Regular visitors of this website will know of my fondness for the MB (Milton Bradley) G1 Transformers toys. Before Hasbro properly got in on the act in Europe, the very earliest Transformers were sold in mainland Europe by MB. Through this website I’ve been fortunate enough to get in touch with some fellow MB Transformers collectors.

From time to time I get questions by mail from visitors asking about the exact extent of my MB collection. So the last couple of days I’ve invested some time in taking quick snapshots of all the MB releases I have in my collection and created a page that will be continually updated whenever new MB’s are added to my collection. Currently my collection is around two thirds complete. You can find the page in the Collection menu on the top right or by clicking here. Enjoy!!

I’m in the process of setting up a page which contains an overview of all the MB Transformers I already have in my collection. I spent the better part of this Sunday afternoon in my collection room taking photographs and I expect to have the MB page up within the week, time permitting. Something I’d like to share with you already is a few snapshots of my nearly complete MB Autobot cars collection.

Question: What do eight Milton Bradley Autobot Cars look like together in their original packaging?

Answer: Fucking awesome! As evidenced below.

As some of the growing number of you regular visitors of this blog might know (thanks for visiting!), I collect all sorts of action figures and toys from the last couple of decades of the 20th century. Only a part of my collection is visible on this website, because quite frankly, it takes a shitload of time to take photographs, import them, select the best batch, clean them up and upload them to my site and incorporate them into articles. But it’s a labour of love, so you don’t hear me complaining! Of all the stuff I collect, the G1 (Generation 1) Transformers are my absolute favourite, and to be even more specific, my main focus is on collecting all the G1 Transformers that were released in mainland Europe in 1985/1986 under the MB brand. I’m such a sucker for these MB releases. They just look so awesome together and I get a tingly feeling inside whenever I see them. It cost me a lot of blood, sweat, tears (and money) to get these, but it is so totally worth it. Fellow obsessive compulsive collectors, you know what I’m talking about.

A total of 9 Autobot cars were released by MB as part of their 1985 line-up, which was the first series of Transformers to ever hit mainland Europe (Transformers were released first in 1984 in the US, and probably partly also in the UK, under the Hasbro brand). The MB releases are easily identifiable by their conspicuous MB logo at the left bottom of the box. Another stand out fact is that all the Autobot cars came with styro foam inserts instead of the regular see-through plastic bubble inserts. As you can see, I’m only missing one Autobot car: Jazz (if someone has an MB Jazz and wants to sell it: contact me!!)

I understand that this blog’s focus has been very much about Transformers lately (which is good), but for those who are a little fed up with all the Transformers stuff (for shame!) I have good news. I plan to focus on some of the non-Transformers stuff in my collection soon. First up is some Joustra Diaclones. Technically not really Transformers, but still kind of Transformers. But I plan to allot some space on these pages to some other toy lines soon like Blackstar, Wheeled Warriors and BraveStarr! Stay tuned!

[Show slideshow]

“Decepticon Seeker Jets”

Not too long ago I scored this very nice looking, boxed MB (Milton Bradley) version of Thrust. Thrust is a Decepticon jet and part of the second series of jets that were released in 1985. The first set of Decepticon jets were released in 1984 in the US and consisted of Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp. All three robots transformed into a McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and were called Seekers by fans, a term which was eventually adopted officially by Hasbro.

“New Jets”

In 1985 Hasbro released three new jets in the US, that were all based on the 1984 Seeker jet moulds, but with some modifications, e.g. Thrust became a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) jet and is the coolest looking one of the bunch if you ask me!! Besides Thrust, the new jets were Dirge and Ramjet.

“Coneheads”

Another interesting naming fact occurred with the release of the 1985 Decepticon Seeker jets. In the original Sunbow cartoon the new Seeker jets were drawn differently from the 1984 jets in that their heads were cone shaped. The 1985 jets were thusly dubbed ‘Coneheads’ by Transformers fandom. It’s actually quite funny that Sunbow drew them like that, because both the 1984 and 1985 jet toys had the same mould and both could either have a conehead or not, depending on how you transformed them. The toy itself, its box art and instructions did not feature a conehead transformation, so it was a cartoon thing only, but it stuck with most fans!

“European MB Releases”

In Europe, MB released the first wave of Transformers toys in late 1985. A total of four Decepticon jets were released, being all the Coneheads and Starscream. Below are some more pictures of my own collection. Enjoy!

[Show slideshow]

I like keeping tabs on what some of the more exotic vintage toys are doing in the collector’s market. Just two days ago a very, very rare item popped up on eBay: Joustra Diaclone Truck, the pre-Transformers version of our beloved Autobot leader Optimus Prime. I’m a sucker for Joustra Diaclones. After the Milton Bradley Transformers they are my favourite vintage toy line. Check out more info on Joustra Diaclones here.

The asking price of the Joustra Diaclone Optimus Prime was $2000. I remember that I thought to myself that was a bit steep and it was never going to sell. Much to my amazement in just a couple of hours someone had offered $1650 which was accepted as a winning offer. Quite the price, but then again, the Joustra Diaclone Optimus Prime is so freakin’ rare and comes with unique packaging artwork, that makes it a beautiful piece in any pre-Transformers collector’s collection. As coincidence would have it, I was planning on adding some new photographs of the Joustra Diaclone Optimus Prime from my personal collection soon. For now, please enjoy the photographs already available here!

Beachcombeis another one of those Autobot mini-vehicles who was endowed with a cool character. As a geologist, Beachcomber doesn’t really like warfare and prefers to just cruise around coast lines and deserts and simply chill out. Beachcomber is a laid-back Transformer that turns into one very laid-back dune buggy. Yeah.

I remember one of my best buddies had his mother buy him Beachcomber somewhere in early 1986. It was probably one of the first Transformers that me or any of my friends got back then (the first official Transformers toys were introduced here in late 1985 by MB). I even remember that my buddy put Beachcomber inside his chest pocket just before we took our 1986 class school picture. I also remember we thought it was fucking awesome that Beachcomber ended up on our class photograph. I really should try and dig out that picture and post it here. UPDATE: I found the photograph during a recent visit to my parents! Check it out:But back to Beachcomber! Beachcomber was released as part of the second series of Autobot mini-vehicles in the US, and part of the first series in the European countries that were covered by MB. He suddenly, without any real explanation, made his first appearance in the second season of the Sunbow cartoon, voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, who also did Seaspray and perhaps more famously, Skeletor in Filmation’s Masters of the Universe. Here are a few screen caps of Beachcomber from the Sunbow cartoon.

So because of all this, Beachcomber has a special little place in my heart. I finally got my own loose Beachcomber a couple of years ago. Being an MB (Milton Bradley) Transformers collector I also thankfully managed to track down a MOSC (mint-on-sealed-card) MB Beachcomber not too long ago which is pictured here. Enjoy the photos!

[Show slideshow]

12►

[Show slideshow]

12►

Beachcomber is another one of those Autobot mini-vehicles who was endowed with a cool character. As a geologist, Beachcomber doesn’t really like warfare and prefers to just cruise around coast lines and deserts and simply chill out. Beachcomber is a laid-back Transformer that turns into one very laid-back dune buggy. Yeah.

I remember one of my best buddies had his mother buy him Beachcomber somewhere in early 1986. It was probably one of the first Transformers that me or any of my friends got back then (the first official Transformers toys were introduced here in late 1985 by MB). I even remember that my buddy put Beachcomber inside his chest pocket just before we took our 1986 class school picture. I also remember we thought it was fucking awesome that Beachcomber ended up on our class photograph. I really should try and dig out that picture and post it here. UPDATE: I found the photograph during a recent visit to my parents! Check it out:

Looks like your average group of Dutch kids from 1986 having their class picture taken, right? Wrong!! This particular spring afternoon in 1986 is being blown away by the awesome presence of one Autobot mini-vehicle called Beachcomber inside the chest pocket of my best buddy. Check the close up:

But back to Beachcomber! Beachcomber was released as part of the second series of Autobot mini-vehicles in the US, and part of the first series in the European countries that were covered by MB. He suddenly, without any real explanation, made his first appearance in the second season of the Sunbow cartoon, voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, who also did Seaspray and perhaps more famously, Skeletor in Filmation’s Masters of the Universe. Here are a few screen caps of Beachcomber from the Sunbow cartoon.

Like all of the Autobot mini-vehicles the toy and its transformation were very simple. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Beachcomber looked very nice in both his robot mode as well as his vehicle mode! Most of the first waves of Transformers were based on Takara’s Diaclone and Microman/Microchange series molds. Beachcomber happens to be one of the first toys that were designed specifically for the Transformers toyline. As such, it’s quite a relief to see Beachcomber still having rubber tyres instead of the boring, all-plastic Transformers that followed later. Just check out some of these close ups of the toy. Doesn’t it look great?!

So because of all this, Beachcomber has a special little place in my heart. I finally got my own loose Beachcomber a couple of years ago. Being an MB (Milton Bradley) Transformers collector I also thankfully managed to track down a MOSC (mint-on-sealed-card) MB Beachcomber not too long ago which is pictured here. Enjoy the photos!

[Show slideshow]

12►