31 October 2011

Bluestreak box art goodness!

It's no secret that Bluestreak is one of my favourite G1 Transformers, ever.

This year has been a very good Bluestreak year and I am very delighted.

First, I managed to obtain a large format completely unobstructed piece of Bluestreak box art on the back of a G1 Japanese LP from 1985, thanks to the lovely E who arranged and sponsored my ad hoc TF hunting trip to Osaka


Third, I received a surprise from a good friend and a good buddy in the form of a mint-in-sealed-box G1 Bluesteak, which to top off its awesomeness is also the pre-rub version.

It's also no secret that one of the reasons is because of his box art.

Ginraii over at Botch's Box Art Archive has very kindly edited a truly stunning piece of Bluestreak box art for me from the raw image taken from my 1985 Japanese Transformers LP. Ginraii said that it's just a 'preview', but this is so jaw-droppingly stunning that I almost fell off my chair when I saw it... and it's so awesome, I cannot help myself but to post it up here for posterity... pending the 'final' version!


What really gladdens my heart is also the generosity and graciousness of the TF collecting community. I have managed to acquire all the above 'dream' specimens of Bluestreak with their help and their generosity.

Thanks very much to E, ben2099, [buddy who gifted me MISB Bluestreak] and Ginraii!

~ HD

15 October 2011

Some consolidated acquisitions for October 2011

Did not have much time this month to post up acquisitions, so here they are, all in one go!

1 October 2011 - Optimus Prime and Megatron speakers and Takara SCF figures

Bought these from Metro Comics in Causeway Bay. Very interesting speakers, which I tested before I bought. The sound quality is actually quite impressive for a speaker of this tiny size.
Each of the speakers have a 3D image of Optimus Prime / Megatron etched into the top crystal; the bottom crystal has their names. The font type used for Optimus is the same design as the IDW "Best of Optimus Prime" font type. Nice.







Also bought these 2 babies today - Takara SCF "build-a-figure" Fortress Maximus and Grand Maximus.

7 October 2011 - Transformers 'hero-clix' style mini figures and SCF Soundwave, aka "Soundwave superior!"

Okay, I should know what these are call, but I can't remember. So yeah, I'll just call them Hero-Clix style figures. What I do know is that they are not Takara SCF figures, not KT Collection figures neither; and not Suntory BOSS figures. Size is slightly smaller than the above.

This collection has the normal staples of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Megatron, Soundwave and Starscream. 

The seller was selling for 7 pieces for HK$150, so I picked up 5 unique pieces and 2 Soundwaves, both also for E (her favourite character).


Picked up a Takara SCF Soundwave figure too - Soundwave superior!



10 October 2011 - G1 Japanese exclusive Headmaster Heads have arrived from Quint!

Getting the KO "superise Headmasters giftset" last year, while filling a void in my collection has left a spike in my heart (not a pun). I just cannot get over the fact that the ones I have were not the genuine ones. Also, E repeatedly stated that the KOs are tainting my collection (and I think they do).

I did try to search for the genuine ones when I was in Osaka earlier this year and there were some for sale, but the silly shop was actually selling the KO ones at genuine prices and thought they were genuine!

Recently, I grabbed these genuine heads from TFW member Qunit, and they arrived today. Wow, very happy. Very very happy!

Rodney, Kaku (not from Quint), Loafer, Lione and Trizer

In their alternate modes

Close up of Lione and Trizer

Close up of Rodney, Kaku and Loafer


12 October 2011 - Micromaster Missile Transport MIB, complete

The 2 days before 12 Oct was extremely tiring and taxing on the mind. Full day meetings and drafting documents till 1am+... so, on 12 Oct, I thought I might try searching for some Micromaster Transports.

Background to that was that I kept seeing MM Transports on eBay going for utterly outrageous prices. Cannon Transport for US$80+, Missile Transport for US$120 and (this takes the cake) Tanker Transport going for US$152! Nuts. 

I remembered seeing some US boxed MM Transports in Richmond Centre, so here I was, heading there to find it.

I did find 1 MIB piece, the Tanker Transport has been sold.

Okay, so I'll bite this time although I didn't the last 2 times. Bought Missile Transport.

Box is not so great, but decent - C7 I'd say.


Complete with instructions and catalogue


14 October 2011 - end of the week raid with Ultra Magnus

It has been a long week in more senses than the word. It has been a long week for both UM and myself. What did we do to unwind? Transformers hunting!

Headed to YMT and gosh, today was a good day. 

UM managed to pick up Henkei Red Alert, Smokescreen, the 2 mini-bot teams, all MOSC and extremely mint. 

I went to my usual shop and decided to pick up (another) Sixtrain MIB, unused (I sold my other set).




Also, from the same shop, I picked up these really really sweet gems on behalf of a good buddy. Vintage Predacons in individual boxes, all beautifully minty, near C10, unused, paperworks still sealed in original bags. Wow, I was blown away and so was UM!


Then, walked around to the shop at the corner and picked up a MOSC G1 Dogflight (I'd previously missed picking up a MOSC Backstreet from this same shop and passed on a MOSC Override because the bubble was yellowed).


From the same shop, and this is the highlight of the day, picked up a "build a figure" Takara SCF Black Zarak! I know that the SCF Masterforce series was one that I did not pick up back in 2001 and so never got Black Zarak. 

I know how awesome this mold is because I do have the build a figure Scorponok and after getting my Fortress Maximus and Grand Maximus a few days ago thought how awesome it would be to also have Black Zarak to fight them. Well, here he is!



Group shot consisting of Headmaster Heads and the "build-a-figures" Fortress Maximus, Grand Maximus and Black Zarak.

14 October 2011

HK Market Watch - various USA boxed and Japanese boxed figures of interest

Don't really have pictures for this edition of Market Watch because I was in a great big rush and it was also raining heavily outside. This is also an amalgamation of the things I saw over 2 days (Wednesday and Friday this week).

懷古角 (In's Point)


Shop owner told me the the TF market in HK is slowing down because there has been a decrease of mainland Chinese coming down to HK to hunt TFs. Oh well, it has to slow down at some time.

The Toy Shop (玩具鋪) - Sino Centre
Not much new stock of TFs. Notably, he has a set of individual boxed Dinoking MISB for sale. Also has a set of individual boxed Seacons (Jap box) and a Goodbye Convoy giftset, C9, unused, but missing Poster.

Good Toys (Richmond Centre branch)
A good selection of USA boxed Transformers including:

  • Quickswitch MIB
  • Sixshot MIB
  • Groundshaker MIB
  • Hosehead MIB
Shop 309 (Richmond Centre)
Guy has some interesting things like a Powered Convoy (boxed and loose), Diaclone blue Hoist and silver Skids 2 pack, blue Bluestreak, white Sunstreaker, Goodbye Convoy MIB (no poster, again), and 02 x C-114: Fortress Maximus.

However, very expensive.

ToyZone 16 (Causeway Bay)
Restocked on a pretty large selection of sealed Beast Wars figures. I have no idea whether they are rare in demand or even what they are, no idea.

A fair selection of M.AS.K. toys including Pit Stop Catapult MIB, Gator MISB, Stiletto MIB (whoa, I used to be obsessed with Gloria and Stiletto was just un-gettable in Singapore).

The highlight of their Transformers selection is the RiD Luck Draw Brave Maximus, you know, the one in the completely white box and with the full set of Fortress Maximus accessories and Master Sword. Yes, that one. The rare lucky draw one.

Wanna know where these shops are? Check my maps here.

So much for this edition of Market Watch!

chao,
~ HD

07 October 2011

HK Market Watch - C-311: Grand Maximus MIB, unused and others

Been extremely busy and so only managed to make a toy run today.

As per normal, my usual shop did not disappoint, and had restocked on many minty pieces of key characters.

As can be seen from the picture above, they have their nth D-307: Overlord (MIB, unused, as always), a fresh new D-93: Mega Zarak, Takara individually boxed Predacons MIB, unused and a number of early 2000 eHobby reissues.


This the powerhouse today though - C-311: Grand Maximus is a box as immaculate as mine and every bit as minty - C9.5+, complete, unused, fresh! Even the god sword has not been assembled (very rare, because once assembled, it cannot be taken apart).

A very impressive piece at a very impressive price of HK$28,000 ~ ~


At shop 221, some good 'ol Henkei. These look beautiful! Red Alert (rare) and Smokescreen.

I should note that BAPE Convoy prices in HK are dropping. In previous editions of market watch, their prices were first in the HK$2700 region, then HK$2500 region and now, today, they were on the average HK$2200, the cheapest was HK$2150.

Personally, I don't think they deserve to be so priced, for something not very appealing. Now, if he was cast with an ape head, that would be a totally different story.


I also bought somethings, but will post them up late...

~ HD

01 October 2011

Finally....... D-310: Blue Bacchus MIB, whew!

After missing out on many auctions in early 2010, some of which were from Australian sellers when I was there, and another close miss when I was in Japan in February 2011, finally....... D-310: Blue Bacchus MIB, whew!

In a funny sort of way, I managed to get this piece due to Botch emailing Bodhar2000 and myself in the same email, during his awesome adventures in Japan (more awesome then Bill & Teds adventures I tell ya! Go read 'em - Botch in Tokyo Part 1; Part 2; and The Loot). 

So, back to the email. By the by, I asked Bodhar2000 whether he happened to have a MIB Blue Bacchus for sale. 2 days later, he came back and said, 'yes, I do have one for sale'. Whoa. I was over the moon.

So, here it is, Blue Bacchus, sourced from the very land that produced it itself...

D-310: Blue Bacchus MIB
Box = C7.5 (flaw on back)
Toy = C8 (I'd say its C9.5, but there is a peg broken off in the back)

Accessories = complete, but 1 small gun peg broken
Paperworks = complete



Art for the inner shell is awesome

Box art is even more awesome!

How about this? Unobstructed box art!

Back of box. A small pity that there is a fairly large area torn off


The contents. Complete paperworks, but stickers applied.

Close up of contents

Paperworks

The bio card

Out of box. I have been staring and staring at this guy. I think he has one of the best looking Pretender shells among the "Crossformers"/ Mega Pretenders.

Inner robot

Inner robot and outer shell


Upper body close up

Close up of head sculpt. There's just something about the Blue Bacchus head-sculpt and to me is what makes him a clear winner among the Crossformers/ Mega Pretenders. Simply the best head-sculpt among the lot. Menacing, yet mysterious.

D-309: Black Shadow and D-310: Blue Bacchus together


The Space gangstas'

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