G1 Slag

Prelude: I wrote a review for G2 Slag almost 10 years ago (damn, have I really been writing reviews that long now?), but not only was that a long time ago, but it was also pretty short and somewhat influenced by my dislike for the green color of that repaint. So now that my buddy BlackZarak has loaned me a genuine G1 Slag to review, I think I need to take this from the top.

Robot Mode: During the early days of G1 the figures were designed first and foremost with their alternate modes in mind. Realistic cars, jets, or – in this case – dinosaurs. In quite a few cases that left the robots holding the short end of the stick and in few cases is that more pronounced than with Slag. Don’t get me wrong: he looks cool. Big feet, horns behind his head, kibble wings, an all-around powerful-looking figure. Unfortunately the figure has some balance issues despite the big feet, as the dino tail hangs haphazardly off his back – way off his back.

In terms of articulation Slag does well for a G1 figure from his time, featuring rotating shoulders and legs that can bend at the hip and the knee. The knees are for the transformation, which makes them look a bit strange when bent, but it does work for some posing. For weapons Slag carries a red sword and a silver gun. As the mold was originally from the Diaclone line, he has a cockpit for a small Diaclone driver figure included. It’s behind his chest plate, which makes it somewhat hard to get to when compared with the cockpits of the other Dinobots. So bottom line: a cool-looking robot, but with a number of flaws.

Alternate Mode: Slag transforms into a robotic Triceratops (which is Greek and literally means “three-horned face”), one of the youngest species of dinosaurs who walked the Earth roughly 68 to 66 million years ago. I can’t really say how faithful this robot version is to the original, but to me it looks great. Big, powerful, stocky. All four legs can move, if only a little bit, and the mouth can open (but not too wide lest you see the robot’s face). Additionally Slag comes with a missile launcher for his dino mode, which can be mounted on the shoulder of his right front leg (works on the left one, too, but it’s upside down then). So bottom line: to me the better of Slag’s two modes. Cool looking, holistic, no complaints.

Remarks: Do I really need to talk much about the Dinobots and their role in the Transformers franchise? Well, unless you’re one of those young whippersnappers who never heard of the Dinobots before their blink-and-you-missed-it appearance in “Age of Extinction”, I doubt it. In a group that’s not really known for their pacifist ways, Slag is the most hostile one. My favorite story with him is “the 4,000,000 year glitch” from the old Marvel UK comics where he suffers from a periodic short that renders him completely bonkers, forcing his Dinobot comrades to somehow keep him under control so that visiting commander Optimus Prime doesn’t notice anything. Slapstick comedy, yes, but to me it’s one of the definitive Slag stories. Slag is also known as the Dinobot who’s usually called either Snarl or Slug these days, because ever since Beast Wars ‘slag’ has become a swear word in-fiction and thus can no longer be used out-of-fiction, either, because people might feel insulted… I guess.

As a toy Slag is, to me, the worst of the five Dinobots. His dino mode is pretty cool, but his robot mode really has a number of flaws. But that still makes him one of the original Dinobots, people, which means he goes for zillions on eBay and it’s every Primus-fearing TF collector’s duty to acquire one of him. Just be prepared for him being nowhere near as awesome in toy form as you remember him from your childhood days.

Rating: C+