Live on Kickstarter: Transformers G1 Unofficial Photographic Archive (Volumes 1 & 2)

I would like to say, 'please read my entry before heading over to check out the project on Kickstarter', but this is one instance I do not mind you heading over to Kickstarter first, then coming back here. So, here is the link!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1052752228/transformers-g1-unofficial-photographic-archive-vi

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So now the "secret" behind my long and sometimes frequent absence on the blog here. It is not because there have been no acquisitions, it is not because I have nothing left to say about Transformers, and it is certainly not because I have left this blog for good.

It is, however, because G1-junkie / Hyperoptic, brr-icy and myself have been working on a very special project - the Transformers G1 Unofficial Photographic Archive!

[Optimus Prime double spread from Volume 1]

It's a good long title, to be sure. It was what we have settled on. Something that was suggested by E was along the lines of "Photographic Memories of G1 Transformers". Poetic, yes?

[Sky Lynx spread from Volume 1, incidentally, one of E's favourite toys!]

So, back to the Photographic Archive, which is actually a collection of 2 books. Volume 1 is 300+ pages and features all US released G1 Transformers from 1984 to 1990.

[Apeface and Snapdragon spread from Volume 1, incidentally, 2 of my favourite toys!]

Volume 2 is 200+ pages and features Japanese exclusive G1 Transformers from 1985 to 1992, and European exclusive G1 Transformers from 1984 to 1994.

[Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow spread from Volume 2]

In total, we are talking about 500+ pages of the good stuff, the solid G1 stuff. With hundreds of hours of shooting photos and writing and after more than 10,000 photographs, the books are now 90% complete.

Approximately 21 hours ago, we launched our campaign on Kickstarter. Here is the link again:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1052752228/transformers-g1-unofficial-photographic-archive-vi

As of this moment, it is about 25% funded, which we are really happy about.

If you like G1 Transformers at all, do head over to Kickstarter (link above) to check out the project and if you like what you see, any support you can lend towards getting the books fully funded would be very much appreciated!

The Birthday Post 2014 - Parts 2 & 3 - Skullcruncher

In Part 1 of my birthday post yesterday, I posted about a casefresh unused Diaclone blue Fairlady Z, aka "blue Bluestreak". Given the rarity and desirability of that piece, it would be a very difficult one to top - but I believe the items 2 and 3 in this post could top 'blue Bluestreak' casefresh.

So what would be in this Part 2 of my birthday post?

Here it is...

Item #2: On the left is a 'box flat', which was a sample made by the factory (in the 80s) then sent to Takara or Hasbro to be approved. In the words of The Spacebridge, 'some box flats are different to production boxes, others are identical.  Differences can be very slight even as far as the internal flap shape. Copyright text may also be different'.

Item #3: On the right is something so rare, I never thought I'd ever own something like that - the original hand-painted, hand-air-brushed artwork for Skullcruncher.

I will no doubt write more about these, but here is the story in brief first ....

My Hokkaido / Sapporo / Tokyo haul and tally, December 2013

I've been on many toy hunt trips. This time, I figured that rather than do a play by play, day by day, I'll just start and end with a 'bang' and go straight to the consolidated toy haul post.

Beginning from 14 December, E and I were:

• snowboarding in Niseko for approx 5 days;
• visiting various places and also toy hunting in Sapporo for approx 4 days; and
• visiting various places and also toy hunting in Tokyo for approx 4 days.

I visited various places on my maps and also a few new ones in between. All in all, it was a great trip, highly enjoyable and a fun way to cap off the year.

This trips haul consists of....

1. 08 - Streak MIB (missing lots of parts, but box is nice)
2. 10 - Inferno MIB, complete (missing instructions)
3. 18 - Frenzy MIB, complete, unused
4. 97 - Dirge MIB, unused (eHobby 'reissue')
5. Masterforce Aquastar MISB
6. C-67: Rewind MOSC
7. C-69: Ultra Magnus MIB (missing 4 missiles)
8. C-104: Brainstorm MIB, complete, unused
9. C-313: Hardspark MIB, unused
10. C-314: Hotspark loose
11. C-372: Star Convoy MIB, complete
12. D-88: Triggerhappy MIB, complete
13. D-304: Hydra loose complete (part of Darkwings)
14. D-305: Buster loose complete (part of Darkwings)
15. TF-03: Sixturbo MIB, complete
16. Thunder Clash MIB, complete, unused toys and unused paperworks
17. BT-08: Zoom Zoom MISB
18. BT-15: Prowl (blue) MIB
19. TV Artbook #27 - featuring Transformers 2010
20. TV Artbook #33 - featuring Headmasters
21. TF Artbook #43 - featuring Headmasters, beautiful Fort Max cover
22. TF Artbook #55 - featuring Headmasters juniors and others from Masterforce
23. TF Artbook #69 - featuring Masterforce
24. TF Artbook #86 - featuring Transformers Victory

Heroic's Hunt - Osaka / Tokyo toy hunt tally!

Here it is, Heroic's usual tally up after a toy hunt trip.

When I was there, I kept thinking, man, there's nothing here and I bought things here and there. This morning, when I was tallying up my acquisitions, I realised that I've actually bought a fair few things.

A small caveat - I've snuck a few pieces that arrived before my Japan trip which I didn't have time to update as acquisitions into the group shot, heh. Bite me.

From Osaka / Tokyo:

1. Gnaw MIB, Japanese mailaway edition
2. C-107: Crosshairs MIB, unused
3. D-90: Slugslinger MIB
4. Micromaster MT-04 MISB
5. SD-21: Bruticus Maximus MISB
6. Lucky Draw black Tracks MISB
7. Decoy Defensor (green) MISP
8. Decoy Menasor (orange) MISP
9. MyClone Sideswipe
10. MyClone Red Alert (chase figure)
11. Brave Police Shadowmaru MIB, unused (Sixshot redeco)
12. TV Artbook #14
13. TV Artbook #43
14. TV Artbook #55
15. TV Magazine with foldout Transformers poster
16. Transformers: Generations 2012
17. Transformers G1 PC game pocket guide book
18. Bleach original art of Ichimaru Gin (not pictured)
19. Bleach original art of Kuchiki Byakuya (not pictured)
20. Diaclone MIB unused piece (not pictured)

Not from Japan but included in photo:

1. G1 Scourge MIB, unused (painted top version)
2. C-84: Sprung MIB, unused
3. C-202: Phoenix MIB, unused
4. C-203: Diver MIB, unused
5. D-329: Leozack MIB
6. D-330: Gai Hawk MIB
7. D-331: Hellbat MIB
8. D-332: Jarugar MIB
9. D-333: Killbison MIB
10. D-334: Drillhorn MIB
11. Toyworld Hegamon MIB

Overall acquisitions

Transformers Generations 2009, volumes 1, 2 and 3; and Henkei electro-disruptor Mirage, Ghost Starscream and eHobby Skids & Screech

I was not very interested in these at the time of their release. I was in the thick of scooping up remnants of G1 Transformers that I didn't have. Classics 2.0 and their Henkei counterparts, including the art/product books at the time, held little interest to me.

It was no surprise that I complete missed out on these books back then. It was a surprise when I discovered these books recently, when I was furiously trying to locate a copy of Transformers Generations 2010. What are these books?

There are the Transformers Generations 2009 series of product reference pictorial books of Transformers toys released during 2009. There are 3 whooping volumes of material.

What is interesting is that each of the Transformers Generations 2009 volumes entitles a person to order an exclusive figure that can only be obtained through this mail-away offer (ok, this is not exactly true because I know that toy shops, at least in SG and HK, managed to stock these exclusive toys without having to oblige customers to also buy a copy of the relevant volume). Still, it does mean that these exclusives were released in smaller quantities than regular released toys.

1. Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 1) entitles a person to order a mail-away Henkei "electro disruptor" Mirage (clear version of Henkei Mirage).
2. Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 2) entitles a person to order a mail-away Henkei Ghost Starscream (clear version of Henkei Starscream).
3. Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 3) entitles a person to order a mail-away a eHobby style 2-pack Skids and Screech (repaints of the G1 Skids mold in the Transformers 2009 movie colours of Skids and Mudflap).

Transformers Generations 2009 photographed with their mail-away exclusive toys.

Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 1) and Henkei "electro disruptor" Mirage (clear version of Henkei Mirage).

Photo of mail-away exclusive "electro disruptor" Mirage and a copy of Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 1).

Key features (to me) in Transformers Generations 2009 volume 1, include product photos and listings of:

• MP-08: Grimlock;
• Henkei C-01 to C-17 (almost the entire Henkei Autobot line up);
• Henkei D-01 to D-07 (almost the entire Henkei Decepticon line up);
• exclusive Hekei toys like clear Optimus Prime, Wildrider, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust;
• Transformers Encore-05 to Encore-14 (the earlier Encores were listed in Transformers Generations 2007);
• a TF Maniax section featuring all the different molds of Optimus Prime through the ages (very very useful for variant minded collectors!); and
• a section featuring vintage Transformers catalogues.

I did not buy the mail-away exclusive together with the Transformers Generations book, but I bought the Henkei "electro disruptor" Mirage fairly recently. My one fear, as I mentioned to fellow readers Roger and gdmetro in one of my previous posts, is to inadvertently buy a KO version of this toy. I know the KOs are very prevalent and have been floating around in HK for some time. As I have no experience distinguishing a KO from the real deal, I was very apprehensive and cautious when it came to this toy - I will not buy one online and I definitely will not buy one if I'm not 100% sure.

It so happened that my friend who owns a toy shop in HK managed to dig up a piece from his store room. It was casefresh and was leftover stock back in the day when the piece was released. I bought that from him and now have peace of mind at least.

These are some shots of the mail-away offer (the white mail-away coupon is inside the book).

Transformers Generations 2009 mail-away exclusive "electro disruptor" Mirage MOSC.

Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 2) and Henkei Ghost Starscream (clear version of Henkei Starscream).

Photo of mail-away exclusive Henkei Ghost Starscream and a copy of Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 2).

Key features (to me) in Transformers Generations 2009 volume 2, include product photos and listings of:

• prototype shots and concept art of Device Label Ravage and Blaster;
• Henkei C-18 to C-21 (the final pieces in the Henkei line);
• Transformers Encore-15 and Encore -16 (the final pieces in the Encore line);
• a TF Maniax section featuring all the different molds of Starscream through the ages (this was pivotal to my discovery of the differences between a Starscream that came with the Goodbye Megatron giftset and other Starscreams); and
• a section featuring vintage Transformers catalogues.

I did not buy the mail-away exclusive together with the Transformers Generations book. The Henkei Ghost Starscream was a piece that I bought just last week. As with the Electro Disruptor Mirage, my one fear with buying this piece so late after its release are the KO versions that have been floating around.

Again, I was fortunate enough to stumble into a shop who owner just conducted an inventory check and unearthed 2 pieces of the Ghost Starscreams (this is a different shop than the one I bought Electro Disruptor Mirage from). The pieces were still case fresh and in their original wrapping. The seller also gave me 2 complimentary copies of the Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 2) with each piece of Ghost Starscream that I bought (although I'm sure that he must have factored the cost of the books into the toys!).

These are some shots of the mail-away offer (the white mail-away coupon is inside the book).

Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 2) mail-away exclusive Henkei Ghost Starscream MOSC.

Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 3) and eHobby style 2-pack Skids and Screech (repaints of the G1 Skids mold in the Transformers 2009 movie colours of Skids and Mudflap).

Photo of mail-away exclusive eHobby style repaints of Movie-verse Skids and Screech and a copy of Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 3).

Key features (to me) in Transformers Generations 2009 volume 3, include product photos and listings of:

• Device Label Ravage and Blaster;
• Transformers Encore-18 and Encore -19 (the final pieces in the Encore line);
• a TF Maniax section featuring the all the Mini-Cons from the 2003 Transformers Armada line; and
• a section featuring vintage Transformers catalogues.

I did not buy the mail-away exclusive together with the Transformers Generations book. I bought the Skids and Screech MISB 2-pack just fairly recently. This is an unusual exclusive to have with the book because it was not a repaint or redeco of a Henkei figure, which was all the rage back then. Perhaps because Volume 3 features almost entire characters from the 2009 Transformers live-action movie, the producers decided that the exclusive was to be something that ties in with the movie-verse and G1?

Skids (the greeen toy) is a repaint of G1 Skids into Skids' 2009 live-action movie colours. Screech (the orange toy) is a repaint of Crosscut (which was in turn a December 2002 eHobby reissue based on the G1 Skids mold) in Mudflap's 2009 live-action movie colours. Yeah, its all very confusing. Anything linked to the Michael Bay movie-verse is potentially confusing (and so was Revenge of the Fallen while we are on the topic; no wait, Revenge of the Fallen just didn't even make sense).

Skids bio according to TF Wiki: "When Skids successfully proved the existence of particles able to cross over between dimensions, he put his discovery to work for the forces of good, coating his armor in these "Dimension Slide" particles and endowing himself with the power to move between realities, as well as a snazzy new green paintjob. In this quest to examine anomalies within the multiverse, Skids found he could summon other versions of himself from different dimensions to aid him, but for unknown reasons, one of these alternate versions wound up trapped in Skids's home dimension, unable to return to his own world. Named "Screech" (presumably to save all the Autobots a headache), this alternate Skids teamed up with his counterpart, and together, the pair worked as "Quantum Operatives" policing the multiverse while searching for a way to get Screech home.

Hot on the trail of one such multiversal anomaly, Skids and Screech pursued Starscream's ghost across the multiverse to a parallel dimension where he was causing trouble. While the two dimension-hoppers kept the ghost busy with wordplay and pop culture references, the Mirage of that world used his illusion casting powers to scare Starscream into fleeing the dimension by projecting an illusion of his greatest fear: Galvatron!"

Screech bio according to TF Wiki: "Screech is a version of Skids from an alternate universe, unwittingly pulled into another timeline by the Skids of that world. Together, they fight crime!

Mostly, Screech hopes one day that he can find his way back to his home dimension. Until then, he changed his name and paired up with his "brother" Skids as Quantum Operatives, scouring the multiverse for anomalies. Screech constantly tries to keep their mood up with jokes and quips.

The Quantam Phase Attack Specialist is well-equipped for his job, having covered himself with a Dimension Slide coating. He also carries a substance accelerator pistol and a Quantum Shield. The doors on his back allow him to glide through the air."

Transformers Generations 2009 (volume 3) mail-away exclusive Skids and Screech set MISB.