Homage

Everybody knows where this art comes from.

In fan terminology, an homage is a toy (or other depiction, such as the image at right) which is intentionally designed to resemble an earlier (usually Generation 1) toy/character/work, but which represents a separate entity. Noted examples of homages include Energon Downshift (based on Generation 1 Wheeljack) and Energon Shockblast (based on Generation 1 Shockwave).

Sometimes, homages are given different names from their predecessors if the rights to the name are lost via trademark murkiness, or if the name has already been applied to a non-homage toy within the same series.

Conversely, in order to protect trademarked names, Hasbro and Takara continue to use the same names over and over again, often on very different toys or very different characters within the official fiction. Since use of the term "homage" within the fandom is almost exclusively in reference to visual similarities, these name reuses alone are not considered homages.

Amusingly, Takara has given homages a new twist with "Ratchet Emergency Green", a redeco of the original Diaclone-based Ratchet toy in the color scheme of the live-action movie Ratchet, and "Ironhide Protect Black", a dual homage to the color scheme of both the toy's Diaclone incarnation and the character's live-action movie incarnation.

Examples

Internal homages

The following is a list of toys that visually reference older characters. Because characters that share a name are often given homage decoes, this list focuses on toys that do not also share a name. Generally speaking, only one example is given for any particular toyline. For information on other toys, see the relevant character page.

Hot Shot homages Ricochet.
Scavenger is an homage to the Constructicons.
Inferno's deco homages Red Alert.
Downshift's design is an homage to Wheeljack.
Brakedown GTS is an homage to Kup.
The Japanese exclusive Chromia White Version is an homage to the Super-God Masterforce character Minerva.
Fracture is designed as an homage to the GoBots character Crasher.
Backtrack would have been an homage to the GoBots character Night Ranger.
Reverb is an homage to Inferno.
You might think Nightbeat is an homage to the Generation 1 character of the same name, but he's actually decoed to look like some rat guy.
Starscream's color scheme is an homage to Jetfire.
Ultra Magnus was redecoed as an homage to Roadbuster.
Breacher's overall design and colour scheme are based on the ATV Micromaster base. He was even listed as Groundshaker, the ATV's driver, at one point.
Darksteel is an homage to Quickstrike.
Over-Run is an homage to Drag Strip.
Dead End is an homage to his fellow Stunticon Wildrider.
Hyperspeed Wheeljack is an homage to the pre-Transformers Diaclone toy that would later inspire Exhaust.

Hyperspeed Wheeljack is an homage to the pre-Transformers Diaclone toy that would later inspire Exhaust.
Megatron was retooled as an homage to the Sharkticons.
Daburu homages the Beastformer White Leo, right down to the eye patch.

Homages to external properties

Not every reference in Transformers fiction is an homage to an older series or character; Transformers fiction references external brands as well. Such references often take the form of comic covers or interior panels that bear an intentional visual similarity to classic or well-known comics or films, though this is by no means a hard and fast rule. Below are some notable examples:

The cover of Transformers: The Wreckers No. 1, in which the various character poses are meant to evoke the cover of Giant-Size X-Men #1.
The cover of The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #1, in which everyone is grumpy because Rodimus pushed them out of the way and hogged the group shot.
The New York Comic-Con exclusive cover of IDW's The Transformers #12, in which Sideswipe throws the most awkward punch ever, and First Aid pets invisible dogs.