I've been bit by the Transformers bug!

[DarthJoe]

I've never been much of a Transformer fan, but over the last year or so, I've slowly been drawn into the Classics and Alternators line.

 

I only ever had a few Transformers as a kid, and remember watching the cartoon...so I know many of the characters associated with Transformers...I just never really had the urge to collect them.

 

Back when RID was in stores I had picked up Prime and Ultra Magnus, just cause a friend had them, and they were too cool to pass up. I eventually sold them on ebay.

 

Last summer, I bought the 2 deluxe movie BB's just because Bumblebee had always been a favorite of mine, and was one of the few Transformers I had as a kid. The amount of detail, complexity of the transformation, and great articulation in the figure got me interested in what I was missing out on, so I began to look around the internet at the various Transformers toys over the last 5-6 years. One of the lines that really caught my attention, and though I had heard of it previously, and never really given it much thought, was Alternators. The second line was Classics...I just loved the way the figures looked compared to their 80's cartoon counterparts.

 

For awhile, it was nothing more than just a passing interest, as I was already sinking quite a bit of money into vintage GI Joe and Marvel Legends, and didn't want to get started on another line...especially when I started looking for old Alternators on ebay, and saw the prices they were grabbing. Then, I ran into someone here on TNI that was selling Alternators Meister, Skids, Smokescreen and Silverstreak for $15 each, and Classics Starscream and Bumblebee for $7 each. I bought them from him, and was even more impressed once I got some of these awesome toys in my hands!

 

After my initial excitement over them passed, they got put in what has now become my toy room, where they have sat alone amongst hundreds of GI Joe, Marvel and Star Wars figures.

 

Over the last couple of months, I kept finding myself checking them out frequently, and fantasizing over how cool it would look to have a large Transformers display in my toy room. Then BBTS sent out the notification that they had the Classics Grimlock/Jetfire 2 pack on clearance about 2 weeks ago, so I bought it. MAN! Jetfire if farking awesome! Since then, it's been all downhill...

 

For the last 2 weeks I've had about 50-75 items on my watch list at any given time. I've bought Alternators Optimus from BBTS. I've won auctions on ebay for Classics Prime, Classics Megatron, and Classics TRU Soundwave. I'm really wanting pretty much the rest of the Classics line and an Alternators Wheeljack, Ravage, Rumble, Prowl, Zoom Zoom and Shockblast. I've preordered all of the wave 1 Deluxe Universe Classic figures, and Powerglide (this figure looks killer!). I can't stop!

 

I'm just worried about the $ it's gonna cost to get everything I want, as Transformers aren't exactly the cheapest toyline in the world to collect.

[madman1366]

You think it's expensive now? Try getting into the reissue figures!

 

OUCH!

 

You came in at a good time. Things are pretty quiet now but in not too long now, all hell is going to break loose on wallets from coast to coast and beyond.

 

We have the animated line coming out next month.

 

Universe coming soon after that.

 

More movie line exclusives coming out here and there.

 

THEN....

 

At the end of the year and into next year we have 25th anniversary stuff coming out and of course by this time next year we'll be eyeball deep into the next movie line.

 

Oh yeah, then there's the encore and other nice import stuff to think about.

 

So yeah, it's a little bit pricey. @hmmm@ OK it's REALLY FRICKIN EXPENSIVE!!!

 

 

 

Good thing for me that Hasbro has all but killed off the Marvel Legends line. Now I can keep most of my focus on getting TF's again.

[DarthJoe]

Good thing for me that Hasbro has all but killed off the Marvel Legends line. Now I can keep most of my focus on getting TF's again.

 

This is one of the main reasons I think I can justify buying Transformers.

 

Before, I was already putting out money for 2-3 action figure lines, but now I pretty much have everything I want as far as ML is concerned, and don't see anything on the horizon that I'm even remotely interested in. That's freed up a lot of money for me, so I figured why not start buying Transformers if I want them.

[madman1366]

Good thing for me that Hasbro has all but killed off the Marvel Legends line. Now I can keep most of my focus on getting TF's again.

 

This is one of the main reasons I think I can justify buying Transformers.

 

Before, I was already putting out money for 2-3 action figure lines, but now I pretty much have everything I want as far as ML is concerned, and don't see anything on the horizon that I'm even remotely interested in. That's freed up a lot of money for me, so I figured why not start buying Transformers if I want them.

 

 

I'm not sure why Hasbro even bothered to take on Marvel in the first place. I don't think they've done all that great of a job with it so far. They could have made some better selections with Legends and they seem to keep releasing the same spiderman crap to the point where if I see another Venom or black suited Spidey then I'm gonna puke!

 

On top of that, distribution has been HORRIBLE. Most of the Iron Man figures in these parts were gone the weekend the movie opened and almost nobody has restocked any. Target had them on sale last week but not one Target I went to had any, or got any in all week. It's a wasteland!

 

I barely saw any of the Spiderman or F4 series of Legends as well as the 2 packs. There were almost none to be found anywhere.

 

They've been a bit better with Transformers though...at least in my neck of the woods they have. I know some people still have hard times finding stuff, but that's not really all that much of a problem for me. Another reason why I prefer to stick with TF's.

 

Though from what I'm seeing, I'm getting the feeling that Hasbro is looking to start really cashing in on the collectors by overpricing their figures to match, or charge more than what people pay on importing certain figures.

 

Case in point...the 25th anniversary reissue of Optimus Prime coming out. They are going to charge basically double the price of what they charged when they reissued him a few years ago.

 

Hasbro has also been talking about doing some price increases for several years now but so far that hasn't happened yet.

 

Though I wouldn't be surprised if within a couple of years we start seeing deluxe figures selling for $15.

[Rodimus Primal]

Transformers is indeed an expensive hobby. But collecting them has been fun and enjoyable. I didn't collect Alternators but Classics have been fantastic. Welcome to the wonderful world of TF collecting. You'll find it's just as fun as collecting anything else. The thing with TFs is that you really have two toys in one with them and the most fun comes from transforming them.

[Starscream49]

Bout time you starting liking real toys. HAHA. The best thing about TF is there arent a lot of female TF girlying up the place.

[DarthJoe]

Bout time you starting liking real toys. HAHA. The best thing about TF is there arent a lot of female TF girlying up the place.

 

I always had a feeling you enjoyed sausage-fests. @smilepunch@

[Rodimus Primal]

There are plenty of girl fans and female TFs to keep you interested.

[Wheeljack35]

Hell I have been buying Transformers since 1984

 

With the Transformers on hiatus until we see the the Animted figures I have been the opposite

 

Without Transformers around I have been picking up JLU and DCU figures

[Rodimus Primal]

Right now I'm enjoying the break. I've been trying to collect 25th Joes right now and the Animated stuff doesn't appeal to me so I'll be waiting for Universe.

[SUPREMEQUEEN]

Welcome friend! & yes the world of TFs totaly rock! I got re-started collecting June 2nd of last year my self, during the premier of the toy launch. IMO the toy line had sliped a great deal over the decades & the movie quality toys was just what the franchise needed.

 

& yes I love alternators. I've been meaning to beef up my own collection of them. I have about half of them & as you've pointed out already, Alternators go for big bucks online. I've got about 7grand worth of TFs sence getting back in to them last year. & yes like you I have a 2nd collection hobby DC Direct.

 

& if you thought ML was expensive then give DCD a try. & set of 4 can easly cost $60.00 if its a hot way antisapated line. I'm sorry to say I don't realy like Marvel's stuff. the "ball & socket joints kill me. to me they end up looking like puppets with no strings attached.

 

I'm more about form, paint, & sculpt rather than articulation (im stricly MOC). So how well it poses is of no matter to me. Anyway, again welcome, & good luck!

[Jaxxon327]

I have been picking and choosing what i want to buy. I am really debating on The Reissue of Metroplex. that was one of my favorites and I don't know what happen to my original toy as a kid. i love the new classics but at this time I have a At-TE and a BMF Falcon coming out!

[Wheeljack35]

The Reissue of Metroplex. that was one of my favorites and I don't know what happen to my original toy as a kid.

 

 

Your parents sent it out to live on the farm

[Jaxxon327]

Either that, or was scared when Fortress Maximus came to town. lol

[Nguyen_Dragon]

Just stay away from the Binaltech line... I made the mistake of starting and now spending a fortune to complete the line...

[RC_rika]

Bout time you starting liking real toys. HAHA. The best thing about TF is there arent a lot of female TF girlying up the place.

 

 

I wish there were more girls to identify with! There's Elita-1 and Arcee.... and very few of them at that. Incarnations or otherwise...

[Devilbat]

I simply can't afford it anymore. I've owned a couple of good collections over the years, but I've always sold them off to afford Star Wars statues and mini-busts. Right now I'm focusing on the G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary collection; that and Indiana Jones stuff. I haven't bought any Star Wars figures for over a month or so now.

 

I would indeed like to collect a few select Transformers. I would by no means be a completist. If I did get back into it, here's what I'd like to have:

 

Masterpiece (Prime, Megatron, Hasbro Starscream, Skywarp)

 

Encore Re-issues (ALL of them)

 

Classics (Japanese)

 

Alternators (Hound, Grimlock, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Prowl, Mirage, Hot Rod, Optimus Prime, Shockwave, Tracks, Sideswipe, and Dead-End)

 

Movie (Premium Prime, Megatron, Hound, Bumblebee, Starscream, Ratchet, Blackout)

[Rodimus Primal]

I TOTALLY forgot about reissue Metroplex. The more I think about it, I would like to replace mine that's beat up and has many missing pieces.

[Destro]

Hey Darthjoe, have you seen any of the new Animated cartoon? It's really good, and the toys look great as well. Not really "old school" though, and maybe that's what you're more interested in; either way, check it out for all the great g1 nods.

[synch]

way I see it prices are just part of any hobby you just got to decide what you really want for what amount of $$$ &or save up for a while for said items :S Which can be really hard to do when there are lots of other items you want to buy too! & yes I'd watch the current tf series though stay out of the talk about sections or at least the current ones as there are spoilers rudely posted about

[chopsooie]

Man, I have a ton of alternators I need to part with If interested PM me and I will send you a list and cut you a deal for the lot..

Chopz

[redrum2581]

i'm still an advent fan but having my daughter has changed my habits some, i went from damn near anything i saw figure wise to now i'm sticking with Jazz/Meister incarnations, and Alt/BT/MP

[Nguyen_Dragon]

i'm still an advent fan but having my daughter has changed my habits some, i went from damn near anything i saw figure wise to now i'm sticking with Jazz/Meister incarnations, and Alt/BT/MP

 

I am a big Jazz fan too... The only incarnation I dont have is Movie Jazz... To me that wasnt Jazz... I am really looking forward to Binaltech Jazz Version 2... I love that mold...

[Forcehunter]

Hey Joe, I strongly suggest you start streamlining your collection and concentrate in one area of TFs. That is what I had to do for the sake of space, budget and time. I have decided mainly to concentrate on the Classics 2.0/Universe line along with any figure that I like that is compatible with that line (ie Titanium Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus or Cyberton Downshift/Wheeljack and Blurr) I have found that uniformity (or as close to it as you can get) is more pleasing. I originally tried to get figures based on their G1 appearance or cool looking Decpticons. That took up way too much cash and space as i quickly found out with Alternators as well as whatever line was out at the time. Since the announcement of Classics continuing, I have sold most of my Alts, reissues, and random TFs from various lines that did not match a G1 counterpart to BBTS for store credit to purchase the new Classics and Henkei figures. The only re-issues and Alts I still have are 06 Megatron, 17 Blitzwing, Glavatron, and Alternator Jazz. Even then, my collection has become too big because I, like you collect other lines. Like I said, consider streamlining your collection.

[madman1366]

No kidding. I found out how hard things can get just trying to collect 2 lines at the same time when I started into Marvel Legends.

 

I sold off most of the sealed stuff I have but I still have some remnants of those to get rid of. As much as I do enjoy those figures, my Transformers will always take top priority when it comes to display space.

 

I started because of the BAF's so obviously that's when I started. I have them all and one of each figure open. The closest I really ever came to actually displaying them was having them piled around my desk for a few weeks before shoving them into a tote.

 

That's pretty much why I never bothered to go back for any of the earlier series that I missed.

 

Hasbro seems to be all over the place with Marvel products so far. Too much of one thing and not enough of another and it's pretty much turned me off.

 

Not buying anything Marvel for awhile save for Iron Man figures actually made me realize how expensive Transformers really are cuz I found I wasn't really spending all that much less.

 

I can't imagine trying to keep up with several lines with the prices these days.