Bob Budiansky (; born March 15, 1954) is an American

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

writer, editor, and

penciller A penciller (or penciler) is an artist who works on the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with a focus on the initial pencil illustrations, usually in collaboration with other artists, who provide inks, colors ...

, best known for his work on Marvel's ''

Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms ...

'' comic. He also created the Marvel character Sleepwalker and wrote all 33 issues of that comic.

Early life

Budiansky was born in

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, New York, where he attended public school, then went on to the

State University of New York at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 1846 ...

. He was "reintroduced" to comics while in college during the early 1970s. His first published work was ''Superrunt'' — a comic strip collaboration with Charles "Sparky" Alzamora, published in the

University at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 18 ...

newspaper ''The Spectrum'' while he was a student there.

Career

Budiansky worked at Marvel Comics for approximately 20 years. He is responsible for much of the writing of the original Marvel ''

'' comic, and conceived the names of most of the original Transformers, including

Decepticon The Decepticons are the main antagonists in the fictional continuities of the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. They are depicted as a faction of sentient robotic lifeforms led by Megatron, identified by a purple face-like insignia. Capa ...

leader

Megatron Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Megatron is the cruel and tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, ...

Autobot The Autobots are the main protagonists in the fictional continuities of the Transformers multimedia franchise, and are depicted in a collection of various toys, cartoons, films, graphic novels, and paperback books first introduced in 1984. The ...

medic Ratchet, Starscream, Sideswipe, and the Decepticon Ravage. He also wrote the vast majority of the descriptive " tech spec" biographies printed on the Transformers toy packages that

Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of K ...

produced in the 1980s, giving each figure unique personality traits. After a long hiatus from the ''Transformers mythos'', Budiansky scripted a new adaptation of the original 1986 '' The Transformers: The Movie'' for IDW Publishing in 2006 in honor of the film's 20th anniversary. Budiansky is also a

. He drew the final years of the Johnny Blaze/

Zarathos Zarathos (, ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is usually depicted in stories featuring the character Ghost Rider. A demonic being who tortures and devours souls, Zarathos first appeared in ...

version of

Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...

, as well as drawing the majority of ''Ghost Rider'' covers from 1978 to 1983 and co-plotting the series with its final writer,

J. M. DeMatteis John Marc DeMatteis (; born December 15, 1953) is an American writer of comic books, television and novels. Biography Early career J. M. DeMatteis's earliest aspirations were to be a rock musician and comic book artist. He began playing in ban ...

. Following the cancellation of ''Ghost Rider'', Budiansky and DeMatteis continued this method of collaboration in the limited series '' Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner''. Budiansky recalled, "Marc would typically map out the story arc, discuss it with me, I'd give him feedback, maybe come up with a few extra plot twists and turns, and suggest some scenes that might juice up the story visually. ... Marc had this four-issue story arc more nailed down than some of the ''Ghost Rider'' stories we worked on together, so I think I contributed less to the ''Sub-Mariner'' plots." Budiansky's covers for ''Prince Namor'' are an early example of interlocking covers; when the covers are placed together in two rows, the backgrounds flow into each other. From 1983 till 1996, Budiansky was on staff at Marvel as an editor. During this period, Budiansky oversaw such titles as '' Fantastic Four'', '' Daredevil'' and Spider-Man.

Honors

At BotCon 2010, Hasbro named Budiansky as one of the first four human inductees in the

Transformers Hall of Fame The official Transformers Hall of Fame was created by Hasbro to honor the most distinguished people behind the Transformers toy and entertainment franchise, along with some of the more popular Transformers characters. The Hall of Fame contains 32 ch ...

for his contributions to the creation of the franchise.

Personal life

Budiansky married Angela Goldman in August 1991."Bullpen Bulletins", Marvel Comics. March 1992. Budiansky has two children: Emma and David.

Partial bibliography

As artist

* ''

'' #68-81 (also co-plotter) * '' Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner'' #1-4 (also co-plotter and cover colorist)

As writer

* '' The Avengers'' #204, 205, 207 & 208 * ''

Captain Britain Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in ''Captain Britain Weekly'' #1 by writer Ch ...

'' #38 & 39 (UK) * ''

'' #77 - 81 * ''Marvel Adventures'' #13 * ''Marvel Super Special'' #25 * '' Sleepwalker'' #1 - 33 (1991–1994) * '' Spider-Man Comics Weekly'' #231 (UK) * '' The Transformers'' #22 - 28; 33 - 40; 51 - 56; 66 - 73; 174 & 175 (UK) * ''Transformers Universe'' #1 - 4 * ''The Transformers'' #1 - 15; 17 - 32; 35 - 42; 44 - 55 * '' The Transformers: The Movie'' #1 - 4 * ''The Transformers: Generations'' #1 - 3; 4 - 10 & 12 * ''The Transformers: Headmasters'' #1 - 4 * ''Uncanny Origins'' #7 & 13 * '' What If?'' #34 * ''X-Men And

Captain Universe Captain Universe is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is the guardian and protector of Eternity. Rather than a character with a single identity, Captain Universe is a persona that h ...

'' #1

As inker

* ''

'' #36 (UK) * ''Essential Marvel Two-In-One'' trade paperback volume 3 * '' Marvel Two-In-One Annual'' #4 * '' What If?'' #34

As colorist

* ''

The Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...

'' #36 & 42 * '' Sleepwalker'' #1 - 3

As letterer

* '' Spider-Man Adventures'' #10

Notes

References

* * "Bullpen Bulletins" "Pro File on: BOB BUDIANSKY," ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...

'' #340 (Feb. 1988)

External links

Official Representative for commissions
*
Interview at Transfans.net

Bob Budiansky at the Transformers Wiki
{{DEFAULTSORT:Budiansky, Bob 1954 births Living people People from the Bronx University at Buffalo alumni American comics writers American comics artists Artists from the Bronx Comic book editors