Transformer of the Day for January 31, 2009
THE ARK
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992), Beast Wars (1996-98)
-Function: Deep Space Interceptor
-Motto: Not applicable
-Notable Toy: Titanium 3″ (Hasbro, 2006)
Notes: Not a Transformer per se, the Ark is the deep space exploration craft shot down by Decepticons over pre-historic earth. A base for both Autobots and Maximals and home of Teletran 1, the Ark was eventually destroyed in a fit of bad animation by Trypticon in “Five Faces of Darkness Part V”. Interestingly, the 3″ Titanium version of the Ark bares little resemblance to the original cartoon, at least that is until you separate the front part from the rocket section.
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With the Ark, fairplaythings.com prepares to enters the second month of its ongoing Transformers-a-day 25th anniversary online calendar. And what better way to proceed then to use the next month to spotlight some of the many heroes of the very first North American cartoon series. For the Month of February, all characters spotlighted will be from the original North American Generation One release, alternating in the now-familiar pattern between hero and villain. Roll out!
Transformer of the Day for January 30, 2009
STAXX
-Faction: Decepticon (Powermaster II)
-Era: Generation 2 (1993-1995)
-Function: Highway Destruction
-Motto: “I Was Born to be Wild, Born to Be Bad”
-Notable Toy: Powermaster (Hasbro Europe, 1995)
Notes: One of the strangest assortments to come out in the history of Transformersdom, Staxx (along with his contemporaries, Ironhide, Meanstreak and Bulletbike) were available only in continental Europe and Australia as, wait for it, Powermasters. With no articulation to speak of and pull-back engines reminiscent of the mini-spies, these four characters don’t resemble anything that would follow. They are what they are, a throwback to an earlier time.
(Apologies and thanks to the futuristgroup for the toy image.)
Transformer of the Day for January 29, 2009
DAI ATLAS
-Faction: Autobot (Powered Master)
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Supreme Commander
-Motto: “We Are Powered by Compassion and Fueled by Courage”
-Notable Toy: Wonder Festival Exclusive (Sunrise Mega Action Series, 2007)
Notes: In 1991, Transformers were all but gone from shelves and airwaves in the United States, but Japan was still turning out micromasters and platforms. And Dai Atlas could merge with other platforms. But as cool and rare as he is in all his motorized glory, I love the Wonder Festival non-transformer figure. Because how cool is it to have a toy with a giant Z!
(Apologies and thanks to plasticcrack.net for the toy images.)
Transformer of the Day for January 28, 2009
STRIKA
-Faction: Vehicon (General)
-Era: Beast Machines (1999-2000)
-Function: All-Terrain Combat
-Motto: “No Road is Rougher Than Me”
-Notable Toy: Beast Wars Returns (Takara, 2007)
Notes: She was the greatest of Cybertron generals, but invented for the show. She was akin to a dark Big Barda, and yet her “gender” is not even mentioned in her original text spec. Her profiles talk of “consorts” but she needs no one. The same figure was produced on three occasions (BM 2000, Universe 2004 and BW Returns 2005) and none of them get her quite right. Too good to lose, we hope TF:A get Strika done.
Transformer of the Day for January 27, 2009
OPTIMUS MINOR
-Faction: Maximal
-Era: Beast Wars (1996-2000)
-Function: Ground Commando
-Motto: “Monkey See, Monkey Grab”
-Notable Toy: Transmetal 2 Basic (Hasbro, 1999)
Notes: As further evidence that Prime may be a military rank, we present Optimus Minor (of no relation to Optimus Primal). I love him for the name alone. Although the transformation of the basic figure is not particularly impressive, the toy really allows you to take advantage of the magnificant poseability that is inherent in so many of the Beast Wars toys. Articulation that, like die-cast construction, seemed to be a dying art in the 1990s.
Oh Hasbro… how can you get the Mighty Mugg Jazz so right and Shockwave so wrong! The laser is too big and what is with the painted-on ears? Nothing, that’s what.
Transformer of the Day for January 26, 2009
AUTOLAUNCHER
-Faction: Destron (Autoroller)
-Era: Beast Wars II (1998)
-Function: Shock Troop Guard
-Motto: “In the Face of Danger I Will Find My Glory”
-Notable Toy: Takara Release (Takara, 1998)
Notes:Autolauncher was one of two unreleased autoroller molds used to round out Beast Wars II. Originally intended to join Dirt Bag and Roadblock on North American toy shelves as part of Generation 2, a Hasbro-release of Autolauncher never arrived, nor appeared in dealer catalogues for the year. Which is a shame because a self-transforming disk-firing military vehicle is far cooler than a green dump truck.
Transformer of the Day for January 25, 2009
STEPPER
-Faction: Autobot (Targetmaster)
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Sniper
-Motto: “It Isn’t Concentration that Improves Your Aim, it’s Guts”
-Notable Toy: Reissue (Takara, 2003)
Notes: Stepper is one of two Japanese-only Targetmaster. A repaint of Jazz, he shares a targetmaster partner with the 1988 North American release of the Decepticon Scourge. Although reissued in North America as part of Hasbro’s commemorative line in 2003, it’s Takara’s reissue that proves to be a more faithful rendering to the original.
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Transformer of the Day for January 24, 2009
DRAG STRIP
-Faction: Decepticon (Stunticon)
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Warrior
-Motto: “The First One to Cross the Finish Line Lives”
-Notable Toy: HasbroToyShop Universe edition (Hasbro, 2008)
Notes: The Decepticon’s second merge squad, the Stunticons were their answer to the Autobot’s supremacy on the roads. Their combined form of Menasaur was a counterweight to the Aerialbot’s Superion. Drag Strip is also the first Stunticon to be redecoed as part of the Universe line, albeit in a form available only through hasbrotoyshop.com, a site that (unlike its predecessor a decade ago) hasn’t bothered to consider shipping to Canada.
Transformer of the Day for January 23, 2009
LONGRACK
-Faction: Maximal
-Era: Beast Wars Neo (1999)
-Function: First Officer
-Motto: “If You Do Not Think Before You Act, Do Not Act At All”
-Notable Toy: Longrack Vs. Guildedart Set (Takara, 1991)
Notes: If Beast Wars II line minimized costs by repainting off-camera characters and incorporating pre-existing G2 toolings, Beast Wars Neo offered up the goods. Among the standard repaints were new dinosaurs and mammals, including Longrack the Giraffe. Like the new BW Neo toys, Longrack enjoyed a “targetmaster-esque” mid-transformation formation. He was later the inspiration for the Cybertron-era excavator of the same name and colour.
