GoBots thread

[Gomess]

No point in writing about characters/settings that ain't yours.

Yes, Dom, we've been over the fact you're a Rick James-level freak before. Now get back to customising action figures you didn't create.

It's interesting Gobots hasn't had a more overt revival, since a lot of TF fans seem to have a- sometimes even just ironic- appreciation for them. Maybe Habsor just hasn't noticed, so the most they're willing to do for now is the odd repaint.

[Dominic]

In terms of toys, at this point, what would new "GoBot" figures offer? They would be toys representing characters that shift between 2 or more forms...kinda like "Transformers". Yeah, movie Fracture (Crasher with a copyright friendly name) is a reference to GoBots. But, I cannot think of any official context that the character has to link to to "GoBots" or that describes here as having an organic brain.

In terms of story content, the people who are a) really interested in keeping "GoBots" going and b) in a position to do something about it are the guys who almost seem to need the "victory" of Transformers over GoBots to be memorialized forever. So, we get GoBots showing up and dying stupidly because, uh, it is cool. We get "the GoBot timeline was over-written by the Transformers comic timeline" because, ya get it, "Transformers" over-shadowed GoBots in the 80s. Ohohohohohoho. (Side note: Willis has made comments to the effect that the old Marvel comics were his favourite iteration of TF. Funny how the Fan Club stories written by his buddies have the Marvel timeline over-writing GoBots.....)

Now get back to customising action figures you didn't create.

I will address this more fully later.

Dom
-actually find Tux a little disturbing, like "Mrs. Havisham is still wearing that wedding dress after how many years" level disturbing.

[Gomess]

Anyone actually have any chrome-flaking, loose-limbed but miraculously intact Gobots they wanna share pictures of? I've got a bunch, including some extremely beat-up ones, but I probably won't get a chance to photograph them 'til next week.

And I'd bet anything that our Gobots are still in better condition than our G1 (bought in the actual 80s, obv.) TFs.

[Dominic]

Any Gobots that I have are buried in a storage box that I cannot get to, and not likely presentable. (They likely survived my pack-rat years, and were buried before purging became a habit.)

I take your point about them likely being in good condition though. The toys were generally better engineered and made than TFs. But, as I am sure Shockwave will point out, there is also probably selection bias. If we are fans of "Transformers", our "Transformers" toys would have gotten more use/abuse than our "Gobots" toys back in the day.


Dom
-"...had use and abuse by a raging bull moose..."

[Gomess]

Also, part of the reason they're so durable was the brick-like, inarticulate design that was prevalent amongst the Bandai toys, at least. Tonka got a little bit more experimental once they started making them themselves.

...I really want to buy some old Gobots, now. Anyone wanna get rid of theirs?

[Dominic]

I can check around local stores. What is your tolerance for condition? Ebay might also be an option for you.


Now, are you saying that GoBots had a durability advantage for being less articulated than those oh so posable TF figures form the mid 80s? Wow, to think that Windcharger was doomed by all of that hyper-dynamic articulation. Just think how many Brawn figures would not have broken if they had just a few less (meaning none) points of articulation. Boy oh boy, that TF fragility was a high price to pay for all of that great articulation we had back in the day. I tell ya, as fragile as G1 Bluestreak was, it was all worth it for that super duper articulation! Just look how dynamic G1 Jazz is! You can almost get his arms to look good while pointing his rifle forward.

I am thinking that Bandai just did a better job of things than Hasbro.


Dom
-wants GoBots too....

[Gomess]

Windcharger had four points of articulation. That's twice as many as Crasher, not counting her ability to look down her own shirt.

If you see Spoons or Flytrap anywhere, let me know. Oh, or the double-decker bus one, but that's unlikely. I love the innocuous ones. TF's endless streams of generic sports cars and fighter jets is part of the reason I stopped caring about those toys.

[Dominic]

I may have seen the forklift locally. But, the condition was iffy. I can call the store and get a price quote if you like. But, I cannot guarantee that it will be worth the cost, (especially given what shipping is likely to be).

And, there is local dealer who has a *really* good selection of 80s toys. But, he knows full well what he has and is an unapologetic scalper. (In his defense, this is how he pays his bills, so high prices are necessary for him.)

Dom
-agrees about low profile modes. So does Bay....

[Gomess]

True, I'd like the Bay movies much more if the main cast turned into vending machines and phones and beds. Unfortunately, such things must be relegated to comic relief.

Tom Hanks was wrong in Big. Robots disguised as buildings is a great idea.

Looking at more of (the apparently British?? LIKE ME) Counter-X's site, I really can't believe some of the names Gobots got away with. Bad Boy? BAD BOY?

I still remember getting Fairchild Robo (the erstwhile Bad Boy, Machine Robo style) as a kid. It's testament to how fascinated I was by him that I paid no attention to any books in the bookshop I was in after getting him. His transformation still occasionally baffles me to this day. Anyone ever cracks a joke about how simplistic Gobot transformations are, give 'em Fairchild Robo.

Oh, and Mr. Moto. Presumably he was given a Peter Lorre voice in the cartoon. Or better yet, a Japanese Peter Lorre voice. That would've been incredible. No, there's no way they can live up to how that sounds in my head.

[Mako Crab]

I used to have both Spoons and Flytrap. Lost them in a move, unfortunately. And as long as we're talking about durability, I broke my Blaster in mid-transformation before we had even left the Toys R Us parking lot. Durability, my ass.