Smallest Transformers leaders herald the coming of KB Toyworks

Back in the mid 90's an independent toys store known as "The Amazing Toystore" opened in the sleepy Shoregate shopping plaza in Willowick, Ohio. It wasn't opened that long before the incoming product started having Kay Bee stickers on it. Soon the store would be re-branded as KB Toy Works. One of the earliest and oddest things I found with the new stickers on the box was a case marked "Transformers Go-Bots". Go-Bots had been the competitor to Transformers in the 80's, so to see these two brand names on such a small case of toys got my mind whirling. Inside the case were small Hot Wheels sized Transformers. They were called Go-Bots since they were intended to race on Hot Wheels scale tracks. In this case were a silver Porsche that was Megatron and a red car that was Optimus Prime. I quickly dismissed these oddities as I was heavily into other action figures by this time, and had no room to collect any Generation 2 Transformers. It's a shame though because these little guys that were either 2/$5 or 3/$5 were tail-enders. A tail-ender is a toy produced in much smaller quantities near the final days of a given toyline. They often times rapidly rise in secondary market price. By the early 00's these guys were up to $50, now their asking price is closer to $100 in package. UltraConvoy has a nice collective shot of the Generation 2 Optimus Prime releases. Soundwave auction can be found here.