Sparkabots

The Sparkabots are a group of three fictional Autobots in the Transformers toyline released in 1988. The Sparkabots have extremely simple transformations and no accessories. The unique gimmick (compared to the rest of the line) are sparks that are generated from rear of the vehicle when manually moved across a flat surface.

Transformers: Generation One
The group of toys were marketed with fictional storyline created by the manufacturer. The fictional profiles of these three characters are as follows:

Members

 * Fizzle is the boastful military planner of the three, and often blames operational failure on poor execution of the plan. His arrogance is a cover for regrets of waste of his life in war. His motto is "Planning a battle is ten times more important than fighting it." He transforms into a Formula 1 race car.


 * Guzzle is primarily a classic warrior with a no-nonsense attitude. He has little tolerance for other Autobots who say they can't fight due to inexperience. His motto is "It's better to have fought and lost than to have never fought at all." He transforms into a Challenger 1 main battle tank.


 * Sizzle is an interceptor, an overzealous, and overambitious fierce warrior. He derives great thrills from battle, but his over-eagerness often causes him to err. His motto is "Life in the fast lane is the only life worth living." He transforms into a dragster.

The Marvel Comics continue the story created by the toy manufacturers, in which Sizzle is portrayed as the group's leader.

Marvel Comics
The Sparkabots were regularly used in the Marvel comic after their debut, but this was mainly in the U.K. comic as followers of Ultra Magnus. In the U.S. comic, they rarely appeared and eventually forgotten about; possibly at a request from Marvel U.K. who were using the characters themselves. The Sparkabots usually appeared together as a trio. They were sometimes known as Sparkler Mini-Bots; possibly an early name for this sub-group.

They originally appeared in issues 152 and 153 of the U.K. comic, having been dispatched to Earth to keep an eye on the future Decepticon Galvatron. However, they ended up battling the Firecons, who had been sent by the Cybertron Decepticons to form an alliance with Galvatron. Their battle was interrupted by Galvatron himself, who laughed off the Firecon offer of an alliance, and swatted Sizzle through a tree when he tried to stop the Decepticon.

Later, they managed to free Galvatron's enemy Ultra Magnus, who had been trapped in a volcano with the future Decepticon, until a battle between the Throttlebots and Combaticons had shaken them loose. Magnus had developed a phobia of Galvatron, not helped when the future Decepticon himself arrived to stop them from halting Shockwave's plan to revive Megatron. With Magnus unwilling to fight, the Sparkabots took on Galvatron themselves, and lost badly. However, their courage allowed Magnus to get a second wind and defeat Galvatron, forcing him to flee.

The Sparkabots then returned to Cybertron - and almost immediately got caught up in the mad Autobot scientist Flame's plan to turn Cynbertron into a Warworld. They formed a temporary alliance with the Duocons. Despite Sizzle's reservations, he returned with Trypticon, who helped defeat Flame's army of zombie Autobots. With the Wreckers and Emirate Xaaron, they defeated Flame once and for all.

After this, the Sparkabots helped Magnus close down a ring of deadly alien gladitorial games, clashing once more with the Firecons. This had repercussions in their first US appearance, as the Firecons captured them and the Triggerbots, transporting them to Earth to be hunted by a group of human bounty hunters using Scorponok's jamming devices. After learning of Zarak's true nature the Autobots and humans teamed up to defeat him. After this the Sparkabots did not appear as much. One notable appearance was in a nightmare alternate future where Unicron had destroyed Cybertron and Galvatron ruled Earth. Guzzle was one of the few surviving Autobots. He, Chainclaw and Getaway were to distract Cyclonus and Scourge while the other Autobots and humans sabotaged Galvatron's secret weapon. Sadly Guzzle paid the ultimate price, as Cyclonus smashed through his chest with one punch, killing him.

Books
Sizzle was among the Autobots featured in the 1988 book and audio adventure Autobot Hostage by Ladybird books.

Japanese Sparkabots (1988)
There were repaints of the Sparkabots that were native only to Japan, released for the Japanese Transformers: Super-God Masterforce toyline. Hardspark (C-313) was a recolor of Guzzle, Hotspark (C-314) was a recolor of Sizzle and Wildspark (C-315), the third Sparkabot was just Fizzle with a yellow face. The characters of these toys are not known. Hardspark's function is Fire Warrior, Hotspark's Fire Assault and Wildspark's function is Flame Field Combatant.

Generation 2 (1994)
Sizzle was remade in clear green plastic with a turquoise robot body. His function was now that of a scout and he had a new motto - ''""I can smell the evil of a Decepticon. Wherever they are - I'll find them!"''

There was also a new Sparkabot released who was a translucent green recolor of the original Sparkabot Fizzle with purple wheels. Little is known about him except that he functions as a Hit Man and that his motto is "You are only as good as your performance - and that can always be bettered."  He made an appearance in a UK annual story released in 1991 but showed little characterisation.

Dreamwave Productions
None of the Sparkabots, other than Fizzle (who received a one-screen shot when Optimus Prime rallied the Autobots), would appear in Dreamwave's G1 storyline, but all three received one-page biographies in their More Than Meets the Eye profile series.

IDW Publishing
Guzzle appears in the Last Stand of the Wreckers.

Sizzle made a brief appearance in the Spotlight issue on Kup, informing Springer of the arrival of Trailbreaker.

Fizzle has not appeared in any IDW publication.

Fun Publications
Fizzle was among the troops under the command of Spark on Earth.