Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

The unimaginatively named Robot-Man X is yet another reissue of the Jumpstarter Topspin (from '85, posted on Day 38  of 2017), who resurfaced in South America as Salt-Man X in 1985 ( posted on Day 14  of this year). This incarnation was unique to Argentina, is a Decepticon (at least, according to the symbol on his cardback) and was released in 1994. Like all other versions of this mold, he has a spring-loaded transformation that pops him from a winged vehicle of some sort into a standing robot.

I added Salt-Man Z to the growing gallery of international Transformers releases. He is partner to yesterday's Salt-Man X -- a Twin-Twist repaint available in Brazil and Argentina in the mid 1980s. 

From 2019, another "trust me, this is a different character" drawing only really defined as distinct through absent color. This is Salt-Man X, the name given to a repainted Topspin character in Brazil and Argentina. His name derives from the Spanish / Portuguese word for "Jump", as the toy jumps automatically from vehicle mode to robot mode. Released sometime in the mid 80s in South America. 

Twin Twist, the other Jumpstarter available in the line in 1985. Like Topspin, Twin Twist has a pull back motor that scoots him forward in vehicle mode (a drill tank) that then pops open into robot mode. Twin Twist's design made its way to international territories in different colors as Salt Man-Z,   who I drew over here .

Here's Topspin. He's one of a pair of Jumpstarter figured released in 1985, whose central gimmick is that they had a pull-back motor in their vehicle form that drove them forward until they hit a certain distance, and then they'd spring up, automatically turning into their robot mode, and land on their weighted feet. Topspin turns into some sort of aquatic / futuristic vehicle. His specialty is listed as air and sea assault. The Jumpstarter body molds were some of the most commonly reused ones in the bootleg market. They also found their way as unique international editions, like  Salt-Man X  and Robot Man X in South America.