Swindler
From Transformers Wiki
- Swindler is anAutobotMicromasterfrom theGeneration 1 continuity family.
Swindlerknows when to hold 'em, and more importantly, he knows when to fold 'em. The physically weakest of theRace Car Patrol,Swindler instead relies on his brains to get through tight spots. Extremely bright, he knows how to accomplish his goals using as littleenergonas possible, all while keeping a cool head and a straight face.[1]
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Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
MarvelThe Transformerscomics
Swindler and the rest of the Race Car Patrol, along with theRescue Patrol,were tasked with preventing theDecepticonsfrom experimenting on their fellow Autobot Micromasters from theBattle Patrol,previously captured during a scouting mission. They were given explosive charges to destroy the facility where the Battle Patrol were being held, but chafed againstXaaron's orders that did not permit a rescue. Ultimately they disobeyed his orders and braved the installation. Entry to the facility proved a little too easy... Turns out the Decepticons had already successfully reverse-engineered Micromaster technology, and were now using the Autobots to test their new Air Strike Patrol. With a bit of trickery onRoadhandler's part, the Autobots nonetheless managed to liberate their comrades and fled from the installation.A Small War!
The Race Car Patrol was brought fromCybertrontoEarthvia trans-dimensional portal in order to reinforce the Autobot forces on the planet. They were all pretty cynical about it, with Swindler complaining that the higher-ups had been looking for a good reason to get them off Cybertron. Along with theOff Road Patrol,Prime informed them on a pair of recent news reports involving giant creatures spotted in theNew Jerseyswamps and unusual storm activity consolidating over Manhattan. Believing there was a Decepticon link between the stories, the Race Car Patrol went to patrol the nearby roads. There, they ran intoCecilia Santiago,a reporter who was already investigating recent developments. With her help, they locatedIguanusinNew York City,as he was planting anenergy-collecting deviceon top of theEmpire State Building.A couple of police officers, mistaking them for humans in costumes, attempted to bar the Micromasters' way, forcing Swindler and his teammates to tie them to nearby lampposts to proceed. Eventually puzzling out how to work the building's elevators, the Race Car Patrol made it to the roof, and prevented Iguanus from collecting any of the storm's energies, sending him plummeting down to the street in the process. After the mission's completion, the Micromasters regrouped at the base of the Empire State Building, where Optimus offered to pick them up, so they could avoid any trouble from the local law enforcement agents. The Micromasters refused Optimus's help, preferring to instead act as an independent unit and deal with such matters their own way. They decided to stay in New York from then on.King Con!
WhenRoadhandlerwas challenged by professional wrestlerJake "The Jackhammer" Jacksonto fight him in the ring, the former saw a new forum with which to demonstrate Autobot virtues to a larger human audience, and accepted. He had Swindler and Free Wheeler accompany him to his first meeting with Jackson, and whenCasanova Brownintroduced himself as Jackson's manager, Swindler decided to follow suit and introduced himself as Roadhandler's manager. He got into the swing of things quickly, and when Brown suggested that Roadhandler throw the match as part of his performance, Swindler insisted that an Autobot only loses to "a superior opponent." Despite Swindler throttling him to get his point across, Brown was more than happy to let the Autobots dictate the match's outcome. Roadhandler rose to fame after his first victory, with Swindler accompanying him to all subsequent matches. Eventually, Roadhandler's fame attracted the unwanted attentions of the Decepticons, who challenged him to take onStorm Cloudin the ring. Knowing thatLord Zarakand his troops wouldn't play fair, Cecilia approached Swindler and asked him to keep an eye out for Roadhandler's fanclub during the match. Cecilia's intuition turned out to be on the money, as several kidnapping attempts were made on Raodhandler's fans during the match, in a bid to force him to forfeit the match. Thanks to the other Micromasters' efforts, all abductions were thwarted, and Roadhandler claimed victory without fear of casualties.The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!
Swindler and the Race Car Patrol were out withOptimus Primeon Earth when they sawChainclawbeing attacked and abducted bya mysterious Decepticon.Shortly afterwards, the Decepticon radioed Optimus, and offered to sell the plans back to him for 5000 energon units. Optimus agreed to "Dealer's" terms, and turned to the Race Car Patrol for volunteers on the exchange. The group was then approached by aa mysterious Autobotwho offered to retrieve the sensitive information that Chainclaw had been carrying. Optimus allowed "Double" to go through with the mission, but grew antsy when there appeared to be a delay on his return. He did come back, badly damaged and carrying Chainclaw, claiming that the Decepticons had ambushed him and taken both the plans and the energon. Angered by the betrayal, the rest of the Autobots present vowed to deal with the Decepticons themselves, and charged into battle againstScorponok's troops, holed up in a nearby building.(Double) Deal of the Century!
Swindler attended theTransformers'Christmasparty1989,where for some reason he sat atop the tree.The Transformers#250 cover
Transformers Comic-Magazin
Swindler and the Race Car Patrol were among the Autobots and Decepticons who arrived on Earth and began battling over its resources.New York — A City Sinking in Terror
The Race Car Patrol andOff Road Patrolwere later involved in a mission to Alaska to protect an oil tanker.The Transformers' Grand Hour: Headmaster of the Dimensions
Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Zonecartoon, manga, and story pages
WhenVictory Saberinitiated the "Zone Project", the Race Car Patrol helped rebuild PlanetMicrointo Planet Zone. To counter this threat,Violengiguarbegan conquering planets in order to create his ownDecepticon Zone.The Race Car Patrol and all otherMicromasterteams were then sent on patrol across the galaxy, specifically to planets where their unique skills could do the most good.Zone Part 1
WhenKing PoseidonandTrypticonattacked the aquatic planet ofWall,the Race Car Patrol team were deployed to defend it. With the aid of CommandersOverload,Erector,Missile Bull,andSkywave,they emerged triumphant.Zone Part 3
The Race Car Patrol were one of the numerous Micromaster teams that helped defend Planet Zone from theNine Great Demon Generals.Unfortunately, they were not able to preventOverlordfrom stealing the planet'sZodiacenergy capsule.Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!Transformers: Zone
When thePowered Mastersflew off to theTenth Planetfor their showdown with Violengiguar, all the Micromaster teams took command of Zone and vowed to keep it safe in their Commander's absence.Zone Part 10
Legendscomic
Swindler was stationed onZonewhenViolengiguarattacked, using the possessed bodies of thePowered Masters.They staged a counterattack usingDai Atlasand the real Powered Masters as a rallying point. Having mastered the use ofSchaeffer Energy,the Micromasters could now transform and combine into powerful weapons. Swindler andRoadhandlerlinked up into a particle exhaust cannon, wielded by their enlarged comrade,Jetmaster.LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One
DreamwaveGeneration Onecontinuity
Swindler was among the Micromasters inLittle Iaconwho watchedBig Daddychallenge Roadhandler to a race.The Gray Race
2005 IDW continuity
Swindler was one of the denizens ofGorlam Primewho accostedHardheadandNightbeatwhen they arrived on the planet.Spotlight: Hardhead
War for Cybertron Trilogymarketing material
During the war for Cybertron, Swindler was aGround Command Intelligence Private.Siegetoy packaging
Commercial appearances
Swindler was among the many Autobot Micromasters unleashed byOptimus Primethat managed to infiltrate the Decepticons' lair and muck up the place.Micromaster Patrols commercial
Toys
The Transformers
- Takara ID number:C-334
- Released in the sixth year of Hasbro's USTransformerstoyline(fifth year in European markets), Swindler transforms into a gray DeLorean DMC-12 sports car, albeit a debranded one with a blank rectangle in place of the iconic "DMC" grill logo. Swindler isgang-moldedwith Tailspin, sharing the same plastic colors.
- He was sold only as part of aMicromasterPatrol four-pack withFree Wheeler,RoadhandlerandTailspin.
- Together with theAir Strike Patroland theOff Road Patrol,the Race Car Patrol was released by Hasbro in late 1988 (basically, a case of "next year product" being released at the end of the old year), in packaging that differed from the "proper" 1989 Micromasters' redesigned packaging (silver cards and boxes featuring an all-new "Transformers" logo) by retaining a variation of the faction-specific color-coded gradient background on the card and featuring a unique "Micro Transformers" title in a variation of the old, pre-1989 "Transformers" logo. This same basic packaging design was also used for Canada (albeit bilingual English/French) and parts of Europe (bilingual French/Dutch, and Italian-only packaging distributed byGiG). However, arunning change variantof the French/Dutch version featuring the later 1989 packaging design also exists, and most likely a similar version (in English-only packaging) was also released in the United Kingdom alongside similar versions of the Air Strike Patrol and the Off Road Patrol.
- The Race Car Patrol was sold in Japan as part of theZoneportion of Takara'sFight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformersseries. The toys are identical to theHasbroversions.
War for Cybertron: Siege
- Roadhandler & Swindler(Micromaster,2019)
- Hasbro ID number:WFC-S4
- TakaraTomy ID Number:SG-03
- TakaraTomy release date:February 23,2019
- Part of the first wave ofSiegeMicromasters, Swindler transforms into a grey retro sports car, featuring an overall wedge design much like the classic DeLorean of his original Generation 1 self. The front fascia in particular bears some semblance to the Lancia Montecarlo, a car which is also often compared to the DeLorean in terms of design.
- Swindler's shoulder joints don't offer much clearance, which heavily hinders both articulation and transformation. A small amount of force is required to shift all the parts into place to properly tab in, as well as to pull the parts apart far enough to move them out of the way for robot mode.
- He can also combine with his pack-in teammateRoadhandlerto form a "Multi-Mech Particle Exhaust Cannon." As a part of theC.O.M.B.A.T. System,their weapon mode can be attached to any toy with a5 mm post-hole. "Fire Blasts" can also be attached to their barrels. Alternatively he can be turned into a single blaster without the need of his teammate as afan mode.
Notes
- Swindler's name may well have been a jab at carmakerJohn DeLorean's...dubiousbusiness practices.
- Swindler's vehicle mode as depicted inSpotlight: Hardheadinterestingly includes the distinctive rear vents of theBack to the Futuretime machine rather than the stock DMC-12 louvered rear window.
- A later crossover withBack to the Futurewould introduce a new DeLorean-based Autobot,Gigawatt,who was explicitly the time-machine version of the DeLorean.
Foreign names
- Japanese:Glorean(グロリアンGurorian),Swindler(スウィンドラーSuwindorā)
- French:Virage(Canada, "Turn" )
- Italian:Neutron
