Boulder [Rock Lords]

Boulder, the 'Leader of the Good Superhuman Rocks' seemed like a great toy to look at today as we head into ToyLanta weekend. I got this one at last years show in great condition for $25. Not bad! For whatever reason, I tend to focus on Rock Lords and Gobots at the convention and have the best time finding them. Boulder is the leader of the good guy Rock Lords and pretty cool looking too. This one is in pretty nice shape, though came missing his Power Sword... which is actually a laser gun. From what I gather, there was some mix-up in the early stages of the line and various weapons got mixed up.

So you get mismatched names on packaging with what the toy actually has. Sort of like Magmar's 'Ax-Rifle' that's really just a club. It's worth pointing out that the 'Power Sword' is called the 'Justice Laser Gun' in the Japanese release. Boulder comes with a Power Sword here, but BattleRock is using his Justice Laser Gun there. Damn, I love the Japanese names.

Boulder turns into a rock, of course. Specifically Tungsten, while is Japanese counterpart Kimberlite. Both Rock Lords and Armorizers make a point to define what type of stone the characters turn into and I love that. The whole thing is ridiculous as is, but that fact that they're that specific is just *chef's kiss*. In robot mode (are they specifically robots?), Boulder is pleasantly articulated for a toy of his era. Arms move at the shoulder and elbow and there's knee movement. The head looks like it swivels, but I've never tried it. Transformation is a simple folding up up the parts resulting in a specifically shiny rock. It's a pretty color that I'd love to see more often. Rock Lords are really neat and Boulder is very cool. He's definitely meant to be the hero of the crew with his looks and styling. That's a rock fact.

Geocron [Legacy United/Core Class]

It's time to look at another Armorizer, a favorite group of Transformers around here on Planet Zone. Armorizers are a fun combination of Rock Lords, Mutores, and The Rock People of Daira. Georcron's head sculpt in particular is based on one of those Daira residents in particular as was Calcitron. Armorizers have been a fun throw back to a time when transforming toys were certainly more imaginative. Also... I really like Rock Lords, so they've been a fun thing for me on a personal level.

Geocron might be the last Armorizer sadly (I haven't seen any more listed), so it's fitting that he uses the same mold as Bouldercrash, whom was one of the first. I really liked Bouldercrash, so the use is a welcome one. Unlike the other Armorizers, it's not specified what type of rock Georcron is composed of. It's pretty obvious by his colors and name that Geocron is a geode. That works pretty well as I'm taking that as a Jewel Lord reference, even if it's unintentional. It's also not clear if this is a male or female, so I've been referring to it as a him generically. Georcron is a mixture of browns with a metallic purple color showing through at parts. It's surprisingly nice looking as that purple really contrasts sharply against the brown.

Transformation to rock bike is easy, and his weapon mode can be formed from vehicle mode or during transformation as it's not much more than an extension of vehicle mode. I didn't take a picture of it here, but there's one in Bouldercrash's post. Speaking of weapon, Geocron has the same as Bouldercrash... a sort of rock sword thing. It's hard to describe without sounding silly, but it looks neat. I like to think it shoots an energy beam. Geocron looks great and by all counts is a pretty solid toy. If he is the last Armorizer, he's a good one to go out on. I've been really fond of the Armorizers and hate to see them go. It's nice to see that Infernac, a setting from Inhumanoids, get revisited and offer a new Transformers life form while at it. Ever since Rokkon and Stonedar I've been hooked on transforming rock toys and a new set was and still is exhilarating for me as a fan. Geocron, and all the Armorizers is awesome. It's a rock fact.

Calcitron [Star Raiders Collection Multipack]

It's a happy day because there's a new Armorizer arriving at Zone base! Calcitron is the newest rock bot to join the ranks and he's a cool one. Unlike the other Armorizers, Calicitron has sided up with a group. The Star Raiders- Thundertron's crew of space pirates can boat that they have their own dedicated living rock creature among their ranks. As his name suggests, Calcitron is mostly composed of blue calcite. Blue calcite is a very pretty stone that allegedly adds to your positive aura and will clear negative energies. Hopefully the pirates can benefit from that little bit of spiritual energy as the galaxy can be a scary place. Personally, I like to think the various mysticism surrounding some stones makes for an interesting trait in Armorizers and Rock Lords. I've always really liked when robot cartoons blend in fantasy elements.

Calcitron is a repaint/remold of Magneous like Nucleous was. While not as extensive as a remold as Nucleous, Calcitron is a rather cool remold all the same. The only new part is a head, which ties into the Rock People of Daira from the Headmasters cartoon. Ultimately though, it's still the same base mold as Magneous, so there's nothing functionally new aside from appearances. Fortunately Magneous was a really good toy. There's plenty of articulation and transformation from rock person to rock truck is pretty easy. He has the same axe/crossbow weapon and the roof of the rock truck can be used as a shield or worn on his back. The axe/crossbow can be mounted on top of the truck like a rocket or in front to serve as a battering ram. I feel like Calcitron would like a crossbow. Like most Armorizers, individual parts can be removed and made into armor or weapons for other Transformers figures. The blue colors look great giving Calcitron an almost icy appearance that's really pretty. That's a rock fact!

New Week Rock- 7/22/24

Thanks for coming back for another week here on Planet Zone! I've had a great weekend and hope you did too! I watched Gobots, Transformers, Halloween videos, and Cobra Kai episodes this weekend while trying to stay out of the heat. Speaking of Halloween, the Mrs and I are about to head out to Bed Bath and Bodyworks for the start of their Halloween season. As far as toys go, my Mom surprised me with a TMNT/Universal Monsters Casey Jones. That was out of left field for sure! I picked up Ghidorah from Playmates Monsterverse figures (battle damage, woo!), and ordered the new Transformers multipack from Target Sunday. Really looking forward to that Squeezeplay. Well, I've got spooky adventures in store and hope you all have a great week. Thanks for continuing to read Zone Base. There's a fun week of robots, monsters, and misadventure waiting for you. Please share the site with your friends and Mutual High Fives everyone!

Nucleous [Legacy United/Deluxe Class]

We've got another Armorizer to look at and it might just be the coolest yet. Nucleous is a heavy remold of Magneous with a lot of new parts. Like most Armorizers, Nucleous can be split apart into pieces to form armor or weapons for other Transformers figures. However they might want to be careful, because as his name suggests, Nucleous is composed of raw Nucleon! To much exposure could cost them the ability to Transform! Or in the case of the Marvel comics, eventually shut down completely. That stuffs dangerous, and he's a living rock creature made out of it. Oddly enough, raw Nucleon looks a lot like milky quartz.

I quite like Nucleous's looks. He's a mixture of living rock and radical robot. Love that head sculpt. Transformation to rock car is pretty easy as it's  the same as Magneous. There's not need to split up the parts, though the 'car' roof part that can either mount on his back or be used as a shield will need to be adjusted a little as one of the rocky rocket pods has to fit under it. Those rocket pods, BTW, combine to form a club for Nucleous... or I guess a torch similar to Magmar's weapon.  Nucleous is a really cool addition to the Armorizer ranks, and despite being a remold/recolor feels like a brand new toy. I'm admittedly smitten with these new rock robots. I love the homage to past lines and their connection to Inhumanoids. These are some cool toys, and that's a rock fact!

Shard (Legacy United/Deluxe Class)

After what felt like a long wait, a new Armorizer is available. Shard is an all new Rock Lord inspired Transformer from the Infernac Universe making her first appearance as a toy. Shard is specifically made of Death Crystals from the Planet Dread and was directly inspired by Solitaire, making her a Jewel Lord homage. As someone who loves multiple layers of homage, Shard is really cool. I know what you're thinking, how come all these rock Transformers don't fly? Well, this one can! She transforms into a helicopter made of jewels which is a neat looking visual. While it might not be the most realistic... look, if realism is what you're after... you've got the wrong toy line.

The Death Crystals create a sharp and pointy looking Armorizer topped off by the helicopter blades doubling as swords. I'm also fond of the turbines that double as cannons. The swords can be inserted in the cannons as well meaning Shard will outright shoot a sword at you. That's harsh. Transformation is fairly easy. After the past few figures, I was pleasantly surprised for everything to just go into place without much trouble. Like the other Armorizers, Shard doesn't disassemble during transformation. I did accidentally remove a limb or two while doing so, but that was just from clumsiness. The helicopter is quite cool looking and comes off like a variation of the Stone Wing. That was probably not intentional, but my mind went there. I like the absurdness of a vehicle made of stone/jewel flying. Of course as an Armorizer, Shard can be disassembled and made into armor and weapons for regular compatible Transformers. Considering how sharp and pointy she is, you can imagine some really striking combinations. I'm extremely happy with Shard as I've been with all the Armorizers. So far there hasn't been one I like and of course I love the concept. It's a rock fact.

ToyLanta 2024

It's ToyLanta time once again! My annual trek to the best damn toy convention is going on this weekend! I'll be updating this space daily with my adventures, so be sure to check back to see what all happened. I'll also be hosting the annual Transformers panel Sunday at 12PM if you're in attendance. Speaking of, come up and say hi! Be sure to check out my Instagram throughout the weekend as I'll be updating it frequently. 

Friday: I got to the convention MUCH later than I wanted to thanks to a mixture of rain and traffic turning a 1 hour drive to 2. Once there, I walked in and man... I really like the location. It's the same one as last year and it's great (just wish it was closer). Though I soon found out registration was closed, which was no problem as I've gotten in later before and usually have no problem getting my badge. However, this year Buddy (show organizer) was absent due to illness. Speaking of, get well soon cards for Buddy were being brought around and I made a point to sign one. Since registration was closed, I was just told to wait until the morning to get my badge and just walk around anyway. That was unexpected, but I did just that and took a look around the dealers room as it was being set up. I was very tempted to buy some M.U.S.C.L.E figures, but as it was all shutting down, held off until later.

Friday night at the convention is the popular lobby swap party and of course room trading. I ran into Jacob and chatted for a minute. I then looked around the lobby swap before taking a picture of the room trading board. The room numbers had details on what each offered and I roamed the halls taking in each set up. I found myself in various conversations during this time as I'd cross paths with others doing the same. It became like a fun scavenger hunt for the best room and we'd tell each other in passing. One particular door stunk to high hell, there wasn't a room swap in it, but everyone seemed to have encountered it at some point. I met some cool people like Matthew and Cody. Great conversations and good fun with like minded people. What a convention is all about. 

My Friday toy haul included a Convertors Nofka, which is a scaled down SDF-1. I bought one a few years ago at a prior Toylanta, this one is in much better shape. Both still are missing the back wings/towers though. I then found a Bug Bots Bee Bot in black and yellow! Bug Bots are one of the things I'm specifically looking for this year, finding one so early was a real treat. I got it and a Stranglehold inner robot for a total of $5! Here's hoping I can find more Bug Bots and a Stranglehold Pretender shell this weekend. Last, but not least, a still in box, vintage bootleg Convertors Zardak! A renamed Orguss was such a random find. The dealer had another in alternative colors. I held off incase Shawn wants it. (*Saturday Edit* he got it!) 

I headed home soon after as it was getting late. Thankfully the drive home was a breeze, despite the rain. I'm hoping the rest of the weekend goes well and this year follows the prior years conversations in being the best one yet. This con never gets old and each year feels like an individual experience. I love that. Some more Shawn, Joey, and Brian should be there tomorrow. It'll be great to see them. Hopefully I'll find some Rock Lords and Monster Gobots. Battle for the Rock Lords was released March 21st 1986, it's only appropriate to aquire some so close to it's anniversary. The Mrs had dinner waiting for me. A veggie burger with these seasoned carrots intended to be fry substitutes Birdseye makes. Delicious, I was starving. 

Saturday: Thanks to traffic I didn't get to the convention until 12pm. Not too bad, but I hoped to be there earlier. I got my badge right away and set out to find Shawn, Brian, and Joey. During the search I purchased a Rock Lords Boulder. I eventually found Shawn and Joey and led Shawn to Matthew's table where Shawn bought the Convertors toy. We were twining Convertors. We walked around the dealers area and chatted. One dealer had boxed Microman and even a Devil Satan 6 box set. Dang! 

My Mom had came with me and spent most of the day doing her own thing. However we met up for lunch in the hotel restaurant. On my way to meeting her, I got a Generations Selects Diaclone version Twin Twist. While we waited for our food, Shawn and Joey joined us. Brian joined us not much later and after some food we all roamed the areas and generally had a great time. I picked up multiple Gobots, McDonald's Food Changeables, Zombots, and something else I can't remember right now. Fun fact, apparently Joey's Mom and mine were friends in High School. Small world!

Around 4:30 Shawn and Joey headed home and Brian went to his room. I roamed the areas for a bit. Talked Godzilla with a dealer. Bought a Ultraman Tiga figure, some more Gobots, and a Robotron car. I think it's a Robotron car. Maybe. As the dealers room shut down for the day, I found Mom and Brian with family in tow came down to say goodbye. They'll be headed home in the morning before I get back to the show. The Mrs ordered us Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner when I got home. I was starving. The flatbread I had for lunch was good, but it was time for serious nourishment. There's one more day of the great toy show which includes my panel. Man I hate how it's going by so fast. It's been a great con this year.How many times have I typed I in this post?

Sunday: Well, a day later and I'm updating for Sunday. I got to the convention around 11:20 am after a mostly easy drive, though I was stuck behind what was apparently the President's motorcade. I think so anyway, apparently he was in town. I met up with Dusty right away and we chatted about Transformers up until the panel started. As the room filled up, a gentleman from the botvscon YouTube channel came in and was an absolute pleasure. The room went from half full to mostly full during the panel as usual and Dusty and I had a great chat with each other and those in attendance. We actually ran over time.

Dusty left for the day after the panel and I roamed around for a bit. I bought some M.U.S.C.L.E figures and another McDonald's Food Changeables toy. I spent a few hours just looking and taking in everything. The con was wrapping up as dealers were packing up. I did find another Bug Bot... but it was the same one I got Friday for 20 bucks. Yikes! The same guy had a  very dirty Boulder for 40. All things considered, I made out like a bandit on the ones I got. However, the guy also clearly didn't have many sales so... maybe I just made out decently and he was a bandit. I was getting hungry and debated getting a fruit bowl from the snack stand but decided to just head home.

The con was over and everyone was starting to leave out. I saw Matthew on the way. It was great meeting him and seeing Brian, Shawn, Joey, and Dusty. Good con this year. Actually, I've never had a bad Toylanta. Each year is my favorite until the next one. It's great how after a decade of attending it, I've never had a bad one. Every year is it's own story and experience. I stopped by the grocery store on the way home to pick up some juice left off our grocery order and got home to take a nap and enjoy a great home cooked dinner.

Thank you all for reading Zone Base. This concludes our first special event of the year! The site will get back to normal for now, but Halfway to Halloween is coming up in a few weeks! I've got a lot of fun planned until then. Please share the site with your friends and don't forget... Mutal high fives everyone!

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Bouldercrash (Legacy: United/Core Class)

When I first saw Bouldercrash listed , like others, I thought it was to be a new Generations version of Boulder. While homaging the line Boulder came from (Rock Lords), Bouldercrash is instead a brand new character from a new group of transforming rock toys- The Armorizers! As you are all aware, I was a fast fan of these guys and today we'll be looking at the other available Armorizer currently. Bouldercrash is a Core Class figure in the Transformers Legacy: United line that hails from the Infernac Universe as does Magneous (who we talked about earlier). My speculation that Infernac is a Hollow Earth type setting full of volcanoes seems to be true.That or this Infernac just might be the same Infernac from Inhumanoids as Bouldercrash is also a type of lava rock.

While Rock Lords are the most obvious referenced rock people toys of the Armorizers, of the two so far available, Bouldercrash feels more like one than Magneous. That's not a slam on Magneous (whom I love), but because of Bouldercrash's smaller size class. Rock Lords, like the Gobots they came from, were mostly smaller figures. Bouldercrash is a Core Class, a smaller Transformers size class, which is pretty close to the sizing of original Rock Lords. He could blend in with them pretty easily and pass as a modern day update that was obviously Takara Tomy designed instead of by Bandai (which he is).

Bouldercrash is pretty well articulated. He has the range of movent you's expect from the size class. No problems there! The cool mixture of reds and browns really look great with the extra brighter red details on the rock bits. His weapon is a sword/gun type weapon that's a carry over from alt mode. While Armorizers can be changed into rocks (with some imagination), their main alt modes are rocky vehicles. Bouldercrash turns into a stone trike style motorcycle. It's a unique vehicle mode that reminds me a little of the Stone Wing when the blade is flipped down. Speaking of that blade, Bouldercrash doesn't separate into parts for armor like Magneous does, but instead has a third weapon mode. The trike can be wielded as a sword type weapon. This mode is basically just the trike with said blade folded out that can be held by a larger toy (there's a handle on the back). It's not a particularly convincing weapon mode as at this point whomever is just hitting somebody with a motorcycle. I'd imagine that would hurt enough on it's own, but there's a big blade at the end for good measure. Additional weapon mode forms are usually a little silly and a bit of a stretch. I mean, look at this 'gun'.

Transformation from robot to vehicle (and back!) is pretty easy and everything tabs into place locking in securely. The windshield area of the motorcycle is the handle area of the weapon. You'll need to attach it while transforming which was my only difficulty during the process. I had a little trouble getting it on, but am sure it was myself doing it wrong. I'm still not sure what I was doing wrong, but I sure was doing it. The stone trike is pretty neat looking and pretty imaginative. I really like Boldercrash. To be fair, these fall squarely into the realm of stuff I like, but it IS a really neat toy. I'm sure more Armorizers are on the way and I really hope so. It's nice to have so many things come out the past few years that are exactly the kind of stuff I want. Armorizers make me excited in that ridiculous fan way that's hard to explain, hard to contain, and completely stupid to those who don't get it. It's a rock fact.

Magneous (Legacy United/Deluxe Class)

Armorizers are finally here and it's time to celebrate. A whole new breed of transforming rock toys that homage Rock Lords, the rocky people of Daira, and Inhumanoids. I had ordered Magneous and Boldercrash at the same time from Amazon, though Boldercrash is taking a little longer to get here. That gave me ample time to enjoy Magneous all on his own first. I've been so excited for these since announcement that finally having them is just amazing. Right now the two I've ordered are the only ones known, but I'm sure more will come eventually. Deluxe Class Armorizers share the same gimmick as Junkions, Fossilizers, and Weaponizers did before.

They can split into parts and be attached onto other Transformers to create armor or weapons. Fictionally, they are a living race of robotic rock based shapeshifters that come from the Infernac Universe. As far as a location for Transformers, there's not really anything known about Infernac yet. However in prior uses, Infernac is where Metlar from Inhumanoids hails from. Part of me likes to envision a Hollow Earth type hellscape full of volcanoes and dinosaurs. Judging by the Legacy United packaging art, that setting doesn't seem far off.

The whole thing just ignites my imagination and give me a sense of pure excitement. As a fan, I'm enthralled. Let's take a look at Magneous as a toy, shall we? Magneous is a beefy guy with a pick axe style weapon that could also be a crossbow depending on how he holds it. This is a very Rock Lords style weapon that I feel should have a ridiculous name like 'Geode Saber'. It fits Magneous well and with his bulk appearance, give the toy a fantasy feel that I really like. Magneous is an Obsidian warrior, which is a type of igneous rock that from the cooling of viscous lava. Igneous rocks in general that are formed from molten rock and he has plenty of that detailing sculpted in. There's a variety of rocky surfaces forming a stone warrior armor  in a mix of blacks and dark grays. It looks great. Magneous is fairly articulated and can be dissembled (as I mentioned earlier) to form rock armor and weapons for other Transformers.

Despite the parts forming nature of the toy, Magneous can transform without disassembly. Transformation is fairly easy and everything goes where you'd expect. In his neat rock truck mode, Magneous looks wild. It's a mixture of post apocalyptic and pre history styles blended together. The pick axe weapon can store across the back end or bumper, I found the back end to be best. A stone based vehicle is pretty far out, but I like it. I've been told that it's possible to form a rock mode from his parts, which I plan to try out later. That's all sorts of fun. I love this toy and concept as you've probably gathered while reading this. It's cool to have transforming rocks again and if Magneous is an example of what's to come, this looks to be a great set of figures. I could see a variety of repaint toys made with this as a base. It's a great figure that firmly fits the concept. Armorizers have me excited in a way I haven't been in a very long time. It's cheesy to say something rocks, but Magneous does. It's a rock fact.

Tombstone (Rock Lords)

Behind the old house is a cemetery, filled with those whom once lived and their gravestones.

There's nothing quite like Tombstone from Rock Lords. He's this big green rock that sort of looks like a gravestone who transforms into a reptilian robot carrying a weapon called 'The Reaper', that looks like a radiator. I suppose it's supposed to be some sort of laser? On the mini-comic from his packaging, 'The Reaper' is depicted as a sickle. You know, like you'd associate with it's name. In Ganseki Chojin his name is Geigerrock, which is a pretty fitting name for that weird reptilian appearance. I suppose there's some Aliens influence in the design, or at least some similarities. Both Tombstone and Geigerrock are pretty great names. That's one thing I like about Machine Robo, they don't shy away from more harder sounding names and themes for the villains. For someone who enjoys scary things like I do, it's pretty fun.

Tombstone is a big green rock with lighter green robot parts. If you have Geigerrock, those robot parts are red. 'The Reaper' is black for both toys, but in Robo Machine and Machine Men, it's brown. He's still known as Tombstone in Machine Men and Robo Machine and pretty much looks the same. However all the versions aside from the US Rock Lords figure have a pearlescent sheen on the outer green rock bits. I'm not sure why the US skipped it, but they did. The Tombstone pictures here is mine. I got him at Toylanta this past year in great condition, though missing 'The Reaper'. Missing weapons are hardly a surprise when buying loose old toys. I think he was around $15 - $20. A pretty good price for an older toy in great shape. His joints are nice and tight, if not for little specs of dust in odd places... you'd think he was new.

I fortunately don't pay much for Rock Lords when they're found, not sure how much longer that's going to last with Armorizers on the way. Tombstone doesn't have much articulation, not completely surprising considering transforming robot toys of his era generally didn't. Though Rock Lords tend to have a fairly decent amount. It's not a lack of articulation, but a lack of useful articulation. His legs and knees move nicely, but his arms and elbows move inward/outward due to transformation. I guess 'The Reaper' is useful as he can aim it within the limited range of movement. It's not a deal breaker, just something to point out. When buying toys from this era, it's best to understand and accept the limitations. It's going to have them regardless. Aside from the weird arm articulation, Tombstone is a fun little figure. Like all Evil Rock Warriors, he's this weird rock monster robot that's a little hard to describe without getting side eyed looks from others. I guess that's part of the Rock Lord experience. Still a cool toy.

Rock On!

I work at night, meaning I sleep during the day. Normally, I'm content to see whatever news came out after waking up. However, today (as of this writing) was Hasbro Pulse Con. An online convention centered around Hasbro products. Once again, I'm normally content to catch up with what happened after waking up... but today was different. For months listings of Transformers 'rocks'  had been appearing in store inventory systems. Rumor had it they were finally going to be debuted at Pulse Con and I was excited. By the way things were going, it seemed like these were Generations Rock Lords. As many of you know, that's a particular sweet spot for me. So I sat an alarm to wake up and watch this panel live. I had to know. It was worth it.

The newest iteration of Transformers Legacy, United, is slated to debut early next year and by the looks of it, will be great. I've been loving Legacy's updates to various Transformers characters from the history of the brand. In United, there's updates to Animated, Beast Era, Armada, Unicron Trilogy, and Prime. It looks great. But like the Junkions of Evolution and other type figures from series before, there is a new C.O.M.B.A.T System style set of figures. This is where we get the all new Armorizers and the most excited I've been in a long time.

Now when I say that, some folks will roll their eyes. I know, I get excited over a lot of things. I love Transformers, it's going to happen. However THESE have me absolutely ecstatic. I'm foaming at the mouth, wriggling in my seat, doing a little happy dance. THESE are wonderful. While they're not exactly Rock Lords, they're Rock Lord inspired. Armorizers are a mixture of Rock Lords, Mutores, and the rock-people of Daira. Personally, I also see some Monster Gobots in the designs. They're something new made from several old things. It's great. I love it.

To talk about the toys specifically, they don't outright turn into rocks. Like traditional Transformers, they turn into various vehicles. HOWEVER, they're not made from various metals and may not even be specifically robots. They're made of various space rocks, minerals, and stones. They specifically don't have a spark, they're some form of creature. That's neat. During Beast Machines, I was particularly interested in Beast Changer (Savage/Noble) because he wasn't a robot. That's a similar mindset going into these. There's a certain neatness to the concept for me that I can't quite put my finger on. It's just a cool idea.

Not to mention, they mentally remind me of Monster Gobots. That's probably a coincidence, but it's a good one. Then there's the He-Man comparisons that Rock Lords always had. With these and the imagery and characters United is providing... there's strong He-Man vibes here. I'm all for it, this feels like it was made specifically for me. The Armorizers can become armor or weapons for other robots and probably have a secret combiner form. Part of me wishes they'd just do complete lines of toys like this as it's fun. This has been a long post and I can probably say a million more things about these new toys... and probably will in the future. I don't own an Armorizer yet, but can already rave this much about them. I'm warning you now Zone Base readers, eventually I'm getting my hands on these. 

Bios: Nuggit

Rank- Good rock warrior

Body Type- Golden: a shiny, metallic finish that covers his robotic circuitry

Weapon- Tri-Gun

Bio: Though he's a robot, Nuggit is worth his weight in gold! He's smaller than the other rock warriors but brave and bold beyond his size. Nuggit is very proud of his shiny finish.

Nuggit's Tri-Gun does triple duty; the top barrel hypnotizes; the second barrel paralyzes; the third barrel revives the unlucky victim for questioning.

Bios: Crackpot

Rank- Good rock warrior

Body Type- Azurite: a mix of violet and gray that's tough enough to resist good natured kidding.

Weapon- Magnetic Pulse Gun

 

Bio: Crackpot's name describes his personality-slightly goofy. The other warriors give him a hard time about his crazy notions but Crackpot can think of good ideas that save them from a jam. His magnetic pulse ray "attracts" bad rocks and turns them into magnetic heaps!

Magmar/Devil Rock (Rock Lords)

Magmar (Devilrock in Japan) is the leader of the EVIL ROCK LORDS. As his US name would suggest, he turns into an igneous rock which forms when magma cools and crystalizes. Thus his name is symbolic of his alt mode. Normally Magmar comes with a club that looks like a torch, though it's labeled on his US package as an Ax-Rifle as a goof on Tonka's end. It's the same weapon that comes with Devilrock, but for some reason in the Gobots meet the Rock Lords movie, he's carrying Brimestone's axe. Somehow they just couldn't get it right with Magmar's weapon. Unfortunately mine in the pictures is missing the weapon. Honestly I kind of like the weapon being a weird torch. Rock Lords are so absurd that one using a torch as a melee weapon is pretty satisfying.

It's worth noting that both the Rock Lords and Machine Robo version's weapon is black, while in Robo Machine and Machine Men it is a  dark brown color. The toy itself is in the same colors in Rock Lords, Machine Men, and Robo Machine. In Machine Robo, however, the green is lighter and the orange is swapped out for purple. Machine Robo's eyes are a pinkish color, while the other versions are white. There is a pink eyed version of Magmar on Machine Men packaging, but so far that seems to not be a released version. I love these colors as it gives him a Frankenstein like appearance. Magmar/Devilrock is supposed to look scary and he pulls that off. 

Magmar is a pretty nice toy around the size of your average Gobot. Like most Rock Lords, he's pretty chunky as the rock alt mode makes for a thicker robot mode. If you like chonky robots like I do, you'll find this pleasing. He's fairly articuated for a transforming toy of his time. Arms bend at the shoulders and elbows can bend inwards. Do to the transformation, legs can move at the hip, but only forward as though kicking. His knees are arlso articulated, but once again, only forward. Do to his top heavyness, you'd probably want to keep both legs down anyway or he'd fall over. Magmar's head does swivel up and down from transformation, so he can look down imposingly at smaller toys.

I like this toy a lot. I like Rock Lords and transforming toys that transform into unconventional forms admittedly. I also like monsters, so when you have a fairly monstery robot toy that turns into something unconventional... I'm generally happy. Though it's hard not to like Magmar, he's just cool looking. Rock Lords have a wonderfully medieval fantasy vibe to them that stands out among other robot toys. Machine Robo has a tendency to make their bad guys spooky and creepy flavored. There's the Devil Invaders, or in this case Devil Rock. It's a neat little touch that makes me think of super robot cartoons and their monsters of the week.

Toylanta 2023

It's time for Toylanta 2023! The great toy show is here again and as always I'm attending. I've been really looking forward to this years con as it's always a good time. If you're in attendance, I'll be hosting the annual Transformers panel on Sunday at 12am. I hope to see you there! I'll be out on the floor all weekend if you feel like saying hi as well. Of course if you can't come, this post will keep you all filled in on the fun I've been having. I'll be updating daily, so be sure to check back for each update. I'll be posting pics to my Instagram throughout the weekend. If you like neat toys, you'll love all the cool stuff I'll be showing.

Toylanta is nearing

Toylanta is coming up and it's weighing pretty heavily on my mind. I'm really looking forward to going... and also having a little break. Work has been hard lately so some fun is more than welcome. I am a little antsy about the new venue. The show just keeps growing, which is awesome, but that necessitates the need for bigger locations. I was just getting used to the former "new" location the show has been at since 2020 (obviously that year got canceled), though I still vastly prefer the old location. Even though it was getting really cramped, I liked that place. Not to mention the new new location is much further away, meaning a longer trip to and from each day. Regardless, I'm really looking forward to the show.

Each year as the convention gets closer I make up a mental list of things to look for... and don't follow it well at the show. Partially because things change when you get there and see what's available. Honestly, sometimes you just change your mind. One thing I'm definitely looking for is Gobots and Rock Lords. You guys know I love them and for some reason... I just like buying them specifically at Toylanta. I don't know why, but there is something REALLY satisfying about buying them there. It's super proper, it has to be done. I'll throw other robot toys into that idea as well, because I'll likely get some... but it's really about the Gobots and Rock Lords at Toylanta.

I'll be hosting the Transformers panel, but I don't buy a whole lot of them there. Often dealers will have ones I already have or plan on buying soon. When they have something I don't... it's for a price I don't want to pay. Speaking of prices I don't want to pay, Battle Beasts. They're few and far between these days and generally cost more than I'd want to pay. I straight up walked away from a dealer when he quoted me twenty bucks a piece for some a few years ago. For the record they were very beaten and and one was missing an arm. There's some scummy dealers out there and I just don't tolerate their antics. One guy a few years ago wanted $200 for a ReAction Merman, I passed, and got the same one (with weapon... unlike the other) for $5 last year. It pays to be smart.... and with the cost of everything else these days... you need to be.

Another toy I'd like to find is of Demolition Man. I've forgotten the characters actual name... but the Sylvester Stallone guy. Some of (if not all) of that movies toys were made of New Adventures of He-Man figure molds. The main character is a repaint of He-Man... and I'd like to get one within reason. There's also those Micro TMNT play sets that use old Diaclone molds. Those would be great. That's the cool thing about a con like this, there's a little bit of everything and a lot of surprises. Not much drama either... thank god. I generally have a great time and each year is it's own story. Each year is a different experience, and that's awesome.

Bios: Boulder

Rank- Rock Lord/Good Leader

Body Type- Tungsten: among the toughest of all minerals, it shows durability and resolve.

Weapon- Power Sword

Brave and wise with an awesome physique, Boulder leads the defense of Quartex against Magmar's villainous plots. Boulder has rallied the remaining free kingdoms of the planet under his leadership. His fiery temper strikes fear into friend and foe alike. In the heat of battle, he scatters enemies with stun-gun blasts and zaps them with his Power Sword.

Bios: Sticks 'N Stones

Rank- Evil rock warriors

Body Type- Anthracite (coal) and magnetite: a dangerous combination of minerals that causes sparks.

Weapon- Cactus Club (Sticks): Double-Duty Mace (Stones)

Sticks 'N Stones are living proof that two heads are worse than one. They're constantly at odds with each other. But give them a single purpose-destroying good rocks- and they become an awesome fighting force. The very sight of them charging into battle with their Cactus Club and Double-Duty Mace is enough to send enemies flying home!

Blood and Brimstone

 

Brimstone/BloodyRock is a pretty awesome toy. As far as Rock Lords go, he's pretty freaking hardcore. This giant red demonic stone robot with a monster head toting a burning axe. I almost wish that his Gobots name was BloodyRock, just to sell how monstrous he was... but Brimstone is a pretty good name too. Most of the evil Rock Lords have wonderfully monstery appearances as is, but they generally still just turn into rocks. Brimstone pretty much turns into some evil stone table probably used for evil rituals. Which of course is ideal for a children's toy.

Bios: Narligator

Name: Narligator (evil)

Meaner than the meanest Rock Lord, the Narligator lives among the evil rock warriors. Even Magmar keeps a respectful distance from this quick-tempered Narli. The Narligator is always in the thick of things with fangs bared and deadly jaws chomping at his enemies.