Origins of Transformers: Age of the Primes - Hasbro Pulse SDCC Artist Roundtable Interview

This conversation was recorded at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, but if you’re diving into Transformers: Age of the Primes now, this is where the story truly begins. 

Hosted by Hasbro Transformers designer Mark, this roundtable brings together legendary Transformers artists and designers Marcelo Matere, Eric Siebenaler, and Ken Christiansen to unpack the origins of Age of the Primes—from the earliest sketches and briefs to the challenge of finally defining the long-mythologized 13 Primes.

For years, the Primes existed more as ideas than fully realized characters, referenced across comics, animation, and film without ever being fully explored. This series set out to change that. In this discussion, the team walks through how the Primes were designed to represent the full history of Transformers—drawing inspiration from Beast-era characters, combiners, Mini-Cons, and multiple stylistic eras—to create a unified and meaningful origin story.

You’ll hear how early concepts evolved through rapid sketches, loose thumbnails, and creative collaboration, and how design partners were encouraged to “go to town” while staying rooted in a shared mythology. It’s a rare look at how Transformers lore is built from the ground up—and why Age of the Primes became such a pivotal chapter for the brand.

If you’re collecting the line, following the story, or just fascinated by how Transformers history gets written, this conversation is essential viewing—no matter when you discover it.

Shop the Age of the Primes Collection: https://go.hasb.ro/TF-AgeOfThePrimes