Since the eighties, most Transformersfans have been quick to dismiss Tonka’s Go-Bots as a simple Transformers knock-off. But the real story is much more complicated, with the Go-Bots actually reaching American store shelves a full year before Transformers. In the late seventies, companies like Mego and Mattel had established precedent for importing Japanese toys with lines like Micronauts and Shogun Warriors. By the early eighties, it was common practice for representatives from American toy companies to attend Japanese toy industry trade shows looking for new lines to import. In 1982, one concept stood out: transforming robots, a sensation in Japanese toys that was being produced by several companies. The brilliance of the transforming robot toy was that it gave kids two different modes of play in both its robot and transformed vehicle or object state. Looking to expand into action figures, manufacturer Tonka acquired the rights to Bandai’s transforming robot line Machine Robo, while larger Hasbro acquired Takara’s Diacloneand Micro Change lines. The race was on between the two companies to be the first to bring a transforming robot toy to the American market.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Tonka decided beating Hasbro to shelves was paramount, figuring that kids would continue to choose the established brand even once Transformershit shelves. Hasbro adopted a different strategy, investing in marketing and developing an in-depth back story for the Transformersin partnership with Marvel Comics, who had just helped Hasbro relaunch their G.I. Joebrand to great success. On launch, the Go-Bots came completely without backstories, lacking a tie-in animated series or even characters bios on the figure packaging. A Go-Bots animated series would launch in 1984, but by then was in direct competition with the Transformerscartoon. Initially, the Go-Bots’ lower price-point compensated for their less elaborate tie-in media, and the line was comparably popular to Transformers. While Transformers sales would ultimately eclipse Go-Bots, leading to the line’s 1987 discontinuation, in 1986, sales were still strong enough for Tonka to launch a spin-off line. Though no one’s quite sure whose idea it was, Tonka and Bandai developed a highly unique concept: a transforming robot line that eschewed the toy’s major selling point and, instead of vehicles, turned into rocks.
The Short Shelf-Life of Tonka’s Rock Lords
Unlike the Machine Roboline, Rock Lordswas developed in the United States and then imported to Japan, sold there as the “Rock Supermen” later in 1986. There’s little official history or documentation on the Rock Lords, but toy historians feel confident in this assertion based on comparing American and Japanese Rock Lordsart: American toy catalogues and the tie-in Go-Bots: Battle of the Rock Lords film depict several characters with different (prototype) designs than those used on the final figure. Japanese art for the Rock Supermenis based exclusively on the produced figures, suggesting they came later.
Go-Bots: Battle of the Rock Lords was released to theaters in March of 1986, around the same time as Rock Lords arrived on store shelves (again, approximate: there’s not much official, internal record-keeping from Tonka in this era). The film centers around Bolder (Michael Nouri), leader of the heroic Rock Lords, recruiting the Go-Bots to aid in his battle against the evil Magmar (Telly Savalas), bent on conquering the Rock Lord homeworld Quartex. It would serve as the Rock Lords’ first and last appearance in Go-Botsmedia for decades, as the Challenge of the Go-Bots cartoon wrapped up its two season run in December of 1985. Marvel and Sunbow’s Transformerscartoon was still on the air, and continue airing new episodes until November 1987.
Tonka’s Rock Lordsfigures were sold throughout 1986 and 1987, discontinued along with the Go-Botsin late 1987. Sales were initially strong, with the Rock Lordsreported as Tonka’s third most popular toy of 1986. They tapered off in 1987, leading to the cancellation of a planned “Stonehead” playset base for the Evil Rock Lords. Unlike the Autobots and Decepticons, the Rock Lords factions were delineated by Tonka strictly as the “Good” and “Evil” Rock Lords on the toys’ packaging and in catalogues. Oddly, packaging and catalogues for the Rock Lordsmake no mention of the Go-Bots. If a kid missed Battle of the Rock Lords,they would have no idea the two lines were connected. What they would have a hard time missing were the toy commercials for Rock Lords, which featured one of the most irritatingly catchy jingles in action figure history.
In its two years on store shelves, Rock Lordsspawned fourteen standard figures, plus a further nine in the “Shock Rock” and “Jewel Lord” sub-lines. Additionally, two “Rockasaur” characters were produced, along with a pair of vehicles and eight of the bizarre “Narlies.” The Narlies were small, non-transforming animals, most based on a real world counterpart (Narlibat, Narliphant, Narligator). They were hard plastic with a Troll doll-like fuzz glued to their backs. Also released was the giant-sized “Snarly Narly,” a scaled-up version of the smaller toys. More than even the Rock Lords themselves, the strangeness of the Narlies begs the question of what the research and development process for Rock Lordslooked like. Thematically, the Narlies are completely incongruous with the rest of the Rock Lordsfigures, and feel almost like an odd, tacked-on reuse of cancelled prototypes from a different line.
A Look at the Toys of Rock Lords
The initial 1986 wave consisted of six figures, three members of the “Good Rock Lords” and three of the “Evil Rock Lords.” The Good Rock Lords were led by Bolder, fighting alongside Nuggit and Granite. Nuggit transformed into a nugget of gold, hence his name. The figure was one of several in the line to be given a vac-metal finish, making the figure both one of the more visually appealing in the line, and one of the more difficult to track down in mint, loose condition. Most loose samples have wear or erosion on their vac-metal, peeled or chipped away by time, improper storage, or play. The villain faction was headed by Magmar, along with the two-headed Sticks-and-Stones and Tombstone. In the film, Sticks-and-Stones has the distinction of being voiced by Optimus Prime andMegatron: Megatron voice actor Frank Welker voiced Sticks, while Optimus Prime voice actor Peter Cullen voiced Stones.
A second wave released later in 1986, including a further three Good and Evil Rock Lords. The Hero Rock Lords’ ranks were bolstered by Pulvereyes (yes, all the names are this silly), Marbles, and Crackpot; the Evil Rock Lords joined by Stoneheart, Brimstone, and the silver vac-metal Slimestone. Also released in 1986 were the first wave of Narlies (Narligator, Narliphant, Narlihog, and Narlizard), as well as the Rockasaurs and vehicles. The Rockasaurs were slightly larger in scale than the Rock Lords, and Tonka’s marketing materials suggested they were neutral in the conflict between Good and Evil Rock Lords, making them a threat to both factions. The three-wheeled “Rock Pot” vehicle was used by the Good Rock Lords, and featured seats for three characters, as well as a tweezer-like capture-claw for the Evil Rock Lords. The Evil Rock Lords had the single-pilot “Stone Wing” flying vehicle.
The 1987 line included two further (final) standard Rock Lords characters, villains Saberstone and Spearhead. All three of the “Jewel Lords” (cast in translucent plastic), Solitaire, Flamestone, and Sunstone were members of the hero faction. The higher price-point “Shock Rocks” were so-named for their action features, which included spring-loaded weapons. The first series of three consisted of good guy Rock Roller and villains Rock Shot and Stonehook. Instead of the figural, Go-Bots-like designs of the other figures, the second series of Shock Rocks were round, almost Bakugan-like toys with spring-loaded heads and weapons. This trio, consisting of Hero Rock Lords Blast Rock and Sunstone, along with Evil Rock Lord Dragon Stone, are the rarest releases in the line. Also issued in 1987 were a second wave of four Narlies and the aforementioned, baffling Snarly Narly.
Collecting Rock LordsToday
In 1991, Hasbro acquired Tonka, and the trademarks for the Go-Botsand Rock Lords with it. Though a full-scale revival of either brand has never been attempted, tributes to both lines have trickled into Transformersover the years. Character modeled on the Rock Lords made an appearance in an episode of the Transformers: Animated cartoon series. The Rock Lords were also the basis for the 2024 “Armorizers” figures in the Transformers line, a faction of living rocks that transform into rock-encrusted vehicles. The Rock Lords also made an appearance in the 2019 IDW Go-Botscomic mini-series.
Today, collecting Rock Lordsposes an interesting challenge. While the 1986 figures and even vehicles are readily available on the secondary market, the 1987 releases are incredibly challenging to track down. End-of-line releases like the Jewel Lords and second wave Shock Rocks can sell for hundreds of dollars even loose. At the other end of the spectrum, the plentiful first wave figures are easily found for less than twenty dollars each loose, making Rock Lordsan easy line to start collecting and a difficult line to finish. Many collectors content themselves with a complete set of the 1986 figures, a small and satisfying shelf that represents one of the strangest footnotes in toy collecting history.
Did you know about Tonka’s Rock Lords? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Concept Art Auction Shows Off Several Never-Produced Masters of the Universe Characters
More Collectibles
-
Collectibles
2 days agoSomeone Found a Box Full of ’80s Transformers on the Curb, and It Is Every Collector’s Dream
-
Courtesy of Universal Pictures Collectibles
2 days agoIt Could Cost at Least $300K to Own One of Back to the Future’s Most Iconic Items (That We’re Still Waiting to Become Reality)
-
Courtesy of Buena Vista Collectibles
3 days ago33 Years Later, an Unexpected Piece of Val Kilmer Movie Memorabilia Is Drawing Major Attention Ahead of Prop Store Auction
-
Courtesy of The Pokemon Company Gaming
3 days agoPokemon TCG Unveils First Look at Stunning Delta Reign ETB, Booster Packs, and New Megas ex
-
Collectibles
3 days agoThis Kenner Star Wars Auction Pairing Makes the Battle of Hoth Look Even More One-Sided
-
Gaming
3 days agoOriginal Xbox Console Getting New 3,500 Piece Brick Shop Model, But Its Price Is Steep
-
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Collectibles
4 days agoSuperman #1 Is Nearly Impossible to Find and a Rare Copy Just Went Up for Auction
-
Courtesy of The Pokemon Company Collectibles
4 days ago1996 Pikachu Card Sells for Record $3.3 Million, and Logan Paul Is Probably Kicking Himself Right Now
