Transformers timeline

''This is a timeline of Transformers-related events that occured in the "real" world, including release dates and other major occurences.

1984

 * February - Hasbro Bradley unveils their new Transformers toyline at Toy Fair.
 * March - Marvel Age #17 announces the debut of the Transformers comic book.
 * The Transformers launches in the US, in toy, comic and cartoon formats, forever ruining Transformers.
 * April - Issue one of the Marvel comic is released.
 * May 22 - The first Usenet post about Transformers is posted by Ted Nolan to net.comics.
 * Spring? - Transformers toys start filtering into stores across the United States.
 * September 17 - More Than Meets the Eye, Part 1 premieres on U.S. television Saturday morning.


 * December - Transformers mania is in full swing, as the figures fly off store shelves, becoming the year's best seller for Hasbro.

1985

 * The Marvel UK comic begins publication.
 * Seasons 1 and 2 of the US cartoon air in Japan as Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer.
 * October 6 - The first Usenet post about Transformers is posted to net.comics by Bill Flanagan.

1986

 * August 8 - The Transformers: The Movie is released in theatres in the United States. International releases follow, except for Japan.

1989

 * August 9 - The Transformers: The Movie finally is released in Japan, where it is not actually called "Matrix Forever".

1990

 * The last year of Generation 1 toys are released in North America, while the franchise continues in Japan and Europe.

1991

 * July - The Marvel Comic ends in the United States with issue 80.

1992

 * Operation Combination comes to an end, signalling the end of the original Transformers series in Japan.

1993

 * Generation 2 attempts to revive the Transformers franchise in North America.

1994

 * July 16 - The first BotCon is held, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

1995

 * Generation 2 begins in Japan, the first Transformers series there in years.
 * Generation 2 craps out in every market, including Japan.
 * August 5-6 - BotCon 1995 is held in Dayton, Ohio.

1996

 * Beast Wars is launched. The fandom declares it will forever destroy Transformers and nobody will ever like it ever, certainly not ten years into the future.
 * Beast Wars revives the franchise.
 * Beast Wars is the best Transformers anything ever.
 * July 12-14 - BotCon 1996 is held in Rosemont, Illinois.

1997

 * July 18-20 - BotCon 1997 is held in Rochester, New York, by the newly-formed 3H Enterprises.

1998

 * June 19-20 - BotCon 1998 is held in Anaheim, California.

1999

 * July 16-18 - At BotCon 1999 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the first episode of Beast Machines, "The Reformatting" is previewed, to overwhelming fan enjoyment.

2000

 * Everyone hates Beast Machines.
 * July 28-30 - BotCon 2000 is held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

2001

 * Everyone loves Transformers 2000, but they hate Robots in Disguise.
 * July 13-15 - BotCon 2001 is held in Durham, North Carolina.

2002

 * April 3 - Dreamwave Productions begins publishing Transformers comics with Transformers Generation 1 #1. There is much rejoicing.
 * Aaron Archer does his best to kill Transformers through incredible sales; Armada kicks off the Unicron Trilogy, the toys appear on store shelves in mid-July, the cartoon premieres in August.
 * July 26-28 - BotCon 2002 is held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

2003

 * July 25-27 - OTFCC 2003 is held in Chicago, Illinois.

2004

 * June 19-20 - Although no longer the official convention, BotCon 2004 is held in Pasadena, California.
 * July 30-August 1 - OTFCC 2004 is held in Chicago, Illinois.

2005

 * January 4 - Dreamwave Productions goes bankrupt. Many artists complain about being unpaid for their work and/or being stuck with FedEx fees.  Pat Lee gives them the finger and drives off in his Porsche.
 * September 22-25 - BotCon 2005 is held in Frisco Texas, for the first time by Fun Publications. It's the official convention again.