Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[GoktimusPrime]

Anybody know the deal with Go-Bots toy Pocket? He's part of the Puzzler combiner. He's a yellow lamborghini with a head that is an whole lot like Sunstreaker's...

Yet there's no connection right? It's not like old Diaclone line toys could have ended up in Gobots/Machine Robo line is there?

Seems too similar to be coincidence though. Could both Sunstreaker and Puzzler toys have a common ancestor? Based on a character maybe from a movie or older toyline?

Just did a quick Google search and according to this site, the original Machine Robo Machine Puzzler toy came out in 1985; 3 years after Diaclone Car Robot, and a year after Hasbro released Transformers (and thus Sunstreaker in yellow). Perhaps it was in response to Takara releasing Transformers in Japan that year. <shrugs>

[DELTAprime]

Looking at filling the gaps in my MP collection. Does the Takara version of MP Acid Storm MP-11A come with a Takara Tomy collector card? I'm thinking of doing a display of MP collector cards like some other people on the boards have done.

[DELTAprime]

One last question before I go blowing my savings... Have Starscream and Skywarp used the Leader Class CW figure as their bodies in the comics? I'm going to fill in the gaps in my IDW lineup, but if they haven't used those bodies in the comics I won't get those figures.

[prjkt]

Starscream has, made a bit of a song and dance about it in the Combiner aware arc, yet Skywarp is still in his FOC/Cybertronian form

[Megatran]

I've seen TakaraTomy referred to as simply Tomy. Have they changed their name by dropping the Takara word or is it simply a legacy thing.

[DELTAprime]

I've seen TakaraTomy referred to as simply Tomy. Have they changed their name by dropping the Takara word or is it simply a legacy thing.

In Japan they are known as Takara Tomy, outside Japan they are known as Tomy because the Takara brand never really made it's way outside Japan. At work I sell heaps of Tomy product as the Tomy brand is common outside Japan.

[griffin]

Tomy is apparently the fourth largest toy company in the world, behind Hasbro, Lego and Mattel.

[Megatran]

Tomy is apparently the fourth largest toy company in the world, behind Hasbro, Lego and Mattel.

By what measure? Sales revenue, number of employees, length, girth, profit, number of toy lines?

[griffin]

By what measure? Sales revenue, number of employees, length, girth, profit, number of toy lines?

I think it was by sales. It was about three years ago, in an article somewhere.

[DELTAprime]

Makes sense. I must sell as much Tomy product in general (mostly baby toys) as I sell Hasbro product. Don't really sell much Mattel anymore and Lego dominates.