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.