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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 20, 2013 21:03:19 GMT
Let me tease this Friday's subject ..... Martin will be able to vote!
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 20, 2013 21:24:56 GMT
What is it what is it what is it?!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 20, 2013 22:08:14 GMT
Wait till Friday! But they'll be an opportunity to give your fave answer.....
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 20, 2013 22:11:29 GMT
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
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kayevcee
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
The Weather Wizard
Posts: 5,527
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Post by kayevcee on Aug 21, 2013 7:44:59 GMT
The Henkei Jazz is a bit of an improvement with the silver and the extra deco. I actually swapped him out for my RTS Jazz when the box of Takara bumf arrived from Yahoo Japan.
-Nick
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 22, 2013 11:55:04 GMT
Another tease: 18 options for you to choose from........ and none of the 18 THIS COMING week can be voted for THE WEEK AFTER .....
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 22, 2013 12:22:20 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 23, 2013 8:37:58 GMT
Week 16: Autobot Diaclone Cars 1984 -1985Between 1984 and 1985 18 Autobot cars were released which provided the backbone for the line at the time and a measure of vehicle mode accuracy that would continue to this day. All 18 were taken, or repainted from, the Diaclone toy line. Which Transformers version of the cars are your top 5? The 18 toys in question are: (1984 - 1st Wave) BluestreakHoundJazzMirageRatchetSideswipe(1984 - 2nd Wave - Probably 1985 in the UK) IronhideProwlSunstreakerTrailbreakerWheeljack(1985 Wave) GrappleHoistInfernoRedalertSkidsSmokescreenTracksVote from this list of 18 and only these 18. Don't vote for any subsequent or earlier repaints. Vote only for the original versions released in 1984/5.
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kayevcee
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The Weather Wizard
Posts: 5,527
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Post by kayevcee on Aug 23, 2013 11:12:16 GMT
These will be IMPOSSIBLE to evaluate subjectively 5) Skids. Such a big robot from such a small car. Cool weapons too. 4) Hoist. Great colour scheme, clever transformation and the car-towing feature (that I didn't even realise until I saw it online, despite having one since I was 4) gives him the edge over Trailbreaker. Head-mounted weapon and really distinctive head sculpt help too. 3) Mirage. Would be #1 but for his tiny. uber-fragile waist. A really unique vehicle, distinctive robot and cool weapons. Plus he and Ratchet were my first Transformers 2) Prowl. The PBS (and closely related J) mould had to have a showing. Arm articulation that is only just rivalled today in an 84 figure? Incredible. While eHobby's Bluestreak is my favourite colour scheme he wasn't available back in the day (and I don't think I ever saw a Bluestreak on a shop shelf anywhere, although my memories are understandably fuzzy) so Prowl wins it. That image of him firing awkwardly and impotently with his left hand at a Shockwave-controlled Optimus Prime body while his right arm is hanging off is burned into my brain. Despite that I never owned one apart from a brief week-long loan of a friend's until I got the Action Master at a stall in the mid 90s and a proper one from Takara in the book-style reissues. 1) Ratchet. These toys do not get enough love. This guy was my other first Transformer, and the first character I read about (or rather, had read to me) when my mum picked up Transformers #27, part of Warrior School. I decided that his MARB was the thing that he was flying around the Savage Land in. There's a surprising amount of poseability in those double jointed shoulders and stiff ankle and waist joints, and the MARB adds significantly to the play value. -Nick
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 23, 2013 12:05:05 GMT
Ratchet/Ironhide are so much fun. Sunstreaker is a rubbish toy. Otherwise a fun line-up with not much between them.
-Ralph
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Jim
Thunderjet
Micromaster Backside Monitor
Now in glorious Ultra HD 4K
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Post by Jim on Aug 23, 2013 12:57:05 GMT
1) Sideswipe - Just beautiful. 2) Hoist - Loads of character. 3) Skids - Beautifully compact car becomes a tall Theoretician. 4) Tracks - Love how he looks in both modes, the flight mode is a tad weak but not nearly as weak as the RTS / United update. 5) Ironhide - as a child I didn't like the look of these at all, they just didn't "fit". As an adult who finally got one as an Encore reissue I've learned to love them.
-Jim
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Aug 23, 2013 15:22:43 GMT
Jazz - Great character, shame about the legs, but still the Porsche design has always appealed to me. As a child I mistakenly thought it was a 911, but hey ho, still holds some appeal to me. Sideswipe - Red Lamboughini? Sign me up! 80s male car pinup! Tracks - Great proportion, plus it's a corvette Hound - Tiny head be damned. Skids - A surprisingly satisfying transfomation on this figure.
Just edged out - Bluestreak, Prowl, Smokescreen (Really difficult to choose my favourite colour scheme of this mold)
Maybe wondering why Sideswipe and no red alert? Just don't think the car fits a fire chief!!
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The Huff
Thunderjet
Hufferlover
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Post by The Huff on Aug 23, 2013 15:25:22 GMT
5) Sunstreaker 4) Jazz 3) Prowl 2) Trailbreaker 1) Ratchet
Ratchet wins hands down. I always loved the fact he was an ambulance and before I bought him, just couldn't worl out how he transformed. Two toys in one and actually looked like a space robot and not just another metal person. (Jazz would be higher as I still love his design and colours the best but unfortiunatley the actual toy looses points for being a bit loose/wobbly as a robot.)
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 23, 2013 16:44:37 GMT
5. Jazz 4. Sideswipe 3. Bluestreak 2. Tracks 1. Prowl
Similar to my 1984 top 5 but with Tracks booting out Optimus Prime. Tracks is awesome... as deserving to be called a Triple Changer as Springer, and unlike Springer having a realistic disguise mode. Plus - gun straps to back/underbelly. And unlike Hot Rod, he manages to pull off the flame design with style.
Martin
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 23, 2013 16:48:22 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 23, 2013 16:49:36 GMT
5. Jazz 4. Sideswipe 3. Bluestreak 2. Tracks 1. Prowl Similar to my 1984 top 5 but with Tracks booting out Optimus Prime. Tracks is awesome... as deserving to be called a Triple Changer as Springer, and unlike Springer having a realistic disguise mode. Plus - gun straps to back/underbelly. And unlike Hot Rod, he manages to pull off the flame design with style. Martin Told you Martin would be able to vote!
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 23, 2013 20:48:05 GMT
But how will Shockprowl vote? Mystery!
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 23, 2013 20:52:13 GMT
5 SunstreakerI wanted to vote for a Ratchet/Ironhide but couldn't call which one I liked the best: neither is my favourite version of that mould. There's this bit of me that just loves Sunstreaker, the idea that a car almost identical to Sideswipe could transform into such a different robot blew my mind. 4 HoistI'm giving a vote to Hoist too. Lesson 1 in how to do a remould. I never knew he and Trailbreaker were the same toy till years later. Shooting fist or weapons and the towing gimmick, so woefully translated to the Generations version. 3 Prowlthe standard by which arm articulation on TF toys would be measured by - and fail to live up to - for years to come. The missiles either side of the had. The Transformation. Of the the Fairlady Z's this is my favourite. (#5 on my 1984 match) 2 Infernolargest Autobot car, decent robot, decent arm articulastion, missile fists, fists that can hold weapons, an extending ladder and a rotating turntable. TOP toy. Always annoyed me he wasn't in the comics until much much later. (#3 on my 1985 list) 1 Sideswipea red supercar and the first with the standard TF Car transformation. (#4 on my 1984 list)
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 23, 2013 21:06:56 GMT
But how will Shockprowl vote? Mystery! -Ralph I think we know his number one choice...... .... and another will be Skids. And possibly Wheeljack Ian: Don't open the spoiler till after you've voted: I want to see how right I am.
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Post by Bogatan on Aug 23, 2013 21:20:20 GMT
5. Ratchet. Only my second Diaclone Autobot car and the last I'd get till the classics came out. The lack of "real" head was confusing, but it was Ratchet and he had a fun base section.
4. Wheeljack, of all the classics I think Wheeljack was the only one I had never seen before getting. Finally having the mad scientist thrilled me and all I remember is transforming it a lot.
3. Prowl, possibly this is another mould I hadnt encountered before buying the classic, ( I had a second hand Smokescreen, but don't remember if it was before or after Prowl) but being so close to Jazz it didnt have the same wow factor, however it was just so darn sleek.
2. Jazz, while I can now say hes not as good as the Prowl moulds, it's Jazz. Nuff said.
1. Hound, my first Diaclone TF. Green, Jimmy Stewart like voice, a jeep, green, loads of extra parts, really well proportioned robot mode, green. Theres nothing about it that I dont like except how tiny he is. And so far it seems they can't make a boad Hound. Alt, one of the best of the line, just behind Smokescreen types. Universe, best of the bunch I think. Legends, again right near the top of the line. I just can't understand how the character has almost entirely been ignored in the media.
I should probably have Sideswipe in there, but being a classic purchase it was in dorect competion with the greatness of Actionmaster Sideswipe and was followed only a few years later by G2 Sideswipe so in my mind is often neglected.
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Post by Bogatan on Aug 23, 2013 21:28:24 GMT
Hound was an import and I'm just wondering now if it was Spanish as I always thought or if I got a poisonous Mexican one.
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Post by legios on Aug 23, 2013 21:33:20 GMT
5. Jazz - Great character, lovely vehicle mode. Love the single shoulder mounted launcher as a weapon, striking profile with the arched back look from the car roof. 4. Sideswipe - thin profile and the down-folded bonnet gives him a look different to most of the other 84 cars. The heavy legs fit the bio-cards suggestion he has a limited flight pack - chunky and heavy to absorb landing shocks. The absolute top-of-the line unattainable nature of the vehicle mode does give him a certain amount of mystique. 3. Tracks - A bit of a departure from formula in terms of where all the bits go in the various modes, integrates the launcher pack in a different way to that which we have seen before. And just to ice the cake, he has a S.H.I.E.L.D flying-caresque mode. 2. Ratchet - A doctor who is also an ambulance is a fun idea. The semi-humanoid form of the toy really appealed to me even as a child - I liked the idea of Ratchet having to work that bit harder to persuade humans that he is a good guy due to his lack of features and winning them over with his fine bed-side manner. The built in MARB section also allows him to have some interesting accessories. 1. Prowl - A transformation architecture so good they used it four times (counting the modified version that is Jazz). Black-and-White colour scheme makes him visually very distinctive. Fantastic arm articulation makes him a lot of fun to play with as an adult and also made him appealing to me as a child. The twin head-mounted launchers are great accessories.
Honorable mentions: Other than everybody.....? Ok, to take just the "nearly-A tier" Bluestreak - my other favourite version of the 280 mold. Hoist - Bulky, distinctive, endless accessories and the ability to tow other Autobot Cars around.
Karl
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 24, 2013 9:06:49 GMT
AUTOBOT CARS!!!!!!!!!
EXCELLENT! No other Transformers have grabbed my imagination quite like the Autobot cars did, all those years ago!
Phil, I confirm I haven't looked at the spoiler tag!
Here we go-
5 Ratchet - almost 2 toys in one! Great transformation. It never bothered me the toy looked nothing like the cartoon character. I loved the way he looked very robot and less humanoid.
4 Mirage - one of my first Transformers. The race-car aspect was very cool, but he had a simple yet effective transformation and a great visored face that looked alien (sadly missing in many other representations of the character). I also love his character- "unsure of Autobot cause, can't be fully trusted".
3 Wheeljack - a very visually different Autobot car. Lived his head/face, like Mirage, quite robotic/alien looking. Great rocket launchers. Great character. I remember being surprised and pleased that a sports car can be an engineer.
2 Jazz - one of the quintessential Autobot cars. A porsche. A spy. Skillful, intelligent, very very cool.
and, drum-roll please....
at number one (you'll never guess!)....
1 PROWL !!!!!!!!!
First thing that caught my attention was he's police car, with the iconic front of car as robot's chest. Powerful images for a child.
Then I got one. And was blown away by how much more there was to him! Great, as I say, iconic, transformation. He's second in command, which I didn't know until reading his techspecs, rank 9! He's clever, in control, gets stuff done, comes up with the plans. I LOVED his personality. And he was still a police car! What can say.... Prowl gripped me like no other. And because he was NEVER in the cartoon I started reading the comic, and I thought up my own adventures for him, often teamed with Jazz and Wheeljack. Great childhood memories.
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 24, 2013 9:15:12 GMT
Big Phil! Not bad, you were right about Wheeljack. Skids just missed out, he'd be number 6 or 7, 'cos I also loved Inferno's toy. Never owned a Hound, but liked him to. Skids is high up in terms of personality and techspecs, but he just missed out on the overall package of Ratchet and Mirage. Jazz a definate number 2.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 24, 2013 9:56:12 GMT
There's been a lot of Wheeljack love the last few days in the MP Wheeljack thread. And Skids was your top ranked 1985 Autobot Car. Ergo.....
Thing is, as good as the 84 cars are, there's some really good other toys there. Op, Megatron, Soundwave .... Ditto 85.
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 24, 2013 10:30:46 GMT
'84 & '85 are where it's at for this handsome young Transformers collector. Defined my entire love of Transformers.
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Stomski
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
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Post by Stomski on Aug 27, 2013 8:33:21 GMT
Although I do like the look of the police car, Lambourghini's on public service money just doesn't work. Were things different in the late 70s and early 80s??
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 27, 2013 9:01:22 GMT
I don't know, maybe attitudes are different in Japan.....
... for that matter is a Fairlady Z Policecar realistic?
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Stomski
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!! But don't worry. It won't happen again.
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Post by Stomski on Aug 27, 2013 14:16:40 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 27, 2013 14:51:00 GMT
:-)
Hasbro, you know what to do......
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