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Fan Interviews & Art, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – James

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For several years we have been doing Transformer Fan interviews with different Aussie collectors.

Well as the Big Angry Trev Blog grows, the borders of our great brown land are no longer big enough to contain it!  So it’s time to travel across the watery ditch to a country where my girlfriend convinced me to throw myself off a bridge (no not relationship problems, went bungy-jumping). So coming all the way from New Zealand, we have Transformer Collector James, giving us the low down on his favorite hobby.

 

Name and/or nicknames:

James Nomansson, James Anderson (current legal name, pending change to the former), PSPS, TheAlderbunny, NoGravitasHere

 

Family?

One sister and her family unit. The rest of my relations are total writeoffs.

 

Career?

Professional nerd-plastic shill! I sell Lego Bionicle parts and sets. I’m actually the biggest seller for the theme in the Southern Hemisphere!

 

Website/Fan-pages?

PSPS Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/PrettySickPartsandSets/
PSPS BrickLink:
https://store.bricklink.com/NoGravitasHere
PSPS Parts Guide:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1il79aXX13p4A3a1bcMh_loPsPNGxQ0nXfJ8EFvAV1iI/edit#heading=h.4vxlko62bgr9

PSPS Social Club:
https://discord.gg/S783q7hudJ

 

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection, to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’? 

I guess no lower than C7? I have a real stick up my ass about quality, but there’s a limit y’know?

 

Fan/Collector since (year)?

I was a 90s kid, so I grew up with Beast Wars, the Unicron trilogy, and Bayverse. The only one of those that really stuck with me was Bayverse of all things. I don’t count myself as a collector until like, 2020-2021 when I started actively seeking new figures. Blame Transformers: Prime and my friend Koda for that.

 

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one?

Ex-Decepticon turned Autobot, for sure. I uhh… Wasn’t a great person in the past.

 

Your Techspec motto if you had one?

What is better – to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?

 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you?

Probably Bayverse Jetfire. I’m only 30, but I feel like a cantankerous, eccentric old man.

 

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself?

Teleportation, hands down. It’s just awesome, even if it’s limited to just line-of-sight.

 

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector?

Transformers: Prime was my adult gateway drug. I was bored during the pandemic, and started watching TF:P on a whim. I fell in love with Soundwave’s design in particular, and my friend Koda was kind enough to help me navigate the fandom as a complete novice.

 

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?

As long as they keep making stuff I want, absolutely! My tastes are pretty niche, limited almost entirely to live action and TF:P.

 

Do people outside of the hobby know you collect TFs (like at work/school)?

Yep! Collection pics occasionally leak over into promo posts for PSPS, and my mates all know I’m a sucker for the big shiny robots.

 

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends?
As a kid, yes.

 

What does your partner think of your hobby?

Well, it’s just me, along with my cat, Floof. He doesn’t seem to mind.

 

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions, Special Events?

Nah, not really my shtick.

 

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?

I commission the odd bit of custom work (paint or printed parts), but aside from that, no.

 

Favourite series/era/year, and why?

It’s a tie between Bayverse and TF:P. Both have some pretty glaring flaws, but it’s easy to love something that’s perfect. Bot designs, and toy engineering, are where my enthusiasm for the hobby lies. The fact that some of these big, shiny Bayverse bots look so good, and are still able to transform, will never cease to amaze me. They just keep getting better too! I made the leap to unlicensed bots pretty early on, and never looked back.

Movie Review – Transformers: The Last Knight

 

Collect any comics?

Nope, not my shtick. Wouldn’t have anywhere to put them either, jeez… Space is at a premium here!


Favourite Comic issue/story, and why?

Unknown due to lack of exposure.

 

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?

TF:P S01E05 – Darkness Rising. Purely for what might be the most savage burn in Transformers history.

Starscream – ‘Surely, Lord, Megatron, the Autobots are… Up to something.’
Megatron (with the most sarcasm ever) – ‘Reeeally, Starscream?’
 

Favourite Character, and why?

Optimus Prime. Either as space–dad, or grumpy war-crime machine. As an aside, the live action films are kind of a fun wee slide into Nemesis Prime if you squint a bit.

Toys Review – POTP Optimus & Rodimus Prime

 

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character?

Unknown, not my thing. The concept baffles me a bit, to be honest.

 

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real?

Probably TF:P Arcee? Not for sexy reasons haha, I just love 2 wheeled transport. I never enjoyed driving cars, and Arcee’s characterisation in Prime is surprisingly complex. The PTSD element, which she works through as the show progresses, really adds a more mature sorta vibe to her as a character. She’s not just like, the token female y’know?

 

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, 2000s etc):

54, and a pile of Scraplets.

 

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?

FREE THEM! Let them breathe! Out of packaging, for sure. Can’t transform them in a box!

 

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?

Nope, not answering that. That’s the Forbidden Math question hahahaha. I know they’re insured for like $8000NZD though.

 

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?

A couple, yeah! The most expensive would be MM01 v2 Bumblebee Movie Optimus Prime, and his upgrade kit. As for the most rare… Possibly the TF:P Vehicon Flyer General?

 

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have?

None whatsoever!

 

 First Transformers toy? 

I think it was Beast Machines Obsidian?


One toy you most want?

Toy that exists? Go! Smokescreen, from TF:P. It’s got much more accurate paint than the other decos, but it’s a total fart to find.

Toy that doesn’t exist? A decent TF:P Knockout, or an MPM/MPM+ scale DOTM Jetwing Prime.

 

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)?

God I hate this question.

For the big live action stuff, it’d be MM01 BBM Optimus, or Black Apple Thunder Leader ‘07 Optimus.

For my smaller stuff, probably APC Attack Prime v2? The chrome just makes the figure pop, and he’s absolutely gorgeous in hand. Huge pain in the ass to find in the right paint though.

 

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting?

TF:P RID Soundwave. I love that weird lanky dude, so much.

 

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion?

SS WW2 Hot Rod. That mould and figure are abysmal. It was a stain on my early SS collection. I gave it to a friend who ended up selling it. More power to him, I couldn’t justify asking money for that pile of crap.

 

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them?

MPM Starscream’s mould. The lack of bicep rotation was a huge disappointment. Thankfully, one of my friends modified his arms.

 

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertible Transformers toys?

Not for me personally, with the odd exception. I have some ‘accessory’ figures that don’t transform, like the Scraplets, or Lockdown’s Steeljaws, or Igor. My personal collection ‘rule’ is that if a Transformer doesn’t transform, it’s usually not for me. No hate to people who go in for the Threezero/YoloPark/whatever non-transforming stuff though, each to their own!

 

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?

TF:P RID Vehicon. Steve is just a funky little dude. Any version of that mould is just an absolute delight to handle.

 


Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?

Probably none? I’d much rather give the happy couple something they can both enjoy at the same time. Transformers are a bit hard to co-op transform.

 

Do you collect other toys?

God yes. I have a disgustingly expensive collection of Bionicle masks, as well as a bunch of system sets I repurpose for D&D. And some pretty UCS/UCS equivalent space sets, mostly Star Wars. Again, my tastes are very niche, but if I see something I like, it’s coming home.

 

What is your favourite TF themed post on this website?

Transformers Collection – Prime

Pretty boring of me, but I loved seeing Trev’s collection of TF:P bots! I covet his Go! Smokescreen fiercely. If it’s ever on the market, I call dibs.

 

How did you find out about www.bigangrytrev.com?

Trev and I bumped into each other in Botposting, and struck up a conversation about Vehicons. It all went downhill from there hahaha.

 

Thank you James for sharing your hobby with us!  If you’ve got any questions for James, pop them in the comments section below.

Fan Interviews & Art, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – Brendan

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In our latest interview we talk to Transformer fan and collector Brendan.  Do not cross this guy!  Not only does he have the titanium-manifold to jump out of a plane 4km up in the air, but he know how to swing a mean broadsword as well!

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU
State you live in? Of perpetual bliss. Or NSW for short

Your occupation? Errrr bum. In reality, Train Guard for Sydney Trains, not as glamorous as it sounds

Your dream job? Space Fighter Pilot

Your age? Ripe at 33
*I’ve sniffed him – I can guarantee he is definitely ripe!

Single/married/kids? Married no kids

What other (non-toy) interests do you have? I have my medieval combat reenactment, run around hitting my friends with metal swords

What type of music/movies/TV/books do you enjoy? Heavy Metal music. Movies and tv, varies a lot. Sci fi, horror, action, cartoon, comedies. Just not crap ones. Books are the same, if it takes my interest.

Do you collect anything besides Transformers? Not much in the way of “collecting”, but I do have random pieces from various places. Specific pop vinyls of movies or shows I like but only have maybe 15

How would you rate yourself on a C scale? With C1 being ‘Junker not worth it even for parts’ to C10 being ‘Perfection’. I’m way off the scale. Which way off, you decide heh

How would you rate how sexually attracted you are to Trev? With 1 being ‘Immeasurably’ to 10 being ‘I’d even jump out of a plane at 14,000 feet just to watch the g-forces ripple that magnificent arse of his on the way down’. I’d follow him anywhere, even plummeting to the Earth. Just next time, he needs to jump first haha
*Wanna bet!

 

TRANSFORMER QUESTIONS
Transformers Allegiance, if you had one? Cons of course

Your Techspec motto if you had one? Always look on the bright side of life

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you? That’s a toughie, maybe Soundwave (not just because he is my favourite character) but your cries and screams are music to my ears fits me well. I sometimes suffer from schadenfreude

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself? Flight for sure

Fan/Collector since (year)? Probably when the G2 reboot came out was when I discovered the show, then about 2002 I started collecting again when I went to my first Parramatta Collectors fair,though was bigger into Robotech then.

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector? Cool robots, they transform.

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die? As long as there’s ones I want that get released, I’m sure I will

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends? For the most part yea they were all ok with it. Don’t particularly care what people think of me either.

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions? Plenty of fairs over the years. And the Oz Con that was done back in 2006.

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)? Attempted some customising, tried to turn a Classics Starscream into Thundercracker before we ended up with a cheaper Hasbro version to the Takara one. He’s still in parts soemwhere. Did try to create my own Robot Heroes out of clay for ones that were never done. Was doing Roadbuster, and he’s in parts somewhere too. I did paint up a G1 Prime to have cartoon colours, he was mostly finished, just needs his fists. Alot of unfinished products, lacking time to do them in this adult life.

Favourite series/era/year, and why? G1 still holds the best for me, probably post movie seasons moreso. And Beast Wars too, had some great episodes.

Least favourite series/era/year, and why? Animated, just couldn’t watch it, disliked the animation style.

Collect any comics (which ones)? Some of the IDW collections, not a lot though.

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why? Probably Wreckers or All Hail Megatron. Dark stories, and brutal.
*The first half of AHM was awesome, great to see humanity handed their arses without Autobot interference!

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why? Either a Beast Wars episode with Inferno, Transmutate, or Code Of Hero. Inferno is great comedy, Transmutate and Code Of Hero are just touching episodes

Favourite Video/Board game and why? The Armada game for PS2, or the WFC FOC games. The Armada game was fun because it gave us the ability to play as Transformers, and the Tidal Wave boss fight was fun for its epic scale. And what can I say about the WFC FOC games that people don’t know of? They were a lot of fun.

Favourite Character, and why? Soundwave, he was a cold machine.

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character? Of course this question is in here haha. Arcee would be the one haha

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real? I couldn’t think of one, probably best that they don’t.

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)? Been a long while since I have done a count. I’d say a rough estimate over 300

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector? What crazy person keeps them sealed? Nah nothing against people keeping them sealed, I prefer to play with them.

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit? Too insane to contemplate.

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection? None really rare, but the Botcon stuff does cost a pretty penny these days. And WST Soundwave.

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have? Probably 2007 Vector Sigma and Key. Looks nice on my shelves.

First Transformers toy? My earliest one’s I remember was a G1 Optimus in a gold box classic, G1 Soundwave, G1 Hot Rod, and G1 Scourge. Cannot remember who came first, but they were all the earliest ones I can remember.

One toy you most want? I have most of the ones I want that have come out, but maybe an MP Sleep Convoy would be a grail.

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)? Love my Soundwave collection shelves. Don’t really have a favourite.

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)? Can’t say I had one back the either aside from Soundwave.

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion? I would have to go with something from Beast Machines, those figures just didn’t do anything for me.

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them? I’ve been pretty happy with all my purchases, always looked for the good in figures.

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys? Always loved my Actionmasters, so the concept of it I do like if they are done right.

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories? Filling in the gaps in my collection I do like. And to enhance an official toy I do like too. I ended up getting Universe/Energon Superion and Bruticus because of the upgrades that came out.

Thoughts on Crossover Transformer toys (Star Wars, Street Fighter etc)? If people enjoy them, who am I to judge. And if kids love them too, all the better. But not my thing.

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years? Love it. Hasbro releasing toys that I am keen on getting. Most stuff is knocking it outta the park.

Which single TFs toy should every fan own? G1 Soundwave, though kids these days would never know what the hell it transforms into.

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present? Any Soundwave haha

 

Fellow Fan Questions

Big Angry Trev
We both credit each other with building up the gumption to finally go skydiving. What other extreme activities have you done over the course of your life? 

It was you who got me to jump lol. Was a spur of the moment lapse in judgment that when you mentioned that you had a coupon, that I should grow a pair to get us both to do it haha. As for other extreme activities, love rollercoasters and did do canyoning once while I was in scouts. Actually, many crazy things I did back then, one time a few of us went to abseil down Mt Keira, we didn’t think it through too well, and our leader found us and told us to go down a different way, which was still pretty perilous. We tied rope to one another in a long chain, couple of times a few of us slipped and the guy above us had to hold their weight. Thinking back on it, was kinda stupid. And canyoning, abseiling down a course in Macquarie Pass, much safer. Though I did nearly drown in a waterfall…

Michael
Transformers LARPing – yay or nay? Who would you LARP as? (If you’ve already mentioned a favourite TF character, pick another to answer this question). 
LARPing is a bit of fun, and if I was to do so as a character (that isn’t Soundwave lol) I would go with Shockwave

Just Chillin’
What is the perfect blend of transformers & heavy metal music? 
Transformers: The Movie Soundtrack haha. But to choose individual bands, Fear Factory or Meshuggah have a mechanical sound to them that works well. Or Cybertronic Spree, they look the part too lol

Dallas
We know you are heavily into Medieval stuff. I’m guessing you wouldn’t mind seeing some medieval themed transformers, much like the Transformers Evolutions: Hearts of Steel where the ‘alternate timeline’ story of the transformers existed during the industrial revolution.
Who do you think would fit a good story of the Transformers Evolutions: Medieval steel.?
Some autobots/decepticons and their alt modes. you are welcome to completely ignore anything that happened in a recent movie. I think a trebuchet would be quite awesome, imagine a transformer launching a giant boulder over large distances. I can’t think of many medieval themed alt modes that you could go with

Jason
What is Larping?

Live Action Roleplaying. People running around hitting each other with foam weapons and is fantasy based. I do reenactment where we use metal weapons and is historically based. 


You have sold off quite a chunk of your collection over the last year or so. What was the hardest bot to part with and do you regret selling it? After having reduced your collection, do you feel better or worse for it?
Probably maybe 3 that I felt were the hardest to let go, Overlord, Shockwave, and Victory Sabre. Such cool toys, but had to do so. Felt better afterwards yea, made space in the collection room for a computer desk and room for more of what I wanted. There was a point where I looked at what was most important in life, and selling helped.

Got any follow up questions for Brendan?  Pop them in the comments section below! 

Fan Interviews & Art, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – Chris

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Welcome to the latest in a series of interviews with Aussie Transformer Fans.  Last time we talked to Michael, an absolutely brilliant customizer!  Today we talk to someone who has also had a crack at the customization game – as well in his spare time brushing up on his Metallikato skills – today we talk to Chris.

Name or what friends call you?

Christopher Turner.

 

State you live in?

Queensland.

 

Your age?

33.

 

How did you hear about www.bigangrytrev.com?

Transformers Collectors Club Australia.

 

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one?

Decepticons.

 

Your Techspec motto if you had one?

“Do not scorn the weak cub. It may grow to become the brutal Tiger.”

 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you?

Bludgeon. He’s a Decepticon warlord bound by a strict code of honour.

 

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself?

Bludgeon’s mastery of Metallikato. His supernatural skill with the blade makes him a match for even the most powerful Transformers.

 

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’?

C7 – Out of the box but in good nick.

 

Fan/Collector since (year)?

I’d like to say 1984, but that was the year I was born so my interest didn’t truly develop until about ’86-’87.

 

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector?

I used to watch the G1 cartoon and I was always drawn to the Decepticons. I always thought characters like Soundwave and Starscream were so cool. I also had a lot of hand-me-down G1 toys that belonged to my older brother and my Uncle.

 

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?

Without a shadow of a doubt!

 

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends?

No one among my family or friends really shared my passion for Transformers but I never hid it nor was I ashamed of it. I have made friends in the TCCA now so I have a lot of fellow collectors in my life. My fiancè is very supportive of my hobby. She’s bought me several Transformers as gifts and lets me display my collection in our living room. My stepmother once remarked that our house looks like a “museum for Transformers”.

 

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions?

I was lucky enough to meet Peter Cullen at Supanova a few years ago. He’s a really great guy and it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I hope to meet Frank Welker one day so my life can be truly complete. As the current QLD Rep for the TCCA I have hosted a couple of meet-ups for local members.

 

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?

I recently collaborated with the very talented John Ryan to customize a G2 coloured FoC Bruticus. Our next joint project is going to be a Decepticon throne.

 

Favourite series/era/year, and why?

I will always have a soft spot for G1 but I actually like most TF series out there, including the obscure Japanese ones. And yes, I even like the Bay movies and the Machinima cartoons. Transformers Prime is probably my favourite of the most recent series.

 

Least favourite series/era/year, and why?

I could never get into Transformers Animated. The childish humour, simplistic style, and general “wackyness” didn’t appeal to me.

 

Collect any comics (which ones)?

I have a fair few of the Marvel G1 comics, and a couple of IDW releases.

 

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why?

It’s a three way tie between Dreamwave’s War Within: Dark Ages (still the best version of The Fallen to date), IDW’s All Hail Megatron (a fantastic re-telling of G1’s origins), and IDW’s Stormbringer (Bludgeon and Thunderwing… ’nuff said).

 

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?

Does the G1 movie count? I love everything about that story.

 

Favourite Board/Video game?

War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron were amazing games. Best Transformers games of all time in my opinion.

 

Favourite Character, and why?

Bludgeon. He’s a skeleton samurai that turns into a tank. I don’t know what else you need to make him any more badass. Though he’s never appeared on screen, in the Marvel, Dreamwave, and IDW comics he’s an absolute beast. Has to be one of the greatest villains in Transformers history.

 

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character?

I don’t really get how some people can find robots sexy. I guess I like Airachnid in the sense that the woman who voices her in Transformers Prime (Gina Torres) is really hot.

 

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real?

Optimus Prime. I’d like to say a Decepticon but let’s face it, the reality is an actual ‘con would probably just kill me.

 

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)?

Around 200 or so.

 

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?

Out of box all the way. I like to display my bots.

 

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?

It has to be in the thousands.

 

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?

I have quite a few but the ones that spring to mind are my TFCC Barricade, Titans Return Trypticon, Universe Unicron, most of my Unicronian figures (Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge etc) are Takara Henkei, CW Devastator, Jinbao OS Predaking and Bruticus, Micron Arms Galvatron… that’s the tip of the iceberg.

 

 

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have?

I have the Takara Soundwave that transforms into a fully-functional Mp3 player. I also have a G1 print signed by Peter Cullen.

 

First Transformers toy?

G1 Duocon Battletrap.

 

One toy you most want?

At the moment I’m keen to get my hands on Power of the Primes Rodimus Unicronus.

 

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)?

It’s a tie between my MMC Kultur (3P Tarn) and my DNA Susanoo (3P Bludgeon). Both fantastic Decepticon figures that look amazing on display.

 

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)?

Probably G1 Soundwave + tapes.

 

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion?

Probably the little crab dude from RID. What even is that? What were you thinking Hasbro?

 

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them?

I hated CW Menasor. Sold him pretty quick. His individual bots were quite nice but in Combiner form he was a dumpster fire. No amount of upgrade kits could make that eyesore look good.

 

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys?

I think certain gimmicks really detract from toys. Sometimes they go to so much trouble to get a figure to launch a projectile or do something flashy that it just ends up ruining it.

 

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories?

It’s great to have those options as a collector. Especially when official avenues leave gaps in the market. The fact they exist at all is proof of a thriving hobby.

 

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years?

I think Hasbro needs to pick a direction and stick with it. They seem to change their minds so rapidly about where they want to take the franchise. Constant cancellations and re-boots are antagonizing the fanbase. On a positive note, I think Titans Return has been the best line yet for CHUG collectors.

 

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?

Any of the CHUG Deluxe Seekers. HasTak nailed it with that mold.

 

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?

Maybe some Decepticon cufflinks.

 

 

Got any extra questions for Chris?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them.

 

Related Articles:

TF Fan Interview: Raymo

TF Fan Interview: Lisamaree

 

Fan Interviews & Art, Games & Competitions, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – ‘I wanna be like Mike!’

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Last time we talked to Con, a fan up in the far north of Australia.  This time we head back down south to talk to Michael, one of the true Kings of Customization in Australia and a helluva nice guy a few years ago I got the pleasure of meeting!

Oh, and don’t forget to check at the bottom of this post for your chance to be a future interviewee on www.bigangrytrev.com!

 

Real name or what friends call you? 
Michael. Mick to my family (literally only blood relatives call me this).

State you live in? 
Victoria

Your occupation? 
I’m a community nurse, that is, I deliver nursing care to people in their homes.

Your dream job? 
Writer.

Your age?
41, or as I like to think of it, old enough to know better.

Single/married/kids?
Married, 2 teenage step-kids, 2 boys of my own, 3 & 5 years old.

Any websites/blogs/picture/social sites? 
My customising work is at Facebook.com/MsToyCustoms. Twitter @michaelfouche. Working on a Twitter and Instagram profile for my customs work. I had a writing blog (a considerable body of work to which I have not added for some time) at michaelfouche.blogspot.com.au. It was/is little more than an exercise in writing and not much use to anyone, to be honest. There’s a couple of TF based pieces in there if you want to dig a bit. I keep promising myself and my editor that I’ll write more, but it hasn’t happened yet.

What other (non-toy) interests do you have? 
I love writing and I’m a (very amateur) singer and musician. I used to love illustration, too, but haven’t adequate skill to pursue it as fervently or productively as I would like. Dyed-in-the-wool Western Bulldogs (AFL) supporter*. Obsessively follow politics, which intrigues and disgusts me in equal measure. I enjoy cooking but my fussy family means I don’t get to stretch those muscles nearly as much as I’d like.
*All TF fans should be Essendon supporters – our mascot is a Bomber Jet!

What type of music/movies/TV/books do you enjoy? 
I’m a huge music fan, pretty eclectic tastes. I have all my most favourite music on my phone – about 3,300 songs. I love to read but struggle to find time. Got 3 books going (on and off) at the moment. I devour podcasts, if I’m doing anything like housework or gardening or driving I usually have one on. Love movies, all kinds, my favourite being The Incredibles. I have little time or patience for most TV, but my favourite show of all time that I could watch over and over and over again would be The West Wing.

Do you collect anything besides Transformers? 
TFs are definitely my first love, but a part of my heart belongs to Masters of the Universe and Lego.

 

How would you rate yourself on a C scale? With C1 being ‘Junker not worth it even for parts’ to C10 being ‘Perfection’. 
C6? Could do with a pretty good reno, but there’s bits that will never ever be mint. An argument could be made for flawed straight off the factory floor due to poor QC.

How would you rate how sexually attracted you are to Trev? With 1 being ‘Very’ to 10 being ‘I make my wife dress up in a Trev costume whenever we make love’.
Are you kidding? I met my wife after she won first prize in a Trev look-alike competition*. Where else would one go to find a suitable partner? Can you think of somewhere better? Well? Go on. I’ll wait.
*I was in that competition – I came fourth 

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one? 
Autobot

Your Techspec motto if you had one?
The one listed in my high school yearbook remains apt: “What are we talking about again?”. I’m perpetually distracted.

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself?
Skywarp’s teleportation. There’s no ability that tops it, not even close.

Fan/Collector since (year)? 
I collected as a boy, ’84 & ’85 mostly, then lost interest as a teen and gave all my (beautifully kept) TF collection to a younger step-brother who destroyed them (the snotty little brat that he was!). I’ve regretted that desperately ever since. Recommenced collecting in 2007, at the onset of the Bay films.

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector? Back in the day, I was the perfect age at the birth of the brand – about 7-8 years old. I used to watch the G1 cartoon from the very first episode on The Early Bird Show with Marty Monster.
More recently, around ’07, my wife bought me one – a Movieverse voyager Ironhide. I bought my second one, she bought the 3rd, and we were off to the races.

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately and don’t have an answer. It’s certainly possible I’ll reach a stop point, but I haven’t got there yet. To me, toys are about joy. Who wants to stop having joy?

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends? 
Not really an issue, although my wife has facetiously asked me on a couple of occasions “Haven’t you got them all yet?”. She also reminds me that I really am out of space to display my collection, and I have more space than many do.

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions? 
Mostly local fan meets, most of them Ozformers ones, a few TCCA ones. They are always a joy.

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?
No. Nope. Nada. Never. Wouldn’t dream of it. Why do you ask? Ridiculous notion…

…Actually, come to think of it, it’s suddenly coming to me, I do rather enjoy customising Transformers*
*To understand the depth of this smart-arseary, check out the pics in the Questions from other fans section

Favourite series/era/year, and why?
G1 (for the nostalgic reasons above) but I absolutely do not begrudge fans of any other era. If things (brands like Transformers) don’t evolve and open themselves up for reinterpretation, they die. Simple. Not all of it is my cup of tea, but I’d rather it exists for the enjoyment of others so that the brand lives on.

Least favourite series/era/year, and why?
I’m pretty cold for The Unicron Trilogy. I’m really ambivalent towards the Bay-verse stuff, because I feel it is deliberately disrespectful at its core (in so many ways, but not in the sense of “Michael Bay raped my childhood!”, which is utter nonsense). On the other hand, it is also responsible for reigniting my passion for all things TFs. My biggest TF confession is that I’ve never seen a single episode of Beast Wars* (even though I believe many people who say it’s some of the best TF fiction ever). One day.
*There is a monkey that talks and a wasp that explodes a lot – that’s the main jist of it.

Collect any comics (which ones)?
I have a bunch of the newer IDW stuff that I got cheap via a Humble Bundle, but haven’t had the time to read it yet. I own a few thousand comic books (mostly Marvel circa 1990-2005 or thereabouts) in a cupboard. I still collect and read Kurt Busiek’s Astro City via TPBs.

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why?
Target 2006, from the old UK Transformer comics (also foolishly disposed of when I was younger. I swear if I met a younger version of me I’d fully smack some sense into myself). It seemed like the *perfect* sequel to the ’86 animated movie, all edge-of-your-seat excitement.

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?
The animated ’86 movie was more or less a feature length episode of the G1 cartoon, so I’ll say that one. Still the best TF movie ever!

Favourite Character, and why?
I always had an affinity for G1 Hound. Gentle, softly spoken, but unlike most of the Autobots of his time, he’s a military vehicle (as opposed to a sports car of a truck or a sedan or something). There’s an interesting dichotomy there. Also love the Protectobots.

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)?
Around 350.

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?
Out-of-package.

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?
I try not to. I am lucky in that due to my customising and commissions work, I have earned enough to effectively pay for my collecting for the last 2 years. No impact on the family budget means the good lady wife is (relatively) happy.

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?
Not really. Not that kind of collector I guess.

First Transformers toy? 
Can’t fully remember. I think it might have a G1 minibot, Brawn springs to mind.

One toy you most want? 
At the moment, it’s an MP11ND Dirge. Ordered from PC (so yeah, flying pigs anyone?), and now it’s at a price that I can’t justify spending on what is basically the 328th repaint/remould of MP11.

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)?
MP10 will be exceeding difficult to surpass in my eyes. It’s so damned beautiful a toy.

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)? 
G1 Defensor (because I hunted for him over several weeks and got him piece at a time) or G1 Hound (for reasons above).

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion?
DOTM HA Thunderhead. Not only an idiotic toy, but my hatred of it also comes from a sense of self-loathing in that I also bought the recolour of it in Crosshairs, during a fit of anal-retentive completionism.

Toy that was most disappointing when you got them?
A recent disappointment of staggering proportions was POTP Starscream. The robot mode is insanely out of proportion, the jet mode doesn’t tab together at all neatly, his stickers are bad quality and uniformly poorly applied, and worst of all, I can’t get the SS head to fold away in torso mode (so it looks like he’s giving birth to himself… eeeeewwwwww). Feels like a first draft that was accidentally released before it was ready for public consumption.

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys?
Mildly worthwhile, if only as cute curios. But they have to be charming to work.

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories?
Cautiously accepting, in limited circumstances. That’s probably a much longer discussion than what there is time or space for here. I am a huge fan, and I mean massive, of Reprolabels (via Toyhax.com) as enhancements to toys in my collection.

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years? 
If you’d told me 6 years ago we’d have this many modern Headmasters (ahem, sorry, Titan Masters) toys, Trypticon, Fort Max, so many extraordinary G1-inspired Masterpiece toys, I’d say you were dreaming. We are so damned lucky, spoiled for choice really. The Bay-verse is limping to an inevitable death, which was somewhat predictable, but going out with a bang toy-wise, with the Studio series. Overall, I’m optimistic that the brand is in good shape.

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?
MP10 Optimus Prime. Easy choice.

 

QUESTIONS FROM FELLOW FANS:
Big Angry Trev: I really enjoyed going to see TF4 in Gold Class with you a few years ago. It has been announced that the current Movieverse will end with this year’s Bumblebee movie and there will be a reboot in a few year’s time. What would you like to see in the reboot to make it something that truly does the Transformers justice?

That meet was a highlight for me too! It was the first time I went to see a Transformers film with a passionate TF fan*
*And one that looks like your wife apparently

I don’t think it needs to slavishly adhere to any previous versions of the fiction (as I said before, re-imagining and re-interpretation keeps the brand fresh, and every iteration is someone’s first). Having said that, the single biggest factor that first exploded TFs as a brand and secured it’s place in popular culture, in my view, was the introduction of individualistic personalities, characteristics, and abilities for each character. It elevated them from mere toys with a gimmick to something far more weighty, that really captures the imagination. Spectacle is an absolute necessity, but without character and story, the spectacle is empty and can only be maintained for a limited time – and I would argue that Michael Bay has stretched the public’s patience with respect to the movies as long as is possible, possibly to the next movie’s detriment (the Bumblebee stand alone and even beyond).

Focus on giving us an amazing and gripping story, filled with intriguing characters (robot characters for the love of Pete!) that we can care about and let the spectacle take care of itself.

 

Dallas: You are clearly very good at customising. I would consider myself a dabbler at best. I’ve done 2 of the Botcon Custom classes, and I’ve got to say they don’t come close to the level of complexity you constantly apply. 

Therein lies a tale. I feel like I’m asking for even more indulgence than I’ve already been given thus far in this interview, but here it is:

I started dabbling, and my first efforts were utterly abysmal because I essentially had little clue what I was doing. The first complete TF figure I did was a ROTF Brawn (see attached pic). I went out and bought another afterwards and did it again, so I could correct mistakes I made the first time, which were plentiful. The thing that kept me going was curiousity, a desire to improve and a bone-headed willingness to royally screw things up in order to get better. There’s a writer’s saying that you need to write out a million bad words before you get to any of the good ones. Put differently, you have to wade through a river of excrement (of bad customs) in order to get to clean waters (of good customs). With TF customs, I’ve been prepared to make ten year’s worth of mistakes in order to get at a level I’m almost happy with. That takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, frustrations and money.

Man alive, that really sounds really self important. Sorry.

Have you done one of the Botcon classes, if so were you disappointed?

I’ve never done a Botcon customising class, but I did enrol in a series of online customising classes by a famous and extremely talented customiser. After the first one I had learned all I was going to learn from that individual, but I enrolled in another 6 of his classes in order to make a combining Defensor (this was before Combiner Wars). He did the first few classes but then essentially lost interest in completing the others. He strung everyone (including me) along with false promises until it was too late to be able to initiate chargebacks and has disappeared from the TF customising scene owing me and a heap of other participants hundreds of dollars each. His name is mud now, and rightly so. Screw that guy.

I did get some early advice from a friend that was into Warhammer and the like, but other than that it was online tutorials and YouTube videos (of which there is a metric crap-tonne). One of the best places I found in the early days as a learning resource was http://h<a href=”http://www.jinsaoto…ustoys.com</a> (provided you are happy checking out that content despite that particular creator’s past controversies…). From there, the best teacher I had was experience, doing and failing, doing and failing, again and again, with a little less failing each time.

 

Trent: As a customiser, what sort of things tickle your interest? You seem to have enjoyed the custom you completed for me a few years ago and have expressed interest in my next one but there would no doubt be concepts that you aren’t keen on based on either the design or the work involved.

Simply put, I am intrigued by anything that pushes me creatively. Each and every custom HAS TO be better than the last one. HAS TO. Another confession: the last 2 commissions I’ve accepted and completed required me to perform techniques and skills I did not yet possess at the time of the request. Some stupid bravado there, perhaps, but fortune favours the brave (or the stupid, you decide) and now I have new skills I can employ next time. If I stagnate, I’ll look for something else to put my hand to.

There are some requests I get that I am not particularly keen on, but one can always say no. I’ve not traditionally been good at that, but I’m learning. I can find benefit and interest in every project regardless of my feelings about its value, and there isn’t a project I’ve done that I haven’t enjoyed to a degree. The love of customising is in the doing, not the end product. Not to say that that the final result isn’t important, but it’s not the be all and end all, for me anyway.

(And just quietly, I’m looking forward to your next project as I don’t quite yet know how I’m going to make it special. But it will be special.)

What’s your all time favourite custom that you’ve completed and why?

I’d have to say the Metrotitan custom (from a Generations Metroplex). That was tough and long and it changed tracks on me a couple of times before ending up as it did. I think the length of time it took to complete was the thing that has made it stand out for me. I was supremely pleased when it ended up in the hands of an Aussie collector.

If the question had been “what is your favourite custom work”, the answer is always “the next one”. It sounds trite, but I swear it’s true.

 

Raf: As a parent, would you like your children to follow your passion for transformers? And as a follow up, how did you start breaking them in so to speak?

While I would love my kids to carry on my passion for TFs, I am learning from older, wiser and more experienced parents to find a way into their hearts by loving the things they love rather than trying to make them love what I love. They do often like to come into my man-child cave and play with my toys though. A good many of these answers were typed with my three-year-old on my lap playing with “my” stuff, asking me about my Minicon deskbots and swapping the hair between Lego Mr Incredible and Lego Marty McFly. He told me later that it was the best part of his day. It may well have been mine too.

The boys do, from time to time, like to play with my TFs – I have a small collection of deluxe figures (mostly from the recent RID line) that I keep especially for such purposes so they’ll leave my more expensive or precious ones alone, but they are usually pretty gentle with them anyway. I have also bought them a few TFs from time to time, like from the Rescuebots line (awesome cartoon by the way! Especially good to watch with the little ones).

 

The Gambler: Do you have other creative endeavors outside of customising Transformers?

I really feel an innate need to be creative and have a constant creative outlet, like a shark that sinks if it stops swimming. I enjoy music, illustration (but not for a while now), customising other toy lines (such as MOTU – I have a killer MOTU idea that uses the Shattered Glass concept from TFs but haven’t had the time to really get stuck into it as deeply as I would like). And of course writing, although again I haven’t written as much as I have answering these questions for some time. I suspect writing will be my ongoing creative outlet of choice one day.

 

Raymo: I think some of your creations are amazing, the crossover He-Man Prime Transformers was such a great concept and well executed, has someone ever come up with a concept and your first thought is….are you high? Or do you think nope I’m gonna have a crack and give it time?

Not really. Occasionally, a commissioner might make creative decisions I may not be in total agreement with, but in the end, the figure is going to sit in their collection, so they get the ultimate say. Sometimes, I get a really cool idea and float it with them, and rarely do commissioners say no if the idea is good enough.

Sometimes people see something I’ve done and ask “can I get you to do one of those for me?”. It’s not out of the question (I have made multiples of things before) but usually I want to move on to something new, not just rehash the same old stuff, even though I’m reasonably confident I can always do the second one better than the first.

The He-Man idea (and the figures involved) were such a no-brainer for me, I’m stunned nobody thought of the idea sooner (that I am aware of).

Speaking of, do you want to see more He-Man/TF crossovers? I have all the base figures for series 2 and 3… (16 more characters planned).

Which leads me to my next question, do you get complete timewasters in the custom world?

Most people I have encountered make an enquiry and when I respond they either say thanks but no thanks (ie the quoted price might be too high for them) or I don’t hear back. Time wasters haven’t been a big issue for me. There was this one guy (not anyone associated with this forum) who, every 6 months or so, says he’s desperate for me to do a particular project for him. Each time I’ve said yes, he stops communicating and it doesn’t happen. Then, after a little while, he comes back with the same request. We’ve been at this particular tennis match about 3 or 4 years now.

Lastly, when are you going to clean up your house?
Fair question. For those following at home, I have 2 kids under 5 and my house can be appropriately described as “lived in”. My youngest is 3, so I expect the house to be tidy around January.

January 2035.

I am reliably informed (like, I’m sure it was on the internet somewhere) that brainy people have messy desks. That’s truth man. 

 

Kevin: If someone were to create a movie about your life, what would it be about and who will be playing the lead characters?

I’m not very sporty and have a distinct lack of co-ordination. There’s even a way of falling over my mates have named after me (“The Fouché Flop”, trademark, copyright). Put that together with the fact that I have a good face for radio, and I can’t think of anyone better to portray me than a Mr. Bean-era Rowan Atkinson. Safe to say it would be a comedy of errors involving misunderstandings, tomfoolery and pratfalls.

 

Got any other questions for Michael?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them!

 

COMPETITION TIME!

All the answers to the crossword below can be found in the interview above.  Be the first to put the answers in the comments section and it will be YOU appearing in a future fan interview!

Across
1. A Transformers Custom
2. What his family calls him
3. A beloved 80’s cartoon

Down
1. His first name
2. A MOTU Custom
3. Claims to be an amateur

 

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Transformer Fan Interview – Con

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Welcome to the next in a series of interviews with different Aussie Transformer fans.  Last time we chatted to JP, a younger fan from Victoria.  Now we are heading right to the other end of the country; right up to the tippy-top of the continent to talk to Con – showing collectors are spread all over this wide brown land!

Name or what friends call you?

Con Kosta Iliou

 

Where do you live?

Darwin N.T.

 

Your age?

34

 

How did you hear about www.bigangrytrev.com?

I heard about Big Angry Trev from Transformers Collecters Club Australia.

 

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one?

DeceptiCONS

 

Your Techspec motto if you had one?

‘Justice is a idea not a moral’ or ‘…..YEAHHH!!!’

 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you?

Blitzwing from G1, he is a warrior but when times comes for doing the right thing he see past his leaders beliefs and ultimately does the right thing.

 

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself?

Mirage’s invisibility

 

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’?

C5, no box but in good condition

 

Fan/Collector since (year)?

1985 when I was 3

 

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector?

I became a fan when I was in hospital in Adelaide I had to have an operation and my mum and dad were there for me as well as my older sister and so we’re the Transformers to get me through a tough time.

 

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?

Awwww yeah I will do it for a very long time.

 

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends?

No my parents, sisters and friends know how much I love the franchise and I don’t hide that fact from anyone lol.

 

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions?

No unfortunately but would absolutely love one day, to meet people and friends I have made through a community would be a really special memes to hope someday have soon.

 

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?

I really like kit-bashing and repainting characters that Hasbro haven’t done yet or 3rd parties haven’t gotten around to like my custom Tarn…then a few months after Master Mind Creations brings one out lol – he is one of my favourites and don’t think I will get a the official knowing what I did to make the one I have, he may not transform but have the way he looks aesthetically.

 

Favourite series/era/year, and why?

Favorite is G1 from 1984 because the story and character development they took with each character.

 

Least favourite series/era/year, and why?

Least favorite if I had to choose is 2001 Robots in Disguise mainly because the show did that anime style too much and alot of the characters where to kiddy for me, some episodes are ok but in all I can give it a miss.

 

Collect any comics (which ones)?

I don’t collect any of the comics even though I have a few IDW’s from early 2000’s mini issues.

 

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why?

I don’t have a favourite comic but like the universe jumping one with Deaths Head where I think he goes from the Transformers universe to the Dr Who’s, then to a mediaeval Earth and then the doctor leaves him into of the roof top of the Fantasic Four. I like when franchises can merge like that.

 

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?

My favourite episode is Web World and I like how Cyclonus takes Galvatron to the planet because he thinks he’s starting to go more Loooney Tunes then before and how those Planet of the Apes looking creatures psychoanalysis his brain and he turns a simple object into a gun and start shooting up the place and says “Let me outta here!”

 

Favourite Character, and why?

I really like Blitzwing because he can turn into a tank, jet and sword wielding gun shooting giant robot, he is the one robot army.

 

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character?

Sexiest I would go Firestar as she is a firecracker and not afraid to get a job done.

 

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real?

The Transformer I would like to wish exist would be Sideswipe, that way I could have a Autobot friend and a Lamborghini countach lol

 

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)?

300 and counting

 

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?

Out of the package because I like to display them.

 

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?

Alot…maybe $8000 worth probably

 

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?

A rare figure I have is a sealed 1984 Soundwave with Buzzsaw, that is never coming out of his package prison.

 

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have?

I think the most interesting licenced product I have is a plate that I think came with a mug, it has G1 Optimus and Megs on it.

 

First Transformers toy?

Optimus Prime was my first Transformer.

 

One toy you most want?

A really big (like as big as a building) size Unicron.

 

The centerpiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)?

My centerpiece figure I would have to say would be my Knock Off Oversize Predaking because I think that the 3rd party ko guys got it right with the size and the look of each character and Predaking as a whole.

 

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)?

Early years my favourite transformer was the Autobot Grotesque because of the gimmick he came with you push the button on his head and sparks come out of his mouth that was cool back then it still is today actually.

 

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertible Transformers toys?

I like gimmicks done right but when they are done wrong like mech tech then yeah not a fan.

 

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories?

I really like what they have done outside of the licensed of Transformers because I believe that a lot of these guys and girls designers and Engineers I pretty much fans like us and get that image and look of what we remember from the G1 days but then there are other guys out there that do really good interpretations of characters that we remember and I really like that a lot too. I also want to say that if you want to buy knock offs it’s your choice as a collector, if it makes you happy I don’t see the harm in collecting them.

 

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years?

Over the last 5 years I have really like what Hasbro has done with bringing the old school G1 look back and also pleasing the new generation as well as the older generation so everybody can enjoy that aspect I really do love. I hope one day that when I have a family of my own that we can sit there and play together old and new.

 

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?

Optimus Prime is a must for any collector or fan of the franchise.

 

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?

A transformer that I would give for a wedding present would be Trypticon because who doesn’t like big robotic dinosaurs I know why do I’d love one for wedding present even though I already have one.

Got any other questions for Con?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them for you!

 

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Transformer Fan Interview – Paul

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Welcome to the next in a series of interviews with different Aussie Transformer fans.  Last time we chatted to Raymo, a country lad like me who is a big collector.  Today we will be talking to Paul, a stalwart of the Aussie TF community who has been part of the online forums for nearly 20 years!

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one? 
Autobot

Your Techspec motto if you had one? 
“Be kind, be brave and be yourself” 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you? 
Beast Wars Rhinox, which for a while was a username I used with Ozformers. He’s big but quiet, smart and caring. Someone dependable and constant. Good with the tech. When needed he’ll take charge but he would happily just sit in the background.

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself? 
Skywarp’s teleporting ability would be great. I love to travel to new places but I hate the travel part of it.

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’? 
C6 – needs some repairs, some paint touch ups, but generally ok.

Fan/Collector since (year)? 
I have some confusion over the exact starting point. I definitely was a fan in 1985, and I have proof of that. I think I may have got Ravage and Rumble as a Christmas present in 1984, but I think of Powerglide as my first Transformer and that would have been a 1985 purchase.

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector? 
Originally some combination of the cartoon and toys would have got 5 year old me interested, but the thing that cemented me as a fan/collector was the comics. I was given issues 79 and 80 of the UK comic as a Christmas present in 1986; Target 2006’s first official two parts days before I would have seen Transformers The Movie. I followed the comics as the definitive G1 story as a kid and that kept me going with TFs long past when others moved on as the cartoon finished.

When the Transformers comic ended, and I moved onto X-Men, I would plot out the new comic stories based on the toys (like the Turbomasters) that kept coming out. Nowadays there’s so many TF comics, more than I could have ever imagined there’d be. I buy Lost Light monthly but for the other series I wait for the hardcover IDW Collection series.

Alongside the comics I kept buying Transformers every year from when I started. I’d still get excited when each new year of toys would come out and buy several each year. The Movie year was a point where “toy collector” would probably have started to apply. I bought all the movie stuff because it was buy it or miss out with the rate those toys were flying off the shelf back then. It was also the year I started buying toys online and I quickly increased my TF count.

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die? 
I have seen so many say how they had TFs as a kid and then moved on, and then came back when older. I never had that gap and at this point, I can’t see myself ever having one unless something about my life drastically changes. I was so young when I became a fan I have barely any memories of a time when Transformers were part of my life and I can’t see a reason that I wouldn’t want to keep seeing the new figures 20, 30, 40 years from now.

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends? 
I wouldn’t say they were that supportive as I kept buying TFs into adulthood but they never gave me any grief about it either as they knew it was a hobby that made me happy.

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions? 
I’ve been to a lot of fan-meets. The first one was back in 2001 when some out of town visitors came to Melbourne. We didn’t really do a lot in Melbourne though until around the time the first movie came out. Around that time we started frequent lunchtime catchups, several visits to the Sandown Fair, and the Christmas get togethers.

Outside of Melbourne, I got to BotCon twice (2009 and 2011). It was an amazing experience to be in a place with so many others who shared my passion. I went to the OTCA convention in Sydney in 2006, as well as visiting the SupaNova booth in 2003, and attending the Parramatta Fair in 2008, and a catchup in QLD in 2010.

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)? 
My primary would be writing. All through my childhood I was coming up with Transformers stories, some written down, some as notes, and some just in my head. I only ever “published” two fan fic stories on A.T.T. just to force myself to complete them.

Back when I was at Uni in the late 90s I was mapping out a new TF comic book series, coming up with story beats and concepts but never actually completing a full story. The comic book series was going to be called More Than Meets The Eye, it was set after the Autobot/Decepticon war had finished, with a group of Autobots and some ex-Decepticons, including Megatron, aboard a space ship having space drama hijinx. Of course this now ACTUALLY EXISTS and is 1 million times better than I was planning or could ever have done!

I had one attempt at a custom figure, repainting and some stickers to make Cabcharge but it was enough to tell me it wasn’t my thing. I prefer to digibash (although it’s been a while) and some fun TF bios.

Favourite series/era/year, and why? 
In some ways I hate to say this as I support the franchise moving forward, but G1’s 1985 line set such a high standard of ideas and characters will never be beaten for me. When it comes to Transformers toys that 1985 catalogue is always my starting point. Sure some of those toys don’t compare to their MP and Classicverse reimaginings, but they are the foundation of the brand (even more so than 1984’s). That said the 2008-2010 period where we had Animated, ROTF/HFTD and Generations 2.0 lines was a pretty close second

Least favourite series/era/year, and why? 
There’s some I don’t like such as Dark of the Moon, Energon, Beast Machines*, but to pick one I’d say Armada. It’s a toy line I didn’t buy much of at the time, although I did pick up some later, but I currently have only one figure from the line in my collection (and that’s a repaint from Cybertron). The Mini-Con gimmick meant all the figures are limited in some way and they feel bulky and plastic-y after the Car Robots/RID toys the year before. The supporting fiction was also pretty poor (the cartoon did get better towards the end).
(*If you can find a fan who loved Beast Machines the best keep them MISB – they are so rare they are worth a fortune!)

Collect any comics (which ones)? 
Transformers comics are what got me in to this game. I currently buy Lost Light each month and other series digitally when they are on sale. I buy all the IDW hardcover collections and am currently enjoying the Definitive G1 Collection coming in each month. I’m also anxiously waiting the long-delayed next volume of the Classics UK series. I would love to complete my actual UK comic collection but those remaining issues are getting harder to find and I’ve pretty much accepted that won’t happen.

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why? 
Transformers 75 “On the Edge of Extinction!” – such a great climax to Simon Furman’s run on Marvel US. Funny and sad, violent but triumphant with some of Geoff Senior’s finest TF art too.

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why? 
Beast Wars “The Agenda” – it raised the stakes of the series by linking it to the previous series in a way we wouldn’t have expected. It respects the past while being something new and has a great cliffhanger ending.

Favourite Character, and why? 
G1 Ratchet. He was one of the most fleshed out Transformers in the comic, conflicted between wanting to save lives and also having to be a warrior. Not afraid to backchat his commanders and never getting the chance he wanted to just have a party. I find the cartoon Ratchet pretty bland and I’m a little annoyed Animated makes people think of Ratchet as old and grumpy, but James Roberts done a good job having a mix of both in MTMTE/Lost Light.

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character? 
G1 Sideswipe. That vehicle mode and that athletic robot mode.

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real? 
G1 Jazz. If a Transformer came to Earth I’d hope it was one that loved Earth culture and wanted to expierence it all.

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)? 
A little over 650 toys at the moment.

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector? 
Primarily out-of-packaging, but as I have a growing backlog I am kind of a sealed collector by accident. Nearly all my MP toys for instance are sealed awaiting a good glass display for them.

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit? 
Far too much to even think about, tens of thousands of dollars? It’s a scary thought.

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection? 
The most expensive figure in my collection is my original Fort Max, purchased from another Ozformer member not long before the Encore was announced* , as these things often go. I guess the most rare TF in my collection is a G1 Overlord I purchased from an European seller – who sent me the toy in wrapped shoe boxes! — which I think is still pretty rare for people to have.
(*Me too – 5 months before, wasn’t it a kick in the guts!)

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have? 
I’ve got all the colouring books and story books from my childhood. I’ve got some miscellaneous stamp sets, puzzles and things like that from the heyday of G1 merchandise. Some of the more random things are some of the chocolate wrappers with temporary tattoos. I also have a Transformer balloon from the Royal Melbourne Show that’s still intact.

First Transformers toy? 
For a long time I have thought it was Powerglide, but I’m starting to think it was maybe Rumble and Ravage at Christmas 1984.

One toy you most want? 
Of existing toys the thing I’d most like to get is a G1 Swoop. It’s the only one of the Dinobots I don’t have (although three of the ones I do have are G2 versions) but with his fragile nature and the knock off versions around I am reluctant to purchase one, but if an Encore came out I’d jump on it. Same goes for the original Mirage and Wheeljack toys too the only 1984 figures I’ve not been able to get.

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)? 
The TakTom Devastator. Looks great and too big to put away.

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)? 
In my early years I think Beachcomber was my favourite toy, followed closely by Prowl and Ravage.

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion? 
Supreme Devastator from ROTF. Ugly and too big for it’s own good and no robot modes for the constructions? Totally inferior to the Legends-sized version.

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them? 
First one that comes to mind is TF Prime First Edition Vehicon. The other First Edition deluxe toys were so good, but this one was clunky and disappointing – especially when the TF Prime’s regular line came out with such a perfect Vehicon toy.

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys?
I know they are not for me so I don’t even bother given them a try. I do at times think there are far too many clogging up the toy aisles. Because the gimmick toys are often the same characters also released as deluxes, voyagers, they seem less important to me, like they don’t count. I’d rather the Autobot and Decepticon ranks be boosted by new characters/subgroups built around gimmicks. The way we got toys and characters like the Throttlebots, Triggerbots, Battlechargers etc in the G1 years.

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories? 
I think some of them look great (Green Giant, Quantron, Lost Exo-Realm) but the cost and perceived fragileness of them put me off. They look good on the shelf but don’t look like toys to play with. I have owned some but I much prefer to spend my money on the regular Transformers.

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years? 
I think there’s a bit of stagnation. I think the diversification is good for the brand in theory, but it does create so many buying options that must compete with each other for parent dollars. I think Hasbro’s push for a “shared universe” has hurt the comics and I wonder if they’ll pull back from it. G1 fans are generally being treated pretty well but that also means the line isn’t progressing into new areas either, just retreading the same concepts.

Which single TFs toy should every fan own? 
I think it’s MP10 Convoy/Optimus Prime. It’s the most iconic Transformer character. The toy captures the feel of the classic figure combined with a great cartoon accurate design. (And if you don’t like red that toy comes in pretty much every colour now!)

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?
If I was buying someone a present today, I’d go get either the Crash Combiner PrimeStrong (for a male/female union) or Dragbreak (for a male/male union) or Skyhammer (for a female/female union).

SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
Michael from Melbourne
You’ve been part of the online fandom for a very long time – how has it changed? How is it different? What trends have you noticed? What prediction can you make about where fandom is going? Any other insights? 
The biggest shift was the movies. They increased Transformers fandom considerably both in numbers and visibility. It brought back fans from the earlier years and brought in young fans who are just becoming adults today. Some of them telling the same story about how their parents got rid of their childhood toys and they are coming back into being a fan, it’s just now they are talking about a Leader Movie Optimus Prime toy not a G1 Optimus Prime.

At the same time the rise in social media has broadened the places for fans to discuss TFs so what was once pretty centralised has become pretty splintered, but I think people find the place that best suits them: a forum, a facebook page, a twitter group, whatever it is. Of course social media has also raised the amount of “internet outrage” that also means there’s a lot more negativity around too, the nerd rage and entitlement stuff. On the positive side there’s a lot more diversity about thanks to the various channels open to people which is great.

Dallas from Sydney
Over the last couple years you’ve put in a massive effort in reducing and streamlining your collection. I’ve seen you take lot of consideration in what you keep and what you move on .
– are there any big regrets? 
No big regrets, when I make up my mind to move a Transformer on it is well considered. I think about what about the toy makes me want to keep it and if I can’t think of that reason, it’s good to go.
– are there any you’ve sold and then decided to re-purchase? 
There’s been one or two I’ve thought about briefly, Generations Blurr was one, but when I really think about it I’m happy not to have the toy.
– of all the lines you’ve cleared out which one did you keep the least toys from and which one did you keep the most. Titans return doesn’t count because it’s too recent. 
I didn’t keep any of the Armada toys (although I have two repaints from later lines – Longrack and the CHUG Unicron). In fact the Unicron Trilogy is a very small part of my collection now (1 Energon toy and 3 from Cybertron). I stripped my Alternators down to two figures as well (Smokescreen and Decepticharge).
– a large % of my collection is not on display for various reasons, is any of yours off display or are you trimming down to the point where you can keep it all on display? 
I have the most recent purchases on display while they are still my new stuff that I want to fiddle with.
Nearly everything else is sorted into various by toyline storage tubs. I don’t think I’ll ever have everything on display, but I’d like to have a good space that I could rotate series every couple of months.
– As time goes by, will you have to trim further to make room for new purchases or are you leaving some shelf space now the you can fill up later?
The lines I have most from are the CHUG ones but I sometimes think I’m not been harsh enough with those and with some of the recent lines providing new versions of characters I will need to revist. It is much easier to be critical of the older toys then the more recent ones.
– based on your long term selection of favorite toys from each line you’ve kept are you finding patterns in the types of transformers you prefer? is it a certain level of complexity, poseability or is it character or alt mode based preference? 
The ones I keep tend to have a fun or clever transformation and looks great in one or both of the alt modes, or it has some special sentimental value to me (which is why I’ve not sold any of my childhood toys (anything prior to Beast Wars). Character can play a part in it as well. Poseability not so much but is always nice to have. A transformation that’s frustrating to the point where the toy is not fun to change, is often the main reason I’ve got rid of something.

D-Dawg!
If you could go back in time to meet your 20 year old self, what would be the one thing you would tell him about Transformers in the future?* 
(*Great question! Tempted to answer it myself)
As a 20 year old I wasn’t all that keen on the current toyline, Beast Machines, and it didn’t really seem like the future of the brand was all that strong. I would tell him to cast those fears aside, that there would be so much new stuff to come, new toylines, new cartoons, comics, movies and video games, than he could ever imagine there could be so relax and enjoy all the unexpected shapes Transformers will take over the next two decades.

 

Got any other questions for Paul?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them for you!

 

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