My Daughter's New Recruits

For those of you who read my post on My Daughter's Transformers, you'll be thrilled/horrified to know she's added more troops to the roster, through no choice of her own! Her growing collection of Transformers is fueled by inspiration that lies somewhere between her fascination with certain members of my collection and her father's need to collect vicariously as his own activity has ground to something of a halt recently. Here then, is the result.

2002 BotCon Europe and BotCon US exclusive keychains and a Hasbro reissue

As she had previously shattered the leg on her Fun4All-made keychain Rook, a grey and black Windcharger repaint exclusive to BotCon Europe 2002, I had always planned to get her a replacement. Its freak demise was quite a shame and seeing how well she's cared for her other keychains, I replaced it, and added the BotCon 2002 repainted Cliffjumper keychain "Tap Out" to her toys as well. I'm still after a cheap Glyph keychain for her. The Hot Rod reissue was bought because she always loved my C-78C Crystal Rodimus, and because I think it's child-friendly enough with supervision, plus it's dawning on me just how high up the "Best G1 TF Ever" league table it sits.

"Rook", "Tap Out" and "Rodimus Major (Hot Rod)"

Rook and Tap Out were extremely kind gifts from Paul "The Spacebridge" Hitchens, and the Hasbro reissue Hot Rod was bought MISB for a mega bargain of £17 shipped off eBay. It was promptly unsealed, as were the keychains, and handed to my daughter who fell in love at first sight with all three, especially Tap Out. Who she will not let me transform or display as a robot. I am a little funny about the toys I've given her, if they don't come from my childhood collection I insist on her having brand new items that we unseal together. I don't tend to give her second-hand opened Transformers. Do you think I should apply the stickers to Hot Rod or leave as is? Can't decide.

"They're all friends!"

So this is her collection in its entirety now, Generations Wheeljack which was gifted to me and then my daughter (thank you Paul Vromen!), Hot Rod, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper keychains (thank you Morg!), Tap Out, Windcharger keychain (Thank you Martin Lund!) and Rook. It's obvious that my own variant mentality is colouring the items that she gets, but the fact that they are either gifts or mega cheap is keeping me in check. I keep saying it and it's true, I don't need or actively encourage her to like Transformers. If I'm honest, completely honest, sometimes it helps and is nice to play with toys we both have a love for.

Powermaster Optimus Prime and Masterpiece Optimus Prime

Having said that, there are two items she goes crazy for, and that's "Big Optimus" (Hasbro Masterpiece Optimus Prime and its Matrix which she loves) and "Small Optimus" (Powermaster Prime WITH OPENING REAR TRAILER DOORS!!!!) which she often gets to play with as a reward for good behaviour or milestones in her learning. And on other occasions which don't make me sound quite the model parent (read: bribery)!

PM Prime freestyle base mode

It's through her eyes that I truly understand the success and toy qualities of items such as Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, Throttlebots, Powermaster Prime and all of those Transformers which made no sense to me as a collector. The interactivity of PM Prime and Hi-Q with the minibots and all the attachments (which are never referred to as "guns") is something I appreciate more now than I believe I ever did as its childhood owner. Helps that she knows about the rear trailer doors..

No Decepticons allowed

All the best

Maz