Frankenstein Week - Autobot X

Since it's the week of the Fourth I figured hey, might as well go with the aliteration and make it Frankenstein week. I'll be looking at the Monster of Frankenstein as seen through other franchises then the typical horror movie. For our first entry we'll go with an old favorite of mine from the original Transformers cartoon, Autobot X.

 In the episode "Autobot Spike" we are introduced to the autobot patchwork creation of Sparkplug, father of Transformer human sidekick Spike. Built from spare parts of various autobots... wit lets stop there a sec... spare parts? These are living robots right? So these aren't really so much spare parts as body parts from dead Autobots... creepy, I like it. Okay back to the story. Sparkplug has built the patchwork body and with the Autobots gathered to watch fires up the power and like the patchwork creation of Dr. Frankenstein, the large (even for Autobot standards) creature rises from his high tech slab and with a few growls and groans sets about destroying the place. The Autobots subdue the rampaging brute and he is deactivated but not dissassembled, instead the body is put into storage to act as a host body for the spark of any badly damaged Autobot that needs severe repairs. As fate and cartoon contrivence will happen, the Autobots get into a battle with their enemies the Decepticons and during the fight Spike is badly wounded (serves ya right for tagging along with the big laser toting robots). Spike's doctor, who must be a mad scientist himself, suggests that the Autobots and Sparkplug transfer Spike's brainwaves to the body of Autobot X until Spike's body "can be repaired" (guess they had to send out for spare parts not in stock). So using a mind transfer device Spike is put into the body of Autobot X now called Autobot Spike and on cue he breaks loose and rampages due to the process making his mind "unstable". After destroying some of the lab Spike is subdued and restrapped to the slab to rest. Wheeljack, an Autobot scientist of the semi mad sort, turns the main computer to a local television station so Spike can relax and zone out, unfortunatley and in a plot moving device kind of way the station is showing Frankenstein. Spike becomes enraged and breaks free of the lab and out into the wilderness where he begins an internal struggle between his own mind and the spark inhabiting the patchwork body. The main villain Megatron is alerted to the new possible menace and he manipulates Spike to fight the Autobots. When his father is put in danger Spike reasserts himself and saves his father and then send the Decepticons packing. His body repaired Spike is transfered back and the mind transfer device destroyed, Autobot X was placed in storage and not seen again. Man, is Autobot X cool looking. Made from parts of various Autobots the recipe goes like this:

Autobot X has a pair of bolts in his neck, similar to Frankenstein's monster.
Prowl's forehead crest and right chest/front bumper
Bluestreak's left door
Sunstreaker's shoulder
Hound's shoulder-mounted missile launcher and right fender/shoulder
Trailbreaker's arm cannon and left chest
Optimus Prime's left wrist and parts of the right leg
Jazz's photon rifle, mounted on his right arm, the back of Jazz's left leg, and crotch

There has not been a figure made for Autobot X/Autobot Spike but there have been some sweet custom like this one made by a customizer named Franzyrumble

Now here, watch the episode yourselves

Munsters Action Figures

Announced at TOY FAIR from Diamond Select and Art Asylum







If these actually make it into stores and sell for less then the average going rate of $20.00 per figure lately I'll gladly pick up the whole family since my daughter thinks they are hysterical

New Mego Monsters!!!!

taken from www.100ymm.com;

Those of you old enough to remember the MEGO Corporation, the fabled toy company that practically invented the licensed action figure in the 1970s, will recall with chagrin that their “Mad Monsters” releases did not live up to the standards set by their DC or Marvel superheroes.

In fact, it’s commonly accepted that they did not even live up to their Farrah Fawcett figure.

That historical mistake is being corrected by EMCE Toys, the brand that brought back the 8″ MEGO format during the last few years. In partnership with Diamond Select Toys, four Universal Monster “MEGOs” are being developed for release over the next two years: the Frankenstein monster, Dracula, the Wolfman, and Kharis the mummy.

Prototypes of the figures were on display at the Diamond booth during this year’s Toy Fair and, though still pending licensor approval, the folks at Cool Toy Review managed to squeeze of a few shots. Have a look at:

Frankenstein's Monster

Dracula

the Wolfman

Kharis the Mummy

The first two, Frankenstein and the Wolfman, are scheduled for release in late 2010, while Dracula and the Mummy are slated for 2011. That’s right, you can re-enact Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman under your Christmas tree this year.

Despite the “leak” from Toy Fair, it’s still very early in development and some aspects of the toys may change. Keep watching for more details as they come in.

(Oh, and for those of you to young to know what a “MEGO” is, you’ll more likely know these classic 8″ action figures from their use on Robot Chicken, where their unique posability makes them a natural for animation.)