Following the same format as the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Who Was? series, the What Is the Story of? series brings you the stories behind the most beloved characters of our time. "Autobots, Transform and Roll Out!" Drive along with some of the fiercest fighters ever in this biography of the Transformers that will have young readers ready to jump into action. Since the 1980s, the Transformers toy line has been defining the lives of children with its mighty heroes. But the Robots in Disguise have morphed into much more than just a toy line! This biography for young readers tells the incredible story of the tiny toys that became blockbuster movie stars, comic book heroes, and more. Ride along with Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron as you learn the history of the Autobots, the Decepticons, and their legendary battles. Brandon T. Snider is a writer living in New York City. He has written many books for young readers with Marvel, DC Comics, Hasbro, and more. What Is the Story of Transformers? In 1983, executives from the Hasbro toy company traveled to Japan on a mission to find the next great toy. They wanted something that sparked the imagination and had the potential to become a big success in the United States and around the world. What they found at the Tokyo Toy Show were two distinct kinds of toys made by a company named Takara. The first was Diaclone, a series of human-operated vehicles that converted into robots. The second was Microman, a series of real-world objects that changed into small robots. By simply shifting their moving parts, the Diaclone and Microman robots became two toys in one! The robots had curious names, like Battle Convoy and Cassette Machine Battlebike. They were impressive, with a sleek design that kids were sure to fall in love with. These robots were so new and different that Hasbro couldn’t help but think of all the exciting possibilities they could create around them. But something seemed to be missing. Who were these dynamic, changeable robots? Did they come from outer space or were they created by human beings? What was their mission? And, most importantly: Did they have a story to tell? The Hasbro company had a lot of work to do if they wanted to turn their new discovery into a success. Little did anyone know that one day in the near future, these changing robots would take the world by storm through toys, animation, comic books, and movies. But first they needed the right story. Chapter 1: Robots in Disguise Hasbro had found what they were looking forand couldn’t wait to bring their discovery back to the United States. Takara-Tomy’s changing robots were perfect for the American toy market. Each robot had been expertly crafted by a passionate team of designers overseen by a man named Hideaki Yoke. The Takara-Tomy team was thrilled to have their work appreciated by such a well-respected company and looked forward to seeing what Hasbro would do with their creations. It was time to get to work. Everyone at Hasbro knew that without an exciting story for the changing robots, their new discovery might never become the hit they hoped it would be. Executives turned to Marvel Comics and together worked hard to envision a sensational origin story that would draw kids into the world of what were now called Transformers robots. Marvel Comics editor in chief Jim Shooter had a big job ahead of him and, knowing he couldn’t do it alone, hired creators Denny O’Neil and Bob Budiansky to help develop this brand-new universe of characters. What they came up with was a legend of epic proportions! It all began with two warring groups of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, who were locked in battle on the faraway world of Cybertron. With the planet’s resources drained, their fuel—glowing cubes known as Energon—was in very short supply. The Cybertronians needed to find new sources of Energon in order to survive. The Autobots boarded their Ark spaceship and launched into the cosmos looking for help. Tragically, they never found it. They crash-landed on Earth over four million years ago. With their systems off-line and their ship stuck at the bottom of a volcano, this seemed like the end of the Autobots and Decepticons. But their story was far from over. The Cybertronians woke from their long sleep in the present and found themselves on a strange new world. With no way home, the Autobots formed an alliance with the humans, gathered Energon, and prepared to return to Cybertron, all while fighting off Decepticon attacks. With the basic story complete, Bob Budiansky was given a very important mission. He and the team at Marvel had to create names and personality profiles for each of the twenty-six Cybertronians—and fast! Hasbro wanted to launch Transformers as soon as possible. Budiansky got to work, and the characters soon took shape in his imagination. The Autobots would be led by a dutiful soldier named Optimus Prime, who changed i