OTFCC 2004

OTFCC 2004 was the Official Transformers Collectors Club Convention in 2004, run by 3H Enterprises. It was held in the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, July 31 through August 1.

Merchandise

Exclusive merchandise included a Dreamwave Productions "20th Anniversary Mega-Litho" poster, a Palisade Toys 6" Ultra Magnus Statue, and a Devil Due Publishing's GI Joe vs Transformers Volume II Preview Edition. (At least that's what my convention souvenir booklet thing says. Anyone actually see/remember this stuff?)

Convention-exclusive toys

• Universe Megazarak - A purple, light blue, red, and black repaint of Armada Megatron with no electronics and one of the pins in the hinge of the capture-minicons-thing on his leg missing. Surprisingly, nobody seemed to complain too terribly much about the lack of electronics, which is odd.

• Universe Sentinel Maximus - A blue and red repaint of Armada Overload.

Comics

The Convention Guide had a five page teaser story, Shell Game, featuring the exclusive toys. Written by Simon Furman, with art by Andrew Froedge, colors by Joe Givens, and letters by Simon Bowland, it was notable for Ultra Trion and his nifty dashing cape.

(Was there a Universe Comic, too?)

Guests

Hasbro employees

• Greg Lombardo, Director of Marketing
• Aaron Archer, Design Director
• Eric Siebenaler, Designer
• Tony Beard, painter for Hasbro Toy Group -- Cincinnati (formerly Kenner).

Voice actors

• Michael McConnohie -- Voice of Tracks, Cosmos, and Hot Shot.
• Dan Gilvezan -- Voice of Bumblebee and Hot Spot.
• Scott McNeil -- Voice of Dinobot, Rattrap, Waspinator, Jetfire, Omega Supreme and Strongarm.

Comics and art

• Bob Budiansky -- Editor of the first four issues of the Marvel Comic, writer of the next 50 or so. Writer of bios, creator of mythos. Scrounge sprung fully formed from his very cranium. 'Nuff said.
• Simon Furman -- The guy who wrote the other half of the Marvel Comics. Writer of other bios, creator of other mythos. 'Nuff said.
• Andrew Wildman -- Artist for several issues of the Marvel Comic.
• Guido Guidi, freelance illustrator for various companies handling TF licensed work; some box art as well.

Musician

• Vince DiCola -- composer the musical score for Transformers: The Movie and Rocky IV.

Events

The highlight of the weekend was DEATH BY CHOCOLATE. Originally billed as a Transformers-themed murder-mystery dinner complete with Nightbeat art, it became a standard murder-mystery dinner based around a bunch of people named after brands of candy. We had lots of fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils there on the group W bench there; then Bob Budiansky showed up and everybody got lithographs signed by Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

Panels included:

• G1 Creators Retrospective, with Budiansky, Furman, and Wildman.
• MSTF: The Musical
• Hasbro Development Team
• Dreamwave's Future Plans
• Devil's Due's Future Plans
• Furman, Hallit, Khanna, and Guidi discuss Wreckers and Universe comic.
• Pat Lee Teaches You How to Draw Like Pat Lee
• Voice Actor Panel
• Painting Workshop with Tony Beard
• Aspiring Voice Actor Contest - A Tribute to Crappy Scott McNeil Impressions
• Live Action Reading of a Furman Script featuring Voice Actors and Winners of Aspiring Voice Actor Contest
  
  
  From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.