Upcoming Classics figures

[Gomess]

Classics should start focusing on the most obscure G1 toys it can. Because, to be perfectly honest, most of my mates who fondly remember TF, and do actually buy the occasional figure for display or fiddling purposes, didn't *have* Optimus Prime, or Grimlock, or Starscream. They DID have Triggerhappy, Road Rocket, Huffer, Flamefeather, Slapdash, Skullgrin...

And they would totally buy them (and get a BIG kick out of it) if they saw them. And I'd prefer it too; as the biggest TF fan I know IRL, I'm BORED with endless rehashes of the same old guys. And my less obsessive friends only buy the figures there are because they're all they see; given the choice, I know they'd go for the characters they actually played with as kids.

And that, coupled with Animated and the movies throwing somewhat-original characters at us, would give the TF franchise a much more original look *over all*. And I think that could only be good...

No More Primes Or Megatrons!

[andersonh1]

This is one of the reasons I've enjoyed seeing Powerglide or Onslaught turn up in Universe. At last we're getting some characters that haven't been rehashed 50 times. That's why I bought Breakaway, because he's a remake of Getaway, a relatively obscure powermaster. Or Big Daddy, who was dragged out of almost total obscurity from the Micromaster era. When the Dreamwave G1 character books came out, I remember being surprised at just how many Micromasters there were. I had no idea. I enjoy Grindcore precisely because he's a new character, even with the Constructicon green.

[Gomess]

Beast Wars brought so much good new stuff to the franchise. Unfortunately, looking back, it seems like more of the Exception rather than the Rule.

This is why a small part of my brain is always crying "Go Japan Go!" in the hopes they'll create a new, high quality TF animoo in the same vein as Headmasters-onwards. That series' instant phasing-out of Optimus Prime and Galvatron was callous and brilliant. One of the aforementioned casual-fan friends LOVES Headmasters more than any memory of the original stuff aired in the UK, and Victory was my favourite series as a kid.

And not a Prime or Megatron in it! Could it be that TF can just *work* as a conceptual franchise? Maaaaybeeee...

[andersonh1]

I think it could certainly work without either of those figures. My own photocomic over on TFW (and perhaps bringing up my own work isn't fair, but I'll do it anyway), set after the end of Beast Machines, avoids all use of either character, and proceeds with Cheetor vs. Obsidian and Strika. Some of the Dreamwave comics where Optimus is out of the picture are of great benefit to Prowl, as we get to explore his style of leadership, or see just what Starscream would do without Megatron around to overshadow him.

There are so many characters in the Transformers line that have untapped potential, and we rarely get to see that potential realized due to the focus on the core characters that everyone's familiar with, or variations on those characters.

Getting back to Classics, what's the name of the Powerglide recolor that's out now? He's another Micromaster that I have the original version of. I love seeing these guys get resurrected, as it were.

[Gomess]

Stormcloud? (A guess)

[BWprowl]

This is one of the reasons I've enjoyed seeing Powerglide or Onslaught turn up in Universe. At last we're getting some characters that haven't been rehashed 50 times. That's why I bought Breakaway, because he's a remake of Getaway, a relatively obscure powermaster. Or Big Daddy, who was dragged out of almost total obscurity from the Micromaster era.

Well to be fair, Big Daddy's probably the most well-known Micromaster, if only on the basis of his (awesome) name. You're right though, it was really cool to see them make him though. Jolt was in that same wave, and I got a KICK out of that (which is why it really kills me that I could never find one). We NEED more G2 homages. Some of the Skyscorcher designs are too cool to ignore.

This is why I was so thrilled to get Octane, it seems like I've been wanting a new version of this guy for as long as I've been wanting a new Sky Lynx. Hasbro needs to exploit that feeling to create demand. I'm not going to want a toy if a version of that character already came out a couple years ago.

[Dominic]

My thoughts on Cheetor and Dinobot (which I have seen the pics of) are pretty much in line with everyone else here. If there were cartoon accurate, I would snage 'em, but otherwise....meh.

Considering that BW got more cartoon accurate as time went on, and that those early run toys were our of synch with what the line became, doing cartoon accurate variants of those toys would have been a better idea. Ah well, I am sure the fan Club will give these toys some idiotic context.

i would not mind seeing a line with new leaders in it. IDW started to do this, but Furman brought in both leaders after less than a year.

Dom
-generally finds Primes and Megatrons to be less exciting than other toys and characters.

[donosaur]

I thinks Transformers could maybe take a lesson from Star Trek in expanding the franchise, rather than just retreading over and over again. As for the toys, I see Marvel dredging up really obscure (to me at least) characters to make toys of, while only redoing spider-man and wolverine a couple times. I suppose maybe name-rights are trickier in Transformers, but I can't imagine why Hasbro doesn't similarly reach into the obscurity of its roster to bring out some awesome fresh toys.

[Onslaught Six]

They 'have' been doing it a lot lately, mind. Granted, a lot of them are repaints--it seems like Hasbro only goes and makes new-mould toys of guys who are either guaranteed to sell for some reason (Galvatron, Cyclonus, etc.) or guys who have lots of repaint potential (Prowl, Sideswipe).

That said, between Onslaught, Octane, Silverbolt and Powerglide, we're getting a Lot of cool characters who haven't had toys since 1985/86.

[onslaught86]

I want a bigger new G2 Megatron. That doesn't have the sucky aspects of Ultimate Battle Megs. Legends G2 Megs is 'so neat'.