Transformers colors, don't know if this is covered in any or multiple comics Do Transformers pick their colors or is it in their DNA ?
Depending on the universe on whatever the CNA exist. For example, in g1 the concept of CNA wasn't thought of so they most likely pick their paint colors.
I've always thought that Cybertronians colour schemes were integral to who they are, whether that is being part of their CNA, or encoded into their spark or just an indelible part of their personal identity. In some cases colour is the only visual cue to distinguish between two otherwise identical bots, making colour scheme very important. Going back to the original toys, colour scheme is what differentiated Starscream from Thundercracker. Even though they were both effectively the same toy, we differentiate between them initially by colour. To me that same distinction is drawn in-story. I think that Cybertronians use colour scheme as their primary way to tell each other apart, with body shape, size and alt-mode as tertiary identifiers. One example that stands out to me is the "Transformers Prime Beast Hunters" episode "Rebellion", when Optimus is resurrected in his more robust third season body, Starscream specifically identifies Optimus by his colour scheme. This is telling because, apart from retaining Optimus' colour scheme, nothing about Optimus' new body should be familiar to Starscream. A more lighthearted example is found in the IDW comic "Starscream: The Movie." While being painted gray (to play the role of Starscream on film) Acid Storm frets about the colour change being permanent and how being green is literally his only defining quality (it's not easy. ) This doesn't necessarily preclude Acid Storm from changing his own colour by choice, but it does reveal how important his colour scheme is to his sense of identity. ~L~
In G1, I think it's implied they're painted. However, for whatever reason they all turn grey when they drop dead. I assume color is a "genetic" thing for the maximals and predacons in BW/BM if only due to the "techno-organic" nature of the characters. Dunno what the deal is in RiD or UT, but based on my limited knowledge, I'd assume paint. In Animated, it's definitely paint again, as the "digital paint" thing is an issue with Bumblebee/Wasp. However, I think they all turn grey when they die too. In Prime, it's at least paint in some capacity. Notwithstanding the Prime thing, Smokescreen gets a repaint IIRC. Don't know what it is in IDW, but as @Shattered Trousers suggested, it might be a "genetic" thing, or just a matter of how the sentio metallico is formed, especially given the image of the "ideal starscream" is colored in that one comic where Windblade goes stomping around Carcer's brainscape or whatever. No clue what the deal is in the Machinima or anything else.
CNA does make sense when OP dies in the '86 movie turns grey, any others turn grey when they died or has it only been Optimus Prime or even Matrix bearers ?
Depending on whether you consider the tech specs bios for movie toys to be canon, the bio for 2008 Stealth Bumblebee offers some interesting insight into a Cybertronian consciously changing their own colour scheme. I know there have been earlier examples of characters receiving upgrades that come with a change in colour scheme ("Transformers Armada" Powerlinx repaints & "Transformers Energon" Energon repaints immediately spring to mind), but Stealth Bumblebee stands out to me as one of the earliest times a Transformer changed colour in-story, by choice and without upgrading their body type or alt mode. The bio is as follows: "With pictures of him all over the internet in robot and vehicle mode, Bumblebee began to feel a little bit uncomfortable. People recognized him everywhere. More importantly new Decepticons arriving on Earth found him easily, which put Sam and others in danger. With Mikaela’s help, he picked out a new color scheme for his armor plating that made him harder to spot, and also made it easier to sneak up on any Decepticons that wandered into the range of his plasma cannon." In "Transformers Prime Beast Hunters" episode "Darkmount, NV" Bumblebee receives his stealth colour scheme in the show for much the same reason as the 2008 movie toy bio describes, to avoid being recognised by the enemy. The TFWiki summary of this episode specifically refers to this change as a new paint job What's interesting to me is that, when presented with an opportunity to change colours to literally any scheme imaginable, Bumblebee chooses a colour scheme that is still yellow and black. It's almost as though Bumblebee's identity hinges on being yellow and black, that if Bumblebee chose to be green he would be confused with Wasp, or if he became blue others would think he were Glyph. ~L~
Rodimus deliberately changed his colour scheme at the beginning of Lost Light. As well, Senator Shockwave apparently changed his colour scheme semi-regularly.
Ah, yeah, there's the whole Spectralism movement, good catch. In the IDW comics Cybertronians who observe Spectralism make very deliberate and considered changes to their colour schemes to convey meaning to peers and observers. We don't know enough about that religion to know how those changes to colour scheme impact on how those characters are identified by others, except that practicing Spectralists can recognise each other. We do know that Rodimus' new colours were painted on by Drift, and we have seen that paint burn off Rodimus' body, leaving his original colouration unscathed. This indicates to me that Rodimus' traditional colours are not painted onto his body, but are somehow more permanent. It's a pity we won't get to learn more about Spectralism in the current comics continuity. Perhaps Spectralism will exist in whatever IDW offer up next. That's true, and we don't have any solid explanation as to why. I read it as Senator Shockwave being a very fashionable and cosmopolitan individual in his pre-Shadowplay life, who expresses himself through semi-regular colour changes, but that's just my own reading. Shockwave becomes purple once his emotions are reprogrammed out of his mind, so if Cybertronians do have a defult colouration it makes sense that Shockwave would revert to his defult purple colour when he has no desire to express himself emotionally. ~L~
So Rodimus changed his color for that reason? I thought it was because he was going through a phase or just want a different look. I'll never look at that Rodimus the same way.
Well, Rodimus *was* going through a phase. A revenge-seeking phase. Or a mourning phase. *shrugs* Spectralism is a bit vague on differentiating those two. ~L~
We've seen it both ways in (at least) the IDW comics. At the beginning of Lost Light, Rodimus is literally painting himself a different color. In Megatron: Origin, Sentinel Prime changes his color from red+orange to a darker mostly-black color scheme. He just...does it, as if his armor was an LCD screen. These don't need to be mutually-exclusive. The IDW universe has holographic avatars that they can project at long distances. These avatars actually have mass, as they can pick things up, open doors, etc. And, the characters frequently disguise themselves in holomatter, such as Hot Rod in Spotlight: Hot Rod. It's not hard to imagine Sentinel Prime changed his color using a similar process. And, perhaps using holomatter to disguise yourself takes energy or concentration. Perhaps Rodimus literally painted himself because he wanted a more-permanent color change.
