Ratbat (SG)

Ratbat is a heroic Decepticon Recordicon from the Shattered Glass continuity family.

Yes, Soundwave, I shall become a bat.

Before the war, Ratbat was a famous self-help guru well known for his motivational audio programs and seminars such as "Unlimited Fuel: Awaken the Gestalt Within". But now that the war has caused those products to fall out of favor, Ratbat spends his time instead convincing his salesmen to sell his maintenance and aesthetic products. What he doesn't tell them is that he actually makes all of his money off selling them his old tapes.

Although he promotes himself as being a drinker of high-quality oils, in fact he has a scandalous addiction to low-grade energon.

However, there seems to be another side of Ratbat. Something that lurks on rooftops while lightning flashes ominously in the background. Something nocturnal. Something vengeful...

Fiction

Fun Publications Shattered Glass continuity

Daaaaah dah dah daaaaaaaaaaaaaah daaaaaaaaaaaaaaah daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

By day, mild-mannered philanthropist Ratbat portrays a public image of inebriation and frivolity. At dusk, however, he is vengeance. He is the night. He...is...BATBOT! Recordicons #2

The Batbot signal resulted in him rendezvousing with Commissioner Garboil on a rooftop. Garboil reported that Blackcat had escaped from G9, but before Batbot could go and investigate, he needed Garboil and Howlback to turn around so he could execute another of his mysterious disappearing acts. Recordicons #5

Ratbat appeared on Slamdance's show to give his opinion of Batbot. He was alarmed when Slamdance put up a file photo of Batbot next to him, and requested it be taken down. Recordicons #9

He must become something dark, something terrible, like... *cassette tape flies through the window*

Arriving on a parallel Earth, Batbot set out to find his evil counterpart there. He ran into Rumble and Frenzy, who broke the news that his alternate self was dead. After he asked them if evil Ratbat had unfinished business, they directed him to Ratbat's quarters in which a stack of paperwork was waiting to be done. Recordicons #11 Unable to solve Blackcat's riddles, Batbot was suspended over a vat of boiling liquid. When Slugfest came crashing through the wall to his rescue, Batbot was surprised by Blackcat's immediate surrender as it was "only Slugfest." Recordicons #15

Confronted by positive universe Howlback who was offended by his crusade against evil, Batbot found he had Nightprowler on his side. Recordicons #21

Following the disruptive arrival of another universe's Earth, Soundwave attempted to repair the fried planetary electrical systems on his universe's Earth as Slugfest failed to help and Bat-Bot stood watch. Suddenly Bat-Bot signaled that interlopers had arrived–Blaster and his brethren Rewind and Ramhorn. Bat-Bot singled out Rewind for battle. Temporarily, Blaster ingested the captive stranger Solarbot and began attacking everyone with solar flares, until Solarbot overwhelmed Blaster and left his body. As Blaster and his tapes fled, Bat-Bot and the other Decepticons welcomed Solarbot to their ranks. Solar Requiem

IDW Shattered Glass continuity

And how come Ratbat doesn't dance anymore?

Ratbat attended one of Megatron's anti-empurata rallies until Megatron's dispute with security officer Prowl turned violent. According to Starscream, this incident played a role in Ratbat's eventual election to the Cybertronian Senate, although Megatron opined that his time as a senator did little to advance the Decepticon cause. Shattered Glass #2

Some time later, Ratbat was amongst the casualties when Ultra Magnus led a strike team to massacre the Senate, being torn in half by the corrupt lawman himself near the end of the attack. Shattered Glass II #1

Toys

Shattered Glass

Punk is nothing but death... and crime... and the RAGE of a BEAST.

• SG Soundwave vs SG Blaster (Multi-pack, 2013)

• ID number: VSE
• Accessories: 2 guns, cassette case

Shattered Glass "SG Ratbat" is a redeco of the original Ratbat mold, transforming from robotic bat into a microcassette. In cassette form he can fit into the tape compartments of any iteration of the original Soundwave and Blaster molds (and a few other toys of those characters to boot). Ratbat is decoed in the colors of "Batbot", while the bonus sticker sheet includes stickers which can be added to his chest to resemble a bat-esque symbol of some sort.

He was only available in an e-HOBBY exclusive boxed "versus" set, which also includes SG Soundwave, SG Slugfest, SG Blaster, SG Rewind, SG Ramhorn, and Solarbot, as well as the 12-page "Solar Requiem" comic. This set was imported by Fun Publications as part of a Shattered Glass-themed "exclusive exchange", with e-Hobby importing the BotCon 2012 "Invasion" box set for Japanese collectors.

• More information on Ratbat at TFU.info

Notes

• The name of Ratbat's audio program is taken from books by self-help guru Tony Robbins.
• His superhero color scheme (and fictional double life, if you hadn't figured it out) is based on Batman. His secret identity color scheme, likewise, is based on Bruce Wayne's brown and mustard outfit from Batman: The Animated Series.
• Ratbat's appearance in IDW Publishing's comic series is modeled on the War for Cybertron: Siege Micromaster Ratbat toy.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Ratbat (ラットバット Rattobatto)