Transformers: Generation 1

The first Runabout formed one half of the Battlecharger duo with Runamuck

Runamuck (Transformers)

Runamuck is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers series. All three are violent Decepticons who turn into cars. In the original Transformers animated series Runabout was voiced by Roger Behr.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...

. Runabout is not the brains of the Battlechargers, but he is much calmer and certainly more articulate than Runamuck, and his presence helps keep the latter's cross-wired mind on task. That said, Runabout usually joins in with whatever mad ideas Runamuck comes up with, just to keep from being bored. Runabout is very susceptible to boredom.

Marvel Comics

Runabout and Runamuck

Runamuck (Transformers)

Runamuck is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers series. All three are violent Decepticons who turn into cars. In the original Transformers animated series Runabout was voiced by Roger Behr.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...

 first appeared in the U.S. Marvel Transformers comics in issue 23 where they responded to Megatron's request to announce a challenge to 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...

 in a dramatic fashion. Taking him up on this, the two Battlechargers caused random mayhem, until witnessing a young boy scrawling graffiti. Inspired by the youngster, they followed him and his family throughout America, graffiting Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...

 and the Washington Monument

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...

 on the way. They would then encounter the Transformer hating Circuit Breaker, who attacked them and nearly killed the family the two Battlechargers had been following. Stripped of her command in RAAT, she turned to a group of Autobots she had captured led by 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...

, who agreed to let her combine them into a super-Autobot if she would let them go afterwards. They caught up with the Battlechargers as they defaced the Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...

 and defeated them both, dropping their broken bodies into New York Harbor.

They would not show up again until much later in the series, when they appeared as part of a group of rogue Decepticons recruited by 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...

 to fight 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:...

 in the Decepticon Civil War, attacking the Decepticon base in New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, before all involved were transported to Cybertron

Cybertron

Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...

, where both later took part in the climactic battle with Unicron

Unicron

Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...

. A wreck that appears to be Runamuck in vehicle mode was shown among the casualties of the battle, while Runabout was killed soon after by a cannibalistic race of primitive mechanoids who emerged from under Cybertron's surface. While Runabout was indeed not seen again, Runamuck does later reappear, fighting and dying among Megatron's forces in battle against Jhiaxus

Jhiaxus

Jhiaxus is a fictional character in the Transformers universes. He is an evil Decepticon jet.-Transformers: Generation 2:Unlike most of the notable characters in the Transformers comics, Jhiaxus is not based on a toy...

's second-generation Cybertronians.

Both also appeared in the U.K. comics divergent continuity Earthforce tales, as part of the Decepticon forces under Megatron and Shockwave.

Runabout also appeared as part of Galvatron

Galvatron

Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...

's forces in a nightmare alternate universe where Unicron had destroyed Cybertron, and Galvatron and the Decepticons ruled Earth. He was killed by Inferno

Inferno (Transformers)

Inferno is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. Despite having different alternate modes, the character name has been most associated with the form of a fire engine.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

.

Animated series

Runabout's presence in the Transformers television series is limited to one episode - where he was among the Decepticon forces in the third season episode "Ghost in the Machine". During this episode he was one of the Decepticons who were guarding Trypticon

Trypticon

Trypticon is a fictional character in the Transformers toyline.-Transformers: Generation 1:Trypticon is the Decepticons' principal command base. He has three modes: a city, a mobile battle station, and a Tyrannosaurus rex. In each mode, he has a variety of weapons...

, when Scourge

Scourge (Transformers)

Scourge is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. He first appeared as one of the central villains in the 1986 film The Transformers, voiced by Stan Jones. He also regularly appeared in the animated Transformers series and Transformers comic books. Since then other...

 (who was thought a traitor by the Decepticons for his possessed actions earlier) and the ghost of Starscream

Starscream (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...

 arrived to steal one of the battle station's eyes, as part of a deal with Unicron

Unicron

Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...

 to get Starscream's body back. Starscream possessed Runabout and had him shoot Runamuck . Runamuck was able to send for reinforcements, but the two traitors escaped after Starscream took over Astrotrain

Astrotrain

Astrotrain is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons who can assume the form of a space shuttle.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

. Starscream later returned to Trypticon to connect Unicron's head to Cybertron and make it his new body, but was stopped by Dirge

Dirge (Transformers)

Dirge is the name of several different fictional characters from the Transformers series. He was first introduced in 1985 as a villain in the Transformers series, appearing in the comic book by Marvel Comics and voiced by Bud Davis in the animated television series. Since then the name Dirge was...

, Thrust

Thrust (Transformers)

Thrust is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. The original character was an evil red Decepticon jet, with most of the following character using the name Thrust being a variation on that concept...

 and the Battlechargers, who sabotaged Trypticon, before Autobot planted explosives blasted Unicron's head into orbit. Runabout did not appear again.

Dreamwave Productions

Runabout's Dreamwave bio indicated that he simply lived to commit one evil deed after the other, especially targeting attractive structures, even on the battlefield. This has led to him being classed as a serial killer by the Autobots. He is slightly smarter than the average Decepticon.

Runabout was recruited as a Decepticon under the leadership of Megatron in his war against the Autobots on the planet Cybertron

Cybertron

Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...

. When Megatron and Autobot leader 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...

 disappeared in an accident with a space bridge, the Autobot and Decepticon forces splintered into smaller factions. Runabout joined up with the Predacon

Predacon

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:...

s under the leadership of Starscream

Starscream (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...

.

After the Great Shutdown on Cybertron ended, Runabout was reformatted in the form of an Earth sports car and served under 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...

. Later he would be responsible for killing Broadside

Broadside (Transformers)

Broadside is the name of three fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Broadside's bio presented him as literally getting the worst possible out of his alternate modes. He transforms into an Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, but gets seasick. He...

, before himself being seemingly killed by a Sharkticon

Sharkticon

-Transformers: Generation One:The ravenous Sharkticons, the most famous and deadly of the Quintessons' slaves, are rotund robots capable of transforming into ferocious, amphibious creatures...

. Wounded and looking to recharge, Runabout and Runamuck broke into Shockwave's abandoned lab where they accidentally released Sunstorm

Sunstorm (Transformers)

Sunstorm is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. Sunstorm is always a Decepticon allied jet who is yellow or orange in color.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

.

In issue #2 of the third Generation One series, titled "Black Sunshine", the Protectabots were ordered by Prowl

Prowl (Transformers)

Prowl is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers series. "Prowl" is one of the most re-used American names in the assorted Transformers series, and its use has become almost synonymous with Autobots who possess a police car alternate mode...

 to inventigate the energy anomaly created by Sunstorm

Sunstorm (Transformers)

Sunstorm is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. Sunstorm is always a Decepticon allied jet who is yellow or orange in color.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

 escaping 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...

's abandoned secret lab. When they arrived they discovered the hole left in the roof by Sunstorm and the deactivated Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Streetwise

Streetwise (Transformers)

Streetwise is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. They are all Protectobots who turn into cars. He is sometimes called Streetstar by Hasbro for legal reasons.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

 reported back to Prowl as First Aid

First Aid (Transformers)

First Aid is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:First Aid is a doctor and hates seeing any machine in pain, even an overheated car. Compassionate to the injured, but also a great fighter. Carries double-barreled crystallizer...

 repaired the Decepticons.

IDW Publishing

After Dreamwave's closure, the rights to the Transformers comics were taken up by IDW Publishing

IDW 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...

. They have begun to publish their own new material, including a miniseries called Infiltration featuring some of the Generation One Transformers. In Infiltration, Starscream

Starscream (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...

 is in command of a small group of Decepticons on Earth consisting of Skywarp

Skywarp

Skywarp is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers toy line. He is usually depicted as a black or purple Decepticon jet with teleportation powers.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

, Thundercracker

Thundercracker

Thundercracker is the name given to multiple fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Thundercracker is almost always depicted as a blue color Decepticon who turns into a jet fighter.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

, Astrotrain

Astrotrain

Astrotrain is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons who can assume the form of a space shuttle.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

, Blitzwing

Blitzwing

Blitzwing is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. He is always depicted as a Decepticon with two alternate forms, that of a jet and that of a tank...

, and the Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream had discovered an ore on Earth that was the Transformer equivalent of steroids, making him bold enough to advance their infiltration phase ahead of schedule. However, it seems that humans have somehow obtained evidence of the Transformers' existence, which would derail Starscream's plans. Runabout has thus far appeared as part of Starscream's elimination squad along with Runamuck, disposing of any evidence of their operation on Earth. The two, with aid from Thundercracker, pursued 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...

, who was harbouring three humans who had discovered evidence of the Decepticon presence on Earth. They failed. However, with the arrival of Megatron on Earth, they suddenly had more important things to worry about. Powered up by Ore-13, they, along with Thundercracker and Astrotrain

Astrotrain

Astrotrain is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons who can assume the form of a space shuttle.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

, were sent to confront Megatron as he arrived looking for Starscream. In spite of their powered up status they surrendered without a fight in the face of Megatron's wrath. In the sequel series The Transformers: Escalation

The Transformers: Escalation

The Transformers: Escalation is a six-issue comic book mini-series, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Infiltration. The series launched in November 2006 and ended in April 2007....

 it was revealed Runabout had acquired an unscrupulous senator for the Decepticons' purposes. He and Runamuck were seen being ordered to manipulate the facsimiles.

Fun Publications

In The Coming Storm Nexus Prime and Aquarius Quintesson arrive on the Wings of Honor Cybertron

Cybertron

Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...

 where they are attacked by Jetstorm

Jetstorm

Jetstorm is the name of several characters in the fictional Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 2 :The name Jetstorm was first used in the Transformers toyline on two different toys released on two different continents; however both characters were Aquaspeeders - toys that could shoot...

, Deluge, Runabout and Runamuck. Nexus Prime quickly trounces the four Decepticons and leaves that dimension with his traveling companion.

Toys

• Generation 1 Battlecharger Runabout (1986)

Runabout transforms into a Lotus Turbo Esprit sports car. An auto-transformer, he uses a pull-back motor to propel him forward in both car and robot modes, though starting in car mode triggers his transformation to robot after he rolls forward a short distance. His mold is very similar to his partner Runamuck, who transforms into a white Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. As with nearly all Transformers toys released in 1986, Runabout was an all-new mold and not a reissue from a previous toy line.

• Timelines Deluxe Runabout (not yet released)

A Transformers Collectors Club exclusive redeco of Generations Wheeljack

Wheeljack

Wheeljack is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Wheeljack is the mechanical engineer and scientist of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro. His...

, to be released in 2012.

Transformers: Galaxy Force

Runabout is the Japanese name for the Decepticon called Runamuck in the U.S. He came packaged with the Autobot Longrack

Longrack

Longrack is the name of several fictional characters from Transformers series.-Beast Wars Neo:Longrack is the gabby, annoying class committee member of the group. He is quite serious about following rules to the letter, and will butt in and aggressively complain to others about it. His Arm Shot...

. He was created to be an intentional homage to the original character.