Bot a Day: Daily Drawings

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. 

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.

Motorcycles tend to be tricky designs to execute in Transformers toys. Play value and appropriate scaling are often at odds, since cars typically form the baseline scale of the figures, the motorcycles have to be outsized in order to be producable as poseable, transformable toys. Hightail is no different -- turning into a rather big motorcycle. But, as added play value he is perfectly scaled for 3 3/4" action figures to ride. So your G.I.JOE or Star Wars figures can ride Hightail around. Hightail was available at retail in 2006 and came with a Cyber Planet Key that unlocked additional weapons systems. 

A bizarre design that reminds me of some of the odd body shapes I would draw when tackling the Beast Machines line, Repugnus is an Autobot scout from the Cybertron series. I honestly don't really know where his face is. He turns into a bio-mechanical spinosaurus, and comes with a Animatron Cyber Planet Key (the Jungle Planet) that unlocks a pop-out switchblade like weapon from his crest. He was available in 2006.

Swerve is a redeco of Clocker , but in a red and black scheme. From Velocitron (the Speed Planet), he turns into a convertible sports car. As part of that design, Swerve has exposed seats that rest on his arms in his robot mode. Swerve was available in 2005. 

The beasts are back! Backstop is an Autobot scout that turns into a robotic rhinoceros, but patches of pebbly skin on his armored hide recalls the techno-organic days of Beast Wars. Backstop hails from Animatron, the Jungle Planet, and comes equipped with the appropriate Cyber Planet Key that unlocks his spring-loaded ramming horn. Backstop was available in 2005, and in Japan was named Saidos.

His sleek lines and massive drag racer tires give away his origins from the Speed Planet, Velocitron, but there's more to Brakedown than just speed. He's also a retired racer, and a cranky old-timer -- a common personality type in Transformers storytelling. He turns into a futuristic dragster and comes with a planet key that unlocks a flip-out blade in his engine block weapon. He was available in 2005. In Japan, his name was Autolander. 

The name Armorhide gets repurposed from its Robots in Disguise Commando origins  and Armada Mini-Con usage to become an Autobot Scout in the Cybertron line. This version is delightfully boxy and transforms into a Volvo FH Globetrotter tractor-trailer cab.  Released in 2005, he comes with a Cyber Planet Key and curiously was not made available in Japan.

Repping the Speed Planet of Velocitron is the Autobot Clocker, who turns into a candy-colored convertible race car. Released both in the US and Japan in 2005, his Japanese incarnation was named Skids. A Scout-class toy, he came equipped with a Cyber Planet Key.

Scattorshot is a former game developer turned Autobot warrior, who turns into a missile-launching halftrack armored truck. His name is likely a spelling change from the previously used Scattershot due to trademark issues. In Japan, he was named Backpack, for his back-mounted missile launcher. He was released in the Scout assortment of the Cybertron line in 2005.

Moving onto a larger scale of Cybertron toys -- the Scout-class. First up is Overhaul, a gruff, elder Autobot warrior who turns into an off-road truck-like vehicle. The gimmick in the Cybertron assortment was the use of "Cyber Keys," small plastic props that serve a similar function to the Mini-Cons in Armada in that they unlock play features. In the Cybertron fiction, the keys also help denote planetary allegiance (Overhaul had a "Jungle Planet" key). Overhaul was released at US retail in 2005. In Japan, he debuted at the end of 2004, and had the name Jackshot.