Metroplex '13, USS Flagg, the 1980's, and the Future.
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:04 pmAnyone who grew up in the 80's has to look back now and just pause, reflecting; "Wow, we had the most awesome play-sets in the 20th and 21st centuries." Metroplex for the Transformers 
30th Anniversary 
is important, not just to TF fans, and 80's fans, it is important to everyone who enjoys toys - in general.
We hit a peak in 1985 with Hasbro's true titan: GI Joe USS Flagg at 7 1/2 feet.
There are adult toys too, [in more ways than one], but, bikes, and motorized vehicles don't count for what I am discussion; play-sets.
Metroplex '13 is the tallest Transformer so far at 24-25", but is outweighed by Fortress Maximus by 1.5-2 pounds, [roughly 4lbs vs roughly 6lbs]. Yet, these two titans have plenty of other play-sets before them that are just as big.
There was, recently, Hasbro's Millennium Falcon, which dwarfed Kenner's original. Other Kenner play-sets for Star Wars were very incredible. Playmates TMNT toys, like the Tecnodrome were large. Ljn made some terrible video-games, but there toys were awesome, including the Thundercat toys like the "Lair". Just how many He-Man play-sets, did Mattel make? Hasbro made even more GI Joe aRAH sets, if not more, when compared to Masters'.
The strange thing about all of this is that USS Flagg originally sold for just $109 US! Fort.Max sold for just over $100, but that toys engineering and manufacturer cost were different (apples and oranges, ETC), Metroplex '13 is only $100 almost 26 years later.
I really believe that, just as American citizens, we will see another generation with colossal kids playsets, [as well as adult toys
].
The economy is not nearly as strong as where it has been, but I believe that cost of living will go down, and energy will become cheaper than it has ever been in human history. I think the economy in just the US is going to explode in growth at least one more time, even given current conditions. *Ref:NOTE Also human capability to manufacture - anything, is always improving.
Could we see Hasbro top the Flagg? Imagine a new Fort.Max or other baseformer as large as the classic Flagg. Conditions for the average US citizen may improve enough that it's more than feasible to happen.
Flagg is extreme given the simple issue of just where to place a toy big. But even other playsets mentioned aren't that unmanageable.
Forget collectors, as parents, just buying a Gen.'s Metroplex for a child is very special given our own love and nostalgia for such things. Many of the kids who grew up in the 80's have kids now, and will continue to have more, & want to share the things that were special to the parent as a child to their own child.
Funny thing about toy tech., imagine Transformer toys that transform themselves and double as actually robots, this is almost a certainty. How about a playset or transformer toy that doubles as a functioning vehicle for a child and even an adult? The future holds a lot for ourselves, and our children, and grandchildren, and beyond.
*Ref:NOTE [This is based on hard facts - not positive thinking. One example: storing the energy of a lightning bolt. Catching lightning is actually easy, there are real methods for doing this. But no battery can store it, yet. There's a very credible tech./science company that says they will be able to achieve this within 10 years. Firepointe is the company name. 1 bolt of lightning has enough energy to power the US for 2 weeks.]
30th Anniversary is important, not just to TF fans, and 80's fans, it is important to everyone who enjoys toys - in general.We hit a peak in 1985 with Hasbro's true titan: GI Joe USS Flagg at 7 1/2 feet.
There are adult toys too, [in more ways than one], but, bikes, and motorized vehicles don't count for what I am discussion; play-sets.
Metroplex '13 is the tallest Transformer so far at 24-25", but is outweighed by Fortress Maximus by 1.5-2 pounds, [roughly 4lbs vs roughly 6lbs]. Yet, these two titans have plenty of other play-sets before them that are just as big.
There was, recently, Hasbro's Millennium Falcon, which dwarfed Kenner's original. Other Kenner play-sets for Star Wars were very incredible. Playmates TMNT toys, like the Tecnodrome were large. Ljn made some terrible video-games, but there toys were awesome, including the Thundercat toys like the "Lair". Just how many He-Man play-sets, did Mattel make? Hasbro made even more GI Joe aRAH sets, if not more, when compared to Masters'.
The strange thing about all of this is that USS Flagg originally sold for just $109 US! Fort.Max sold for just over $100, but that toys engineering and manufacturer cost were different (apples and oranges, ETC), Metroplex '13 is only $100 almost 26 years later.
I really believe that, just as American citizens, we will see another generation with colossal kids playsets, [as well as adult toys
].The economy is not nearly as strong as where it has been, but I believe that cost of living will go down, and energy will become cheaper than it has ever been in human history. I think the economy in just the US is going to explode in growth at least one more time, even given current conditions. *Ref:NOTE Also human capability to manufacture - anything, is always improving.
Could we see Hasbro top the Flagg? Imagine a new Fort.Max or other baseformer as large as the classic Flagg. Conditions for the average US citizen may improve enough that it's more than feasible to happen.
Flagg is extreme given the simple issue of just where to place a toy big. But even other playsets mentioned aren't that unmanageable.
Forget collectors, as parents, just buying a Gen.'s Metroplex for a child is very special given our own love and nostalgia for such things. Many of the kids who grew up in the 80's have kids now, and will continue to have more, & want to share the things that were special to the parent as a child to their own child.
Funny thing about toy tech., imagine Transformer toys that transform themselves and double as actually robots, this is almost a certainty. How about a playset or transformer toy that doubles as a functioning vehicle for a child and even an adult? The future holds a lot for ourselves, and our children, and grandchildren, and beyond.
*Ref:NOTE [This is based on hard facts - not positive thinking. One example: storing the energy of a lightning bolt. Catching lightning is actually easy, there are real methods for doing this. But no battery can store it, yet. There's a very credible tech./science company that says they will be able to achieve this within 10 years. Firepointe is the company name. 1 bolt of lightning has enough energy to power the US for 2 weeks.]
! The biggest transformer I had was 
I mean, look at these two figures from Machine Robo and Gobots:
