Masterpiece Shockwave!!

It is here!! The third party Masterpiece that really made me decide to break the no third party rule along with Huffer. Heres the thing, Huffer was the first third party Masterpiece I bought, but it was a combination of him being less expensive, still being available to a small degree as well as my like for him (I remember my Grandmother buying me the original G1 version of him as one of my Christmas presents). It was the Fan Toys Quakewave (Shockwave) however, that put things in motion. You see, I didn't know about Quakewave until sometime after he had been out, and when I did discover it, I wrestled over making the third party plung until July of 2014. I loved Shockwave pretty much from the beginning of my knowledge of him when I got the Transformers comics from Marvel (Issue 5, I still love that cover and wish I could have it as a poster).

Anyway, in July I decided I should probably bend the rules with all the good things I had read and seen on YouTube, so I thought I would start with the Cubex Huff (Huffer) and see how it went from there (price and availability as I mentioned above). I think I grabbed the last one that BBTS had, and when it came in, I was really happy with it. I then knew that I had to go ahead and break the rules for other third party masterpieces as long as I made sure they were good beforehand from what is online. I then went to try to track down Shockwave. As you can well imagine, no retailer I could find has him anymore, and eBay sellers are wanting $300 plus for him. I have continued to look and finally got lucky and found one on eBay for a bit less than that though it was opened and briefly displayed from what I read. I got it today, and while I really haven't had a chance to do much with him because of work, I did open him and experience some of his glory. Below are the eBay sellers pics. I am so happy!!

What makes this even crazier and me more happy, is I also received the Grey version (Shackwave) which is a ToyDojo exclusive today. I actually will probably like this one even more, but I refuse to open it or say more about it today. I am going to wait and save it for a day or two before I even open it. I want to enjoy Shockwave first. Keep an eye out for my next post!

Gobots secret riders Tri Trak MIB

Gobots update #2 in recent history. The same guy that sold me the Snoop I posted about a few weeks ago also put up a rare and fairly mint Tri Trak. Tri Trak was one of the last Gobots released by Tonka in a fairly limited quantities. It is fairly rare, and even harder to find one that is complete and in perfect condition without anything missing, like this one. He came complete with his 2 guns, base, the bot itself, as well as box, styrofoam, and instructions/insert. It wasn't inexpensive, but could have been far worse. A great addition to my Gobots collection that is getting so close to completion.

Gobots Snoop

A cool Gobots update. I just found and purchased a Renegade Snoop off of eBay. Snoop is very rare, and there has been some uncertainty as whether she was really even released in normal retail back during the Gobots run in the mid 80's. It seems like the rare unopened ones I have seen online weren't from someone picking them up at retail, but through former Tonka employees. Not sure where the seller got this one from, but if I had to guess, I am betting it was probably the Bandai/Japan release. Either way, she is in pretty great condition with minimal wear.

Masterpiece!?!? Huffer

Okay, this one is a bit different. I usually think it is better to stick to official releases, but the wait for a new Masterpiece figure has gone too long, and I have been looking at the Cubex Huff (Huffer) on the web for a long time now. Temptation has gotten to much though, and so I have decided to add him and likely other third party offerings I like to my Masterpiece collection.

I got him from BBTS, and I have to admit I really do like him, and glad I made the gamble. He is really cool, and does fit in with the Takara/Hasbro Masterpieces. I just don't know how I am going to feel about the investment if an official one is ever released.

On a different note, during this purchase, I also added the MP-15 Rumble & Ravage Coin to my masterpiece set. I have been working to add the coins released in Asia to my collection throughout the year. I actually have at least half of them now. I have made sure to order the Takara releases with the coins from BBTS from now on.

50th Anniversary G.I. Joe

Time to add a little Joe magic into the collection again. Hasbro released various 50th Anniversary G.I. Joe packs, and I managed to preorder and get 2 of the two-packs (Night Marksmen - Low-Light vs. Night Viper and Heated Battle - Blowtorch vs H.E.A.T. Viper), and 2 of the three-packs (The Vipers Pit - Cobra Trooper, Cobra Viper, Beach Head and The Eagles Edge - Destro, Leather Neck and Hawk). I love me some small Joes.

I just worry about the cost if they release too many (not inexpensive anymore) as well as availability. Heck, I see there were some vehicle sets that already seem to be sold out at most retailers that I haven't gotten yet. I hope Hasbro doesn't make me regret this.

G.I. Joe Desert Fox

Okay, this post is a little different. This is about a small triumph I finally had in regards to the Desert Fox. It was a vehicle that I really had no interest in up until the last year or so, but that's part of the story I guess...

About a year or so ago, my friend Garrett called me up, and told me while digging through family storage, he came across a ton of his old Transformers and G.I. Joe collection from his childhood. He has no real interest in that stuff anymore, but knew that I did. He said he would sell to me what he had. I whipped over, and saw that he had a ton of G.I. Joe, and some TF. Anyway, there was a lot that was broke or missing, and all was very dirty, but it was a treasure trove none the less. I worked out a good deal with him, and picked it all up from him. I then went to work sorting, cleaning and working to repair things. One good thing was that most of his collection picked up at about the end of mine. He is a few years younger than me, so that makes since I guess.

Anyway, getting back to the story, I really had a lot to work with, and was able to get parts and pieces to replace lost and broke ones online, mostly on eBay. One of my biggest wins was the '88 G.I. Joe Rolling Thunder. I cleaned it up and pieced back together an almost complete and awesome vehicle. Getting sidetracked again....

Finishing out this story and the reason for this post, he had a Desert Fox in that collection as well. It was overall in good condition, but was missing a couple of small pieces I didn't get too worried about at the time. What did bother me though, we the front wheel axle!! It has a special front axle that when unbroken and working right would cause the other wheel to turn when you turned the other. Unfortunately, the axle itself is a weird piece that sits on two pegs within the front hood area inside. If it is broken, not only does the functionality I mentioned not work, but also the wheel kind of fold out and dont sit right. His axle was broken, and that was exactly what it was doing, and it really started bothering me for some reason, once I had it cleaned up and on display. I took the steps then to do what I had done with other Joe parts and go online and try to find a replacement.

The thing I found with this is that I couldn't really find anything but on eBay, and on there 99% of sellers don't know, or don't care about this part. Most seem to have gotten it from someone else, and when any questions were asked, they couldn't answer them. I then resorted to buying in hopes I got the right and unbroken part. Unfortunately, the first 2 times I did this, I was unsuccessful, and I wound up with more pieces and no fixes. The good note is, I usually was able to get something from each person that made it not a total waste. Either a part that was missing in my original, or at least one that was in better shape. Finally, before the date of this post, I made a third purchase, and did get one with a good and unbroken axle. I pieced it all together, and I now have an awesome and flawless Desert Fox that is not missing any pieces. I even have a set of instructions/specs. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures yet, but below are links to the YoJoe site if there is any interest in seeing the vehicles mentioned. Also, as I mentioned, I have a number of extra pieces I have no interest in now. If you are reading this and have interest, let me know. I will likely let someone more or less have them if they would cover the shipping part of it....

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/88/desertfox/

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/88/rollingthunder/

Masterpiece Soundblaster

Managed to grab a Masterpiece Smokescreen to add to my Masterpiece collection. I have mixed feelings about him. He is cool, but I never really understood the character. Isn't he suppose to be Soundwave rebuilt and reborn? If he is just Soundwave in mind, why didn't he just continue to paint himself blue and remain Soundwave? Its not like his physical form changed... On another note, he came with Ratbat, which I have to admit, I was a little more excited about. I liked Ratbat in the old Marvel G1 comics. Thought it cool how he took on some Decepticon leadership on earth for a short bit.

Masterpiece Smokescreen

Close to Christmas, but I still managed to grab a Masterpiece Smokescreen to add to my Masterpiece collection.

Almost a year later... Masterpiece, etc.

Okay, so much for me making more post.... I admit it has been almost a year, which seems crazy to me. I guess I have really just been so busy. What has made me finally post something today, is that I got my Takara Masterpiece Bluestreak in the mail today from BigBadToyStore. I have to admit, while he is very cool, I have gotten a lot of other cool Masterpiece figures since my last post, so it is funny he broke the camels back. Well, thinking about it, he probably isn't the only cause. I also got an email today from the G.I.Joe and/or Transformers collectors clubs (I am a member of both, and not exactly sure which one the email originated from, with a message telling me I have been in a drawing, and have a chance to pick up the G.I.Joe/Transformer SD Comic-Con set. I have really wanted this set, and have almost succumbed to paying the outrageous prices that it sells for on eBay. It won't be cheap here, but much better than I have seen. I am excited to grab it. Below is a picture of it that was sent.

Getting back to Masterpieces, since that last post, I think I have picked up the following:

Acid Storm (Hasbro Toys R Us exclusive)

Sideswipe (all the rest are the Takara releases picked up from BBTS)

Tigertrack

Soundwave

Red Alert

Rumble and Ravage

Frenzy and Buzzsaw

Prowl

Bluestreak

A list with generic photos can be seen on my site. Masterpiece

There has also been many other G.I. Joe and Transformer items I have gotten, that I know I either don't have time to list all currently, or may forget. I will try to go back and post those soon. One think I will note is I have a lot of cool pictures and swag from back in August when I went to Universal Studios in Florida, and got to check out the Transformers ride. I will try to do a post/page just on that soon, as well as the other things. Hope to be back soon!

Huge update to my G I Joe/Transformer collections

Ok, I lied.  I said I would start catching up on my post/reviews/etc a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't delivered.  I guess that is really because things got really crazy after I posted that.  We had a Halloween party that took a lot of my time decorating and planning for, and then having it, and then taking it all down.  Also, there were many other things like yard work, doing things with friends, still trying to finish ElderScrolls Oblivion, etc.  But the biggest thing has been a huge addition to my Transformer/G I Joe collections, mostly G I Joe.

A friend of mine has been telling me for a while now that he had some of those old toys from his childhood in his parents basement, and when he found them, he would let me take a look and maybe buy some stuff off him.  Well, that happened a week or so ago, and when I went over to take a look, he had a ton of stuff.  As I said, mostly G I Joe, but some Transformers as well.  It was too hard to figure it all out, so I decided to make him an offer for all of it, and he took it.

What was cool about it all is this friend is a couple of years younger than me.  In the case of the G I Joes I really collected played with them from 82 to 86.  When I jumped off to be a teenager, was the time he started getting them.  His were mostly 87-90.  There was obviously some overlap/duplicates, but for the most part, it really just picked up from where I left off, which was cool.  In regards to Transformers, I already had over half of what I got from him, but it was cool to get some duplicates of some such as Metroplex.  Now I can display them in both robot mode as well as vehicle mode.  The coolest new additions for my Transformers is a complete Punch/Counter-Punch as well as some Autobot cassettes.

The collection condition itself was a bit rough.  For one, there was no organization hardly at all for things.  It was all mixed up everywhere, with things that weren't G I Joe/Transformers, and also parts of vehicles and figures were just everywhere, and not really with what they all belonged to.  At his place, I spent as much time as I could sorting all of this out, and taking it home in one of those huge Rubbermaid type tubs.  I may have missed some things unfortunately, but I tried my best.

That unfortunately was just the start.  Once I had them home, I have started using my spare time and  the internet to identify all the parts and figures, and put everything back together.  Again, that isn't the end though, because most everything was very dirty (both from him playing with them during childhood outside alot it seems, as well as just sitting in dust/dirt for over 20 years) and needed a lot of maintenance.  I have had to take most everything apart as much as I could, and really wash it all down, dry it, and then put it all back together.  I have only done the maintenance on a few of the vehicles so far, but the most notable one is the Rolling Thunder, a huge missile carrier vehicle from 88.  I have also had to tear apart each of the action figures, throw all the parts in a bowl of soapy water, scrub them down real good, and then put them back together with new waste bands I bought some time ago.  Tedious work, but fun at the same time I guess.  Very time consuming for sure, and I have a ways to go until completion.  I will try to post updates of my collection with all of this, as well as maybe some photos, but as anyone who follows this blog knows, I suck at keeping up, so don't hold your breath....

Now I will try to do an anime review or two, as I know I am way behind on those.

Site/Collection updating Pt 2

The last couple of days I have updated the following Autobots including finally adding pictures for Jetfire and Kup:

Hoist
Hot Rod
Jetfire
Kup



Stay tuned for more updates....

Fortress Maximus

I finally got it today, so I can now officially post it. I finally got the unreachable Transformer for me, Fortress Maximus. I have wanted him so badly over the many years I started working on my Generation 1 collection. With a little bit of luck, and saving I finally got one though I admit that as of this post, he is far from complete. I got him on eBay missing many parts, but as soon as I won the auction, I immediately started getting the parts that are missing that I could afford. I got some of the parts I ordered for him yesterday, before I even got him today. When I did get him today I added the parts I got, and will continue to do so as they come in, and my budget will allow me to purchase more. At this point, I have purchased all of the parts that make his main body complete, with the one exception being his radar dish. With any luck, I can get it in a few weeks, and then I will proceed to work on getting his other missing parts, namely his large rifles, and then new stickers for him, and finally the parts needed for gasket/grommet. As I said in my previous post, I am really working to get my collection pages current, so I really feel I can say with certainty that I should be keeping his page updated as I go. I will try to keep this blog updated as I proceed.

Site/Collection updating

Lately, I have realized that when I have been updating this site, it is unfortunately not with the most important parts, which is my actual Transformer collection. That is a shame really because it is suppose to be the focal point of my site, and has really been needing it from when I started it as a class project many years ago. That being the case, I am trying to rededicate myself to making my site better, primarily by cleaning up my collection pages so they are better formatted with pictures, have the correct pictures, have the pictures taken nicely from my collection instead of eBay pictures if there are pictures at all, and also update my personal descriptions, which in most cases out dated since I have added to many figures. I already took a lot of pictures last night and already updated the following Autobots:

Arcee
Bluestreak
Blurr
Fortress Maximus
Grapple
Ironhide


Stay tuned for more updates. They will take a while, but I do plan to really work on them and not let this fade away as in times past...