Wreckers (Transformers)

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The Wreckers are a sub-team of Autobots in the fictional Transformers Universe, functioning essentially as a commando unit. They were created by Marvel UK writer, Simon Furman in the story arc Target:2006 and appeared in many of Furman's subsequent stories, with an ever shifting roster, in many Marvel stories, Dreamwave's War Within: The Dark Ages, and IDW's Stormbringer.

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[edit] Marvel Comics

In the Marvel UK Transformers Universe, the team are first seen in the Target: 2006 arc (originally printed in UK #78-88), with members appearing in the early issues before the team itself was revealed in #82. They were to destroy nine of the Decepticons' most potent killers in Operation: Volcano, planned to be the first major offensive in the Autobot retaking of Cybertron. Their line-up at this point consists of Impactor (a new character created exclusively for the comic by Furman), Twin Twist, Top Spin, Whirl, Roadbuster and another comic-only character, conjoined twin Rack 'N Ruin. These characters were chosen by Furman due to being overlooked by the American comic and cartoon (Whirl and Roadbuster were most likely omitted due to copyright problems), and therefore he could do what he wanted with them. A "flashback" Wreckers appearance came in the text story "Cybertron: The Middle Years", originally printed in UK #83, which credited the team with the assassination of the Decepticon leader Trannis.

In UK #84, the team was joined by Springer, Broadside and Sandstorm, to lend reinforcements for Operation: Volcano in the event that Ultra Magnus did not return in time from Earth. Operation: Volcano was aborted when the Decepticon killers were recalled by Megatron, but a lone Decepticon named Macabre pressed on, attempting to assassinate Xaaron, leader of the Autobot resistance on Cybertron. Xaaron was saved when Impactor dived in front of Macabre, sacrificing himself. With his dying words, he appointed Springer leader of the Wreckers.

The team next appeared in UK #98-100, when Decepticon misinformation led to them pursuing and attempting to execute Optimus Prime. They were eventually shown their error, and co-operated with Prime in a series of raids on the Decepticons.

The Wreckers next appeared in UK #166-169, fighting animated dead Transformers under the power of the insane Autobot scientist Flame. The team were initially captured by Flame when Springer froze after seeing the reanimated Impactor. However, Springer overcame his demons to help save Cybertron, while Impactor's personality resurfaced again, allowing him to sacrifice himself again to save Cybertron. By this point, Whirl and Roadbuster had disappeared from the line-up.

The team made an ill-fated attempt to confront the renegade Decepticon Galvatron on Earth during UK #172-173. However, an error saw them land in a populated town, and they found themselves facing Galvatron and Cyclonus and Scourge. The Wreckers were forced to protect the human population, and were unable to combat Galvatron. Only Springer's wits saved the team from a rout. The team returned to Cybertron, their mission a failure. Broadside and Sandstorm were temporarily detached from the Wreckers, and were sent to Earth again with Inferno to provide reconnaissance for a second attempt.

This second attempt was rushed forward when Galvatron was found to be the catalyst of a timestorm, and was launched in conjunction with the Decepticon Mayhem Attack Squad. This took place during the Time Wars (UK #199-205), and saw Roadbuster reappear with the team. The joint operation was a disaster, with the teams routed when Galvatron ambushed them with help from Megatron. Topspin was killed in the initial fracas, by Megatron. Sandstorm was killed when the groups attempted to regroup, while Roadbuster was destroyed using an experimental Decepticon Pathblaster gun on Galvatron. Galvatron then destroyed Twin Twist and Rack 'N Ruin. Though the Time Wars were won, the Wreckers were effectively decimated.

Springer and Broadside later formed the Survivors with Inferno, Skids and Mayhem left-overs Carnivac and Catilla.

The Wreckers:

Ultra Magnus is not a member of the Wreckers, though he did collaborate with them in a plot to assassinate key Decepticon agents, in Target:2006.

[edit] Dreamwave Productions

Dreamwave's second Generation 1 mini-series, War and Peace featured a reference to the original Wreckers, with Ultra Magnus leading a unit consisting of Roadbuster, Whirl, Topspin and Twin Twist. The Wreckers proper appeared in The War Within: The Dark Ages as a breakaway faction from the Autobots over six million years ago.

The known roster in the War Within series consisted of

[edit] IDW Publishing

Recently introduced in The Transformers: Stormbringer #2, the Wreckers are a last-ditch resort commando team sent in to worlds where the Decepticons have effectively won, intended to ensure the enemy suffer heavy losses before they fully conquer the planet. Led by Springer, they were in the midst of a war on Varas Centralus before being reassigned to investigate the resurrection of Thunderwing on Cybertron. Springer was in communication with Bluestreak, who leads another squad and is not one of the Wreckers. The Wreckers quickly dispatched Bludgeon's group of Decepticon cultists , only to find Thunderwing was returning to Cybertron. They subsequently battled the creature alongside Optimus Prime and the Predacons, defeating it at last.

The known roster comprises:

[edit] Botcon

In the Botcon comic series, the Wreckers numbers are reduced to two by a virus unleashed by Megatron, Rodimus Prime and the Maximal Apelinq. However, their numbers are later bolstered by the arrival of Primal Prime and his crew from Earth, who take command of the Wreckers. The Wreckers of the Beast Machines era are as follows:

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