Recently I bought two Grand Maximus Spikes. When I got the second one i was suprised that they look different. The first one i bought from a guy in Japan and the second from a guy in Italy. Normaly this issue would be solved with the answer that both of these countries had a TF-factory. But since Grand Maximus was only released in Japan, this answer is out of the question. The Japanese is the left and the Italian the right figure in the picture. Both are made in the common size and plastic-quality of vintage headmaster partners. I have some K.O. HM-partners but they are of much lesser quality than these two. It's also not a discoloration issue because the dark Japanese one has yellow eyes and the other orange ones. There's also a difference in the mold details and the Japanese looks more shiny. Does anyone have any clues or info on this issue?
IIRC, Grand Max's box is marked 'Made In Japan' is it possible however that some components were made elsewhere and then assembled in Japan? i would *guess* a running change in one factory, or movement of production from one factory to another... Just a guess though/.
Hmm the one on the left looks like a Brave Maximus' head, but it's missing the silver paint apps. The real head should be a dark green, like the one on the left. There was also a KO Cerebros that came out a few years ago that came with Cog (not the white set). I can't find any pics of it though. Maybe Jason Jupiter has a pic. Brave Max Robot Mode http://www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/BraveMaximus/cerebros.jpg Head Mode http://www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/BraveMaximus/emissaryfacepic.jpg Grand Max Robot Mode http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/granrobotmode.jpg Head Mode http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandfacepic.jpg
yeah the one on the left is brave max. You can even tell because of the mold damage on the guy. He is somewhat deformed.
That's ok, when my son was younger I used to say hold your hands up and stick your pointing finger out along with your thumb. Which ever one looks like a "L" is your left. See this site is not only fun it's educational!!!(just razzing ya)
I'm wondering if there was a mold change during production? Seems the faces are ever so slightly different. I know in other production sets (I've been doing production cabinetry for a LONG time) There are at times subtle differences in the way a finished piece can end up due to molding or finishing. Also looks like the one on the right is a bit faded. Good finds on both of them though. Gratz.
You might be interested in this thread: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans...r-spike-real-deal-dangerous-new-knockoff.html If you got this from the Italian seller "milinguo", you might have some sort of KO on your hands... Check out how many he has sold durring the past 15 days: http://completed.shop.ebay.com/mili....l1313&_sop=12&LH_Complete=1&_odkw=&_osacat=0
I don't pretend to have a valid opinion here, I'm just surprized that (if) the one on the left looks like that due to the mold degrading. It looks very different to me. Especially in the face and mid torso.
actually, after looking at grand and brave on tfu, the one on the right looks "crisper", with sharper angles and lines, than either one. This to me points to either a: there were different quality builds B: Its a KO made by someone who actually molded the thing better than the original C: TFU has KO pics by mistake
The right one's a knockoff. It's identical to the knockoff Headmaster Spike I bought. The telltale signs are: 1. The figure is slightly slimmer than all official Headmaster partners. 2. It is slightly taller than all official Headmaster partners. 3. It is incompatible with all official Headmaster bodies, i.e. you can't push it all the way into the slot for the head. 4. One of the two big telltale sign was noticed by fellow forum member Draven: the topmost bar of the pentagons on either side of Spike's chest are perfectly horizontal when they should actually be at an angle. 5. The other major indicator is that the screw holding the figure together is black and flat-headed instead of shiny, metallic, and round-headed.
Y'know, I bought a Fortress Maximus on ebay severaly years ago that included a Cerebros and Spike that didn't look like any versions I had ever seen before. They weren't Brave Max and they weren't Grand Max, and they certainly weren't the ones that came with it originally (ie: G1 Fort Max). Cerebros had red arms and legs with blue (regular blue, not light blue or excessively dark blue) "visor" for the Fort Max head. Spike was similarly colored and I've never been able to identify them. I'd include pics, but I had to sell the whole thing to get out of credit card debt.
