Catalog
From Transformers Wiki
Catalogsare one of many ways that Hasbro and TakaraTomy have traditionally promoted theTransformers brand.Starting with the original 28Transformer toysavailable in 1984, catalogs typically show some or all of the currently available merchandise. Likepack-in flyers,their purpose is to entice children to buy even more toys than the ones they've already got.
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Generation 1
Through the life of theGeneration 1 toyline,catalogs were standard in all boxed toys. G1 catalogs were printed on a single sheet of paper that folded down to small size. They showed theentireyear's lineup of toys, Autobots on one side, Decepticons on the other. A checklist encouraged young consumers to collect the whole set. Each year used a unique stylized approach:
- 1984 featured the toy groups on variously-colored neutral backgrounds.
- 1985 set many of the toys in a diorama of rugged Earthen terrain, while others were against a black background. This catalog featured a diorama of various toys battling around a lit sparkler. The catalog came in two sizes, a smaller 2-fold and a larger 3-fold version. They had identical content but slightly different layouts to fit their aspect ratios.
- 1986 featured webs of lines connecting each subgroup's sections.
- 1987 (pictured above) featured complex framing boxes around each subgroup and a pixelated background behind the faction logos. (Pixels? They must have done that on a COM-PU-TOR!)
- 1988 featured white framing boxes, similar in shape to those from 1987. They were placed upon a dark gradiated background.
- 1989 did away with the framing boxes and had the toy images upon a gold background. This was also the year when Hasbro stopped dividing the toys into "Autobots" and "Decepticons" for the two catalog sides, instead using thegimmick-themedsublines"Pretenders"and"Micromasters"as the main division line.
- 1990 continued the division by "theme" instead of faction, this time with Micromasters andAction Masters.
New catalogs typically did not appear in the earliest waves of a new year's offerings, presumably because the toys themselves were still being finalized. Many toy groups shown in the G1 catalogs are prototypes—theMonsterbots,the 1987Headmasters,and the 1990Micromastersare particularly obvious examples. Early editions of the 1988 catalog had to substitute a "COMING SOON!" box art silhouette in place of some of thePretenders.
Generation 2
Beast Wars
Beast Warscatalogs reflected the changing nature of retail. Rather than a catalog devoted exclusively to Transformers, Kenner used a cross-sell approach, compiling one booklet with many toylines.Beast Warstypically received 2 to 4 pages, showing a sampling of the current line rather than a whole year's offerings.
Beast Wars II
Titled "The next stage of battle advances to the Second War......Beast Wars, Transform!", this earlyBeast Wars IItoycatalogfeatured multiple pages of original art in whichOptimus PrimalandMegatronintroduceLio ConvoyandGalvatron,respectively.
Taking place in "the seventh month of Space Year 1999", we learn that while Primal and Megatron fight their Beast War on planetEnergoa,another Beast War has erupted on astrange planet,where a Maximal space patrol has had a run-in with platoon of Predacons who are in search of "The King ofAngolmois".
As a history lesson, we learn that Megatron and Galvatron had once been rivals onCybertron,as Megatron disagreed with Galvatron's methods regarding space conquest. They engaged in battle and Megatron accidentally let his guard down, allowing Galvatron to gain the upper hand, declaring "Your era is over, Megatron!" Though he was loathe to admit it, Megatron conceded that Galvatron's concern for his own men was admirable and that he had all the regal bearing of anEmperor of Destruction.
On the Maximal side of things, we learn that Optimus Primal has been watching Lio Convoy advance through the ranks of the Maximal Space Patrol and respects him as being strong, brave and an ideal leader (though a bit too straightforward, some times). Primal then names Lio Convoy as his successor and Lio Convoy swears not to let his predecessor down.
Armada
Catalogs disappeared entirely duringBeast MachinesandRobots in Disguise,replaced by cross-sell photos on the outside of the packaging. Though obviously cheaper to produce than a separate catalog, these were limited to showing only a few toys at a time.
Armadarevived the catalog tradition, combining a Transformers catalog with a pack-inmini-comicin booklet form. The booklet had two fronts, with the comic half printed upside-down relative to the catalog half (and vice-versa, of course). The catalog contained all of the currentwavesof product and was periodically updated with a new mini-comic and toys as the line ran its course.
OtherTransformersproduct lines were often advertised in these booklets as well, includingAlternators,the then-currentDreamwave Productionscomics,Built to Rule!,Universe,theCommemorative Series,and the various VHS and DVD releases of the current cartoon.
Energoncontinued the same comic-and-catalog pattern started byArmada.
Universe (2003)
Transformers Universereceived a single pack-in catalog flyer advertising the first wave of toys on one side, with a comic-style battle scene on the other.
Titanium Series
TheTitaniumsline likewise received one single-fold catalog flyer advertising the first four toys in the line. The front cover featured theWar Within-style Optimus Prime toy.
Cybertron
TheCybertronfranchise reinvented the catalog concept with four collectibleplanet maps.
Each map featured one of the storyline's fictional worlds on one side, with an image of the planet, a profile of one of its major residents, short mini-story images, and a write-up about the planet itself. The flip side contained all the product from the current waves, including most of the toys that were intended to be thematically related to the particular planet.
Transformers (2007)
A 4-fold "sampler" catalog came with early movie toys. It included a cover and 3 folds' worth of movie toys, ranging from various "main line" toys toOptimash Primeand the Generation 1-basedRobot Heroes.One fold advertised Activision'sTransformers The Game;the remaining three folds advertised a slew of movie-based merchandise: school supplies, watches, T-shirts, backpacks, electronics, ringtones, hats, "bedding and home decor", coloring books, shoes, party supplies...
A 3-fold sampler catalog was included with some of the late-run toys. The cover and two folds are devoted to various late-run movie toys such asIncinerator;one fold covers the upcomingAnimatedline, and two feature the upcomingIron Manmovie tie-in toys.
Animated
Full catalogs once again gave way to multi-linecross-sellflyers for theAnimatedfranchise. The initial catalog, also packaged with concurrentUniversetoys, features a multi-fold sheet that unfolds to five panels, with a spread ofAnimatedtoys on most of one side, along with a smaller one-panel ad for theAnimatedNintendo game. The toy spread includes various standard mainline toys, as well as representatives from theBattle Blasters,Bumper Battlers,Power Bots,Shift Tech,andActivatorssublines. The opposite side gives one panel of space toUniverse,two panels forAnimatedmerchandise such as apparel, activity books, sporting goods, dishware and home decor. Another panel advertises the onlineHasbro Toy Shopand gives a promotional code for a 10% discount.
Hunt for the Decepticons
A fourteen-page catalog was packed intoTransformerstoys promoting theHunt for the Decepticonsas well as earlyGenerationsfigures. It advertised the Hunt for the Decepticons online game, and selected toys and merchandise from the Hunt for the Decepticons,Power Core Combiners,Generations,Speed Stars,andStealth Force.It also advertisedthe Nintendo DS versions of theWar for Cybertronvideo gameand exclusive collector cards to be packaged inside toys starting in the fall of 2010. The Secret Code 9871 was given to unlockRamjetin the DS versions ofWar for Cybertron.
Japanese catalogs
Across the Pacific, catalogs have remained more consistent in format, adhering to the single-sheet, fold-up flyer format throughout theBeast Eraand theUnicron Trilogy.
Japanese catalogs tend to be more oriented toward displaying each toy's action features than the American versions, with lots of swooshes and speed blurs to indicateaction!!They very often also feature additional artwork, such as a battle diorama of the toys or artwork of major characters.
At least oneLegends of the Micronscatalog featured a cross-sell spot for theRescue Hero Go-Botstoyline.This cross-sell is of particular note in the annals of Transformer catalog scholarship, owing in large part to the fact that it isbeautiful.
