Finback (Transformers)
Finback is a fictional character from the Transformers series introduced in 1988. He is a Decepticon Pretender.
Contents
Transformers: Generation 1
Finback is Decepticon Pretender naval assault specialist, released as a toy in 1988.
Reception
Finback's alternate tech spec biography is considered endearing.[1]
Fictional biography
A freezing, wretched wreck in the making. Outer shell serves as container for his loose components. Enjoys making his enemies feel worse than he does. External, pressure-sensitive shell enables him to dive to a depth of 30,000 feet. Specially- reinforced scale armor is composed of "living" mecha-organisms that regenerate spontaneously to protect inner circuitry. Equipped with metal-corroding stun rifle that ensures the enemy in a layer of thick, vicious underwater slime. Transforms to high-speed hovercraft equipped with long range sonar and scanners. Also armed with jet-propelled, armor-piercing harpoon gun.
Comics
Dreamwave Productions
Finback appeared in the Dreamwave Productions Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye biography series.[2]
IDW Publishing
Finback appeared amongst Bludgeon's acolytes The Transformers: Stormbringer, as he and his followers kidnapped Jetfire and the Technobots, hoping to dissect them and use their parts to replicate the same grafting process that created Thunderwing, giving them their own Pretender shells. Hacking into the monster's mind Bludgeon implanted a subconscious suggestion for Thunderwing to seek out and destroy entire planets, believing their sacrifice would enable Cybertron to be reborn, before unleashing the monster on Nebulos. However, their plans were stopped by the Wreckers, who took out his cult. Finback was the first to be deactivated by barrage of weapon blasts. In desperation, Bludgeon underwent the grafting process only to find out, far too late, that the shell hadn't been neuro-aligned; the psychic backlash destroyed his mind.[3]
Finback and the Decepticon Pretenders seen here have completely different robot forms to their toys and bear resemblance to the original toys' Pretender shells.
Marvel Comics
Finback and the other original Decepticon Pretenders were presumably with the Scorponok's Decepticons through The Transformers: Headmasters series, but were not depicted. His first appearance was in issue 40 of the US comic in a story called "Pretender to the Throne", where Scorponok created the first six Decepticon Pretenders.[4]
Finback appeared in issue #54, "King Con!" In this story the Decepticon Pretenders were assigned to protect a power converter Scorponok was building in the meadowlands of New Jersey.
Finback continued to appear after this as one of Scorponok's troops, and last appeared in issue 75 "On the Edge of Extinction." While manning a gun platform during Unicron's attack on Cybertron, the weapon overloaded and exploded, killing him.
Transformers: Mosaic
Finback appeared in the Transformers: Mosaic story "History Repeats" by Franco Villa.[5]
Toys
- Generation 1 Pretender Finback (1988)
References
- ↑ Bellemo, Mark (2007). Transformers Identification and Price Guide. Krause Publications. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-89689-445-7.
- ↑ Adam Patyk, Brad Mick (w), Don Figueroa, Guido Guidi, Mark Brooks, Makoto Ono, Ke Jiang, Joe Ng, Sanford Greene, Alex Lin, Matt Kuphaldt, Dan Khanna (p). Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye 2 (May 2003), Dreamwave Productions
- ↑ Simon Furman (w), Don Figueroa (p). The Transformers: Stormbringer 1-4 (July-October 2006), IDW Publishing
- ↑ Bob Budiansky (w), José Delbo (p). The Transformers 40 (May 1988), Marvel Comics
- ↑ http://transformers-mosaic.deviantart.com/art/quot-History-Repeats-quot-141850293
- ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 75. ISBN 0764313649.
- ↑ Jon & Carl Hartman (February 1996). "The Transformers: 1988 - Part 2". Lee's Action Figure News & Toy Review 1 (40): 68–69.
