Overload (G1)

Overload is an Autobot Micromaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

KAPOW!!!

Overload gazed too long into the abyss. His desire to be the best battlefield tactician led to an obsessive interest in understanding how Decepticons think. His superiors decided this was unhealthy. (Given how most Decepticons think, they probably decided it was unhealthy for themselves.) Overload was thus reassigned to the transport division.^[1] Despite this non-combat posting, he'll often break away from cargo-hauling missions to join the battlefield and use his hard-won tactical genius on the front lines.^[2]

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Zone story pages

When the ocean-covered world of Wall was attacked by Oceanic Fish General King Poseidon and Dinosaur General Trypticon, Victory Saber charged into battle, but was quickly overwhelmed. Luckily, the four commanders, Overload, Erector, Missile Bull, and Skywave arrived to save him. Commanding the Off Road, Jet, and Race Car Patrol Teams, they arrived in time to save the drowning citizens of Wall, rescue Victory Saber and beat back the Decepticons. Zone Part 3

Legends comic

In 2038, Overload was on Zone when it was invaded by the forces of Violengiguar and Unicron Neo. Along with a number of fellow Micromasters, he swarmed the possessed body of Dai Atlas, distracting the Decepticon spirit inside until heavier weaponry could be brought to the battlefield. LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One

2005 IDW continuity

Rewind once told Chromedome a story about Overload, but his name was misheard as "Overlord" by nearby security cameras programmed to listen out for anyone mentioning said name. Remembrance Day

Commercials

Overload was included in an army of Micromaster Autobots who swarmed and overwhelmed a Giant Decepticon Soldier. He was also part of a vast Micromaster city/society that could fit in the palm of Powermaster Optimus Prime's hand. Micromaster transports commercial

Toys

The Transformers

Transforms from truck to deadly Battle Toboggan™!

• Overload (Micromaster Transport, 1989/1990)

• Takara name: Roadjet
• Takara ID number: C-337
• Accessories: Trailer/jet
• Known designers: Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy)

Released in the sixth year of Hasbro's US The Transformers toyline (fifth in European markets), Overload transforms into a blue semi cab pulling a grey and red car carrier trailer. Overload's robot mode bears more than a passing resemblance to Optimus Prime, whilst his trailer even includes the iconic stripe down the side, albeit as a molded detail rather than a decal. The ramp/gate at the back of the trailer folds down, allowing one to transport up to two smaller Micromasters inside, and two more on the top deck (where they are not secured in any way whatsoever). The trailer unfolds into a jet which Overload can ride in the back of.

Overload was sold in Japan a year later as Zone "Roadjet". The Takara release replaces the black paint on the truck grill with silver, but is otherwise identical to the Hasbro release.

• More information on Overload at TFU.info

Kre-O

• Optimus Prime (Mini-Con Combiners, 2015)

• Accessories: Bazooka, phaser, Uzi, scoped pistol, Klingon blaster

"Mini-Con Combiner"' Optimus Prime comes with one standard Kreon and four Cityville-style mini-Kreons of the same character, each one a different incarnation from various franchises. With some extra parts, the mini-Kreons become limbs to make a larger combiner-bot.

Two of his limbs are based on Armada Optimus Prime; one "normal" (Inferno helmet), one pre-Earth-body (Knock Out helmet). The main torso-bot is based on Generation 1 Optimus's original body. Another limb-bot is based on live-action Optimus (Soundwave helmet), and the remaining one (Ironhide helmet)... is apparently based on Overload, who looks suitably concerned to be there! We don't know, folks. We just report this stuff.

First shown at New York Toy Fair 2015, the Mini-Con Combiners were apparently cancelled without fanfare... a decision that must have come late in the day, as they went on to star in their own promotional animation, "Stuck in a Tree", released about eight months after the trade show.

Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Notes

• In Japan, "Roadjet" is characterized as a kind elder Micro Transformer, chief of overland operations, treating the soldiers in his care like he was their father.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Roadjet (ロードジェット Rōdojetto)
• French: Surchargé
• Italian: Bomber

References