Post by CkRtech on Nov 22, 2004 22:21:42 GMT -5
First word that comes to mind? Hero.
G1 Optimus Prime still stands as one of the greatest cartoon-based child role models of the eighties and possibly all-time. Everyone of us had our favorite Transformer, but Optimus Prime was.....well he was Optimus Prime and he was special.
Getting right down to business, the Optimus Prime toy did not disappoint. The cartoon gave the toys personality (as did the comics). If the toy didn't match the cartoon form, then the toy didn't seem to have that special kick to it.
I remember getting Optimus Prime for Christmas. It seems the gas hose was lost almost immediately. For all I know, it was never in there. It was most likely thrown out with the trash bags as I had no intention of keeping the cardboard & Styrofoam prison I had just freed the leader of the Autobots from. One thing that confused me was the fact that you didn't pull the headlights out and put the fists inside. I mean - his fists always emerged and retracted from behind the headlights in the cartoon!
Toy Facts:
All in all, Optimus Prime is just a great representation of the cartoon (despite the fact the cartoon is indeed a representation of the toy). The cab mode of the truck looks like a cab. The robot transformation is simplistic and makes perfect sense. In the early years, Generation 1 had quite a few Transformers with removable fists. These fists would be attached after transformation from alternate mode to robot mode. If you look back on year one, Optimus Prime, Trailbreaker, Sunstreaker, Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker all had removable fists (let the history of G1 Transformer parts collecting begin!) Prime's fists could be stored behind the windshield when in cab mode. (Sweet!) I mean, the guy was Optimus Prime - he thought of everything.
Prime had plenty of chrome as well as metal. The chest piece and most of the legs were made of metal. Even the early versions of the trailer had metal plates inside (which tended to rust over time). Roller, a six-wheeled, gimmicky toy, was included inside the trailer. He was fun. Roller may not have been featured in the cartoon very often, but shooting him out of the trailer created an entertaining activity in itself. I typically threw the trailer aside whenever Optimus arrived wherever he was driving to (i.e. the other side of my bedroom). I mean, the thing vanished into thin air in the cartoon.
Disappointments:
Just a few things come to mind in this area. Looking back on the "play days" - having to actually put the fists on the toy could sometimes be frustrating. It was easy to do, but it was more to keep up with. It was one thing if your Autobot arrived in battle without a gun. It was another entirely different problem if he arrived in battle and realized "oh crud! I left my fists back at the Ark!" So it would have been nice if Prime didn't have to deal with this.
The Most Disappointing Thing about Optimus Prime's toy was the fact that you could break the legs off without trying. The mold was tweaked a bit over time, and this reduced the possibility that his legs would break.
While this was a good move for the toy makers to make, it still didn't solve my problem with Prime. His legs were gone and until Powermaster Prime was released in 1988, the Ultra Magnus cab had to represent my Optimus a la metal-coated Optimus from "Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2."
While I might be asking too much, back in the day I wished that he had an actual back instead of just an opening from where his head emerged. Nowadays, you can buy a custom "Optimus Prime back" with a working Matrix. Neato.
Collecting Optimus Prime:
Those of you who want to collect Optimus and don't want to buy one of the 30 reissues out there, here are some tips. Note that checking stickers, paint jobs and joints are a given for any Transformer.
Prime - Chrome wear is a pretty big ordeal on Optimus. Check the front grille, smokestacks and legs for chrome wear. The G2 prime has an autobot symbol on his leg - look for that if you want pure G1.
Trailer - Check the inside, obviously. The arms on the repair bay should be present. The spring-loaded launcher for Roller should work. The tab on the front of the cab which launches Roller shouldn't be broken off. There is a door on the back of the trailer - make sure it stays on. Make sure you open the cab. It is easy to slide one of the metal rails out which hold the sides of the trailer onto the base. Those are pretty important if you want to transform the trailer. Note that there are two "stands" underneath the base of the trailer which can be used to brace the sides of the trailer when in battle station mode.
There is a copyright on the bottom of the trailer and no copyright present on the cab itself.
Accessories - While the gas nozzle and hose can fetch a decent amount of money, it is mostly the gun and a pair of fists that you are going to want to pick up ASAP. It helps to buy the fists together so you know you don't have different versions between the two of them.