Former Marvel Comics creator Bob Budiansky contributed to the conception of around 250 characters in the “Transformers” mythos. He will make his debut at the Great Lakes Comic Convention on Feb. 23-24. (Photo courtesy of Bob Budiansky)
It was a week before Thanksgiving 1983 when Bob Budiansky was approached about working on a new project called the “Transformers.”
“Marvel Comics and (toy company) Hasbro had a deal where Marvel would develop characters and a storyline for this new toy line,” recalled Budiansky, of New Jersey, a former Marvel writer/editor/artist who will make his debut at the Great Lakes Comic Convention at Macomb Community College in Warren on Feb. 23-24.
He continued: “(Then-Marvel editor-in-chief) Jim Shooter wrote a treatment. Probably out of desperation, Jim came to me. Other people turned it down. He needed names and profiles for 26 characters ASAP. … I said, ‘Sure, I’ll do it.’ That was a long weekend. I already had a staff job as an editor, so I had to do this freelance job at nights and weekends. It was unclear if this fly-by-night project would be a success.”
With the exception of Optimus Prime and Prowl, who were already named, Budiansky came up with the names and profiles of 24 of the original “Transformers” characters (called “Generation One”), including fan-favorites Megatron and Bumblebee. These profiles, also called “tech specs,” were printed on the “Transformers” toy packages Hasbro produced in the 1980s, giving each figure character personality traits.
“Jim liked them and passed them on to Hasbro before Thanksgiving. Hasbro asked for a few changes. That’s how I got my start. Jim liked what I did. Hasbro liked what I did. I continued to work on ‘Transformers’ for five to six years,” said Budiansky, who also illustrated Marvel’s “Ghost Rider” and “Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner.”
The “Transformers” debuted in 1984 and was a runaway hit. The toys – robots that could transform into vehicles, which Hasbro rebranded from the Japanese toy line called “Diaclone” – were bolstered by the cartoon and the comic. The plot has the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons from the planet Cybertron continuing their millennia-long war on Earth.
Budiansky originally edited the title for four issues, then became the writer for approximately 50 issues and also wrote spin-off “Transformers” comics.
“I got to write a top-selling comic for the No. 1 comic book publisher in the United States,” he said. “I didn’t look down on it. I saw it as a great opportunity and enjoyed doing it.”
A cover image of the “Transformers” comic book series, which was written by Bob Budiansky and published by Marvel Comics. (Graphic courtesy of Marvel Comics)
Between 1983-89, Budiansky came up with more than 250 names and tech specs for “Transformers” characters. When the new toys came out, Budiansky had to introduce them in the comic.
“Hasbro wanted me to introduce new characters into the storyline,” he said. “I’d have to find a way to add another 15 characters. I had stories around certain characters, but I had to put those characters aside to make room for the new ones. I was burned out.”
In 2007, a live-action “Transformers” movie produced by renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg (“Jaws”) and directed by Michael Bay (“Bad Boys”) debuted. It grossed approximately $709 million and spawned six sequels, including 2023’s successful “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”
“What really made an impression on me was in the early 2000s when the announcement was made that Spielberg was producing and Bay was directing. I was shocked. Who would’ve expected a live-action movie based on a toy was so revolutionary? It came back in a big way,” Budiansky said.
He shared his insight on what makes “Transformers” so popular.
“The germ of the idea was that you have these beautifully designed toys that turned from different vehicles into robotic lifeforms. A kid could change it from one thing to another, which had a lot of toy-etic value. It had that allure for someone who was the right age,” he explained. “Hasbro’s approach was to make it a comic and cartoon. More than just a toy, it filled in a lot of blanks by providing all these stories in animation and comics. That gave it a lot of life. People of a certain age fell in love with the ‘Transformers.’ It (allowed) Hasbro … to license the ‘Transformers’ for more stories and the opportunity to revive the brand and make it bigger than ever. Good, bad, or indifferent, ‘Transformers’ is being pumped out in different platforms. There’s a lot of content out there for people who like the ‘Transformers.’”
Budiansky appeared on the “Transformers” episode of Netflix’s “The Toys That Made Us” documentary series.
“It upped my profile. People come up to me at cons, ‘I didn’t know you were the guy behind all these characters. You did so much to build the brand.’ It’s nice to be known for my work and have more people want my autograph. It’s an ego boost in that sense. It’s a win-win for me. People are now more aware of my contributions to the world of the ‘Transformers,’” he said.
Budiansky said he’s looking forward to attending the GLCC.
“I’ve heard good things about it. I’m looking forward to spending time in Michigan and being with fans and getting to know the place better,” he said.
GLCC guests also include Noah Hathaway, alias Atreyu, from 1984’s “The NeverEnding Story”; pro wrestling icons Eric Bischoff and the Honky Tonk Man; “The Land of the Lost” cast; comic creators Steve Lavigne (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”); Arvell Jones (“Iron Fist”); Keith Pollard (“Thor”); Paul Storrie (“Gotham Girls”); Larry Stroman (“X-Factor”); and the creators of the cult-favorite independent comic “Faust,” David Quinn and Tim Vigil.
“I lived in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, first as a kid in the 1970s, then again in the 1990s as a freelance writer, so it’s always a pleasure to return to Michigan, where I’m immediately home with a familiar, fertile creativity and independent spirit in the art and music communities,” said Quinn, of Westchester, New York. “The comic conventions here have always been awesome – readers blaze with support and passion; they are truly readers, not just shoppers – I can feel a kind of alchemy in the room that goes back to some of the earliest comic cons in the country, the pop culture smash of the silver age, the underground age and the creator-owned era. (Vigil) and I used to sign here every year in the 1990s, but it has been a while, so I’m grateful the GLCC has welcomed us as special guests. Come say hello – who knows when we will be here again?”
Added GLCC owner Mike DeSantis: “We have lots of exciting things planned for this year’s (GLCC). Our event is always family-friendly with special guests ranging from celebrities to comic book professionals. There are costume contests, raffle prizes, gaming and more. We have something for everyone at this show and we hope you join us.”
IF YOU GO
Feb. 23-24
Great Lakes Comic Convention
Macomb Community College Expo Center, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road, Warren
5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24
$20-$40 online or at the door; children 10 and under are free