The Energon Pub

My journey into collecting Transformers started in 2004. Sure I had the G1 toys as a kid, but that was for play, and none had survived to the present day. It was actually Christmas time 2003, and I was shopping for my kids at Toys R Us when I stumbled upon Alternators Smokescreen. I decided to pick it for myself recalling my enjoyment of the toys.

At home, I found it quite frustrating. The transformation wasn’t a simple, twist, unfold, and click into place. Panels weren’t lining up easily. The arms kept popping off. But yet, in both modes, it was a thing of beauty. I kept thinking, holy cow, Smokescreen is poseable!

From then on, I purchased almost all the Alternators (still missing Camshaft and Swerve), and started buying other pieces from concurrent lines. Energon and Cybertron figures were supposed to be for my son, while Alternators, Classics and the 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Optimus Prime were for me. Of course, he liked the Classics figures too, so I started the habit of buying two of most things. And I started to appreciate the AEC Trilogy figures, which honestly developed after I read Counterpunch’s, “Why I like ____ Transformers” articles.

At this point, I’d stayed clear of specialty figures and Japanese imports, and third-party items were still in their infancy. This era, prior to the 2007 movie, was a simpler time for me. I had no idea that I had just scratched the surface, nor how much money I would spend on this hobby in the next four years.

The Transformers 2007 and ROTF movies came out and suddenly there was so much product available. I was still buying just about two of everything distributed in mass retail, plus I started branching out into imports, such as Encore and past Binaltech figures, as well as Japanese versions of U.S. mass retail figures. Encore led to buying past G1 reissues, which led to buying vintage G1 toys. Also specialty repaints suddenly became a must have. Third party toys boomed, and I was buying two of those as well.

My wife of course took notice. She would ask, “So what was that package that arrived in the mail? How much did it cost? And where are you going to put that?” Overall during this period she was mostly patient and tolerant. She got used to my routine of visiting the Targets, Wal-Marts and Toys R Us’ in the area. I tried to kind of, sort of follow a budget. But she did give me nasty looks when I would pick up two of most thing, so that habit trimmed down to two of “some” things.

Then an interesting thing happened. DOTM toys came and I was underwhelmed. I picked up a few figures, such as Skyhammer, Shockwave, and Leader Sentinel Prime, but overall I was uninterested. There was also a slowdown in other things that perked my interest, such as the third party market. Suddenly, there was a pause in my spending.

In part, I was feeling burnout. In part, my tastes had developed. The urge to buy everything was replaced with being selective. I looked back and found I had bought a lot of crap - two of each in many cases. Don’t get me wrong, I still bought a lot of what I loved, but mostly I realized: I had been out of control.

Is this just another phase into my journey? I think so. I still intend to buy what I like, taking a focused approach vs. all-consuming; selective rather than obsessive. The Transformers toy industry has itself transformed tremendously over the last few years. It’s been a whirlwind. There is so much variety for everyone now, but everything isn’t for everyone. And just because collecting Transformers is my hobby, it doesn’t mean I need to collect all of it.

If you’ve read to this point, thanks! I wanted to share my experience. I don’t think it’s atypical, but I would love to hear about others’ journeys in their Transformers hobby.

Its quite normal. At the beginning you are overwhelemed and want to pick up everything. but as time goes bye your tastes become more selective.


I haven't really picked up anything from DOTM. I'm probably going to get just the Takara Jetwing Prime, and the Chronicles 2 packs of Megs and Prime in a few weeks but that's it for the movie stuff.

I've moved on to much more selective stuff, and trying to fill older gaps. I'm still searching for a good R.I.D / Car Robots JRX / Rail Racer To complete my Autobot side.
Since they were the ones that got all the new molds for that line.

Other than that, its always a good thing to be selective.

You have just met Mr. Optimist. I'm pretty much happy with every figure I get, unless after a while, I fiddle with it, and call it a piece of crap (sometimes it takes years for me to realize this).

My adventure of TFs also occured in 2004, however, I started noticing TFs around Beast Machines (I was only 1 and a half when Beast Wars came out). I started watching a few Beast Wars shows, G1, but was overrall uninterested (Again, I was just a kid, about 5 at the time). Then, it was 3rd grade, and my friend was completely interested in Transformers (we are still friends to this day). He convinced me to take a look at a few of the Transformers out at that time. The Energon Line was at it's peak when I actually started to listen to him (I forget what month it was, I think it was Summer of '04). I picked up Energon Insecticon. I wasn't very fond of him. He could really move enough to me. Still, I continued to watch Energon. Then Cybertron came out, and that was technically the real peak of my TF adventure. I collected almost every Cybertron figure I could find, my brother gave me a few of his G1 figures, and a few of his Armada figures (I'm still trying to find those ones, digging through moving boxes).

Next was the Classics Line. I had already gotten the 20th Anniversery G1 Movie DVD and began to collect that line as well.

Then the Movie Line came out. I had just moved between states, and this was the first time I saw of this line. I thought to myself: "Dang, this seems so much more realistic." What did you expect from me? I didn't see any Movie Promos at that time. Again, I had just moved. Then I saw the promos after I had about 5 of the Movie figs. Then I went to go see the movie. Comparing it to G1, (stupidly, I was hoping Hot Shot was in the movie...) I thought it was pretty cool.

Subsequently, Animated came out. I thought the show was crap in a bag, but the toys were pretty nice. I picked up a lot of those (Even today I'm finding a few figs of Animated I never got in T.J Maxx), and hence began ROTF. I was older, and I was more Cognizant of Charactarization. I did not like the movie, but I still got the figures (now my ultimate dislike for that movie leaves my ROTF figures all dusty)

That was the end for a while. 2010 was a dead year and I was involved much with school. Then I was into other things a normal teen would be into. January 2011 swang around. I picked up a few HFTD shelfwarmer figs, and a few Geneartions figs. Then, for the first time since Late 2009 (I had moved again at this time), I had returned to Seibertron, only to here more about DOTM. When the line came out, I went overload, buying almost every DOTM Mech Tech figure in sight (I'm not a big fan of Legion).

Time has caught up. I currently continue to collect Transformers and will try not to stray again like I did back in 2010.

Lines I collect now:
G1
Armada
DOTM
Kre-O
Lines I will collect in the future:
Transformers: Prime
More DOTM
More G1
Whatever Hasbro throws...

Autually it was the other way for me... I only started in 2007, back then, i collected every bot from the screencast of movie 1 ... but now i barely buy half of the whole lines... maybe its just because there were fewer bots back then...

When I returned to collecting I had a VERY limited budget. It was limited to whatever changed was left over after buying my groceries for the week so I'd save for weeks to get a deluxe. I saved for weeks to see the first film. This lack of money meant I had to be selective from the start. When I was able to increase my budget I was still selective but as toy engineering has changed I've become more selective. Some of the Alternators (Sideswipe) I would probably pass on now due to poor leg design.

Even though I was forced into being selective from the start Overcracker is right when he says 'your tastes become more selective.' even if it's just because display space becomes an issue!

I started with Alternators Sideswipe. I was amazed with how far Transformers had come from my G1 childhood days. Went back the next day and bought Smokescreen. Then 20th Anniversary Optimus. After that, I thought it would be cool to have some of the original G1 figures of the main characters. G1 Optimus, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, etc.....

So I completed G1 and bought any A/E/C figures that were homages to G1. Then all the alternators, classics, 3rd party, movie, animated, etc....

Then I reached a point where I decided to start selling off figures I bought just to complete a collection. Sold off most of the ones I could bear to part with. I still have a lot, but this hobby can and will get out of hand if you go at it with reckless abandon.

I think I'm feeling what your saying.

I went after the 07 and ROTF getting everything. There were a few I passed on due to it just being a re-paint of the same character. If it were a new name I'd get it, but not if it were the exact same character except some minor change. Example Barricade and Interrogator Barricade. Cool, but not worth having 2 of him. Jolt and Electro whips Jolt. One was fine.

With DOTM....I'm letting a lot go by. I don't need another Optimus Prime voyager. BB OP put my 07 voyager prime to shame so I don't need another. Bumblebee obviously not another.....etc, etc. If a new character and cool then yes. But I've passed on a lot. Barricade, Mudflap, Skids, & Jolt for example. Some cool features....but not worth picking up another that I already have. Especially the ones that didn't even show up on film.

I'm kind of waiting for/looking forward to this DOTM line dying out. A lot of great characters probably won't get a toy.....but I'm starting to be ok with that. I can focus on the only other line I'm after. The Classics/Generations/RTS line. My wallet will be happier as will the wife.

I started collecting TFs late summer of 2006, when I was 12. I first developed an interest in them when I was browsing the Titanium Series website and saw pictures of War Within Thundercracker and Jetfire, both of which I thought looked like some of the awesomest things I had ever seen. I wasn't able to buy them until a few months after that, but seeing how awesome they were made me want to learn about other TF series. I started watching Cybertron on Hasbro's website (I still have very fond memories of that show, and want to re-watch it), and I discovered the Transformers Wiki. The first TF figure I bought was Cybertron Vector Prime. Shortly after that, I got Override, Deluxe Unicron, and CD Scattershot. I also started reading Tformers.com and Unicron.com for news about new TF toys. When Classics came out, I got some of them. I found out about Classics Jetfire, which became the ultimate figure I wanted, and which is still one of my favorite figures to this day. I started watching episodes of past TF shows online. I watched all of the G1 episodes, as well as TF:TM. I tried to watch Armada and Energon, but found them horribly boring compared to Cybertron and other shows, so I never watched very much of them. When the movie came out, I got many figures in the Movie line. After that, my interest in TFs died down a bit, and I moved into a non-TF phase. I kept changing from TF-collecting phases to other phases (mainly Lego), although I have always been returning to TFs. Recently, my parents have made me use a budget to limit my spending on TFs and other collectables, so I'll have to be a bit more selective about which figures I get.

I started collecting in the early 1990's when a friend gave me about 70 G1's on vaqrious states of repair (some good, some so dead it was silly)

Being about 12 i didn't really buy many more, but did find a few at car boot sales.

I then stopped for about 10 years, and restarted with energon, got unicron! and a few others, most of the terrorcons, and omnibots.

I also started collecting the alternators, and one for two binaltech (got both versions of ravage, the jaguars just so mint!) this went on till about 2005 (interestingly when i joined this site)

again i stopped for a few years, then the film came out, and i found G1 reissues, and got a small selection of them, but the first film toys didn't really do it for me.

Again stopped for a few years, then found some classics, and the 2nd film came out, bout quite a few of the voyagers (statosphere mixmaster etc seemed like nice moulds, and they were on sale for about £6 in tesco's!)

again stopped again, until this film came out, and found the generations line, decided to be picky, and collect a series, or two...

Picked up the scan series, the wreckers, including the ltd sideswipe/BB repaints, and the generations ones, also got a couple of voyagers, again on sale, but this time only £15, got shockers, and skyhammer.

I'll be keeping an eye out for leadfoot (HA/Deluxe) alonside wheeljack and soundwave, but will i think just stick to buying generations/classics from now on, but will keep an eye out for interesting moulds, don't tend to overspend

what i have started doing though, is instead of buying 2 NIB, i'll buy one, and then find another on ebay, saves alot of money, and means you have one for play, and one for collection.

I actually started collecting back during the Beast era. I would watch Beast Wars every morning before school in elementary school, and every time I would visit my grandparents and on holidays I would get a new figure. Unfortunately I no longer have any of my original Beast Wars collection because in my dumb youth sold the entire lot for $60 at the local flea market. If I had to estimate I would say it could probably sell in today's market for around $800- $1k . Anywho, the release of the movie in 2007 reignited my passion in transformers and I ended up purchasing many figures that were on shelves at the time. This however ended as well when college tuition time came around. I just recently started collecting again, and this time I do not see myself stopping for a good long time.

Decepticharger wrote:And I started to appreciate the AEC Trilogy figures, which honestly developed after I read Counterpunch’s, “Why I like ____ Transformers” articles.

Awesome.

It's kind of strange, I wasn't really interested in Transformers when I was a kid, since I always found them naive and painted with improbable colors. Until 2007, when the first movie came out. At the time (as everyone may recall), the engineering of the toys and the design had a drastic change, and bam! all the sudden the toys looked awesome and attractive to me.
So I started picking up the movie lines, only a few at first.
After that I realized little by little that G1 and other classic series weren't so bad after all. I think it's related to some sort of affection that I didn't have before, but captured my attention since then.
Of course I was selective from the start, since I was skeptical about the design and overall look, as for I'm a designer myself.

Now I continue collecting my favorite characters, of selected series (G1, Cybertron, new animated series, movies series, Prime series..), picking up only the ones I prefer from the line.

There are really some among those that are stunningly well done. Like Barricade from Human Alliance line, just to mention one (except for the missing left hand ).