Transformers: 1986 Character Binder

Thanks to Autoclot@tfw2005, the Archive now hosts the 1986 character binder for Transformers, formerly owned by Paul Davids.

This 186 page document covers profiles and model sheets for nearly all of the incoming 1986 toyline (excluding the new minibots Swerve, Pipes, Tailgate, Hubcap and Outback), as well as returning 1984 and 1985 characters.

View the document in gallery form at 1986 Character Binder

The Transformers: The Movie: storyboard files reduced

As part of space-saving and general housekeeping, storyboards for all 31 final sequences of The Transformers: The Movie, as well as Peter Chung's early sequences, have been put through OCR and greatly reduced in file size.  Additionally, the 1600+ page full storyboard book is available to download at 175mb (down from over 1gb).

To view all of the storyboards, head to The Transformers: The Movie

Transformers: Flint Dille's Character Binder

The last major Transformers-related item uncovered from the storage of former Sunbow producer Flint Dille in 2020 has been released.  Flint's character binder, which received its last update on December 3rd, 1986.  Nearly all of the 1987 toy lineup is represented within its 333 pages, as well a copy of Bob Budiansky's 11-page treatment for the Marvel Comics' Headmasters miniseries.

Due to its size, the binder has been split up into three galleries, which can be viewed at: Briefing/Reference Binder Gallery Index

G.I Joe: The Movie: Duke's death scene restored (VIDEO)

This past weekend, at Transformers convention TFNation 2024, the Mapes brother held a panel showcasing audio from various dialogue recording sessions for Transformers and GI Joe.  At this panel, they debuted the original audio track for Duke's death scene in G.I Joe: The Movie, famously overdubbed for the movie's release, as a reaction to the backlash over Optimus Prime's death in The Transformers: The Movie.

Video of the restored scene, as well as audio from a scripted, but ultimately unproduced funeral scene, is available to view below.  Accompanied by an introduction from movie writer Buzz Dixon.

If the YouTube video is restricted in your region, follow the link to view directly on TFNation's website. 

To read the full G.I Joe: The Movie script, head to G.I Joe, Part 2

My Little Pony Tales: Shop Talk script

Thanks to yanchagraffiti, the Archive has its first piece of production material for My Little Pony Tales:  Doug Booth's script for episode 10, Shop Talk.

Developed by George Arthur Bloom and consisting of 26 quarter-hour stories, with a slice-of-life focus compared to its 1980s predecessor My Little Pony N Friends. MLP Tales lasted for only one season in 1992, and was produced by Sunbow and Graz Entertainment.

Read the script, along with material for other 1990s shows at: Sunbow Round Two 1991-2000

My Little Pony: new storyboard galleries

 New galleries are up for the following My Little Pony N Friends storyboard sets:

• Revolt of Paradise Estate, Part 2
• Partial episode storyboards: Baby, It's Cold Outside and Would-Be Dragonslayer

View all of the My Little Pony storyboards at: Storyboard Viewing Gallery Index

Transformers: the resurrection of Skyfire/Jetfire

With thanks to Rich Helscher, the Archive now hosts an earlier version of Transformers script Fire on the Mountain.  Accompanying the script are memos from story editor Bryce Malek notifying producer Nelson Shin of rewritten pages to accompany the 2nd July 1984 revision, the earlier first draft having already gone forward to storyboards (as was common during the series run):

The impetus for these revisions was to insert a scene where Wheeljack and Sideswipe rescue Skyfire from the Arctic ice, where he was buried at the end of concurrently-written episode Fire in the Sky

Insert pages 13 and 13A, as mentioned in the above memos

The original pages 12 and 13 from the first draft are included with this copy of the revised script, and show Doug Booth writing Skyfire as simply being an established part of the Autobot roster. Setting out from Autobot Headquarters with Brawn and Windcharger to investigate the destruction of their Sky Spy satellite by Megatron's new weapon.

These pages were replaced by the new inserts and the script handed over to Ron Friedman for his dialogue changes.

Both scripts can be read at The Transformers, Part 1

Transformers: Blaster Blues storyboard and 150 model sheets

Thanks to Ryan King, the Archive now hosts material found by Marvel Productions storyboard artist/producer/director Larry Houston.

Firstly, the full storyboard set for Transformers episode Blaster Blues. To view the boards, head to the Blaster Blues storyboard gallery

Next are two model sheet books: one covering the main 1984 cast and the other incidental models from the 13 main episodes of Season 1. Including designs that did not make it to air, such as Dr. Lynn Hyashi, whose role in War of the Dinobots was given to Chip Chase in script revisions.

To view, head to the Briefing/Reference Binder Gallery Index

(VIDEO) My Little Pony: audition audio

With thanks to yanchagraffiti, two more dialogue audio reels for My Little Pony: The Movie have now been added to the Archive YouTube channel.

First up is six minutes of rapid-fire auditions for the Bushwoolies - the bouncy furballs who constantly agree with everything they're told.  With takes from:

Marilyn Lightstone Jodi Carlisle Terry McGovern Peter Cullen Joey Camen Pat Fraley Hal Rayle Greg Berg Frank Welker

Next up are auditions for three of the Unicorns: Buttons, Galaxy and Ribbon.  

Takes and time indexes:

Auditions held 26th November 1985 0:00-6:05 Buttons 6:14-11:15 Galaxy 11:23-16:38 Ribbon Takes by: Nancy Cartwright BJ Ward Jeannie Elias Sherry Lynn Ellen Gerstell Jodi Carlisle Katie Leigh Susan Blu Mona Marshall Susan Silo Jill Wayne Russi Taylor Sarah Partridge

My Little Pony: Revolt of Paradise Estate storyboard

The Archive now hosts the full storyboard set for David Wise' My Little Pony episode Revolt of Paradise Estate, Part 2.  Where, thanks to a can of magic paint sold to naïve pony Paradise by evil wizard Beezen, the furniture of Paradise Estate has come to life and driven the ponies out of their home.

To view the storyboards, head to My Little Pony N' Friends

The Brothers Flub: two full storyboard sets

The Archive takes a trip to Sunbow Entertainment's later years, with storyboard sets for The Brothers Flub episodes "Family Outing" and "Sidekicked".  This series was produced on behalf of German company Ravensburger Film + TV and aired on Nickolodeon from the start of 1999 to the start of the year 2000.

To view both sets, head to Sunbow Round Two 1991-2000

G.I Joe: Over 500 model sheets

With thanks to Aquantis Trading Center, the Archive now hosts over 500 model sheets for G.I Joe. Covering most episodes of the series, as well as some of the post-cartoon 1987 characters.

To view M.A.S.S Device, Revenge of Cobra and Season 1 models, head to G.I. Joe, Part 1

For Season 2 and 1987 models, head to G.I. Joe, Part 2

2023 Year in Review

2023 was an interesting year for the Sunbow Marvel Archive. Thanks to the various contributors, material from a wider variety of shows is now available and also helped in demystifying a series that has previously been considered "lost media."

In terms of general organisation, the website has been streamlined to collect the material for 24 shows on 6 pages.

For Transformers, the march towards series completion continued with full or partial storyboards for another 10 episodes, over 100 audition sheets from voice director Wally Burr's collection, plus various model sheets, backgrounds and the script for The Killing Jar.

The biggest Transformers-related item saw release in August. Three years since it was found by Flint Dille and scanned by Jim Sorenson, the very first script for The Transformers: The Movie is available to the public.

G.I Joe saw its first newly-revealed scripts in over a decade, with Flint Dille's Skeletons In The Closet and Doug Booth's My Favorite Things

An unexpected surprise came in the form of over a dozen My Little Pony storyboard sets, sold from the estate of artist Wendell Washer. Including the first special Rescue At Midnight Castle and a selection of episodes from the main series, spanning from the first episode Ghost Of Paradise Estate to the final one The Prince And The Ponies.

Beyond paper material, a selection of dialogue reels from various Marvel Productions' series came to light. Among them was audio from The Young Astronauts, Marvel's ill-fated series about space exploration that was cancelled in mid-production due to the Challenger shuttle explosion. The reels covered dialogue for the episode Ghost Ship, as well as auditions for the series narrator, featuring a who's who of 1980s voice actors.

 

With 2024 marking the 40th anniversaries of Transformers, Muppet Babies and My Little Pony making their television debuts, who knows what untold stories will be uncovered in the year ahead.

G.I Joe: Skeletons In The Closet script

Newly uploaded to the Archive is another item originating from Flint Dille's storage: his third GI Joe script, Skeletons In The Closet

Read the script at G.I Joe Part 1 and compare to the episode linked below as we delve into the origin of Destro, Lady Jaye's family tree and...The Evil That Lies Within?

My Little Pony N Friends: Storyboards for 13 episodes, model sheets and more

Thanks to yanchagraffiti, the Sunbow Marvel Archive now hosts a large collection of storyboards and other material from My Little Pony N Friends.  

All of the material was formerly owned and mostly drawn by artist Wendell Washer, who sadly passed away in 2022.  Here is what is available so far:

• 4012 Rescue At Midnight Castle: Sunbow press pack, 2x partial Act II storyboard, full Act III storyboard
• 185 page model sheet pack, broken down into Attitudes, Turnarounds, Mouth Guides and Construction Model sections.
• 01 Ghost Of Paradise Estate, Part 1: full storyboard
• 22 The Return Of Tambelon, Part 4: full storyboard
• 23 Baby, It's Cold Outside, Part 1: storyboard samples
• 29 Would-Be Dragonslayer: partial storyboard
• 38-47 The End Of Flutter Valley: Part 2 song sequence, Part 3 full storyboard, Part 4 full storyboard, Part 9 full storyboard
• 54 Quest Of The Princess Ponies, Part 1: full storyboard
• 58-59 Somnambula: Part 1 full storyboard, Part 2 partial storyboard and sketches
• 61 The Prince And The Ponies: full storyboard

View them all in PDF form at My Little Pony N Friends or in viewing gallery form at the Storyboard viewing gallery index

As a taster, the Witches from the Volcano of Gloom are cooking a Dark and Dirty tune below: