Transformers G1 Cartoon Series Creators Talk “How it all Started”!
On the precipice of the latest installment of the Transformers Movie Franchise hitting theaters, the creators of the original Transformers Cartoon Series from back in 1984, discuss how it all began, and how they created a universe that is still beloved today. Check out the full article and share your thoughts after the JUMP!
(Source: screencrush)
The ‘Transformers’ franchise is a cultural juggernaut with universal appeal. The three live action films released since 2007 have grossed nearly $3 billion. The fourth film, ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction,’ is on track to become one of 2014′s biggest hits. Characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee and Megatron continue to grace T-shirts and lunch boxes in elementary schools. Smoky college dorm rooms are still filled with grown people discussing the finer points of the Matrix of Leadership. For an entire generation (and that generation’s offspring), the ongoing war between the righteous Autobots and the evil Decepticons is still a very big deal.
All of this was born when the Hasbro toy company commissioned Marvel Productions to make a series that would highlight and help sell their latest toy line: robot action figures that could turn into cars. The show was crafted by writers who thought they were just working on just another job. None of them expected to be still talking about their work three decades later. No one expected legions of fans to care well into the 21st century.
It all began in 1984 at Marvel’s new studio building in Van Nuys, California. Word processors were finally replacing typewriters. Scripts took 30 minutes to print. And Hasbro wanted a new companion show for ‘G.I.: Joe.’Rolling Out
Bryce Malek was a story editor on the first 65 episodes of ‘Transformers’ and he remembers the summer of ’84 fondly. The Olympics were in town and the residents had fled. “The freeways were clear and there was hardly any smog,” he says. “There was terrific weather. It was a just a great time to be in Los Angeles and a great time to be alive on the planet.”
