Every once in a while I visit my local Tuesday Morning. They have a toy section, and sometimes you can find TFs that can be hard to find elsewhere for less than MSRP. For example, I have found Reveal the Shield legend class Megatron and Trailcutter (aka Trailbreaker) there at $3.99 each. Anyway, yesterday I was there looking for some items to furnish my new home (which is kind of what most of their items are), but I thought I stop by the TF section just in case. The knock-offs (KO) below caught my attention.

These KOs are not even to scale with the real deal. Check out a size comparison pic below with DOTM Nitro Bumblebee.

Still, I’m kinda tempted to pick up that KO Defensor. Counting only the G1 combiners from the first 4 seasons (IMO pretty much the only G1 seasons that matter), the Protectobots are the only set where I never played with any of the figures from the team. Back in G1, I had the Combaticons and Technobots complete. I had Air Raid from the Aerialbots, and I had Breakdown, Drag Strip, and Dead End from the Stunticons. My cousin had the Terrorcons and I played with them extensively. I never officially owned the Contructicons, but my KO set was enough to give me an impression as to how the real thing would be. And as for the Predacons, I never had them during G1. But I bought the reissue set sometime last year, and so now I know how they are.

And that just leaves the Protectobots. None of my friends owned any of them, probably because we all thought they were a bunch of pansies. I’m not sure if that reputation was well deserved, but it was the popular notion of the day. Even the legendary Don Figueroa has stated that, in his interpretation, Defensor is the smallest gestalt.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the toys could be cool. I might go back to the store later and pick up these KO Protectobots. This will give me a sampling of what the genuine article is all about. I’m not hearing of plans to reissue the Protectobots. At $5.99 for the set you really can’t lose (or maybe you could b/c they’re KO).

At the store they also had a KO Menasor (not pictured). I would get him, but the KO set is all messed up. It uses Afterburner as the left arm and Nosecone as the left leg.

On a related note, I have decided to not get the Encore Constructicons for two reasons: 1) The TFC Hercules set is so freakin’ amazing, and I also have the Giant set on preorder, the G1 set will pale in comparison, and 2) I stumbled upon this review of Encore Constructicons. The report of the set being “KO quality” has me discouraged. I’ve said before that I’m on a quest to get all the G1 combiners, but I don’t want to pay $120+ for a set that’s nowhere near as good as the originals. And speaking of reissues being inferior to originals, in 2004 I picked up a TRU exclusive reissue of Silverstreak (aka Bluestreak). Comparing him to an original G1 Smokescreen that I had since 1985, Silverstreak is most definitely inferior. The plastic feels cheap, workmanship feels coarse and shoddy, and some joints are way too loose while others are way too tight. These reissues are all made in China, and they simply do not measure up to the Japanese originals.

I have had absolutely no luck finding new TFs lately. So I might as well buy some KO. Transform and Roll Out!