Transformers Robots In disguise Turns 5 Today!

Friday, September 8th, 2006 2:47PM CDT

Category: Cartoon News
Posted by: Alex Kingdom Views: 20,893

Ex-News Crew member and Energon Pub member Raymond T. has posted the following on our Cartoons and Comic Forum, Happy Birthday RID!:

It seems most of the community has forgotten it. But I haven't. Today (September 8th) marks the 5th anniversary of the cartoon series of Robots In Disguise.

The series marked the definite return to vehicle disguises after the public was given Beast Wars and Beast Machines in the years before. Previously produced for the Japanese/Asian market, the series was translated and re-written. One of the people behind it was Michael McConnohie, who years earlier played Cosmos and Tracks on the original show.

The series became more than met the eyes several days after the first episode aired, when on September 11th the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks on the twin towers. As the days progressed in the dark days, voice actor to RiD's Optimus Prime Neil Kaplan received E-mails from people drawing hope and strength from his incarnation of Optimus Prime which, as fate would have it, was designed as a firetruck. One of the many symbols of peace and hope that emerged after the attacks.

In recent years we have also been struck with tragedy as we have already lost some fine voice actors from the Robots in Disguise show.

Bob Papenbrook [RiD Mega-Octane, Ruination]
18-09-1955/17-03-2006 (chronic lung condition)
Barry Stigler [RiD Scourge]
??-??-1948/01-03-2005 (??)

The show marked the rebirth of the old Transformers concept and made way for the new shows of Armada, Energon and Cybertron. I may also have had some pull in getting the Transformers movie, which is now in production, green lit.

Robots In Disguise changed before your eyes and was much more than meets the eye!

Credit(s): Raymond T.