The Transformers are getting a comic book reboot by way of Robert Kirkman's Skybound imprint at Image Comics. Although separate from the classic comics published by Marvel or the more recent continuities from IDW Publishing, this universe will feature the familiar Robots in Disguise in all-new adventures. One of these Transformers is likely someone that most fans might not expect, and could give the heroic Autobot a desperately needed glow-up.
Cliffjumper has been revealed as one of the five Autobots who make up the new Transformers comic's main cast. This means that he'll likely take the place of the immensely popular Bumblebee, a fact that's incredibly ironic given their toys. By finally putting Cliffjumper in the spotlight, the newest Transformers comic books can finally give the diminutive Autobot his due.
Bumblebee's Overlooked "Repaint" Was Barely a Factor In Generation 1
Cliffjumper's original toy featured a similar mold to that of Bumblebee, with many fans erroneously believing him to be a repaint of the more iconic Autobot. In actuality, they merely shared similar designs, with Cliffjumper's vehicle mode being a "cutesy" version of a Porsche 924 Turbo. Although this alternate mode arguably made him "cooler" than Bumblebee's dinky Volkswagen Beetle form, it didn't do him any favors in terms of popularity. Cliffjumper wasn't a major part of the original Generation 1 Transformers cartoon, usually just being there to round out the Autobots. This is particularly ironic given that he both survived the harrowing events of Transformers: The Movie and was voiced by Casey Kasem (who famously voiced Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo franchise). His main claim to fame involved a storyline in which he suspected his fellow Autobot Mirage of being a traitor for the Decepticons, and he generally had a rather one-note "shoot first, ask questions later" persona, despite his small size.
He was even more of a non-entity in Marvel's G1 Transformers comic. To be fair, Bumblebee wasn't quite as prominent there as he was in the cartoon, with this resulting in even less of a spotlight for Cliffjumper. This lack of prominence pushed the character into obscurity by all but the most hardcore Transformers fans, and led to his not being a major part of the franchise for quite some time. He didn't even receive a repainted toy in the Transformers: Generation 2 toyline, while his counterpart Bumblebee got a snazzy new gold color scheme. However, he received more spotlight in other, more recent continuities.
IDW's Comics Finally Gave Cliffjumper Characterization
By the mid-2000s, the Transformers franchise would begin transitioning to become a more nostalgia-focused brand. This meant bringing back several of the classic characters from Generation 1, some of whom had only returned previously by having their names recycled for largely unrelated Cybertronians. One example was Cliffjumper, whose only new incarnation was a wildly different Autobot in Transformers: Energon who didn't even share his classic red color scheme. Thankfully, a new version of G1 put a bit more respect on the name Cliffjumper, courtesy of IDW Publishing. These comics focused a bit more on the character's history on Cybertron, showing that the similar looking Bumblebee and Hubcap were once his best friends. Things took a turn for the worst with the war, however, with the former racing enthusiast becoming a hardened warrior and assassin. He even befriended an organic female alien, although this too would become tragic when the Decepticons targeted his new friend.
Later comics continued to keep him in the spotlight, but the first IDW continuity ended with Cliffjumper's death. This made him one of a few Cliffjumpers who would inevitably meet their end, with this narrative trend beginning with the animated series Transformers: Prime. A rebooted continuity from IDW hinted at his death in one issue, with his origin story even comparing him to Bumblebee. Transformers: Prime featured the coolest Cliffjumper yet, despite his being killed off fairly quickly. Voiced by wrestler/actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, this Cliffjumper (who sported his classic head design but did not resemble Bumblebee) was close to the female Autobot Arcee, and his death had a traumatic impact on her. This was only made worse when he came back as a mindless Terrorcon zombie, giving him a new level of pathos that his original version never possessed. The popularity that this has ironically afforded him has likely played a part in him becoming a main character in Skybound's new series, and presents the perfect opportunity to place Cliffjumper in a well-deserved spotlight - without killing him off.
Skybound's Transformers Reboot Gives Cliffjumper Another Chance
As mentioned, Cliffjumper will be one of the five Autobots focused upon in Skybound's new Transformers series. The others are the Autobot leader Optimus Prime, prominent female Autobot Arcee, the inventor Wheeljack and the oftentimes cranky medic Ratchet. This cast makes a lot of sense, especially given some of these characters' roles in the live-action Transformers movies. Oddly enough, Cliffjumper appears to be a replacement for the usually prominent Bumblebee. This reverses their usual status quo in which Cliffjumper is a secondary character in comparison, and it means that the series could finally make him important in new and unexpected ways.
Given how much of a meme it's become for the character, this hopefully won't involve the Autobot being quickly killed off. This has already happened in two major continuities, resulting in Cliffjumper being robbed of any real chance to shine. With the Mini-Bot essentially in Bumblebee's place, however, there's no reason for him to be overlooked anymore. In fact, he's the shortest member on the Autobot team in the book, which presents a great venue for his usually larger-than-life persona. Stories could involve him getting scrappy and becoming involved in fights that are way above his firepower, forcing him to start looking before he leaps. These comics could even outright acknowledge the Bumblebee comparisons, giving Cliffjumper a shadow to try and break out of.
If Skybound's upcoming "Energon Universe" is anything like other realities, such developments might put Cliffjumper and Optimus Prime at odds. While Bumblebee is usually a loyal follower of Prime, Cliffjumper isn't quite as amenable. Thus, the scrappy robot could potentially be placed in a position to challenge the leadership of Optimus Prime, willing to address any questionable decisions on the part of the venerable leader. This would not only address the character's biggest issues head-on, but also show that even the Autobots disagree and have problems, making the Robots in Disguise more relatable (and interesting) than ever.