Iguanus (G1)

Iguanus is aDecepticonPretenderfrom theGeneration 1 continuity family.

Pretenders hide the recon bike inside!

Iguanuspractices self-love—specifically, his love for his outer shell. He has become obsessively fascinated by reptiles since becoming a Pretender, and can often be found mooning over his shell whenever he has a spare moment. He has even convinced himself that he has a special rapport with lizards and other scaly creatures. Iguanus often wonders if he could somehow become even closer to the reptiles than he already is. If only there was some way to combine Beast and 'Bot, and keep the action hot...

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

MarvelThe Transformerscomics

Lizard-bot, lizard-bot...!

After commandeering a genetics research lab onEarth,Scorponokwas able to recreate and perfect the science of Pretender shells using synthoplasmic chambers constructed by him andVorath.Iguanus was one of six Decepticon volunteers transformed by the process into new Pretenders. But soon after the process was completed, the Decepticons took notice of someone infiltrating their computer systems. After tracing the intruder toAlternate Reality, Inc.,Scorponok sent out his newly recreated troops to test their might against the spies. But, having gained access to the Pretender process themselves, the Autobots were able to manufacture heroic counterparts to Scorponok's troops. The Autobots' tactician proved too cunning for the Decepticons, and Iguanus and his kin were soon driven back.Pretender to the Throne!Scorponok's troops, Iguanus included, then met withRatbat's forces. Distrust between the two leaders led to an all-out battle between the two groups, till they realized thatStarscreamhad manipulated them both to battle while he made his escape to acquire theUnderbase.Cold War!After Starscream gained the power of the Underbase, Iguanus was part of a wave with the other Decepticon Pretenders and the Predacons that tried to take him down inTokyo.Starscream's power was too much for the Decepticons, and the Predacons were destroyed. However, the Pretenders were spared thanks to their partially-organic biology.Dark Star

-does whatever a lizard ought!

Iguanus teamed up withSkullgrinandBomb-Burstto capture theKeeler Oil Terminalin theGulf of Mexico,looking to use atransmuterto convert theoilinto a more refined form ofenergon.Before Skullgrin could complete the device they were ambushed by threeAutobotPretenders and in the ensuing battle a stray laser blast clipped a human jet, sending it on a collision course with theoil rig.WhileCloudburstand Bomb-burst collaborated to prevent the destruction of the rig, Iguanus and Skullgrin were subdued and captured byLandmineandSplashdown.The Chain Gang!

Following the destruction of theirmobile starship headquarters,the Decepticons established a newbasehidden under theNew Jerseydumps. Shortly thereafter, Iguanus was chosen by Scorponok to spearhead a new energy-collecting endeavor by him and his fellow Pretenders. Installing theStormmaker Stationin the New Jersey swamps, they engineered a massive storm over the surrounding area, then wired the island ofManhattanin order to collect energy for them. Iguanus's task was to attach anelectrostatorto the top of theEmpire State Buildingwhen the storm reached critical intensity, channeling and amplifying the electricity down through the building and out through the wired infrastructure of the island, feeding the Decepticons' conductors and destroying half the city in the process.

He's just pissy because he knows"Iguanus mania"would never catch on.

The Pretenders quickly ran into trouble at the Stormmaker Station, where they were confronted by the AutobotMicromasters.After a brief skirmish, Iguanus left Skullgrin to deal with them while he proceeded on to the Empire State Building. He ran into even more Micromasters while climbing the building, though, and their leaderRoadhandlerblasted the electrostator off the building's antenna just before the lightning strike. Iguanus leapt off the building in a desperate attempt to replace the electrostator, only to take the full lightning force into himself on contact with the device. His damaged body crashed into the Earth and the Decepticons were left with no accumulated energy.King Con!His prone body was investigated by the Micromasters and human onlookers.The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!

Iguanus was up and about again really quickly, escorting Scorponok toMacDill Air Force Baseto deal withOptimus Primeand the Autobots.The Resurrection Gambit!Most of the Autobots were made to retreat by Optimus and the battle between Optimus and the Decepticons was put on hold when the resurrected Starscream attacked.All the Familiar Faces!

Some time later, all Earth-bound Transformers were teleported toCybertronbyPrimusin anticipation forUnicron's attack on the planet. Upon seeing the enormity of his opponent, Iguanus could do little more than cower in terror.On the Edge of Extinction!

Transformers Comic-Magazin

Iguanus was among the Decepticons when they unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York (it is unknown whether Iguanus was ALSO King Con); however Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings.New York — A City Sinking in Terror

Regeneration One

"I have a mouth. I can scream. But it doesn't do me a lick of good."

Iguanus was present on Cybertron around 20 years after Unicron's attack when theMatrix creaturemade its play for domination. Along with more or less the entire population of the planet, Iguanus was converted into ashadow-leechand attackedRodimus Prime's returning group of Autobots. He was trapped byBlasterto be analysed byPerceptorand presumably perished shortly afterwards.The War to End All Wars, Part 5

DreamwaveGeneration Onecontinuity

A herpetophile, Iguanus was so enamored with his Pretender shell's reptilian appearance that he was fond of looking at himself in reflective surfaces. His obsession with reptiles reached the point where he would emulate their behavior and attack tactics, and he hoped for away to fully bond with this reptilian nature.More than Meets the Eye #3

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

A Tale of the Pretenders

With other Decepticon Pretenders, Iguanus was active in ancientJapan.One day, they came across threehumansiblings and threatened them. The oldest managed to escape and Iguanus afterwards pursued the remaining two withCarnivacwhile the other Decepticons followed. They were about to do bad things to the humans whenMetalhawkleapt to the rescue. Other Autobot Pretenders soon followed and the Decepticons were fought off.A Tale of the Pretenders

The Battle of the Star Gate

WhenMegatronconfronted the twoStarscreamson theTrigger,Iguanus was part of his forces. When theAutobotsarrived, theDecepticonsbattled them, till the Starscream of the future interrupted the battle by merging with theTrigger.In the ensuing conflict, theTriggerwas destroyed and the Transformers were sent falling to theEarth,becoming lost.The Battle of the Star Gate

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance:Stormbringer#1

"This never woulda happened if I turned into a lizard of some sort!"

Iguanus was a member of the cult gathered in secret byBludgeon.Using knowledge of theRegenesisproject Bludgeon had procured fromShockwave's files, they concocted a plan to utilize theUltra-Energonto revitalizeThunderwingand hisbio-mechanical graftingprocess for themselves.Soundwaveattempted to stop them, but Iguanus hit him with an experimental weapon that locked the Decepticon communicator in hisalternate mode,then left him trapped under anerupting volcano.Spotlight: Soundwave

After raiding Earth for Ultra-Energon, Bludgeon's cult spent nearly twenty years in seclusion underThunderhead Passto revive the awesomely-powerful Thunderwing under their control, and perfect the bio-carapaces so that they could be used safely. Unfortunately, their timetable was accelerated when the Autobot crew of theCalabi-Yaudiscovered them, forcing Iguanus and the others to attack and imprison the intruders.Stormbringer #1The enslaved Thunderwing was unleashed on the planet ofNebulos,much to the cult's delight.Stormbringer #2However,Optimus Primeand theWreckerssoon arrived on Cybertron to rescue their comrades. When the Wreckers besieged their compound, Iguanus retreated to find Bludgeon and warn him of the assault, only to find his leader had jumped the gun and undergone the grafting process before it was ready. He dismembered Iguanus before collapsing into madness. When the Autobots arrived in the chamber, Iguanus reached out to Optimus Prime, who dropped his weapon and offered comfort to the dying Decepticon. Iguanus tried to explain what had happened before expiring from his wounds; Optimus thought that Bludgeon got off lightly by comparison.Stormbringer #3

Toys

The Transformers

Reptilesss shall inherit the earth,Ssspider-Man!

• Iguanus(Pretender,1988)

• Accessories:"Hurricane air blaster",belt, wheels/blades
• Known designers:Masakatsu Saito(concept artist)

Released in the fifth year of theoriginalTransformerstoylineas part of the second batch ofPretenders,Iguanus transforms into a Cybertronic motorcycle. His rathercost effectively-designed wheels are fake: they’re both hollow on top and are part of a single strut that attaches to the bottom of the bike. As such, he has no rolling wheels in this mode. The "wheel" strut attaches to his torso mid-section with a peg, which leaves a giant gaping hole there in robot mode. His Hurricane blaster mounts on the rear of the bike, on the easy-to-miss swiveling bike seat. In keeping with the second wave Pretenders' odd design quirks, Iguanus's robot mode has knees that barely bend and don't seem to serve a transformation purpose, just like his wavemateSplashdown.

His outerPretendershell is a giant bipedal iguana with a very incredulous expression and swiveling lizard tail extending from his spine. He is armed with the detachable wheelbase, which acts as some kind of blade weapon or mace or something, and the hurricane air blaster.

No version of this mold or character was released in Japan.

• More information on Iguanus at TFU.info

Legacy

34 years, and he's finally got what he always wanted. Dreams do come true!

• Iguanus(Core Class,2022)

• Accessories:"Energon claw shield"^[1]/ "Hurricane air blaster"^[2]
• Known designers:Mark Maher(Hasbro),Emiliano Santalucia(concept artist)

Part of the first wave ofLegacyCore Class toys, Iguanus transforms from a robot mode evoking his Pretender shell to a Cybertronian motorcycle evoking the alternate mode of his inner robot, in the vein ofRevenge of the FallenBludgeon.Despite this, some details are changed; the robot mode is more technological (most notably, having the motorcycle wheels as back kibble), while the motorcycle itself is somewhat more organic, owing to the very different designs of both modes.

Iguanus includes a weird claw-ish weapon-thing called the "Energon claw shield", which can be mounted on top of the windshield. It can also combine with the accessories included with his wave-matesSkywarpandHot Rodto form a sword that's practically more hilt than the blade.

Iguanus' vehicle mode stock photo is slightly mistransformed: the knees' tabs must be attached to the tail's rectangular holes.

Though unintended, Iguanus's robot mode can actually fit into his Pretender Shell from the 1988 toy, though the feet need some rearranging first.

Merchandise

Transformers Character Card

• Bruticus & Iguanus Set(February 6,2023)
  • ID number:43 & 44

Released as part of the sixth wave of thee-HOBBYexclusiveTransformers Character Cardseries, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art ofRobots in DisguiseBruticusand Iguanus along withcharacter profilesandtech specs.

• Translation of Iguanus's Transformers Character Card

Notes

So that explainsDinobot's eye lasers....

• Iguanus had the preliminary name "Snakeskin".^[3]
• Don Figueroadesigned a Pretender shell for Iguanus's IDW incarnation, but it ultimately went unused.
• According to artistPhillip Worobey,Iguanus's packaging art for theLegacytoyline (see right) was the first piece produced for the line, and thus became the style benchmark for all subsequentLegacypackage art.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Iguanus(イグアナスIguanasu)
• Hungarian:Sárkánygyík( "Dragon Lizard" )
• Italian:Squamos( "Scalos" )

References