Highbrow (Transformers)

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Highbrow is the name of three fictional characters in the Transformers series.

Transformers: Generation 1

Highbrow

Highbrow box art
Autobot
Information
Sub-group Headmasters
Function Electronic Warfare
Rank 6
Partner Gort
Motto "War is the playground of the ignorant."
Alternate Modes Cybertronian Helicopter
Series Transformers: Generation 1
English voice actor Johnny Haymer
Japanese voice actor Michitaka Kobayashi

Highbrow is an Autobot Headmaster who turns into a helicopter. His partner is the Nebulan Gort.[1] Highbrow considers himself above warfare and prefers to talk out differences, and is a bit of a snob.[2] Gort is a cheerful and courageous young Nebulan.[3][4]

Marvel Comics

Highbrow also appeared in Marvel's accompanying Transformers comic, where he was one of the Autobots under Fortress Maximus who fled the war on Cybertron. Scorponok's Decepticons pursued them, and the war began anew on the planet Nebulos. Highbrow was amongst those who surrendered his head to the Nebulans as a gesture of peace, eventually becoming Headmasters. He served as one of Maximus' troops throughout the rest of the The Transformers: Headmasters series, but accomplished little of note other battling the Decepticons on several occasions.

However, while he would receive little notice in the U.S. Transformers comic, Highbrow became the star of several Marvel U.K. tales written by Simon Furman. One of these, set in the events of the Headmasters miniseries, would have Highbrow and his fellow Headmasters being captured by the Decepticon Targetmasters as part of a scheme by Scorponok to discern the flaws in the Headmaster process. Scorponok chose Highbrow as the subject of his experiments. Highbrow was unable to fight back as his mind and Gort's were struggling for supremacy. Chromedome arrived and managed to convince them to work together, forcing Scorponok to flee. (Marvel U.K. #130-131)

The Scorponok/Highbrow rivalry exploded again in the 1988 annual in a story called "All in the Minds". Lured into Scorponok's clutches by Nebulans hypnotised by Mindwipe, he battled the Horrorcons, but was defeated and hypnotised by Mindwipe. Suffering from amnesia, the Decepticons attempted to convince Highbrow that they were on his side. Gort, however, was unaffected, and when he recombined with Highbrow the two ripped Scorponok's head off.[5]

After this Highbrow, along with the rest of Maximus' troops, came to Earth, witnessing the duel between Grimlock and Blaster before being attacked by the Decepticons.

During the UK "Time Wars" arc, while contemplating his own inadequacies, he was jumped by Scorponok's troops, who stole back their leader's head. He was then displaced to a limbo dimension by the arrival of Rodimus Prime's troops. After the defeat of Galvatron, he served under Maximus and Optimus Prime, surviving the Underbase massacre, although he appeared less prominently.

Cloudburst, Crosshairs, Getaway, Highbrow and Stakeout were among the Autobots who backed Optimus Prime when Grimlock challenged him for leadership of the Autobots in the issue #263 of the Marvel UK comics, "Break-Away!"

Highbrow and Gort died together in Marvel US #75. Mentally steeling himself for battle while piloting Highbrow toward Unicron, the preoccupied Gort accidentally cut Cloudburst off his approach vector, sending the unfortunate Pretender spiraling into Unicron's maw-borne conflagration. Horrified by what his actions had caused, Gort charged recklessly toward the Chaos-Bringer - and he and Highbrow were crushed by Unicron's massive hands.

Animated series

Highbrow first appeared in the episode "Rebirth, Part 1". Decepticons successfully stole the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber and opened the ancient device, a group of Autobots and humans included Highbrow were blasted across the galaxy by the energy release, crash-landing on the planet Nebulos. Quickly siding with a group of rebels engaged in a war against the planet's evil rulers, the Hive, they deduced a process by which they could combine the best of their minds and bodies together, becoming Headmasters. Highbrow, along with Chromedome, Hardhead, and Brainstorm volunteered to undergo the Headmaster process, along with female Autobot Arcee who did so in order to save Daniel's life.

Unlike the profile shared by the Headmasters comic and tech spec, Gort in the three-part "Rebirth" was shown to be the Nebulan rebels' leader as well as one of the oldest in the group.

Whereas "The Rebirth" served as an ending for the cartoon series in the west, in Japan, it was decided to continue producing new episodes. To that end, "The Rebirth" was discarded, and in its stead, a new 35-episode series titled Transformers: The Headmasters was created, along with a new Japanese concept for Headmasters which differed distinctly from their Western counterparts. There would be no Nebulons or humans here - instead, the heads were small Cybertronians, and the bodies were lifeless constructs called "Transtectors" to which these small robots connected themselves, and which they controlled. Although the Japanese toyline, like the West, gave the Headmaster components different names to the larger Transtectors the animated series used only one name for both the head and the Transtector.

Four million years ago, Fortress was the leader of one of the many groups of Autobots who fled Cybertron to escape the wars. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when their spaceship crashed on the planet Master, the harsh environments of which killed many members of the crew. In order to survive the dangers inherent to life on Master, the Autobots created the lifeless bodies known as Transtectors, and underwent rigorous training to master the transformation technique and merge with them. Their training also allowed them to developed considerable mental powers such as telepathy and telekinesis.

However, a member of the group known as Zarak chafed under Fortress's leadership, and he and three of the Headmasters loyal to him turned on him, only to be defeated and forced off of Master. Zarak subsequently teamed up with Decepticon leader Galvatron, and when they attacked Cybertron in the year 2011, Fortress and his men - Chromedome, Brainstorm, Hardhead and Highbrow - returned to their home planet aboard Fortress's battleship, Maximus, and joined the war once more.

Books

Highbrow appeared in the 1988 Ladybird Books stories Decepticons at the Pole, Autobots Strike Oil, Decepticon Underground and Autobot Hostage by John Grant.[6][7][8][9]

Dreamwave Productions

Highbrow never appeared in the Dreamwave Productions fiction before the company closed, save his single page biography in their 'More Than Meets The Eye series.

Manga

Highbrow appears in the Generations 2011 issue #2 "The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos" where he is part of a team led by Stepper to obtain a cure for nano-virus which is effecting some Autobots. When the Autobots arrive on Nebulos they are attacked by a group of Decepticons led by Straxus. The Autobot are able to obtain the cure and bring it back to Earth, where Ricochet's team is commended by Optimus Prime.[10]

Fun Publications

Spark commands an Autobot shuttle crewed by Blaze, Hubcap, Sideswipe, Streetstar and Windbreaker into space where they intercept a distress call from Spike Witwicky on the planet Nebulos. When the Autobots arrive on Nebulos they meet Spike and Carly Witwicky, Chip Chase and the Autobots Brainstorm, Chromedome, Crosshairs and Highbrow who inform them that the Nebulan scientist Hi-Q is missing. They learn from Hi-Q's assistant Hi-Test that Hi-Q had security monitors and through them discover the scientist was kidnapped by the Decepticons Runabout and Runamuck.[11]

Mosaic

Highbrow appeared in the Transformers: Mosaic story "The Sting of Scorponok" by Josh “Richter” van Reyk.[12]

Convention comics

Highbrow appeared in the unlicensed mini-comic released for the 2011 TFcon, called "Changes in War". This story is set on the planet Master before the events of Transformers: The Headmasters. Highbrow is among the Autobots who try and fail to stop Scorponok and his allies from escaping.[13]

Toys

  • Generation 1 Highbrow with Gort (1987)
The name and molds for Highbrow and Gort were never reused.[14]

Transformers Animated

Highbrow
Autobot
Information
Alternate Modes Cybertronian vehicle
Series Transformers Animated
English voice actor David Kaye
Japanese voice actor Atsushi Imaruoka

Highbrow's present-day character model identifies him as a member of the Elite Guard. His vehicle mode was not a helicopter, like his G1 namesake, but a cybertronian vehicle with a pair of tank-like treads and a helicopter-like cockpit. In appearance, Highbrow looks more similar to Kup. He is voiced in the style of the English comic actor Terry-Thomas.

Animated series

Highbrow first appears in the season 3 special "Transwarped", via flashbacks. Highbrow appeared in Ratchet's flashbacks, working on the top-secret Project: Omega.

Transformers


The Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Autobot
Information
Sub-group Voyagers
Rank 8
Alternate Modes Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Series Transformers

At BotCon 2010, a new toy for Highbrow was unveiled for the 2010 Transformers toy line. He transforms into a WWII-era Lockheed P-38 Lightning.[15]

Toys

  • Transformers Voyager Highbrow (2011)
An all-new mold. Features a battle mask that resembles WWII-era flight goggles. The propeller blades spin by continuously pressing buttons under the engine bays.[16][17]
The mold for this figure is also used for the Asia-exclusive Powerdive in the Transformers: Generations toy line.


References

  1. ↑ Jim Sorenson & Bill Forster (July 22, 2008). Transformers: The Ark II. IDW Publishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-60010-180-9. 
  2. ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 68. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9. 
  3. ↑ Seibertron.com - Highbrow
  4. ↑ Bellemo, Mark (2007). Transformers Identification and Price Guide. Krause Publications. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-89689-445-7. 
  5. ↑ Marvel graphic novels and related publications: an annotated guide, Page 94, by Robert G. Weiner
  6. ↑ John Grant (1988). Decepticons at the Pole. Ladybird Books. ISBN 0-7214-1068-5. 
  7. ↑ John Grant (1988). Autobots Strike Oil. Ladybird Books. ISBN 0-7214-1069-3. 
  8. ↑ John Grant (1988). Decepticons Underground. Ladybird Books. ISBN 0-7214-1119-3. 
  9. ↑ http://www.green-ranger.com/stuff/ladybird/09-hostage/
  10. ↑ Simon Furman (w), Guido Guidi (p). "Generations 2011" The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos 2 (2011), Japan: Takara Tomy
  11. ↑ Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (June/July 2012). "A Flash Forward Part 3". Transformers Collectors Club Magazine 1 (45): 6–11. 
  12. ↑ http://transformers-mosaic.deviantart.com/art/THE-STING-OF-SCORPONOK-93734755
  13. ↑ Daniel Arseneault ] (w), Alex Milne (p), Josh Perez (col). "Changes in War" ' (July 29th, 2011), TFCon
  14. ↑ Seibertron.com gallery
  15. ↑ TFW2005.com - More New Toys from BotCon Hasbro Display
  16. ↑ TFW2005.com - Review and Images of Hunt for the Decepticons Voyager Highbrow
  17. ↑ http://www.oafe.net/yo/tfm2_highb.php
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