]] (color)
* [[Kinotukimi]] (color)
* [[Kokoa]] (color)
* [[Mieko Furuki]] (color, ink)
* [[Kamizono]] (color, ink)
* [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] (cooperation)
* [[James Roberts]] (cooperation)
* [[Marcelo Matere]] (cooperation)
* [[Tori O'Regan]] (cooperation)
* [[Andrew Hall]] (cooperation)
* [[Atsunori Takano]] (cooperation)
* [[Kouji Nimura]] (cooperation)
* [[Bā San]] (cooperation)
* [[Hisashi Yuki]] (original plan, supervision)
}}

==Continuity and timeline==
The Legends World exists in a complicated place in the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]. Outside of traditional space and time, the Legends World is an ongoing narrative that is visited by Cybertronians from various eras, often decades apart. For simplicity's sake, the major eras involved are listed below.

*[[2004]]:
** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7}} [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

*[[2021]]:
** The majority of dimension-hopping characters from the Headmasters/Targetmasters chapters of Legends come from this era. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} This is the period of time between the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' anime. The ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' comics take place in the same era, and several characters cross back and forth between ''Unite Warriors'' and ''Legends'' at this time. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}} When the Legends World was destroyed, these characters returned to 2021. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*[[2035]] - 2038:
** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''<nowiki>'</nowiki> publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*Other:
** Several examples also exist of "one-off" travels from different universal streams or time periods. The [[Quintesson]]s of 11 million years ago invaded the Legends World in the present stories with their military hardware drones, including a young [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] also arrived from the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' continuity, as did an alternate universe [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] & [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] from ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''. The cast of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' also briefly touched upon the Legends World after their series ended.

*Origin:
** Finally, the Legends World itself emerged from an ontological paradox. The universe was created in the 2030s by the [[Jumpstarter]]s [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist]], with the assistance of the [[Zodiac]], [[proton energy]], and the telepathic power of [[Katsu Don]] and the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]]. The Jumpstarters agreed to help Katsu Don create this world because, in 2004, they had already met and befriended Legends natives Whirl and Roadbuster. Thus, Topspin and Twin Twist knew the Legends World was destined to be created because it had already happened. Trippy, right?

==Reception==
[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Not the [[An Uneventful Night|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]
''Legends''{{'}} is quite possibly one of the worst pieces of media to ever come out in the Transformers franchise, so we would like to see this forgotten...but since we need to fill this section, we might as well.

Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up sadly. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.

Thankfully, the western fan reactions were much more negative. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is downright a threat to the women for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to. We personally wish to sanitize them of this and bring back the issues of women suffering.

However, in much more distressing matters (even downright ''liable to real-world suicides'') is the comic's consistent use of transphobia as "comedy", following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were """"actually"""" (read: deliberate misgendering) men. We must note that these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, but for the safety of the sensitive groups they represent, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''impossible'' to accept as the world finally became far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and sadly did not result in mass negative backlash, calling for Takara Tomy to dedicate their earnings to transgender and other queer charities and welfare groups. If the time comes, we at TFWiki will commit to dire needs to save our population.

Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' thankfully expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project. Now if they'll only officially adopt proper transgender representation...

==Notes==
*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he never appears until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

==External links==
*[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_lg/tf_lg_comic ''Transformers Legends'' web issues] at the TakaraTomy website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legends (comic)}}
[[Category:Manga]]
[[Category:Legends franchise| ]]

Transformers Legends (comic)

2025-09-05T20:25:26Z

Electrofrost: /* Reception */

{{disambig3|Legends}}

{{Nav-Legends}}

[[File:Legends web comic.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Making [[e-HOBBY#e-HOBBY exclusive fiction|e-Hobby]] comics look approachable since 2014.]]
'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, unfortunately once again trafficking in quite a few of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception|questionable tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy seemingly found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

''Legends'' ultimately concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

==Overview==
{{chapters
|title=Main ''Transformers Legends'' comic
|content=
*[[Legends Vol. 1|#1]]
*[[The Generation Gap|#2]]
*[[The Youth Gap|#3]]
*[[Legends Vol. 4|#4]]
*[[Legends Vol. 5|#5]]
*[[Legends Bonus Vol.|Bonus]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#6]]
*[[TF4 Toy Party|#7]]
*[[Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Report|#8]]
*[[Legends Vol. 9|#9]]
*[[Legends Vol. 10|#10]]
*[[Legends Vol. 11|#11]]
*[[Prank|#12]]
*[[Legends Vol. 13|#13]]
*[[Legends Vol. 14|#14]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1|LG01]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2|LG02]]
*[[Legends Vol. 15|#15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3|LG03]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4|LG04]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|LG05]]
*[[Merry X'mas!!|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 16|#16]]
*[[Legends Vol. 17|#17]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|LG06]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|LG07]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|LG08]]
*[[2015's Swerve|#18]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|#19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|LG09]]
*[[Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|#21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 10|LG10]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Arcee Chapter|#20]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|LG11]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|LG12]]
*[[Windblade Sequel|#22]]
*[[Deckss × Q-Transformers Collaboration Event Report|Bonus]]
*[[Legends Vol. 23|#23]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 13|LG13]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)|LGEX (Scourge 2015)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Armada Megatron)|LGEX (Armada Megatron)]]
*[[TAV21 Optimus Prime Now on Sale!|#24]]
*[[LG13 Megatron Sequel|#25]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#26]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#27]]
*[[LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue|#28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 14|LG14]]
*[[Ultra Magnus Sequel|#29]]
*[[Go! Adventure|#30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 15|LG15]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|LG16]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|LG17]]
*[[Transformers Legends: Chromia Chapter|#31]]
*[[LG-15 Nightbird Shadow Sequel|#32]]
*[[LG-16 Slipstream Sequel|#33]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#34]]
*[[LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue|#35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|LG18]]
*[[LG19 Sprung Prologue|#36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|LG19]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|LGEX (Deadlock)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|LGEX (Rattrap)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|LGEX (Waspinator)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|LGEX (Rhinox)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|LG20]]

<center>'''Headmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Headmaster Chapter Prologue|#37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|LG21]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|LG22]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|LG23]]
*[[LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue|#38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 24|LG24]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 25|LG25]]
*[[LG-26 Scourge Prologue|#39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|LG26]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 27|LG27]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 28|LG28]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 29|LG29]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|LG30]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|LG31]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 32|LG32]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|LG33]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 34|LG34]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Convobat)|LGEX (Convobat)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|LG35]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|LG36]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 37|LG37]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 38|LG38]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|LG39]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 40|LG40]]
*[[LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter|#40]]
*[[Lio Dad|#41]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 41|LG41]]
*[[LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter|#42]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 42|LG42]]
*[[LGEX Scourge Prologue|#43]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge 2)|LGEX (Scourge 2017)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Magna Convoy)|LGEX (Magna Convoy)]]
*[[LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|#44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|LG43]]

<center>'''Targetmaster Chapter:'''</center>
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Prologue|#45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 44|LG44]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 45|LG45]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 46|LG46]]
*[[Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter|#46]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|LG47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 48|LG48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 49|LG49]]
*[[Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|LG50]]
*[[LG51 Doublecross Prologue|#47]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 51|LG51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 52|LG52]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|LG53]]
*[[TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|#48]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (God Ginrai)|LGEX (God Ginrai)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|LG54]]
*[[Slugslinger's Ambition|#49]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 55|LG55]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 56|LG56]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 57|LG57]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|LG58]]
*[[LG59 Blitzwing Prologue: Big-sensei|#50]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|LG59]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 60|LG60]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|LGEX (Metroplex)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|LG61]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 62|LG62]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 63|LG63]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|LG64]]
*[[Jumpstarter Chapter|#51]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|LG65]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|LG66]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|LGEX (Greatshot)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|LGEX (Grand Maximus)]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|#52]]
*[[Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|#53]]

<center>'''The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter:'''</center>
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1|Revival 1]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2|Revival 2]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3|Revival 3]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Repugnus)|LGEX (Repugnus)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grotusque)|LGEX (Grotusque)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Blue Big Convoy)|LGEX (Blue Big Convoy)]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|Revival 4]]
*[[The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|Revival 5]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 1 Sonic Bomber Chapter|LGEX (Sonic Bomber)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 2 Roadfire Chapter|LGEX (Roadfire)]]
*[[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX 3 Dai Atlas Chapter|LGEX (Dai Atlas)]]
*[[Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epilogue]]
}}

{{chapters
|title=Additional ''Transformers Legends'' comics
|content=
<center>'''''—Spin Off—'''''</center>
*[[Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock|Deadlock]]
*[[Cybertron Convobat|Convobat]] ([[Cybertron Convobat prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Cybertron Magna Convoy|Magna Convoy]] ([[Cybertron Magna Convoy prequel comic|prequel]])
*[[Blue Big Convoy comic|Blue Big Convoy]]
<center>'''Other:'''</center>
*"[[The Beast Wars Road Map|The Beast Wars Road Map]]"
*"[[Rescue the Monorail!]]"
}}

''Legends'' begins as a {{w|yonkoma|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w|salaryman|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] of his childhood
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor|Minor]]
*[[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]
*[[Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]''
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w|Office lady|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Car Robots]]'' characters.

In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.

==Creative team==
The series is written and drawn by Hayato Sakamoto, but many others have collaborated with him.

{{collist|3|
* [[Josh Perez]] (color)
* [[Yuki Ohshima|Yūki Ōshima]] (original plan cooperation, color, pencil, design)
* [[Gufu Kandagawa]] (color, ink, additional art)
* [[Usakomu]] (color)
* [[Ichi zero three]] (color)
* [[Tasuku Tajima]] (color, ink)
* [[DAI-XT]] (color)
* [[Kinotukimi]] (color)
* [[Kokoa]] (color)
* [[Mieko Furuki]] (color, ink)
* [[Kamizono]] (color, ink)
* [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] (cooperation)
* [[James Roberts]] (cooperation)
* [[Marcelo Matere]] (cooperation)
* [[Tori O'Regan]] (cooperation)
* [[Andrew Hall]] (cooperation)
* [[Atsunori Takano]] (cooperation)
* [[Kouji Nimura]] (cooperation)
* [[Bā San]] (cooperation)
* [[Hisashi Yuki]] (original plan, supervision)
}}

==Continuity and timeline==
The Legends World exists in a complicated place in the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]. Outside of traditional space and time, the Legends World is an ongoing narrative that is visited by Cybertronians from various eras, often decades apart. For simplicity's sake, the major eras involved are listed below.

*[[2004]]:
** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7}} [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

*[[2021]]:
** The majority of dimension-hopping characters from the Headmasters/Targetmasters chapters of Legends come from this era. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} This is the period of time between the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' anime. The ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' comics take place in the same era, and several characters cross back and forth between ''Unite Warriors'' and ''Legends'' at this time. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}} When the Legends World was destroyed, these characters returned to 2021. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*[[2035]] - 2038:
** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''<nowiki>'</nowiki> publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

*Other:
** Several examples also exist of "one-off" travels from different universal streams or time periods. The [[Quintesson]]s of 11 million years ago invaded the Legends World in the present stories with their military hardware drones, including a young [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] also arrived from the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' continuity, as did an alternate universe [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] & [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] from ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''. The cast of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' also briefly touched upon the Legends World after their series ended.

*Origin:
** Finally, the Legends World itself emerged from an ontological paradox. The universe was created in the 2030s by the [[Jumpstarter]]s [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist]], with the assistance of the [[Zodiac]], [[proton energy]], and the telepathic power of [[Katsu Don]] and the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]]. The Jumpstarters agreed to help Katsu Don create this world because, in 2004, they had already met and befriended Legends natives Whirl and Roadbuster. Thus, Topspin and Twin Twist knew the Legends World was destined to be created because it had already happened. Trippy, right?

==Reception==
[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Not the [[An Uneventful Night|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]
''Legends''{{'}} reception is mixed between the domestic and international audiences, so buckle up for a lot of comparing.

The ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, so it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers (as no official toy sale numbers exist). In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally found it appealing. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.

The Western fan reactions, on the other hand, are much harsher. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. Additionally, the comic is infamous among Western fans for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying otaku doesn't have much issue with.

Perhaps most glaringly problematic to Western fans is the comic's downright queerphobic humor, as these are lifted from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Most notably, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that feminine characters were actually men. While these depicitons are true to their original characterizations in the Japanese media, the culture barrier remains even more apparent here as in Eastern cultures, ''otokonoko'' trans characters are commonplace and even tolerated, Western trans culture sees these are blatantly transphobic. The gay stereotypes presented are also seen as standard in Japanese culture, but offensive in Western culture. Considering the timeframe these comics came out, we can only hope this will be the last we'll see of these.

==Notes==
*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he never appears until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

==External links==
*[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_lg/tf_lg_comic ''Transformers Legends'' web issues] at the TakaraTomy website

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[[Category:Manga]]
[[Category:Legends franchise| ]]