Sabrblade wrote:Would you feel the same if the Generation 1 toyline never had its toy bios, Marvel comic, and Sunbow cartoon & movie? Those factors played a huge role in the Transformers line's lasting success.
Well. Yes. The G1 bios were all I needed as a kid as a spring board for my imagination. Just a little push with a name and a little back story, and the rest was up to me. I didn't like the cartoon as a kid so I found my own fun and stories. I just never really bothered with the comics. I guess I was content to play in my room and create the world myself.
Sabrblade wrote:I mean, would people really be as interested in the Nautica figure if it wasn't for her comic depiction?
I can't answer for all the people nor would I attempt to, but personally, Nautica being a female character is enough to catch my interest. All I need is "female scientist/engineer" and I can take it from there. I'm always ready to add in another female action hero to diversify my ranks.
But I don't collect TFs to collect the characters from my favorite fictions. I collect them because I think they are neat, well designed toys with a cool gimmick I don't get tired of. And, they fuel my imagination. That's just my schtick. But I agree with what you said about how the fiction plays a huge role in the Transformers line's lasting success. I'm glad it's there to satisfy those fans and ensnare more where it can.
But to bring it back around to the topic at hand, Titans Return is a great example. It saddens me every time I hear things like, "
Insert any character that wasn't a Headmaster here - was never a Headmaster in the fiction, so that's just dumb!". It's a really fun gimmick that offers even more play options on top of a toy that already has a really fun play pattern. Why miss out on all that fun? If you can just put a little imagination on it, it opens up a whole new avenue for exciting new stories about our favorite robot sci-fi action heros. I fear when fans have to adhere so steadfast to the fiction, they may be missing something super cool. But it's all up to each individual how they ingest the franchise. It's pretty darn tasty any way you slice it.