Where is Optimus Prime?

[GoktimusPrime]

There are reference links there you can click on to read a more detailed synopsis about each individual issue. You can also read the issues online at 3H's web site (the link is provided at the bottom of the synopsis page).
http://www.botcon.com/archive/story/2001/index.html

[Quickstrike]

They don't skimp on the details huh.

Full of detail...

That's basically all the comic says. Edit: Didn't notice the post above me. You can read the comic yourself.

Man, I thought that comic was pretty good ten years ago.


Double Edit: Back to Convobat for a second. Everything I had read about him implied that he was released in that same period where Beast Wars hadn't quite established it's own identity yet. The wiki sort of backs me up:

Just what character this toy represents is up for debate. The toy's bio claims he used to turn into a tractor-trailer (indicating Optimus Prime), but considering the timeframe of when they were written and the whole lack of a stance on who Primal "was" before the show and bla bla bla... it's just easier to file this under the same iffiness as the original toy bios set on modern Earth and leave it at that.

But whatever.

[theheretic]

-So I can lay all my blame on to Rodimus for down grading the Transformers? What a jerk!

-Transformers lore/canon is crazy contradicting. I can really see why there's a push to restart with a new continuity. And WFC, FOC is a great start. Although they are already messing with it by putting TF Prime in the mix too.

-Is Convobat really Optimus Prime, or does he just tell people he was Optimus? Because I know this girl who says she was Cleopatra. I just can't see Optimus giving himself up to be reformatted

[Hursticon]

-Is Convobat really Optimus Prime, or does he just tell people he was Optimus? Because I know this girl who says she was Cleopatra. I just can't see Optimus giving himself up to be reformatted

Hehe, I like the idea of some bot running around dressed in a Proto-Primal Bat Chassis calling himself Optimus Prime; sort of like Magnaboss II except this guy actually believes he's the former leader of the Autobots.
(Magnaboss II simply adopting the name in honour, much like BW Megatron )

[GoktimusPrime]

Double Edit: Back to Convobat for a second. Everything I had read about him implied that he was released in that same period where Beast Wars hadn't quite established it's own identity yet. The wiki sort of backs me up:

But whatever.

...inaccurate.

The reason why the early Hasbro BW bios are different from the cartoon is because they were written before the cartoon came out, and at that time Hasbro (well, Kenner) intended for BW to be a continuation of G1/G2. It wasn't until _after_ Mainframe was commissioned to make the cartoon that the creators decided to change the story to what we are more familiar with today (e.g. establishing Optimus Primal as a separate character).

Takara on the other hand released Beast Wars a year later... by this time the cartoon had already been produced and Takara had the advantage of being able to make their BW toy line fit the cartoon. This is why:

+ Even Takara's early BW toy package/tech specs art is more show-like and less toy-accurate. They also had screen caps of their beast modes.
e.g.: Convoy (note the "mouth" on the robot art), Tigatron etc.
+ Every early Takara BW toy package had a sticker advertising the cartoon as "world's first 100% CG transforming robot animation"
+ Some toys featured a more show-like colour scheme, e.g. Blackarachnia, Tigatron etc.
+ The tech specs for Convoy (Optimus Primal) and Megatron don't make any allusions to them being their G1 namesakes (unlike Hasbro's)
+ The tech specs for Convobat and Megalligator DO explicitly state that they are G1 Convoy & Megatron.
+ The first JP BW catalogue has screen caps from the cartoon
+ Convobat & Megalligator both came packaged with an exclusive CD-ROM which shows clips from the cartoon

So whereas Hasbro's early BW came out _before_ the cartoon, Takara's BW started _after_ the cartoon... so trying to compare them like that is like apples and oranges...

-So I can lay all my blame on to Rodimus for down grading the Transformers? What a jerk!

Well, it started long before him. Remember in G1 Transformers were already downsizing themselves as Micromasters to conserve Energon. The Maximal Upgrade was the next phase.

Another reason why it was done from a story telling POV is because the BW writers wanted to make the G1 Transformers look like godlike titans compared to BW Transformers. Also a Freightliner semi-truck would be way huger than a silverback gorilla.

-Is Convobat really Optimus Prime, or does he just tell people he was Optimus? Because I know this girl who says she was Cleopatra.

As I said back in post #6, Convobat's tech specs says that he is G1 Optimus Prime (and likewise Megalligator's tech specs states that he's Megatron).

The first sentence of Convobat's tech specs states:
"コンボイ司令官といえば、一般的にトレーラートラックが有名。"
Which means, "Commander Optimus Prime is generally known for being a semi-truck. (the rest of the tech specs bio talks about how he's now a bat) -- likewise Megalligator's tech specs also starts off saying that he was once a Walther P-38 gun but now he's a croc/alligator (the Japanese word ワニ refers to any kind of crocodilia and doesn't specify if it's a croc, gator, caiman etc.)

I just can't see Optimus giving himself up to be reformatted

I don't see why not. When it comes to Optimuses and reformatting their bodies... well, remember when Optimus Primal became Optimal Optimus, and Cheetor says, "Wow, Optimus sure gets used to a new body fast!" -- Rattrap replies, "Eh whaddaya expect, he changes them often enough!" <rimshot>

Throughout G1 Optimus Prime underwent changes to his body such as (yes, I know I'm blending different continuities here too - BW follows on from a blended G1 continuity anyway):
+ Orion Pax -> Optimus Prime (Cybertronian)
+ 1st Cybertronian mode to 2nd Cybertronian mode
+ 2nd Cybertronian mode to Earth mode (1st)
+ change to Powermaster
+ change to Action Master
+ change to Star Convoy (w/ Micromaster Hot Rod!)
+ change to 1st G2
+ change to Hero
+ change to Laser Rod
+ change to Go-Bot
+ change to Machine Wars
...etc.

So I don't think it's that much of a stretch for him to then change to Convobat after that IMO.

[Verno]

The problem I have with Convobat being Prime is that the "Maximal Upgrade" had nothing to do with the adoption of a 'Beast' mode - it was the adoption of a smaller, efficient, Proto-Matter body.

Transformers were still machines and robots. BW:Gathering and Ascending depicts Cybertron covered with robots - cars and motorbikes and such, not animals with fur and hair and scales.

So Convobat coming out of the upgrade as a fleshy Bat is debatable.

[Paulbot]

So Convobat coming out of the upgrade only in Japan as a fleshy Bat is debatable.

Fixed?

[Verno]

Fixed?

Hahaha, who knows. That's the joy of hypertheticals.

[GoktimusPrime]

The problem I have with Convobat being Prime is that the "Maximal Upgrade" had nothing to do with the adoption of a 'Beast' mode - it was the adoption of a smaller, efficient, Proto-Matter body.

Transformers were still machines and robots. BW:Gathering and Ascending depicts Cybertron covered with robots - cars and motorbikes and such, not animals with fur and hair and scales.

So Convobat coming out of the upgrade as a fleshy Bat is debatable.

There's nothing to say that Convobat wasn't already a non-beast moded Maximal before becoming a bat. He could have still transformed into a Micromaster sized truck (like say Powertrain) back on Cybertron before adopting his batty beast mode on prehistoric Earth.

It's possible that in toy continuity Convobat remained on Cybertron and never acquired a beast mode whereas in toy continuity he did. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened... look at Cicadacon, Ram Horn and Sea Clamp (Tripredacus Council) -- their toys all have beast modes yet in the cartoon they never went to Earth or acquired beast modes. I think it's accepted that Tripredacus never had beast modes in the cartoon, but did in the toy continuity (and possible other parallel universes) -- the same could easily apply for Convobat.

[Quickstrike]

Hehe, I like the idea of some bot running around dressed in a Proto-Primal Bat Chassis calling himself Optimus Prime; sort of like Magnaboss II except this guy actually believes he's the former leader of the Autobots.
(Magnaboss II simply adopting the name in honour, much like BW Megatron )

Obviously, Convobat suffers from Primus Apothesois.