Runamuck (Transformers)

Runamuck is the name of three fictional characters in the various Transformers series. All three are violent Decepticons who turn into cars. In the original Transformers animated series Runabout was voiced by Roger Behr.

Transformers: Generation 1
Runamuck is the second Battlecharger, the first being Runabout.

Marvel Comics
Runabout and Runamuck first appeared in the US Marvel Transformers comics in issue 23 where they responded to Megatron's request to announce a challenge to Optimus Prime in a dramatic fashion. Taking him up on this, the two Battlechargers caused random mayhem, until witnessing a young boy scrawling graffiti. Inspired by the youngster, they followed him and his family throughout America, graffiting Mount Rushmore and the Washington Monument on the way. They would then encounter the Transformer-hating Circuit Breaker, who attacked them and nearly killed the family the two Battlechargers had been following. Stripped of her command in RAAT, she turned to a group of Autobots she had captured led by Blaster, who agreed to let her combine them into a super-Autobot if she would let them go afterwards. They caught up with the Battlechargers as they defaced the Statue of Liberty and defeated them both, dropping their broken bodies into New York Harbor.

They would not show up again until much later in the series, when they appeared as part of a group of rogue Decepticons recruited by Shockwave to fight Scorponok in the Decepticon Civil War, attacking the Decepticon base in New Jersey, before all involved were transported to Cybertron, where both later took part in the climactic battle with Unicron. Runamuck was shown to be among the casualties of the battle. Runabout was killed by a cannibalistic race of primitive mechanoids who emerged from under Cybertron's surface.

Both would appear again in the U.K. comics divergent continuity Earthforce tales, as part of the Decepticon forces under Megatron and Shockwave.

Runamuck would appear again, as part of the Decepticon forces under Bludgeon, likely revived by nucleon.

Runamuck made an appearance in the Decepticon forces under the command of Megatron in issue #7 of the Marvel Generation 2 comic series, in a story called "New Dawn." Megatron led his Decepticons against Jhiaxus' second generation Cybertronians near the moon of Tykos. In the ensuing rout, Runamuck was one of the casualties. The Decepticons were defeated and Megatron left injured, presumed dead, but swearing revenge.

Animated series
Runamuck would only make a few appearances in the third season of the Transformers TV series. He would first appear when a team of Autobots led by Kup were investigating a destroyed space station. The culprits soon revealed themselves - Runamuck, with a weapon that fired the extremely destructive death crystals, being transported by the Combaticon Blast Off's space shuttle mode. Despite the element of surprise, they were soon forced to flee due to the Autobots' superior numbers, only escaping after they blew up an asteroid in the path of the pursuing Kup with the Death Crystal gun. He would later appear again as one of the Decepticons who were guarding Trypticon, when Scourge (who was thought a traitor by the Decepticons for his possessed actions earlier) and the ghost of Starscream arrived to steal one of the battle station's eyes, as part of a deal with Unicron to get Starscream's body back. Starscream possessed Runabout and had him shoot Runamuck. Runamuck was able to send for reinforcements, but the two traitors escaped after Starscream took over Astrotrain. Starscream later returned to Trypticon to connect Unicron's head to Cybertron and make it his new body, but was stopped by Dirge, Thrust and the Battlechargers, who sabotaged Trypticon, before Autobot planted explosives blasted Unicron's head into orbit. Runamuck did not appear again.

Dreamwave Productions
Runamuck's Dreamwave bio noted that while Runabout's destructive impulses came from his sadism, Runamuck simply does it because he likes to have fun. Unfortunately for others this fun usually involves random and flagrant destruction. Oddly, he admires wrecked cars as if they were works of art. This is part of why the psychotic Runabout keeps him about - because only Runamuck can appreciate the damage that his fellow Battlecharger causes. He is slightly stronger and smarter than the average Decepticon. Oddly, he is terrified of heights.

Runamuck was recruited as a Decepticon under the leadership of Megatron in his war against the Autobots on the planet Cybertron. When Megatron and Autobot leader Optimus Prime disappeared in an accident with a space bridge, the Autobot and Decepticon forces splintered into smaller factions. Runamuck joined up with the Predacons under the leadership of Starscream.

After the Great Shutdown on Cybertron ended, Runamuck was reformatted in the form of an Earth sports car, and served Shockwave when he united the planet. After the return of the Earthbound Transformers to Cybertron, the two Battlechargers were dispatched to eliminate Optimus Prime, but were stopped when Runabout was nearly killed by a Sharkticon. Wounded and looking to recharge, Runabout and Runamuck broke into Shockwave's abandoned lab where they accidentally released Sunstorm.

In issue #2 of the third Generation One series, titled "Black Sunshine", the Protectabots were ordered by Prowl to investigate the energy anomaly created by Sunstorm escaping Shockwave's abandoned secret lab. When they arrived they discovered the hole left in the roof by Sunstorm and the deactivated Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Streetwise reported back to Prowl as First Aid repaired the Decepticons.

Devil's Due Publishing
Runamuck would also make a brief appearance in the third crossover between G.I. Joe and the Transformers. He was seen trying to hold back the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe rescue force trying to recover Optimus Prime. Captured by the Autobots, he refused to tell them anything - until Grimlock ripped his arm off to get information out of him.

IDW Publishing
After Dreamwave's closure, the rights to the Transformers comics were taken up by IDW Publishing. They have begun to publish their own new material, including a miniseries called Infiltration featuring some of the Generation One Transformers. In Infiltration, Starscream is in command of a small group of Decepticons on Earth consisting of Skywarp, Thundercracker, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, and the Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream had discovered an ore on Earth that was the Transformer equivalent of steroids, making him bold enough to advance their infiltration phase ahead of schedule. However, it seems that humans have somehow obtained evidence of the Transformers' existence, which would derail Starscream's plans. Runabout has thus far appeared as part of Starscream's elimination squad along with Runamuck, disposing of any evidence of their operation on Earth. The two, with aid from Thundercracker, pursued Ratchet, who was harbouring three humans who had discovered evidence of the Decepticon presence on Earth. They failed. However, with the arrival of Megatron on Earth, they suddenly had more important things to worry about. Powered up by Ore-13, they, along with Thundercracker and Astrotrain, were sent to confront Megatron as he arrived looking for Starscream. In spite of their powered up status they surrendered without a fight in the face of Megatron's wrath. In the sequel series The Transformers: Escalation he and Runabout were seen being ordered to manipulate the facsimiles. The pair featured slightly more prominently in the third instalment, Devastation, first discussing Megatron's decision to bring Sixshot into the fray with the other panicked Decepticons, and later they were both killed off in a battle with the Reapers: Runamuck's head was first cloven from his body and then smashed under a huge rock.

Fun Publications
In The Coming Storm Nexus Prime and Aquarius Quintesson arrive on the Wings of Honor Cybertron where they are attacked by Jetstorm, Deluge, Runabout and Runamuck. Nexus Prime quickly trounces the four Decepticons and leaves that dimension with his traveling companion.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Battlecharger Runamuck (1986)
 * A toy car with a pull-back mechanism that automatically pops open into robot mode while rolling. Runamuck shares the same parts as Roundabout, but is molded into a white Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am instead of Rounabout's Lotus Esprit mode.


 * Timelines Deluxe Runamuck (not yet released)
 * A Transformers Collectors Club exclusive redeco of Generations Wheeljack, to be released in 2012.

Transformers: Cybertron
Runamuck is one of the Decepticons in the Transformers: Cybertron toy line. He did not appear in the television series, and is a remold based on Armada Side Swipe. His appearance is a homage to Generation One Runabout.

Both his Hasbro and Takara tech specs indicated that he was a courier and spy for Megatron in the past, although now he has been sent to Earth to gain info on the Autobot quest for the Cyber Planet Keys. Bored, he amused himself by causing mayhem in front of many human witnesses, where the Autobots couldn't strike back.

Although this character is clearly a homage to Generation 1 Runabout, Hasbro chose to name him Runamuck in the U.S., possibly because the name was easier to trademark.

Fun Publications
In the Fun Publications story Force of Habit Brushguard led a small team of Decepticons to the planet Combatron looking the Cyber Planet Keys. Among his troops were Buzzsaw, Hardtop, Runamuck and Swindle. On the planet they discovered a long-lost weapons cache and attempt to bring it back to Megatron but they are opposed by Autobots led by Longrack. During the story Runamuck found the Mini-Con Skidmark and partnered with him. Skidmark seems to be based on the Micron Booster Gauge, who in turn is a redeco of Armada Nightbeat, the original Mini-Con partner to Runamuck's mold.

Runamuck, Skywarp, Brushguard, and Buzzsaw appeared among Cannonball's troops in the Transformers Collectors Club exclusive story The Dark Heart of Sandokan by Benson Yee.

Toys

 * Cybertron Deluxe Runamuck
 * The release of Runamuck in Cybertron Deluxe wave 3.5 was packaged with a DVD containing the third episode of Transformers: Cybertron, called "Hidden". Oddly, he did not appear in that episode.
 * The Japanese release of this toy had no numbers on his key and came packaged with the Autobot Longrack.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Rumamuck is a Decepticon car known of this speed and works with fellow Decepticon Sparkcrusher.

Toys

 * Revenge of the Fallen Legends Runamuck (2009)
 * A redeco of Transformers Legends Jazz. A Target store exclusive, comes packed in a 5-pack with his partner Sparkcrusher and three Autobots.