Allegiance: Autobot

Function: Security

First Comic Appearance: Transformers #1

"High tech circuitry is no replacement for guts."

Profile: "Go chew on a microchip," is Ironhide's calling card. Never the sort who likes to be told what to do, he prefers action to words. He refers to what he considers excessive talking as "leaking lubricant." He's the oldest Autobot, probably the toughest, most battle-tested and certainly the orneriest. Due to his defensive capabilities, he is usually in charge of safekeeping anything or anyone of importance, and sort of acts as Commander Optimus Prime's personal bodyguard. His gruff exterior hides his kind inner soul; his concern for the protection of life, whether mechanical or biochemical, extends to the lowliest gasketroid or smallest sparrow.

Abilities: Ironhide's skin is made of a trithyllium-steel alloy impregnated with irradiated carbon fibers, giving him immunity to most forms of artillery and electromagnetic attacks. He is the most nearly invulnerable of the Autobots. His main weapon is what he playfully calls his "water gun." It can shoot a stream of any number of liquids up to 1,000 feet. His choices include supercooled liquid nitrogen, superheated liquid lead, and a petrochemical fluid that ignites upon contact. He also has sonar, radar, and a radiowave detector.

Weaknesses: Ironhide is the slowest Autobot. Due to his advanced years, he breaks down the most. His presence breeds dissension among some of the younger, less compassionate Autobots who consider him an antiquated old heap whose contributions do not outweigh his liabilities. Optimus Prime does not share their view

Allegiance: Autobot

Function: Mechanical Engineer

First Comic Appearance: Transformers #1

"Never do what your enemy expects you to do."

Profile: "That guy can build a neutron bomb out of a wristwatch and a rusty can," says Blue Streak, and that's not far from the truth. As well as the Ark fashioned the Autobots, Wheeljack is always coming up with ways to improve them, particularly their weaponry. His knack for creating wild new gadgets has earned him a "mad scientist" reputation and their deadly effectiveness has earned him the respect of friends and enemies alike. He is also the Autobot most adept at driving while in his automobile mode and has pulled off tricks that Hollywood stunt drivers haven't even dreamed of yet. He fully enjoys showing off when the opportunity presents itself.


Abilities: In addition to those mentioned above, Wheeljack, while in Aubotbot mode, can use the solid-fuel rockets in his arms to fly at speeds of 320 mph with a range of 800 miles. His shoulder-mounted cannons shoot a variety of shells: a magnetic-inducer shell, which douses its victims in a magnetic dust that attracts ferrous objects from distances up to 4000 feet away that adhere to and eventually disable the victim; a shrapnel-needle shell, which explodes into millions of hair-thin filaments that can pierce even the strongest armor and disrupt internal circuitry; and a gyro-inhibitor shell, which implants itself upon impact and destroys the balance of its victims. Wheeljack is continually adding new gimmicks to his shells.

Weaknesses: Wheeljack is his own worst enemy. He frequently injures himself while experimenting with new weapons.

Nickname: Grimmy

Allegiance: Autobot

Sub-Group: Dinobot

Function: Dinobot Commander

First Comic Appearance: Transformers #4

"Among the winners, there is no room for the weak."

Profile: The most fearsome and powerful of the Dinobots, Grimlock would gladly usurp Optimus Prime's role as Autobot Commander if he thought he could get away with it. For now, he's happy to tear into the enemy Decepticons whenever he can and wait for a more opportune moment to try for the leadership. He can be cold and merciless, and shows contempt for those he views as weak, such as humans and even some fellow Autobots. But he is a valiant warrior and his actions command respect from all who are witness to them, both friend and foe.

Abilities: Grimlock's strength is second only to Optimus Prime's, and even that is arguable. In Dinobot mode he can use his powerful jaws to snap in two virtually anything that comes between them- from a 4-foot diameter steel cable to a Decepticon leg. In Autobot mode he wields an energo-sword, which can slice a 2-foot thick concrete wall with one sweep of its crackling blade. He also uses a double-barreled self-propelled rocket launcher.

Weaknesses: Other than arrogance and lack of speed, Grimlock has no significant weaknesses.

Allegiance: Autobot

Function: Warrior

First Comic Appearance: Transformers # 1

"Strike first, strike fast, strike hard."

Profile: "Let me at 'em" is Cliffjumper's usual response when the Autobots embark on a mission. His eagerness and daring have no equal among the Autobots. Optimus Prime knows this gung-ho trait is an expression of Cliffjumper's burning desire for vengeance on the Decepticons. Although he takes his work very seriously, Cliffjumper is full of good-natured bravado while he's doing it. He doesn't actively dislike Earth, but he considers its rough, uneven terrain a hindrance to his effectiveness, and too often is carelessly destructive. Often he is on the receiving end of a lecture from Optimus on caution and the protection of Earthen property.


Abilities: Cliffjumper is one of the tastest of the Autobots in his automobile mode and he makes a particularly effective target for drawing fire away from other Autobots, a job he relishes and seldom gets hurt doing. He can fire projectiles filled with what he calls "glass gas." On impact, this gas disrupts the microscopic crystalline structure of most metals, temporarily making the metal as brittle as common glass.


Weaknesses: Cliffjumper is prone to literal blow-outs in his automobile mode. He accelerates so quickly and recklessly that he is sometimes disabled before he goes 50 yards. his overeagerness can often lead him into dangerous situations that he's not prepared to handle. And sometimes if the wind is blowing toward hi, he can fall victim to his own glass gas.

Allegiance: Autobot

Function: Special Operations, Saboteur

First Comic Appearance: Transformers #1

"Do it with style or don't bother doing it."

Profile: Jazz would be cruising down Bourbon Street in New Orleans or be double-parked outside a cellar club in Greenwich Village soaking up the local sounds if he weren't in the middle of a war. He's a confirmed Earthen culture junkie- he can talk fluently about ballet or break-dancing (although he prefers the latter), and he's always on the lookout for more stuff to turn on to. His knowledge of Earthen ways and his easy adaptability to Earthen environments make him the indispensable right-hand man of his commander, Optimus Prime. He's often given the most dangerous assignments, and, with characteristic coolness, usually pulls them off using something out of his seemingly bottomless bag of tricks. He'd rather dazzle you with style than accomplish a mission the easy way.

Abilities: In robot mode, Jazz can use his solar-powered photon rifle with deadly accuracy up to a distance of .9 miles from target, and he can shoot it from virtually any physical position he may be in with equal effectiveness. He can also use a combination of his overhead flame-thrower (maximum range of 250 feet) full-spectrum front grill beacon and 180 dB stereo speakers to create a spectacular, disorienting light and sound show. He has been known to glide for more than 3000 feet using his rearmounted ailerons. His biggest asset is the versatility and cleverness he possesses in using the resources at his disposal.

Weaknesses: Although Jazz's firepower and strength are weak relative to that of some of the other Autobots, he more than compensates with his daring and skill. He's prone to be distracted from his primary assignment by Earthen behavior patterns that he finds interesting. This sometimes leads to disastrous consequences.