1984's Transformers Are Forty!

[Shockprowl]

Now Trailbreaker has some interesting numbers. A rank of 7, that's 5 of the original Autobots with that rank. I was always surprised by an intelligence if only 6. Sideswipe's 7 bears him, and he's a strategist. And he's described as "very slow", yet a 4 isn't completely terrible, only Ironhide is slower, but he's equal to the likes of Brawn, Ratchet, and Megatron. And endurance 10! Woaw! I never really got a good sense of who Trailbreaker is from his bio. But I like him.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Apr 22, 2024 16:43:59 GMT The Doctor said:

Only Benn cares about Trailbreaker.

And me.

Great toy. Superb vehicle mode, and multiple hand attachments three years before Death's Head copied his gimmick.

As a character, he was badly done by in the comic (blasted before he could activate his force-field in 'Man of Iron' and 'Target: 2006'), but overpowered in the cartoon (able to protect all the Autobots from the heat of a trip through the Sun itself).



Martin

[Philip Ayres]

Apr 22, 2024 8:38:37 GMT The Doctor said:

No one cares about Trailbreaker.

-Ralph

Phil LOVES Trailbreaker

[that_bluestreak]

I also care about Trailbreaker. He was the last Autobot Car I ever managed to get, picking him up a few years ago. Somehow I had never had one previously, despite being onto my fourth round of collecting! In fact, I had only ever seen one Trailbreaker in my life, at a car boot in Milton Keynes as a teenager, after I had stopped collecting Transformers. I didn;t buy it and regreted it regularly over the years. I missed out on the Japanese reissues during my second collection because it hadn't really started properly. Missed out on the Encore version because I was mostly partying. Would like that one a lot, the blue eyes really add something. Underused in the comic, like most characters! Great showing in IDW though, a character I could really identify with. Then pow! Oh the feels. So yeah, great toy, lots of play value. Lovely vehicle mode, fun transformation, the lauchers on mine are great, really send those fists flying. I just remembered that I made a lego Trailbreaker when I was a kid because I wanted one so much. It wouldn't have been any good.

[The Doctor]

Everyone cares about Trailbreaker.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

I care about Trailbreaker and so does my wife.

[Llama God]

I don't care about Trailbreaker.

Apr 22, 2024 17:26:42 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

As a character, he was badly done by in the comic (blasted before he could activate his force-field in 'Man of Iron' and 'Target: 2006'),

But that's probably because, having only started Transformers at UK issue 7, I was mostly introduced to Trailbreaker as "the one that's on fire on the motorway". Which, whilst certainly being some vivid imagery and a prescient satire on the state of our roads and the automotive industry, didn't enthuse me to buy his toy as a kid.

Having not read his tech specs in years though I am surprised by how closely his characterisation in MTMTE matches it. Nice job from Roberts there.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

I wish he'd been in the 1990 Classic Heroes line instead of Ironhide, and been in the Earthforce line-up.

Martin

[Shockprowl]

Apr 22, 2024 21:31:19 GMT Pinwig said:

I care about Trailbreaker and so does my wife.

Your wife? Really?



My wife wouldn't know a Trailbreaker from a Thunderhoof.

[Pinwig]

Well in that instance, only one of them is going to give you the horn.

[pulsar]

Trailbreaker was one of those mysterious characters that UK toy sops didn't have in1984. For a while, everything I knew about him was from #2’s double-page spread of the Autobots, much better as a poster on my wall than in-story dialog. He’s the last to introduce himself, which fits his personality and does make him memorable. Trouble is, he’s standing next to the equally unattainable Wheeljack, and a mad scientist sounded a lot more exciting than a gas guzzler.

When they did finally release him in 1985, there were again other toys I cared about more. So many new TFs came at once and his subgroup was particularly crowded: I'd only managed to collect 1 of the first 6, then suddenly there were 17! My desire to play with the toy was mostly satisfied when a friend got Hoist, who looked basically the same but with a slightly more interesting vehicle mode.

[Philip Ayres]

Trailbreaker is the only one of the "Out in the US in 84 but UK in 85" Five Autobot Cars that didn't get a classics release.

Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Prowl & Ironhide all got another go in Classics

[Philip Ayres]

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 5 - Cliffjumper
Function: Autobot Warrior
Japan: 13 Cliff
tfwiki.net/wiki/Cliffjumper_(G1)/toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Cliffjumper/cliffjumper.htm

Cliffjumper (Yellow) Autobot Warrior www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/YellowCliffjumper/cliffjumper.htm

"Strike first, strike fast, strike hard."

"Let me at 'em," is Cliffjumper's motto. His eagerness and daring have no equal. He's driven by a desire to win the battle against the Decepticons. Finds Earth terrain a hindrance. One of the fastest Autobots. Often uses his speed to draw fire away from others. Shoots 'glass gas' which makes metal as brittle as glass. His recklessness often leads to actual blow-outs and situations too dangerous for him to handle.


Strength
4
Intelligence
4
Speed
7
Endurance
4
Rank
5
Courage
10
Firepower
7
Skill
5

[Shockprowl]

I like it how it states:

'"Let me at 'em," is Cliffjumper's motto.'


Yet his actual Moto is:
"Strike first, strike fast, strike hard." !


Great character. The tough-guy who's tiny.

Always struck me how he has such lower numbers! Strength:4, fine. But Intelligence: 4? Skill: 5? Ouch, Bob.

[Bogatan]

Apr 24, 2024 6:48:49 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Trailbreaker is the only one of the "Out in the US in 84 but UK in 85" Five Autobot Cars that didn't get a classics release.

Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Prowl & Ironhide all got another go in Classics

Did he get a Chinese reisue? I assume so, but Im not sure Ive ever seen a complete list.

[that_bluestreak]

I have a theory that Cliffjumper was more commonly yellow in the UK. I base this on following ebay auctions for Cliffs for a couple of years and the majority that came up from UK sellers were yellow. I think that most of the yellow stock came to the UK whereas in the US they got very few yellows. Sell your reds in the UK and yellows in the US!

I never had a Cliffjumper when I was a kid, got a yellow one during collection number 2, and finally a red one a couple of years ago. It's a lovely toy, the red really pops and is somehow more pleasing having had a yellow (and a Bumblebee and a Hubcap) for years. I didn't really see the cartoon much as a kid so beyond his appearances in Arrival and TFTM my Cliffjumper is pure Marvel, and he doesnt get much there either. The only wave 1 minibot not to ever get a starring role I think... the only time we saw a flash of personality was Dinobot Hunt and that didn't end well for him...

[legios]

Cliffjumper, first Autobot I had. Only surviving Autobot from my original collection... He'll probably be last 'bot standing from my current collection as well.

My Cliffjumper is yellow, and to this day my immediate mental image when anyone says Cliffjumper is "Yellow Penny Racer porsche...

Karl

[Pinwig]

Same for me.

[Philip Ayres]

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 6 - Sideswipe
Function: Autobot Warrior
Japan: 4 Lambor
tfwiki.net/wiki/Sideswipe_(G1)/toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm



"I don't break the rules, I bend them -- a lot."

Sideswipe is nearly the equal of his twin brother, Sunstreaker, in the combat arts, but less cold blooded. Relishes a fight to the finish with an opponent. Uses underhanded tactics when absolutely necessary. Arms act as powerful pile drivers. Flies for up to 2 minutes with rocket backpack. Fires flares visible for 18 miles. Rash actions often lead to injuries to himself. Takes them all in stride.

Strength
7
Intelligence
7
Speed
7
Endurance
7
Rank
5
Courage
10
Firepower
3
Skill
6

[Philip Ayres]

Anyone cracked the pattern to these yet?

When I saw it was meant to be a UK distributed car this week following my birthday I made sure it was my favourite :-)

SUPERB toy.

[The Doctor]

One of the all-time greats.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

Absolutely, a must own for the G1 toy fan.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

The coolest looking Autobot in vehicle mode, until Tracks.

Martin

[Pinwig]

One of the finest toys ever made. One of the first Autobot cars I owned, and I still have my original. Fabulous in both modes.

[Benn]

I never had Sideswipe as a kid. Nor Red Alert.
Iconic he may be, but I've never had that wow factor from him.

[Jaymz]

I didn't experience Sideswipe until the reissues, it's just a big Spychanger, which isn't a bad thing.

[that_bluestreak]

I got a Sideswipe very late the first time round. Maybe from a jumble sale or charity shop in my teens when I didn't actually collect Transformers any more (between ages 12 and 19), Mine was already a little damaged, so it wasn't until the TF Collection reissues that I experienced the wow factor of opening the box and finding this clean and shiny and whole lambo that just looks beautiful (I'm not a car person, but some cars just look amazing), then turns into an awesome robot. That was amazing. A few years back I needed a Sideswipe for the latest collection and wanted that experience again and so i bought a KO from China to get that boxfresh feel!

Yes, Sideswipe looks great in both modes, is a real Transformery Transformer, not a robot wearing a car on its back. I would love to have all the prepaints and repaints on this one. Great characterisation by BB in the techspecs as usual.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Though as I'm sure Phil is dying to point out, the tech-specs were written for the Sunstreaker toy, which has the rocket backpack and piledriver fists.

Martin

[Pinwig]

Oh no.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

A reminder of the overwhelming evidence which may be found in the original unabridged bios:

www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Sideswipe

Sideswipe's two arms can be used as piledrivers. Each exerts 8000 pounds of force upon impact with up to five impacts per second, making him particularly useful in close combat and for breaking through fortifications. A rocket back-pack can sustain him in the air for two minute spurts before refueling is necessary. When launched, two shoulder-mounted magnesium phosphorous flares can each be seen from a distance of 18 miles on a clear night.

Sunstreaker is the one with piledriver arms, a rocket pack and two shoulder-mounted flare launchers.

www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Sunstreaker

Sunstreaker is faintly contemptuous of the other sports-car Autobots, particularly his fraternal twin Sideswipe, whose design, he says, is spoiled by the rear-mounted engine in his automobile mode... Sunstreaker wears a right shoulder-mounted, laser-guided, ground-to-air missile launcher... He also carries an electron-pulse gun...

Sunstreaker is the one with the rear-mounted engine. Sideswipe is the one with the right shoulder-mounted missile launcher and the one who carries a gun.

Martin