Micromasters
Encyclopedia
Micromasters is a Transformers subline composed of small figures that came packaged in groups and with bases that interacted with the figures. They were sold at the peak of Galoob
's Micro Machines
craze and were packaged in groups of four just like Micro Machines. The Micromaster Combiners sub-line was made with a similar gimmick to rival Matchbox's Connectables line.
In the fiction, the Micromasters were created by the Transformers in response to growing power needs; It was costly and inefficient to continue to create or repair existing Transformers in large bodies. Utilizing technology gained from the Nebulon "master" process, a smaller, more efficient form was constructed. Until this time, small Transformers were limited in intelligence or ability in some way, such as the cassette
robots needing a symbiotic relationship with Blaster
or Soundwave
.
Some Transformers chose to do away with their old bodies and become smaller; The majority of those who remained looked down on the smaller Micromasters. Due to their young age, at the time of the Great War no Micromasters had officer status in either the Autobot
or Decepticon
army. By the time of the discovery of Zone Energy, Micromasters were beginning to move up the ranks. This foreshadows the smaller, more energy efficient bodies of the Maximals
and Predacons
in the Beast Wars
TV show in comparison with the much larger bodies of the Generation One Transformers.
The name "Micromasters" was only invented during the second year of the subline. The toys released in the first year (Off Road Patrol, Race Car Patrol and Air Strike Patrol) were labelled as "Micro Transformers".
In Generation 1, Bombshock is leader of the Decepticon Micromaster Military Patrol. In Power Core Combiners, Bombshock was once a member of the elite Cybertron military. After betraying his comrades, the Decepticons rewarded him with a Power Core team to command the Combaticons
.
Toys include:
Combiner Squads consist of three vehicles, each of which can transform into two separate Micromasters. Combiner Squads are specifically themed.
Combiner transports transform into vehicles and can transport gun emplacements or maintenance equipment. Each includes two separate Micromasters.
Combiner headquarters convert from vehicles to Micromaster headquarters. Each includes two separate Micromasters.
's rampage). They were immediately dispatched to investigate the Decepticon Pretenders
' attempts to set up a device on top of the Empire State Building to produce power for the Decepticons' new base. The Micromasters eventually defeated them, proving their worth to the other Autobots.
Both patrols next appeared in New York City fighting crime, where Roadhandler managed to become a professional wrestler by accident. This backfired when Scorponok
held his fans hostage, but he managed to defeat Storm Cloud of the Air Strike Patrol and save the humans.
When Marvel UK writer Simon Furman
took over the US comic, the Micromaster paid a big role in his first story arc. Working for the believed dead Megatron, the Sports Car Patrol kidnapped Ratchet
by pretending to be Autobots, forcing him to create more Pretenders. Elsewhere, the Air Strike Patrol (also working for Megatron) sparked a confrontation between Optimus Prime
's Autobots and Scorponok's Decepticons - luring them into perfect position to be wiped out by the resurrected Pretender Starscream. Predictably Ratchet betrayed Megatron, resurrecting Grimlock
, Jazz
and Bumblebee
as Pretenders. The Sports Car Patrol battled them but were defeated, leaving Megatron to crush the three Pretenders on his own. After this, Micromasters disappeared entirely from the pages of the comic save for an appearance of Fixit (from the Rescue Patrol) in issue #71.
In Dreamwave Productions
' reimagining of the Generation One universe a four issue mini-series titled Micromasters was published, which expanded the background of the Micromasters. Here, they were originally Autobots who experimented on themselves to create smaller, more fuel efficient bodies. Seeing the possibilities this could lead to both Autobots and Decepticons would hold a truce to create more Micromasters, even going as far to create a small city and training school for them (with both Ultra Magnus
and Shockwave
teaching). However, both sides began to covertly recruit among the Micromasters splitting them into Autobot and Decepticon factions. Dreamwave went bankrupt not long after this, so any further tales of the Micromasters would go untold.
's Spotlight issue on Nightbeat
. The Sports Car Patrol appeared working for a mysterious extradimensional entity. They attacked Nightbeat, outmaneuvering and capturing him for implantation with some sort of device. Nightbeat fails to recognise the Micromasters, indicating that they do not exist in the IDW G1 continuity as of yet. None of the Sports Car Patrol are named or even speak.
The Micromasters returned in the pages of Spotlight Hardhead, with most of the early U.S. released patrols being present, but not any of the combiners, bases or transports.
Galoob
Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. was a toy company headquartered on Forbes Blvd. in South San Francisco, California. Best known for distributing the Game Genie, a videogame cheat device, for Codemasters in the US, Galoob was founded by Barbara Frankel and Lewis Galoob in 1954 as an import business. Before...
's Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
craze and were packaged in groups of four just like Micro Machines. The Micromaster Combiners sub-line was made with a similar gimmick to rival Matchbox's Connectables line.
In the fiction, the Micromasters were created by the Transformers in response to growing power needs; It was costly and inefficient to continue to create or repair existing Transformers in large bodies. Utilizing technology gained from the Nebulon "master" process, a smaller, more efficient form was constructed. Until this time, small Transformers were limited in intelligence or ability in some way, such as the cassette
Microcassette
A Microcassette is an audio storage medium introduced by Olympus in 1969. It uses the same width of magnetic tape as the Compact Cassette but in a much smaller container. By using thinner tape and half or a quarter the tape speed, microcassettes can offer comparable recording time to the compact...
robots needing a symbiotic relationship with Blaster
Blaster (Transformers)
Blaster is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara Tomy and Hasbro. Due to trademark reasons, he is sometimes called Autobot Blaster...
or Soundwave
Soundwave (Transformers)
Soundwave is the name of several characters in the various series Transformers series. His most famous disguise is that of a microcassette recorder and has an iconic voice done by a vocoder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
.
Some Transformers chose to do away with their old bodies and become smaller; The majority of those who remained looked down on the smaller Micromasters. Due to their young age, at the time of the Great War no Micromasters had officer status in either the Autobot
Autobot
Autobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...
or Decepticon
Decepticon
The Decepticons are usually depicted as the antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers stoyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots and the University of California Davis Aggies...
army. By the time of the discovery of Zone Energy, Micromasters were beginning to move up the ranks. This foreshadows the smaller, more energy efficient bodies of the Maximals
Maximal (Transformers)
Maximals are a faction in the Transformers series by Hasbro. They are generally depicted as respecting all life and following a path of peace before war. They follow the tenets of the Pax Cybertronia. The Maximals are opposed by the Predacons...
and Predacons
Predacon (Transformers)
The Predacons usually refer to the name of several fictional Decepticon-like teams led by Megatron, however Transformers: Armada, Predacon is the name of a single character.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
in the Beast Wars
Beast Wars
Transformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
TV show in comparison with the much larger bodies of the Generation One Transformers.
The name "Micromasters" was only invented during the second year of the subline. The toys released in the first year (Off Road Patrol, Race Car Patrol and Air Strike Patrol) were labelled as "Micro Transformers".
Patrols
Patrols consist of four different Micromasters, each transforming into a vehicle. Patrols are specifically themed.Autobots
- Air Patrol (Blaze Master, Eagle Eye, Sky HighSky High (Transformers)Sky High is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. He is the first instance of the reuse of a name in the Transformers fiction on different characters.-Transformers: Generation 1 :...
, Tread BoltTread BoltTread Bolt is a fictional character in the various Transformers universes. See also Treadbolt.-Transformers: Generation 1:Tread Bolt is an Autobot Micromaster jet. When he's not using his stealth to infiltrate Decepticon airspace, he's sneaking up on his fellow Autobot Micromasters...
) - Battle Patrol (Big Shot, FlakFlak (Transformers)-Transformers: Generation 1:Flak is a Micromaster. He is a tactical expert who works for Big Shot. Oddly he is also a full-sized Autobot who works for Thunderclash.-Marvel Comics:Events from the Marvel U.K...
, Sidetrack, Sunrunner) - Construction Patrol (Crumble, Groundpounder, Neutro, Takedown)
- Hot Rod Patrol (Big DaddyBig Daddy (Transformers)Big Daddy is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. The first Big Daddy was a Micromaster, while the later two are homages to the original character, both of which use the same toy, even though they are different characters.-Transformers: Generation 1:Big...
, Greaser, Hubs, Trip-Up) - Monster Truck Patrol (Big Hauler, Hydraulic, Heavy Tread, Slow Poke)
- Off Road Patrol (Powertrain, Mudslinger, Highjump, Tote)
- Race Car Patrol (Free Wheeler, Road Handler, Swindler, Tailspin)
- Rescue Patrol (Fixit, Red Hot, Seawatch, StakeoutStakeout (Transformers)Stakeout is the name of two fictional characters from the Transformers. They are both heroic Autobots.-Transformers: Generation 1:Stakeout is the young leader of the Rescue Patrol.-Marvel Comics:...
)
Decepticons
- Air Strike Patrol (Nightflight Stormcloud, TailwindTailwind (Transformers)Tailwind is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Tailwind is a Micromaster and member of the Air Strike Patrol. He is the second most competent of the patrol, after the leader Whisper...
, WhisperWhisper (Transformers)Whisper is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Whisper is a Micromaster and leaders of the Air Strike Patrol.-Marvel Comics:...
) - Military Patrol (Bombshock, Dropshot, Growler, Tracer)
- Race Track Patrol (BarricadeBarricade (Transformers)Barricade is the name of four fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Barricade first featured in 1990 as part of a Decepticon race track patrol team, his vehicle mode being a Formula One racing car....
, Groundhog, Motorhead, Roller Force) - Sports Car Patrol (Blackjack, Detour, Hyperdrive, Roadhugger)
Bombshock
In Generation 1, Bombshock is leader of the Decepticon Micromaster Military Patrol. In Power Core Combiners, Bombshock was once a member of the elite Cybertron military. After betraying his comrades, the Decepticons rewarded him with a Power Core team to command the Combaticons
Combaticons
The Combaticons are a group of Decepticon military vehicles in the assorted fictional universes of the Transformers.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
.
Toys include:
- Generation 1 Decepticon Military Patrol (1990)
- A four pack of Decepticon Micromasters including Bombshock.
- Power Core Combiners Bombshock with Combaticons (2010)
- A new mold, which resembles the G1 Combaticon OnslaughtOnslaught (Transformers)Onslaught is the name of two fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Both are leaders of the Combaticons who turn into missile launching vehicles.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
. Comes with four drone vehicles: a half-trackHalf-trackA half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling...
, an armored car, a missile carrier and a tank - all of which combine with Bombshock to form a larger robot. The Bombshock mold is also used for the Autobot Steelshot with Beacon.
Transports
Transports transform into vehicles and can transport gun emplacements, maintenance equipment, or other Micromasters.Autobots
- OverloadOverload (Transformers)Overload is the name of four different fictional character in the various Transformers universes. They are seemingly unrelated besides sharing a name.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- transforms into a car carrier. - ErectorErector (Transformers)Erector is a fictional character in the Transformers series introduced in 1989. He was nominated as a fan's choice for the Transformers Hall of Fame in 2011. He is sometimes called "Autobot Erector" for trademark purposes by Hasbro, and is called Cragun in Japan.- Transformers: Generation 1...
- transforms into a crane.
Decepticons
- Flattop - transforms into an aircraft carrier.
- Roughstuff - transforms into a a cannon trailer.
Battle stations
Battle stations are buildings that transform into maintenance stations or military outposts.Autobots
- Hot House - transforms into an airplane, comes with a fire station.
- Ironworks - transforms into a truck cab, comes with a factory.
Decepticons
- Airwave - transforms into an airplane, comes with an airport.
- Greasepit - transforms into a monster truck, comes with a car maintenance station.
Autobots
- Groundshaker - transforms into an airplane, comes with a wheeled armored personnel carrier.
Autobots
- CountdownCountdown (Transformers)Countdown is the name fictional character in the Transformers series. He was introduced as a toy in the US 1989, but his first appearance in fiction was in the Japanese Transformers: Zone series where he was called Moon Raider. He didn't appear in US Transformers fiction until his role as a main...
- transforms into a lunar rover, comes with a mobile rocket launching platform.
Micromaster Combiners
Micromaster Combiners were introduced later in the subline mainly as an attempt to cash in on Matchbox's Connectables subline. Each vehicle is able to transform into two separate Micromasters, which connect to each other in vehicle mode.Combiner Squads consist of three vehicles, each of which can transform into two separate Micromasters. Combiner Squads are specifically themed.
- Autobots
- Astro Squad (Phaser and Blast Master, Moonrock and Missile Master, Barrage and Heave)
- Metro Squad (Wheel Blaze and Road Runner, Oiler and Slide, Power RunPower runIn American football, a "Power push" is a play used out of a variety of very offensive positions that consist of two backs ....
and Strikedown)- Decepticons
- Battle Squad (Meltdown and Half-Track, Direct-Hit and Power Punch, Fireshot and Vanquish)
- Constructor Squad (Stonecruncher and Excavator, SledgeSledge (Transformers)Sledge is the name of several characters in the various Transformers universes. Sledge has always been portrayed as a Decepticon-aligned construction vehicle.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and Hammer, Grit and Knockout)
Combiner transports transform into vehicles and can transport gun emplacements or maintenance equipment. Each includes two separate Micromasters.
- Autobots
- Tanker truck (Pipeline and Gusher) - transform into a shovel vehicle, come with a liquid transport tank.
- Missile transport (Retro and Surge) - transform into a crane, come with a missile transport platform.
- Decepticons
- Cannon transport (Cement-Head and Terror-Tread - transform into a dump truck, come with a cannon transport platform.
Combiner headquarters convert from vehicles to Micromaster headquarters. Each includes two separate Micromasters.
- Autobots: Trailer truck (Full Barrel and Overflow) - transform into a trailer truck, come with a trailer truck.
- Decepticons: Anti-aircraft base (BlackoutBlackout (Transformers)Blackout is the name of several different fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Blackout was one of a team of two Micromaster Combiners. They came with a Gepard air defense vehicle that could transform to a base...
and Spaceshot) - transform into a bomber airplane, come with an anti-aircraft vehicle.
Marvel Comics
With the animated series having finished, it fell to the Marvel Transformers comic to provide the background for the Micromasters. Here they were portrayed as regular Autobots and Decepticons who had downsized into smaller bodies due to fuel shortages. Their first appearance was in issue 54, where Optimus Prime summoned the Race Car Patrol and Off-Road Patrol from Cybertron in order to reinforce the Autobots on Earth (after the Underbase powered StarscreamStarscream (Transformers)
Starscream is a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. He is one of the most prolific characters in the Transformers fictional work, appearing in almost all incarnations of the story. Starscream is usually portrayed with the same characterization...
's rampage). They were immediately dispatched to investigate the Decepticon Pretenders
Pretenders (Transformers)
Pretenders is a subline within the Transformers toy line, introduced in 1988. The concept behind the toy was that the Transformers were capable of disguising their robotic forms through the use of synthetic organic outer shells.-Cloudburst:...
' attempts to set up a device on top of the Empire State Building to produce power for the Decepticons' new base. The Micromasters eventually defeated them, proving their worth to the other Autobots.
Both patrols next appeared in New York City fighting crime, where Roadhandler managed to become a professional wrestler by accident. This backfired when Scorponok
Scorponok
Scorponok is the name shared by several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons that turn into Scorpoins.- Transformers: Generation 1:...
held his fans hostage, but he managed to defeat Storm Cloud of the Air Strike Patrol and save the humans.
When Marvel UK writer Simon Furman
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
took over the US comic, the Micromaster paid a big role in his first story arc. Working for the believed dead Megatron, the Sports Car Patrol kidnapped Ratchet
Ratchet (Transformers)
Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...
by pretending to be Autobots, forcing him to create more Pretenders. Elsewhere, the Air Strike Patrol (also working for Megatron) sparked a confrontation between Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
's Autobots and Scorponok's Decepticons - luring them into perfect position to be wiped out by the resurrected Pretender Starscream. Predictably Ratchet betrayed Megatron, resurrecting Grimlock
Grimlock
Grimlock is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a tough leader who turns into a mechanical dinosaur...
, Jazz
Jazz (Transformers)
Jazz is the name of a fictional character from the various Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a music loving robot and talks with a slang accent. He is also a good friend of Optimus Prime's...
and Bumblebee
Bumblebee (Transformers)
Bumblebee is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. In most incarnations, Bumblebee is a small, yellow Autobot with the altmode of a compact car.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
as Pretenders. The Sports Car Patrol battled them but were defeated, leaving Megatron to crush the three Pretenders on his own. After this, Micromasters disappeared entirely from the pages of the comic save for an appearance of Fixit (from the Rescue Patrol) in issue #71.
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
' reimagining of the Generation One universe a four issue mini-series titled Micromasters was published, which expanded the background of the Micromasters. Here, they were originally Autobots who experimented on themselves to create smaller, more fuel efficient bodies. Seeing the possibilities this could lead to both Autobots and Decepticons would hold a truce to create more Micromasters, even going as far to create a small city and training school for them (with both Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
and Shockwave
Shockwave (Transformers)
Shockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Throughout his incarnations, he is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye...
teaching). However, both sides began to covertly recruit among the Micromasters splitting them into Autobot and Decepticon factions. Dreamwave went bankrupt not long after this, so any further tales of the Micromasters would go untold.
IDW Publishing
The Micromasters made a surprise reappearance in IDW PublishingIDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
's Spotlight issue on Nightbeat
Nightbeat (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1:Nightbeat is described as a tough, street-hardened detective who is not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations...
. The Sports Car Patrol appeared working for a mysterious extradimensional entity. They attacked Nightbeat, outmaneuvering and capturing him for implantation with some sort of device. Nightbeat fails to recognise the Micromasters, indicating that they do not exist in the IDW G1 continuity as of yet. None of the Sports Car Patrol are named or even speak.
The Micromasters returned in the pages of Spotlight Hardhead, with most of the early U.S. released patrols being present, but not any of the combiners, bases or transports.