G1 Spinister

with Hairsplitter & Singe

Series: Generation 1
Allegiance: Decepticon
Categories: Double Targetmaster
Function: Aerial Assault
Year: 1988

Respect your foes' abilities as you would your own!
An eerie aerial adventurer. As much of a mystery to his fellow Decepticons as he is to his enemies. Talks little, reveals less. Spends most of his time off on his own. Enjoys scaring unwary Autobots and then attacking them while they're off guard. Equipped with infrared attack sensors in helicopter mode. Teamed with two Nebulons: Singe, who converts to a dual flamethrower and Hairsplitter, who turns into a twin lock-target laser rifle.

Robot Mode: Spinister almost manages to look cool in robot mode, but not quite. His colours and the detailing are quite good for a figure from this age, but posability is almost non-existent and his arms are way too short. Spinister looks like an over-(or maybe under-)developed body-builder who can lift a ton but no longer wipe his own ass. He comes with two Targetmaster weapons, which he can use either singly or combined. All in all a robot mode that could have been good, but isn't.

Vehicle Mode: Spinister turns into a pretty decent-looking attack helicopter. While the robot looks out of proportion the copter does a good job of looking realistic (except maybe for the colours). The aircraft can be armed with the two Targetmaster guns, one on each side. Bottom line, the better of Spinister's two modes.

Partners / Add-Ons: Singe and Hairsplitter are two Nebulons that transform into double-barrelled guns. While the guns look okay, the figures are pretty useless in robot mode. Zero posability. The detailing on them isn't bad, but that is their only redeeming feature. Leave them in gun mode.

Remarks: Spinister never appeared on the TV screen, but did serve a stint in the comic books as leader of the Decepticon Mayhem Attack Squad, their elite killer unit. As a figure Spinister isn't bad, but not particularly good, either. I like his basic design and the colours, but his strange proportions and lack of posability drag him down quite a bit. Overall I'd call him average for his time and slightly below average for a G1 figure as a whole.

Rating: C-