Like a kid in a Toy Shop

The toys of my childhood seemed far more appealing then the dirge of modern remakes the kids of this era are forced to play with. I remember He-man, GI Joe, and Smurfs… even My Little Pony seemed cooler than a skinny plastic Iron Man toy which shoots weak plastic darts. I see my childhood with rose-tinted glasses and the toys I used to play with were hardy, fun to play with and kept me amused for hours on end. Toy Shops were massive and a hidden secret lurked inside each one. When I look at the modern remakes or classic interpretations of my favourite toys, I little piece of me dies inside. As a child from the 80’s, I did not have to suffer the same barrage of media branding which kids today have to accept. It seemed much simpler back then.

Where did it all begin, my earliest toy-related memory that is. I vaguely remember a toy robot that ran across my bedroom floor, shooting sparks from its mouth as I ran away crying like a baby (I may have very well still been a baby). My first real obsessions were the He-man, GI Joe and Transformer toys. Between me, my brother and my cousins, we had every toy and add-on these collections could offer. Hours were wasted creating elaborate setups and episode re-enactments. One should note that these cartoons that our toys were based on where not merely cheap knockoffs, designed to sell more toys to unsuspecting children. No sir, complex storylines and quality animation played a huge part in creating an authentic universe which breathed life into our toys. I do not even want to start with my Thundercats obsession, a craze which due to my constant nagging almost drove my parents into a permanent state of dementia.

It was also noticeably easier to collect toys back then. The price of an average action figure hovered around R20, 00 but it was chiefly because of our parents who would purchase toys for us. If I was to attempt to build my own collection of toys, it would be considerably smaller due to the insane prices of even the smallest action figure or Lego collection. Ah, Lego. Lego was a wonderful construction set. Whole cities could be built from nothing with a little bit of imagination and patience. I was entered into many Lego competitions as a kid, yet won no prizes despite having the most incredible time. The Dutch giants will never be as big as they were in the 80’s, yet they are still capitalising on our childhood dreams by releasing special Lego Star Wars or Indiana Jones playsets. I believe their star began to drop shortly after kids began choking on blocks of Lego, yet funnily enough this type of ordeal never happened back in the 80’s.

It’s strange how time alters your memory of childhood fascinations. These fantasy toys of yesteryear become little more than dusty dolls without curious little hands to breathe life into them. I know that as the children of 2008 grow into adults, they too will share the same idle fascination I do with toys and games. Or more likely they will play video games for hours on end. Yet they may share my same view as well, that of nostalgia and distain for whatever modern generation of toys dare crowd the toy shelves of modern toy stores. I worry what next-generation batch of toys will attract my child’s attention and empty my wallet.

Transformers Bumblebee The Ultimate Autobot

Once the movie was released on 3 July 2007, Transformers became a big hit with all ages. Right now, it seems as if it is nearly impossible to find Transformers action figures especially the Transformers BumbleBee action figure. Stores such as Wal-mart, K-mart, and Target are experiencing a great level of difficulty in maintaining stock of popular Transformers. If you have been searching for BumbleBee, then you may not know about all of the different models of BumbleBee, since they are not usually in stock. The following are just a few of the models of BumbleBee produced.This model Transformer of BumbleBee is very accurate in detail and is much larger as well. If you do by chance spot one of these available, grab it at once. You cant miss it, since it stands about a foot tall and dwarfs most of the other available transformers. This particular model sells for $99 in a retail store and has fetched some pretty ridiculous prices in ebay. The next time you are in a retail store, you may want to take a quick check on their current stock of Transformers, just in case you might be able to grab one of your own. Adults, who take interest in Transformers, particularly like this BumbleBee figure.This particular Transformer is available in both the 80s Camaro and the Concept Camaro versions. One particular limited item contains both with battle damage. If you are lucky enough to spot one of these, you should definitely purchase it immediately. The Battle Damage Transformers BumbleBee Package is fetching bids in excess of 3 to 5 times the original price. Usually, the regular BumbleBee Transformer will cost about $18 in a retail store. This model is about 6 long as a vehicle and about 6-7 tall as a figure.For those of us who knew the Transformers long before the movies release on 3 July 2007, you can still purchase the original Transformer BumbleBee. This model is from back when he was a yellow Volkswagen Beetle and still had wings. If you like the original Transformers and actually had the original BumbleBee at one time, stop kicking yourself. Whether you are trying to replace old memories or simply add to your collection, the original yellow beetle Transformer BumbleBee is still available and waiting for you.If you are looking for a highly detailed figure that looks as much like the robot form of BumbleBee as possible, then this may be the Transformer for you. This model does not transform, but is very detailed and resembles BumbleBee in his Autobot form as much as possible. If you do not really play or transform your action figures often and are looking for something cool to put on your desk or a mantle, then this is it. If you have a die hard Chevrolet fan or mechanic as a friend or family member, this might be one of the coolest gifts that you can get him, especially with it being so difficult to find.

Transformers Bumblebee: The Ultimate Autobot

Once the movie was released on 3 July 2007, Transformers became a big hit with all ages. Right now, it seems as if it is nearly impossible to find Transformers action figures especially the Transformers BumbleBee action figure. Stores such as Wal-mart, K-mart, and Target are experiencing a great level of difficulty in maintaining stock of popular Transformers. If you have been searching for BumbleBee, then you may not know about all of the different models of BumbleBee, since they are not usually in stock. The following are just a few of the models of BumbleBee produced.

Transformers Ultimate BumbleBee

This model Transformer of BumbleBee is very accurate in detail and is much larger as well. If you do by chance spot one of these available, grab it at once. You can’t miss it, since it stands about a foot tall and dwarfs most of the other available transformers. This particular model sells for $99 in a retail store and has fetched some pretty ridiculous prices in ebay. The next time you are in a retail store, you may want to take a quick check on their current stock of Transformers, just in case you might be able to grab one of your own. Adults, who take interest in Transformers, particularly like this BumbleBee figure.

Transformers BumbleBee

This particular Transformer is available in both the 80’s Camaro and the Concept Camaro versions. One particular limited item contains both with battle damage. If you are lucky enough to spot one of these, you should definitely purchase it immediately. The Battle Damage Transformers BumbleBee Package is fetching bids in excess of 3 to 5 times the original price. Usually, the regular BumbleBee Transformer will cost about $18 in a retail store. This model is about 6” long as a vehicle and about 6-7” tall as a figure.

Old School Transformers BumbleBee

For those of us who knew the Transformers long before the movie’s release on 3 July 2007, you can still purchase the original Transformer BumbleBee. This model is from back when he was a yellow Volkswagen Beetle and still had wings. If you like the original Transformers and actually had the original BumbleBee at one time, stop kicking yourself. Whether you are trying to replace old memories or simply add to your collection, the original yellow beetle Transformer BumbleBee is still available and waiting for you.

Transformers BumbleBee Unleashed

If you are looking for a highly detailed figure that looks as much like the robot form of BumbleBee as possible, then this may be the Transformer for you. This model does not transform, but is very detailed and resembles BumbleBee in his Autobot form as much as possible. If you do not really play or transform your action figures often and are looking for something cool to put on your desk or a mantle, then this is it. If you have a die hard Chevrolet fan or mechanic as a friend or family member, this might be one of the coolest gifts that you can get him, especially with it being so difficult to find.