Transformers Generation 2 was an odd transitioning stage for the brand. The original line, retroactively referred to as “Generation 1” (or “G1” or even “GeeWun”), had run its course, and the kids who had grown up with the toys and characters were now older and had moved on to other, more typically adolescent interests. In an effort to build a new fan base and to maintain the Transformers’ presence in the toy aisles, Hasbro rebranded the line “Transformers: Generation 2.” These toys were mostly just the same toys from the Generation 1 line, but they were recolored in a riot of florescent hues and day-glo colors that, in theory, would be difficult to ignore in the toy aisle.
Along with the newly colored toys, a new cartoon aired, but, again, the cartoon was simply the original cartoon with a new title sequence and some CGI transitions. Everything about G2 seemed like a desperate ploy by a team who had run out of ideas and were instead trying to find ways to recycle old ones. It was a rough time for the brand, and, as such, it was thankfully short lived. Beast Wars would make its debut shortly after, and, with that, the line would see a true rebirth. Generation 2 was not destined to be that rebirth, however.
That is not to say G2 is wholly without charm, of course. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m outright dismissing that era, even though I’m sure that’s how it’s coming across. Some of the new decos for the toys were genuinely eye-catching and, in some cases, were improvements over the originals. And the G2 era gave us the short-lived Generation 2 Marvel comic that featured this guy — G2 Sideswipe:
Part Sgt. Rock, part Rambo, this Sideswipe was definitely a departure from the original G1 character, the red Lamborghini who was one of the “cool” Autobots. This new Sideswipe was emblematic of the spirit of the ’90s: the exaggerated sneer, the huge guns, a giant sword, ammo everywhere, etc. He’s extreme, over-the-top, and hard to take seriously — everything that the ’90s were all about. Most of the characters didn’t get such a dramatic makeover from G1 to G2, but Sideswipe stands as one of the more interesting reinterpretations. He kind of reminds me of what I always assumed a young Ironhide or a young Kup would have been like.
Unfortunately, this Sideswipe was relegated solely to the pages of the G2 comic. The Sideswipe toy was just a black Sideswipe with some green day-glo stickers, so it’s pretty awesome that Takara has added the comic G2 Sideswipe to their Masterpiece roster (if you choose to go with that deco, that is).
This is the fourth figure to be released using the Masterpiece Lambor mold, and the initial teaser images made it an instant pass for me, but once details about his accessories emerged, he slowly crept to the top of my “must by” list.
Like the other Masterpiece Autobot cars, his packaging is sleek and stylistically consistent with the others. Takara even saw fit to include a panel from the comics right on the back of the box in case anyone would pick it up and ask, “Who the heck is this supposed to be?”
Takara included a sticker sheet that gives you the option of decking him out to resemble either the G2 toy or the character from the G2 comic. I imagine many collectors will opt for the later because it is the more visually interesting of the two, but having the option for both is a nice move, and it makes me sort of wish I had snagged two.
Aside from the accessories, face plate, and the colors, there is nothing here we haven’t already seen with G1 Sideswipe, Red Alert, and Tigertrack. The Lambor mold remains one of the more fully realized Masterpiece releases yet, and thankfully there’s enough here that’s new that this guy doesn’t feel redundant at all. If fact, he may be my favorite out of the four.
His face is just hilarious. That sneer would make Sid Vicious jealous, and it does a nice job in establishing him as a take-no-prisoners sort of bruiser. There’s no light-piping to light up his eyes, but if the light hits them just right, you can see the blue in them. It’s funny how such a subtle detail can add so much to the design and to the character overall. And then, of course, there’s the not-so-subtle design of the spiked tires on his shoulders. They give him a certain barbarian quality that complements his giant sword nicely.
The only sticker I opted to use was the G2 Autobot sigil for his chest. Now, I thought I had lined the darn thing up perfectly centered and straight, but now looking at these pics, it does appear to be slightly skewed. I like that Takara gave us design options for the figure, but it’s times like this when I wish they would have just printed the logo on themselves.
His guns are comedically large, but they’re awesome. Each one clips in his hands nicely and they’re both rather light in weight, so he can be posed with them without their weighing his arms down. They’re both highly detailed and look like death machines worthy of Marvel’s Cable, another piece of insanity from the ’90s.
I’m a little sad he didn’t come with a bandolier like the one he wears in the comics, but having him in hand, I’m not sure where or how one would fit even if it were to be included. I thought I could borrow one from one of my 3A ‘bots, but it didn’t work at all and looked ridiculous. The bandolier is the only thing keeping this guy from being totally accurate to the source material, so hopefully Dr. Wu or another 3rd party company can address this and come up with something that works.
The sword is the icing on the cake. It’s not an energon blade that one would expect from a Transformers figure; it’s just a giant old-school, metal-looking sword. Wielding it makes him look like a robotic Conan. It’s such an absurd weapon, but the ’90s weren’t exactly bound by the dictates of logic, so it’s best to just embrace it for what it is — fun and awesome.
The reds and blacks being reversed is, clearly, the most distinguishable trait between the two, but that aspect is actually pretty dramatic. It’s hard to believe these are supposed to be essentially the same character (if that’s not the case, please let me know) because they’re so different. In Beast Wars, two characters may share a name, like Megarton or Silverbolt, but they’re two totally different characters — that’s convoluted, but it kinda makes sense. Here? I’d be more inclined to believe these two are totally unrelated, just like G1 Megatron and Beast Wars Megatron. Even if that’s not totally the case with Sideswipe, that’s how it’s going to be in my personal collection.
Now, Lamborghinis are cool, but a sleek, black Lamborghini is the coolest of them all. The black here is simply gorgeous and the paint apps are flawless. The crisp gloss makes it look like it’s been freshly waxed and boasts a glean even Tracks and Sunstreaker would envy. The red windows add a good deal of character to the alt mode, and it helps in obscuring the unfinished interior of the car.
All of his weapons link together and can be attached to his roof, turning his alt mode into a rolling death machine. It’s so absurd, but so awesome at the same time — and comic accurate.
Marvel’s G2 Sideswipe is one of the few G2 characters I would enthusiastically buy, so I’m glad Takara chose him to release him first. And because the G2 comic featured the majority of the characters as they appeared in the G1 continuity, this Sideswipe will fit right in with the current Masterpiece collection, so you needn’t worry about him being a loner in your collection. He’s a fun figure with cool accessories, so even if you already own a G1 Sideswipe, this guy is worth picking up as well since he’s so different in execution.
