So, where did this amazing character come from? Well, Optimus Prime first appeared in the Transformers comic book series back in 1984, and has since become a staple of the franchise. He was created by the genius minds at Hasbro and Marvel Comics, and was originally designed to be a simple toy truck - who knew he'd become so much more?
But, what's really interesting is that Optimus Prime was almost named Thor, after the Norse god of thunder - can you imagine? Thankfully, the creators decided to go with something a bit more original, and the rest, as they say, is history. And, fun fact: the original Optimus Prime toy was actually a re-painted version of a Japanese toy truck called the Diaclone - who knew?
Now, you might be wondering, what's the deal with Optimus Prime's iconic truck form? Well, it's not just because he looks really cool as a semi-truck (although, let's be real, he does). It's actually because the creators wanted him to be able to transport other Autobots, and what's a better way to do that than as a big rig?
Transformers Robots In Disguise Optimus Prime Vs Megatron