Fun with money...

It's been a long time since I updated. However, I have managed to pick up quite an number of transformers since then, largely due to Christmas (big thanks to my wife, parents, and in-laws!).

However, my TF buying is going to have to be more infrequent for now. I was trying to maintain a budget of $50 a month, but now I'm having to shoot for even less. For example, the only thing I'll be buying in February will be Universe Dinobot - a mere ten dollars. Ah well.

I did manage to pick up the new Animated Jetfire/Jetstorm set about two weeks ago, and got it for only $15, too. They're both a lot of fun, and a bit different from most other TFs, too.

I'm getting terribly excited for the new movie line, especially the Devastator figure. It's supposedly around 2 feet tall and about $100. That'll probably be a birthday thing at this point.

Longarm Prime

One week ago, i got Animated Shockwave in the mail. He's awesome.

Oh, and I found Crossovers TIE Bomber, too. He's ok.

Lots of toys...

OK, so I've gotten a lot of transformers this month. This is mostly due to me having some birthday funds in addition to the monthly amount I'll spend on toys. However, most of these transformers are particularly great, even the ones that I did not expect much from.

I've gotten:

Animated
-Sentinel Prime
-Swoop

Universe
-Sideswipe
-Ironhide
-Silverstreak
-Jazz
-Soundwave & Spacecase (old Universe line)

Crossovers
-Human Torch

And Animated Shockwave is on the way!

Only problem is that I had ordered Universe Legends Hound and gotten Megatron instead, who I had picked up in store at the beginning of September. So I have to repackage and return it via mail.

Animated core cast: complete!

I picked up Activators Bumblebee yesterday. I'd seen him on shelves for about two months now, but due to other characters having more interesting or exciting figures, I neglected the character all that time. The deluxe version has been available since June, and I've avoided that one still - no plans for it.

Activator 'Bee has turned out to pretty cool. Granted, it's basically a cheaper version of Classics 'Bee in the Animated aesthetic, but it still looks good next to Leader Bulkhead. Scale feels right with these two. And, along with Prowl, Ratchet, and Voyager Prime, I have rounded out the core Autobot cast! I really should pose them together.

Oh, and I gave up looking for Sentinel Prime and Swoop. They, along with Marvel Crossover Human Torch and Legends Jazz and Hound are on order from HTS. Which is pretty much my monthly budget. And it's only the 2nd.

Birthday round-up

Well here is what was obtained:

Animated Ultra Magnus did in fact come on Friday, and I went ahead and opened it then.

My wife did indeed get me Universe Onslaught.

And my parents came through with Titanium Grimlock and Prowl. This one in particular is good because they are exclusive to Toys R Us, which isn't close to here at all. Also, these toys are the size of a normal $10 transformer, but normally used to cost $15 due to the high metal content. These last two exclusive were being sold for $20 at TRU, meaning that I would have had to pay $40 for 2 10 dllar-sized toys. So go mom & dad. Dad also got me a new pocketknife since I lost mine in Ohio this summer, so I can now open TFs without hunting down the scissors. Yay!

Still trying to find Animated Sentinel Prime and Swoop, though. I checked 2 walmarts on the way home Sunday and they had about 3 Animated deluxes between them. That's one point against rural GA walmarts (especially since I have it on good authority that some even more rural walmarts do infact have these newer toys).

Birthday...imminent!

The B-day is fast approaching and this means that transformers are as well.

Here's the wish list so far:

From me:
Animated Ultra Magnus (from HTS, should arrive today)

From wife:
Universe Onslaught

From parents:
Titanium Series Grimlock & Prowl (TRU exclusives)

From in-laws (in the form of cash):
Animated Sentinel Prime & Swoop, if I can find them.

I will update later with what TFs actually come through.

Assessment

9/4/2008: This is a quick edit to update this lists with some recent purchases.


This has been a good summer for transformer collecting. I've gotten to see the winding down of the Movie toyline while at the same time see the launching of two of the best TF toylines in a long time: Animated and Universe. Oh, and the last gasp of the Titanium Series is now hitting certain shelves, too.

Since I haven't been updating much lately, I figured I post an assessment sort of update, talking about where I am in the current lines and what's coming up that I'm really looking forward to. So, here we go:

As stated, the two current lines are Animated and Universe. Animated came out a few weeks earlier, and is a true "mainline" in the tradition of Beast Wars, Robots in Disguise, and the entire Unicron Trilogy. Universe hit a few weeks later and has fewer molds available, mostly because it's intended to be a supplementary line.

So, what do I have from Animated now? Roll call!

Autobots:

Voyager Optimus Prime
Deluxe Optimus Prime
Battle Begins Optimus Prime
Grimlock
Leader Bulkhead
Activator Bulkhead
Prowl
Ratchet
Jazz

Decepticons:
Voyager Megatron
Battle Begins Megatron
Lugnut
Starscream
Blackarachnia
Lockdown
Soundwave w/Laserbeak
Oil Slick
Leader Megatron (added 9/4)

And for Universe:

Autobots:

Sunstreaker
Powerglide
Prowl (added 9/4)

Decepticons:
Legends class Starscream
Octane

So, that's where I stand. While I'd like to own just about each and every TF that's released, realistically that's not going to happen. However, there are many that I definitely want, come hell or high water:

Animated:

Megatron (leader class, hopefully for birthday)
Ultra Magnus (also hopefully for birthday)
Shockwave/Longarm Prime (due out by Christmas)
Snarl/Slag
Sentinel Prime
Swoop
Swindle (also Xmas)
Blurr (another Xmas release)
Activator Starscream and any of the repaints they do
Activator Bumblebee
Activator Optimus
Activator Cliffjumper
Activator Megatron
Skywarp (added 9/4)

Here are the also-rans that I wouldn't mind getting:

Shadow Blade Megatron (leader class repaint for Xmas)
Supreme Optimus Prime
Blazing Lockdown (repaint/remold)
Blitzwing
Stealth Lockdown (added 9/4)

As for Universe:

definites:

Acid Storm
Prowl
Sideswipe
Ironhide
Onslaught (b-day list!)
Silverbolt
Legends Megatron
Legends Jazz
Legends Hound
Springer/Ratbat

Also-rans:

Galvatron
Silverstreak
Stormcloud
Blades
Roadbuster/Dirge
Legends Onslaught