Slugslinger

Slugslinger is a name used twice in the Transformers toyline. In both instances, it was for a Decepticon who turned into a dual-cockpit jet.

Transformers: Generation 1
Allegiance Decepticon (Destron) Sub-Group Targetmaster, Predacon Function Air Defense Motto "The only way to survive a duel with me is to not show up." Alternate mode Cybertonian Jet Series US Television series, Headmasters, Marvel Comics Voice Actor (Slugslinger) Peter Cullen (English) Ken Yamaguchi (Japanese) Voice Actor (Caliburst) Johnny Haymer (English) Unknown (Japanese)

Animated Series
Slugslinger and Caliburst were introduced in The Rebirth, the three-part fourth-season finale to the original Transformers animated series.

When the Decepticons attempted to seize the power of the Plasma Energy Chamber in 2007, a group of Autobots were blasted across the galaxy to the planet Nebulos by the ancient foundry's energies, where they took up with a group of rebel Nebulons. To fight the Hive, the evil rulers of Nebulos, some of the Autobots and Nebulons bonded their bodies a minds together, becoming Headmasters, serving up a definitive defeat to the Decepticons pursuing them. This group of Decepticons was then approached by the Hive, who sought to replicate the Headmaster process with them, but Cyclonus was able to bargain them down to taking only half the Decepticons' heads, offering up the weapons of the others as alternatives. Using Nebulan technology, the guns were engineered into a transforming exo-suits which were donned by five members of the Hive, creating the Targetmasters, giving their Transformer weilders ten times the accuracy and firepower.

The Decepticon Targetmasters overcame the Autobots and reclaimed the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, but in the struggle, the Autobot Brainstorm was able to scan Cyclonus's partner, Nightstick, and that data was used to duplicate the Targetmaster process with the remaining Autobots and Nebulan rebels, creating the Autobot Targetmasters. Their power, however, was nothing in the face of the Decepticons' newest weapon, the super robot, Scorponok, who transported the Decepticon forces back to Cybertron, where their plans were foiled by Spike Witwicky and Fortress Maximus.

Headmasters
Although The Rebirth marked the end of the Transformers cartoon in the US, in Japan, a different direction was taken - ignoring the events of The Rebirth, a brand new, exclusive 35-episode series, Transformers: Headmasters, was produced to take its place, which introduced the Targetmasters towards its conclusion. Notably, in Japan, the 1986 characters were not re-released as Targetmasters - only the six new characters featured in Headmasters.

In the world of Transformers: Headmasters, there are no Nebulons - the Headmasters themselves are simply small Transformers, who, having settled on the planet Master, learned to transform into heads and connect to lifeless larger bodies named Transtectors. It was to Master that the Decepticon forces returned after the Autobots forced them to flee Earth, and consequently, a ship was dispatched by the planet's inhabitants to alert the Earth-bound Autobots to the Decepticon invasion. At the same time, the youthful Autobot, Wheelie, had summoned three of his old superior officers - Pointblank (Blanker in Japan), Sureshot and Crosshairs - to Earth to aid in the clean-up operation currently going on, when Autobot Headmaster Chromedome accidentally activated one of the plasma bombs the Decepticons had left behind. Heading out into space so that the bomb might harmlessly explode out in the void, the Autobots then crossed paths with the approaching Master ship, which was being pursued by the Decepticon Sixshot and three new troops - Slugslinger, Misfire and Triggerhappy. As Pointblank and his men tangled with the Decepticons, the Master refugees offered their help by transporting away the plasma bombs, only to have the bombs detonate in the middle of the battlefield.

Recovering from the explosion, Pointblank, Crosshairs and Sureshot discovered that the six Master refugees had been fused to their arms. Although Fortress was able to surgically remove them, a bond now existed between the larger Transformers and the Master refugees, who could now freely attach and detatch to their wrists as guns. Unfortunately for these new Targetmasters, the same had happened to Slugslinger and his fellows. The Targetmasters joined up with Fortress's crew on the mission to Master, but quickly clashed with the Headmasters - Pointblank and his men were hard, experienced warriors who thought little of the Headmasters, and Pointblank spent a good deal of time attempting to soothe Chromedome's firey temper to improve his battle ability.

Marvel Comics
Slugslinger and Caliburst first appeared in Transformers: Headmasters #4 when the Decepticons under Scorponok's leadership. With the Autobot Headmasters captured by their Decepticon counterparts, the Decepticons ran rampant over the planet Nebulos, a group of the remaining Autobots on the planet joined with a group of Nebulons branded as criminals by Nebulon's political leader, Lord Zarak - partner of the Decepticon, Scorponok - in order to protect the Nursery, Nebulos's primary agricultural research facility, against Decepticon attack. Through bio-mechanical engineering, the Nebulons were given the ability to transform into the guns of the Autobots, and, as Targetmasters, they fended the Decepticons off. Within several days, the Decepticons had duplicated the process with five of their own troops.

Slugslinger last appeared in Transformers #61.

Slugslinger had a Transformers: Universe profile published in the back of issue 60 if the US Marvel Transformers series.

Dreamwave Comics
Slugslinger's only appearance in Dreamwave Comics was in the third War Within series on ancient Cybertron where he was one of Starscream's Predacons.

Caliburst never appeared in the storyline of Dreamwave Comics before the company closed, but he did get a one page biography with Slugslinger in their More Than Meets The Eye series.

Transformers: Energon
Transformers character Slugslinger Affiliation Decepticon Sub-Group Deluxe Vehicles Motto I rule the skies. Alternate Modes Cybertronian duel-cockpit jet fighter. Series Transformers: Energon In the Transformers: Energon series, Slugslinger is also a Decepticon who transforms into a dual-cockpit jet, although his robot mode bears little resemblance to the that of the original.

This character did not appear in the cartoon series, but did appear in Dreamwave Comics Transformers: Energon series. He first appeared in Transformers: Energon #26.

Transformers: Energon #26 – In the Black Sea Kicker and the Omnicons are attempting to find a new energon deposit when they are attacked by Mirage and Slugslinger.

Transformers: Energon #27 – In a flash back we see Alpha Quintesson recruiting Tidal Wave and reformatting him as Mirage. Mirage is assigned with Slugslinger and Sharkticon to abduct Kicker on Earth. On Earth Mirage and Slugslinger attack the Omnicons as Sharkticon goes after Kicker.

Transformers: Energon #29 – In the Black Sea Kicker powers-up the Omnicons, who attack Mirage and Slugslinger, forcing the Decepticons to retreat.

Dreamwave Summer Special: Now in command of the Decepticons, Megatron sends Snowcat, Slugslinger and Sharkticon each on missions to steal copies of the plans for Omega Supreme from the Autobot's Ocean City. Snowcat fails when he was confronted by Omega Supreme himself. Sharkticon failed to get in because he tried to sneak in a waste disposal unit and is flushed out. Sharkticon is overpowered by underwater defenders and is then tossed out by Kicker and the Mini-Cons Jetstorm, Runway and Jetstorm. Each of the three make up lies to Megatron as to why they failed. After consideration Megatron decides that Slugslinger's story is the best lie and appoints him as his lieutenant.

Transformers: Energon Promotional Comic #3 - Slugslinger and Sharkticon attempt to break into an Autobot island facility as Shockblast scrambles the security system with an electromagnetic pulse from orbit and Mirage patrols the island. When the Decepticons are caught by Bulkhead and Towline, Mirage rushes to provide backup but is confronted by Omega Supreme. Tow Line wounds Slugslinger in combat. Omega Supreme takes out Mirage, Sharkticon and Shockblast

Transformers: Universe
Although neither Slugslinger appeared in the Transformers: Universe series, a remold of Energon Slugslinger, done as a homage to Generation One Autobot Devcon, was planned. The toy was to be a Botcon exclusive collectable, but was never developed past concept drawings.