The collector: Wyn Leung, 3D Visualiser & Graphic Designer, UK.

The collection: Transformers. I collect several lines from Generation 1, Masterpiece, Binaltech, Animated and Titanium to the new Michael Bay movie inspired range.

The story behind the collection...

As with most young boys, I loved toy cars, planes and weapons. In Asia transforming robot toys have always been popular, and as I have relatives over in Hong Kong I was exposed to vast variety of robot toys in all shapes and sizes. I remember walking into a toy store and being mesmerized by the colorful and beautiful illustrations that they were packaged in.

In the 1980s Hasbro bought out two Japanese toy lines; Mircomen that were robots that transformed into electronic items or weapons and Diaclone which were robots that transform into everyday vehicles. Hasbro unified the two lines with a backstory and brought out a cartoon series which captured my imagination and that of countless other kids of my generation. The toys were very expensive compared to other toys at the time, but between us my brother and I managed to amass a respectable collection.

Nine years ago my brother emailed me a PowerPoint presentation and I was given a mystery’s note to "have a look at this!" I fired it up, the presentation started out with a 1.25 photograph of a detailed rally car, which I wasn’t impressed with, but that soon changed when the slides began to show the car shape shifting into a sizable robot. The engineering and detail on both the vehicle and robot model was way more advance than anything I had seen or remembered.

My goal since then has been to collect the most advance and detailed Transformers of all the characters from the original cartoon series, something that is easier said than done!

I collect Transformers as it fulfils my childhood dream of having the whole set of G1 characters from the Sunbow cartoons. I have been collecting my ultimate G1 update collection for 9 years and counting.

The Things I like most about them are mostly down to the great design and details, the figures are so varied and full of character.

How many do I have? I've never counted... maybe I should do that for this photo-shoot. It's bound to be about a thousand plus! Hmmm and I think what the collection might reveal about me is that I love the 80’s and robots that shape shift. I currently display my collection in glass cabinets in my living room, and have plans to expand my collection... therefore I am in the process of buying two more glass cabinets! They are not just lined up like what I mostly see in other collector's photographs. I'm proud of my my collection and display them in interesting action poses.

Because the Transformers universe is so vast it’s almost impossible to ever finish your collection, but there is a holy grail I think in any collection. In the transformer world that would be a Transformer named Fortress Maximus. Fortress Maximus remains the largest Transformers toy ever produced, standing at around two feet tall. It took my brother and I over 18 years to acquire it. I found one just under two years ago in a grubby toy store in Hong Kong. It wasn’t cheap but after being tormented for over 18 years I didn’t hesitate to buy him and put that obsession to rest once and for all.

My obsession is under control, unlike my brother's - he collects a lot more lines than I do. My goal is more focused than his, which is to collect an updated G1 cast of the original Sunbow cartoon show.

Wyn's business wesbite is http://www.textilevisualization.com

Images © Wyn Leung and used with his kind permission.