Generations Selects Rotorstorm

Prelude: In 1992 the Turbomasters fought the Predators in Europe, while Transformers was already dead in the United States. Almost everyone forgot about them. Fast forward 18 years and Nick Roche and James Roberts recruited a cast of lesser known Transformers characters for their “Last Stand of the Wreckers” comic series, Rotorstorm among them. So now Rotorstorm is back as a Generations Selects figure. Let’s say go!

Differences: Rotorstorm is a repaint of Siege Spinister, see there for the full review. Just some words on the differences here. The first stock images of this figure showed Rotorstorm with the same head as Spinister, but thankfully the final figure got a new head mold, modeled after Rotorstorm’s appearance in the IDW comics (see below). Apart from the new head, the only other difference is the paint job.

The paint job makes for a very strong resemblance to G1 Rotorstorm, despite the fact that the two figures are very different in their basic design. G1 Rotorstorm has the copter cockpit on his chest, for example, the Selects figure on its legs. Despite those differences, they are clearly meant to be the same guy. They even painted Spinisters two guns so that they would (somewhat) match G1 Rotorstorm’s turbine weapons. Though I have to say it looks much better when you simply give the Selects figure the G1 turbines. They fit in robot and helicopter mode, looking very nice.

Overall I must say: brilliant. The new paint job and the new head not only manage to make this figure look distinct from Spinister, it also makes for a very close match to the look of the G1 figure it pays homage to. Very nicely done and no complaints at all.

Remarks: The Turbomasters were the good guys in the European Transformers line-up of 1992 and most of them have been more or less forgotten about. More recently Thunderclash, their leader, has gotten a surge in popularity due to his appearances in the IDW comics and the same goes for Rotorstorm. Sure, his appearance was rather brief before he was killed by Overlord, but it sufficed to make him popular again (or for the first time, rather).

Siege Spinister is one of the best Deluxe figures to come out in recent years, so it’s hardly surprising we’re getting a repaint of him. That said repaint is Rotorstorm is just icing on the cake for me, as I’m a huge fan of the Turbomasters. Not only was it a given that I would get this figure, I also hope that we’ll be getting the other Turbomasters as well. So bottom line here: a clear and unreserved recommendation for everyone, even if you’re not into obscure characters.

Rating: A