Transformers Timelines (toyline)
| The name or term "Timeline" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Timeline (disambiguation). |
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The Transformers Timelines toyline comprised most of the toys produced by Fun Publications.
Overview
The line consisted mostly of redecoes of Unicron Trilogy and CHUG toys, meant to represent more obscure "Generation 1" characters and characters from other continuities. While physical gimmicks were retained, electronics were commonly omitted. Minor retools (especially new heads) were fairly common. Later toys even added new gimmicks, such as a Pretender shell or a Headmaster partner.
2005
- Membership freebie
| "Descent into Evil" box set | Souvenir two-pack 1 | Souvenir two-pack 2
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Attendee-only bonus |  |
2006
- Transformers Collectors' Club
- Membership freebie
| "Dawn of Future's Past" box set | Souvenir two-pack 1 | Souvenir two-pack 2 | Attendee-only bonus |  |
2007
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store
|
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| "Games of Deception" box set | Souvenir two-pack 1 | Souvenir two-pack 2 | Attendee-only bonus |  | ||||
| Customization Class exclusive |
2008
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store |  |
| "Shattered Glass" box set | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 | Attendee-only bonus |  |
2009
- Transformers Collectors' Club
- Membership freebie
| "Wings of Honor" box set | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 | Souvenir pack 3 |  | ||||
| Attendee-only bonus |
2010
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store |  |
| "Generation 2: Redux" box set | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 | Souvenir pack 3 |  | ||||
| Attendee-only bonus | Customization Class exclusive |
2011
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store |  |
| "The Stunti-Con-Job" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 |  | ||||
Souvenir pack 3
|
Customization Class exclusive |
2012
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store |  |
| "Transformers: Invasion" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 |  | ||||
| Souvenir pack 3 | Customization Class exclusive |
2013
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Figure Subscription Service 1.0 |  |
| "Machine Wars" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 |  | ||||
| Souvenir pack 3 | Kreon souvenir pack | Customization Class exclusive |
2014
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store | Figure Subscription Service 2.0 |  |
| "Pirates vs Knights" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir pack 1 | Souvenir pack 2 |  | ||||
Souvenir pack 3
|
Customization Class exclusive | Kreon souvenir pack |
2015
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store | Figure Subscription Service 3.0 |  |
| "Cybertron: Most Wanted" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir pack 1
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Souvenir pack 2 |  | ||||
Souvenir pack 3
|
"Earth's Most Wanted" Kreon souvenir pack | Customization Class exclusive |
2016
- Transformers Collectors' Club
| Membership freebie | Club store |  |
Post-Timelines releases (2015-2017)
Starting in 2015 and continuing in 2016, Fun Publications released several toys and sets as a crossover between Transformers and G.I. Joe that were available through both franchises' Collectors' Clubs. Most of these were branded G.I. Joe and the Transformers (or a variation thereof), so they'd be in the same segment as various crossover sets previously offered by Hasbro at San Diego Comic-Con and through Hasbro Toy Shop, although two figures that veered considerably closer to the Transformers side of things were simply branded Transformers instead.
Even though Timelines had been the default branding for nearly all of Fun Publications' Transformers output for the majority of their tenure as a license holder, 2016 marked the discontinuation of that branding for toys released through both the Collectors' Club and BotCon, with Skywarp and Ramjet being the final figures to sport the Timelines branding. This affected the BotCon 2016 exclusive figures and the Subscription Service 4.0 and 5.0 figures, which were all branded as part of Combiner Wars, a conscious decision between Hasbro and Fun Publications to align FunPub's output with Hasbro's own releases at the time.[2] Additionally, many of these figures and sets also sported a Generations branding.
Following the end of Fun Publications' BotCon license—and with it the ability to produce Transformers products—Hasbro filled in the niche of exclusive redecoes geared towards adult collectors with the Generations Selects toyline in 2018.
- Transformers Collectors' Club
Club store
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BotCon Legacy Collection (branded Generations) | Figure Subscription Service 4.0 (branded Combiner Wars) | Figure Subscription Service 5.0 (branded Combiner Wars) |  |
(branded Combiner Wars)
| "Dawn of the Predacus" box set | Attendee-only bonus | Souvenir toys | Customization Class exclusive
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| Golden Ticket exclusive |
Notes
- Customization classes were offered every year beginning BotCon 2006. Initially the toys were simply unassambled versions of toys in their original retail colors that you had to assemble and paint yourself; basically, something you can make at home and have the "final" product. This pattern obtained from 2006 to 2009, BotCon 2010 broke new ground with a G2 themed Sideswipe that was cast in new plastic colors and this subsequently became the standard procedure. Consequently, the customization class exclusives are included on this page starting with 2010.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The instructions for Skyfall, Breakaway and Topspin don't actually have the Timelines branding on them. While a point could be made that Skyfall's Energon-branded instructions are simply the result of a rushed production, and it took Fun Publications until BotCon to actually establish the Timelines branding, both Breakaway and Topspin feature the "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" branding of the then-recent Classics line, even though both Landquake before them and Heatwave after them featured a proper Timelines branding. Still, they were all featured in Timelines fiction, and unlike the later 2016-2017 Fun Publications output, the different branding was reportedly not a conscious move by FunPub and Hasbro, so they're all considered Timelines product that simply has the wrong branding in its instructions.
- ↑ Clarification regarding the G.I. Joe and the Transformers and Combiner Wars branding for the 2016-2017 figures] by former Fun Publications employee Jesse Wittenrich at The Allspark.
