Decade of Classics

I've had a very quiet month, not a cheap month since I've paid for Masterpiece Megatron (not received yet). Time for a bit of reflection...

It is now 10 years since I got into Classics, it and its various successors now constitute most of my toy collection. At the moment that's over 160 figures. What started me off on Classics was FunPub releasing pictures of Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust. This combined with the Ramjet I'd seen in a shop was enough to convince me that it was time to get onboard.

I thought it would be quite timely to consider the figures' (including those from the 2007 Botcon, given its importance to me) impact on my collection now.

The lineup consisted of deluxes, some repainted Cybertron legends figures, packs of minions, a handful of voyagers, some convenient repaints and fairly random other figures. I'm going to ignore the Cybertron legends and randoms because I didn't buy them. I bought one pack of the minicons - the dinobots, on a trip so they have happy memories attached to them. I did later replace them with the G1 dinobot coloured repaints though (which included a Catilla figure from the Snarl in the predator pack). I don't think of them as Classics though so they sit with my Grimlock figures.

I bought the Grimlock, but quickly replaced him with the Henkei version as I liked the paint deco on the head. He is a homage to the Pretender version of the character so when the Fall of Cybertron figure was released he was also replaced. He now also sits on my Grimlock shelf. I also replaced Bumblebee with the Henkei version, who I then replaced with the Universe legends figure, who I then replaced with the iGear Beetle figure, who I then replaced with the Generations scout figure. (The iGear figure now sits with Universe legends Starscream and Jazz, and Henkei Grimlock as a pretender classics homage.) I also replaced Cliffjumper with his (legends) Henkei figure, and then similarly with his Generations figure.

I also bought and replaced Starscream with the Henkei version, who is still in my collection. I repainted the original into Sunstorm which I also still have. I held off buying Astrotrain because he was white and so got (and still have) the Henkei version.

Of the other deluxes; Mirage, Hot Rod, Ramjet, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust are still in my collection. I think the seekers should probably be voyager, but I really like the mold, especially the coneheads, and with owning Masterpiece Starscream, I'm happy that I've got at least one super detailed seeker figure. Hot Rod has his Reprolabels on and is holding his G1 targetmaster guns. Mirage has held up very well, so I've never really considered replacing any of them.

I bought Optimus Prime and despite buying an Age of Extinction 2-pack with a chromed redeco, I have stuck with it (I painted over the yellow paint apps though). With Megatron, I bought the Henkei version and again, despite buying Hegemon have stuck with it as my definitive Classics version of the character (chrome Prime and Hegemon were sold). I've kept my Ultra Magnus and Jetfire despite buying the newer leader versions, the difference being that Magnus has replaced his predecessor on the shelf, but Jetfire has not (I think of the leader as fitting more with my Masterpiece figures). I might display Magnus in a Dreamwave homage pose where he's breaking out of the armour so kept the voyager. I bought and sold the FansProject upgrade for Ultra Magnus, at the time it came out it was very exciting, but the headsculpt never really worked for me.

I bought (Walmart Energon repaint) Devastator some time after he was released, but sold him in favour of the Crazydevy upgraded G1 version. (I think Fansproject missed a trick on an upgrade kit for the Energon repaint.) The Crazydevy set-up was replaced by the Maketoys set and finally the Takara Combiner Wars set who is just awesome (like Jetfire I think of him as half Classics and half masterpiece).

From the Botcon box set I also got Bugbite and Dreadwind who I eventually both sold - I couldn't find a place for Bugbite to fit in and Dreadwind as a repaint of Jetfire didn't really work for me (hoping for a new version!).

Classics completely changed my collecting, if it hadn't have come along I think I would have stuck with G1, maybe until I had them all. Instead posability and sculpting became all important. I started paying attention to conventions to see what new figures were coming out, suddenly what was in the news was important! I still have several of the original figures in my collection and on display ten years later. They did well enough to get a continuation as Universe and went from strength to strength. What a line!

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Starscream as a character irritates me, whiney and back-stabbing. I accept him as a main iconic character, and so am willing to admit that no collection is complete without him. But bugger me, if I haven't accidentally bought a ridiculous amount of toys of him. Grimlock I actively buy toys of, Starscream, I just seem to acquire them!

Part of it is I think because of his altmode (and because Megatron and Soundwave have non-vehicle alt modes, which are dated or non modern toy friendly), Starscream has become the poster boy for the Decepticons. Robotmasters, Classics, WST and Masterpiece he was up there from the beginning. The other reason of course is because he has multiple easy repaints.

So I collect G1 reissues, Classics, WST and Masterpiece, so I should have 4 Starscream toys. I indeed have a Starscream from each of those lines, but then I have a custom bi-plane Starscream from Movie Rampage, I have a custom from a GI Joe Skystriker, I have a legends version to go with my Classics Grimlock to act as a Pretenders homage (with Bumblebee and Jazz). I did have a G1 black Starscream and a Kreo build once, but since have seen sense and sold them. I also have BWII Starscream, Starscrem if you will (technically a different character, but could have been a G2 release). I was all set to buy the Play With This Too homage. Now I'm also thinking of buying a ghost Starscream to go with my Beast Wars figures. I can't stop!

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Have got Masterpiece Megatron now, yeah, he looks amazing, but I think my appetite for expensive transformers is getting seriously diminished. Titans Trypticon and Scorponok, Masterpiece Shockwave (if they do a toy accurate one) and Blaster, then hopefully that should be it.

Spending spree

I've sold quite a lot of stuff on eBay recently and so have been able to go on a mini spending spree!

I bought the Cyclonus and his armada Platinum set. Very happy with this, I realise that I've slowly been applying my Marvel Universe army building philosophy to Transformers. I now have multiples of the Insecticons, Junkions and now Cyclonus and Scourge (the Sweeps). Actually you can Sharkticons to that list! I bought two online then having having checked five Asdas, eventually found one in person.

In those five trips I also found two Kickbacks, so am very happy to have a complete set of Insecticons. (Again - having sold my Fansproject Insecticons.) Kickback is another nice legends update to one of G1's smaller figures. I ordered W4 online so now also have another figure that I sold my Fansproject version of - Broadside. I really like this figure, he's the perfect mix of chunky and the thin panels needed to create the aircraft carrier mode. I'm half tempted to keep him in said mode and put with my WST.

I've also got my first Throttlebot - Chase, who I had as a kid. Really hope we can get all five. (Maybe all six, not sure with Goldbug whether I'm buying versions of the same character yet.) I now have Classics versions of just about every toy I had as a kid, not including dinobots or micromasters mind (I've included WST Slag in the photo for completeness, but failed because I forgot about poor Sludge). The mold is pretty good, won't be replacing my current Bumblebee with Chase's mold mate version. Happy for a couple more Throttlebots out of it though.

I haven't opened Brawn yet, will have to decide whether to replace my Henkei version when I do. I also bought the W4 Titanmasters so have Repugnus and Shuffler. I'm not opening them just yet though.

I found Maria Hill at a great price on eBay (from Asia). Think will have to paint her blue. I randomly decided that the three pack Fantastic 4 set version of the Thing is more A:EMH accurate so (re) bought that. Also bought the Konami Mole model as the modern version wasn't working for me. Fantastically well detailed. I need to get the Firefly now!

Finally, I got the Mega Construx Donatello battle pack. Wasn't interested in the rock soldiers, but great to complete the team. Shame his staff uses the purple rubber rather than the off white it should be, but the four together look great. Just need Splinter and the blimp! (I had big hopes for toy fair news, but Mattel seems to prefer just to release the toys rather than announce them.)

And time to ease to ease off the spending........

Photos of Misfire and Slugslinger have emerged from the Australian toy fair. Oh yeah! Now I am even more excited about the prospect of a Crosshairs repaint of Kup, and hopefully a Sureshot and Pointblank from somewhere.

I feel increasingly with Titans Return that there are some tough decisions to make - Perfect Effect Warden or Fortress Maximus? Updated Brawn and Seaspray? New Astrotrain, Blitzwing and Octane? What about Topspin and Twintwist? I have existing versions of those characters which I'm mostly very happy with. It would nice to have all three Decepticon triple changers as voyagers, but do I want them as headmasters? I really like my Mech Ideas jumpstarters.

I think cost money is the main factor here so for the most part I'm going to stick, but I think I will let chance come into it - if I see Blitzwing and Octane I might just update those guys. Astrotrain is a character where I much prefer the cartoon deco so would go Takara.

£2.50 worth of happy

I bought some more Bossfight studios figures, this time three female blanks - blue, purple and green. More details soon on what I plan to turn them into! Great figures though I don't think I need the nipples to be so prominent.

I caved in and bought Zelda from the World of Nintendo line. Not much in the way of posability but a nice figure. Need a Ganondorf to go with!

I finally got round to buying the four mini micromaster bases to create the zone base (from Zone funnily enough). I had the garage set as a kid so it's nice to have it again. Am going to make a little city on my desk!

So I thought I would hit up an out of town supermarket on the way home. It was a bit of an epic trip, walking down country lanes, no pavement in the pouring rain with darkness setting in. I had hoped to find some W3 Transformers Legends, sadly nothing doing. I did find Power Rangers Mega Construx (nee Bloks) blind packed figures, with a white ranger right in the middle of the picture on the front! This is remarkable for a couple of reasons, I don't think I've ever gone to a shop and found something I didn't even know existed that I wanted (since I was a kid at least). Secondly, I really wanted a white ranger to go with the other six rangers I already had (from the 20th anniversary set).

I was feeling lucky, so grabbed a bag and bought it. I got a green ranger, close but not quite there. On the way home it occurred to me to find the codes for the white ranger online. I duly found (two sets of) the codes and decided to go back the next day. On the bus I checked the code of the green ranger I already had, no match. The UK had yet again another set. I realised I would have to delve into the dark art of bag feeling. I found something I thought was the white rangers sabre and so started to walk to the checkout. Then something clicked, I might have the putty patrol figure. I went back and resumed my feeling (in retrospect I did have the putty patrol).

The red ranger and Lord Zedd both have long stick like weapons, pink ranger and the putty patrol have semi-circular weapons. Green and white ranger both have short stick like weapons. I sorted through several bags, and using the green ranger code that I already knew, eventually found something which a short stick like weapon with a different code to the one I already had. I bought it.

Success! Rarely has a £2.50 item made me so happy, I walked towards work back down the country lanes. It was a bit misty but a clear sky day, the sun was just coming up. Everything seemed right with the world! I had a little read online about bag feeling, there's guides to several of the different Lego series. It was quite an interesting look at a fandom I don't know much about. With transformers we discuss the ethics of third party figures and KOs. With Lego they talk about the ethics of bag feeling, but particularly where the person is army building or re-selling the identified figures (so depriving other people a chance at those figures). I feel that my identifying one figure was fine.

I'm not sure if it's just that I am easily satisfied, but online no one else seemed very happy with the new figures. I think the white ranger is the nicest figure in the wave (nice gold decals), so maybe that helps. I agree in comparison to the TMNT figures they are under articulated, but they are consistent with the ones I already had. I now have a complete set of rangers, this makes me happy! Incidentally, the green ranger I already had is much better than the new one, it has the dragon shield and is a nicer shade of green.

In other news, I've re-bought Universe Countdown. Partially I think because of his appearance(s) in IDW as a full size transformer, but also because I've watched Zone, he's fair game for my Classics collection. There are now a handful of toys I've bought, sold and then re-bought, Botcon Razorclaw, Generations Drift and now Universe Countdown. (Razorclaw being a particularly ridiculous example because I then sold him for a second time!) I really like the Cybertron Defense figures so it's good to have a representative in my collection again.

Toy Fair is finally here! Was really excited about the potential Transformers Marvel Legends 3.75", Mega Construx Turtles and maybe, just maybe some Super 7 Thundercats news. This feels a little bit like deja vu from SDCC (or maybe NYCC, feels pretty familiar anyway!).....

So Trypticon and Overlord look great, can't wait for them, but we did know about them before. Transformers wise, I think Pounce and Fastlane are the only other two I want. Metalhawk and Nautica look interesting, but given they're in box sets I'm not sure I'll go for them. Hopefully Takara will do something with all four clones. That was it, nothing else to get excited about. Booooooo!

Takara did partially redeem the weekend though, Masterpiece Dinobot! Oh yeah. I'll start waiting for SDCC then.

Happy New Year!

Transformers Classics started off as 1984/85 characters with some fan favourites from later years (Hot Rod and Ultra Magnus). As Classics turned into Universe and then Generations it became 1984/85/86 with fan favourites from later years. With Titans Return it's become 1984/5/6/7. With the sole exception of Scoop all other later characters have been some what opportunistic repaints. So will they extend it to 1988? I really don't think so, they'll have done Overlord and God Ginrai (whom I have just got, looks great, can't wait for God Bomber), I don't think there's enough interest for those characters (those characters being Pretenders), they will do some of the double Targetmasters (e.g. Quake) and headmaster juniors when they're convenient repaints, but otherwise it's time for the beasts. That said, I didn't think they'd do the 1987 characters, we're getting figures I never thought I'd see! There's a sense of no figure is off the cards and that's exciting.

I bought an Avengers Assemble Falcon as I wanted a more modern costume for him (read, more EMH). He's quite chunky, and I think I might get rid of the stripes he has, but it's amazing how good the Avengers Assemble line was in retrospect - I've also a Leader, Black Widow and Iron Man from the line. I've popped a movie Falcon head onto the figure (I was going to use it for another custom, but it didn't fit).

I finally got round to opening my Titans Return Galvatron, he's a decent size, great sculpt, but yep, severely let down by the headmaster gimmick. So unnecessary, so will look into a Shapeways upgrade for him.

I got my Panthro, great sculpt. He looks amazing with Lion-O and the twins. A few rumours are emerging about a deal by Super 7 to get the Thundercats license. Super hopeful that they put out the remaining Thundercats. (And for other collectors' sake, mutants.)

Photos have come out of wave 4 of Titans Return, Broadside, Quake and Chase look great, just hope I can get them!

I've been quite prolific with customs over Christmas (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year by the way!), I've completed Odin, given Hydro-Man his classic look, given Iron Man a bit more paint and given Black Panther an EMH makeover (the sculpt is perfect for it). I've also completed Toad, Pyro and Avalanche. They still need a bit of work (Pyro needs his flamethrower backpack for instance), but fairly happy. Going to take a bit of a break now to sort a few things I've been putting off out (like publishing this blog!).

Real quirky

I've preordered Masterpiece Cheetor, I realised that I have a soft spot for big cats and the Universe figure is just plain shocking. I'm not getting Optimus Primal just yet as I like having the original Ultra figure in the same class as Lio and Big Convoy as well as Megatron. I'd happily get a Tigatron repaint though and would be over the moon if they do a Dinobot (surely?!). My Beast Wars collection is now going to be an even more eclectic mix of toy lines.

Photos and preorders have popped up for God Bomber, wow! Looks amazing, I stuck in a preorder as soon as I could. The combined God Ginrai looks stunning, just need an Overlord to go with!

I've completed a couple of further customs, comic style Malekith and Mephisto. Both use Vortious heads. I'm pretty happy with them, I can now display my SDCC Casket of Eternal Winters with Malekith.

I picked up a cheap MCU Falcon from Amazon, I've given the goggled head to comic Falcon for my comic figures with movie heads line up. I've got plans for the regular head.....

Mega Bloks are putting out a few new interesting classic Turtles and Power Ranger sets. Great to get a cartoon Donatello to go with the other three, just a shame it's not a set with a blimp! The Rangers sets are interesting, a few of the individual MMPR Zords, I'll be keeping an eye on what they do. If they do a white ranger set then I'll be very happy.

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I've been thinking about my spending habits (not for the first time), about half of the stuff I buy is planned: I want a Masterpiece Megatron, they announce one, I put in a preorder and then will buy it when it's released. The other stuff is as the result of for the want of a better word, ideas. I think these 'ideas' can grouped into three categories.

Firstly products, something is announced or rumoured or sometimes I see something in a shop that I want. That in turn makes me want something which has been around for a while, for instance, I passed on Masterpiece for many years, but Sideswipe, Bumblebee and Soundwave won me over. I then bought Optimus Prime and Starscream. The same thing happened with Classics and WST. When Spider-Man Noir was announced I sought out Spider-Man 2099 and Miles Morales Spider-Man to complete the set.

Secondly, thinking about my collection, I sometimes spot 'gaps'. I planned out a load of Marvel customs, then something made me think 'what about DC?', so I planned a load of Batman villains and accordingly bought the base figures. Thinking about my WST collection I have displayed on Metroplex, I thought wouldn't it be cool to have the four scramble city leaders to go with (Silverbolt and co.) as they were designed to all work together.

Thirdly is media inspiration, after watching Beast Wars I decided I needed some more Beast Wars figures, after reading MTMTE I decided I needed a Lost Light shelf (not everything results in buying stuff, sometimes it's just rearranging what I already have). But cartoons, films and comics ultimately are the inspiration behind almost everything I buy.

So this tends to happen with my 3.75" figures more than Transformers, mainly I think of a new custom figure, or identify a better base figure to use and so my 'want' list never quite goes away. The million dollar question is what next? I always think that's it, then something happens to make me want (need?) something else. I think identifying new things to buy is what keeps my enthusiasm going.

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The Entertainer got Wave 3 deluxes in and are selling them for £13.33! Fantastic, I picked up Getaway, Doublecross and Triggerhappy. It really struck me with this wave that deluxes have started getting a bit smaller again. Getaway is just a repaint of Chromedome, so no real surprises, but he doesn't seem quite as plain in person as in pictures. Doublecross and Triggerhappy both have great transformations, intuitive, not too simple and fun. Doublecross does a great job of hiding his beast arms and legs in robot mode. I had G1 Triggerhappy as a kid so initially was a bit disappointed that his transformation is different (the nose of the plane no longer just becomes his chest), but you can still use his vehicle guns in robot mode which makes me happy (perfect if you lose the targetmaster!). So all round, very happy. I'm really enjoying Titans Return so far.

There are several Beast Wars figures I want but am holding off because I hope they might get updates. A couple of the figures are Japanese Beast Wars II, so no chance of an update. I had a look on eBay to see what they were gong for. One figure I'd forgotten about was the Tako Tank, as every time I'd ever looked for it previously it was going for well over £100. I was very surprised to find one going for a third of that. Absolutely no accessories, packaging or Ikard, but for me absolutely perfect. He turned up super quick and it's a bit bigger than I was expecting, but it's awesome! A real quirky toy for sure.

A bit crazy

I've done something a bit crazy. I've bought three extra supersize Thunderbird 2 sets! I got them for twenty quid a piece so pretty cheap, that now gives me a total of 6 pods... I have achieved a childhood dream!

I have managed to find time to complete a couple of customs - Octo-Spider and Man-Spider! I now have the complete line up from the multiverse episodes of the 90s Spider-Man cartoon! Pretty happy with how they turned out.

Masterpiece Megatron has been confirmed! It looks great but I'm holding back on pre-ordering for some reason, mostly money I think despite having sold a few things recently and so have some funds to play with. Equally I'm holding back on ordering a few other things I wanted for a while. I'm feeling much happier with holding off and waiting for a bargain to pop up.

I've bought the BAF Dormammu from the 6" Legends line, he looks great, I did briefly consider a 3.75" custom kit but as an oversized figure he looks great (he can change his size so either would have worked really). I'd quite like a 3.75" Benedict Cumberbatch head sculpt to go with my Avengers with MCU heads. [What's that?! My wish came true. A time travelling Strange from the future?! Someone's been pissing around with a time stone again...]

Despite claiming that I'd planned all the customs I could think a couple of months back, I've started watching Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes again and have been inspired. Surely no more though! I'm slowly finding time to work on customs again, and I think it's the team members I want to focus on - Inhumans, Guardians and Brotherhood of Mutants. For the time being though I'm working on a comic Malekith.

I have finally decided to open Masterpiece Starscream! Yep, 10 years after the original was released I have experienced the mold. Based on photos I wasn't sure whether I'd like the figure, in person I do like it. I'm not sure about the headsculpt, something doesn't seem quite right and I'm not a fan of the platform feet, but overall it's a solid figure. I have reaffirmed my decision to pass on Skywarp and Thundercracker. I think in this era of cartoon based figures, he doesn't quite fit. If they redo him and I like the mold then I'm all up completing the trio, for now I'm content.

I've bought the Combiner Wars Perfect Effect Computron head, gun and chest upgrade. The head is great, it's good to get of those bendy ears, also the mouth rather than a faceplate is more distinctive and toy accurate. The gun was very much Silverbolt's gun so it's great to replace that. I've stuck with the existing chest as I'd rather not have parts left over when I transform him. Not that I ever transform my toys after first getting them. Expensive for what it is, but worth making him more than a Superion repaint.

Sure, why not?!

Masterpiece Inferno and Grapple are on their way (not to me though!). There are rumours of Masterpiece Reflector, this got me thinking. Would I get Reflector? What characters am I collecting? I see Classics as being my representations of the characters from the comics, and Masterpiece of the G1 cartoon. That's my starting point. The first season of the cartoon is incredibly iconic, season 2 was more of the same (with, to be fair, far less notable characters). Season 3, I think never got shown in the UK (we got videos though). I want to get the characters from season 1 (including the 1985 characters such as Shockwave). I'd throw the Dinobots, Insecticons, Jetfire and Devastator in as well, and so, Reflector, sure, why not?

I also really like the licensed carbots - most of them are in season 1, but Tracks I particularly admire (I once saw a Corvette Stingray in a museum, beautiful car), and Skids because I've come to like the character. Of the other season 2 carbots they're all (both?) repaints. I'm also going to throw Runabout (who I had a kid) and Runamuck in as well because the Lotus Esprit and Pontiac Firebird Trans Am are also great looking cars to me. (Thanks James Bond and Knight Rider!)

I collect Grimlocks, Ravages, Razorclaws and Steeljaws. Grimlock and Ravage are both season 1, but I'd also get MP Blaster and the other cassettes along with the Predacons and Ratbat. So there you have it, season 1, plus the best looking (unique) carbots and my favourite characters. That's what Masterpiece is and should be about for me. Thinking about what other characters would make me stop and reconsider, well clearly Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Inferno, Grapple, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge haven't. Astrotrain and Blitzwing would be fairly tough to resist, but as with almost every other character, the Classics versions are fine.

This gives me 60 characters to aim for. To be realistic, I think I can cross the (other) Dinobots, Insecticons and Predacons straight off that list as never going to happen, so that's 48 characters. I have Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Sideswipe, Prowl, Bluestreak, Wheeljack, Bumblebee, Tracks, Ironhide, Ratchet, Soundwave (plus cassettes) and Starscream. I'm going to include Generations Jetfire and Combiner Wars Devastator as Masterpiece, because they mostly fit scale wise and they're not likely to get actual Masterpiece figures. I'm going to exclude Skywarp and Thundercracker because I'm not so taken with the mold that I need it three times. I'm still waiting for a more toy accurate Shockwave, so he's still on the list. That leaves 21 characters I would buy if Takara decides to make them. (Jazz, Sunstreaker, Hound, Trailbreaker, Mirage, the Minibots, Megatron, Shockwave, Reflector, Blaster with cassettes, Skids, Runabout and Runamuck.) Jazz, Sunstreaker, Megatron, Shockwave and Blaster are top of my most wanted list!

Picked up Weirdwolf today, having found Mindwipe last week, so happy to have the original seven headmasters. They complete a bit of a milestone for me. My remaining Classics milestones are Super Ginrai, Trypticon, Overlord, Dinobots, Abominus and Scorponok. I suppose Broadside and getting a full set of Insecticons will also be a big deal, but because I've had unofficial versions of those characters it doesn't seem quite so significant - almost like I've already ticked them off once.

After that, throw me a Mega Bloks TMNT blimp with Donatello, 6" scale Tygra, Cheetara and Snarf and I am sorted! Maybe I'll start collecting stamps instead.

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I collect toys, mostly updated versions of the characters and vehicles I wanted as a kid.  Updated is an interesting idea, with Transformers, I bought Universe Springer - a green repaint of Cybertron Evac. Despite being a green helicopter it didn't feel like a Springer so I replaced it with the Fansproject Springer. That still didn't feel like Springer despite being a triple changing green helicopter. Generations Springer does feel like a Springer, more so than the G1 toy I would say.

I've had that feeling where a toy doesn't quite do it a few times, it used to be common with transformers where there were repaints that didn't quite work for me (particularly where the head wasn't remolded). I got it with the Lego TMNT toys - I wanted classic Turtles (which Mega Bloks finally delivered). I didn't get the new Thundercats for that reason and I think I'm getting it with the Thunderbirds (Are Go) pod vehicles. The actual Thunderbirds are fantastic despite their updates from the classic vehicles, but the mole and firefly I'm not sure about. I tried to convince myself that the customisation gimmick was fun, but really I think I just want the classic versions. I toyed with painting them, but will perhaps look into getting some older toys instead - Konami or Bandai.

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NYCC for me was all about the preview night for Titans Return, great to see some of wave 3 and beyond. I'm not sure about Broadside yet, the render shows he has a white head so I hope the actual figure has that. Getaway I wish was a bit more than a recolour of Chromedome, but I think I'll get him. Doublecross and Trigerhappy look great. I'm very optimistic about Overlord after seeing Black Shadow, so overall a good showing from Transformers, just a shame about everything else I'm interested in, 3.75" figures for example.

I re-watched (for the first time in over 10 years) the return of Optimus Prime and the Rebirth G1 cartoon episodes, mostly because so many of the characters are getting new toys, but a little because of the MTMTE comic, so strange seeing them have so little character! I followed it up with the original More than meets the eye (the very first 3 episodes of G1). Optimus, Bumblebee and Spike were the only characters that were in both, but it was quite interesting to see how they changed. I rather enjoyed it, it's funny how close Megatron was to actually getting back to Cybertron after episode 3.

I also watched Avengers (the movie) for the first time in a couple of years. Watching it again having seen Civil War, there is quite a lot of preluding, particularly with how Iron Man and Cap get on, but also a number of fights between the other Avengers before they come together.

I have also now finally bought Supersize Thunderbird 3, I've never waited so long to buy a toy available in shops. I waited because I knew it would still available and there were other things I wanted that wouldn't hang around, that might be some personal growth right there! The toy is an example of big is beautiful. Somewhat bizarrely (to me), it also turns into an upside drill (which I assume it does in the new TAG TV show) adding some extra play value. It also has a smoke feature which is actually steam, if I ever happen to have some distilled water to hand I might try it out. Anyway, according to Nigel Sadler's great little chart, it scales very nicely with my existing toys. (Granted the scale chart is the original vehicles, but I'm assuming the scale has to be reasonably similar for the new versions.) One day I'll make a paper mache Tracy Island for them! I still have the Blue Peter instructions somewhere......