#And a few technobots

[wwheeljack]

Still haven't caught sight of Drag Strip's or Wildrider's names, but that's three out of five components of Menasor who show up in the race alone.

[they-hermes]

short technobot characterisations go:

scattershot is if springer was raised by prowl, a jock soldier with no social etiquette bc hes a nerd who studies mathematics and statistics all day. hes the only frat boy to ever leave a party to go study.

strafe is very sweet but because he is in a war they gave him a gun instead of anxiety meds, and seeing the damage he could do with one gun they gave him another. hes also a biologist and embodies that one guy on tiktok who keeps picking up animals barefoot in the florida everglades

nosecone finds all fiction literature very boring and prefers to read long winded academic essays all day. this is what gives him the patience to deal with his team everyday, hes used to heated arguments between people who can never admit they're wrong

lightspeed is one of the only scientists who appreciate social sciences, including astrology, and highlights his research with an intricate color coding system your average pinterest girly would only dream of having. hes a rousseau trapped in the body of a pythagoras

afterburner doesn't believe in deadlines and submits academic papers whenever he wants, nor does he believe in searching praise from professors and will fight them instead. this is why hes banished to archivist work to spend his days only ever organising data in giant empty halls where he cant fight people but jokes on them because the war let him back into society

[ebony-pupp]

So, I saw VillianInGlasses04 on Deviant make some IDs and I wanted to make a few of my own versions of them so here they are! They are 100% Free to use as you wish, just make sure to tag me if you do use them please, I love to see how creative people can be with these :]

Also if you think I should make anymore of these lmk which ones I should make! Oh and feel free to change the QRcode to whichever platform of yours you would like (or if you need assistance with that just ask :])

Btw, I do apologize for my absents from Tumblr. Back in July I was participating in ArtFight, a bit after I had to go to the hospital and now school has started up again (honestly its killin me T-T). I've also been procrastinating with the final TF2 character because I cannot for the life of me figure out their insignia or what they would actually look like.

For some clarification (this is just for examples, mix and match as you please this is all for fun) :

{Autobot}

Sub-factions : Dinobots, Maximals, Aerialbots, Protectobots, Technobots, Cybertron Elite Guard, Wreckers, Rescue Bots,Minibot, ect.

Ranks : Scout, Private, Specialist, Sergeant, Elite, Captain, Major, General, Knight, Prime

Unit : Infantry, Intelligence, Medical, Engineering, Special Ops, Artillery, Transport, Guard

{Decepticon}

Sub-factions : Insecticons, Stunticons, Combaticons, Predacons, Terrorcons, Seacons, Horrorcons, Vehicons, Seeker, Arachnicon, Sharkticon, Stunticon, Minicon, Constructicon, Ect.

Ranks : Raider, Scout, Private, Sergeant, Elite, Captain, Major, General, Knight, Prime

Unit : Infantry, Espionage, Medical, Applied Sciences, Black Ops, Weapons, Transport, Guard

{Neutral}

Sub-factions : Equinoids, Quintessons, Scorpinok, Mercenaries, Gladiators, ECT.

Ranks : Have your pick of Autobot or Decepticon Ranks or make up your own

Unit : Have your pick of Autobot or Decepticon Units or make up your own

[decepti-thots]

Out of curiosity, why would you say the Combaticons have been latched onto so heavily out of the G1 combiner teams over the years? Notice they get a lot more material both in official and fan works than the others.

That may just be your fan circles especially liking him for whatever reason, anon- I wouldn't say they have particularly been latched onto above other G1 combiners, but in the past few years I've definitely noticed there's a bit of a larger fanbase around them especially on here!

All the OG major G1 combiners have their fanbases, in my experience. (I recall back in the early 2010s, the aerialbots were quite popular in G1 fic, and Defensor has always had his fans- and Devastator most iconic of them all.)

If I had to guess, though, the combaticons all have pretty unique, well defined personalities as individual characters, which can't be said for many combiners. The aerialbots have one character people tend to recognise (Silverbolt) and then... Some Guys TM, haha. The constructicons are very much a single unit, so while Devastator tends to be popular, they often get treated as a kind of singular mass more than unique characters. (Even Barber did this explicitly in exRiD, lmao.) Defensor likewise has some characters (e.g. First Aid) that are just more popular than the other folks filling out the team.

The combaticons, by contrast, have three fully Iconic G1 characters out of the five- Swindle, Vortex and Onslaught are all popular in their own right, and Brawl and Blast Off picked up some fans along the way too. I suspect that helps! (I'm pretty sure that's why they showed up so much in IDW1 across the years; it's a whole team of characters you can rely on everyone recognising. Can't say the same for, say, Monstructor, I feel.)

Personally, I'm waiting for the technobots to get their due, like a little hipster.

[transingthoseformers]

For some reason i went through all the G1 episodes' wiki pages twice and categorized all the characters into the ship crews, earthborns, pre-Movie random new people, and post-Movie bots.

Autobots

Ark Crew

Optimus Prime

Jazz

Bluestreak

Brawn

Bumblebee

Cliffjumper

Gears

Hound

Huffer

Ironhide

Mirage

Prowl

Ratchet

Sideswipe

Sunstreaker

Trailbreaker

Wheeljack

Windcharger

Hauler??? (single few-seconds appearance, altmode-only, no name, no lines, could be ignored or pretended to be Grapple??)

Definitely on Cybertron pre-Movie

Elita One

Chromia

Moonracer

Greenlight

Lancer

Firestar

Alpha Trion

Earthborn Bots pre-Movie

Grimlock

Sludge

Slag

Snarl

Swoop

Autobot X (intelligence unclear but was able to go on a rampage)

Silverbolt

Air Raid

Fireflight

Skydive

Slingshot

Appeared out of nowhere pre-Movie

Powerglide

Warpath

Beachcomber

Inferno

Tracks

Grapple

Blaster

Red Alert

Smokescreen

Hoist

Perceptor

Seaspray

Omega Supreme

Skids

Streetwise

Groove

First Aid

Hot Spot

Blades

Cosmos (might've been in space like Devcon)

Other pre-Movie

Devcon (in space)

Skyfire (in coma on Earth long before Ark and Nemesis crashed, lost before The War began)

Movie introductions

Ramhorn

Steeljaw

Eject

Rewind

Wheelie

Hot Rod

Arcee

Springer

Ultra Magnus

Kup (in space, definitely alive before the timeskip preceding The Movie)

Post-Movie introductions

Sky Lynx (came from elsewhere in space, like Kup)

Brainstorm

Chromedome

Highbrow

Hardhead

Cerebros

Cloudraker

Fastlane

Crosshairs

Sureshot

Pointblank

Punch

Pipes

Tailgate

Swerve

Broadside

Outback

Wideload

Chase

Freeway

Searchlight

Rollbar

Sandstorm (from Paradron)

Playback (from Paradron)

(Technobots)

Born after The Movie

Scattershot

Strafe

Lightspeed

Afterburner

Nosecone

The Movie introductions could all have been born in the timeskip for all we know. Same for the post-Movie introductions, who could also have been born after The Movie.

Yep yep, there's a lot of wiggle room and g1's like that

[asknarashikari]

It's the Science Squad and by extension, the Build Cast, turn.

The Science Squad are assigned Wheeljack, the crazed Autobot scientist, the Technobots, comprised of the trigger-happy leader Scattershot, the screw-loose Strafe, the wonder-filled Lightspeed, the angry Afterburner, the patient Nosecone, the insecure Scrounge, and the forgettable Cybaxx, who combine to form Computron, and Shockwave, the Decepticon scientist who follows logic and the smartest sentient being in this universe, who has done some questionable things and one of the few people who scares quite literally everybody including the parent friends and even the stoic Ultra Magnus for the horrible things he has done in the past when he was still evil except Optimus Prime, Starscream, and Universe Ramjet. Or you could say that Shockwave and this group of Autobots were assigned the Science Squad and Build Cast to keep them from doing something they will regret.

Shockwave: Try any of your experiments on me, the Cybertronians, or any of your friends, and be prepared to meet a swift end. After all, it is only logical?

The Science Squad and the Build Cast, trembling in fear: Yes sir.

Shockwave: Glad, we cleared things up.

What are the Riders reaction to Shockwave, Wheeljack, and the Technobots being assigned to the Science Squad, and by extension the Build Cast, to keep them in check from doing something they will regret?

I suppose it all depends on whether they actually get to keep the Science Squad in check, because honestly I can see some of these people knowing that they'll regret the consequences of doing something... and then do it anyway

(cough Sento cough)

[elfdragon12]

Sg Marissa is very protective of Sg Lightbright. They are best friends and partners in crime. She HATES Sg Arcee and she may be tiny, compared to these robots, but she will defend her bestie’s honour.

OG Marissa was ready to throw hands with Quintessons or Sharkticons for Ultra Magnus and rode with the Technobots who were created by Grimlock. While SG Marissa's loyalty is extremely hard to come by, SG Lightbright is one of the few to have it and this version of the little human is no less feral!

[kudosmyhero]

Transformers: Stormbringer #2

Read Date: July 29, 2023 Cover Date: August 2006 ● Writer: Simon Furman ● Art: Don Figueroa ● Colorist: Josh Burcham ● Letterer: Robbie Robbins ● Editor: Chris Ryall ◦ Dan Taylor ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● just when I think adorable ‘bots will get me over my fear of robots, they bring in something like this that gives me ED-209 flashbacks

● 👏👏👏👏

Synopsis: On the distant organic world of Nebulos, the local inhabitants are going about their daily business until a gigantic shadow looms over the peaceful cityscape…

A few hours before, in the depths of Cybertron, a conscious Jetfire is interrogated by his captor, the Decepticon Bludgeon. Bludgeon has gathered a team of like-minded 'bots to reawaken the dormant Thunderwing and accomplish through mysticism what science could not: if they destroy enough worlds, Bludgeon reasons, then their sacrifice will appease the "spirit" of Cybertron, allowing their ravaged world to return to its former glory.

Horrified by Bludgeon's mad plan, Jetfire pleads with his captor, reminding him that Thunderwing's rampage was responsible for the devastation of their world in the first place. Bludgeon counters that Jetfire is just as responsible for what happened to their world: Thunderwing foresaw what was coming and was dismissed by his peers, and now Bludgeon and his cadre will finish what Thunderwing started. Bludgeon reveals the next stage of his plan to his prisoner: using the unconscious Technobots as raw material for the Thunderwing's infamous "polydermal grafting process:" the unstable upgrade that drove its creator insane. As Bludgeon's followers gather, their leader, shrugging off Jetfire's protests, proclaims that, soon, they'll all be so much more…

In the meantime, Optimus Prime receives a report regarding the disappearance of the Calabi-Yau. When Prime realizes that the vessel crashed near the infamous Thunderhead Pass, he orders his aide Dogfight to call up the toughest group of Autobots on the roster: the Wreckers.

On the embattled world of Varas Centralus, Wrecker leader Springer receives Prime's transmission as the Autobot commandos prepare to dig in and lay siege to the local Decepticon siege armature. The battle is cut short when Springer relays Prime's orders to his unit: they're pulling out and heading back to Cybertron.

Using the energon pocket detected by the Calabi-Yau, Bludgeon commences restoring power to Thunderwing, despite Jetfire's protests. Bludgeon reveals that he's not going to directly control Thunderwing; rather, he'll use an axis cradle to link himself to Thunderwing's blank neural processor. Rather than puppet the comatose Decepticon directly, Bludgeon will give hints and directional prompts to Thunderwing, pointing him toward the sacrificed planets. The rest will be left to Thunderwing's own instincts. Hoping to make one last attempt at stopping Bludgeon, Jetfire easily breaks free of his restraints and overpowers one of his captors, but he's quickly electrocuted by Finback and dragged off to become raw material for Bludgeon's polydermal grafting experiments…

Aboard the Wrecker's starship Xantium, Springer holds a brief meeting with Optimus Prime as the Autobot leader journeys to their staging ground on Luna Two. Springer, doubtful about coming out on top against Thunderwing is adamant that the Autobot leader simply destroy Cybertron entirely. Though hesitant, Prime hesitantly tells the Wrecker commander that he'll consider it… but flashes back to their last battle against Thunderwing, when Megatron advocated the same tactic. Prime's assistant Dogfight is eager to get into the action, but Prime tells him that he'll be lucky to come out the other side feeling that way.

On the surface of Cybertron, Nosecone and Afterburner leave their escape pod and make their way across the surface of Cybertron and take shelter inside a storage bunker, but the cosmic radiation plays havoc with their systems and they are rounded up by a pair of Centurion drones.

On Nebulos, the local Decepticon infiltration unit picks up something big and powerful exiting foldspace. The people of the planet look to the sky and flee in fear, for the apocalypse has arrived—and its name is Thunderwing!

(https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Stormbringer_issue_2)

Fan Art: Jetfire by CornyCartoons

Accompanying Podcast: ● Swerve's Bar Podcast - episode 08

[vivekpandeyy1]

Arduino Programming for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the world of electronics and robotics, Arduino programming for beginners serves as an essential starting point for those eager to dive into the realm of microcontrollers and embedded systems. Arduino is an open-source platform that combines hardware and software, making it an ideal choice for newcomers. At Technobotics, we understand the importance of accessible and comprehensive learning resources for budding tech enthusiasts. This guide aims to provide a clear and straightforward introduction to Arduino programming for beginners.

What is Arduino?

Arduino is a microcontroller-based platform that allows users to create interactive electronic projects. The platform includes a programmable circuit board (microcontroller) and a software IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for writing and uploading code to the hardware. Arduino boards come in various models, such as the Arduino Uno, Arduino Mega, and Arduino Nano, each catering to different project requirements.

Getting Started with Arduino

1. Gather Your Components

To begin Arduino programming for beginners, you will need the following components:

An Arduino board (Arduino Uno is recommended for beginners)

USB cable to connect the Arduino to your computer

A computer with the Arduino IDE installed

Basic electronic components like LEDs, resistors, and breadboards

2. Install the Arduino IDE

The Arduino IDE is the software used to write and upload code to the Arduino board. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can download it from the official Arduino website. Once downloaded, follow the installation instructions specific to your operating system.

3. Connect Your Arduino

Use the USB cable to connect your Arduino board to your computer. The power LED on the board should light up, indicating that the board is receiving power. Open the Arduino IDE and select the correct board and port from the 'Tools' menu.

4. Write Your First Program

In Arduino programming for beginners, the first program you usually write is the "Blink" program, which makes an LED blink on and off. Open the Arduino IDE, and you will see a blank sketch (a program written in the Arduino language).

Here is the "Blink" code:// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board void setup() { // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output. pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT); }

// the loop function runs over and over again forever void loop() { digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(1000); // wait for a second digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW); // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW delay(1000); // wait for a second }

5. Upload the Code

Click the 'Upload' button in the Arduino IDE to upload the code to your Arduino board. The onboard LED should start blinking, indicating that the code has been successfully uploaded and is running on the board.

Understanding the Code

In Arduino programming for beginners, understanding the basic structure of an Arduino sketch is crucial.

setup() function: This function runs once when the board is powered on or reset. It is used to initialize variables, pin modes, start using libraries, etc.

loop() function: This function runs continuously after the setup() function has completed. It is where the main logic of the program resides.

In the "Blink" example:

pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT); sets the LED pin as an output.

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH); turns the LED on.

delay(1000); pauses the program for one second.

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW); turns the LED off.

delay(1000); pauses the program for another second.

Exploring More Projects

Once you are comfortable with the basics of Arduino advanced programming, you can explore more complex projects. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Temperature and Humidity Monitor

Use a DHT11 sensor to measure temperature and humidity. Display the readings on an LCD screen. This project introduces you to using sensors and displaying data.

2. Motion Detector

Create a motion detector using a PIR sensor and an LED. When motion is detected, the LED will light up. This project helps you understand how to use sensors to trigger actions.

3. Servo Motor Control

Learn to control a servo motor using a potentiometer. This project is excellent for understanding how to read analog input and control output devices.

Troubleshooting Tips

As you delve into Arduino programming courses for beginners, you might encounter some common issues. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

Board Not Recognized: Ensure the correct board and port are selected in the Arduino IDE.

Code Not Uploading: Check your USB connection and ensure no other program is using the same COM port.

LED Not Blinking: Double-check your code for errors and ensure the correct pin is being used.

Conclusion

Arduino programming for beginners is a rewarding journey that opens up endless possibilities for creating interactive electronic projects. At Technobotics, we are committed to providing you with the resources and support you need to succeed. Start small, experiment, and gradually take on more complex projects. Happy tinkering!

By following this guide, you will be well on your way to mastering the basics of Arduino programming and ready to explore the exciting world of electronics and robotics. For more tutorials and resources, visit our website and join our community of tech enthusiasts.

[millimillimochi]

do u remember techno naked from hive

GOD.

[quadrilioquy]

Rubble and Shadow Striker!

rubble: what’s your favorite iteration of how transformers are created?

IDW1, hands down! The whole concept of Cybertronians being either forged or cold constructed is absolutely fascinating, both as world building and on a character level, and there’s so much to explore there. I’m also really fond of the 80’s cartoon’s take on creation, though—and I don’t just mean the Quintessons, though I love that part too. I mean the “just casually build a sentient being like it’s no big deal” thing they had going on, because it’s hilarious. Sure, they needed Alpha Trion to build the Stunticons and Aerialbots (and the Technobots too, I believe?), but Wheeljack and Ratchet just built the Dinobots on a random whim, and they’re very clearly sentient! You can just do that!! It’s something I’d love to see more of in future continuities.

shadow striker: favorite new transformer from the past few years?

Does Minimus count as “from the past few years”? Oooh, or Pharma? I love them both, and I really hope they show up again soon—though honestly I’d be nervous if Pharma did. If he ever does make an appearance in a new continuity, I do hope they don’t make him a villain, or at least not without good reasoning, and if they made him a Decepticon, I think I’d riot. New story requires new characterization, I know, but Pharma’s current (or…past?) characterization gets misinterpreted a lot, so I worry that he wouldn’t be handled with nuance. Actually, I’d be nervous about Minimus, too, because his OCD already hasn’t always been treated with as much sensitivity as it should have been in, and I feel it’d be really easy for him to get completely flattened into a lazy stereotype.

[suranet]

though, upon thinking it over, i’ll make an exception to the “the Enigma is a boring plot device” stance that i hold and i’ll say that i thought its usage in the 2021 annual issue for the new comics w/ the Technobots had the potential to be... mildly interesting?

because in there Scattershot (the Technobot leader) falls into a kind of fake Enigma core and basically absorbs it into himself by total accident, and that’s what gives him the ability to combine w/ the other Technobots into Computron.

and then it just stays inside him afterwards. no removal, no using it for anybody else. it seemed permanent. at the end of the annual, Scattershot’s hinted to be having identity issues about what it’s doing to him?

now, i seriously doubt the comics are going to take it in the direction i want (full-fledged identity crisis) or explore it much but... i could see ways to spin that into a few fun plot threads.

[askvectorprime]

Dear Vector Prime, Do the works we know as the "Omni Productions" dubs exist as their own universe? What can you tell us about it?

Dear Omniversal Observer,

Indeed—a great and noble universe with a few differences to the OG World from which it sprang, and which you may be more familiar with.

It's hard to judge what humans may be interested in, but here are a handful of those differences:

The Mercenary Sixshot completely abandoned the Six Clan, and went into seclusion. His own son, Sixshot Junior, joined the Autobots, and was instrumental in helping with the Masterforce War. Following his son’s untimely death, Sixshot himself sided with the Autobots, using his new body to seek revenge.

Due to Optimus Prime's great deeds in saving Earth, there was a period where many humans took to naming their children after the hero. One of the humans bearing his name was eventually chosen to receive the transtector built in the image of the Autobot leader.

During the period where Grimlock was affected by anti-electrons, he created the Trainbots instead of the Technobots. In homage to their creator, the team named their combined form after him.

[transform-or-treat]

Treat from Anonymous!

Treat for @synthesizeher!  Your gifter wanted to remain anonymous but they really hope you enjoy this!

Prompt: "G1 Dinobots and the Technobots, Halloween Fun, Grimlock tries to take the Technobots out for their first trick or treat, cue disastrous costumes and jumpscares and candy trading" for @synthesizeher on Tumblr.

"They're asleep," Grimlock said, coming to sit beside his conjunx. Misfire sighed and draped himself across the Dinobot's lap, wings twitching with exhaustion. Grimlock rumbled in amusement and started rubbing his back. "I've been thinking…," he said softly. "Mhm?" Misfire asked, optics closed in bliss, giving him however much time he needed to order his words. "I want them to have more Earth culture. I am from there." "Did you have anything specific in mind?" Grimlock tilted his head, considering. "There are so many festivals." "You could ask the Witwickys." Grimlock grinned behind his mask and leaned down to nuzzle the back of his conjunx' neck. "You have the best ideas." "Halloween!" Daniel cheered. "I'm going to be Lance from Voltron." Grimlock made an inquisitive noise. "Halloween is when you dress up as other people and go knock on people's doors and ask for candy by saying 'trick or treat!'," Daniel explained, grinning. "The better your costume, the more candy you get." Lightspeed shared an excited look with Afterburner. "I call Buzz Lightyear!" Wheeljack laughed and stood from the seat where he had been lounging. "Guess I'll be dusting off the old tools of the trade." "You don't have to do that, Ri," Grimlock protested. Misfire nodded. "We'll just use temp paint." Wheeljack spluttered. "Nonsense! You have to really get into the spirit of the holiday! Alright, kiddos, give me your requests!" The Technobots all started babbling over each other in excitement. Very carefully, Scattershot approached his grandcreator and tugged on his arm. Wheeljack leaned down, tilting his audial as the Technobot leader whispered. His optics crinkled at the corners as he grinned. "You got it, kiddo." "Okay, hold still," Wheeljack said, as he carefully pinned the steel wool he had lovingly spun and woven into the kind of fabric Cybertron hadn't seen since the Golden Age. "How come you know all this stuff?" Nosecone asked, staying indeed extremely still. "I used to live on a cybersheep farm," Wheeljack said, his fins flashing cheerfully. "It was my great-great-great-grandsire's farm. We had sheep and zap-ponies and mineral fields and an energon distillery." "Can you teach me?" "Maybe. I don't know, I still like science better. But I am the only one who still knows this stuff, as far as I'm aware, so I probably should pass it on." "It's okay," Nosecone said. "You don't have to decide right now." Wheeljack chuckled and patted his hand. "I appreciate that, kiddo. Alright," he said, rocking back, "that ought to do it. Just gotta get it all sewn together, and then all the costumes are ready." Nosecone grinned as Wheeljack helped him out of his costume. "Did you get to make the visor?" "Yep, but no lasers, okay? It's a safety risk." Nosecone nodded solemnly. "I understand." Grimlock chuckled as he watched his creations file out of Wheeljack's back room. Lightspeed zoomed out the door, shouting "To infinity - and beyond!" Strafe followed at a slightly more sedate speed, but that was due to the long "mustache" that reached almost to his feet and the giant oversized hat that was nearly as tall as he was than anything else. He swung toy pistols from his hips. "Pew, pew, pew! I'm the fastest gun north, south, east, and west of Ibex! Pew, pew!" Grimlock smiled and nudged Misfire over their bond. He's a better shot than you. Misfire collapsed into giggles, losing it even more as a suction cupped foam dart hit him between the optics. Strafe grinned sheepishly. "Oops." "Raaaarrrr!" Afterburner screeched, jumping out, completely enclosed in some kind of monster costume. "Radiation breath! Radiation breath!" Grimlock laughed. "See, I told you the radiation breath could be invisible and still work!" Nosecone called, adjusting the yellow sash over his blue jumpsuit. "I don't have any eye lasers cause that would be a safety risk." Misfire and Grimlock nodded solemnly, then waited for Scattershot to make his appearance. There was a crash from the workshop. "Everything alright?" Grimlock shouted. "Fine!" Wheeljack called back. "Just forgot a very important costume element!" Another few minutes passed, and then Scattershot burst out of the door, dressed in silver, red, and yellow, and waving an orange sword in the air. "Me Grimlock, King!" Grimlock's jaw nearly hit the floor, and Misfire's optics just about bulged out of his faceplates. Scattershot yelped as the Tyrannosaurus Rex head on top of his helm slid down, covering his vision. He pushed it back up and grinned sheepishly. "Do you like it?" Grimlock laughed and scooped his creation up into his arms. "I love it!" He looked up as his creator walked out, hands still covered in various shades of orange paint. "You did a good job, Ri. What do we say, sparklings?" "Thank you, Grand-carrier!" the Technobots chorused. "Are we ready to go trick or treating?" Grimlock asked. The excited yells that earned him were nearly deafening. They met the Witwickys outside the Earth embassy. "Here!" Daniel called, waving. "I made a list of everybody I know for sure will give us candy. We've got to get these guys first so we have something to snack on." Nosecone rushed over to review the list and come up with a plan of attack. "Are you ready for your first Halloween as parents?" Carly asked, eyes sparkling. Grimlock crouched down to greet her and made a non-committal hum. "As much as we can be." Carly laughed. "Sounds about right." "How long are we staying out for?" Misfire asked, putting a hand on Grimlock's back as he straightened. Spike shrugged. "A joor maybe? We want the kids to have fun but not get overtired. At the very least, we'll be able to hit everyone on Daniel's list. First I think is Rodimus." He raised his voice to carry over the sound of excited younglings. "Everyone ready to go?" A chorus of affirmatives rang out, and the party slowly moved down the broad street that ran in front of the embassy. They didn't head to the Primal Palace or the Senate Hall like most would to meet the Prime, instead with the privilege granted to them as friends, they strolled leisurely to a nondescript apartment in what was decidedly a middle-class neighborhood. Bluestreak answered the door and promptly fell over himself laughing. "Radiation breath!" Afterburner yelled, pointing at the giggling Praxian. "No!" Bluestreak yelled, clutching his spark. "Not radiation breath! I'm dying - I'm melting - tell Rodimus… I love him. Blergh!" Afterburner stared in shock, then glanced at his creators, completely out of his depth. "Trick - Trick or treat?" "A trick!" Bluestreak sat up with a shout and grabbed Afterburner, fingers diving for ticklish seams. The Technobot collapsed in fits of laughter, pouring sheer delight down the bond with his brothers. Rodimus stepped out into the doorway and laughed at what he found. "Alright, alright," he said, patting his Conjunx Potentia on the head. "Who wants candy?" He made quick work of passing out energon goodies, chocolate, and compliments on the children's costumes and then dragged Bluestreak back inside. "They're trying to have a baby," Daniel said when everyone looked confused at the normally affable Prime's hurry. "Rodimus told me cause he wants me to be an uncle." The parents exchanged knowing glances. "Oh," Scattershot said, as if that explained everything. "Well who's next on the list?" Ultra Magnus turned out to be next, peering out at the Technobots through a comically large door. He gave each sparkling precisely two goodies, and Daniel precisely two goodie-sized chocolate bars. "An excellent choice of costume," he congratulated Lightspeed and Nosecone. "Peacekeepers are always noteworthy." "Especially when they're corrupt," Misfire interjected, smiling saccharinely. "Then you have to watch them to make sure they don't hurt you or your friends." Ultra Magnus stared at him for a moment, then wisely chose not to engage any further. "As you say," he said, and then closed the door. "Why don't you hurry on ahead?" Grimlock asked, putting a hand on his conjunx' lower back. Carly nodded and she and Spike gathered the children together and started walking. Grimlock waited until they were out of sight before dragging him into an alley. "We will never let what happened to Cybertron before happen to our children," he promised. "You weren't there," Misfire snapped, attempting a rare dig at his partner's age. "Stop that," Grimlock chided him. "That doesn't mean I don't know it was wrong. It just means I don't know what it was like to live it." Misfire sighed and shuttered his optics, burying his face in Grimlock's chestplates. They caught up to the others just outside of Jazz and Prowl's hab, and the Technobots immediately swarmed Misfire with hugs. Grimlock eyed the walkway suspiciously, something off about the serene look to it - tall crystal trees and soft tingrass, a path made of Earthen bricks that cracked beneath Cybertronian feet. "Everything alright?" Spike asked. Grimlock huffed and shook his head. "Yes," he answered. But he couldn't help but be on edge as they walked up to the door. He did have to admit the brick was an effective early warning system. Out of curiosity, he started counting the number of footsteps he could hear, tapping out the number on his fingertips. One, two, three, five, seven, the humans made barely a sound but they were there, and eleven. Wait. He stopped, turned around, sword drawn. With a yell, Scattershot ran back and started attacking something with his own little sword, leaving streaks of orange paint on - "Argh! I have been vanquished by a ferocious beast!" Mirage's electrodisruptor cut out as he fell to the path, pretending at a mortal wound. Scattershot huffed and pushed up the slipping dinosaur head. "I'm not a ferocious beast! I'm sa! Afterburner's a ferocious beast!" "Radiation breath!" the sparkling in question screeched as he pounced on the former spy, followed quickly by the rest of his brothers. "What are you doing?" a voice called from the door. Mirage was too busy wrestling the sparklings to answer, so Misfire opened his mouth to step in. "It was my idea, Prowler." Misfire shrieked and turned around, unsubspacing a gun to shoot the enemy that had appeared out of thin air. True to form, he missed, the bolt being absorbed by a crystal instead. Prowl surveyed the disheveled party and sighed. "Well, come get your candy." The Technobots shouted with joy and quickly abandoned Mirage for the treats. Jazz reached down to help his former second to his feet and grinned. "You look good covered in younglings." Mirage smiled and put his haughty airs back on like a cloak, patting Jazz' cheek affectionately. "You're getting ahead of yourself, darling." The human adults stared open-mouthed as Mirage sauntered up to the door and greeted Prowl with a kiss before sashaying inside, then turned to Jazz for an explanation, much more shocked at the idea of him and Prowl and Mirage than the idea of three. Jazz simply grinned and shrugged. "Towers courting. What can you do?" "Look!" Lightspeed called, running up with a small toy car. "We get one of these, too!" "Did you say thank you?" Grimlock asked. Lightspeed darted back away to do exactly that. Jazz patted Misfire's arm sheepishly. "Sorry about the scare, man." Misfire did what any Scavenger in their right mind would do and bolted for the goodie bowl. Grimlock chuckled at his conjunx, glad to see he was back to himself. Kup was next on Daniel's list, and he laughed at Scattershot's costume, patting the dino head. "You're gonna grow up to be just like your creator, huh?" "I hope so!" Scattershot said, grabbing handfuls of goodies out of Kup's bowl. Grimlock beamed at his eldest and leaned down for helm pats from Kup for himself, sneaking a goodie or two for himself while he was at it. Springer and Arcee were last on the list, and the Amica pair were waiting out on the stoop of their townhouse, dressed up in costumes themselves, though not as well-made as the ones from Wheeljack. Springer leapt to his feet and pointed imperiously at Afterburner as they walked up. "There can be only one!" Afterburner gave a mighty battle cry, and then the two Godzillas were dueling for supremacy. Grimlock was pleased to notice Afterburner was winning. Arcee laughed as she bounded over, spinning so her skirts flared out. "Isn't this fun, Grim?" Grimlock beamed under his mask at his friend. "What's this?" he asked, pointing to the gauzy fabric. "Just some princess," Arcee said, waving her hand. "She routinely gets captured by a giant lizard, but Springer didn't want to be that giant lizard." She grinned. "She kicks aft in the PVP games, though." Grimlock nodded, not having a clue what she was on about. "Suits you." Misfire grinned at her, bowing playfully. "You do look excellent, m'lady." Arcee giggled. It was disturbingly similar to the slightly maniacal cackle she gave in the middle of combat. "Radiation breath!" Afterburner yelled at the very top of his volume threshold. Springer cried out in mock pain and fell to the ground, defeated. Afterburner put a foot on his back and put his arms up in victory. "I am the one true Godzilla-aaaaa!" Grimlock chuckled, but then gestured the Technobots nearer. "Last stop," he said, "get your candy and give Auntie hugs, and then it's time for bed." There was a chorus of disappointed groans. "That's okay, guys!" Daniel said. "We still get to do this again next year!" Mollified, the Technobots formed an orderly line for goodies and hugs from Arcee, and then trooped on home. "Can I keep my costume on?" Scattershot asked. "Me, too!" Afterburner piped up from where he was trading candy with Nosecone and Lightspeed. Strafe had already shucked off his giant mustache and was working on the boots. Grimlock and Misfire shared a look and then shrugged in unison. "Sure, why not?" Scattershot bounded over to wrap his arms around Grimlock's knees. "Love you." Grimlock smiled and squeezed his creation back before tapping him gently on the shoulder. "Two goodies and then time for recharge." The Technobots rushed to consume their chosen treats and finish up their trading, and then they filed orderly into berth, already pleasantly exhausted by the outing. Grimlock and Misfire each took an end of the row of berths and started giving last hugs and kisses of the night. Meeting back at the door, they looked back over their creations. Grimlock turned off the light and closed the door, and then he pulled his conjunx close for a kiss. "Thank you."

Costumes: Scattershot - Grimlock Strafe - Yosemite Sam Lightspeed - Buzz Lightyear Afterburner - Godzilla Nosecone - Cyclops (X-MEN) Arcee - Princess Peach Springer - Godzilla

[thewadapan]

I rewrote an obscure Transformers comic from the 1980s.

Creator’s Commentary

It’s 1984. Marvel’s four-issue Transformers miniseries has been a smash hit, and they’re already expanding it into a full monthly ongoing. Marvel’s UK branch is looking to import the book, but they have a problem - the newsagents want weekly issues, and there simply isn’t enough comic to fill those pages.

To meet demand, they bring on Simon Furman to write extra comics weaving into the US material. Because he’s the only one with any idea what's going on, he continues to churn out Transformers stories for almost ten years - with only occasional contributions from other authors.

“Peace” is one such interloper.

Written by letterer/editor Richard Starkings under his “Richard Alan” pseudonym for the 1989 Transformers Annual (which was actually published in 1988), it presents one of Cybertron’s alternate futures. Its exact placement in continuity was contentious - even within the comics’ own letters pages, where the editors (writing in-character as Transformers) gave several contradictory answers to questions regarding its canonicity.

The comic opens when the final Decepticon is killed by the Wreckers - an elite group of Autobot shock-troopers. With the war over, the very-very-tired Autobot leader Rodimus Prime announces that he’s going to step down - letting the Wreckers’ leader, Springer, take his place.

Unbeknownst to the Autobots, not all of the Decepticons are dead after all - the double agent Triton still hides amongst their ranks. In an attempt to incite conflict, Triton suggests that Ultra Magnus would make a better leader. The Technobot combiner team agrees, and an argument breaks out between them and the Wreckers. Whirl argues with Triton, Triton punches Whirl, Roadbuster pulls a gun on Triton, Scattorshot shoots Roadbuster, Sandstorm shoots Triton, and the war begins again.

It’s a grimly interesting story, one forever doomed to remain a footnote in Transformers history. Fittingly for a bot of subterfuge, Triton’s alternate mode was a submarine - at least according to Dreadwind in the letters pages. Marvel UK fanboy-turned-creator Nick Roche much later reinvented him as a member of Squadron X - sworn enemies of the Wreckers in IDW Publishing’s Transformers continuity.

In its most recent reprint as part of the twenty-second volume of The Definitive G1 Collection, “Peace” was left stranded as an afterthought alongside Regeneration One - with the rest of the UK strips being collected across the first twenty volumes alongside their contemporary US material. That partwork was curated by Simon Furman, who still writes Transformers stories to this day - despite pleas from some corners of the fandom for him to just call it quits already.

Richard Starkings, meanwhile, went on to found Comicraft - bringing lettering into the 21st century by pioneering the use of digital fonts in comic books.

I wasn’t alive when most of that happened. My first brush with Transformers - at least, as far as I remember - came when I saw Transformers: Armada’s Land Military Mini-Con Team on the shelves of my local Woolworths (a much-loved now-defunct chain of British department stores). I didn’t get it at the time, but when our birthdays rolled around (or maybe Christmas? I was young; I barely remember any of this and neither do my parents) my brother and I got a bunch of Mini-Cons. Our first brush with Generation 1 would come much later, when we found a knackered Strafe at a car boot sale.

For a long time, my only experience with Transformers fiction came in the form of the cartoons - they didn’t show Armada on Freeview so I missed most of that, but Energon and Cybertron both aired in their entirety on CITV. I had the pack-in comics, and the Armada and Energon annuals - which basically just collected random Dreamwave comics without context. All of which is to say that, at the time, I felt pretty starved for good Transformers stories.

Finding the 1989 Annual in a secondhand bookshop, then, was like finding the holy grail.

I won’t lie. I had basically no idea who any of these characters were, or what was going on. But damn if I didn’t pore over every inch of those pages trying to work it out. And I sure as hell was gonna sign the thing, lest those abominable Firecons paid me a visit to finally incinerate what was presumably the only Annual they’d missed back in 1988.

Years passed. Some movies came out. I drifted away from Transformers for a while after my parents said “aren’t you a little too old for these” one time too many. Well, it was either that or the hordes of overpriced Bumblebees clogging the shelves at the time.

Eventually, though, I was drawn back to the franchise. A Humble Bundle of IDW’s comics and Thrilling 30 Sandstorm was all it took.

For some reason, at some point I decided to start a meme page. I don’t know why. Please don’t look at it. I don’t want to talk about it. Most of the edits I made were atrocious, although I’ll admit there’s a few I still find pretty funny. I actually referenced Transformers a bunch of times. There was this whole thing where I tried to work in a plot, so really the whole thing was much closer to a terrible webcomic than an actual meme page.

Perhaps the most involved reference to the franchise came in the form of a relettering of “The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas”, a 4-page comic originally published in a 1985 issue of Women’s Day. Why did I make that thing? I don’t know. Maybe a little more context would help.

Y’see, waaay back when the first Armada toys hit shelves, fans weren’t too impressed - to say the least. They’d seen pictures of highly-articulated prototypes, only to find that articulation completely absent in the finalised figures. To make matters worse, the first pack-in comic was pretty lacklustre - thanks to the trilingual dialogue squeezed into its speech bubbles.

One enterprising fan (Yartek, now better known as Blueshift) expressed their dissatisfaction by completely rewriting that pack-in comic’s dialogue - reimagining Hot Shot as a deranged, jam-obsessed cannibal. It was an idle joke, but one that tapped into the collective consciousness of the fandom at the time. Its popularity grew to the point where it was even referenced on the license plate of a later Hot Shot figure.

By Blueshift’s own admission, the comic isn’t all that great. Nowadays, the atmosphere surrounding Armada’s launch is but a hazy memory for most of the fandom - leaving the comic’s depiction of Hot Shot looking more like an uncomfortably ableist caricature than anything approximating a real parody.

But I digress. I was barely aware of Transformers when all of this happened. My point is that JaAm was like an abridged series, only presented as a comic, and I thought that was a neat idea. I was looking to make a post that was a little bit different for Christmas Day, and remembered the existence of that old Women’s Day comic. Thus was born “its christmas... so what??”

My process for that one was pretty straightforward. After reading the comic once to get a broad sense of its plot, I went through it again panel-by-panel - blocking out each narration box with an autoshape and adding my own text. Mustard features pretty heavily in it... I guess as a reference to jam? Honestly, I was writing this thing entirely by the seat of my pants and - with the exception of the choice panels I’m including here - it’s pretty unfunny as a result. I’m not proud of it. Even at the time, I felt like I could’ve done better. So, half a year later, I did.

When the mood eventually took me, there was only one option in my head - Richard Starkings’ “Peace”. This time, I took a moment to plan the whole thing out in my head before diving in.

I think my idea for the plot came about simply as a result of Rodimus’ body language and expressions on the second page. I reckon I looked at them and thought, “man, he looks like he’s just caught a whiff of something pretty nasty.” From there, my mind jumped to Triton... the culprit, naturally.

When you go back and read some of the early Marvel stuff, there’s a bit of dissonance between the Furman-esque galaxy-spanning conflicts and the more offbeat “the Transformers crash a wrestling match / concert / car wash” stories written by US author Bob Budiansky. At times, the Transformers could be figures of real gravitas - and at others, they were almost like children.

For both “its christmas” and “PASS” I tried to lean into the latter interpretation as much as possible. As a reflection of that, the dialogue and narration - both written in Times New Roman - are completely devoid of punctuation, capital letters, or special formatting. Well, mostly...

There’s a few instances in “its christmas” where capital letters are used for emphasis.

Roadbuster’s dialogue gets to keep its punctuation, and is written in (I think) Arial, because he’s supposed to be more mature than the rest.

Each comic had one panel which retained some of its original dialogue - the fourth on the first page of “its christmas”, and the fourth on the fourth page of “PASS”.

There’s a couple of instances in the comic where characters use swear words, only the wrong letter’s censored - “sh*t” became “*hit”, “f*ck” became “*uck”. That’s simply an artefact of the comic’s origins in my old meme page, where that was a running joke.

In addition to changing the text, I also made a few visual edits...

I changed the comic’s title from “PEACE” to “PASS” (as in, to pass gas) by chopping up and rotating bits of it.

I changed the credits for “RICHARD ALAN” (writer) and “GLIB” (letterer) to “ME” and “ME AGAIN”.

On the fifth page, I rotated Springer’s, Ultra Magnus’ and Sandstorm’s mouths by 180 degrees - changing them from horrified grimaces to jaunty smirks. That’s why they’re kind of lopsided relative to the rest of their expressions! Honestly, the original version looks pretty strange to me now.

I likewise modified Sandstorm’s and Ultra Magnus’ expressions in the first panel of the final page, and Nosecone’s in the second panel.

I scribbled out the question mark in the little “THE END?” box on the final page. This is the definitely the end; no need to beat around the bush.

The idea to make Roadbuster a butt monkey stemmed from the fact that he was the only non-triple-changer to appear on the first page. I saw that panel with the four of them together and thought “one of these guys is not like the others.” And of course, I knew that he’d be dead in a few more pages.

Once I’d established Springer as a bully, I started to get a sense for what life was like amongst the Autobots - but there were still things I wanted to leave open to interpretation...

Why does Roadbuster hang around with the other Autobots so persistently, when all he receives is abuse?

Is Triton’s fixation on “cred” overblown, or is it the only reason he’s survived as long as he has?

Is Rodimus really past his Prime?

Who’s really the coolest Autobot?

Are the Autobots inherently bad people, or simply products of their environment?

If they’re the latter, does that excuse their actions?

If these are the Autobots... then what were the Decepticons like?

Here’s some other miscellaneous notes...

There’s a single speech bubble on the fourth page where the speaker’s off-panel. In the original comic it belonged to Triton, shouting “HEY!” Here, I like to think it’s Whirl speaking.

In the narration of the second panel, I refer to the Transformers as “car robots” - a nod to the Japanese name of the Transformers: Robots in Disguise series.

Rodimus’ “light their darkest hour” line is, of course, a quote from the 1986 animated Transformers movie. Yes, I’m as tired of those references as you are, but no, I couldn’t resist.

I can’t remember if it was deliberate, but I’m pretty sure “if you catch my drift” was a nod to The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye - where original character Drift stars as Rodimus’ third-in-command.

Speaking of More than Meets the Eye - when it was relaunched as Lost Light, Rodimus got a brand new purple colour scheme. In “Pass”, Rodimus agonises over whether or not to get that same paint job.

“Mucho cred” is kind of a memetic phrase amongst readers of the superhero web serial Worm. I feel like “cred” is one of those inherently funny words (along with “cahoots”), so that was enough to justify its inclusion here. If you’ve somehow made it this far into this post, trust me when I say that Worm is a rabbit hole well worth tumbling down.

“Peace” has a very strong atmosphere. It’s about a group of individuals - who’ve known nothing but conflict for thousands of years - suddenly finding themselves with nobody to point their guns at. That exact same scenario played out decades later in IDW Publishing’s Transformers continuity, where it was explored in much greater depth - but in just six standalone pages, “Peace” presents its broad themes with impressive clarity.

I think we’re very much invited to root for Triton - he’s a real worm, but he’s also an underdog. When characters are created whole cloth in Transformers stories, they’re marked for death.

“Pass”, on the other hand, is about a group of kids who’ve lost all sense of perspective. The most important thing to each of the group’s members is how they are perceived by the rest. They’ve been living under ever-increasing social pressure, and things are finally reaching a boiling point - and people die as a result.

And I say “kids”, but the truth is that I still see these dynamics amongst grown adults today - admittedly without the death. For any given subculture, you’re going to find ingroups, outgroups, and the awkward middle ground between them. If I thought there was a clear-cut solution, I would’ve put it in the comic. But oftentimes - like I said in the closing panels - there isn’t really anyone at fault.

If you fart in public, don’t stress about it too much. Nobody really minds. Just own up. And whatever you do, don’t try to pass the blame - or else...

As one final nod to Marvel UK’s Transformers comics... here are some short AtoZ profiles for the entire cast!

You can follow me on twitter if you want to see more of my Transformers ramblings. The rest of my writing can be found right here on this blog - I recommend starting with Everything Is Red Now, a dumb comic about Spider-Man.

[transingthoseformers]

I think maybe;

Elita One

Chromia

Greenlight

Lancer

Moonracer

Firestar

Devcon

Kup

Alpha Trion?

Cosmos?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

These guys had this thing in the comic and there were also these guys, but they were just on the Earth team in the cartoon (granted, they did appear out of nowhere).

Potential members are; Blaster, Ramhorn, Steeljaw, Eject, Rewind, Wheelie (he could've been born in the timeskip though), Sky Lynx, Brainstorm, Chromedome, Highbrow, Hardhead, Cerebros, Cloudraker, Fastlane, Crosshairs, Sureshot, Pointblank, Punch, Pipes, Tailgate, Swerve, Broadside, Outback, Wideload, Chase, Freeway, Searchlight, or Rollbar.

(You may notice 99% of them are Movie abd post-Movie characters who lacked lines, screentime, and personalities, and who i didn't know existed until a few weeks ago and who i don't really care for. I'm also not sure from tfwiki which were first seen on Earth and which weren't).

(The Technobots are counted out because they were explicitly born in s3, Sandstorm is off the list because he's Paradronian. Rodimus&Arcee&Springer&Magnus are also out because they are the main team post-Movie and because who the F knows where they came from but they started out on Earth. Blurr similiarly because he was stationed on Earth. Not sure which planet the listed deputed on. Metroplex is Metroplex and idk if Slammer, Six-Gun, or Scamper sre drones or not)

Makes sense, I feel like Blaster might (?) Be a good option if Soundwave is here