Death's Head
04-09-11, 09:06 PM
Following on from the banner year of 1987, the toys that formed the majority of the 1988 range started to mark the slow and steady decline of the line. The highly detailed figures, the chrome, rubber, clear plastics, die cast and even complex engineering were being phased out of the line to minimise costs which left the ’88 toys all looking quite ugly and cheap by comparison to their predecessors. In amongst these rather blank looking bricks, were Squalktalk and Beastbox. The last two cassettes produced for the Decepticons. The line by this time, was becoming characterised by gimmicks, and this is carried over to the Spy Cassettes, who can now combine to form a larger robot.
Although still featuring decently realised alt modes, the tampographed designs look muddy and blurred and less crisp than on earlier cassettes. This probably isn’t helped by using colours that don’t contrast well enough against the blanket use of turquoise and purple. Squalktalk in particular suffers, with the use of a deep blue set against turquoise which really doesn’t work. However, when viewed as part of the Decepticon range from 1988, its clear that these colours were used to give something of uniform look to the bad guys, comprised as they were from pinks, greys, turquoise, blues and purples.
Both figures squeeze another couple of interesting robot modes and transformations out of the cassette alt mode. Squalktalk attempts to add a new twist to the avian robot mode, but unfortunately, etched in feather designs aside, he looks too bulky and hawk like to convince as a parrot. Beastbox is more successful, forming a squat and slightly cute gorilla. Shame the combined form’s head is clearly visible on his arse, though. The transformation is moderately complex for Squalktalk, with the wings swinging away from the cassette body with two other parts folding out to lengthen and complete the wings. The feet fold out of the bottom and his head slides out of the centre. Beastbox is also nicely realised, if less complex. The head flips out of the middle, the arms rotate out of the sides and the legs swing forward and down from the bottom of the cassette.
The combined form, Squalkbox, is a slightly underwhelming effort compared to the better effort made with Slamdance (the Autobot combining cassettes). You pretty much stack one cassette on top of the other. The worst aspects of Squalkbox are the gorilla legs that dangle off his head, the knock knees and that dreadful looking waist – he looks like he’s wearing a nappy. The bulky (and combined, naturally) weapons swamp the figure somewhat making Squalkbox a disappointing figure. Not the greatest of the Spy Cassettes, and much better as individuals than as a combined warrior – at least so far as the toys go.
630631632633
Although still featuring decently realised alt modes, the tampographed designs look muddy and blurred and less crisp than on earlier cassettes. This probably isn’t helped by using colours that don’t contrast well enough against the blanket use of turquoise and purple. Squalktalk in particular suffers, with the use of a deep blue set against turquoise which really doesn’t work. However, when viewed as part of the Decepticon range from 1988, its clear that these colours were used to give something of uniform look to the bad guys, comprised as they were from pinks, greys, turquoise, blues and purples.
Both figures squeeze another couple of interesting robot modes and transformations out of the cassette alt mode. Squalktalk attempts to add a new twist to the avian robot mode, but unfortunately, etched in feather designs aside, he looks too bulky and hawk like to convince as a parrot. Beastbox is more successful, forming a squat and slightly cute gorilla. Shame the combined form’s head is clearly visible on his arse, though. The transformation is moderately complex for Squalktalk, with the wings swinging away from the cassette body with two other parts folding out to lengthen and complete the wings. The feet fold out of the bottom and his head slides out of the centre. Beastbox is also nicely realised, if less complex. The head flips out of the middle, the arms rotate out of the sides and the legs swing forward and down from the bottom of the cassette.
The combined form, Squalkbox, is a slightly underwhelming effort compared to the better effort made with Slamdance (the Autobot combining cassettes). You pretty much stack one cassette on top of the other. The worst aspects of Squalkbox are the gorilla legs that dangle off his head, the knock knees and that dreadful looking waist – he looks like he’s wearing a nappy. The bulky (and combined, naturally) weapons swamp the figure somewhat making Squalkbox a disappointing figure. Not the greatest of the Spy Cassettes, and much better as individuals than as a combined warrior – at least so far as the toys go.
630631632633