TransFormers (Movie) Bumblebee (Camaro Concept)

It is, perhaps, no surprise that Movie Bumblebee has had multiple incarnations, not just across the three movie toylines, but within each one as well. A 'Camaro Concept' version was inevitable simply because that's the disguise he adopted shortly after being 'discovered' by Sam. However, despite being a significant upgrade on the '76 Camaro version, the first upgraded movie Bumblebee still exhibits many of the flaws of the first movie's toyline... but is that really so bad?

Small Addendum

I've had a bit of a playabout with Battle Ops Bumblebee recently, and added a couple of new photos showing that he can actually be posed quite well with effort and patience.

And a little bit of cheating. Specifically, unpegging his right arm from the shoulder, so it can point outward rather than just straight forward.

It's not such a bad model, really... just not necessarily so good as a toy, and it's important to note the difference. Maybe I'm wrong, and I must admit that I'd be surprised if kids really spent much time posing their toys, as opposed to just bashing them into each other... But, really, if they wanted to do that with a TransFormers movie toy, surely they would buy the non-transforming lights and sounds version?

Just for fun, the two additional photos are also here...

TransFormers Collectors' Club 2008 Exclusive (Timelines) Seacons Boxed Set

Funny thing: Back in the day, I bought all the G1 Seacons apart from Snaptrap, who I just never found. The Seacons turned up in the Marvel comics, and seemed pretty cool. Two of them transformed into robot fish (kind of like Sharkticons, in that they had arms and legs), one was a lobster, one was a ray and one... Well, I don't think it's ever been adequately explained what the hell Tentakil is supposed to be...

Somewhere along the lines, the Seacons popularity grew to near mythical proportions, putting them almost alongside the Predacons in the collective consciousness of the fandom. The Seacons were cool. Each one had a weapon mode, effectively making each one a TargetMaster as well as a component in the gestalt. They formed Piranacon. Piranacon was awesome.

And then, as an adult collector, a set like this comes along...

TransFormers (Movie) Bonecrusher

If there's one thing you can say about the Michael Bay TransFormers movies, it's that the designers working on the robots were unafraid to ignore 25 years of TransFormers history, and strike out into their very own continuity. While the toys back in the day tended to transform into something vaguely humanoid (albeit rather boxy), ILM took the concept of 'alien robots' to heart, creating something very different.

It almost seems strange, then, to have used so many recognisable names from Generation 1, while giving the robots associated with those names such a massive overhaul, both in look and in purpose. Bonecrusher, for example, was one of the Constructicons back in G1. For the first TransFormers movie, however, he became a rage-fuelled engine of destruction, fixated on Optimus Prime, and with no affiliation to the Constructicons who (arguably) appeared in Revege of the Fallen.

OK, I'm crap...

Yes, yet another long hiatus... Due to ennui and Xenoblade Chronicles (and Metroid: Other M... and Zelda: Twilight Princess...), I have spent rather too long away from this blog and many other bits of writing.

I'd like to say I'll be getting back on track now, but that would probably be a lie.

Oh well...

Addendum

I don't quite understand how I managed this, but I found today that there was yet another toy in my collection that I hadn't taken photos of - Revenge of the Fallen Chromia. That has now been rectified, so that should be one of the write-ups I get round to as soon as I get my arse in gear...

Also, somewhat reluctantly, I have added 'Entry Mode' to my writeup of Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Ravage. It's a rubbish alternate mode, but it's there... Similarly rubbish is Mixmaster's so-called Cannon Mode, now added to the voyager toy's write-up.

Also put in a few links between Leader Class Starscream and the couple of 'Stop Press' addenda I wrote.