One of the rising trends amongst fans and collectors these days is the making of custom action figures. When it comes to making Transformers customs there are few that can match the work of Joe Toscano who's runs CustomMasters.com, a site dedicated to the many custom TF Action Masters and other figures he's developed over the years. Adding a plethora of characters, Joe's work adds another dimension to the toy line and a new found artistry hardly seen any where else. We talked with Joe about his work and his site to give the fans a spotlight on his fantastic work.

What is your CustomMasters.com site all about?

Custommasters.com is a showcase for my Transformers kitbashing work. The majority of the pieces are my own, although from time to time I'll feature a "Special Guest Customizer" to promote projects done by other Transformer fans.

What inspired you to create the Web site?

There are a number of reasons. I wanted to pay tribute to characters from the comics and cartoons that never got to have toys of their own - Impactor, Firestar, Emirate Xaaron, and Straxus, to name a few. I also wanted to go back and "fix" color schemes on existing Action Masters to bring them more in line with the cartoon series. If you've ever seen the Thundercracker Action Master, you'll know what I mean! Finally, I wanted to put together an outlet where I could flex my creative muscles and make a contribution to the Transformer Fan community.

How many figures have you created so far?

At present, I've completed about 75 distinct characters and probably about 250 projects altogether.

What do you have planned for the future?

There are some pretty special projects in the pipeline for characters like Super Megatron and Marlboro Wheeljack. I'm really looking forward to producing those figures! I'd also like to be able to produce Custom Masters of all the original first-wave Autobots and Decepticons - characters like Hound, Ratchet, Trailbreaker, and Ironhide. Beyond that, I'm always open to suggestions for new characters!

Anything you want to share with the fans?

It's the dedication of all Transformer fans that makes sites like ours possible. We have a strong voice that's heard the world over by the companies that produce our favorite toys, books, and cartoons. I'd like to say thanks to everyone in the community for their support and encouragement and for allowing me to give a little bit back to the Transformers universe, which has brought me untold joy throughout the last twenty years.

If you have not checked out CustomMasters.com before then you are in for a treat. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to custom Transformers and Joe has got it down. See all the magnificent work at HERE.

Get the scoop on all the Transformers updates as they happen right here at Tformers.com. The best resource for all your Transformers news and reviews every day.