Roadbuster

Roadbuster is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
name =Roadbuster

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caption =Roadbuster box art
affiliation =Autobot
subgroup =Deluxe Cars, Deluxe Vehicles
rank =8
function =Ground Assault Commander
partner =
motto ="War is a dirty business... and I'm as dirty as they come."
alternatemodes =Armored 4WD Vehicle
M1117 Armored Security Vehicle
series =

engvoice =
japanvoice =Roadbuster's bio described him as happiest when he is in battle destroying Decepticons. While he is an inspiring presence and natural leader in battle, he doesn't adapt well to the quiet times between battles. He gets bored and restless easily and doesn't socialize well with his comrades.

Animated series

Roadbuster was among those Transformers toys that did not appear in the Transformers animated series because the show was going to appear in Japan, where the toy was owned by Takara's rivals.

Marvel U.K. Comics

Roadbuster made several appearances in the Marvel U.K. comic as a member of the Wreckers led by Impactor and later Springer. He was part of the Wreckers for many of the Marvel stories, taking part in such missions as Operation: Volcano, a trip to Earth to apprehend the future Decepticon Galvatron (which was foiled by the presence of Cyclonus and Scourge) and stopping the mad scientist Flame's plan to turn Cybertron into a warworld. It was during a later mission to stop Galvatron (at the centre of a rift in time and space) that the Wreckers encountered Galvatron and his ally - a clone of Megatron, and the elite squad was routed. Although Roadbuster managed to destroy half of Galvatron's face with an experimental weapon, he was killed when the weapon blew up in his face.

Dreamwave Productions

Roadbuster appeared in the second "War Within" comic series by Dreamwave as a member of the Wreckers led by Springer. He later appeared in the "" series, as the Micromaster Hot Rod Patrol attempted to retrieve his remains.

Roadbuster appeared in the second volume of the "Generation 1" comic and aided Ultra Magnus in fighting the rampaging Menasor. He later appeared again alongside Defensor and other Autobots to aid Grimlock to defeat a Sentinel.

IDW Publishing

Roadbuster appeared in issue #2 of "Megatron Origin". In this story, set on ancient Cybertron he was a member of an Autobot security force in the city of Kaon. His squad was hunting the operators of gladiatorial contests in the degenerate slums, particularly Megatron.

Roadbuster, in Cybertronian form, appeared in issue #2 of the series by IDW Productions. He aided Springer's Wreckers on the planet Varas Centralus in the Kol system when Optimus Prime redeployed the Wreckers for a mission on Cybertron. He fought the cultists under Bludgeon and later fought Thunderwing himself to provide covering fire for Twin Twist and Topspin - but was taken out by Thunderwing's shockwave attack. He was later seen inspecting Thunderwing's inert body.

Toys

*Generation 1 Roadbuster (1985):The toy company Hasbro licensed a robot toy from the Japanese anime series Dorvack (1983-1984) to sell under the new name Roadbuster. The original robot was "VV-54 AR Mugen Calibur", and Katsumi Itabashi and Nobuyoshi Haraba designed the mechanics in Dorvack.:In the 1980's Transformers were such a success that Hasbro wanted to get as much product out on the shelves with the Transformers name on it as possible. Since they were running out of old Takara molds to use, they obtained licences to use the molds of other companies' robot toys in the Transformers line. Roadbuster, Shockwave, Jetfire, Omega Supreme, Whirl, Chop Shop, Venom, Barrage and Ransack were among those molds. With the licences to those toys now expired Hasbro and Takara no longer have legal rights to those figures and cannot reissue them. [http://www.google.com/patents?id=Ml49AAAAEBAJ&dq=reconfigurable+toy]

*Universe Roadbuster (unreleased):A remold of Energon Strongarm was planned as a BotCon exclusive and as a homage to Generation 1 Roadbuster, but it never made it past concept art. This toy was suppposed to represent an upgrade of Roadbuster in the Transformers: Universe story.

*Universe Generation 1 Series Autobot Roadbuster (2008, not released yet):A redeco of "Cybertron" Cybertron Defense Hot Shot. Part of a Target Exclusive Two-Pack with Dirge dubbed "Autobot Ambush".

Transformers: Energon

Roadbuster was the Takara name for the character called Ironhide by Hasbro in Transformers: Energon.

Transformers: Animated

The redeco of "Animated" Ultra Magnus is a direct homage to Generation 1 Roadbuster.