#248 TRANSFORMERS – ACTION MASTERS ATTACK CRUISER WITH SPROCKET (1990)

The last G1 transformers:

The Micromasters from the end of the 90s were the attempt before the last to revitalize the Transformers line. Hasbro decided to shrink transformers to fit the new fashion of small toys (mostly after the success of MicroMachines). The last attempt, however, were the “Action Masters”, and the line was with them “reinvented”.

Hasbro rescued the most popular characters to be re-released in new forms. The new concept was small, non-transforming, robot figures, that could ride converting vehicles. Some robots were sold with small accessories, other came with huge vehicles. The size of the figures is similar to G.I.Joe: ARAH, and the concept of transforming vehicles recalls a little bit M.A.S.K.

A promotional image of the "smallest" action Masters

The first Action Masters were released in 1990, but in 1991 there were a few more figures released, but only in some European countries. These are extremely rare and expensive, although in this particular line most items are cheap and easy to find.

Sprocket with the Attack Cruiser was one of the biggest boxes in this new branch of Transformers. The vehicle is a green car (off-road?) convertible in jet/helicopter.

The figure of the robot is ok, but the vehicles are poorly detailed. Maybe this factor was the key for which the toy-line didn’t succeeded.

The cabin of the car/plane has no details at all, the blue seats have a separation in the middle so one figure stays at one side only. There's no steering wheel, maybe because in Japan it would be placed right, while in most parts of the world it would be placed left... The wings spread and can carry one of the missiles in each end. Most pieces are very big, and the whole toy is built very robustly, mostly if we compare it with older TF robots. Action Masters are clearly designed as toys.

 
I have more of these, although not all of them are complete. I'll try to show more soon.

The decrease in sales couldn’t be stopped with either Micromasters or Action Masters, what finally led to the end of Transformers in most parts of the world. 

SPROCKET with ATTACK CRUISER

• Faction: Autobot
• Subgroup: Action Masters
• Function: Surface Surveillance
• Motto: “Know your enemy and victory is yours!”
• Bio: Sprocket is programmed to take fast, forceful action and no prisoners. This fierce warrior doesn't withdraw from a battlefield until he's covered it with the smoking wreckage of Decepticons. He drives a rebuilt, all-terrain Attack Cruiser which has the standard supply of two photon rifles, metal-immobilizing magnetic rockets, and bumper energy shields. The Attack Cruiser converts into a vector-thrust hovercopter, armed with front-moounted plasma-pulse machine guns.
• Tech Specs for Sprocket:

• Strength: 9
• Intelligence: 7
• Speed: 8
• Endurance: 6
• Rank: 6
• Courage: 9
• Firepower: 9
• Skill: 8

 

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: ATTACK CRUISER WITH SPROCKET
• Toy Line: Transformers – Action Masters
• Year: 1990
• Company: Hasbro (U.S.A.) / Takara (Japan)
• Size of the figures: Around 11 cms or 3,75’’

#247 JOAL – MONZA G.T. and ALFA ROMEO GIULIA 1600 (Around 1969)

These two beautiful cars were made by Joal around 1969 or 1970. The first one is a Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT and the second one is a Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600, also known as “Canguro”.

The Monza GT is based on a previous model by Tekno, while the Alfa Romeo was previously produced by Polistil and Mercury. Joal's seems to be based in the second model (Mercury). In an old blog entry (#20) we saw a model based on Corgi.

Both models have great detail and practicable parts, but the Monza G.T. also has direction and opening headlights.

Detail of opened headlights.

Chassis detail. The peg above opens the headlights. The front wheels steer.

As usual for this brand, each model was manufactured in different colours, so a quick search on the internet will reveal these models in many different colours. Mine are both bright red.

A curious thing about these models is that both have license/plate number "A 100108" and "A 103065". This type of plate was used in Spain prior to 1971, and these number (if they were real) would have been issued by mid-1966. “A” as usual refers to Alicante, the Spanish province in which the Joal factory was settled.

Plate A 103065

Unfortunately there is not much more information I can add to what I already told in the previous entries about Joal. In their website, there’s a short history of the company, but I wish it was more complete.

In Rosaspage.com, however, there’s a long article dealing only with 1:43 scale cars by Joal. The production started by the end of the 60s (probably 1968), and continued during the 70s and part of the 80s. Among the first models, were the Seat 850 Coupé and also the Seat 124 (similar to Mebetoys').

The casts are very well detailed, including the interiors (in plastic). All cars had practicable parts, including opening doors, bonnet and trunks. In the last two cases, the motor and the trunk are also beautifully decorated in plastic or metal. These practicable parts fit very well.

The construction of the cars is very robust, made almost completely in metal. The wheels were also made of metal with a plastic tyre, and the suspension system was also extremely soft and nice to drive. Relative to the robust construction, even the paint had very high quality, and even nowadays, most Joal cars look great, with very few chips. As a negative point, we might indicate that in some parts of the body, the paint layer is too thick and can hide some details of the cast.

These models were available in cardboard boxes, that we will show some other time, or in jewel-cases with a yellow base.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: MONZA G.T. and ALFA ROMEO GIULIA 1600
• Scale: 1:43
• Year: Around 1969
• Company: Joal (Spain)
• Size: approx. 9 cm

#246 GUILOY – FORD FIESTA, CITROËN DYANE 6 and SEAT PANDA (Ref. 611001, 611007 and 61008) (Around 1980)

I had already shown two series of 1:24 and 1:32 motorbikes by Guiloy, as well as a collection of 1:43 scale cars, but somehow, I forgot to show some 1:64 die-cast cars made by this Spanish company. The manufacture of these scale cars started in 1977, and continued during many years. The first releases had metal chassis, but later (around 1985 or 1986) it was replaced by a plastic one.

Models were finished in various colours and with (or without) different types of stickers. Stickers were made of plasticized paper, and they’re usually in bad shape. Every model in this series had opening doors, later models with plastic chassis also, but at some point, this feature was also cancelled.

Another interesting thing is that casts used by Guiloy were also used by other companies, most notably Pilen, with whom they also shared some 1:43 casts.

I have found the pictures of these three models:

-Ford Fiesta (“real” model from 1976) with reference number 611001

-Citroën Dyane 6 (real model from 1968) with reference number 611007

-Seat Panda (real model from 1980) with reference number 611008

These models are good examples of Guiloy’s die-cast in the late 70s and early 80s: big, heavy cars with an average casting and poor playability because of the suspension system.

All models which are not mint in box, are usually quite worn from playing. My models are not that bad, considering it’s age, and that I played with them during many year of my childhood. They represent cars that were very common at that time, and that kids could see everyday parked on the streets or on their way to school.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: FORD FIESTA, CITROËN DYANE 6 and SEAT PANDA (Ref. 611001, 611007 and 61008)
• Scale: Around 1:64
• Year: Around 1980
• Company: Guiloy (Spain)
• Size: approx. 6 cm

#245 SECRET WARS – BLACK COSTUME SPIDER-MAN vs. BARON ZEMO (1985)

SECRET WARS TOYS

As said in the previous entry, this time we will just focus on the toy line. There were three waves made, each of them with two factions, heroes and villains. One of the “new” things in this toy-line were that lenticular shields that came with each figure. These shield could be opened so you could insert on them one of the 4 double-sided images that came with each figure. Each of these 8 images was double, so moving the shield, you could see either one or the other. I guess the idea came from superheroes that must hide their identity; for example Peter Parker/Spider-Man. One of the images (often referred as “main image”) shows exactly this transformation, while the other 7 show the character in action. Shields for heroes are round and red. Shields for villains are square and grey.

Apart from the shield, some figures came with weapons. In the first wave, the most common weapon is a double-barrel gun. This weapon came with many figures, although there were other accessories made, for example a second type of rifle (for Dr. Doom), wolverine’s claws, and a few removable harnesses, belts and armours for different figures.

In the second and third waves, figure came with more specific accessories, like a falcon for Falcon, the glider for Hobgoblin, Daredevil’s whip and Constrictor’s whip.

Figures were sold carded, and on the backcard, a few comic scenes were depicted, in which the figure could be seen “in action”.

Here's the list of released figures and playsets:

WAVE 1:

Captain America

Iron Man

Spider-Man

Wolverine

Dr. Doom

Dr. Octopus

Kang the Conqueror

Magneto

WAVE 2:

Daredevil

Falcon

Spider-Man (black costume)

Baron Zemo

Hobgoblin

WAVE 3

Iceman

Constrictor

Elektro

Apart from the figures, there were two playsets and 7 vehicles released. As usual, playsets and vehicles bring additional playability to a toy line, as bring higher revenues to the toy manufacturers since they’re more expensive than single figures. In this case, there were two big playsets made, one for each faction. The 7 vehicles were actually 4 different vehicles, 3 of them recoloured for one or the other faction, plus the Doom Roller, which was exclusive for the villains.

Those three vehicles are: an helicopter, a motorbike with sidecar and a glider. The gliders are much rarer than the rest.

VEHICLES AND PLAYSETS:

Freedom Fighter Playset

Turbo Copter

Turbo Cycle

Star Dart Glider (with Black Costume Spider-Man)

Tower of Doom Playset

Doom Copter

Doom Cycle

Doom Roller

Doom Star Glider (with Kang)

And to finish this article, let’s go to the figures:

Black Costume Spider-Man is well known, but this black costume is really a symbiote of alien origin, that Spider-Man finds in planet Battleworld. 

He came with his shield only. I have to mention that paint is very likely to disappear in some figures of this collection. This version of Spider-Man is usually seen in a very bad shape. Mine is quite good, although the spider on the back is almost gone.

Baron Zemo, or Dr. Heinrich Zemo, 12th Baron Zemo, was one of the top nazi scientists during World War II. His son also used the same (or a very similar costume), so this figure could also represent Helmut J. Zemo, 13^th Baron Zemo.

The figure came with a grey shield (with it corresponding images), a gun and a yellow belt.

It is interesting to mention, that although all figures seem identical, there are some differences in the casts, that give additional quality to these toys. Note for example, that Spider-Man’s right foot is barely set on the ground (a sign of its agility), and Baron Zemo’s left hand is opened, as simulating it’s telekinetic powers.

In future entries, I will talk further about this line.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: BLACK COSTUME SPIDER-MAN and BARON ZEMO
• Toy Line: Secret Wars (Wave 2)
• Year: 1985
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: Around 12 cms

#244 SECRET WARS – IRON MAN vs. KANG THE CONQUEROR (1984)

ORIGIN OF SECRET WARS

Most of the times, a movie, a tv series or a comic book inspires a line of toys. In this case, it was the opposite. Mattel had in mind a series of Marvel’s superheroes, and committed Marvel to publish a new comic series using its most famous characters within the same stories (this is called “crossover”). Jim Shooter wrote the stories and Mike Zeck and Bob Layton drew 12 issues of “Secret Wars”.

These twelve issues were released between May 1984 and April 1985, and featured well known superheroes and supervillains: Spiderman, Captain America, Daredevil, Iron Man, Wolverine and Dr. Doom, Octopus, Magneto…

#1 Cover (source: Wikipedia)

That was exactly was Mattel wanted to have; in words of Jim Shooter: “One big story with all the heroes and villains in it”, so the toyline would be very attractive to kids. The name “Secret Wars” is just a mixture of two words that, after Mattel’s research, caused a positive reaction in kids. Mattel had interest in superheroes after Kenner acquired the rights to produce DC superheroes and just in case superheroes became the new trend after Masters of the Universe (what didn't happen).

The toy line had two waves worldwide plus another one released outside North America. The first one was released in 1984 (8 figures), the second one in 1985 (5 figures), and the third in 1986 (3 figures). Because toys have a “longer” life than comic books, the comic series were extended for an additional year in “Secret Wars II” (9 issues), released between July 1985 and March 1986. These comic books were also written by Jim Shooter, but the artist was Al Milgrom.

Secret Wars’ action happens in a fictional planet named “Battleworld”. The Superheroes are teleported there by “the Beyonder”, and in Secret Wars II, the action is located on Earth, when “the Beyonder” comes for a visit.

We’ll talk further about toys in the next entry (#245), but right now, let’s see the two figures I am presenting today. They belong to the first wave of this toy line (released 1984) and are: Iron Man and Kang.

Iron Man is probably well-known because of the recent movie and comic books. Iron Man is Tony Stark, who paradoxically is not a super-heroe, but a billionaire engineer. He just owns a hi-tech armor that gives him superpowers. Although there are several versions of this armor, the one depicted by the toy figure is the classical armour that can be seen in the comic books.

The figure came with a gun and a round red shield with 4 double-sided lenticular images to insert in the shield.

Kang the Conqueror is a supervillain, a time-traveller from the 30^th century. He is passionate about history and started time travelling back and forth in time. One of his ancestors is Dr. Doom, and he, himself has several aliases, like Iron Lad, Pharao Rama-Tut, Victor Timely, Scarlet Centurion or Immortus.

The figure came with a gun (same as Iron Man), a square grey shield and 4 double-sided lenticular images to insert in the shield. The figure wears some kind of removable harness over its chest.

The gun is common to many Secret Wars figures, and the shields came with each figure and each vehicle or playset, identifying the characters as heroes (round red shield) or villains (square grey shield), as we’ll explain in the next article.

Thanks for the figures, Fernando!

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: IRON MAN and KANG
• Toy Line: Secret Wars (Wave 1)
• Year: 1984
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: Around 12 cms