Transformers Purchased in December 2012
Happy New Year!
Before I say goodbye to 2012, it’s time to count up the Transformers acquired in December.
- DOTM Jetwing Optimus Prime, Amazon.com, $104.99
- TF Prime RID Vehicon, gift from Pax Cybertron
- TF Prime FE Bulkhead, Toys R Us, $24.99
- FOC Soundwave and Laserbeak, Toys R Us, $22.99
- FOC Frenzy and Ratbat, Toys R Us, $10.99
- FOC Ravage and Rumble, Toys R Us, $6.59
That’s a total of 9 TFs for the month. 6 from Fall of Cybertron (FOC), 1 from Dark of the Moon (DOTM), and 2 TF Primes.
The Vehicon is from Pax Cybertron. See this post for full details.
As for Bulkhead, this is my 2nd purchase of this figure. I know, I said no multiples this year. But at $24.99 it feels so cheap compared to what I paid for the 1st one, which was $69.99. I really like this fig too, so I got another. Though it does make me feel stupid for buying the 1st one from eBay. Toys R Us has FE Optimus Prime at $24.99 also. It took a lot of willpower for me to not buy a 2nd one of that fig. This 2nd Bulkhead I’m leaving sealed in the box, and the pic above is of the 1st figure.
The FOC figures I found all on the same trip to Toys R Us. I have opened them all and they are all recommended, especially Soundwave. My only gripe about these is that the discs don’t eject all that well, and that the auto-transform mechanics of the discs more hinders than helps. But don’t let that stop you from buying them if you see them. On my visit, TRU was doing a buy one and get one at 40% off on all TFs. This is why one of the pair of discs was only $6.59. I really wanted to get another TF to pair with Soundwave for another 40% off (again, really considered FE Optimus), but in the end only decided to get the new figs.
DOTM Jetwing Optimus I have not opened. I might someday. I really want to checkout the wings. I believe the base figure is a slight remold of ROTF Leader class Optimus, which is an excellent figure. The only new gimmick here is the wings. Some fans have said that the Japanese version of this fig is hands down the best transforming movie Optimus made. That one retailed for over $200 US, so I wasted no time to pre-order the US Amazon Exclusive version at $104.99. However, around mid-December, Amazon dropped the price of this figure to only $52. That kinda pissed me off. I could’ve got this for half the price. Oh well. At this very moment, Amazon has it at about $100, so I don’t feel too bad anymore.
2012 was the first year where I kept stats on the number of TFs I purchased. Here are the year to date statistics:
- 12 figures from Dark of the Moon (DOTM)
- 32 figures from Transformers Prime
- 3 Power Core Combiners (PCC)
- 1 figure from Cybertron
- 5 Masterpieces
- 19 figures from Generations Fall of Cybertron (FOC)
- 16 figures from Generations GDO
- 1 Alternity figure
- 2 Animated figures
- 3 Star Wars figures
- 7 3rd Party figures
That’s a grand total of 103 figures for 2012. Is that good? Who knows. That’s about 8.5 figs per month. Or close to 2 figs a week.
And as I look at the stats from month to month, I noticed that most of my purchases came at Q1 and Q4. Right after and right before new years. From April to Sept there was a real drought of TFs. I guess this is normal for a non-movie year. It’s also not surprising that most of the figures came from TF Prime, since it is the active TF show.
On a more personal note, I’m happy to be done with 2012. It’s been a weird year for me, in both good and bad ways. I’m looking forward to 2013. I don’t know what kind of TFs Hasbro has planned for 2013, but they come up with something to keep me interested every year.
I’m ready for 2013! Transform and Roll Out!