Transformer Collection showcase.

[raven1972]

okay here is the piece i mentioned.

How Transformers nearly died and was saved by getting "hairy"

after the G1 Toy line came to an end in 1990-1991 The line sat idle for nearly 2 years when Generation 2 or G2 was launched, it had a toyline, a Comic book series and a cartoon of sorts.

The cartoon was a rehash of the G1 cartoon line with a new Intro featuring some very early CGI animation featuring Powermaster Optimus prime.

As for the toy line itself it was a mixture of Garishly colored repaints of G1 figures and new Molds. Some of these molds are quite sought after by collectors others not so much. The Toyline ran from 1993 to 1995

The Toy line was a failure and many figures in development were canceled although some would see store shelves in RID or Universe 1.0 toylines.

By this time Hasbro had aquired the Tonka toy company and with it Kenner, it was at a loss at what to do with Transformers so it handed it off to Kenner to see what they could do with it.

This point in time was as close to cancellation the Transformer Toyline has ever come. if not for Beast Wars launch and success in 1996 revitalizing the brand it would have become just another cartoon based toy line from the 1980s and 1990s.

All Collectors agree that Beast Wars saved Transformers from coming to an end. its oneof the few things we all can agree on. If Beast Wars had failed the line would have died along with the series. which means Beast machines, RID, Armada, Energon, Cybertron, Animated, the live action movies and Prime would never have existed.

But Beast Wars was a great Success and spawn it own rabid fan base, including many G1 fans ( Including me). there is no greater indication of just how beloved the series is than Beast Wars being the only series other than G1 to have characters elected into the Transformers hall of fame. Dinobot and Waspinator.

We will never know for certain if Hasbro would have tried Transformers again if beast Wars had failed but it would have been highly unlikely they would have, as much less risk in going with toy lines supported by current kids shows than to revive an old one.

So next time you look at you favorite characters created from 2000 onward thanks Beast Wars.

[WriterApprentice]

How awesome. :3
And yet... I don't understand why people have this animosity against Beast Wars. >_>

[raven1972]

Change pure and simple. it was a total 180 from what people expected Transformers to be.


To this day there are fans who hate Beast Wars but they are few and far between but even they grudgingly admit it saved Transformers.

[WriterApprentice]

Good, because that would rather unreasonable of them.
But what are but unreasonable?

[raven1972]

Twenty five years ago today an event occurred which changed the fabric of the G1 era and indeed Transformers forever. August 8th 1986 The Transformers: The Movie debuted in theaters.


To say this film shook the foundations of G1 is an complete understatement as of the original 18 Autobots who served as crew of the Ark only 3 are shown to survive. Jazz, Cliffjumper and Bumblebee. Such favorites as Ratchet, Ironhide and Prowl were killed, Even Optimus Prime was slain, laying down his spark to stop Megatron “No matter The cost”.

The Decepticons did not escape unscathed Megatron was mortally wounded in battle with Optimus Prime and had to be reformatted in to Galvatron,. The original 3 seekers were also lost, Skywarp and Thundercracker were mortally wounded as were the 3 Insecticons these 6 were used as raw material to create Cyclonus and his Armada and Scourge and his huntsmen the Sweeps. This creates some doubt if they truly died or not.

There only 2 confirmed Decepticon deaths and only one that all fan agree with and even that has an odd exception. Starscream was killed by Galvatron for daring to leave his former self Megatron for dead attempting to usurp power. That said Starsacream has an immortal spark so he really did not die. Shockwave is believed to have died in Unicron’s attack on Cybertron although this is somewhat debated.

Unicron of course was also killed by the power of the matrix, a power he feared so much he attempted to have it destroyed.

Eleven new Autobots ( Ultra Magnus, Blurr, Arcee, Springer, Hotrod/Rodimus prime, Kup,Wreck-Gar, Rewind,Eject, Ramhorn and Steel jaw) and four new Decepticons were introduced, the 3 mentioned above and Ratbat.

It also introduced the planet devouring Lord of Chaos Unicron played by the legendary Orson Welles.

An Interesting factoid on this film is that is was a financial bomb, by in large due to the fact that Optimus Prime and many other fan favorite Transformers were killed off or reformatted. That said none so struck home as the death of Optimus Prime. Strangely it is not really the much maligned Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime’s fault or even Megatron’s ( although he did pull the trigger). The full blame lies on Duke from the G.I.Joe cartoon/Toyline at the time the Transformers movie was in production a G.I.Joe was also being worked on and the writers approached the powers that be at Hasbro for the okay to kill off Duke, they gave they okay and it also inspired them to kill off Optimus Prime so as to have such thing be equal between the two series.

The Backlash from this was both epic and unexpected. Kids were traumatized and their parents were understandably upset. The Writers genuinely had no clue how much kids loved Optimus prime and were stunned by the outpouring of letters from angry parents of traumatized kids. Many fans feel that the death of Optimus Prime robbed much sincerity from the show and while they later brought back Optimus Prime it was too little too late to save the G1 cartoon fropm cancellation. The Backlash even affected other animated moved several were cancelled and the G.I.Joe movie was switched to a direct to Video release.

This Film was also the final roles for 2 notable actors Orson Welles who played Unicron and Scatman Crothers who played The Autobot Jazz. Orson Welles died prior to the film’s release and Scatman Crothers died roughly 4 months after.

Film critics hated the film but fans while shocked initially have come to love the film.
It had an epic soundtrack filled with80’s rock goodness and featuring a song that when heard makes people think of Transformers : The Touch by Stan Bush.



And finally here is a pic of the original poster for the movie.:

[WriterApprentice]

I like how you capitalized the 'W' in writers. XD
Are you trying to imply I had something to do with this conspiracy? Mu-hahahaha!!!
But seriously... such an event like this have happened and will happen. Hasbro didn't put enough research into how much people loved Transformers. They simply treated it as a cash cow of sorts, a mere milker of profits. Kinda puts the entire franchise into a bitter and cynical spotlight, but it's the same for Pokemon.

Since I wasn't born during that time, rather born in the 1990s, I don't have that much of a connection with G1 and the movie so I wouldn't understand. D:
And that could be what makes me not so much into Transformers is because I was never exposed to it as a child. I guess we are, you and I, are proof of the generation disparity.

Even though I do agree Bayformers did revive the Transformers franchise, but it did by painting a very violent and brutal picture. Now kids of this generation see Optimus Prime as a hero, but one who is merciless and cruel to his enemies and that all Cybertronians fight by tearing off each other's faces and limbs.
Yes, maybe the Transformers franchise has been revived. But it has now been corrupted and defiled, dismantled and sewn together and given bigger guns and a fiercer attitude where it is now a monster in content. It is far from what used to be a cartoon and toys for kids.

[raven1972]

That pretty much spot on for the reasons behind it, they wanted the older toys off the shelves to make room for the new ones coming out and did not bother to research the potential reactions to the movie.

[WriterApprentice]

Indeed. And such is the monster that is capitalism and pursuing profits.

[raven1972]

Indeed. and thats sad.

[WriterApprentice]

It's also probably the reason why there's a lack of character development in fiction (especially in media).
But that could also be our culture's tendencies to see everything in black and white.

[raven1972]

Very true and its also why with any transformers series you willalways see OP. Megatron , Starscream , and these day Bumblebee.

[WriterApprentice]

Bumblebee... a lot of people hate him. XD

[raven1972]

yah too much is just too much. Hasbro has put out an insane amount of bay Bumblebee figures in every single size class from legends to leader class to the ulitmate bumblebee figures.

[WriterApprentice]

Ugh... why the *bleep* is HE getting all the attention?! D:<
He isn't even that great of a character.

[raven1972]

Kids like him, XD sad but true oi