Machine Wars Sandstorm

The first of the two larger Autobots for the Machine Wars toy line is Sandstorm. In the original Generation One toy line, Sandstorm was a triple changer, transforming for dune buggy to helicopter to robot. He also sported an orange and yellow color scheme (I admit, it looked okay but it weakened the look of the character). His Machine Wars figure retains only three elements of the original character: a robot mode, a helicopter mode, and his allegiance.

Over all, he is a good looking figure in both modes. The helicopter mode and robot mode share a military color scheme. His articulation is again limited (just like the Soundwave figure and like the final two figures I'll be reviewing next). I never owned the figure, but I can again imagine that his transformation is not overly complicated. I think it was interesting decision to choose Sandstorm for the Machine Wars toy line as his character was never a huge name in the old toy line. I think the redesigned look worked really well with character and the colors really made him stand out.

The mold for this figure is again from the exclusive European Transformers toy lines from the early 1990's after it ended the U.S. An interesting note is that while the other three large Machine Wars figures have been re-released in other lines (or planned), this mold has not been reused in any U.S. toy line since this one.

Machine Wars Soundwave

This is the first spotlight of the four larger figures from the Machine Wars toy line. Here is the evil Decepticon Soundwave! He has been rebuilt in that he now transforms into a missile transport rather than his classic cassette deck mode, but in robot mode it really did feel like the Soundwave fans grew up with.

I have never owned this figure, so I couldn't tell you how the transformation actually works. However, since the mold is originally from the European extension of Generation One, it is probably fairly simple. The toy looks great in both modes. The robot mode definitely bears a strong resemblance to Soundwave. The only thing I would have changed on the figure would have been the color scheme. With a different color palette, this figure could have been even more believable as a rebuilt Soundwave. However, it still looks great. The articulation is definitely limited to the knees and shoulders.

One feature which would have been great to add if this was a retooled version would have been a chest compartment with the old cassette spies but with new modes. They eventually did this with Soundwave and Laserbeak from the Transformers: Cybertron toy line, but it would have been really cool to see here. Oh well, you can imagine what it would have been like by checking out the previous entry into my blog's art gallery.

Transformers Artwork #11

I plan on concluding my series on the Machine Wars toy line. However, I found this really cool looking art piece of Machine Wars Soundwave (the next toy spotlight). I thought this was neat because it blended the old character of Soundwave with his new body and made it seem like it made sense. There is even a Machine Wars version of Laserbeak, although this is really the Cybertronian version from the first episode of the animated series in 1984. The next toy spotlight will be the Machine Wars Soundwave!

Transformers #63

It has been a while since I looked at the old Marvel Transformers comics, so I thought I would discuss another issue before I wrap up my series on the Machine Wars toy line. This is issue #63 of the original Transformers comics and it is part two of the Matrix Quest story line. Similar to the previous issue, I am not too impressed with the direction of this issue.

This story takes place on an alien planet called Cheyne, and it borrows elements from the old western movies for its story. The Autobot Triggerbots (Dogfight, Backstreet, and Override) save a young child, and they are invited back to the family's farm to recharge themselves. Meanwhile, Thunderwing has hooked up the Autobot Headmasters he kidnapped back in issue #62 to a machine, and he learns of the Matrix Quest. At this point, Thunderwing desires to capture the Creation Matrix for himself in order to gain more power than ever before. Far away, Optimus Prime has a vision of Unicron and of the Matrix being tainted by evil.

Back on the planet, the Triggerbots have succumb to mind control by an psychic vampire. Eventually Thunderwing shows up attempting to learn about the location of the Matrix. However, he learns that the Triggerbots have no idea where it is. The Triggerbots eventually break free of the control of the psychic vampire and escape.

I know this is not the most in depth retelling of the story, but believe me, you aren't missing much. The first two issues of the Matrix Quest story line were pretty poor in my opinion except for the foreshadowing and story building elements. The artwork was nothing spectacular, and this just seemed like an attempt to incorporate a different element into the series. However... I really don't feel like it worked. Fortunately, the Matrix Quest starts to pick up steam in the next issue, and it gets really awesome in the final two parts of the story. Stay tuned to this blog for those spotlights.

Transformers Artwork #10

In 2001, a new Generation One Transformers character made his debut, Sunstorm! This character was an e-Hobby exclusive repaint of the original Starscream mold based on an extra Seeker seen in More Than Meets the Eye (Part 1). The character was given true back story in the Dreamwave comics before they bit the dust in 2004. In the comics, Sunstorm was a clone of Starscream created by Shockwave and fitted with an internal fusion reactor. In order to protect his body from the excessive power surges, the clone was coated with Electrum, which made him near invincible. However, the process drove Sunstorm insane, and he began to think of himself as a god. He is a really great character, and I hope that we will continue to see more of this character in the future. He has appeared in multiple toy lines in the U.S. over the last nine years, and he has always been a repaint of the seeker molds. If you want to read about him and his battles with Starscream, Omega Supreme, and Jetfire, check out the first five or so issues of the Ongoing Generation One Transformers comics from Dreamwave. They are becoming harder to acquire, but you can still get them at a decent price at comic book stores which sell back issues of comics or there is always e-Bay.

Power Master Optimus Prime in Box

I could have easily put this in with the other entry, but I decided to give this image an entry of its own. This is the U.S. 1988 release of Power Master Optimus Prime, but he is in his original packaging. If you read my other entry, you'll know this was my favorite toy as a child. This figure is an absolute classic behind the original 1984 release of Optimus Prime.

Power Master Optimus Prime!!!

Out of all of the Transformers figures across the 25 years of the franchise's history, there is no other toy of which I have such fond childhood memories. I got him for Christmas when I was six years old, and the adventure really began (although when I was a "too cool" teenager, I got rid of him). I am actually in the process of restoring a beat up toy with no accessories I found at a local comic book store for $5.00. This to me is the grand daddy of them all, Power Master Optimus Prime! The version in this pic is the re-issued version released in 2001 which was basically an imported Japanese variant with chrome parts and slider fists.

Power Master Optimus Prime was the first new Prime figure since his original release in 1984. This toy came out in 1988 to "celebrate" the character's return. Although the animated series had ended its run of original episodes in 1987 and Optimus had returned in late 1986 or early 1987, this was still super fun to see! The vehicle mode is excellent, and Prime is armed to teeth! He has a lot of guns on his trailer, and the trailer itself can transform into a battle station.

The Power Master gimmick involves a small Nebulon character transforming into an engine for Optimus and unlocking the toy's ability to transform. To transform the cab to robot mode, you simply plug the engine into the grill (or push the white tab if you don't have the engine), flip down the legs, flip the feet out, unfold the arms, and flip out the head. The figure has next to no articulation, but it still looks awesome! The big surprise was the super robot mode. You simply transform Optimus back to truck mode, and fold the rear section up. Prime now looks like a cube. From trailer mode, remove the guns, flip down the side panels to reveal the legs, flip down and rotate the arms, plug the truck cab into the top section, plug in the gray dual guns for the smoke stacks, and plug in the head. The only articulation is in the robot's arms and legs, so he really is kind of a brick. However, this brick looks great!

There are three Transformers that above all others, I can say are my favorites. One is Overlord (although I have never had one), the next is Cyclonus from the Classics line (I love the mold), and finally is the powerful Power Master Optimus Prime. He sells for a decent price on eBay. His parts are also widely available on eBay, so if you are restoring one (like me, but I doubt anyone is ;) ), you can easily find the parts. Great figure and a true classic!

Wheelie...Worst G1 Transformer Ever!

Other than the hideous Firecons, there is no other figure from the Generation One toy line that deserves more hate than the terrible Wheelie! The character was only semi-annoying in the animated series (I don't think he was as bad as the fandom always says), but his figure was just flat out ugly.

His vehicle mode does look pretty slick. Other than orange paint job, Wheelie does come off as good looking futuristic car. However, once transformed to robot mode, it all falls apart for this toy. The transformation is super easy (as with all mini-bots). You pull the front of car forward to extend the legs, flip the feet up, lift up the visor to reveal the face, and finally flip the arms forward. The result is a poor excuse for a figure. His legs are super thin with tissue box feet. His arms are overly long with the hands just stamped to the inside of the frame. Finally, the face looks just... creepy. It looks like a floating orange .... thing. While most of the toys resembled the animated characters to a degree, this thing in robot mode looks like a nightmare rather than the child like character from the series.

As I mentioned, the animated version of Wheelie actually didn't bother me that much. Although the powers that be at Hasbro did fail in creating a new Bumblebee/ Spike dynamic in season three, they did create a decent character. The toy however is the most disgusting design I have seen for any Generation One figure.

Japanese Transformers DVD's in the U.S. (When?)

This was just a random thought I had this afternoon. In various parts of the world (Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, China), the multiple exclusive Japanese Generation One Transformers animated series have been released on DVD. These series were released in Japan following the conclusion of the U.S. animated series in 1987. These series included The Headmasters, Super-God Masterforce, Victory, and the single episode of Zone. Each of these series have been released in various parts of the world, and with the Transformers property as popular as it is now, the question is "when will these hit the U.S.?". Hopefully with the conclusion of the Transformers reissue DVD's, Shout Factory! could somehow get their hands on these. Probably not, but one can hope.

Machine Wars Megatron/ Megaplex

These are the final two basics figures from the Machine Wars toy line. This final mold was made into Megatron and his clone, Megaplex. These figures transform from F-22 Raptor jets into robots. The design is the same as the other two jets and the rest of the basics figures. You simply pull up on the rear tail fin and the jet instantly transforms to a robot. All that is required is that you un-peg the gun attachments and combine them into the rifle for the robots modes. The head sculpt looks great and it was interesting to see Megatron as a jet. However, the big problem with Megatron in this body is that he is the Decepticon leader and he is the smallest Decepticon of his forces. As a fan, it just goes without saying that this is Megatron's weakest incarnation. The Starscream figure in this toy line is about four times the size of Megatron, and the Soundwave figure is a little over double Megatron's size.

Despite the size issue, I do feel like the concept was a good idea. Megatron finally joins his ranks in the skies, and Megaplex was a great idea as a character. It's only too bad they didn't develop him at all as a character. Him being an exact clone of Megatron with some fail safe devices to prevent him from trying to usurp Megatron could have made for some interesting stories. Also, Megaplex's color scheme is leagues better than Megatron as Megaplex has more of the traditional colors (minus the green) while Megatron is painted in this really weak looking teal and white. Good figures, but definitely the most forgettable Megatron ever produced.

Transformers Artwork #9

This piece is from the retailer incentive cover for Transformers: Infiltraion #2. This is an image of Starscream in his classic Generation One design, however it is a hybrid of his animated look and his toy's design. I like images of Starscream, and this one feels like it brings in the design elements of his original toy, but upgrades them with the build of his animated counterpart. You'll notice the toy designs in his leg designs, arms with the extra blue of the toy in the upper arms, and the nosecone as part of his head. Great image, and all around great character!

Classic Generation One Retcon

One of the my favorite story lines from the original Generation One series was the Return of Optimus Prime story which began in Dark Awakening and continued in The Return of Optimus Prime (Part 1 and 2). Prime's return was only slated to be a one shot comeback in Dark Awakening, but due to the backlash of his death in the movie, Hasbro ordered his return to the animated series. Thus, one of the largest retcons in the original series took place.

In Dark Awakening, Optimus Prime was found in an orbital space mausoleum where his shattered body had been placed to rest forever following his final battle with Megatron. Rodimus Prime and his team sought refuge there after being chased by Galvatron and the Decepticons in deep space. Rodimus learns that Optimus is indeed alive and saves them from Galvatron. Optimus was still heavily damaged and didn't know how he came back online. Prime unexpectedly betrays the Autobots, and leaves them to die as the mausoleum is sent on a collision course with that system's sun. Optimus then returns to Cybertron to lead the Autobots into a trap set by the Quintessons to destroy them all and retake Cybertron. Rodimus Prime and his team are able to intercept Optimus Prime and the Autobot fleet. Rodimus Prime learns that Optimus' body was taken by the Quintessons and brought back on line to do their bidding. Rodimus battles Optimus to the finish, and as Optimus prepares to destroy Rodimus, his old personality resurfaces. Optimus Prime returns the Matrix to Rodimus Prime, and then Optimus sacrifices himself in order to save the Autobots and defeat the Quintessons. This was supposed to be the true, heroic end of Optimus Prime. Ultra Magnus declared that the nova from the explosion would be his memorial, and Rodimus closed the episode saying, "I may never be the leader that you were, but for sure, I'm gonna try. So long...Prime."

Optimus returns in the season three finale called The Return of Optimus Prime (Part 1 and 2). This is where the largest retcon occurs in order to bring him back. Optimus Prime had lost an arm, half of his face, and his body was heavily damaged at the end of Dark Awakening. In The Return of Optimus Prime: Part 1, his body is intact and brand new. In this episode, there were also no signs of the Quintessons, no Autobots, and Optimus Prime was dead...again. Prime was still alive in Dark Awakening until the ship was destroyed. Also, Prime's ship was different than the one he was piloting in the last episode. Also, none of the Autobots seemed to remember the Quintessons plot, except that Rodimus remarks that they had revived Optimus Prime once before. Overall, it was a blatant attempt to force Optimus Prime back into the Generation One universe (and the start of a series tradition in each series as the Prime always dies and returns). After this, Optimus Prime would take command once again and lead the Autobots until the end of the series. In the Japanese exclusive Transformers: Headmasters, he would in fact die again to save Cybertron.

Don't get me wrong, I loved The Return of Optimus Prime (Part 1 and 2). The animation was top notch, great music, and it had a pretty good story. However looking back on this episode over twenty plus years since it aired, it was filled with continuity errors and issues. Plus, the concept was kind of random. Dark Awakening is definitely the better episode, although I wish it could have been produced later to take advantage of the better animation and music. Had the writers of The Return of Optimus Prime taken better care, this "trilogy" could have been even greater.

Machine Wars Thundercracker/ Skywarp

Here is a look at two of the four basic Machine Wars Decepticon jets. The first two are the classic Seekers Thundercracker and Skywarp. Let me just come out and say that they are these classic characters in name and biography only. The jet and robot modes are excellent with great paint applications and design. However, these colors are so vastly different that there is no way these could be the characters. Skywarp is black and purple while his Machine Wars figure is white, black, and red. Thundercracker is traditionally blue and black, not military camo. I know this is very Generation One fan like, but with traditional characters, you can't just go in a wildly different direction like this. Even Cybertron Thundercracker and Skywarp had color schemes resembling their old selves.

Outside of the color schemes, the jet designs are pretty good. The transformation is again simple. Pull up on the tail of the jet, the cockpit flips down, and out come the legs. Here is the robot mode super quick. The robot mode for the molds are pretty good. Not the best, but they are a good design, and these were the first Transformer jets in two years.

Machine Wars Hubcap/ Hoist

The next two Autobots of the Machine Wars toy line features the former Generation One mechanic Hoist and an upgraded mini-bot in Hubcap. This mold sees the figures transform from tow trucks to robots. The tow truck modes are decent looking. The truck has the cab and a little trailer section with the tow hook connected. Both figures look pretty bland in these modes due to the fact there are only two colors for both trucks. Their transformations are simple. You simply push the tow hook up, and they transform instantly to robot mode. The design is actually well thought out for this transformation. The truck cab forms the chest, the legs slide down, and the trailer unfolds to form the arms and back of the robots. Un-peg their legs, and you detach their truck grills to create their guns (that is actually a pretty neat feature). The robot modes look good, but they are plagued by the same bland feel with the modes only featuring two colors.

Overall, the figures' mold is excellent, but their paint applications weren't fully realized. Hoist looks better than Hubcap due to his black color hiding the arms more in vehicle mode. Hubcap's bright yellow color makes the arms more visible, but can also be painful on the eyes. I feel like these figures are definitely worth a look, but keep in mind that this was from a less than thought out line before passing judgment. They are actually solid toys even if they are bland looking.

All Hail Megatron #1

I recently picked up the first issue of All Hail Megatron from IDW Publishing. I have heard nothing but negativity surrounding this series since it was released, but I thought I would finally buckle down and give it a try. After reading issue #1, I can say two things. It doesn't feel as good as Simon Furman's work during the -Tion series, but it doesn't feel as bad as people made it out to be either.

Apparently, it has been one year since the Transformers made themselves known on Earth after existing for years in secret, hiding in plain sight. In New York City, the Constructicons (debut) arrive transforming to robot mode and tell the populous that they come in peace. After a breif snicker between Hook and Scrapper, the Constructicons attack the city. Starscream and the Seekers join the battle, and Megatron arrives to cause more destruction. Eventually, the humans attempt to counterattack, but they are grounded by Soundwave and the onslaught of the Decepticons. Meanwhile, Prowl and Jazz are on Cybertron with several other Autobots. Jazz is angry for some reason. The final panel shows a severely injured Optimus Prime.

Compared to the earlier IDW comics, this issue definitely doesn't stand up in terms of depth and story. It does feel like it is setting up something bigger, but the new writers don't match Simon Furman. The art style however (although character designs were unfortunately influenced by Hasbro) looks excellent. It blends a Generation One anime feel with the previous designs of the -Tion series. Although there are no explanations for the Seekers downgrading to their current forms (Hasbro wanted to sell more toys so they went from F-22's to F-15's), this issue felt like a great set up to a bigger story but with a lot of fan service. Although this issue pales in comparison to Simon Furman's work, it feels like an interesting start to a new series (well, then new). I will probably be checking out more issues in the coming weeks to see how things play out.

Machine Wars Mirage

The Machine Wars continue! Mirage is a repaint of the mold used for Prowl (or most likely, its the other way around). Mirage is painted in bluish, green, and white colors with his vehicle mode more resembling his older G1 self. There really isn't much to say about Mirage. If you have read my review on Machine Wars Prowl, you'll know exactly how to transform this figure. He is literally 100% the same mold as Prowl. The only differences are the colors for the plastics and the decals. This mold would be reused for Skid-Z in the Robots in Disguise line in 2001, and it would be also used for the character of Mirage in the Robot Masters line released exclusively in Japan.

For the other three molds of the Machines Wars basics figures, I will probably combine them each into one review per mold. Literally, each Machine Wars basics figure has a repaint and is the same as their counterpart just with a different color scheme. One item I would like to point out for this figure as well as most of the others is the poor choice of packaging. Hasbro/ Kenner really did slap this line together. The font for the line is exactly the same as Beast Wars, the packaging is unappealing, and with other characters like Optimus Prime, the character art is a poor reworking and rehash of earlier art. Now that I am reviewing this line, I still enjoy the memories, but it wasn't as a great as an attempt as I remember. I think I was stuck in the whole feeling of "Yes, the Autobots and Decepticons are back!" due to all of the animal Transformers, Maximals, and Predacons released at that time. Although I was longing for the original vehicle Transformers, this really wasn't the true return.

Outback

This is another classic mini-bot from the Generation One line. Don't worry, I will be covering more of the Machine Wars figures, but I will drop in other items while covering that toy line. Outback is a retooling of Brawn. Brawn was one of the classic and iconic characters released during the first year of Generation One in 1984. Outback was released as part of the figures of 1986. His figure transforms exactly the same as Brawn, but he now features actual robot fists and a new head sculpt. His toy was also the only mini-bot to have an accessory as he came with a gun with plugged into the roof of his vehicle mode.

Outback was an interesting character, but he didn't get a lot of air time in the original cartoon. He made his first appearance in Five Faces of Darkness: Part One, helping Blaster locate Ramjet and Dirge. His last appearance was in the episode The Quintesson Journal where he was again teamed with Blaster as they located a mysterious Quintesson artifact of great importance. He was a great figure, but he can be a little more pricey due to the inclusion of his gun.

What Were the Machine Wars?

After posting on the Prowl figure, I thought I would take a moment to discuss what the Machine Wars line was in a little more detail. As previously mentioned, Machine Wars was a short lived attempt to bring back the vehicle based Transformers.

The Transformers franchise had been in a steep decline since the beginning of the 1990's. The franchise was a massive success in North America throughout the 1980's, but it fizzled out by 1990 with the Micromasters and Action Masters. There were no new toys, cartoons, or comics, so the franchise basically disappeared for two years in North America. Although the Japanese line had shifted in a different direction with incredible new toys and three additional cartoons, it was also on life support by 1991. In Europe, Japanese figures were being imported and repackaged, but the line was also loosing steam by 1992, even with exclusive European figures.

In 1992, Hasbro attempted to revive the franchise with Transformers: Generation 2. The line began with repackaged and recolored figures from the first two years of Generation One, new airings of the original cartoon on Saturday mornings, and a new comic book. The line was a huge success, so Hasbro continued with European imports, more remolds, new molds, another season of the cartoon (now on weekdays), and more comics. By 1995, the franchise was out of gas. The cartoon ended, the comic concluded after twelve issues, and the last year's toys were mostly garbage. Hasbro ended Generation 2, and passed the responsibility of Transformers to its boys division, Kenner.

In a last, desperate attempt to revive Transformers, the Beast Wars series was created where the Transformers transformed into techno-organic beasts and animals. With new, more articulated figures, and a promising new animated series which tied it all back to Generation One, Beast Wars was a massive success and brought the Transformers back from death. With Beast Wars' success, Hasbro made an attempt to revive the old Autobot and Decepticon factions with Machine Wars. The line was released in 1997 as a Kay-Bee-Toys exclusive series. There were three class sizes. There were the eight basic figures with automatic transformations. They consisted of four unused molds from Generation 2, and each mold was repainted once for an additional figure. Then the remaining four figures consisted of former European exclusives. There were two voyager class figures and two ultra class figures.

The line proved to be a great idea, but ultimately a failure and only lasted for one wave. There were several reasons for this. The first reason was the slapped together feel of the toys. The characters didn't feel like the belonged together. Sure Optimus Prime was a truck with a trailer, but Megatron was a tiny jet half the size of Optimus and a quarter the size of Starscream. Something is wrong with that. Second, the line had no story or supporting material. There was no reason for this series, no back story, no comics, no cartoons, nothing. It simply existed. I think the last and greatest reason is that Hasbro/ Kenner gave the line no chance of survival with limited distribution. The toys were only available through Kay-Bee-Toys. These stores were limited to shopping malls and their toys were always priced higher than their competition of Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, or even Toys R Us. Safe to say, with no advertising or anything to let you know the toys were out there, you probably wouldn't venture into Kay-Bee-Toys randomly.

It was sad to see this line end so quickly, but it was probably for the best. The line really didn't have any care put in to it, and without care, a toy line won't succeed. Some of the figures would return in the later Transformers: Universe and Robots in Disguise lines, and free lance artists would try to craft a story to make it part of Generation One. If Hasbro ever revisits this idea, hopefully they will do a far better job in the future. For now, it rests as a failed attempt and it served as a precursor to the true return of the Autobots and Decepticons in 2001.

Machine Wars Prowl

Happy New Year everyone! I thought I would kick off 2010 with part one of a series of reviews on the long forgotten, short lived Machine Wars toy line. The first figure on this list to kick things off is Prowl. For those of you who have never heard of this line, Machine Wars was released in in 1997 as an attempt by Hasbro to rekindle the flame of the vehicle Transformers. Beast Wars had proven to be a massive success upon its debut in 1996, and it is credited with reviving the near dead Transformers franchise. The toys were super successful and the new animated series was a big hit. The Machine Wars line was short lived (only consisting of twelve figures), and the toys were Kay-Bee-Toys exclusives. There were three class sizes. The first were the ultra class which consisted of Optimus Prime and Starscream. Then, there were the voyager class figures consisting of Sandstorm and Soundwave. Last, but not least, were the basic sized figures consisting of Megatron, Megaplex, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Hoist, Hubcap, Mirage, and today's figure Prowl.

The basic class figures consisted of four molds with two repaints each. These molds were all left over from the Generation 2 line, while the other four figures were repainted versions of European exclusive molds. The jets were all Decepticons, while the tow trucks and formula racers were Autobots. Prowl shared a mold with Mirage and is reborn as a white formula one race car. The mold looks good in both modes. The race car has some good details from the stickers to the actual design. The transformation is super simple. You pull up on the spoiler and the car transforms automatically into robot mode. All you really have to do is unpeg the legs and pull and assemble the gun parts from his legs.

As I mentioned, I actually like this figure. Although the transformation was automatic, it had the great articulation of the Beast Wars toys, and the paint scheme made the figure feel like Prowl. Although I really don't care too much for him not being a police car, as least he wasn't a combo of a formula one racer and a police car. That would be so dumb....oh wait, Hasbro did one for Energon. The fun thing about the Machine Wars figures is that they did bring back the classic memories of the old school toys. However, because of their limited distribution and slapped together feel, they didn't achieve any level of success of Beast Wars or even Generation 2.