25th Xmas for Transformers

[primenova]

Optimus Prime was the sought after toys xmas 1984 in the UK wasn't he.

But back then with it being a new toy range [repaints of old toys but with characters]

Has there been any christmas where we have had a Transformers line but with no supports from another media. Ie Toy comic or cartoon.

The only one i can think of for the UK would be Beast Machines wave one. The cartoon wasn't shown until 2001 [the toys being out on series 2 line in 2001 making way for RID for late 2001 & 2002 - which was replaced by Armada xmas 2002]

You might say G2 - but we had the toy range in 1994-1996. The comic for 1994 - but sky where showing the reformatted cartoon for a few years 1994 - 1998 ??

[Deleted]

What about 1993. There were a few toys out then but, as far as I'm aware there was no other media. G2 was still a year off and the UK comic was finished (if you discount the odd Collected Comics issue)

[primenova]

The CC's where still coming from Marvel UK so we still had something new - a classic collection of Transformers in another media printing an unrelated cover to the story inside.

Comic ran UK#1 - CC#27 1984-1994
G1 cartoon on tv for about 2 years? just first series? 85-87 But we had it supported in this media by the VHS video releases 85-93 { meaning not sure on the dates}

Sky one only started showing G2 format cartoons around 94 to ??

But the G2 UK comic lasted 94-95 - so that cover us having a comic out in the UK from 84-95.

it was about xmas 93 when we got all the 99p minbots. How much did Hasbro make from these? they just ran them off to test the modes - it must have been about 20p they got back - but must cost more than 20p to make the toy & print the pack?
must have been - toy cost 99p so 17p to tax, 50p to woolworths for carrying the line, 2p for printing the sticker on the back [can't remember if they had them - but this was around the time Hasbro Uk started covering up the backs with the EU stickers - really overdoing it when they got to Beast Machines], 10p for delivery in UK from where they are made, leave 20p for Hasbro.

[Bogatan]

The minibots were much earlier about the same time as the classics line. 1990. I believe both sets were rereleased as the chinese wre reissuing the 1984-86 lines at the time and Has Europe saw it as a chance to expand the line beyond what the US were doing. Why the minibots appeared in original packaging along with the constructicons and the rest got new classic packaging I don't know.

When China progressed on to the 86+ lines we got classic triple changers and scramble city (1991) and later Overlord, motorvators, breastforce (1992)

Going back to your original point I'd say Christmas 93 with one collected comic that many people probably missed, featuring charaters that weren't part of the toyline up for that year probably was close enough to zero media support to be treated as no media.

Andy

[primenova]

Christmas 2002 - we just had the Armada released

& RID was just showing on Fox kids [it's not Jetix or Disney XD - it's Fox kids - but they sold out] with some of the toys still out there. But nothing to support the Armada line until easter 2003 when the cartoon series one only was shown on ITV - comic later followed at end of year.

1986 was the year with most coverage.
toy, comic, cartoon

[primenova]

If you look at the reissue releases [the one released this past decade not the gold classics boxes from 1990]

Stuff like Starscream, Optimus, Ultra magnus, Hot rod - do tie in with the dvd releases of series 1-4 & Movie rerelease. Also the Titan trades. But can't remember the release date of Powermaster Optimus Prime - the Godbomber part only ties in with release of Takara collection 2 & 3 - but these where not the same year.

[primenova]

For xmas 2010 - 26 years. looks like we are just going to have reissue stock maybe back in toyrus & Movie 2 line & animated still laying around. But we should still have the Titan comic. But dont expect that Hasbro will have whatever the secert new Transformers project is ready for next year - expect to see it in 2012 - due to Movie 3 in 2011 & they wouldn't try lauching a new line & cartoon at same time has Movie - Movie 3 out May/June 2011 - to close to launch cartoon in Sept, unless they go with a Movie cartoon??]