Transform Squadron 56- Ghost Horror Laser

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Since August is ghost month, Rob takes a look at some of the spooky specters from Cybertron!

Autobot Mirage [Transformers One/Iacon Race 3-Pack]

One Step Changers/Turbo Changers are a fun little aside in Transformers toys that I enjoy quite a bit. They're very basic and inexpensive toys that remind of various older toys and are fun to collect. Almost a side quest to the main story of my fandom. This neat Iacon Race 3-Pack exclusive to Target stores features Optimus Prime and Megatron with a Mirage figure. These are remolds and recolors of prior releases that are pretty neat. Since the movie revolves around Optimus and Megatron, it's obvious they'll be dominating much of the merchandise. The inclusion of Mirage in this pack is a fun one that we'll be starting our look at the set with. Mirage uses the Blurr mold from the Robots in Disguise 2015 One-Step Changers line. This was a really likable figure and one of the better One-Step toys of it's time.

It's reuse here works very well. Mirage was given a new, more 'G1' head sculpt and is painted in a deco similar to his classic toy. It looks great in robot mode and outstanding in vehicle mode. That's one sharp car! Transformation is in one step (obviously) as the car opens up into Mirage. It's pretty pleasant. As I've mentioned before, these often remind me of older Transformers figures. Mirage strongly feels like a late Euro G1 or G2 toy. The Machine Wars/RID/Robot Masters race car mold also comes to mind as well (albeit with more articulation) as it began life as a unused G2 mold which is from that same early 90's era. Blurr has limited articulation like some of these older toys too. I know that turns off some people, but in cases like this, it doesn't bother me at all. I do wish Mirage had some sort of weapon. A solid white rifle would just round him out a lot. He's a cool simple little figure that really stands out in the early Transformers One figures I've picked up. He feels like a more special exclusive item that would be available at an event.

Meet and Treat Yourself

This old PSA from the 70's advises it's best to trick or treat in groups. That's not the worst idea, though I can't help but to notice all the Tootsie branded candy. That's because Tootsie sponsored this spot. I guess they felt the need since so many of their products are handed out on Halloween night. Come to think of it, I never saw Tootsie Rolls outside of Halloween and Christmas as a kid. These days it's in every waiting room I see, their full of Tootsie Rolls candy. They should really make a waiting room safety tape.

BIOS- Landmine

"My fists are deadlier than your guns."

Landmine is one of the most powerful soldiers under the leadership of Optimus Prime. His giant fists award him the strongest punch of all the Autobots. Many Decepticons have learned never to challenge him to one-on-one combat. In vehicle mode, he is a powerful construction vehicle with an enormous crane platform capable of lifting ten times his weight. Landmine's crane platform can attach to his cab in robot mode to form a super combination Brute Mode. This Brute Mode is the secret behind his powerful punch.

Strength: 10 Intelligence: 7 Speed: 6 Endurance: 7
Rank: 8 Courage: 9 Fireblast: 9 Skill: 9

Arctic Circle's Amazing Square Pumpkin

I live in Georgia, which means I've never had an Arctic Circle restaurant near me. I've never been to Utah or any of the other states in which Arctic Circle has locations in. Which means I've never had a Square Pumpkin meal. One of the greatest disappointments of my life. Have you seen it? You get the Square Pumpkin box, with haunted house game on the back. I will not mince words, that is fucking bad ass.

Of course you also get food, but dude, square pumpkin with haunted house game. A Google search shown me years of amazing Halloween kids meals from Arctic Circle. I can't believe just how much I've missed out. I didn't I even know about this place until I found this commercial. I'll be honest, I kinda forgot Utah existed too. Working the graveyard shift for 10 years has have altered my world view a bit. I'm not kidding, the first time I see the sunrise in spring scares the shit out of me every year.

I'm pretty sure if Arctic Circle was available to me the Square Pumpkin meal would be a hotly anticipated item each year. It's pretty badass. McDonald's can't decide if they want to do Halloween pails regularly or not. Starbucks kinda shit the bed with the Halloween drinks after 2018. It'd be nice to have something like a Square Pumpkin to look forward to each year. I crave annual fast food spooky shit. I don't even want the food, just the haunted house game.

Originally Posted- 9/23/2020

Krang [Turtles of Grayskull]

A mad science experiment gone wrong, Krang has crossed the dimensions and found himself in Eternia in a faster, stronger Megatroid android body, seeking to obtain the Power of Grayskull!

It's time we look at the larger deluxe figures from Turtles of Grayskull and no better character to do so that Krang! That evil alien from Dimension X has invaded Eternia and has teamed up with Megator to serve as his robot body! This is a really cool and unique figure. I've been praising this line non-stop for it's creativity and Krang really is an example of why. TMNT characters in Turtles of Grayskull are given a nice MOTU flavoring, in Krang's case it's his android body. Megator, the Evil Warriors giant has been given cybernetic improvements turning him into Megatroid!

Megatroid serves both as a stand alone figure and a body for Krang. Taking advantage of MOTU Origin's use of modular joints, an extra mid-section can be added to Megatroid which houses Krang! This gives Krang's traditional android body a complete MOTU make over in a cool and imaginative way. Not just cosmetic, but fully combining him with another character! Megatroid comes with an axe and morning star weapons that replace his hands which further melds him with the android body visually. Like other MOTU Origins toys, this figure is VERY articulated. Origins figures are pretty solid, but this is one hefty figure. It's size and weight in hand is incredibly satisfying. I've been saying that these feel like designer toys and I mean it. Krang doesn't feel like a toy I bought at Walmart (and is exclusive to Walmart as I understand) and more like something I'd find in a fancy glass case for way more than his relatively low retail price ($24.86). This may be the most impressive Turtles of Grayskull figure yet!

Halloween: The Night Michael Landon Came Home

We've been celebrating Halloween since the beginning of August here on Planet Zone. As we're now officially in October, so is everyone else! We've only got one more month of pumpkin spice mayhem and we're gonna dig through the ditches and burn through the witches. I take pride in turning up the spooky sound tape a little louder each year and this year we're blowing the roof off the Spirit Halloween.

Highway to Heaven was a show starring Michael Landon as an angel sent back to Earth to save souls. Michael Landon was also born on Halloween and celebrated the spooky shit out of it. In this Halloween special edition, Johnathan's partner Mark gets in trouble with the devil. No seriously, he runs over a kid and gets tricked into selling his soul to save said kid's life. Michael enlists the aid of a con man whom he currently is trying to save from an eternity in Hell. Speaking of Hell, the Devil shows up and all Hell breaks loose. I would say it doesn't get any crazier than this... but it will later this month.

Originally Poster 10/01/2021

Megatron/D-16 [Transformers One/Race Changers]

Included in the Race Changers 2-Pack with Optimus is Megatron, whom also a retooling of an older Bot Shots toy. This time around the tank mode had some extra fire power added on. Megatron is also in a more 'G1'  grey as opposed to the variety of colors on the original Bot Shots toy. As a Bot Shots fan, another version is more than welcome. Like the Optimus Prime he's packed with, Megatron's dice gimmick from Bot Shots has been removed and replaced with a Decepticon symbol. I loved the toys, but never played the game. So this isn't a big deal to me personally. 

I do wonder if there was dedicated players who is pissed off by this? Megatron also comes with a version of the new launcher Optimus comes with. It doesn't work very well either. Like I said with Optimus, I do wish they would have skipped over these in favor of another figure. Part of me wonders if the launchers were intended for Bot Shots in it's run or left overs from some other line. It's hard to imagine a completely brand new part like this being tooled and molded for a one shot store exclusive pack. Though it does give me hope of more Bot Shots making a return in the future. Megatron is a fun little toy and I'm happy to have these little bots back even in such a limited way.

Holy Pumpkin Spice Batman

Batmania pretty much ran wild in 1989... I've professed my love for it here before. It's to no surprise that Batman and Joker costumes were super poplar. It's great seeing the costume suggestions based on what was then current popular movies. I'd like to point out the 'Jason' costume is the ever popular dollar store hockey mask. That thing is as much a part of Halloween as pumpkins at this point.

Monday is for the Birds

Monday has shown it's ugly face again signaling the end of the glorious weekend and beginning of another accused work week. Fortunately Zone Base is here to keep things fun with another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! This was a fun weekend where I grilled out hamburgers, played Doom 1+2, and watched paranormal tv! Takara announced a new Godzilla x Transformers collaboration as part of their Synergex series! I've been bubbling over with excitement ever since reading it. There's also a Zoids x Diaclone, Monster Hunter x Diaclone, and some awesome Spider-Man Zoids! So cool!

I got some new toys as well. There was plenty of Transformers One toys finally on shelves, so I grabbed the Quintesson Judge. I also got Studio Series 86 Bumblebee, Studio Series Gamer Edition Decepticon Soldier, and Earthspark One Step Changers Elita-1 and Skullcruncher! There's toys I passed on that I'll be getting soon as I wanted to not spend a ton of money all at once. Halloween stuff is starting to appear in some Walmart and Target store meaning Code Orange is over and the full spooky season is arriving. I got some Monster Cereal Gogurt! Target has quite a bit of neon in their Halloween selections and I am extremely excited for it. You guys know how much I love vintage Halloween and being a child of the 80's, that means bright eye searing colors! It's really turning out to be a Rob flavored fall y'all! 

Well, I've got some work to do. There's household chores, daily exercises, and I've got to record this month's episode of Transform Squadron! Please look forward to it, it's August and that means ghosts! Thank you so much for reading Zone Base, the site has really been growing thanks to your support. That's lead to some fun developments that will be showing up on the site soon, I'm so excited! Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and Mutual High Fives everyone!

Go-Bot Path Finder [Go-Bots Guardian 3-Pack]

Rounding out our look at the Go-Bot Guardian 3-Pack is Path Finder, whom is also based on the e-Hobby Path Finder. Like that toy, Path Finder uses a Cosmos toy in an unreleased deco. This time Path Finder is made from the excellent Legacy mold from the Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection. I liked that toy quite a lot and can honestly say that Path Finder is one of the few characters that every toy of is a good one. From her original Gobots toy to the Transformers releases, all are quality. It doesn't hurt that I've always liked Cosmos in fairness. If you're not a fan of repaints, this isn't going to be your cup of tea as Path Finder is basically a blue Cosmos. For those whom had a problem tracking down the original toy, this is a nice option.  Not to mention, the blue looks good on Cosmos. It's something very simple that makes for a big change. 

Path Finder still has Cosmo's flag/gun. That's a holdover from the Velocitron Speedia 500 toy that I wonder will be reused in every instance of this mold going forward. It made sense in the Velocitron series... but just seems a little ridiculous outside of that. Thankfully, Path Finder's flag is proudly displaying a Guardian symbol. It's admittedly silly, but I enjoy seeing Gobots symbols being used. As Path Finder, however, I've mainly chosen for her to wield the blaster as is with a flag hanging off it. Why not, right? Like I've said, Hasbro has released other Gobots in Transformers before. This set is the first time they've outright used the name Gobots. Not just the name, but the logo and symbols.

I really hope it's the beginning of more Gobots in Transformers or even as a stand alone. With Challenge of the Gobots airing in MeTV Toons and on Cartoon Rewind, there's bound to be a new audience for these classic characters. Toys like Path Finder and the other 3 from this are great homages to a cool exclusive set from 20 years ago that itself was a fun throwback. Obviously I love Gobots and welcome a renaissance... but maybe it's just what the robot world needs right now.

Get your Freaky Float on!

The Simpsons place in Halloween history is undeniable and these Burger King Kids Meal toys are just the thing for a little something spooky. Though my eyes are on that Freaky Float! A wonderful combination of Minute Maid Orange and vanilla ice cream shake! I love orange cream flavored ANYTHING and while definitely a year long flavor... it's perfect for the spooky season.

BIOS- Ferak

"It is not a matter of what is the most efficient tool to use, but that which provides me the most pleasure."

Function: Engineer

As the last known survivors of Squadron X, Ferak and his diminutive partner Pirate Tornado have run from system to system to avoid prosecution for their prior crimes. They were fortunate to find much needed safe harbor with the Star Seekers. Having been branded as part of the crew, they currently pledge their allegiance to Captain Cannonball.

Ferak is an accomplished engineer and inventor. If his creations were not so sadistic in nature, they would be revered by the Autobot Science Council. His alternate mode is a hunter-seeker skyship, self-equipped with a heavily modified built-in deuterium - based electrochemical laser. Tornado is a saboteur by trade and backstabber by his own Cybertronian genetics. He has pledged his life to reforming his traitorous ways, but he still keeps a personal log filled with 'profitable' information that can be accessed at any given time or situation. Tornado despises his alternate gun mode due to its tendency to jam, caused by a faulty energy transfer conduit in his power processing unit. Ferak has replaced this component multiple times but has yet to determine the root cause of the failure.

Strength: 5  Intelligence: 9 Speed: 8 Endurance: 3
Rank: 5 Courage: 5 Fireblast: 9 Skill: 6

Kiss Or Treat

It's not too uncommon to see a a member of KISS at Halloween. A perfect costume in many ways. If somebody doesn't recognize you or your make up runs... now you're a ghost! Boo! If you're too old for trick or treating, it's the perfect costume for a party. With the horribly named 'Kiss your Face' makeup kit by Remco, you can trick or treat all night and eat candy every day.

I'm not apologizing for that closing line.

 Originally Posted 08/18/2020

 

 

Undertaker [WWE Superstars/Series 3]

Masters of the WWE Universe was a fun toy line by Mattel featuring WWE wrestlers as MOTU characters. It was a fun series that used the MOTU Origins bodies and weapons that was totally interchangeable with Origins toys similar to Turtles of Grayskull. When the line ended, it shifted to a traditional wrestling toy line featuring the WWE wrestlers in their classic gimmicks. This new line, WWE Superstars has been running fairly successful ever since. Interestingly enough, these toys still use the MOTU Origins bodies and are still interchangeable with other Origins figures. That's pretty neat! Personally, I wasn't interested in these but have noticed their popularity with MOTU fans. There is a lot of customizers in the MOTU fandom and Origins bodies are made with that in mind, The joints and body parts can be disassembled with ease and combined with others.

These WWE figures are basically blank He-Man bodies perfect to use. My mother is an avid clearance aisle shopper who picked up this Undertaker figure from the toy line because she knows I like the Undertaker. Despite not being to interested in the line, it was neat to get one and of a wrestler I've always liked. The figure is based on The Undertaker's early 90's appearance around when the character first debuted. The figure is a MOTU Origins body with a pretty decently sculpted head that even has his hairstyle from that era. He features a removable hat with a cloth overcoat and tie. Underneath the coat, it's mostly a painted Origins body but with boots to match his 90's ring gear. The Undertaker even comes with extra hands to swap out so you can recreate some of his poses. This is a pretty cool concept that reminds me of in the 80's when companies like Remco would take the molds from their fantasy figures to make wrestler toys. Even though I don't have the urge to make a custom MOTU figure, I can see in this figure alone how all the parts would be just right to use. It's also a pretty great representation of The Undertaker from his early years. I'm pleasantly surprised with this toy and it's overall neatness. It's pretty great.

The Long Ass Halloween

Somebody, somewhere decided having kids trick or treat with a character would be a fun thing to do. In theory they were right. In practice they get your drunk Uncle dressed as Batman. In this special community event where a handful of kids get to meet the caped crusader and receive "a pot of gold". You know, it's hard to poop all over something like this... but something about... somebody help those kids. Not Batman.

Originally Posted 08/25/2022

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax [Transformers One/Race Changers]

The Transformers One toy line has some interesting reprints of older toy molds as store exclusives. Fortunately these happen to be toys I've enjoyed with some remolding done to keep them fresh. One such exclusive is the Race Changers 2-Pack exclusive to Target stores here in the states. Race Changers are a rebranding of Bot Shots with a name that makes me wonder if Trademark offices should have a mandatory 10 minute clip of that guy from Ted asking if you're sure about that before finalizing a name.

For the record, I loved Bot Shots and am very happy to see them making a come back, even if it's with an awkward name. Shinkalion is also doing something with Bot Shots, which leads me to wonder if more similar toys are on the horizon. I seriously love these things. Optimus Prime is a retooling of the standard Optimus Prime Bot Shots figure with a new truck grill and spoiler. The former dice style gimmick from the Bot Shots game has been removed and replaced with a standard Autobot symbol. Optimus has a brand new launcher as opposed to the ones that came with older toys which is surprising. Part of me wonders if it was an unreleased launcher from the original line. The launcher mechanism doesn't lock into place very well either. Frankly, I wish they would have skipped the launchers in favor of another figure in the set. You can either launch the toy in vehicle mode or push it into something to trigger the spring loaded transformation. In robot mode, Optimus is cute and squat. Bot Shots were charming and similar to Choro-Q toys of the past... which is part of the reason I liked them to begin with. It'd be great to see more of these again, but I do hope they'd give the line a better name.

The camera refused to focus on his face.

Goo Goo Ga Ga

Joe Scruggs is known for his music, but apparently likes to drive through the gates of hell on occasion with infants. Thankfully the babies know how to get him out of certain doom... you know... this whole thing is questionable. Just what in the hell is going on Joe Scruggs?

Birth of a New Week

It's Monday again and thank you Zone Base readers for coming back for another week! I had a pretty good weekend with a shopping trip the Mrs and I took in a neighboring town. I didn't find any of the Star Raiders collection, but did pick up some Transformers. Legacy United Hot Shot and Side Burn! I've always liked these two, so updates are always welcome. I also found Turtles of Grayskull Splinter and Teela! I also got some household stuff, but I doubt any of you care about my new pair of Hey Dudes and bathroom mat.

Sunday,  I went out to Barnes and Nobles to see if they had the asian horror section last year for ghost month. They unfortunately didn't (dangit), so I checked out Target for any new Transformers One toys. They didn't have anything for me, but I did pick up a Zuru Smashers Horror House set. This is a new variation of the Zuru Smashers that has a cool horror theme! The set came in handy as a thunderstorm took out our internet, so the Mrs and I played with it while listening to some DVDs. Hopefully the internet will be back up soon as I miss my Roku. There's another argument for physical media! I spent most of the day playing Doom 1+2 outside of that. 

Unfortunately thanks to the outage I won't have the newest episode of Transform Squadron ready until next week. I'm updating from my phone and don't get the best connection from home. Well, I've got some household chores to do while listening to Godzilla movies. Man, I have a lot of those and robot cartoons on video. Thanks everyone for returning for another week. We've got a fun week of content coming and the Halloween party is in full swing! Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and Mutual High Fives everyone!

Go-Bot Smallfoot [Go-Bot Guardians 3-Pack]

Continuing our look at the Go-Bots Guardians 3-Pack is Small Foot. Like the e-Hobby toy she's based on, Small Foot is made from a Gears toy. This time, however, the most recent Legacy United Gears toy. This is my first experience with the toy mold so it's a fresh look altogether. Small Foot is known for being a red and blue truck in Gobots, but the e-Hobby set was based on un-produced colors from that old Takara catalog. Small Foot was given a new face sculpt to match her onscreen appearance from Gobots further. Her chest compartment can open up as a leftover from the Gears mold. This is to simulate a scene from the episode 'Changing Gears'. Being my first time with the mold, I'm going to be focusing on the toy.

Small Foot is a squat robot and pleasantly blocky. Despite that blockiness, there's a decent amount of articulation. The yellow and red colors look great on this mold that's unmistakably meant to be Gears. Transformation to truck mode is pretty easy, much easier than I was prepared for. Everything just went into place without much fumbling. This is really a pleasant toy, I hopefully can score a Gears later. Small Foot's blaster can be placed on the side of the truck for easy storage. There's irony in using a Gears mold for a Small Foot toy. Gears is a pessimist while Small Foot is an optimist. It's also funny that both characters original colors are pretty much the same, just reversed. These unused colors look great on the Gears mold, but wouldn't fit Gears. As Small Foot, they're a departure from the original, but look great. This is all around a pleasant toy and another wonderful Gobot character representation as a Transformer. 

Sugar Crash Maybe?

Nothing says it's Halloween like a local news reporter finding the most uninterested kids possible for a segment. While I really enjoy the montage of decorations, I really wonder where the kids absolutely bubbling over with the Halloween spirit were at?

BIOS- Fracture

Dedicated to Megatron and the Decepticon cause, Decepticon Fracture is a dangerous enemy. She is totally fearless, and probably a little bit crazy, as she dives directly into any battle, regardless of the odds. Although she carries a powerful negative energy blaster, she prefers to use the seismic energy dischargers on her feet to smash the surrounding earth to pieces. Any battlefield on which she walks shudders with the force of her steps.

Strength: 7 Intelligence: 4  Speed: 8  Endurance: 8
Rank: 5  Courage: 10  Fireblast: 8  Skill: 3

Spooky things with bad hats

I'm way more familiar with the Kooky Spooks Make-Up kits than their costume brand. To be honest, I've only learned of these costumes in the more recent years. Before I go any further, can we all give a round of applause for that great music shared across the Kooky Spooks commercial universe? It's so great! I'm not so sure I would have liked these costumes though. The allure of an inflatable costume is hard to resist. Just... a giant inflatable hat just doesn't say "hey, wear this all night".

Originally Posted 9/22/2022

Ram Man [Turtles of Grayskull]

Ram Man awoke, covered in Ooze, and opened his mouth to speak only to hear a 'Baa' come out. All he knew was he had a new master and his name was Krang.

Ram Man is another Heroic Warrior whom has fell victim to the partnership between The Foot Clan and The Evil Warriors. He's now been changed into a mutated ram beast! As an adult, I love the pun based nature of MOTU. Having Ram Man combined with a ram is great and makes for a fun TMNT style twist on the classic character. I've been theorizing that this cast of TMNT is the 80's/90's cartoon crew based on the comics, and Ram Man definitely fits in with those toys.

He kinda reminds me of Groundchuck despite being a different color. It's that signature squat nature of Ram Man combined with the horns. Speaking of colors, I love these colors on this sculpt. Ram Man is the same purple with green veins that the Mutated He-Man is colored. That's a nice bit of uniformity among the Mutated Masters. Ram Man has a variation as well. Pictured here he is solid, but there is a translucent version out there. I just got one after taking these pictures, so believe me, it's out there. Ram Man has his signature hatchet and carrying another double sided axe for good measure. His characteristic armor has extra spikes making him look like a member of Gwar. To my understanding the tunic is removable, but I never saw a way to do so. There is a spot on the back of the tunic for weapon storage as well. He's very pose-able with 16 points of articulation. I'm kinda blown away by just how cool this toy is. Just look at that freak!

Bait and Switch

Thanks to Goodwill's selection of second hand costumes at low prices, you can afford to easily swap costumes and hit the same house over and over again! Or you could just wear the same costume and go to other houses. Of course if your Goodwill is anything like mine, I'm pretty sure the only thing you'll find are small red flannel shirts and worn out JNCOS. Pretty sure your neighbors will catch on pretty quick.

Go-Bot Treds [Go-Bot Guardians 3-Pack]

In 2024, e-Hobby released one of my favorite Transformers sets which was simply called 'G1 GoBots'. At the Time, e-Hobby would release exclusive versions of Takara's G1 reissues in Diaclone or other pre-Transformers release colors as brand new characters. Several fans (myself included) loved these and gobbled them up. I mean, new G1 characters... whoa! Taking the G1 Mini-Bots set and releasing them based on unused colors from an early Transformers promotional catalog, these toys were then named after classic Gobots characters who had traveled to the dimension most Transformers resided in at the time. It was a cool set of toys with a fun backstory.

Treds is a classic Gobot character whom was recreated from Warpath due to both having tank alt modes. In that promotional image, Warpath was green instead of his trademark dark red colors we all know. Treds of course is normally green, so it just worked perfectly. The Go-Bots Guardian 3-Pack is based on that e-Hobby set using 3 recent Transformers Generations molds for the updates. Hasbro has released other Gobots characters in Transformers over the years, but this is the first time they've outright used the Gobots logo on the packaging. Even that e-Hobby set doesn't use it, they've mostly just alluded to it. When Hasbro bought Tonka in the 90's, they acquired Gobots with it. However the original toy designs are on shaky ground due to being Machine Robo toys by Bandai. With the more recent GoBots comics and re-airing of the cartoon, one has to speculate if a Gobot renaissance is coming. I sure hope so, you all know I love them.

This new toy of Treads is based on the Kingdom Warpath toy. I liked that figure quite a bit, so seeing it used here is a treat. Since the mold was an update of G1 Warpath, it's only natural that this makes a solid update of the e-Hobby Treds toy. A weird bit of trivia about his Decepticon symbol. All of the Transformers versions of Gobots have either Autobots or Decepticon symbols. Treds is a Guardian, one of the good guys. For some reason his original toy came with an Renegade (the bad guys) sticker on it. Gobots didn't usually have symbol stickers and this particular one is based on Tonka's initial design for the Renegade symbol. So it's weird for it to be there at all, let alone on the wrong faction. With this in mind, the e-Hobby set gave Treds a Decepticon symbol as a nod to the Renegade sticker. It's a choice that's confused some. This is a cool update of a fun Gobot. I'm super happy to have this set and having a lot of fun with it. Treds looks really great as a Transformer and I hope is the beginning of more Gobots characters in the line.

Jerry Van Dyke joins a Cult

I'll be honest, I've never seen or heard of this show before I found their Halloween episode. From what I gather, it was a sitcom from the late 60's that got canceled after one season. Probably because it's terrible, as most sitcoms about single parent roommates are. The show was based on an entertainer named Sandy raising his son with his manager, who was raising her daughter together at a farm. In this Halloween episode, Sandy's son want's to join a neighborhood club called the... junior gargoyles... whose leader looks like Anton LaVey... and dresses like the devil... So, Sandy's son wants to join the local satanic cult.

However joining the local satanic cult isn't easy, first you have to host a Halloween party. Fortunately Sandy works in showbiz in the 60's, so he was used to appeasing cults. So Sandy and Sue (the aforementioned manager) throw the kids a Halloween party that's just the worse. Not to mention Sandy ruins their trick or treating... or as they used to call it for no apparent reason on Halloween specials, tricks or treats. Basically, Sandy is a piece of garbage and you'll want to kick his ass before long. Thankfully Sue saves the party and Halloween and the cult accepts their new member!

I... don't think it's cursed…

Originally Posted 10/29/2019

Mechanical Violator Monday

Another Monday has risen it's evil head signaling the end of our beloved weekend and the start of another work week. Fortunately Zone Base is here to keep you entertained with robots, monsters, and misadventure! Thanks for coming back and supporting Zone Base! I had a pretty good weekend and hope you did too. Saturday was spent buying some new tires for my car and getting some rest. On Sunday I downloaded the new Doom 1+2 collection. It's both games with some expansion packs ugraded and fun as always to play. I spent quite a bit of time finding colored key cards and shooting demons! 

Halloween has officially started on the site and judging by the attendance everyone needed something spooky to beat the summer heat! It'll be going on now until the end of October. I spend all year looking forward to this, thank you all for celebrating Halloween with me. As for toys, I got a few good finds. Transformers One toys are slowly seeping into my local Target and I picked up Prime Changers Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion. They'll be making a showing on the site soon. I also picked up an extra Beast Battle Master Optimus Primal on clearance for $2. My local store was clearing out some older stuff and I couldn't resist another for that price. They only had him and Rhinox and I already have 2 Rhinox from various releases. I wish Battle Masters were available all the time. The Mrs also surprised me with a preorder for the Thundertron Star Raider gift set. I'm really looking forward to the newest Walmart exclusive collection to start showing up soon! Yo ho ho!

Well, I've got a busy week ahead of me and lots to do today. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. I really appreciate your support. Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and Mutual High Fives everyone!

Vector Prime [Legacy United/Voyager Class]

Today we're looking at another updated Cybertron series character, Vector Prime! Vector Prime is the guardian of time and space. He travels between realities and timelines serving the will of Primus. One of the original Thirteen, Vector Prime is OLD. Recorded history says he's 25 million years old, but he claims to be 9 billion. Man, he doesn't look a day over 19. I've always liked his clockwork knight style appearance and big blue sword. This new update of him in Transformers Legacy United is a remold of Jhiaxus from Transformers Legacy. I liked that toy quite a bit and see how the basic skeleton could work for Vector Prime. It's most obvious in his legs which also leads to my biggest complaint about the toy. Jhiaxus featured a pair of fins on his boots that Vector Prime doesn't. This leads to a pair of unused hinges on Vector Prime that make the toy look as though it's missing parts out of the packaging. That's a little poopy. 

While I vastly prefer the chonk of the original figure, this is a good representation of the character in a new toy. I liked the Jhiaxus toy a whole lot, so it bares to reason I'd like this one too. Like the Cybertron Starscream, Vector Prime also comes with a Cyber Planet Key. Also like Starscream, it's just for show. That's ok with me as I just don't see where a compatible gimmick would fit on this figure. The key can either mount on his waist or on the sword hilt. I personally like it on the sword as it looks cool, but prefer it in it's normal docking position in vehicle mode. Speaking of vehicle mode, transformation is pretty easy, though I did find myself juggling his wing sections while maneuvering parts. They're on arms that swivel about and just got in the way at times. Spaceship mode is very similar to the original Sith Infiltrator inspired vehicle. Which is a good thing as both the Sith Infiltrator and this are cool looking spaceships.

This update gives Vector Prime a good bit of articulation thanks to the modern engineering. The original toy was fairly articulated in it's own right, but the advancements are impossible to ignore. I do find him a little flat feeling. That's leftover from the Jhiaxus skeleton and can't be helped, but was a little awkward. Not deal breaking, just noticeable. I think my only real complaint is those weird empty hinges on his legs (mentioned above). They're just impossible to ignore. I do wish he would have come with Safeguard like the original, but do understand. I loved Mini-Cons and that was a really good one. This is a great update of Vector Prime and I'm happy to see him getting a new toy. The updates of various characters from the 40 years of Transformers is what's made Legacy so fun. Cybertron almost feels lost in time thanks to the movie coming out immediately after it. The Unicron Trilogy was a really good time full of really good toys. Vector Prime was a cool character that came from that era who has managed to stick around in one way or another over the years. His place in Transformers history deserves new toys more often.

Silent Cries of your Teeth

The ADA is very concerned about your Halloween candy and the business it will bring them.

BIOS- Soundwave

"Are you ready to rock?"

After a couple of years working alongside Laserbeak, Soundwave realized it was time for a change. His new partner, Ratbat, lets him lay down multiple tracks of sound at a time, creating frequencies that can do more than just control other robots. Now, Soundwave is into straight-up mind control. Using complex synth beats he can make people - and even the Autobots - do whatever he wants.

-Invented a note that can actually rock a robot's face off.
-Recently got really into old Earth westerns.
-Ratbat synth mode fires lightning bolts.

It's Showtime

I've made my love for Halloween make-up kits well known here. That being said, I don't think I ever saw anyone buy a Showtime make-up kit. Sure, I was a kid when they were out and not exactly in the know about such things. However my local Walmart sold them and I saw the exact same amount on the shelf the entire Halloween season. Especially one with a crushed box. It just sat there hoping somebody would want to be a weird clown mime...thing.

Originally Posted 08/11/2021

The Shredder [Turtles of Grayskull]

Shredder wanted to eliminate the Turtles once and for all. Unfortunately, Krang's plan to harness the most powerful force in the universe backfired and flung them to Planet Eternia, where they encountered a new ally. 

The Foot Clan has arrived on Eternia and joined forces with The Evil Warriors, so of course that means The Shredder is around. If there's a TMNT character naturally fit for the MOTU treatment, it's Shredder. His classic blade covered armor looks perfect here on a MOTU Origins body. However he's not just a He-Man version of The Shredder, there's some great styling going on. His trademark armor has been given an Eternian look.

The bladed plates have a cool dragon scale texture that matches with his helmet. His vest has been replaced with a body garment similar to Skeletor, but with a Foot Clan insignia. He's got some cool weapons as well, an Evil Horde style crossbow (I love those) and a gnarly axe that also features a Foot symbol. Add in his cape (which is a solid vinyl or rubber material) and The Shredder looks more evil than ever. I've been saying all along that these Turtles of Grayskull figures feel like designer toys and I mean it. The Shredder on Eternia is something special.

Tim Burton's Hansel and Gretel (1983)

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I love Halloween. By proxy, I'm a big fan of Halloween specials as well. Some people follow the NFL, I follow the Great Pumpkin. While various Halloween specials are produced every year... I prefer the old ones. Because nostalgia? Maybe, but also because they were vastly different. The gloves were off, obviously too much fun being had behind the scenes, or maybe it was a good opportunity to try something different. The more obscure the special, the more out there, the better. Such is the case with today's post.

The video above is a Disney Channel Halloween special from 1983. At the time a young Tim Burton was a Disney employee and made this short for the company. It was literally only shown once, on Halloween in 1983. Even as a Halloween special it was a little too dark. Even for Tim Burton. It might be cursed.

I've used the term fever dream often to describe things here and... that's a nice way of putting it. We have a retelling of Hansel and Gretel which is a pretty good story for Halloween. You know, they get lost in the woods and find a witches house. In this telling, their step mother tries to get rid of them by getting them lost in the woods (involving a robot duck), which leads to the witches house and some of the weirdest hellscape I've ever seen on film. You'll have to pause it occasionally.

Enjoy!

Originally Posted 8/28/2020

Starscream [Legacy United/Voyager Class]

Starting off our annual 3 months of Halloween is the newest version of Starscream from the Transformers Legacy United toy line. This version of Starscream is an update of his appearance from the Cybertron/Galaxy Force series that ended the Unicron Trilogy and pretty much lead up to the release of the live action movies (with Classics rounding out the toys). This version of Starscream is perfect to start our spooky season with. Not only did he spent the majority of Energon as a ghost, but also lead a force of Ancient Deceptions at one point. Whom were hidden on Earth for a long time posing as monsters of our folklore and myths! Super robots and monsters go hand and hand!

Starscream's design in Cybertron was heavily influenced by his depiction in the War Within comic series, which was influenced by the Cybertronian Tetrajet Seeker design seen in the original cartoon. It's a really cool look and fun to see the update improve upon the original toy which I've always held in high regard. Honestly, it's not that different from that original toy. Maybe not as chonky and the Cyber Key gimmicks are removed. Thanks to modern engineering, Starscream has more articulation than before, though the original wasn't lacking in that department. All around, this toy is an improvement, though I do like that chonk the original had. It's just satisfying. Starscreams arm mounted swords fold out without the need for a Cyber Key like the original, however this toy does come with a Cyber Key! That's really neat as they were so heavily ingrained in the original Cybertron line. This one is much smaller and not backwards compatible. It really doesn't serve any function other than appearances and that's fine. The throwback is cool. While I had a love/hate relationship with the original Cyber Key gimmick, I always liked the keys individually. The Cyber Key can be placed either in the docking location behind Starscream's head or on his rifle.

Transformation to jet mode isn't hard and not terribly unlike the original. I don't know if this is a common problem, but my Starscream's right arm kept coming off at the shoulder and constantly found myself re-attaching it. This led to some annoyance in transformation as that area has to be configured in a certain way. The extra articulation added some aggrivation in transformation as I found myself constantly re-adjusting parts to make them fit just right. The extra movement is cool in robot mode, but was a little troublesome in conversion. That could be a personal issue admittedly. Once transformed the jet looks great and holds together firmly. You can attach his rifle on top or underneath the jet (I choose underneath) and everything just works well. I've always liked this design and it works well updated here. While I had a little trouble (mentioned above), overall I'm happy with this new version of a classic design. I've been a big fan of the Unicron Trilogy since it's introduction and these new toys of the characters are very appreciated.

Make Mine Monster

TOMY is a company readers of the site should be well acquainted with. They merged with Takara in 2005 and the shared logo has been printed on Transformers packages ever since. Not to mention Zoids, Starriors, and other cool toys. TOMY makes A LOT of toys, big and small... which brings us to the Mighty Men and Monsters drawing set from 1978. It's a gadget where you arrange various plates and stencil in a monster or super hero. Pretty neat. The real draw here is the commercial itself. Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy are having a great time in a spooky castle drawing all sorts of cool pictures. Best brunch ever.

Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem 2024!

It's the first week of August and you know what that means... IT'S HALLOWEEN TIME ON PLANET ZONE! That's right, 3 whole months of Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem from now until Halloween! For readers that are new to the site, Halloween is my favorite time of the year and I love it so. To celebrate, between every regular post is a Halloween post. Sometimes it's nostalgic, maybe weird, or downright obscure. This year, we're stepping it up a notch and even the regular posts are a little spooky for the season!

The Halloween Playlist is back again as well! Bigger and better than ever for 2024 with more than 10 hours worth of scary tunes. It's a Spotify playlist, so if you're listening on random, it's practically a new experience every time! Thank you so much for coming to the annual Zone Base Halloween party and celebrating the best time of the year with me. Put on a costume and crack open a glow stick, it's time to go trick or treating for the next 3 months!

Grimlock [AMK Mini Series]

It goes without saying that Grimlock is one of the most popular characters in Transformers. Dinosaurs are cool, but robot dinosaurs are even cooler. Add in the lovable speech impediment and you've got a hole in one. Initially in the cartoon, Grimlock was more of a stubborn turd before becoming more adorable in the movie. His personality is either one or the other in other media, but that specific portrayal is what people hang onto to this day. My mother can't remember most of these things, but she'll say 'Me, Grimlock' when seeing him. These models have been a fun way for me to spotlight the 40 year Anniversary of Transformers on a site that's mostly about Transformers. Grimlock may not have arrived until 1985, but he's as integral to the franchise as any other.

This Yolopark AMK Mini model is quite fun. Like the others, Grimlock doesn't transform. Instead you build a very nice looking, display ready version of the character. Unlike the other models, Grimlock is in his alternate mode... which is perfect. From the 1986 movie and through the following season, Grimlock was mostly in his T-Rex mode which is how many envision him. Grimlock assembles fairly easily and is decently articulated. I really enjoy his jaw. While there's nothing groundbreaking there, you can close it too much giving him a hilarious overbite.

BIOS- Skyhammer

"There is no disgrace in not succeeding, only in not trying."

Function: Ground and Air Assault

A valiant, vigilant warrior. Dedicated to defending the innocent. Automated high-tech sky cruiser ideal for defending against enemy attack. Thermal blasters in wings liquefy metal on impact. Front-mounted high-frequency modulators provide long-range audio and visual surveillance and tracking capabilities. Coolant vents in nose emit black clouds of sleep gas, and top-mounted turbo-fans can produce cyclonic wind funnels. Also armed with twin lightning bolt cannons and programmable, steel-shattering sonic overloader. Outer shell armed with photon pistol and converts to super-sonic hoverjet.

Strength: 8 Intelligence: 8 Speed: 8 Endurance: 9
Rank: 7 Courage: 9 Firepower: 8 Skill: 9