08/28/2026
Hi Feral Fanatics, Fox here!
Since I was six years old, Transformers has been an integral part of my life. In 1984, I first heard the voice of a strong, yet kind leader, weary from millions of years of war, but determined to be the best friend, leader, and bot he could be. That voice, coming from a giant red and blue robot that turned into a truck, and those stories, taught me a lot about being a good person: to fight for those who were not strong, to defend those who could not protect themselves from evil, and above all else, it taught me that kindness is our greatest strength.
That voice was the great Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime.
That voice eventually led me to a fantastic online community in the early days of the internet, where a small town boy like me was introduced to people that didn't look like me and had different, diverse backgrounds. I made friends for life and learned that love is love, and that we all struggle to just live our best lives but we do so together.
In that community, I bravely started posting my art. Over time, I got better, and eventually got noticed and before I knew it, I was a professional comic book artist!
My very first paid gig? Optimus Prime
If you've read this far you may be wondering what any of this has to do with Burlesque? Well, this past April, I wrote, produced, and performed with Serenity Sparkles, in a tongue in cheek skit that served as a humorous (and sexy) tribute to the beloved Autobot leader. Someone in the crowd asked how long I had waited to do this and I said "My whole life"
So today we mourn the loss of the man who voiced that great childhood idol and role model. A man that inspired many of my friends that made the leap from fans to professionals in art and voice acting. A man who embodied the character he played in real life with love and compassion.
Thank you, Peter Cullen, for being a shining example of humanity, professionalism, and kindness. Thank you for being a hero for multiple generations over 5 decades. Thank you for always lighting our darkest hour.
Til all are one!
-Fox Smolder/VegetaPrime/Winston Bolen
