These look great, and I appreciate the colors. But I really wish the Vintage G1 reissue line that began in 2018 would continue. I would be all in. Being born in 1984, most of the main characters were out before I became a fan, so my small collection was made up of their Pretender and Action Master versions, along with Power Master and G2 Primes. When the Commemorative Series came along in 2002 I was a teen collecting other stuff. So when I found the 2018 reissues on my way to see the ‘86 movie in a theater for the first time, I was absolutely thrilled. Hunting for originals in good condition is a pain in the neck for a picky guy like me, also a drain on the wallet and time consuming. Walking into a store or clicking on a preorder to get Vintage G1 Transformers brand new is a dream come true, and I want more, Hasbro! Jazz (with a fixed face), Prowl, and all the carbots. All the Minibots. Springer. Headmasters. I’m all in.
I'm not loving or hating the deco, but I just cannot get behind windowless boxes on these G1 reissues, it feels so wrong. I think reissues, even reimagined ones like this new deco, should feel like they came from that era, it's why the graphics use the '80s Hasbro logo and the box is the shape it is. You're not just paying for the toy inside but the classic experience of getting it as close as possible to that feeling, the packaging is part of the product. Having that window really takes it to that level. Other Hasbro retro-inspired brands have plastic still, Marvel and Star Wars, Transformers should be in that same boat.
Compare & contrast from Designer Evan Brooks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjZKj3Cs6Td/ Confirms it's based on the Targetmaster version with enlarged fist holes
like vintage g1 it will show up elsewhere eg https://tfsource.com/search/view/status/5/search_term/vintage g1/ Product Search Page
Hot Rod's blurb on back of packaging: Hot Rod cops a lot of flak but that's rough. Thanks for sharing Evan's instagram post. The stickers on Hot Rod's upper arms are applied upside down? Retro G1 Hot Rod is wearing underwear. I cannot unsee. Let's hope he comes with crotch sticker to make him decent.
He dropped a dime on Optimus and then "accidentally" stepped in front of Megatron so he could be used as a living shield. -SS (he's earned that rep)
On the back of Starscreams box, his jet mode haves gas tanks where the null rays would go. His null rays transform... I guess?
Not for me: G1 toys were never toon accurate. This kind of weirds me out. Like someone went back and edited a memory! (At least, I think the toy was red... or was he pink/magenta?)
IIRC, that head cannot be used for anything outside of the Music Label release, as it was commissioned by Apple.
Just a different set of missiles/inserts. G1 Starscream has always come with one set for robot mode and one for vehicle mode.
Too bad for that exclusivity clause. It is one of the best blinged up version of the mold. It is technically my uber G1 original Optimus.
I think these are new (well, new in terms being used for the reissues). The last Walmart Starscream came with those giant cluster bombs: So, if the photo is right, he's getting the short cluster bombs that the original had. Or, it's a case of "Product and colors may vary", he comes with the long cluster bombs and the stock photography/box art is wrong. MIKE engledogg
Yeah, so far all the US reissues had the modified cluster bombs and null rays. Japanese reissues always came with the unmodified ones. It’s curious that they’re mixed and matched here. Wonder if the actual toy won’t come with the modified cluster bombs after all. They did it to meet US safety standards after all.
This was a pleasant surprise. I'd love to see the Datsun bros in cartoon colors. With this and the o-ring GI Joe reissues, I'd love to see the Ninja Turtles getting this treatment
