The Energon Pub

Okay, It was about a month ago when the umpteenth conversation ended in the Jetfire / Optimus Prime mixup debate.
I promised "Auto bot" to post some pictures and well.. here they are!

(see the larger size pictures on my Flickr site : http://www.flickr.com/photos/neliz/


Front cover of the dutch release (Junior Press) of the Marvel comic, #1:

(building up a tension arc here)
Inside of the cover, look at the way the robot mode for Ratchet/Ironhide is portrayed, 100% toy accurate (later on, he gets his head in some shots)

1. Two magnificent armies of robots fight an unbelievable battle on the planet Cybtertron

2. In two editions Junior Press introduces the Transformers


Our leader is called by his real name for the first time!

But, out of Iacon, the largest city-state came a leader that gave the Autobots new courage in these dark times ... Jetfire!

The only Autobot able to rally the beaten troops and form a unity and effective fighting force

Even Spider man acknowledges that the man with sunglasses is actually Jetfire.

I'm sorry about Gears Jetfire! but even heroes die!

Die?




Editorial explaining the mix-up


A lot of readers have undoubtedly noticed that the first four numbers of Transformers had a serious error in them. The leader of the heroic autobots was constantly called Jetfire. This should've been Optimus Prime, our apologies.

How was this possible you wonder? The reason is fairly easy.
At about the same time an American TV series (now available on Sky in the Netherlands), the comics and TWO different toylines were introduced. The Trademarks for the name Optimus Prime belonged to the producer of one of these lines. In the Netherlands, the other toy line was introduced and the name Optimus Prime could not be used. Because we wanted to line-up the comic with the toys we chose the name Jetfire.

At this point the problem is resolved and you can find Optimus Prime between the other Transformers in the toy store. and from this issue on, also in the comic. Who the real Jetfire is and how he's created can be found in this issue. And the further clear up any misunderstanding, you can find the files of both OP and Jetfire later in this issue

And.. a special treat for all of you still reading this.
Remember how everyone was complaining about Jazz dieing in the movie and OP not giving a S***?


A moment later after the other Autobots ceased their fight with the Decepticons, on the other side of the mountain.
1:
Sideswipe: We've collected all pieces that were left of him

Buster: Your friend has died, how can you be so cool?

Spike: Have you guys got no emotion?

2:
Jetfire: The humans don't understand. Our life form is completely different. But I've got no time to explain.

See.. we humans shouldn't care so much about Jazz dieing in the movie...

That kind off explains the story of Jetfire/Optimus Prime.. Milton Bradley had the rights to produce the toys for Europe but for some reason not the rights for the Optimus Prime name.
Once Hasbro had full control over the Transformers production and distribution in Europe (two years later) the name was cleared.

The 1st and 2nd comic came out in 1984 (copyright on first page)
the 5th issue explaining the mixup came out in 1987 with copyright printed as 1986.

neliz wrote:That kind off explains the story of Jetfire/Optimus Prime.. Milton Bradley had the rights to produce the toys for Europe but for some reason not the rights for the Optimus Prime name.
Once Hasbro had full control over the Transformers production and distribution in Europe (two years later) the name was cleared.

The 1st and 2nd comic came out in 1984 (copyright on first page)
the 5th issue explaining the mixup came out in 1987 with copyright printed as 1986.

It was my understanding that part or all of the name Optimus Prime was being used for some kind of appliance in some areas of the U.K. or some other country so the name change was needed.

Hmm...makes me wonder what a Jetfire repainted as Optimus Prime would look like. Yeah, a Classics Jetfire in Prime colors wouldn't look too bad. I wish they would shake it up in future lines. I'm kind of getting tire of Prime always being a truck. Maybe if Prime was a jet and Megatron was a truck, that would be pretty cool.

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:It was my understanding that part or all of the name Optimus Prime was being used for some kind of appliance in some areas of the U.K. or some other country so the name change was needed.

Me to, even the wiki page notes that the "Optimus" name was for a kitchen appliance. But that could still be true in above editorial.

wiki:

Milton Bradley (MB) released the toy in Europe in late 1985, following trademark issues;

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Optimus_Prime_(G1)_toys

I know the stories as well.. it's written in several places but It would help if a MB employee at that time would shed some light...

neliz wrote:

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:It was my understanding that part or all of the name Optimus Prime was being used for some kind of appliance in some areas of the U.K. or some other country so the name change was needed.

Me to, even the wiki page notes that the "Optimus" name was for a kitchen appliance. But that could still be true in above editorial.

Yeah I dont even remember where I heard it from but it was years ago.

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:Yeah I dont even remember where I heard it from but it was years ago.

http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/veuro2.html


ah yes..

* It's believed that there were some trademark issues with the name "Optimus Prime" in the Netherlands due to a manufacturer of kitchen utensils named "Optimus"[4]. Whether or not this was actually the case, Milton Bradley did not initially release Optimus Prime's toy, referred to Jetfire as the Autobot leader, and called Optimus "Jetfire" in the Dutch translation of the Marvel comic! Whatever the problem was, it was later rectified, as the Optimus Prime toy was later released and they stopped calling him "Jetfire" in the comic.

neliz wrote:

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:Yeah I dont even remember where I heard it from but it was years ago.

http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/veuro2.html


ah yes..

* It's believed that there were some trademark issues with the name "Optimus Prime" in the Netherlands due to a manufacturer of kitchen utensils named "Optimus"[4]. Whether or not this was actually the case, Milton Bradley did not initially release Optimus Prime's toy, referred to Jetfire as the Autobot leader, and called Optimus "Jetfire" in the Dutch translation of the Marvel comic! Whatever the problem was, it was later rectified, as the Optimus Prime toy was later released and they stopped calling him "Jetfire" in the comic.

Cool info

the thing is. on the transformers wikia page, they show a picture of jetfire fighting megatron and assuming that the comics were redrawn.. that's really not the case.

neliz wrote:the thing is. on the transformers wikia page, they show a picture of jetfire fighting megatron and assuming that the comics were redrawn.. that's really not the case.

du you have a link to that page too?

sh-sh-shure

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Jetfire_%28G1%29



fight scene on board the Ark.

I think this is from some audiotape/comic sets where you could get some comics (god knows who drew them) and it was voiced-over in dutch.. so you could hear a dutch version of soundwave while you read the comic. this stuff was definitely NOT from Marvel/JP.

neliz wrote:sh-sh-shure

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Jetfire_%28G1%29



fight scene on board the Ark.

I think this is from some audiotape/comic sets where you could get some comics (god knows who drew them) and it was voiced-over in dutch.. so you could hear a dutch version of soundwave while you read the comic. this stuff was definitely NOT from Marvel/JP.

thanks