ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
SUB-GROUP: INSECTICON
FUNCTION: PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 17

“The mind is my playpen!”

Profile: Whether it refers to a robot’s or a human’s, Bombshell’s credo carries the same awful meaning – once he sinks his stinger into someone’s head, it’s unlikely that that someone will ever think for himself again. His ability to turn foes into helpless accomplices makes this Insecticon one of Decepticon Leader Megatron’s favorites. And Bombshell’s interest in his victim doesn’t end with mere control of his mind: Given his cruel sense or humor, Bombshell finds nothing more entertaining than to have his unwilling followers perform embarrassing and debasing acts, an amusement he eagerly shares with his evil comrades.

Abilities: In his insect form, Bombshell is particularly adept at using his tiny size to infiltrate human populations. He then uses his stinger to inject a tiny “cerebro-shell” into a human’s head. The micro-circuited device travels through the blood until it reaches the brain, whereupon it opens up and releases tens of thousands of connecting wires. The wires coil around nearby neural dendrites until the brain’s conscious functions are effectively rerouted through the cerebro-shell, which puts the mind of the victim under the remote control of Bombshell. He has a flying range of 5.7 miles in this form. In his larger robot form, Bombshell’s stinger is used in much the same way against other robots’ high-function mental circuitry. The major difference is that once the stinger is pressed against the metal casing of a victim’s head, the small laser torches on the side of the stinger rotate rapidly to carve a small hole in the casing, allowing the stinger to inject a cerebro-shell. He also carries a head-mounted mortar that can throw a 50-pound explosive shell 8 miles with very good accuracy.

Weaknesses: Successful removal of one of Bombshell’s cerebro-shells allows its possessor to use it against him by sending false signals back to him. Some tougher metals are impervious to his laser torches. Often, Bombshell will make the mistake of playing with his victim rather than paying more attention to more important matters, such as an Autobot assault.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
FUNCTION: WARRIOR
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“Strike first, strike fast, strike hard.”

Profile: “Let me at ’em” is Cliffjumper’s usual response when
the Autobots embark on a mission. His eagerness and daring have no equal among
the Autobots. Optimus Prime knows this gung-ho trait is an expression of Cliffjumper’s
burning desire for vengeance on the Decepticons. Although he takes his work
very seriously, Cliffjumper is full of good-natured bravado while he’s doing
it. He doesn’t actively dislike Earth, but he considers its rough, uneven terrain
a hindrance to his effectiveness, and too often is carelessly destructive. Often
he is on the receiving end of a lecture from Optimus on caution and the protection
of Earthen property.

Abilities: Cliffjumper is one of the fastest of the Autobots, in his
automobile mode, and he makes a particularly effective target for drawing fire
away from other Autobots, a job he relishes and seldom gets hurt doing. He can
fire projectiles filled with what he calls “glass gas.” On impact,
this gas disrupts the microscopic crystalline structure of most metals, temporarily
making the metal as brittle as common glass.

Weaknesses: Cliffjumper is prone to literal blow-outs in his automobile
mode. He accelerates so quickly and recklessly that he is sometimes disabled
before he goes 50 yards. His overeagerness can often lead him into dangerous
situations that he’s not prepared to handle. And sometimes, if the wind is blowing
toward him, he can fall victim to his own glass gas.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
FUNCTION: DECEPTICON LEADER
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“Everything is fodder.”

Profile: Love, compassion, mercy are words that have no meaning for Megatron. He has risen to the leadership of the Decepticons by a combination of brute strength, military cunning, ruthlessness, and terror. On Cybertron he was commanding general in charge of all military operations against the Autobots,
who referred to him as “The Slag-Maker.” It was a title of fear. A title of respect. A title Megatron relished. His banishment to Earth has only made him more bitter and more evil-minded, if that is possible. He aches to return to Cybertron and complete his mission of eradicating the Autobots. But while on Earth he is dedicated to eliminating those Autobots marooned here with him – and his plans go far beyond that. He realizes the Earth is one huge stockpile of metal and fuel resources and means to possess it all, with the aid of his fellow Decepticons. But his plans go even further, plans so grandiose even his fellow Decepticons are unaware: Megatron intends to enslave the entire human race. He allows no exceptions to his motto.

Abilities: Megatron is incredibly powerful and intelligent, the equal of Autobot Leader Optimus Prime. His fusion cannon can convert any small amount of matter into large quantities of explosive nuclear energy. The cannon can fire a blast up to 12 miles and release enough energy to flatten a small town. Megatron can use his internal circuitry to connect the cannon interdimensionally with a black hole, where it can draw on anti-matter as its power source. The blast from this is far greater, but it creates a tremendous strain on Megatron to do this for even one blast.

Weaknesses: Megatron has no known weaknesses.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
SUB-GROUP: CONSTRUCTICON
FUNCTION: MINING & SALVAGE

FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 10

“Everything is worth something, even me.”

Profile: Scavenger is driven by a manic urge to find things of value
in a desperate attempt to prove his worth to his comrades, particularly his
fellow Constructicons. And it makes no difference to him whether he has to dig
up a hillside or someone’s backyard – he could care less about personal property
– in order to accomplish his goal. But more often than not, what he brings back
is useless junk, which only reinforces his own image of uselessness to the others.
Decepticon Leader Megatron has gravely noted that, “such behavior would
be charming in a puppyoid, but ill-becomes a Decepticon warrior.” It is
only because Scavenger’s unique abilities sometimes prove to be of vital importance
that Megatron tolerates his continuing existence.

Abilities: In vehicular mode Scavenger’s power shovel is equipped with
a variety of magnetic, ionic, electrical and gas sensors that allow him to detect
the presence of a variety of materials within a 500-yard radius. He can also
emit sonic charges into the ground. By analyzing the echoes that come back to
him and using his other sensors he can determine with 80% accuracy the composition
of the ground underneath him to a depth of 1.2 miles. His power shovel and detection
powers combine to give Scavenger the ability to locate and uncover any number
of materials, from trace metals to fuel sources, that might be useful to the
Decepticon cause. He carries a missile launcher in vehicular mode and a laser
pistol in robot mode. When combined with his fellow Constructicons, he serves
as the right arm module in the giant robot known as Devastator.

Weaknesses: Scavenger’s abilities are diluted by his poor judgment,
which causes him to squander vast amounts of his fuel supply. He is also prone
to overtaxing his power shovel, causing it to break down from metal fatigue.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
FUNCTION: WARRIOR
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 17

“Fear is the element that unites all losers.”

Profile: The chilling rumble of Dirge’s engines as they approach from a distance is merely a prelude to the petrifying fear they induce in whomever is unlucky enough to hear as they pass overhead. And fear is something with which Dirge is quite familiar. He knows its all-consuming power; he understands how it can defeat even the mightiest of armies. He handles it with the same exacting proficiency that a concert pianist handles his piano’s keys. Even his fellow Decepticons are put off a bit by his mournful, silent manner. Ramjet sums up everyone’s feelings: “He gives me the creeps.”

Abilities: In jet mode, the sound from Dirge’s engines has the uncanny effect of producing spine-tingling (circuit-tingling, in the cases of other robots) fear in nearly everyone who hears it. Apparently, the engines emit a combination of frequencies that has a disorienting, fear-provoking effect on the nervous systems of all those within earshot. He also carries two air-to-air missiles and two automatic machine guns.

Weaknesses: In order to perform well as a warrior, Dirge needs to feel that he’s in control of a situation. When things get out of hand, Dirge is prone to suffer from the very weapon he himself wields so effectively – fear. Dirge’s usefulness evaporates under these conditions.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT

FUNCTION: GUNNER
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“I never met a Decepticon I didn’t dislike.”

Profile: Conversations don’t come easy when Bluestreak is around. His
talent for incessant and often inane talk tends to drown out those close by,
but at least his gregarious manner serves to lighten the otherwise grim situation
of the Autobots. What is not widely known is the underlying reason for his endless
droning: to hide the fact that he hates war. Despite his formidable weaponry
and his blazing speed, he is basically not a warrior type. Autobot Commander
Optimus Prime’s faith in him helps sustain Bluestreak in the heat of battle.
Optimus knows that Bluestreak will be forever haunted by the memory of his witnessing
the total destruction of his city back on Cybertron by the Decepticons. He was
the lone survivor. “There’s some demons runnin’ loose inside that boy,”
says Hound, “and sometimes I think they grab hold of him and won’t let
him go.”

Abilities: In automobile mode, Bluestreak is among the fastest Autobots.
He can sustain speeds of up to 150 mph for more than 12 hours. In robot mode,
he carries twin shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, each capable of hurling a
shell containing four independently targetable warheads a distance of 8.3 miles
with a maximum error margin of 12 feet from target at that distance. Each warhead
possesses the concussive force equivalent to 150 lbs. of TNT. His ion-charge
disperser rifle electrifies a line of particles in the air in the direction
in which it is pointed. By its nature, its accuracy is limited, but it can shoot
an electrified particle beam, resembling blue lightning, a distance of 12 miles
and punch a 10 foot hole in a cinder-block wall. The electrical charge of a
single bolt can be as high as 80,000 volts.

Weaknesses: As powerful and threatening as he is, Bluestreak can be
completely undone at times by his disdain for combat and his reluctance to fight.