According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky found at Iacon One in 2006, the original name for Laserbeak was Slazer.

Laserbeak, along with Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw, and Ratbat, works in tandem with Soundwave. Laserbeak is exceptionally loyal to Soundwave and thus Megatron. Laserbeak's name is derived from his back mounted lasers, which are powered by ruby crystals. While these powerful weapons are a great strength, they can also be a weakness since they are dependent on a supply of the rare crystals. Laserbeak is very cowardly and will only fight from afar, or in situations in which he has the overwhelming advantage. Buzzsaw and Garboil are similar in appearance to Laserbeak, but have slightly different colors.

Laserbeak was one of the original ten Decepticons that fell to Earth in the Ark. Being reactivated and given the Earthen mode of a condor, Laserbeak would participate in many of the early battles against the Autobots—until a disastrous raid by Megatron led to Buzzsaw, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Rumble and Frenzy, getting deactivated by Omega Supreme.

Laserbeak and Megatron managed to escape, but Laserbeak would play a lesser role, serving Shockwave and then Ratbat before participating in the battles against Scorponok's Decepticons and then against the Autobots using their united force. None realized, however, that the battles were a ruse by Starscream to gain the power of the Underbase for himself. The Autobots and Decepticons would then unite to stop him, but Starscream's power was too great, and Laserbeak was one of those deactivated.

He was not seen again, apart from an appearance as part of Galvatron's forces in a nightmare alternate reality where Unicron had destroyed Cybertron, and Galvatron's Decepticons ruled Earth. Laserbeak was often shown to be capable of speech in the Marvel Comics, as opposed to his mute animated rendition.

From the secret files of Teletraan II: In the days of Megatron, Decepticons developed the art of espionage, using cassette technology. Their first cassette, Laserbeak, could fly undetected into any Autobot stronghold, record information and then return to base. Then the Decepticons decided to increase their spying abilities with Ratbat. As a bat, Ratbat can hide in crevices that Laserbeak can't reach, and he's especially effective in tunnels, caves or in the darkness of space. Ratbat records from the Autobots' most carefully guarded secrets. The Autobots had no choice but to strike back with these Decepticon techniques of stealth, building a force of cassette Transformers of their own, with Blaster as their guardian. They constructed Ramhorn, the rhino, who can use animalistic force if cornered, and Steeljaw, the lion, who can crawl through the foliage of any alien world, to sneak up on Decepticons. They also bolstered their cassette force with Rewind and Eject, who can transform to robot mode and use more conventional fighting force techniques.