The Energon Pub

I know I will get a lot of feedback on this topic. Fortress Maximus is legendary in the G1 genre of toys. But I am here to dispell this myth.

Fortress Maximus is a great piece of robot arse but he just doesn't do it for me. I paid $300 CAD for mine so I won't complain about how much I forked over. But I will complain about how much people are asking for it online (700-1000 US). This figure was made available in 1987 and for the screen time it got on the show Stateside it wasn't enough make this character a "Transformer God." Maybe watch the Japanese Headmaster episodes and you might get some satisfaction out of your toy. But here, especially in Canada, Fortress Maximus is not a topic of discussion when it comes to TF toys. Maybe just maybe we can hope for it to appear in a Transformer movie sequel! I know then Fortress Maximus can get all the hype it deserves online. But for now Fort Max gets the axe!

Yeah but dude, at the time (when I was 10 years old) Fort Max was 'it'. G.I. Joe had the aircraft carrier. Transformers had Max. Skorpy was cool, but he wasn't the biggest or the best. Here's just a few points that made it the coolest thing ever to the pre-teen market:
1) The biggest Transformer ever made
2) TONS of weapons that were not only hand held, but could transform and hide away.
3) Not only one but two alternate modes.
4) EXTRA ROBOTS! Not only a simple little put together robot ala Metroplex's Six Gun, but a Headmaster bot, and HIS Headmaster who was Spike- and Spike as a figure is or was pretty freakin' cool.
5) He can hold just about any sized TF that came out at that point from Prowl to Powerglide; Max could carry 'em all.
6) Ejector ramp...come on, who doesn't love stuff that ejects.
7) THE BIGGEST TRANSFORMER EVER MADE!... and really, that's all that needs to be said.
Obviously, I love the thing, and after paying $100 at the first Botcon for mine which is all banged up and colored on with a marker, he's still my prized posession.

Fort Max was featured heavily in the US comic for awhile, so he could also garner a following that way (besides the Headmasters series, he was also featured as Autobot leader for a bit in the regular series.

And part of the luster of TFs for some collectors is their rarity. Not many people in the US have this piece, it's huge!

I don't truthfully expect him to show up in any live action movie, at least in the form we are used to. I would expect him to be one of the last of the popular bots to be considered, if at all.

Takara could, if they wanted to, Re-Issue Fort Max...

Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...
::cracks knuckes menacingly::

Counterpunch wrote:Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...::cracks knuckes menacingly::

::Grabs lead pipe and follows::

does any one know what fort max's original price was when it first came out? and tech how big is it? whats the measurement?

Bombus distinguendus wrote:does any one know what fort max's original price was when it first came out? and tech how big is it? whats the measurement?

i believe it was 50 bucks when he came out.
as far as size and weight.. ?

I remember it being $100 that Christmas, which is why I couldn't get it. Not positive though, I'd think at least $80. As for the height he's 24" tall, a whopping 2 feet! Doesn't sound like much, but compared to an 8 inch Optimus...

RumbleBumbleWheeliePoops7 wrote:I remember it being $100 that Christmas,

yep.

$100 in 1987 money.

PorQPine wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...::cracks knuckes menacingly::

::Grabs lead pipe and follows::

Make them give it good articulation! Ratcheting joints!

You know, forget reissues. We want a Classics/Universe Fort Max!

Sloptank wrote:

PorQPine wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...::cracks knuckes menacingly::

::Grabs lead pipe and follows::

Make them give it good articulation! Ratcheting joints!

You know, forget reissues. We want a Classics/Universe Fort Max!

He has ratcheting joints...

For me it's not just what he was in the cartoon. It's the fact that he's one of the coolest toys ever! He's frickin huge and as Getter Dragun had put it "he can crush a small child." Now THAT makes an awesome toy.

PorQPine wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...::cracks knuckes menacingly::

::Grabs lead pipe and follows::

Car Robots/RiD Brave Maximus, anyone?

I am confident Takara/Tomy's margin on that piece is very small, as opposed to the MP line...

He is so effing HUGE! Totally worth the money, but not $750-1000 US.

I have Brave Max and I like it. A giant, massive TF! What's not to love?

I bought a Fort max earlier in the year. He's in great shape with box and everything. So, as you can imagine, I paid a premium for him.

For a long time I was going to try and cut my G1 collection at the year before Fort Max came out, because I couldn't imagine spending so much money on any toy to finish the line. However, in some strange way in time, it became a figure that I felt I had to have as a collector. How could I not want the largest transformer ever made with so many neat gimmicks and things?

Since I'm doing ok financially I decided to splurge on it this year and I'm very happy with it. It just looks awesome atop my shelves, because of the size especially.

Oddly I don't know if I'll bother collecting all of the Transformers from that year still even though I went over the biggest roadblock for me, but I'm glad I got Fort Max.

Foallen wrote:Oddly I don't know if I'll bother collecting all of the Transformers from that year still even though I went over the biggest roadblock for me, but I'm glad I got Fort Max.

QFT!

[sarcasm]You must own a Fort Max, or have the desire to own one to be a true transfan [/sarcasm]!

Counterpunch wrote:

RumbleBumbleWheeliePoops7 wrote:I remember it being $100 that Christmas,

yep.

$100 in 1987 money.

That works out to be about $250 US in today's money. Not all things considered. How much was Brave Max in Japan being sold for in 2000?

Fortress Maximus is a great figure, don't get me wrong. But my point was only he is fetching for way too much online. In that sense, I feel Fort Max hasn't earned that wealthy status from show appearances but only by toy appearance alone. If someone were to say to me "...yeah, Fort Max was a great character so I bought the toy." I would have a hard time beleiving that, because on the American syndicated show it was Cerebros that was in essence Fort Max's personality. And if anything, Cerebros should get all the props for character development. So in closing I feel the myth of Fortress Maximus is this: People don't buy Fort Max because he was one of the best show characters, but because his toy was larger than anybody else. Now Scorponok, there's a character for you!

G-Hac3 wrote:Fortress Maximus is a great figure, don't get me wrong. But my point was only he is fetching for way too much online. In that sense, I feel Fort Max hasn't earned that wealthy status from show appearances but only by toy appearance alone. If someone were to say to me "...yeah, Fort Max was a great character so I bought the toy." I would have a hard time beleiving that, because on the American syndicated show it was Cerebros that was in essence Fort Max's personality. And if anything, Cerebros should get all the props for character development. So in closing I feel the myth of Fortress Maximus is this: People don't buy Fort Max because he was one of the best show characters, but because his toy was larger than anybody else. Now Scorponok, there's a character for you!

The Fort Max hype is from the japanese Headmasters series. He was awesome there. Are you sayinf Scorponok was one of the best show characters on the US show?

I think you are right though, not many people buy Fort Max due to characterization, it is the sheer impressiveness of the figure that merits purchase that and the entire mystique around it due to rarity, size, etc.

Counterpunch wrote:Takara could, if they wanted to, Re-Issue Fort Max...

Well, I'm off to Japan to make Takara's mind up for them...
::cracks knuckes menacingly::

I knew there was a reason why I liked you! HA!

tigertracks 24 wrote:

G-Hac3 wrote:Fortress Maximus is a great figure, don't get me wrong. But my point was only he is fetching for way too much online. In that sense, I feel Fort Max hasn't earned that wealthy status from show appearances but only by toy appearance alone. If someone were to say to me "...yeah, Fort Max was a great character so I bought the toy." I would have a hard time beleiving that, because on the American syndicated show it was Cerebros that was in essence Fort Max's personality. And if anything, Cerebros should get all the props for character development. So in closing I feel the myth of Fortress Maximus is this: People don't buy Fort Max because he was one of the best show characters, but because his toy was larger than anybody else. Now Scorponok, there's a character for you!

The Fort Max hype is from the japanese Headmasters series. He was awesome there. Are you sayinf Scorponok was one of the best show characters on the US show?

I think you are right though, not many people buy Fort Max due to characterization, it is the sheer impressiveness of the figure that merits purchase that and the entire mystique around it due to rarity, size, etc.

In comparison, Scorponok had more of a background because of Lord Zarak. Still his character was as close to the development of Fort Max and he is still a pretty big fig' but his price is nowhere near to the aformentioned. I just find Scorpy' more interesting, that's all.

Yeah but how many Transformers do you own that you like/love that were hardly in the show or comics at all? I mean Beast Wars had a ton of awesome figures released that were never even glimpsed in the show. That's what made it a great show, keeping it at that smaller scale, but that doesn't undo my enjoyment or appreciation of all the cool characters they released throughout the run. Cybershark comes to mind. Funny name, awesome figure, and never in the show.

Yep I always liked the Deluxe Insecticons myself they never got any screen time

G-Hac3 wrote:I know I will get a lot of feedback on this topic. Fortress Maximus is legendary in the G1 genre of toys. But I am here to dispell this myth.

Fortress Maximus is a great piece of robot arse but he just doesn't do it for me. I paid $300 CAD for mine so I won't complain about how much I forked over. But I will complain about how much people are asking for it online (700-1000 US). This figure was made available in 1987 and for the screen time it got on the show Stateside it wasn't enough make this character a "Transformer God." Maybe watch the Japanese Headmaster episodes and you might get some satisfaction out of your toy. But here, especially in Canada, Fortress Maximus is not a topic of discussion when it comes to TF toys. Maybe just maybe we can hope for it to appear in a Transformer movie sequel! I know then Fortress Maximus can get all the hype it deserves online. But for now Fort Max gets the axe!

BLASPHAMY YOU NEVER INSULT THE MAXIMUS BLASPHAMAST. Fortress is limited
Fortress is huge
Fortress has multiple play points
Fortress has multiple arilery
Fortress IS A FREAKIN DOUBLE HEADMASTER
Fortress works with most figures
Fortress is a friggin sweet display peice
Fortress is MAXIMUS

You G-HAC3 and thats what you are a hac, should be banned from forums and Primus himself should smite you down where you stand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jory_Maximus wrote:

G-Hac3 wrote:I know I will get a lot of feedback on this topic. Fortress Maximus is legendary in the G1 genre of toys. But I am here to dispell this myth.

Fortress Maximus is a great piece of robot arse but he just doesn't do it for me. I paid $300 CAD for mine so I won't complain about how much I forked over. But I will complain about how much people are asking for it online (700-1000 US). This figure was made available in 1987 and for the screen time it got on the show Stateside it wasn't enough make this character a "Transformer God." Maybe watch the Japanese Headmaster episodes and you might get some satisfaction out of your toy. But here, especially in Canada, Fortress Maximus is not a topic of discussion when it comes to TF toys. Maybe just maybe we can hope for it to appear in a Transformer movie sequel! I know then Fortress Maximus can get all the hype it deserves online. But for now Fort Max gets the axe!

BLASPHAMY YOU NEVER INSULT THE MAXIMUS BLASPHAMAST. Fortress is limited
Fortress is huge
Fortress has multiple play points
Fortress has multiple arilery
Fortress IS A FREAKIN DOUBLE HEADMASTER
Fortress works with most figures
Fortress is a friggin sweet display peice
Fortress is MAXIMUS

You G-HAC3 and thats what you are a hac, should be banned from forums and Primus himself should smite you down where you stand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this post needed some smilies with it, as it was sarcasm, I hope.