I rather prefer Insecticons being regular transformers until they scanned insect as their alternate mode. I don't like the idea of having regular Earth insects as a native creature on Cybertron, same as not having the Seekers turn into Earth fighter jets when they are on Cybertron. Cybertron's supposed to be a robotic alien planet. There should be alien-like insects instead of regular beetles and grasshoppers.
Megatron had Bombshell put in charge of upgrading ,and reprograming Nightbird in the G1 episode, "Enter The NIghtbird." Basically Bombshell was his go to brainwashing specialist.
And robots in disguise ChopShop can detach parts of his body into separate small spiders while Hardshell looks like the normal Insectcons but has tattoos camo vibes all over his face and can speak differentiating him from the others in the hive
When I was doing this one, I had some more details about the stories the Insecticons were part of in the cartoon and comics, but I realized that they were practically all Bombshel/Hardshell-driven, and that he could easily support an episode of his own, so I pulled 'em with a view to doing that sometime in the future. ;)
@@ChrisMcFeely This would be fantastic! In particular, his "sadistic puppeteer" G1 persona has all the trappings for a classic Transformers baddie, and I'm always stoked to see it get more exposure.
I was really bothered by how inconsistent the portrayal the Insecticons were in Prime. In their debut episode a single Insecticon is powerful enough to take on Megatron, but in the later episodes the Autobots can take out Insecticons in a single shot.
That show was always pretty inconsistent when it came to mooks IMHO. Vehicons were built up pretty big in the pilot, then before too long the autobots are just wading through them like runny custard. How many bloody steves are there on this ship?!
I kinda always thought of it (if I ever did) as a combination of at first not knowing just how hard they could hit and how much they could take, and not being able to dedicate that much Energon toward firepower at the time, as if I recall they were still in the energy crisis period of the series at introduction but worked their way out of it as mooks seemingly got easier. I guess a necessary sub-support of that would be presuming that higher-power blasts taking exponentially, rather than additively or multiplicatively, more Energon to sustain.
William Burgess presumably, but it's never mentioned. I'd love to see a show where characters are shown clearly upgrading their equipment as they go along like Link from Zelda, thus explaining mooks getting easier.
Something I kinda hoped with the introduction of more insect robots, was a combiner called Hivemind. Think about it! Chirper(Shrapnel), Hardshell, Kickback, Stinger(Waspanator), and Weblock(Arachnid) could all combine to form Hivemind. I was gonna say they combine to make Scorpinok but he isn’t a bug.
I had an idea for a Combiner with that same name. Venom forms the torso. Kickback forms the left arn, and his wings can be used as swords on Hivemind's wrist. Bombshell forms the right arm, and can use his antenna to fire his cerebro-shells. Chop shop forms the left leg. Skrapnel forms the right leg.
I like the direction you're thinking in. I would put Hardshell as the torso, Chirper/Sharpshot and Kickback as the arms, and Ransack and Chopshop as the legs (perhaps only the former limb bots as arms and the latter as legs, akin to G1 Technobots). The name Hivemind fits, but I would suggest "Exterminus."
"Destroy all Autobot-bot-bot-bot-bot!" "Waspinator, what are you buzzing about?!" "Waspinator? Negative negative negative! I am Shrapnel, Decepticon hero-o-o!" "Shrapnel? That was a Decepticon from the Great War three centuries ago! He's wacko..." "Wacko? No, Wonko! Wonko the Sane!"
I did like the original G1 versions of the Insecticons. The idea of them being ravenous feeding machines with their own agenda was a great addition to just a good vs evil diadum
I was a little bummed when we didn't get the video game versions of Bombshell and Sharpnel...you just made me realize I had all three insecticons through Beast Wars and Energon. Until the current legends versions. Thanks for pointing something I had missed.
Fun fact: Barrage appeared in a short cutaway gag scene of a Family Guy episode which would make him the only Deluxe Insecticon to have a animated appearance.
Hi there, I would like to drop a message saying thank you for making countless efforts to make this a very good series of The basics of transformers. To be really honest after watching other videos explain on the origin of transformers I will always get confused, after watching a few of your videos you've earned a subscriber right here. I really enjoy your narrations as well as your explainations on how the Bots were originated, and what was their role and so on. You have satisfy and cleared most of my doubts about transformers that I eagerly wanted to know. Thank you for that and I hope more of it will come. I'd recommend this channel to any young kid who wants to learn and understand more about transformers and who are eager like me to understand the logics behind the creation of the transformers.
Thank you! Sometimes, from the "inside," it's hard to know if I'm explaining this stuff as clearly as possible, if I might be using too much nerdy terminology or assuming the audience's knowledge, so it's always a pleasure to hear from folks like yourself who say that I'm doing okay! :)
They did! The result, you'd assume, of the fact that the toys were still available, and hence expected to be in the show, only the film had made the strange choice to kill them (which wasn't even consistent within itself, as Shrapnel makes a *scripted* appearance on Junkion later in the movie). I contemplated including that (and Shrapnel's not-appearance in "Fight or Flee") but the amount of behind the scenes explanation it required pushed it out.
I pretend that it's the clones that got thrown out of the shuttle while the originals were still on Cybertron, probably to keep guard of the strongholds along with the other season 2 Decepticons that weren't in the movie.
Clones the real.insecticins we're reinformatted by Unicron yes shrapnel's clone was with scavenger on junkion and the clones appeared on five faces of darkness
Kickback was always my favorite for his locust form, and the fact that he never really tried to be the leader. Like his name was a declaration of intent.
My favorite incarnation of the Insecticons are from the Transformers Prime. In the series, they look more beastly than their insect modes. And their eyes look resemble to the alien kaiju Gigan (One of Godzilla's fiercest foes).
(The Insecticons watch the video and give their opinions on it) Kickback(amused): This human has really done his research, an excellent job. Bombshell:(says nothing, but nods his helm in approval) Shrapnel(looks at Kickback and nods before speaking in a satisfied tone): I'm with you on that one Kickback, Kickback. He really knows his stuff about our kind and his narration is both easy to understand and easy on the audios, audios. Not to mention his 'bug' joke at the end was quite amusing, amusing. (giggles like a sparkling) All three of them(delighted): Congratulations, Mr.McFeely. You get our seal of approval, approval! FYI I can easily mimic Shrapnel's voice and speech pattern pretty well, but like my impressions of G1 and Unicron Trilogy Starscream, it takes a toll on my larynx and can leave me with laryngitis if I do it for too long.
Shrapnel was my 4th Transformer, second large one, and my second favorite character after Prowl throughout my childhood. His characterization on the cartoon was excellent.
I gotta say tfp series hardshell is my favorite. The Shrieking war cries they made that filled the air while they filled the sky like a wave of locusts made for a surprisingly scary visual given the ravenous and much more mindless nature of the insecticons in that incarnation
“Kickback, your food is escaping!” Is my favorite quote in the transformers series. The fact that the other insecticons don’t help Kickback about it, they just tell him, and he just goes after it just makes it my favorite. My dad and I both quote that when anything related to transformers comes up.
An animation error in the 1986 movie showed Shrapnel attacking Daniel on the planet of Junk alongside Scavenger...after the reformatting process had taken place...
Kickback is my favorite, especially in the Aligned continuity, along w/ the fact that he was the only character from the trio to keep his original name (the "shell" in Bombshell/Hardshell was the only consistent part of his name)( "I remember u - Grimlock" "do u remember me? me? me? *laughter* " (Troy Baker) )
My younger brother had all three of the original Insecticon Transformer releases and I just want to take a moment to praise the build quality of those three toys. We played rough with all three, straining the joints and limbs, surviving through bouts of being thrown like a ball or dropped from a decent height or even buried alive. Kickback in particular was an amazing toy.
My friend recommended this channel so I can learn more about Transformers since he dragged me into the fandom. This video is great to help me flesh out my Oc that's an Insecticon. I'll be watching more videos so I can learn more.
I like all the Insecticons introduced in G1, even the Deluxe ones. In my fanfiction, I'm going to introduce new ones and even an Autobot counterpart called the Autobugs.
Barrage did actually get his time in the spotlight if only for a small scene; he was a prominent background character in a transformers gag on family guy
I just found your channel and wow i love it! Fantastic content. You deserve many more subs my man. Btw i loved the insecticons. Thought it was a great idea. It's a shame we didn't get more individual ones. I loved the concept of them being able to clone themselves to create a swarm.
I'd say that was the peak of transformers fandom ... G1 mini series, then the introduction of the Dinobots, Jetfire, Insecticons and Constructicons... I just remember the excitement each time new characters were introduced in the cartoons and the anticipation of waiting for them to come to toy stores. Not that i was able to purchase any... my parents only got me the mini bots. Everything else was too expensive. Lol.
I really liked how they portrayed Chopshop (i hope i said that correctly) in RID. It fascinated me as a kid how he could transform into several tiny insects and I was disappointed that they didn’t have a toy for him 😂
We fans are too into this stuff. Your reference to the G1 cartoon fate of the Insecticons (overlooking appearances of them later that are presumably continuity errors) made me get all hot under the collar and want to shout "they should have lived and Reflector should have been thrown out of the shuttle!" Ah, the things that will never be...
My favourite Insecticon was Kickback. It may sound strange, but when I saw the commercial for the Transformer's Insecticons for the first time, I was actually excited to see the yellow farm vehicles transform into Autobots. But they were only in the commercial, rather than in the cartoon or as toys. Did Diaclone or any other company make transformable tractors, etc.? Considering how huge their toy line before Hasbro made a deal with them to market Transformers, it makes me wonder they actually existed.
Fun fact, barrage had a weird first appearance in animation. just like Chris said he wasn’t in the G1 cartoon so the first time he appeared on tv was in Family Guy. No joke he’s the yellow and green one next to Megatron ua-cam.com/video/WpXsbuzTEY0/v-deo.htmlsi=de-uCrVgmKkDRXow
I want to see insecticon combiner and news one base on manis, moth, centipede, dragonfly, scorpion,giant leaf insects and grass Hopper . I place beastformers in four category Predicon base on animal from stone age to present day, insecticon is arthropod base on extinct and modern day insects, Terracon appearance based on mystical or combination of creatures, and Dinobot is just base of dinosaurs
Avery there will most certainly be good ones, like lady bugs and fire flys for insecticons, a lot of insects are really helpful and not harmful. Same for the predicons and terracons. There are a lot of creatures, both real and mythological, that can be allies and not enemies.
Andres Marrero wouldn’t the allied Autobot Insecticons have to be called something different? Like swarmbots or just insectibots? Insecticons kind of implies insectoid decepticons.
Not really the insecticons are a type of species of cybertronian like dinobot compare it to dog and wolf. not like Autobot or Decepticons are two fractions group like knights and Samurai anyone can be.
Not really that’s like calling BW megatron a dinobot. You wouldn’t do it he’s a terrorcon. Subgroup names are inherently faction related (except in rid 2015, but I prefer to ignore that one). The autobots have the dinobots, aerialbots, protectobots, technobots, etc., while the decepticons have terrorcons, constructicons, Insecticons, combaticons, stunticons, etc.
Great video! Surprised you didn't mention my personal favourite appearance of theirs as mindless drones controlled by Ravage in the first Transformers UK Annual. Also their appearance in Dreamwave comics was pretty memorable.
I like the Insecticon drone concept of Energon, but I also want to see all the Energon terrorcons updated and made into figures (hopefully deluxe class!).
Yes I think so to. Battle Ravage, Dive-bomb, Insecticon and Cruel Lock at deluxe class & Scorponok as a Voyager and see them as a Scramble city style combiner!
The originals were some of my favorites as a kid (who didn’t love bugs at that age?!). The Prime warbling cries always make me cheer when I hear it! So great!
My favorite version of the insecticons is the G1 version. My favorite insecticon however with bombshell I liked his twisted warped attitude. Plus I like his attitude of messing with somebody's mind. And frankly that's how I feel, because if you hurt the body the body heals but it's messing around with the mind it may never heal.
Great video! I really enjoy the videos you create. I think it would be cool to maybe do a video on what was happening with the transformers while Megatron and O-Prime were offline for millions of years.
The Insecticons are great. For some reason I've always liked Kickback the best. I think I like the idea of Insecticons being a natural Cybertronian species, with Kickback, Shrapnel, and Bombshell being evolved (naturally or forced) from them. So, basically, I think IDW has the best interpretation. I did not realize G1 had so many more Insecticon toys! I really was only familiar with the 3 "main" ones from the cartoon. Plus, their sleek designs and shiny chrome really made them memorable toys, too.
5:19 I heard he was going to be the one who infected Optimus Primal in the episode “Gorilla Warfare” with the virus that turned him into a berserker. But he was cut, and that role was given to Scorponok (for some reason).
I like the War for Cybertron Insecticons most, particularly Sharpshot. Steve Blum really did a good job bringing out the excessively Energon-thirsty violence of the character.
I always saw Bombshell as more of the leader than Shrapnel, or at least the two of them sort of sharing leadership of their trio with Kickback just going along for the ride. Perhaps the animators thought that too with the Bombshell becomes Cyclonus thing.
Wow. I remember in the early 90s. I had a few Insecticon figures. They were second-hand toys but I remember them fondly. Though I had no idea what they were at the time lol. Yet the Insecticons were so different from the other Transformers.
Venom got a pretty prominent role in the Kid Stuff See & Read Book and Tape "Slaves of the Insecticons". The same book was adapted for Volume 2 of Kid Stuff's See & Read VHS tapes for the Transformers. Only major media appearance I can find for him from the 80's. Would love a "The Basics" video on the Kid Stuff books, tapes, records, and VHS content. Great series by the way and congratulations on the upcoming gig for IDW. Also Both Kid Stuff See & Read Transformers VHS tapes are on UA-cam if you need to find them. Just search for the book/VHS titles: Volume 1 When Continents Collide Satellite of Doom Volume 2 Jaws of Terror Slaves of the Insecticons and you will find the right quick.
A noteworthy exclusion from this video is a group from Beast Wars II who share the Insecticons' Japanese name, the Insectrons The Insectrons were a group of Maximals who traveled to the Planet Gaia to live in peace on their own. Consisting of Bigmos, the leader who transforms into a mosquito, mad scientist Drill Nuts, who turns into a boll weevil, Powerhug the pill bug, the young Scissor Boy, an earwig, Tonbot, a goofball who turned into a dragonfly, and the loner Mantas. While for the most part, the Insectrons were willing to help out the Maximals, they mostly preferred to get into their own hijinks, while Mantas attacked anyone who got too close to his home, regardless of faction.
I figure unlicensed transformers are outside the scope of this video series but can anyone deny that Fansproject's takes on the G1 Insecticons are works of art?
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I love the idea of the insecticons being ordinary animals on Cybertron until given robot modes by Shockwave. It seems so like him.
I rather prefer Insecticons being regular transformers until they scanned insect as their alternate mode. I don't like the idea of having regular Earth insects as a native creature on Cybertron, same as not having the Seekers turn into Earth fighter jets when they are on Cybertron. Cybertron's supposed to be a robotic alien planet. There should be alien-like insects instead of regular beetles and grasshoppers.
9:33
In a franchise with strange names, there's always room for a Bob.
l like to think he was named after Budiansky, but I don't know if that's true or not!
Chris McFeely That was probably it.
But I prefer my explanation.
Only slightly more generic than "Randy" (the amazing exploding Maximal) in terms of names for robots from another planet.
Penningtontj Now I want to know if theres a transformer named "Joe".
He turns into a Super Hitachi bullet train engine, and the right leg of the Micromaster combiner Sixliner. I'm not joking, look it up.
G1 Megatron once said: "If the Insecticons had brains, they'd be dangerous."
Unlike them, Both of them (Megatron and Starscream) have brains.
@@usamazahid3882 starscream well his plan backfires.
Megatron had Bombshell put in charge of upgrading ,and reprograming Nightbird in the G1 episode, "Enter The NIghtbird." Basically Bombshell was his go to brainwashing specialist.
@guyverjay
Do not equate intelligence to ambition.
@bryan diaz varela you go too far this time. You cannot interfere.
The most recognizable insecticons Shrapnel,Bombshell,Kickback,and *Bob*
And robots in disguise ChopShop can detach parts of his body into separate small spiders while Hardshell looks like the normal Insectcons but has tattoos camo vibes all over his face and can speak differentiating him from the others in the hive
I love BOB
BOB
Hard shell?
We need a BOB comic and it’s just him doing random stuff on Cybertron
I LOVE bombshell. Mostly becuase he looks like a robot wearing a leather jacket and a knights helmet. It's so Mad Max!
When I was doing this one, I had some more details about the stories the Insecticons were part of in the cartoon and comics, but I realized that they were practically all Bombshel/Hardshell-driven, and that he could easily support an episode of his own, so I pulled 'em with a view to doing that sometime in the future. ;)
@@ChrisMcFeely This would be fantastic! In particular, his "sadistic puppeteer" G1 persona has all the trappings for a classic Transformers baddie, and I'm always stoked to see it get more exposure.
@@ChrisMcFeely nice
@@ChrisMcFeely
Jose
@@ChrisMcFeely i have bombshell too the legion class version from 2015
I was really bothered by how inconsistent the portrayal the Insecticons were in Prime. In their debut episode a single Insecticon is powerful enough to take on Megatron, but in the later episodes the Autobots can take out Insecticons in a single shot.
"Conservation of Ninjutsu," as they say.
BattleUp Saber i think the first one was bombshock from the toyline
That show was always pretty inconsistent when it came to mooks IMHO. Vehicons were built up pretty big in the pilot, then before too long the autobots are just wading through them like runny custard. How many bloody steves are there on this ship?!
I kinda always thought of it (if I ever did) as a combination of at first not knowing just how hard they could hit and how much they could take, and not being able to dedicate that much Energon toward firepower at the time, as if I recall they were still in the energy crisis period of the series at introduction but worked their way out of it as mooks seemingly got easier. I guess a necessary sub-support of that would be presuming that higher-power blasts taking exponentially, rather than additively or multiplicatively, more Energon to sustain.
William Burgess presumably, but it's never mentioned. I'd love to see a show where characters are shown clearly upgrading their equipment as they go along like Link from Zelda, thus explaining mooks getting easier.
Shrapnel was always one of my favorites. As much as I liked Bombshell I'm team Skywarp when it comes to Cyclonus.
Same
Agreed bombshell was my favorite insecticon though
I think it makes much more sense for 2 Seekers to become Scourge and Cyclonus instead of 1 Seeker and 1 Insecticon
I like Skywarp to, and Thundercracker
Hasbro excutives have confirmed skywarp was intended to be cyclonous bombshell was most likley an animation error.
This really is a Netflix quality show! Great job!
Something I kinda hoped with the introduction of more insect robots, was a combiner called Hivemind.
Think about it! Chirper(Shrapnel), Hardshell, Kickback, Stinger(Waspanator), and Weblock(Arachnid) could all combine to form Hivemind. I was gonna say they combine to make Scorpinok but he isn’t a bug.
Neither is weblock then. Scorpion and spiders are both arachnids. Great idea otherwise.
I had an idea for a Combiner with that same name. Venom forms the torso. Kickback forms the left arn, and his wings can be used as swords on Hivemind's wrist. Bombshell forms the right arm, and can use his antenna to fire his cerebro-shells. Chop shop forms the left leg. Skrapnel forms the right leg.
@@Pon-PonG9 combiner's heads usually are integrated into the torso-bot
@@jonatasisraeldebastiane9646 Oh that's cool.
Also fight me!
I like the direction you're thinking in. I would put Hardshell as the torso, Chirper/Sharpshot and Kickback as the arms, and Ransack and Chopshop as the legs (perhaps only the former limb bots as arms and the latter as legs, akin to G1 Technobots). The name Hivemind fits, but I would suggest "Exterminus."
I watch a Chris Mcfeely and I get ready to immediately watch it again becuase it's sooo good. Thank you for doing what you do!
I view them as sort of this biker mercenary gang that Megatron hires out. Kind of like the dreadnouggts in G.I.Joe. I love em
Dreadnoks
Remember when Evil Rhynox smacked Waspinator so hard, Waspinator though he was Shrapinal and he picked up the speech tic for all of a few moments?
"Destroy all Autobot-bot-bot-bot-bot!"
"Waspinator, what are you buzzing about?!"
"Waspinator? Negative negative negative! I am Shrapnel, Decepticon hero-o-o!"
"Shrapnel? That was a Decepticon from the Great War three centuries ago! He's wacko..."
"Wacko? No, Wonko! Wonko the Sane!"
I did like the original G1 versions of the Insecticons. The idea of them being ravenous feeding machines with their own agenda was a great addition to just a good vs evil diadum
I was a little bummed when we didn't get the video game versions of Bombshell and Sharpnel...you just made me realize I had all three insecticons through Beast Wars and Energon. Until the current legends versions. Thanks for pointing something I had missed.
Fun fact: Barrage appeared in a short cutaway gag scene of a Family Guy episode which would make him the only Deluxe Insecticon to have a animated appearance.
Skywarp / Swedish Seacon REALLY?!
What?
@@dk_kd_1 ua-cam.com/video/w1n0SVjZ_d8/v-deo.html
Skywarp / Swedish Seacon Transformers superior Family Guy inferior.
Hi there, I would like to drop a message saying thank you for making countless efforts to make this a very good series of The basics of transformers. To be really honest after watching other videos explain on the origin of transformers I will always get confused, after watching a few of your videos you've earned a subscriber right here. I really enjoy your narrations as well as your explainations on how the Bots were originated, and what was their role and so on. You have satisfy and cleared most of my doubts about transformers that I eagerly wanted to know. Thank you for that and I hope more of it will come. I'd recommend this channel to any young kid who wants to learn and understand more about transformers and who are eager like me to understand the logics behind the creation of the transformers.
Thank you! Sometimes, from the "inside," it's hard to know if I'm explaining this stuff as clearly as possible, if I might be using too much nerdy terminology or assuming the audience's knowledge, so it's always a pleasure to hear from folks like yourself who say that I'm doing okay! :)
I like the G1 bugs, bit also enjoy the Aligned's concept as well. I like to mix them both together
yeah kinda like the Decepticons version of the dinobots they dont take orders and will turn on there own faction if they feel like it (no offense)
They did appear in Five faces of Darkness part 1 fighting over energon cubes Astrotrain brought back to Charr.
They did! The result, you'd assume, of the fact that the toys were still available, and hence expected to be in the show, only the film had made the strange choice to kill them (which wasn't even consistent within itself, as Shrapnel makes a *scripted* appearance on Junkion later in the movie). I contemplated including that (and Shrapnel's not-appearance in "Fight or Flee") but the amount of behind the scenes explanation it required pushed it out.
I pretend that it's the clones that got thrown out of the shuttle while the originals were still on Cybertron, probably to keep guard of the strongholds along with the other season 2 Decepticons that weren't in the movie.
Clones the real.insecticins we're reinformatted by Unicron yes shrapnel's clone was with scavenger on junkion and the clones appeared on five faces of darkness
@@ChrisMcFeely Does anyone just say they were an animation error? As is typical of Transformers G1?
@@phillipmoghaddam7240 Especially with AKOM, who animated most of season 3 and all of season 4.
Kickback was always my favorite for his locust form, and the fact that he never really tried to be the leader. Like his name was a declaration of intent.
A locust is just a grasshopper going super sayain mode
Yet another amazing video by Chris.
PS: I find heressy in the lack of a "Basics on Starscream" video.
Hands down, Bob has ALWAYS been my favorite Insecticon
I'm with ya on that one, Bob's the best!
Nah, Nel is better
We need a toy of him now
@@NoahDaArk yeah
@@aagsmd #JusticeForBob
My favorite incarnation of the Insecticons are from the Transformers Prime. In the series, they look more beastly than their insect modes. And their eyes look resemble to the alien kaiju Gigan (One of Godzilla's fiercest foes).
I always felt that the Insecticons were sort of a rival for the Dinobots.
The basics on Bludgeon or Overlord? Also my favourite insecticon would be Shrapnel
(The Insecticons watch the video and give their opinions on it) Kickback(amused): This human has really done his research, an excellent job. Bombshell:(says nothing, but nods his helm in approval) Shrapnel(looks at Kickback and nods before speaking in a satisfied tone): I'm with you on that one Kickback, Kickback. He really knows his stuff about our kind and his narration is both easy to understand and easy on the audios, audios. Not to mention his 'bug' joke at the end was quite amusing, amusing. (giggles like a sparkling)
All three of them(delighted): Congratulations, Mr.McFeely. You get our seal of approval, approval!
FYI I can easily mimic Shrapnel's voice and speech pattern pretty well, but like my impressions of G1 and Unicron Trilogy Starscream, it takes a toll on my larynx and can leave me with laryngitis if I do it for too long.
Shrapnel was my 4th Transformer, second large one, and my second favorite character after Prowl throughout my childhood. His characterization on the cartoon was excellent.
These dudes were tough in Transformers Devastation, especially when I had to fight all of them at once!
You can say that the Insecticons didn’t Kickback in their roles.
I gotta say tfp series hardshell is my favorite. The Shrieking war cries they made that filled the air while they filled the sky like a wave of locusts made for a surprisingly scary visual given the ravenous and much more mindless nature of the insecticons in that incarnation
“Kickback, your food is escaping!” Is my favorite quote in the transformers series. The fact that the other insecticons don’t help Kickback about it, they just tell him, and he just goes after it just makes it my favorite.
My dad and I both quote that when anything related to transformers comes up.
You have no idea how badly I want a Bob plush.
The fun part is the deluxe Insecticons are some of the best characters in the new Transformers TCG. My own team runs Skrapnel, Barrage and Chopshop.
This video was good .. good
An animation error in the 1986 movie showed Shrapnel attacking Daniel on the planet of Junk alongside Scavenger...after the reformatting process had taken place...
GOOD VIDEO CHRIS, CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FEMALE TRANSFORMERS VIDEO.
Bombshell taking control of Grapple in the Insecticon Attack Big Looker storybook is what always comes to mind when I think of the team.
2:04 Why didn't they appear in Beast Wars? They could have met the Maximals and the Predacons by then.
Bombshell was always my favorite, and him becoming Cyclonus... just makes me like both even more.
Kickback is my favorite, especially in the Aligned continuity, along w/ the fact that he was the only character from the trio to keep his original name (the "shell" in Bombshell/Hardshell was the only consistent part of his name)( "I remember u - Grimlock" "do u remember me? me? me? *laughter* " (Troy Baker) )
Great video! This makes me love them even more knowing all the powers and abilities they have. And the deluxe insecticons need more Love immediately!
my fav INSECTICON is kickback
Imagine being on the same planet as insecticons called Kickback and Bombshell and then someone just calls you Bob
My younger brother had all three of the original Insecticon Transformer releases and I just want to take a moment to praise the build quality of those three toys. We played rough with all three, straining the joints and limbs, surviving through bouts of being thrown like a ball or dropped from a decent height or even buried alive. Kickback in particular was an amazing toy.
It like having a Saturday morning cartoon lol
My friend recommended this channel so I can learn more about Transformers since he dragged me into the fandom.
This video is great to help me flesh out my Oc that's an Insecticon.
I'll be watching more videos so I can learn more.
I like all the Insecticons introduced in G1, even the Deluxe ones. In my fanfiction, I'm going to introduce new ones and even an Autobot counterpart called the Autobugs.
Wish we got actual updates of the Deluxe Insecticons. They have more interesting transformations than the originals at the time.
Really, it'd be nice to see them in major roles. I mean Venom's paranoia has story potential.
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Barrage did actually get his time in the spotlight if only for a small scene; he was a prominent background character in a transformers gag on family guy
I just found your channel and wow i love it! Fantastic content. You deserve many more subs my man. Btw i loved the insecticons. Thought it was a great idea. It's a shame we didn't get more individual ones. I loved the concept of them being able to clone themselves to create a swarm.
as a fan of Transformers i love your videos
Pretty hyped for the new Legacy Ransack figure in that new four-pack, I hope they get to the other Deluxe Insecticons.
I'd say that was the peak of transformers fandom ... G1 mini series, then the introduction of the Dinobots, Jetfire, Insecticons and Constructicons... I just remember the excitement each time new characters were introduced in the cartoons and the anticipation of waiting for them to come to toy stores. Not that i was able to purchase any... my parents only got me the mini bots. Everything else was too expensive. Lol.
The greatest sin Hasbro committed was not giving Bob a toy
All hail Bob
I'd been waiting a LONG TIME for this Video! Thanks Chris! 🤩
Shrapnel: controls electricity
Bombshell: brainwashes his enemies
Kickback: 🦵
I really liked how they portrayed Chopshop (i hope i said that correctly) in RID. It fascinated me as a kid how he could transform into several tiny insects and I was disappointed that they didn’t have a toy for him 😂
To be fair it’d be difficult to make that work
Would be interesting what you could gather about the original toylines Transformers came from.
Some kind of "pre-Transformers" episode is definitely one I've been kicking around for a while, maybe as an "Episode 0" of the series.
Sweet!! Can't wait for its eventual release.
John Rhogan thats kinda what the Netflix episode on the toys that made us is about
Xx_nachosupreme69_xX I don't have Netflix.
@@ChrisMcFeely And 2 years later, its now a The Basics episode.
We fans are too into this stuff. Your reference to the G1 cartoon fate of the Insecticons (overlooking appearances of them later that are presumably continuity errors) made me get all hot under the collar and want to shout "they should have lived and Reflector should have been thrown out of the shuttle!" Ah, the things that will never be...
To be fair, Reflector vanished without a trace after The Movie.. so they might as well be included among the dead thrown out of Astrotrain.
I just go with the idea that it was the Insecticon clones that got thrown out into space. Hey, they don't see everything eye to eye with Megatron.
My favourite Insecticon was Kickback.
It may sound strange, but when I saw the commercial for the Transformer's Insecticons for the first time, I was actually excited to see the yellow farm vehicles transform into Autobots. But they were only in the commercial, rather than in the cartoon or as toys.
Did Diaclone or any other company make transformable tractors, etc.? Considering how huge their toy line before Hasbro made a deal with them to market Transformers, it makes me wonder they actually existed.
Gen. 1 insecticons were my favorites. I had all three of the originals Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback
Imagine if the insecticons became a combiner team just like the dinobots. That is a possibility…
Someone proposed the combiner be called Hivemind
That comment should be near the top of this comment section
@@mavericktjo4548 that’s a perfect name
Please tell us about the transformers legion of superpets I need to know more.
Excellsion yes! Seconded
Yeah, third
Fourthed
Fun fact, barrage had a weird first appearance in animation. just like Chris said he wasn’t in the G1 cartoon so the first time he appeared on tv was in Family Guy. No joke he’s the yellow and green one next to Megatron
ua-cam.com/video/WpXsbuzTEY0/v-deo.htmlsi=de-uCrVgmKkDRXow
I want to see insecticon combiner and news one base on manis, moth, centipede, dragonfly, scorpion,giant leaf insects and grass Hopper . I place beastformers in four category Predicon base on animal from stone age to present day, insecticon is arthropod base on extinct and modern day insects, Terracon appearance based on mystical or combination of creatures, and Dinobot is just base of dinosaurs
As cool as that would be, I can't help but think of the terror and devastation it would cause. I don't think even Cybertron would withstand that.
Avery there will most certainly be good ones, like lady bugs and fire flys for insecticons, a lot of insects are really helpful and not harmful. Same for the predicons and terracons. There are a lot of creatures, both real and mythological, that can be allies and not enemies.
Andres Marrero wouldn’t the allied Autobot Insecticons have to be called something different? Like swarmbots or just insectibots? Insecticons kind of implies insectoid decepticons.
Not really the insecticons are a type of species of cybertronian like dinobot compare it to dog and wolf. not like Autobot or Decepticons are two fractions group like knights and Samurai anyone can be.
Not really that’s like calling BW megatron a dinobot. You wouldn’t do it he’s a terrorcon. Subgroup names are inherently faction related (except in rid 2015, but I prefer to ignore that one). The autobots have the dinobots, aerialbots, protectobots, technobots, etc., while the decepticons have terrorcons, constructicons, Insecticons, combaticons, stunticons, etc.
Great video! Surprised you didn't mention my personal favourite appearance of theirs as mindless drones controlled by Ravage in the first Transformers UK Annual. Also their appearance in Dreamwave comics was pretty memorable.
Shoutout to Transformers Earth wars game for introducing me to Kickback and the insecticons. Love the video.
Awsome as usual Chris!
I like the Insecticon drone concept of Energon, but I also want to see all the Energon terrorcons updated and made into figures (hopefully deluxe class!).
It could possibly be interesting to see them as a combiner. With molds like that, you could see tons of new figures released!
Yes I think so to. Battle Ravage, Dive-bomb, Insecticon and Cruel Lock at deluxe class & Scorponok as a Voyager and see them as a Scramble city style combiner!
Yeah! I think that could work pretty well, all things considered!
The originals were some of my favorites as a kid (who didn’t love bugs at that age?!). The Prime warbling cries always make me cheer when I hear it! So great!
When all is said and done, one of my favourite things in the original G1 cartoon was Shrapnel's speech quirk, quirk.
I like the seperate subrace idea idea.
The puns...
I liked the ones in the Prime series. They were neat.
My favorite version of the insecticons is the G1 version. My favorite insecticon however with bombshell I liked his twisted warped attitude. Plus I like his attitude of messing with somebody's mind. And frankly that's how I feel, because if you hurt the body the body heals but it's messing around with the mind it may never heal.
I'd love to see an updated version of this video with the new toys that have come out, even including 3rd party toys!
Never thought anyone would think to discuss the toy line
Great video! I really enjoy the videos you create. I think it would be cool to maybe do a video on what was happening with the transformers while Megatron and O-Prime were offline for millions of years.
I love kickback
chris mcfeely i love this video
My fav is shrapnel and i love how he repeats the last words of a sentence,sentence
The Insecticons are great. For some reason I've always liked Kickback the best. I think I like the idea of Insecticons being a natural Cybertronian species, with Kickback, Shrapnel, and Bombshell being evolved (naturally or forced) from them. So, basically, I think IDW has the best interpretation.
I did not realize G1 had so many more Insecticon toys! I really was only familiar with the 3 "main" ones from the cartoon. Plus, their sleek designs and shiny chrome really made them memorable toys, too.
I hope We get new Insecticons in the Transformers Earthrise toyline.
Hooray for Bob!
I love this channel
Another great video.. video! Thank you for your efforts... efforts.
Great video! I always enjoy these! Can you please do a "The Basics on Jazz" video?
5:19
I heard he was going to be the one who infected Optimus Primal in the episode “Gorilla Warfare” with the virus that turned him into a berserker.
But he was cut, and that role was given to Scorponok (for some reason).
Finnaly my request has been fulfilled
I really love their unique color scheme
Love this series, I Download all these vids you make.
I like the War for Cybertron Insecticons most, particularly Sharpshot. Steve Blum really did a good job bringing out the excessively Energon-thirsty violence of the character.
I always saw Bombshell as more of the leader than Shrapnel, or at least the two of them sort of sharing leadership of their trio with Kickback just going along for the ride. Perhaps the animators thought that too with the Bombshell becomes Cyclonus thing.
Okay. The Autopets sounds like something that needs a cartoon.
9:29 ok I love Sunstreaker now and you’re not changing my mind.
Wow. I remember in the early 90s. I had a few Insecticon figures. They were second-hand toys but I remember them fondly. Though I had no idea what they were at the time lol. Yet the Insecticons were so different from the other Transformers.
Venom got a pretty prominent role in the Kid Stuff See & Read Book and Tape "Slaves of the Insecticons". The same book was adapted for Volume 2 of Kid Stuff's See & Read VHS tapes for the Transformers. Only major media appearance I can find for him from the 80's.
Would love a "The Basics" video on the Kid Stuff books, tapes, records, and VHS content. Great series by the way and congratulations on the upcoming gig for IDW.
Also Both Kid Stuff See & Read Transformers VHS tapes are on UA-cam if you need to find them. Just search for the book/VHS titles:
Volume 1
When Continents Collide
Satellite of Doom
Volume 2
Jaws of Terror
Slaves of the Insecticons
and you will find the right quick.
My favorite insecticons are kickback and chop shop.
A noteworthy exclusion from this video is a group from Beast Wars II who share the Insecticons' Japanese name, the Insectrons
The Insectrons were a group of Maximals who traveled to the Planet Gaia to live in peace on their own. Consisting of Bigmos, the leader who transforms into a mosquito, mad scientist Drill Nuts, who turns into a boll weevil, Powerhug the pill bug, the young Scissor Boy, an earwig, Tonbot, a goofball who turned into a dragonfly, and the loner Mantas. While for the most part, the Insectrons were willing to help out the Maximals, they mostly preferred to get into their own hijinks, while Mantas attacked anyone who got too close to his home, regardless of faction.
Nice Video!
I figure unlicensed transformers are outside the scope of this video series but can anyone deny that Fansproject's takes on the G1 Insecticons are works of art?