Clutch, I'm on your wavelength.

I've been reading the newest Transformers comic, along with the Ironhide mini, and have had Transformers on the brain lately. I just finished up my latest "Toy Run" article and it's about my recent trip to Toys R Us and what I think about how I'm falling back into Transformers.

I was able to get out of the store with just two. One I bought because of the current sale, but the other was one I had to have - a modern take on Seaspray!

The Toy Run and the Seaspray review are both up today: http://www.itsalltrue.net/

Noisy, I believe there's Transformer fever in the air this summer.

I never collected the line religiously as a kid, but it was always on the radar. My mom liked the concept and got me both Bumblebee and Perceptor because of their alt modes. I picked Smokescreen up one time but never continued since they were a bit pricey even for their time. I received Ultra Magnus and Galvatron for Christmas in '86, then bought a Throttlebot here, a Sparkabot there over the next year. The last one I remember owning is Powermaster Optimus Prime. Once the Pretenders came out, I lost interest for the next two decades. The toys had drifted into a strange territory somehow, at least for me.

Excellent post and review as always. I love the Throttlebots, Protectobots, and Combaticons, too! Those are my three favorite sub-groups. Hope to see them receive the Seaspray treatment soon enough.

I always seem to be more interested in the bad guys, so my favorite combiners are the Combaticons, Terrorcons, Constructicons, and Seacons.

Predacons are also favorites of mine, but I have yet to obtain them, and keep hoping they get an eventual re-release.

The Predacons were hardcore in the comic. I loved the issue (#25) where they took on Megatron himself after Shockwave placed a hit on his boss.

I'm hoping to see more of the old combiner groups now that BBTS re-releasing the Seacons.

If you can get your hands on the UK reprints, there's also a cool story where the Predacons are sicced on Prime. It actually causes a bit of a continuity kerfuffle with #25, but they were able to explain it away due to Megs being nuts at the time.

Thanks for the heads-up. I've read a bit of the UK stuff and was impressed by how they integrated the domestic continuity into their stories.

Okay, finally saw the power core combiners.

And I'm disappointed. Only the center bot transforms? BORRRRING.

Sigh. No new Combiners for me.

I was never a Transformers guy as a kid as well. My younger brother was the Transformers guy as I was a hardcore GIJOE guy. But with the recent comics, the Shout Factory DVD releases and the Classics/Universe and now Generations toys I've gotten into more now than ever before.

The Classics figures are the best representations (in my opinion) of some of the Classic Transformers.

The recent Transformers All HAIL MEGATRON and current series have gotten me interested in Blurr, Perceptor and Drift and I'm glad to know that they will be coming out in the Generations line.

One of my favorite Classic toys is the deluxe Bumblee. Which I was able to get a local convention for 10 bucks recently.

The Predacons were already reissued around 2005 or thereabouts. They're expensive and tough to come by now. I don't know if they'll see another release.

Really? Where? In the States or just in Japan? Were they an exclusive?

I hate to think I missed them, but I sure as hell don't recall seeing them!

Uncle will have the details for us, but any Takara re-releases are bound to be limited and pricey. They did a set of minibots around then which is way out of my range by now.

Takara reissue in Japan. It was widely available for import at the time but it was snatched up fast. The price started inflating not very long after release. It was, and still is, a very popular set. Lots of love for the Predacons.

Then hopefully, Hasbro will take notice and release them in the States a la the Masterwork series.

I don't know if Hasbro would touch it. It's a pretty expensive set as all the components are large; atypical of all other gestalts. If they sold regular sized single reissues for $30 (almost 10 years ago), the set would come out to $180 and take up serious shelf space. Not the kind of thing Hasbro puts out to retail outside of the Star Wars line. Maybe an online exclusive like the Seacons? Either way, my best guess is we've seen the last of this set unless Takara decides to do it again in the Encore line if it survives.

Sigh. Back to being outbid on Ebay, I guess.