COUNTDOWN: 14 vintage Transformers toys on my TFN wishlist

It’s convention season, which means a heady combo of toys and hangovers is upon us!

Naturally, it’s the former that we’re focused on for today, as whilst some of the big-name USA cons have already taken place this year, here in the UK, we’re just now getting packed and ready for TFNation later this week! To say the excitement is palpable would be an understatement, especially as this is the first TFN in three years (because of some global event or other? Maybe you heard about it, IDK).

Anyway, there’s a lot to look forward to this year (especially with Triple Takeover putting in a panel appearance on Friday, plug plug!), but as ever, I can’t help but think about what might be lying in wait in the dealer room!

It’s been far, far too long since I had the opportunity to do a proper haul pic and I simply cannot wait to see what TFNation 2022 brings. pic.twitter.com/3jHxfC4EVU

— Sixo (@SixoTF) December 28, 2021

Previous years at TFN have allowed for some glorious and often unexpected finds, so my brain is already percolating about the various toys I hope to see this time. I’ve made ‘wants lists’ before, and whilst they rarely resemble the final result, it’s still fun to speculate and anticipate the haul ahead.

So here are the vintage Generation 1 and Generation 2 toys I’m keeping an eye out for, no matter how unlikely they might be!

#14: Brawn

Image credit: Transformerland

Let’s kick off with an easy one! Minibots are classic TFNation dealer room fodder, so a nice G1 Brawn specimen feels like a shoo-in to come home with. I’ve already picked up the likes of Seaspray, Beachcomber, Warpath and Powerglide in minty condition over previous years, so here’s hoping I can repeat that in 2022. I already have a Brawn in my collection, but despite being in otherwise perfect condition, there’s a small break on his one arm at the shoulder hinge, so a decent upgrade is needed. No doubt there’ll be plenty of copies on offer, but I’ll be looking to match or improve on the standard I already have besides that, though, which might be the only consideration here.

Odds of me coming home with one: 1/1

#13: Minispies

Image credit: Transformerland

These little fellas were pack-in bonus items with the first-year G1 Minibots re-released in 1985. They already heralded the birth of rubsigns in Transformers, so despite being primarily forgotten about now, they’re surprisingly significant in the franchise’s history. There were four distinct moulds, all available in white, blue and yellow, making for twelve basic variations, to begin with. On top of that, they’re each available with both factions on rubsign, and there are multiple variants of wheels and tyres out there, making for a whopping estimate of seventy-two potential differences in total! Yikes. Needless to say, I’m happy enough to have each of the moulds in the three colours, so in theory, this should be a relatively simple task, especially as I only need the Buggy and Jeep designs in blue and the FX-1 design in yellow. Again, the real question mark here will be condition – these things tend to be found rather beaten up and frequently discoloured beyond belief. If I can find them in excellent nick, though, I’m in.

Odds of me coming home with one: 4/1

#12: Kup

Image credit: Transformerland

I own a Targetmaster Kup already (well, the TF: Collection reissue, to be precise), but it’s a favourite toy of mine, and I have to admit I’m just about mad enough to want the original 1986 version on my shelf, too. Besides, I already have both releases of Hot Rod and Blurr represented, so this would be an excellent accompaniment to them, especially with that stripey red sticker in vehicle mode! I don’t foresee this being a significant challenge to find, but paint wear and sticker condition are going to be my primary concerns here.

Odds of me coming home with one: 5/1

#11: Cyclonus

Image credit: Transformerland

Similarly to Kup, I already own a Targetmaster Cyclonus, but given how much I adore this toy anyway, I definitely wouldn’t; say no to an original release! My ideal would be an early-run ‘blue-eared’ variant, but ultimately, a later copy in pristine condition would be hard to pass up, too, so let’s see! For that matter, I might even keep an eye out for a slight upgrade over my current Targetmaster copy whilst I’m at it! The main pitfalls here will be paint and stickers; otherwise, I don’t anticipate this one being too unexpected.

Odds of me coming home with one: 10/1

#10: Scourge

Image credit: Transformerland

Well, if you’re gonna look out for Cyclonus, eh? Yep, keeping on a theme, I already have a Targetmaster edition of Scourge, but the original would be a treat too. As with his partner, the 1986 figure isn’t exactly hard to come across, but it often pops up looking beat up beyond belief. Expect significant yellowing, stickers ripped off and major levels of overall wear. I’m not really counting on finding a supremely minty Scourge, but if I do, I’ll get right on it.

Odds of me coming home with one: 20/1

#9: Powermaster Optimus Prime

Image credit: Transformerland

Some might be surprised to learn that I don’t currently own a 1988 Powermaster Optimus Prime as part of my collection, but I’m generally always satisfied with the Takara God Ginrai equivalent. That diecast metal finish and the translucent cab windows are hard to ignore, after all! Yet I confess that it’s the Hasbro equivalent which arguably holds the more significant dose of nostalgia for me, especially as it was this toy that I grew up with (and it remains a personal favourite of mine to this day). It’s a prevalent figure by today’s standards, but for me to pick one up, it would need to be the perfect combination of quality and condition, making it too good to pass on.

Odds of me coming home with one: 30/1

#8: G2 Snarl

Image credit: Transformerland

Every time I swear I’m done with Generation 2 collecting, I remember some of the crazy variants out there that are just too good to ignore. I’ve been on a bit of a Dinobot hunt (eh?) for years, attempting to track down the various variants and obtain each mould in the three colours available. I’m left with two to go, the easiest of which is green Snarl here. It’s one I’ve looked at many times over the years, but I’ve yet to find a suitable specimen in the kind of condition I’m after. Could it happen at TFN?

Odds of me coming home with one: 50/1

#7: G2 Grimlock

Image credit: Transformerland

Like Snarl, there’s one last colour of Grimlock I need to complete my G2 Dinobot line-up. The only problem is that it’s the turquoise variant and is known for being a total bugger to find, especially in good condition! Whenever I see these, they’re always looking worse for wear, leaving me to want to wait for a nicer one to pop up eventually. I’m not counting on this one happening at the show, but who knows? Stranger things have happened!

Odds of me coming home with one: 100/1

#6: Astro Magnum

Whilst yes, this isn’t technically a Transformers toy, it’s so right up my alley that such a distinction isn’t one that I give two stuffs about. Yes, it’s the pre-TF grey release of Shockwave that I’m after, ideally in mint condition with no damage to the hose (unlikely), the battery cover intact and not broken (infrequent), and the stickers not being dog-eared (forget it). The chances of seeing this thing at TFN aren’t that unbelievable, but the likelihood of me finding it in the condition I want? I’m not counting on it.

Odds of me coming home with one: 150/1

#5: Goshooter

Image credit: Transformerland

I saw a nice Goshooter up for grabs at TFN 2017. After a thorough inspection and a lot of deliberation, I eventually put it back in the glass case and opted to pass. It was going for a great price and was in generally excellent condition overall, but it just had too much sticker wear for me to settle on it. I suppose that near miss has left his absence from my collection as a bit of a long-running personal saga, and one that I would be happy to conclude with a lucky find at TFN. I don’t see it happening, but I’ll keep an eye open all the same!

Odds of me coming home with one: 200/1

#4: Metalhawk

Image credit: Transformerland

I’m so nearly complete when it comes to Generation 1 Pretenders with just one notable exception… yet, it’s the head boy from the Masterforce line, Metalhawk. And look, it’s not like this toy doesn’t pop up – it does all too frequently! Yet it’s often knackered beyond belief or has prominent paint chipping to the shell, which is something I just won’t go for, personally. So, I’ll keep an eye out for this guy in mint condition, no matter how unlikely that may ever be!

Odds of me coming home with one: 300/1

#3: Minerva

Image credit: Transformerland

Goshooter isn’t the only Junior Headmaster I’m lacking, with Minerva being a glaring oversight on my shelves. This toy is the poster girl for rare and hard-to-find vintage Transformers toys, especially given how likely it is to have yellowed. It would also have to be going for a comparative song for me to even consider such a thing. We’re getting into the really extreme and highly unlikely territory now, but hey, one can dream!

Odds of me coming home with one: 500/1

#2: Artfire

Image credit: Transformerland

There’s something about Artfire which is just ridiculous, in my opinion. Let’s be honest; it’s a straight-up repaint of G1 Inferno with a Targetmaster. Nothing about that lends itself to being one of the most desirable and hard-to-find figures from the earliest years of the franchise, but here we are. I suppose it doesn’t help that, like a number of the toys listed here, it’s highly susceptible to yellowing, although in Artfie’s case, it’s pervasive for bits to be missing too. Chances of me finding a minty one for a reasonable price at TFN. Pffft, don’t count on it.

Odds of me coming home with one: 1,000/1

#1: Metrotitan

Image credit: Transformerland

G1 Metroplex is amongst my favourite toys from that era of the franchise, so naturally, this Japanese-exclusive white, blue and red repaint has always been something I have coveted. Of course, it harkens from the tail-end of JG1 and has since achieved levels of uber-desirability, but what can I say? I like a challenge! Again though, seeing one of these available at TFN (especially in top condition for fair money) seems like an absolute pipe dream. And yet, you never know…

Odds of me coming home with one: 1,500/1

So that’s our list! Let’s see how we get on this weekend… I’ll be sure to do a write-up of what I find and see how it compares!

TTFN