Transformers are alien robots hailing from the planet Cybertron. They are divided into two factions: heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons. Autobots and Decepticons have been locked in an apocalyptic civil war for millennia. The line was launched in the United States in 1984 with an accompanying animated television series, it followed in Europe later that same year. Many of the Hasbro-distributed toys were actually rebranded versions of the existing Japanese ‘Microman’ and ‘Diaclone’ toylines made by Takara. The combination of vehicle and robot, and the often complicated series of movements required to change between the two modes, meant Transformers were extremely popular children’s toys during the mid-1980s.

Outback is an Autobot who transforms into a four-wheel drive military vehicle. When introduced to the cast of the television series in 1986, Outback had the distinction of being the franchise’s first character who spoke with an Australian accent. Outback’s toy was an Autobot ‘Mini-Vehicle’, a more cheaply-priced sub-group of Transformers. In the third year of production, most of the toys released as Mini-Vehicles were actually slightly redesigned versions of toys from the two previous issues. In the case of Outback, he was developed from Brawn, an Autobot who was first available in the original 1984 release. Brawn’s mould had originally been developed for Japanese manufacturer Takara’s early-1980s ‘Microman Microchange’ line of transforming toys. The ‘Microman Microchange’ toys were supposed to represent robots who transformed into toy cars, not real vehicles, hence the slightly cartoonish proportions of the vehicle mode.