Distinct Heads

I sometimes re-read old posts of mine. Looking back I just wanted to get some of my thoughts out there, but I was trying too hard to be balanced. At a time, it was almost like I was just commenting on the news, and other times (before I used my phone!), I clearly couldn’t be bothered to take photos and upload them to my laptop. I find it interesting though as I can see the evaluation of my collecting mindset. 2010 me would be very happy with my collection as it is now. 2013 me would be grumpy that we still don’t have Throttlebots, and 2016 me would be grumpy we don’t have Thunderclash.

Looking back though I have finally achieved pretty much all my goals - all G1 animal based Transformers, complete ‘84-‘87 Classics, complete sets of Turtles, Thundercats, Ghostbusters, and Power Rangers. I worked out (and got) what I wanted from Marvel, Batman and Star Wars (turns out it wasn’t Star Wars Transformers). I used to predict the end of my collecting, several times it felt like I was almost there. I’ve cut out my eBay habit (apart from selling) and have greatly slowed my level of upgrading/replacing. I’ve almost completed all the custom projects I wanted to do, I made a major collecting change (no more G1) and have sold off a big chunk of figures, previously where there was WST, G1, MP, and Generations there is just Generations. I’m where I want to be. This blog is my collecting diary to record all my thoughts and hopes. And just in case it’s not clear, I’m still hoping for a Thunderclash.

That said, I need to appreciate what I have and three that I’m really grateful for are Titans Return Trypticon, Earthrise Scorponok and Haslab Deszaras. There was a time when they all seemed really unlikely, but Scorponok seemed like a very long wait once Fort Max was on the scene.

No Thunderclash, but Sureshot, Quickstrike and Blast Off turned up. It’s been funny with AOTP - I’ve bought most of the deluxes, a couple of voyagers, all of the Commanders and Titan. None of the leaders. Sureshot looks great apart from the head. I’m not a fan of the blue visor, but also just not a fan of the headsculpt. I’ll have to consider options. Quickstrike looks great although the original is still pretty great (is it a bit too big?). Blast Off also looks good and goes really well with Brawl and Vortex.

I wasn’t planning on getting the new Monstructor but then it went up for preorder and….. yep, I preordered it. I do like that headsculpt.

Have moved on to my final customs, started the penultimate one and thought actually, I need to get this done and working on them in tandem is more time efficient as if I’m waiting for something on one I can be working on the other. One is a Transformer and the other a Mortal Kombat character. Amazingly the ideas are only a few years old! As I started thinking about them I realised I needed a couple of bits (in one case a whole new figure). My plan after this is to call it a day on making rubber moulds and casting things in resin. All that stuff takes up a lot of real estate.

Decided to set up a Lost Light shelf. Wow, a lot of the Titans Return figures aren’t as good as I remember. Nightbeat wasn’t looking so good, looking a bit yellowed. A lot of the main figures - Rodimus, Megatron and Cyclonus I’ve never actually had on display before. I then had a thought, I’ve got almost everything I really want on display actually on display. Apart from the characters that turn up in Call of the Primatives. But if I put my Lego somewhere else I’d have room……

Anyway, I ordered another Cosmic Legions figure, I has two very distinct heads. I’m leaning towards the predator head as the better option. Looking forward to the upgrade set later in the year.

Stalking the Skies

Did a bit of a head swap on Medusa. Prefer the bodysuit look over the leotard, but the new headsculpt/hair sculpt is much much better.

Also did a bit of Transformers upgrading, popped a new noggin on Kup (again), no question it looks much better, and now he looks a little more alive. Also put some stickers on Sunstreaker. I think I’m finally happy with this figure now (having changed the head as well).

Winston arrived. I always thought he looked the coolest as a kid since he had the mint coloured jumpsuit. Thankfully no incorrect parts this time. The figures seem to be coming quickly now after a big old wait for Peter. The team is almost complete.

In a slightly unexpected arrival, the corrected Haslab RID Optimus Prime/Fire Convoy (cab only) arrived without notice. I finally transformed it into super mode. Okay, it’s pretty amazing. To my mind it’s beast wars (according to Takara and the Japanese Beast Wars mook). Works for me. A fine addition to my leaders collection, it also came with an Ultra Magnus. I like the Optimus super mode more than the Omega mode so that’s how it will stay. I think his gun looks like a hairdryer mind.

I’ve started to catch up on MCU TV stuff - watched Ironheart (enjoyed the science/magic dynamic) and Marvel Zombies (dark). All good fun. Am going to rewatch Black Panther 2 then watch the Eyes of Wakanda mini series. (Then Wonderman.)

Got a Star Wars VC figure for the first time in a few years - Shaak Ti - it’s been less than a year since I got the BS version.

News month! Or not. Preorders for Powerglide and Swerve. Good to get them lined up. Watched a Marvel Legends panel and….. nothing I’m interested in (or I already have those characters), which set the scene for Toy fair: McFarlane are doing a Johnny Cage (to be fair new moulds were also hinted at). Absolutely nothing else of interest. There was a briefly a chance of a Lego Marvel modular but it looks like it’s going to be a Helicarrier. Bruticus looks decent but in truth I’m hoping for a toy deco (Swindle is very yellow), and he’s going to need a third party gun. There was a Sunstorm name drop in the recap which was encouraging. I listened to a podcast about the Transformers news, and again just nothing for me. I better get used to this.

Still going with a bit of customising, though slow progress. Managed to slow myself further by realising I needed to buy some new paints. Anyway, got there eventually - Skystalker! To quote myself from March 2009 (after putting in an order for Universe Countdown): “It would be good have a Skystalker for him to face off against”. Finally managed it.

Finally, a couple of new (old) figures to finish the month, Brawl! It looks pretty great (and so it should for a deluxe masquerading as a voyager), but I do apparently need to sand a bit down. Looks good though. And also in a dirty shade of green, Abomination! I had a part swapped version of this figure before but the head and body match properly this time.

Inhuman New Year

2026 is going to be a good year for completing things. Inhumans, A:EMH (finale) Avengers, Ghostbusters, plush Dinobots, and hopefully Lego minfigs. Maybe a few other bits as well. I watched the latest leak video for Marvel Legends and there’s nothing new I want - still want Doc Samson and that’s it. Marvel Legends is now like Star Wars black series - just waiting for a couple more figures but otherwise I’m not really collecting it anymore.

The first step towards that is finally getting Gorgon to finish off the Inhumans (and Medusa, although I already had the Walgreens version). He is huge! Taller than the Hulk. I’d rather he was a bit smaller but he looks great. The Inhumans are complete!!!

My resolution for the year I think is more of the same - I did really well tracking my spending last year so will do the same again. Hopefully a few less unplanned bits though.

Starting the year off with….. an unplanned thing. Sky Byte! I’d heard good things about this one and it was at a price which is hard to say no to. But, I prefer the greater symmetry of the T30 version and then it dawned on me - T30 is closer to the Cyberverse version of the character, and so that’s the one I will keep. Should have listened to that little voice.

I started working on a new custom - started by using rubbing alcohol to remove some paint. Very tedious. This is actually the second iteration of my idea for this custom but found myself thinking about the first again, and so re-bought the original figure I got for it. Which then also needs paint removing and the old UV treatment. Custom has doubled in work required.

My first proper Transformer of the year is Windcharger. The blue/green is a bit cartoon-ish for me but it’s a nice figure, and the transformation is quite surprising - it all comes from the legs. Am sort of hoping they do a toy deco release in the carded retro line.

The best present I got for Christmas was the Lego Game Boy. I’ve not built anything quite like it before but a really impressive build. Looks the business!

Thinking about my future transformers wish list - I think I may just have passed a tipping point where (assuming Throttlebots and Grandus do actually happen), I’m more excited about the prospect of certain characters being redone in Generations rather than G1 characters that haven’t had an update yet. Thunderclash aside, the prospect of an updated God Ginrai, Metroplex, Broadside, Dai Atlas, Defensor and Predaking is where the excitement is.

Talking about excitement - Missing Link Grimlock! Looks great, immediately put in a preorder. Also preordered Abomination, hopefully it’s not too long until we hear about Doc Samson.

So not quite the cheap January I might have expected but a good start to the year.