Well I know in the Transformers GO! animated shorts they are actually romanizing his name now as "Optimus Prime", which I thought was strange after always hearing it as Convoy in the Japanese shows. But I dont know if the change started there, or with TF: Prime (I haven't seen any episodes of Prime in Japanese)

 

I thought so too! 

 

Many things have come and gone in life but my love for transformers has never faltered or abated. I love love love this toyline. I love the show. I love the comics. I love the mousepads. I love transformers. Period. They are tatted on my body. Every gf I had the first thing they know about me is hey, I collect and watch Transformers. Love it or leave it. I'm turning 30 as well and I'm happy as hell to share turning the big 30 with the Transformers

 

Excellent article, and I just love the way you have tied the chronology of the toys in with the cartoon and the comics, that's a great way of giving a newcomer or even an insider a broad picture of how the brand developed and grew over those formative initial years, years which many folks consider to be the golden age. I'm so happy to see that there are others who consider the written word as the focus of transmitting Transformers information superior - or rather still relevant - over just shiny photographs and video reviews. Well done.

Please forgive me for small nitpicks, just to add that the original toy from which Jetfire was derived was a VF-1S, not a YF-1, and in the same vein, Jetfire and Skids were available in 1984 as pre-rub editions. Not just the Matsushiro Jetfires either, there are transitional variant Jetfires in 1984 "TM" boxes without rubsigns that most likely hit shelves in later 1984.

All the best
Maz

 

Thanks Maz! You have no idea how much that means to me to hear that from you  

I never knew that about Skids or Jetfire - they've always been traditionally lumped in with the 1985 releases by the various guidebooks including Takara's own Generations guide. Fascinating stuff!


On that note, I'm doing in Optimus Prime and bringing in Rodimus Prime - here comes part 3!


30 Years of Transformers in 30 Days - 1986 - Transformers News - TFW2005

 

Why do so many people mistransform Sandstorm?

 

"Instruments of Destruction by Specter General" that's NRG actually, Spectre General did "Hunger" and "Nothing's Gonna Stand in Our Way"

 

These are excellent Sol Fury. Thank you for writing and producing them, we're all enjoying these trips back in time!

 

My pleasure mate, it was fully deserved praise. I don't know how much detail you want to add, but as a point of interest and significantly relevant, the Deluxe Insecticon Ransack design was never officially released in Takatoku's Beetras line ("Beet Vadam"). Mock-ups and painted prototypes featured in paperwork and photography but the first time that toy was officially released with a proper licence was as the Deluxe Insecticon Ransack. So in a way it's another Transformers first.

Out of interest, for this series, do you plan to go back and add in corrections such as the VF-1S versus YF-1, and the release date for Skids/Jetfire? I only ask because I know what it's like to have a list of fixes and corrections posted by people on something that will not act as a definitive resource, I know it can be exhausting and I won't hassle you further with tidbits if you're happy to leave the pieces as is, if it's fit for purpose (not suggesting that anything else will need amending, not by any stretch). I do believe that all resources should be updated when new info comes along, it counters the spread of misinformation and commonly-held but incorrect beliefs in the community.

All the best
Maz

 

Your just hittin em outta tha park man.

This was the year, I started to lose a bit of interest. I still was getting some toys, but the loss of realistic alt modes really killed it for me, I believe I went back to getting some super gobots for a bit.

Your synopsis on the 86 movie is SOLID. Your bit about "watching prowl die with fire from his mouth..Ironhide taking a FACE shot to the fusion cannon.." These silly parts (now at least) literally shocked the piss outta me as a kid.
I remember seeing Arcee dragging a dead windcharger? and thinking..OMG...This is the end...All my toys are DEAD!!

The movie influenced my play a lot, I reenacted the "optimus to the rescue" scene, frame by frame with my toys. I had every toy that optimus dealt with when he used those jump jets, did the flip and landed, rapid fire..blasting Deceps to bits..

To me...THAT IS BAR NONE..the most memorable 80's cartoon sequence I can recall, and I cannot think of anything that made a bigger inpact on my young play psyche as a kid. I would sing "you got the touch" and Prime would run down decepticons, then transform and become a war bringing death dealer, to the likes we had never seen.

Back to the comics..I know buddies that HATE the marvel run, but the arc with Blaster (who I don't even like that much) Scrounde, Straxxus..That was just a REALLY great arc..very memorable.

Thanks again for all your effort on these. Your doing a Bang up job, and I am looking forward to everything your putting out.

Im gunna put you in for a raise...cool?


Dave

 

My first post ever on this forum!!

I'll never forget the first time I saw that G1 commercial. I was blown away. Begged my dad to get me one of these transformers! Finally after much begging, he took me to the local BHS (british homes stores for you americans) and low and behold a giant pile of autobot car transformers. So which one to pick? well i setled upon Jazz because he was a porche and I liked porches. However my dad simply asked the age old question "are you sure?" mnnnh I thought, let me see...aha this red lamborgini looks much cooler. Ill have this please..

and that was that. My first Transformer was Sideswipe. Unfortuntley he was torn limb from limb a few months later by my baby brother and I wept. lol

 

NO...NO its not weird at all..

Don't over look the Marvel comics run, especially the UK stuff. If you are EVER to hunt down and read just ONE stary arc from the 80's Look for the 2 part "Iron man" as mentioned yesterday.

It was the most realistic story of the time. Alt modes and bot modes were drawn PERFECTLY...a missile can actually SMASH a transformer..and you have a story, that corresponds to "local English legend" of a bigfoot like mystery of some "Iron man" that would be seen luring around the area since recorded history..It tunrs out he was a Cybertronian..he is mysterious...and like I said...just one of the bast damn stories from all of G1 era, just because the perspective is from a kid, that would have been my age at the time...

Man of Iron..Dont miss that one, if you never read it.

I have every US and UK comic made, and I never read the megatron gladiator origin...guess Im gunna have to dig em out now.




EDIT* One more story, I forget the issue numbers, but Megatron gets "damaged" and his cognitive thinking is damaged. He is just "robot" and only follows commands. Well, This bag of shit, thief finds Megatron in Alt mode, and Megatron can target, track and fire on targets just at this guys whim...He rises to a king pin gang lord type...Until...Megatron comes out of it...EXCELLENT stuff..Even his pistol mode is oversized just like the MP. "he would say "Pistol..take em out.." and Megatron could instantly target multiple cops and this guy just had to hold it..VERY COOL stuff...
That story arc, cemented my feelings for "Megatron is a gun" 4LIFE. I understood Megatron is more than just a gun..Megatron is "THE LIVING WEAPON"..dangerous in any mode..and made me appreciate wielding my toy P38 megatron in play gun wars..

 

that fire in eyes prowl scene still give's me goosebumps lol...never seen anything like that scene in a kids cartoon..

 

Does anyone know when the rubsigns first started appearing on the toys? Could it have been late in 1984? My first Transformer was Ironhide, and he has a rubsign, but I don't remember when I got him. I've always thought it was Christmas '84. Possible?

Not exactly what you're looking for, but interesting reads:

Jim Shooter: The Secret Origin of the TRANSFORMERS – Part 1
Jim Shooter: The Secret Origin of the TRANSFORMERS – Part 2

 

I think its was late 85 and into 86 in the UK. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

If I recall correctly, the combiner teams and the remainder of the 85' cast were released in an earlier quarter that the 86' bots from the movie. Perhaps earlier in the year? This gap in time was significant, as it helped differentiate the futuristic "2005" movie characters from the realistic earth mode 85' cast. The movie was released in the summer of 86' and it really signified a clean slate for the Transformers.

 

I'm with you man. Looking back, I feel like the Transformers I trully enjoyed and loved as a kid were gone by 1986. There was a real connection with the original characters that were simple cars, planes, etc on earth. As a kid, I didn't get that same connection with futuristic ships in some far away galaxy. I always enjoyed when 86 & up cartoons would come back down to earth (literally!). That scene where Brawn, Prowl, Ratchet, and Ironhide were killed destroyed me. I was like - what do I do with these toys now?! I remember getting pissed too about how characters got shot all the time in cartoons but then all of a sudden in the movie it actually counted...lol. 1986 was definitely the turning point.

 

awesome Sol. keep up the excellent work. really enjoying the series.

August 8, 1986 the day of countless tears among the young fandom.

 

Really been loving this series and highly recommend it (literally I just recommended it to someone). A minor correction, though, Weird Al Spells his surname "Yankovic."