Kickback (Transformers)

Kickback is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
name =Kickback


caption =Kickback Box Art
affiliation =Decepticon
subgroup =Insecticons
rank =7
function =Espionage
partner =
motto ="Friend is another word for fool."
alternatemodes =Mechanical Grasshopper Insectrain (Rear)
series =
engvoice =Clive Revill

Kickback (Maquia in Portugal) is the name of an Insecticon who turns into a giant mechanical grasshopper.

Charming, but cruelly clever... makes friends so he can influence them to do his bidding by digging up facts he can hold against them. Humans particularly susceptible to this Insecticon. In insect mode can jump 40 ft. for a distance of .1 miles... kick a hole in 1/4 inch steel. In robot mode can fly 30 mph up to 100 miles. Sub-machine gun fires 300 rounds per minute. Very vulnerable as insect and flying in high winds.

Animated series

Kickback debuted with the rest of the Insecticons in the first season episode, "A Plague of Insecticons". The Insecticons were a group of Decepticons, who fled the Nemesis four million years ago in an escape ship. The ship landed in Indonesia where the Insecticons reformatted themselves to resemble insects. The Insecticons' stomachs could absorb most forms of energy and matter and use it to fuel the robots.

Kickback seemed to take a back seat to Bombshell and Shrapnel in the leadership department. He loved to use his powerful legs to cause trouble for the Autobots (i.e. kicking tree trunks at them). At first Megatron was very pleased with the Insecticons, However, once the tide of battle turned in the Autobots' favor, the Insecticons consumed the Decepticons' Energon. This began a feud between the Insecticons and the Decepticons.

The Decepticon/Insecticon feud continued throughout the second season. In , Kickback and the Insecticons were involved in the battle of Autobot City. Kickback suffered major injuries when his head was crushed by Kup and later gunned down by Optimus Prime. As a result, he was among the Decepticons who were ejected into space during their return trip to Cybertron, and was transformed into one of the Sweeps by Unicron. Oddly, Kickback can be seem among the Decepticons on Cybertron scattered by the arrival of Galvatron and Cyclonus. It is possible that this is an animation error.

Marvel Comics

A story called "The Gift" in issue 93 of the Marvel U.K. comics explored Jetfire's problems fitting in with the other Autobots. Wheeljack informed Optimus Prime of a news cast where they learned the Decepticons had taken over a NASA space monitoring facility near the Ark. Prowl and Trailbreaker, with Jetfire as backup engaged the Decepticons Soundwave, Kickback and Dirge as the Decepticons attempted to contact Cybertron with the facility's deep space radio equipment. Although Prowl ordered Jetfire to stop Soundwave from sending his message, Jetfire ignored the order to help save Prowl from Kickback's attack. With the transmission sent the Decepticons retreated victorious.

Marvel Transformers U.K. Annual 1985 contained a story called "Plague of the Insecticons". Optimus Prime lead Prowl and Warpath to a meeting with President Ronald Reagan in Washington D.C. to open a dialog between the Autobots and the U.S. government. However Soundwave had intercepted word of the talks and informed Megatron, who decided send the Ravage and the Insecticons. The Insecticons did not attack the Autobots, but instead attacked the U.S. military in the name of the Autobots. Prowl was badly damaged by one of Shrapnel's grenades during the battle. Although the Autobots managed to chase off the Insecticons Optimus Prime gave up on explaining the misunderstanding to Reagan, thinking he would never be believed. Reagan had been ready to hear what Optimus had to say and was disappointed they gave up so easily.

IDW Publishing

Kickback would make his first appearance in , where he could be seen among Megatron's troops during the battle at Kaon.

The Insecticons are featured in the comic series. Together Bombshell, Shrapnel and Kickback combine into a Decepticon Battle Train.

Toys

*Generation 1 Kickback (1985):Based on a Diaclone toy. This toy was later recolored into ehobby exclusive Shot Hole, done in the original Diaclone colors.

Transformers: Energon

Transformers character
name =Kickback
japanname =Brawl
caption =
affiliation =Decepticon
subgroup =Basic Vehicles
rank =
function =
partner =
motto =
alternatemodes =Cybertronian Tank
series =
engvoice =

Kickback was a member of the Decepticon Destruction Team who transformed into a tank. He was able to combine with his team to form a limb of the giant robot Bruticus Maximus. In the Energon TV show, Kickback was commanded by team leader Barricade. As with all of the Energon combiner limbs, Kickback has a twin brother on his team - Blight. Their energon weapons are a cannon and a pair of guns. In the Japanese series, each member had the name of an original Combaticon - Kickback's name was Brawl.

Dreamwave Productions

Although the "Transformers: Energon" comic book series by Dreamwave Productions was canceled before Kickback could appear in them, the Energon "More Than Meets The Eye" guide book was under development at the time. Pencil art by Guido Guidi was released later showing the art that would have been used with Kickback's profile. [ [http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Scaleface/Energon%20MTMTE/ Scaleface/Energon MTMTE - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting ] ]

Toys

*Transformers: Energon Kickback:This toy shared a mold with Energon Blight, and was later recolored into Landquake and movie Gunbarrel.

2007 Transformers film

The Sector 7 viral marketing web site featured several videos recording supposed evidence of Transformers on Earth. These featured cameos by Generation 1 Transformers, including scenes of Grimlock destroying a construction site, as well as scenes of Kickback and Laserbeak being video taped by people accidentally, and a security video showing bits of a robot looking a lot like Generation 1 Bumblebee transforming in a parking garage. [cite news | title = Transformers Movie Update: Sector Seven Video Gives Nod To Dinobots, Insecticons, Lazerbeak And Generation One Bumblebee | publisher = Jalopnik | date = 2007-05-17 | url = http://jalopnik.com/cars/robots-in-disguise%27%27%27in-disguise/transformers-movie-update-sector-seven-video-gives-nod-to-dinobots-insecticons-lazerbeak-and-generation-one-bumblebee-261435.php | accessdate = 2007-06-24]

References