Nick Costanzo
Oct 8, 2007, 10:37 pm
* * * Comixfan Forums THREAD * * *
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THREAD : MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
Started at Jul 19, 2007 04:18 pm by Nick Costanzo
Visit at http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=42598
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[Post 1]
Author : Nick Costanzo
Date : Jul 19, 2007 04:18 pm
Title : MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/mangamerica.jpg" hspace=10 align=left border=0 alt="Mangamerica logo">By Marcina Riley, fantasyfiv@yahoo.com
Transformers: The Y-Generation
I’m a big girl, I can admit it. I cried my eyes out when Optimus Prime Died. Of course, I was like seven at the time, but still I remember it. My mother told me I cried when Bambi’s mother died, but I can’t remember that. Something about the old Transformers movie stuck with me, all these years. I can only remember a few bits and pieces of the series, but I do remember being so emotionally involved in that movie that I cried. It was an animated series about robots, and yet, something was so human about it, that I felt sorry for a character that was a machine. There in lies the amazingly strange thing about Transformers, it goes beyond a simple series about cars that turn into robots.
I think you’d have to be under a rock to not to have heard about Transformers, especially with the new movie. However, in case, let’s start at the beginning, Transformers is a show based off a toy line, pretty simply really. It’s quite a common practice these days to make an animated series based of a toy line to sell more toys. Generally, these series are of lesser quality than original series, or shows based off other series etc. This is not the case for Transformers. Even Zoids can’t compare to the depth of story quality Transformers has. Transformers is made up of many different stories, some exist one their own, and some combine with others. However, Transformers has become something more than the original anime series that spawned it. It no longer just belongs to the Japanese creators, but something that both Japan, North America, and even a bit of the UK can lay claim to.
Whilst I remember the original series fondly, my favorite series is Beast Wars, not Beast Machines. I remember waking up just before school and watching the CGI series with great enthusiasm. It wasn’t until later that when I found out the impact of that series on the entire Transformers line. Now, I’m not going to discuss each and every generation in depth, but rather the impact of a few of them. Beast Wars is a good example of what I mean because it wasn’t created by Japanese Producers. Beast Wars was in English first. Yet, it’s a good strong solid addition to the Transformers’ Legacy. All sets of the comics have been handle by other teams, to the best of my knowledge at least 3 different comic book publishers have touched the series, four if Marvel US/UK is split into two. The surprising thing is that over time Transformers has become a collaboration of many entities. Whilst there isn’t always on cohesive thread, the ideas have remained the same.
Now, I’ve never read any of the Transformers comics, but a while ago, a fan of the comic asked me if I’d ever do anything about Transformers. At the time period, I wanted to, but there was a question of where to start, moreover how to fit it in. But the more I started thinking about the more I realized Transformers probably fits better than a lot of other series because of its history. Going back to the comics, the UK version lasted 300 issues. IDW reboot of a more contemporary Transformers is a great idea, because with it the creators are taking the old story and retelling it for another time. Hopefully, just as long lasting as the previous comics were.
Now it was posed to me to do a Transformers column almost over a year go, but after thinking about, I decided to wait till the actually movie came out. Not to steal anyone’s thunder, but it just didn’t see appropriate with the Transformers movie looming so near. I wasn’t exactly sure how they were going to do Transformers. More over, it’s easy to care about an animated robot, because on some level there’s really no difference between them and animated human beings. However, these were going to be actually machines. Generally speaking, a script has to be really good to get people to care about a machine, and while there are notable titles that do that feat, but there are several that don’t. The more inhuman look the machine the less emotions humans have toward it, at least theoretically. Transformers managed to get me emotionally involved quite well. Or at least, the character of Bumblebee got my involved in his plight. I’m not sure the other machine characters managed to make me do that, but the story worked. The movie has opened up an entire new universe and new cannon for Transformers.
I find it funny, that if the toy line was removed from Transformers, the series would still remain. It doesn’t need the toys to attract fans. Maybe perhaps, it’s turned other way now. Maybe the toy line, needs the series to attract the fans. Despite coming from a toy line, Transformers has become just as Iconic as Gundam or Macross, or Xmen for that matter. It has gain a longevity that has continued. I have no doubt that version of Transformers will be around for a very long time.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
Marcina Riley wants to know if you’ve seen a Mountain Dew machine on the rampage, if you have please call 555-5….
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of Comixfan or its other staff in general.
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[Post 2]
Author : Jonah Hex
Date : Jul 20, 2007 01:19 pm
Title : Re: MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
I remember seeing the Transformers in the 1980`s.That is something that your childhood is based on,but ironically i lost interest soon afterword.Not because it was not interesting,but because there was other things at the time.
I still have some toys..the original toys,and in pretty good shape.I dont know how much they are worth now,if anything at all.But the cartoons,and anime was good.In a way,i think Transformers is American..and Japan caught on to the popularity.
I sort of think this is the first film to appeal to the younger Generation X and older Generation Y.Because,as children..we watched this.Now older,we see this film..and remember what we had seen as children.
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[Post 3]
Author : Marty P
Date : Jul 22, 2007 01:17 pm
Title : Re: MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
The toys are Japanese. Made by Takara. They were called Diaclone then.
Hasbro bought Takara, swapped a new name on the toys (Transformers, duh), most got new paint jobs, and a three part American cartoon mini series to push sales, and also a 4 part comic book mini.
It was a massive HIT, no one really expected.
The three part cartoon series went into an ongoing cartoon series, as did the 4 part comic (check out the cover to the US Marvel Transformers #80: it says 'issue 80 in a 4 part mini series' :yeah: ).
The American cartoon ran 4 seasons. The Japanese wanted more though, and continued the Transformers legacy with seasons dubbed Transformers Headmasters, Transformers Masterforce and Transformers Victory. A LOT of toys never shown in the US cartoons made their debut in the Japanese cartoons.
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The messages has been download from Comixfan Forums at http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums at 05.10.2007 10:35:26
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THREAD : MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
Started at Jul 19, 2007 04:18 pm by Nick Costanzo
Visit at http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=42598
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[Post 1]
Author : Nick Costanzo
Date : Jul 19, 2007 04:18 pm
Title : MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/mangamerica.jpg" hspace=10 align=left border=0 alt="Mangamerica logo">By Marcina Riley, fantasyfiv@yahoo.com
Transformers: The Y-Generation
I’m a big girl, I can admit it. I cried my eyes out when Optimus Prime Died. Of course, I was like seven at the time, but still I remember it. My mother told me I cried when Bambi’s mother died, but I can’t remember that. Something about the old Transformers movie stuck with me, all these years. I can only remember a few bits and pieces of the series, but I do remember being so emotionally involved in that movie that I cried. It was an animated series about robots, and yet, something was so human about it, that I felt sorry for a character that was a machine. There in lies the amazingly strange thing about Transformers, it goes beyond a simple series about cars that turn into robots.
I think you’d have to be under a rock to not to have heard about Transformers, especially with the new movie. However, in case, let’s start at the beginning, Transformers is a show based off a toy line, pretty simply really. It’s quite a common practice these days to make an animated series based of a toy line to sell more toys. Generally, these series are of lesser quality than original series, or shows based off other series etc. This is not the case for Transformers. Even Zoids can’t compare to the depth of story quality Transformers has. Transformers is made up of many different stories, some exist one their own, and some combine with others. However, Transformers has become something more than the original anime series that spawned it. It no longer just belongs to the Japanese creators, but something that both Japan, North America, and even a bit of the UK can lay claim to.
Whilst I remember the original series fondly, my favorite series is Beast Wars, not Beast Machines. I remember waking up just before school and watching the CGI series with great enthusiasm. It wasn’t until later that when I found out the impact of that series on the entire Transformers line. Now, I’m not going to discuss each and every generation in depth, but rather the impact of a few of them. Beast Wars is a good example of what I mean because it wasn’t created by Japanese Producers. Beast Wars was in English first. Yet, it’s a good strong solid addition to the Transformers’ Legacy. All sets of the comics have been handle by other teams, to the best of my knowledge at least 3 different comic book publishers have touched the series, four if Marvel US/UK is split into two. The surprising thing is that over time Transformers has become a collaboration of many entities. Whilst there isn’t always on cohesive thread, the ideas have remained the same.
Now, I’ve never read any of the Transformers comics, but a while ago, a fan of the comic asked me if I’d ever do anything about Transformers. At the time period, I wanted to, but there was a question of where to start, moreover how to fit it in. But the more I started thinking about the more I realized Transformers probably fits better than a lot of other series because of its history. Going back to the comics, the UK version lasted 300 issues. IDW reboot of a more contemporary Transformers is a great idea, because with it the creators are taking the old story and retelling it for another time. Hopefully, just as long lasting as the previous comics were.
Now it was posed to me to do a Transformers column almost over a year go, but after thinking about, I decided to wait till the actually movie came out. Not to steal anyone’s thunder, but it just didn’t see appropriate with the Transformers movie looming so near. I wasn’t exactly sure how they were going to do Transformers. More over, it’s easy to care about an animated robot, because on some level there’s really no difference between them and animated human beings. However, these were going to be actually machines. Generally speaking, a script has to be really good to get people to care about a machine, and while there are notable titles that do that feat, but there are several that don’t. The more inhuman look the machine the less emotions humans have toward it, at least theoretically. Transformers managed to get me emotionally involved quite well. Or at least, the character of Bumblebee got my involved in his plight. I’m not sure the other machine characters managed to make me do that, but the story worked. The movie has opened up an entire new universe and new cannon for Transformers.
I find it funny, that if the toy line was removed from Transformers, the series would still remain. It doesn’t need the toys to attract fans. Maybe perhaps, it’s turned other way now. Maybe the toy line, needs the series to attract the fans. Despite coming from a toy line, Transformers has become just as Iconic as Gundam or Macross, or Xmen for that matter. It has gain a longevity that has continued. I have no doubt that version of Transformers will be around for a very long time.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
Marcina Riley wants to know if you’ve seen a Mountain Dew machine on the rampage, if you have please call 555-5….
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of Comixfan or its other staff in general.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[Post 2]
Author : Jonah Hex
Date : Jul 20, 2007 01:19 pm
Title : Re: MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
I remember seeing the Transformers in the 1980`s.That is something that your childhood is based on,but ironically i lost interest soon afterword.Not because it was not interesting,but because there was other things at the time.
I still have some toys..the original toys,and in pretty good shape.I dont know how much they are worth now,if anything at all.But the cartoons,and anime was good.In a way,i think Transformers is American..and Japan caught on to the popularity.
I sort of think this is the first film to appeal to the younger Generation X and older Generation Y.Because,as children..we watched this.Now older,we see this film..and remember what we had seen as children.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[Post 3]
Author : Marty P
Date : Jul 22, 2007 01:17 pm
Title : Re: MANGAMERICA #22: TRANSFORMERS, THE Y-GENERATION
The toys are Japanese. Made by Takara. They were called Diaclone then.
Hasbro bought Takara, swapped a new name on the toys (Transformers, duh), most got new paint jobs, and a three part American cartoon mini series to push sales, and also a 4 part comic book mini.
It was a massive HIT, no one really expected.
The three part cartoon series went into an ongoing cartoon series, as did the 4 part comic (check out the cover to the US Marvel Transformers #80: it says 'issue 80 in a 4 part mini series' :yeah: ).
The American cartoon ran 4 seasons. The Japanese wanted more though, and continued the Transformers legacy with seasons dubbed Transformers Headmasters, Transformers Masterforce and Transformers Victory. A LOT of toys never shown in the US cartoons made their debut in the Japanese cartoons.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The messages has been download from Comixfan Forums at http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums at 05.10.2007 10:35:26