Aaron Archer
Encyclopedia
Aaron C. Archer is a toy designer for the Hasbro
toy company from 1995 onwards. Archer has worked on toy lines including Batman
, Star Wars
, and Alien Resurrection, amongst others. Archer's earliest Transformers work were designs for the later Beast Wars
toys, including Transmetal 2 Megatron, Dinobot, and Cheetor. Currently Archer is the design director on the Transformers
brand, a role that essentially makes him the highest-ranking Transformers staffer on the Hasbro side of the business (Transformers are produced in partnership with Takara
).
Archer manages a design team that is responsible for concept design, both for larger storyline concepts (Archer claims the idea for Transformers: Cybertron
was initially created on a Taco Bell
napkin over lunch) and for the look of individual characters. While Takara's engineers are responsible for converting Hasbro designs into three-dimensional action figure form. Takara/Tomy also has say in design choices.
Archer is also well known in the Transformers fandom for his brief stint posting on the TFW2005 boards under the assumed name "Orson" (a reference to Orson Welles
, voice of Unicron
). Archer responded to fan questions in an unusually cryptic style, answering either-or type questions with a straightforward "NO" and only answering specific parts of multi-part questions (most likely due to non-disclosure issues). The "Orson's World" message board was eventually shut down by Hasbro and issued a statement that they wanted to treat all fansites fairly.
Prior to working for Hasbro, Archer self-published a comic book, Gumbo, with Jeff McCormack. Both attended the University of Akron
, in Akron, Ohio
.
Some homages to Aaron include the Transformers movie toy Longarm having "Orsen's Towing" on the door, the early name for Universe Skalor being listed as "Archerbot", and the Transformers: Animated character "Angry Archer".
Archer also has a strong interest in discrete mathematics.
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
toy company from 1995 onwards. Archer has worked on toy lines including Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, and Alien Resurrection, amongst others. Archer's earliest Transformers work were designs for the later Beast Wars
Beast Wars
Transformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
toys, including Transmetal 2 Megatron, Dinobot, and Cheetor. Currently Archer is the design director on the Transformers
Transformers (toy line)
The is a line of toys produced by the American toy company Hasbro. The Transformers toyline was created from toy molds mostly produced by Japanese company Takara in the toylines Diaclone and Microman. Other toy molds from other companies such as Bandai were used as well...
brand, a role that essentially makes him the highest-ranking Transformers staffer on the Hasbro side of the business (Transformers are produced in partnership with Takara
Takara
Takara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
).
Archer manages a design team that is responsible for concept design, both for larger storyline concepts (Archer claims the idea for Transformers: Cybertron
Transformers: Cybertron
Transformers: Cybertron, known in Japan originally as , is the 2005-2007 Transformers toy line and animated series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara...
was initially created on a Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
napkin over lunch) and for the look of individual characters. While Takara's engineers are responsible for converting Hasbro designs into three-dimensional action figure form. Takara/Tomy also has say in design choices.
Archer is also well known in the Transformers fandom for his brief stint posting on the TFW2005 boards under the assumed name "Orson" (a reference to Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
, voice of Unicron
Unicron
Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...
). Archer responded to fan questions in an unusually cryptic style, answering either-or type questions with a straightforward "NO" and only answering specific parts of multi-part questions (most likely due to non-disclosure issues). The "Orson's World" message board was eventually shut down by Hasbro and issued a statement that they wanted to treat all fansites fairly.
Prior to working for Hasbro, Archer self-published a comic book, Gumbo, with Jeff McCormack. Both attended the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
, in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
.
Some homages to Aaron include the Transformers movie toy Longarm having "Orsen's Towing" on the door, the early name for Universe Skalor being listed as "Archerbot", and the Transformers: Animated character "Angry Archer".
Archer also has a strong interest in discrete mathematics.
External links
- An interview with Aaron Archer at Field's Edge.
- An article on Aaron Archer from the Canton RepositoryCanton RepositoryThe Repository is a daily newspaper serving the greater Canton, Ohio, area. Founded March 30, 1815, by John Saxton, it started as a weekly, and began publishing seven-days-a-week in 1892...
.