Howlback (G1)

This article is about the Recordicon from Generation 1. For the Recordicon from Shattered Glass, see Howlback (SG).

Howlback is a Decepticon Mini-Cassette from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Ain't no howlaback, girl.

Howlback (ハウルバック Haurubakku) is a member of the elite Cobalt Sentries, the "public safety unit" of the Decepticon Secret Police. Howlback takes her job and position as an enforcer very seriously and will brook no dissent from anyone, even a fellow Decepticon. She carries herself with an elegant air, which masks the ice-cold killer at the core of her spark.

As part of her job of quelling insurgencies and arresting (or assassinating) suspected rebels, she carries a set of "Multi-Track Missiles", but her real strength is in her "Feedbacker Shield", an energy barrier which absorbs energy attacks, allowing her to fire them back at the target of her choosing.

Toys

Generation 1

Cat Ballue

• Cobalt Sentries (Decepticons, 2005)
  • Japanese ID number: 69, 71 (Cobalt Sentries set)
  • Accessories: Left & right "Multi-Track Missiles", tape case

A redeco of the original Ravage mold, Howlback transforms from a mechanical jaguar into a microcassette tape that can fit in the chest compartment of the Soundwave or Blaster molds. Her "tape window" shows a readout of the Autobot Fortress Maximus that displays his "weak point" when she is placed behind a clear-red piece of transparent plastic, like the Tech Spec decoders and the chestplates behind the Soundblaster and Twincast molds. She also came with a clear-plastic cassette case, like early Takara releases of the cassette Transformers.

Howlback was only available in an e-Hobby exclusive "Cobalt Sentries" two-pack with her teammate Garboil. The mold was later used to make another e-Hobby exclusive, Glit, and Encore Stripes. He was repurposed as Shattered Glass Glit.

• More info on Howlback at TFU.info
• Howlback toy gallery at Transformertoys.co.uk

Notes

• "Howlback" is actually an audio term, essentially a synonym for "feedback".
• Howlback's coloration is based on the individually boxed pre-Transformers Microchange version of the MC-02 "Microcassette Robo Jaguar" mold.
• The Cobalt Sentries set had notoriously bad quality control in regards to Howlback's add-on weapons. There were numerous complaints of sets with two of the same-side weapon, leading to a lot of trading between fans and mailed-off replacement parts from Takara.