Transmute

Sure he can fly, but where's his sonic scream?

Transmute is one of a team of heroic Chromobots from the Chromatic Star Federation. Though serious-minded and dedicated to the pursuit of justice, Transmute is nonetheless a compassionate and empathetic leader, aided in no small part by his telepathic sensors and psionic scanners. In addition to his tracking skills, Transmute has the ability to transform his body into whatever he chooses, allowing him to seamlessly blend in in many situations.

Fiction

Transmute was leader of a trio of Chromobots from the Chromatic Star Federation. The team was dispatched to Earth on one of two starships, with the mission of capturing or eliminating the escaped criminal, Predator. The Chromobots issue 16 After his teammate Mikros' jet pack malfunctioned and he fell in with a human boy named Dudley, Issue 12 Issue 13 Transmute discovered him the following day in the boy's shopping bag. Transmute approached Dudley in the form of an old tramp, but the nervous boy fled the scene. Now certain that Dudley was carrying Mikros, Transmute changed into his regular appearance and made to track him down. Issue 14 Transmute located them both nearby, and explained to Dudley that he meant no harm. Performing a psionic scan, Transmute realised that the human could be trusted, and so beseeched him to ally with the Chromobot Empire. Issue 15 Disguised as a human boy that Dudley called "Lenny", Transmute returned to Dudley's family home, where he pitied the poor boy for having to lie to his mum. After dodging her questions, they retreated to Dudley's room, where Transmute changed back into his normal form and explained their mission. He informed Dudley that Predator intended to combine nuclear weaponry with Chromobot technology to create a super-weapon that could devastate Earth. Issue 16

Two weeks later, Transmute, Mikros, and Dudley were searching a city when a woman's scream alerted the boy to a kidnapping in progress on top of a building. Transmute recognised the culprit as Predator and confronted the criminal, announcing his intention to take him in, dead or alive. Issue 17 Transmute grappled with Predator and insisted he surrender and leave the developing planet Earth alone. Predator got the upper hand, but Transmute was saved by an optic blast from Mikros. Issue 18 Weakened, Transmute could only watch as Predator threw Mikros from the side of the building and then teleported away with his human hostage. With the villain gone without a trace and possessing abilities beyond those on record, Transmute worried what his team could to to stop him and protect both worlds. Issue 19

After their encounter with Predator, Dudley and the Chromobots returned to the boy's bedroom. When Shield's psionic scan revealed that Dudley's dad had been awoken by their arrival, they each scrambled to hide, with Transmute lowering himself to transform into a cuddly toy of Humph the Cat. After his dad left, Dudley whispered for the other Chromobots to come out of hiding. Shield volunteered to return to their ship to update the Chromatic Star Federation, and Transmute declared that they wouldn't fail in overcoming Predator – though his embarrassment was compounded by his allies laughing at his disguise. Issue 20 While Shield was on the ship and Dudley was asleep, Transmute patrolled the area. Issue 21

Following intel from Shield's contact Cygnet, Dudley and the Chromobots searched the countryside in one of Shield's force bubbles for Predator. Transmute's psionic scan picked up a signal, which he and Shield discovered was the unconscious body of the abducted woman. The woman's time would be short if they couldn't get her treatment on the ship, but a sudden flash of energy transported the team to a ruined city. Transmute's sensors told him that they hadn't moved in space, but in time. Issue 22 His readings confirmed that they had travelled at least 550 years into the future: 2535 AD. He and Shield reasoned that the abducted woman's body had been bait to lure them into the time shift. Issue 23

Transmute's attention was caught by Mikros being thrown through the air and landing in a heap. He was pursued by a monstrous brute, who Shield took on in combat. The brute wasn't the only Mutant in the wasteland, as the Chromobots were soon approached by Predator's other creations, Rage and Menace. Transmute ducked as Menace swooped overhead. Issue 24 Transmute fought Menace, and was unimpressed by the Mutant's death threats. The fight was called off by Predator himself, who had arrived to gloat about his success in destroying Chromos Five and taking over the Earth. Transmute told the deluded criminal that he'd sunk to a new level of insanity, and Predator threatened to send him away with his time modulator. Issue 25

Dudley thought quickly and snatched the modulator. As the boy ran back to the time shift, Transmute ordered the other Chromobots to hold off the Mutants. Dudley and Mikros were first to get back to 1985, and Shield and Transmute followed. Transmute immediately searched the area and found Tessa Stone where they'd left her. He reported this information back to Mikros, who explained to Dudley they they would have time to take care of her injuries. Issue 26

Gallery

• 

  Transmute as the tramp

• 

  Transmute as "Lenny"

• 

  Transmute as a Humph the Cat cuddly toy