by Quint » Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:14 pm
In essence, yes. It's your textbook retcon.
In its early, nascent days the Creation Matrix was not contained in the chest. It was *just* a program that could be utilized or transferred via the (what later became referred to as) Matrix bearer's thoughts.
Case in point, when Prime was separated from his body and forced to give life to the Constructicons, he did so via a Krang-esque cradle holding his head in place. Then, in secret, it was transferred to Buster Witwicky, who suddenly gained mental control over metal.
After the TF movie in 86, and in order make itself pertinent, the comic absorbed all the cartoon version's idiosyncracies. However, with the Legacy of Unicron story, Furman took it further, retconning it again to be the life force of Primus instead.
Which has since formed the foundations of most continuities.