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"To know others you must know yourself first"
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Has the mind of the Autobot Bumblebee, but new, improved body. More serious, assertive, mature than he was. Realizes what others think of him isn't nearly as important as what he thinks of himself. Excellent fuel efficiency; 2 1/2 times better than the next best Throttlebot. Adaptable to underwater, cold and hot environments. Can withstand temperatures from -150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
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STRENGTH | 9
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INTELLIGENCE | 8
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SPEED | 4
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ENDURANCE | 8
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RANK | 8
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COURAGE | 10
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FIREPOWER | 1
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SKILL | 7
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OVERALL | 55
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Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances
First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - G.I. Joe and the Transformers Issue 4, April 1987 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 117, June 13th 1987 / Issue 118, June 20th 1987
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 95 (Season 3 #30), February 25th 1987 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1987
Click here to see Figure Details and review
Figure Details
AKA 'Bumblebee'
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Transformers 2010
Additions/Mods:
- Added the Beezleboss 'Growing Pains' upgrade kit (New head and guns)
Review
Goldbug is a character who popped up briefly and then was made back to Bumblebee again. There are only 2 interesting facts about Goldbug as far as I can tell: One is that he has 3 different and conflicting origins, and the other is that his Throttlebot 'update' toy offered zero poseability, which is even less than Bumblebee started with. Those gems aside, is Takara's (with Beezleboss's help) remake of him as pointless as the original character?
Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
This is why 3rd parties can work harmoniously with Hasbro/Takara. Takara elected to reissue Bumblebee, this time with a lustrous gold colour scheme, clearly homaging Goldbug. And then Beezleboss made a brand new head and some neat weapons, and all of a sudden, everyone needs to buy a new character! I like the Bumblebee mould, so it's then unsurprising that I similarly enjoy this figure. The paint looks fantastic, and the new head does the job perfectly. Even without the replacement head, this version of Bumblebee is very easy on the eye.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
The metallic paint really 'shines' in car mode, which now looks spectacular. This toy comes with the 'waveblaster' accessory, but it really doesn't go with the vehicle in its new gold form. For me, it detracts from the overall look, so I don't use it. Other than this, even Tracks would be jealous of this alt mode.
Transformation 7/10
An unusual but fun transformation sequence. Although personally I have issues getting the panels to all align nicely when changed back to car mode. I would also add that this mould is getting long in the tooth these days, which is perhaps why the panels seem even harder to get flush than the original Bumblebee/Cliffjumper. It could also be the added paint that has contributed, because for whatever reason, I find transforming him a real squeeze.
Poseability 7/10
Not bad, but the mould betrays its age when compared with more recent 'classicsverse' deluxes. Big feet allow for a variety of poses though.
Quality 3/10
The niceness of the paint is also my main issue with this figure. A few years back, there was an ailment called 'gold plastic syndrome' which made plastic of that colour become brittle over the years, and eventually disintegrate altogether. Some original G1 and Beastwars figures have pretty much turned to dust because of it. This, then, is why Takara have elected to cover a yellow Bumblebee with gold paint (either that or they had a surplus of them). Unfortunately, the paint is prone to scratching. As it is, my figure was scratched right out of the box. He is packaged in his robot mode, meaning that the feet are in constant contact with the bonnet. Where these 2 panels meet, my figure is hideously scarred with deep scratches. Apparently all of the figures have the same problem. In robot mode, the problem is not evident, but in alt mode, the fantastic finish is ruined by the scratches (I have photoshopped mine out, which is why you can't see them). It is completely unacceptable for a brand new figure to be damaged out of the box!
Overall - 35/50
This figure is a million miles better than the risible Legends class 'Gold Bumblebee'. However, it is costly, especially when you factor in the head upgrade. Still, at least now you don't have to explain how Bumblebee's 'upgrade' consisted of shrinking and losing pretty much all of his articulation. It's just a shame that Takara decided to package these guys so they would be damaged before they were even opened, because this figure really deserves a better score.
