I've wanted to sticker up a Generation 1 Hound for absolutely years, ever since I discovered an error with his vintage (and subsequent reissue) stickersheet. I've owned a Ceji Joustra Diaclone Jeep (European pre-G1 Diaclone Hound, effectively) for almost two decades now, but I haven't had a Transformers Hound for even longer than that, but I finally plugged that hole this year and was able to use the above Takara TF Collection reissue from 2004 to apply the stickers how I believe they were always intended to be applied. I fully believe that a vast majority of G1 Hounds out there today are incorrectly stickered as a result. Yes, it's another one of THOSE articles.
Courtesy of Botch The Crab |
"The stickersheet for Detritus is similar to Hound’s in that every sticker has an equivalent...or so I thought. When actually looking for official pics of Detritus and comparing it to his character art, there were many ambiguities and some stickers simply did not fit in the orientation suggested by the instructions."
Courtesy of Botch The Crab |
Courtesy of Botch The Crab |
"With the G1 Hound stickersheet, amazingly, I had the same problem. Sticker #10 on the Hound sheet is a 2-part silver rectangular strip...If you look at Hound’s sticker application map, there is no mention of #10. Hilariously, looking on Google and eBay, I found used Hound stickersheets with only sticker #10 remaining on the sheet! Looking more closely at the instruction book seen above, I noticed in the transformation images, sticker #10 could be seen applied to Hound! There they were, on the sides of his waist. Interestingly, the Detritus sticker that corresponds to this, the one also not mentioned in the Detritus sticker application map, is actually one long strip. I had to manually split it in two in order to apply one half to the left side of his waist, and one to the right."
e-Hobby Detritus |
My incorrect assumption was that it was just an error for the Detritus stickersheet, but I see now on this reissue TFC Hound that it too has a single piece sticker for #10, it too was left unsplit! I don't believe the vintage Hound sticker #10 is split either, which once more explains why so many vintage Hounds simply do not have that correctly applied, or applied at all!
But, sticker #10 on the Diaclone stickersheet...
Diaclone Jeep J59 stickersheet |
Ceji Joustra Diaclone Jeep |
Ceji Joustra Diaclone Jeep |
Interestingly, the Takara 2004 TF Collection reissue Hound instructions have those same side-on photos of the vehicle mode with sticker #10 applied, but they actually indicate on the transformation images that you should apply #10 there, so there's a good chance some collectors out there took it upon themselves to remove it from the sheet, manually cut it in half, and apply to the sides of the waist. The problem is, the orientation shown on those images (and the '84 instructions) is incorrect.
Evidence, you say?
Courtesy of necronomitron |
Courtesy of necronomitron |
Courtesy of Shakiraisabel |
Courtesy of Immo de Maar |
In the absence of a Diaclone Jeep instruction sheet, the above stock images and art come from sources such as original TVKun Diaclone Car Robots adverts, the Japanese Diaclone box, and the Diaclone campaign prize cards. The latter is, of course, the basis for the G1 Hound boxart. The sticker on the side of the waist is hard to see at the best of times, but it consists of 4 yellow/black rectangles and a red capsule shape, all in a row. The Transformers instructions show the red capsule being placed nearest the front of the waist, but all the Diaclone literature and art show it being the 4 rectangles that are closer to the front of the waist, and the red capsule shape being towards the back of the waist.
So, I cut that sticker #10 in half and did Hound as a Diaclone.
It doesn't end there for Hound's stickers, though. There's a little more. Stickers #14 and #15 go on Hound's forearms/wrists, but both the vintage and reissue Transformers instructions tell you to put #14 on his right forearm, and #15 on the left. This is incorrect, and will end up causing those L-shaped stickers to sit in a way that does not cover the length of the forearm, as well as causing an ill fit around the wrist. Detritus has the same issue, too, by the way. What you see above and in Diaclone imagery shows the correct orientation for those wrist/forearm stickers.
In general, G1 Hound is a very tricky toy to sticker, not just because of the historically incorrect instructions for Transformers release, but just because of how the stickers themselves are cut and where they need you to place them. The Autobot stickers for the top of the head and centre of the crotch are too big for the space they're intended for, so there's always overhang. The 'doors' have gaps moulded into them, so a fair amount of the sticker #16 pair is not attached to anything at all, they just sit there in clean air begging to suffer wear and damage. They also needed trimming to fit onto the moulded space. Others needed folding across multiple surfaces, and that's to say nothing of the rubsign whose top right corner sticks out over where the robot head emerges, taking a flick every time Hound transforms.
Maz
@tfsquareone
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