Bob Budiansky

2009-03-26T12:38:09Z

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[[Image:Bobbudiansky.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Not actually Kirk Cameron. You can tell because he writes about Earth being millions of years old.]]
'''Bob Budiansky''' was the writer of most of the [[Generation 1 (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''Transformers'' comic book]] series and the creator of much of the mythos, characters, and names behind the first several years of the franchise.

In late 1983, [[Hasbro]] approached Marvel Comics to create a storyline around a series of transforming toy robots they had licensed from Takara. Editors [[Denny O'Neil]] and [[Jim Shooter]] created some of the early background for ''Transformers'', including several names, but much of the material for the first 28 characters was rejected by Hasbro. Revision duties were passed to editor/writer Bob Budiansky, who renamed most of the characters and revised the personalities. Though [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was named by O'Neil, Bob Budiansky is responsible for the names of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], and countless others.

Due to its success, ''The Transformers'' four-issue miniseries became an ongoing. Bob Budiansky was moved from editing duties to writer. It was in these years that he developed popular characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] into the roles they're famous for today. He also created the concept of the Autobot [[Creation Matrix|Matrix]]. Budiansky continued to write [[Bio|bios]] and name characters until the end of the original series.

Towards the end of his time on the comic book series, Budiansky started to feel fatigue. It was complicated and frustrating, from a story-crafting point of view, [[To sell toys|to introduce so many new characters in so few issues]]. At Budiansky's recommendation, the writer of the Marvel UK ''Transformers'' comic, [[Simon Furman]], took over Budiansky's duties on the US comic.

An artist as well, Budianksy also drew several covers for ''Transformers'' and pencilled his final issue.

Outside of ''Transformers'' Budiansky is perhaps best known for drawing ''Ghost Rider'', creating ''Sleepwalker'' and writing the entire series, and serving as group editor-in-chief of the ''[[Spider-Man]]'' titles between 1994 & 1995.
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==''Transformers'' comics credits==
Marvel ''Transformers'' (US):

:Editor - Issues 1-4
:Writer - Issues 5-15, 17-32, 35-42, 44-55
:Penciller - Issue 55
:Cover Artist - Issues 14, 29, 31, 45, 47

Marvel ''Transformers Universe''

:Writer/Consulting Editor - Issues 1-4

Marvel ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' comic adaptation

:Editor - Issues 1-3

''Headmasters'' mini-series

:Writer - Issues 1-4
:Cover Artist - Issue 1

IDW ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' comic adaptation

:Writer - Issues 1-4

==Budianskyisms==
Though not as prominent or well-remembered as the so-called "[[Furmanism|Furmanisms]]" that successor writer Simon Furman would popularize, Bob Budiansky also had a few turns of phrase that he repeatedly fell back on:

[[Image:Thetorquerifle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Enjoy a nice serving of Brown Betty, with DEATH!! But mostly, eat death.]]
* "Have some (X), courtesy of my (Y)!" 

:where 
:"X" = some form of damage, dismemberment or death 
:"Y" = the special weapon of the character in question

:Examples:
: "Have some metal-eating slime, courtesy of my [[slime gun]], Autobots!"—Blot {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!|Brothers in Armor!!}}
: "Have a mechanical malfunction, courtesy of my [[concussion cannon]]!"—Breakdown {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!|Heavy Traffic!}}
: "Just a case of bad balance, courtesy of my [[electro-scrambler]]."—Blaster {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!|The Bridge to Nowhere!}}
: "Energy feedback, courtesy of my electro-scrambler, tinhead."—Blaster {{storylink|Totaled!|Totaled!}}
: "You're going on a one-way trip, [[Monzo]], courtesy of my [[anti-gravity gun]]!"—Skullcruncher {{storylink|Love and Steel!|Love and Steel!}}

* "I hope you (A) as well as you (B)!" 

:where 
:"A" = perform some action, typically shooting 
:"B" = boast, brag, or some other meaningless non-action

:Examples:
: "You ''boast'' better than you ''shoot'', Dreadwind!"—Goldbug {{storylink|People Power!|People Power!}}
: "Grrr—I hope you ''shoot'' straighter than you ''think'', Weirdwolf!"—Skullcruncher {{storylink|Trial by Fire!|Trial by Fire!}}
: "Only if you ''aim'' as well as you ''brag'', Brawl!"—First Aid {{storylink|Used Autobots|Used Autobots}}

* "This wasn't in (Z)!" 

:where 
:"Z" = amusingly bureaucratic item with no bearing on the situation at hand.

:Examples:
:"This...this wasn't in my job description!"—anonymous railway worker {{storylink|Child's Play (comic issue)|Child's Play}}
:"This wasn't on the trail guide!"—anonymous skier {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!|The Man in the Machine!}}
:"None of this was in the rehearsal!"—Sky Lynx {{storylink|The Cosmic Carnival!|The Cosmic Carnival!}}

==External links==
*[http://www.alteredstatesmag.com/features/qanda/bbudiansky_1.php A Little Q&A with Bob Budiansky]
*[http://www.bwtf.com/interviews/bb204/ Bob Budiansky Interview at BWTF.com]
*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/32bc08f5d9b4678b? Transcript of Budiansky/Furman panel from OTFCC 2004]

*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/80a6fffaad63aa8d? Transcript of Budiansky/Figueroa panel from Iacon One]

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Bob Budiansky