AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Wolfman Jake wrote:AllNewSuperRobot wrote:I wasn't making a point on Siege. You were. I was talking about the future of the franchise in general. But..
but what public consciousness comes back to time and again is the roots, the origins. In other words: G1.
What is this based on?
Reality.
No. Unless you have the ear of every single Transformers fan and consumer of the past 35 years, that just makes you sound like a Fanboy.
Nope, I don't have the ear of every single Transformers fan and consumer. But that's a fallacy to demand such "proof." No one is talking about what "everyone" wants. It's about what sells to the majority of buyers, and G1 keeps selling. The evidence is right in front of us, in the form of toy sales and new media offerings. There's a reason the "evergreen" designs of most perennial Transformers characters are so heavily G1-based. That's what sells best and that's what is most recognizable to consumers when they browse the toy shelves, be they kids of any age, parents, or adults with a fond memory of Transformers. This doesn't have to be true of everyone, and I don't need to poll every person with even a passing knowledge of Transformers to understand this. That's why we "sample" in the scientific method.
As an exception that proves the rule, consider some of the more recent Transformers franchises, like the live action movies, Prime/Robots in Disguise, and the long running IDW series of comic books. We got some different takes on G1 characters (or namesakes, at least) that have gained traction and, in some instances, superseded their G1 characterizations. Bumblebee was without his own voice in "Transformers" 2007, and this stuck with him into a brand new continuity in Transformers: Prime (as well as the Activition "War for Cybertron" games). Now Bumblebee shows up as a muscle car more often than he does a VW Beetle, which is reflected in his "evergreen" design. Barricade was a blue and pink F1 racecar in G1, but after getting a "makeover" as a police car in the 2007 movie, that's all we see him as now, in the Aligned continuity, in some IDW works, recent video games, in his "evergreen" design, and even Siege, a G1-inspired toy line, where using his original G1 Micromaster design would have made perfect sense, given the existence of so many other faithfully recreated G1 Micromasters in the line! Police Barricade has just made THAT much of an impact.
Why does this matter? Because Bumblebee and Barricade made much more recent influential imprints in their Transformers characterizations in the franchise as a whole. Many other characters did that years ago in G1, like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Starscream, the Dinobots, the Constructicons, etc. Hasbro struck a LOT of gold back in 1984 with the original line-up of Transformers, which is why those designs and characterizations still resonate today, even though the original cartoon, comic book, and toyline are all long done. Plenty of other characters since have done the same, like Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Blackarachnia, Hot Shot, Bulkhead, Lockdown, Drift, and Windblade, just to name a few, but the returns have been diminishing as the years have pushed on, with fewer new characters or new takes really taking a seat in the pantheon of Transformers public awareness and pop cultural relevance.
Remember too that, although the Sunbow cartoon, Marvel comic book, and original toyline all ended decades ago, G1 really hasn't, being constantly revived, refreshed, and referenced heavily in pop culture. Repeats of G1 were airing on "The Hub" only a few years ago. Box sets of the complete series are released every few years or so. New comic book adaptations have been made by Dreamwave and IDW, including a SEQUEL series to the original Marvel comic book run. The success of the Classics line in 2006, carrying through to Universe 2008 and then to "Generations" in 2010 and into the future, proves that there is consistent consumer interest in "updated" or "reimagined" G1 designs and characters. Hasbro chose their "evergreen" designs with a lot of thought and care. And it's no coincidence that Cyberverse does LOOK a lot like a stylized version of G1 on the surface. What we get now from Hasbro in terms of toys and media tie-ins is what they've figure out is most recognizable for the consuming public and what generates the most revenue for their intellectual property. Follow the money.
Yes, I am a Transformers fan(boy), and my interest is definitely in G1 above all others, but I have love for other Transformers franchises too, like G2, Beast Wars, the live action movies, Animated, and IDW. It delights me when we get updates to other lesser known characters or different versions of characters, like all the love for Beast Wars, Armada, and Cybertron we've been enjoying since Thrilling 30. But, I understand why these are sprinkled in among the more "G1" centric releases and not taking center stage. That's what keeps the franchise going right now. The G1 hype train may some day come to a stop, and Hasbro will switch course, but to assume that day is just around the corner is pure speculation that isn't supported by any of the available evidence at this time.
Is it wrong that I wouldn't have said no if Hasbro announced that the new cartoon was in a stop motion animation style?
) killed Optimus in Transformers: The Movie. After the intense fan outcry, they understood it wasn’t only about pumping out new fun toys to sell, but also capitalizing on the personalities developed by the show and the subsequent familiarity and eventually nostalgia. I think we all should thank Optimus for his sacrifice, without which may have not led to the franchise we know and love today. Thank you, Bigbot. 
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