New Arrivals - Early December 2014 (Part 2)

Some great deals to be had in December, there always is. One of the best auctions I ever won was in Christmas week from Japan, and a very well-priced Ceji Joustra Battle Convoy on Christmas day. Not quite that order of magnitude to compare to this year, but at least the quality of the figures remains high. The Evolution 2-pack Evasion Mode Optimus Prime above, MP Bumblebee, a massively underrated Diaclone car variant, a 3rd party show exclusive that I can't believe I bought and a Megatron. A real, original, proper man's man Megatron.

In a lot from Finland including the Finnish Microman Browning I recently got (and sold), was a very nice blue Hiliux - or 'Blue Trailbreaker'. This would have been sold in Diakron packaging, but virtually identical to the GiG release and mould-wise, the Ceji Joustra Diaclone first release. It had fists too, and chrome was good enough for display, meaning an excellent bonus for an already happy lot. I may have sold a bulk of my Diaclone car variants, but it's always damn good to get a new variant colour pre-Transformer. Will this be for sale? More than likely, you don't sell both Police Countaches, Red Tracks, Black Skids, Yellow Trailbreaker and Red Hoist then suddenly start doing car variants again. Not until you know you have the will and FUNDS to do it right.

Masterpiece Bumblebee, is a masterpiece. It's genius how a deluxe-sized figure could be this posable (lack of wrist swivels aside) and complex. The transformation is...it just reminds me why Takara Tomy/Hasbro are the main providers of Transformers, and why 3rd Parties are still pretenders to the throne, keeping up close but rarely surpassing official product at its best. The Amazon exclusive battle mask is simply essential, it adds so much expression via the most featureless but meaningful face. This has been an excellent purchase, Wheeljack and Bumblebee have taken Masterpiece into the stratosphere.

Mastermind Creations Stealth Azalea, exclusive to an Asian toy show via The Falcon's Hangar. Initially massively sought after as it was actually the first release of the mould, even before the proper R-08 pink Azalea (Not Arcee). It then rocketed in price as the gotta-catch-em-all mentality of MMC and Fembot fans set in, my own included. Now it's a shade more reasonable and maybe those that really wanted it, have it. I hope the same thing happens to Asterisk Mode Azalea because it's the only one I'm missing. This mould is pure Marmite, though. I like it and have grown to accept its quirks and difficulties, to the point where it is a joy to own, the transformation a challenge, not a frustration once understood. I don't much like the fact that it has one reversed internal knee mechanism meaning it actually can't transform fully (hence no vehicle images), but MMC - as always - were bang on the case and a replacement leg is on the way. By the way, she's beautiful.

This is the enormously rare Mexican Revenge Of The Fallen "AxorLockdown" variant deluxe, taking the Axor colour scheme and retool of ROTF Lockdown, but keeping the Lockdown head mould in the blue colour of the rest of Axor's innards.

What? 

WHAT?

Steve Phiakkou is a painting genius. That is all.

Here's a gem, another Evasion Prime, but this time the Evolution 2-pack version that ought to accompany the blinged up chrome-legs Classics Prime release. I didn't need that, so I just bought Evasion off a friend and wow, it's sublime. It's not a faceplate version, it's not a G1 colour scheme, and there's no chrome or rusty paint...just a very well executed flame deco on what is turning out to be the official mould of the year outside of Masterpiece. 

As far as I can tell we have:

- Hasbro Evasion prime - red cab, silver stripe, no mouthplate

- Takara Advanced AD-12 Evasion prime - red cab, silver stripe, painted wheels and other bits, no plate

- Takara Rusty version - white with cheesecake rust deco, mouthplate

- Takara TF Expo con exclusive Nemesis Prime - black with teal, faceplate

- Evolution 2 pack version you see above

- United 5-pack version - Red cab, thinner stripe, mouthplate

- Platinum version - Chrome legs and bits, no mouthplate

- Breakout battle - Hasbro rusty deco slightly different white with rust, no mouthplate

- Lucky draw all chrome silver

- Lucky draw all chrome gold.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, finally, Takara 16 Megatron, leader of the Destrons. He's come in from the Netherlands from another friend. More on him later, but it's a great place to leave things:

A good mix this time, right?

All the best

Maz