Jumpstarter
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| This article is about the Autobot subgroup from Generation 1. For the Mini-Con from Armada, see Jumpstart. |
- The Jumpstarters are an Autobot subgroup from the Generation 1 continuity family.
The Jumpstarters are Topspin and Twin Twist, impulsive warriors with the ability to transform from vehicle to robot in less than half a second.[1]
Fiction
Marvel The Transformers comics
Along with Bumblebee, the Jumpstarters convinced Prowl to investigate Decepticon activity in South America. Hunted!
The Jumpstarters were also members of the Wreckers. Target: 2006 They died. Time Wars
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
They were members of the Wreckers.
IDW Generation 1 continuity
They were members of the Wreckers. Stormbringer #3
They died. Last Stand of the Wreckers
Toys
Generation 1
- Jumpstarters (1985)
- The Jumpstarters were sold boxed at the $6 price point; Topspin transforms into a futuristic Cybertronian hovercraft-type thing, while Twin Twist's alternate mode is a double-drilling tank. Both Jumpstarters are notable for their autotransforming feature. Their alternate modes are spring-loaded, and held into place by a catch. Equipped with pull-back motors, they race forward when released, tripping the catch, which allows internal springs to snap the robots' bulky legs into place, which are balanced so as to leave the robot standing upright on its rather broad feet.
- On the back of both figures' heads is a device resembling a switch. The switch is asymmetric and each position presents a different gap between the back of the head and the surface the toy is running on. When the spring-loaded transformation is triggered, the inertia of the legs unfolding in one direction torques the body backward in the opposite direction, causing the whole unit to rear up on the rubber driving wheels. When the switch on the back of the head comes in contact with the running surface, it becomes the new fulcrum point for levering the toy up off the surface, both increasing the lever length between the spring hips and the running surface, and lifting the driving wheels off the surface, removing any forward acceleration from the jumble of intersecting forces. That anonymous bit of plastic on the back of the head thus controls the timing for the wheels to be removed from contact with the running surface, the moment when the lever length and thus the force required to rotate the body backward increase significantly, and the angle at which the whole assembly is positioned when the giant feet impact the prongs/screws of the upper body, creating the sudden 'snap' that tosses the whole assembly up onto its feet. Changing the little tabs' position can be the deciding factor between landing dramatically upright, smacking forward onto your face, or flopping limply onto your back.
- Jumpstarters were made in sufficient numbers to fill the toy boxes of the entire known universe.
Kre-O
- Kre-O Topspin is a small brick-built Kreon figure, using the 2015-style construction with raised hands and the sturdier "peg-in-peg" torso/waist connection. He was only available as part of the San Diego Comic-Con-exclusive "Kreon Class of '85" 30-Kreon set. This set was also sold online through Hasbro Toy Shop after the show.
Generations
- Freezeout & Autobot Topspin (2017)
- Flameout & Twin Twist (2017)
- Topspin and Twin Twist were released as a new Deluxe-sized mold for the Generations Titans Return line. Unlike their original toys, they have to manually transform from robot to vehicle in a number of steps instead of relying on one single autotransforming step. As part of the Titans Return line however, they are now headmaster-style figures, with miniature Titan Masters forming their heads in robot mode.
Legends
- Redecos of their Titans Return counterparts, their colors are made to more closely match their original 1985 releases. Twin Twist and Topspin have been changed to Headmasters who are also Targetmasters, and come packaged with Spoil and Peaceman respectively. The new pairing is presumably due to the lack of a contemporary Sureshot or Pointblank/Blanker mold being available for use.
Other "Jumpstarters"
Since "Jumpstarter", like Battlecharger, appears to be a classification, Topspin and Twin Twist are the only known members.
Nevertheless, Transformers fans frequently refer to other toys/characters which share Topspin and Twin Twist's body type as Jumpstarters. These include:
- Salt-Man X
- Salt-Man Z
- Robot-Man X
- Robot-Man Z
- A mysterious fiction-only yellow and black "Jumpstarter" from a 2003 Dreamwave comic issue.
Notably "Salt-Man" literally means "Jump Man." It's possible that all of these Transformers may be Jumpstarters.
Notes
- In 1985, the Jumpstarters' toys were the subject of a legal conflict between Hasbro and a company named Sparkle Toys that had made knockoffs of the Jumpstarters. The court ruling on the matter serves as a basis for the argument that yes, most knockoffs are indeed illegal. Despite this, there are still various toys by other companies using the basic flip-changing
transformationconversion made popular by the Jumpstarters. - Hasbro themselves made use of the concept again with the "Flip and Attack" toys released as part of the toy line accompanying the 2012 Avengers and "The Amazing Spider-Man" movies. Despite the opportunity, they're not cross-branded as part of the Transformers: Crossovers franchise, however the packaging does say "With TRANSFORMERS technology" on the side insert, complete with Transformers logo.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Jumpstarters (ジャンプスターターズ Janpusutātāzu)
- French: Démarreurs-Bondisseurs (Canada)
