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Transformers: Classics

2010-02-27T22:52:04Z

78.148.160.233:

{{disambig3|Classics}}
<div class="center">[[Image:Classicslogo.jpg|none|300px|]]</div>
When the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action ''Transformers'' film]] was pushed back from November 2006 to July 2007, [[Hasbro]] needed to create a filler line to bridge the gap in their product offerings. That bridge was a revisitation of the original ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' characters, dubbed '''''Classics'''''. The line featured many original toy designs as well as some [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]] which were originally meant for the end of the ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' franchise. A handful of [[redeco]]ed [[Legends Class]] figures rounded out the selection, also they reserved to the next generation transformers toyline ''[[Animated (toyline)|Animated]]''.

''Classics'' has a Japanese counterpart in ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]''.

In 2008, the line got a spiritual successor in the form of the [[Universe (2008 franchise)|second ''Universe'' toy line]].

==Toys==
===Legends class===
====Wave 1====
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]
*[[Lio Convoy|Leo Prime]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]

====Wave 2====
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]]
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
*[[Whirl (G1)|Autobot Whirl]]

{{note|The second wave had very minimal distribution and was effectively only available from online retailers and specialty stores.}}
====Cybertron Collection====
{{note|These toys were re-releases of past ''[[Legends Class|Legends]]'' figures in unchanged decos and ''Classics''-style packaging; they were found at KB Toys, Kmart, Big Lots and Meijer stores in 2008 and even at Meijer into 2009. It's possible they were already available in 2007—nobody really seemed to care.}}
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]] (Legends of [[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]])
* Leo Prime (Classics Legends)
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]] (Legends of Cybertron)
* [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] (Legends of Cybertron)

===Mini-Cons===
====Wave 1====
*[[Demolition Team]]
**[[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]]
**[[Sledge (Classics)|Sledge]]
**[[Wideload (Classics)|Wideload]]
*[[Dinobots (Mini-Cons)|Dinobots]]
**[[Knockdown (Classics)|Knockdown]]
**[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]
**[[Terrorsaur (Classics)|Terrorsaur]]
*[[Night Rescue Team]]
**[[Divebomb (Classics)|Divebomb]]
**[[Firebot (Classics)|Firebot]]
**[[Strongarm (Classics)|Strongarm]]

====Wave 2====
*[[Clear Skies Team]]
**[[Nightscream (Classics)|Nightscream]]
**[[Steel Wind]]
**[[Thunderwing (Classics)|Thunderwing]]
*[[Dirt Digger Team]]
**[[Dirt Rocket]]
**[[Grindor (Classics)|Grindor]]
**[[Oil Slick (Classics)|Oil Slick]]
*[[Predator Attack Team]]
**[[Dreadwing (Classics)|Dreadwing]]
**[[Overbite (Classics)|Overbite]]
**[[Snarl (Classics)|Snarl]]

===Deluxe class===
====Wave 1====
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] (with the [[Wave Crusher]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Rodimus]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]]

====Wave 2====
*[[Grimlock (G1)/toys|Grimlock]]
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]

====Wave 3====
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (with the [[Wave Crusher]])
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]

===Voyager class===
====Wave 1====
*[[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

====Wave 2====
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]

===Box sets===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] vs [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]: The Ultimate Battle (versus two-pack with DVD)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys|Ultra Magnus]] vs [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]: Battle for Autobot City (versus two-pack, Target exclusive)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Constructicon Devastator]] (Wal-Mart exclusive giftset, includes:)
**[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]
**[[Hightower (Classics)|Hightower]]
**[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
**[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]
**[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]

===Miscellaneous===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] (20th Anniversary "DVD Edition" redeco with talking base)
*"Commemorative Edition" [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]] with [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] and [[Ravage (G1)/toys|Battle Ravage]] (Generation 1 reissue; uses the [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundblaster]] version of the mold, which had a remolded door that can hold two cassettes.), Toys"R"Us exclusive

{{note|Ravage is called "Battle Ravage" on the back of the box, but simply "Ravage" in the instruction sheet.}}
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Pepsi Optimus Prime]] (Hasbro release of [[Pepsi Convoy]]), available as a prize for winners of the Pepsi-sponsored [[Transform Your Summer]] contest and as a [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] "[[exclusive]]"
*[[Starscream (G1)/toys|Masterpiece Starscream]] (G1-colored redeco), Wal*Mart exclusive

===BotCon 2007 exclusives===
*"Games of Deception" boxset, featuring:
**[[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]] (with [[Tidal Wave (Classics)|Tidal Wave]])
**[[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]
**[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
**[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
**[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage (clear version)]] as a "Primus package" freebie
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] & [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] set
*[[Alpha Trion (SG)|Alpha Trion]] with [[Beta Maxx]] & [[Weirdwolf]] set

===''Universe'' 2008===
See [[Universe (2008 toyline)]].

==Fiction==
Although no cartoon or comic book were planned for the line by Hasbro, [[Fun Publications]] picked up the ball for their [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Official Transformers Fan Club Magazine comic]], making ''Classics'' the basis of their 2007 story-arc, "[[Crossing Over]]". The story uses the old [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel ''Generation 1'' comic]] as backstory, but disregards the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] material and the [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|''Generation 2'' comic]] that followed, taking things in a new direction instead. The ''Classics'' fiction has since been expanded by several exclusive on-line prose stories, single issue comics available through the club or at BotCon, and through Bios available on the club website or in the magazine.

A brief timeline of the ''Classics'' universe includes:
* [[The New World]] - on-line prose
* [[Crossing Over]] - 6 part story from 2007 OTFCC comic
* [[Games of Deception]] - BotCon 2007 convention comic
* [[Withered Hope]] - on-line prose (only the epilogue takes place in the Classicsverse)
* [[Cheap Shots]] - one-time comic special, available through the club
* [[At Fight's End]] - on-line prose

==What counts as ''Classics''?==
The term "Classics" is universally accepted and used by both fans and Hasbro, but it appears with surprising irregularity around the toys themselves. The first year of packaging only labeled them "Transformers," with "Classic" appearing solely as a prefix to some of the [[Size class|size classes]] (such as "Classic Deluxe" or "Classic Voyager"). Some toys, such as the Magnus/Skywarp two-pack, have no "Classic" label at all. The one unifying factor was the distinctive design of the packaging, which spread to even the [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave re-release]]. This has become the commonly-accepted delineator of the ''Classics'' line, which brings the following toys into the fold even though they don't self-identify as such:

*Prime vs. Megatron Ultimate Battle set
*Magnus vs. Skywarp Battle for Autobot City set
*20th Anniversary Prime redeco
*Mini-Cons (the Mini-Con sets have been referred to as ''Classics'' toys on Hasbro's website, but not on the packaging)
*Toys "R" Us exclusive reissue Soundwave
*BotCon 2007 exclusives
*Optimus Prime & Ultra Magnus (Asian market exclusive two-pack, 2007)
*Jetfire & Grimlock (Asian market exclusive two-pack, 2007)
*Masterpiece Starscream Hasbro release

Complicating things further, ''Classics'' would later be subsumed by the relaunched ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' franchise (which also engulfed ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]''). As new toys came out, the defining ''Classics'' packaging style vanished in favor of the ''Universe'' design. Only a small "Classic Series" label on their [[bio]]s maintained the connection to the previous ''Classics'' toys and separated them from the ''Robot Heroes'' they were suddenly rubbing elbows with.

[[Category:Classics| ]]
[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]

Continuity family

2010-02-27T22:42:24Z

78.148.160.233:

A '''continuity family''' is TFWiki.net's term for a group of distinct but closely-related individual [[Continuity|continuities]]. It is not an official term, but it is an extremely useful organizational tool, providing the essence of how we divide one page from another.

For example, the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|''Generation 1'' franchise]] has always comprised multiple separate continuities, most prominently the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comic books]]. Therefore, there is no single "''Generation 1'' continuity", but many (many ''many'') related ones. It would be madness to make a separate page for every single incarnation, of, say, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], so we group all of his portrayals across the ''Generation 1'' franchise into the same article, considering them a united "family." And, just as a single franchise can contain multiple continuities, so can multiple franchises encompass a single continuity. For example, ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' is a separate franchise from ''Generation 1'', but its storyline draws heavily upon ''Generation 1'' continuity, so it is considered part of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|same continuity family]], and Starscream's appearance in the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] is also included on the same page.

Determining where one continuity family ends and a new one begins is an inherently subjective matter and occasionally a cause of debate (see [[#Quibbles|Quibbles]] below). One general guideline that fits most cases is that a new family is begun when a series is a) a fresh continuity, b) within a separate franchise, and c) significantly different in cast, theme, style, etc. ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' was the first series to break from tradition in all three criteria and therefore form a new family.

Within the fiction, the "[[universal stream]]" concept seems to correspond to our notion of continuity families, wherein alternate universes are grouped together according to some sort of relationship they share. Five major families have been noted within this schema, and known stream designators are included in parentheses:

#[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] (Primax<ref>"[[Gone Too Far]]"</ref>)
#''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]''
#[[Unicron Trilogy]] (Aurex<ref>"[[I, Lowtech]]"</ref>)
#[[Live-action film series]] (Tyran<ref>"[[Withered Hope]]"</ref>)
#''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' (Malgus<ref>"[[Bee in the City]]"</ref>)

One other family has yet to be given a designation:

#[[Go-Bots (toyline)|Go-Bots]]

==Specific continuity families==
===Generation 1===
{{main|Generation 1 continuity family}}

The Generation 1 continuity family is by far the most extensive in the ''Transformers'' multiverse. It began with the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|''Generation 1'' franchise]] and continued with the ''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' revival in the 1990s. The "[[Beast Era]]" also belongs in this family, since the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon firmly established its universe as an extension of the ''Generation 1'' mythos. The ''Generation 1'' franchise was revived in the 2000s with "reboot" comic series from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]], and new ''Generation 1''-themed toys have appeared under the ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' line and the ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]] G1 Series''. [[TakaraTomy]] has also contributed to the family in recent times through Japanese franchises such as ''[[Alternators|Binaltech]]'' and ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei!]]''. Even the [[Fun Publications]] "mirror universe" of [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]], featuring heroic Decepticons and evil Autobots, is officially categorized as a Primax (Generation 1) universe, though for book-keeping purposes, this wiki notes it as being its own family in our continuity identifiers. For a complete list of franchises included in this family, see the main-article link above.

===Robots in Disguise===
{{main|Robots in Disguise (franchise)}}

The ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise was the first break from the Generation 1 continuity family. It includes a [[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|television series]], a short comic story from the [[Dreamwave Summer Special]] and many [[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|characters who only exist as toys]]. Since there is no contradiction between those elements, they could be considered a single ''Robots in Disguise'' continuity and therefore a continuity-family-of-one.

In Japan, where the franchise is known ''Car Robots'', the cartoon was presented in the same manner, as a completely new continuity. However, a few years later [[TakaraTomy]] claimed that it was actually part of the Generation 1 family (see [[Continuity#Unified Japanese continuities|Unified Japanese continuities]].) Good luck figuring ''that'' one out.

===Unicron Trilogy===
{{main|Unicron Trilogy}}

This includes the ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]],'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' toylines and all related media. Japanese incarnations are included. Initially, the Japanese version of ''Cybertron'' (known as ''Galaxy Force'') was not part of this family, but like ''Car Robots'', it has apparently been retconned back in. (See [[Continuity#Unified Japanese continuities|Unified Japanese continuities]].)

===Live-action film series===
{{main|Live-action film series}}

This family features the [[Movie (franchise)|Movie]] and ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' franchises. This includes the showcase films [[Transformers (2007)|''Transformers'']] and [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|''Revenge of the Fallen'']] and their associated toylines. There is also a large array of supporting fiction in the form of [[Movie (books)|books]], [[Movie (comics)|comics]], [[Transformers The Game|video games]], and [[online games]].

===Transformers Animated===
{{main|Transformers Animated (franchise)}}

In Late 2007, a new continuity family was born with the premiere of the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' cartoon, and soon grew to also include [[Transformers Animated (comic)|comics]] and other [[Transformers Animated (books)|ancillary fiction]].

===Go-Bots===
{{main|Go-Bots (cartoon)}}

The least prominent continuity family, this is based around the [[Go-Bots (toyline)|''Go-Bots'' toyline]], encompassing the [[Playskool]] ''Transformers'' lines and cartoons aimed at ages five and below. (Sometimes called '''Go-Go-Go-Bots''' by fans.)

===TransTech===
{{main|Transcendent Technomorph}}

''TransTech'' is a single continuity separate from all other families, another continuity-family-of-one. It has been featured in several Fun Publications comics and text stories which, like the [[Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Universe'' franchise]], openly acknowledge the concept of the multiverse. A key feature of ''TransTech'' stories is that characters from different continuity families interact within the ''TransTech'' world. In fact, ''TransTech'' is the source of the "universal stream" system mentioned above, which is essentially an in-fiction codification of the idea of continuity families.

==Quibbles==
The concept of a continuity family is not an official one; it was generated by editors of this wiki as an organizational tool. While the "universal stream" concept lends an air of [[canon]]icity to the idea, so far only a small handful of continuities have been offically categorized according to that schema. So for the bulk of ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' fiction, deciding where the lines between families are drawn is a subjective business, balancing both abstract guidelines and practical considerations.

===Universe (2003)===
The [[Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Universe'']] franchise features a cross-dimensional storyline that touches upon every continuity family that existed up to that point (with even [[Reptron|a character]] from the Playskool ''Go-Bots'' franchise). However, because the "home base" of the ''Universe'' stories is post-''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], it is considered here to be part of the Generation 1 family.

===IDW comics===
[[IDW Publishing]]'s ongoing [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|''Generation 1'' comics]] are included within the Generation 1 continuity family by virtue of being part of the ''Generation 1'' franchise. However, looking beyond the fact that the [[Transformer]]s in the cast are almost entirely ''Generation 1'' characters, the continuity is nevertheless a full reboot. The backstory has little to do with any pre-existing history, and many of the characters are portrayed in unique ways. The question of whether or not, for example, the IDW version of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] should be considered the "same character" as previous incarnations has been a contentious one, and it cuts to the core of where we consider an old family to end and a new one to begin.

===IDW Evolutions===
IDW's [[Evolutions]] line of comics features explicitly alternate-universe treatments of ''Transformers'' characters. The only existing example, ''[[Hearts of Steel]],'' sets the ''Generation 1'' characters in the 19th century, where they transform into locomotives, ironclad ships, etc. As ''Hearts of Steel'' broadly resembles ''Generation 1'', it is treated here as part of the Generation 1 continuity family, though it certainly pushes that envelope.

===Live-action film series===
Where the IDW examples demonstrate this wiki's willingness to include diverse and fairly dissimilar continuities in the same family, the live-action film series shows the opposite. Several members of the main cast are clearly based on ''Generation 1'' archetypes, but the aesthetic, backstory, and tone are different enough that many consider the films to be a new family. This was a focus of no small disagreement when the first movie franchise appeared, as some people considered the movie to be analogous to the IDW comics. Had the franchise never grown beyond the movies, it's entirely possible that the wiki would have ended up including it under the Generation 1 umbrella; however, the staggering breadth of movie-related media has made that option wildly impractical.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Continuities]]
[[Category:TFWiki.net]]