For my favourite lines, Marvel Universe, Legends, G1, Beast Wars, Classics and Masterpiece I would buy additional versions to open. For the Transformers I would buy duplicates so I could have one in each mode. (Importantly also including an extra Sixshot so I could have one in winged wolf mode.)
This would I think satisfy an urge to create what is effectively a museum display. Curating it would be a dream. It would all be displayed by year of release and wave. But on top of this it would be more interesting to put together other collections. A display of Lost Light characters, a display of everyone from Infinity War, a Masterforce collection or 90s X-Men cartoon lineup. This would relate the collection directly to the media that inspired my interest in the first place. If I had all of the time and money I would have a display for each series of Transformers, perhaps smaller displays relating to particular stories in the comics, each of my favourite Marvel cartoon series. A display for each MCU film.
The thing about these media specific displays is that they would just use the best or most fitting version of each character. The Ultra Magnus from Combiner Wars would be the best choice for a Lost Light display, but the new Magnus from Siege would likely be a better choice for a '86 Movie display. I could perhaps get some relevant artwork to go with the display. (So Lost Light comic covers for the former and the '86 Movie poster for the latter.)
If for my S1 of the G1 cartoon display all of the figures were available as Masterpiece then great, I'd use them. If the figures for the X-men cartoon were mostly available as 3.75" figures then I'd use them (actually for some of the Movies 3.75" is probably a better option). If a Classics version of a character didn't exist then I'd use the G1 figure. Use the best version available.
On top of this there be might a few ad-hoc collections, a Grimlock collection, a Micromaster City, an Iron Man armoury, etc, but a display centred about my favourite series, films and comics would be awesome. Beyond that, I could expand it to cover computer games, a MKII display, a Smash Bros. display. Amazing.
Day dreaming is fun, but it is useful to focus my collecting. What I want is media based collections. And actually, that's what I already do, okay so I don't buy multiple of different characters for each series or film, but I do collect so that I could create each display, not at the same time, but one at a time. By working out what I would do if money and space was no object then I can work on slightly downsized versions of the same thing.
I think the upshot of all this is that I've convinced myself not to necessarily limit myself to one version of each character (which to be fair, I never really did before). But also that I want to be able to put together something resembling a MCU collection. On a podcast I listen to the host explained that he thought it was good to try and understand your own collecting philosophy, I agree completely. I spend a lot of time trying to understand mine.
**********
Predaking and Darkwing have arrived! I now have all of the Power of the Primes figures I want.
Taking the box out of the car having picked it up, I thought to myself how disappointing it was that I wasn't really looking forward to opening it all that much. Compared to when I got the G1 Predaking reissue back in 2005, I just wasn't feeling it. I think having previously owned the Mastermind version was taking something away from the experience. I had already owned them once, I'd already 'ticked' them off the wanted list.
Opening the box, I took the time to appreciate the artwork, it's rather good and there is a large version of the standard character card with it again inside.
Headstrong and Tantrum first, beast mode and robot mode are just dominated by the combiner thigh piece. I love how chunky it is. The headsculpt is fantastic. I can see past the integrated combiner kibble, despite the fact it affects the balance, but the hollow calves are rather disappointing.
Rampage is somewhat average, there's nothing about him that stands out. Divebomb has a particularly excellent headsculpt and the way his robot mode head in integrated inside the eagle mouth is brilliant. Razorclaw is the neatest of the five, and has a solid robot mode. Pretty poor beast though. I think the G1 toys actually have better beast modes.
Combined mode is of course where this thing really shines. I didn't use the instructions, just looked at the photos on the box, and it's all fairly intuitive and so enjoyable. Nothing was frustrating. I knew Predaking was going to be big, but transforming Headstrong and Tantrum into legs was impressive. Then they slot into Divebombs wingpack. Wow! I particularly liked how Divebomb folds up into an arm. Folding up Razorclaws back legs was the only thing I got a bit stuck on (because they're at the back and so not visible in the packaging photos). The way it combines is effortless and graceful. I combined it sitting on the sofa, but resting it on the floor. When I finished I lifted it up on to sofa. Wow! And wow! I left it standing in a room and came back to it ten minutes later, and wow again.
Playing with the individual robots, I think I could just about convince myself that I made the right decision to replace my Mastermind figures based on the quality of the headsculpts. In combined mode, I absolutely made the right decision. No regrets whatsoever!
I don't think photos quite capture how good and impressive this thing looks in person. I found myself saying 'face, Predaking' a few times (that's a quote from Call of the Primatives). I think the Dinobots and Sky Lynx (and Trypticon really) are woefully undersized in comparison. The beast modes are terrible, the robot modes are okay, but impressively chunky, Predaking is utterly amazing. The only thing I can say against it is the lack of weapons, and given the superiority of the combined mode, the lack of a sword for Predaking is a huge omission. I can forgive the lack of swords for the individual robots (just), but a large sword for a Predaking is a must. Third parties must be rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of the money coming in.
Oh, and I got Darkwing. He's an Aerialbot. Good headsculpt though. I'm glad to have the Dreadwing guys as deluxes, just need to complete the Autobot Powermasters now.
**********
I have just gone through almost exactly the same process with Marvel Legends as I did a month or so back, I made a list of everything I wanted, decided it was too long and so tried to just pick a few figures. I'm torn between getting the figures of the characters I like, and having a set of figures that go together. If I were just to select a set of figures that go together I would get the 90's cartoon X-Men, that would be a great set.
I realise I have some sort of pathological need for toys I don't have, at certain stages I thought I had decided what to get only to realise, I really don't need them! I can make a decent argument for a Wolverine Legends figure. The figure has personality which is lacking from the 3.75" figure. I think that is a useful test for whether to get a Legends version of a character. I have now just ordered Wolverine, will see how I feel about him when he arrives.
Anyway, thinking about MCU versions of figures versus comic versions, I've decided I also want MCU headsculpts of the more morally ambiguous characters, Loki, Yondu and the like. I've therefore picked up the Starlord - Yondu 3.75" set (in a sale!). From a 616 perspective, MCU Yondu is more accurate than the comic one from the original Guardians. It's a really nice set and I hope we get more 3.75" MCU stuff. Strangely, I'm in a mindset now where if I could have any 3.75" figures, I'd go for MCU Peter Parker, T'Challa and Bruce Banner.
Sounds like we're going to get some Thundercats figures! Woooooo! Also, some promising hints for the Decepticon figures in Siege. Please be true. Also I would love some Mega Construx Thundercats figures (and a TMNT blimp if they ever revisit the collectors line), the idea of having a Ghostbusters Fire Station (the Lego one), Turtles’ and Cats’ lair all made out of bricks is quite exciting. Come on Mattel!
**********
So, I've decided to get Marvel Legends figures of all the (90's) X-Men and Spider-Man. I have reasoned to myself that there are two reasons to get Marvel Legends figures, firstly if a character I really like is only available in 6", or secondly if it's a character I like who benefits from the larger scale. X-Men and Spider-Man are my original favourites, when Universe started those were the characters I 'really' wanted, so I will start with them.
