I was at Target the other day, hunting for TFs as usual. As a seasoned TF hunter, my optics are quick to notice figures that I have never seen before. This holds true even for TFs that I don’t buy, like Flip and Change figs (or Flip n’ Fails as I like to call them). So imagine my surprise when I saw the fig in the pic below, on the left.
At first I was like “Whoa! A new fig!” Then I picked up the box, and I get the feeling I have seen this box before. Sure enough, comparing with some items nearby on the shelf, I realized someone transformed this Optimus into truck mode, put it back in the box, and returned it to Target. A look at the top of the box confirms it, in the pic below.
I guess some fan out there did not fully appreciate the wonders of the Flip n’ Fail. And he was too lazy to even properly put Optimus back in robot mode for the return… hahaha. Though I do give him credit for the thorough re-package work. It could pass for factory if identical new figs weren’t nearby.
And just to be clear, I do not buy Flip n’ Fails. I would stop collecting TFs altogether if Hasbro only made Flip n’ Fails.
Transform and Roll Out.
Continuing with the tradition of this blog, I will still document what I am buying each month. I am now back-posting what I bought per month since the start of 2014.
- Mastermind Creations Fortis, tfsource.com, $89.99
- Generations Thrilling 30 Dreading, Target, $17.99
- FansProject Diesel, tfsource.com, $119.95
I have opened all of these. Fortis (not Headstrong) is almost exactly like Bovis, which I was not expecting. I thought MMC would do more to distinguish between the 2 figures which forms the legs of Predaking. Dreadwing is a redeco of Generations Thrilling 30 Megatron. Only differences between these 2 figs are the paint job and the head mold.
Diesel (not Motormaster) is a complicated piece to say the least. He’s packaged in truck mode like you see in the pic above. In the pics below, I have him transformed to his robot mode, with and without armor.
And for course the real reason we hardcore collectors all get this figure is so we can form the mighty Intimidator (not Menasor)!
Intimidator looks totally kick-ass when combined! The limb components were bought in March and August of last year.
So that’s 3 figures for the month, two 3rd party figs and one generations figs. Not a bad way to start the new year.
Transform and Roll Out!
Welcome to the Transformation of this blog! After about a seven month hiatus, I’m back! You are looking at the first post of TFMatrix.com.
I had been blogging on WordPress.com for over 4 years, which was great. But it was time I moved off their site and went to my own self hosted blog. So in January of 2014, I registered for a new domain. I meant to transfer the old content here as soon as I could, but of course life gets in the way. Many things delayed the launch of TF Matrix, including work, going on vacation (multiple times), getting sick (multiple times), researching just exactly how to transfer content off of WordPress.com, and other personal obligations. Before you knew it, half the year has passed. I did not mean to be away from blogging for so long.
But now I’m back and better than ever! In my last post I said I have “big changes planned for this blog in early 2014,” and you are looking at it. It took longer than I thought it would, but better late than never. Moving forward, I have even more planned for TF Matrix. As a lifelong TransFan, I promise to keep the Spark alive for eons to come.
Coincidentally, this is the 200th post of this blog. I’m glad this milestone celebrates the launching of TF Matrix. Transformers are constantly changing and evolving like their namesake, so it’s only fair that my blog emulates this behavior. Look for more great TF content in the future. Long live Transformers! Now and forever… Transform and Roll Out!