It is a world transformed, where things are not what they seem.
It is a world of heroic Autobots waging their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons. And on Saturday 18th May 1985, the time had arrived for the land down under to become part of that world. Happy 40th Aussiversary, Transformers!
Many were unprepared for the ensuring onslaught of robotic rumbles, but a select few found their journeys brought full circle. These strange metallic beings from another planet had infiltrated Australia much earlier, with their Marvel Comics exploits hidden among newsagent, supermarket and comic shop racks throughout latter 1984. Toy retailers with their ears to the ground also knew Hasbro and Takara's offerings were a certified million-dollar hit, leading to a handful of independent outlets importing what was left of a limited range just in time for the festive season.
Comic books were all very well. As was winning TAGMA's prestige Toy of the Year award. But how would the cartoon measure up? Initially slated to air at 8:30am as the final segment of Network Ten's Saturday morning Cartoon Capers lineup, 'More Than Meets the Eye: Part One' was abruptly brought forward an hour to make way for supposedly more important extended Rugby League coverage. This would be the first of multiple times Ten's sport-shunting schedule plagued the series. Compared to other preempted programs it's a miracle anyone saw it at all, but young fans did, and the Transformers' popularity swiftly skyrocketed.
Among the first major retailers to stock them was Grace Brothers, who mere weeks earlier began advertising the range. Those limited to loose change could pick up a Decepticon cassette pack or Construction for $7.99. Bigger pockets meant enough for one of their assorted Autobot cars at $13.99, or even splurge a dollar extra for that elusive Decepticon jet. Soundwave meanwhile could infiltrate daytime playtime for $19.99, or standing in a league of his own was the mighty Optimus Prime, setting parents back a steep $29.99.
If buying them wasn't an option, then fans could always try to win them. One day after 'More Than Meets the Eye: Part Two' aired, The Sydney Morning Herald transformed their weekly "Super Scene" colouring contest into an epic space battle between Grimlock, Slag, an autonomous floating Auto-Launcher plus a duo of tiny Jetfires. Judging was split between under-11's and 12's-up, three from each in with the chance to win an Optimus Prime, Soundwave and assorted Decepticon jet. Foreseeing the intensity of entrants, they generously offered forty lucky runner-ups a free random Autobot mini-car.
"Attack the Autobot Commarnduh!" echoed across playgrounds as plastic and metal clashed with Earth's fate hanging in the balance. The Transformers triple-pronged invasion of imaginations, screens and shelves was a success, but local distributor Milton Bradley were far from finished. The latter half of 1985 would hit with an unprecedented and seemingly unending wave of Autobot and Decepticon names, faces and emblems emblazoned across almost any piece of merchandising imaginable.
Be it puzzles, colouring books, soaps, stationary, cutlery, activity stations, clothing, bedding, storybooks, shoes, badges, cassette players, party goods, board games, confectionary or collectable Action Cards, there was no escape. Who could forget the Transformers chocolate bars? Those small rectangular treats were Lifesavers' answer to Cadbury's Furry Friends, each wrapper containing one of 24 temporary tattoos to collect. Or Peters' official ice block which 'transformed' between lemonade, raspberry and cola flavours. But don't throw out those sticks in case they contain an instant toy prize. And if not, they make great bookmarks for Peters' and Federal Comics' limited edition omnibus reprint of the first four Marvel issues, complete with 'alternate' ending giving the Autobots a final, decisive victory.
That wasn't to say Cybertron's finest were entirely immune to criticism. Among the first to face moral guardians' firing squad was Megatron, whose realistic alt mode drew enough criticism in several states for the toy to be recalled or even outright banned. Canberra Times' Debbie Cameron dismissed both The Transformers and rival Bandai's Machine Men as "Terrible toys that convert from robot to war-toy", taking particular disdain towards Cy-Kill. In a later article titled 'They Want These Things Because They're on TV', late journalist Keith Dunstan bemoaned how "Every child I encountered was besotted with Transformers", echoing suffering parents cries that "The disease was of such proportions" and "It's the most insidious thing I've ever known".
If they had any hopes of swaying the public away from supposedly evil robot toys, such arguments fell on deaf ears. Particularly come Christmas when, in spite of foreknowledge, extra lead-in time and a near-complete range of the 1984/5 assortment available, Milton Bradley underestimated their success. Last year's top seller Trivial Pursuit was all but forgotten when newspaper and TV reports filled with scenes of Transformersmania, boasting how "Sales success of other gifts pales to insignificance beside this phenomenal seller".
The struggle to keep up with demand took a fatal hit when Milton Bradley were unable to supply more in time for the holidays, leading to chaotic scenes at stores. One Grace Brothers outlet reported selling 90 Transformers in less than an hour. K-Mart fared no better; many limited to a single shipment the size of two shopping trolleys meant fighting for that prized character. Even the new Tyco transforming electronic racetrack and train sets with their blistering $99 price tags became elusive. And when an average four out of five toy shops were completely cleared out well before festivities began, increasingly desperate parents turned to trade classifieds in the hopes of securing even a single toy.
Described in publicity material as "A space-age range of cars, aeroplanes and boats which change into robots" guaranteed to "Charge the children's enthusiasm", The Transformers were for a time the biggest craze to hit this land, truly earning their badge of "Superstars of the Toy World!". It's a hype which gradually subsided as later years and later toys came along, but Australia's love for those Robots in Disguise remains to this day undeniably, passionately steadfast.
