Homage

In fan terminology, an homage is a toy that is intentionally designed to resemble an earlier (usually Generation 1) toy or character, without being the exact same character. Noted examples of homages include Energon Downshift (based on G1 Wheeljack) and Energon Shockblast (based on G1 Shockwave).

Sometimes, homages are given different names from their predecessors if the actual 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.

The following list is meant to include all more moden toys that 'visually' represent the Generation 1 characters. Re-uses of names without any visual relevance may be better placed on the trademark page.

Generation 1 Autobot Toyline homages

Wheeljack

Downshift (Energon). Presumably there were trademark issues over the name Wheeljack.

Omega Supreme

Omega Supreme (Energon)

Aerialbots

Silverbolt

Protectobots

Hotspot

First Aid

Blades

Metroplex

Metroplex (Cybertron)

Technobots

Scattershot

Nightbeat

File:Nightbeattimelinesyoutube.jpg

Shattered Glass Nightbeat from Botcon 2008

Generation 1 Decepticon Toyline homages

Contructicons

Devastator

Combaticonss

Onslaught

Predacons

Razorclaw

Rampage

Divebomb

Terrorcons

Hun-Grrr

Seacons

Overbite/Jawbreaker

Generation 1 Fiction homages

Unicron

Armada Unicron. There was a black repaint in the Energon continuity.

Primus

Cybertron Primus (Cybertron). This toys is based on Don Figueroa's drawing of Primus in the DK Books Transformers Ultimate Guide.

Orion Pax and Dion

Links

Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.