1984's Transformers Are Forty!

[Philip Ayres]

New weekly feature looking at the 1984 Transformers, one toy pack per week

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 1 - Bumblebee
Function: Autobot Espionage
Japan: 11 Bumble
tfwiki.net/wiki/Bumblebee_(G1)/toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Bumblebee/bumblebee.htm



Bumblebee (Red) Autobot Espionage
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/RedBumblebee/bumblebee.htm

"The least likely can be the most dangerous."

Small, eager, and brave, Bumblebee acts as messenger and spy. Due to his small size, he dares to go where others can't and won't. He idolizes the bigger Autobots, especially Optimus Prime and Prowl, and strives to be accepted. He is the most energy efficient and has the best vision of all the Autobots. He can go underwater for reconnaissance and salvage missions. Although physically the weakest Autobot, his stealth more than compensates for this inadequacy.


Strength
2
Intelligence
8
Speed
4
Endurance
7
Rank
7
Courage
10
Firepower
1
Skill
7

[The Doctor]

Ralph wants a red Bumblebee.

-Ralph

[Toph]

If Hasbro wanted to cause chaos, they could retcon the red Bumblebee into a new character, Ladybug.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Ladybug is Brad Pitt's character in the wonderful Bullet Train.

He has moves.



Martin

[The Doctor]

Great film.

-Ralph

[that_bluestreak]

i've got a red Bumblebee, its lovely, but somehow not as good as a yellow Bumblebee even though I don't really care for Bumblebees.

[Shockprowl]

Bumblebee is a great character. And the G1 toy is outstanding. The little guy, trying to prove himself. Perhaps an overused character design, but nonetheless enduring and endearing.

Interesting his Techspecs specifically mentions Prowl. Optimus Prime fair enough, but to specifically state Prowl too is, to the best of my knowledge, unprecedented. (Understandable though of course.)

I always had trouble with his rank (too high- he's a young'un trying to prove himself) and speed (too low- he's no race car, but Shirley a '6' would be more appropriate).

[Philip Ayres]

I think we had a red one back in the day but it broke :-(

First yellow one I had was in the 90s.

Currently own an original, a Key Ring and an updated face Encore

Simple Fun toy.

I think the Movie 3 pack version of the Classics is still my favourite BB though.

The WFC Walmart/Smyths version is nice though and deserves a wider release.

[Philip Ayres]

Apr 1, 2024 22:46:07 GMT Shockprowl said:

Interesting his Techspecs specifically mentions Prowl. Optimus Prime fair enough, but to specifically state Prowl too is, to the best of my knowledge, unprecedented. (Understandable though of course.)

So we can explain Red BB as BB suffering from "primus apotheosis". Does that mean Bug Bite is BB emulating Prowl?

[Shockprowl]

I don't think I know the answer to that.





But maybe it's across the bay; in Alameda..?

[Bogatan]

Bumblebee was my first favourite Transformer. After my brother got Goldbug I got the Pretender and the Woolworths reissue. Actionmaster Bee was always on my list but never quite got around to getting one at the time. Never got G2 Bee at the time either, though I got a mosc one a few years ago. It was a euro release that went by another name that Im blanking on. But I did get Gobot Bee when it came out. Love those colours.


Got a red Bee, I guess, from a carboot sale. Im sure I got a Fun4All keybee and the new face encore.

I really want a Green Bee but dont want to pay the going rate. The only G1 US exclusives Ive ever saw on holiday was in 1990 when I saw the reused Pretender classics in a Kmart. I really wish I had grabbed at least one of the four, but I was 8 and the idea of buying toys I already had seemed wrong back then: see G2 Bee and to an extent AM Bee.

[The Doctor]

I understand. I remember first seeing G2 Prime (black trailer) back in the day and thinking it was rubbish as it was: "just an old toy".

Meanswhile, in the last couple of years, I have been rebuying toys lost during Dark Times.

-Ralph

[Benn]

I don't remember thinking that the G2 reuses were rubbish, but I didn't buy any of them so... I do remember seeing a Blue Grimlock, green Slag and red Snarl in Woolies and being drawn, but never ended up with any of them.

I do wish I'd bought more of the G2 Minibots when they turned up in Poundland, especially as I was dating a girl who worked there at the time.

BUT on topic (whatever the topic here is), I own three of the original mould Bumblebee, two of which are the keychain version, one of which is signed by Dan Gilvezan. Would love the G2 and Red versions. I've been looking online since the minicon, and the red and yellow variants of Bee and Cliff seem to be around the £40 mark.

[Pinwig]

I did not get a Bumblebee until I bought one for a tenner from the Spacebridge at TFN in 2019. My Cliffjumper, which I got circa 1984, is a yellow one, so I think as a child I didn't see the need for another yellow minibot car, so bee never came up as a necessary purchase. I still think I prefer yellow Cliffjumper more.

[Benn]

As a kid, I really didn't like the 'wrong' colours on the minibots. Now I want them. Not quite £40 want them, but I'm close.

Would be after a Bumper too, but if Bogatan's right, that's well out of my pay grade.

[Kingoji]

Even damaged Bumpers go for three figures.

[that_bluestreak]

Apr 2, 2024 10:57:40 GMT Kingoji said:

Even damaged Bumpers go for three figures.

woah

[primenova]

I got the 4 set back in 1992 wasn't it when they had come out at £1 each then the G2 set turned up £1.50 each same 4 characters

[Philip Ayres]

New 1984 toy/character tomorrow.... but who?

[Shockprowl]

Apr 7, 2024 21:48:40 GMT Philip Ayres said:

New 1984 toy/character tomorrow.... but who?

PROWL.

[Philip Ayres]

Predictable as ever.

It *WAS* going to be another minibot tomorrow but I changed my mind on how I wanted to do this during the week and have decided to spread the size classes out over the run. Fortunately, and with only a tinsy bit of fudging, there's some nice recurring patterns you can build with the 1984 toys so I've built a whole new order tonight :-)

[Philip Ayres]

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 2 - Jazz
Function: Autobot Special Operations Agent
Japan: 6 Meister
tfwiki.net/wiki/Jazz_(G1)/toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Jazz/jazz.htm

"Do it with style or don't bother doing it."

Jazz loves Earth culture. Always looking to learn more. His knowledge of Earth makes him the indispensable right-hand man to Optimus Prime. Takes most dangerous missions. Very cool, very stylish, very competent. Equipped with photon rifle, flamethrower, full-spectrum beacon, 180db stereo speakers. Creates dazzling, disorienting sound and light shows. Versatile, clever, daring, but prone to be distracted.


Strength
5
Intelligence
9
Speed
7
Endurance
7
Rank
8
Courage
9
Firepower
5
Skill
10

[Llama God]

Ah, last week my favourite (aside from Optimus Prime, who's too obvious), and this week the Conjunx's favourite. Although of the two of us only one of us owns an actual G1 copy of the original character - and it's not me. Clearly I'm the fake fan here...

[The Huff]

Jazz should be used so much more in fiction and in Transformers in general.

[The Doctor]

Do we need the apostrophe on '1984'? It doesn't quite scan right in my brain.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

Jazz is one of those toys for me where no remake has quite captured it. Original remains the best Jazz.

-Ralph

[Cullen]

One of my first TF toys and still one of my favourites. Love Jazz.

[Philip Ayres]

Apr 8, 2024 8:45:32 GMT The Doctor said:

Jazz is one of those toys for me where no remake has quite captured it. Original remains the best Jazz.

-Ralph

I think we do because they are the Transformers belonging to 1984.

I await @Grand Moff Muffin's superior judgement

[Philip Ayres]

Apr 8, 2024 8:51:51 GMT Cullen said:

One of my first TF toys and still one of my favourites. Love Jazz.

It's Cullen! Hurrah!

[The Huff]

I've said it lots before, but wouldn't Man Of Iron make a great film? Or British TV special/series?