Chapter 128: Transforming-ly Hidden
Transformers was all about its massive selection of versatile toys, upgrading generations, and steadily increasing roster of transforming characters.
It was a massive undertaking that made Hasbro stay afloat and let expand further into the toy industry with a company expansion spree.
The expenditure was quite big with all the toy brands and toy types they've annexed but it was all fine in their opinion as Transformers was there for them to lean on.
The 80s Transformers show was there for them to stand tall, Beast Wars was there to push them back up again, and Beyformers with Megan Fox was there for their brand to expand further.
It was all Transformers this and Transformers that and possibly even further as Hasbro finally had their undying Lego concept.
Instead of stackable and building whatever one imagines, it was about robot lores, familiar automobiles, and the ability to transform.
It was all good and Alexander wouldn't change much of that momentum. He did have some qualms with their jumbled storylines but it was fixed with the expansive outline he came up with.
The tweaking didn't stop with the storyline though as Alexander didn't want to release the pure blocky and flimsy-shaped toys towards the market.
As such, with all the articulation, action features, and extensive detailing he had learned from his memories and experienced on Creed Toys, the Cybertronian toyline became the assimilation of all of it.
With a streamlined design and balanced scaling, his version of Transformers toys should be even throughout and appeal further as the toy line expands.
As every detailed and masterfully durable Autobot or Decepticon figure comes out, a toy unit with incremental sales charts would be available for the picking.
By the time the many characters he has story-ed up became toys, then Gen 2 would commence and another round of Cybertronian storytelling would wow people.
New toy forms and visual looks would be available and the collection spree would start another round once again.
From start to the next round, Alexander's goals for the toyline and franchise were feebly laid out but the establishment and creation of the toys just cemented his goals for it further.
In any case, his Undercover Boss strategy made him see up close what the preliminary effects could be and got him a clearer idea of what things could be when moving forward.
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The Cybertronian Chronicles had always been one of the best-sellers in due part of its relation to the other Creed titles and its semi-integral part in the kickstarting of the 'helping question poll'.
Of course, there is also no denying that its incredibly well-done mecha, auto, and robot transformation sequences on paper have always mesmerized its fans.
Bumblebee himself is somewhat of a bumbling soldier with meek tendencies as his voice module is damaged.
It made his interaction with Charlie much endearing while the threat of equally transforming Decepticon hunters remains at large, along with special soldiers that consider every extraterrestrial robot to be a threat.
The Cybertronian Chronicles' first 10 issues already cover a lot on the Autobot and Decepticon lore and are still covering half or more of the 2018 Bumblebee film.
However, the alien robots that have already been explored and transforming-ly hiding with ease have already made a great impression on the comic reading audience.
Still, it was limited to that appealing comic book concept as the fans cling to the story. It still wasn't the full potential that the "Transformers" truly had when it came out.
Creed Comics, however, already set the stage for what is about to come and the newly released Creed Toys toyline should be enough to enforce the "Transformers" appeal some more.
And it truly did so... as Alexander had seen so far, the Cybertronian toyline was being hounded on by everybody.
How could they not when the toys inside the Creed packaging are cars and planes? Meanwhile, the ones in the display were clearly the toy form of the extraterrestrial robotic figures that they've been reading about.
The only reasonable explanation that their common senes had come up with was the fact that the toys transforms as well.
Of course, to prove their assumptions, someone picked up the display Bumblebee after asking permission and jointed everything logically and sequentially until the robot Bee became a Bumblebeetle or Bee in yellow Volkswagen Beetle form.
To their surprise, the Beetle toy also has rollable wheels as it smoothly rolled as the assembler willed it.
The shock of the onlookers slowly closed in on them as they looked towards the menacing Decepticon toys that still hadn't "transformed".
Of course, their shock wasn't from that as the assembler who asked permission to assemble Bumblebee actually looked like Charlie... albeit a bit of a grade-schooler.
Milla, who had insider information, decided to step in. She was "Charlie" after all and was troubled as to why the people were just weirdly looking at the Cybertronian toys and didn't play with them.
She, as the Cybertronian story representative, should take it to herself to showcase the ability of her toy companions.
It had to be said that there wasn't a Charlie toy but anyone following the comic books and surveys knows the popular ladies by name and face.
"Oh... god..." A man stuttered as his assumptions ran wild. Creed Comics was so all-in on everything about toys that they even hired Charlie look-alikes to endorse the toys for them.
The overblown ideas of the man aside, the rest didn't care further for the immersive Charlie and Bumblebee real-life demo as what they set their sights on was the toys.
Good Bumblebee from the Autobots side or the evil ones from the Decepticon brand, the people could care less as they want to be in the grey area and buy these transforming robotic forces of good and evil.
Those with money didn't dillydally any further and grabbed whatever their cash in hand could afford.
As for their original Volume Book target and the rest of the toys, they can wait until later as something about the Cybertronians drew them in.
Parents, teens, kids of whatever gender or whatever closet orientation they had hidden during this judgy 80s timeline.
The Cybertronian toyline appealed to them with its amazing design, concept, and established sturdiness.
As for the fact that it may have debunked Franky's or One Piece's theory of men and robots, that was up for debate that Creed Toys didn't have to waste their time on.
The toys were selling and that was enough. In the Creed Toy's creed, if anyone wants a Bumblebee then they could get a Bumblebee... of course, as long as they pay for it.
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Eventually, the toy dawdling in the store settled down and the so-called 'Creed buy train' was finally made apparent to Alexander himself.
The people in line didn't limit themselves to comic books now though as they now had Creed Toys to line up with.
Of course, Alexander also took that moment to judge what was selling by observing the line but his deadpan stares may have been too much as a certain counterboy noticed.
How could Mr. CounterBoy not realize who the expressionless staring but handsome boy was?
"Little boo...!!!"
Fortunately, Alexander was prepared for the Undercover Boss trope of being discovered and gave his shocked employee a shush gesture and peering look that said 'Don't expose me'.
"Uhm... I mean, little boy. Hope you... have fun in... Creed Store." Mr. CounterBoy hurriedly corrected himself, much to the weird stares of the buy train people were giving him.
The discovery marked the end of the UnderCover boss saga though as it was time for Alexander to recoup what he gathered.