Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

A Junkion arms dealer who freely sells to both sides of the war, Detritus has no allegiance and came packed with decals that could denote him as an Autobot, Decepticon, or literally something in-between. He is a redeco of the classic 1984 Hound, and turns into a Mitsubishi J59 jeep. He was available through e-HOBBY in 2004.

A clever e-HOBBY redeco released in Japan in 2005 is Orion Pax, an earlier incarnation of Optimus Prime as depicted in the original cartoon flashback episode, "War Dawn." Pax is a redeco of Targetmaster Kup from 1987 , and turns into a Cybertronian pickup truck and has a small transforming gun partner named Barrelroller.

I've drawn this toy before -- in his original Japanese incarnation from 1987, Stepper. Stepper saw two re-releases in 2004, in Japan as part of Takara's Transformers Collection and in the US by Hasbro for their Commemorative Series. For his US debut, Stepper was rechristened with an American name -- Ricochet. He is still a redeco of the classic Jazz car, turning into a black Porsche 935 race car from 1976. Ricochet is a Targetmaster, and his rather generically named gun partner "Nebulon" was renamed Nightstick for this release. 

Before Transformers were Transformers, some were Diaclone toys, including the transforming Honda City R hatchback that would become Skids . One with a different deco - a silver and red - was revisited as the e-HOBBY exclusive, Crosscut, available online in 2002. Like his 1982 forebear, Crosscut came with a little Motocompo scooter, now named Clutch. The original Skids omitted this extra feature. 

Road Rage is a redeco of the classic Tracks design based on a red variant that predates its usage in the Transformers toyline. She turns into a Corvette Stingray. She was available via online retailer e-HOBBY in 2002.

A redeco of the classic Autobot architect Grapple , Road Hauler is finished in a yellow-green hue that resembles the Constructicon color. Road Hauler is a nod to "Hauler," an Autobot crane that appears in just one scene in the very first Transformers cartoon episode and is never seen again. Road Hauler turns into Mitsubishi Fuso hook-crane truck. He was available as an e-Hobby exclusive in 2003. 

Another reuse of the classic Sideswipe design is Tigertrack, who is done in a yellow deco (you'll have to take my word on it, what with the black and white art. You know, yellow. Like a tiger... ?) The color is a nod to a pre-Transformers Diaclone incarnation of the toy from 1982. Tigertrack was available as a mail-away via Figure O magazine in Japan in 2003.

Deep Cover, brother to Clampdown, is another e-HOBBY exclusive. He is a redeco'ed Lamborghini Countach LP500S in a black finish. The look is a nod to a pre-Transformers version of this transforming car first sold in 1982 as part of the Diaclone line. Deep Cover was available online (with Clampdown) in 2003.

In 2003, Takara, the Japanese originator of the original Transformers toys, dusted off a classic design to make an e-HOBBY collector's exclusive toy named Clampdown. A Lamborghini Countach LP500S police car, he is a redeco of classic Sideswipe (and Red Alert ) but done with a color scheme that recreates a pre-Transformers Diaclone toy. Did Japan really have Lamborghini police cars?

Downshift - a clear homage to classic Wheeljack - was re-released as part of the 2005  Universe line, with a paint job slightly different from his original Energon release in 2003 . He was sold in a two-pack with Decepticon Snow Cat exclusively at the dwindling KB Toys chain and their outlet stores. To differentiate the drawing of him I did in 2023, this version has more of a weapons-mode vibe, with his fists retracted into forearms that become cannon mounts, and his shoulders sprouting guns. He turns into a rally car of indistinct make. 

The last of the Autobot car brothers, X-Brawn is the eldest of the three. a straight-shootin', straight-talkin' cowboy type. He turns into a Mercedes-Benz ML320 SUV, and his robot mode is a peculiarly asymmetrical shape with an oversized arm that includes his entire car hood as part of the design. In the Japanese incarnation of Robots in Disguise, the original 2000 Car Robots toyline and animated series, he was called Wildride. Imported to the US, he became X-Brawn. 

Here's the regular version of Side Burn (known as Speedbreaker in Japan) -- more complex than the Spychanger incarnation I had posted earlier . Side Burn is the second of a trio of Autobot car brothers who featured prominently in the Robots in Disguise cartoon. He turns into a Dodge Viper hot rod.  

Moving beyond the Spychangers, the signature trio of the Robots in Disguise animated series and toyline were three car brothers. Prowl is the first of the three to get a daily drawing. In the Japanese Car Robots line, he was called Mach Alert. Prowl turns into a Lamborghini Diablo with Japanese police colors. The three brothers had designs that emphasized asymmetry and using large parts of the car as handheld shields or weapons.   

In the mid-80s, there was a battle in the toy aisles and mindshare of impressionable youngsters waging between Hasbro and Tonka as to who had the preeminent converting-robot toy line: Transformers or Go-Bots. It's not as heated now, and tastes vary, but in the marketplace at least, Transformers won, eclipsing its competitor and living life beyond it. In 1991, this argument became all the more old history when Hasbro bought Tonka for $500 million, including the trademarks associated with its defunct Go-Bots line. As a final victory lap for Transformers, Hasbro include a character name Gobots as part of their Generation Two assortment, keeping the trademark in play but as part of the Transformers line. This is Gobots, Autobot rear guard. He's part of the color changing contingent, whose paint job changes when exposed to water, and has a water-shooting weapon. He turns into a some sort of generic stock car.   

Drench, Autobot defensive strategy expert. Part of the 1993 Generation Two assortment, he is a color changing toy whose hues alter when exposed to water. To maximize this toy feature, he also shoots water with a specialized gun that fits both his robot and vehicle mode. Drench turns into a Sauber C9 Le Mans-style racing car. 

For 2021 is the unfortunately named Windbreaker, from the initial Generation Two assortment of figures released in 1993. Turns into a Chevy Camaro Z28. His engine block becomes his gun. Function: advance scout.

This is Turbofire, Autobot supply and support specialist. Part of the initial 1993 Generation Two series, he turns into a pickup truck.

Skram's bio lists him as Autobot Crack Patrol, whatever that means. He was released in the US as the Generation Two line in 1993. Turns into a blue Chevrolet Stingray-style Corvette. The exposed chromed engine becomes his hand weapon in robot mode. 

Rapido is a platoon commander among the Autobots. His design is new for Generation Two, but appeared as part of Generation One's continued and concurrent presence in the European toyline. Turns into a Peugot concept car, whose engine block becomes his weapon. 

This is Sideswipe, in his Generation 2 incarnation from 1993. The Autobot warrior turns into a Lamborghini Countach LP500S, now in a glossy black deco with a paint job loudly broadcasting his name and status as an Autobot.