What was the extent of Bob Budiansky's contribution to the Transformers Mythology?

[gorko: the man frog]

I know Budiansky wrote, drew, and edited many Marvel comics including Transformers. And I think he worked with Sunbow to get the cartoon going.

Is he the one that originally created/developed the characters of the originals like Optimus Prime and Megatron.

They were just Japanese Micro Changes before that right?

 

If he did develop their profiles who does it now and why doesn't Budiansky get more credit?

Is he still alive?

Is he ever invited to conventions?

Why the hell does no one try to get him involved in the Transformers projects of today?

 

I loved all of the comics Budiansky worked on including Ghost Rider and Sleepwalker.

Comics now are all about the art. You have to buy about thirty issues just to complete one paragraph. They used to pack so much story in comics now you are lucky to get one word per two pages. WTF

[Tramp]

Yes, Budiansky was the one who developed most of the actual character profiles for G1 up through the '86 movie, and came up with the basic ground work for the mythos. He was also the primary writer and (originally) editor for the early material before Simon Furman came o board in the States. As for who does most of the profiles now, That would primarily be Forest Lee of Hasbro. He's a copywriter for Hasbro who is currently responsible for writing the toy bios, and has been since 2005. HE also wrote the Fun Publications Cybertron comic and still writes stories for them. —Forest Lee

 

And yes, Bob Budiansky is still alive—Bob Budiansky

[Liege Evilmus]

I loved all of the comics Budiansky worked on including Ghost Rider and Sleepwalker.

Comics now are all about the art. You have to buy about thirty issues just to complete one paragraph. They used to pack so much story in comics now you are lucky to get one word per two pages. WTF

 

Thats why I stopped buying comics, to much dragging of the feet...

[Drewbie]

Is he ever invited to conventions?

He was at the 2007 Iacon One conventino in Fort Wayne.

 

I loved all of the comics Budiansky worked on including Ghost Rider and Sleepwalker.

Comics now are all about the art. You have to buy about thirty issues just to complete one paragraph. They used to pack so much story in comics now you are lucky to get one word per two pages. WTF

Partly because the art is now dynamic enough to tell part of the sotry on it's own, without the characters explaining every action. The first few issues of Transformers from Marvel were especially bad with every robot introducing themselves and explaining what they were doing.

[Liege Evilmus]

Is he ever invited to conventions?

He was at the 2007 Iacon One conventino in Fort Wayne.

 

I loved all of the comics Budiansky worked on including Ghost Rider and Sleepwalker.

Comics now are all about the art. You have to buy about thirty issues just to complete one paragraph. They used to pack so much story in comics now you are lucky to get one word per two pages. WTF

Partly because the art is now dynamic enough to tell part of the sotry on it's own, without the characters explaining every action. The first few issues of Transformers from Marvel were especially bad with every robot introducing themselves and explaining what they were doing.

 

 

Yeah and no.

 

I read comics for years in the 80s and 90s. There was a happy medium between great writing and great art and the stories moved along just fine. No problem dropping $1.25 on an issue.

I say this as someone who hated reading vintage issues where Stan Friggin Lee would fill each pannel with the same thing 3 times and it was a pick of the guys face in the corner benieth all that. Yet still somehow I love the man?

Todays stories, yeah the art is great, but I don't give a bleeding rats ass, I know dragged feet when I see it. I got some recent TF TPBs and frig, perfect example of why I lost intrest in comics...

Take Escilation, a billion pannels of some A-Hole kids looking shocked and a story that Chris Clairmont could have wrapped up in 3 pages with kick ass art to boot.

 

But I guess when they have you paying per issue it's easier to string you along to a time and place that takes you nowhere then get to the friggin point. Sure you can look at way back when, but you can also hope for better after 25yrs and hope even more to know when you aint getting it.

[gorko: the man frog]

Yeah and no.

 

I read comics for years in the 80s and 90s. There was a happy medium between great writing and great art and the stories moved along just fine. No problem dropping $1.25 on an issue.

I say this as someone who hated reading vintage issues where Stan Friggin Lee would fill each pannel with the same thing 3 times and it was a pick of the guys face in the corner benieth all that. Yet still somehow I love the man?

Todays stories, yeah the art is great, but I don't give a bleeding rats ass, I know dragged feet when I see it. I got some recent TF TPBs and frig, perfect example of why I lost intrest in comics...

Take Escilation, a billion pannels of some A-Hole kids looking shocked and a story that Chris Clairmont could have wrapped up in 3 pages with kick ass art to boot.

 

But I guess when they have you paying per issue it's easier to string you along to a time and place that takes you nowhere then get to the friggin point. Sure you can look at way back when, but you can also hope for better after 25yrs and hope even more to know when you aint getting it.

:agree

[Drewbie]

Todays stories, yeah the art is great, but I don't give a bleeding rats ass, I know dragged feet when I see it. I got some recent TF TPBs and frig, perfect example of why I lost intrest in comics...

Take Escilation, a billion pannels of some A-Hole kids looking shocked and a story that Chris Clairmont could have wrapped up in 3 pages with kick ass art to boot.

I thought you were talking about comics in general. the pacing in IDW's (TF) books is terrible.