Pre-Transformers

Me again. With some more little tid bits from my archives that I want to share. I take you now to the classic Micro Change mini comic book and catalog, to take a look at some of our favorite classic transformers...from the inside. Yes along with a cool catalog, and black and white comic (featuring some mansion, a mad scientist, some kids and robots the size of their toy counterparts) we had some cut away skematics of the robot modes. Preceptor and Blaster, along with the lock bots and Scopeman. Take a look, pretty cool stuff.

Heh, I'm bored. And in thinking of a new PRE-tf topic, first thing that came to mind to post is my Diaclone (or variant) want list. Its a short list. Red skids, or else the front 1/2 of him (either version will do, front 1/2 of the alternative head or sedan version would match the rear I have) Red Hoist Grapple Shining Magnus (only variant of Magnus/Prime I don't have and still want) Boxed Downshift (white toyota) I have the other 2 boxed. And the impossibles Red Mirage (Don't have one, there for I'd want one) Blue Bluestreak (made a custom but a decent junker would do) Marlboor Wheeljack (made a custom so that will do) Blue hoist, or someone …

Hidden deep inside the issues, came pictures and info from obscure sources, some of which were from the laser disk TF series sets of old. In these sets, incase you have never seen them, takara put some original pictures and sketches of many original TF ideas. Here are some of the black and white picts Tony shared with subscribers.

dug these up. Had to laugh. Dang its been a good 10 years since I took these or so...wow.

One of the great mysteries of the Diaclone toy line was the use or lack of box art. I have here a list of what was shown on the box, and some (not all) of the variants with the TF used art. I think the leading theory was that the earlier toys used toy picts, while the later ones were given Artwork. Here's the list: List of Diaclone boxes with or with out ART Transformer name of Diaclone Type of box art Variant Art? Prowl Art Police Bluestreak Art Classic Blue Used as TF art Bluestreak Black hood Art Classic Blue Smokescreen Art Smokescreen Wheeljack Art Wheeljack Marlboor Wheeljack Art Wheeljack Jazz Toy Pict Hound Art Desert…

http://cgi.ebay.com/TRANSFORMERS-G1-MANGA-...1QQcmdZViewItem here's the book.

Back of the boxes are SOOOOO much fun for weird rare picts like these...almost as interesting as those rare catalog story books. Here we see a few toys and transforming toys. A White vette that does not appear to be an actual transformer with white racing stripe and other car. And on the right, we have in the middle of all the cars a prototype transforming robot car carrier that COULD HAVE BEEN out Optimus, but thank goodness we got Convoy. THere's pictures of this thing in robot mode in the Takara Land book. Maybe I'll post that later.

Yet another interesting piece of news, that might actually be new to some of you. Apparently there was a catalog that came out to promote the sale of the G2 comic series. In this book they used the battle scene showing Optimus vs Megatron among others. When the art was finally used in issue #1 there was a change made...here is a pict of the original version.

Ok, I got a couple more scans from the Takara book. How about the proto Jumpstarter, with special slot for the driver, fits right on his chest...pretty cool. I take it the driver would be sitting up in vehicle mode, and just stand up, feet still in the holder or cockpit in robot mode.

Yep, yet another part of the mag was the fan art featured with in the folds of the Transfan news letter. Some interesting pieces were shared in black and white among the readers, some of which to promote fan made comics and series. Here's a taste of just one page of these marvelous treasures.