Spectacular! Really looking forward to the next days.

 

I remember when they had these on display behind glass at my old elementary school... Good times
 

Grapple was my first Transformers figure.

 

Excellent post!

 

This is an excellent article and news post. This countdown is a great idea, and I look forward to the rest of these.

 

That sounds about right, because I know for a fact, When I found Gears..I had been practically running to the toy aisles looking for Gobots, when I seen them 1st. I also remember they had the bigger boxed TFs, but I did not think they were "true Gobots" you know? I barely even looked at the boxed ones.

That was at KB toys in Summit place mall Pontiac MI. I was looking for a new Gobots, This was already established, I did SOMETHING good..and earned a toy, my mom said I could get a Gobot. So we went in there, and I started looking at Gobots, I wanna say I had Tux in my hand, but timing..I could be mistaken..
I looked next to them and here was Gears...With this this word called Transformers. I checked out every one..I thought they were cool...I seen the boxed bigger ones..I Bought Gears That day.

Against all odds, and RULES, I took that Transformer to school the next school day, and showed my friends. I brought the Gears, Toy, and the folded Cardback. Everyone kid was blown away. I said They had bigger ones..I didn't know if they "converted"...(lol..Think about that..before TF went big..every change to car or robot was called CONVERSION, or something..Transformers coined the term "Transform" in toy robot terminology) All the kids swore they were begging to go up there and get THEM ALL.

Over the next week, We started reading Tech spec, kids bought a few minibots, We compared, them at school..Most of us had rules "no toys from home" rules from home AND school..

My kid JUST got his report card, So your theory of May is prolly right. That Friday we all got report cards, and mine was AWESOME. My dad took my out and I finally looked at the big ones..My dad Said Those were WAY better than the small ones im looking at.

Right there..I had a revelation..These So called Transformers....They have "SUPER size class" too! like gobots...

My dad showed me one of the seekers, I wanna say Megatron and Prime were both there, Most G1 cars I can remember.

I fell in LOVE with Bluestreak. My dad HAD that exact car, AT THAT time..it was perfect. I got that thing and took it to school, Showed my buddies, and it was over.

That whole week, Me n my buddies didn't even LOOK at the transformers that were boxed. We just assumed the "converting robot toys" were all carded matchbox size..

I have wondered exactly when it was, when I got that and seen TFs on the shelves for the 1st time. I remember the 1st time I seen Joes at Kmart too. I would say it was around this time, because like I said, I think I was the 1st kid in my area, Waterford, to see one, And it was a week before report card. Which card I cant remember.

 

I didn't even know the Go-bots existed until one of my friends showed me the show on a channel with bad reception. I was like, "Man, they are copying off Transformers! They shoot with their hands?! You can still see their face in vehicle form..eww"

 

30 years. My birthday was in the April 19, and the next month Tfs started, I was 4; however I would not have the experience to know these guys until 1985, when the show started to run in Spanish in Puerto Rico, in those days there was a year's delay to English speaking shows because of the amount of time they had to edit them for a Spanish dialogue without ruinning the background music and sounds. Mexico was the king nation of many voice actors who voice all the animes and cartoons for Hispanic America to see, and I ALL OF THEM, till the mid to late 90's.

My first episode I saw was Fire in the Sky. Memories.

 

I'd jumped on the transforming toy craze early with Go-Bots. Didn't realize there was only a five month head start though. Honestly, I hadn't seen any commercials or anything for Transformers. So, I was happily amassing a small Gobots collection when I noticed Skywarp, Starscream and Thundercracker high on the shelf at my local TG&Y. The black jet looked coolest out of the three...oh and they had bios and stats! The one called Skywarp had the best stats...MOM! Please let me get this! I'll do extra chores!...first kid in my grade to own a Transformer. A couple weeks later I found Autobot cars at TG&Y. Mirage is kinda cool...and looks different from the other guys (Bluestreak and Prowl are the same?). MOM! I want a good guy to fight Skywarp! Extra chores?

The Bozo the Clown Show started airing "More Than Meets the Eye". Of course, another kid got Starscream and suddenly, my Skywarp wasn't as cool. But he's awesomely black!   Anyway, have to go cheap for my next Transformer...parents are made of money. Mom, I found Bumblebee. And he's the right kind in yellow! Can I get him? He's about the same price as the GoBots I still get occasionally. YAY!

Somehow, I saw the premiere of MTME before I found out there were comics and picked up #1. I think I had to grab back issues because I remember #5 took me by surprise. Anyhow, started getting those monthly. We didn't have cable so I watched Transformers (and GIJoe) on a B&W TV in the kitchen that had an antenna that would pick up channels above 12. My collection of series 1 figures would turn out to be slim...1985 was a better year in which I scored a Grimlock, Bombshell & Kickback, Grapple, Scrapper & Long Haul, Skids, Seaspray, Barrage, Astrotrain, Perceptor, Twin Twist, Camshaft & Overdrive, Powerdasher, Roadbuster and JETFIRE!! The big guys came in 1986...I got Rodimus Prime AND Ultra Magnus (almost an apology from my folks for not getting Optimus Prime). Also scored the Stunticons in their entirety (my first combiner!). Kup, Wheelie, Outback, Hotspot, Blades and First Aid (my parents nixed me getting more Transformers before I could complete the Protectobots) all followed. But Transformers were getting pricey...and by 1987, my focus was beginning to shift to GIJoe (could get more characters for the price). In 1987, my lone addition to my collection was Goldbug. And so ended my Transformers collecting...although I would continue to collect and read the comics

Or so I thought.

In 1992, Hasbro reintroduced Transformers as Generation 2...and released alot of older molds in new paint schemes. Okay that was cool, I thought to my hipper teenage self. Hey, look! Constructicons! I have two already...might as well get the other four. And before I knew it, I was hooked again. And never looked back.

 

Oh man, To be a kid in '84!

Armada was my childhood...

If only i came years before!

 

Excellent article! G1 was before my time and my natural interest in history means I'm always interested in learning more about how this universe came to be. I've dug up a lot of info on my own, but there's nothing like hearing it from the mouths of experts. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the Beast Era!

 

Also, had no idea they based the Autobot symbol off of Prowl. You learn something new every day.

 

Great news article SF and thanks for taking us down memory lane.  

 

awesome article, thanks. brings back great memories.

-

 

And I had no idea they based the Decepticon symbol off of Soundwave! 

Sol Fury, to the next 30 days of the countdown I say ; Transform and roll out! 

 

Nice, succinct synopsis.
I don't think the genius behind Budianski's names can be understated.
When I saw the initial run of Transformers everything about them was cool including their names.
The Go-bots had names like Turbo for a car and Scooter for a... um... scooter, the Transformers names were full of mystery and power.
Sunstreaker, Starscream, Rumble, Ravage, Jazz -all memorable and thought provoking.

Transformers didn't achieve such lameness in naming until Beast Wars.

 

Now that you mentioned it... I red in the past that Cliffjumper was originally named Blow-out or something.

 

A nice history lesson for all the younger fans (I don't mean me).

 

  I wish I could have been around for G1