Side Burn

Toy History

His first figure was originally released in Japan for Takara's "Transformers: Car Robots" series in 2000, where he was named "Speedbreaker". It, along with most of the toys from that series, were imported to the US in 2001 and brought under the Robots in Disguise banner, where he was renamed Side Burn. His paint job slightly resembles G1 Tracks, and he transforms into a Dodge Viper. Side Burn would also be given a Spy Changer figure (roughly the size of a Hot Wheels car) and released in a two-pack with another Autobot named Daytonus. The Spy Changer figure's mold was originally intended for Generation Two in 1995. (It would later be repainted in 2004 as part of the Transformers: Universe line's Spy Changers sub-set of G1 homages, as the G1 character Jazz.) The deluxe figure would be repainted into his "super form" in 2002 (with a paint scheme inspired by G1 Hot Rod), and in Japan it was remolded in clear plastic as part of a three pack with clear versions of his brothers Prowl and X-Brawn. The figure would be repainted as a Wal-Mart exclusive in 2004 as part of the Transformers: Universe series of repaints, where the figure was essentially "super-mode" Side Burn with a black chasis and a large Autobot symbol on the hood of the car (the figure would be used by the Transformers Collector's Club comic writers as the "Shattered Glass" version of Side Burn). A year earlier, the mold was used for the Transformers Collector's Convention exclusive two-pack of the sisters Roulette and Shadow Striker. His most recent figure is an exclusive free incentive figure from the Transformers Collector's Club, as part of a tie-in with their 2009 convetion figure set "Wings of Honor". It is a repaint of the 2006 Transformers: Classics Rodimus figure.

Animated Series

Side Burn is one of the central characters in the Robots in Disguise animated cartoon, where he is voiced by Wally Wingert. Here he becomes good friends with the human protagonist of the series, Koji Onishi, and helps his fellow Autobots protect Earth's fuel sources from the attacks of Megatron and his band of Predacons. Later on in the series he, along with his brothers Prowl and X-Brawn, gain the power to change into a 'super-mode' where their skills and abilities increased and their paint jobs changed.

3H Productions/TFCC Comics

In a story in the very first issue of The Official Transformers Collector's Club Magazine from 2004, it is revealed that some time after the defeat of Galvatron (in the last episode of RID), Optimus Prime formed the Dimensional Patrol from the ranks of the Autobots who had stayed behind on Earth (apparently including Side Burn and Prowl), as well as additional experts in transwarp technology, to defend the planet from those who would do it harm via the "temporal and spatial nexus" in Earth's proximity. Unfortunately, Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, and several members of the Dimensional Patrol were abducted by Unicron (in the events of the Transformers: Universe story and the fiction written by the Transformers Collector's Club). Here Side Burn and the others were to battle each other in the Cauldron, where their energy would feed and repair the shattered body of the Chaos Bringer.

Later, in the Club's exclusive Transformers: Cybertron comic, eventually both Side Burn and Prowl ended up fighting in the Universe conflict, where Omega Prime had already joined Optimus Primal's Children of Primus against the brainwashed minions of Unicron. In the final battle, the Chaos Bringer began to dissolve below them just as the Children of Primus' victory was achieved. To save themselves, Primal led his troops (presumably) back to Cybertron through a transwarp portal. Side Burn and Prowl were personally thrown by Omega Prime through the portal. The two presumably made it safely back to Optimus Primal's universe, while Omega Prime was sent into an alternate timestream.

Transformers Summer Special

In the story titled "Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?", which takes place in the Robots in Disguise continuity, it is shown that Megatron engages the Car Brothers in Oregon in order to allow his soldiers Dark Scream, Slapper, and Gas Skunk to steal energy from a building in Arizona, only for the three of them to be stopped by Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus.