Last Monday I gave you my.... I don't know guys, Mondays suck

Another weekend has come and gone leaving us with just one more week until Christmas! With Christmas and New Years Day happening over the next few weeks, I'm sure you all will understand those weeks being light on content while I take a little break to enjoy the holidays. That being said, this week is going to have a lot going on! I've got a fun week planned and hopefully the new Transform Squadron episode will go up! 

This weekend was mostly spent finishing up Christmas shopping. However, I finally got to watch Godzilla Minus One as my local theaters finally started showing it at a time I could go. I also took advantage of some deals on the Walmart app and got the 1986 movie edition vintage reissue Hound and Hot Rod for 9$ each. Not to be outdone, I finally tracked down Beast Alliance Airrazor! Aside from those Burning Battle Masters from Japan, I've completed the line. Maybe one day I'll get them. After Godzilla, I used a gift card from my Father in law to buy a Taito Super Pocket. The Super Pockets are a new Evercade model in the vein of the classic Gameboy. I'd been wanting to get in the Evercade world and mission accomplished!

I've got a busy day and week ahead of me. Something about this time of the year. Thanks to each and every one of you for continuing to support Zone Base! I've got a fun week in store! Mutal High Fives all around!

Weekly Spotlight: Cybertron Crosswise

Crosswise is an ancient bounty hunter tricked centuries ago into following a target to Earth, where he was captured and sealed into the side of a glacier in the Alaskan wilderness. Gruff, sarcastic, and always spoiling for a fight, he isn't above resorting to dirty tricks to take down an enemy. Though he rarely works without getting paid, he also has a strong sense of right and wrong, and when he hears about the danger to Cybertron, he is only too glad to sign on with Optimus Prime and the Autobots.

Spooky Spotlight; Noctorro

Quick tempered, strong as a bull, and fast as ultrasound, Noctorro blasts through the night air securing Maximal outposts and performing recon missions. Fierce, efficient and highly dangerous when angered, Noctorro is no Maximal to be toyed with. His immense strength and speed let him go without heavy weaponry in battle, preferring to rely instead on his powerful horns, arms, and claws - a fact of which he is very proud. His highly sensitive sonar tracking mechanism can be used to locate Predacons and confuse their radar systems.

Spooky Spotlight: Tarantulas

An eight-armed master of martial arts, this ninja nightmare slashes his way through battle virtually unstoppable! The heroic Optimus Primal suspects him of being responsible for the disappearance of numerous earthlings, and recent rumors suggest the existence of giant cocoons where Tarantulas may store his unfortunate prey. He must be stopped before he spins his web of terror across the galaxy!

Spooky Spotlight: Carnivac

A cunning smile is more devastating than the fiercest weapon.

A growling, howling, mad dog destroyer. Commits abominable acts with unrelenting glee. Always smiling, even in battle. Outer shell has built-in hydrolic lifters that enable him to jump over 50 feet in any direction. High-intensity laser beams in eyes incinerate targets in seconds. In robot Mode, armed with anti-thermal cannon with infrared scope that freezes targets on impact.

Spooky Spotlight: Flamefeather

The only good Autobot is a deactivated Autobot.

The only Decepticon ever thrown out of the Decepticon Military Academy for being too violent. Trashes entire car lots when there's nothing better to do. Usually works alone because his fellow Decepticons refuse to work with him. Flamethrower inside his mouth can fry a football field. Maximum flight speed: 90mph. Greatest achievement: talking to someone for more than a minute before flying into a rage.

Spooky Spotlight: Virulent Clones

Profile: The Insecticon Virulent Clones were the result of Deathsaurus' resurrection of the latent Insecticon cloning capability. Extracted from the Cybertronian genetic codes of Buzzclaw and Dirge, the Insecticon clones were created to act as a self-replicating source of warriors for the Decepticon army. Each has a very rudimentary intelligence with no personality of its own. This makes them ideal for swarming enemies, with little regard for their own safety. The Clones listen to the Insecticon masters, Buzzclaw and Dirge, and will follow their orders to the letter at all times.

Abilities: The claws and mandibles of each clone secrete acid, which helps them tear into enemy armor. The Clones are capable of comsuming almost any material to convert into energy to sustain their systems. In robot mode, each Clone carries that can absorb energy from an enemy's attack and redirect it back at them. They can use their wrist mounted claws as slashing weapons, and each has a basic level of hand-to-hand combat knowledge based on memory implants from Buzzclaw.

Weakness: The exo-structure of the Clones are not as strong as those of Buzzclaw and Dirge. Thus the Clones are easily destroyed. It is their massive number, which serves as their greatest advantage.

Spooky Spotlight: Shattered Glass Ricochet

Shoot first, why bother with questions.

Ricochet, the twin brother of Autobot Jazz, is the result of Prime's experiment in splitting an Ember in two and joining each with a new body. Though Ricochet and Jazz were activated seconds apart, the two couldn't be more different. Trained by Prime to serve as one of his elite bodyguards, Ricochet is known for his wild attitude, acting first and asking questions later. Many times this leaves the Autobots without a hostage or serves to eliminate anyone who plans to usurp Ricochet and take his position by Prime's side. Ricochet works extra hard to betray others first, believing that those around him are out to sabotage him. Much to his annoyance, his twin brother Jazz has always been Prime's favorite. Though Ricochet only "acts" crazy from time to time, some fear that this knowledge will lead to it no longer being an act.

Spooky Spotlight: Hellscream

This is Starscream's evolved form, created when he was dropped into the Angolmois energy by Gigastorm. His hatred reacted with the evil Angolmois energy. Now he is even more cruel and savage than before, attacking his opponents colorfully with such weapons as his sharkwinders and Terrorstorm. In fact, he is biding his time for a chance to force Gigastorm from power.

Spooky Spotlight: Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus

Everything turns to tedium eventually. Everything save power.

Ultra Magnus shouldn't be happy. He lost his face and freedom due to a failed attempt to replace his brother Optimus Prime as leader of the Autobots. His co-conspirators in the coup betrayed him. His old rival, Treadshot, seeks his death with ceaseless vigor. Magnus shouldn't be happy... and yet he is. Things are finally going to be exciting again. After centuries of quietly manipulating events from his exile on Paradron, everything is falling into place. Now he has everything he needs: an army, the legendary Terminus Blade, a copy of his brother's newly augmented body and the means to make everyone pay.

An unrepentant hedonist and libertine, Magnus eternally seeks greater thrills and excesses from life. Now jaded and bored, he finds his distractions where he can, whether it be in Treadshot's assassination attempts, in the humiliation of his brother, or in simple universal conquest.

Weekly Spotlight: Ultra Magnus

Consistency is victory.

Ultra Magnus is all soldier. Most comfortable when carrying out Optimus Prime's orders. Possesses magnificent fighting skills, courage, and a gift for battlefield improvisation. Uncomfortable in the mantle of leadership, but presents strong profile as a commander. Carries missile launchers capable of hitting a target 30 miles away. Resolute, fair, and courageous beyond reproach. Ever ready to sacrifice himself for the good of men and mission.

Weekly Spotlight: Shattered Glass Goldbug

The least likely is always the most dangerous.

Goldbug was once a young Cybertronian drifter known as Bumblebee. He survived on the streets of Polyhex with no real purpose. Over time, he became skilled at sneaking around, stealing, eavesdropping and blackmailing. When he heard of a new cause being led by Optimus Prime, he eagerly joined the Autobots in hopes of finding a place to belong and where his unsavory activities would be tolerated. When the war began, Bumblebee showed extreme bravery in battle and often sought ways to be noticed by command. In time, he worked his way up the ranks of the Autobots and when the Autobot Seeker Drench was destroyed, Bumblebee was offered an upgraded form and a new identity as Goldbug, to take his place. Although he holds a high position in the Autobot hierarchy, he is paranoid that someone will one day try to betray him and take his place as he has done to so many others in the past.

Weekly Spotlight: Transmetal Optimus Primal

Changed into a mighty, metal gorilla by the planetary destruction device, Optimus Primal has a built-in, rocket-powered hoverboard that lets him hang ten on the air-waves of the Beast Wars world! Stronger and faster than ever, he converts to become the huge, organically enhanced Maximal General loaded with weaponry. Predacons who value their health best avoid any monkey business with metal Optimus Primal!

Weekly Spotlight: G2 Redux Sky-Byte

Flash of metal fins. Sharkticons tear foes to shreds. Die quick, Autobots.

Sky-Byte is a Predacon by design, but, like his Quintesson creators, works with the Decepticons from time to time when it's profitable to do so. He leads the new-generation Sharkticons into battle, ruthlessly shredding all cars and robots on his way. He sees himself as a sophisticated warrior poet, the self-proclaimed "greatest shark around," composing haiku about the robots in disguise he's about to deactivate. Exposure to forestonite has given Sky-Byte a devastating new ability; he can unleash a "Tsunami Blaster" freeze attack from his chest, paralyzing his foes. Combined with an already impressive arsenal, air speed, and his Sharkticon hordes, he's a menace to everything in the air, land and sea. Were he more competent and less given to overblown theatrics that leave him vulnerable, he'd be one of the Autobots' greatest threats.

Weekly Spotlight: Reverse Convoy/ Rebirth Megatron

A warrior born on Planet Vehicon. Also an authority on energy production. In actuality, use of the black hole link system Reverse Convoy possesses caused him to become the rebirth of original Destron Emperor of Destruction, G1 Megatron.

Weekly Spotlight: Pincher

Be humble of word, but great in deed.

A mad scientist of sorts. Concocts metal-eating, corrosive acids, oxidizing agents and other powerful formulas. An over-achieving, unassuming genius. Venom coated stinger paralyzes on contact and can drill through metal to drain enemy fuel supplies. Also armed with 20 megavolt stun rifle that shoots short bursts of metal-fusing energon. Inner robot armed with laser torch. Serrated claws can pierce metal and emit circular force field in robot mode.

Weekly Spotlight: Bumblebee and Blazemaster

Most Autobots are surprised by the partnership between Bumblebee and Blazemaster. Two warriors have never been less alike. Bumblebee prefers the discreet approach, while Blazemaster likes to be seen - especially by the enemy. It's only when you watch them together in the field that the partnership makes sense. Because while one distracts the enemy, the other takes quiet aim.

Weekly Spotlight: Flattop

Terror is the ultimate weapon.

The scourge of the seven seas. Prowls the oceans, sinking everything. Dreams of floating on a sea of burning Autobot fuel. Armed with torpedo launchers equipped with heat-sensitive tracking devices. Transforms into interstellar jet equipped with devastating X-ray laser cannons. Serrated wingtips in jet Mode can cleave enemy warriors in two. Possesses superior maneuverability in the air. Reinforced, steel alloy fuselage ideal for mid-air dogfights.

Weekly Spotlight: Autojetter

An aerial guard, Autojetter preserves air supremacy at Galvatron's side when the latter flies in dragon mode. His personality is somewhat problematic, as he has a habit of enjoying war for his own pleasure. In machine mode, he's crashed after getting dragonflies get sucked into his intakes, and since then has had a serious hatred of insects. The triple rockets on his arms are outstandingly powerful, and can be used on both land and sea.

Weekly Spotlight: Prowl's Turbo Cycle

Logic is the ultimate weapon.

A master with complex formulations. Equipped with sophisticated micro circuits, able to intake 30,000 bytes of information per micro second. Turbo cycle equipped with hydro-injected rocket engine, dual missile launcher and titanium belted tires. Converts to stationary battle emplacement armed with rocket bomb launcher.