Whirl (Transformers)

Whirl is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. All are blue Autobot helicopters.

Transformers: Generation 1
The toy company Hasbro licensed a robot toy from the Japanese anime series Dorvack (1983–1984) to sell in the Transformers line under the new name Whirl.

Marvel Comics
Whirl was a member of the elite Autobot commando unit known as the Wreckers. He was seen in action in the Target: 2006 storyline (issues 78-88 of the U.K. comic series). Future appearances were limited to background cameos and he did not feature at all in the decimation of the Wreckers in the Time Wars storyline (issues 199-205 of the U.K. comic).

Animated series
Whirl was among those Transformers toys that did not appear in the Transformers animated series because the show was going to appear in Japan, where the toy was owned by Takara's rivals.

Dreamwave Productions
Whirl appeared in the second War Within comic series by Dreamwave as a member of the Wreckers led by Springer.

Whirl also appeared alongside Ultra Magnus and Roadbuster at the armory in Generation 1. He then appeared alongside Roadbuster again in a battle against Menasor. The two was knocked down by Menasor, and whether Whirl survived was unknown.

Fun Publications
Based on the Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel U.K. and Generation 2 comics).

Although Whirl has yet to be depicted in the comics, he did have a toy made for the line, which was the basis for his form when he appeared in the Classicverse Lithograph sold of BotCon 2007. In this art he was depicted with Generation 1 Whirl's head.

IDW Publishing
Whirl appeared in issue #2 of Megatron Origin. In this story, set on ancient Cybertron he was a member of an Autobot security force in the city of Kaon. His squad was hunting the operators of gladiatorial contests in the degenerate slums, particularly Megatron. Whirl appeared, in Cybertronian form, in issue #2 of the Stormbringer series by IDW Publishing. He aided Springer's Wreckers on the planet Varas Centralus in the Kol system when Optimus Prime redeployed the Wreckers for a mission on Cybertron. They later defeated Bludgeon and his acolytes. Whirl also participated in the battle against Thunderwing and was later shown inspecting Thunderwing's inert corpse.

Whirl appeared in Spotlight: Doubledealer where he was among the Autobots fighting Thunderwing on the planet Corata-Vaz.

Whirl is among the main cast of current ongoing comic Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, having joined the crew of the Lost Light in the first issue following an altercation with Cyclonus. He has demonstrated a lack of concern for others and a love of violence throughout the series.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Deluxe Autobot Whirl (1985)
 * The toy relicensed from the Japanese anime series Dorvack. The original robot was the "VH-64 MR Oberon Gazzette," designed by Katsumi Itabashi and Nobuyoshi Haraba in 1983.
 * In the 1980s Transformers were such a success that Hasbro wanted to get as much product out on the shelves with the Transformers name on it as possible. Since they were running out of old Takara molds to use, they obtained licences to use the molds of other companies' robot toys in the Transformers line. Whirl, Shockwave, Jetfire, Omega Supreme, Roadbuster, Chop Shop, Venom, Barrage and Ransack were among those molds. With the licences to those toys now expired Hasbro and Takara no longer have legal rights to those figures and cannot reissue them.
 * The Deluxe Autobots were larger and more intricate than most of the other Autobot toys of 1985.
 * The same toy design was imported in the Convertors toy line in the 1980s as the Defenders Chopper.


 * Classics Legends Whirl (2007)
 * A repaint of Micro Class Evac was released as a homage to Generation 1 Whirl in the Transformers classics toy line.
 * The fusilage length of the actual helicopter Whirl is based on is 11.64 meters long. The Micro class version of the toy is only 10.5 centimeters long, giving it a scale of about 1:110. Using this information would indicate Whirl would stand about 23 feet tall in robot mode.
 * A Chinese made bootleg of this toy was released in 2007 called "Super Change to United". This version of the toy was slightly redecoed and remolded so he could become the left arm of a Legends combiner with 4 other Legends bootlegs.

Transformers: Universe
This Whirl is from the planet Combatron and is partnered with Gunbarrel (aka Thunderstick) and Makeshift (aka Skysickle).

3H Enterprises
Universe Whirl appeared among the many prisoners of Unicron who escaped with the help of Optimus Primal in Transformers: Universe #2, but spoke no lines.

Fun Publications
Whirl appeared in the text story from Fun Publications called Force of Habit. On the planet Combatron Whirl and his Mini-Cons are met by the Autobots Longrack, Armorhide, Blurr and Checkpoint. Together they defend a weapons bunker from Decepticons led by Brushguard. It should be noted in this story it is established that this Whirl is a different Whirl from the Generation 1 character. It also grants new names to his two Mini-Cons. Gunbarrel and Makeshift become Thunderstick and Skysickle.

In the comic story found in issue #8 of the Transformers Collectors Club magazine Cybertron/Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime told the story of the last battle he was in, set in the Transformers: Universe storyline. Alongside 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal they attacked the last of Unicron's forces when Unicron suddenly disappeared, and they barely escaped. Among the Autobot forces was Universe Whirl and his commander King Atlas.

Toys

 * Universe Mega Whirl with Gunbarrel and Makeshift (2004)
 * A repaint of Turbomaster Rotorstorm was released as a homage to Generation 1 Whirl in the Transformers: Universe toy line. He came with two Mini-Con partners, but had no Mini-Con points to connect them.


 * Attacktix Whirl (2007)
 * Announced for the second wave of Transformers Attacktix figures is Whirl, based on his Universe vehicle mode.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Like all his Generation 1 and Universe namesakes this Whirl is a blue Autobot helicopter. He is portrayed as a martial artist and as a rival to the Decepticon Bludgeon.

According to the bio on the box for Voyager class Bludgeon, Whirl won their first encounter.

Toys

 * Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game Whirl (2007)
 * Produced by Wizards of the Coast, wave 2 of their Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game included a Whirl card, who was a redeco of Blackout from wave 1.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Autobot Whirl (2009)
 * A blue redeco of Voyager Evac, which is essentially Voyager Blackout/Grindor with a rescue raft/gun in place of the Scorponok figurine. Sold with Deluxe Decepticon Bludgeon in the Toys "R" Us exclusive "Master of Metallikato" gift set.
 * This toy's fuselage is 25 centimeters long, while an actual Pave Low helicopter is 2235 centimeters long. This gives it a scale of about 1/89. With a robot toy height of 19 centimeters, Whirl should stand about 55 feet tall.


 * Dark of the Moon Human Alliance Basic Autobot Whirl with Sparkplug (2011)
 * An all-new mold of Whirl with a 2-inch Sparkplug action figure. As with all Basic Human Alliance figures, Whirl is a triple-changer; he transforms from a mini helicopter into a robot or a Mech Tech gatling cannon that can be used with any Voyager or Leader Class figure.