Transformer of the Day for October 6, 2009
DECEPTICHARGE
-Faction: Decepticon
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Mayhem
-Motto: “I Will Leave Nothing but Wrecks in My Wake”
-Notable Toy: Alternator (Hasbro, 2005)
Notes: Decepticharge is one of those few characters that doesn’t neatly fit into a specific category. Having been cancelled by Takara, he only really exists as part of the North American Alternators line (and even there, he is quite rare), but following on Dead End, he seems a natural fill-in for Drag Strip. But I don’t think Hasbro lost the name to Drag Strip given the recent Asian market exclusive. So he’s a puzzle. But a good toy needs to go somewhere, so since the Alternators (or more specifically, the Binaltech) seem to be Generation One revised, G1 it is!
Transformer of the Day for October 5, 2009
KUP
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Warrior
-Motto: “The Past is the Greatest Teacher”
-Notable Toy: Reissue (Takara, 2005)
Notes: Kup, the “flinty old warrior,” whose main purpose seems to be keeping Rodimus out of trouble, and regaling one and all of war stories a million cycles old. And yet, he is at his best when he is at a loss of words. The Takara reissue of 2005, with Wheelie and his targetmaster partner, is the easiest and best way to get your hands on a classic.
Transformer of the Day for October 4, 2009
DIRT BOSS
-Faction: Decepticon
-Era: Armada-Energon-Cybertron (2002-2006)
-Function: Scientist / Special Projects
-Motto: “My Size is My Deception”
-Notable Toy: Exclusive (Hasbro, 2006)
Notes: Ordinarily, Dirt Boss should be one of any number of nameless Decepticon cannon fodder filling out television screens everywhere. And he might be (admittedly I don’t know - the Unicron Saga is so unwatchable that I’ve only gotten into the first disc of Energon and that is by force of will of alone) except for the monocle. Looking more Dr. Mindbender than he should, Dirt Boss is in one masterstroke elevated to possible evil genius. An evil genius that looks like he might float with those wheels? Whatever gets him to the show, I suppose…
(Apologies and thanks to shmax.com or the toy image.)
Transformer of the Day for October 3, 2009
ROADRAGE
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Diaclone Years (1982-1984)
-Function: Ground / Air Combat
-Motto: “Driving is Murder”
-Notable Toy: eHobby Exclusive (Takara, 2002)
Notes: The Autobots may not have many natural flyers but they certainly seem to enjoy modifications to their land forms for flight purposes. In this Road Rage joins Tracks, of whom she’s a repaint, and Overdrive, as almost triple-changing transformers, and almost getting us into S.H.I.E.L.D. territory. And given that Hasbro still has the license for Marvel, maybe there’s a natural link. Road Rage as Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Now there’s a thought!
Our friend, Sewing Stars, is attending Crafty Bastards this weekend in Washington. Sewing Stars is of course the creator of the awesome plushformers, like Swindle featured in the Transformers of the Day, as well as many cuddly aminals.
There is a contest to pick the Craftiest Bastard. You should vote. It’s easy. In the absence of getting clever widgets to work, click here to vote.
Transformer of the Day for October 2, 2009
WHEELJACK
-Faction: Autobot Decepticon
-Era: Armada-Energon-Cybertron (2002-2006)
-Function: Warrior
-Motto: “Betrayal is in the Eye of My Targeting System”
-Notable Toy:Deluxe with Mini-Cons (Takara, 2003)
Notes: One of the terrific, albeit mould limited, features of Armada was the introduction of moulded insignias. In the case of Wheeljack, the ill-named, wayward Autobot now siding with the Decepticons, it makes for a wonderful gimmick of a scratched out logo. One that really plays nicely with the introduction of the Botcon exclusive Shattered Glass Sideswipe, but which works for little else. But the real downside of this character is the name. Not that G1 is sacrosanct, but that it means that the very Wheeljack-esque Autobot coming forward in Energon is forced to take the name of Downshift to avoid confusion.
(Apologies and thanks to shmax.com and bbts.com for the toy image.)
Transformer of the Day for October 1, 2009
LEO CONVOY
-Faction: Maximal
-Era: Beast Wars II
-Function: Supreme Commander
-Motto: “We Are Echoes of That Which Has Come Before”
-Notable Toy: RobotMasters (Takara, 2005)
Notes: Introduced in Beast Wars II, Leo Convoy was released in North America through Hasbro’s first online toy site. He would later see a Legends scale release as Leo Prime in 2006, and a voyager release in 2009 in lion colours, with a BWII-coloured version is planned for later in the year. But it is a scaled down vibrant vac-metal version from Takara’s Robot Masters line, complete with a DVD, that takes the cake.
(Apologies and thanks to shmax.com and bbts.com for the toy image.)
Transformer of the Day for September 30, 2009
THRUST
-Faction: Vehicon
-Era: Beast Machines (1999-2000)
-Function: Vehicon General
-Motto: “”There are No Rules on the Road - Only the Victors and Scrap Metal”
-Notable Toy: Beast Wars Returns (Takara, 2007)
Notes: While we know now that the first three Vehicon Generals were, in fact, fallen Beast Wars comrades, it’s still surprising how efficient the transformation into Thrust made poor old Waspinator. He might not have been able to carry the fight, but he stayed true to Megatron’s command and certainly gave it his all. You almost think Megatron would have been better resurrecting Scorponok and Terrorsaur for his generals instead of Maximals.
(Apologies and thanks to bbts.com and shmax.com for the toy pics.)
The home computer has been buggy this week, hence the incomplete listings for Flash and Scorponok. My apologies. I hope I can get things on track for the rest of the week.
Transformer of the Day for September 29, 2009
FLASH
-Faction: Autobot (Turbomaster)
-Era: Generation One Plus (1991-1992)
-Function: Decoy
-Motto: “Don’t Blink - I Was That Blur on the Horizon”
-Notable Toy: Basic (Hasbro, 1992)
Notes: Like his G.I.Joe, Flash is an example of the difficulties in modern copyrights. In the 1980s and early 1990s, depending on the market in question, it seems you could get away with a lot. Sadly these days copyright concerns mean that Flash, particularly one garbed in red and regardless of the current status of the speed force, will never be named as such again. Flashpoint is probably not available either. Maybe Flashzone is free…
(Apologies and thanks to bbts.com and shmax.com for the toy pics.)
