Squawkbox (Squawktalk and Beastbox) [The Transformers/Mini Cassettes]

@robfromzonebase Squakbox (Squaktalk and Beastbox) [The Transformers/Mini Cassette] #zonebase #transformers #decepticons #toys #g1 ♬ Maniac - Carpenter Brut

I've been organizing my new storage space lately, which has had me wanting to look through boxes at some of my older toys.

Which made me wonder...

Why don't I talk about those more here?

When it comes to the G1 Mini Cassettes, everyone (myself included) thinks about Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble, and Frenzy first, with the rest following behind. As neat as the original batch are, the later ones tend to be really interesting.

That brings us to two of my favorites of the cassettes, Squawktalk and Beastbox!

Squawktalk's robot mode is allegedly a parrot, from what I've always heard, and he's also a completely new design rather than a repaint of Buzzsaw or Laserbeak.

It's actually a really sharp-looking design.

To be honest, you could have told me he was supposed to be any other bird than a parrot and I'd believe you. I'm inclined to believe they assigned him to be a parrot based on the name rather than the design.

The design itself?

A pretty threatening-looking bird robot with big-ass wings.

Takara designated him an eagle, which is a lot more fitting. He's cast in an awesome aqua-blue-ish color, and the whole thing just works. It's a cool-looking robot toy that somehow manages to make a cassette-sized bird look pretty damn imposing.

For a change, I'm about to talk about a Beastbox toy that wasn't made by 52TOYS.

The name Beastbox originally hails from Transformers, specifically this guy, Beastbox, whose robot mode is a gorilla!

I've always specifically loved his look. There's just something about the way the gorilla design comes from a flat cassette while still fitting perfectly with the aesthetics of the era. He's cast in that wonderful purple that several post-movie Decepticons came in, which just tops off the entire thing.

I remember being a kid and seeing him in the pack-in toy booklets and just thinking he looked awesome.

I got the toys we're looking at today while I was in college and was so happy to finally have this awesome purple gorilla guy.

"Hey Rob, I thought you said you were pretty broke in college."

I was.

Before the live-action movies, you could get older Transformers toys for pretty cheap, usually cheaper than the new ones at stores. Back then, they were pretty dismissed by most of the "serious" fan outlets like comic shops.

Another thing that makes these two special is that they combine to form Squawkbox, a pretty neat-looking robot that, despite being formed from two completely different animal-based robots, doesn't really show it.

The Autobots also had a cassette combiner, Slamdance, whose combined robot is pretty nice as well, but the individual modes don't impress me as much as these two do.

I guess it's just more impressive when a freaking gorilla and a bird with big-ass wings make a robot that doesn't look like it's made from either.

Another thing I enjoy is how Beastbox's Compression Cannons combine with Squawktalk's High Decibel Sonic Boomers to form big guns that mount on his arms in a very aesthetically pleasing way.

Thanks to their design, there's no specific order for this, so you can just stick whichever gun with whatever other gun and it'll work.

There's also a pleasant amount of articulation for the team, more than you'd realistically expect from a toy of this era.

Considering how little I harp on articulation, the fact that I bring it up should say something.

Overall, this is a fantastic toy all together.

The Transformers Mini Cassettes have always been beloved for good reason. It's a genius toy gimmick that never gets old. Even now, you can explain Soundwave (or Blaster) and the cassettes to someone, and they'll make that undeniable "whoah" face, even if they don't actually say it.

It's just neat!

Not to mention, these two just look great, even compared to modern toys and engineering.

I do wish they got more attention, because they really are on the higher level of the original Generation One Transformers toys.

Fisitron [Age of the Primes / Wreck ’N Doom Collection]

Back in the day, Ironfist was a bit of a Mandela Effect for many Transformers fans. He was released late in G1 in European markets, in that gray area between G1 and G2 often called G1.5 by many fans. Like many other G1.5 toys, he was also released in G2. This tends to be confusing, as everything is pretty identical and G1.5 toys are often lumped into G2. To be fair, it is a bit confusing.

Adding to his Mandela Effect–ness, he’s often been confused for an Ironhide toy. This is due to the fact that the Generation 2 Power Master Ironhide toy has a similar alt mode, and obviously the names are similar as well. At some point he was redubbed Fisitron. This cuts down on the confusion—not only is it similar to Ironhide, but there’s also a Marvel superhero named Iron Fist. Fortunately, that one doesn’t have an alt mode.

Fisitron comes in a 2-pack with Carnivac (we’ll be looking at him a little later) as part of the Amazon-exclusive Wreck ’N Doom Collection. The name plays up Fisitron’s role in Last Stand of the Wreckers. This 2-pack was one of my Christmas gifts from the Mrs. this past year, and I was pretty excited to get it.

Fisitron hadn’t really appeared in any official Transformers fiction outside of a toy bio until around 2010, when he showed up in both IDW’s The Last Stand of the Wreckers and Fun Publications’ Wings Universe stories. He’s got two distinctly different personalities in each, though I tend to favor the Wings Universe incarnation. I’m a cartoon guy, and the G1 cartoon is my preferred fiction for these GeeWun bots; Wings Universe is set in an alternate version of the classic cartoon.

Not to mention, he’s a gun nut there, and I absolutely cannot not associate Fisitron with Doom Guy / Doom Slayer due to his appearance in this toy. The Wreck ’N Doom Collection name doesn’t hurt either, as you’re all well aware I enjoy playing Doom for hours on end. For what it’s worth, it’s hard not to love Fisitron in Last Stand of the Wreckers as well—I’m just more of a cartoon guy.

Fisitron is a pretty extensive retool of the Legacy: Evolution Detritus toy we looked at a little while back. I enjoyed that figure quite a bit, but I can honestly say I like Fisitron a whole lot better. The new parts really upgrade the mold for the better. I’ll be focusing on Fisitron in this post and his differences, so feel free to check out my take on Detritus in his post.

This version of Fisitron is a combination of his different designs. There’s a mix of the G1/G2 toy along with his IDW and Wings Universe looks. It makes for one attractive toy, though I do find his mostly gray alt mode funny, as it resembles that G2 Ironhide a bit. It never ends.

Fisitron has a new head that, of course, resembles him instead of Detritus. Most notable are the new roof and windshield areas, which cleverly change a Jeep into an armored truck. Is that called a canopy? I have no clue. If I were an influencer, I’d say “let me know in the comments” (cringe).

Speaking of that vehicle roof area (maybe it is a canopy, who knows), they’ve added some new parts that are removable and can be used in robot mode.

Those parts resemble the original Ironfist’s Lightformer gear when in vehicle mode. Unfortunately, they don’t form a cannon like the original does, but I appreciate the effort. The parts can be removed from the roof (can we call it a canopy?) and used in robot mode. Well, the laser gun can, obviously. But also the round dish-like thing—whatever the hell it’s supposed to be—can be removed and used as a shield if one so chooses.

The other portion remains as a backpack, which is where I chose to leave mine’s dish-like thing in this post’s pictures. It never occurred to me that it could be a shield; you don’t have to let me know in the comments. The laser makes for a nice rifle, with a bright yellow that contrasts nicely against Fisitron’s grays, blues, and copper colors.

I really like this toy—more than I thought I would going in. Detritus was already a good toy, making a solid base for the new parts to improve on. It’s like that extra pass over the mold provided room for improvement. Not to mention, Fisitron just looks sharp.

It’s a great-looking figure of a formerly obscure character who, despite a little time in the limelight, seems to be slipping back into obscurity. Hopefully this great figure inspires future uses of him in Transformers media.

Megatron [Cyberworld/Ultimate Cyber Changers]

Whenever I talk about toys aimed more at smaller children, I often make a comparison to older Transformers and other robot toys. Various Turbo Changers, Light Up and Armor gimmicks. That sort of thing. They mainly come out in droves around the movies, but you're bound to see some tied into whatever mainline is going. With today's engineering, it's easy to forget that older robot toys were much simpler. There's some fans who avoid older ones all together for that reason.

Me, I like the little step back in time they offer. I don't buy all of them, but I like to dip my toes in the old school DNA flavored water they present. It's just neat to buy a new 'old' toy. Well, I'm not crazy *in those regards anyway* as someone at Hasbro apparently sees it too. While I've been comparing the Transformers Cyberworld toys to older lines, they outright made a new G2 Megatron for the line. Not just a G2 colored Megatron, but one directly out of that time frame. Utilizing the Armor Turbo Changer Hound toy from Transformers The Last Knight and giving it a heavy retool... we've got a figure straight out of Euro G1.5 available at your local Walmart in the year 2025.

Megatron is billed as a Ultimate Cyber Changer and also has 'RIDE & BATTLE' emblazoned across his package. Like other larger Cyberworld toys, he offers interactivity with the standard Cyber Changers figures. In vehicle mode, one can ride on his back and man the vehicles guns. Admittedly it's a lot less than Grimlock or Scorponok *we'll get to him soon* offer. However, considering it's a modified mold of a toy released in 2017... not bad. In robot mode, Megatron is about 7" tall and very stocky. Movie Hound (who should have been Bulkhead) is a big boy and that carries over here even with the extensive remolding.

How extensive is that remolding? He's got a new head and abdomen in addition to the new gunner platform and blaster. Some of Hound's detailing is still there, but it blends in pretty well. Since this is a new G2 Megatron, all the bullets and weaponry make me think of the comics. I don't know whose idea it was to take the brightly colored robots and adorn them with spikes, bandoliers, and assorted weaponry... but it was awesome. Speaking of bright colors, Megatron has been painted to resemble his first G2 toy and they did a great job. Cyberworld toys are pretty bright already and it blends right on in. The new blaster even resembles the originals tank cannon. If only they'd included a G2 Decepticon logo. Or a Predacon one... *oooohhh*

Transformation to armed military truck mode is done in a simple 4 steps. Knees are one piece and were pretty stiff on mine. The little back panel disconnects from his back to fold into a gunner platform and connects onto the rear end. The blaster connects here and as I said earlier, a standard Cyber Changer can RIDE & BATTLE. Overall it's a pleasant vehicle mode and the G2 colors carry over nicely. It really does look and feel like a toy from that time. I do wish the windows were painted, some stickers would have went a long way. I also wish the robot mode had more articulation. Going in, I knew it would be limited, but a little more would have been nice.

Ultimately, this is a toy I bought for two reasons. One, the novelty of a new 'old' toy. Two, I'm trying to complete the Cyberworld toy line. Even though, though Megatron should have been a little cheaper, it's a fun little mostly inexpensive line and completing it should be pretty easy. I do hope there's future Ultimate Cyber Changers that recreate older style toys as it's pretty neat stepping back in time this way.

MEGATRON ATTACK!

Flamefeather [The Transformers/Firecons]

It's been awhile since I've talked about a vintage toy here on the site, and since I recently acquired this Flamefeather, now seems like a good time to do so. Long time readers know of my fondness for Firecons... and more sarcastic ones will note my many soft spots. Look, you follow something for your entire life and there's many layers and levels. In the case of Firecons, it all stems back to a rainy weekend in 1988.

My Grandfather was coming to stay with us as there was a tornado warning and he lived in a trailer. A trip to the grocery store and neighboring K-Mart prior to his arrival netted me one Sparkstalker that was the center of my attention that entire weekend. Ever since then, I've always liked the little shits. That and they turn into monsters. I, uh, like those. To be fair, I've always favored the post movie Decepticons of G1 due to the colors and far out alt modes. Many of which are monsters, and I like those.

When talking about Flamefeather himself, he's a simple little guy. The Firecon's alt modes are their more dominant forms while their robot modes aren't often seen. They weren't in the US cartoon, but did appear in Masterforce. Similarly, they had small appearances in various comics. Amusingly enough, in the Fleetway G2 book, they attacked a theater showing Jurassic Park. In robot mode, Flamefeather (like the others) is a squat little brick. Aside from his legs, there's no articulation. In monster mode, however, his little arms can also move.

Folding them and the legs up allows for him to be rolled along the floor (or table, go nuts).  Doing so causes sparks to emit from his mouth. You can let him roll along for a second, just shooting those sparks and hopefully not catching anything on fire. You've probably noticed this Flamefeather has some paint scuffs and oddly darker blue on certain parts. Well, this is a 37 year old toy I bought for $12. It's going to look a little worse for wear. The darker blue is probably from some sun damage and his gimmick caused the paint scuffs. I can imagine Flamefeather was rolled right into a wall or two. Flamefeather, like the other Firecons, is a simple toy with a fun gimmick. The monster is charming and the gimmick is fun. It's hard not to like Firecons.

Predacon Inferno (Legacy/Voyager Class)

I was absolutely ecstatic when Inferno from Beast Wars was announced for the Transformers Legacy  toy line. A long time fan (and personal) favorite from the series was finally getting an update. Unfortunately distribution wasn't the greatest and it took a while to find one. I finally did sometime in the late spring/early summer of this year, thankfully, and now seems like a great time to talk about him. Like most modern updates of classic characters, Inferno is very show accurate. I know I often say they look as though they walked off my TV screen a lot, but that's what they do and Inferno most definitely does. His mouth can even open for those famously maniacal bouts of insanity. Inferno rules.

As he should, Inferno transforms into a fire ant. A VERY LARGE FIRE ANT. The ant is fairly realistic and transformation from robot to beast mode is reasonably easy. The ant's legs feature a decent amount of articulation with moving legs and pinching pincers. In robot mode, Inferno has an impressive amount of movement. This is really a great toy of him. I've always held the original up to a high standard and this is a big improvement. They did a great job. Inferno's signature BFG from the show is well represented and doubles as the rocket for his blender butt flight mode. Said mode doesn't have the propeller gimmick of the original toy... but I don't mind that. There is some inner detailing sculpted in intended to resemble Scavenger. The Antagony version of this mold comes with a Scavenger head that can be used on Antagony or Inferno to bring the third Beast Wars ant toy up to date. Scavenger is a different character, however the toy was meant to represent a Transmetal version of Inferno in Japan. So you can either have a new Scavenger or Transmetal's Inferno if you choose.

I don't have anything bad to say about Inferno. I can imagine the beast mode kibble turning off some... and that's fair. I personally expect it to be there as the bug legs have a history of hanging around in robot mode. Fortunately they can be posed out of the way or removed if one desires (just don't loose them for later transformations). Once again, this is a really great update of a classic fan favorite that looks like it just walked off my TV screen. I shouldn't speak for others, but I feel like saying this is a special toy for Beast Wars fans. The others get regular updates, but Inferno... not so much. That's not cool. Inferno rules. Thankfully this one's good enough to fill that insane gap for a while. 

For the Royalty.

Bumblebee (EarthSpark/1-Step Flipchanger)

It's not secret around here that I'm a Bumblebee fan. So obviously I've got a high opinion on his 1-Step Flipchanger figure. Real Talk- If you don't like these, you're not going to like this. He's got the same amount of articulation (none), the same simple color palate, and the same gimmick as the others. I'm taking a look at these as a fun and simple way to look at EarthSpark characters and to give spotlight to some figures that are probably not getting a lot of attention. Not to mention, they kinda remind me of Gobots for some reason. Mostly for the similar overall look as Gobots have articulation (a decent amount all things considered) and generally involved transformations. You know, I could see these coming in a little box with individual numbers for each toy. That'd be great.

Bumblebee is Bumblebee and he looks as he should. Of course this is the EarthSpark version of the character, so there's that. Despite the simplicity of the toy, it has a pretty decent sculpt. The Tomy Takara version does have a better paint deco and that brings out the toys looks a bit better. You know, this toy would look great in translucent plastic. It looks like these figures do have the ability to hold 5mm accessories. While the lack of articulation obviously wouldn't allow for any dynamic poses, a gun or two would add some visual flair. I can see Bumblebee packing some heat. Bee transforms via the 'switchblade' configuration most common in 1 step style toys. I've yet to tire of it personally. Of course being a Flipchanger, you either flip him in the air on just push him over in robot mode and Bumbleee is now a cool sports car! I really like the EarthSpark design for BB, it just looks cool. If these toys aren't your thing, Bumblebee won't be either. If they are... he will be. I should have made all those be's a pun.

Swindle (EarthSpark/1- Step Flip Changers)

Swindle is a fun addition to the EarthSpark series. Not just because Swindle is a generally fun character, but they homage an often forgotten about version of him. In Cybertron, Swindle and Hardtop were toys that shared a mold. Taking note of this, the characters were brothers. In EarthSpark, both characters are brothers again. I'd like to think that was an intentional homage. While the characters aren't twins, they've got similar colors to their Cybertron selves. Not to mention... I'm pretty sure they'd repaint this toy for a future Hardtop judging by other incidents. Not going to lie, this  toy would look great in those colors. Another neat thing about Swindle is, in the EarthSpark Expedition video game, the generic Mercenary enemy uses his CGI model. I'm also hoping for another repaint as that.

I should talk about this toy though, huh? It's a pretty good little figure of Swindle in Flipchanger form. Swindle transforms from robot to armored truck mode in a simple one step. Just push him forward and he'll spring loaded convert quickly. Or you can flip him in the air as the name would suggest. It's a simple toy meant for simple fun. Like other Flipchangers, Swindle has no articulation. The toy itself is it's gimmick. I like EarthSpark, but so far my plan for it's toy line has been to buy all the Flipchangers and Tacticons with the occasional Warrior or Deluxe Class. Legacy and Studio Series is the bulk of the Transformers toys where my attention is mainly focused currently. This is a good way to get the characters from EarthSpark and also feed into my love of these types of toys. I like Swindle's stockiness and colors (though the Takara version is more show accurate). This is just a neat little figure in a neat little sub-line from a neat little show. Neat little things are neat.

Bios: Moon

What's this in his chest? Twelve moon reports are in there! Transform Moon!

I'm Moon, the rabbit shaped robot! Usually, my friend Artemis and I are up on a little planet circling the planet Gaia. And in upcoming "Second News" segments on TV, I'll be telling everyone the secrets of the Beast Warriors we've seen, so be sure to root for me!

(Hmph, trying to hog the spotlight all to yourself! Hey all you good kids, don't forget to root for me, Artemis too!)

Prowl (Legacy Evolution/Deluxe Class)

Neatly enough, the Legacy Evolution Deluxe Class Prowl is his incarnation from Transformers Animated. Animated was a very fun show that had the misfortune of airing between the 2007 movie and it's 2009 sequel when the Transformers world was full on live action movie focused. The show certainly garnered a large following, but I've always felt got a little lost in all the attention the movies were getting at the time. In Animated, Prowl's character was quite different from the Prowl we're used to. He became more of a martial artist warrior as did Jazz. Instead of a Police car, he transformed into a Police motorcycle and featured mostly black color scheme as opposed to the traditional white and black. To my understanding, this design was based heavily on a California Highway Patrol motorcycle ala CHiPs. Like the Transformers Prime based toy in Legacy Prior, this Prowl toy is more traditional looking to fit in with other Generations figures while still homaging his Animated design. I like the results.

Like I said, Prowl transforms into a motorcycle. With recent motorcycle Transformers, I haven't particularly enjoyed the transformation much. Specifically the Legacy Prime Arcee mold that has gotten a lot of reuse lately (I've gotten them all but Flamewar). This time, however, it's no sweat. I just put everything where it was supposed to go and didn't curse once. Your mileage may vary. Prowl's throwing stars return and still store in vehicle mode as hubcaps. They of course unfold into the stars and can be easily held. This is his 'Evo-Fusion' according to the box... yeah. Prowl has quite a bit of articulation as he'd need a great deal of flexibility for martial arts. This is a really likable toy of a cool design and character. Animated is on regular rotation on the Transformers channel. I can imagine people recently discovering the show appreciating a version of the character more easily accessible. With the Animated Bumblebee and Optimus Prime on their way in Legacy Evolution, they'll have even more chances.

Cosmos (Velocitron Speedia 500/Deluxe Class)

Like Override, Cosmos was one of the harder to find toys in the Velocitron Spedia 500 Collection. Thankfully, Shawn had sent me both when I was having problems finding them. Fortunately for others, it seems leftovers are popping up at liquidation stores. Giving fans another chance to get their hands on these really cool figures. That's one of the problems with all these recent exclusives. It's really hard to get them because the stores don't stock them well. Pre orders sell out within seconds bought by seemingly ninjas and the whole deal is incredibly frustrating for someone who works for a living. I was fortunate to complete the Velocitron and even the Toxitron sets... and now seems like a good time to start taking a look at these really cool toys. 

Cosmos is one of the bigger surprises in the Velocitron Speedia 500, because he's a flying saucer... not exactly what one would think of in a race. However thanks to the manga, we learn that he's serving an official roll. That's cool, it's fun that not every figure in the set is a participant. Who'd thought a company would consider the people who help make the event possible? Cosmos comes with a blaster (in case a fight breaks out at the race) and a little flag that can snap onto the blaster for officiating. The blaster can be held by the barrel so it can be waved in flag mode. One side of the flag is checkered, Cosmos will wave it around at the end of the race. The other side is plain white due to budget for when cars need to slow down or they've reached the final lap. Fun fact, my dad used to be a race car driver. When Days of Thunder came out, he was pissed off because Tom Cruise's car had the same number as his (46). He still bought a little toy of the car from Hardee's.

Cosmos transforms really easily. This is due to the pretty clever engineering from his design. Originally he was planned to be a retool of Origins Bumblebee. The designers were able to work out a brand new toy from three sets of new tooling (which would have been the amount needed for the retool most likely). Part of me wonders if Cosmos could have been a Core Class, but it's nice having him at a Deluxe size. The simplicity doesn't take away from the figure either, he's decently articulated and an all around pleasant version of Cosmos. You know, Cosmos should be simple to transform. Just look at him... making him complicated just wouldn't feel right. This is a great figure of Cosmos and I'm glad to see more people getting a chance to get one now that he's hitting the discount circuit. It's hard not to like Cosmos and good to see him get great toys.

Stranger Things x Transformers

Skullgrin (Legacy/Deluxe Class)

The thing I hate most about skeletons is you can never tell when they're smiling.

Skullgrin is one of those bots I just like. So far, I've managed to get each one of his toys (that I know of) and plan to continue doing so. It's hard not to like this big skull headed  brute. His newest figure is an update to the original Pretender toy (of course) that's combining the originals shell and robot mode. Most modern Pretender updates do this and they really nailed it with Skullgrin. For whatever reason, his big mechanical body with random skulls just works.

The big old skull head is made of a softer plastic. This is probably for safety concerns and helps move it out of the way during transformation. His sword/gun weapons are also made of a similar plastic. Those can be held as a sword or a gun. Hence the wording. They can be attached to his upper arms as well, giving him arm sword laser things. The tank mode cannons mount either on his back or can be held as guns. If you're covered with skulls, having a lot of firepower is expected. 

A neat callback is the fists carved into those tank cannons. They draw back to the original toy for a cool big of design homage. Honestly, I'm pretty impressed by that little touch. I mentioned a tank, that's what Skullgrin turns into. It's very similar to the original toy tank mode, while being a lot beefier and more tank-y looking. One little neat bit is... Skullgrin's tail. It's silly, sure, but cool for the design. That tail turns into a seat for the tank! I'm pretty sure you could fit an Inchman style figure in there. Try it! I dare you! Those original Pretender alt modes are pretty simple, so fleshing them out more is a good idea. Skullgrin is decently articulated and is just a good toy. Like, I have nothing bad to say about him and that's not just because I have a thing for the character. They did a great job here. Transformation is good and I just can't find anything to complain about.That's awesome, and so is he.

Prowl 86 20BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee)

Prowl was found down the hall. A lone body who's spirit has moved on and now possibly another otherworldly resident of the house.

Coming with Ironhide in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee two pack of dead robots is Prowl whom also was killed in that same scene. There was a few others, so I wonder if there'll be future installments of dead robot toys? I don't know if the release time frame was intentional and there's nothing specifically Halloween-ish on the packaging... but it all works out. Like Ironhide, Prowl is a remold of his Earthrise toy released as a Studio Series figure. I took several Earthrise toys to be Studio Series toys released under another banner... so it works for me. It occurs to me that I haven't spoken of the mold here before. Like other Earthrise toys, the pandemic caused some distribution issues. I did get Bluestreak from the Buzzworhty Bumblebee line (dang, that's one all encompassing little imprint), so I have experienced it before.

Prowl transforms into his classic Fairlady Z police car here in a fairly accurate toy. Like other recent figures, he really looks like the cartoon model come to life. Transformation is pleasant and fairly simple without being too easy. He's packing his trademark Acid Pellet Gun but unfortunately missing the shoulder rocket launchers. The original Earthrise toy was also missing these as they're not a part of his show model. That's fine, I just like them. As part of the dead guy remolds is a wound from the fatal laser fire and a VERY accurate face sculpt of childhood trauma is being enacted on the move screen. All that's missing is the smoke... literally as there's blaster effects to plug in the fully recreate his getting shot to death. This set is ridiculously morbid and I'm all here for it.

Ironhide 86 24BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee/Deluxe Class)

Nobody knows when it happened or who did it. Ironhide was found laying on his back. Mouth agape with a large wound signaling the arrival of his passing.

Don't look at me, but Hasbro thought to make a set of a dead Ironhide and Prowl in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line. These are Studio Series 86 figures released under the Target exclusive banner meant to represent them during their deaths at the hands of the Decepticons during Transformers The Movie in 1986. Today we'll be looking at Ironhide... as you've probably figured out by now. Ironhide is a slight remold of the Earthrise Ironhide toy. Now with a uh... dying face and a wounded chest. While I don't have it pictured, the toys also come with blast effects that can be plugged into the wounds to replicate the laser shots that did the killing. Dang Hasbro, you took it to an extreme... and I dig it.

While it's not as great as the Voyager Studio Series Ironhide, this is still a solid figure. To be honest, I just like classic Ironhide. It's hard not to love that bright red on grey and that boxy robot body. They really took the Diaclone toy and improved on it with the Sunbow animation model. Ironhide of course transforms into a van. This time a van that's been shot up. His twin pistols can store on the roof like other of his toys of late. He has a decent amount of articulation and is an all around a good figure. The transformation is pretty easy, but not super simple. I like this toy and had the same opinion with DK-2 Guard whom shares the mold. It's hard not to like Ironhide and even harder to hate a good Ironhide figure. A dying version is unique and the blast effects are a great morbid bit of fun.

Override (Cybertron Speedia 500/Voyager Class)

Often with updates and homages to older figures, the design is improved. This makes for a better figure than the original in most cases. Override is a prime example of that when released as part of the Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection that I loved so very much. When the original toy released in Cybertron/Galaxy Force, I looked forward to the then new Override/Nitro Convoy leading me to actively hunt the figure. She was initially pretty hard to find (not knowing just a few months later she would be plentiful), finally tracking one down at Kohl's of all places. Unfortunately I didn't the toy as much as I wanted too. Her arms were pretty stubby against her seemingly too large upper body. Don't get me wrong, I got the GTS version and even used the toy for a custom Blaster figure. I didn't hate it at all, those proportions just irked me.

A lot more years later than if feels like, Override got an update as a new Voyager scale figure that improves on the original toy perfectly while still capturing that way cool design. Ironically, this figure was pretty hard me to find at first. After weeks of never finding her, thankfully I was gifted her and Cosmos (also hard to find) by my good friend Shawn. Being a Walmart exclusive, I don't think Kohl's would have came through again. A few weeks later she became more abundant and I ended up with another copy thanks to my Mom's habit of shopping the clearance aisles. I definitely don't mind having another one to keep in box as I love this figure. Those formally stubby arms and weirdly too large upper body are now perfectly portioned in a figure that I have nothing bad to say about.

Override transforms very easily, yet still has a great deal of articulation. Her Mach 5 inspired race car mode is pleasing to the eyes and the entire toy looks like the character just walked off my TV screen. This is the figure I wanted in 2005. Her blaster is still made from the cars engine and transforms from engine to gun simply, this time without the aid of a Cyber Planet Key. I've been told this toy is still compatible with one. That's neat. Personally, I was always a mixed bag about those. I thought they were cool looking, but was often annoyed with them generally in the way most of the time when plugged in. While I liked Cybertron, there was some issues that thankfully updates like Override eliminate. Override is a cool toy. I've always liked the design and colors. Now they're on a toy that's much better than the original. Awesome.

Wheeljack (1 Step Flip Changers/EarthSpark)

Getting back to the 1 Step Flip Changers from EarthSpark (because I like them) is today's look at Wheeljack. While I've always I enjoyed 1 Step Transformers for various reasons, it's taken me a minute to figure out what it is about these newer Flip Changer versions that I like. I think for the most part, it's because they remind me of Gobots in a way. Certainly not all of them, but a good bit of them have similar proportions. Obviously Gobots had articulation and had to be manually transformed, this is just a slight similarity. With Wheeljack, I'm reminded of the Machine Robo version of Major Mo a little. Similar car, similar robot (the head obviously isn't the same).

Wheeljack of course transforms automatically, however does so with the "butterfly knife" transformation so many 1 Step Transformers use. It's been almost 10 years of this and I've yet to tire of this simple transformation. Wheeljack, like the other Flip Changers doesn't have any articulation (boo), is pretty pleasant regardless. He's just a likable little toy. I will say some more colors would be great as the little bit looks nice on the mostly all white toy... but also the mostly all white could use some more. I understand that these are inexpensive toys and there's some budgetary trimming... but that's bullshit. Core Class costs the same and are fully functional and colored. These should be cheaper. Aside from that, Wheeljack is a very pleasant little robot. I see that a recolor of this mold as Breakdown is on the way and... while it doesn't look like Breakdown, I do find it pleasant looking. Maybe a Major Mo version could come along just to make me happy.

Scorponok with Sandspear (Beast Weaponizers/Beast Alliance)

Beast Weaponizers are my favorites from Beast Alliance with the individual Beast battle Masters coming in second. I love a good partner figure and love one even better when they turn into a weapon. I was really looking forward to Scorponok with Sandspear ever since the set was announced. Currently, as I don't own the Arcee or Wheeljack Beast Weaponizers yet. It's my 2nd favorite after Optimus Primal. Scorponok just has one glaring problem that I'm going to focus on now before I spend the rest of the post talking about everything I like about it.

His upper body is ridiculously hollow. I expect some hollowness in my Transformers. That's a reality of the line. Either from engineering or keeping the toy on budget, it's just something to expect. Sometimes it can be ignored or is hidden... not with Scorponok. His upper body is literally just the front, there's no back. One can be argued that this is due to the transformation... it feels cheap here and seems like it could of been done better.

With that out of the way... this is a great toy. Scorponok and Sandspear are both scorpions as seen in Rise of the Beasts. Sandspear turns onto a bladed melee weapon that works oddly well. In addition to Sandspear, Scorponok's tail can be wielded as a sword. Clearly he's a melee fighter. The weapons look cool and give an air of menace. Both toys are primarily brown with some accent colors. Scorponok features some green giving him a Rocks Bugs & and Things vibe. If I'm comparing to other toys though and to be honest, this looks like a Gobot. Scorponok's robot head and overall look make me wish Scorponok was a Monster Gobot... because he looks like one. This design feels more like a Bandai toy than a Takara toy.

I really wish a version of this toy in Scorp or Creepy's colors would be released. Sandspear could be one of the alternate colors... or hey McDonald's Scorponok. Whoa. Either way... this is a spiritual Monster Gobot or Devil Invader in my opinion. Scorponok is well articulated and is a really pleasant figure (outside of that back issue) that transforms into a gnarly looking scorpion with some viscous claws. It's a simple toy... but a really cool one. I do hope for some future recolors. It just such a cool set that I want to buy it over and over again in various decoes. I really like it... as you can probably tell. Scorponok with Sandspear is released as part of the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line. That adds to it's uniqueness I think... I don't know how to end this. I just keep wishing he was a Monster Gobot. 

Jawbreaker (EarthSpark/Warrior Class)

I liked Jawbreaker almost immediately when he first appeared on the show. Of course when his toy came out, I jumped right on it. Jawbreaker is a Warrior Class figure, like others in the class in EarthSpark, he's not too much different than a Deluxe Class toy. Only paired down for price and difficulty. Just right for the younger audience they're aiming for. I guess the adult nerd crowd is a given. I really like his colors. The orange looks good against the black and silver. It's plesant looking.

Jawbreaker transforms into a dinosaur, specifically a Stygimoloch. According to the TF Wiki, this may not be an actual species. That's ok, living alien robots from outer space that turn into things aren't either. It's an easy transformation, which is to be expected. Simplicity aside, Jawbreaker is a pretty neat toy. There's a little hollowness that's mostly easy to ignore, but a surprising amount of articulation. Jawbreaker also has a flip out blaster. I like these little self contained weapons some EarthSpark toys have. While not wanted all the time, it can be fun when used right. Jawbreaker almost feels like he's from another toy line other than Transformers, but I can't quite place where exactly. Maybe Masterbotix. He's a neat little figure for the lower price a Warrior Class costs. A little simple, but not in a bad way. I'd like to see it in other colors. I could just see a weird colored pack of these dinosaurs running together.

Skywarp (EarthSpark/Warrior Class)

The Cyberverse Seeker mold has seen it's fair share of repaints as Seeker molds generally do. It's a likeable toy that's unfortunately a little too simple. I've grown to appreciate it over the past few years. I haven't gotten every instance of it, and strongly prefer the Vic Viper flavored version better (really regret not getting that box set of recolors), I've still gotten quite a few. The mold, like other Cyberverse toys, has gotten re-released in EarthSpark as Skywarp. I got her a little while back as her colors are just great. Skywarp is a female character in EarthSpark following Cyberverse's female version of the character. This makes for a little fun variety since EarthSpark follows a kinda nebulous version of the events in the G1 days (it's not exactly a follow up, but the flashbacks are specifically flavored as so).

I made a point to get this toy as I like the colors quite a bit. Skywarp has always been one of my favorite seekers, partially due to that. Skywarp has her traditional colors in the cartoon, however they got a little creative with this new toy. The black and purple is swapped out for a metallic blue and black. It's very pretty looking and kinda reminds me of old Diaclone art. Aside from that, Skywarp is the same toy I've talked about here a before. I like it, but wish for some leg articulation. Skywarp easily converts to jet mode and features a spinning waste gimmick that I'm sure is entertaining for the children it was intended for. I bought Skywarp for the colors and general like of the character. I guess there's just something to a fresh coat of paint. Skywarp can hold most 5mm weapons and accessories, I can imagine some BattleMasters would liven up the toy quite a lot. 

Arcee with Silverfang (Beast Combiners/Beast Alliance)

Arcee has gotten a variety of different figures in Rise of the Beasts. Each one based on the same design, but also coming out completely different. As a Beast Changer, she's a much more simple toy for gimmick compatibility and I kind of like it in this case. Beast Alliance as a whole brings up strong comparisons to past Transformers gimmicks and Arcee has Pretender vibes. Specifically because her combined form reminds me of Jazz's Pretender armor, or maybe even Dee-Jay from GIJOE. Both toys I've always liked from an era in which bother were really neat. During the concept art phase of this toy, Silverfang (her Maximal partner) had purple armor. This lead to a really neat combined look that was clearly  a victim of cost cutting.

Arcee turns into her ROTB motorcycle alt mode as to be expected. Like I said above and is the case with all the Beast Changers toys so far, she's a fairly simple toy. In Arcee's case, it works as she has a fairly generic robot body. I could see customizers turn this toy into just about anyone. Transformation is simple and combination is done the same was as other Beast Changers. Silverfang slips over he shoulders and select bits can become a gun or melee weapon and a bit of armor/shield. I think that simple robot toy makes it work well in this case as Arcee practically becomes a new robot in this mode. A better looking robot, the wolf armor is cool and that new super mode head are great. So far this is one of the better looking super modes in the Beast Combiner assortment IMO.

Silverfang is a pretty large wolf as is the case with these Combiner partners. Simple like the others as well with unfortunately no articulation. Part of me wishes they would have more features for a more impressive toy, however I'd rather not pay the price that'd come with that. As fun as these are, the lower cost is an incentive and as they are aimed more towards children... I think it'd be pretty detrimental. Not to mention, the old school robot fan in me appreciates the simple figures with a combining gimmick. There's quite a few more Beast Alliance figures still to go and two more Beast Combiners I've yet to acquire as of this writing (Optimus Prime and Scourge). I don't expect the sub line to go on after Rise of the Beasts dies down... but I'd love it too. It'd be super cool to utilize this gimmick with more traditional designs. I could see it working well in the Authentics line.