Broadside

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP(S): TRIPLE-CHANGER, WRECKER, SURVIVOR, FIRESTORMER
FUNCTION: AIR & SEA ASSAULT
“I like the sea far away and my feet on the ground.”

First Appearance: Transformers 84
Significant Appearances: Transformers 84, 87-88, 100, 103-104, 166-173, 188, 198, 200-204, 219-222, 237-239, 273-274, 279

Though a courageous and effective warrior, Broadside's tendencies are to complain to anyone who'll listen. He absolutely detests his alternate sea- and airborne modes, and isn't afraid to be vocal about it; he has a natural fear of heights and suffers from seasickness. In the midst of battle, however, he's willing to put all his misgivings aside and cede himself to the thrill of combat. Though his fellow Autobots value his skills, they certainly don't appreciate his endless grumbling.

Abilities: Broadside can transform into an aircraft carrier. In this mode, his hull and deck are reinforced with titanium-steel alloy armour plates that protect Broadside from most forms of artillery fire. An internal fusion reactor gives Broadside a range of 25,000 km at a normal cruising speed of 40 knots. Broadside's secondary alternate mode, is that of an Earthen "Su-33" fighter aircraft. In this mode, Broadside can project a powerful electric field that will jolt anything within a 3 km radius of his body with 80,000 volts. In robot mode, Broadside carries a high-energy plasma-pulse gun and a vibro-ax that can emit powerful high frequency vibrations and shatter whatever material it cleaves into.

Weaknesses: Broadside's aircraft carrier mode is susceptible to attack from high-energy radiation weapons. His self-generated electric fields are only effective on grounded targets. His armoured skin is vulnerable to the relatively corrosive properties of Earth's seas and oceans.


Marvel Comics: Along with his fellow Triple-changers, Springer and Sandstorm, Broadside was introduced partway through the "Target: 2006" mega-epic. The threesome were to be new members of the infamous Wreckers commando squad. Broadside appeared in three of the "Target: 2006" chapters, but it wasn't until his appearance in Transformers #100's "Distant Thunder" that he actually got himself a speaking part. In fact, his first words were to threaten Optimus Prime himself!

Broadside remained on Cybertron with the Wreckers for one hundred issues or so. During this time, he was unlucky enough to be involved in Flame's robo-zombie scarefest, and at one point, one such creature literally sunk its teeth into Broadside's head.

In "Wrecking Havoc", a story in which the Wrecker's travel to Earth to deal with Galvatron, Broadside tried a bit of one-on-one combat with the Decepticon time-traveller himself. Sadly though, Broadside didn't fare very well and he was chucked into a building. Still, you've got to admire his ball-bearings, especially since he gets sea-sick and is scared of heights.

Broadside returned to Earth, this time with Inferno and Sandstorm, in "Firebug". For the first time, Broadside was given a leading role in a Transformers story. Sadly, though, this particular story was a bit of a duff one. Ten issues later Broadside appeared again for 1998's annual festive story. In this tale, Broadside was again responsible for toppling a building or two, only this time it was entirely his own fault.

Broadside was reunited with his fellow Wreckers in time for the "Time Wars" kill-a-thon. He was one of the few Wreckers to survive... only just mind you, he would have had his neck wrung by Megatron if Arcee hadn't got in a lucky shot. Saved by a cliche-pink femmebot? For shame!

"I've stared death in the face enough times for life to seem very precious indeed!"

Transformers 219—222's "Survivors" story, 237—239's "Way of the Warrior/Survival Run/A Savage Place" and 273/274's Earthforce/Survivors cross-over kept Broadside in the spotlight. Though the 5-page story format seemed to restrict any characterisation.

Broadside's last appearance was in Transformers 279 in an Earthforce story called "Divide and Conquer". Ironically, this was the first and only time Broadside was shown in aircraft carrier mode.

In the American Transformers series, Broadside made a one-panel cameo appearance in issue 41. However, this would have caused significant continuity problems when reprinted in the UK.

Along with Blades, Hound, and Sideswipe, Broadside was a member of the Firestormers team, introduced in Transformers: Generation 2 #1. After such an impacting introduction in the first issue, Broadside was immediately sidelined and only appeared in the background once again in issue 8.