TRANSFORMERS: A bloke’s dream franchise

Before I get started, I want to make this very, very clear: just because this article talks about how TRANSFORMERS is a great franchise for us blokes, doesn’t mean it’s not also a great franchise for people who are not blokes. Are you perhaps a gal that enjoys More than Meets the Eye? That’s great! However, I am a bloke and it’s not my place to speak on your behalf. Drop us a comment below if you’d like to let us know what makes TRANSFORMERS a great franchise for YOU (bloke or otherwise). Now, with that out of the way, let’s get going!

FUN FOR ALL AGES

One of the hallmarks of a great franchise is wide appeal. This is something we take for granted with the likes of Pixar, but it really started with cartoons of the 80s like TRANSFORMERS. The lighthearted humor seen in cartoons such as Tom & Jerry was replaced with something that was also fun, but carried moral weight, also. You can enjoy TRANSFORMERS as a kid for the action, and enjoy it as an adult for the moral conundrums and deeply social storytelling. So whether you’re an older guy, like, say, a casino bloke, or more of a school park tyke, there’s something for everyone in Cybertron and beyond.

TONS OF MERCH FOR THE CAVE

We’ve spoken many times here at Auto Assembly about the collecting opportunities for TRANSFORMERS fans. Whether you’re downsizing your collection or going for that rare item that you’re missing to complete your set, there’s been a constant influx of toys, figures and sets for over 30 years. When we were kids, we played with and battered these toys, but today, it’s easy to see how some of the rarer or more nostalgic items in the franchise can command a fair bit of coin, as well as crown themselves the centerpiece of a Man Cave. Collections big and small, all over the world, can benefit from at least one transforming truck, surely! And let’s not forget, these toys were, and continue to be, revolutionary. Compared with similarly-aged franchises like MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, TRANSFORMERS offers a degree of complexity in their toys that has since been imitated many, many times. But you can only be the first once!

A VIBRANT COMMUNITY

Let’s not forget, shall we, that we’ve done tons and tons of conventions and meetings for fans, with fans. Sure, like any global community, there are bound to be some small bad applets! But on the whole, the TRANSFORMERS community is a wholesome, family-friendly bunch that’s ready to receive new members at all times. Being honest, while I was a fan of the cartoons growing up in the 80s and 90s, I had lost touch with the franchise until the Bay movies came out. Sure, they were not the most faithful representation of the franchise, but it rekindled my love for Cybertron and the community as a whole has welcomed me with open arms (even though we might disagree on our respective taste in films!). This is a place where a bloke (regardless of age), can feel comfortable and welcome. And their families, too!

These are only three of the reasons why I think TRANSFORMERS is a bloke’s dream franchise. Sure, there are plenty more, but I wanted to focus on the most wholesome ones, as well as those that translate really easily for people who are not blokes as well. As we age with our franchise, it’s important that it remains a shareable passion. And being honest, my fandom for TRANSFORMERS transcends and is easily shared with my younger nieces and nephews. And inspiring this younger generation to step away from Peppa Pig to look at the moral dangers of Cybertron… that’s a worthy cause if I ever saw one! 

 

Facebook Comments

About Marcos Codas 44 Articles
Lover of portable gaming and horror cinema. Indie filmmaker and game developer. Multimedia producer. Born in Paraguay, raised in Canada. Huge fan of "The Blair Witch Project", and "Sonic 3D Blast". Deputy head at Vita Player and its parent organization, Infinite Frontiers. Like what I do? Donate a coffee: https://www.paypal.me/marcoscodas