Toys

You know when that bell rings? When you slip into an old pair of comfortable slippers? When you walk down the street of your old house? Things move fast in the Transformers universe and new product can come at such pace that we can become blinded to what’s already around or has gone before. Recently I’ve started something of a journey back into my own collecting past having recently caught up with what is current and immersing myself in the brand new. This journey back in time has not only unearthed previously undiscovered gems of past toy lines for me, but also brought me face to face with a few old flames. Old Flames | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ …

That’s pretty beautiful isn’t it? The MP-12 Lambor/Sideswipe mould in black. Because everything looks good in black, Masterpiece Optimus Prime, Soundwave, Rodimus and now Sideswipe. I’ve now seen all of those black repaints in the flesh and my opinion is that they are beautiful, but whether they are worthy of the extra spend is a matter of how relevant the repaint is to the collector. Arguably, MP-12G Lambor G2 Version (G2 Sideswipe) has the most character to him, something that the execution of this toy taps into deeply. But, is it enough for this to just be as pretty as a black Lamborghini Countach was always going to be? Is there anything else there under the surface? …

A lifetime of appreciation for Transformers and the growing acceptance of hobbies such as toy collecting in society generally means that we can share our hobby with more people, and wear it more proudly, although some of us did that from day one regardless of others’ opinions anyway. When you get to the root of it, it’s the amount of wonder instilled in us by Transformers toys at tender ages that is responsible for our enthusiasm and appreciation of the concept today, even if our reason for being in the hobby has evolved since then. So if they meant so much to us as kids, what does that mean for our own children? Pass The Torch | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ …

Have you ever had to justify your collection to a loved one? Have you perhaps occasionally had to assure your partner that your collection may be worth more than you paid in the future, and that in case of an emergency you would always be able to raise some immediate funds? We are extremely lucky in that we partake in a hobby that can one day give something back, even if it’s at a loss, we can sell the bulk of our collections for a significant amount of what we paid originally. Those who have been more careful or lucky with their buying can even end up years down the line with more money than they originally spent. Not all hobbies offer that kind of safety net. Who …

Too many Transformers, too much choice, too little money and definitely not enough space. Then we add the 3rd Party toys coming at us from all angles, and try to balance that against older toys we may be trying to buy (or not buy), and we all develop strategies for staying away from what may bankrupt us. For some the decision to pass on a particular type of product can be arbitrary, for others it’s because it won’t fit with their collection direction. Some may want it all, but can’t afford to give in. From behind a computer screen where gorgeous promotional images and enabling collector photography can only do so much damage, we are safe. However, seeing certain things in…

Over a decade ago, I gave my Robots in Disguise Car Brothers to a non-collecting friend as a gift, and they’d been sitting in his garage for all that time. Having just cleaned out that garage he dropped them off to me again, thinking I’d have more use for them now than when I gave up the hobby back then. The Car Robots Mach Alert, Speedbreaker and X-Brawn became Robots In Disguise Prowl, Sideburn and again, X-Brawn. Playing with those excellent toys again, something dawned on me. Car Robots is now almost as old as Generation 1 was when Car Robots first came out. Blast From The Past | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ All the best Maz

The Netherlands has always had a very rich culture of Transformers collectors, with some of the most well-known, long-time, knowledgeable fans and stunning collections originating from Holland. Rein "iDarkDesign" den Hengst has been a part of that Dutch TF scene from the earliest stages, and is now involved with the annual Dutch B.O.T.S. Transformers convention. Having seen pictures of his astonishing collection recently, and allied to the fact that I met him in person in 2012 after years of running across each other online for over a decade, it was high time to bring Rein's collection, wisdom and refreshing attitude towards the hobby to the attention of everyone else. So…

It is apparently a golden age for Transformers collectors. Takara Tomy and Hasbro are feeding the Masterpiece hunger with cartoon accurate characters that fans have wanted forever, and 3rd Party companies are trying to fill the gaps and expand on the direction the collector community wants their collecting to move towards with varying results. The meat and veg products from Hasbro and Takara, things like cartoon-based lines and Classics/Generations have popular comic series tie-ins and have produced some of the best moulds of the series recently, with exciting stuff on the horizon. Choice is at an all time high, but so are the pitfalls that can detract from the collecting…

Since Mijo of 20th Century Toy Collector confirmed the existence of the mainland European Generation 1 1985 Milton Bradley "Sunswipe" - a Sunstreaker in Sideswipe packaging - there's been a lot written about it by both himself as the remover of the veil of ignorance, and myself as the first owner of probably the best specimen ever found. I have since passed this diamond of a Euro variant onto Mijo, where it belongs to be fair, but here is the first dedicated write-up I've personally done on this variant. Square One: Milton Bradley G1 "Sunswipe" <- CLICK TO READ All the best Maz

We've looked at the yellow G1 Ceji Devastator and the variant G1 Ceji Starscream, now it's the turn of the 1986 Ceji G1 Decepticon jet Ramjet, made in France and sold in mainland Europe and Scandinavia. We'll briefly check out Thrust and Dirge too. Like Devastator and Starscream, Ceji's Ramjet is quite different to the Hasbro and Takara Generation 1 Transformers Ramjets that most of us will have grown used to in our childhoods and adult collecting. Here comes the breakdown Square One: Ceji G1 Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust <- CLICK TO READ All the best Maz