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Repaints: More Than Meets The Eye
Transformers is a toy line with a long and proud history of repaints.
While some may decry the plethora of repaints that have appeared on the
shelves in recent years, this situation is actually a harbinger of good
fortune, rather than an ill omen of the state of the toy industry.
Indeed, repaints have always been an integral part of the line, and as
such, serve a valuable purpose to help the line perpetuate itself which
is seldom noted.
The classical arguments for and against repainting old figures and
reissuing them are familiar to all collectors. It can be argued that
repaints give the collectors who would otherwise have missed the
opportunity to purchase a “classic” mold, the chance to obtain it at a
fraction of the cost of its vintage counterpart. In some cases, these
new figures actually have paint schemes which are an improvement on the
original (witness the case of RID Scourge, a repaint of the Laser
Optimus Prime from the end of the G2 line, who was so hugely successful
that he actually resulted in two further repaints of Hero Optimus Prime
and Supercon Prime from Armada in similarly-inspired color schemes). In
the case where the new paint scheme is undesirable, the figure is then a
boon to customizers, who can use this new, less expensive version as the
template for their own creations. Of course, many have argued that this
re-use of old molds dilutes the line and is simply a cheap way to make
money with a minimum of molds. Far from being a way to exploit the
public, this re-use of molds actually serves to bolster our line and
insure its future.
To truly appreciate the repaints for the valuable role they play in
ensuring the future of the line, it is vital to understand the role that
they play in the context of the toy industry in general. Making new
molds is undoubtedly a costly and time-consuming process. There are
times when it is simply impractical or downright impossible for a toy
company to manufacture enough new material to meet demand. In these
cases, repaints can serve to bolster an existing line, while the company
prepares a more extensive wave of figures for future release. The
history of the Transformers provides many examples to prove this point.
Now that the line is over twenty years old, it is easy to forget that in
the beginning, the success of Transformers was not a forgone conclusion.
Indeed, in the early days of G1, the Transformers were only one of many
new toy lines competing for the attention and allowances of youngsters
of the eighties. In fact, Hasbro and Takara adapted a majority of the
characters that we all know and love from the previously existing molds
in the Diaclone and Microman lines. With very few exceptions, almost all
of the initial two years of G1 figures had seen release in some form or
other in Japan several years prior. They were, in some sense, repaints
from the start.
Unquestionably, the idea of a transforming robot line was an ingenious
one, but it was the story and personalities that were given to the line
with such care that really cemented its success as a cohesive whole and
ignited the fires of imagination in an appreciative and receptive
audience. That Transformers rocketed to success very quickly is well
known, but consider the manner in which the first two year’s worth of
figures were released, and you can catch a glimpse behind the scenes and
appreciate how the repaints serve as a buffer for a toy company very
cautiously rolling out a new product, hedging its bets in case the
experiment failed, and then scrambling to catch up with the runaway
success of the line.
The initial wave of Autobots consisted of simply 11 cars, of which only
9 were unique molds, and 6 minicars, plus the faction leader. Of the 7
additional cars introduced during the second year, there would only be 3
new molds. In addition to 6 more minicars, they also received an
assortment of other allies to bolster their forces, more than doubling
the line. The Decepticons started out with an even smaller force, with
only 10 figures initially, of which only 6 were original molds. This
gives the initial release of Decepticons, some of the most popular
characters in the history of the franchise, a repaint/release ratio of
40% in their initial year alone! They would fare better in the second
year in the sheer number of new molds, but the mainstay of their air
force remained essentially the same mold from the first year, with
various modifications to the wings.
From this point on, the line was an unquestioned success, and Hasbro
churned out new molds yearly with virtually no repaints for the
remainder of its seven-year run. Indeed, the television show that
accompanied the line jumped from a small weekly series to a daily one to
further reinforce the success of the line.
But alas, the heydays of G1 did not last forever. Lest we forget, there
is a desert in the early nineties with no Transformers products released
domestically. (The line is still going strong overseas and many of these
new figures will eventually reach North American shores as, what else,
repaints!) When Hasbro does decide to test the waters for a revival of
Transformers, the initial wave of G2 figures, totaling 16 in all, is
composed entirely of repaints. The entire future of the franchise hung
in the balance of a small line composed of nothing but repaints! With
initial wave of G2 repaints a success, Hasbro would go on to create some
new molds, and give several new incarnations of Prime and Megatron, but
repaints would still remain heavily utilized throughout the entire G2
run.
In the mid-nineties, when the line changed direction again with the
Beast Wars, Hasbro conservatively tested the market with a small run of
figures, only nine in all, with nothing beyond a deluxe price point
appearing. Once this line had been established, they would churn out
even more figures the next year, using repaints and retooled figures to
add to the line. As with Generation One before it, the Beast Era began
with a small initial assortment of figures, which was then bolstered the
following year through both new figures and repaints. The repaints serve
as a means to bolster the line if the new concept is successful, and
help the company to offset its losses if the line does not fly.
Simply because many of the figures in an assortment are repaints does
not mean that the line should be dismissed since nothing “new” or
“significant” is happening. Far from it. The Beast Wars television show
would go on and establish several of these repainted figures as key
players in their own right, who would greatly shape the direction of
things to come. Indeed, a simple and unassuming little repaint of
Tarantulus would go on to steal the spotlight after appearing in the
show and become a mainstay of the line in two succeeding incarnations.
Though she may have started as a lowly repaint, no one can argue that
the Beast Era of Transformers would have been the same without
Blackarachnia. If the fan base truly bore a grudge against any and all
repaints, then her success is inexplicable. She is proof that, given the
right set of circumstances (such as good characterization, a creative
paint scheme, or a clever gimmick), a repaint can rise in popularity far
above many of the new molds that debut alongside it.
Toward the end of the Beast Wars era, with the advent of the Transmetals,
we see another way in which the repaints can benefit both the public and
the toy manufacturer. With the show continuing to grow in popularity,
there was now a considerable demand for figures that had been
discontinued. The “Fox Kids” series of repaints would meet the needs of
those who missed out on the earlier Beast Wars figures, or some of the
first waves of Transmetals which had a shorter production run. Also, by
creating a continuing demand for a core group of favorite figures, the
mold will see more use, and undoubtedly be better cared for by the
manufacturer, who will view it as a valuable commodity and not simply
obsolete equipment. If the original molds are well cared for and not
lost, then it will be easier for favorite figures to see the light of
day again years later in anniversary or commemorative editions. This has
become a serious issue with Generation One, as there are many figures
that the fans are clamoring to see reissued, but the condition and
sometimes whereabouts of the old molds make this a problematic matter at
best.
Time and again, history has shown that repaints are a valuable and
integral part of the Transformers phenomenon. Of all their many uses,
however, their most important and encouraging role is to bolster the
line when demand far exceeds supply. Rather than being maligned as a
waste and a distraction, repaints should be welcomed for what they are:
a sign that our line is alive and healthy, and growing at a rapid pace.
Whereas a little over a decade ago, the line was struggling to make a
comeback and not plunge into commercial hiatus, the market now supports
not one but five Transformers brands! (Energon, Alternators, Universe,
G1 Commemoratives, and the Go-Bots pre-school line) It should come as no
surprise that each of those lines incorporates repaints and retools in
its own way. By all accounts, Alternators looks to be one of the most
wildly successful Transformers brands of all time, and it will
admittedly re-use all of its molds!
The reason that repaints will work so well with Alternators is that they
worked with their predecessors in Generation One. The history of
repaints, rather than being a phenomenon unique to the post-Beast era,
instead has its roots all the way back in the beginning of the line.
Indeed, there were several times in the past that the line would have
vanished entirely were it not for the ability of repaints to prove
relatively inexpensively to the parent company that the line was still
viable and the demand was still there, waiting to be tapped. We owe a
great debt to the repaints. They have helped the line initially get off
the ground, and they have helped to bring it back from the edge of
extinction. They have given us some of the most memorable characters,
and they continue to provide the line with a comfortable buffer when
demand for Transformers products far outpaces the supply. Rather than
lamenting the appearance of so many repaints today, let us embrace them
for what they are: an indication that our line is enjoying a Renaissance
and undergoing explosive growth. Undoubtedly, they are an indicator that
there are many great things yet to come with our favorite toy line. For
all the good that they have done for us in the past, and all the good
fortune that they indicate is coming our way, let us be glad and be
grateful. Long live the repaints! And long live the Transformers!
Congratulations, Bill, and thanks for participating!
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