Hubs

Hubs is an Autobot Micromaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

I'll go ya one better, if you've got the nerve. Let's race all the way... to Deadman's Curve.

Though every member of the Hot Rod Patrol is a young bot with a rebellious streak, Hubs takes it a step further than the rest. He's the youngest and most energetic of the team... which, combined with his also being the least skilled member, often leads to him getting neck-deep in trouble. The overly-aggressive Trip-Up also serves as a bad influence on the impressionable bot.^[1] It doesn't help that his anti-authoritarian streak is so wide that he even chafes when the "leader of the pack" Big Daddy takes command. Big Daddy finds himself having to watch Hubs carefully, as he's the only one of the team he's worried about getting into serious trouble when on missions.^[2]

Fiction

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Hubs was the junior member of the Hot Rod Patrol. He hooked up with Big Daddy and his crew during the Meltdown Riots and signed on full-time as a member of the Autobot army. Despite this, he maintained a decent friendship with Motorhead, rookie Decepticon for their counterparts in the Race Track Patrol. The two of them were trading jabs during a fight when Motorhead's shooting went wild, killing a fellow Micro named Crunch. Crunch's death was the final straw that led to the Hot Rods resigning from the Autobots and trying to go it on their own. Destined for Nothing

Hubs followed Big Daddy out into the Wastelands and after a brief encounter with highwaymen, traveled on to Little Iacon. At The Burn Outs, Hubs met up with Motorhead and had to break the news of Crunch's death to him. Before they could discuss it any further, Big Daddy challenged Roadhandler, the baddest of the bad, to a race. Everything else was forgotten as the Micros made their way outside to get a good view. Hubs was pumped about how cool his leader was, until he lost the race at the last moment when Roadhandler pulled some slick moves. Hubs tried to call out Big Daddy on his loss, but Trip-Up and Greaser made him show some respect—ain't no way anyone else could do so well against Roadhandler, so represent, yo. The Gray Race

Little Iacon soon came under attack from Shockwave's mutant freaks, and the Hot Rod Patrol peeled out to get some reinforcements from Autobot HQ. Turned out, however, that the Rank-and-File Brigade had smeared their reputations something nasty after they left, and they couldn't even get inside. The only bit of luck was Stakeout sneaking them some weapons. Recipe for Hate With nowhere else to go, they hooked up with Aerospace Commander Countdown in order to infiltrate Decepticon headquarters and rescue the Autobot Micros. They succeeded in time to stop Skystalker from pushing the Autobots and Decepticons into a double-suicide conflict so Skystalker could pick up the pieces. It was a victory, but a hollow one, and Hubs and the Hot Rod Patrol continued to question their role in the war. Victims of the Revolution

2005 IDW continuity

Hubs was one of the denizens of Gorlam Prime who accosted Hardhead and Nightbeat when they arrived on the planet. Spotlight: Hardhead

Legends comic

In 2038, Hubs was on Zone when it was invaded by the forces of Violengiguar and Dark Nova. Along with a number of fellow Micromasters, he swarmed the possessed body of Dai Atlas, distracting the Decepticon spirit inside until heavier weaponry could be brought to the battlefield. LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One

2019 IDW continuity

Hubs, Big Daddy, and Trip-Up attended an illegal skitter race at Swindle's. Swindle's

Commercial appearances

Jazz introduced Optimus Prime to Hubs, as well as the rest of the Hot Rod Patrol. The Hot Rod Patrol and the Construction Patrol were then faced by Scorponok advancing menacingly upon them. As the Decepticon began to cross a suspension bridge, the Autobots destroyed it, sending Scorponok tumbling down. Hot Rod and Construction Patrol commercial

Toys

The Transformers

Well Larry, legend has it that Hubs has to give you a free lunch special if you can get him to say his name backwards - minus the first b. "Sbu."

• Hot Rod Patrol (Micromaster Patrol, 1990)

Released in the seventh and final year of the original Transformers toyline in the US (sixth and non-final year in Europe), Micromaster Hubs is a tiny robot that transforms into a tiny green 1941 Willys Coupe hot rod with a boosted-up back end.

Hubs is gang-molded with his teammate Trip-Up, sharing the same plastic colors.

He was only available in a four-pack with his teammates Big Daddy, Greaser and Trip-Up.

• More information on Hubs at TFU.info

• Hot Rod Team (Micro Transformer Team, 1991)

• ID number: C-362
• Accessories: Micro Trailer #2

"Lucas" was also released in Takara's Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers line, during the Return of Convoy year, with no notable physical changes from the Hasbro release.

Like the Hasbro toy, he was only available in a complete set with his teammates, but this release included Micro Trailer #2 and a sticker sheet with optional decals to add to the Micromasters.

Notes

• Hubs' Japanese name "Lucas" is probably a reference to George Lucas, who wrote and directed the hot-rod-laden movie American Graffiti before he brought us Star Wars.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Lucas (ルーカス Rūkasu)
• Italian: Grifo

References