More! I need more! I need more Autobots to fill in holes in my Masterpiece Transformers collection! Sure, Prowl and Sideswipe were nice additions to the growing Autobot Masterpiece collection. They go great with MP-10 Optimus Prime. Because of their shared molds, we were also able to get Smokescreen, Silverstreak, Red Alert, and even TigerTrack, plus a Generation 2 Sideswipe. We also know that Autobots Wheeljack, Bumblebee, and Ultra Magnus are heading our way this year to add to the collection. Still, I want more.
See, to me, The Masterpiece line is, without a doubt the very best Transformers can be: absolutely perfect representations of characters in their iconic G1 look. Toys that I myself have been waiting, basically, about 30 years for. So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m never satisfied with the few new Masterpiece Transformers we get. Instead of three or so a year, I wish we could get ten. Well, that may be a stretch because these guys can get a bit pricey. But hey, perfection ain’t cheap, brother.
So in the spirit of me wanting new Autobots to add to the collection, I put together a list of the five most-needed characters who I feel should get the Masterpiece treatment. Now, these aren’t in any particular order, as I feel that all five are all equally deserving. I’m sure others will disagree about some choices, but hey, if it was up to me, they’d make every character!
First up is a character who is a no-brainer, in my opinion, to receive the Masterpiece treatment. He’s an original member, has an iconic look that the Masterpiece line goes for, and would just be a really cool-looking toy.
Jazz
I really think Jazz is just too easy a choice. He’d make a beautiful car in his alt mode as his Porche 935 form was one my favorite cars ever. Now, even his original toy’s alt mode looked awesome, but the problem back then was the robot modes didn’t end up so great looking. It wasn’t bad, but his lower legs were stuck together, and like most of his original G1 counterparts, he didn’t quite live up to what I wanted in ‘bot mode. That isn’t a problem any longer.
Keeping his classic alt mode and making sure that he’s able to transform into a highly articulated, detailed robot is what the Masterpiece line does best. Maybe even sneak in his grappling hook hand and his blaster and then I’d be all set. Prime’s first lieutenant needs to be in this line.
Up next is Mirage. Another highly deserving original cast member, Mirage should be another easy choice to make for the line. His bright blue and white color scheme with his shiny silver details would make for both a standout robot and car for the shelf.
Now, the original Mirage toy’s alt mode really suffered from limitations in making the robot mode work while the car still looked good. The race car mode was perfect, but we all know the bot was lacking. Because of how thin and small the race car mode was, the ability to hide transforming parts was limited, so there wasn’t much to his transformation other than the car standing up, his arms popping out, his front end sliding, and his waist spinning, which, by the way, snapped on me, forcing me to make the impossible choice whether to have my dad glue it back together in either alt mode or race car mode. Being 8 was rough.
But just like with Jazz, today’s much advanced Transformer engineering can really keep his sleek race car look and give us a nice articulated ‘bot mode. The Transformers Classics Mirage updated his look to go very thin and lithe and even transformed very differently, so that may be an option too. I get the feeling, though, that if Mirage is made in the MP line, he will be all G1. Possibly even a “ghost” mode alternate version could be made to help even further fund the mold. Whatever the case, this Autobot spy is deserving.
Hot Rod (or Rodimus) is my next choice. I know that Rodimus Prime was made in the Masterpiece line already, but really is anyone satisfied with that? I know I’m not as I always preferred the smaller, faster, and more brash version of the character. I don’t want a futuristic-looking plodding trailer. I want a futuristic-looking amped-up street car with flames on it!
Now, Rodimus’ ‘bot mode was, well… kinda just downright horrendous. It was very simple and that face still haunts my dreams. Being a creation of the actual line and not an overseas redeco for the line is perhaps why his transformation and overall look was messy. But whatever the reason, he needs a redo pronto.
This may be blasphemy to some G1 purists who think the Masterpiece line should be devoted solely to the original looks, but if I had my way, I really wouldn’t mind seeing some parts of Rodimus updated with his current look from the really great IDW Transformers books. In the books he’s a leader and not so much a kid. He doesn’t want to be a Prime; he wants to be his own ‘bot. I just like seeing him be in charge without having to become Rodimus Prime. Kinda the best of both worlds for him.
The More Than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise series have been, in my opinion, some of the very best Transformers comics ever. The updated look Rodimus sports in those books is still easily recognizable as Rodimus, but with a bit more flare. Now, maybe that look wouldn’t translate well into the more toned down, down to earth Masterpiece line, but I would love to see at least some IDW influence there.
Maybe Rodimus won’t be a choice everyone agrees with, but this next guy has to be. I mean, does anyone not want a Hound figure for the Masterpiece line?
One of my favorite toys ever. The original Hound figure was great for a kid. A rugged, off road-capable army jeep that transformed into a pretty cool looking robot? Who wouldn’t want that? Plus, Hound was a fixture on the original cartoon, and played an important part in the original series and has been a mainstay over the years in books, cartoons, and toy lines.
His original alt mode wasn’t terrible either, but, once again, the original figures were built to look better in alt mode than in robot mode. So Hound suffered a lot of the same shortcomings that many G1 figures did back then. With the way the Masterpiece transformations are engineered now, I can totally see them being able to hide much more of his jeep mode than the any other version has been able to do. His classics version came close but I really think they could perfect his transformation in Masterpiece. Hound was the Autobot scout and tracker. Plus, he loved Earth and humans. So let’s return the love and give him the toy the character has deserved for so long.
The last guy on my list was tough. I almost went about nine other different ways. So many other characters could’ve been on this list, but I went with Tracks because, for one, I really want to see the flying car feature added in, and two, he just has such a unique look to him that I always just dug.
Tracks cuts a sleek-looking form in both his ‘bot and alt modes. His colors really pop, which I think would add to making him a standout in this line. Like I said, though, getting that added flying car feature on top of just a basic alt mode would be really cool to see.
I know Tracks wasn’t an original member, or, truthfully, has never been a huge character in the books or the cartoons, but he was one of my favorites as a kid. Also like many others, I kinda wrote my own history for a lot of the Autobots who I wasn’t totally familiar with, or characters like Tracks who weren’t completely fleshed out. That’s enough for me to put him in my top five for now.
I know there are some other characters who are also well deserving, and it’s why I want as many Autobots as they can give me in the Masterpiece line. Truth is, I’ll buy all of them if they make them. I’m just an easy Transformers mark I guess, but I just can’t resist getting these really great, almost perfect looking updates of toys from my childhood.
