Blackjack (G1)

Blackjack is a Decepticon Micromaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Just like a blackjack dealer, he'll be more than happy to hit you.

Blackjack leads the rambunctious Sports Car Patrol not by being the strongest, but by being the cleverest. He always has a plan to extract his hide from a sticky situation... oh, and his teammates too, time permitting. He calculates the odds before going in and always has an ace up his sleeve just in case.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

After studying the captive Autobot Battle Patrol, Thunderwing and his scientists managed to replicate Emirate Xaaron's Micromaster process and create a new era of Decepticon Micromasters, including Blackjack and his cohorts. A Small War!

While traveling solo in the Dead End, Blackjack was jumped by two Autobots, when a disorientated and damaged Megatron stumbled upon them. Blackjack crying out his name and the sight of the Autobrand returned Megatron to his senses, and he blasted the Micromasters' attackers. After Blackjack guided Megatron out of the Dead End Two Megatrons!, The Sports Car Patrol became Megatron's first recruits in his plans to rebuild his power base on Cybertron and gain revenge against Decepticon and Autobot alike on Earth. The Resurrection Gambit! Using the trans-time dimensional portal, the patrol infiltrated the Ark, and Blackjack attempted to destabilize Ratchet mentally by remote-controlling the remains of the deactivated Autobots on which the medic was working. When this failed, Blackjack attempted Plan B, coming out into the open with fake Autobot insignia and trying to convince Ratchet that they were Autobots on their way back to Cybertron, leading him not to advanced medical equipment but into Megatron's clutches. Back from the Dead

While his team traveled back to Cybertron, Blackjack stayed behind to dispatch the skeleton crew aboard the Ark and rig explosives to blow it up. The Resurrection Gambit! He didn't do a good enough job of blasting the crew, as Kup reactivated and startled him, causing the Micromaster to drop the triggering mechanism for the explosives, starting the countdown. All the Familiar Faces! While Kup and the others attempted to disable the bombs, Blackjack frantically insisted that they couldn't be disabled and that their best course of action was to abandon ship. Ratchet, however, used the trans-time dimensional portal to transport the explosives to Megatron's base on Cybertron, saving the Ark and Blackjack. Skin Deep

Transformers Comic-Magazin

Blackjack and the Sports Car Patrol arrived on Earth and were part of a huge battle between the Autobots and Decepticons...apparently, as Autobots. New York — A City Sinking in Terror

When Optimus Prime was kidnapped by the Decepticons, the Sports Car Patrol captured a Decepticon Targetmaster and pumped him for information. They learned that Shockwave was holding Prime hostage on the moon! Transforming Robots in Action: The Case of Optimus Prime

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

A little over four million years ago, Blackjack was one of many new Micromaster Transformers created by the Autobots and Decepticons in a joint venture to bolster their forces. Recruited as a Decepticon, Blackjack still seemed rather easygoing and cordial with the Autobot Micros, at least while hanging out in Little Iacon. He was planning to race with Roadhandler for championship of the Micros, but had no problem putting their friendly competition on hold so that Road Handler could 'school the load-mouthed Big Daddy on the "rules of the road". He even refereed the race for the two Autobots, although the fracas that followed with the guzzlers probably means he didn't get the chance to race Road Handler himself. The Gray Race

Blackjack later appeared among the Micromasters who denounced the war and brought an end to the latest skirmish between Autobots and Decepticons. Victims of the Revolution

2005 IDW continuity

Gorlamite

Blackjack and the Sports Car Patrol were highly advanced warriors, in the service of the Dead Universe. They ran afoul of Nightbeat on Gorlam Prime while protecting the "hole in the world". Blackjack and his compatriots captured the inquisitive Autobot and subjected him to an unknown procedure before letting him go. Spotlight: Nightbeat

Later, Blackjack was among the hordes of Micromasters on Gorlam Prime that assaulted Nightbeat and Hardhead. Spotlight: Hardhead Blackjack also attempted to stop Arcee from pursuing Jhiaxus. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Cybertronian

First appearance: Transformers #39

Bad cop.

Another Blackjack was a full-scale Cybertronian who joined the Cybertronian Security Force on post-war Cybertron, though his hot temper got him into multiple fights, something that caught the attention of Starscream. Knowing Blackjack's anger issues were strong enough to affect the mind of a combiner, Starscream had him join the Stunticons in anticipation of the reintroduction of Menasor. The Sum and Its Parts Blackjack was subsequently with the Stunticons as they explained how they operated to another new member, Offroad, and were approached by Swindle who had brought the Enigma of Combination. After using the Enigma to upgrade Menasor (with Blackjack joining as the new chestplate), the Stunticons combined, and accompanied Swindle to the colony world of Caminus, preparing to bring destruction down upon its people. First Contact When it turned out the Camiens had nothing to steal, Swindle realized Starscream had set them up as scapegoats and tried to calm Menasor, but just as Starscream had planned, Blackjack's influence sent the already unstable combiner into an unstoppable rage. Menasor went on a rampage until he was finally brought down by Superion and the Stunticons captured. The Sum and Its Parts A short while later, Swindle released the Stunticons, and as Menasor they forced their way back through the spacebridge to Caminus. You, Me, and the Universe After a titanic clash of combiners, Menasor wound up captured back on Cybertron, and the Stunticons were re-imprisoned. All That Remains

Beast Wars: Uprising

Blackjack was one of the Builder Micromasters who manned Fortress Maximus. He was tossed from a great height by Ser-Ket when she and others in the resistance infiltrated Fortress. Head Games

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

During the war for Cybertron, Blackjack was a Ground Force Infantry Raider. Siege toy packaging

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #16

Blackjack was a member of the The Rise. He was identified as one of the terrorists formerly encamped under the Memorial Crater by the datajack Windblade retrieved from their recharging stations. The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Five

Blackjack served under Slipstream's "Team Stream" during an attack on a remote Titan Net subsidiary hub. They infiltrated the facility and used it to launch a data-bomb, shutting down the Titans in defensive orbit around Cybertron. The Change In Your Nature Part Four Once they abandoned the hub, the remaining Titan named Vigilem launched an attack on the Winged Moon at the direction of the Rise, severing the Tether that brought the Moon's energon to Cybertron. The Change In Your Nature Part Five

Blackjack and Team Stream later traveled to the Moon to seize control of that energon. Wheeljack: Orbital Decay They were resisted by the engineers who manned the moon, and later by Colonial Security forces as well. The engineers destroyed the energon stores rather than let the Rise capture them, and so Blackjack and his squad fled back to Cybertron. War World: Moon

Back on Cybertron, Team Stream took up sentry duty at one of the Rise's remote bases for Shockwave. Test Flight I

Blackjack and Team Stream ambushed Optimus Prime when he visited the immersant site of his mentor, Codexa. His Guard got the Prime to safety, though, with the sacrifice of Ultra Magnus. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One Shockwave had no use for the former Great General, so he ordered Slipstream to deliver Magnus to Megatron at Iacon. After a brief questioning, Megatron had Slipstream and Blackjack deposit Ultra Magnus with the rest of the political prisoners. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two

Word reached Megatron that Exarchon had returned in the Sonic Canyons. He ordered many of his Decepticons to eliminate this existential threat to Cybertron, including Team Stream. On the way, however, Slipstream received coded instructions from Shockwave to stand down. Blackjack knew what a danger Exarchon posed, and that was an order he could not follow. He and Tracer abandoned Slipstream to join up with Sixshot and finish the Threefold Spark. War's End Part Two Sixshot's unit agreed to work with Pyra Magna's Autobots on scene for the good of Cybertron. Blackjack warned them that the rest of Team Stream was nearby, and neutral in the fight at best. War's End Part Three They staged a follow up attack, together with the rest of the mercurial Team Stream, and Exarchon was finally vanquished. War's End Part Four Blackjack was back with Team Stream, and they all joined the Decepticons for a final battle with the Autobots at Darkmount. Fate of Cybertron

Alternate future

In the future where Exarchon ruled, Blackjack worked with Swift, Bumblebee and Powerglide as some of the few resistors left on Cybertron. Dry of energon, they subsisted on nothing more than nucleon, losing their alt modes in the process. In the end, Blackjack was consumed by Insecticon clones in the service of the Threefold Spark. Test Flight II

Commercial appearances

• Bumblebee and Jazz managed to "capture" the Thunder Arrow and the Attack Copter, and hauled them within an Autobot base. Little did they know, Blackjack was among a group of Micromaster Decepticons concealed within the nabbed vehicles! Under the leadership of Skystalker, the Micromasters transformed the vehicles into mini-bases and launched a surprise attack! Micromaster micro bases commercial

Games

3D Battle-Card Game

Blackjack served under Megatron as one of his Decepticon soldiers, battling Optimus Primal's many Autobot allies in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. Energon Wars Expansion Set

Transformers Legends

Blackjack and the rest of the Stunticons were created in response to the failure of a Decepticon campaign to acquire Autobot superfuel. Realizing they needed a strong ground force, Blackjack and his kin were created by modifying Earth vehicles with Cybertronian technology, and then bringing them before Vector Sigma to be imbued with the spark of life. The Autobots brought the Aerialbots to life at the same time, and the Decepticons found themselves on the losing side until the Stunticons merged into Menasor. The Decepticons lost nonetheless, though they acquired the key to Vector Sigma as a consolation prize. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Blackjack participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a common character who could be recruited after collecting 16 units of Cybermetal. Transformers: Battle Tactics

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Blackjack was a resourceful Decepticon who sometimes formed Menasor's chest. The Enigma of Combination

Toys

The Transformers

"This guy split fives! And the whole table got up and beat him up."

• Sports Car Patrol (Micromaster Patrol, 1989)

Released in the sixth year of the The Transformers toyline (fifth year in the European line), Blackjack transforms into a 1988 Ford Probe GT Turbo sports car.

He was only available in the Sport Car Patrol four-pack, released in the second wave of Micromaster Patrols, with his teammates Detour, Hyperdrive, and Road Hugger. Blackjack is gang-molded with his teammate Road Hugger, so the two share plastic colors.

This mold was also used to make Black Heat.

• More information on Blackjack at TFU.info

Combiner Wars

Playing the house since 1989.

• Decepticon Blackjack (Legends Class, 2015)

• Accessories: Axe/breastplate
• Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)

Blackjack is part of wave two of Combiner Wars Legends Class toys, transforming from a black sports car to robot and back! He and his axe can plug into the chest of Menasor, taking the place of the Generation 1 roller car. Despite the fact his axe strongly resembles a sword guard, it cannot combine with Motormaster's sword. The toy was originally intended to be released as the Battlecharger Runabout, and is noticeably sculpted to resemble that character.^[1] The reasons for the change to Blackjack are unknown, but are likely some combination of name unavailability and a desire for a more colorful toy. Blackjack includes a collector card featuring his package art.

A common problem reported with Blackjack is that despite being purposely made to mount onto Menasor's chest (and by mold association, those of Combiner Wars Optimus Prime), the pegs featured on Motormaster used to hold Blackjack in place are often too small to actually keep him attached, causing him to fall off with no resistance. Battle Core Prime and a running change version of Hasbro's Motormaster, as well as all Takara usages of the mold, featured slightly retooled posts to fix this connection issue, among other problems.

The mold was later retooled into Combiner Wars Rodimus, and redecoed into Adventure Runabout and Runamuck.

• More information on Combiner Wars Blackjack at TFU.info

#G2ChestMinion

• Menasor (Collection Pack, 2016)

• Accessories: Axe

A redeco of the above Combiner Wars figure, this version of Blackjack takes his purple coloration from the Generation 2 roller car whose place, as before, he takes on Menasor's chest.

Blackjack was only available in the Generation 2-inspired Menasor gift set, along with Breakdown, Drag Strip, Motormaster, Wildrider, and Dead End. This was the second of five different combiner "Collection Pack" box sets, which were "shared exclusives" sold by numerous online retailers... though many ultimately ended up at US discounters like Ross and TJ Maxx.

• More information on Combiner Wars G2 Blackjack at TFU.info

War for Cybertron: Siege

Black jack don't trip / You got the bill / Twenty one shots to your grill

• Decepticon Blackjack & Hyperdrive (Micromaster, 2019)

• Hasbro ID number: WFC-S32
• TakaraTomy ID number: SG-30
• TakaraTomy release date: September 30, 2019

Part of the third wave of Siege Micromaster two-packs, Blackjack is a retool of Swindler with a new chest and head, and transforms into a black retro-looking sports car featuring an overall wedge design and a front fascia reminiscent of the Lancia Montecarlo. He can also combine with his pack-in teammate Hyperdrive to form a cannon. As a part of the C.O.M.B.A.T. System, their weapon mode can be attached to any toy with a 5 mm post-hole. "Fire Blasts" can also be attached to their barrels. Alternatively he can be turned into a single blaster without the need of his teammate as a fan mode.

Like Swindler, Blackjack's shoulder joints don't offer much clearance, which heavily hinders both articulation and transformation. A small amount of force is required to shift all the parts into place to properly tab in, as well as to pull the parts apart far enough to move them out of the way for robot mode.

Merchandise

3D Battle-Card Game

• Blackjack (3D Battle-Card, 2007)

A 24-point "common" character in the 3D Battle-Card Game's "Energon Wars" expansion, Blackjack "transforms" into a black coupe of indeterminate make. He uses the same parts layout as "Classic" Bumblebee and Side Swipe.

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Raider Blackjack, Sports Car Patrol-Patrol Leader (2019)
  • Wave 4: War for Cybertron: Siege II
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: T29/T52
  • Stars: 5

Raider Blackjack, Sports Car Patrol-Patrol Leader is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege I. In order to represent Blackjack's size as a Micromaster, Raider Blackjack, Sports Car Patrol-Patrol Leader is the size of a battle card, about half the size of a normal character card.

The card's artwork is based on the Siege Blackjack toy, with the Alt Mode artwork being reused from the toy's packaging art, and original Bot Mode artwork with lines by Dan Khanna and colors by Cara Burns.

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Blackjack (ブラックジャック Burakkujakku)
• French: Assommeur (Canada, "Slaughterman")
• Italian: Illusion

References