Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

A rather colorful rendition of the Decepticon leader, the Leader-class edition of Megatron in the Cybertron series is a triple changer, capable of turning from a robot into a Cybertronic dragster or high-flying space jet. At the larger end of size and price point, he is loaded with all sorts of spring-loaded and electronic play features. The Cyber Planet Key unlocks some pop-up engines and power-up sounds, and he has flashing LED lights. A more simplified and tiny version of this design was released as a Legends of Cybertron tribute figure. This Megatron was available in 2004.

Since the number of Cybertron toys are running out, I am bending my own rule against drawing figures that are simple repaints of the same character to deliver Cryo Scourge. I guess him having a different name makes it count. He is the same character as Scourge, but exposure to the depths of space has somehow turned him into an ice dragon, with cool blue and purple deco rather than his previous fiery red. Cryo Scourge has all the ultra bells and whistles of regular Scourge , and was available in 2006.

A towering brute, Menasor transforms into a monstrously large excavation machine from the Giant Planet (Gigantion) in the Cybertron storyline. He has Mini-Con mounting points and a Cyber Planet key slot, unlocking a variety of play features. Included with Menasor is Heavy Load, a Mini-Con dump truck. Menasor and Heavy Load were available in 2006. 

Sky Shadow has more than a passing resemblance to the Ultra-scale Jetfire , but he's in a different hue and brandishing a Decepticon badge. But, as the adage goes, Sky Shadow is more than meets the eye -- he is Jetfire in disguise. An undercover Autobot posing a Decepticon, Jetfire/Sky Shadow still turns into an Antonov AN-225 Myria transport plane and has electronic light and sound features unlocked by the packaged Cyber Planet Key. Sky Shadow was released in 2006.

Embodying the animal savagery of the Jungle Planet in the Cybertron mythology, Scourge turns into a vicious horned dragon. His Cyber Planet Key pops up two additional heads in both beast mode and robot mode. As a large "Ultra"-scale toy, he boasts electronic light and sound effects. Scourge was also available as a less-detailed, more affordable Legends of Cybertron version .

The bulky Scorponok toy from Energon makes a redeco'ed and slightly retooled return in the  Cybertron  series, resurrected in-story by the dark energies of Unicron. So now, he's Dark Scorponok, with a paint scheme fitting his shadowy name. He still turns into a monstrous excavator vehicle that resembles a giant mechanical scorpion. His massive scoop arms can accommodate a Cyber Planet Key, popping out hidden weapons.

In the Cybertron animated series, Megatron took the primal rage of Autobot Leobreaker and used it to clone an evil Decepticon, Nemesis Breaker, who in toy-form is basically a redeco of the Leobreaker toy. The hefty toy comes with electronic sound effects and turns into a mechanical lion. He can also turn into a clawed arm that can combine with larger robots, just like Leobreaker. Nemesis Breaker was available in 2005.

A delightfully detailed and complex design creates a compelling new iteration of Soundwave, now realized as a stealth fighter and not a tape deck. This version of the character was also rendered as a simplified Legends of Cyberton figure, but his "Voyager"-scale toy is the inspiration. The Cyber Planet Key feature is unlocking his bombs, and one of his bombs turns into Laserbeak, his robotic condor minion. Soundwave was available in 2005.

An extensive retooling and redeco of Crumplezone , "Dark Crumplezone" was resurrected from the dead by Galvatron wielding dark and mysterious energy. He still turns into a Velocitronian three-wheeler vehicle, but now with more angular "stealth fighter" style armor. He was released at retail in 2005.

A Decepticon pugilist who delights in demolition, Mudflap turns into a large powder-blue crane truck. In the Cybertron animated series, he talks trash with a French accent. His Cyber Planet key gimmicks include an extendible "energy" blade from his crane arm and a pop-out missile launcher. Mudflap was available at US retail in 2005.

A big bruiser of a Decepticon hailing from Velocitron, the Speed Planet, Crumplezone turns into an armored powered trike vehicle. His bulky size works against the idea that he's very fast, and his robot mode has a muscular build that suggests brute strength as opposed to swift moves. His Cyber Planet Key unlocks electronic light and sound features. Crumplezone was available in 2004. A resurrected -- and extensively retooled -- version of the character, "Dark Crumplezone," was released the following year.   

Late in the Cybertron run came a Beast Wars -inspired incarnation of Megatron, said to hail from the Jungle Planet Animatron. He turns into a mechanical tyrannosaurus rex, and pairs well with a gorilla-fied Optimus Prime released concurrently. The Cyber Planet Key plugs into his tail weapon (not pictured), revealing a missile launcher. This incarnation of Megatron was available in 2006.

So what do you do after you tire of turning into a massive ringed planet that eats other planets? You turn into a crab-like tank, I guess. This version of Unicron from the Cybertron series is a strange evolution of the chaos bringer, without any real scale cues to tell you how big (or small) he's supposed to be. Classic design cues like his curved spikes, horns and collar evoke the original Unicron. His Cyber Planet Key opens up the jagged dome in his chest revealing a nested missile launcher within. Unicron was packaged along with the Decepticons, though he's really a faction to himself. He was available in 2006.  

Breaking my own admittedly soft rule against drawing straight-up repaints for Demolishor, brought back to store shelves for Cybertron. His robot mode is the same as his Armada incarnation , save for a new more "realistic" green and brown camo deco. This time, he does not come with a Mini-Con partner but rather his Cyber Planet Key (drawn here affixed to his arm) unlocks his extra missile launcher play features. Demolishor was a late addition to the line, releasing in 2006.

A redeco of Thundercracker (or vice-versa), Skywarp is predominantly done in purple compared to his twin's blue finish. Unlike Thundercracker, he does not have a simpler Legends version of his deluxe toy self. He turns into a Sukhoi Su-37 jet, and was available at US retail in 2006.

A dread Decepticon pirate, Cannonball is a redeco of the Deluxe edition of Red Alert , also from the Cybertron line. As such, he too turns into chunky Dodge Magnum with rooftop lights but his coloring does not make him an emergency vehicle. He has the same Cyber Planet Key pop-out weapon features as Red Alert. Cannonball was available at US retail in 2006.  

Thunderblast (Chromia in Japan) is a female Decepticon who turns into an unspecified speedboat design. Her Cyber Planet Key unlocks a missile launcher in her vehicle mode that she can also wield in robot mode. She was available in 2005.

A beastly Decepticon soaring from the skies of the Jungle Planet (Animatron), Brimstone turns into a mechanical pteranadon. Plugging his Cyber Planet Key into the slot of his broad back pops out blades from his wings in both robot and beast mode. In Japan, he has the name Terashaver. Brimstone was available starting in 2005. 

Runamuck is a retooling and redeco of Armada Sideswipe, turning into a gleaming black Nissan Skyline R32 street car with flame detailing. Runamuck has Cyber Key-powered gimmicks, like turning his car into a dragster mode, or turning his arms into piledrivers in robot mode. In Japan, Runamuck was named Runabout. He was available in 2005. 

A brightly colored redeco and retooling of Armada Cyclonus ,  Buzz Saw is clever homage to a Beast Wars figure of the same name . Buzz Saw turns in to a Cybertronian helicopter festooned with pop-out weaponry. Some of the old gimmickry that would be activated by Mini-Cons in the Cyclonus mold now is activated by a Cyber Planet Key. Buzz Saw was available at US retail in 2005.

A very different take on Sideways, previously seen in Armada , is this deluxe edition that turns into an alien starship from Planet X. A fearsome looking robot mode has ankle-mounted wings that can be joined into a massive double-edged blade. The Cyber Planet Key unlocks his fanned-out arm shield. He was available in the Cybertron line in 2005. 

The deluxe edition of Thundercracker is a more detailed and intricate version of what ended up as his Legends of Cybertron toy . Among the differences in scale and detail is that the deluxe version had his right arm permanently in a missile launcher mode, while the Legends version had two arms and a hand-held rifle. Thundercracker turns into a Sukhoi Su-7 fighter jet. The Cyber Planet Key included with the toy unlocks his dorsal missile launcher in jet mode, or his missile arm in robot mode. Thundercracker was available in 2004. 

Moving past the Scout-class of toys to the Deluxe-class of Decepticons, we start with Dirt Boss. Firstly, he has no relation to the Dirt Boss Mini-Con from Armada , also in this continuity. Instead, this Dirt Boss hails from Velocitron, the Speed Planet in the Cybertron storyline. He turns into an intensely colored monster truck with enormous tires. His Cyber Planet Key spreads out his wheel base, lowering the truck. He was available in the US starting in 2005. In Japan, he was known as "Inch Up."

As far as I know, the name "Short Round" only means two things: Ke Huy Quan's character in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the dog owned by the screenwriters Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz that prompted the character's name. So it's surprising to have a Transformer named "Shortround" (all one word) without any other obvious homages to Temple of Doom. Shortround is a Decepticon scout in the Cybertron line, who turns in a troop-carrying hovercraft. His hovercraft "apron" becomes rather unsettlingly long, gangly arms that give him a very peculiar robot mode. He was available in 2006.

In the fiction that accompanies the Cybertron storyline, Scrapmetal is an individual among identical Terrorcons, a singular being within a swarm of creepy crawlies. His alt-form is an interesting design in that his chest would make you think he turns into an attack helicopter, but really that chassis rests on a quartet of insectile legs. He's basically a walker tank with a slightly arachnid vibe to him. He was released in the US in 2005. In Japan, he was named Ramble and came in a variety of colors, reinforcing the swarm idea. 

Yes, that's right. That's his name. Okay, let's get the laughs out of the way. All the giggles. Clear them out of your system. Okay? Let's start. So, this is Lugnutz. Oh there we go again. Let's just pause a bit. Get out all the laughs. Right. Anyway, Lugnutz. Yeah, I get it. He turns into a motorcycle because he's a straight up redeco of Hightail , except now as a Decepticon.  Named Lugnutz.

A redeco (and in fiction, the twin brother) of Autobot Hardtop , Swindle has the familiar yellow and purple hues of his G1 inspiration. Swindle turns into a well armed dune buggy, with a turret mounted cannon that becomes a sniper rifle in robot mode. He was available at US retail in 2006.   

Wreckloose has one of the more peculiar body designs in Cybertron, echoing the Beast Machines look of the earlier series. He turns into a, well, some sort of lizard. Some say a Komodo dragon. He has a Cyber Planet key that unlocks blades that split from his body and turn into horns in creature mode, that I swear made me think he turned into a moose. Wreckloose came out in US retail in 2005. 

A Decepticon scientist, Brushguard is a redeco (and slight retooling to remove an Autobot symbol) of Overhaul . As such he turns into a heavy duty 4WD off-roading vehicle of indeterminate design. His Cyber Planet Key gimmick is the launching of a projectile from his chest. He was available at US retail in 2005.

Hailing from the Jungle Planet Animatron is a fearsome reptilian Decepticon named Undermine. He is a redeco of Autobot Repugnus , and shares his Planet Key gimmick of sprouting a spring-loaded switchblade from his soaring head crest. In beast mode, he is a mechanical spinosaurus. In robot mode, he still a monstrosity, with extra limbs and a face that is indiscernible from the rest of his jagged features. He was available at US retail in 2005.