The Seibertron Top 10 Transformer Finds of 2018

I absolutely love tarantulus. He’s the figure that got me back into collecting transformers again 20 years ago. I was 14 and watched only the show and my grandma asked what I wanted for Christmas and I was well passed toys anymore but tarantulus was my favorite character in beast wars and I saw him at a store and “If you want I’ll take that. It’s not big deal” and she did and here I am 34 still collecting these damn things. I think I’m on my 3rd or 4th one now. Recently got one after his appearance in Sins of the wreckers.

I honestly got nothing old or vintage in 2018.

If I really gotta name my top figures I got it’s gotta be and I’m in my office looking at my collection as I do this:

10: Volcanicus

9: Legends Windblade

8: Power of the Primes Predaking

7: Siege Skytread

6: Power of the Primes Punch/Counterpunch

5: 2007/ 2008 Fracture(classics mirage repaint as crasher from gobots) she was one I dreamed of for 10 years. Okay there’s one old figure I got this year.

4: Power of the Primes Abominus

3: SDCC Optimal Optimus

2: Legends Overlord

1: Siege Shockwave. Yes yes I just got him 8 hours ago from making this but I’m a shockwave fan and I’ve been waiting for him for 3 months and he’s everything I hoped he would be and love him.

Is listing combiners as one entry allowed?

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Is listing combiners as one entry allowed?

Who cares do it! The gestalt form is an individual. Lol

that's an awesome story Randomhero. Tarantulas is something really special, I'm glad so many others share their love for him

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Is listing combiners as one entry allowed?

Of course! As long as the character has a name, it doesn't matter how many pieces make up said character. Or how many it breaks in to

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:that's an awesome story Randomhero. Tarantulas is something really special, I'm glad so many others share their love for him

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Is listing combiners as one entry allowed?

Of course! As long as the character has a name, it doesn't matter how many pieces make up said character. Or how many it breaks in to

And he still holds up! Other than his arms which have limitations he still holds up with figures 20 years later. It really shows out well engineered some of beast wars was. Some are dated but I think it’s safe to say a lot of stuff transmetal and after transmetal 2 still hold up very well. That’s why I don’t really feel some need updated and the ones that have were just. Rhinox, black arachnia rattrap, even optimal Optimus. Yeah it’s debatable on whether or not POTP optimal Optimus is a good successor to the original but to me he is. He’s better proportioned and captured what made the toy and character memorable.

Randomhero wrote:And he still holds up! Other than his arms which have limitations he still holds up with figures 20 years later. It really shows out well engineered some of beast wars was. Some are dated but I think it’s safe to say a lot of stuff transmetal and after transmetal 2 still hold up very well. That’s why I don’t really feel some need updated and the ones that have were just. Rhinox, black arachnia rattrap, even optimal Optimus. Yeah it’s debatable on whether or not POTP optimal Optimus is a good successor to the original but to me he is. He’s better proportioned and captured what made the toy and character memorable.

Honestly, the only thing I would want different on the Transmetals are Bicep and Thigh rotation. that is literally all they need to be perfect. It's like "G1 with Knees" but "Beast Wars with swivels"

In no particular order:

CW Optimus Prime with SND kit (thanks for the hook-up, itscramtastic)
PoTP Abominus
TR Overlord
TrU exclusive TLK Cybertron (for $60)
UW Prowl
UW Cyclonus
PoTP Inferno
Armada Megatron
MP-28 Hot Rodimus
TLK leader class Megatron

2018 was a high point for me as a collector (getting back into the game these last few years). I find most of my real gems off of Seibertron listicles, so many of these have been featured by you before for obvious (or infamous) reasons. I was actually struck by how unexciting so many of the "exclusives" (loosely applies this year, when almost all could be easily acquired) and mega-releases (glowering at Predaking) were this year. Here goes:

10. Masterpiece "Perfect Edition" Ultra Magnus. Picked him up at a Yodobashi Camera for my first ever MP purchase. I was not disappointed! The scale is so perfectly massive in vehicle mode - my daughter LOVES packing as many cars from other lines into him as she can and just wheeling them all over the living room. His screen accuracy shines through in robot mode - just the perfect expression of PRESENCE that a transformer should have on a desk. Clean, professional, uncluttered style work super well. Will be a jewel of my collection forever.

9. Studio Series Starscream (either version). The perfect mold and perfect transformation. This is just a perfect toy. I don't know how you could improve on this - it's clear that all the engineering and tabbing/sliding/storing details that went into this mold formed the philosophical basis for what will be the hallmark features of War for Cybertron: quality, articulation, detail, fun.

8. The Siege weaponizers. The soft plastic, perfect paint apps, blast FX, and excellent tabbing make these shine more than any small toy Hasbro ever crafted in the Prime Wars lines. These make the micromasters look downright stupid by comparison. I will buy as many weaponizers as Hastak want to make for this line - keep 'em coming!

7. Perfect Effect Mega Doragon. I never got to buy the original Transmetal 2 Megatron. It is the one toy that to this day would absolutely make me squeal in delight if it arrived on my front door. Perfect Effect took everything I liked and wanted about the original and dialed it to 11. The transformation is complex, if just a tad tedious (you're best just taking the massive wings off while you do it and reattaching at the end), and the head tail is just too damn long and flimsy. But my God is it a work of art. It's probably a bit TOO massive, despite my love of the dimensions. I can't fit this thing anywhere without my wife complaining. The quality is everything I expect at the MP price point (or better, considering my last 2 real world MP purchases had massive QC issues). Two thumbs way up for this release that I was more than a little hesitant to pre-order.

6. Perfect Effect Beast Gorira. Everything I loved about PE's Mega Doragon treatment can also be said about this guy. Improves on the Hasbro release in every way. I can't believe I missed the Primal Prime release - would buy instantly on a reissue.

5. Takara Legendary Optimus (from Bumblebee movie). This should have been an MPM release with die cast parts, but I'm not complaining. The judicious use of chrome really works for this character, and I prefer the edgier take on the robot mode (and MPM-ish scale) compared to what we're going to eventually see with the very, super, mega-conservative G1 styled SS release. The joints are ratchety and firm in all the right ways without being a pain in the a**. It comes together in a very nice-looking G1-style cab. For a new collector like me with little in the way of Optimus (something 2018/2019 look to be blitzing on with menace) this was a very nice addition to the studio group. His gun also transforms and settles in to his back perfectly to give the trapezius/lats a boost, and they attach under the cab to get tucked away in vehicle mode with no issues. This was ignored/overlooked by most collectors for some really silly reasons - easily the best Optimus of 2018 (considering most people won't find the Siege version before 2019).

4. Takara Legends Windblade. I know she got low points from you for her "gappiness", but I always thought the Titans Return version looked atrocious. She's supposed to be a super hot geisha warrior, and her Titans Return proportions were stocky and ridiculous. The Takara Legends release has superior coloring and succeeds in making her look effeminate and stylish. Her little hair piece comes off and can be held as a fan! Her sword sheath clips right on to her hip for easy carrying in robot mode (and has vehicle mode storage to boot). Some sections of plastic were a bit flimsy for mashing together in vehicle mode (she was probably planned originally for a more deluxe-ish scale), but the look works and mine has few issues coming apart while playing unless my daughter is bashing her against things.

3. Takara Legends Waspinator. The penultimate form for this character. This toy has never been and will never be better than this. Perfect size. Perfectly executed wing flap gimmick. Everything tabs in super solid and looks amazing (and show accurate) in beast and robot modes. Best insect transformer bar none.

2. Heinrad. I've lived in Japan for 2 years, and I've always wanted to get one of the carved wooden Tanuki statues for our apartment. I figured out this dude (from Beast Wars Neo) existed from a Seibertron listicle, and knew immediately he was the one. A bit hard to find except online; wife picked him up for the perfect Christmas present. He's finnicky and an absolute nightmare of a shellformer (and his little alarm clock gimmick is just weird), but I love him so. This has convinced me I will NOT be getting the Big Convoy encore reissue.

1. Generations Toys "Tyrant" (Stealth Bomber Megatron). This is an AMAZING take on the legends scale release, with improvements everywhere in detail, coloring, styling, and quality. The masterpiece scale and quality shines through with perfection. I feel like I'm holding something that flew off the screen while I was watching Nausicaa or something! The box it comes in looks great, will last forever, and is impervious to most damage. It comes with an amazing transforming stand that is absolutely the best stand I have ever seen or owned for any character ever. The fact that I got it on "clearance" is absolutely shocking. I don't know how there were any more versions of this character to be found, but you'd better hope there are more and you'd better get one while you can.

Yes, 3 of my Top 10 are third party. The only 3 I've ever been brave enough to purchase. That's insane Hastak! Take some risks! Get your QC under control. You easily missed out on $450 due to lack of imagination.

Honorable Mention: MPM-7 Bumblebee. Just because I think this is one of the best vehicle mode treatments I've seen in the MPM line. Love the fading orange and blue windows. Super duper classy, got at super great price ($80!), and fun to transform. Robot mode is probably the best expression of the character to date, just nothing super special about an oversaturated character.

I have a lot of great finds to narrow down so I did a top 20 just for official Transformers. While it's very unfortunate that none of these were found in person and were all on eBay, the prices I paid for them was usually a fraction of what they actually go for. I'm also going to punk out and not actually list them in order because I don't think I'd be able to.

20: Guren Dragotron. Simply a beautiful figure. Large and intimidating.
19: Energon Quickstrike. A mold nobody really talks about. The colors are pretty nice and aeiral alt-mode Autobots are always a welcome addition.
18: Cybertron legends class Starscream, Skywarp, Sunstorm, Thrust and Ramjet. What a great little mold. I'm waiting impatiently to find the redecos of Starscream and Ramjet to get all versions of the mold.
17: Armada deluxe Nemesis Prime with Run-Over, Armada Deluxe Optimus Prime with Over-Run and Universe deluxe Ultra Magnus with Over-Run. Another fun mold and it looks great in all colors. Now to get the rest of the Optimus Prime redecos.
16: Arms Micron Skywarp and Prime First Edition 2-pack purple Starscream. Yet another really fun mold. I don't see it as being feminine but I still want Slipstream nonetheless. Not to mention Thundercracker and Dark Energon Starscream.
15: Armada Tidal Wave with Ramjet. Another big and intimidating bot. A really fun mold too.
14: OTFCC Sunstreaker. I consider the Autobot brothers molds to be female in my collection so this was a much needed addition to my female Autobot ranks.
13: Universe Depthcharge. I really like the colors on him. Just such an odd redeco in a time when odd redecos were the norm. I miss those times.
12: Cybertron Scrapmetal (red). I really hate that it took me so long to get some of these figures and this is no exception. It's a fun little toy and I want more now.
11: Energon Inferno. What's to say, it's pretty good.
10: G1 Reissue Piranacon. I have a really bad memory when it comes to my childhood but one of the things that stands out still is getting the originals for Christmas all those years ago. These are the only G1 figures in my collection still and will probably be the only ones. I love this set. The colors, the alt modes, turning one into a gun, the display stands, everything. I love them.
9: Universe Nemesis Prime. Another beautiful mold. It's just a shame that there's so much kibble. It says a lot that it's still a good mold despite all that kibble.
8: 2010 Brimstone and RTS Chopsaw. Another fun little mold with a unique transformation and overall look.
7: Galaxy Force Exigeyser/Cybertron Cybertron Defense Force Scattorshot. The price of a complete one of these is too damn high sometimes. However someone posted the Galaxy Force version and threw enough people off the trail for me to pick it up for really cheap. I want a second one but I don't think I'm going to be lucky enough to get him for that cheap again.
6: United Wipe-Out and Windcharger. When I first got my hands on Titans Return Windcharger and Tailgate I just had to get these guys too to go along with the T30 and CW versions. Wipeout is great and if you can get him, do.
5: Henkei regular and Specialist Galvatron. I actually like the Universe Galvatron mold. I have two of the Universe, two Challenge of Cybertron, two Henkei and one Specialist as drones. I want one more Specialist and two Platinum to finish out. Maybe two of the United translucent version but a translucent version of this mold worries me.
4: Botcon Ironhide. I like Energon molds as well. This mold just works so well as Ironhide. I doubt I'll ever get Ratchet for as low as I got Ironhide for.
3: Henkei Strafe with Rocketbot. A really good mold in nice colors. I got two this year to act as drones for RTS Strafe. I like having larger bots being flanked by smaller versions of themselves for some reason.
2: Armada Prowl. Regardless of what mode it's in, it looks good. An awesome looking car mode, a decent robot mode and a convincing gun mode. A really good Minicon.
1: Know that number 1 is Universe Razorclaw. Out of everyone, I think Razorclaw and Guren Dragotron might be my favorites on this list. They both look great.


If your'e still there, here's some non-Hasbro Transformers and other figures. I'll keep this list smaller since most of these I bought at retail and to me, that doesn't count.

10: Figuarts Card Captors Sakura. A cute little figure.
9: Planet X Grimlock, Slag, Swoop and Snarl. I'll cheat here as I got them all in one lot for about the price of just one of them normally.
8: Maketoys Giant type 61. I love my UW Devastator but I wanted something in scale with my CW/UW/PotP combiners.
7: MMPR Serpentera. Complete and unbroken from shipping! What an imposing figure.
6: Power Ranger in Space Astro Megazord. I actually got like two and a half and a KO of these all within two months. I never had this Megazord at all before then.
5: Big Bad Beetleborgs Roboborg. I had no idea how awesome this was. Another one I never had until now.
4: Dinozaurs "Progress Change" gold and green Giganodrago. I have the standard version but I seen this recolor in box and had to have it. I have no idea if this is a KO or not but I don't care. This was probably the only older thing I purchased this year that I spent more than I would've liked on.
3: Geo Greymon to Rize Greymon. I bought the "jointed orange bull" on eBay knowing what it was and I don't regret it. I could resell it for about 4 times what I paid but I like the damn thing too much.
2: Maketoys Paladin/Chaos. I like it but what were they thinking when they designed this? It's not like it's based on an existing PCC figure so why is Paladin so awkward to pose in Paladin and Chaos modes? The restrictions are just a little odd for something they designed completely themselves.
1: Targetroid Starscream. Now if only I had one more deluxe Starscream. I have Potp SS, Shattered Glass SS, UW Ghost SS, Golden Lagoon SS, LG Ghost SS Headmaster, Gacha Arma Micron SS and Targetroid SS. Just one Starscream away from an all Starscream combiner.

Media.

5: Shining Resonance Refrain for Nintendo Switch.
4: Reverie for Playstation Vita.
3: Summon Night: Twin Age for Nintendo DS.
2: Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans for Nintendo DS.
1: Suikoden III Manga.

I seem to have really spoiled myself this year but I couldn't resist those prices. Some things I got in lots with figures I already had so I was able to sell what I didn't need to save and even make money.

My Top 10 Transformers Finds of 2018.
I have been having a tough time remembering what I got this year as I only really started collecting in the back half of the year.

Honourable Mention: TLK Cog[/b]man:[/b] A great figure with a fantastic amount of detail in both modes. speaking of both modes, he is incredible in both and the added titan master feature is great nod to a feature that never came to pass in the film. The only reason he doesn't make the list is that mine came with large stress marks on his leg panels that deter me from playing with him more.

10. SS Stinger:Literally the only deluxe I wanted out of the the first wave of SS figures and even then I didn't get him till a couple days ago, but damn is he fun. His transformation is a blast and his car mode is gorgeous. His robot mode is great too, but I think that his head could have used more paint and his backpack sticks out a bit too far for my liking.

9. SS Starscream: Such a great figure with insane posability and an absolutely beautiful jet mode. transformation is great and pretty simple for a voyager. Too bad i am not a big fan of this starscream design or he would definitely place higher.

8. TLK Nitro Zeus:To be honest, I don't know if I got this guy in 2018 or not.(If not then take him out and move everyone else down one, if you are a real stickler for the rules) That aside he is so much fun and the Titan master compatibility makes him even better even if it looks a tad ridiculous at times(especially with cogman). His transformation is ingenious and I love his asymmetrical robot design, plus he is a blast to pose.

7. TLK Hot Rod: I honestly did not expect this guy to be this high up especially since I didn't like his character, but I have had a hard time putting him down. I just find him really fun and his design is fantastic as is his car mode. I actually ended up giving him Cogman's sword and it has yet to back to cogman because it just goes really well.

6. SS Blackout: I was looking forward to this guy since his announcement and did he deliver. Both Robot and Helicopter modes are great and imposing. Plus he is HUGE in copter mode.

5. Studio Series Jazz: A rather late addition as I got him with Stinger only a couple of days ago but man is he so much fun and unexpected at that. I was honestly sceptical at first because he is so small but he does not disappoint. He has the right amount of possibility and great detail. Both modes are great even if mine has some rather large panel lines in car mode.

4. G1 Devastator: Having grown up long after G1 finished and not being into the brand till the first live action movie G1 toys have always interested me. Especially the combiners, so when the reissue of this set was announced i knew I had to have it, and it did not disappoint. All the individual robots are fun if rather simple and they look great together when combined.

3. Studio Series VW BEE: This is my definitive Bee. Extremely fun in robot mode and he comes with so many accessories that make up for his finicky transformation. Even vehicle mode looks good when you put in the effort.

2. POTP Battletrap Great balance, great poseability ,great gimmick, great fun. He also looks phenomenal. I was my only one of two figures I wanted from power of the primes (sadly I couldn't find the other one I wanted, Rodimus Unicronus) and man I honestly don't know what to say about this figure that has not already been said.

1. Studio Series Optimus No matter what people say, this figure is fantastic. I acknowledge the flaws like the dark colors and backpack as well as some exposed hinges but none of that stuff bugs me any more now that he is in my hands. His possibility is only really rivaled by Battletrap and because of that he is so much fun. I only wish he came with a gun or two. His truck mode looks great too and transformation is fun. I genuinely have a hard time putting this guy down.

The list could change cause i still have figures i havent opened yet but as of now my 10 are

10:PoP Leader Rodimus
9: SS voyager optimus
8: SS leader blackout
7: PoP Abominus
6: KO modernized G1 Megatron
5: LK Legion Dragonstorm
4: Bumblebee Legion Optimus
3: Walmart G1 Starscream
2: Walmart G1 minibots
1: Walmart G1 Hot Rod

Best part about getting these was i didnt pay full price on a single one

Huh, a top ten of what I've bought this year... Can I even remember what all I bought this year? Let's give this a shot!

10. POTP Grimlock. Found on on shelves shortly before Gregg Berger came to the closest convention to me and got it signed. Great fun at the convention, and well, I couldn't really put any of my Perceptors here as I've had them for years...

9. G1 Astrotrain. He's a fun little guy, which wound up being "given" back to me for storage, and how often do we even steam trains anymore?

8. POTP Moonracer. I gotta say I embrace the female representation, and it is awesome to see a general release for characters that have not had one in thirty plus years. She's just good fun to pose, and I'm soo looking forward to the Seige Greenlight exclusive so I get 4/5ths of a Elita-1nfinite.

7. SS Dropkick. I love the murder face he's got, and the articulation is great. I just enjoy having him on my desk so I can remember the sheer joy of a "good" (opinion here) Transformers movie.

6. TR Mindwipe. Ran into him as a piece of leftover stock in my one Walgreens, and have not regretted him. Nice purple-y bat monster that makes me think of the bat Go-Bot that is sitting on my one shelf that I loved as a kid. Only complaint is the bat head on his rear end.

5. SS VW Bee. Found him before the Bumblebee movie came out, and was praying he'd be better than the camaro bee of the same line. Thankfully, he is exponentially better and served as a bright point to psyche me up for the day.

4. SS Jazz. This is the toy that saved the Studio Series line for me. That's almost enough said right there, but he's well sculpted, articulation is great, and the paint is spot on. I did my test of having a crazy one legged pose on my desk, and a train went by and he wiggled but was so stable he never fell down. He now uses the camaro bee as his personal throne and with the smuggest, and well deserved grin.

3. Siege Sideswipe. Sideswipe's my favorite character, and when there's a chance for me to get one. It shall be mine. His sculpt is very reminiscent of his G1/MP sculpt, highly articulated, the colors pop despite the weathering, and the waist swivel was a giant surprise for me. My only regret for him was that I did not get him for the crazy HTS prices, but then again I probably wouldn't have him in time for this list.

My final two are kinda interchangeable for me, as I'm really excited that I was able to get them both.

2. TR Chaos on Velocitron Set. I came across it in my one catch all new and used store; brand new at a used price, since the employees at that location do not know Transformers. I haven't broken the factory seals yet, but once again I'm a sucker for the female representation that the brand has been getting recently, and Nautica has been tempting me. The art of the box is just serving a great art piece right now until I gather the guts to decide the fate of those pieces of tape.

1. MP Sunstreaker. A birthday gift from my husband. The merry yellow psychopath has never looked better, and still is surprising since the brand has moved away from him since the original comics/series. The articulation and engineering shows the love that Takara has for the character, as he puts almost all of my other MPs to shame, and just reeks of the Sunny's vainglorious tendencies. To quote TFwiki, "Presenting the only Masterpiece you'll ever need." Indeed.

My top five from 2018 --



• Punch / Counterpunch

• LG61 Decepticon Clones Set

• LG58 Autobot Clones Set

• LG54 Bumble & Excelsuit Spike

• LG56 Perceptor & Ramhorn

Well, I can't say I got anything "exotic" this year (no MPs or 3rd Party or the like), but I definitely still have a list!

#10: Universe Overload
"Cybertron" was the series that got me into Transformers, and I always dug the sheer beefiness of Cybertron Defense Scattorshot. So when I saw Overload for cheap on eBay, I snapped him up. It's really nice having a figure that old to take me back to 2006(ish), and he's way more articulated than I expected, which was a nice surprise. And don't forget about his big dumb missle-launchers-into-giant-cannons. Cyber Key Power for the win!

#9: TLK Deluxe Hot Rod
Found this guy at Ollie's for a mere $7.99, along with Overlord. I have AOE Lockdown and man, Hot Rod does the mold so much better. Obviously, he's not perfect (his flat hood chest bugs me to no end), but it's nice to have the mold and actually ENJOY playing with it.

#8: POTP Grimlock
Having an updated (and inexpensive) G1 Grimlock has been something I've wanted for a while now, and even if it does it imperfectly, POTP Grim fills that need. I completely understand the various faults others have with him, but I'm satisfied with him. Well, after I gave him some touch-ups and a sword off of Shapeways, anyway. Not the best Grimlock, but could have been worse.

#7: SS VW Bumblebee
VW Bee is a really neat little figure, and it surprised me with how much personality it has. Usually my figures are either in "standing at attention" or "thick of the action" poses, but I found myself putting this guy into all kinds of silly, sassy poses. And while the transformation is a bit of a nightmare, it's really satisfying to have a tiny yellow Beetle when you're done.

#6: SS Lockdown
Like many people, I had almost convinced myself that AOE Lockdown wasn't that bad... and then this guy showed up. While he doesn't do anything super unique, SS Lockdown LOOKS amazing, what with all his sculpted detail and paint apps. Truly blows the old figure out of the water (though that's not really hard to do tbf), and plus he's the first retail figure to come with his hook. Finally!

#5: TR Overlord
I hadn't planned on getting Overlord at all during TR, but then he was at Ollie's for $20, so... While he's awful simple for a Leader figure, the only other one I have is Sixshot, so a little simplicity is welcome. Just a big chunky boi who turns into big chunky vehicles who I can put with Tarantulas and Springer and I love 'im.

#4: TR Grotuquse
This one was definitely an unexpected find: I went into my local Toys'R'Us a week before it closed, and lo and behold, Grotusquse and Scorponok, on the shelf, 50% off. It was one of the few times I've ever been overjoyed to find something at retail. He's different enough from Doublecross to be a unique experience, and die-cast Scorponok is a treat. It was the last gift TRU gave me, and man, was it a good one.

#3: TLK Voyager Scorn
Scorn was one of those figures I (stupidly) passed up when he was at retail, so having a second chance at getting him was great feeling. It amazes me that Hasbro gave him a voyager figure for a movie he wasn't in, but I'm not complaining. His extra size and articulation do wonders for him, and he fits right in with the other Dinobots. It also makes me hope that Scorn will get some love in other media too, since Hasbro didn't forget about him!

#2: Kreon Warriors (RID2015) Sideswipe
I had no idea what to expect when I saw the Kreon Warriors at Dollar General, but as soon as I put it together I was blown away. After the scattershot quality of early Kreons and the Micro-Changers, this felt like a premium toy. Like, it's a minifigure that has a full range of articulation and a full set of accessories! It's honestly the one thing that Kre-O has done better than Lego, and it's a shame this came after the line had already died, cause I would have bought into it.

#1: POTP Slash
Slash is, without a doubt, my favorite POTP Dinobot, and she's #1 here because I can't think of another figure I've bought recently that I've had as much fun playing with. (Sideswipe would be a close second, but he can't transform). Maybe it's because she's the first female Dinobot given a toy, or because she's a raptor, or maybe because she fits with the other Dinobots so well, but I just absolutely adore her. No regrets whatsoever.

Over to you.

I love seeing people's lists and how different they are

Alright, here we go (with too many to pick from)

10:Transmetal 2 Cheetor
Been looking for him for a while, bless stores that take in figs no longer wanted

9:WFC Siege Cog
Interesting take on Fort Max's little buddy. C.O.M.B.A.T. system can make for interesting combos

8:Studio Series #20 Retro Pop Highway Bumblebee
Mostly got him for the Japanese cassettes, but the VW 'Bee turned out to be a pretty decent fig too

7:POTP Optimal Optimus
A nice re-imagining of the old boss monkey, and almost as clunky as the original Optimal Optimus

6:Botcon Skyquake
Had been wanting one of the Botcon Predators for a while, and this guy popped up at the same place I found the TM2 Cheetor mentioned above

5:G1 Slog
This one stands out since I found him at a thrift store and in decent condition, and for only $5-$6 CAD

4:BW II Autolauncher
I'm just a sucker for the figs that never made it to North America

3:POTP Optimus Prime
I like the fact that we finally got a proper G1 Orion Pax, though with the "evolution sequence", I got more of a Powermaster OP feel (better than the Titans Return one we got)

2:POTP Abominus
This is probably one of THE most faithful re-imaginings a combiner has gotten in recent years(at least that I've seen), especially since the blocky look he has just screams G1

1: POTP Punch/Counterpunch
Okay okay, this one's here because of bias. Since watching the Rebirth eps from G1, I've loved the idea of Punch/Counterpunch. However since the original figure, most iterations of him haven't been great but I loved this guy

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:10. POTP Grimlock. Found on on shelves shortly before Gregg Berger came to the closest convention to me and got it signed. Great fun at the convention, and well, I couldn't really put any of my Perceptors here as I've had them for years...

I really enjoyed this entry! Getting a Grimlock signed by Berger would be an amazing time, and it's so cool that you got to experience that!

TRozok21 wrote:10:Transmetal 2 Cheetor
Been looking for him for a while, bless stores that take in figs no longer wanted

There were a lot of figures I got this year from stores like you said, 4 of which made it into my list including honorable mentions. I love finding stuff like this, and funny enough, I got the Transmetal Cheetor this year as well.

Top 10 not including third party stuff:

10. Baynus Squeeks, it works so well even if undersized (which matched the comedy and the anime anyhoos) as a scooter for Shampoo to sit on and admire her Ranma whilst plotting to kill girl ranma... I bought it cheeeeap to maybe one day repaint as Tbob from MASK but tha never needs to happpen now thanks for its use with Bandais S.H figures.



9. Takara Legends Lioconvoy. I had no use for TR Vector Prime, disliked the toy in all its modes and yet some how it workes really well for Lio, even stood next to MP Optimus Primal and was one of the Beatwarrs Neo figures I naver owned.



8. G1 Platinum release trypticon, the nostalgia value and having all his bits with him. Did i need a third version of Trypticon...the answer upon having him is YES.



7. Studio Series Thundercracker (Nitro repaint) such a nice toy and no effort needed to change the face to one not only a mother could love...though the toys original heads are great anyway!


6. Shattered glass Junkticons, i might not care for the shattererd glass story line but POTP rodimus Lemmy needed a biker crew, in fact they had to wait for him and I probably wouldn;t have spent money on them if he wasnt a thing due to botcon stuff not being viable for me.


5. G2 Titans return Optimus Prime (chaos on velocitron), not sure why I am discovering love for G2 stuff now whilst dismissing most of it as a kid.

4. MP Starsabre I thought there is no need of a new starsabre with how well this is done, then I saw the G1 toy and hope for a G1 reissue down the line.



3. Playstation Optimus Prime...who knew...i liked the Megadrive Megatron and figured it was easier to buy them both together despite not being impressed by Optimus. Yet there he stands leading the G2 crew on my shelves. Megatrons face let him down a bit otherwise Prime might not have claimed the position.



2. Takara Legends G2 Archforce Megatron, despite how many times the mold has been used, it just works and works really well, much like his TR counterpart Optimus, except Megs pulls a plane mode off.


1. Is cheating kind of... Having had him for a long time but only just recovering it from storage is Armada Tidal Wave. He stands tall next to the combiner wars combiners and has to take centre stage on display.

Oh man, TM Tarantulas. I got him at a convention for £25 and I'm glad I did, he rocks. Wish his arms were more poseable but oh well, he's awesome.

Black Hat wrote:Oh man, TM Tarantulas. I got him at a convention for £25 and I'm glad I did, he rocks. Wish his arms were more poseable but oh well, he's awesome.

Same! Got mine for $20, and it's a flippin' steal for such an iconic figure. The arms being wonky is a small price for an otherwise amazing figure.

Cyberpath wrote:

This^^

Please feel free to share picture! We love to see what you got!

10. G1 Needlenose -- My brother had him when we were kids and he sold him at a yard sale. He was such a cool figure and a neat jet. I finally got him!
9. G1 Fangry -- I always wanted him since his appearance in the G1 Marvel Transformers series. I liked his short lived rivalry with Grimlock.
8. G1 Bludgeon -- Another one I always wanted mainly because of his appearance in the G1 Marvel series.
7. POTP Jazz -- Jazz is my favorite Transformer and when I was a kid, I drew a picture of a combiner that included Prowl as a the torso, wheeljack and Sunstreaker were arms and Sideswipe and Jazz were legs. Then Hasbro did it with all these guys and Jazz got to be a combiner!
6. SS Jazz -- Told you I'm a Jazz fan. I always liked the Human Alliance Jazz and this is sorta like the mini-me version of the Human Alliance. Very fun figure!
5. MP-27 Ironhide -- I just loved the Masterpiece design of Ironhide and Ratchet!
4. MP-36 Megatron -- Very cool but very hard to transform.
3. MP-22 Ultra Magnus -- He's my second favorite and this guy is huge!
2. Fans Toys Sovereign (G1 Galvatron) -- Awesome figure! G1 accurate!
1. Fans Toys Quietus (G1 Cyclonus) -- Cyclonus was always my favorite Decepticon and this figure is awesome. G1 accurate!

I recently started replaying the 2007 Transformers Game and now I'm really craving that Dropkick figure! I really wish Hasbro gave us gimmick-less versions of all of the drones from the game, they all look so amazing! Payload's figure is such a disappointment compared to his game design

In terms of my top 10 finds, I would say:

10. Animated Blurr (Been after him since his release!)
9. TR Leader class Soundwave with Reprolabels set
8. SS ROTF Megatron
7. SS Brawl
6. SS Jazz
5. SS Ironhide
4. Black Mamba Ares Nitrogen
3. Animated Samurai Prowl (Also been after him since release, he's amazing!)
2. POTP Optimus
1. Black Mamba Bottleneck (KO Masterpiece Barricade done right)

So yeah, a lot of SS figures but it's just such a good line! I got a lot more great figures but I can't remember all of them as I bought a few

crazyfist wrote:8. G1 Bludgeon -- Another one I always wanted mainly because of his appearance in the G1 Marvel series.

OK, you got a G1 Bludgeon?!?! Is it complete?? Photos, now.

Man, 2018 was a huge year for me in terms of Transformers. I handled and transformed my first G1 figure (although I don’t own one yet - something I aim to fix if Walmart around me ever gets the minibots), I got my first Titan class Transformer (something I never thought would happen), and my favorite Transformers line ever - Studio Series - was introduced! Picking the top 10 figures I got this year is tough, but let’s give it a whirl!

10. CW Silverbolt


Even though I’ll never be able to finish the CW Aerialbots, it was cool to get at least one member of my favorite autobot combiner. He’s a great combiner torso and I actually kinda like his jet mode. It’s got a lot of kibble, but it still handles it fairly well (still way better than POTP Starscream). I do sort of feel like I should’ve bought CW Onslaught instead after finding 3/4 deluxe Combaticons at Walmart just a few months ago, but Silverbolt is good enough that I don’t feel too bad.

9. SS Jazz


Jazz is pretty fun! I’m glad to finally have a figure of him since I could never find the original deluxe in stores for some reason. His vehicle mode looks great in all that silver paint, and the transformation works pretty well. The backpack is unfortunate but not too bad, and his ankle tilt is appreciated even if it does look kinda strange. The rotating chest/grill piece won’t tab in for robot mode on mine, though. I don’t think I like him as much as others did, but he’s still cool.
8. TLK Hound

I don’t have as much to say about Hound. He’s really nicely articulated and a great representation of Hound in TLK. I wish he came with his AOE weapons, but he’s still pretty good. No pic for him since I don’t have him with me atm.

7. SS DOTM Ratchet


I wasn’t sold on SS Ratchet at first considering I had the original DOTM deluxe, but upon seeing that the DOTM repaint finally came with his gun I was interested. Upon seeing the color I was sold. The shade of green on DOTM Ratchet is eye catching, almost fluorescent, and very movie accurate. He is better off in the paint department than the previous SS Ratchet (that little bit of silver paint on his head makes SO much difference), but he is still very lacking in the paint department out of the box. That’s also made him fun to paint, though!

6. War Hammer Bumblebee


It was a long wait for a proper TLK Bumblebee, but I’m glad I waited for this one. It improved upon the original version with a remolded plasma cannon that attaches to the right arm, the hammer, and a MUCH better shade of yellow (seriously, the shade of yellow on this Bee is perfect. Hasbro, please use this shade of yellow on all movie Bumblebees from here on out. Thanks.). There are some issues with this figure - the loose feet carry over from the regular TLK deluxe - but it’s still a really nice deluxe Bumblebee.

5. TLK Voyager Megatron


I’m a little late to the party on this one, but TLK Megatron was a surprise hit for me. The transformation on this figure is a blast and really clever - I love how the engines turn into armor panels on his sides and the wings wrap around his legs. A really good figure for a design I wasn’t too interested in at first!

4. SS Blackout


Blackout was probably my most anticipated figure from Studio Series wave 1, and he is a much needed upgrade for (probably) my favorite movie Decepticon. Robot mode looks great and very imposing, but the MH-53 mode is the winner between the two for me. The only thing keeping Blackout from a top 3 spot for me is that his articulation isn’t that great and his hands are really derpy.

(My top 3 are all very close (especially 2 and 3), so it was really tough to rank them)

3. SS Bumblebee (76 Camaro)


My first figure of 2018 - and still one of my favorites for this year. I think this is currently the best deluxe movie Bumblebee. It took the already pretty good TLK deluxe and fixed a lot of what that figure did wrong, in particular I like how the entire Camaro grill is moved to the back, which makes the chest much narrower and more accurate looking than the previous Bee.

2. SS Starscream (MV1)


This figure really impressed me, particularly because I really wasn’t a fan of the DOTM deluxe. This figure fixed just about everything I didn’t like about the original, and resulted in an outstanding figure. The F-22 mode is gorgeous, there is some kibble on the underside but it’s handled pretty well. Robot mode is extremely articulated, and his proportions are much better than the DOTM deluxe. Just an all-around great figure!

1. SS Ironhide

This figure is just perfect. Ironhide’s past figures have never really been able to get his proportions right, and this one looks like it walked right off the screen. Fun transformation, looks great in both modes, and what may be the best head sculpt I’ve seen on a Transformer. Oh, and properly scaled cannons! Unfortunately no picture since I don’t have him on hand right now but SS Ironhide is my figure of the year!

I tried to purposely go with stuff not released in 2018, and didn't leave it to just toys either! Here were the fun new things in my collection this past year, and them being here means I found them for a good to great price. You might think I would have had these long before 2018, but patience is something I'm good at (except when I'm not good at it.)

Also, pictures here are low effort, quickly done things on my phone this afternoon.

Onward:

10 - Axelerators

Mmm, red light piping. Also this Rapido really wants to hide, even worse than my US version.

9 - Beast Hunters Deluxe Class Windrazor - Gray Variant
This is in my storage unit right now with most of Beast Hunters, but here's a picture I got off someone's blog showing the difference:

I grabbed one off of ebay in June and was happy that I did. It finally came down in price, or at least it had at that time. Very nice looking figure in person!

8 - Super Link Omega Supreme

You know what stinks about importing figures this big? Shipping. I finally found one of these from a US seller, on sale, and had ebay bucks to burn - and the base price was already great. That orange face is wonderful and looks so good. It's the only super recognizable difference (there are other minor paint differences) between this one and the US version which just has the bare red plastic on his face aside from the eyes.

7 - Takara Terrorsaur
aka the more show accurate one:

Terrorsaur was one of my first two Beast Wars toys and now I have every repaint of him. Excellent!

6 - Beast Wars Puzzle Figures - Labrat and white Lio Jr.

I built one of the puzzles. It came with glue, which was completely dried up because it is 20 year old glue.

5 - Beast Wars Metals X-9 Ravage

This was always an expensive toy, but sometime in later 2017 and continuing on into 2018, it got even more expensive. When I found one loose with the bio card, missing one gun for well under $100 back in August, it was happy birthday to me. It's not an ideal sample, but for the money? It's great!

4 - Henkei Sunstreaker

Good luck topping this thing, Siege.

3 - MTMTE Issue 33, Page 5 Original Inks

Brian Shearer had a table at NC Comicon in March, and I bought this. It's so pretty, and it led to me learning that letterer Tom B. Long did the effect at the top of the final page showing the duplicate Lost Light.

2 - The Blendtrons

This could be recency bias since I just got Ratorata in November and Drancron and Elphaplaphulpfafulorca or whatever in December, but this isn't a big serious thing so whatever. Ratorata came from ebay and the latter two from Transformerland.com at "what are they smoking?" low prices. Very glad I was not in a work meeting when they updated a few weeks back!

1 - That TF UK Haul
They said Classics UK is canceled, and that stinks. This led to me beginning to buy some issues with stories that never made it to the US on eBay. I only intended to buy Earthforce and other stuff from around 210-260 or so at first. I bought a few small sets of 4-5 comics from a seller that were priced very well and in extremely nice shape. That was that.

Then they messaged me wanting to know what TF UK books I might still be looking for. To keep it short, we came to a deal where I would buy all of their remaining stock of UK Transformers comics. It was under $2 an issue and I forget how many there were, but it was a whole ton of comics. It's also worth noting that I had no idea whatsoever of what the precise issues to be included were, but it didn't matter to me since I had just started collecting these books.

It got here and was better than imagined. Annuals, the Action Force crossover issues, several Collected Comics specials, early issues like 3, 6, 7-19, and more. No 113, but that was expected. But the later issues? Oh man, there were so many and they are in wonderful shape. Like these two:

Definitely my best find of the year, and a big part of why I'll have all 332 issues once my copy of #5 arrives sometime soon!

2018 was great year. Several toys were updated, reissued and offered that I'd always wanted in my collection but didn't want to pay vintage or third party prices for. Distribution was frustrating but I got lucky.

That said here's my list(with a little cheating):

10...Open and Play Big Cannon
Galvatron is my all time favorite 'Con!!! This guy was so much fun that when BBTS put him
on sale I couldn't resist picking up another one to customize.

9 ...G1 Hot Rod Walmart Reissue
My favorite 'Bot!!! Sure I have a G1 MIB but,wow...finding this on the shelf brought back
so many memories it was a no brainer.

8 ...POTP Rodimus Unicronus
After years of seeing Shattered Glass repaints but not being able to afford one this guy
was a treat!!!

7 ...POTP Rodimus Prime
FINALLY Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime toy that's affordable and a blast to play with!!!

6 ...Punch/Counterpunch
Finally an affordable updated version that was in stock!

5 ...G1 Starscream Walmart Reissue
A local guy that knew I collected Transformers offered me a G1 Starscream(incomplete with
condition sight unseen) for $100 in early 2018. I passed & he was pissed. Fortunately
Hasbro dropped the reissue on shelves in the fall (unknown to me) and I was able to add a
G1 Starscream to my collection. This also marked the first time I encountered scalpers in
the wild(YES...they DO EXIST and they're even creepier than Black Eyed Kids).

4 ...POTP Optimal Optimus
Always wanted to add more Beast Wars to my collection but NEVER thought I'd actually find
this guy. When I finally did a "Snoopy Dance" was done (in my head) the whole way to the
checkout.

3 ...POTP Dinobots
ALL FIVE Dinobots wrapped in an affordable,fully articulated G1 update that COMBINE!!!
'Nuff said.


2 ...G1 Devastator Walmart Reissue
The G1 Stunticons are hands down favorite combiner team and already own. But, when I saw
this on the shelf I had to have it. C'mon...it's DEVASTATOR for crying out loud! Due to
the price I almost put it back twice. Eventually I decided to go for it but kept the
receipt in case my wife killed me when I got home. She didn't( I married one of the
greatest women in the multiverse) so now I finally have a G1 Devastator!

1 ...Studio Series 2007 Movie Characters
I. LOVE. TRANSFORMERS 2007!!! This line offers highly detailed,highly articulated and
complex transformations without the gimmicks that make the original toys weak and prone to
breakage over the years. These figures are awesome and I am eagerly waiting for the '07
Optimus, Barricade, Bonecrusher and holding out hope for a 2007 Jet Megatron.

I wanted dropkick so bad when he first appeared. Forgot he existed until the “new” dropkick showed up. Such a cool altmode for a deception.

Alright, here's mine. I wasn't really able to number them, and there are some tie entries.

Beast Wars Ultra-class Optimus Primal

He's incomplete. But he was still a great find because I was able to find him for $14 shipped and he has his gorilla head.

Armada Galvatron

Back in 2011, I bought a bulk box of assorted Transformers. It had some loose parts as well, some of which have been driving me bugnuts ever since. Galvatron's antlers were among them. This year I found him minus antlers for $20 shipped, so now they're no longer driving me crazy and I have a fun gimmicky death machine.

Revenge of the Fallen Leader-class Megatron

Found him for a bargain (and got a bonus extra ROTF Optimus), also found the arm for an okayish price. Been having fun with him, especially after modding but even unmodded he was fun.

Hunt for the Decepticons Leader-class Starscream and Dark of the Moon Leader-class Ironhide

The first tie entry. These two partial Leaders, which I scored separately for a decent price each and which I've been working on restoring them and tweaking Ironhide, were very delightful finds

Titans Return Overlord and the Armada Star Saber

After never seeing Overlord in stores AT ALL because Turbo Changer Dragonstorm was crowding the Generations Leaders off the shelves in my area, I found him on eBay this year for $39 shipped. And I found the Star Saber for $25 shipped. I'd say those are good finds!

Reveal the Shield Jazz and War for Cybertron: SIEGE Sideswipe
I obtained Jazz for a mere $13(?) shipped, fulfilling my need for a regular Generations Jazz at a great price. And I obtained Sideswipe for $16 shipped from Wolfman Jake, fulfilling my need for a Sideswipe and getting me my first SIEGE figure. Quite happy.

Revenge of the Fallen Leader-class Jetfire

Got the old coot for $25 shipped and was able to get most of his accessories later. Still missing the missile and some altmode bits. He's fun on his own and combined with Optimus, even if he's a kibbletastic. His jet mode is bloody huge! Someone should compare it with the G1 Megajet.

Robots in Disguise Omega Prime

I had roughly half of both Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus in that same mess of parts. This year I finally got my hands on the rest of them (give or take a couple accessories and tires). I combined them into Omega Prime for the first time to take this photo!

Power of the Primes Volcanicus

I think the PotP Dinobots are awesome updates and I love their combined form Volcanicus. I mean, the Dinobots already give most Decepticons nightmares right? Imagine how much it fear it causes that now they can combine And hey, this way the Dinobots can fight together alongside Grimlock's kids (at least once I get UW - or, if I must, CW - Computron).

Titans Return Fortress Maximus



As-is, he's not quite as good a cityformer as his G1 toy. But he's still super-cool, and tall, and designed for interactivity with the Titans Return stuff and I'm thrilled to actually have him!

Honorable Mentions:
Armada Thundercracker

Thundercracker's sword and missile were also among the parts pile. I obtained a cheap partial Thundercracker at last this year, and I've almost got him finished. He's a very fun toy

Power of the Primes Rodimus Prime

Roddy was "Shut up and take my money!" from the moment I saw him revealed, and I really enjoy having him. He's a bit oversize, but I can always compensate for that by treating him as a powered-up version. And hey, it means he's on par size-wise with G1 Galvatron! Rosedust, the pony riding him, was not acquired this year, in case you were wondering.

Combiner Wars Optimus Prime and Power of the Primes Elita-1

Found Optimus in my price range, which was good since I'd settled on him as a "Good enough til something really nice comes along" Optimus for my CHUG collection. Nothing special about Elita deal-wise but I was very pleased she got an official retail toy and that it was Voyager-class.

There's probably a bunch of other things I could put here, and I hesitate to put a "new" figure period, but I'm really digging this guy.



He's so satisfying, after having the original release. The dark purple is beautiful, he's tampo'd (instead of stickered!), and honestly got me interested when I wasn't really interested in any TF's. Yes he's overpriced, but if you were lucky enough to have skipped on Lavenderwave then I totally recommend him. Or if you're just a hella-Shockwave fan.

shajaki wrote:There's probably a bunch of other things I could put here, and I hesitate to put a "new" figure period, but I'm really digging this guy.



He's so satisfying, after having the original release. The dark purple is beautiful, he's tampo'd (instead of stickered!), and honestly got me interested when I wasn't really interested in any TF's. Yes he's overpriced, but if you were lucky enough to have skipped on Lavenderwave then I totally recommend him. Or if you're just a hella-Shockwave fan.

It really is mind boggling how much better darker purple and a slightly smaller eye looks in person. Even pictures don't get the presence that 29+ has across.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:10. POTP Grimlock. Found on on shelves shortly before Gregg Berger came to the closest convention to me and got it signed. Great fun at the convention, and well, I couldn't really put any of my Perceptors here as I've had them for years...

I really enjoyed this entry! Getting a Grimlock signed by Berger would be an amazing time, and it's so cool that you got to experience that!

Greg's a great guy! I've had a few chances to talk with him, and get stuff signed by him. I've got a few Grimlocks signed (G1, Fall of Cybertron, Masterpiece, Power of the Primes, and the Botcon 2016 collector's comic) and he's been a bit of a presence during the long engagement my husband and I had. It was also just funny that during the convention I had the POTP Grim signed; Paul Eiding was there as well with his lovely wife, thus my Perceptor comment. After my husband and I spoke with him, we apparently made quite the impression as I was able to work some deals with vendors that realized we were the newlywed couple that Paul was talking about at the vendor/special guest dinner the previous night.

I guess if you hear Paul talk about the Gal that had a G1 Percy and went into Biology/Biotechnology working with microscopes that it's more likely than not me.

2018 transforming toy purchases 1-10

lol and still has a more cybertronian alt mode than most siege figures...wakka wakka wakka

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:10. POTP Grimlock. Found on on shelves shortly before Gregg Berger came to the closest convention to me and got it signed. Great fun at the convention, and well, I couldn't really put any of my Perceptors here as I've had them for years...

I really enjoyed this entry! Getting a Grimlock signed by Berger would be an amazing time, and it's so cool that you got to experience that!

Greg's a great guy! I've had a few chances to talk with him, and get stuff signed by him. I've got a few Grimlocks signed (G1, Fall of Cybertron, Masterpiece, Power of the Primes, and the Botcon 2016 collector's comic) and he's been a bit of a presence during the long engagement my husband and I had. It was also just funny that during the convention I had the POTP Grim signed; Paul Eiding was there as well with his lovely wife, thus my Perceptor comment. After my husband and I spoke with him, we apparently made quite the impression as I was able to work some deals with vendors that realized we were the newlywed couple that Paul was talking about at the vendor/special guest dinner the previous night.

I guess if you hear Paul talk about the Gal that had a G1 Percy and went into Biology/Biotechnology working with microscopes that it's more likely than not me.

This in its entirety is awesome!

Although, now I think we need pictures of the autographed bots.

Also, my college roommate was a biology major, and I took a few courses myself, so that is awesome! Have you been allowed to use Perceptor in the lab yet

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:10. POTP Grimlock. Found on on shelves shortly before Gregg Berger came to the closest convention to me and got it signed. Great fun at the convention, and well, I couldn't really put any of my Perceptors here as I've had them for years...

I really enjoyed this entry! Getting a Grimlock signed by Berger would be an amazing time, and it's so cool that you got to experience that!

Greg's a great guy! I've had a few chances to talk with him, and get stuff signed by him. I've got a few Grimlocks signed (G1, Fall of Cybertron, Masterpiece, Power of the Primes, and the Botcon 2016 collector's comic) and he's been a bit of a presence during the long engagement my husband and I had. It was also just funny that during the convention I had the POTP Grim signed; Paul Eiding was there as well with his lovely wife, thus my Perceptor comment. After my husband and I spoke with him, we apparently made quite the impression as I was able to work some deals with vendors that realized we were the newlywed couple that Paul was talking about at the vendor/special guest dinner the previous night.

I guess if you hear Paul talk about the Gal that had a G1 Percy and went into Biology/Biotechnology working with microscopes that it's more likely than not me.

This in its entirety is awesome!

Although, now I think we need pictures of the autographed bots.

Also, my college roommate was a biology major, and I took a few courses myself, so that is awesome! Have you been allowed to use Perceptor in the lab yet

Well, I have a video showing my G1, Reveal the Shield, and Titans Return signed Perceptors, as well as the Power of the Primes Grimlock, and a bit of the convention. It's in the video section of the forum, but here's an additional link:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKUiIWlAHm0[/youtube]

I haven't taken a picture of the other Grim's or the comic yet, aside from the pictures from Botcon 2016 and the like.

As for using Percy in the lab, while he does function as a 2-15X microscope I work with usually a 100X+ magnification. I don't want any reagent/chemical/bio-hazardous residue to get on him, after I finally got him to 100% complete.

GeekyGamer Gal wrote:Well, I have a video showing my G1, Reveal the Shield, and Titans Return signed Perceptors, as well as the Power of the Primes Grimlock, and a bit of the convention. It's in the video section of the forum, but here's an additional link:



I haven't taken a picture of the other Grim's or the comic yet, aside from the pictures from Botcon 2016 and the like.

As for using Percy in the lab, while he does function as a 2-15X microscope I work with usually a 100X+ magnification. I don't want any reagent/chemical/bio-hazardous residue to get on him, after I finally got him to 100% complete.

Fixed the Youtube link for you! And wow, that is awesome! I long to get a TF signed by someone someday. My top choice would have to be Garry Chalk or David Kaye personally!

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Fixed the Youtube link for you! And wow, that is awesome! I long to get a TF signed by someone someday. My top choice would have to be Garry Chalk or David Kaye personally!

Sorry, about the link flub.

I tried in 2016 for Kaye, packed my TM2 Megatron and TFA Grimlock specifically (making taking my BM Blackarachnia impossible for Venus Terzo's appearance) for him to sign, but he was a Friday evening only guest. I could only attend Saturday due to the length of the trip getting there; still awesome for my first Botcon to be THE last one.

I only had few "finds" this past year so this list is going to be mostly my favorite deals from 2018.

10. Titans Return Voyager Octone- Only $20 on Amazon for a figure I only saw once at a Target. I didn't need it since I had the Legends version, but buying this I had every use of the mold between Hasbro and Takara Tomy plus an "Action Master" version thanks to ToyHax.

9. Hasbro TLK Deluxe Cog - Already had the Japanese release since the Hasbro version was so hard to find, but this one I found at T.J.Maxx for only $10 so it was too good to pass on.



8. MP-10B Black Convoy - Technically a very, very late 2017 re-release mine didn't get paid for and ship until mid-January 2018 thanks to various shipping delays. This guy stood at the corner of my desk for months. I seem to remember the aftermarket prices getting crazy before this release so buying this for less than Japanese retail on AmiAmi was a big deal.

7. Titans Return Voyager Megatron - Picked up for only $10 on clearance at Walmart. I already own one, but I think I'll eventually get around to giving this body to Headmaster Ghost Starscream.

6. Bumblebee Movie Soundwave and Bumblebee with tapes - The two Target sets came to a grand total of $58 thanks to a BOGO 50% off sale and a one day additional 15% off. Would have cost me $84 if I paid full price.

5. Studio Series Voyager Starscream - Found on clearance over the summer at Walmart for $15, no idea why.

4. Studio Series Leader Grimlock - Only $40 at Kmart after tax thanks to $12 off in promotional gift cards and points.

3. PotP Leader Rodimus Unicronus - Just over $41 at Kmart after bonus points and whatnot like Grimlock for a relatively hard to find figure with a short run.

2. Studio Series Leader Blackout - Just like with Grimlock at Unicronus I got him for $25 total at Kmart after tax thanks to a bunch of promotional stuff and points.

1. G1 Crosshairs - Found it on eBay for $12 and free shipping in really great condition. Very little noticeable paint wear on the window and stiff joints. I already have Pinpointer so all he really needs is some new stickers.



Emerje

These are some very interesting lists. I like seeing everyone’s different tastes.

I guess my list would have to go as follows. There might be some cheating involved here.


10 - SS Starscreams



This is one of the most fun and fantastic molds I’ve seen in a while. There’s a couple great movie Starscream molds out there, but the SS one is a nice blend of what works in all of the others, in a voyager size.

9 - Takara FoC Seekers



A bit of a cheat It’s a fun little mold to begin with, but Takara’s amazing paint jobs really put these figures over the top. I picked these three up for an awesome bargain earlier in the year.

8 - TLK Voyager Scorn



I’m not sure I can heap enough praise onto this guy. He’s so expressive and posable, and equally intimidating in both modes.

7 - MP Coneheads



Another cheat. I know some people knock these three, but I sincerely love them. They certainly aren’t as sleek as their predecessors, but they’re still great in my eyes. A little bulky. A little clunky. But they’re different enough from the other Seekers to make them stand out, as welcome additions to my collection. They definitely have more personality. Particularly Thrust.

6 - SS Blackout



By far my favorite thing to come out of the SS line. Sure, he could be a little taller, and he’s a tad panely, but I don’t mind. This squat fellow flew to the top of my favorites from this line. Maybe it helps that I consider his appearance in the opening of the first TF film to be the best scene in the first five movies.

5 - MPM Barricade



I didn’t want to get into movie MPs. I really didn’t want to, but snagging Barricade for $45 was my gateway figure. He didn’t disappoint in the least.

4 and 3 - TM Optimus Prime and MP Dinobot



TM OP was one of my favorite toys as a kid. Unfortunately all of my TF toys from childhood were either lost in a move, or sold later on. My G1s, G2s, and Beast Wars. Reacquiring TM Optimus meant a lot. He’s every bit as awesome as I remembered. Picking him up, MISB for a great price made it even better. Zero TM paint chipping or flaking.

Dinobot is huge, imposing, dynamic, and really does look like he just walked off the screen. He truly is a masterpiece in every way,

2 and 1 - Tripredacus and TM Scavenger



Another cheat. Counting these three as one. I had always wanted Sea Clamp, Cicadacon, and Ramhorn as a kid. I’m so glad I picked these guys up. They really are fantastic, especially Sea Clamp.

TM Scavenger is made all the better for me, because I was not expecting him to be so amazing. Not at all. A huge and welcomed surprise.

Scorn is such a great figure, glad you picked him up!

I will get the OG Magnaboss and Tripledacus someday. Such awesome looking beast combiners

Tripledacus? Or Tripredacus? There's a difference. In faction and in deco. And in the fact that the former's members... As far as racist caricatures go? The Twins have nothing on those three.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Tripledacus? Or Tripredacus? There's a difference. In faction and in deco. And in the fact that the former's members... As far as racist caricatures go? The Twins have nothing on those three.

Either or. Same with Magnaboss. Doesn't matter which

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Tripledacus? Or Tripredacus? There's a difference. In faction and in deco. And in the fact that the former's members... As far as racist caricatures go? The Twins have nothing on those three.

Either or. Same with Magnaboss. Doesn't matter which

Sure doesn't, Silverbolt is just as likely to shatter due to GPS as Skywarp is. I rally want to see Hasbro do reissues one day because I could really go for a new Silverbolt that isn't prone to shattering like my original one did.

Emerje

Well, better late to the party than never. My vintage collecting doesn't seem very prolific this year, so my list will mostly be which POTP meant the most to me. (Sorry, no digital camera at the moment, so no pics...unless I find some online and edit later)

Although way back in the spring, I did find --

10. BotCon Rainmakers/Welcoming Committee, but due to stupid miscommunication on my part, I'm not sure I even have Bitstream and Hotlink's weapons, and may have to buy both seekers again down the road. Oh well, at least they're viable troop builders. (That actually ended up being the theme of this year's collecting, as I'll explain at #3)

9. Bumblebee Retro Garage Nice of Hasbro to use this year's period-piece movie to go hog wild with cassettes for their lifetime fans, but a LOT of things surely had to line up behind the scenes to make official W Cassette reissues happen. So I'd like to take this spot to give yet another heartfelt thank you to CHMS and the dear departed KOTOYS.com. The knock offs of the four G1 combiner cassette pairs right down to reproducing the packaging (though the dino-rivets were too small, making them distinguishable from the real deals) gave those of us who cared a chance to hold something that we all assumed HasTak wouldn't or couldn't reproduce, and now I truly believe that the ensuing s#!tstorm and crackdown doubled the number of western Transfans who'd heard of the W cassettes, making the official reissues possible. I don't know if it's ironic or appropriate timing that a larger crackdown on exact-packaging-KO-TFs just got underway, but hopefully your valiant sacrifice years ago has already nudged reissues of Squawkbox and my all-time fav Slamdance closer to reality!

I know this post is far too late and long, so I'm trying to make sure this gets a response

8. POTP Titan Predaking Did I miss it, or did this guy seriously not make anyone else's top 10? Yes, it should've been a tad better, and I'll have to buy that 3P set for the knuckle spikes and turn to Shapeways for the sword and individual weapons...with two exceptions. THIS PREADAKING FINALLY HAS THE DAMN SHOULDER CANNONS! When I completed my G1 Predaking over a decade ago, it irritated the hell out of me that he had no acceptable approximation of the shoulder cannons in his character model! I even wasted part of my hard won BBTS credit (the only reason I ever signed up for Facebook) on some POS CrazyDevy cannons that you have to permanently alter Divebomb's wings to attach, and they still wouldn't be in the right spot! Well, bitch and moan about this year's titan all you want, but Hasbro actually came through for me where 3rd parties failed for a change, and that's enough to make me forgive literally all of this new toy's flaws. Showed up on my doorstep on Black Friday, and I've loved him ever since!

7. POTP Volcanicus Finally got Sludge and Snarl in early spring, but had the 3-dino (plus Slash sword) configuration barely holding down the fort against my upgraded Megatronia near my TV since about New Years. Was there any fan consensus on a name for that formation? I keep randomly switching between Grim Caesar and Grim Geister.

And while they should've made him the big one, Sludge is my sentimental fav since the original was my first TF.

6. POTP Rodimus Prime I find his chest EXTREMELY nerve-wracking to transform; feels like something's going to snap every time. Otherwise, this would be exactly the Rodimus Prime toy I've wanted since I was 7. He almost didn't make my list, but then what should come along but the announcement of MP G1 Op #3, and his half-a-grand price tag. And for that much dough, the only truly new feature is his ability to become Starscream in a pivotal scene from Megatron's Master Plan, one of at least two episodes (the other being S.O.S. Dinobots) where Optimus Prime idiotically leads the Autobots into certain death because he apparently just couldn't plan ahead, and is only saved by circumstances entirely beyond his control. Now, correct me if I'm forgetting something, but the only time Rodimus Prime did something THAT stupid was in The Return of Optimus Prime, which is tainted by the beginning of Hot Rod's GEEWUN postmodern character assassination, by whiners who couldn't accept the cold hard facts of life and death, and thought that Rodimus's self doubt lack of arrogance somehow made him a worse leader. In other words, our third Masterpiece Optimus is a $500 reminder that Rodimus Prime was seriously a better leader (in the cartoon, at least), and that I'll be getting that Masterpiece Rodimus Prime reissue with the fixed trailer long before I consider saving up that much for any new TF. (Though I DID spend...more on that below) Until then, POTP Rodimus is my collection's supreme Autobot commander.

5. POTP Abominus Leading with another complaint, WHY, WHY, WHY did they sculpt a show-accurate visor, then make his head's coloration and antenna position accurate to the toy instead of Call of the Primitives?!? Isn't any 3P going to step up to the plate here? Or have they, and I missed it? Well, this is the one Prime Wars Scramble Gestalt that was never going to outdo the original in terms of leg articulation and balance, so screw Hun-grrr. The other 4 needed the upgrade most desperately, and I was not disappointed. My first Terrorcon Blot's G1 toy was always such a mess, though it was appropriate for his character, so his new toy blew me away the most. And sure, it says he's an ogre, but I'll bet that's more a cheap attempt at a Shrek reference; Blot's just Blot.

4. Armada Sideways Knock Off Wins the award for most total surprise of 2018. Had never heard of this until I checked other items of the seller I bought #1 from. Both headmaster minicons looked like the original Rook and Crosswise despite unstable combining abilities, chest has been remolded into diagonal silver strips in eliminating the allegiance switching gimmick, one of his missiles is replaced by what looks like a lavender pretend-turkey-thermometer, but the the main draw was the yellow and orange color scheme, making him a perfect generic Junkion! I'd already bought 2 3P upgrades for my RTS mold Junk population, so both of those unofficial finds perfectly enhanced my next entry...

3. POTP Wreck Gar Timing can be an odd influence on my collecting. I started scouring Walgreens for this guy way back in July, not knowing how soon he'd hit the states, because I assumed everyone saw him as an army builder, even if they only intended to buy one, meaning I might have a far harder time finding him than Brainstorm or the clones of axed boxsets (that 2 pack is still hanging around at least 2 stores between Northville and Garden City). The day they finally did show up in late October, I bought 1 each at 2 different stores, restraining myself by leaving at least one behind per location for the benefit of fellow collectors. On the 31st, I found 2 more, making that my trick-or-treating for the year; assembling Elita Infinite with Junkions for her right limbs during my annual viewing of City of the Living Dead will forever be my definitive Halloween 2018 memory.

That night was also when I finally started organizing my Prime Wars cards in a CCG tote I bought for the new game, as part of cleaning up. Somehow, I hadn't thought about the significance of the random Primes for the same POTP characters before, but it sunk in when I noticed that all 4 Wreck Gars thankfully had different ones. That was the foot in the door which I neither saw coming, nor knew where it would lead. While I haven't bought any cards off ebay yet, I began buying duplicate toys whenever I could find them on sale/clearance, as long as they had a card that I didn't, and I could at least justify it as potential custom fodder. I have 2 of each Dinobot except Snarl (Grimlock ironically burned me the worst with 2 Vector cards; my biggest custom pipe-dream is to someday turn them into combinable 4-Star Dinobots), 4 Slashes and 7 Cindersaurs (to customize into those female Rapticons whose designs got leaked, and dammit I have to find the "her" card), 7 or 8 Dreadwinds (giving me some duplicates, as I actually bought most of them earlier since he'd be the easiest to dye into custom Seeker limbs with parts from CW Aerialbot KOs kitbashed onto him assuming I ever get better at knocking pins out), 5 Starscreams (for LeoZack, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Lyzack, possibly needing a 6th for parts for Slipstream in case I can't do her entirely with one of--), 3 Elita Ones (one of which will become Nancy - I always thought their head designs were just similar enough to make that the most logical choice for a Junkion gestalt torso; whether I bother turning the jet into a motorcycle alt remains to be seen), 4 Infernos (I should get a 5th assuming Reprolabels does an Artfire set in addition to G2 Hotspot, Hosehead, and Pyro; I'd never do a whole Guard City custom) 3 Jazzes (one will become Backstreet, the missing Adventure Triggerbot), 4 Tailgates (WA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA, Wipe-Out!) 4 Windchargers (1 was broken in-bubble, so he'll probably be my TF:TM appearance custom), plus 2 each of Darkwing, Beachcomber, Moonracer, Novastar, the Terrorcons, and non-evil Optimus and Rodimus Prime...just in case.

So you can imagine just how nuts I went with actual army-builders! I might actually have 12 Skrapnels, but at least one is a duplicate Solus that I haven't opened. I might have more TR Scourges and Sharkticons between the Hasbro and Takara versions, but most of those were 2017. I also stocked up on the first 3 Prime Masters, especially Micronus since his shell is probably best for customs. And even if I do all the missing '88 shells, that'll still leave me with enough Cloudbursts to repopulate Lemnos Femax!

But although I'm only up to 8 Wreck Gars (and only got that post-Black Friday deal on one), I believe he'll be the first character I get all the cards for, so he's representing every duplicate toy I bought this year tied for 3rd place...except for one sentimental favorite below:

2. POTP Battletrap G1 Battletrap was the first con I got from the '87 line, and a favorite intersection of compact complexity. "Lack of articulation, just makes kids use imagination!" -Wheelie I remember bringing him on at least one trip down to Illinois to visit my dad's relatives at age 7 or 8, a trip we'd usually make twice a year, but which became less frequent in my early adulthood, and fell off altogether during my mom's 5 year battle with Alzheimer's.

Well, fast forward to June 2018, when my biggest problems thankfully included the POTP distribution issues, and I can't find any scouts beyond the first 4 in my neck of Michigan. My dad and I go down to to stay with his sister (now my oldest living relative) for a week. While I normally shun Walmart, Jacksonville (outside Springfield) is one of those towns where you have to shop there at some point, and what should I see at first glance in the toy section but BS and RT, the perfect link to the vacations of my youth! Next day was the family gathering which included most of my 2nd and all of my 1st and 3rd cousins, and the kids all seemed to think those two Cons were the most fascinating toys they'd ever handled, perhaps because their complexity even stumped me at first. The lone teenager came up with a fan mode for Battleslash that she decided was good enough to be his Cybertronian copter mode, and the only boy (4yo) was frustrated at how long it took to get Roadtrap into humvee mode; not sure any of us truly appreciated his head-out-the-tailgate syndrome (found Tailgate 2 days later BTW), but I really appreciated that the greatest update I never imagined for a TF I played with so much as a child struck such a chord with my youngest relatives.

I have 3 pairs of BT at present: one will get upgrade labels, one will be customized into Tracer and Dropshot the next time I do a batch of black dye (no idea what to call their gestalt), but that slightly scuffed up one will always be a memento of that trip, probably posed to play that little novelty Bad Dudes arcade game I had with me.

So while army-building got a tad expensive, the main reason I bought so few vintage toys this year was that most of that money went towards...................







1. Complete, in box, FOSSILSAURUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GoBots have been legally adopted into the TF family, so this counts more than any 3rd Party stuff, and was well worth the $500 I dropped. I mentioned in another thread that GoBots is my most reliable link to the dozens of transforming robot toylines that stores overflowed with in my youth. Well for decades, my primary link to GoBots fiction was the Battle of the Rock Lords movie in my college town's Videoland. One intriguing character was the Lord of Fossils, whose toy I later learned was Jawbone, the head of Fossilsaurus, a true holy grail that couldn't be sold in the U.S. because he would've been the one truly awesome toy in the line, and Rock Lords legally had to suck, apparently. Although I got Margo Kidder's character Solitaire years ago, I later learned that it had some mystery weapon, so I bought a complete one from this seller just to get her sword, but that means she can ride Fossilsaurus's obtrusive, oversized cannon just like Jane Fonda! Its pellet firing action was probably what got this toy banned in the States for safety reasons, which is stupid because it's so unnecessary they could've just left it out and then just the cannon would be the holy grail you had to buy from Europe or Japan, rather than the whole...

*ahem* So in summary, a #@%&ing Rock Lords toy was what brought my childhood back for me in 2018, not the Bumblebee movie. That, and some Retrocade games that now allow me to play the arcade versions of 1943, Final Fight, Captain Commando, and Caveman Ninja.

Oh, and none of the many Amazon exclusives I bought made the list because of the ordeals I went through ordering them. That was such a pain in the reactor linkage that, you know what Bezos? Your marriage deserved to fail! But you should've destroyed the citizens of South Park.

I... Wow.

Bumblevivisector wrote:Fossilsaurus, a true holy grail that couldn't be sold in the U.S. because he would've been the one truly awesome toy in the line, and Rock Lords legally had to suck, apparently.

To be fair, the Rockasaurs are both solid figures, both figuratively and literally. I love my Spikestone, he's such a great little rock creature.

Emerje