Question about G1 Tech Specs
Snufalufamus Prime
almost all the original Joe file cards? Or did it vary from character?
________________
Snuf
Brandon Williams
news:nBLQ9.27914$an1.1...@twister.austin.rr.com...
> Was there one person who wrote the G1 tech specs? Like Larry Hama wrote
> almost all the original Joe file cards? Or did it vary from character?
I heard a rumour it was Bob Budiansky.
Brandon.
Sky Shadow
> Was there one person who wrote the G1 tech specs? Like Larry Hama wrote
> almost all the original Joe file cards? Or did it vary from character?
Simon Furman has claimed on numerous occasions that Bob Budiansky wrote all
the G1 Tech-Specs, which would be consistent with the fact that Bob is
solely credited with writing the Transformers Universe (which contains huge
chunks of the tech-specs in the text).
*However*, this is contradicted by a 1984 issue of Marvel Age, which stated
that Jim Shooter and Dennis O'Neill created the personalities of the first
28 Transformers:
http://www.digiserve.com/eescape/tf/news/Marvel-Age-1.html
If this is true, then it stands to reason that the first series of G1
Tech-Specs were by Jim and Denny, while the rest were probably by Bob.
Sky Shadow.
--
'"They've immobilised him somehow," said Cambo, Hosehead's small Nebulan
partner, who had been silent so far.'
From *Autobot Hostage* by John Grant, Ladybird Books.
Neale Davidson
> Tech-Specs were by Jim and Denny, while the rest were probably by Bob.
Even in that article, it's obvious that a lot changed. A bunch more
Transformers
than mentioned show up. Some characters switch roles. Some get new names,
etc.
Jim and Dennis likely worked on the 'draft', and then Bob inherited the work
to finish up for the comic-book run.
Neale Davidson
Sky Shadow
> > If this is true, then it stands to reason that the first series of G1
> > Tech-Specs were by Jim and Denny, while the rest were probably by Bob.
>
> Even in that article, it's obvious that a lot changed. A bunch more
> Transformers
> than mentioned show up.
Actually, no more than the 28 Transformers mentioned showed up in the first
series of G1 Tech-Specs, or appeared in the comics until #3 (Reflector) and
#4 (the Dinobots and Shockwave). Nobody's claiming that Shooter and O'Neil
created these later characters, just the initial 28.
> Some characters switch roles.
Ignoring the fact that the writer of the article has had to use poetic
licence to turn the specs into prose, the only description that vaguely
deviates from the characters' actual profiles is Huffer's:
"Huffer is the construction genius of the group. The only Transformer that
doesn't posses a weapon, Huffer derives joy from building a veritable
arsenal of useful devices."
> Some get new names,
The names Blow-Out and Spin-Out (Cliffjumper and Sunstreaker) were obviously
changed very late in the piece, considering several 1984 TF colouring-in and
picture books used those names in actual stories.
> Jim and Dennis likely worked on the 'draft', and then Bob inherited the
work
> to finish up for the comic-book run.
If that's the case, then it was a pretty intricate draft, since it contained
detailed information that was used in the Tech-Specs, TF Universe and
cartoon series bible.
Neale Davidson
> licence to turn the specs into prose, the only description that vaguely
> deviates from the characters' actual profiles is Huffer's:
I wasn't trying to pick nits, I was pointing out that it was likely that the
initial drafts for the story-bible came from Jim and Dennis, and that Bob
likely came in and 'cleaned' it considerably. It's likely that he /did/
write
the tech-specs for the first two years of Transformers characters, but
that also several of those specs may have been based on notes from the
initial 'story' set up by Jim and Dennis.
Neale Davidson
Star Saber
"Snufalufamus Prime" <sp...@is.bad> wrote in message
news:nBLQ9.27914$an1.1...@twister.austin.rr.com...
> almost all the original Joe file cards? Or did it vary from character?
Yes, Bob Budianski wrote all of the Tech Specs through the Micromasters (and
maybe the Action Masters). However, I'd love to see what Simon Furman could
do with them in the future if given the chance.
-Star Saber