Chapter VIII: 1988 once more

I have not bought any Transformers since 1 December 2007. I began buying Transformers again on 23 August 2009 (on the day of the Parramatta Fair).

I have not bought Transformers for approximately 21 months, and been absent from HeroicDecepticon.com from roughly that same period of time.

Has it been tough not collecting Transformers for 21 months? No.

Has it been a happy time? Yes. There is more to life than Transformers (lynch me now, die-hard fans, heh). I did, among other more interesting things, acquire a plethora of comic book related figures and collectibles, prime among them the Kotobukiya Jim Lee Batman and Marvel Legends Series VI: Juggernaut, both of which were gifts from E.

The Targetmasters Sureshot and Crosshairs I bought at the 23 August Parramatta Fair must have sparked something akin to what Star Saber and Overlord sparked, a full ten years ago, in 1999.

I began ramping up my Transformers acquisitions. At some points, it was going at a rate that was alarming, even to myself. I look back now and can say that it has subsided for the year (or what's left of the year) and I'm likely to acquire Transformers at a slower rate going forward.

This chapter, I'll disclose something I don't usually disclose - I will chronologically list all the Transformers I have obtained from 23 August 2009 to 10 December 2009 and also list the prices (in AUD) I bought them for.

Ready?

Sure?

Here-we-go...

1. Sureshot, C8, missing Targetmaster: $3.00
2. Crosshairs, C7, missing Targetmaster: $2.00
3. Scrapper gun: $3.50
4. Hook gun: $3.50
5. Carnivac, C7.5, only inner robot: $15.00
6. Quickswitch, C7, missing guns: $20.00
7. Star Saber blade only, C9: $57.84
8. Star Saber large outer robot only, C9.5: $68.55
9. Victory Leo large rifle only, C9.5: $34.28
10. Victory Leo small rifle (right), C9.5: $25.17
11. Victory Leo small rifle (left), C9.5: $27.85
12. Pointblank, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $168.97
13. Slugslinger, MIB, C.9.5, w/ inserts: $167.70
14. Triggerhappy, MIB, C.9.5, w/ inserts: $167.70
15. Misfire, MIB, C.9.5, w/ inserts: $167.70
16. Chromedome, MIB, C.8.5, w/inserts: $127.50
17. Hardhead, MIB, C.9.5, w/ inserts: $127.50
18. Highbrow, C8, complete: $55.13
19. Brainstorm, C8.5, complete: $79.26
20. Powerglide cardback, C7.5: $1.35
21. Outback cardback, C7.5: $1.35
22. Mindwipe, C9, complete: $89.01
23. Nightstick only, C7: $24.99
24. Pinpointer only, C8: $24.99
25. Fireflight gun, C9: $9.00
26. Slingshot gun, C9: $9.00
27. Air Raid gun, C9: $9.00
28. Skydive gun, C9: $9.00
29. Blades small gun, C9: $10.70
30. Swindle small gun, C9: $9.00
31. Vortex small gun, C9: $10.70
32. Vortex twin guns, C9: $12.40
33. Crosshairs, C7.5, complete: $50.00
34. Guzzle, C6.5, complete: $10.00
35. Riccochet (TM gun), C7.5: $11.95
36. Flintlock (TM gun), C8: $11.95
37. Cyclonus (Targetmaster), MIB, C8.5: $101.56
38. Cloudburst, MIB, C8.5, complete: $55.92
39. Landmine, C9.5, complete: $45.90
40. Cloudburst, C9, complete: $45.90
41. Waverider, C9.5, complete: $45.90
42. Groundbreaker, C9, complete: $45.90
43. Sky High, C9, complete: $45.90
44. Splashdown, C9, complete: $45.90
45. C324 Star Saber box & form only, C9.5: $87.17
46. D336 Deszaras box & form only, C9.5: $150.44
47. Chop Shop, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $53.94
48. Barrage, MIB, C8.5, w/ inserts: $53.94
49. Ransack, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $53.94
50. Venom, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $53.94
51. Banzai-Tron, MOSC, C10: $33.46
52. Krok, MOSC, C10: $33.46
53. Doublecross, MIB, C7.5, missing gun: $41.80
54. Spinister, C7, complete: $27.88
55. Landfill, C7.5, complete: $22.87
56. Scoop, C6, incomplete: $16.17
57. Prowl (Action Master), C7.5, incomplete: $39.50
58. Armarda Skywarp, C8.5: $26.40
59. Skullgrin, C9.5, complete: $54.70
60. Bomb Burst, C9.5, complete: $54.70
61. Submarauder, C9.5, complete: $54.70
62. Iguanus, C9.5, complete: $54.70
63. Bugly, C9.5, complete: $54.70
64. Finback, C9.5, complete: $54.70
65. Hard Hero Ravage, MIB, C9.5: $30.00
66. MP-08 upgrade kit, MISB: $24.10
67. Fangry, MIB, C8.5, complete: $135.00
68. Horri-Bull, MIB, C9.5, complete: $135.00
69. Siren, MIB, C9.5, complete: $135.00
70. Repugnus, MIB, C9.5, complete: $110.00
71. Weirdwolf, MIB, C9.5, missing gun: $90.00
72. Skullcruncher, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $150.00
73. Quickswitch, MIB, C9.5, w/ inserts: $160.00
74. Autobot Clones, MIB, C9.5, complete: $125.00
75. Decepticon Clones, MIB, C9.5, complete: $125.00
76. Slapdash, MIB, C9, complete: $90.00
77. Quake, C7.5, missing turret: $0.00
78. Doubledealer box only, C7: $50.00
79. Crosshairs box only, C9: $35.00
80. Scattershot box only, C9: $35.00
81. Motormaster box only, C9.5: $35.00
82. Weirdwolf box only, C7, robot points cut: $30.00
83. Scourge (Targetmaster), MIB, C8, cmpt: $227.19

I look back at the list of Transformers I acquired during this period and realised that they are mostly from 1987 and 1988.

It is the year 2009. But on my Transformer collecting terms, it is - 1988 once more.

Some pictures of this year's acquisitions...



















***
Read other Chapters of The Origin Story...
Introduction
Chapter 0: Prologue
Chapter I: Fantasies & Inflections (1984 to 1991)
Chapter II: The Re-awakening (1999)
Chapter III: A New Beginning (1999 to 2001)
Chapter IV: Boxed Agendas (2002)
Chapter V: Coming to Australia (2003 to 2006)
Chapter VI: Crisis on Infinite Fronts (2006)
Chapter VII(1): A Transformers Renaissance (2007)
Chapter VII(2): A Transformers Renaissance (2007)
Chapter VIII: 1988 Once More (2009)