Long Haul (Transformers)
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Long Haul is the name of five fictional characters from the Transformers series. The first Long Haul was introduced in 1985 and was voiced by Gregg Berger in the Transformers animated series. Since then other characters named Long Haul have been created for the Transformers series. He is usually depicted as a green and purple Decepticon dump truck and a member of the Constructicons.
Contents
Transformers: Generation 1
Long Haul is a Decepticon dump truck and is a part of the Constructicon team. He is able to combine with his team to form the giant robot Devastator.[1]
In a some early books, Long Haul is mistakenly referred to by Scrapper's early name, Gravedigger. Long Haul is called Long Haul in English Canada, but Costo in French Canada and Macigno in Italy.
Fictional biography
Unhappy with unglamorous role, but understands its importance... helps build Decepticons' massive energy-recovery installations. As vehicle, can carry 90 tons for 1200 miles, use a dual heat-seeking missile mount. As torso module, combines with fellow Constructicons to form giant robot "Devastator". Can be goaded into a fight in which he's overmatched.
Marvel Comics
Long Haul first appeared in issue #10 of the US Marvel Transformers comics and last appeared in issue #41.
Animated series
Long Haul first appeared in The Transformers episode "Heavy Metal War" with the other Constructicons.
He last appeared in the US animated series in the season 3 episode "The Rebirth Part 1."
Long Haul appeared in the Japanese Headmasters series episodes "Four Warriors Come Out of the Sky" and "Operation: Cassette."
Books
Long Haul (called Gravedigger) was featured in the 1985 Find Your Fate Junior book called Dinobots Strike Back by Casey Todd.[2][3]
Long Haul appeared in the 1985 Marvel Books story Battle for Earth by Max Z. Baum.[4]
Long Haul was featured in the 1993 Transformers: Generation 2 coloring book "Decepticon Madness" by Bud Simpson.[5]
Dreamwave Productions
In Dreamwave Productions's 21st century re-imagining of the Generation One universe, it was revealed gradually that the Constructicons were responsible for pioneering the Combining process through a series of experiments on themselves, thus creating Devastator. The plans to Devastator's combining process were eventually stolen by the Autobots and refined, resulting in Superion as a counter. This in turn led to more Special Teams being built by both sides.
In the initial War Within series the Constructicons were responsible for activating Cybertron's planetary engines, under the command of Megatron eight million years ago. When Megatron disappeared into the depths of the planet fighting Optimus Prime, Starscream temporarily took command and had Scrapper prepare a process for the resurfacing of Cybertron, which would transform it into a mobile war-world. Scrapper cautioned against such an action, but Starscream ignored him, and prevented him from stopping it when the process was underway. 1.5 million years later, when Megatron and Optimus Prime were thought to have died in an early test of the Space Bridge transport system, and the Autobots and Decepticons splintered into several smaller factions, the Constructicons broke the treaty that had downgraded the combining teams to non-combat status by siding with Ratbat's Ultracons and battling Defensor. The various War Within series showed that the Constructicons' alternate modes were the Cybertronian variants of their Earth designs.
It is apparent that the Constructicons were not aboard the Ark when it crashed on Earth four million years ago, but they did eventually find their way to Earth and joined Megatron's forces there after they awoke in 1984. All the Transformers were rendered inactive in the explosion of the Ark II in 1999, but when they reactivated in 2001, Devastator was the main weapon in Megatron's attack on San Francisco. Rampaging through the city, he battled and defeated Superion, but was defeated by Optimus Prime through a point-blank blast to the face, which toppled the giant. His remains were recovered by the Earth Defence Command, and dissected and studied in their underground base. The ultimate fate of Devastator was not revealed, however, as a result of Dreamwave's closure.
Fun Publications
In the Transformers: Timelines story "Games of Deception" Long Haul appears among Megatrons troops, reformatted into a crane. Dreadwing grabbed him by the throat during a fight and demanded to know why no one liked him.
Mosaic
Hauler appeared in the unofficial Transformers Mosaic story "The Missing Piece" by Juan “Iskander77” Pablo Osorio. In this story he was hunted on Earth by the Constructicons who wanted him to form part of Devastator, but he was saved by Omega Supreme.[6]
Toys
Licensed toys
- Generation 1 Long Haul (1985)
- Generation 2 Long Haul orange (1993)
- An orange repaint of the original Generation 1 toy.
- Generation 2 Long Haul yellow (1993)
- A yellow repaint of the original Generation 1 toy.
- Classic Scout Long Haul (2007)
- Long Haul is no longer a dump truck and is now a crane - a repaint of the Transformers: Energon toys Wideload and Duststorm.
Unlicensed toys
Transformers: Energon
Long Haul is the Japanese name for the Decepticon Duststorm. The character of Demolishor has a form which is a clear homage to Generation 1 Long Haul.
Transformers: Universe (Micromaster)
Over a decade since his last toy, Long Haul returned as a Micromaster. Again he is a dump truck - a repaint of a toy named Treader; previously only available in Japan. Long Haul is able to become a leg to the combined robot Devastator.
Although this Long Haul lacked any bio of his own, the Japanese bio for Treader states that Decepticon soldiers fear this taciturn 'bot's great fighting strength. Spark and Leif adore him like a big brother. Apparently, long ago, he incurred a debt to Crush-Bull that he could never repay and now serves him loyally.
Toys
- Generation 1 Treader (1992)
- Packaged together with the other Sixbuilder members.[8]
- Generation 1 Treader redeco (Autobot) (2003)
- A redeco of the original mold.[9]
- Generation 1 Treader redeco (Decepticon) (2003)
- A redeco of Treader in green as a Decepticon.[10]
- Universe Long Haul (2004)
- Long Haul became part of the Micromaster Constructicon team, a repaint of the 1992 Japanese exclusive Micromaster named Treader. Long Haul and his fellow Micromaster Constructions combine to for the Micromaster Devastator.
- The Micromaster Constructicons were initially a Kaybee store exclusive, but later on were found in other online stores. This version of Long Haul has never appeared in any official media.[11][12]
Transformers: Universe (Deluxe)
Without any supporting fiction, it is unknown if this Long Haul is a new character, or somehow related to the other Long Hauls or Heavy Load.
Toys
- Universe Hightower with Long Haul
- Long Haul is a recolor of the Transformers: Robots in Disguise toy named Heavy Load. He is packaged with Hightower. A Target store exclusive.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Long Haul is a Constructicon that appears in the 2009 film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, along with their combined form, Devastator. He forms the right leg of Devastator and transforms into a Caterpillar 773B dump truck.[13]
Long Haul's individual robot mode was designed by freelance artist Josh Nizzi as fan art of the original character done in the style of the first movie. The fan art impressed the film's director Michael Bay enough to hire him on to the film. In fact, Bay was so impressed that Long Haul's final design bears little difference from the original art.
According to his biography Long Haul hates being used to transport his fellow Decepticon's stuff and would rather be fighting. According to Hasbro size charts he stands about 60 feet tall.[14]
Wired Magzine named Devastator and the Constructions one of the reasons to go see the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. [15]
Movie plot
After coming to Earth, Long Haul works alongside Rampage, Scrapmetal and Mixmaster discovering Megatron's remains. To revive him, Long Haul, Rampage and Mixmaster kill Scrapmetal for his parts. One version of Long Haul later appears in Egypt's desert, searching for Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes with Starscream, Ravage and the other Constructicons. That same Long Haul participates in the final battle with the Autobots and the military and forms the right leg of Devastator. Devastator comes apart, however, when a rail gun is fired by a U.S. Naval destroyer at the Decepticon Combiner. The Constructicons survive and continue to battle throughout the fight. Eventually, Long Haul is incapacitated jet's missiles, which knocks off one of his wheels mounted on his shoulders; the U.S. airstrike is enough to kill him.
Video games
Long Haul is among the playable characters in the 2009 Revenge of the Fallen video game by Activision. He gets charged with the destruction of a rail gun (and survives) given to the humans by the Autobots.
Toys
- Revenge of the Fallen Legends Long Haul (2009)
- A new mold. Can form robot or vehicle modes or combine into Devastator.[16]
- This toy was initially sold individually in Japan, then as part of a 7 pack of Constructicons in the U.S.
- Revenge of the Fallen Legends Long Haul redeco (2009)
- A green and purple redeco, reminiscent of his G1 incarnation.
- Revenge of the Fallen Fast Action Battlers Devastation Blast Long Haul (2009)
- A new mold. Pictures of the card first leaked on the internet in February 2009.[17] Although this toy has an individual robot mode, it cannot combine with the other Constructicons into Devastator.
- Revenge of the Fallen Combiner Long Haul (2009)
- One of six Constructicons bundled in the Combiner Class Constructicon Devastator set. Can combine with other vehicles to form Devastator, but has no individual robot mode.
- Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Long Haul (2009)
- A Voyager class figure that transforms from dump truck into robot, but does not combine with the other Constructicons. Features functional pistons that move the bed in truck mode. The figure's MechAlive feature consists of moving gears on his chest when his head is moved sideways and spring-like pistons in his legs.[18] This toy is about 1/89 scale.
- Also remolded in yellow as Payload for the Transformers toy line.
- Transformers Legends Long Haul (2010)[19]
- An all-new mold of Legends Long Haul which is more film-accurate than the previous one and will not be able to combine with the previous Legends Constructicons to form Devastator. [20]
References
- ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 24. ISBN 0764313649.
- ↑ Gamebooks.org
- ↑ Dinobots Strike Back. Ballantine Books. 1985. ISBN 0345341503.
- ↑ Baum, Max (1985). Battle for Earth. Marvel Books. ISBN 0871350629.
- ↑ Simpson, Bud (1993). Decepticon Madness. Modern Publishing. ISBN 1561443468.
- ↑ http://transformers-mosaic.deviantart.com/art/The-Missing-Piece-102716243
- ↑ Google Patent
- ↑ TFU - G1 Treader
- ↑ TFU - Autobot Treader
- ↑ TFU - Decepticon Treader
- ↑ Gallery Seibertron.com - Long Haul
- ↑ http://www.mastercollector.com/articles/reviews/review011005-3.htm
- ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-04-01-transformers-first-look_N.htm First look: Robo-brawlers big, small in new 'Transformers' By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY
- ↑ TFW2005.com - Constructicons Size Comparison
- ↑ Top 10 Reasons to Skip Work and Go See Transformers 2, By Curtis Silver, June 23, 2009
- ↑ ToyWizard.net - Transformers Movie EZ Collection DX Devastator Set
- ↑ TF08.net
- ↑ TF08.net - Long Haul
- ↑ TFW2005.com - HFTD Scout and Legends Wave 2 Released in the Philippines
- ↑ Seibertron.com - Toy Fair 2010 Gallery - Hunt for the Decepticons Legend-Class Long Haul and Rampage
External links
- Classicverse Transformers characters
- Combiners (Transformers)
- Constructicons
- Decepticons
- Dreamwave Productions characters
- Fictional automobiles
- Fictional construction workers
- Fictional henchmen
- Fictional characters introduced in 1985
- Film characters
- Fun Publications characters
- Marvel Comics characters
- The Transformers characters
- The Transformers: The Movie characters
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen characters
- Ultracons
