The official G1 purist thread.

[chiefchirpa]

Originally Posted by ShadowBoxing

Jim Shooter and Bob Budinsky wrote the concept to the comic and toyline before the cartoon came out with the pilot.

But is the "concept" out yet before the show?

The comic stories predate the pilot. That's why you see Ratchet change from a toy accurate design in the comic to a toon accurate design by the end of the fourth or fifth issue. Because the Sunbow people had not finalized designs by the time they were done penning the initial four issue mini.

Give a link on this.

[chiefchirpa]

Originally Posted by lars573

This right here is you just being plain stupid. The Dinobots (all of them), and the insecticons are Diaclone toys. Released in 1982 as Dinosaur Robo's and Waruders respectivly. Proof.

The Predacons were desinged in full by a team of engineers that Takara poached from Bandai. And it's been asserted that they walked out with an unused Megazord design and adapted it into Predaking.

Bad example, eh Lars

Ok how bout, Apeface, Mindwipe, Snapdragon, Skullcruncher, Weirdwolf.

Nevertheless, I've never had an issue with Dinobots, Insecticons, and Predacons in TF show storyline. Even though the toyline starts them, they're canon to G1. And guess what? Grimlock is arguably more famous than Dinobot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0XKHQ7gMNc (teaser for the movie featuring Grimlock - another reason the movie is largely based on G1?)

[lars573]

Originally Posted by chiefchirpa

Bad example, eh Lars

Ok how bout, Apeface, Mindwipe, Snapdragon, Skullcruncher, Weirdwolf.

Nevertheless, I've never had an issue with Dinobots, Insecticons, and Predacons in TF show storyline. Even though the toyline starts them, they're canon to G1. And guess what? Grimlock is arguably more famous than Dinobot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0XKHQ7gMNc (teaser for the movie featuring Grimlock - another reason the movie is largely based on G1?)

Better. But Apeface and Snapdragon were triple changers. They were both also jets. And the 3 headmasters can be chalked up to you have more freedom cooking up car desgins than jet desgins. Given the Autobots=cars and trucks, Decepticons=planes and other fying machines desgin mentality in the toys.

[chiefchirpa]

Originally Posted by lars573

Better. But Apeface and Snapdragon were triple changers. They were both also jets. And the 3 headmasters can be chalked up to you have more freedom cooking up car desgins than jet desgins. Given the Autobots=cars and trucks, Decepticons=planes and other fying machines desgin mentality in the toys.

Just say that back in 1987 they were less advanced in transformers design then what's in the G2 or BW era.

Starting with Aerialbots or maybe before that (Again I'm not a G1 purist or TF hardcore fan), Autobot is no longer stuck with landlocked vehicles, and vice versa with the Decepticons.

Anyway do you guys know any Sixshot (6-changers) nemesis in the Autobot side? Sixshot is a bad-ass that can singlehandedly defeat all Gestalt TFs perhaps except Predaking.

[lars573]

Well there was an Autobot sixchanger. Quickswitch.

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by lars573

Well there was an Autobot sixchanger. Quickswitch.

And of course don't forget the Sixshot remold, Greatshot.

[chiefchirpa]

Originally Posted by ShadowBoxing

And of course don't forget the Sixshot remold, Greatshot.

Ah ok, thanks guys.

Just check on Quickswitch. What an ugly toy that is

[The Caped Knight]

I'm a Die hard G1 fanboy .

[Starscreamer]

Originally Posted by lars573

The movie isn't based on G1. It's a synthesis of the whole of TF's. After all movie Scorponok is in now way based on G1 Scorponok (that honour falls to the Energon version). He's based on Beast Wars Scorponok.

Optimus is a truck not an ape who says things like "freedom is the right of all sentient beings, one shall stand, one shall fall"

Megatron says "you fail me again Starscream"

Starscream is a jet

I could go on but clearly this film was G1 based I see no reference to Beast Wars in the film. Allow me to say I love Beast Wars but G1 Rocks!

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by Starscreamer

Optimus is a truck not an ape who says things like "freedom is the right of all sentient beings, one shall stand, one shall fall"

Megatron says "you fail me again Starscream"

Starscream is a jet

I could go on but clearly this film was G1 based I see no reference to Beast Wars in the film. Allow me to say I love Beast Wars but G1 Rocks!

You do realize that there has been more than just G1 and Beast Wars right...and I can think of about three of them that would fit the criteria you just put down.

And as for "no reference to Beast Wars". Protoforms, the term "Allspark", Scorponok, Prime Lips, Sparks (souls) all come from Beast Wars and were all featured in the film.

[Spidey-Bat]

I finally downloaded the G1 episodes. I watched the first episode (More than Meets the Eye pt. 1) and was surprised by how awesome it was (especially for an 80's cartoon). I'm a huge Beast Wars fan and it was cool to see how the Ark landed on prehistoric Earth. One thing I find funny is Optimus' magic trailer. The first time he transformed from truck to robot it magically disappeared and when he transformed into a truck again it magically appeared.

[Grievous]

Originally Posted by Kal-El 8

I'm a Die hard G1 fanboy .

me too, I love G1!

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by Spidey-Bat

I finally downloaded the G1 episodes. I watched the first episode (More than Meets the Eye pt. 1) and was surprised by how awesome it was (especially for an 80's cartoon). I'm a huge Beast Wars fan and it was cool to see how the Ark landed on prehistoric Earth. One thing I find funny is Optimus' magic trailer. The first time he transformed from truck to robot it magically disappeared and when he transformed into a truck again it magically appeared.

The first three episodes are not that bad. They aren't that good either, but definitely not bad. Aside from the "magical" (or ridiculous elements) elements that plagued the show, the episode themselves are watchable at a level most of that show is not. However the highlight of season one is either "Divide and Conquor", "Countdown to Extinction" or my personal favorite "The Ultimate Doom I, II and III". It's the second three parter, and aside from taking some suspension of disbelief, it's perhaps the greatest scheme Megatron unleashed. Certainly his most grandios. If anything the episodes major drawback is where it is placed in the series. The show gets decidedly silly after that, and until the third season we really never see the show have an truly "epic" storylines. That storyline truly was epic though.

If I were you, going for sheer entertainment. Skip everything from "Autobot Spike" until the movie. It's not worth the brain power it takes to will yourself through most of those episodes. It's also really sad to watch how stupid Grimlock gets between his last appearance in season 1 and his subsequent appearances leading up to season 2. Especially after the comic made him a badass.

[Spidey-Bat]

I've downloaded the first 5 eps of season 1 and have the rest downloading now. I started some of season 2 but if it's that bad, I'll skip it. Just to double check, the Movie takes place between seasons 2 and 3, correct?

Since I should skip all of season 2, is there anything significant I should know about? I like to see all episodes of a show just to know what happens but if I shouldn't, I will since it takes up a lot of space on my comp and time to download.

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by Spidey-Bat

I've downloaded the first 5 eps of season 1 and have the rest downloading now. I started some of season 2 but if it's that bad, I'll skip it. Just to double check, the Movie takes place between seasons 2 and 3, correct?

Since I should skip all of season 2, is there anything significant I should know about? I like to see all episodes of a show just to know what happens but if I shouldn't, I will since it takes up a lot of space on my comp and time to download.

The season is not all bad. "Megatron's Master Plan" is decent. But if you're watching for important moments. Basically the Movie was done during "Dinobot Island" and the rest of season 2 has some conflict with the film itself. It takes place between season 2 (which ends somewhere in the mid nineteen eighties) and season 3 (which picks up less than a year later in 2006, Movie being in 2005). However the movie itself seems to only pay attention, and rightfully so, to events taking place within the first half of season 2. The biggest season 2 event (out of the 49 episodes) is probably "Key to Vector Sigma" which introduces the Aerialbots, Stunticons and Vector Sigma. The "Search for Alpha Trion", "War Dawn" and "The Gambler" hold some significance as well in the series overall. Another fan favorite "The Secret of Omega Supreme" is somewhat held in regard, however be warned, this is episode makes NO SENSE in relation to season 1 and much of the rest of the show.

[Soundwave]

While I personally think that "Code of Hero" in BW is the best Transformers episode ever made, the G1 series will always be my favorite overall. The G1 series is one of the most popular cartoons of all time and it had some of the most memorable characters. As far as I'm concerned it is still the standard by which all other Transformer cartoons will be measured against.

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by Soundwave

While I personally think that "Code of Hero" in BW is the best Transformers episode ever made, the G1 series will always be my favorite overall. The G1 series is one of the most popular cartoons of all time and it had some of the most memorable characters.

Not so sure about this. In it's day it's said to have been less popular than G.I.Joe, Ninja Turtles and even Masters. It did only last three seasons, and it's movie made less than 6 million total. However it had a killer toyline, which is said to have been the among the most popular toylines of all time (apparently beating out Star Wars). However I feel it's popularity is nostalgia based, as do most Transformers fans. It seems the popularity of future incarnations (Beast Wars getting better ratings and more critical acclaim, and Armada selling better as a toyline) fuelled nostalgia filled love. Most people, even here, cannot name more than two or three episodes at most. And as I said, the show was cancelled due to poor ratings.

As far as I'm concerned it is still the standard by which all other Transformer cartoons will be measured against.

Quality wise. No. Absolutely not. Any show that lacks the common sense to not sell it's animation out to a knock off Korean company mid way through it's second season should be considered a "standard". Any show that lacks the common sense to not give their writers breathing room, instead insisting new episodes every week rather than slowing the pace to encourage more consistency should be considered a "standard". And no show that has that much red tape should be considered a standard either. Most fans agree, for all it's fun moments it was a bad show. The comic probably redeemed the fiction the most when Simon Furman took over. However G1 gave the franchise shakey legs to stand on. This is probably the reason they (among others) abandoned the concept of making Beast Wars a direct sequel to G1 (of course anyone who reads the tech specs immediately knows that Optimus Primal and Megatron were simply reformated versions of themselves and that originally the show was to take place in 2007, following Rebirth). However Hasbro allowed Bob Forward and Larry Ditillo revamp the dying franchise. The truth is, if G1 were held as any standard they would've bankrupted themselves. The toys were the golden star of that whole generation.

[Orb]

I liked G1 and enjoyed it but for me the best show is Beast Wars!

[The Caped Knight]

G1 bots with Robots In Disguise theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdNcwzcBueE

[ShadowBoxing]

Originally Posted by Kal-El 8

G1 bots with Robots In Disguise theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdNcwzcBueE

That sucked

This one rocks

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Lunar_Wolf]

Met Gregg Berger

[Gabe99]

Transformers Universe - They were always real to me!

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

Not trying to restart an old argument but.........

Originally Posted by chiefchirpa

Toys -> Show -> Comic.

You got the order of this wrong.

The correct order is....
Toys > Comic > Show

[nogap87]

I've been watching G1 on the HUB. I wasn't born when the series first started so I had no idea how "good" or "bad" it was/is. My verdict: surprisingly entertaining. There are a lot of BS moments like Prime's trailer, robot jets not towering over robot cars, Megatron not destroying Starscream, complete disregard for physics, etcetera. But I enjoy it in the same way I enjoy Adam West's Batman: it's campy but still awesome in a quirky way.

Also, the aesthetic of the G1 robots is my favorite. I never understood why a mass of mangled metal walking around was somehow more realistic/less absurd than blocky robots.

[brianbuck]

I'm a big G1 fan, but I think G1 purists who dismiss Beast Wars are missing out on a show that started out mediocre and became great, specifically because as BW went on it established itself as a sequel to G1 and made more and more overt references to it.
On the other hand, Beast Machines was the exact opposite, it started out good and ended up awful and introduced the single worst TF character ever: Botanica.

I was a teen when G1 started back in 84. I loved the show and watched it every day after school at 4 o'clock. Once I started collecting comics, I snapped up Marvels TF book every month. It was good up until Megatron died, and I didn't buy another issue until Megatron returned two years later.

As for the current state of the original cartoon, I think it's clear that some episodes have aged better than others. Season one remains the best, IMO. Season two is when it really became a blatant toy commercial, introducing more characters than they could possibly use. And season three is practically unwatchable, but one or two episodes stand out, including Webworld, Suddenly Human and Dweller in Darkness.

So, which comic company had the best storylines, Marvel, Dreamwave or IDW?