Then & Now: Beachcomber!

09.05.2011 - Beachcomber’s bio card states he’s a geologist with a hippie attitude. A pacifist of war tries to reconcile his love of peace and freedom for all creatures. It’s hard to accept this as it sickens him down to his very spark regarding the conflicts which there’s always a price for casualty and destruction. He appeared in the second season of the original G1 cartoon with a cool surfer dude attitude. Skilled in combat but not very fast or strong Beachcomber knows how to fight. He is an explorer who tends to lose himself in the jungle just to calm and cleanse his soul.

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In 2008 Hasbro released a completely new figure in the legends class assortment carded in blister packaging. The figure is based from his character model. Takara included this figure in the three-pack under the Henkei! Henkei! Toyline.

This figure has great articulation. His knees can bend and has small toes to do the action poses.

It’s doesn’t have a waist joint but this figure definitely grows on you. There were a lot of iterations of Beachcomber but nothing comes close to this one. If you compare it with the vintage edition this current release is a must have.

The detail on his now humanoid face is based from the animation. This version is more cartoon-accurate in colors his blue paint finish is flat and less vibrant than the Hasbro release. Packaged in with Brawn and Cliffjumper this figure certainly replaces the old school with its modern version.

If you wondering if the gun attached to his back can be removed the answer is yes. Though he doesn’t have a peg to hold his gun and mostly this gets lost easily.

The alt mode is inspired from the Warthog a vehicle from the Halo videogame series. The pacifist Autobot is well armed with that particular gun and to think he doesn’t own one. Well detailed in his modern vehicle form its better he drives on an alien surface.

Side by side comparison with the vintage edition shows how the old one looks rather less off-road. To think back in the day everyone liked his constructed buggy form. The new one is quite interesting though it’s not in scale with the deluxe class figures Beachcomber looks muscular on four wheels.

Overall a 4.5/5 robot points is being rated for this figure under the Legends Class assortment. The figure gets a second repaint and was called “Sandstorm” in desert colors. Rarely will you ever see Beachcomber in store pegs as most you’ll see is his repaint version.

Beachcomber has other several versions from different toylines but Hasbro and Takara nailed this one that’s based from his character model and a tribute to the G1 fans who owned the original figure.