ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
FUNCTION: MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMANDER
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 4

“Clarity of thought before rashness of action.”

Profile: Of all the Decepticons, Shockwave’s method of operation is
most characterized by the cold, brutal efficiency one would expect of a purely
mechanical being. He enters every battle not with the bloodlust of his comrades,
but with a scientist’s approach to solving a problem. The problem is always
the same: How can he use his abilities to most effectively eliminate the greatest
number of his enemies, the Autobots? All too often he finds the answer. He seeks
Megatron’s position of supremacy over the Decepticons not because his ego demands
it, but because his logic-circuits dictate it. He feels Megatron’s all-consuming
passion for conquest only hinders its achievement. With smug certainty Shockwave
believes the reins of Decepticon power will inevitably be his – after all, he
reasons, it’s only logical.

Abilities: Among the Decepticons, Shockwave’s power is second only to
Megatron’s. His total command of the electromagnetic spectrum allows him, in
his ray-gun mode, to emit a coruscating beam of energy in a wide variety of
forms: high-energy explosive gamma rays, x-rays that allow him to see through
almost anything, blinding visible light, super-hot infrared rays and radio waves
that can either send messages or jam other radio signals are but a few of the
weapons in Shockwave’s arsenal. Never having been adapted by the Ark to an Earthly
form, Shockwave remains a size consistent with his robot mode when he transforms
to a ray-gun, that is, more than 35 feet long. He can fly in either mode using
powerful jet thrusters in his boots (which become the handle in his ray-gun
mode).

Weaknesses: Shockwave’s wave-emission power, as well as his flying,
is limited by his high fuel consumption. Although he uses the same type of liquid
fuel as his fellow Transformers, he can also use radioactive fuels in the small
nuclear reactor within his torso, which substantially eliminates his liquid
fuel dependency problem. Although his logical brain center is usually an advantage,
more intuitive and emotional thinking processes often confound him, particularly
when his adversary is human.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
FUNCTION: DECEPTICON AEROSPACE COMMANDER
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“Conquest is made of the ashes of one’s enemies.”

Profile: Starscream makes no secret of his ambition to overthrow
Megatron as Decepticon Leader. He is ruthless, cold-blooded and cruel. In that
sense the two rivals are very much alike. But he has a vain side that clearly
distinguishes him. He considers himself the most sophisticated and handsome
of the Decepticons. He exudes a high-class, urbane air that provides a certain
irony to his murderous tendencies. He looks down at Megatron for being antiquated
in his military strategy. Starscream believes the Decepticons should rely more
on guile and speed rather than brute, destructive force to defeat the Autobots.
Megatron overlooks the potential threat Starscream represents for one very good
reason: Starscream is very good at his job.

Abilities: Starscream is one of the fastest flyers of the
Decepticons, reaching speeds up to Mach 2.8. He can climb to sub-orbital altitudes
of 52 miles and nose-dive down to near ground level in mere minutes. This makes
him particularly effective in surprise attacks and hit-and-run actions. He can
shoot cluster bombs a distance of 40 miles, each of which can level an area
10,000 feet square. His null-ray rifle can interrupt the flow of electricity
in any circuitry it hits for periods of up to two minutes, effectively preventing
the operation of many machines dependent on those circuits during that period.

Weaknesses: Starscream overrates himself sometimes, and finds
himself in situations that are more than he can handle. His nose-dives often
overload his gyro-circuitry leaving him disoriented briefly. But, overall, he
is a very tough nut to crack.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP: THROTTLEBOT
FUNCTION: ESPIONAGE DIRECTOR

FIRST APPEARANCE: G.I. JOE AND THE TRANSFORMERS # 4 (as Goldbug), TRANSFORMERS
# 1 (as Bumblebee)

“To know others you must first know yourself.”

Profile: Although the Autobot Bumblebee’s body was destroyed (in G.I.
JOE AND THE TRANSFORMERS # 1), his mind was still intact. A new body, similar
to the old one but improved, was built. But Bumblebee resisted assuming his
old role again. His brush with death had changed him: he was no longer willing
to play the part of the cute, wisecracking “little brother.” He no
longer enjoyed the other Autobots’ often patronizing attitude toward him, nor
did he accept it. He now had a more serious, even darker side. Some might say
he matured. So, rejecting much of his old self, he also rejected his name –
Bumblebee. He wanted a new identity to go along with his new body. He chose
Goldbug. He’s more assertive now, a change reflected in his promotion to the
Autobots’ Espionage Director. He’s still a very engaging, affable fellow, but
sometimes he can get downright gloomy when he’s working, so much so that others
are put off by him. He no longer acts the way he feels others would like him
to. He is no longer interested in gaining their acceptance. He has come to realize
that what others think about him is not nearly as important as what he thinks
about himself. And lately, he generally feels very good about himself. And thankful
that he has another chance.

Abilities: Goldbug is even more fuel-efficient now than he had been
as Bumblebee. He gets up to 2� times more use out of a unit of fuel than
any other Autobot. He’s faster and has greater range. He has extremely good
vision. He’s an excellent eavesdropper: he can hear a pin drop on the other
side of a foot-thick concrete wall. He is adaptable to underwater, cold and
hot environments. He has a peak efficiency operating range from -150 to +180
degrees Fahrenheit.

Weaknesses: Although stronger than he had been as Bumblebee, Goldbug
is still one of the physically weakest of the Autobots.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP: DINOBOT
FUNCTION: DINOBOT COMMANDER

FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 4

“Among the winners, there is no room for the weak.”

Profile: The most fearsome and powerful of the Dinobots, Grimlock would
gladly usurp Optimus Prime’s role as Autobot Commander if he thought he could
get away with it. For now, he’s happy to tear into the enemy Decepticons whenever
he can and wait for a more opportune moment to try for the leadership. He can
be cold and merciless, and shows contempt for those he views as weak, such as
humans and even some fellow Autobots. But he is a valiant warrior and his actions
command respect from all who are witness to them, both friend and foe.

Abilities: Grimlock’s strength is second only to Optimus Prime’s, and
even that is arguable. In Dinobot mode he can use his powerful jaws to snap
in two virtually anything that comes between them – from a 4-foot diameter steel
cable to a Decepticon leg. In Autobot mode he wields an energo-sword, which
can slice a 2-foot thick concrete wall with one sweep of its crackling blade.
He also uses a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher.

Weaknesses: Other than arrogance and lack of speed, Grimlock has no
significant weaknesses.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP: TARGETMASTER
HUMAN COMPONENT: PEACEMAKER

FUNCTION: TARGETMASTER LEADER
FIRST APPEARANCE: HEADMASTERS # 1 (Pointblank), HEADMASTERS # 4 (Peacemaker)

“Be brief of speech and long on action.”

Profile: Pointblank knows the horrors of war all too well. He’s fought
in one for millions of years. Whatever romance or glory it once held for him
has long since vanished… as has the cheerful adventurer he once was. Today,
Pointblank is a somber, no-nonsense soldier whose every utterance creaks with
weariness. He joined Fortress Maximus’s recent expedition to the planet Nebulos
hoping to find peace. Instead, the war followed him and his fellow Autobots
to their sanctuary. Pointblank came to the bitter realization that he could
not hope to escape the war, he could only help to end it. Now he fights on,
more determined than ever to defeat the Decepticons… and more convinced that
an end to the war is nowhere in sight. But he’s fairly quiet about his pessimistic
outlook. “Words are what got us into this mess in the first place,”
he grumbles. “They do more harm than weapons.”

Pointblank’s disposition improved a bit when he was paired with Peacemaker,
a Nebulan law enforcement officer whose optimistic attitude is almost contagious.
But so far Pointblank has displayed immunity to the Nebulan’s best efforts to
cheer him. Pointblank appreciates the attempt, but disapproves of the source.
Although he understands the reasons behind the Autobot-Nebulan alliance, he
does not accept them. The thought of spreading the war to another planet and
people is anathema to the dour Autobot. Despite this, Peacemaker enjoys the
challenge of loosening up his partner. He is a very patient man who believes
that a positive outlook ultimately leads to success. And, as the partner of
the sullen Pointblank, he’s learned that patience is more than a virtue… it’s
a necessity.

Abilities: Peacemaker is bio-engineered to transform into a stereophonic
sonic blaster. His maximum power output is an audio module-shattering 160 decibels,
enough to splinter a cubic yard of solid steel into shrapnel. Pointblank can
transform into a rocket-powered ground vehicle, with a maximum speed of 320
mph and a range of 800 miles. In both robot and vehicle modes, Pointblank can
wield weapon mode Peacemaker.

Weaknesses: Pointblank is prone to tire blow outs at high speeds in
vehicle mode. In weapon mode, Peacemaker sometimes comes loose from his moorings
on vehicle mode Pointblank.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
FUNCTION: MILITARY STRATEGIST AND ANALYST
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“Logic is the ultimate weapon.”

Profile: He is quiet, competent, and very loyal, but perhaps his most
valuable trait is his almost endless patience. Once Prowl is assigned a task,
he will keep at it until it is accomplished. He works with proven facts, not
imagination or guesses. If he has any doubts, he will radio Optimus Prime, his
commander, before proceeding. He hates doubts in any form, and he strives to
make everything he encounters reasonable and logical. He believes it only when
he can explain it. On a personal level he is friendly, but not too sociable.
He’s a listener, not a talker, unless someone says something unreasonable. Then
he will demand an explanation.

Abilities: Prowl has the most sophisticated logic center of all the
Autobots, giving him the ability to analyze any combat situation almost instantaneously
and then advise on the optimal course of action. For example, Prowl can observe
800 moving objects, compute their probable paths of movement, and determine
the proper countermove in .05 seconds. From his shoulder cannons he can shoot
wire-guided incendiary missiles that reach temperatures of 12,000 degrees Centigrade
upon explosion. He also carries a semi-automatic rifle that shoots pellets filled
with a highly corrosive acid. Its range is 300 yards.

Weaknesses: His dedication to logic and reason makes Prowl particularly
vulnerable to the unexpected. Irrational and inexplicable situations can really
scramble his circuits, sometimes to the point of total shutdown of his mechano-cortex
center, leaving him temporarily dysfunctional.