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Re: Canon x Transformers Optimus Prime Crossover Stock Images
For you guys wondering why Optimus, it is simple business economics.
If you are Canon and are going to agree to do this project, with your name attached, do you want the character to be Reflector? A G1 B/C list character who appeared in a couple episodes. Or the leader of the good guys, who is arguably the number one name people come up with when asked to name a Transformer? The character who has been in almost all TF media, and most importantly played a huge role in the billion dollar movies? I think it is pretty safe to say the decision makers at Canon probably only have a passing knowledge of TFs and Reflector is probably not in that knowledge base. Granted this is a expensive, niche, item so I personally don't see how having Reflector would be that much of a detriment. However I still say it is more about getting the less invested buyer to think the combo of Prime/Canon is cool enough to warrant the expense.
Protoman has mentioned many times how Hasbro has the core 7 characters in TF that they consider the big names most people outside the fandom would recognize. Prime, Megs, Bee, Soundwave, Starscream, Grimlock & Devastator. Because of that belief/experience/researach(?) they are the characters that get the most attention, right now, when it comes to licensed product in the market. (keychains, clothes, etc. etc.)
So when a company outside of Hasbro agrees to do something TF related, they will generally want to cross sell with a character "known" to the general product. Which is why we see the same few characters over and over again on licensed product.
Hell Hasbro did it themselves with the recent GI Joe/TF crossover toys. HISS/Megs and AWE/Bee. I know people were vocal about the AWE being Bee when they felt it should have been Hound, or even Beach Comber. However even Hasbro knows that if you want more interest from outside the fandom you have to start with the big 7 early, and if it is successful you can expand to lesser know characters.
Now you might say "What about Ghostbusters, Top Gun, X-Men, Star Wars, etc?"
Well those are all media properties that are crossing over with TF and they want their characters/media to be at least an equal part of the promotion. Companies with product (Canon, Nike, etc) don't have a character to promote per se, but rather it is the product they are promoting. So the character the product turns into can be TF based and still the product gets equal promotion.
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