Blaster (G1)
| This article is about the heroic Autobot. For the evil alternate-universe Autobot, see Blaster (Shattered Glass). |
- Blaster is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family. In Japan he is later rebuilt as Twincast.
Dreamwave comics continuity
Blaster's first recorded activities took place shortly before the Age of Internment. When Ultra Magnus returned from self-imposed exile, he unified the disjointed Autobot factions with the help of warriors like Blaster and Grimlock. Blaster may or may not have been co-leading a fourth Autobot faction during the Dark Ages with Perceptor (in addition to those factions overseen by Prowl, Springer and Grimlock), but this was never made completely clear. The Autobots were ready to usher in a new Golden Age, negotiating a peace with the Decepticons and Ultracons, when Megatron returned to Cybertron after a prolonged absence with his Aerospace Extermination Squadron. With his new army, Megatron ushered in an Age of Internment, with virtually the entire Autobot army forced to serve as slaves digging under the city-state of Praxus.
Virtually.
A small faction of Autobots remained free, operating under the command of Blaster and Perceptor in the subterranean chambers of Iacon Command. The Age of Wrath issue 2 This resistance unit coordinated several different plans in the hopes of one day overthrowing Megatron's rule over Cybertron. One plan involved the capture and analysis of one of the AXS drones, in order to learn more about Megatron's new clone technology. Blaster oversaw this mission from a distance, using his abilities to jam any emergency transmissions while Nightbeat and several other Autobots engaged the drone in battle long enough to attach an inhibitor claw, immobilizing it. The Age of Wrath issue 3
Millions of years later, Blaster was one of the first Autobots who joined the resistance movement against Shockwave's so-called "unified" Cybertronian government, sensing things were rotten in the city-state of Iacon. He joined up with several like-minded 'Bots under the supervision of Kup and Hot Rod to coordinate a rise against the one-eyed tyrant. Blaster's efforts helped the Autobots uncover a subliminal code being pumped through the public address screens around the planet. It seemed that, for whatever reason, Shockwave was intentionally aggravating the violent tendencies of the entire population. Despite his feelings for Shockwave, Blaster still developed a strong taste for information from the Earth culture Shockwave was introducing to Cybertron. He even modified his alternate mode into a Earthen tapedeck. Passive Aggression
When Optimus Prime and the crew of the Ark were returned to Cybertron by Shockwave's forces, double agents inside the United Cybertronian force delivered Prime and his crew to Blaster and the others at their headquarters in the Wastelands. With the help of Cybertron's greatest hero, the resistance movement began an open insurrection against Shockwave's loyal Decepticon forces and the Guardian Robots under his control. Shockwave's regime fell, and the Autobots resumed command of Cybertron. Revelation
Transformers/G.I. Joe
In the year 1985, Blaster and Perceptor hastily took off for Earth in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of Oregon near Mount St. Hilary. They were discovered there by a G.I. Joe team led by Flint. Targets of Opportunity
IDW comics continuity
Blaster was known as The Voice, a patriotic broadcaster who used his gift with words to rally Autobots whose faith was lacking, or who were in a bad way. He was such a positive influence on the Autobots, it was arranged that he be assassinated. The attempt failed, but Blaster's damaged body was ejected into space. Picked up by a passing trawler, he was delivered home, where it was revealed that he had to have been attacked by an Autobot. In an effort to flush the traitor out, Blaster went back on the air. The attempt worked, and his would-be killer was revealed: Beachcomber. Soundwave had used Bombshell to implant a cerebro-shell and ordered him to kill Blaster. However, he was able to resist when Blaster used his greatest weapon: his voice. As a damaged Beachcomber was brought in for repairs, Blaster swore he'd find Soundwave and that the last thing he'd ever hear would be... the Voice. Spotlight: Blaster
One year later Blaster had joined the apparently no-longer-insane Kup's hand-picked crew aboard the starship Trion. Blaster and the others harried the Decepticon fleet until they were baited into an ambush above Cybertron. There, the ship was shot down and forced to crash-land on the assumed uninhabitable world. Banding together to survive, they eventually encountered Optimus Prime's unit, only to find him incapacitated, the Matrix having been seized by Megatron. All Hail Megatron issue 5
Toys
Generation 1
- Blaster (Autobot, 1985/1986/2006)
- Japanese ID number: 38, TFC-21
- Accessories: Electro-Scrambler Gun
- Originally a Microchange "Radi-Casse Robo" ("radio-cassette", you see), Blaster transforms into a miniature "ghetto blaster" boombox with a fold-out carrying handle. Pressing the "eject" button pops open his tape door, which can store a single micro-cassette Transformer. Due to a possible common internal misassembly issue, many original Blasters had doors which would not open when the eject button is pressed, nor would the other buttons work.
- In robot mode Blaster is freaking huge by the standards of Generation 1 Transformers, towering over most Autobots and Decepticons. He has rather limited (useful) articulation, located in his neck and shoulders.
- Blaster is not a functional AM radio like his original Microchange toy, but has some left over parts from it, such as the molded power switch above the left speaker, the earphone jack behind the right speaker and the tuning dial next to the tape door. Some releases of Blaster still retain the battery-cover back from the Microchange release (see Trivia).
- Blaster was re-released in 2006 as part of the "Transformers Collection" "bookbox" series, packaged with Steeljaw.
<span id="ActionMaster"></span>
- Blaster w/ Flight Pack (Action Master, 1990)
- Accessories: "Flight Pack" backpack, "tractor beam electron gun"
- A non-transforming action figure, Action Master Blaster (not to be confused with the "Action Master Blasters" price-point) is compatible with any other Action Master vehicle or accessory. His design is based largely on his cartoon model, with elements from the toy added (like his visor). He came with the "Flight Pack" accessory, which converts from a winged jetpack to a massive "electro-scrambler" cannon.
The Headmasters
- Twincast (Autobot, 1987/2006)
- Japanese ID number: C-116
- Accessories: Electro-Scrambler Gun
- The first Blaster toy was redecoed and had its tape-door retooled in order to accommodate two cassettes at once. The clear-plastic part of the door was also changed to clear-red, so when certain cassettes were placed inside, the "secret plans" decals on them would reveal the "weak point" of either Fortress Maximus or Scorponok, much like using the tech-specs decoders. He came with Steeljaw, who was given one of these new decals.
- In 2006, Twincast was reissued as an e-Hobby exclusive, this time packaged with the new character Flip Sides.
Binaltech Asterisk
- Broadblast meets Lumina (Binaltech, 2005)
- Japanese ID number: BTA03
- Accessories: Engine/gun, Lumina Hoshi with stand, driving arms and driving legs
- A redeco of Alternators Skids, "Broadblast" transforms into a 1:24 scale Toyota bB, aka the Scion xB. He has working doors, hood, and trunk, plus his engine becomes a non-firing weapon. He also comes with an extra decal sheet, which includes signs for "TBN" which possibly stands for "Transformers Broadcast Network" or some such; there is Japanese text on the labels as well, but it's really tiny and hard to make out.
- He came with a PVC-plastic figurine of the human newsgirl Lumina Hoshi.
Attacktix
- Blaster (2007)
- Blaster was likely to have been one of several Transformers Attacktix Booster pieces, using a powerful spring-loaded "blaster" missile launcher attack. Though displayed as part of the Attacktix display at the Star Wars "Celebration IV" convention, he —and all the other pieces revealed at the show— were ultimately never released.
<center> <table cellspacing="0" style="">
<tr>
<td style="padding:0 1em 0 1em;text-align:right;"><div class="tti_messageboxdiv" style="width:100%;padding:.5em; background-color:#efefff; border:solid 1px #9f9fff;text-align:center;margin:auto;">
Proceed on your way to oblivion.<br />This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.
</div>
</td></tr></table>
</center>
Universe (2008)
Classic Series
- Autobot Blaster with Blockrock Mini-Con! (Voyager, 2008)
- Accessories: Tri-barrel "particle feedback blaster"/bomb, double-barrel "harmonic wave cannon"/bomb, Cybertron Autobot Cyber Key (Clear black plastic, silver border, red ensignia)
- Blaster is a redeco of Cybertron Soundwave, transforming into a Cybertronic stealth bomber vaguely like an F-117A Nighthawk prototype, the Have Blue. He comes with three hexagonal prism "bombs"; one converts into his partner Blockrock, the other two unfold into non-firing blaster weapons. Any one of these "bombs" can be stored in his robot-mode chest, which opens by plugging a Cyber Planet Key into him (his is a gunmetal-bordered clear-plastic Cybertron-style Autobot Key). The other two bombs store in indents on the underside of his wings.
- His packaging art shows him with only half of his chest-door as clear-blue, emulating the original toy design's tape-window, but the final product (and stock photography) show the blue all the way across. However, his visor does have red paint to simulate the "goggle visor" look of the original toy and Marvel comics model.
- This mold was also used to make Galaxy Force Soundblaster.
Merchandise
Robot Heroes
- Blaster vs. Thrust (2008)
- Part of the third wave of Universe Robot Heroes, "Generation 1 Series" Blaster comes packaged with Thrust. He has the standard shoulders-and-neck articulation. His headsculpt is more toy-based than cartoon-based, featuring his "goggles" (even though his eyes kind of pop out from them).
Trivia
- The pre-Transformers version of Blaster was actually a functioning AM radio. The Microchange release of the toy came with a microcassette-sized radio that plugged in to Radi-Casse Robo, which had internal wiring that allowed the radio to play through the speakers in its legs. The big hole in his Electro-Scrambler rifle is an earphone storage space, while the cord can be wrapped around the gun and the plug connects to the hole in the gun's stock. Despite popular belief, the compartment in the back of some Blaster toys was not a remnant of a battery compartment, but was actually storage for one of the transforming microcassettes, since a plug kept them from fitting in the cassette door. The battery compartment was actually in one of his legs.
- According to Grimlock on a Letters Page, Blaster's visor is retractable. He uses it to shield his especially delicate optical sensors from sunlight.
- The packaging for Twincast's e-Hobby reissue was the same generic Decepticon-scheme box used to package Magnificus. However, since Flip Sides is technically a Decepticon, it... sorta works.
- According to Blaster himself on the UK letters page, he has two siblings: Toaster and Karmen. And then there's Bluster, his retroactively-created and less-seen brother.
- Blaster hosted the Marvel UK comic's letters page for the final 33 issues (from issue #300 to issue #332), to tie in with his Action Master toy. Here, the letters page was dubbed "Darn 'n' Blast," replacing Dreadwind's "Dread Tidings" (despite Dreadwind's holing himself up in the Marvel offices. He was finally evicted by Blaster who complained that Dreadwind had decorated the office in all purple and orange with a solitary picture of a dog with sad eyes). His characterization in the letters page is more in line with his fun-loving, hip and happening self from the cartoon than the rather grim, brooding, rebellious loner seen in the comics. He arrived on the letters page in advance of his resurrection in the comics itself, which did not occur until issue #321. He was explicitly identified as being a non-transformer Action Master, though his partner Flight Pack did not appear.
Reference
External links
- Pages with image sizes containing extra px
- Character stubs missing fiction
- Pages with broken file links
- Unreleased toys
- Action Masters
- Alternators
- Attacktix
- Autobots
- Classics characters
- E-Hobby
- Generation 1 characters
- Headmasters characters
- Kiss Players characters
- Letters page answerers
- Robot Heroes
- Universe (2008)
