Thursday, 1 September 2022
RRCo TF Nation 2022 Zine
Hello readers! It's been a while but please believe we've never completely forgotten about the blog. RRCo is strong and alive in the form of this year's returning TF Nation convention zine. 100 print copies were sent through letterboxes at home and abroad or handed to eager fans at the convention in August, including special bonus material in the form of a fold-out art booklet by Leigh and a prose fiction booklet by Ben. We'll not be reproducing these digitally just yet, but now everyone can enjoy the main event, with contributions from some of the fandom's most shining alumni, here is the RRCo 2022 zine! Thank you to everyone who expressed interest, we hope you enjoy it!
Friday, 13 November 2020
Quintessential, But The Wrong Syllables Are Stressed
- Ben Watson
Distinguished Sirs
It's been “a year”.
Along with everything else going on, 2020 also deals the blow that is the apparent* end of the superb Cyberverse. A thoroughly wholesome nugget of the Transformers franchise that provided the most fun I've had watching one of these bloody cartoons in literally a decade along with a bizarre assortment of fan faves lining shelves in its super-marché ready toyline.
While the animated portion of the affair actually wrapped up before we were all donning masks and living in fear, it seems at time of writing, the toyline has now also offered up its last bit of budget bonkers**. When it's given us the likes of Deadlock and 'scuse my french, flippin' Rack 'n Ruin, it's hard to be disappointed in the line's breadth if not its depth. But because I'm a Transformers Fan I'm going to still say it wasn't enough. Because of course I am.
 |
| Da Bludge |
If you've wrapped your eyes around the delightful work of Boulder Media on your telly screen – or in my case, phone screen – you'll be instantly aware of the unfolding guest list of characters it seems to tell you will be waiting on the other side of the doors of your toy shop of choice. However, if we really have seen all there is to see from Cyberverse, then there's a lot of people on that list you won't actually see at the party. Absentees include Astrotrain, Lockdown and Chromia to name a few. To get properly pedantic about it and save you the hassle, I can tell you there are at least eight notable characters with no toys in the line. And then there's the toys for the ones that did get some...
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| What if we made Silverbolt and Depth Charge the same guy and he was Jetfire |
I'll not rag on the kiddy gimmick chops of the line, there's a lot of fun to be had y'know, playing with these toys but for some characters like Cheetor or Shadow Striker who get the main focus of whole episodes to themselves, the toys simply don't live up to their screentime. Am I really supposed to believe Dead End's prolonged and prominent role in the final season was all to sell me one toy from the smallest price-point in the line that doesn't even transform all the way? I mean, it did but that's not the point. We're clearly beyond having a Transformers cartoon as nothing but a vehicle for selling toys that are ready to roll out. The quality of the writing of Cyberverse alone attests to this, but it's still a bit baffling isn't it? The selection process for which characters get to appear at which price-point and how often is seriously a Zoom meeting I'd like to be in. Who decided animal-only bit-parter Skullcruncher needed a big new toy but memorable protagonist Perceptor didn't? Anyway, I guess all that's moot now if the line really has run its course and what we should be concerned with is what Cyberverse did give us.
 |
| More like "Comatose Cul-de-sac" |
If I had to choose one word to sum up how Cyberverse felt as it was happening, it would be: unpredictable. No rules seemed to govern its contents. Suddenly we're getting a toy of Drift in the wave after his Decepticon persona and it's a totally different toy. Suddenly Sky-Byte shows up with two different toys. Suddenly there's a Repugnus I can buy off the shelf in Sainsbury's. Coupled with the decreased tendency of Hasbro to afford the line any spotlight in preview events and for the last couple of years you could genuinely throw out a handful of totally wild speculations about future product and probably see a non-negligible number of them come true. All through a photo of someone holding the thing in the middle of Walmart a couple of months later. Cyberverse was full of crazy surprises and in the climate of extensive leaks and telegraphed blows from Generations, that quality was not just refreshing but energising.
 |
| Socialist Icon |
There is still a critique to be made here, however. While I'm ruminating on the passing of the latest main media focused line as I've done before, lessons to be learned from it present themselves. What the next series will be I cannot say. No announcements of cartoon titles or programming schedules or even production teams have been made as I type this but I want to say what I'd hope to see. If there's something to be learned from Cyberverse it's that deep-cut fan service curveballs are definitely what the doctor ordered. The best part is that doesn't detract at all from what I've seen firsthand become a successful entry point to Transformers for kids. Boom. That's the perfect formula isn't it? Entertain the young'uns and make the rest of us over 20 go “no way Whirl is in a cartoon??” But the product made to bolster that reaction with the spending of pocket money was not quite so sweet-spot hitting.
 |
| Actually nowhere near as deranged as we all expected |
For what has become quite quickly a quintessential distillation of pretty much the whole of Transformers it made some odd choices that make the metaphorical centre of gravity for the toyline way off. If I was looking to set out its sequel I think I'd want to see a better spread of alt modes. Not so many cars. Let's have a couple more beasts. A construction vehicle, an off road vehicle, a bike, a combiner! Somehow there are a whole host of Transformers staples that Cyberverse just never got around to but still felt like it would eventually. Instead we got way too many toys of Prowl for the three appearances he makes in the show. It would be nice if that didn't happen next time.
 |
| I can't resist showing you my one eyed purple monster |
Cyberverse really did bring the fun back to Transformers for fans of all ages. It may have taken a year or so before I decided to give it the time of day but thanks to its less well-defined edges I could just dip into it when something took my eye. As a fan who's spent enough time in the wiki to know what “Universal Streams” are, honestly I found it brilliant that Cyberverse not only takes place in no particular established continuity but also has the concept of alternate ones as a core story concept! Its designs and character rosters were enough of what I've seen before, I happily threw all thoughts of classifying its place in the wider brand in the bin and just went “Ah, it's Transformers innit.” And I think that shedding of fandom constructs through this brought me closer to Cyberverse than other toon-centric lines. I didn't have to know how Shockwave was different this time, he was just Shockwave you know? I already knew who he was by looking. Paradoxically that effect made Cyberverse fresh and while I'd jump at the chance of a reimagining on the scale of Beast Wars or Armada, I'd be up for a bit more of it.
*Leaked info seems to say we'll actually be getting a Cyberverse “film” probably a feature-length thing for TV but at the moment it's not official and Season 3 was promoted as “final”.
**It looks like One-Step Changer Megatron X is the line's parting caress. Some leaked listings seemed to suggest we'd be seeing Deluxe Soundwave, Starscream and Prowl, but well look, they haven't turned up.
Tuesday, 3 March 2020
RRCo Review - Earthrise Grapple
- Ben Watson
With Siege slowly receding in the rear-view mirror as we power along Route WFC to a destination unknown, the next signpost is for Earthrise and a return to everything we've barely left behind. Strap on your hardhat and hi-vis cos it's time to get planning permission for voyager Grapple!
Now that the second chapter of the War For Cybertron Trilogy is beginning to filter out into the world, I grabbed Grapple as my first taste of this sequel which will hopefully prove more of a Spider-man 2 than an Amazing Spider-man 2 if you know what I mean... Grapple is a voyager class figure hewing incredibly close to his G1 character design, incorporating elements of the original 1985 toy, his cartoon model and even (I'm told) a smidge of his Masterpiece figure. As such he sets a nice precedent for the rest of the line, but it's one that may not sit so well with all fans.
A non-zero amount of criticism for more recent Generations figures has been down to their slavish accuracy to the original designs, ultimately causing some to feel like there's a dearth of actual originality to the toyline. Up to a point, I'd agree with this claim but every now and then a figure comes along that hits the sweet spot of exactly what you want from an update of a character and Grapple is one of those without a doubt. Pulling no punches to render his classic Earth mode but still feeling at home next to Siege's Cybertronian lads and ladies.
The previous Generations standard effort, Solar Storm Grappel from the Reveal The Shield line has been a mainstay in many collections for years but was it every really Grapple? If you're going by the name on the box, well... While that's a figure I do have some kind of soft spot for (whether due to the toy itself or just my memories of RTS in general) it hit few of the distinguishing features I'd look for in the character. Since acquiring a G1 Inferno reissue, I've entered the camp of revering the Diaclone Fuso truck design alongside the likes of the rest of the original Autobot Cars. So to see the big wedge feet, collapsing crane head bucket and wrist rocket make their worthy return to a modern Grapple toy is great to be honest.
In terms of modern voyager figures (whatever that means in 2020) Grapple is a nicely sizable and solid affair. Standing roughly as tall as Optimus Prime but no longer a hulking monolith looming over his comrades like the RTS figure, he's an exercise in using length. However for his vehicle mode, I can't avoid how this factor seems to be its main detractor. It's just, too long? Too low and flat? It's been squished. Is this to do with avoiding Fuso licensing the Masterpiece makes use of? (God, imagine a deluxe Allitalia Wheeljack...) Who can say, but it's quite plain the thing isn't really the right shape.
Proportions aside, the crane does pretty much everything you'd expect. Honestly it's a surprise to see a boom arm that extends, raises and lowers and pivots about its base. Take that Hook. As an extra touch the end of the crane can be swapped for a big meaty claw which sadly doesn't articulate its pincers but does feature a clip to interact with Earthrise's new A.I.R. Lock rampy bit system. I suppose that's nice. What else can be said for vehicle mode? All the wheels roll - the front ones actually only spinning their tyres, not the wheels themselves - it's got see through blue windows and very little paint on the sections not needing to cover up all that clear plastic. A couple more hazard stripes or silver bits would not have gone amiss here.
But what about Grapple's robot mode? Getting there may be more of a hassle than you want depending on your copy of the figure. It's a very common issue that the pegs that secure the back end of the crane get stuck in the holes they match up to and break off when you try to dislodge them. Adopting the builderly spirit of Grapple I bought some sandpaper just in case but with careful application of force, I've been able to extricate these connections without trouble so far. Apart from that, the transformation's a hoot, working exactly as you'd expect and even doing some bits exactly like the old one. Nothing fancy, certainly nothing as bonkers as the Masterpiece, just satisfying.
As a big Solero-coloured man, Grapple extols the virtues of modern articulation with perhaps only a missing wrist swivel or neck ball-joint leaving you wanting. My favourite bits are his massive feet which not only tilt but can move back and forth on their transformation joint, ensuring a firm foundation at all times. Along with the requisite joints, Grapple also features the current trend of being riddled with 5mm ports ripe for Weaponizing, including two on the crane section behind his head which will surely be used for Inferno's silly Captain America head wings.
In terms of accessories, much like the crane functionality, it feels like you get just a touch more for your money than you'd expect. Including the aforementioned claw, Grapple also comes armed with a nicely sized and detailed rifle but also the missile/nozzle/fondant icing dispenser to replace one of his hands. Personally I'm hoping this will look much more like a finned missile for Inferno but the fact it's there at all is a nice surprise. And as set down in Siege, all these weapons and many more points on his body than we've previously seen are compatible with the shooty bang bang bits you'll find with either the cheapest smallest figures in the line or the flipping biggest expensive ones.
Overall, Earthrise Grapple is really nicely satisfying. Not a mind-blowing achievement like a lot of Siege felt the first time, but just a spot on version of a good robot. A bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. Continuing that "Mini Masterpiece" vibe War For Cybertron seems to be going for, if you're after a Grapple for your Generations shelf, you can't really do much better than this. Except if you want him to have a black head, I dunno. The QC issues aside, I'd feel the main criticism I have of Grapple is paint. There just doesn't seem to be very much and it leaves him looking slightly flat. Put under a strong light, you'll notice it all the more as the orange plastic lets in just a bit too much than an opaque surface should and highlights surfaces - especially around his eyes - where there shouldn't be orange. But all-in-all I'm having huge fun with Grapple and am eagerly awaiting the email telling me Hoist is on his way and a bit further down the road, the inevitable Inferno rework. Solar power, baby!
With Siege slowly receding in the rear-view mirror as we power along Route WFC to a destination unknown, the next signpost is for Earthrise and a return to everything we've barely left behind. Strap on your hardhat and hi-vis cos it's time to get planning permission for voyager Grapple!
Now that the second chapter of the War For Cybertron Trilogy is beginning to filter out into the world, I grabbed Grapple as my first taste of this sequel which will hopefully prove more of a Spider-man 2 than an Amazing Spider-man 2 if you know what I mean... Grapple is a voyager class figure hewing incredibly close to his G1 character design, incorporating elements of the original 1985 toy, his cartoon model and even (I'm told) a smidge of his Masterpiece figure. As such he sets a nice precedent for the rest of the line, but it's one that may not sit so well with all fans.
 |
| "Tch, you've had some right cowboys in 'ere..." |
A non-zero amount of criticism for more recent Generations figures has been down to their slavish accuracy to the original designs, ultimately causing some to feel like there's a dearth of actual originality to the toyline. Up to a point, I'd agree with this claim but every now and then a figure comes along that hits the sweet spot of exactly what you want from an update of a character and Grapple is one of those without a doubt. Pulling no punches to render his classic Earth mode but still feeling at home next to Siege's Cybertronian lads and ladies.
The previous Generations standard effort, Solar Storm Grappel from the Reveal The Shield line has been a mainstay in many collections for years but was it every really Grapple? If you're going by the name on the box, well... While that's a figure I do have some kind of soft spot for (whether due to the toy itself or just my memories of RTS in general) it hit few of the distinguishing features I'd look for in the character. Since acquiring a G1 Inferno reissue, I've entered the camp of revering the Diaclone Fuso truck design alongside the likes of the rest of the original Autobot Cars. So to see the big wedge feet, collapsing crane head bucket and wrist rocket make their worthy return to a modern Grapple toy is great to be honest.
 |
| "Site safety!" |
In terms of modern voyager figures (whatever that means in 2020) Grapple is a nicely sizable and solid affair. Standing roughly as tall as Optimus Prime but no longer a hulking monolith looming over his comrades like the RTS figure, he's an exercise in using length. However for his vehicle mode, I can't avoid how this factor seems to be its main detractor. It's just, too long? Too low and flat? It's been squished. Is this to do with avoiding Fuso licensing the Masterpiece makes use of? (God, imagine a deluxe Allitalia Wheeljack...) Who can say, but it's quite plain the thing isn't really the right shape.
Proportions aside, the crane does pretty much everything you'd expect. Honestly it's a surprise to see a boom arm that extends, raises and lowers and pivots about its base. Take that Hook. As an extra touch the end of the crane can be swapped for a big meaty claw which sadly doesn't articulate its pincers but does feature a clip to interact with Earthrise's new A.I.R. Lock rampy bit system. I suppose that's nice. What else can be said for vehicle mode? All the wheels roll - the front ones actually only spinning their tyres, not the wheels themselves - it's got see through blue windows and very little paint on the sections not needing to cover up all that clear plastic. A couple more hazard stripes or silver bits would not have gone amiss here.
 |
| "Listen mate, if you say 'Hauler, haul 'im up' one more time, I'm gonna be filling in a P45." |
But what about Grapple's robot mode? Getting there may be more of a hassle than you want depending on your copy of the figure. It's a very common issue that the pegs that secure the back end of the crane get stuck in the holes they match up to and break off when you try to dislodge them. Adopting the builderly spirit of Grapple I bought some sandpaper just in case but with careful application of force, I've been able to extricate these connections without trouble so far. Apart from that, the transformation's a hoot, working exactly as you'd expect and even doing some bits exactly like the old one. Nothing fancy, certainly nothing as bonkers as the Masterpiece, just satisfying.
As a big Solero-coloured man, Grapple extols the virtues of modern articulation with perhaps only a missing wrist swivel or neck ball-joint leaving you wanting. My favourite bits are his massive feet which not only tilt but can move back and forth on their transformation joint, ensuring a firm foundation at all times. Along with the requisite joints, Grapple also features the current trend of being riddled with 5mm ports ripe for Weaponizing, including two on the crane section behind his head which will surely be used for Inferno's silly Captain America head wings.
In terms of accessories, much like the crane functionality, it feels like you get just a touch more for your money than you'd expect. Including the aforementioned claw, Grapple also comes armed with a nicely sized and detailed rifle but also the missile/nozzle/fondant icing dispenser to replace one of his hands. Personally I'm hoping this will look much more like a finned missile for Inferno but the fact it's there at all is a nice surprise. And as set down in Siege, all these weapons and many more points on his body than we've previously seen are compatible with the shooty bang bang bits you'll find with either the cheapest smallest figures in the line or the flipping biggest expensive ones.
Overall, Earthrise Grapple is really nicely satisfying. Not a mind-blowing achievement like a lot of Siege felt the first time, but just a spot on version of a good robot. A bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. Continuing that "Mini Masterpiece" vibe War For Cybertron seems to be going for, if you're after a Grapple for your Generations shelf, you can't really do much better than this. Except if you want him to have a black head, I dunno. The QC issues aside, I'd feel the main criticism I have of Grapple is paint. There just doesn't seem to be very much and it leaves him looking slightly flat. Put under a strong light, you'll notice it all the more as the orange plastic lets in just a bit too much than an opaque surface should and highlights surfaces - especially around his eyes - where there shouldn't be orange. But all-in-all I'm having huge fun with Grapple and am eagerly awaiting the email telling me Hoist is on his way and a bit further down the road, the inevitable Inferno rework. Solar power, baby!
Tuesday, 19 November 2019
TFNation 2019 Exclusive: RRCo Zine #3
Once more we put together an in-print zine for TFNation this summer and while you might have been lucky enough to grab a copy at the event, we always intended for everyone to be able to enjoy the hard work of our team; so here we present to you the full publication in a digital format! It will never decay! The electrons last forever!
Friday, 14 June 2019
A Millennial Perspective on G1 Jazz
- Joe Powell
As I type, my Generation 1 Jazz rests proudly in vehicle mode on my windowsill, sporting freshly applied Reprolabels and looking good as new. Okay, it’s not really G1 Jazz. A quick peruse through tfwiki tells me it’s technically ‘The Transformers Collection’ Meister from 2002 – a repaint of Generation 2 Jazz distinguished by narrower feet and a peculiar smirk upon his face. But the mould is more or less the same and, as such, is one of the oldest Transformer moulds in my collection, predating my daring escape from the womb by about twelve years.
Hop in the time machine with me to March 2019 – I’m in exotic Reading for a relaxing spa weekend with my girlfriend Abbie, and naturally we decide to hit the town on a little spending spree. Hop on the train, a few stops down the line, we’re in the town centre and not far from the station we find the Harris Arcade. Not ten metres into the arcade I stop suddenly: in a window to my right…
Is that a boxed Starscream?
A bagged Defensor?
Ultra Friggin’ Magnus?!?
What self-respecting Transformers fan wouldn’t have a little mosey about? In we go, and sweet. LAWDY. Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelves and precarious stacks of toys, comics, vinyls, video tapes… everyone knows a place like this where one poorly-directed breath will cause the dominoes to fall faster than my blood sugars after a gentle jog. Thunderbirds, James Bond… are we considering Doctor Who action figures from 2005 ‘nostalgic’ now? Jesus, I feel my knee creaking again...
I inquire about the bots in the window and the owner obliges – 20 minutes later I’m walking out of that place with a significantly lighter wallet and a G1 Metroplex and Meister Jazz. I’ve done it. I’ve ticked one off the bucket list. I, a filthy Unicron Trilogy casual, have purchased a Generation 1 Transformer.
As magnificent as Metroplex is, we’re not here to talk about him – in brief, he’s very cool but missing a ton of parts and I probably got him at too dear a price considering that. No, we’re talking about Jazz. The box (not even the original box) gets tossed in a heartbeat – it’s so dog-eared and beaten up that it’s not worth keeping, plus I’m of the radical belief that toys are supposed to be played with.
I am stunned. Every second I play with this figure I am taken aback by how good it is. I’m saying ‘wow’ enough to give Owen Wilson a run for his money. The diecast, the rubber tires, the intricacy (and fun!) of the conversion… and the sheer amount of articulation in the arms! I don’t think any Transformer toy has rendered me this lost for words.
Carbon dating puts me at the same age as Beast Wars, but I grew up on a few sporadic broadcasts of the same episode of Transformers: Cybertron (or maybe it was 6 episodes on Velocitron, who knows). And then, like thousands of others, the first live action movie barrelled its way onto the silver screen and rolled me up like a Katamari. For all its faults, this is my Transformers and I’ve never had a strong connection with the original cartoon – it aired twelve years before I was a glint in the milkman’s eye. So something about Jazz compelled me to voluntarily write an 800 word essay for the first time since grammar school.
I’ve taken the last twelve years of Transformers toys totally for granted. Knee joints, waist swivels, head rotation – I’ve come to expect this from most of my CHUG and movie bots. And I’ve looked back at anything pre-Beast Wars with a little disdain. That’s what the kids of the 80's had to play with? But where’s the elbow joint? You have to take off their wings? It’s the freaking Dark Ages! But holding Jazz in hand, transforming him back and forth and just admiring how gorgeous he is… I gained a new respect for Generation 1 that evening. He’s limited by the technology of his time, but I’ll be damned if I’m not surprised and impressed at what those Diaclone toy engineers were capable of. Give him some knees and he’s really not that far off contemporary Jazz toys.
He may be an odd Japanese reissue from 2002, he may have a weird gurn and replicated decals, but to me he’s a piece of overlooked history that I should have respected long ago. He’s fun. He’s sexy. He’s Generation 1 Jazz.
And God help me, he might be the start of a brand new rabbit hole.
As I type, my Generation 1 Jazz rests proudly in vehicle mode on my windowsill, sporting freshly applied Reprolabels and looking good as new. Okay, it’s not really G1 Jazz. A quick peruse through tfwiki tells me it’s technically ‘The Transformers Collection’ Meister from 2002 – a repaint of Generation 2 Jazz distinguished by narrower feet and a peculiar smirk upon his face. But the mould is more or less the same and, as such, is one of the oldest Transformer moulds in my collection, predating my daring escape from the womb by about twelve years.
Hop in the time machine with me to March 2019 – I’m in exotic Reading for a relaxing spa weekend with my girlfriend Abbie, and naturally we decide to hit the town on a little spending spree. Hop on the train, a few stops down the line, we’re in the town centre and not far from the station we find the Harris Arcade. Not ten metres into the arcade I stop suddenly: in a window to my right…
Is that a boxed Starscream?
A bagged Defensor?
Ultra Friggin’ Magnus?!?
Wait, 2007 Ultimate Bumblebee?
What self-respecting Transformers fan wouldn’t have a little mosey about? In we go, and sweet. LAWDY. Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelves and precarious stacks of toys, comics, vinyls, video tapes… everyone knows a place like this where one poorly-directed breath will cause the dominoes to fall faster than my blood sugars after a gentle jog. Thunderbirds, James Bond… are we considering Doctor Who action figures from 2005 ‘nostalgic’ now? Jesus, I feel my knee creaking again...
I inquire about the bots in the window and the owner obliges – 20 minutes later I’m walking out of that place with a significantly lighter wallet and a G1 Metroplex and Meister Jazz. I’ve done it. I’ve ticked one off the bucket list. I, a filthy Unicron Trilogy casual, have purchased a Generation 1 Transformer.
As magnificent as Metroplex is, we’re not here to talk about him – in brief, he’s very cool but missing a ton of parts and I probably got him at too dear a price considering that. No, we’re talking about Jazz. The box (not even the original box) gets tossed in a heartbeat – it’s so dog-eared and beaten up that it’s not worth keeping, plus I’m of the radical belief that toys are supposed to be played with.
Seriously, who thought this was right?
I am stunned. Every second I play with this figure I am taken aback by how good it is. I’m saying ‘wow’ enough to give Owen Wilson a run for his money. The diecast, the rubber tires, the intricacy (and fun!) of the conversion… and the sheer amount of articulation in the arms! I don’t think any Transformer toy has rendered me this lost for words.
Carbon dating puts me at the same age as Beast Wars, but I grew up on a few sporadic broadcasts of the same episode of Transformers: Cybertron (or maybe it was 6 episodes on Velocitron, who knows). And then, like thousands of others, the first live action movie barrelled its way onto the silver screen and rolled me up like a Katamari. For all its faults, this is my Transformers and I’ve never had a strong connection with the original cartoon – it aired twelve years before I was a glint in the milkman’s eye. So something about Jazz compelled me to voluntarily write an 800 word essay for the first time since grammar school.
I’ve taken the last twelve years of Transformers toys totally for granted. Knee joints, waist swivels, head rotation – I’ve come to expect this from most of my CHUG and movie bots. And I’ve looked back at anything pre-Beast Wars with a little disdain. That’s what the kids of the 80's had to play with? But where’s the elbow joint? You have to take off their wings? It’s the freaking Dark Ages! But holding Jazz in hand, transforming him back and forth and just admiring how gorgeous he is… I gained a new respect for Generation 1 that evening. He’s limited by the technology of his time, but I’ll be damned if I’m not surprised and impressed at what those Diaclone toy engineers were capable of. Give him some knees and he’s really not that far off contemporary Jazz toys.
He may be an odd Japanese reissue from 2002, he may have a weird gurn and replicated decals, but to me he’s a piece of overlooked history that I should have respected long ago. He’s fun. He’s sexy. He’s Generation 1 Jazz.
And God help me, he might be the start of a brand new rabbit hole.
Sunday, 19 May 2019
Collector Intent 2: Eclectic Boogaloo
- Ben Watson
Writing a response to a previous article from one of our most esteemed RRCo alumni hasn't really been something we've done before but after letting Dorian's last piece sink in, I felt I had to throw my hat into the ring of that discussion.
Any kind of intent to my collecting isn't something I've often thought about. I roll with my gut, living with the flow to line my shelves with whatever robots take my fancy. Maybe that means minuscule Legion Class lads alongside Unicron Trilogy bricks, Movie Deluxes and G1 reissues. That's just - well - that's just "Buying Transformers". Without focus, without direction, without intent. At least from the outside looking in, I'm aware it looks like I don't practice a particular purpose to my plastic habit. Even as I type this my desk is populated with Energon Mini-cons, Titanmasters, G1 Micromasters, a couple of Masterpieces and a Barricade. My collection is an eclectic mix of the best of all and any eras of Transformers, but mostly leaning towards the early 2000's. I don't just "buy anything" and I feel like going forward, that's becoming more clear to me.
The thing that's spurred me on to type this is how in the past couple of months I've really found time for the one subset of toys most overlooked and disdained by collectors at large: the gimmick based simple supermarket fodder. The Energon Igniters for the Bumblebee movie are a subject I've already immortalised my thoughts on; but them, along with a first foray into the field of Cyberverse have really been playing on my mind more than anything else. My phone tells me it's been exactly a month since I got MPM Camaro Bumblebee, an absolutely stellar piece well worthy of its own article, but it's the Camaro that's a third of the size for a sixth of the price that's been in my hands the most.
Of course, Siege has come back from what feels like hibernation to furnish me with more must-have mini-masterpieces but while Hasbro UK were getting their act together for what may as well be the entire first quarter of this year, all I had to subsist on was what I could find in shops and honestly, I've relished it. Running with the little hit of hype that comes from seeing a new Cyberverse figure I didn't realise was out and actually taking it home has been more than enough to allow me to really enjoy a few of those figures. I mean really enjoy, in a way I'm rarely struck with at the ripe age of 26. Warrior Soundwave had me feeling like it's 2003 all over again. These toys aren't necessarily of the same lasting value as your Generations fare, they're the Transformers equivalent of junk food, but sometimes (like right now as I properly grapple with my mental health for the first time) that's exactly what you need. Comfort.
I've just gazed off into the middle distance for a minute, regarding my Masterpiece Cheetor. A sublime figure, looking like he's just walked out of my telly in 1997. But I don't Love it. It doesn't make me feel warm, or secure or inspired or like as long as he's in my hands or on my bedside that everything's alright. I haven't transformed him apart from getting him to bot mode from his packaged cheetah state. I hate how the unending covering of paint makes every joint creak and feel like I'll break it. It's stiff and inflexible despite the abundance of articulation. It's one of the shiniest, most properly finished figures I own but handle it for any length of time? No, I'm good thanks. And this is where things like Cyberverse Prowl come in. Toys as meat for the hands. Toys as objects to be handled first and looked at second. Toys as toys. Without pretense, without finesse, without luxuriance, spartan in a way.
So if there's currently an intent in my mind (or there was when I set out to write this and take this tack) it's to rep those gimmick guys. I'm well aware my taste in robots may be atrocious, but I still feel like I have taste. I'm not just scattergun buying for the sake of it. What I'll always care about first and foremost from Transformers is fun and I'm at a point now where that's all I want to pursue, all that really brings me anything. Go ahead, sacrifice some joints for sturdier build. Sacrifice some detail for a fun gimmick. Sacrifice some paint just so I don't feel like I'll chip and scratch the thing within the first five minutes of transforming it. Yes, of course I'll still have have space in my heart for the higher end pieces, I know what's good but I also know that the toys you, Dear Reader, will tell me aren't worth my time are also good in their own warm blanket kind of way. That's how it always used to be and I'm happy to make it that way again. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to hunt for a One Step Wheeljack.
Read Dorian's previous piece here
Read my piece on the Bumblebee Movie toys here
Follow Ben @Waspshot23
Writing a response to a previous article from one of our most esteemed RRCo alumni hasn't really been something we've done before but after letting Dorian's last piece sink in, I felt I had to throw my hat into the ring of that discussion.
Any kind of intent to my collecting isn't something I've often thought about. I roll with my gut, living with the flow to line my shelves with whatever robots take my fancy. Maybe that means minuscule Legion Class lads alongside Unicron Trilogy bricks, Movie Deluxes and G1 reissues. That's just - well - that's just "Buying Transformers". Without focus, without direction, without intent. At least from the outside looking in, I'm aware it looks like I don't practice a particular purpose to my plastic habit. Even as I type this my desk is populated with Energon Mini-cons, Titanmasters, G1 Micromasters, a couple of Masterpieces and a Barricade. My collection is an eclectic mix of the best of all and any eras of Transformers, but mostly leaning towards the early 2000's. I don't just "buy anything" and I feel like going forward, that's becoming more clear to me.
The thing that's spurred me on to type this is how in the past couple of months I've really found time for the one subset of toys most overlooked and disdained by collectors at large: the gimmick based simple supermarket fodder. The Energon Igniters for the Bumblebee movie are a subject I've already immortalised my thoughts on; but them, along with a first foray into the field of Cyberverse have really been playing on my mind more than anything else. My phone tells me it's been exactly a month since I got MPM Camaro Bumblebee, an absolutely stellar piece well worthy of its own article, but it's the Camaro that's a third of the size for a sixth of the price that's been in my hands the most.
Of course, Siege has come back from what feels like hibernation to furnish me with more must-have mini-masterpieces but while Hasbro UK were getting their act together for what may as well be the entire first quarter of this year, all I had to subsist on was what I could find in shops and honestly, I've relished it. Running with the little hit of hype that comes from seeing a new Cyberverse figure I didn't realise was out and actually taking it home has been more than enough to allow me to really enjoy a few of those figures. I mean really enjoy, in a way I'm rarely struck with at the ripe age of 26. Warrior Soundwave had me feeling like it's 2003 all over again. These toys aren't necessarily of the same lasting value as your Generations fare, they're the Transformers equivalent of junk food, but sometimes (like right now as I properly grapple with my mental health for the first time) that's exactly what you need. Comfort.
I've just gazed off into the middle distance for a minute, regarding my Masterpiece Cheetor. A sublime figure, looking like he's just walked out of my telly in 1997. But I don't Love it. It doesn't make me feel warm, or secure or inspired or like as long as he's in my hands or on my bedside that everything's alright. I haven't transformed him apart from getting him to bot mode from his packaged cheetah state. I hate how the unending covering of paint makes every joint creak and feel like I'll break it. It's stiff and inflexible despite the abundance of articulation. It's one of the shiniest, most properly finished figures I own but handle it for any length of time? No, I'm good thanks. And this is where things like Cyberverse Prowl come in. Toys as meat for the hands. Toys as objects to be handled first and looked at second. Toys as toys. Without pretense, without finesse, without luxuriance, spartan in a way.
So if there's currently an intent in my mind (or there was when I set out to write this and take this tack) it's to rep those gimmick guys. I'm well aware my taste in robots may be atrocious, but I still feel like I have taste. I'm not just scattergun buying for the sake of it. What I'll always care about first and foremost from Transformers is fun and I'm at a point now where that's all I want to pursue, all that really brings me anything. Go ahead, sacrifice some joints for sturdier build. Sacrifice some detail for a fun gimmick. Sacrifice some paint just so I don't feel like I'll chip and scratch the thing within the first five minutes of transforming it. Yes, of course I'll still have have space in my heart for the higher end pieces, I know what's good but I also know that the toys you, Dear Reader, will tell me aren't worth my time are also good in their own warm blanket kind of way. That's how it always used to be and I'm happy to make it that way again. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to hunt for a One Step Wheeljack.
Read Dorian's previous piece here
Read my piece on the Bumblebee Movie toys here
Follow Ben @Waspshot23
Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Collector Intent
- Dorian MacQuarrie
Behind every collection lies some sort of intent. Whether that's... intentional... or not won't always be the case but underneath every purchase lies some driving force making you, the collector buy that toy. For some that intent could just be "buy the fun new toys" but for others, it might be a far more specific, far more refined direction. With that said, let's get to it.
Now, I'm not saying there needs to be some highbrow, overly cerebral driving force behind every collector. There are plenty of people out there buying fun toys for just that, fun toys. But scratch the surface even a little and you'll find an intent to give yourself some good feelings and a dash of excitement as you hold that shiny new Siege toy and get to show it off among friends. Question it further still and I'm sure plenty of people are currently collecting a certain line, putting together a certain cast from a show or comic or even on a quest to buy every Megatron...
I wouldn't be myself if I didn't have several intents and directions ongoing with my collection. A lot of these just crop up without much forethought. One purchase informs another and suddenly I'm keen on completing the entire Fansproject back catalogue. Maybe I've just read a particularly exciting comic and now I'm tracking down suitable toys to bulk out my Lost Light crew. These are examples of the sort of intent I'm getting at. A purpose, something that it is driving your collecting and buying habits. It can be fairly vague, just a plan to buy the recent releases and enjoy them or it can be particular, specific, exact, such as looking to buy a Diaclone Powered Convoy (literally, in my dreams). Currently I'm sitting somewhere in the middle, with an eye to picking up 1987/88 G1 Decepticons. Quite often they are some of the best Transformers toys of the waning years of G1, bringing together a plethora of gimmicks of the age, all decked out in the single greatest colour palette ever to grace transforming robot toys. It's a fairly narrow spectrum to buy from but at the same time, I'm being quite casual about it. I'm not looking on eBay or scouring selling pages on Facebook but I'm definitely walking into TFNation this year looking to pick up some Decepticon Clones.
Personally, I think having some sort of intent or direction is absolutely vital to maintaining a healthy balance between appreciating what you have and looking towards your next purchase. It has seen me possibly buy toys that I would have otherwise passed over for some small sense of completion but it has also seen me sell toys as I move my interests to another part of the vast range of Transformers lines. With the end of MTMTE/Lost Light, I definitely feel less need to have a shelf with all of my favourite crew members. It was a fun experience at the time, to have my collection align with a piece of media, (truly a core pillar of the childhood play experience), but now that we are all said and done, it's time to move on and find a new venture with which to fill my time whilst keeping in touch with my collection.
Previously I've written an abundance of material on my waning collecting habits and now, as I sit here writing my first article after eight whole months (jings!) I'm fast realising that it is not just a lack of new toys which has seen my interest in Transformers wane but a lack of direction. For the most part I have many of the toys I want and it takes a new collecting direction for me to keep my interests engaged. Thankfully there are all manner of lines/cartoons/subsets for me to turn my gaze to in order to keep myself entertained.
Even now I know that once I've assembled some more late G1 Decepticons, I have an eye to putting together a G1 Bruticus, maybe not piece by piece but definitely not as one large purchase as where's the fun in that?
If you're currently indulging in a piece of collecting intent then please, sound off. I'd love to know what sort of factors drive other collectors, the more particular the better.
As always, keep it #Refined.
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