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Transformer toy category/subline releases like the early 80s?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:48 am
by fenrir72
Has this question ever been raised during Botcon one on one or Hasbro expositions with the Hasbro powers that be?

Of course, when TF was originally released, they were a mix match of Diaclone and Microchange toys

The second wave was made up of Bandai licensed figs and Toybox

The 3rd were mostly 1986 Movie characters

The ones I've raised a question about is that when the Headmasters were released,well, there were like 6 Headmaster Autobots (I count Fortmax as 2 Headmasters) and 6 Headmaster 'cons. Hasbro also launched a bunch of Targetmasters.

They were then followed by the Pretenders, Powermasters, double Targetmasters and even more Pretenders.

I hope you get my point, there were like a bunch for the subline. Now, well, we just get One Headmaster in the place of Brainstorm.

Will Hasbro/Tomy ever try the bunch of Headmasters type subline release? Aside from the upcoming Combiner teams, I hope it is going to be reality and not wishful thinking.

Re: Transformer toy category/subline releases like the early 80s?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:55 am
by Cobotron
In the 80's, the "Star Wars" business model had not been perfected. (I use the word perfected loosely) Toys were sold because they were toys. Transformers evolved to have new gimmicks to help drive sales. Now everything is media driven. If it doesn't have a movie/cartoon/comic/video game it is to risky a venture. You have to have advertising in any form to sell a toy. Because kids don't have any imagination (sarcasm). When is the last time we saw a toy line do so well that a media form followed after? maybe Classics? Legos?

I would love to see some of those old Transformers gimmicks re-imagined.
I think we will have to rely on IDW for a lot of this. In another thread some one broke down Headmasters involvement for me, and it wasn't pretty. Sounds like IDW would have to reboot the HMs themselves.

To answer your question, probably not.
But I'm over here wishing too.
Cheers

Re: Transformer toy category/subline releases like the early 80s?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:45 pm
by Wh33l Jck
A little off topic, but this thread reminded me of how awesome it was to look through the mini mail away catalogue of G1 toys you would get.

I remember thinking how more upscale and premium the Omnibots looked compared to the main line, and how I would have killed to have gotten one. I guess it was something about the photos, because looking back they don't seem that special.

It would be cool if they brought back that kind of vibe today. Non-retail premium figures...



To answer the original question...headmasters may return if they run out of ideas after Combiner Wars in 2015.

Maybe Brainstorm is just a test to see how the headmasters would be received. I like the headmasters and all, but I really love the japanese versions of them and the japanese origin story, so I don't know if Hasbro's are for me.