What's Out There??

So.......you want to collect but don't know what's available? Let me break down the four Generations of the Transformers and give you a clue on what is out there to scrape up.

In Generation 1, the action figures are quite difficult to track down. However, the difficulty level all depends on what type of collector you want to be. If you're looking for never opened pieces, you're going to have a tough time. They are difficult to come by. If you're looking for loose stuff you'll have an easier time finding the figure you need. The Internet (toy businesses and newsgroups) is the best place to start out since you have millions of collectors on it who can help you get where you need. Check out "Where and how to get started" for more information.

There is a lot more to Generation 1 than just the figures. The name Transformers was stamped on everything and anything. From pencil sharpeners, to board games, to TV trays, to lunch boxes. Most of these products (of which are not necessarily made by Hasbro but are licensed by them) are fun to collect. The main reason they're quite fun is because they are fairly inexpensive. While that's not true for all of the misc. TF collectibles, some of the more widespread pieces (ie, napkins, lunch boxes, etc.) are pretty affordable. It is sometimes fun to track down some of these items (especially since many of them are quite unique).

Generation 2 is pretty widespread in terms of the Action Figures. Some of the later models can be found on store shelves while other first releases (and more popular ones) have doubled in price and are tougher to locate. This generation also had it's share of licensed extra products. I have seen G2 watches, a tiger electronic game, puzzles, and others. These are also fun to collect.

I've gone over Generation 1 and Generation 2. However, there is one collectible item which is available for both of them. It's the Transformers comic books produced by Marvel. The comic series is excellent and takes the Transformers to places you never though possible. The Generation 1 comic ran 80 issues and also had mini-series editions (G.I. Joe & Transformers, TF: The Movie, Headmasters, and TF Universe). The Generation 2 comic ran 12 issues and also tied into four issues of the G.I. Joe comic. They're a great collectible and always remained a separate and awesome part of the TF Universe.

The Beast Wars is beginning to share it's spot in the products line-up. The figures have become more popular thus an increase in number has arisen. You can also find several other products licensed by the BW company. These include BW Card game, puzzles, and upcoming PC and Playstation games. The Beast Wars line is looking up and is a blast to collect!!!

Finally......Machine Wars. Unfortunately there are no licensed extra products for the MW line. Just the figures. However, they are exclusive figures so, in a sense, hold their collectibility right there.

As you can tell there are a million things to collect. This doesn't just hold in terms of the action figure line. It also leans toward the products that are licensed by Hasbro/Kenner and provide a unique addition to any collection.