INTRODUCTION
It’s All About Perspective...
It’s 2015. The Combiner Wars are
upon us, in toy and comic form. Elsewhere, the new Robots in
Disguise cartoon and toys are filling in the remaining void.
A lot of the older fans love the CW stuff since it’s inspired by
G1 while casting aspersions upon RID, since it’s too “kiddie”
(imagine! Hasbro producing toys for kids! The nerve of them!)
For my two cents, both lines have their good
points. The RID toys seem a bit simpler in design but I feel this
is a good thing. Kids need stuff to buy that doesn’t take a degree
in design to be able to figure out (so do us big kids sometimes. A
few years back those Generations toys were getting pretty complex.
The last couple of years have gotten back to basic a bit more now,
which I appreciate). Also, some of the designs are cool. Drift,
Optimus, Strong Arm, Jazz–even Grimlock are neat looking (I feel
Bumblebee is a bit generic looking).
Generations this year has Combiner Wars. New
versions of Superion, Menasor, Defensor and even a Titan class
Devastator! We even have two new Leader Class Megatron toys (I
especially like the toy that looks like his G1 self but becomes a
tank).
On the fan side, there’s now two TFCons. The
original in Toronto and the one in Charlotte this fall (in
addition to the granddaddy of TF shows–BotCon in Chicago this
summer). Additionally, we have the usual deluge of third party
products available for those who want something different (and
likely pricier).
And IDW’s usual comic output–two regular series
and whatever other stuff (mini-series, TPBs, HC collections, etc)
they choose to put out for our entertainment.
As always, we’re drowning in TF product left
and right. Who can complain, right?
Well...
Leave it to the fan community to find
something. Last year, one of my BotCon roommies was complaining
how all of the product Hasbro put out was, er, crap (he made sure
the Hasbro guys knew it too). What was the problem? It was all too
kiddie and cheap. This year, people are complaining about Fun
Publications and their pricing and policies (which has been going
on for years, to be fair).
I admit I’m not too deeply mired in the drama
on the TF fan sites (I don’t have enough time as it is and don’t
want to waste time with more needless drama over toys). But if the
little bit I have been exposed to is any indication it’s amazing
anyone is ever happy with anything!
People, they’re toys! For kids! Lighten up
already!
Each year, there’s far more product out there
then anyone can collect (unless they’re rich and reckless with
their money). Simple toys, complex toys, comics, cartoons, video
games, merchandising... there’s something for everyone and we
should all be happy Hasbro is making enough money to bother
producing all of this great material for us to continue to enjoy.
We should be happy we can afford to spend out disposable income on
toys and the like. There are people in third world countries that
struggle day in and out to survive. They have the real problems.
Any one of them would be grateful to just have to worry about
whether or not some toy was the right way to suit them.
Be grateful for what we have in the here and
now. You never know when it could be gone...
Til All Are One!
Thunder
Transmasters Magazine. Issue #23, WINTER/SPRING 2015
REVIEW: Recent TF
toys (part one)
REVIEW:
Recent TF toys (part two)
REVIEW:
Recent TF toys (part three)
REVIEW:
Recent TF toys (part four)
REVIEW:
Recent TF toys (part five)
PROFLE:
Epsilon Pyrite (by Jay Gutzman)
PROFILE: Powerdasher Sunblaze
(by Jay Gutzman)
PROFILE:
Deathmark (by Jay Gutzman)
PROFILE:
Firebrand (by Jay Gutzman)
PROFILE: Nightstrike (by Jay
Gutzman)
PROFILE: Annihitron (by Jay
Gutzman)
PROFILE: Spincycle (by Jay
Gutzman)
Unless noted, this issue was produced by Tony "Thunder"
Klepack. Contributions for future issues are welcome and
encouraged!
(Some stock graphics were designed by Peter Phelps. Thanks
to him for his many efforts).
The TransMasters are a Non-profit club for and by
Transfans. All content appearing in this issue is copyright its
respective contributors and published with their permission.
The Transformers are Copyright and
Trademark 2015 Hasbro/Takara Tomy. All rights Reserved.
This publication is not affiliated with nor endorsed
by the above companies nor any of their licensees.
Magazine
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