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.

Human Alliance Roadbuster

One of the "Wreckers" from Dark Of The Moon, Roadbuster's Human Alliance incarnation is obviously far more detailed and impressive than the fiddly little flimsy deluxe that I have as well. While I don't feel the engineering and quality of the toy quite of the absolute highest order like Jazz, Barricade, Bumblebee, Skids and Sideswipe, he is definitely worthy of the HA tag despite a lack of proper ankle articulation to take posing to the next level. Transformation is complex and frustrating at first, especially back to vehicle mode, but once you know what to look out for it's fun indeed. There are new features to discover every time for those who didn't get instructions with theirs, and the vehicle mode has a wonderful "oh yeeeeahh baby!" effect when you first hold it. More on Roadbuster soon, epic purchase for $12.

Protectobot Emergency Response "Streetsmart"

Looks a LOT like Prowl

As featured here yesterday, I also received a production sample of the as-yet-unreleased Protectobot Streetsmart from the Emergency Response 3-pack coming in mid-September along with First Aid and Groove. This was about £11 shipped so again a total bargain with free shipping from everyone's favourite Chinese factory sweeper - and I don't mean cleaner. Unlike some of the other stuff they usually send out, Streetsmart was in perfect working order, complete, unblemished and rather awesome. As I said yesterday though, maybe not different enough from Prowl or Smokescreen for most, I suspect folks will buy the set on the strength of the "First Aid" repaint of TFP Ratchet or because of the "Protectobot" name. They're not all nutty mould completists like me.

RTS Jazz - G2 colours

Woof!

TFW member Wolfdawg, you sir are a legend. Not only did he do me a MOSC Animated Arcee for $20 and a HA Roadbuster for $12, but he also threw in a mystery figure for free which turned out to be a Generations..uh..Reveal the Universe.. Chug-a-lug....look it's a G2 Jazz from the RTS Jazz mould. People like Brr-Icy have repeatedly said this is a fantastic toy, but after handling one recently at Auto Assembly it paled in comparison to deluxes like ROTF Lockdown, Generations and TF Prime Wheeljack and virtually all of Animated. I can't deny, though, that he looks the business in robot mode so many homages to G1/G2 Jazz that it's almost offensive. Transformation is super simple but can get messy with the feet, posability is top drawer and the head sculpt is gorgeous. I revise my initial distaste, but it's not the best deluxe ever. Sorry Bryce, sorry Morg.

Finally we have a gorgeous sealed Hasbro TF Animated Arcee. Of the leader, deluxe and voyager class moulds for Transformers Animated this was the only one I did not yet own. In fact, once I get an Activators Megatron that will be me mould complete on Animated even down to the Activators and Legends class toys. Damn, that happened fast.