TFCC Exclusives Gallery

As an accompaniment to this week's TFSource Blog article on TFCC/TFSS Club exclusives that I own and love, here are the images from that article in much higher resolution for those that appreciate these gorgeous repaints. Not all of them, of course, just Cheetor, Chromedome, Barricade, Circuit and Jackpot.

New Arrivals - October 2014

Mercifully haven't done one of these posts for a while as they were literally taking over the blog, and October has been much slower in terms of arrivals which again I am pleased with, but here's a quick run down of what's new. In this first picture you can see a number of figures already reviewed on this blog like Human Alliance Leadfoot, KO Animated Activators Lockdown and the wonderful die cast KO Activators Bumblebee, but also a sealed Takara Tomy Animated Electrostatic Soundwave, sealed Hasbro Animated Rodimus Minor and sealed Hasbro Animated Ironhide (none of which are sealed any more) and Hasbro Animated Skywarp.

TFCC Barricade

Officially. One. Of. The. Best. Repaints. In the history of repaints. And that is all it is, there is no fancy new head sculpt or re-modeled bodily or vehicular features, the Transformers Collector's Club Barricade of 2014 is a straight-up repaint of Beast Hunters Prowl, itself a retool of Beast Hunters Smokescreen. The Collector's Club re-imagined the figure as Barricade and I have rarely seen a mould re-purposed with such success. I wrote on the TFSource Blog a few weeks back Why Repaints were bought by collectors, and Barricade is the finest example of how some paint and re-purposing can elevate a great figure to an exceptional figure.

New Arrivals - Mid-September 2014 (Part 2)

Hmmm, lots of things still in the post and long past their estimated arrival date. But let's focus on what did arrive, and both of them were wonderful- and neither of them things that would have remotely registered on my radar even 6 months ago, let alone a year ago. Both arrivals take me one step further towards the full variant and mould completion of the sculpts in question, but at least they're both excellent items in their own right instead of just helping to make the whole more complete.

New Arrivals - Early September 2014 (Part 2)

For some reason packages are taking much longer to arrive, but the good thing is that whatever arrives allows me time to photograph properly with its mould mates. At the moment I am all about mould completion. This chapter on arrivals includes the Beast Hunters Smokescreen/Prowl deluxe mould, the Minicon Six Speed mould, FOC Data Discs and Animated Starscream. 

New Arrivals - Early September 2014 (Part 1)

There is currently nothing more enjoyable and thrilling in the Transformers hobby for me than taking a blind chance on relatively recent toys I've never seen or owned from unfashionable lines at collector-clear-out prices, sent carefully to my by conscientious collectors and finding out that they are very good or even great. Having very nearly completed TF Animated, I'm in the process of discovering TF Prime, Beast Hunters and various ROTF/DOTM figures I missed. The Human Alliance Roadbuster you see above from DOTM just so happens to be one of those great undiscovered - or rather un-purchased - gems.

Protectobot Streetsmart Quickie

Here are a few pictures of the upcoming Hasbro Transformers Protectobots Emergency Response "Streetsmart", once upon a time known as "Streetwise", back when G1 Protectobots made some big fellow named Defensor. This toy will be released with a repaint of TF Prime Robots In Disguise Ratchet as "First Aid" and a repaint of Cyberverse Arcee as "Groove". Streetsmart himself is a repaint of the Beast Hunters Prowl mould - itself a later version of Beast Hunters Smokescreen. The set is believed to be due for release in mid-September 2014.

Mould Completion (New Arrivals - Late August 2014)

A superb weekend of deliveries, both postal and in person, from friends and strangers. The theme is most definitely mould completion and variants from Transformers Animated to Prime, FOC and Generation 1. Variety is what it's all about when it comes to keeping the hobby fresh, but the fact is I already own every mould featured in this post. A leopard cannot change its spots, eh?

Transformers in Iceland 2014

Another summer in Reykjavik, Iceland, and another tour of the local Transformers haunts that have become my sole link to the hobby when I spend time with the in-laws on this bizarre island in the North Atlantic. In the past I've seen American import movie figures, Animated and other such modern goodies that stores here in the UK could only dream of. The main source of good TFs in Iceland is the collector's store Nexus, and I interviewed Svenni who runs the place for TFSource a couple of years ago here. The main supermarket chain Hagkaup occasionally has items of interest (Premium series 2007 Movie) but for a few years their selection has been poor, and Toys 'R' Us Reykjavik even moreso, and that's to say nothing of the astronomical prices. Here's my summary of what I found in July/August 2014 in Iceland.

New Arrivals - Mid August 2014 (Part 2)

When I started this blog I did not expect to be posting "Oh look what I just bought" segments every bloody day, and I still don't expect it to continue in that vein. For now though, it's what is dominating my hobby time, especially as I am constantly looking at moulds and toy lines I had ignored up to 2 months ago. Almost every direction my collection is going in right now is a result of toys people have placed in my hand and said "I dare you to hate that". This is the result. 

New Arrivals - Mid August 2014 (Part 1)

Another chapter in the conveyor belt of new arrivals in August. I'm really not wasting any time blasting through Transformers Animated, and I've started on Transformers prime and Beast Hunters - although very select moulds. There is a mix of BotCon and online purchases in this installment. Chronological order has gone out the window as I cannot recall what arrived when, or with what. I just know what I haven't pictured yet! Yeah, real healthy way to go about my collecting. Beats waiting 14 years for a Joustra Diaclone Sunstreaker though, eh?

New Arrivals - Early August 2014

It's been so long since my last post (end of holiday in Iceland, crisis of collecting faith, Auto Assembly) that I'm no longer sure what toys arrived when, but I've got some pictures so it's easy enough to cobble together an update! I've got a post coming where I will show what was available in Iceland in terms of Transformers at retail, then something on Auto Assembly 2014, so between these posts hopefully nothing will fall through the cracks, neither on the blog nor in my actual collection.