Targetmaster Scourge

Picture from www.botchthecrab.com

Man, these Decepticon Targetmasters just keep coming fast and furious, don't they?  I'm on a quest to knock these out as quickly as possible.  My goal is to have every US Master figure in the next couple of months.  Since I'm so behind on posts, I'm only actually missing two of the small Headmasters.  At any rate, lets get on to the abomination that is Scourge.

I'm not really sure which I like the least - Cyclonus or Scourge.  In terms of being "Decepticon Jets", they're both major letdowns compared to the Seeker's that came before them.  I'm tempted to declare Scourge my favorite of the two just because Cyclonus looks so frakking hideous.  Scourge does have more articulation than Cyclonus, and seems to have better proportions.  The Targetmaster version features widened fist holes to allow Scourge to hold Fracas.  These widened fist holes also allow the rocket booster on Scourge's head to be held as well, but it looks funny.

Speaking of Fracas, here he is.  He looks just like Nightstick.  Kind of.  Since we're talking about Decepticon Nebulons, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much the clip holding him together frightens me.  I've only transformed him a couple of times, and I was sweating bullets each time.

This is how Scourge normally looks without the addition of Fracas.  The regular Scourge that I own is a painted top, so seeing the stickered top is a bit of a treat.  Ugly, but a treat.  The painted top is so much better looking.

Attack mode Scourge!  All I had to do was remove the rocket and replace it with Fracas.  It's almost like they planned it!  Those guys are smart.  I don't know if I really like the look of it, frankly; it looks shoehorned on.  And yeah, I know that Scourge wasn't originally designed to accommodate the Targetmaster.  It just doesn't look right.

Here's a shot of my painted top Scourge with Targetmaster Scourge.  Man, I really need to get some new decals for Targetmaster Scourge.  But now I'm having a crisis of faith over this, however.  Should I try to track down an unused sticker sheet or just go with some Reprolabels?  Decisions, decisions.

Targetmaster Cyclonus

Photo from www.botchthecrab.com

This guy.  This freaking guy.  I just really don't like Cyclonus.  Well, let me backtrack that statement a bit.  I love Cyclonus the stalwart second-in-command of the Decepticons as shown in season 3 of the series.  I love the honor bound non affiliated warrior as depicted in IDW's More Than Meets The Eye
series.  The figure designed by Floro Dery?  I can't stand it.  It's so freaking ugly and it just epitomizes the horrible designs from that year.  However, I have to get the Targetmaster version so I can say that I completed the Targetmasters.

The thing that I do like about Cyclonus is his vehicle mode.  Dery did a really good job with this.  By adding Nightstick to this mode, Cyclonus looks incredibly formidable.  Very nice looking.

I just wish that Nightstick could pilot Cyclonus.  That would be so freaking nice.  Nightstick is the best part of Cyclonus, even if he sports the oh-so-boring black/grey scheme that a lot of the large Nebulons for the Targetmasters had.  I mean, that color scheme was only used for the existing characters that were drafted into becoming Targetmasters, but you get what I mean.

Here's a shot of Nightstick all by his lonesome.  Or is it Haywire?  Maybe it's Fracas?  Perhaps I like beating a dead horse?

Robot mode is where Cyclonus has always left a bitter taste in my mouth.  Look, I appreciate all that Floro Dery has done for the Transformers and their designs.  Without him, the Coneheads wouldn't have their distinctive look, but damn do the 1986 guys look horrible.  Gah.

Here's Targetmaster Cyclonus with my blue-eared variant.  It's hard to tell from this picture (because I'm a horrible photographer), but aside from the new port on the spaceship mode, Cyclonus had his fist holes widened to accommodate Nightstick.

 Seriously, I can't think of a better looking jet.  Hey, that's another Decepticon Targetmaster down!  I just need...a lot of them to finish off the crew!  Huh, I wonder if I can do that?

Misfire!

Photo from www.botchthecrab.com

I've been putting off getting the Decepticon Targetmasters for a long time.  Unlike their Autobot counterparts, the Decepticons are far more expensive.  From what people tell me, it all has to do with the Nebulon.  As far as the Nebulons go, the Autobot ones have a pin connecting their torsos to the legs and the Decepticons have pegs.  The pegs on the Decepticon Nebulons tend to break the clips on the legs.  Broken Nebulons means higher prices.  Hence my hesitation.

After a ton of deliberation, I decided that it was time for me to pull the trigger on Mifire.  Misfire has one of my favorite box art poses in the history of G1.  Every time I see it, I'm instantly reminded of Nick Roche art for some reason.

Misfire's vehicle mode is some sort of Cybertonian jet.  Spaceship maybe?  Some sort of super-duper bumper car?  Whatever it is, it's kind of magenta in color.  Not a fan of magenta.  Still, it looks cool.

Misfire is one of the most articulated late period G1 figures.  He has movement in his shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.  The specimen that I got is in really great shape.

I don't know why, but every time I look at Misfire, I can't help but notice just how much he looks like Nick Roche had a hand in designing him.  I don't know him, but I think that maybe Nick Roche is a time traveler.  Or perhaps he felt that the design for Misfire was so great that it didn't need to be changed.  I'm good either way.

I decided to transform Aimless because I like to live dangerously.  There's a fix that can be done to the Decepticon Targetmasters where the protrusions on the body are shaved off using an X-acto knife, but I can't bring myself to do that.  I'll need to at some point if I want to transform him more often.

Aimless is perhaps my second favorite of the Decepticon Nebulon Targetmasters.  He looks bulky and mean.  The light blue and gray work well together.

As nice as the figure was, the box that came with Misfire could use a little upgrading.  There's a large stain on the lower corner, and I'm not sure if it's oil or wood stain.  Still, it's a box.  I've never been a fan of keeping or collecting G1 boxes, but it just seemed right to keep this one.  I even bought a reproduction bubble and insert to display Misfire and Aimless.  It looks great sitting on top of my Detolf shelves.  Now I see why MIB and MISB collectors get out of collecting that way.  Still, I'm a take-it-out-of-the-box kinda guy, so I don't think this will become a habit for me.