Maz's Articles & Reviews

[Maz]

For those of us who have seen THIS, this interview has been something to look forward to enormously. Neale Rochman, AKA "heraldofunicron", has spent virtually all of his collecting life away from the online community. Recently he ventured online and connected with the fandom via the forums, and posted that collection video tour that got a lot of us desperate to find out more about his journey. Neal's Transformers museum is comprised of G1, G2, Japanese exclusives, prototypes and artwork, the main draw being that most of his G1 collection is displayed packaged and loose with one toy in each mode. It's like a living catalogue of Transformers G1 history. I always think I've seen the last great TF collection already and that very little will make me stand back and gasp. I was wrong, so please, the tour starts here...

Collector Interview 25 – Neal Rochman | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ





All the best
Maz

[Maz]

Transformers Animated is an incredibly divisive chapter in the history of the brand among collectors. For every fan who loved the cartoon and was touched by the depth of the story telling, continuity and homages to prior eras of Transformers, there are those who simply can’t understand the love for this highly specific aesthetic and style, both toys and cartoon alike. You can often find collectors liquidating everything from vintage to modern day releases, but even the most thorough collection clearout posts can have a massive gap in chronology where the Animated toys should be. Either because they are keeping this most special and unique of TF lines, or because they never got on board with it in the first place. And that says a lot about how Animated is seen even today, just as at the time.

A Voyage Of Animated Discovery – Part 1 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ





All the best
Maz

[Maz]

I started a mission on my own blog about how one could go about scoring a G1 Rotorstorm for free, a mission that's finally come to a conclusion. I didn't set out to get one free at first, or to make a big deal of it, I just wanted to pay as little as possible for a decent example. What happened along the way I felt was interesting enough to share. I hope you agree!

Square One: How to get a G1 Rotorstorm For Free (Part 1)
Square One: How to get a G1 Rotorstorm For Free (Part 2)
Square One: How to get a G1 Rotorstorm For Free (Part 3)
Square One: How to get a G1 Rotorstorm For Free (Part 4)
Square One: How to get a G1 Rotorstorm For Free (Part 5 - Finale)







All the best
Maz

[Maz]

I am discovering and re-discovering Transformers Animated at the same time. Discovering that the toy line expanded so far beyond the amazing deluxes, voyagers and leaders from my original flirtation with the toy line, and re-discovering repaints and toys I had long forgotten about, and re-living the enjoyment of experiencing new moulds from the line. It’s been a while since deluxes have been so impressive and such complete, uncompromising toys. When the sub-deluxe toys are as good as the Activators and legends, it’s no surprise that everything from there upwards impressed so much. A shame that not everyone feels the same way though, to this day discussions about Animated bring out intense loyalty in some and palpable repulsion in others.

A Voyage Of Animated Discovery – Part 2 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ





All the best
Maz

[Maz]

The law of diminishing returns dictates that beyond a certain point, there is less reward and result for an equal amount of input. In terms of vintage Generation 1 Transformers research and discovery, this basically means that as time goes by, as much as we continue to hunt for variations, exclusives or oddities from different and often obscure parts of the TF universe – or unfamilar parts of the world – there is less chance that we will turn up the next big thing. The next Diaclone Black Tracks, the next South American pink Windcharger, the next European yellow G1 Devastator – is there still anything like that out there after all these years?

Slightly More News To Me | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ





All the best
Maz

[Skullcruncher]

Curse you Maz and this Yugoslavian G1 Optimus Prime for adding another prime to my want list

That last photo of powermaster prime - please explain?

[Maz]

I would have waited an eternity for this. Paul Hitchens is one of the most recognisable names (and faces) in the Transformers collecting community, not just because of his numerous and significant contributions to conventions, the community, the discovery and cataloguing of variants, rarities, prototypes and history of Transformers animation, but also as a representative of the community and the brand in various media including TV, DVD, radio, print and publications. He is as well known for being a long time collector and enthusiast as he is for being one of the most reputable and enduring toy dealers in the business, The Spacebridge. Beyond all of these things, he is someone I look up to as a close friend, a father, a level-headed collector and someone I'd ask for advice given just about any situation, collecting or otherwise. It is a credit to him that his interview is probably the most anticipated of any before, and it's a credit to me that I was finally able to get him to agree to it!

Because of Paul's long standing in the community, I have asked him to describe how the scene has changed in the last 15 years as opposed to the normal 10 years I ask all interviewees, and it's also why he's the only one allowed to use sub-headings! Bring it, Hitch.

Collector Interview 26 – Paul Hitchens | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ





All the best
Maz

[Maz]

Curse you Maz and this Yugoslavian G1 Optimus Prime for adding another prime to my want list

That last photo of powermaster prime - please explain?

Hahaha I do apologise, I was quite surprised by that Prime myself!

As for PM Prime, here you go:
http://tfsquareone.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/who-knew.html

All the best
Maz

[Skullcruncher]

Hahaha I do apologise, I was quite surprised by that Prime myself!

As for PM Prime, here you go:
http://tfsquareone.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/who-knew.html

All the best
Maz

Awesome, some Saturday morning reading. That interview with Hitch was the best! Its great to see long time collectors share their stories and his were very good. One day I hope to find some thermo nuclear variations as well

[Maz]

There have always been categories of Transformers, distinguishable by size, complexity and type. As a predominantly vintage collector for years I was very new to the whole uniform hierarchy of figures – or size class – that seem to have originated in the beast era of toys. This week I am looking at some of the deluxe class toys I’ve seen and owned (which admittedly is not very many) and pick out some of what has really impressed.

A Class Apart | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ



All the best
Maz