Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

The mighty beast form of Optimus Primal (first revealed in 1995) gets a revamp with a new redeo and status as Autobot leader. He turns into a technorganic gorilla and was available at retail as part of the Universe line in 2003.

From 1995 comes Road Rocket, Autobot street defense. He's one of two "Laser Cycles" released at the tail end of the Generation Two revival, the Autobot one to counter another released on the Decepticon side. He turns into a Suzuki Katana motorcyle, and boasts a compelling transformation scheme that results in a cool robot mode. Living up to his "Laser Cycle" branding is a transparent buzzsaw weapon that glows with simulated laser power thanks to a built-in light. This drawing is new this year. 

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. 

Clench was the last Decepticon leader released in Generation One, available at first only in Europe. He is of the Obliterator subgroup - which only consists of Autobot leader Pyro and Clench. For once, the Decepticon and Autobot leaders have parity in vehicle forms, in that they both turn into trucks. Clench is a long-nosed truck with a trailer that becomes a weapons emplacement. Released in 1993, Clench was then reissued for Generation Two the following year in Europe with the more fitting name of Colossus.  This drawing is from 2019, when I set out to do a bot-a-day drawing based on the international releases from Generation One (my 2017 run was all domestic G1). Clench marks the last one I set out to draw. I considered starting up Beast Wars or Generation Two to make up the rest of the year, but I didn't want to stop in a weird break at the end of December. So this marks the last 2019 drawing. 

Terradive is the last of the Skyscorchers, released in 1993 in Europe as part of Generation One. He turns into a Ling-Temco-Vought A-7E Corsair II jet. Unlike the other Skyscorchers, his name wasn't changed when his toy was released in the US that same year as Generation Two. As a result, there's a Generation Two drawing of the  same character here from earlier this year . 

Snipe is a Decepticon Skyscorcher released in Europe at the tail end of Generation One, in 1993, when the US had already shifted to Generation Two branding. He turns into a Lockheed F-104G Starfighter jet. When he was released in the US in 1993, he was renamed Afterburner. A drawing of that version - identical in every way but name -   is here . 

From the Skyscorcher ranks is Tornado, a Decepticon who turns into an F-16 Fighting Falcon. He was released in the late Generation One series in 1993 in Europe, but in the US he was part of the Generation Two line and  named Windrazor . 

Kicking off a line of Skyscorchers, Decepticon jets from late in the Generation One line, this is Hawk, Decepticon infiltrator. He turns into a Eurofighter Typhoon jet. He was available in Europe in 1993 as part of the original toyline, but in the US he was   renamed Eagle Eye , and released as a Generation Two character that same year. 

Calcar is the second of two Decepticon Trakkons, toys with oversized turrets that act as roleplay viewfinders for kids with optics that superimpose laser beams onto target imagery. Calcar turns into an offroad buggy. He's a battle-analyst with a very stormtrooper-like mask. He was available in Europe and Australasian markets in 1993.

From Europe starts a very brief run of "Trakkons," a pair of Decepticons who are the counterparts to the Autobot " Lightformers ," toys with the principal gimmick being the inclusion of an artillery piece that kids could look through, with built-in optics that make it appear as if the guns are firing laser bolts. Fearswoop turns into a Lockheed Martin YF-22 jet fighter. He was available in Europe in 1993 as one of the last Generation One toys before the line transitioned to Generation Two.

The European-exclusive Stormtroopers (water-squirting, color-changing cars) continues with Drench, a Decepticon who turns into a Chevrolet Corvette Indy concept car. Making things rather confusing is that the name Drench was reused that very same year States-side as a color-changing  Autobot . He was available in Europe in 1993. 

Rage is a Decepticon stormtrooper, the leader of a water-shooting color-changing assortment of cars available in Europe in 1993. He turns into a Jaguar XJ220 sports car. 

Aquablast is another Decepticon Stormtrooper - a color-changing, water-squirting car warrior - who turns into Mitsubishi HSR race car. He was available in Europe in 1993. 

Hydradread kicks off a run of Decepticon Stormtroopers -- the evil equivalent of the heroic Autobot Aquaspeeders available in Europe in 1993. These toys have water-squirting weapons and color-changing plastic play features. They would make their way to the US Generation Two line. Hydradread turns into a 1990 Pontiac Sunfire concept car. 

  Next in the series of Autobot Axelerators is Zap, who turns into a Chevrolet Camaro Z28, with a chromed engine block that becomes his weapon. Zap was released in Europe as part of that transitional year, 1993, when Generation One toys had ended elsewhere, but Europe had yet to make the leap into Generation Two. Zap would make it to the US as part of Generation Two, renamed with the unfortunate moniker " Windbreaker ." 

Next in Europe's collection of Axelerators is Skram, the patrol trouble shooter. He turns into a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with a chromed engine block that becomes his weapon. He was released in 1993 as part of Europe's last gasp of Generation One toys, while in the US he was included with the Generation Two car assortment. The US version has minimal differences to the European version, but I nonetheless  drew it  in 2021. 

This drawing of Rapido represents his European release, which was part of the transitional year where Generation One toys continued to be produced overseas while North America shifted to Generation Two branding. Rapido shows up on both sides of the generational divide and ocean. He was released in Europe in 1993, and his Generation Two incarnation   warranted a new drawing here , even though the differences between the toys is minimal. He turns into a Peugot concept car. This drawing is from 2019.  

From Europe's unique roster of Generation One toys is Pyro, leader of the Autobot Obliterators. The Obliterators aren't really a team though, as there are only two in the toyline, an Autobot and a Decepticon. Their main toy gimmick is that they are trucks with their rear cargo sections turning into missile-firing platforms. Pyro turns into a Carmichael Cobra airport crash truck. He was available in 1993, as the line transitioned from Generation One to Generation Two. 

The European-only transitional line between Generations One and Two shifts to the Axelerators, a series of Autobot cars with chromed engine blocks that become their weapons. This is Hotrider, who was released in Generation Two -- that same year in the US -- as  Turbofire . He turns into a pick-up truck.  

From Europe's extended Generation One line comes Speedstream, the leader of the water-squirting, color-changing Aquaspeeders. Released only in Europe in 1993, Speedstream turns into an Indy car. Confusingly, this same body design was used in the US that year as a  Decepticon named Deluge . This drawing is from 2019.