The number of Transformers I has as a kid are pitiful. All were hand me downs or from trades I did as a kid, it wasn't that I didn't like them; I loved them, what kid didn't? But I was just a Joe fanatic so I found more time dedicated to crushing the Joes with Cobra Command then I did fighting the Decepticons.
The Transformer line was great though and was one of the few toy lines back in the 80's that utilized Die Cast metal in their parts, Not being fully die cast as were Mego Toys last line of figures before they went under in 1981, known to the world as Eagle Force. (A line that was the predecessor of GI Joe, (many figures had the same name as Joes such as Wild bill and Zapper - Zap) fighting world wide terror, and featuring comics drawn by the Artist who did many Heavy Metal comic book covers, these figures were all but die cast save for their heads. I my self had one figure of this line found for 99 cents at a bargain basement in Quincy Mass when I was six. I recently acquired 6 carded figures that I sold on E-bay. see included pictures) But before I fly down another toy line, Transformers were awesomely created and offered a dimension of play no other toy had, the ability to transform from a favorite car or piece of Technology into a fully operational Battle Robot. Go-Bots tried the same thing (although known to Us Kids as Ghetto Transformers due to their cheapness in quality) they were still transformable. My transformers were all bad guys save for one, Jet Fire. Made in 1985, he was my all time favorite good guy, all because he was a direct re-make of the Robotech veritech. This toy spent more hours fighting my Invid fighter than the other Decepticons I had. I loved this toy and to date is the only original Transformer I still have.
My favorite bad guy and probably Favorite Transformer ever made was Sound Wave. My version had nothing as it was given to me in trade for plastic army men. He had no tapes, no parts just the bare essential Sound wave. He was the tape deck, He was awesome. With a cassette counter, eject button and removable batteries that doubled for guns he was just an awesome idea. Now, I had all but long ago lost him as I did the other 6 transformers I had (The
constructabots, 6 Green awesome construction vehicles that formed to build Devastator the big mean green machine robot) I had all but sold my Marvel Transformer comics off, And I was satisfied with just JetFire as my lone Transformer collectible. Yet I always wanted to get a sound wave again, just to have him, now his close to 150 dollar price tag for a mint one was a little less justifiable, So I decided to be happy with what I had… until this past Friday. I was at Toys R Us with Stacey getting gifts for her brother.
I decided to take a gander at what was in the Star Wars Section when nothing as usual new, graced the shelves. Then I looked to my left at the Transformer section (Just last year, Star Wars and Transformers teamed up, Scary I know, I actually owned the Vader's Tie Transformer and Darth Mauls Fighter transformer but found it better to double my money with them both on E-bay…the story line is weak and why the empire and transformer team up ever happened was no doubt only monitory for Hasbro, as was the GI Joe and Transformer team ups of the 80's. At least with GI Joe and Transformers it was a little bit more believable than a Dark lord of the Sith deceptigon….)
But as I looked at the Transformers, there in front of me, was Sound wave, not any sound wave, but an exact replica of the sound wave I once owned many years ago for 1 tenth of the price. I've heard of this Sound wave before, and he himself can fetch 100 dollars. He was released in Japan as a limited, collector's edition with a few other exact replica Transformers commemorating the 20 th anniversary.
They were limited and Toys r Us picked up the license to distribute refuge from Japan here in the US. I wanted one but never found it, as they were pretty rare. But here in front of me, about ten of them sat, as if they were found in some warehouse sitting there gathering dust then, placed up for sale. I snagged one so quick and then went to convince my wife who was wowed by the detail of it. Not only did it come with Sound wave, But ravage and Laser beak to, the two tapes cassettes that came with their own tape cassettes covers.
I paid 20 dollars for this. Got it home and opened it! Below are a few Pictures of JetFire, and the sound wave I snagged!!! With the release of the live action movie, I'm sure Transformers will gain new life, I did have to swear to my wife I was not going to start collecting these… I did then have to remind her I sold off the Transformer Energons I had (I sold Skyblast and the three small micro jets that mad the enrgon Sword they came out three years ago.) so that she wouldn't be too nervous : ) yet her face showed otherwise.
Before I end the short Transformer post, I remember when I first Met a Frenchy named Jeremy Rouse, Or Kiota to us Ninja, he told me how he had most of the Gen 1 Transformers mint and what not, and how his Mom sold them all at a yard sale for ten bucks.... I know he doesn't even want to see what one of those are going for on E-bay now a days.....
A Great Transformer Link to images of every toy made for the series. - http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php
Transformers Part 2.
Ok, so I said I wouldn't buy any more Transformers, or collect em… But I don't think buying one more Transformer can be considered collecting. I bought this Transformer for one of two reasons, One, he looks cool, and two it's a friggen Jeep. Any one who knows me knows I have a thing for those bad ass vehicles, From My Cherokee sport to My Ninja Pyro's wrangler Jeeps they are the shit. Well before I go on a rant on how friggen hard this thing was to transform and how it took me two days to get it back to Jeep form proving to my self why I was definitely a Joe and cobra kid instead of autobots and deceptagons, here is Walmarts Limited Jeep wrangler Rollbar.
UPDATE : 02/20/2008
Swindle....
Yet another Jeep this one under the transformer / Takara maker (takara is a Japanese company that makes Transformers yet HIGHER MUCH HIGHER quality and die cast. One day while board and web surfing I found that two other Jeeps were made, being a Jeep nut I went and snagged em. Swindle and Hound. Swindle is below and Hound will be updated. Notice Swindles directions in Japanese. YOWZA.
And last but not least, Hound, I didnt take any picts of his box, just because it doesnt have Japanese on it so it isn't too exciting. Now serving time with his other brothers above, at my desk at work. I give you Hound.
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