Talk:Bio
I kinda disagree with this bit from the G1 section:
"As Generation 1 entered its waning years, the bios became shorter and less personality-focused, probably due in part to the vast number of new characters. Rather than unique and fleshed-out characterizations, increasingly enthusiastic descriptions of characters' weapons and capacity for destruction became the norm. "
Yeah, this was the case with G2 and BW but I don't recal many G1 bios, even the later ones being as personalityless as this discribes. Certainly guys like the Action Masters had lots of personality, even the original character ones. Micromasters maybe, but otherwise I think G1 stayed pretty strong biowise.
--76.28.76.206 08:25, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- I agree with you. Maybe it is talking about European G1? - Starfield 09:16, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- A quick look through some randomly chosen bios shows that there is a decline in "personality bios" starting in 1987 which lasted at least until 1989. The lack of individual bios for the Micromaster might be added to that. The Action Masters are an exception to this trend. Geewunling 11:13, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- Picking some random 1988 bios myself:
- "Meticulous, cautious, obsessed with minute details." "Usually too busy worrying to fight." "Can be compassionate, merciless, friendly, hateful, happy or angry, depending on what time of day it is." "Dominates any conversation because he's louder than everyone else." "Shares misguided comradery[sic] with all reptiles." "Constantly jumping to the wrong conclusion." "Believes that life is one long ordeal of pain and suffering and strives to insure[sic] that others experience more of it than he does." "Fascinated by Earthly fads. Always tries to fit in, even when it's impossible." "Disorganized, neglectful, sloppy; often goes to war without his weapon, or grinds to halt for lack of fuel."
- Are there a lot of mentions of weapons? Sure are. Just like all those references to black-hole-powered fusion cannons and shoulder-mounted flare launchers. I'm not buying it. -LV 11:25, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- Picking some random 1988 bios myself:
- A quick look through some randomly chosen bios shows that there is a decline in "personality bios" starting in 1987 which lasted at least until 1989. The lack of individual bios for the Micromaster might be added to that. The Action Masters are an exception to this trend. Geewunling 11:13, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- Geewunling, any actual examples? Because I'm with LV, there's plenty of personality in pretty much any bio from that era I can recall. (Again, save Micromaster teams). --76.28.76.206 11:47, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- No. LV made me take another look at the bios through the years, and I think I may have been a bit biased combined with picking the wrong bios for comparision. I agree the bios' ratio between personality and weaponry is pretty much stable. Geewunling 11:52, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- I think maybe the original statement was too sweeping, but there's truth in it. Look at '89 and '90 in particular, when selling characters with vehicles or in teams was the norm: The ratio of individual characterization to other content gets pretty extreme. Compare the original Wheeljack to his Action Master version. Starscream is even worse. Full-Barrel and Overflow are nonentities - even their quote is just an ode to their "speed and power". The Astro Squad is very fast? Longtooth... I was going to say likes being underwater, but it doesn't even tell us that much; it just says that's where he does his job. And if a writer could only describe a Decepticon as cruel or malevolent, or an Autobot as valiant or tough, they might as well have not even bothered.
- I admit all of those examples were cherry-picked; there are many interesting and engaging characterizations in other bios from those years. But it's fair to say that by the end the worst offenders had reached a low that didn't exist in the early years.
- - Jackpot 14:44, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
- No. LV made me take another look at the bios through the years, and I think I may have been a bit biased combined with picking the wrong bios for comparision. I agree the bios' ratio between personality and weaponry is pretty much stable. Geewunling 11:52, 20 April 2011 (EDT)
Character card article?
[edit]Both this article and package art refer to the collector cards that are included in most JTFs and some U.S. product too. Would these be suitable for a separate article - would people be interested in it? Or would it be too redundant with material we've already got? --Thylacine 2000 (talk) 22:43, 21 June 2016 (EDT)