Review – Transformers Reveal the Shield Gold Bumblebee


Line: Transformers * Manufacturer: Hasbro * Year: 2010

This is just a repaint of the older Universe Bumblebee toy (review here), but when I spotted some of the Transformers Reveal the Shield series* at Marshalls last week there was no way I was letting this Gold Bumblebee escape. $4 and well worth it . . . if only because he goes so very nicely with the shelf of Bumblebee toys and statues.

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As with the Transformers Reveal the Shield Optimus Prime (review here) this small car isn’t the greatest Transformers toy out there, but it’s a fun repaint of an older design. But what surprises me is that Hasbro went with Gold Bumblebee for the name instead of Goldbug, which is the historical name for Bumblebee when he’s rebuilt and changes to a more gold color (see the Transformers Wiki). (Though to be fair this isn’t the first time Bumblebee has been gold and not Goldbug, but it still has me scratching my head. Probably a trademark issue.)

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About the Toy

Anyway, since this is a repaint of a toy I have reviewed before (admittedly a long time ago, when I was first working up my own style for toy reviews) there’s not much new that I can say about the toy that I haven’t said before. So instead I’ll mostly let the photos tell you about the toy . . . but I do want to mention the poor paint application on Gold Bumblebee.

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Sloppy is the one work I would use to describe the blue and silver paint. It’s not horrible, but there are splotches here and there and the paint is a little rougher than I like to see. Nothing that makes the toy a piece of junk, but I hope Hasbro puts a little more effort into quality control because compared to the Universe Bumblebee this guy’s paint isn’t as nice.

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Click to expand the photo in a new window.

Closing Thoughts

Finding this toy for $4 was a great deal and now that I’ve got him I’m happy because he really does look good on the shelf of Bumblebee toys and statues. The Goldbug question leaves me a bit confused, but all it is really doing is having me once again look at the unofficial “Growing Pains” upgrade kit (mentioned here) for the Transformers United Bumblebee that I got while in Hong Kong earlier this year.

Gold Bumblebee isn’t amazing or necessary, but it’s a good mold, a fun color/repaint, and I suggest that if you like what you see then you search for one before the prices go crazy.

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Philip Reed swears he’ll review a non-Transformers toy again one of these days.

1 thought on “Review – Transformers Reveal the Shield Gold Bumblebee

  1. Yeah, I don’t Hasbro has the rights to Gold Bug anymore. But as far as naming goes, I always just call a character whatever I feel like if I think his given name is stupid. I’m looking at you, Dark Mount.

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