New Toy Galleries: Enemy AM Radio and Voice Changer

God, I remember seeing this thing in K-mart as a child. I remember even way back then that I thought that the Frenzy (or Rumble) face was too distorted. His little compressed facial features seemed like something from the mind of Terry Gilliam of Monty Python cartoon lore. Weird...

Good memories, thanks!

Man, I want the Encore Enemy so bad! Wing Thing too. I can't believe I'll probably be buying another Soundblaster just for those. Twincast too since I don't have him yet. Gotta get one to show my love for the podcast too!

great shots
can't wait for my SBlaster now!

Wow, pretty obscure pieces of TF history! Cool! I've been wondering who Enemy is.

Cool history.

Were either of these toys officially named "Enemy" when they were sold in retail ??? Or was "Enemy" inspired by a comic book artist who saw these and decided to create an identity for a generic character ??? Kind of like Sunstorm...

Edit: I saw the original package of the voice changer and it does indeed refer to him as "Decepticon Enemy" in G1 box graphics. However in my opinion, I think they chose "Enemy" more because the head mold was of a bad guy. I dont think they were thinking along the lines of it being an actual character. If they had done an autobot version of the voice changer, it too would probally be in generic colors and the package would ave read "Autobot Hero". Just my take on it from an 80's perspective...

I think Takara released a black colored voice changer F/R head in the Microchange line. Can anyone actually confirm this? I remember seeing one as a kid in 1980s Italy, but maybe I'm wrong...

Wow! I still have one of those voice changers. I remember that it always made a better Dalek voice than a Transformery sounding one.

EXTERMINATE!!!

Rated X wrote:Were either of these toys officially named "Enemy" when they were sold in retail ??? Or was "Enemy" inspired by a comic book artist who saw these and decided to create an identity for a generic character ??? Kind of like Sunstorm...

Edit: I saw the original package of the voice changer and it does indeed refer to him as "Decepticon Enemy" in G1 box graphics. However in my opinion, I think they chose "Enemy" more because the head mold was of a bad guy. I dont think they were thinking along the lines of it being an actual character. If they had done an autobot version of the voice changer, it too would probally be in generic colors and the package would ave read "Autobot Hero". Just my take on it from an 80's perspective...

You are 100% correct. However, amongst the fandom, in a humorous twist the red/blue version of the black/red Rumble and blue/dark blue Frenzy mold (which has popped up in comics and other places) has affectionately become known as "Enemy" because it lacked an official name. In a nice nod to the fans, Takara came out with the Microchange version of the toy in the latest Soundblaster reissue set and officially called it "Enemy". Kudos to Takara and their crazy obscurity with the Soundblaster and Twincast reissue sets.

Seibertron wrote:

Rated X wrote:Were either of these toys officially named "Enemy" when they were sold in retail ??? Or was "Enemy" inspired by a comic book artist who saw these and decided to create an identity for a generic character ??? Kind of like Sunstorm...

Edit: I saw the original package of the voice changer and it does indeed refer to him as "Decepticon Enemy" in G1 box graphics. However in my opinion, I think they chose "Enemy" more because the head mold was of a bad guy. I dont think they were thinking along the lines of it being an actual character. If they had done an autobot version of the voice changer, it too would probally be in generic colors and the package would ave read "Autobot Hero". Just my take on it from an 80's perspective...

You are 100% correct. However, amongst the fandom, in a humorous twist the red/blue version of the black/red Rumble and blue/dark blue Frenzy mold (which has popped up in comics and other places) has affectionately become known as "Enemy" because it lacked an official name. In a nice nod to the fans, Takara came out with the Microchange version of the toy in the latest Soundblaster reissue set and officially called it "Enemy". Kudos to Takara and their crazy obscurity with the Soundblaster and Twincast reissue sets.

Agreed. It was the cassettes which made me pre-order both figures. I know Wing Thing had a accessory/figure with a later version of Soundwave, but what about Stripes and the black Steeljaw ??? Is there any documented history on them ??? Even if it was just 1 second color error in the G1 cartoon ???

Rated X wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

Rated X wrote:Were either of these toys officially named "Enemy" when they were sold in retail ??? Or was "Enemy" inspired by a comic book artist who saw these and decided to create an identity for a generic character ??? Kind of like Sunstorm...

Edit: I saw the original package of the voice changer and it does indeed refer to him as "Decepticon Enemy" in G1 box graphics. However in my opinion, I think they chose "Enemy" more because the head mold was of a bad guy. I dont think they were thinking along the lines of it being an actual character. If they had done an autobot version of the voice changer, it too would probally be in generic colors and the package would ave read "Autobot Hero". Just my take on it from an 80's perspective...

You are 100% correct. However, amongst the fandom, in a humorous twist the red/blue version of the black/red Rumble and blue/dark blue Frenzy mold (which has popped up in comics and other places) has affectionately become known as "Enemy" because it lacked an official name. In a nice nod to the fans, Takara came out with the Microchange version of the toy in the latest Soundblaster reissue set and officially called it "Enemy". Kudos to Takara and their crazy obscurity with the Soundblaster and Twincast reissue sets.

Agreed. It was the cassettes which made me pre-order both figures. I know Wing Thing had a accessory/figure with a later version of Soundwave, but what about Stripes and the black Steeljaw ??? Is there any documented history on them ??? Even if it was just 1 second color error in the G1 cartoon ???

TFWiki.net did a pretty bang up job of explaining the obscure references from where those two characters originated.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Stripes

Stripes originated in an early draft for The Transformers: The Movie, where he was released out of Blaster's chest to combat the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes during the Battle of Autobot City. Stripes would have snapped at Ratbat, scaring him. In the finished movie, Ramhorn replaced Stripes in battling Ratbat. Since he was written out of his only intended appearance before publication, we're pretty sure that makes him the single most obscure established character to ever be given a toy—and that's saying something when he's coming out alongside a one-shot prose-only UK character and a decapitated radio.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Nightstalker

Nightstalker may have been loosely based on a similarly-named fan character that was entered into (and won) one of Marvel UK's character creation contests. This character, named "Night Stalker" (with a space), was less of a Ravage clone in design, with a canine robot mode (though with a similar color scheme to that of the Decepticon feline).

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Wingthing

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Enemy

Seibertron wrote:

Rated X wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

Rated X wrote:Were either of these toys officially named "Enemy" when they were sold in retail ??? Or was "Enemy" inspired by a comic book artist who saw these and decided to create an identity for a generic character ??? Kind of like Sunstorm...

Edit: I saw the original package of the voice changer and it does indeed refer to him as "Decepticon Enemy" in G1 box graphics. However in my opinion, I think they chose "Enemy" more because the head mold was of a bad guy. I dont think they were thinking along the lines of it being an actual character. If they had done an autobot version of the voice changer, it too would probally be in generic colors and the package would ave read "Autobot Hero". Just my take on it from an 80's perspective...

You are 100% correct. However, amongst the fandom, in a humorous twist the red/blue version of the black/red Rumble and blue/dark blue Frenzy mold (which has popped up in comics and other places) has affectionately become known as "Enemy" because it lacked an official name. In a nice nod to the fans, Takara came out with the Microchange version of the toy in the latest Soundblaster reissue set and officially called it "Enemy". Kudos to Takara and their crazy obscurity with the Soundblaster and Twincast reissue sets.

Agreed. It was the cassettes which made me pre-order both figures. I know Wing Thing had a accessory/figure with a later version of Soundwave, but what about Stripes and the black Steeljaw ??? Is there any documented history on them ??? Even if it was just 1 second color error in the G1 cartoon ???

TFWiki.net did a pretty bang up job of explaining the obscure references from where those two characters originated.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Stripes

Stripes originated in an early draft for The Transformers: The Movie, where he was released out of Blaster's chest to combat the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes during the Battle of Autobot City. Stripes would have snapped at Ratbat, scaring him. In the finished movie, Ramhorn replaced Stripes in battling Ratbat. Since he was written out of his only intended appearance before publication, we're pretty sure that makes him the single most obscure established character to ever be given a toy—and that's saying something when he's coming out alongside a one-shot prose-only UK character and a decapitated radio.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Nightstalker

Nightstalker may have been loosely based on a similarly-named fan character that was entered into (and won) one of Marvel UK's character creation contests. This character, named "Night Stalker" (with a space), was less of a Ravage clone in design, with a canine robot mode (though with a similar color scheme to that of the Decepticon feline).

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Wingthing

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Enemy

Interesting. I am shocked that they actually used an old script to do their research to create new cassettes. I wonder why the original idea was scrapped ? i always noticed that the original G1 cassettes were never given any repaints including onesin which the mold swapped factions. I suppose KISS started that idea.

Rated X wrote:Interesting. I am shocked that they actually used an old script to do their research to create new cassettes. I wonder why the original idea was scrapped ? i always noticed that the original G1 cassettes were never given any repaints including onesin which the mold swapped factions. I suppose KISS started that idea.

Rumble & Frenzy (& Enemy), Laserbeak & Buzzsaw, and Eject & Rewind were all repaints. They just came out at the same time.

Ah, this is a blast from the past! I remember seeing these guys in stores. Ah, memories.

zodconvoy wrote:

Rated X wrote:Interesting. I am shocked that they actually used an old script to do their research to create new cassettes. I wonder why the original idea was scrapped ? i always noticed that the original G1 cassettes were never given any repaints including onesin which the mold swapped factions. I suppose KISS started that idea.

Rumble & Frenzy (& Enemy), Laserbeak & Buzzsaw, and Eject & Rewind were all repaints. They just came out at the same time.

I dont consider them repaints for exactly that reason. In my opinion, a re-color of a mold must be released in a different wave at a later date to be considered a "repaint".

Examples:

Hoist, Red Alert, the Coneheads, outback, Pipes


If they are released at the same time in the same wave, then they would be considered brothers,twins, clones or comrades.


Examples:

Grapple and Inferno, The original 3 seekers, Rewind and Eject.


Seems like after 1985 Hasbro didnt churn out too many versions of the same mold in a single wave.

Rated X wrote:

zodconvoy wrote:

Rated X wrote:Interesting. I am shocked that they actually used an old script to do their research to create new cassettes. I wonder why the original idea was scrapped ? i always noticed that the original G1 cassettes were never given any repaints including onesin which the mold swapped factions. I suppose KISS started that idea.

Rumble & Frenzy (& Enemy), Laserbeak & Buzzsaw, and Eject & Rewind were all repaints. They just came out at the same time.

I dont consider them repaints for exactly that reason. In my opinion, a re-color of a mold must be released in a different wave at a later date to be considered a "repaint".

Examples:

Hoist, Red Alert, the Coneheads, outback, Pipes


If they are released at the same time in the same wave, then they would be considered brothers,twins, clones or comrades.


Examples:

Grapple and Inferno, The original 3 seekers, Rewind and Eject.


Seems like after 1985 Hasbro didnt churn out too many versions of the same mold in a single wave.

Doesn't matter when the figure comes out. If the color has changed - it's a repaint. Technically, Grapple, Hoist, Red Alert, and the 3 coneheads are all remolds not repaints (unless you are comparing them to their pre-Transformers figures).