Cybertron Scattorshot (2005)

There's been a fair bit of discussion in Transformers fan circles recently about Hasbro's recent announcement that, due to rising production costs, they would be raising prices on their toys. Of course, this kind of thing really isn't new. It's just the latest chapter in a seemingly-eternal story. But it does take different forms over time. For now, we've seen a recent pattern away from smaller toys with any meaningful amount of complexity towards either larger toys or small, but very simple toys (that still likely cost $10 or more).^* This got me thinking about some of the toys that we got in years past, such as Cybertron Scattorshot.

Not Your Father's Autobot - Episode #3 - Transformers: Generation 2 issue #3

For this episode of Not Your Father's Autobot, we're discussing Transformers: Generation 2 issue #3, cover dated January, 1994. This issue can be found reprinted via the Transformers: Dark Designs paperback, which may be purchased via Amazon. Listeners may also wish to try to find a copy of either the collected paperback or the issue itself via eBay (purchases through these links do not support the podcast in any way). 

Space Case (1995)

When discussing toys as part of Generation 2, most fans agree that any toys that released in the US with the redesigned Autobot and Decepticon faction logos qualify for inclusion, even though Hasbro had quietly dropped the Generation 2 language on the packaging for the last year of such toys before deciding to revamp the entire concept for Beast Wars. Thus, the Cyberjets are not only considered part of "G2," but indeed are held up as some of the best toys in the entire line.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Beast Wars with Rhinox

I'm giving a lot of attention to Generation 2 this year (hosting a G2-themed podcast and all...), but the fact is, while Generation 2 brought the Transformers toy line back from the dead, it really didn't save the franchise for the long haul. In fact, sales of Generation 2 toys were disappointing. To ensure the survival of Transformers for the next couple decades (and more?), the franchise had to undergo a major revision. This was the Beast Wars franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year (this post is timed to approximate the anniversary of the premiere of the Beast Wars cartoon, which was on April 22nd, 1996, but of course some of the toys came out before that date...). 

Happy Meal Tankor (2000)

In these days of increasing prices for increasingly underwhelming toys, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that people below a certain age have never seen a kids meal toy connected to the Transformers franchise that actually transformed. But for a few years around the turn of the century, this was by no means uncommon, and in the case of Happy Meal toys released to promote the Beast Machines line, the Happy Meal toys ironically tended to depict characters more accurately than the toys produced by Hasbro for regular retail. Tankor (the original character to use the name, before it was slapped on Octane) provides an example.

Not Your Father's Autobot - Episode #2 - Transformers: Generation 2 issue #2

For this episode of Not Your Father's Autobot, we're discussing Transformers: Generation 2 issue #2, cover dated December, 1993. (Most of) this issue can be found reprinted via the Transformers: Dark Designs paperback, which may be purchased via Amazon (purchases through this link do not support the podcast in any way).

Generation Two Terradive (1993)

I can't really claim intentional holiday alignment here, choosing a robot with green in it for St. Patrick's Day. This was the natural item from my collection to highlight after beginning our look at the Generation Two Skyscorchers with Eagle Eye last month. Indeed, Eagle Eye has more green than Terradive does, which itself gets a bit to why I'm looking at Terradive now.