1986 Hasbro toy catalog

[Optim_1]

The G1 Swoop toy did not come with a gun, one of the few boxed G1 toys that did not come with one. I don't know any other boxed G1 toys that did not come with a gun other than the Duocons.

Anyway, the Swoop in the 1986 Hasbro Toy Catalog is holding a chromed gun. I'm assuming that Hasbro took the rifle from another toy in order to dress up Swoop a little bit. I would be shocked if this is an original gun made for Swoop.

Can anyone identify which toy this gun comes from?

The website is: http://botriot.jemmagic.com/transformershasbro1986.html

[Irrellius Spamticon of the Potato People.]

It looks to me like Jazz's Photon Rifle
http://www.transformerland.com/wiki/toy-info/transformers-g1-autobot-cars-jazz/84/

[Zobovor]

On Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 7:14:15 AM UTC-6, Optim_1 wrote:

> Anyway, the Swoop in the 1986 Hasbro Toy Catalog is holding a chromed gun.
> I'm assuming that Hasbro took the rifle from another toy in order to dress up
> Swoop a little bit.

There are so many things wrong with those catalog photos. Hubcap's unpainted face, incorrect Autobot sticker placement on Pipes and Outback, weird yellow eyes on Blurr, unchromed Springer gun, totally freakish Broadside prototype, vac-metal Predacon swords and freakishly odd Razorclaw/Predaking prototype heads...

I agree with Irrellius; it looks like they gave Swoop a Jazz gun.


Zob

[banzait...@gmail.com]

Duocons most certainly came with a gun. It was the only good thing about those toys, since the both funds were designed to face forward, even though their arms could only move sideways.

-Banzaitron

[Optim_1]

I agree. It looks like it. Thanks.

[Optim_1]

That Broadside in the catalog doesn't look wrong to me. It looks better in all three modes than the actual G1 Broadside. I wish Hasbro would recreate that prototype. I also want a reissue of the actual G1 Broadside so I can see for myself how awful this toy is. Why did the reissues stop!?

[Optim_1]

On Thursday, 10 May 2018 22:22:01 UTC-4, banzait...@gmail.com wrote:
> Duocons most certainly came with a gun. It was the only good thing about those toys, since the both funds were designed to face forward, even though their arms could only move sideways.
>
> -Banzaitron

I'm shocked I didn't know this. I thought they didn't even have arms. I should have done research before writing that.

[Zobovor]

On Friday, May 11, 2018 at 7:12:48 AM UTC-6, Optim_1 wrote:

> That Broadside in the catalog doesn't look wrong to me. It looks better in
> all three modes than the actual G1 Broadside.

Don't get me wrong, the early Broadside looks good. It's even the basis for his first cartoon design. But that's definitely not the toy sold in stores.

I'm generally displeased with the Hasbrofication of the G1 toys. There are so many of them that had planned features that were neutered or abandoned (Octane's waist transformation and chromed arms, Fortress Maximus' slide-out waist guns, Thunderwing's wheels, etc.)

I showed my ten-year-old son the G1 Astrotrain toy recently, and he balked at the toy's gimpy little arms. Then I remembered that the prototype version actually had extending arms, and I showed him a catalog photo. The final toy certainly seems like the arms are designed to extend, since the forearms are a separate piece from the upper arms. It's really disappointing when they take away functionality.

> I also want a reissue of the actual G1 Broadside so I can see for myself how
> awful this toy is. Why did the reissues stop!?

I wish they'd kept the reissues going. I can't think of any domestic G1 reissues that I would outright refuse to buy. I don't know that I would seek out the UK and Japanese toys, but anything sold in America? I'm game!

I doubt Hasbro would ever have reissued G1 Broadside. He's a terrible, terrible toy. However, I think there would have been a viable market for an unofficial Zhong Jin version. I mean, those guys reissued Squawkbox and Slamdance, for crying out loud. If they'd reissued Pretenders, Micromasters, Action Masters... I would have been there for all of it. Given the huge interest right now in G1-centric toy lines like Combiners Wars and Titans Return and Power of the Primes, I don't think I'm alone, either.


Zob (really, really wants a G1 Wreck-Gar reissue for some reason)

[Zobovor]

On Friday, May 11, 2018 at 7:12:48 AM UTC-6, Optim_1 wrote:

> Why did the reissues stop!?

Oh, I almost forgot. There's a rumor going around that Hasbro is going to be reissuing G1 Hot Rod again, and that it's supposed to be a Walmart exclusive:

https://tinyurl.com/hot-rod-reissue

If this is true, and Walmart doesn't jack up the prices to ridiculous levels the way Toys "R" Us did, then maybe it will be the glorious beginning of a whole new wave of reissues. I mean, we got Hot Rod and Kup last time around, but we never got Blurr in any form...


Zob

[Optim_1]

On Friday, 11 May 2018 14:26:12 UTC-4, Zobovor wrote:

>
> I'm generally displeased with the Hasbrofication of the G1 toys. There are so many of them that had planned features that were neutered or abandoned (Octane's waist transformation and chromed arms, Fortress Maximus' slide-out waist guns, Thunderwing's wheels, etc.)

Could you give me more information and links on the Octane prototype? I can't find it online. The Octane prototype I saw is better than the actual Octane toy but I couldn't see any waist swivel and the arms were not chromed.

While searching for the Octane prototype I came across other prototypes that I never knew existed that look so much better than the actual products: Cyclonus with hands and split ears!; bigger and better Rodimus Prime with trailer that transforms into command center; Octane; bigger and much better Wheelie; G2 Laser Optimus Prime with more realistic tank trailer that transforms into a cooler battle station!

So much eye-candy!

The only prototypes I didn't like better than the actual toys are Trypticon and the transforming Predaking/Razorclaw head.

But, holy crap, when you add Broadside and the other prototypes, the 1986 toy line would have been the greatest line if Hasbro weren't cheap.

I want every one of those prototypes, especially Laser Optimus Prime.

>
>
> Zob (really, really wants a G1 Wreck-Gar reissue for some reason)

Me too. Never had him as a kid but would like to experience the toy. You don't like Wreck-Gar? His toy function is "Junkion Leader." I wonder if Hasbro planned more Junkion figures and which could ride on Wreck-Gar and each other.

[Optim_1]

On Sunday, 13 May 2018 10:20:42 UTC-4, Optim_1 wrote:
> On Friday, 11 May 2018 14:26:12 UTC-4, Zobovor wrote:
>
> >
> > I'm generally displeased with the Hasbrofication of the G1 toys. There are so many of them that had planned features that were neutered or abandoned (Octane's waist transformation and chromed arms, Fortress Maximus' slide-out waist guns, Thunderwing's wheels, etc.)
>
> Could you give me more information and links on the Octane prototype? I can't find it online. The Octane prototype I saw is better than the actual Octane toy but I couldn't see any waist swivel and the arms were not chromed.
>

I found the Octane sliding waist transformation you were talking about.

[Zobovor]

On Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 8:20:42 AM UTC-6, Optim_1 wrote:

> Could you give me more information and links on the Octane prototype? I can't
> find it online. The Octane prototype I saw is better than the actual Octane
> toy but I couldn't see any waist swivel and the arms were not chromed.

I'm inferring that Octane's forearms were intended to be chromed at one stage because of the way his box art is painted. And it wasn't that the waist swiveled; it was originally intended to slide. The final toy can still do it, but you have to take it apart and cut off a block of plastic that was added to prevent this movement.

> The only prototypes I didn't like better than the actual toys are Trypticon
> and the transforming Predaking/Razorclaw head.

I get what they were attempting to do with Predaking, but I'm glad they didn't go in that direction. Shame about the loss of the vac-metal swords, though!

> But, holy crap, when you add Broadside and the other prototypes, the 1986 toy
> line would have been the greatest line if Hasbro weren't cheap.

It's so weird that they chose 1986, of all years, to start cutting cuts. I mean, Transformers had a movie in the theaters! Marvel Comics had an unprecedented number of crossovers and mini-series! Also, they were finally selling original designs made specifically for the Transformers line instead of just recycling old Japanese toys! You would think that 1986 would have been their most successful year. And yet, this was when they started eliminating rubber tires and die-cast metal parts.


Zob (and don't get me started on Powermaster Optimus Prime)