And thus the great cataloging of my collection continues.
My Transformers Classics Collection
Classics was really the start of what would become an ongoing Generations line, though the term ‘Generations’ would not crop up for several more years. With the first live action movie on the way, Hasbro wanted to revisit the original G1 characters and figures rather than do yet another alternate-universe cartoon spin-off of them like Robots in Disguise (2001) or Armada, something that we hadn’t seen since Generation 2. So for the first time in over a decade we got characters designed to be updates of the G1 Bots and Cons many of us grew up with. The concept proved so successful that it is still being used to this day!
My Classics Transformers Collection
Classics Autobot Figures
*Item #CGA001: Transformers Classics Autobot Optimus Prime
*Item #CGA002: Transformers Classics Autobot Optimus Prime (TUB set)
And so the great cataloging of my personal Transformers Collection continues.
Animated still proves to be a much beloved and popular part of the Transformers cartoon franchise. It saw a return to character-driven storylines with each Bot and Con portrayed as having special and unique powers. With a touch of humour and new takes on classic characters, both the show and toyline proved incredibly popular with fans, especially with their unique visual asthetic.
Transformers Animated Collection
Transformers Animated Autobot Figures
Transformers Animated Autobots
*Item #ANA001: Transformers Animated Autobot Optimus Prime
*Item #ANA002: Transformers Animated Autobot Optimus Prime Cybertron Mode
(Reference: Photo #P00233)
Item #ANA003: Transformers Animated Autobot Ultra Magnus
(Reference: Photo #P00234)
Item #ANA004: Transformers Animated Autobot Blurr
Item #ANA005: Transformers Animated Autobot Sentinel Prime
Every year we get a new Commander Class Transformers figure and these are usually highly anticipated by the fans. Likewise, as the rate of live-action movie releases has slowed and the 40th anniversary of the franchise grows ever closer, we have been getting more SS86 toys, giving us screen accurate tfigures of characters from the 1986 The Transformers: The Movie.
Well the Commander Class and the Studio Series have finally met, and how appropriate with everyones favorite City Commander! Thus we have Commander Class Studio Series 86 Ultra Magnus – lets take a look!
Robot Mode
Hiya! Remember me? I got to be the leader for all of 80 minutes!
What struck me first about this figure is the size. Depending on what you need him for he is either too big or too small. For instance for a Commander-Class figure he is much smaller than the likes of Jetfire, making you feel somewhat ripped off, given the significant price tagged attached.
Magnus doesnt want to apper racist, but deep down he’s nervous about the much larger black guy standing next to him
Likewise for a SS86 figure he is too big, the likes of SS Blurr and Kup should come up to his chest, not his waist.
Kup doesn’t want to apper racist, but deep down he’s worried about the much larger guy dressed like Uncle Sam next to him
Size aside this is a pretty impressive figure. The articulation is excellent, having ankle-tilts, head tilt, knee and waist movement – perhaps the only letdown is the arm movement is somewhat hampered by his massive chest. Overall he is a very bulky figure, with his upper body so broad it does not reflect full screen accuracy, but I still quite like the look of him.
‘And you’ll die trying, just like Megatron’
A neat feature is that you can make the chest spring open in order to recreate the scene where he inserts the Matrix of Leadership.
Don’t get too comfy Matrix, you wont be staying long
Vehicle Mode
A very faithful representation of the characters altmode, extremely reminiscent of both the original toy and the cartoon. He is large enough you can fit four of the smaller Deluxe vehicles on his trailer and the ramps at the back lower down to permit loading.
Insert obligatory ‘enter me from the rear’ jokeI can take four at once
Once again, you may feel a little cheated by the size. Commander class Motormaster is not much shorter than him in vehicle mode, yet is an incredibly solid figure whereas Ultra Magnus is mostly space.
However Magnus on the whole scales quite well, not only with Deluxes but with Kingdom Rodimus, so you are able to recreate those few scenes from S3 of the G1 cartoon where they drive side by side.
Unless you rip my ears off, this is the only detachment you will get.
Unlike many Ultra Magnus figures in recent years, this figure is not a partsformer. This has its pros and cons. Some of the Cons are that you cannot easily recreate the scene where he gets blown to bits on Junkion, and there is no inner white robot to replicate the original toy. Yes, the cab can detach, but does not create an albino Optimus.
The major pro for me is though this has lead to a far more detailed toy with a very good level of transformation – not too easy yet not that hard you get frustrated. Plus the bonus of there being minimal parts to loose.
Worth Getting?
One of these Magnus’ is not like the other one…. oh wait
The majority of Commander Class figures I have picked up in sales so have been discounted. Given how much smaller Magnus is than most of them I wish I had done the same here so I could feel like I was getting my full moneys worth. As well as the size I was disappointed with the lack of a ‘blow-up’ feature, and though it did not worry me personally, other fans may be put off by there being no inner robot. However these detractors aside this is an extremely well made and fun figure who looks great in both modes and has an enjoyable transformation sequence. Recommended if you can find him a bit cheaper than the current price.
Did you pick up SS86 Ultra Magnus? What did you think of him? Pop it in the comments section below!
It’s been a few months since the last installment, but we have another entry in the ever popular Transformer Fan Interviews! In this latest interview with Aussie TF collectors we are talking to Trent, a good bloke who is always willing to help a mate out with a sought toy, or provide some online sparring to entertain and amuse.
Name and/or nicknames: – Trent
Family? Yes
Career? Tiny cog in the ever churning capitalist machine
How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection, to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’? C6 – 99% complete but has significant wear in joints and stickers are faded. It would also appear that there are no reprolabels available for my model.
How would you rate your attraction to Big Angry Trev? With one being ‘very’ to 10 being ‘I purposely shave my head and paint a red dot on top in the hopes Trev mistakes it for a giant breast and lavishes it with his tongue’? – Sorry. I’m not attracted to overcooked lobster.
Editor’s Note: Smarmy arsehole
Fan/Collector since (year)? So, I was thinking about this a few weeks ago. I was trying to figure out when I got my first Transformer. The earliest TF memory I have was of stealing a G1 Hot Rod from the kid that lived across the street. He brought it over to play with and I thought it was so awesome that I hid it under my bed and he went home having forgot about it. My elaborate ruse came undone however when I took it to school and the taxi driver noticed that my shiny new Hot Rod was the same as the shiny new Hot Rod that the kid across the road had lost. So I sadly marched over to his house and proclaimed that I had found it under the lounge! Hooray!! After that I recall a G1 Optimus and Ultra Magnus showing up as well as a Kup. It kinda snowballed from there. I stopped collecting once I hit year 6 or so and agreed to sell all my TFs to assist with some family financial troubles.
I watched a bit of Beast Wars when I was a teenager but it wasn’t until my 20’s when I saw an Armada Starscream in K-Mart that my interest rekindled. I loved that Starscream and still have it today. I collected quite the number of Armada, Cybertron, G1 reissues and so forth but stored them all at my mother-in-law’s place when we bought our first home. It wasn’t until some years later I went back to get them that I realised she threw them all out without even asking me. While at the time I was beyond pissed these days I don’t hold it against her though as they are just things, not people. These days I collect a bit of everything. MP, G1, Generations, Cyberverse, third party, whatever tickles my fancy really.
Transformers Allegiance, if you had one? I suppose it’d be Autobot? Being a Decepticon seems like a lot of effort. Like Megatron would expect you to do things, and not pay you overtime for it. Optimus seems a bit more laid back. Like he’d let you take of early on Friday and would understand if you threw the occasional sicky on a Monday.
Your Techspec motto if you had one? Megatron can kiss my shiny metal @*$!
Editor’s Note: Referencing Whirl referencing Bender? Very meta.
What existing, official Transformers character best describes you? G1 Outback
Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself? Mirage’s invisibility. Maybe then I could get a minute of peace and quiet.
What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector? Giant fighting robots that transform. I’m a bit of an engineering nerd. I’m not an engineer, because that would be a horrible job. But cool engineering of any kind fascinates me and I have a very logical brain. So I view them as a sort of 3D puzzle.
Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die? I ask myself this a lot. I’ve been through enough up and down collecting phases that I’m not too bothered when I get a bit bored with the franchise. In fact I’m probably not at my most interested right now. I have a ton of unopened TFs and my displays are in a bit of disarray. However I know I’ll come back around. And my son is obsessed with TFs and playing games with him is seriously one of the highlights of my life. But will there be a time to get out of the hobby? I’m not one who sees this hobby as an investment. If you think you’re gonna cash out of this hobby ahead or even anywhere near equal are you need to go speak to a financial advisor and prepare yourself for a shock. But that’s not why I do it. I buy them because I think they’re really neat. And as long as I enjoy them, then I’ll keep them. I think my son will happily take my collection when I die and that would be the best possible outcome for me. As it is he’s become somewhat of a TF collector himself and the grand old age of 6. He’s particularly into toy photography and he’s not bad at it. I’ve added a few of his photos for a bit of fun.
The kids got talent!
Do people outside of the hobby know you collect TFs (like at work/school)? Maybe 6 people at work know. I don’t advertise it. I work in a blue collar industry and while I don’t care what other people think of me, I also don’t see the point of making my life harder than it has to be. Because while some of my colleagues are great people, they’re old school and if they found out I collected toys, there’d be no malice in it, but I’d literally hear about it every single work day until they all retired or I left because I work with some BIG personalities.
Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends? Family aren’t worth squat if you have to hide who you are from them. My dad kinda rolls his eyes and grumbles at the money I sometimes spend but he’s cool. My mum usually notices when I add new ones to my displays and asks me about them. My brothers are cool too.
Editors Note: I get the feeling Trent’s son approves of his hobby as well
What does your partner think of your hobby? My wife is the most awesome person ever. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner even though she’s not into any of my “Nerd Stuff” as she calls it. She bought me that Armada Starscream all those years ago and more recently, when I was worried about the cost, told me if I didn’t preorder the HasLab Unicron, she’d do it herself. I sometimes feel really bad because she doesn’t collect anything. So I make sure when something does catch her eye, she gets it.
Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions? Been to lots of Paramatta Toy Fairsover the years. I don’t live in Sydney so it’s always a bit of a hike for me to get to these things. Been to a few Penrith fairsbut my god! I don’t go that far on holiday so I only went to them on occasion. And now with COVID canning everything I haven’t seen anyone all year. I do have a chat group with a few fellow TF collectors and that has actually grown into solid friendships with all of them so that is great. We are always there to chat with one another and they have helped me through a few rough times, if only by making me laugh.
Editor’s Note: Back atcha buddy
Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)? I did draw an Optimus Prime the other day. We had a new appliance delivered and my son wanted the box to turn into an art space. I’d just like to let IDW know that I am available and that I’m sure we can work out a mutually agreeable fee.
Favourite series/era/year, and why? The default answer is G1. I grew up with it, it’s what started it all and it still permeates every part of the franchise to this day. But to leave that as my answer would be a disservice to the franchise. I think there are so many good stories and toys that the franchise has put out over it’s life that they need a mention. Animated would be the one that comes to the forefront of my mind. It was so divisive when it came out. The new aesthetic and take of the story was a radical departure from what had come before and even I didn’t like it at first. But it grew on me and now my animated figures are a highlight of my collection.
And as a subgroup, even though it is G1, I can’t not mention Micromasters. Any TF fans with kids will know what I’m talking about. They are just so much fun and so easy. Once you add in the big sets like Skystalker or Countdown, maybe throw in a G1 Fort Max as a base and watch your kids play, or even play with them, you really have distilled the whole franchise down into its purest form.
Collect any comics? I collect the collected IDW editions. I’m about 5 years behind but slowly catching up. On my ipad I have read up until around the time that Megatron defeats the DJD and just haven’t had the time to go back to them to finish them, but I will.
Favourite Comic issue/story, and why? I love Autobot Megatron in MTMTE. The idea of a reformed genocidal maniac responsible for the deaths of billions of beings across the galaxy getting stuck on a ship sharing command with an egotistical brat, an almost OCD second-in-command and a crew of clowns on a quest is a marvellous concept. The way James Robert’s was able to set the light, humorous tone but also incorporate moments in which the gravity of who Megatron was and what he had done was fully realised by the reader was great writing.
Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why? I, like everyone else, was always partial to Call of the Primatives. I wish the whole series could have been animated to that level.
Favourite Character, and why? My favourite character has always been Ultra Magnus. I have a strong suspicion that the G1 UM was the first TF I ever got. And I loved it. I remember playing with it and taking it everywhere. I even kept it in its box.
You can imagine my disappointment then when nearly every iteration of Magnus throughout the franchise has been, in my opinion, a chump. G1 Magnus was this hulking, powerful bot yet hardly ever did anything of value. Animated UM was an arrogant tool, only outdone by Jerky McJerkface himself. The original Marvel run saw him have a very cool story however it eventually led to a very unsatisfying end. IDW MTMTE was good and his latest iteration, the Netflix Siege version, had a decent ark I suppose but still didn’t live anywhere near up to the expectations 5 year old me had.
I’ve always wanted to see Magnus as a more measured, logical and restrained version of Grimlock. A powerhouse that could unleash hell when he needed to but was always conscious of the fallout and collateral damage that doing so would cause.
Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character? Rung. Because I’m sure there’s fan fiction about that alt-mode…
Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real? Sky Lynx. Because Sky Lynxis awesome and anyone who disagrees can bugger off.
Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc): 200-300? My collection has always been this evolving thing. But it’s starting to climb in numbers. Especially now my son is kinda a young collector.
I think our sons would get along real swell
Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector? Open them. Let your kids play with them. Otherwise you’re just like The Man Upstairs in The Lego Movie.
How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit? Lots.
Any rare/expensive figures in your collection? A few. It’s not why I collect plus I’m also terrible at picking what will go up in value. In fact if I ever buy a TF because I think it’s going to be rare/worth something, just hold off until it’s on clearance for $10.
What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have? None that I can think of. I like commissioning comic artists but haven’t gone nuts with that. I got this earlier this year as a group by a friend organised. It’s wonderful.
First Transformers toy? G1 Ultra Magnus (I think)
One toy you most want? MISB G1 Ultra Magnus. I’d love to have a pristine example of the toy that started it all for me.
Editor’s Note: Wow – you are really into Magnus eh! Remind you to show you my one from the Titanium toyline 😉
The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)? Not a toy but that megaposter I mentioned earlier. Every time I take a moment to stare at it I notice something new.
Favourite toy in your early years of collecting? So as to give a different answer, I’ll say my G1 Galvatron. That was a cool toy.
Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion? Those things from the last year or two that only half transform. I can’t even….
Editors note: I agree! Those figures from Cyberverse that don’t transform fully are total shite!
Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them? The recent Earthrise Quintessonwhen I got it was disappointing. I mean it looks great, until you transform it into that jail thing and then it’s like, what is even going on here?
Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys? Gimmicks can be successfully integrated, they can also ruin a toy. MP-44 is an example of a toy that had a gimmick successfully integrated.
Which single TFs toy should every fan own? I suppose a G1 Optimus. It’s not the first, but it is a defining toy that is still being released today.
Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present? I mean, I wouldn’t. But maybe a Chromedome/Rewind cake topper?
Do you collect other toys? Lego sets that catch my eye. I have a UCS Millennium Falcon sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe to be built when I eventually get a house with somewhere to put it. As well as some other cool sets. I still have a few classic space sets from when I was a kid.
I also collect Macross Valkyries. Although I don’t get anywhere near as many of those as they aren’t cheap. I also just realized you could probably call me a Voltron collector.
What is your favourite TF themed post on this website? What website? Does Trev have a website? I never even suspected.
Editor’s note: Double Smarmy arsehole
How did you find out about www.bigangrytrev.com ? Trev never shuts up about it.
Editor’s note: Fricken Triple-smarmy arsehole!
Many thanks to Trent for this interview (I think) . Got any more questions for Trent? Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he’ll happily answer them.
Today at the New York Toyfair the world was treated to the teaser trailer for the new Transformers cartoon trilogy coming to Netflix later this year – War For Cybertron: Siege. Even though this has been touted as ‘Anime’ we are getting a CGI cartoon like the Power of the Prime’s trilogy rather than some stylized Japanese animation. Based mainly on the Siege Toyline, but also reminiscent of the opening sequence to the 2018 Bumblebee Movie, this cartoon has kept many of us in keen anticipation and is set in the final stages of their war on Cybertron. Watch below:
Video from Transformers Official Youtube Channel
So let’s have a quick rundown of what characters we saw in this short video, what they did and what implications it could have for the upcoming cartoons storyline.
AUTOBOTS
Optimus Prime: Voiced by Peter Cullen, we see Optimus doing his usual – saving other Autobots, battling Megatron, protecting the Allspark and so on. More interestingly, you get to see some of his warriors questioning his methods rather than talking about how great he is.
Elita-1: The only Transformer from the video that did not have a toy in the Siege line or the upcoming Earthrise (her figure coming out in POTP). Her line said to Optimus ‘This is not the life I imaged for us’ brings up the question: is she referring to her and Optimus indicating a relationship between the two, or referring to the Transformer race in general.
Ultra Magnus: Instead being his usual ‘Yes Prime’ self, we see him questioning Prime’s methods, and even going in secret to see the Decepticon command. This potentially could be the most interesting we have ever seen him portrayed on screen.
Bumblebee: Another bot that is usually at Prime’s beck and call, we see him telling Prime his attitude to the war will get him killed. Thankfully it seems he is based on his G1 self which will get a toy in the Earthrise line, rather being based on the Bumblebee Movie.
Chromia: Seen fighting Barricade, one wonders with the inclusion of her and Elita, does this mean we will finally get a break from Windblade and Arcee being the two main female Autobots in any given story?
Cog: Seen dying of an injury, but his parts being used by Sideswipe in Weaponizer fashion. Oddly later in the trailer we see a bot that has Cog’s body type but is coloured like Six-Gun running after Elita. A trick of the lighting or the first animation error?
Wheeljack: Like Bumblebee, he has a figure coming up in the Earthrise toyline, so will he transform in the cartoon?
Megatron:Not voiced by Frank Welker, but sounds good all the same. Sporting some battle damage and some big Overlord-style lips. Like Optimus he is doing his usual – inspiring his army and trying to kick Prime’s butt.
Soundwave: Seen standing off to the side of the Decepticon command table. Does this mean he wont be as big a character as usual? Or without Welker’s voice that he may remain silent?
Shockwave: Also seen at the command table.
Refracktor/s: Two Refracktor’s are seen firing over a barricade. The powers that be have obviously gone for the choice of having them all identical like the G1 cartoon, rather than Spectro, Viewfinder and Spyglass getting their own colour schemes and weaponry.
Barricade: I guess this solidifies Barricade’s inclusion to the G1 universe. Seen sitting at the command table as well as putting the smack down on Chromia.
Skytread: Seen getting punched in the face by Optimus.
Jetfire: In a few scenes with Megatron and most definitely sporting the Decepticon symbol. Looks like we will get the inevitable ‘Jetfire swaps sides’ storyline at some point.
Impactor: Like Jetfire we see his Decepticon incarnation. Will he, like Jetfire undoubtedly will, join the side of the Autobots at some stage in the series?
SEEKERS: From some shots it looks like there is going to be a lot of them, perhaps all of them. Here are the ones that were definitely spotted:
Starscream: In both battle scenes and at the command table. Given all the other story implications, we might actually be spared the ‘Starscream betrays Megatron’ story that has been played to death in the past.
Skywarp: Battle scenes and at the command table.
Thundercracker: In a few battle scenes
Redwing and Acid Storm: Seen standing guard as Ultra Magnus approaches the Decepticon base.
So, seems like there may be some interesting story arcs and some interesting takes on characters. One can just hope that this cartoon is better than the last CGI transformers cartoons we received.
What do you think of this trailer? Pop it in the comments section below!
Several months ago I did a short video showcasing from my personal collection 100+ Generations Decepticons. Well now it is the Autobots turn. These figures are mainly of G1 characters who have received an update through toylines such as Thrilling 30, Combiner Wars, Legends, POTP and so on.
So enjoy this short video I made of the display. Also below you will find some screenshots and a full list of the Autobots onshow, along with links to reviews of many of the figures displayed here – have fun!
On Monday, myself and 14 other lucky fellows were treated to a behind the scenes look at the offices of Hasbro Australia, located in Sydney. Organized by the operator of Ozformers, this was for a hands-on experience with the newest Transformers toyline: Power of the Primes.
My Graceland!
After a short wait, myself and my compatriots were ushered up to the fourth floor of the Hasbro offices where a space had been prepared. Scattered around various parts of the room were examples of some of the great Transformer products that have come out of recent.
Of course there was one other major Hasbro product on show and that was My Little Pony. Whilst this was largely ignored by the Transfans I couldn’t help but have a good look. I loved the huge Pinkie Pie – if it had been Rarity I would have forgotten the TF’s altogether and tried to work out a way to smuggle her out of the building for me to ride whenever I saw fit (sounds kinda dirty I know but Rarity – I loves ya!).
Power of the Primes
Of course the main point of the day was to give fans a hands-on experience with the new toyline. This consisted mainly of Wave 1 which has been released in the USA already and is due out in Australia within the next few months. Whilst this is all the same toyline, it can be broken into different groups.
The Dinobots
Something that has all the fans excited is that for most of the Dinobot characters this is their first Generations treatment. On display was the latest (of many) Grimlock‘s as well as Slug and Swoop. Also on display was the newest addition to the classic Dinobot team – a female raptor named Slash.
POTP Slug meets G1 Slag
Of course, without Sludge and Snarl we couldn’t see the fully combined form of the Dinobot gestalt but I will say that what we could put together did look a lot better than what I had seen in photos to date.
The Original 13 & Pretenders
Now I’ll admit – I was not a fan of the Pretenders from G1, not particularly liking organic modes. But many of these characters have been brought back and in a bizarre twist, has been combined with the characters from TF lore which constitute the first 13 Primes. The classic Pretender shell characters are used to ensconse the mini-Primes within. Rather odd, but I know when they hit the shelves I wont be able to resist.
Apparently Landmine & Alpha Trion were the same dude
The Primes
A rather interesting concept that has been done here is with Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime. Not only do both transform from Truck/Cybertronic Winnebago to robot, but you can remove a smaller robot which transforms into their pre-evolved forms – Orion Pax and Hot Rod. I really dig this concept and both toys looked great! Both also came with a Matrix of Leadership.
The evolution of a hot head
And the others…
There were several other figures on show from the new line. These included Beachcomber, Windcharger and a Dreadwind which is based on an older Combiner Wars figure. The Ozformer owner was also kind enough to bring a couple of figures that were US exclusives that not many Aussies would have touched – Arcee and Grotusque.
So overall it was a very interesting hands-on experience and behind-the-scenes look at Hasbro. I’d like to thank Hasbro for the opportunity – I’m sure my fellow 14 fans had as much fun as I did! And to top it off, in the raffle at the end I scored a The Last KnightHot Rod to take home!
Free toy!
Got anything to say about this visit to Hasbro? Would love to read it in the comments section below!
