Many readers today know that the Transformers comic line is currently being published by IDW, who recently rebooted their continuity. However, what isn’t as widely known is that at one point, Marvel had possession of the publishing rights to the Transformers comics -- and is actually largely responsible for the lore and characters within the franchise that still exists today.

Before even being called the Transformers, they began life as two separate toy lines known as Diaclone and Microchange from the Japanese toy manufacturer Takara. The Diaclone line mostly consisted of robots that transform into cars, while Microchange focused more on robots that changed into anything from tape cassette players to handguns. By the mid-’80s, both lines attracted the attention of the American toy company Hasbro, which intended to sell the toys to a U.S. audience. However, they realized that they would need to create a backstory for the toys so that they would translate better for American children; this is where Marvel came in.

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Jim Shooter, the editor-in-chief of Marvel from 1978-1987, was tasked by Hasbro to come up with a story and narrative for the upcoming Transformers toy line. It was Shooter’s idea that the toys were actually two different races of alien robots from a metallic planet known as Cybertron and had brought their never-ending war to Earth. Shooter would then enlist the help of writer Bob Budiansky to come up with the names and personalities of each robot in the first wave of the Transformers line. In doing so, Budiansky would give life to many beloved characters of the Transformers franchise, such as Bumble Bee, Starscream, and Megatron. However, the name Optimus Prime was actually created by the writer Denny O’Neil, who was also working at Marvel at the time.

Starscream in Transformers comics

Regardless Bob Budiansky was responsible for making the once identity-less robots into fully-fledged characters. An example of Marvel adapting the toyline for American children can be seen with the character Megatron, who originally was a hero in the Japanese Microchange line. Due to the fact that his alternate form was a handgun, it was decided that Megatron would be rebranded as the leader of the evil Decepticon army (it makes sense, considering how morally questionable gun users like The Punisher were being portrayed in Marvel Comics at the time). Through the work of Jim Shooter and Bob Budiansky, Marvel created the initial source material that Hasbro would use to launch the Transformers toyline in America.

Marvel then published two Transformers comic series that came out alongside the TV show. One was a series intended for American audiences while the other was meant for the United Kingdom. One thing of note about the UK series is that it was mostly written by Simon Furman, a writer who continues to be an architect for the Transformers (long after Marvel lost the publishing rights). Even occasional Marvel writer Marv Wolfman wrote some episodes for the G1 Transformers animated series as well as its sequels Beast Wars and Beast Machines.

Marvel’s influence on the Transformers franchise is inescapable considering that’s where the majority of its iconic characters came from. Without the work by Jim Shooter, Bob Budiansky, and other contributors at marvel, the Transformers might not be the beloved multi-million dollar property it is today.

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