Cloudburst (Transformers)

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Cloudburst
Transformers character
Cloudburst-toy.jpg
Cloudburst/Phoenix toy
Information
AffiliationAutobot
Sub-groupPretender
FunctionSpace Defense
Motto"You can't tell a bot by his cover."
Alternate modesCybertronian Jet

Cloudburst is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He turns into a jet and has a shell that looked like an armored human. He shouldn't be confused with Phoenix, a Japanese Transformer who shares the same toy.

Transformers is a media franchise, produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Initially a line of transforming mecha toys rebranded from Takara's Diaclone and Microman toylines, the franchise began in 1984 with the Transformers toy line, and centers on extraterrestrial factions of sentient self-configuring modular robotic lifeforms in an endless civil war. In its history, the Transformers franchise has expanded to encompass comic books, animation, video games and films.

Contents

Transformers: Generation 1

Cloudburst is one of the original six Autobot Pretenders. His inner robot transforms into a spaceship. Unlike the other Autobot Pretenders, Cloudburst carries a whip instead of a sword.

A starship, starcraft or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between planetary systems.

Whip tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people

A whip is a tool which was traditionally designed to strike animals or people to aid guidance or exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities, whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid or visual directional cue in equestrianism. Whips are generally of two types, either a firm stick designed for direct contact, or a flexible whip that requires a specialized swing to be effective, but has a longer reach and greater force, but may have less precision. There are also whips which combine both a firm stick and a flexible line, such as hunting whips.

A sword is a bladed, melee weapon intended for slashing or thrusting that is longer than a knife or dagger, consisting of a long blade attached to a hilt. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographic region under consideration. The blade can be straight or curved. Thrusting swords have a pointed tip on the blade, and tend to be straighter; slashing swords have a sharpened cutting edge on one or both sides of the blade, and are more likely to be curved. Many swords are designed for both thrusting and slashing.

Cloudburst is extremely cautious and wary. He prefers his outer shell, and very rarely exposes his inner robot, when not in space flight.

Animated series

Although the US Transformers animated series stopped making original episode before Cloudburst was brought out, his Japanese counterpart Phoenix appeared in the Masterforce anime series. [1] [2]

Cloudburst's appeared in animation in commercials for the Pretender toys. [3]

Animation from the commercial was used in the opening credits for season 5 of the Transformers, which retold episodes of earlier seasons. Cloudburst appeared in them. [4]

Comics

Condor Verlag

In a story called "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!" from Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #12 by German comic publisher Condor Verlag Optimus Prime instructs Backstreet, Bumblebee and Ruckus on how to identify Autobots from Decepticons in battle using the Ark's computer. Cloudburst is one of those he displays to the Autobots. [5]

Optimus Prime Fictional character from the Transformers franchise

Optimus Prime, known in Japan as Convoy, is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is a Cybertronian, an extraterrestrial species of sentient self-configuring modular robotic lifeforms, a synergistic blend of biological evolution and technological engineering. In almost every version of the mythos, Optimus is the leader of the Autobots, a faction of Transformers who are rivals of the Decepticons, another faction. He is defined by his strong moral character and is almost always portrayed as the primary hero of the story, opposing the evil Decepticon leader Megatron.

Bumblebee (<i>Transformers</i>) character from the Transformers franchise

Bumblebee, designation B-127, is a fictional robot superhero in the many continuities in the Transformers franchise. The character is a member of the Autobots, a group of sentient self-configuring modular extraterrestrial robotic lifeforms.

IDW Publishing

Cloudburst, Groundbreaker, Landmine and Waverider appear in Spotlight: Hardhead investigating the Benzuli Expanse and reporting to Jetfire.

Marvel Comics

Although not seen or mentioned directly, Cloudburst was among the Autobots who joined Fortress Maximus in leaving Cybertron for the planet Nebulos (Transformers: Headmasters #1). Unfortunately, they were followed to Nebulos by the Decepticons under Scorponok, leading war to break out once more. Fortress Maximus's band left Nebulos for the planet Earth, with the Decepticons in close pursuit. (Transformers: Headmasters #4).

When Brainstorm needed subjects to duplicate a Decepticon Pretender experiment, Cloudburst and five other Autobots volunteered and became the Autobot Pretenders. They fought the Decepticon Pretenders with the help of Optimus Prime and Goldbug (Transformers #40). They soundly defeated their Decepticon Pretender rivals, who thought they were simply giant humans. Cloudburst was present when Grimlock fought Blaster for leadership of the Autobots on Earth's moon. The Autobots were then attacked by the Decepticons led by Ratbat (Transformers #41).

Cloudburst has a major role together with Landmine, when they rescued Sky Lynx and Berko from the Mecannibals, before battling the Decepticon Powermasters. During the adventure, Cloudburst is forced to fight in gladiatorial combat on Femax. The leader of the tribe of giant females falls in love with him, but angrily decapitates him when she discovered he is really a robot. Landmine eventually persuades her to let them go and rebuild Cloudburst.

Issue #248 of the Marvel UK Transformers comic featured a story called "Fallen Star", where Starscream began to doubt himself, despite being of the most powerful Transformers. Soundwave, Mindwipe and Weirdwolf feared Starscream would attack, but Starscream thought they were laughing at him behind his back. Leaving Starscream came across the Autobots Chainclaw, Cloudburst and Getaway, who were assigned by Optimus Prime to spy on him. Starscream soundly defeated all three Autobots and regained his self confidence.

Cloudburst, Crosshairs, Getaway, Highbrow and Stakeout were among the Autobots who backed Optimus Prime when Grimlock challenged him for leadership of the Autobots in the issue #263 of the Marvel UK comics, "Break-Away!"

The Decepticon Pretenders Bomb-Burst, Iguanus and Skullgrin were sent to steal from an oil rig in the "Gulf of New Mexico" in the 1989 UK Annual story "The Chain Gang." They were opposed and captured by the Autobot Pretenders Cloudburst, Landmine and Splashdown.

Cloudburst continues to appear, but has few prominent roles. Cloudburst is killed in the battle with Unicron in issue #75 of the US comic.

Toys

This toy is identical to the Japanese toy Phoenix. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ Jim Sorenson & Bill Forster (July 22, 2008). Transformers: The Ark II. IDW Publishing. pp. 102–103. ISBN   978-1-60010-180-9.
  2. ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Japanese and International Transformers. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 38. ISBN   0-7643-1282-0.
  3. ↑ Pretender Transformers Commercial. 1988.
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVwR5Zr0goQ
  5. ↑ Robert Mann (w). "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!"Transformers Comic-Magazin 12(December 1990), Condor Verlag
  6. ↑ Cobra Island Toys - Transformer Archive Archived 2008-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 74. ISBN   0-7643-1364-9.
  8. ↑ Jon & Carl Hartman (February 1996). "The Transformers: 1988 - Part 2". Lee's Action Figure News & Toy Review. 1 (40): 68–69.
  9. ↑ http://www.oafe.net/yo/tf_precb.php
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