The Habit

I’ve been fighting the urge again today.

Time and again I’ll get that uncontrollable desire to put down some money for some fine plastic crack, whatever line I’m into at the time, and much like Decepticons dogging an Autobot shuttle (which sounds kinda weird when typed out like that), the need doesn’t abate until I’m ripping plastic from cardback and welcoming a new soldier to the collection. That’s how so many of the figures I own have come into my possession, and quite tidily explains how I always veer so wildly off of any kind of focus.

It’s all good fun, don’t get me wrong – new toys can be exciting photography subjects, or companions on adventures around the house, but after a while the thrill wears off and in most cases the figures end up in a box waiting for the day they no longer fit the trim of my collection, gathering dust whilst destined for eBay. What’s more, impulse purchases never feel as good as ticking something off of ‘the list’ – finding Battle in Space Rodimus second-hand for £6 has been one of my best finds since starting collecting because a) he’s one of my favourite characters, and b) it scratched that G1 Movie itch. Beast Hunters Deluxe Smokescreen, currently on sale for £6.50 at the supermarket down the road doesn’t have the same pros going for it, however much I liked the character in the show. But still, despite these rationalisations, the temptation is there to nip out and buy it anyway. It could be in my hands in ten minutes.

Further propagating the insatiable urge has been the recent launch of the AOE toys, which I scouted out just this morning at another supermarket slightly further down the road. My willpower took an easy victory there though as those toys (the one-step changers and battlers) look terrible, completely and utterly devoid of the skill and invention that continues to make Transformers an evergreen line. Hasbro’s continued cheapening out will come home to roost (if it’s not already), but that’s a subject for another post…

So then, a thought suggests, maybe I should just go and buy the substantially better (and cheaper) Beast Hunters figures whilst I still can?

No. That way lies madness, and an inevitable financial loss when the toy ends up at a car boot sale one year hence. Furthermore it could also mean the difference between making all my bills this month or not, which means buying the figure would be both a serious lapse of responsibility and indicate a failure to contextualise my dilemma. They’re just toys man, just toys. 

Still got that urge though. What to do?

Here’s a novel suggestion, amidst the wave of purchase enabling which goes on online - how about appreciating the plastic I’ve already got?

My CHUG collection (Classics/Henkei/Universe/Generations, the standard Transformers lines of recent years) is small but pretty, and contains several of my favourite characters – the aforementioned Rodimus (Hot Rod in all but copyright-concerned name), Jazz, Galvatron, Cyclonus and Bumblebee. All G1, all Movie, all fun… Well, with the unfortunate exception of the small, fiddly and frustrating Galvatron, but I’m not here to focus on the negatives. The glorious weather we’ve had so far this week was a big motivating factor in taking them all out to photograph, and in doing so I remembered why I collect these figures in the first place.

So much of collecting is about the next big thing, the upcoming releases, the new third-party or Masterpiece pre-orders, with the result being that the current releases tend to get forgotten, celebrated wildly upon receipt but then left to stand on a shelf; at least, that’s something I’ve been guilty of anyway. What I think I’d be better off remembering is that I’ve got a great little collection of toy robots already, and in future I should perhaps try to associate my urge with appreciating what I have, rather than with spending what I don’t.

All that said though… One Kapow! sale, and I’m anybody’s…

Staying on target then, does anyone reading have any particular method for avoiding the temptation of sales and keeping focused with their collecting? Or is it just an intrinsic part of the collector mentality to move from one purchase to the next? I’d love to hear your thoughts…

Thanks for reading!

Shelf Review: Classics Deluxe Rodimus

"My actions speak louder than words."

Shelf Review! Not as in-depth as my regular musings, but a look at the equally-deserving items on my toy shelf all the same. For today's trip we're continuing the recent focus on toy lines beginning with the letter 'T', as we look at the G1 Autobot heir-apparent, Hot Rod! Oh, wait - he's called Rodimus now...

All-American Bot.

"Hot Rod is an all-American-boy Autobot. He's a typical adolescent who dreams of being heroic and important. He tends to not follow rules too closely. Although he means well, Hot Rod's impulsive actions often get him into trouble. He carries two photon lasers that temporarily electromagnetize an enemy robot's microcircuts. Speed: 120mph. Range: 4 miles. He can be hotheaded, but he's always a well meaning, admirable lad and a brave and honorable fighter."

From the tech specs found at www.tfu.info.

Now, I was born in 1983, and so my memories of seeing the Transformers on TV over here in the UK are slim to none - for me, it was all about VHS. I watched a whole host of pre-Movie G1 videos and loved the heck out of them, but when I saw the Movie for the first time at my friend's house, it was like a tiny star had exploded in my brain. The animation, the music, the consequential plot... And you know, by the end of it, I didn't care that Optimus Prime was dead, because there was a new leader in town, the evolution of this guy - Rodimus Prime. It wasn't until years later that I discovered that this continuation of Autobot leadership had caused any controversy; to me and my friends it was just part of the coolest film ever.

Collector Haul!

I'd been a fan of the Classics Deluxe Rodimus figure for a while, but had always found the price on Ebay to be prohibitive. However when I came across a loose specimen in the wild, at the only sci-fi/collectible fair we get around here, I leaped at the chance to own him. He may have come unarmed (or had he?), but was most definitely still a bargain for £6.

Reprolabel Required.

So, what's so good? Well firstly, from the unique sculpt to the colour scheme to the light-piped blue eyes, this is Hot Rod, and looking better than he has in any form since 1986. The proportions are solid, the articulation is fantastic, particularly compared to the original version, and he can strike some mean looking poses. The fire burst decal design looks true to the character and actually doesn't look cheesy at all - there was a later repaint of this figure that had a more cartoon accurate design and colour way, but this version bosses it. Furthermore, he feels sturdy. As a commander of my toy shelf Autobots (in lieu of actually owning a Prime), this guy does a great job.

It's, uh, a design choice...

Despite Rodimus' ability to pull a mean pose, kibble is still a bit of an issue. As he was actually designed simultaneously as a toy and a character he does do a better job of integrating his alt-mode into his robot form, but it's obvious that the red car bodywork on his thighs really had nowhere else to go. Rodimus does look messy from the back, but I doubt anyone would display him that way anyway. The only other design issue I've found with him is the elbows - being jointed where they are, it looks like his arm is snapping every time he bends there. It's not, and there's no stress on the plastic from doing it - it just definitely hurts the appearance of the figure.

Earth Car of 2005!

You wanna know what's neat though? Rodimus' alt-mode. Reportedly based on the prototype Dome Zero sportscar, Rodimus has a tidy transformation into this mean looking beast. Smooth and sleek, and just like you remember him from the cartoon, this is the best looking Autobot car you're going to get. Everything fits together so well it makes it easy to forgive the odd looking elbows on the robot mode; this figure's alt-mode is up there with Cyclonus as a favourite in my collection.

And do you wanna know what else is cool about this guy? The left fist flips back into the arm, and this little circular saw flips out in its place. This was such an awesome design choice and such a nice nod to the fans, who can now faithfully recreate Hot Rod Rodimus saving Kup on Quintessa. Furthermore it means that even without his gun, Rodimus here still isn't completely defenceless.

So, all in all Classics Rodimus is a must have for any G1/Movie themed Autobot collection, and he's definitely a good start for my Movie Autobot focus. If only there were some way to make him complete though, to make him truly a Rodimus Prime...

Photo by the Amazing Ed Speir IV

Oh, hey Fansproject.

OK, so any Transformers fan with an internet connection knows about 3rd Party products, and Fansproject is, by my understanding, the daddy of them all. The Protector Armour upgrade for Rodimus here turns him into a bonafide Rodimus Prime, and as far as I can tell creates a superior figure in every way. Now at present I've only had one dalliance with a 3P product, which I pre-ordered and then, eventually, cancelled after continual delays; this one however is already out on the market. I've got one lined up on Ebay, and as soon as I have the funds it will be mine; and my toy shelf will finally have a Prime - the one that I grew up with.

As for the off-the-shelf Rodimus though, well - solid robot mode and great alt-mode - he gets four stars.

*****

Thanks for reading!

The Matrix MIA

Classics Rodimus, Generations Orion Pax

Here's my latest purchase - Transformers Generations Orion Pax, with my not yet spotlighted Classics Rodimus standing in behind him. The more recent Deluxe figures being smaller like this isn't such a big deal for Orion Pax here, as he's not yet evolved into the Matrix-bearing Prime he will be, and he makes a great addition to my Autobot shelf. Both weapons (his cannon and axe) look great, but the winningest part is how the axe can be carried neatly on his back. Who needs a Matrix when you have weapons storage?

Despite how good this figure is (and it is very good), the size drop does puts me off getting the fantastic looking Megatron from this wave. I already have a Galvatron that looks stumpy next to Cyclonus; I don't want all my Decepticon leaders to have height complexes... That also brings me to my next point though - I got burned out with collecting Star Wars toys after completing my stated goal of getting the best modern vintage 12 figures. The Transformers line is in rude health right now between Hasbro and all the third party manufacturers, and it's something I'm considering getting back into - but only within certain pre-defined limits.

Destined for Greatness!

As I work out what those limits are, I'll be selling off more figures from the collection to raise funds. Here's hoping that this time next year, when I'm on the eve of turning 31, that I have a collection that's both focused and concise. No more messy shelves!