I have never really addressed this on this site but I collect Transformers on top of my love for Video games and Racial Justice. I really love Generation 1 and Animated lines and shows. My favorite line without any media attached is the Alternators line. My favorite Transformer is G2 Turbofire and I am currently obsessed with the 3rd party Legends class figures.
What I find fascinating in the Transformers scene today is that G1 has come back full force in every major line. Titan Wars and Masterpiece lines have been lovingly creating all of the G1 characters in what seems to be the best versions ever. I must admit, I have not been buying a lot of the Titan Returns/Combiner Wars line. My rationale is that I have most of the encore G1 reissues and original G1 toys.
I then bought all the CHUG toys (mid 2000’s generations and universe lines). I have been rebuying the same characters over and over again. I don’t have the space for or interest in doing that. Frankly, for me I don’t have a lot of display space and the play value of deluxe sized figures is low. I love the legends sized figures. That said, I think the main reason I am not rebuying another Hot Rod and Springer is because I truly believe the G1 characters are adequate. More than adequate in the sense that they capture the intangibles of the characters in neat ways. I get wanting to have a Ratchet and Ironhide with heads but I don’t think there is a Soundwave better than the G1 version and I say that owning MP Soundwave.
Sometimes there are figures that come around that make you reevaluate everything. When I first laid eyes on Make Toys “Contactshot w/ Targetwarrior” I was in love. This was a masterpiece version of one of my favorite G1 toys Targetmaster Pointblank w/ Peacemaker. Let’s get one thing straight Pointblank is the dopest name for a toy ever, combined with a gun called Peacemaker…perfect.
Pointblank is a fascinating character in the Transformer’s lore because he is completely war torn, suffers from PTSD, and is refuses to have conversations with people. He doesn’t do small talk. He doesn’t want friends. He doesn’t think the war has been a worthwhile effort but he will trying to win it. His target master Peacemaker is a jovial being and Pointblank hates that he is bringing more beings into the tragedy of war.
Pointblank has a futuristic sports car alt-mode (think future Fiero). The G1 version has a lot of personality. His shield makes for a nice spoiler and there wings on the back…for speed. For a modest bot, he has flames painted on his car.
The robot mode is where Pointblank shines in my opinion, especially on the G1 toy. He has his strong shoulders with his tires leading down to his arms. It evokes earlier toys in that there a lot of visible car parts on the robot mode and this is something that I think the best Transformers do. The transformation is simple, the legs flip out. Fold the arms out and expose the head.
The 3rd Party Pointblank, Contactshot, is excellent in that it treads the fine line from being so close to the G1 toy that it’s boring but updated in a way that evokes modernness. Contactshot feels like a high end collectible. It’s hefty with a lot of diecast. This robot wins in the details.
The tires are baby blue hub caps with silver underneath. It is a perfect upgrade to the G1 tires that are babyblue with the prominent silver screw. The red doesn’t pop as much as the G1 bot. Contactshot has a very deep rich red, where the G1 Pointblank has a vibrant cherry red. I prefer the louder colors. The proportions and “belt” on the waist look excellent. Contactshot has the proportions that I thought Pointblank did as a kid. The engine shield is excellent.
The car looks like a future-fiero in both G1 and now. And that’s dope.
If you have a passing interest in Pointblank than the MP upgrade Contactshot is a no-brainer. It’s really neat to see how the G1 model was updated to feel modern. They also managed to get a decently complex transformation out of something very simple. My only regret is that Contactshot is a 3rd party piece, which means it isn’t Hasbro or Takara. What happens is that if Hasbro releases their own official Pointblank Masterpiece figure this one becomes instantly obsolete. For $150.00, I don’t want this figure to become obsolete. Luckily, he ain’t getting no official release. Thanks for reading my Transformers ramblings!
Peace
J3Blackgamer 
Ah, this takes me back. I grew up during the time that G1 Transformers was all the rage so I owned a bunch of the toys.
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