Robot Heroes (toyline)
| This article is about . For other uses of "Robot Heroes", see Robot Heroes (disambiguation)|The name or term "Robot Heroes" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Robot Heroes (disambiguation).}} |
Robot Heroes was the Transformers entry into Hasbro's series of adorable, little-kid-friendly lines of characters from popular franchises in the late 2000s.
Each Robot Heroes figure is approximately two inches tall and constructed of soft, pliable PVC plastic. The characters are sculpted in a super deformed style, with exaggerated limbs and smiling expressions (well, for those characters with mouths). Articulation is typically limited to neck and shoulder swivels (for characters with conventional humanoid bodies, at least). It is notable that the Transformers Robot Heroes figures are more dynamically posed than most such figures from other franchises.
The line is effectively part of a multi-property brand, although it has no uniform name or logo across its many incarnations, which includes Star Wars (sold under numerous names, eventually settling on Galactic Heroes) , Marvel Comics (Superhero Squad), Indiana Jones (Adventure Heroes), Toy Story (Toy Box Heroes) and -of course- G.I. Joe (Combat Heroes). In fact, Robot Heroes itself was sold under three different franchises within the Transformers brand (though for simplicity's sake we treat it as a singular line rather than a size class within those lines on the individual characters' toy/merchandise listings).
IDW Publishing had announced plans to launch a tie-in comic based around the toyline, but only ended up releasing a single hardcover children's book.
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Transformers (2007)
[edit]The first three waves of Robot Heroes releases featured Generation 1 characters only, even though they were already branded as part of the first live-action movie toyline. From the fourth wave onwards, the focus shifted to actual movie characters.
- Two-packs
| Wave 1 (Generation 1 Series) | Wave 2 (Generation 1 Series) | Wave 3 (Generation 1 Series) | Wave 4 (Movie Series) |   | ||||
| Wave 5 (Movie Series) | Wave 6 (Movie Series) |
- Exclusives
Best Buy
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Walmart
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Universe (2008)
[edit]The 2008 Universe-branded Robot Heroes releases eschewed the themed waves for a mix of generations, as the rest of the Universe line did. Unfortunately, many sets would not be released in the US, or anywhere for that matter...
- Two-packs
Wave 1
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Wave 2
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Wave 3
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Wave 4 |    | ||||
| Wave 5* |
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Revenge of the Fallen
[edit]Naturally, the Revenge of the Fallen-branded Robot Heroes went all-in on figures of characters from the first two movies. This series also introduced figures of various characters in their alternate modes, mainly for major characters who already had numerous robot-mode figures already. Some of the multi-packs even included significantly larger figures for the more titanic film characters.
- Two-packs
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
- "Battle Scenes" multi-packs
Wave 1
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Wave 2
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- Board game
- Optimus Prime vs. Megatron
Blind-pack series
[edit]Numerous early Robot Heroes were re-issued in new, "blindpacked" packaging in international regions such as Malaysia (appearing in 7-11s there in December 2008) and the United Kingdom (appearing in Tesco stores in June 2009). They were never released in North America, however. The figures sold in single-packs, as opposed to the traditional double-pack, and are sealed within an opaque baggie, rather than a blister card. Each figure comes with a short bio card, and a catalogue advertising the available figures. They are deliciously cheap, retailing at either £1.00 or £1.99 (where the standard two-packs have customarily retailed at £5.99, rising to £6.99 for Revenge of the Fallen).
The blindpacked range includes all 24 figures from the original four waves of the Robot Heroes line, comprising a mixture of Generation 1 and movie characters. Somewhat surprisingly, the line also includes the figures from Wal-Mart's "Decepticon Sneak Attack" box-set, with the exception of "Supermetal Finish" Megatron, and even more inexplicably, the movie Cliffjumper and "Battle Damaged" Optimus Prime figures previously available only as DVD exclusives at Best Buy.
Bizarrely (yet rather awesomely), the Rodimus figure is sold under the character's original name of "Hot Rod".