The History of Optimus Prime

CloseEncountersofthe4thkind · CE4K Minicast #01: The History of Optimus Prime

We chatted with Richard Roth in the first of our CE4K Minicasts to discuss the history of everyone's favourite iconic transforming leader, Optimus Prime!

Here are some facts (mild spoilers) to wet your appetite!

1) Peter Cullen better known as the definitive 'voice of Optimus Prime' also voiced Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh!

2) Optimus Prime was first known as Orion Pax a dock worker who was converted by Alpha Trion into an Autobot in order to fight Megatron and the Decepticons (in the cartoon).

3) He was a Dodge Viper car in the Alternator's (and Kiss players) toy series.

4) Famous for his striking red and blue colour scheme, Optimus was traditionally mainly blue and black when he first came out as Japanese Diaclone toy.

5) His trailer and Roller have a telepathic link with Prime, they feel each other's pain.

6) In GI Joe he was know as HISS-114.

7) In Beast Wars, Optimus Prime was referred to as Big Mack.

9) In France his G1 toy was released with red feet!

10) In Mexico his G1 toy version had evil looking red eyes!

11) In the British comic, he was also Iacon's chief athlete, and trained as a medic before the war.

12) Prime had a cute and slightly inappropriate manga girlfriend in the very odd and short lived Kiss Players manga comic where robots got powers from kisses. Prime's partner Marissa Faireborne, was the only Kiss Player brought over from previous continuity, fan favourite from season 3 of the G1 cartoon, and daughter of two GI Joes. Had to be awkward for those two to interact in the IDW books.

13) Prime loves cola! He was available as a Pepsi mail away as well as numerous versions of him with a Pepsi sponsored Trailer, and several toys even pulling a Pepsi bottle (Pepsi Blue and Pepsi Twist).

14) Early releases had different hands, fuel pump, and colours for Roller (known as Bloated Prime as everything was bigger).

15) He has died over ten times and had a whole host of evil clones. Young fans were devastated when he died in the Transformers the Movie in 1986, along with a number of other key characters from the first released toy line. This was done to ensure the new wave of toys sold better, but it massively backfired with devastated fans and he had to be brought swiftly back from the dead!

16) He has had cross overs with Japanese fashion brand BAPE (Bathing Ape) who created blue and green camo versions of him for the Masterpiece line (and G1 repaints).

17) He was recently released in the Siege line of toys in grey and black colours in what is dubbed as his 'sleep mode' or 'dead prime' as he is better known.

18) Prime doesn't like music much, always moaning at the Autobot's for their noisy song choices!

Listen to the podcast for more Optimus Prime facts and banter!