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.

Glittering Ironhide [Galaxy Version Defender/01 Shining Version]

In addition to the neat cab mode Blokees Optimus Prime I got at Toylanta is Glittering Ironhide! Two good pulls from a surprise con find! Glittering Ironhide is a translucent version of the classic Ironhide that just looks great. These new Defender Blokees are smaller than the normal Galaxy Version.

The smaller size combined with the signature Blokees style makes for a great little figure that's not to like. Ironhide is pleasantly articulated and has a laser rifle. You'd think assembling something so small would be frustrating, but I actually got the kit put together easily and in a lot less time than a standard Galaxy Version. Ironhide also came with a Megatron coin, there looked to be some variety in coins in the manual. I'm not sure if it's completely random or assigned for each kit. Certainly a neat little extra regardless. I'm obviously a fan of the Blokees Transformers and really look forward to getting more Defender types soon. These little guys have a lot of charm and character... and somehow feel extremely badass.

Ultra Magnus [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

I've always really liked Ultra Magnus in cab mode. I've always liked Ultra Magnus in general, but that white cab mode is so pretty. Originally, Ultra Magnus was made from the Diaclone Powered Convoy toy, which was an upgraded version of Battle Convoy. The toy that Optimus Prime was made from. I've heard a few different times that originally Ultra Magnus was intended to be an upgraded Optimus Prime before they settled on making him an all new character. Considering I can't currently find a source for that, maybe it's best to chalk that up as an unconfirmed trivial fact.

In most media, Ultra Magnus was shown only combined with his trailer. Obviously to cut down confusion, but as a result, it isn't common knowledge to everyone that Ultra Magnus has a cab mode and that the cab mode is basically a white Optimus Prime. It's to no surprise that a cab mode Ultra Magnus is one of the standby repaints you can expect to see when a new Optimus Prime toy is released. That's the story when we're talking about today's toy. Cab Mode Ultra Magnus as a Blokees, is mostly a straight repaint of their Optimus Prime kit that as you can expect is very sharp looking.

I say mostly a straight repaint as he has a different axe weapon included, a blue variation of the axe Optimus tends to use in Cybertronian depictions. Also, to my understanding, his inner head has some retooled pegs which hold his inner face parts in place better during assembly. I didn't notice it when I was putting him together, but now remember being frustrated with Optimus's head. So that's an improvement. Aside from that, he's pretty much a straight repaint of the Optimus Prime Blokees I talked about earlier that comes with all the same accessories and parts (except that alternative axe... damn, alternative axe sounds rad). However now, it's extra pretty.. you know. Because of that white cab mode.

Optimus Prime [Legacy United/Deluxe Class]

Considering the amount of Optimus Prime toys released a year, you'd imagine it'd be hard to get excited over just one. Well, that's not the case today Zone Base readers, because we'll be looking at the Deluxe Class Optimus Prime from Transformers Legacy United. Similar to Takara's Missing Link Convoy, this Optimus is meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Transformers by making a figure that looks like the original, but updated with modern engineering. Think of it as the Transformers version of Masters of the Universe Origins. With this figure we get a toy that looks directly out of 1984 with a lot more articulation.

In all fairness, the original Optimus Prime was fairly possible for a toy of his era. This one, however, is a definite step up. It's fairly identical as well... with some obvious differences. It's a new sculpt... not a 100% match, but really close. Optimus is also a little smaller than the original toy funnily enough. I couldn't tell initially, but it became obvious when compared side by side. Being a standard retail toy, he's all plastic... but does have rubber tires. That's something I didn't expect at all. It's been a while since Hasbro has graced a main line Transformers toy with rubber times and I'm all here for it. It's a superficial touch... but I like it! Neatly enough, the tires are branded CYBERTRON RADIAL 275/80 R22. Cybertron Radials are the brand of tires used on Transformers Alternators. Neat, huh?

Optimus comes with his iconic laser blaster, in fact he comes with two. During the original run, a running change created two versions of the classic gun. Originally a fatter design, later versions got thinner (ozempic works on plastic?) as time went. My original had the fatter gun, but some reissues came with the skinny one. This initially confused me as I wasn't aware that there was a variation. There I was with a reissue and hey... the gun looked different. These days I've got quite a few reissues and there's been some variation in those guns over the years. That's why I'm glad he comes with both. That way whichever one came with yours, he cane use. One can store on his back as well, which looks pretty cool. His smoke stacks can also be held as guns, which is a fun little touch.

Speaking of pretty cool, Optimus has that energy axe he's become known for using since More Than Meets the Eye episode 2. This axe is specifically based on the version that was packed with The Transformers Collection Convoy reissue. He's also got a Autobot Matrix of Leadership that can be stored in his chest (but not held) that's specifically modeled after the Matrix that came with the 2002 New Years Special reissue. I love how this toy homages so many things from prior toys without being completely obvious about it.

Optimus is very well articulated, something that isn't obvious at first glance. He looks so much like the original toy that I wouldn't be surprised if he was mistaken for it. He almost transforms like the original as well. Most noticeably, the hands fold inside of his forearms instead of being removed and probably lost under the couch. Guns and axe easily store in vehicle mode and everything is nice and compact. It's pretty obvious that there's no included trailer. I'm hoping a future edition will be released with one. That'd be perfect. He is compatible with the Earthrise and Original Optimus Prime trailers. Potentially with others, but those are the ones I know for certain work. The Earthrise works best as his slightly smaller size makes the G1 trailer comically huge. Overall, this is a very neat toy that I'm very happy to own. I look forward to buying every ridiculous reuses of it in the future. 

Slag (robot mode) [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

In robot mode, Slag is one fancy looking Blokees figure. He's got quite a bit of custom parts to stand out among the other Galaxy Version AMK kits. Considering how rebellious Slag is, it's kinda appropriate. He's got a bad attitude and likes to fight a little too much. You know, it's be fun if they made a Horn Geist based on this kit. I've always enjoyed the Space Pirate Geisters and considering all the reworks of modern Transformers toys these days, it's surprising some of the Brave characters haven't been explored.

Not to mention... I think it'd look great in the signature Blokees style. Slag of course comes with the typical robot mode parts you'd expect in a Blokees Galaxy Version kit. The two sets of hands, a base and symbols. However, he's also got some really great custom parts that just make this kit stand out. Most notably is is dino mode head kibble. This is of course all part of Slag's look, but it makes him look so extra here. The parts are the same from the dino mode kit, but that doesn't diminish their visual impact whatsoever. In fact it creates a great synergy between the two kits that I appreciate. Topping everything off nicely is his Energo Sword. Super robots with swords just look cool and that's the same case with Slag. Just great.

Slag (dino mode) [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

You know, I've gotten pretty used to the standard Blokees body formula. Then this newest batch I've received throws me a curve ball. An alt mode. Blokees are non-transforming AMK model kits and the Transformers characters are usually in robot mode. Well, starting in series 2 (which I don't have any of yet), they started putting out characters in alt mode. That's neat.

They don't transform, but when you have a character like Slag who spends a great deal of screen time in alt mode... it feels absolutely necessary. This also keeps things fresh as after working my way through a case, aside from unique parts... everything pretty much assembles the same. So a little variety is fun. Sometimes the way something is made or works can be very interesting. Slag, despite being a triceratops, uses some robot mode parts. At the core of his body is the main torso section from a standard Blokees kit. The body and head connect much how the custom chest parts for a character would. There's a different waist piece, which allows the rear legs to plug in as the front connect much like arms. It's pretty clever!

A few of the pieces are also used in the robot mode Slag figure that we'll be looking at a little later. I almost thought mine was missing a horn initially. Make sure you check inside the folds of the bags inside your blind box. Smaller parts can get stuck in them. Once assembled, Slag is very expressive and full of fun. His limbs and tail articulate as does his head and jaw. I'm so used to smaller beast modes being mostly static that the overall thing was pretty impressive. Blokees are really fun as is, but in instances like Slag, they can be extra surprising.

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.

Scavenger [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

I can relate to Scavenger a little. I've had my share of self esteem issues over time and know what a bummer they can be. When I was a kid, I wanted to fit in with others to usually no avail. Leading me to either make a fool of myself or just not say anything to anyone. Where do I belong? Who knows, but Scavenger is that guy too. Of course the Decepticons are jerks, so no matter what, they think he's a loser. Wow, just like the other kids at school!

However, Scavenger has a useful skill that they actually need. Scavenger turns into an excavator and his shovel can detect useful materials. Man, if only he had some sense of self worth and knew his value. But just like society, they keep putting him down. It's all about being controlled by jerks who just want you to do something for them. Don't worry Scavenger, one day you'll stand tall. I believe in you. Know what Scavenger? You've got one impressive Blokees. Those bright Constructicon greens and purples look great and your looks go super well with that signature Blokees style. Your way cool shovel isn't just one piece hanging off your back, it actually features a few points of articulation. That's a nice little extra they didn't have to do.

You've got your trusty Laser Pistol for fighting others battles and of course the standard Blokees set of hands, symbols, and display stand. See Scavenger, you're just like everyone else... except that special shovel. Megatron needs someone to hold him in gun mode, think about that. Scavenger, I also really like how your face came out. Blokees heads assemble uniquely by combining the helmet parts around the eyes and face components. Thanks to this and that Blokees style, your head came out a little extra distinct looking to me. Scavenger, one day I hope that you see that you're something special. Because like your Blokees shows, you are!

Soundwave [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

Whenever Transformers is brought up, Soundwave is one of the trademark characters to be mentioned immediately in the conversation. It's to no surprise either, he's just that cool. You've got a guy who turns into a cassette player that ejects cassettes that turn into little robots. That's as rad as it gets, then add in his signature reverb voice and he's just as iconic as it gets. It doesn't hurt that his face is the symbol of the Decepticons. This Blokees version is pretty great. It's the standard Soundwave we're all used to and that's all it takes to be outstanding.

He just looks extra by being, of course he is extra compared to your normal Blokees figure. The trademark tape door chest is present and it opens! Being a non-transforming model kit, you'd assume it's just be a sticker... but nope! There's even a little cassette to insert! The tape doesn't transform, but that's still a great little touch. He has both his rifle and shoulder cannon. Man, I swear everything about Soundwave is a trademark. I've always thought these guns formed from the tape players batteries were awesome. Of course, there's the standard open and closed hands as well as display stand with symbols you'd expect from a Blokees. Speaking of, that specific Blokees style you'd expect really lends itself to the specific look of Soundwave.

Red Alert [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

I've always liked Red Alert. It's hard not to after Auto Berserk, an episode where his paranoia gets kicked into overdrive leading him off the deep end. Toy wise, it's the deco that wins me over. I've always liked a police car deco, and the fire chief variation is even better. That white and red just pop in a specific way that looks great. Normally, G1 Red Alert is a repaint of Sideswipe and that's the case in Blokees as well.

This time they've given him a different helmet to be show accurate and frankly as Red Alert, it feels like a more premium version of the toy. It just looks great! Aside from the helmet and colors, everything else is the same as Sideswipe, including the double set of hands and display base with symbols. Red Alert may think everyone's out to get him, but with a toy like this, can you blame them?

Bumblebee [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

Everyone's favorite little yellow buddy is back in Blokee form as we look at Bumblebee today! Pleasantly, he's a little more extra than you'd assume going in. For starters, as a Blokeee, he comes with the standard 2 sets of hands... but Bumblebee has an additional thumbs up hand for positive encouragement. He has his pistol, which you'd expect... but there's also a blast effect that attaches to the barrel. He's got an Energon Cube, which I love, and a communicator that can plug into his forearm that displays Spike. I guess they're talking about stuff.

Of course he's got the standard display stand with symbols, but you won't be plugging the standard feet into it. Nope. Bumblebee has some custom boots! The front of his Volkswagen car mode forms those traditional BB feet and that's replicated here making for one fairly show accurate kit! The cute style of a Blokee really works with Bumblebee's design making for a great little figure when fully assembled. For such a little guy, he's a big deal. So much so that even his Blokee is extra!

Bonecrusher [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

I'm not sure why, but at some point I've started really appreciating the individual Constructicons. There's just something about those purple and green guys that's impossible to resist. Naturally, combined they form Devastator, who's one of the more popular Transformers combiners. Being the first will earn you that sort of admiration. Blokees, of course, don't transform or combine. Therefore these little kits give us great representations of the characters, and a great way to enjoy those individual Constructicons. Bonecrusher is one of the more signature Constructicons who pops to mind when the team is mentioned. Despite the team colors, he has some unique style. The bucket of his bulldozer alt mode forms his chest and gives him a stocky appearance.

I've always thought he looked muscle bound because of it. Bonecrusher is a bit of a perfectionist... and a little psycho. He likes to destroy things, he loves to show off when he's destroying things. If something isn't perfect in his eyes... he's going to destroy it. There's something admirable about that. He's packing his laser pistol and has a set of open and closed hands as well as the display stand (with symbols) that come standard with Blokees. The Blokee style really lends itself to Constructicons I think.

Shrapnel [Transformers Retro]

I was fortunate to find The Retro Collection version of Shrapnel at a local Ross while Christmas shopping. These types of store are generally a haven for oddball liquidation toys during the holidays and like others, I try to take advantage of it. It's jokingly called RossCon by many people online, which I find funny as I've been calling the reissues and exclusives at Walmart Great Value BotCon for years. Thankfully, I made out with some great finds this year. Shrapnel is another member of the Insecticons (and you all know I love bug robots), and painted in a cartoon accurate deco like the other recent reissues. I can't say enough good things about these cartoon accurate reissues, they look amazing and it's always good to get vintage toy molds.

When it comes to Shrapnel, aside from the variety of his toy's I've accumulated over the years, my biggest memory of Shrapnel is the one my older brother owned. He's a few years older than me and was slowly phasing out from toys. However a few managed to always stick around. Right next to his Clawtron and Zoltek was a Shrapnel and Cop-Tur on a bookshelf with a Journey carnival mirror in the background. I guess they were badass enough for an early teenage to display while listening to Cinderella. Shrapnel is decidedly badass looking, as are the Insecticons in general. The mostly black robot with purple and silver colors looks dark and plays well off each other. So much so that the yellow cockpit that makes up his chest practically glows. His insect mode is a stag beetle, which is one gnarly and threatening looking bug.

The insects  pincers display nicely behind his head creating large horns and giving Shrapnel his signature look. Included is 6 Energon Cubes and the signature Gamma Ray Detonator. You can store a cube in his chest compartment. This compartment is originally the cockpit where a pilot figure would sit in  the Waruder Insecter Robo Kuwagatrer from Diaclone, which is the original use of the toy. There is a set of Insecticons based on their original Waruder coloration who are meant to represent the Insecticon clones often seen in the original cartoon. It's a neat thing to own. Transformation from robot to stag beetle is easy, parts really just fold up and the robot is laid on his back. There's wheels on the legs to roll the insect around, another holdover from Diaclone that's a pretty fun play gimmick. It's sort of an insect tank.  Shrapnel is a really good looking toy, and especially so in these show accurate colors. For a toy of his era, there's a decent amount of articulation that I find admirable. I'm sure my admiration for Insecticons is overshadowing any objectiveness, but this is just a wonderful toy.

Sideswipe [Galaxy Version 03 The Autobot Run]

It's been far to long since we've talked about Blokees Transformers model kits here on the site, and since the Mrs gave me a box of Series 3 at Christmas, now seems like a great time to get back to those great little kits. Blokees have been very popular among the Transformer fan community for good reason, they're fun! I'm reminded of buying Transformers SCF figures in the early 2000's. Sure those were blind boxed figurines and not models, but these bring out the same sense of joy that those did. Today we'll be looking at Sideswipe, an original cast Autobot loved by everyone. He's often known for being a bit of a meat head and a little reckless. Sideswipe usually wears a rocket pack that's used for flight in the original cartoon as well as utilizing arm pistons to dig at times.

As a Blokee, Sideswipe is presented as you'd expect him, but in that cute Blokee style. He's got a great deal of articulation and comes with the laser gun and shoulder mounted rocket launcher you expect to see. Of course he also has open and closed hands as well as a display stand with Autobot and Decepticon symbols for decoration. Sideswipe toy molds often get used for a variety of different characters, so I hope to see a variety of characters made from this kit's parts in the future. One is already in The Autobot Run wave (we'll be getting to him later), but there's quite a few that can come from these parts. It's impossible to not like Sideswipe... or this model.

Bombshell [Transformers Retro/Bomshell and Ramhorn 2-Pack]

Earlier this week, we looked at Ramhorn. That means it's a fine time to talk abut the Bombshell he came packaged with. Ramhorn is a Rhino, so have him packaged versus a Rhinoceros Beetle is a fun bit of synergy. Not every multi-pack has to match, but similar worded names is good enough for me. Like other G1 reissues being released recently, Bombshell uses his original toy mold and is painted in a cartoon accurate paint scheme. Also like the others, it looks great. Bombshell's mold was one of the Diaclone toys that got used in the early years of Transformers. Insecter Robo Kabutron was a robot of the Waruders, the main villains of Diaclone. I've made my fondness for robot insect toys known here many times and that extends to Waruders. There's just something about them that I find awesome. Being a Diaclone mold, Bombshell has a cockpit that a pilot figure can sit in. However, being a Transformers toy, Bombshell doesn't have a pilot. Like other recent Insection reissues have included Energon cubes accessories (awesome) and you can fit one in his cockpit. It's a silly bit of fun and pretty great. He comes with 6, and that makes for a great bit of scenery to put around your toys.

In addition to the Energon Cubes, Bombshell has his Twin Ion Impulse Blaster. I think it's a pretty trademark rifle for him, but when it comes to Bombshell, everyone focuses on that beetle horn. It's been famously used for launching his signature Cerebro-Shells into the heads of enemies and making them his slaves. It's not just a cool special ability, but also looks neat. A bit of nice ornamentation on a somewhat creepy looking toy. Bombshell has some pretty decent articulation for a toy of his era. Arms move at the shoulders and legs at the hips. Thanks to his transformation, his hip can swivel and there's some movement at the knees... though you can mostly make him kick forward comically. Sure, he doesn't have anything on today's super articulated wonders, but it's a pretty good amount for the toys of that time. Transformation to beetle mode is easy and looks just as great as ever. My love for insect robots definitely flavors my opinion here. I can't help it, those designs are full of charm. There's little wheels on the insect legs to roll it around on and I just love that. Despite the older engineering, this is really a nice little toy. The cartoon accurate colors really pop and breathe new life into a 40+ year old design. The older I get, the more my appreciation for the original toys grows. The die cast is just so satisfying as is the overall product. So, so very good.

Ramhorn [Transformers Retro/Bomshell and Ramhorn 2-Pack]

Around this time last year we took a look at some of the more recent neat G1 reissues that have been painted to match their orignal series selves. Here in the States, they're exclusive to Walmart (unless you can find them at liquidation stores like Ross). I lucked up on this cool Bombshell and Ramhorn two-pack on clearance on the Walmart app. A rhinoceros beetle and rhino make for a fun vs pack and today we'll be looking at Ramhorn. Ramhorn is one of the Autobot cassettes who debuted in 1986 during the battle of Autobot City in Transformers The Movie.

Prior to this, only the Decepticons had cassettes. So it was a pretty cool moment. For me, I got my original Ramhorn at a K-Mart one rainy weekend. The cassettes would come in 2-packs and he came with Eject. I still remember being enamored with his gold chrome weapons. Needless to say, the two had many adventures in my bedroom and still reside among my various Transformers toys from the past 40 years.

Ramhorn is pretty much a straight reissue. He's largely the same as that one I've owned forever. There is some updated Copyright stamps on his body, so I assume the molds have had some maintenance done recently. There's something so great about these original toys updated in their show accurate colors. The brown used is a softer color and combined with the dark grey used for accenting colors and in place of the originals chromed legs... it just looks great. The red Autobot symbol almost glows against his colorization. I really like the contrast it creates.

The missile pods are not chromed like the originals, but colored in a metallic gold that looks really good. Ramhorn is a simple but pleasant figure. Transformation to tape mode is easy. Fold the legs up into his body and the head and tail fold backwards. The cassette can fit in any G1 Blaster toy... and maybe a Soundwave if you're feeling rebellious. I've never found fault in the original Ramhorn and just don't now either. In these cartoon accurate colors, he feels like a much more premium figure. The combination of him and Bombshell is fun and we'll be looking at his pack mate later this week.

BIOS- Sixshot

"Life is worth living only as long as there are enemies worth destroying."

Function: Solo Transformer Assault Group

A vile, nasty murderous sort who carries out his job with ferocious intensity. Only redeeming quality is he speaks well of those he's sent to "the great junkyard in the sky," his phrase for destruction. Has 6 forms: robot, armored carrier (with twin laser batteries), ramming-tank (with infra-red rangefinder and target tracker), jet-propelled laser pistol, star fighter (maximum speed: 80,000 mph; range: .8 million miles), and wolf-creature Modes. Only the wolf creature has no need for Sixshot's 2 hypersonic concussion blasters, the wolf Mode prefers to rip apart enemy Autobots with his razor fangs.

Strength: 10 Intelligence: 9 Speed: 4 Endurance: 9
Rank: 7 Courage: 8 Firepower: 9 Skill: 8

BIO- Crankcase

"Things are never as good as they seem."

Function: Data Collector

A wheezing, whining ingrate. As welcome as a rash of rust-rot. The worse things get, the happier he is. Enjoys complaining about everything. Equipped with vast memory storage capacity and shell-resistant armor. Also equipped with infrared probes that penetrate and analyze enemy circuitry. Armed with two high-impact laser blasters and a distortion modulator that scrambles enemy cerebral impulses.

Strength: 8 Intelligence: 6 Speed: 3 Endurance: 9
Rank: 7 Courage: 7 Firepower: 8 Skill: 8

BIOS- Horri-Bull

"Smash all that stands and trample the rest."

Function: Ground Trooper

A snorting, belching bully with a nasty temper. Drips grease and oil from his mouth and emits billowing black clouds of noxious black smoke from his nostrils. Enjoys destroying anything that stands in his way, particularly Autobots. In robot Mode, uses flamethrower tail to incinerate his enemies. Also armed with a concussion blaster. Range: 12 miles. Binary-bonded to the nebulan, Kreb, a former talk show host with obnoxious manners.

Strength: 8 Intelligence: 6 Speed: 5 Endurance: 8
Rank: 5 Courage: 8 Firepower: 7 Skill: 4

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.