ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP: DINOBOT

FUNCTION: FLAMETHROWER
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 4

“I have no need for friends, even less for enemies.”

Profile: Maybe Slag enjoys his job too much – after all, a more sensitive
Autobot might regret the waste involved in reducing an enemy to a smoldering
pool of liquid metal. Not Slag. If his metal hide could take the heat, Slag
would swim in the puddle to celebrate. Perhaps even more than his Dinobot brethren,
Slag resents the authority of Optimus Prime, and he’s not too keen on the other
Autobots either. He’s generally considered a disruptive force and has been known
to get into brawls and turn his fiery breath against his comrades. Nasty and
mean-spirited are perhaps the nicest things one can say about him.

Abilities: In Dinobot mode, Slag can spew from his mouth a bolt of 3,000
degrees Centigrade flame up to 80 feet. He possesses enormous strength and can
shatter a brick building with a single blow from his armored head. In Autobot
mode he carries a high-energy laser rifle.

Weaknesses: Slag is his own worst enemy. His misanthropic personality
often persuades some of the other Autobots not to help him when he’s in trouble.
He’s rash and not too bright, qualities which often put him in dangerous predicaments.

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: 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: STUNTICON
FUNCTION: WARRIOR
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 22

“We are all just food for rust.”

Profile: Sullen and fatalistic, Dead End sees little reason to continue the Autobot-Decepticon War since all Transformers eventually become inoperative anyway, even though it might take tens of thousands of years. Yet he spends more time keeping himself unmarred and shiny than any of his fellow Stunticons, an irony not lost upon Motormaster, who speculates that Dead End wants to at least make sure he leaves a pretty wreck when he dies. This vanity leads to a lot of teasing and derision directed toward Dead End, which just makes him feel worse. The only thing that can lift his spirits is blasting Autobots in battle, despite what he says about the pointlessness of it all. It seems he’s too busy trying to save his own life to get depressed about the possibility of losing it.

Abilities: In car mode, Dead End can reach speeds of up to 220 mph. He emanates a radar signal that allows him to detect the movements of any vehicle or robot within a 200-mile radius, and he can use it to mentally map the surrounding terrain as well. He’s adept at using this ability to lead enemy Autobots into
traps – such as dead ends! In robot mode, he carries a compressor-air gun, which can let out a blast of air that packs a 40,000 psi punch, enough to splinter a grove of oak trees. He combines with his fellow Stunticons to form the giant robot, Menasor.

Weaknesses: Dead End is a fearless fighter in battle, but getting him motivated to begin fighting is always a problem. Sometimes he can be so listless and depressed that it takes a direct hit with a cluster bomb to spur him to fight. When that happens, he’s usually no longer in any condition for battle.

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.