The Energon Pub

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 7:18 pm

They actually existed during their Diaclone incarnations.

Blue Bluestreak or Streak and Malboor WJ. The former was actually rendered that way in his box while the latter was blindpacked in a regular WJ Diaclone package. So with all this speculation of a "Blue" Bluestreak, there sure as he11 that a Malboor WJ will be released and Tomy will find a way to get around endorsing smoking cigarettes with the sponsorship colors.

I'm wondering is, how come Red Alert, who was illustrated very differently in his original box from the actual toy (His face paint was blue and his missile looked shorter)never seems to get the "I want that variant too made feeling"?) Yet he already has a MP release (OK, more reason to milk the mold ahem ahem Tomy)

News Credits: 33 · by **Amelie** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 8:40 pm

There are those among us that do seek out these odd and sometimes pointless rarities. Mexico and Brazil are top favorites of mine for oddities. "Black" G1 Prowl, "Green" Tracks (aka Hoist) and that thing of exquisite beauty that is IGA Thundercracker (never been a fan of the sparkly plastic on the US release)

For a lot of us, stuff like Blue Bluestreak, Police Sunstreaker, Black Prowl or Red Tracks practically qualify as new characters and in the case of Red Tracks, was retconned (so to speak) so it was someone new.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 9:07 pm

@ Amelie

So would G1 box art accurate Red Alert also pique your interest?

News Credits: 33 · by **Amelie** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 9:38 pm

Yep!

I'd like to point out that the reason I like Mexican Thundercracker so much is due to it looking more like the box art (ie - dull plastic).

Back when I had money - the G1 seeker mold was my poison. I had all six MIB (making sure I had the IGA 'Cracker), 1st release Sunstorm, TFC Reissue Starscream, two spare Skywarps (one pre-rub, the other with rubsign, I'd have bought up some Crackers for army-building extra, but he always seemed a bit rarer than Warpy). I was also always shopping on Ebay for when curiosities turned up, too

I'd have loved a full set of Mexican Seekers. Those things are the sex.

For people that like manufacturing errors, though - Black G1 Tracks is the GRAIL.

by **SentinelA** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:02 pm

red G1 Bumble bee = Booster
green g2 Beachcomber = Coastliner
black g2 Sideswipe = Driveshaft

News Credits: 33 · by **Amelie** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:35 pm

@SentinelA - branch your collecting out to Brazil's crazy rainbow of minibot variants

by **SJ21** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 10:10 am

I never got into variant collecting. I know some people are really into finding the obscure differences, but I was always after the characters from the show. Heck, just finding decent G1 toys of those characters in expensive enough, let alone some obscure packaging variant, printed for 38 seconds in Mexico!

News Credits: 650 · by **ScottyP** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 12:38 pm

G1 Variants are a weird thing. As others have said, those with the more dramatic differences (Black Tracks, Marlboro Wheeljack, etc.) will fetch more demand in general, though there are exceptions - it isn't horribly difficult or expensive to find a Red Sunstreaker or Blue Trailbreaker or Black Ironhide. It really comes down to supply and demand at that point.

Minor variants, such as the 80,000 Optimus Prime variants (packaging and otherwise), are really niche collecting items and because they're so similar, it takes some serious dedication, focus, and a bit of luck to really get the "real deal" - I think the degree of difficulty for what many would consider a minor reward takes away some of the appeal.

by **SentinelA** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:54 pm

Amelie wrote:@SentinelA - branch your collecting out to Brazil's crazy rainbow of minibot variants

The red BB is a Mexican bot. As for the others, too expensive at this time

by **SentinelA** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:57 pm

also got a lot of CHMS classic seekers, and G2 Ramjet and a custom painted G2 Starscream.

News Credits: 4 · by **craggy** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:00 am

aside from a very few G1 variants that are so rare and expensive that I'd never be able to get them any way, I have no interest in the original TF or Diaclone toys. I would like to see more of the designs show up in the modern lines though. We got Botcon red Tracks, and a few others have popped up in the MP line (Tigertracks) and I'm all for that. It's already established that TFs don't necessarily have unique robot or alt modes, so the more characters the merrier, especially as repaints are quick and easy ways for Hasbro to bulk out a wave and spend more time and money on new molds.

by **Windsweeper** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:28 pm

I like to call black Ironhide,Motormouth after his G2 Gobot moldbuddy.

I'd love to get a Mexican black Prowl as I think it would make a nice G1 version of Movie Barricade.

I'd love to see more Diaclone/G1 repaints as new characters or even new takes on established characters. For example Classics Prowl shares a mold with Botcon G2 Streetwise so why not release G1 Prowl repainted as Streetwise.

Repaints I'd love:

Prowl - Streetwise, Barricade
Jazz - Kick Off, Dead End, Nightbeat, Axer
Sideswipe - Firecracker, Breakdown, Hot Rod (Retooled)
Mirage - Dragstrip
Starscream - Acid Storm and generic purple and turquoise guys for army building
Ultra Magnus - Delta Magnus
Tracks - Freeway, the Battle Chargers
Wheeljack - Slicer
Hound - Scorch, Swindle
Ratchet - First Aid (with a new head)
Hoist - Slow Poke

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:34 pm

Windsweeper wrote:I like to call black Ironhide,Motormouth after his G2 Gobot moldbuddy.

I'd love to get a Mexican black Prowl as I think it would make a nice G1 version of Movie Barricade.

I'd love to see more Diaclone/G1 repaints as new characters or even new takes on established characters. For example Classics Prowl shares a mold with Botcon G2 Streetwise so why not release G1 Prowl repainted as Streetwise.

Repaints I'd love:

Prowl - Streetwise, Barricade
Jazz - Kick Off, Dead End, Nightbeat, Axer
Sideswipe - Firecracker, Breakdown, Hot Rod (Retooled)
Mirage - Dragstrip
Starscream - Acid Storm and generic purple and turquoise guys for army building
Ultra Magnus - Delta Magnus
Tracks - Freeway, the Battle Chargers
Wheeljack - Slicer
Hound - Scorch, Swindle
Ratchet - First Aid (with a new head)
Hoist - Slow Poke

Are we talking Classics or something else here? Doing G1 repaints seems redundant, except for the Action Masters... :-?

News Credits: 65 · by **Wolfman Jake** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:47 pm

I'd love to see the TFCC do a "Diaclone" and/or "eHobby" themed set some year and give us some of the interesting recolors from pre-Transformers, like Black Ironhide or Red Skids, or post-G1 additions like Hauler (green Grapple) and Tigertrack (Yellow Sideswipe).