Toy catalogues are wonderful things, we’ve even looked at them before on Source Blog. In addition to the waves of nostalgia washing over us every time we look at a vintage Hasbro Transformers catalogue included with the toys, there are loads of hidden gems, prototypes and hilarious errors within. We’re going to have a look at some UK and US Transformers catalogues from 1985, 1986 and 1987. Look Closely | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ All the best Maz
Sky Lynx propped up on a box of matches reminds me of Transformers instructions guest staring a Kodak Film box Oh and I really like the idea of a pink or maroon G1 Hotrod reissue - they should do that now.
Now, if only the released toys looked exactly like the ones in catalogs, well not all, Cosmos with a yellow (unpainted?) head looks off, hehe.
I used to spend hours looking at the catalogues as a kid, completing the 1986 catalogue was my first target of collecting, and I managed to complete it in the mid-nineties. Then I went back and completed 84 and 85 but that took a lot longer.
Maz could do a multi-part series on catalog errors; that's how many there were. I have a German catalog with a lot of issues.
Some of the top pictures would've benefitted from being big enough to see what you were pointing out (Smokescreen in particular). Other that that, it was an interesting read as always.
I have the photo slide that was used in the original catalog for Micromaster Countdown. It shows the rocket being more of the "Saturn" type (with a pointed nose), a elevator that's operated by a wheel (similar to Fort max), and rotatable beams that "support" the Rocket to the tower.
Nice article, I always wondered why the Broadside in the 1986 battle art that was on the back of the Series 3 boxes looked so different from the Broadside toy. I figured the picture HAD to be Broadside because he was carrying an axe. But otherwise, the picture did not at all resemble the Broadside toy. Now that I've seen this "prototype" Broadside, I can understand where the confusion comes from.
Even though he's a pretty miserable brick, I MUCH prefer the Broadside we got over the one we didn't....
wow, lots of differences in that catalog: skystalker is a much more striking white and blue, and the cockpit of his small jet is transparent instead of empty. the micromaster is from the racecar patrol instead of his unique mold. the red on flattop was turned black, the grey on roughstuff darkened, more detailed quarry for ironworks, instead of the side stickers looks like the micromasters for the bases aren't their recolours, just the members of the patrols they came from, and a few changed colors on the groundshaker and skyhopper bases that's what i can see at a glance, may be more
Excellent blog as always. Love the old catalogues - so many memories and as others have already said, used to spend hours soaking up all of the Tf variations. Particularly like the dinobot differences and the red head is gorgeous. Never spotted the Diaclone blue on Grimlock so thanks for that.
