By 1984, it was clear that Takara’s long-running Microman toyline was at an end. Transformers G1 was having huge success in the United States, and Takara was gearing up to follow suit for 1985. However, a few more transforming robots were released in the Microchange sub-series. Transformers picked up almost all of these designs, as …
Continue reading “The Rejected Robots #1 – Binocular Robo Scope Man”
Read more...[Continued from Part 1] The final version of the “original” Optimus Prime toy available during G1 was a 1986 release promoting Transformers: the Movie. Available by mail-in only and costing $21.50 and 5 Robot Points, this version eschewed the typical box and came in a plain brown mailer, with the toy secured in the usual …
Continue reading “A Brief History of Prime, Part 2”
Read more...Generation 1 Optimus Prime is probably one of the most iconic toys of our generation, even outside the relatively narrow scope of Transformers. The fascination with Optimus runs deep in many of us, years or decades after our childhoods. This week, I’d like to talk a bit about the myriad releases of the “original” Optimus …
Continue reading “A Brief History of Prime, Part 1”
Read more...Move over, Kre-O! Brick Label is bringing our favorite robots to life in Lego®. MOC (Lego fan terminology for “My Own Creation”) creator “alanyuppie” has teamed up with “JK” to bring some of Alan’s beautiful and elegant transforming designs to a marketable stage. Their name is Brick Label, and the product is Masterbrick Metalhide. Transformerland …
Continue reading “Brick Label brings transforming Lego Masterbrick Metalhide to Market”
Read more...I had seen this book go on sale a couple years back, with its friendly cover artwork and generic toy robot clip-art cover background, and I guess I didn’t think much of it. In fact, I may have raised an eyebrow at the time. Now, however, I’ve found myself with much more time for reading, …
Continue reading “A Retrospective Book Review of Dan Gilvezan’s “Bumblebee and Me””
Read more...The Ironhide/Ratchet mold has always been one of the stranger Autobot Cars. For one, it’s not an exotic or sporty car, and for two, his robot mode is… not standard. Aside from all this, though, it’s the only Autobot Car design that can store robot mode accessories. The large circular socket in Ironhide/Ratchet’s belt buckle …
Continue reading “Secrets from Diaclone unearthed: Ratchet and Ironhide hidden gun post storage”
Read more...
