Retrobots Revisited: Post-Transformers transforming bot knockoffs

Here's a short one today, featuring a recent addition to my collection. My backstory here is that back in the 1980s, there were a lot of things in "pop culture" that I liked the idea of more than the thing itself. One of those was definitely Transformers. It was just about inevitable that I picked up a fair number of Transformers then and now, but I never sought them out. On a deeper level, I often found the "brand name" versions less interesting and flat-out less playable than their generic/ "knockoff" counterparts. What stands out most strongly in hindsight is that the knockoffs stayed on the market long after the original Transformers (aka G1) faded away. This is a lineup of one of the latest and best of them, called (funghh) Masterbotix. Here's a pic of their alt modes together.

My strongest recollection of these is that they were at the front of the mid-level toy stores in the early 1990s. I further remember that there were a range of types, but the ones that held my interest were the ones that had animals as the alt mode. As with quite a few G1 figures, many of these weren't really a disguise, but another sort of robot. I saw them often, but bought exactly two. Naturally, I soon forgot the name (just as well) while keeping the figures. Here's some pics of the better of the two, a cat/ panther sort of creature.

The other of the pair was a chameleon creature with the texture and color of a real creature, but more like a beetle than a lizard. We was still a fun addition to my collection. Here's some pics of him.

Finally, there's my latest acquisition. I recently decided to search online auctions for the Masterbotix line (I wish I could believe that was meant to be a joke), and found one that was interesting for a reasonable price. The photos provided by the seller focused on the alt mode. I was not surprised to find that the humanoid bot mode was less impressive. It's the head that does it, sort of like the Tin Man's disabled cousin.

For the post script, I was seeing these bots for well over a decade, usually in drugstores, discount bins and a few times in catalogs. These offerings were always packaged in a generic way, and I have no doubt that one or more separate companies bought up the molds and took over production at some point. (Anyone collecting these as "vintage" bots should bear this in mind.) It was a good run, all in all, and it still would not surprise me if I saw them again in some out of the way toy aisle. Knockoffs never die, they just go into remission.

For links, see CollectionDX for other examples of the line and a little detail on their origin and distribution, and RoboSynergy for a comprehensive listing of the bots.