Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 10:20PM CST
Categories: Cartoon News,
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Interviews
Posted by: Seibertron |
Credit(s): Todd Matthy
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Views: 119,216
This interview with
Michael Charles Hill, one of the writers from the original Transformers G1 cartoon, offers a fascinating look into the creative process behind the classic series. The interview was conducted by
Todd Matthy, writer of
Robots Versus Princesses from
Dynamite Comics. Together, they discuss Hill’s work on the show, share some fun behind-the-scenes stories, and dive into what it was like writing for Transformers at Sunbow Productions. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the G1 cartoon or just curious about how some of your favorite episodes were created, the following interview is a great read.
Todd Matthy is the writer/creator of
ROBOTS VS. PRINCESSES for Dynamite Comics. He is currently writing
ATLAS for Tidalwave Comics. He has self published titles with
GlobalComix and his 80s cartoon inspired webcomic,
TALES OF THE AURORA is available on
Webtoon.
--------------------------
Michael Charles Hill Interview
Conducted by Todd Matthy
What was your role on the TRANSFORMERS and GI JOE tv shows?
My role at Sunbow Prods. was varied. But with regards to the Transformers and G.I. Joe, I was a writer/producer for both shows. Not necessarily at the same time, but there was some overlap.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
You created a lot of characters and settings for TRANSFORMERS that were outside of the Autobot / Decepticon conflict. How do you pitch those ideas?
When I wrote my first TF episode ("The Gambler"), it was as a freelance animation writer ... and I was still relatively new to the game. Sunbow Prods.' West Coast office did not yet exist and I hadn't been hired yet. So ... Marvel Productions was still overseeing all "editorial" duties, in addition to their "production" duties. As to pitching stories ideas, it was no different than pitching premises for other shows at other studios. Usually, a story editor will ask a writer to submit 3-5 premises, and if you are lucky, they will choose at least one idea to move forward to the outline stage. In my case, I was unfamiliar with the property ... but because I had previously written an episode of The Challenge of the Gobots, I was confident enough that I could pull it off. In preparing for generating premises, the Marvel story editors, provided me with the show bible, video copies of the original mini-series, and a couple of final scripts. In addition, I received a list of all the shows and their log lines that had already been produced, and for stories that were already in production, so that I would not duplicate any already existing episodes. All of that said, after reviewing all the materials, I still didn't really "get" the show and chose to think outside the box. While I don't recall the other premises I pitched, "The Gambler" was a throw-away idea that I had included just to meet the required number of submissions. It was also very similar to my original premise the Hanna-Barbera story editors had approved for my Gobots assignment. But because, they had heavily rewritten my episode, I thought it was different enough that nobody would notice. Just my luck, the Marvel story editors chose that one. A few months later, Sunbow Prods. officially opened the L.A. office, assumed control of all "editorial duties, hired both Flint Dille (as TF story editor) and myself (as TF producer), it was a much easier process to get premises approved. Especially given the fact that Flint's office was right next to mine. I could just walk in, verbally pitch him an idea, and if he liked it, I would go back into my office and write it up. As to some of my ideas being outside of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict ... that was merely my attempt to tell stories that were different from the numerous episodes that had already been produced. How many times can you tell the same story about the search/need for more Energon?
Why would Hasbro and the producers sign off on episodes like that?
Hasbro (as well as our NY bosses at Sunbow East: Tom Griffin & Joe Bacal) had little input in the stories we generated. Hasbro's primary interest was in selling toys and Sunbow East's primary interest was in meeting our deadlines. That said, Hasbro did give me grief over the original title of "Starscream's Brigade." When I originally submitted the script, it was known as "30 Seconds Over Megatron" (a play on the WW2 war film "30 Seconds Over Tokyo") -- they were worried that it sounded too much like a war movie. My immediate response was: "Have you seen the show?!" and I refused to change it. But after much pressure from the powers-that-be in the NY office, I relented. Especially, after someone at Marvel Productions took it upon themselves to change the title to: "The Mutiny Of Starscream." BTW ... "Starscream's Brigade" is a play on another WW2 war film: "The Devil's Brigade." So, yeah ... I had the last laugh.
However, I am surprised that nobody told me that I could NOT create my own Transformer character that was not part of the toy line. Thus ... DEVCON was born. Up until a couple of years ago, I had no idea that he had become a fan favorite. In addition, I never thought that Hasbro would ever acknowledge his existence ... but 40 years later, they released an official Devcon figure. Go figure.
You wrote an episode of CHALLENGE OF THE GOBOTS. What was it like writing for two very similar shows?
What would you say is the major difference between the Transformers and the Gobots?
Why do you think Transformers eclipsed the Gobots in popularity?
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
My memory of that experience is a bit dodgy, but I would say that the major difference was that the Gobots animated show (in hindsight?) was skewed to a younger audience. So while it would have been easy back then to write similar stories for both shows, the overall "tone" between the two different series was enough to make TF, with its better quality animation, more popular.
And for me, personally, it just did not have the same "cool" factor as TF by comparison. I think the rest of the world agreed.
What do you mean by "cool" factor?
Again ... it goes to "tone" -- in the character design, writing, and the quality of animation. For my $$$, it was just lame.
Felt more like a '70s Saturday morning cartoon, as opposed to a more exciting weekday afternoon cartoon.
That said ... we didn't know, and certainly didn't plan, to make a cool(er) show! We (as writers) were mostly just trying to entertain ourselves and each other.
What's the difference between a "weekday afternoon cartoon" and a "Saturday Morning Cartoon?" Standards and Practices?
Yeah ... Saturday morning cartoons were aired via the Big Three networks (NBC, CBS, & ABC) and the upfront season order would be for 13 episodes. If you were lucky, and the show was a hit, they would order the back nine to complete the season. And yes, S&P was also a factor.
Weekday afternoon cartoons were aired via national syndicators, usually for 65 episodes per season, and while there were some built-in "restraints," they were far less than the networks. For example, in both G.I. Joe and Transformers, you could not have a character die in battle. Couldn't even use bullets. That's why A) everyone used laser weapons, and B) why they also couldn't hit "the broadside of a barn" ... unless it really was a barn. Then ... no problem with blowing shit up.
I can't remember if my "indoctrination" package included any episodes to watch. It is possible, it was during the early phase of production and there were no completed episodes available. So ... I had no idea what the animation would look like. I do vaguely remember that I was not impressed with the toys. Also ... in addition to still being a "newbie" in the world of animation writing, I never even met with the producers. I only dealt with the two story editors.
That said ... my attitude was, "it's a job." And I was trying to transition from working in film production, to be a working writer. Even if it was only animation. And I wouldn't have wanted to give them any reason to NOT hire me. Also ... I had yet to see any Transformers episodes either. So, once again, I was not in a position to make any comparisons.
Let's talk about Devcon. How did you come up with him? What goes into creating an original character for a show that already had a large cast?
Assuming that the "bounty hunter" idea was also in my original Gobots premise, I do remember first going through the list of all available Autobots & Decepticons and their bio sheets, and could not find one that I felt would work as the Devcon (a play on "DefCon") character. So ... as I mentioned previously, because no one told me that I could NOT create a "Transformer" that was not part of the toy line ... I did.
As to creating my own original characters, the first time was just a fluke. And because I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the overall "concept," and staying within the guardrails of the stories that had preceded my episode, I tried to think outside the box ... instead of thinking of it as basically a "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" show, I leaned into thinking of the property more as a sci-fi movie. Harking back to the Stars Wars franchise, I remembered that, for me, Boba Fett was the most interesting character.
Also ... at the time, I merely thought of Devcon as a throwaway character. So ... a few months later, after I was hired by Sunbow Prods. and started writing more TF scripts, it never occurred to me to write another Devcon story or even to include him in any of my other episodes. Something I regret now, 40 years later ... but until very recently, I had no idea he had become a fan favorite and was also making appearances elsewhere in the TF Universe.
That episode also features another couple of characters that have gotten a following: Bosch, Slizardo, and Lord Gyconi. What were the inspirations for these characters? And how do you feel about WALKING DEAD Creator Robert Kirkman using them in his new comic book, VOID RIVALS?
Oh, yeah ... I did forget to mention them! And again, they were also throwaway characters who also managed to find some "love" within the fan community.
Also ... I can't remember if they were in the original Gobots premise, but my Spidey-sense says they were not.
With respect to "Slizardo," while I don't recall my inspiration for the character, I do remember that in creating his name, it was simply a mash-up of "Sleazy" and "Lizard."
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
As to the space pirate, "Bosch" ... I stole his name from the famous Dutch painter, Hieronymous Bosch. Mostly because I liked the sound/spelling of it. And also, at the time, I owned a 1969 Porsche and was running Bosch (a German industrial company) spark plugs. And this was long before Michael Connelly came along and created his "Bosch" character.
And finally ... Lord Gyconi. I think he may have been influenced by "Jabba the Hutt". If not as written in the original script, at least by the Marvel Prods.' character model artist.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
As to his name ... it was yet another mash-up. At the time I was writing this script, Flint & I had "offices" in an old carriage barn (where we also would play board and/or table games every Sunday night, such as "Risk" or "Chain Mail") on an estate high up in Beverly Hills, once owned by the legendary film director, King Vidor, and, at the time, rented by Gary Gygax of Dungeons & Dragons fame. Another member of our group was the writer/director David Marconi, who is best known for writing Tony Scott's Enemy of the State, starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman., and who also ended up writing a G.I. Joe episode.
So ... yeah, Lord Gyconi is a simple mash-up of Gygax & Marconi ... as in "Gy-coni." Only problem, for me anyway, was it did not occurred to me to include in my script the phonetic pronunciation ("Guy-Coney") of his name, and this was prior to my being hired by Sunbow, where part of my producing responsibilities was to sit in and supervise the voice-over recording sessions, so ... Wally Burr, left to his own devices, came up with his own pronunciation.
And now ... I (and the rest of the world) am stuck with his version.
As to Robert Kirkman's resurrection of these characters ... I think it is great! I am well and truly humbled and honored. And while I yet have to read the stories they appear in, some FaceBook TF fans have been posting images and alerting me to same. That said ... I would love the opportunity to meet Kirkman to discuss, but alas, we do not travel in the same circles or appear at the same conventions. And neither he, nor anyone from his camp, nor even IDW have yet to reach out to me. Meanwhile, still hoping that all these "guest" appearances is leading up to an additional appearance by Devcon.
And it's not just your characters being homaged. In the current TRANSFORMERS comic book, Starscream is teaming up with the Combaticons and brawling with Devestator. Just like your episode "Starscream's Brigade." How did you decide to tie the Combaticons to Starscream? And why didn't you write the follow up episode, "Revenge of Bruticus?"
Yeah ... I have yet to read that storyline either, but am also flattered ... assuming, of course, that the "connection" to my episode is more than implied. But I did see an image of one the variant covers ... the one with Bruticus emerging from a smoking ruin and striding TOWARD CAMERA. I only wish there was a "tiny" Starscream perched on his right shoulder.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
As to how "Starscream's Brigade" came about ... as the in-house TF producer, I would periodically receive faxes from Hasbro updating me on the new characters/toys they were planning to release in an upcoming quarter, along with an approximate street date of when they would be hitting the shelves. Followed by a request to start writing the same new characters into our future stories so that when the episodes aired, they would coincide with the toy being available for purchase.
And because I was the first person at Sunbow West to have this intel, I would scan the list of characters, and read their bios, to see if there were any I thought I could write a story for ... or, at least, use in a story. Among the "Combiners," the Combaticons interested me the most. With respect to Starscream's participation, I chose him, mostly, because he was always so much fun to write for.
And then I decided to write the episode as an origin story. Not sure if we had done that before in any of the previous episodes. With respect to the opening scene, it was a "tip of the hat" to writer/director John Milius. A few years earlier, both Flint and I (before we knew each other) had attended a screenwriting seminar/lecture with Milius. He had just finished directing Conan, The Barbarian, and was regaling the room with on-set stories about Arnold Schwarzenegger and the film's executive producer, Dino De Laurentiis, as well as stories of Francis Ford Coppola and the making of Apocalypse Now. At some point, Milius went on a mild rant about fledgling Hollywood screenwriters being overly secretive of their story ideas, for fear that someone might steal them. "Ideas aren't worth shit!" he said. And proceeded to inform the room that he would go home that night and begin writing a screenplay about the "Battle at Guadalcanal" in the Pacific Theater (aka the Pacific War) during WW2, and invited everyone to do the same and then ... boasted that his script would still be better!
As to my not writing the "sequel," "Revenge of Bruticus," or any sequel/follow-up to "Starscream's Brigade," it was simply a matter of managing my time. My daily responsibilities as the TF series producer took precedent over writing scripts. I had to do that on my own free time, via nights & weekends. Also ... I was married with a young baby, which also took precedent. As a result, I wrote fewer scripts than some of my other fellow writers.
What about the Combaticons interested you?
Well ... the Combaticons and Bruticus did have cool names! But otherwise, I'd have to say it was probably by default, as I found the other Combiners far less interesting. That plus ... I thought, visually, Bruticus was the most interesting looking of the Combiners. And as I mentioned previously, I wanted to take the first crack at writing them into the series.
Also ... the idea that Bruticus was "mentally challenged," (according to his original bio, although not necessarily in those words) was a great angle to explore, and allowed me to create a reason for it. Thus the idea of the defective "personality components" was born. These days, I guess they would be known as their "sparks."
And while we're on the topic of Starscream. You wrote the Season 3 Post Movie episode, "Ghost in the Machine," the episode where Starscream's Ghost (after possessing several Decepticons and Autobots) got his body back. Did you think it was a good idea to kill off Starscream? What was it like to write a sequel to an episode ("Starscream's Ghost") you didn't write? And were there any plans to use the revived Starscream in future episodes?
The way that I remember it ... I unintentionally created "Ghost Starscream," and it wasn't until my first TF convention at TFcon Toronto in 2023, did I learn that he had become a "thing." Nor did I even know that the name "Ghost Starscream" had become a thing. I barely even remembered the "Ghost In Machine" episode. And yet ... I had many fans come to my table and thank me for creating him.
But the way it all happened is this ... shortly after The Transformers Movie was released, I was sitting with Flint Dille in his office at Sunbow and casually mentioned that it was too bad that he had killed off Starscream. His reply: "Who said he was dead?" That was all I needed to hear and went back into my office and started writing a premise for what would become "Ghost In The Machine," as a sequel to the movie and the first introduction of the "Ghost Starscream" character.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
Now ... this is where my memory gets hazy. Even though "Starscream's Ghost" first aired before "Ghost In The Machine" means nothing, as we all knew that there was no guarantee that any of the episodes (with the exception of the mini-series) that we wrote would be broadcasted in the same order as they were written, due to the vagaries of Marvel's production schedule. Which is why a majority of the episodes are stand-alone stories. Keep in mind, we were doing 65 1/2 hours per season of Transformers ... plus G.I. Joe, Jem & The Holograms, My Little Pony, and a few other shows. And we were not Marvel Prods. only client. They were juggling many different shows/projects.
However, what I can't explain ... is that the Starscream's Ghost" script also has an earlier Marvel Production Number than "Ghost In The Machine." The only thing that makes sense to me, all these years later, is that Marvel put my script, into the production, for whatever reason, after the other script went into production, even though they received my script beforehand. Larry Houston might be a better person to ask for how that scenario might have happened.
As to any planned future "Ghost Starscream" episodes ... there was no mandate to keep using him. It was just (originally) a one-off idea I had, and I ran with it. I'm sure Hasbro, at the time, had no interest in creating a "Ghost Starscream" figure, as he was the past and they were looking toward the future with introducing new characters into the series post-TF The Movie. It was simply left up to the other writers to generate their own story ideas, and if they liked the "Ghost Starscream" character and could find a way to work him into their stories utilizing the new characters, there were free to do so.
All of that said ... having recently reviewed "Starscream's Ghost," it appears (to me, at least) to be neither a prequel nor a sequel to my own episode. Plus ... thanks to my good friend, Jamie Sullivan (artist extraordinaire), he had it confirmed by Flint Dille at last year's Robo Toy Fest, that I indeed did create "Ghost Starscream."
With respect to whether or not it was a good idea to kill off "Starscream" in the movie, you have to understand that we (pre-internet/social media) had no idea what impact our shows had on the viewers. We didn't even know the show had fans. We certainly weren't getting any fan mail. All we knew was that the show was killing it in the ratings.
For Hasbro, what they knew or didn't know ... wasn't shared with any of us at Sunbow West. From their perspective, "it was business, not personal." And they were in the business of selling toys. New characters means more new toys. More new toys means more sales. More sales means more $$$. So it was out with the old and in with the new. On paper it all made sense. We as writers did not take issue with it. However, nobody was prepared for the backlash that occurred after the movie killed off Optimus Prime.
I guess that's a good transition to TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE and it's fallout. When did you learn the show was changing direction? How involved were you in planning the "Post-Movie" world?
Describe the backlash to the Death of Optimus Prime and what made you bring him back as a zombie?
The way I remember it, it wasn't so much that the show was changing direction, we were just writing new characters into new episodes. And that was happening before the movie was even released. So there really wasn't any great pivot that had been pre-planned.
As to the backlash caused by the killing off Optimus Prime in the movie, obviously, nobody was prepared for that. I'm not even sure that I knew that was going to happen, as Flint was constantly rewriting new drafts. That said, the final draft that went into production would have been approved by Hasbro. So ... they were well aware of the outcome of the story.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
With respect to bringing Optimus Prime back as a "zombie," that was a plot point in Marv Wolfman & Cherie Wilkerson's original premise for the two-part season finale. I only wrote the second part, so it was already baked-in for me. But yeah, "The Return of Optimus Prime, Parts 1 & 2" was definitely in response to the nation-wide outrage caused by TF-The Movie.
Those are my favorite episodes. How was it decided who wrote what part? And was there anything interesting left on the cutting room floor?
Oh, great ... glad you like them! I have fun writing my part.
However, I had no idea that I would be writing the final episode of Season2, nor that I would play a part in the "resurrection" of Optimus Prime. I'm sure when Marv Wolfman was creating his premise for the two-parter, he assumed that he would be writing both episodes.
But then Fate stepped in. Fate ... in the form of Carole Weitzman, Senior VP for Sunbow East.
Because ... as it happened, in addition to my contract as a Sunbow producer, I had a separate contract ("pay or play") that guaranteed me a minimum number of script assignments for each year. And as my contract was coming up for another renewal, I was short a few of said assignments . Which was, at the time, fine with me, given that Sunbow would still have to pay me for NOT writing scripts. But as it turned out, they were not as keen on the idea as I was.
So ... I was informed by Carole that I would be writing the 2nd part of "The Return of Optimus Prime." I don't recall having a conversation with Marv about how it transpired, but he did provide me with a brief outline for his plan for Part Two and, of course, I was able to read his script for Part One. So ... I did my best to honor his original intent.
With respect to scenes that did not make it into the episode, that was a common occurrence with almost every episode, as we always wrote long (50-60 pages) scripts and scenes would ultimately be cut. Sometimes during the "timing" phase of pre-production, and sometimes after the animation was completed. The reason being ... as a rule of thumb, every 2 pages of an animation script equals 1 minute of animation. Our 1/2 episodes, minus commercials, were about 22 minutes long. So yeah ... some written scenes would have to go, or they were "abbreviated."
Regarding ... Part 2, I would have to re-read my original draft and compare it to the final cut episode to know for sure what might have been "lost."
What do you remember of the unmade 4th Season of TRANSFORMERS which supposedly would've had the Quintessons teaming up with Unicron's head?
As to a TF Season 4 ... I have no memory of any internal discussions or any development (by Sunbow West or even by Hasbro with respect to new characters/toys) that may have been done. I think Hasbro had already pulled the plug on the show after we completed Season 3. And with both G.I. Joe and Transformers being canceled, my contract with Sunbow was not renewed and I was no longer in the loop.
Let's move over to GI JOE. One of your more famous episodes is "Into Your Tent I will Silently Creep," which established a subgroup of Cobra called "The Coil." They lasted only one episode but according to Buzz Dixon, you and him were going to make them the main villains of a Third Season. How much of this was developed? Does any of this material still exist?
Regarding "Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep," it started out as a different story ... one that predominantly featured "Storm Shadow" and had a different title. I don't remember much about it, other than it also included the introduction of the Cobra secret society known as ... "The Coil." However, Buzz (as story editor) wanted some changes made to the script, and because I was away on vacation at the time, traveling through France, Switzerland, and Italy, he elected to rewrite parts of the story and changed the title of the episode.
That said ... Buzz loved the idea of "The Coil" and suggested we pitch the concept to Hasbro for the "thrust" of Season 3. So after we brainstormed on the idea for a day or so, I wrote up a more detailed proposal of how "The Coil" and Cobra Commander's fevered obsession to "dethrone" Serpentor would take shape ... starting with a 5-part mini-series.
And while Hasbro responded positively to the pitch, they ultimately decided not to move forward with a Season 3. Unfortunately, I currently do not have access to any of my hard copies of the original script (and/or drafts) nor my pitch to Hasbro, as they are all boxed up in my storage unit in Vermont.
So ... because "The Coil" ultimately ended up being a throwaway idea, with maybe less than 2 minutes of screen time, I was surprised to recently learn that the idea had inspired other writers to create their own version of "The Coil." And that there was even an annual G.I. Joe convention known as ... "The Coil."
Regarding the original version of "Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep," do you remember what Storm Shadow's mission was? Do you recall if he was working with Cobra Commander and the Coil?
I don't recall Storm Shadow's specific "mission," but he was definitely integral to the original story, and the creation of The Coil. In fact, the idea for a Storm Shadow-centric story came first ... and the idea for "The Coil" was inspired during the development process of the story.
And it all started out this way: at almost every recording session, Storm Shadow had very few lines, and on one such day, while sitting with Keone Young in the "Green Room" of Wally Burr's recording studio, I told him that I would write a Storm Shadow story just for him.
As for the "Season 3" mini-series. I'd like to pick your brain a little bit more. This story would have taken place after GI JOE: THE MOVIE, do you remember how you would have dealt with Cobra Commander being a snake? Would the "Cobra Civil War" be resolved in the mini-series or carried over to the rest of the season? (Possibly making it more serialized then previous ones.)
As to my intended mini-series, designed to kick off Season 3, G.I. Joe The Movie had yet to be released, and because I had no involvement in the development process, I had never even read the final script. So ... I had no idea that Cobra Commander would become "Once A Man." And I do not recall Buzz letting me in on it, or any discussion as how to create any "connective tissue" from one to the other.
So ... I proceeded with my pitch/proposal as though Season 3 was a natural progression of, and a continuation of, Season 2 ... and that the movie and the series were separate "universes."
That said ... if I were to do it today, I would probably feel compelled to find away to resolve the ending of the moving to dovetail into my idea. However, I should also add ... I still have not seen the movie, as the original theatrical release was canceled (due to TF The Movie being a box office flop) and went straight to video after my "tour of duty" at Sunbow was completed. And again, like so many other bits of G.I. Joe lore I was not involved with, I did not learn until recently that Cobra Commander had been turned into a snake.
Regarding the idea of the "Cobra Civil War," I think my original intent was to extend it through out the entire Third Season. However, in hindsight, I might have discovered that it would have been necessary to resolve it (one way or the other) by the end of the mini-series, and then use the outcome (fall-out?) to move the the rest of the season further along.
Do you think the addition of Serpentor was an attempt to emulate the Megatron/Starscream dynamic?
With respect to the creation of "Serpentor," and the resulting dynamics between himself and Cobra Commander, you would have to ask Buzz about that. I certainly never made the connection at the time, but I can see now how one could. For me, Serpentor just added another twist to the internal machinations within Cobra, and created another foil for Cobra Commander ... resulting in, hopefully, more interesting stories.
This storage unit you mention. Any plans to visit it?
I packed up my house before moving back to L.A., not knowing how long I would be here, and now, all these years later, I still haven't decided how long I will stay. And while it would be ideal to have access to all my Sunbow documents, up until a little over a year ago, I had no idea I would have a need to access them. For me, they were just relics from my past. As it stands now, I am waiting for an opportunity to be invited to a convention/show that would put me in close proximity to Vermont, where I can then spend a couple of extra days rummaging through the dozens and dozens of unmarked boxes stacked in the back of my unit.
You wrote the fan favorite episode "Cold Slither." How did that premise come about? Did you write the infamous song? And were you in the recording session when the Dreadnoks sang it?
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
It was another one of my "throwaway" ideas, and had started out as nothing more than a slightly goofy take on the "Pied Piper" story. But as I began to develop the story, I found myself leaning into the more absurd aspect of it and decided to just run with it.
Regarding the COLD SLITHER song ... yes, I did write it. The lyrics anyway. With respect to the music, I provided Rob Walsh (series composer) with an audio cassette of music samples that were akin to the music I was hearing in my head. And then he took it from there. Unfortunately, I was not invited to the recording session, and to Zack Hoffman's dismay, neither he nor any of the other Dreadnok voice actors were invited to sing for the recording. I assume Rob used his own go-to guys to perform the song.
That said ... even though my original pitch included a COLD SLITHER song, I didn't expect that I would have to write it. Based on how scripts were written for the Jem & The Holograms series, and because Sunbow had contracted songwriters for the series, I simply wrote ... "Insert Song Here" within the scene. However, shortly after I submitted my script, Joe Bacal was in Los Angeles and stopped by the Sunbow West offices, late on a Friday afternoon, to inform me that he was not going to pay someone else to write the song. And because I had included the idea in my premise ... it was my responsibility. And ... he wanted it by Monday morning.
![Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy]( "Transformers News: An Interview with Transformers G1 cartoon writer Michael Charles Hill by Todd Matthy")
So ... over the course of the weekend, I scrambled to write the song. And because I am NOT a songwriter by nature, or by any standard of measure, I decided to write it as a very bad heavy metal song. Which made my task easier, as I was no fan of heavy metal music and I was intentionally making fun of the genre (and their fans) within the script. However, it wasn't until recently that I discovered that I had failed miserably, due to, unbeknownst to me, the popularity of the episode and the song. Apparently it has become a cult classic within the fan community. And along the way ... I also created the "Average Joe Band" to sing their own theme song.
You would write for GIJOE again after you left Sunbow. What were the differences between DiC and Sunbow?
DiC versus Sunbow ... in addition to some new characters that had not existed in the Sunbow series, it seemed to me that the overall tone of the show was different in the DiC version. However, Doug Booth, who I had worked with at Sunbow, was the new story editor and called me up and asked if I would write a couple of scripts for him. Having worked for DiC before, I knew that the quality of animation would be sub-par, the script fees would be significantly less, and they would not be using the original voice actors (with the exception of Morgan Lofting as the Baroness), but because Doug was a friend, I agreed to anyway. Having said, that ... to this day, I have yet to watch either episode.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
With respect to advice to aspiring writers ... I can only offer this banal axiom: just WRITE. Don't talk about writing ... don't worry about the format ... don't worry about page count ... just get the story out of your head and on paper, and complete a first draft. Which Flint and I like to refer to as the "slop draft," while others refer to it as the "vomit draft." Then ... you will have something to work with and you can begin the real work of writing with respect to structure, character development, and conflict & resolution, just to name a few important elements to any good story. Because as every writer, who has toiled at it for years, knows ... writing is REWRITING. As an example ... for every first draft of a TV series pilot script that I would submit to my agent and/or manager, in reality, was more likely my 10th draft. Some drafts were merely minor tweaks ... while others were major rewrites.
Finally, where can we find you?
Currently, via social media, I can be found on Facebook and Instagram:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.c.hill.98
https://www.instagram.com/coldslither01
---------------------------------
Special thanks to Todd for sharing this interview with us here at Seibertron.com!
Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 8:31PM CST
Categories: Toy News,
Events,
Press Releases
Posted by: Seibertron |
Credit(s): Hasbro
Topic Options: View Discussion ·
Views: 69,595
At Toy Fair 2025, Hasbro unveiled an exciting wave of new Transformers products, headlined by the launch of the Transformers: Age of the Primes line.
This new collector-oriented line explores the mythology of The Thirteen Primes, introducing figures like Leader Class Onyx Prime, a triple-changing centaur, and Deluxe Class Alchemist Prime, a powerful scientist with a unique Artifact accessory. Fan-favorite characters also join the lineup, including Deluxe Class Decepticon Crasher and Combaticon Vortex, the latter of which can combine with other Combaticons to form Bruticus. Hasbro also debuted a Void Rivals 3-pack inspired by the popular Energon Universe comic series, featuring an 11-inch Autobot Jetfire alongside Solila and Darak, plus a special variant comic cover.
These reveals showcase Hasbro’s ongoing commitment to blending classic Transformers lore with modern storytelling, giving fans and collectors new ways to expand their Transformers universes.
(As of the original running of this article, we do not have official images of Onyx Prime though he is highlighted in the press release below.)
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TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES LEADER CLASS THE THIRTEEN ONYX PRIME
(HASBRO | Ages 8 and Up | Approx. Retail Price: $54.99 | Additional details coming soon)
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of TRANSFORMERS robots into your collection with the TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES LEADER CLASS THE THIRTEEN ONYX PRIME action figure! This 7.5-inch The Thirteen Onyx Prime action figure converts between robot, centaur, and beast modes in 12 and 19 steps. Includes a spear and Triptych Mask Artifact accessory that the figure can hold in robot and centaur modes. The figure's tail can be removed and opened into a bow accessory. The Thirteen Onyx Prime figure is inspired by the character from the TRANSFORMERS universe and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. TRANSFORMERS: Age of the Primes opens up the world of the Primes, the very first bots in Transformers mythology. Every battle, every bot, and every power in the TRANSFORMERS universe can be traced back to one of The Thirteen. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Age of the Primes lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability).
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME
(HASBRO | Ages 8 and Up | Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 | Pre-Order on March 4 at 1PM ET at Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available Summer 2025.)
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of TRANSFORMERS robots into your collection with the TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME action figure! This 5.5-inch figure converts between robot and Cybertronian armored car modes in 17 steps. Includes a 2-piece Lenses Artifact accessory. The Thirteen Alchemist Prime figure is inspired by the character from the TRANSFORMERS universe and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. TRANSFORMERS: Age of the Primes opens up the world of the Primes, the very first bots in TRANSFORMERS mythology, a pantheon of Thirteen beings, each with a unique ability and personality. Every battle, every bot, and every power in the TRANSFORMERS universe can be traced back to one of The Thirteen. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Age of the Primes lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability).
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER
(HASBRO | Ages 8 and Up | Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 | Pre-Order on March 4 at 1PM ET at Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available Summer 2025.)
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of TRANSFORMERS robots into your collection with the TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER action figure! This 5.5-inch figure converts between robot and sports car modes in 18 steps. Includes 2 blaster accessories that attach in both modes. The Decepticon Crasher figure is inspired by the character from the TRANSFORMERS universe and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. TRANSFORMERS: Age of the Primes opens up the world of the Primes, the very first bots in TRANSFORMERS mythology, a pantheon of Thirteen beings, each with a unique ability and personality. Every battle, every bot, and every power in the TRANSFORMERS universe can be traced back to one of The Thirteen. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Age of the Primes lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability).
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX
(HASBRO | Ages 8 and Up | Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 | Pre-Order on March 4 at 1PM ET at Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available Summer 2025.)
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of TRANSFORMERS robots into your collection with the TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX action figure! This figure converts between robot and helicopter modes in 19 steps. Combine the figure with other TRANSFORMERS Combaticon figures to create a Bruticus action figure (each sold separately, subject to availability). The Combaticon Vortex figure is inspired by the character from the TRANSFORMERS universe and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. TRANSFORMERS: Age of the Primes opens up the world of the Primes, the very first bots in TRANSFORMERS mythology, a pantheon of Thirteen beings, each with a unique ability and personality. Every battle, every bot, and every power in the TRANSFORMERS universe can be traced back to one of The Thirteen. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Age of the Primes lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability).
TRANSFORMERS VOID RIVALS AUTOBOT JETFIRE, ZERTONIAN SOLILA, AND AGORRIAN DARAK
(HASBRO | Ages 8 and Up | Approx. Retail Price: TBD | Additional details coming soon.)
Comic book TRANSFORMERS bots are stepping off the page and onto collectors’ shelves with the TRANSFORMERS Void Rivals action figure pack, inspired by the Void Rivals comic series that started the hottest line of comics in comic shops, the Energon universe! The 11-inch Autobot Jetfire action figure converts between robot and jet modes in 32 steps and comes with 3.75-inch Zertonian Solila and Agorrian Darak non-converting action figures. All 3 figures have articulated heads, arms, and legs for action poses. The pack includes a convention exclusive Void Rivals #1 comic featuring variant cover art by Marcelo Matere.
Void Rivals #1 began the Energon Universe in June 2023 from co-creators Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici. The first issue is currently on a landmark 11th printing nearly two years later to meet the demand as the series continues to shock fans each month. Popular TRANSFORMERS characters like Hot Rod, Springer, the Quintessons, and SKuxxoid have all joined the series, as well as the the world of G.I. JOE with the arrival of Cobra-La. Void Rivals is available in comic shops and everywhere books are sold, with new issues debuting each month.
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TRANSFORMERS toys open the portal to a whole new universe of — More Than Meets the Eye — bringing together every TRANSFORMERS generation like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal TRANSFORMERS figures lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability).
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX Package 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX Package 3
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX 3
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX 4
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX 5
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS COMBATICON VORTEX 6
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER Package 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER Package 2
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 2
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 3
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 4
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 5
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 6
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 7
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS DECEPTICON CRASHER 8
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME Package 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME Package 2
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME 1
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME 2
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME 3
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS AGE OF THE PRIMES DELUXE CLASS THE THIRTEEN ALCHEMIST PRIME 4
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS VOID RIVALS AUTOBOT JETFIRE, ZERTONIAN SOLILA, AND AGORRIAN DARAK Comic
![Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025]( "Transformers News: Transformers Age of the Prime brand highlights from Toy Fair 2025")
TRANSFORMERS VOID RIVALS AUTOBOT JETFIRE, ZERTONIAN SOLILA, AND AGORRIAN DARAK
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