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GoBots: Crasher, Sparky, Rest-Q


Let's just get it out of the way. Transformers is the better show, series, story, idea, etc. Hasbro and Marvel just really knocked it out of the park. The action, drama, and depth of the franchise is pretty unparalleled. Honestly, outside of Iron Giant, how many companies made you genuinely sad about the death of a robot. Skyfire and Optimus, we're looking at you.

Moving on, I always loved the GoBots toys. I loved their look, their scale, and their articulation. Yes, they rarely came with accessories but they didn't come across as a brick with moving forearms either.

Jamspeed's Toys: Autobot Hound

Sorry, Hound.

And, for better or worse, they almost always looked like their animated counterpart or better. I won't get into Ironhide or Bumblebee because I'm really not try to put down the Transformers. I'm just suggesting that the GoBots definitely had some strengths. They even had playsets and vehicles, which I'll get into later. (How great would it have been to have a playset of the Ark? Think about it.)

I had a few GoBots growing up but the only one that survived through the years was Pathfinder. 

"Do not go gentle into that good night" - Dylan "Pathfinder" Thomas

This year, I decided to begin collecting them again. The first three to arrive were Crasher, Sparky, and Rest-Q. I was really lucky to find a good online seller who didn't overprice the figures based on their popularity. I intend to return to him a few more times. 

Crasher




Crasher, believe it or not, was the cheapest of the three. I found out why when I realized her head and arms did not stay attached in robot mode. Otherwise she was in pristine condition. Especially the decals. I easily reattached her head using a command strip. Since I plan on keeping her in robot mode this was a simple solution. Later on, I might try to get a better version.


Fun observation: In the show, Crasher's power was a stomp that caused an electronic shockwave. The figure's right leg was looser than the left which tells me that whoever played with this figure growing up was well aware of this fact. I respect that. Well done, 80's youngster, well done.

Crasher (GoBots) - WikiAlpha

Sparky




Sparky was one of the figures I had as a child. A cool note about GoBots was that they had A LOT of female characters that were presented on par with the males. It was a lot like G.I. Joe in that regard. Respect.


Rest-Q





Nope, that's not Ratchet, but he does have a head! Sorry, one last shot. Rest-Q might be my favorite of these first three. He just really looks great and has an amazing shine to him. He may be a doctor but this is no Lifeline. Just looking at his face, you get the idea that this Guardian is ready to do some preventative medicine for his comrades.


So, like I said earlier, Transformers is the superior product. To that end, I want to have some that I can mix in with my GoBots. I've been doing a lot of research into Legends class Transformers. The Hasbro products are all just an inch too short. However, a lot of the third party figures are looking good. I have a few on the way to try out. Also, I have found some G1 and G2 that fit in pretty well.




G2 only stands out when in vehicle form




Also, one last somber observation, no one has done a cover of the GoBots theme. That is really odd when you think about it as I have been able to find rock or metal covers of almost any somewhat popular tv show. Just goes to show just how dominant the Transformers were. There must something more than meets the eye about them.
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