G1 KO "reissues" - worth it?

[gdmetro]

I know it is blasphemy to even mention this issue. But I am curious.

Issue: Do you think it is worth it to get the High Quality G1 KO reissues or just not collect g1 at all?


I'll start by saying I've never gotten a KO, but I do purchase 3rd party stuff.

Recently I've been obsessing over G1 stuff I've always wanted and thinking about starting to slowly collect some unreissued g1 figs over time.

The cost to collect these are too prohibitive, and the fact that I like my figures mint. If I cant get them mint, I'd rather not have the figure.


Factors I am considering are:

-Ethical/Moral/Legal- How about the fact that Has/Tak will or can never reissue it? This is a huge factor I've been thinking about.

-Quality/Cost

-Tainting collection/ no fun to collect due to ease to obtain/cheating?


Also: How much difference is the quality from G1 vs Encore/reissue vs HQ KO?


I just want honest opinions. I'm already biased against getting them, but I'd like to hear more pros on acquiring them aswell.

[Sky Shadow]

The cost to collect these are too prohibitive, and the fact that I like my figures mint. If I cant get them mint, I'd rather not have the figure.

I don't see the point of knockoffs - if one only wants mint toys (and as a serial G1 toy liberator I totally understand that) and can't justify the price of near-minty originals then I'd rather just not have the toy as you say above. I hate that there are toys I can't buy and feel assured is the real thing or has real accessories (Reflector, Gnaw, Metroplex etc). And I hate the idea that people are selling knockoffs or originals with knockoff parts as originals. Buying knockoffs only makes it a lucrative business for the sellers, which gives them the motivation and finances to knock off more toys, thus eliminating even more toys from the pool of G1 toys that I can feel assured are genuine. I don't want to support this black market for G1 Transformers and so I don't buy the KOs, (plus I feel they have no place in my 'collection' since I'd always know they weren't 'genuine'.) Also, we can never be 100% sure that a mould will never be reissued - Sky Lynx, Omega Supreme and various others have come completely out of left field.

[VERT]

If you can get the KO cheap its great. I have been getting all of them to have out and display. I have all the originals but im putting them away so they are nice and safe. As for Quality most of them are perfect. Wheeljack was not so good. So if your looking for nice display bots that you can handle without living in fear of hurting its the way to go. And most people would not even be able to tell the difference.

[5FDP]

It really all boils down to if you are comfortable with owning a KO.

I own a couple but I would never claim them as being legit G1 toys nor would I count them as being part of my collection. They are merely display pieces.

Like you, I considered whether or not we would ever see a reissue before making a decision to buy one e.g. Shockwave. It would be ignorant for me to think that if I took a moral stand and refused to buy a KO that eventually the KO makers would stop producing them as KO's have been around ever since Transformers emerged in the 80's.

The few that I have bought are quite high quality - comparable even to recent Hasbro / TakTom reissues. I have even heard that in some cases the quality is better.

Collecting G1 can be quite expensive as you know especially if you're hunting down that 'mint' piece. KO's offer an affordable alternative and at the end of the day, it's your collection and no one else’s.

[kup]

I don't collect KOs either for similar reason as Sky Shadow - You know they are not real and unlike most of the 3rd party fan stuff, they are straight rip offs often sold with the intention of deceiving the buyer that it's the real thing. I have tried very hard to avoid them while collecting G1.

However given the circumstances of G1 KOs being constantly released with new ones announced almost every couple of weeks, it's a good idea to keep up with news about them. That way you are well informed in avoiding them. When I was collecting G1, I prioritized which vintage figure to get next based on what KO was announced, that way I was assured to buy the legit figure before the KO hits the market. Like when I heard about the Sunstreaker KO being released soon, the first thing I did was go on ebay and buy a vintage that way I was assured that it was real as the KO was yet to be released.

[liegeprime]

Out of curio though, those KO G1 cars, do they have diecast parts as well like the original or not.. e.g Wheeljack...

thank goodness Ive completed the G1 figures that are KOd before they were KOd so at least I know what I have is the vintage stuff... but mostly reissues hehehe.

[Eruntalon]

I'm against collecting KO G1 because of moral reasons and as a matter of principle. However if one were a collector of KO toys in general for some quirky reason then it would be different.

I believe the only decent use for KO transformers is for kit bashing.

[VERT]

Your all like a moral G1 God squad (Just joking I dont care less)

But yes all have the Die Cast all are the same or better. They copy the original version before Hasbro made them cheap.

Remember if Hasbro shut then KO people down they would use these moulds for their own reissues. The moulds are that good.

Put it this way Look at the Takara reissue of Rumble next to the original. Its a totaly new mould that just looks like the real one. Different head and hands and other stuff.

[Soundwarp]

I used to beleive in KO's.
I learnt that just waiting and getting the real thing is best.

[LordCyrusOmega]

While out shopping one day I came across an obvious ko set of constructicons. They were cheap so brought them. Regretted it the moment I opened them. Poor plastic and construction, lacking paint and smaller then the real thing. For a short time o displayed them then took them down. This experience influenced me to stay away from ko's. I'd rather the real thing.

I later found out that my g1 rumble and ragbat were ko as well and was furious that someone sold me one while trying to pass it off as real. I was only starting out when I brought it. On the plus side it taught meto use caution.