Xaaron

[championofjustice]

I'd only realised this after reading the wiki 'Teletraan-1', but has anyone else noticed that Xaaron is based upon Megatron? At least in Xaaron's early UK appearances. His head is based upon the toy of Megatron, and Xaaron's body is a very simplified version of Megatron's Marvel character model, without the gun parts, particularly his torso. Also note that back then, Megatron was coloured gold at the torso with a silver helmet... Just like Xaaron.

Maybe they were related somehow. Perhaps we should be told.

[Bogatan]

I'd always thought that but never knew it was deliberate. I dont think hes the only on. The two guys in Man Of Iron both look pretty similar too.

Andy

[Deleted]

This fact never actually dawned on me when I originally read the Marvel comics but when you mentioned it above it does seem plausible. Xaaron transformed into a tank according to the free gift that came with UK #200 and seeing as later versions of Megatron were also tanks there may be some kind of connection between the two there. Maybe a bit of fanfic could explain the connection between the two.

[Andy Turnbull]

The Xaaron similarity to Megatron can be put down to John Stokes not having a ton of reference material related to Transformers. And There Shall Come A Leader is full of shots that are homages/swipes to the first few issues of the US title.

Andy

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Yeah, the similarities struck me the first time I saw him. His one distinctive design feature, the fixed grate mouth, is excellent though, perfectly sufficient for a robot's speech, and begs the question of why other TFs have human-like mouths (and according to some artists, tongues), when they don't need to form sounds by breathing through a wind instrument like we do.

Martin

[Andy Turnbull]

Jun 28, 2008 16:17:12 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

Yeah, the similarities struck me the first time I saw him. His one distinctive design feature, the fixed grate mouth, is excellent though, perfectly sufficient for a robot's speech, and begs the question of why other TFs have human-like mouths (and according to some artists, tongues), when they don't need to form sounds by breathing through a wind instrument like we do.

Martin

In my head I always saw them as having a fixed expression with no moving parts in that way. Obviously the more vain, such as Sunstreaker and Starscream would have a suitably attractive face, others such as Ironhide, Trailbreaker a more workmanlike face.

With their exposure to humanity on Earth I could see the Autobots being modified in order to emote better to humanity.

In fact I'm pretty sure Graham and I emailed back and forth along these lines a while back for a story idea involving this and Ratchet and Ironhide getting the more human forms between issues 2 and 3 of the US comic.

Who knows after the AA mag is done I might dust it off and see what I can make of it.

Andy

[Shockprowl]

First time I read the Target:2006 ep where Xaaron first appeared I thought it was Megatron! I was like, how's Megatron got to Cybertron?! Did I miss an issue.

I'm a fan of Emir Xaaron. I'd love a toy of him.

[Deleted]

Jun 28, 2008 17:54:56 GMT Shockprowl said:

I'm a fan of Emir Xaaron. I'd love a toy of him.

I've been working on a Franken-Action Master version of him for a while now. It currently has Megatron's body, Mainframe's arms and legs and Rollout's head. It's a pretty good likeness though I haven't got around to painting it up yet. It goes quite nicely with my BM Tankor derived Impactor. I'm currently trying to figure out a good base figure to use for a Rack 'N' Ruin to complete the group.

On the subject of Xaaron, what is the correct pronunciation of the name? I've always called him "Zah-ron" (well, I say always, as a little kid it was "Ex-aron") but it occurs to me that it could be "Zar-ron" or "Zah-a-ron" etc. Anybody know the Furman-approved pronunciation?

[legios]

Jun 28, 2008 18:16:49 GMT @celerytower said:

On the subject of Xaaron, what is the correct pronunciation of the name? I've always called him "Zah-ron" (well, I say always, as a little kid it was "Ex-aron") but it occurs to me that it could be "Zar-ron" or "Zah-a-ron" etc. Anybody know the Furman-approved pronunciation?

I never worried too much about an "official" pronunciation - I've always just assumed - like yourself - Zah-ron. A double X has no real precendent I'm aware of in any language, so I just assumed that the second X was silent.

Karl

[Grand Moff Muffin]

What second X?

Martin

[legios]

Jun 28, 2008 20:59:02 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

What second X?

Martin

The one that I am forever putting in Xaaron's name due to the fact that I am somewhat challenged in the spelling department I guess. (Seriously, I even read it as Xxaaron when it is in black and white in front of me for some reason. It is like some sort of selective dyslexia)

Karl

[Shockprowl]

I thought it was Axe-a-ron as a kid, but I believe, and I may well be totally wrong here (given the standard of my spelling), that X-a-a is indeed pronounced as Zah. So it's Zah-ron.


What would his tech-specs be?

FUNCTION: Leader (?)

MOTO: "Shake it like a polaroid picture!"

Strength: 5
Intelligence: 10
Speed: 6
Endurance: 7
Rank: 10
Courage: 9
Firepower: need to see his alt mode's gun!
Skill: 10

[Shockprowl]

Jun 28, 2008 21:03:14 GMT legios said:

... It is like some sort of selective dyslexia..
Karl

I have selective audio dyslexia. When Mrs Shockprowl says "no, don't buy anything else this month" I hear "Yes that's fine darling, buy what you want". Weird.

[Deleted]

I've always pronounced Xaaron as starting with a Z just like the Citreon Xantia is pronounced as Zantia.

[Nigel]

I've always called him Zah-ron. I remember a friend used to call him Ex-ah-ron, the same friend who I couldn't convince that Dennis the Menace's dog had a silent "G".

[The Doctor]

I pronounce his name as 'Dave'.

-Ralph

[Deleted]

I pronounce my name as Dave as well but thats only because it is my name.

[Deleted]

Emirate Dave it is then!

I'm slightly paranoid about the pronunciation of the weirder Transformer names as I always pronounced Jhiaxus as "Hi-axe-us" (assuming it was spelled with a Spanish 'J') and ended up feeling rather daft when the pun was eventually pointed out to me. Still, "hi, axe us" works almost as well as "gee, axe us" so it's not so bad.

As a result of my misconception regarding his name I still picture Jhiaxus speaking with a very laid back Spanish accent when he's in a calm mood, slowly rising to a frantic pissed off Mexican bandit-style roar when he goes mental in the final few issue of G2. In fact I may have to go and stick some little pictures of sombreros over his head during his final battle with prime on the Twilight.

[Nigel]

How shuld Hunter O'Nion be pronounced? Is O'Nion a real name or just made up? Is it O-neon, O-nigh-on, a Gaelic pronounciation? I pronounce it "onion" because that's what it looks like and it seems odd to pronounce it another way, lacking any other information. Plus, I know someone by the name of Onion, which makes it sem less silly to pronounce O'Nion the same way.

[legios]

Jun 29, 2008 15:38:30 GMT Nigel said:

How shuld Hunter O'Nion be pronounced? Is O'Nion a real name or just made up? Is it O-neon, O-nigh-on, a Gaelic pronounciation? I pronounce it "onion" because that's what it looks like and it seems odd to pronounce it another way, lacking any other information. Plus, I know someone by the name of Onion, which makes it sem less silly to pronounce O'Nion the same way.

I've always assumed that it is intended to be O-nigh-on. That said, I have a tendency to pronounce it Onion instead.

Karl

[Deleted]

I've always pronounced it 'o-neon' but if I recall there was one scene in I think it was Infiltration where he explained that people called him 'onion' so maybe thats how its pronounced.

[The Doctor]

I pronounce his name as: 'Twat'.

-Ralph

[Rich]

<plug> If you like the big X, then get the AA zine! <plug>

[Andy Turnbull]

Indeed, you also get some Traachon action and aside from ...And There Shall Come A Leader I don't think he's appeared in a strip.

Andy

[grahamthomson]

"Traachon Action" sounds painful.

[Andy Turnbull]

But strangely compulsive.

Andy

[Deleted]

Jul 16, 2008 21:02:25 GMT @grahamthomson said:

"Traachon Action" sounds painful.

It also sounds like something thats perfectly legal in Amsterdam.

[Philip Ayres]

[primenova]

That because his torso does look like Megatrons. I think he should be Browning than a tank. But a gun mode goes against his views. Also this was John Stokes early work when the UK didn't have the character sheets until Mike got them 1986?

[blueshift]

Okay, so Martin has been making me think

Xaaron used to be able to transform but can't anymore

In City of Fear we learn he doesn't know if he still can, and even if he can the strain might kill him

SO is he a Transformer? At what point do you lose your Transformer license??