Something totally different for today’s #Transformers mini-review: Side Burn! This Transformers Collector’s Club exclusive was released in 2011. Side Burn is a character from Robots in Disguise (2001), and the mold was originally Classics Rodimus.

My RiD Side Burn is in storage, so no comparison pics. The old Side Burn toy has a very unique asymmetrical look. The designers did a good job mapping the colors of the character onto a much different mold. The head sculpt doesn’t really work, but they did what they could.

Sadly my copy didn’t come with the weapon, but he does have the flip-out saw that Hot Rod used in the ’86 movie, so that’s cool. Articulation is good for a 2006 mold, but lacking compared to modern toys. Still, it’s a handsome robot.

Side Burn is a bit on the back heavy side, due to the location of the large spoilers and roof section. The blue plastic is a particularly nice shade, and the white and medium-blue accents complement it well.

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Vehicle mode is quite nice! I always liked the look of this mode, and it’s gorgeous in blue. Two quibbles: no Autobot logo on the hood looks weird (but it’s on the roof like the original toy). Also, I wish they had painted the pipes silver, even if RiD Side Burn didn’t have them.

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Here’s a side by side with another version of the mold. They look quite natural next to one another, like a Fire and Ice type thing. I prefer the blue color scheme but that is due more to my affection for Side Burn and mild loathing for Hot Rod than pure aesthetics.

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Cool bonus: this figure was signed by Aaron Archer, a former TF designer! All told I am pleased with Side Burn. He’s a cool character, with a great color scheme, and I wish he’d show up in toylines more often. Perhaps we’ll get another take in 2021, the 20th anniversary of RiD?