More Studio Series, Earthrise, Kingdom; CW Devastator

 

TFs -- I'll try to finish a Unite Warriors collection, and I'll keep up with Earthrise/Kingdom/etc. Will also continue buying 3P stuff from Magic Square/New Age/Iron Factory. I love the legends-scale stuff.

I may offload some of my NECA TMNT stuff as I'm struggling to keep up with the line. I've called it quits on the GI Joe Classified line as well... it doesn't excite me enough and trying to get any of the store exclusives is way, way too frustrating than a hobby should be.

 

Transformers
This is going to be a year of organization and consolidation, forced by one thing in particular: Unicron.

The last two years have been the most transformative (no pun intended) as well as the most expensive, of any collecting year in my 20 years of the hobby. While 2019 had Unicron and MP-44, 2020 had an expansive mainline, studio series and hasbro pulse really ramping up into a parallel line of all its own.

We've been able to make incredible collections out of this featuring obscure characters- like we actually have a modern God Neptune and Doubledealer - but it's also repaint heavy. FOr the most part, that's fine! But it also begs the question, how many variants of ER or Siege Optimus Prime and Megatron do we need to have on display?

Right now my chug collection + Mp + Studio series + vintage is 9 detolfs and a custom case that is about 3/4ths a detolf. Its beautiful to look at. It's also... a bit much. The collection got a bit out of control. No regrets, but we're well past the point of stuffing things in detolf just to have them out.

Unicron is going to force a change in this. First, I have to decide how I am going to display him. And then I have to shape him, the obvious centerpiece of a collection, around it. In planet mode, he's the size of a beach ball. In Robot mode, he's 40% larger than a titan. If I'm gonna display him, about 4 cells of a detolf are going to have to be cleared out. Where do I begin with this?

I can't wait for Kingdom to diversify my collection some more. Always loved Beast Wars.

Marvel Legends
A few years ago I decided with Marvel Legends "I'm not going to parallel collect this line... I'm just going to do the Jim Lee-era X-Men and a few choice villians". A few years later we've achieved that (and they look great), along with Most of X-Force, X-Factor, some of Excalibur, Uncanny X-Force a whole mess of villians and a mishmatch of idealized Avengers and Age of Apocalypse.

I do think I'm largely done with this line. There are a few X-Men figures outstanding - Moria MacTaggert and Arcade for example, and some characters with no announced figures like Blob, Avalanche, Feral, X-Factor Wolfsbane, and X-Force Archangel - but I think I'm more or less done with them. I don't have interest in any of the weird Dawn of X designs. Avengers is very much character specific, but I think I have all the ones in costumes I care for. I passed on Hasbro Sentinel because I didn't want another massive figure (even though it looked amazing). I think I'm more or less set with them.


Sales
I need to decide if and how I'm going to part with the vast amount of pre-WFC I have boxed. Generations 2014, Universe, Classics... there are just so many great figures that have their own identity, but have been surpassed by WFC figures in terms of my goals for the collection (closer to G1 than "inspired by"... i.e. Siege Springer rather than Generations Springer). I think I want to sell them, but I also believe there is increasing room in collections now for aesthetic diversity in displays. If I'm not setting out to recreate the 1984-1986 Autobots in modern forms, then I can display just any awesome look mold. In general, I think this is the direction collecting will go post-WFC Trilogy. So if it is, what should I part with and why? Decisions decisions.

 

All kingdom Beast Wars, Kingdom G1 Autobots I don’t have, any Star Wars Black Series I want, Death Metal Batman and Batcycle.

anything else that fits in my budget that I want.

 

Kingdom and whatever this year's Beast Wars Masterpiece is are the main things.

For Kingdom it'll be show-only BW characters and a couple G1 guys, but I'm undecided if I'll replace Thrilling 30 Waspinator and Rhinox with their Kingdom counterparts, partially because I don't like having multiple of the same exact character within my collection unless it's an upgraded form. I'm incredibly tempted by the Deluxe Fossilizors for how weird they are but they're still a maybe.

I want that Punch and Barricade Galactic Odyssey set to repurpose Punch into Nightbeat.

I've also been considering the place of certain Prime Wars Leaders in my collection as well, starting with CW Starscream, which I'm torn between replacing with a Siege Screamy Boi, or waiting to see if this alleged 2022 Generations But Actually GenerationS line contains a different flavour Starscream (and maybe Thundercracker). Also if there's a WFC Blaster from Soundwave I may have to get that to replace the Titans Return LG one as well.

 

i have 2 purchases planned for this year. if threezero announces a bumblebee movie shockwave or starscream i'm in for those too, but they probably wouldn't even come out til nex year lol

i might splurge on some kingdom stuff too but we'll see

 

G1 Characters - most of Kingdoms G1 characters with the exception of Pipes - I'm mostly Seasons 1-2. Definitely not bothering with the Ark.
Studio 86 - most of these except for probably Wreck-Gar, Gnaw and if Coronation Starscream turns up.
Exclusives - probably those Kingdom related two packs for Mirage and Sideswipe if they're true - I'll just sell the Beasts.
Beast characters - Some of these - not bothered about the S1 Predacons much, same with Airrazor. i was always more for the Season 2 cast.

 

My goal is to stop collecting this year so I can focus on other goals, I don't plan to stop completely but when Wave 2 of Kingdom comes out my main goal for Transformers will be complete. Then I can just put a few dollars here or there afterwards for a figure or two that peaks my interest or helps to complete a set I didn't complete before I stopped.

Transformers: I got Thrust in December so my Season 1 & 2 Decepticons are complete. Huffer & Inferno come out in Wave 2, that will complete my Season 1 & 2 Autobots, I also plan on replacing Grimlock & Jazz with their Studio Series figures. Replace Hot Rod, Scourge, Cyclonus, & Galvatron with their upcoming Kingdom & Studio Series figures, maybe Kup & Blurr as well. Work on building a Beast Wars shelf with the upcoming Primal, Megatron, Airazor, Dinobot who I have on preorder with Cheetor & Blackarachnia still not shipping from BBTS. Will probably get Tigatron & Scorponok as well even though they are coming out after my goal is complete.

Marvel Legends: I have J. Jonah & Black Cat coming from BBTS and I have Firestar on preorder with BBTS. If I can find them before I stop collecting after Kingdom Wave 2 I'll pick up the Spiderverse figures. My X-Men are complete, once J. Jonah & Black Cat come in my Spider Man collection will be complete. I just need a Classic Doctor Strange to complete my Avengers. Don't think I'll ever have a complete MCU collection but oh well.

Star Wars: I don't think I'll EVER be complete with Star Wars, there are still figures I want to be made. But for the sake of control I only have Jar Jar Binks, Ventress, & Bo-Katan left to pick up before I quit. Though if they make a Mandalorian Boba Fett & Fennec I will pick those up.

GI Joe: This is a line I could reasonably still collect after I'm "done" because of how poorly its handled, two figures spaced out over months and the only way I can get them is through BBTS. I have Zartan, the Cobra Trooper, Lady Jaye, & Flint on preorder. I also have Action Force Sergeant Slaughter on preorder. So after getting Beachhead for Christmas once these three Joes come in I'll have my ideal GI Joe team. As for Cobra I'm still waiting on Baroness, Firefly, Storm Shadow(V1), & at least Major Bludd to have the ideal Cobra setup and will get them whenever they come out.

Others: With the announcement of Part 7 Jason Voorhees, I'm only two away from having every Jason. Will never realistically have every Michael Myers. Will pick up the Diamond Selects Lord of the Ring figures, just the ones to form the Fellowship of the Ring. Waiting on another chance to get a Robocop in my display since the Mafex figures are overpriced. Waiting on some Shield Hero & Demon Slayer Figmas to come in for anime shelf as well as the Anime Heroes One Piece figures. I don't really have goals in mind for other lines I collect outside of the big four, especially since how poorly NECA has handled the TMNT figures I'll never have the ideal TMNT shelf at this point just getting whatever I can find for the shelf.

 

I'll be getting most of Kingdom, there's a lot of G1 guys I still need and I'm a huge BW fan, all of SS '86 so far except for Grimlock, and pretty much all of MOTU Origins. I played with my dad's vintage toys as a young kid and watched the Filmation and 200x cartoons on DVD, so that line in particular is gonna be way fun for me. And those will probably be the only lines I'll be really collecting this year, I love Star Wars but Black Series isn't really for me so I'll probably just go back and get some more 3.75 figures I missed out on and the few TVC figures that come out this year.

 

Here's the basic outline of what I'm aiming for in 2021:

Complete:
Generation 1 Season 2 Characters
Generation 1 Season 3 Characters
The Wreckers

Replace:
KO Gravity builder Devastator for A better quality KO Devastator
Titans return Bee for Buzzworhty Bumblebee
Ko Primal for Kingdom
Ko Dinobot for Kingdom
Universe Cheetor for Kingdom
Universe Cyclonus for Kingdom

Start and Pickup:
Menasor
Superion
Bruticus
Defensor
Predaking
The Beast war Predacons
The 13 Primes
Phase Sixers

Consider picking up:
Kingdom Ark (If he comes out)
Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime
Tigertrack
Gigawatt
Exhaust
Cordon
Spinout

Customs to Make/finish:
Eject (from titans return Rewind)
Slipstream (from Netflix Hotlink)
Tidal Wave (from Titans return Broadside)
Tarn (from KBB Obsidian Megatron)
Megatronus (Pre-war Megatron) (From siege Megatron)
Zeta Prime (from titans return Megatron and Apeface)
Chase (from cyberverse deluxe class Prowl)
Solus Prime (from beast hunters Arcee)
Liege Maximo (from Beast hunters Starscream)
Dent V.2 (Animated colored Prowl)(from Earthrise Bluestreak)
Silverstreak (Blue Bluestreak) (from Earthrise Bluestreak or Prime Smokescreen)
Emraite Xaaron (From Cyberverse Megatron)
Decpticharge (From Cyberverse Bumblebee)

 

One thing I like to add to my goal is top priority is getting studio series dino as soon as possible.

 

I'm waiting for my order for Hot Rod and Scourge right now.

For the BW stuff, I really find that they look great and enjoying the pretty pictures that people are posting, but they are just not something that I'm into for my collection (BlackArachnia being the exception).

So for 2021 so far, it's Huffer and Tracks, and I don't recall anything else mentioned or leaked that are falling in my "must-have" list.

The Ark IF it wins me over.

Aside that, I don't know, Hasbro will have to impress me to make me want to spend their ever increasing prices, and needing to get 3rd party kits to fix what shouldn't need fixing..

I may get used stuff if I find anything that catches my eye, and maybe some 3rd party stuff but right now, I've hit a "wall" as there's not much left that Hasbro can really do to outdo the WFC, the Combiners, and most of the Headmasters figures/characters that they've done in the last 5 years.

 

I'm aiming to complete my XTB Stunticons set this year. I bought Dead End and Breakdown last year, and ordered the other 2 cars just the other day. I'll go for MM in a couple of months if I can, and will see what happens with the trailer.

As for the WFC trilogy, I'd like to get a couple more bots, like ER Megatron and Runabout, and any Seekers besides Starscream, though that's probably an unrealistic expectation given the prices they're commanding now. From Kingdom, I, like the look of Inferno, Cyclonus and Huffer. I can pass on the BW figures, as nice as they look.

SS86 - Jazz and Grimlock both look very nice, as does Hot Rod.

 

I’m just looking at Studio Series this year. The plan is:

- Topspin
- Skipjack
- Overload
- ROTF Bumblebee
- Dino
- Jolt (if it is getting released this year)

In the maybe category:
- ROTF Soundwave
- Offroad Bumblebee
- Grindor (depending on how much remolding has been done)

 

- Grab everything G1 from Kingdom/SS 86.
- Get another couple of shelves and space my collection out properly so that they're not so crowded.
- Outfit my shelves with LED lights and plexiglass risers to showcase the figures better.
- Sell a LOT of my collection that I no longer want to focus on. MP, Alternators, older generations stuff. I need the space.

 

Get my preordered Botropolis rescue set. Get the Omega Supreme my friends ordered off Hasbro Pulse for my Christmas gift. Get the Fossilizers, Airrazor, Dinobot, and Huffer. Maybe Warpath. Wait for the rest of the Kingdom figures to be revealed so I can decide if I want them, especially The Ark. Hopefully get some Bot Bots in my stocking at christmas this year. Still be sad there isn't going to be a new Polar Claw, damn it.

 

I only want 86 Jazz and Kingdom Galvatron.

The only other updates I'd like to see are:

BW MP Inferno
G1 Gears
G1 Motormaster
G1 Perceptor

 

hoping to get the following in figure form: (yes there is leaked stuff here)
Jazz (SS86)
Hotrod (SS86)
Tracks (Kingdom)
Blaster (apparently he exists, somewhere)

then I'm done with my Autobot shelf (nabbed Thrust right at the end of 2020 to finish my Decepticon shelf), maybe I'll pick up a Kingdom Huffer and canon him into the wreckers (instead of "but we aint fightas priiiiiihme!", he can be the "who called the fighers" guy, idk) but it's between him and Selects Tigertrack, both look nice but I only have enough room for one figure, leaning toward Huffer as I don't already own three of the mold

G2 Ramjet (Selects) to add to my G2 shelf

Twrecks (Selects)
Scorponok (Kingdom)
Airrazor (Kingdom)
Ractonite *2 (Kingdom)
Dinobot (Kingdom)
Wingfinger *2 (Kingdom)
Rhinox (Kingdom)
Tigatron (Kingdom)
Waspinator (Kingdom)
Shadow Panther (Kingdom)
Dracodon (Kingdom)

luckily I finished wave 1 in 2020, glad that I've got a good start on the line, Kingdom rocks. Hoping that we can get Inferno and Terrorsaur at some point (Tarantulas is apparently in 2022)

ROTF Bumblebee (SS74, Buzzworthy exclusive?)
ROTF Jolt (SS)
ROTF Sideswipe (SS)
ROTF Sideways (unconfirmed via leaks, highly likely though, SS)
DOTM Dino (SS)
ROTF Grindor w/ Ravage (SS)

then my ROTF shelf will be finished, all I'll need is DOTM Bumblebee, Que, Hatchet (who is sadly not being worked on, not the end of the world) and The Fallen (currently being worked on, no release year, he will be going with Devastator on a different shelf)

I'll also be starting a SG shelf since apparently we're getting more Shattered Glass, love obscure shit!

Optimus Prime (Selects)
Ratchet (Selects)
Megatron (?)
Starscream (?)
Jetfire (?)
Goldbug (?)

I've also heard that there may be more to the line than we currently know.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ass list but at least I have an idea what to save for, thanks leaks!

 

Transformers: UNICRON!!!!!! Since I bought him two years ago does it count? I'm building a display case for him though.
SS Scourge: I'm thinking I might troop build them to go with Unicron.
Kingdom Cyclonus.
SS Jazz, although I don't want to. Because the minute I buy SS Jazz, they will finally announce MP Meister!
Kingdom Warpath. One of the odd transformers I will get multiples of.
MP Starscream: "gulp" on that price point
MP Skids???? this year??????

GI Joe: Already got three Vipers, need 1 more for a 4 person team. Preorders for Zartan, and 4 Infantry. I plan to have 8 cobra troopers total. Flint, Lady Jaye, etc. Whatever GI Joe is selling, I am most likely buying

Mafex Magneto is on pre order
Super 7 Thundercats: Wave 2 and 3
Vagrant Story on pre order


Keeping tabs on:
My Hero Academia Mcfarlane or Figma or Bandai Anime Heroes
DC multiverse: They really need to put down the batman crack pipe though. Can we get a Dr. Fate?
Star Wars Black Series: Have yet to see a Mando on a peg
Marvel Legends: Kinda losing steam,

 

Like most people here I'm prioritizing the Kingdom BW figures, but there are also a few Cybertron figures I'd like to get. I already have most of the Velocitron characters, so I'd just need Brakedown to complete the set, and on top of that I'd like to get my hands on figures like Evac, Mudflap, Brimstone and Scourge to go with my Undermine and Snarl to go with my Leobreaker. And while I'm on a Beast kick I think I'll go out of my way to snag some of the BH Predacons-- Lazerback, Grimwing, and Skystalker at least, I already have Ripclaw and she could use some company.

Aside from that, I'll be laying down a couple bucks each month from February on out to support the BW ongoing.