Cerealgeek77 on Instagram has shared some interesting early material from the production of the original Generation 1 Transformers animation. Among the material posted to date is an animation model for Mirage which features some slightly different proportions and a very different head, complete with a head crest. This prototypical design takes a few more liberties with Mirage’s chest, making it smaller, and exposing more of the body beneath it unlike the final model and the toy it was based on. The alternate head design is also more of a departure from the original toy and the final animation mode, looking more like the types of heads featured on Prowl, Bluestreak, or Smokescreen. To round it off, the shoulder launcher was also on the opposite side and used a different look, that may have been less a missile launcher and more a beam cannon.
Ravage and Bluestreak meanwhile are in their final animation models, but sport different colorations than the final releases we got. Ravage is here depicted in blues and reds, a heroic pattern that seems reminiscent of a pre-Transformers Microchange deco, while Bluestreak is in his infamous “blue Bluestreak” deco which again was a Diaclone deco of the character. The pair suggests that, along with early catalog photography for Bluestreak, that at least at some point in production the decos of the Japanese toys were used for the production of the cartoon and TV commercials.
Check out our mirror of all three images attached to this post.
Greebtron
One of the items up for auction is especially noteworthy. It's a concept art of the railroad tressle that Rumble destroys for materials in a deleted scene from MTMTE part 1
Transformers G1 original production art Episode 1 Railroad Trestle | eBay
[Wing_Saber-X]
noice!
RichP
wow. whoever owns this is one lucky SOB! happy it's in a fan's hands.
also, no silver stripes in truck mode.
Ikkstakk
So the first thing I notice here? The rounded backs of his lower legs. Were his tires originally not intended to be hidden?!
Sam
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James Eatock on Instagram: “Pretty important piece of Transformers history right here – THE actual character model sheet upon which Optimus Prime’s colours (for…”
Metal Sonic
Definitely would not object to an MP Blue Bluestreak with the toon head like in the model sheet art!
Sam
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Hans
Oh, you're right. Didn't read it correctly, sorry. But yes, I agree with the idea that Bluestreaks colours were probably changed late in the game.
Nevermore
That's not what he was arguing. His argument was that the Smokescreen toy was supposed to be named "Bluestreak" and vice versa.
Which I doubt. Because the Bluestreak toy was originally supposed to have the blue Diaclone street car version's deco.
Hans
Smokescreen was based on an actually existing rally car. So he was always supposed to have the colours that he has.
cryotek
Pretty niffy.
Purple Heart
Oh yeah, I always forget that an international toy company asked Marvel to come up with bios and a story in a week, and then they forgot about it and left Budiansky to do it over the weekend.
AutobotAvalanche
The 1984 cast was done in one batch over one weekend by Budiansky. Aside from Grapple/Hauler I don't think the 1985 bros were ever considered at the time.
Fallout
if these get figures, will that be the start of the MP- line?
TacticalBacon
So they colored the model sheets with crayon first then went back and colored another one with marker?
OriginalFire
When the MP line gets to the bottom of the barrel they will release these concepts as MP figures
Purple Heart
I know the whole debacle about Bluestreak getting his name from his personality and his Blue Diackone toy, but I’ve always thought that his and Smokescreen’s colors were swapped in production similarly Sideswipe and Suntreaker.
I mean, Blueatreak is grey/silver and black, the colors of smoke, and Smokescreen is blue. It would make a hell of a lot more sense if their names/colors were swapped back around.
Mirage00
Wow i like that alternate Mirage, looks very cool. It would be cool if at one point maybe IDW or some show or comic would use this look for mirage.
Furyan
Awesome stuff
HuffR_WFCTX_91135
Flippin cool, first those beta Pokemon and now these, here's hoping for more!