Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[GoktimusPrime]

And long before cassettes were invented. Like... hundreds of years before.

Well before humans invented tapes. Transformers are a highly advanced civilisation who clearly have mastered the art of tape tech millenia before humans!

Turn to Side B to continue...

[tinyJazz]

The G1 cartoon simply explained that under Megatron's rule, the Decepticons developed the art of espionate using cassette technology (how advanced!) and that the Autobots countered this later on by creating the Autobot cassettes with "Blaster as their guardian." As you know, IDW has offered an explanation for the Decepticon cassettes - some like Rumble and Frenzy volunteered to be rebuilt, others like Ratbat, not so voluntarily.

In G1 it seemed that being a cassette didn't necessarily mean you had to be attached to Soundwave or Blaster. For instance, Ratbat was on Cybertron for millenia as Decepticon fuel auditor while Soundwave was "lost" on Earth. And when he eventually came to Earth and become Decepticon commander, Soundwave (as well as the other Earth-bound Decepticons) became subservient to Ratbat!

Raindance and Grandslam existed as cassettes long before they ever encountered Blaster - in fact, we ONLY saw them as cassettes in G1 (they never transformed to robot mode). Blaster actually ejected them by regurgitation which is kinda gross...

Eww, Blaster! was that in an episode or a comic?

Thanks for the explaination Gok! Makes me wonder what kind of thought processes the tapes were going through when they decided to get converted (when they had the choice!). I guess they just really really wanted to beat the other side.

Speaking of espionage, I got another question for you: If Jazz is the "Head of Special Ops"... who else is in special ops? I had a feeling that Mirage and Bumblebee might be members because their Classics Bios list them as spies. Maybe Punch aswell? :/

THANKYOU SOOOO MUCH that is awesome and it's cheaper than BBTS

Yay! Glad I could help! I usually only go to BBTS as a last resort because of the prices, and the shipping.

[GoktimusPrime]

Eww, Blaster! was that in an episode or a comic?

US#47
"Blaster feels compelled to transform and protect the humans, but is quickly overwhelmed by the six Seacons. Out of necessity, he spits the cassettes back out into the water, and transforms back into his smaller form in the confusion. Armed with the information but not the cassettes themselves, Blaster leaves with Jesse and vows to return as soon as he can."

Thanks for the explaination Gok! Makes me wonder what kind of thought processes the tapes were going through when they decided to get converted (when they had the choice!). I guess they just really really wanted to beat the other side.

Transforming into a cassette tape sure beats transforming into an MP3 file! (unless you wanna go all Lawnmower Man ). The main downside to being a cassette though is when some jerk decides to yank all your tape out! (or rub you up against a strong magnet)

Speaking of espionage, I got another question for you: If Jazz is the "Head of Special Ops"... who else is in special ops? I had a feeling that Mirage and Bumblebee might be members because their Classics Bios list them as spies. Maybe Punch aswell? :/

Whoever said that Jazz was 'head' of Special Ops? Jazz's function has been listed as:
+ Special Operations Agent (1984 G1)
+ Special Operations / Saboteur (G1 Marvel TF Universe bio)
+ Special Operations, Saboteur (1989 Pretender)
+ Special Operations (1990 Action Master)
+ Special Operations Agent (1993 G2)
+ Special Operations Agent (2003 Alternator)
Reveal The Shield bios don't explicitly state functions, but considering that the toy is called "Special Ops Jazz," I'd say it's a good bet that his function might be Special Operations.

I don't recall any of his bios stating that he's the head of any special ops division for the Autobots... so I don't think he had any subordinates in that capacity. His Japanese tech specs bio lists Jazz's (Meister's) function as 副官 which is equivalent to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer - basically acting as Optimus Prime's second in command. While that does place him in a position of authority, it's not explicitly as the head of a special operations division, but more as an officer of the Autobot forces in general - which is pretty much how the early episodes of G1 portrayed Jazz anyway.

But in the comics Jazz worked more as a special agent; at times he would might lead a team (e.g. "Man of Iron"), other times he would operate alone (e.g. "DIS-Integrated Circuits!"). But yeah, he wasn't portrayed as something like an MI6 boss or anything like that.

[blackoptimus]

Could I get an opinion please.

Should I get DOTM Starscream and Barricade Or only just get DOTM Shockwave????

[Paulbot]

I have assumed that the plot outline for the issue said something like "shoots out the tapes" and the artist mistook what was requested and drew him spitting them. After Delbo was never the most aware artist when it comes to Transformers (see One-eared Starscream and smiley Soundwave).

Could I get an opinion please.

Should I get DOTM Starscream and Barricade Or only just get DOTM Shockwave????

Get the two Deluxes if you don't already have toys of those characters. Otherwise Shockwave is a nice figure too.

[LordCyrusOmega]

Is DOTM Sentinel Prime being released in Legion class? My Ark needs a better pilot the roller

[GoktimusPrime]

I doubt it. Besides, wasn't Sentinel Prime inside some internal chamber with the five pillars? He may have captained the Ark, but I don't think he was her pilot, was he?

[Paulbot]

I would doubt it too. I'm not collecting the Cyberverse line but I'm pretty sure every character that has been sold as Commander class doesn't have a Legion class toy.

[Aqua Prime]

When you do a robot count ie a census to get a gauge of the number of TF's in your collection,
Do you count gestalts as five, six or whatever the total of individual robots is or as one?

I've always counted them as individual robots and then been told I'm "bumping" my numbers up. Thoughts?

I consider Powermasters, Headmasters and Targetmasters to still count as one. Except where Piranacon is involved.

[Sky Shadow]

When you do a robot count ie a census to get a gauge of the number of TF's in your collection,
Do you count gestalts as five, six or whatever the total of individual robots is or as one?

I've always counted them as individual robots and then been told I'm "bumping" my numbers up. Thoughts?

What sort of person would bother telling someone else they're counting their own Transformers incorrectly? Since I'm fairly sure you're talking about G1 Gestalts, it makes sense to me to count the Constructicons, Seacons and Pretender Monsters as six and the Scramble City combiners and Predacons as five. Let's face it, all of those toys were only available in Australia as individual non-gestalt robots. So by the "bumping" person's logic, if you only ever owned Scattershot, Strafe and Lightspeed, you'd only have three-fifths of a Transformer. Which is nonsense.