Introdump

2008-04-22T12:08:19Z

129.125.138.180: /* Marvel Comics G1 */

[[Image:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The buying public will never suspect their TRUE NATURES as commercial products until it is TOO LATE!]]

An '''introdump''' (also known as name-dropping, name-checking, forced introduction, or "really awkward self-exposition") is a scene in which new characters are introduced, and the dialog goes out of its way to give each character's name. It is particularly prevalent in certain portions of ''Transformers'' fiction.

Sometimes the characters give their ''own'' names (referring to themselves in the third person). On other occasions, the characters will work each other's names into the dialog. The classic [[Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)|G1 Marvel Comic]] was particularly guilty of this, not least because they introduced on the order of 200 characters across only 84 issues (counting ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]''). In '''that comic''', it was '''usually signified''' by the '''writing''' of '''each new character's name''' in '''bold typeface'''.

Because most ''Transformers'' fiction exists [[to sell toys]], it seems likely that [[Hasbro]] required the writers of the comic to make sure every new character was explicitly named, so the readers could then go out and ask the toy store employee for 'em by name.

Though the G1 comics were particularly notorious for it, introdumps pop up across the whole spectrum of ''Transformers'' fiction. In egregious examples, the characters also describe their "selling points" (weapons, etc.)

Here are four examples, from most graceful to least:

==Transformers Animated==
* Here, the [[Decepticons]] bicker, giving their names and at least one important fact per character:
: '''Lugnut''': Megatron is wise! Megatron is bold! Megatron will return the Decepticons to Cyberton and...<br>
: '''Blackarachnia''': ...and wipe our homeland clean of the stench of Autobot tyranny, blah-dee blah blah blah! Did you memorize that speech, Lugnut? Or is it just hardwired into that thick, one-track processor of yours?<br>
: '''Blitzwing''': As usual, Blackarachnia, your demeanor is as unpleasant as that accursed organic mode of yours.<br>
: '''Blackarachnia''': Blow it out your actuator, three-face.<br>
: '''Blitzwing''': De name is Blitzving, insect!
==Beast Wars==
{{listen
|Introdump_bwep1_thepain.ogg
|Painful Introductions
|The Maximals introduce themselves.
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* In the sound clip at right, from the first episode of [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]], the writers at least have the justification that the characters are adopting new names at that moment.
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==Marvel Comics G1==
[[Image:MarvelUS22 Stunticons.jpg|thumb|right|275px|Mouseketeer roll call!]]
* At right, the [[Stunticon]]s introduce themselves in "[[Heavy Traffic!]]".
{{-}}
[[Image:Introdump_decepticons_marvelus01.jpg|thumb|right|450px|Ten characters, nine color schemes, and only five [[mold]]s.]]
* A ''particularly'' heavy example, from [[The Transformers (comic issue)|the first issue of the US comic]]. (Note [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s ironic comment of "Can the speeches.")
{{-}}

==External links==
* [http://theswordreview.com/item.php?sub_id=1289 A parallel coining of "introdump", in the context of prose SF.]
* [[Wikipedia:Infodump#The_Plot_Dump|"Infodump", a broader term, at the Wikipedia.]]

[[Category: Media]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

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Introdump