Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

The next Scout-class Decepticon is the sniper and spy Hardtop, who (ironically) turns into a dune buggy without a top at all, just an exposed rollbar. His Cyber Planet Key unlocks a sniper mode on his laser cannon, not shown here. He was released in 2005.   

Moving beyond the diminutive Legends of Cybertron assortment we arrive at the Decepticon Scout-class from the line. First up is Ransack, who hails from the Speed Planet (Velocitron). He turns into a motorocycle with a Cyber Planet Key that unlocks a set of fold-out weapons. He was available at US retail in 2005. This design was available in Japan as "Gasket," and came with a secondary version painted in motorcycle cop deco. In the US, another version of this toy was also available: Ransack GTS, with a different paint job, in 2006.

Thundercracker rounds out the Decepticons from the Legends of Cybertron assortment available at retail, and like most of the others, he is a simplified version of a larger, more elaborate toy in the line. An homage to the G1 character of the same name (and update to an Armada character ) this Thundercracker turns into a Sukhoi Su-37 jet fighter. He was available at retail in 2006. 

Sunstorm is a redeco of Starscream's Legends of Cybertron figure, but now is a brilliant yellow and orange paint job. Sunstorm, as a character, began life as a redeco'ed classic seeker jet toy released in Japan in 2003, who then became a breakout star in DreamWave's shortlived but incredibly successful Transformers comics. Unlike other Legends figures, Sunstorm is not a simplified version of another toy. The character only existed as a Legends toy in 2006.  

What a difference two decades make. In 1984, Soundwave was a breakout character in the initial wave of Transformers , with a cool characterization in the animated series but also for a irresistible toy mode. In 2006, that mode had long been rendered obsolete -- kids weren't likely to be drawn to cassette recorders. But the character still proved popular enough to resurrect as a tribute figure. Cybertron may be a different continuity than the original one, but this version of Soundwave has enough color and shape cues to be a callback to the first one , though now he turns into a stealth fighter. This Soundwave is his Legends of Cybertron release, which is a more simplified version of a larger toy also available that year.    This is the 300th drawing of this round of daily sketches. The last time I did this, in 2021, a completely different Soundwave marked that occasion.

A basic redeco of Megatron, Galvatron is a simplified Legends of Cybertron version of a more elaborate Galvatron toy out that year, which is also a redeco of a Megatron toy. He turns into a Cybertronian dragster and was available in 2006.  

As with other Legends of Cybertron toys, this incarnation of Scourge is a simplified, more affordable version of a larger, pricier figure. He turns into a multi-headed dragon, and even in his less detailed Legends version, he looks ferocious. He was available in 2005.  

2005 saw the release of a truly enormous Starscream toy... and this isn't it. This is the scaled down edition priced to move, the simplified Legends of Cybertron incarnation. Available that same year, this Starscream also turns into a triangular Cybertronic jet fighter. 

Moving onto the Decepticon assortment of the Legends of Cybertron series -- these are simplified designs with lower price points, usually of other toys with more complicated transformations and steeper price tags. In this case, the big Megatron figure of the line is given the Legends treatment. He turns into a Cybertronic dragster, a rare car mode for the big bad that puts him on equal pavement with Optimus Prime in a bumper-to-bumper showdown. This version was available in 2005. 

The last of the new Mini-Cons released in the Cybertron series is the Decepticon-aligned Overcast, who apparently bears no relationship to the previously released Overcast who was Jetfire's brother in Energon . This Overcast turns into a modified Martin P6M SeaMaster flying boat bomber. He is part of the Giant Planet Mini-Con Team three-pack released in 2006.

The next in the trio of new Decepticon-aligned Mini-Cons in Cybertron is Deep Dive, a fitting name for a submarine Transformer. Much of his outer hull becomes his oversized shoulders, adding significantly to his height. He was available in the Giant Planet Mini-Con Team three-pack sold in 2006.  

Whereas the redeco'ed Mini-Cons included in the Cybertron series were sold in two-packs of Autobots vs. Decepticons, there was a trio set bundled together as part of the Scout assortment. These three Decepticon-aligned Mini-Cons were the "Giant Planet Mini-Con Team," a somewhat paradoxical description that encompasses three new Mini-Con designs that do not seem otherwise connected by any particular theme. First up is Longarm, who turns into a double-crane truck (with a claw arm and a hook). He was available in the three-pack in 2006. 

The last of the Decepticon-aligned Deep Space Mini-Con team is Backblast. He turns into a futuristic multi-thruster rocket designed to be ferried on the flatbed of Blastcharge . Backblast is a redeco of Armada 's Skyblast . He was available at retail starting in 2006 in a two-pack with arch-enemy, Sureshock.

If not for the Mini-Con scaling, Blastcharge would be one of the larger Decepticons in the series, turning into a 16-wheel flatbed truck meant to haul a spacefaring rocket. Blastcharge is a redeco of Payload , an Autobot-aligned Mini-Con from Armada. For Cybertron, he was released in a two-pack with archenemy High Wire in 2006. He combines with two other Mini-Cons to make the Umbral Blaster weapon.   

Scrap Iron is an odd name for a satellite. I suppose being a Decepticon-aligned Mini-Con member of the Deep Space Team means he actually uses his orbital targeting systems to turn surface-based targets into scrap? Okay, I'll buy that. He is a reco of Armada' s Astroscope and was released in a two-pack in 2006 with archenemy Grindor (who I didn't draw as part of Cybertron since he was a simple redeco of the Armada toy; while Scrap Iron too is a redeco, he is intended to be a new character). Together with two other Mini-Con team members, Scrap Iron forms the Umbral Blaster. 

Completing the trio of the Decepticon-aligned Sky Terror Mini-Con team is Thrust, who turns into an experimental "X-jet." He was packaged with Anti-Blaze, an Autobot nemesis, as part of the 2005 Cybertron Mini-Con assortment. Thrust turns into a part of the Chaos Sword, and is a redeco of Armada 's Jetstorm  and Energon 's Scattor . Hasbro's stock photography for Thrust had him mistransformed, something that continued in many of his illustrations going forward, and this sketch continues forth, which his "chest plate" not folded down and thus over his shoulders, on his back.

Next in the Decepticon Mini-Con roster is Sunstorm, part of the Chaos Saber trio. He turns into a Cybertronic star cruiser. His mold was previously used to depict Energon 's Wreckage and Armada's Runway . Sunstorm was available in 2005 in a two-pack with his enemy Checkpoint .

The Mini-Con jet trio that becomes a fabled sword returns for Cybertron, having had Armada and Energon incarnations prior. This time the three Mini-Cons were not available in a set, but rather spread across three two-packs, paired with rival Mini-Cons. The trio in the Cybertron assortment is known collectively as the Sky Terror Team, and are aligned with the Decepticons. The combine to make the Chaos Saber.  First up here is Ramjet, who turns into a futuristic space shuttle design. Previous decos served as the characters Sonar and Skyboom. Ramjet was paired with Scythe and sold in a two-pack in 2005.  

Scattorbrain is a Decepticon-aligned Mini-Con who turns into a treaded snow-grooming vehicle found at ski resorts -- an odd choice, considering he's part of a lunar assault team. He's a redeco of Iceberg and Armorhide from Armada. He was sold in a two-pack with Monocole in 2005. 

Next up on the Decepticon Mini-Con roster is Payload, an offroad 4WD pickup truck with working winch. Payload is a redeco of the previously released Ransack and Cliffjumper , but now as a bad guy. Payload was released in 2005 in a 2-pack with Ascentor . 

Kobushi is a redeco'ed Decepticon version of the Autobot Dune Runner , a Mini-Con originally released as part of Armada. This new character is done in classic Decepticon colors of purple and neon yellow-green. He turns into a sandrail dune buggy with an armored artillery cannon. Kobushi was sold in a two-pack with an Autobot enemy, Landslide .

 Sky Lynx completes the Sky Attack Mini-Con Team, who was not sold as a trio but rather split apart in 'versus' packaging, paired with an Autobot-aligned Mini-Con to battle. In Sky Lynx's case, he came with Thunderblast . Sky Lynx is a redeco of Gunbarrel , who was released in Armada. He turns into a military cargo plane, as well as a weapons mode that can be affixed to larger Decepticons with Mini-Con connection points. 

Shockwave (no relation to the classic Decepticon of the same name) is a Decepticon-aligned Mini-Con who turns into a Blackbird-style stealth jet of fanciful design. This same mold was sold under a different deco as Terradive. Shockwave was sold in a two-pack with Tankor, as an arch enemy of sorts. 

Switching over to the Decepticons of the Cybertron line, we start off with Razorclaw, a Decepticon-aligned Mini-Con. Razorclaw is an all black redeco of Armada Thunderwing,  though he is intended to be a unique character. Razorclaw turns into a flying wing-style stealth fighter.  He was released in a "versus" pack squaring off against the Autobot-aligned Steamhammer . 

Here it is, the benevolent creator god of the Transformers, and the largest Autobot toy of the Cybertron line, and the eponymous planet Cybertron himself: Primus. Primus mythology was built in layers over time, with the original Marvel comics (and scribe Simon Furman) doing the heaviest lifting coming out of the 1986 Transformers animated movie. That film introduced us to Unicron, who had scant mythology but demanded it because of his outsized presence in the franchise. Furman took to building out Unicron as a cosmic god of chaos, a fundamental force in the universe that had become entombed into a metallic world, turning into a massive Transformer over the eons. To balance out that myth, he also created Primus, a force of order and creation, and counterpart to Unicron's destructiveness. Primus too became locked into a metallic world that he reformed over time to become Cybertron, and imbued the planet with life that would become the Transformers. The toy version turns into a large ...

 Some truly titanic Autobots are rounding out this week, with Metroplex being a representative of the 'Giant Planet,' Gigantion. Unlike his inspiration, this Metroplex does not turn into a city, but he's still a big bot; this time he transforms into a bucket-wheel excavator with an elaborate digging contraption that turns into a mighty poleax named Sparkdrinker. His Cyber Planet key interacts with that weapon, plugging in to activate light and sound features. Metroplex has many Mini-Con posts scattered on his body, and came bundled with Drillbit, his partner who turns into a twin-drill mining car. Metroplex was available in late 2005. He had two robot modes: a taller, ganglier mode and this pictured version, which is a more compressed worker version.

As previously mentioned , the Cybertron Leader toy of Optimus Prime could further combine with certain other Autobots to make his super mode even more super. In this case, the feline warrior Leobreaker turns into a slasher arm mode that replaces Prime's regular right arm. Wing Saber replaces the flight pack gained from Prime's trailer to become chest armor, shoulder cannons and wings. And, to finish off the figure, Optimus Prime here is wielding Vector Prime 's sword.  

OUR WORLDS ARE IN DANGER. So begins the introduction of the Transformers: Cybertron animated series, where Autobot leader Optimus Prime lays out the premise of the show -- how the quest for the four Cyber Planet Keys may define victory in the war against the Decepticons.  Optimus Prime, mirroring his design from the very start of the franchise, turns into a red and blue truck -- the water and foam cannons on the trailer tell us he's a firetruck -- though in this case, the design is utterly fanciful and futuristic. In classic Prime fashion, the cab turns into a robot (which inspired his Legends of Cybertron figure ), while the trailer becomes a weapons emplacement. Prime can combine with his trailer accessory to become a super robot (pictured here), where the trailer gives him jetpack wings and two heavy cannons.  Prime has lights and sound features, and extra pop-out weapons when his Cyber Planet Key was plugged in. He could also combine with a few other Cybertron -series toy...

Wing Saber's Cybertron incarnation is a much more poseable toy than his blocky Energon version that was basically armor for another character. This Wing Saber fully transforms into a heavily armed A-10 Thunderbolt-style plane. The Cyber Planet Key he's equipped with unlocks play features and electronic lights and sound. Similar to his earlier version, he can combine with the larger Optimus Prime toy available that year (2005), becoming the Autobot leader's chestplate and backpack. 

A huge toy that inspired the Legends of Cybertron figure posted earlier , this incarnation of Red Alert is tasked with Cybertron Defense. He turns into an armored carrier equipped with an absolutely enormous missile launcher that has to be scaled down to fit in this drawing. Inserting a Cyber Planet Key splits the missile open down the middle, turning it into a laser cannon that 'fires' red bolt projectiles. Released in 2005, Red Alert was known as First Gunner in Japan and Ultra First Aid in South Korea.

The Legends of Cybertron incarnation of Jetfire previously posted  is a scaled down, simplified, and more affordable version of this hefty toy. Jetfire here is comparable in scale to his s pace shuttle versions , but turns into a more planetary-based Antonov AN-225 Mryia transport plane. This toy has battery-powered light and sound features and plugging in a Cyber Planet Key unlocks additional weapons. Jetfire was available in late 2004 and through 2005.