COUNTDOWN: 5 more Generation 1 toys that were sadly never repainted

Despite repaints having since become a staple of many toy lines, and most notably Transformers, it’s surprising to consider that the vast majority of the classic robots in disguise toys were one and done during the series’ 1980s heyday.

Some of those have found newly-recoloured life in reissue lines of various kinds down the years, mind. Still, plenty of examples of original series Transformers designs were sadly only ever released in the one colour scheme. Today, we’re back for more of those, and why it’s a shame they never got another outing!

#5: Getaway

Last time, we mentioned 1988’s Slapdash as a toy that would have been all too wonderful to see, given another colour scheme along the way. However, the same is true of his Powermaster pal, Getaway! After all, with the final member of the trio, Joyride, having been released in a rather lush powder blue as Ranger in Japan, it’s a crying shame that such wonderful moulds were left as one and done. In Getaway’s case, it’s especially notable because the classic white release is notorious for yellowing, to the point where it’s almost impossible to find a truly pristine copy on today’s aftermarket. However, it’s also a design that arguably lends itself to being repainted, with its modified Mazda RX-7 vehicle mode the perfect candidate for a souped-up racing livery alternate deco of some kind. We’re imagining a black and gold number, perhaps, but whatever the case, I just want a Getaway!

#4: Snapdragon

Sticking with the original series’ mid-run heyday, here we have another of the super chonky ‘Master’ themed toys which continue to sit in the upper echelons of nostalgia for so many collectors even today. In the case of Snapdragon, it’s not hard to understand why, given the butter-smooth multi-configuration delight of jet to dragon monster to robot the design so effortlessly delivers. That the toy’s Nebulon partner so seamlessly integrates into every form is but the icing on the cake, proving without a doubt the designers of the time were truly cooking with gas. Yet the only real downside is that this figure never achieved repaint status because I genuinely believe you could whack it out in just about any other palette, and it would be equally worthwhile. Sure, the classic Decepticon hues are beautifully represented on the version we got but just imagine an accompanying release in dark blue and gold, for example. Sounds pretty snappy, eh?

#3: Ironfist

Released long before ‘Fistitron’ was ever a thing and IDW catapulted the character to fan-favourite status, the original toy debuted at a point where the name Ironfist was more synonymous with Marvel comics than anything else. Still, the little-known latterday Euro G1 figure is a true delight of the era, packing in the unique play value and possessing all of the chunky original series charm that was evident right up until the end in 1993, so perhaps it’s no surprise it inspired such a posthumous star turn down the line. The outrageously handsome tan, blue, and warm grey tones are noticeably different from the comic portrayal that followed, but it’s not hard to conceive of this figure in any number of equally eye-catching colour schemes. We’re thinking a military green deco complete with OTT ’90s camo could be fun, especially if you dialled up the saturation to truly achieve the style of the time.

#2: Punch/Counterpunch

Technically the most idiosyncratic triple changer of the era, this toy is notable for its dual robot forms alongside a single super stylish Pontiac alternate mode. It’s an alluring gimmick that honestly has never been truly bettered on any subsequent toy of the character, given how this 1987 original delivers it in such an elegant but effective fashion. The contrasting blue and orange colours also pack a non-pun-intended punch (there’s a reason the vast majority of movie posters from the last twenty-five years use these two tones above all else) and help the dual identities at the core of this design feel distinct from one another. Yet the toy is so fun and stylish that one can’t help but imagine what might have been with a second bite of the apple. We’re picturing a sleek grey instead of the blue, perhaps sporting go-faster red stripes for the car form, and then a cool crimson main body in place of the current orange. Any counter-proposals?

#1: Sludge

OK, I’m sort of cheating with this one because, as Transformers legend will testify, there was due to be a Sludge repaint debuting during Generation 2, delivering the classic Brontosaurus toy in red and blue alongside his fellow Dinobot brethren. Why the planned makeovers for him and Swoop never came to be is still unknown, but some since-released packaging art at least fills in the blanks of what might have been. Still, with Grimlock, Slag and Snarl all having dropped in varying hues, and the pre-Transformers Diaclone release of Swoop sporting an alternative blue versus his 1985 red, it leaves Sludge as the most monochromatic of the five and makes his lack of any repaint status feel all the more egregious. Even putting aside the second-generation suggestion for one moment, just consider all the wild ideas that could be delivered for this stunning toy design, and then perhaps you’ll agree with me it’s a true travesty how we only ever saw it in grey, red and black. Oh, what could have been!

So that’s our list! Which G1 repaints would you most like to happen?

TTFN