Neo G1

When I was growing up it was all about Transformers - the Transformers that came to be known as Generation 1. When I started collecting again in the 2000's, to start with it was all about reissues of those figures.

We are now in a position where G1 has come back round again - it started off with a few homages in Energon, Alternators, Masterpiece and then finally a hull blown lines of homages - Classics. Classics turned into Universe (Classics 2.0), which has now turned into Generations. From the recent Botcon we've found out we're getting new versions of Jazz, Scourge, Tracks, Grapple, Windcharger and more.

Newer lines have been much more G1 in nature - Animated and to a certain extent the Movie line have definite nods to Generation 1. Comics have also played their part - first Dreamwave then IDW. Generation 1 is alive and well. It's a fantastic time to be a collector and fan!

One of the figures we've got in Generations is Drift - an IDW creation, we're also getting a Straxus (Darkmount) - a Furman/Marvel creation. All this is an updated G1 - modern toys - detailed and posable, darker storylines. Neo G1 perhaps, but what is Neo G1?

I think Classics/Universe/Generations is Neo G1, as are the DW/IDW comics - they take the characters we know and love and have built on it, characterising some of the lesser used characters and creating a few new ones.

If someone had asked me a few years back which characters I'd like in the upcoming Classics line, I'd have said all of the Season 1, 2 and 3 characters (and feel free to miss out Wreck-Gar). By the end of Generations I think we'll be pretty close to this, but Hasbro being the clever blighters they are always give us a bit more.

I look at my collection now, which is essentially 'Neo G1' and see alot more than just those characters from the first 3 seasons. Some of these are characters from other lines - Beast Wars, Armada, Energon and Cybertron lines which aren't G1 but I try and fit them into my made-up toy universe (Cybertron Scourge for instance).

Then there are characters from the latter end of G1 - Micromasters and Pretenders for instance, who have also got figures that I just can't say no to (Movie Bludgeon for instance), then there are characters who have been 'upgraded' - Powerglide and Seaspray, who aren't faithful to their G1 selves, but (in the case of Seaspray), are fantastic looking toys which are hard to ignore.

Then there are 'new' characters (quite a lot created by ehobby) - Drift and Hailstorm who have to be slotted in somehow. My original 'vision' of the characters from Seasons 1, 2 and 3 has cleverly been expanded to include Beast Wars, the Terrorcons from Energon, and the various Cybertron repaints as various vaguely G1 characters (Vector Prime anyone?).

I reckon about the only characters left who need figures are Wheeljack, Blitzwing, Trailbreaker/Hoist and Gears. Once we've got them I think I can give up collecting, and you know, I think Hasbro knows that so are in no rush to release them - they know I just can't ignore all the other things they release.

Halfway through 2010!

So we're almost halfway through the year (and I haven't blogged since the New Year), so it seems a good time to reflect on what the year has brought us and how it's going.

The branded Movie line slowly seems to be drying up, and hopefully the shops are gearing up for Transformers Generations (and the Hunt for the Decepticons line Seaspray), and in fact a few places such as Australia have got them already.

I'm passing on the announced War for Cybertron figures, not that I think they're bad figures but I don't need another Prime, Megatron et al. Drift and Straxus (Darkmount) seem full of promise though, and we've got Botcon in a few weeks which hopefully will set the stall for the coming months. Personally I'm hoping for an announcement of a Jazz (I'd be happy with a War for Cybertron figure), and then maybe a Wheeljack, Blitzwing and Scourge. I can hope!

It sounds like we might get a few of the '86 Movie cast as well (such as a repaint of Drift as Blurr), so I can't wait.

The 3rd party releases are going along nicely as well - Springer, Rumble and Frenzy already, with Bruticus and Arcee lined up. Let's hope that Fansproject keep up the good work - it'd be great to see the Broadside and other figures mentioned a while back (I know Arcee's not Fansproject!). An Energon Devastator upgrade would also be awesome, but perhaps Crazydevy will do the honours. I've been getting their G1 parts and they seem to be pretty solid.

Takara are still doing some awesome stuff - the G1 Unicron looks utterly fantastic and hopefully we'll get Device Label Blaster soon.

Marvel Universe is still going strong and there seem plenty of great figures about to be released (already appearing in some places) - Ghost Rider, Captain Britain, Mystique, Archangel and Juggernaut. Galactus is a while off but is set to be an awesome figure. It seems a bit of a shame that figures appear on ebay before an official unveiling but hopefully SDCC in July will provide a few surprises. I'm hoping for a few 'filler' figures - Invisible Woman, Rogue, Beast, Professor X to complete the Fantastic Four and the X-men. I'd love to see a Carnage in the Spider-man line as well, preferably with more articulation than Venom though.

There are a few other lines and figures that I'm following - Hulkbuster from the Iron Man 2 line, the PopCo Nintendo 5" Waves 02 and 03 seem a very long time coming - I still want to see Wario, Princess and Bowser. Yoda in the Transformers Crossovers is also on my to get list, it looks ridiculous, but it seems a bit late in the day for me to start criticising the line!

It will also be interesting to see what happens with Infinite Heroes. It was recently announced that Bandai have got the license for a new Thundercats line, so my dream of articulated figures looks like it might come true. Hurrah!

I'm still picking up some G1 figures on ebay, left on my 'To Get' list are the combiner cassettes (Grandslam, Raindance, Beastbox and Squawktalk), the Monster Pretenders and the Terrorcons. I still long for the day when I'm just 'cherry-picking' from the Marvel Universe and Transformers Classics 3.0/4.0/etc lines!

It occurred to me the other day that I quite miss the Takara Collection days - the excitement of the news of the next release, it arriving in the post and the ritual of the opening. No umming and arring about whether to wait to see if it appears in shops here or just to bite the bullet, and buy it on ebay. Having said that, nothing quite matches the thrill of the hunt - finding the figure you want and buying it in person is great. I still remember very fondly successful trips where I've got the last one in a particular shop.

Drift, Straxus, Seaspray and the Marvel Universe figures should be out soon. Let the hunt begin!