Mystery of the early Megatron!

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Nevermore
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Mystery of the early Megatron!

Post by Nevermore »

While doing my research for my latest project (soooon, I promise! :) ), I stumbled across this, which I had been aware of before but which I've never seen in its entirety up until now.

We all know that the G1 Megatron toy looks a) like crap and b) pretty much nothing like the animation model, right?

Well... there was an older prototype/concept for the Microman Gun Robo toy.

This appears to be what the early Marvel model is based on, which in turn got presumably simplified by Floro Dery into the Marvel TFU profile version.

And then there was this odd Megatron animation model from an old commercial for the "Transformers Power Cycle".

Well, duh. :)

Sources I raped:

The Pre Transformers Page for the Microman Gun Robo catalog image
The Japanese Transformers G1 Characters Archives book for the early Marvel model and one of the screencaps from the Power Cycle commercial (thanks Monzo for the scan!)
The Nordic Transfan Association for the TFU profile pic
X-Entertainment for the second screencap from the Power Cycle commercial. :)
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Darclipto
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Post by Darclipto »

That prototype looks alright and seems to be much more similar to G1 megs.

That animated Megs looks like a Gobot and his head looks as bad as Leader-1's
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Post by RUNAMOK »

if it can help your research, there is also a picture of some kind of proto animation model of megatron in the transformers: generations book on 118, he looks loke a mixture of some of the one you have already posted, with the cartoon "bucket" helmet, but also with some kind of trigger croch
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Post by inflatable dalek »

That prototype looks familiar, I think the page it's taken from is reprinted on one of the "TF Universe" cards that came with the book style Takara reissues.


Though considering the toy was a few years old at the point Marvel/Sunbow started designing the cartoon charecters you have to wonder why they were using the prototype rather than the finished product as a basis for it. Perhaps they got sent the wrong thing? Or even prefered it...
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Post by Darclipto »

Maybe they didn't like the deformed skinny legs and arms or the trigger dick thing...
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Darclipto
Maybe they didn't like the deformed skinny legs and arms or the trigger dick thing...


The redesign still has a trigger dick doesn't he?
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by Nevermore
The Pre Transformers Page for the Microman Gun Robo catalog image
Great site, that. I think it was one of the ones I found during college / start of uni when Crosswinds was in vogue...

I'm curious at what point the redesign happened, since the episodes that run first chronologically have Megatron already established as the buckethead helmet design (can't find MTMTE screenshots right now, but certainly as far as I recall.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatron

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Also by Dery?
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Post by Nevermore »

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Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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Post by Denyer »

Yeah, that makes sense. And then they threw away parts of the animation model and went with this one. From which we get stuff like this...

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Post by RUNAMOK »

the one i mentioned fits in btween the universe model and the cartoon one, i think

scans can be found here: http://optimalautobot.fcpages.com/tfbook/main.html ( warning, last time there was some virus porblems)
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Post by Arcee »

So he didn't always have a trigger crotch! Interesting. :)
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Post by Darclipto »

You know, Im surprised there wasn't mothers complaining because Megatron's penis is clearly visable:laugh:
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Darclipto
You know, Im surprised there wasn't mothers complaining because Megatron's penis is clearly visable:laugh:


No doubt your one of those that finds "slag" being a very mild insult in the UK deeply hilarious as well?
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Post by Clogs »

Ooh-errr, missus!

Very interesting. I approached TF from the cartoon and Marvel comics viewpoint, and really didn't go for the toys. I missed an educational opportunity there!
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Post by Darclipto »

No doubt your one of those that finds "slag" being a very mild insult in the UK deeply hilarious as well?


Um... no... Actually I was just kidding... but whatever...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Hey doesn't Megatron's toy look a bit like he has a penis?


It's dead, leave it be the lot of you.
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
It's dead, leave it be the lot of you.
To be perfectly honest I hadn't entertained thoughts of messing around with Megatron's knob, dead or not...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Denyer
To be perfectly honest I hadn't entertained thoughts of messing around with Megatron's knob, dead or not...


Dude, like, the trigger on the figure IS his knob, man! It's hilarious! And worth every single poster noting, in this thread! Everyone can be funny by vaguely paraphrasing the post above!

Yeh, wait for a fortnight until I've quit the fags. Then we'll see bitchy.
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Post by Halfshell »

The turnip... was shaped like a thingey!
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Darclipto
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Post by Darclipto »

Dude, like, the trigger on the figure IS his knob, man! It's hilarious! And worth every single poster noting, in this thread! Everyone can be funny by vaguely paraphrasing the post above!


Why so hostile? Did you buy this toy and begin to feel self conscious about what you have, in turn scarring you for life? I see no other reason why you would be so inclined to bitch about it.
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