Ebay quests and a bit more display organization...

My wife basically gave the go ahead to pick out my own Christmas presents by buying a fair amount of TF stuff on ebay (this is after Tarantulus and Armada Optimus).

I haven't won any of these new auctions yet, but a few I'm currently winning and definitely intend to win include:

One auction with both MISB Universe Battle in a Box Ultra Magnus & Treadshot and Battle in a Box Smokescreen and Ransack

MISB Beast Wars Transmetal II Megatron

MISB Beast Machines Megatron

MISB Beast Machines Ultra Jetstorm

MISB Armada Thundercracker

MISB City Commander add-on kit

MISB Classics Dirt Digger Mini-con team

MISB Beast Machines Strika


First off, the double BIAB auction is really all about the Ultra Magnus in that set. One of the first modern "white Optimus" repaints, it's the deluxe "Supercon" Optimus Prime mold from Armada (along with a slightly repainted version of Over-Run, Supercon Prime's mini-con). I already have this mold twice over - the original Optimus Prime version and the Nemesis Prime repaint. However, these two sets were only released in certain stores (like Kohl's, I'm told), but I never saw them. I don't particularly care about the other three (really six, if you count the mini-cons) toys in the set - I'll probably at least sell the Smokescreen/Ransack set (Ransack in particular is a pretty half-baked repaint) and maybe give Treadshot/Nightbeat to my youngest cousin (of ROTF theater fame) for Christmas.

Transmetal II Megatron is there mostly because A) this is the lowest I've ever seen it MISB and B) Megatron collecting. I only have a few BW Megatron toys - the new-mold BWX version, the TRU exclusive remolded BWX version, and...I think that's it. Well, green Megabolt, if he counts. No Gatortron, no Transmetal Megatron (I'll probably wait to get the more structurally sound Japanese version), no TM II Megatron. It's apparently a great figure, and this version is more affordable than the blue Cryotek release. I'm also bidding on the much smaller and inferior Beast Machines version, although I have a very low max bid for that one. The cape mode is compelling, what can I say? Oh, and I was bidding on the RiD Megatron Megabolt too, but it's too expensive for me now. Damn.

Ultra Jetstorm because the jet mode looks badass and he looks much more like TV Jetstorm that either BM deluxe versions. I have the deluxe mold twice already anyhow, as Universe Skywarp and RiD Stormjet (i.e. BM Jetfire). MISB because all loose versions have terrible chrome flaking problems, as this one eventually will.

Armada Thundercracker because I have Armada Starscream and Skywarp. This is one of thsoe that I should have picked up in the store in 2003, but didn't have the interest at the time. And for some reason, "Zapmaster" as a name was a real non-starter for me.

I will very likely not win the City Commander set. Right now the auction's price is about 1/8th of what it selld for normally. I don't expect that to last. But I'd like to get it.

Dirt Digger team because Dirt Rocket (the motorcycle) broke a few months back. His arm came off and there's no fixing it. I guess I can try to sell off the other two.

BM Strika because we're not getting an Animated version. Plus, she looks better than Nemesis Strika and the more expensive BWR Strika.

I was also bidding on the old Wal-mart exclusive RiD "Yellow" Landfill set, but I'm not willing to spend over a certain amount for it. Why do I want this third, monochromatic version of these four toys? Because yellow Wedge looks even more like Bumblebee than regular ol' orange Wedge does. See, I decided a while back that, just as how Armada Sparkplug may as well be UT Bumblebee, RiD Wedge has enough design and personality traits in common with G1 BB to be his multiversal analogue. Which leads me to our next part...

This summer, I posted pics of my collection, showing of my Prime, Megatron, and Starscream collections. Well, now I also have smaller Bumblebee, Jetfire, and Soundwave collection displays.

In the Bumblebee corner, we have ROTF Human Alliance BB (with Sam, of course), RiD Wedge (maybe to be replaced with the yellow verison someday, as noted above), Classics BB (with Wave Crusher on), Animated Activators BB, Animated Legends BB (Target exclusive version), Universe Legends G1 BB, Keychain Reissue G1 BB, Allspark Battles Legends BB, ROTF Legends BB, Corona Sparkplug, Robot Hereos G1 BB, and Robot Heroes ROTF BB (the action pose one). (Movie Concept Camaro Deluxe BB, 70s Camaro BB, and RH BBs (normal and raising the Allspark versions) are still with the main ROTF/Movie display).

For Jetfire, we have: Armada Jetfire, Classics Jetfire, RiD Storm Jet (BM Jetfire to me), Titanium Series War Within Jetfire, Animated Jetfire, Energon Skyblast (Skyfire, an alternate cartoon name for G1 Jetfire), and Robot Masters R-Blade (G2 Jetfire repaint in G1 colors). ROTF Leader Jetfire is still hanging with most of the ROTF Decepticons (he looks like the Fallen's bouncer right now...) and the two legends ROTF Letfires are in the Movie/ROTF Legends display.

Soundwave: TRU Exclusive Classics/Commemmorative Series G1 Soundwave (w/Ravage & Laserbeak both in his chest, Laserbeak is the visible one), Universe Soundwave, Cybertron Soundwave w/Laserbeak, Cybertron Legends Soundwave, Animated Soundwave w/Laserbeak, Animated Activators Soundwave, and Robot Heroes G1 Soundwave. ROTF Soundwave is, like ROTF Jetfire, hanging with The Fallen and Co.

I hope to add ROTF Battlefied Bumblebee and Infiltration Soundwave to the display soon, not to mention Animated Electrostatic Soundwave w/Ratbat (as keytar!) and ROTf Legends Soundwave.

Battlefield Bumblebee is a real Frankenstein's monster of a toy - the battle-helmet head of 2008 Stealth/Premium Bumblebee, the legs of 2007 Concept Camaro Bumblebee, and the torso adn arms of ROTF Cannon Bumblebee, only very slightly repainted. The one thing I don't like about him is that the chest/grille doesn't "deform", but it will help differentiate him from my other two Movie deluxe BBs.

Both Infiltration and Electrostatic Soundwaves are Soundblaster homages. Which is nice, becaue we've never gotten a US-release Soundblaster, much less Soundblaster homage (Cyb. Soundblaster was Japan-only, and Titanium Soundblaster w/Ravage was cancelled) before. And, you know, keytar Ratbat. ROTF Legends Soundwave is a bit beefier than normal, but he looks to have a neat transformation and decent satellite mode, so I'll be getting him.

Update: Ok, so far, I've only won TM II Megatron and Armada Thundercracker. I lost out on BM Megatron, the BIAB sets, Jetstorm, the City Commander kit, and Strika. Luckily, I found asecond auction for BIAB Magnus & Treadshot, and it (so far) costs much less than the other would have (and it's from the same seller as TM II Megatron, so he can ship them together if I win the new auction.

However, I also hedged my bets on Thundercracker - I've got another auciton going for him, but it' s low in price and my max bid isn't high either; I'll let myself lose that one.