Anyhow I had since taken the site down and I thought I had deleted all of the associated content until tonight. Buried within this folder are a few pictures I had lifted off the 'net some years ago of G1 and G2 test shots and canceled prototypes. I can't give proper credit for the pics unfortunately, but I still wanted to share these just in case someone has seen them before.
Let's start with Generation 1. I loved the Pretender toys. The big ones or the smaller ones - it didn't matter to me as I loved the idea and gimmick of the TFs hiding inside organic shells. Needless to say not everyone in the fandom embraced the Pretender concept such as I and the last few toys got the axe before they were released. I believe this guy was part of the new Double Pretender idea where two robots hid inside the same shell. There was also a large gorilla Double Pretender that had been planned. Of note these shells didn't separate in half like the majority of Pretenders, but the robot(s) would be removed from the back via a removable panel (similar to the Monster Pretenders / Dinoforce). These prototype figures were brought to Botcon 1996 for display purposes by Hasbro.
Several toys never made it past the planning stages in the Generation 2 line as well including packaged samples of 4 of the 5 Protectobots and Stunticons.
While most TF collectors are aware of the canceled G2 Protectobots and Stunticons how many have seen them in their G2 packaging (minus the Botcon exclusive Breakdown)?
Another toy that didn't quite make it was a Laser Cycle version of Soundwave. This mold was eventually released as the Decepticon Road Pig. The Autobot equivalent Laser Cycle was planned to be released as Jazz, but eventually saw release as Road Rocket.
Before these toys were known as Dreadwing & Smokescreen this duo was planned to Megatron & Starscream. How Megatron would have gone from his previously released day glow green and purple camouflage tank to a ATB is beyond me. This color scheme would eventually be released by Takara as part of their Beast Wars II line in Japan as Starscream and BB.
Now these pictures perhaps are my favorite of all the unreleased G2 stuff. I don't know anything about this and I don't recall reading much about this toy anywhere else. I've searched TFWiki and the boards at TFW2005 for information and my searches come up empty. I really wish this had been released as it looks like a great designed toy.
I knew about all of these save for the Micromaster base. I'd kill for that thing. It looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteI know I've seen that Scope Megatron before somewhere but I can't remember where...I'm sure it will come to me in about six months or so.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the first creature somewhere! I think it was a set of 3-4 Pretender figures that were never released. I seem to recall they were all listed on eBay for sale (could be very long ago, this memory of mine).
ReplyDeleteNice post. I really like these ideas and I would love to see more of them in any form like sketches, specially on the Double Pretenders.
ReplyDeleteas of the "Scope Megatron" I think I once read that it was meant to be a prototype of the G2 Megatron and that the reason it looked like that (the lamp in place of the turret) was because it was some sort of an improvised prototype meant only to give an idea on how it would eventually look.