Transformers

[Ben]

http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/power-primes-pics-hascon-2017-348452

The next phase of Generations is going to be called Power of the Primes, which I guess is neat, but they're finally doing updated versions of the Dinobots! And that Optimus/Orion Pax set is just nuts. Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in...

[Brian]

There's been a LOT of knockoff G1 Transformers getting out in the market last 5-10 years. The Dinobots are arguably the most common ones to be found, next to the combiners. Be cautious of sellers on ebay selling MISB specimens- the bootleggers making these even went so far as to recreate the original Hasbro packaging. I bought one, Shockwave, and it's a really neat piece, but has a bit of that knockoff feel to it. Neat boxed collectible, though.

http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/17#Grimlock- A handy guide outlining the differences between genuine and knockoff. It's pretty overwhelming exhaustive.

Of course, the easiest way to tell is usually price- a single genuine loose Dinobot is over $100, and you can score a set of five knockoffs for $200.

Thank you so much for the info Ben, I thought maybe $40 for G1 dinobots was a little too good to be true. Also thanks for the heads up on the upcoming dinobots, maybe I'd be better off going that route. I sort of wanted to go through and get a small collection of my favorite G1 bots (even if they were reissues or whatever), but it would have to be at a slow pace as budget would allow. Thanks again.

[Brian]

Has anyone seen/bought any of the Power of the Primes stuff? I’ve started to see some pics and videos showing up online and it doesn’t look too bad from what I can tell. I was really hoping to avoid anything outside of Star Wars and Marvel, but I’ve always sort of wanted to get a collection of the dinobots (particularly the original ones from the show).

[Darby]

I saw the voyagers (are they still called that?) at Target today. Grimlock and Starscream. Grimlock was pretty cool.

[JediJman]

There's been a LOT of knockoff G1 Transformers getting out in the market last 5-10 years. The Dinobots are arguably the most common ones to be found, next to the combiners. Be cautious of sellers on ebay selling MISB specimens- the bootleggers making these even went so far as to recreate the original Hasbro packaging. I bought one, Shockwave, and it's a really neat piece, but has a bit of that knockoff feel to it. Neat boxed collectible, though.

http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/17#Grimlock- A handy guide outlining the differences between genuine and knockoff. It's pretty overwhelming exhaustive.

Of course, the easiest way to tell is usually price- a single genuine loose Dinobot is over $100, and you can score a set of five knockoffs for $200.

Thank you so much for the info Ben, I thought maybe $40 for G1 dinobots was a little too good to be true. Also thanks for the heads up on the upcoming dinobots, maybe I'd be better off going that route. I sort of wanted to go through and get a small collection of my favorite G1 bots (even if they were reissues or whatever), but it would have to be at a slow pace as budget would allow. Thanks again.

Did you ever end up getting these, Brian?  If not, there are a few collectible toy stores in Vegas and other parts of the country that sell G1 figures for decent prices.  You could go Ebay too, but it's nice to be able to inspect them up close if you're concerned about knock offs.  I was a huge G1/vintage fan as well, but started collecting Masterpiece figures a few years back.  Think designs very similar to the cartoon/comic/vintage toys, but with much better sculpts and articulation.  The figures are bigger and more expensive, but totally worth it if you can afford them.  FansToys has a set of Dinobots that will probably run you $750, but they are 3-4x the vintage size and look incredible. 

[Brian]

I didn’t end up getting any dinobots yet, but I still look at the vintage ones. I’d love to get those MP versions, but that line is out of my price range. I have picked up Skug (Slag) from the recent Power if the Prines line, and really like it, so I might try to get the rest of the original Dino crew there.

Speaking of that line, I saw the new Optimus Prime today at Target. I didn’t necessarily want to get back into collecting other lines, but I was very tempted by that Prime. It looked to be very well done, it looked cool, and it was pretty good size. Has anyone picked it up yet?

[efranks]

The Power of the Primes stuff just started showing up at my Target in the last week or so. There are a few figures that look pretty good, including Optimus, but I haven't bought any Transformers stuff in a while. Well, scratch that, I did pick up a couple figures from the Transformer Club's going out of business sale. But nothing from retail.

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[Brian]

For the more knowledgable Transformers fans, what do you consider the best modern Optimus Prine figure out there? I can't really justify the price of Masterpiece most likely, but I know those are pretty nifty. I have one of the commemorative G1 re-releases, but sort of wanted to get a nice looking modern Prime to have on display some day. Is there one a superior to others? I thought the recent Power of the Primes one looked pretty good, and I did at one time have the classics version which I thought was nice as well. Thanks for any advice.

[JediJman]

If all you're getting is Optimus, I would splurge and get one of the Masterpiece versions.  You can probably pick one up off Ebay for around $75 or less.  You will be blown away by the articulation and (ahem) heftiness of the die cast parts.  There's a ton of MP versions out there, but I have the old MP10 from Target and it's still one of my all time favorite figures.  Yout might find this article from Siebertron.com helpful.

[Ben]

I don't have the new Leader Prime from Power of the Primes yet, but there is a new theme dropping soon called War for Cybertron that's going to feature a Voyager-class Prime that looks pretty nice.

http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/07/13/transformers-generations-war-for-cybertron-figures-revealed-367323

It's a bit cheaper than the Leader Prime, so there's that.

And for something that's really up my alley, G1 reissues are supposedly returning to the US exclusively at Wal-Mart. I'd throw up the links, but the Wally website has currently taken them down. The bots available will be Hot Rod, Starscream, Devastator (!), and four minibots: Outback, Swerve, Tailgate, and Bumblebee. Robot Kingdom has them in stock now, and Big Bad Toy Store has Hot Rod in stock: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/75629
I would expect them to be much cheaper when (if) they actually hit stores. My guess is they'll be up for sale on Wally's website after Hasbro announces them at SDCC this weekend, but we'll see.

[Brian]

Speaking of the reissues Ben mentioned, I've been hearing about these and wondered how difficult the minibots have been to find. I basically try to avoid our Wal-Mart any more at this point, so I haven't been there in quite a while. I wasn't sure if they had come and gone already, or if they were as difficult to get a hold of as their Star Wars exclusives. I'd like to pick up the Bumblebee at least or maybe the whole set. I remember seeing the Hot Rod the last time I was there, but that's been a long time ago.

[Ben]

They were a bear to track down. Before the Bumblebee movie dropped, some shippers were sent to Wally stores nationwide that had 72 mini bots in them. I managed to get a set, but these got wiped out FAST. My local store still has three Tailgates and that’s it. I can do some digging to see if an online store has these, but they’ll be expensive.

Speaking of reissues, Optimus Prime is showing up now, sans trailer. Wally is asking $50 for it, which I think is steep for what you’re getting, but I have several Prime reissues so YMMV. Soundwave, Warpath, and Gears are on deck next.

[Brian]

Thanks Ben, I appreciate the info. I may just forget it then. I doubt our black hole of a Wal-Mart would have these anyways. I sort of wanted Bumblebee, then thought it might be fun to collect minibots. Still sort of interested in these re-releases, I wasn't able to get many Transformers as a kid so it is kind of like getting many of them for the first time. I got a Prime reissue a few years back, as well as a Sideswipe from when our KB went out of business. Had a Soundwave at one point that I had to sell, although I wish I hadn't. From time to time I still think about trying to get a few modern versions of my favorite characters that just display nicely on bot mode. Saw a new (I think?) Optimus and Megatron the other day at Target. I know the Masterpiecd versions are really the best, but I don't know if I can spend that much.

[efranks]

My local Walmart didn't carry any of the reissue TF figures but I did end up picking up Starscream. I'm sure they won't carry these going forward either as they've reduced their action figure space to Fortnite. Anyway, thanks for the heads up on the Soundwave reissue. That, I'll definitely want.

E...

[Ben]

https://news.tfw2005.com/2019/01/31/g1-ravage-rumble-and-laserbeak-frenzy-reissues-revealed-381991

Rumble/Ravage and Frenzy/Laserbeak reissues incoming. Hopefully timed for Soundwave’s release, but no ETA on that either.