M'Kyuun

This one hit home. It's a sad reality that all these wonderful people who entertained, taught, and in a way befriended so many children, including myself, eventually come to the end of their journeys, leaving both a lasting legacy, but also an unfillable void. Wherever he is now, I hope Jim Henson's there to give him a warm welcome. RIP, and thanks for so many fond memories, Big Bird.

Very sad news. She had a singular voice, certainly one of the best female vocalists to come out of the eighties. 'Listen to Your Heart' and 'It Must Have Been Love' are two of my favorite ballads from that era- just a beautiful voice that conveyed emotion so well in her performance. Alas, another huge loss to those who knew her, to her fans, and to music. RIP, Marie.

Been watching his work ever since Benson in the late seventies-eighties. I didn't watch deep Space Nine regularly, but I always enjoyed Odo's appearances. He was only a month older than my dad, so that hits home. RIP, and thanks for the memories.

Not just Prime, but pretty much every bot mode in the Bayverse, as well as some spillover to Bumblebee. It's an aesthetic that I just never found appealing, and I give props to all the toymakers, official or non, who've tried to make sense out of the chaos to make workable transforming figures from these CG monstrosities. The single positive that came out of Bay's involvement was that it challenged Takara to think in new directions, the influence of which we still see today across the MP and Generations lines. So, thanks Michael,- don't come back. Those are crazy prices for that Not-Devastator. I paid about $500 for ToyWorld's, and consider that a lot to pay for a toy, but it , at least, was a fair representation of G1 Devastator, which , IMHO, is the only Devastator worth mentioning. I'm unabashedly biased. For those that dig this new Bayverse Devy, and have the funds, more power to you. MMC/Ocular max have been awful quiet concerning their Autobot Remix cassettes; I'm hoping they'll lay some updates on us soon, as I want those guys.

Of the many sets I've built over the last 40+ years, the Saturn V stands out , both for the subject matter but also for the build experience. There were so many neat solutions employed to achieve the shape, as a large cylinder is difficult to do with LEGO. The fan submission was smaller than the production, and used existing 'macaroni' shaped bricks , which work ok, but limit size and offer limited stability since they essentially have to be stacked. The real beauty, though is how it achieved the look and functionality (splits into the requisite stages and also has room at the top for the LM within, with the Command and Service Modules capping it off) in a beautiful model that a kid can build for themselves. It's one of the crowning achievements of the IDEAS program. I hope your daughter enjoys it. (You too). I'm a little disappointed that neither the STS orbiter nor the NASA SR-71 submissions made production. Both would have made for nice companion pieces for the Saturn V, as well as offering cool build experiences, I think. Alas, not to be. However, there is another avenue through Bricklink, as they were selling MOCs, with LEGO's blessing earlier this year, and now that LEGO has acquired Bricklink, I hope they allow that to continue.

Trying to capture that curved edge is the challenge with the Animated Series Batwing, but I've seen a few MOCs that pulled it off pretty well using slope bricks. Brick becomes heavy pretty quickly, though, in a large MOC, so I can understand wanting to use plates. I feel you with those old notched wedge plates- really useful. However, there are quite a few new wedge plates that have come out over the last couple years, and a couple new 2x3 wedge plates that come to a point next year (take a look at the section around the cockpit). Been wanting something like this for a long time, so I'm pretty pleased to finally see them. Concerning the smaller '89 Batmobile set, LEGO has made the instructions available.

I complemented the engineering awhile back, looking at the individual bots, but that pic of the completed Devastator is indecipherable. Chronocidal's description is on the money- it just looks like a ball of mechanical stuff with the odd recognizable construction machine peeking through. At least with G1 Devastator, anybody can look at it and figure out what its made of- not so much this thing. I fail to understand the allure. Um, cool for those that dig it, though, I guess.

One of the most positive attributes of the Star Wars license in general, and these large capital ship sets in particular, is, indeed, the amount and variety of grey parts they offer to the intrepid MOC builder. When you ordered your Batmobile, did you at least get the free Christmas tree? I hope so. To the System '89 Batmobile, which was supposed to be a promotion lasting about a week or so, I hope it sends a clear message as to the demand for it, as I believe that it was a huge motivating factor for the madness that ensued on the 29th. In reading comments on other LEGO boards, many folks were more interested in it than in the large set, which, to be fair, makes sense as it fits in with the rest of their LEGO Batman collection. Too, a lot of folks don't have room for these larger display pieces , so the smaller version is more desirable. I personally wanted both, so I endured the onslaught and the intermittencies until I was finally successful. I think, however, that LEGO should have been far better prepared for the massive demand on their servers and site; since they obtained the Batman license in 2006, there has likely not been a more anticipated set than a System scaled '89 Batmobile, which I firmly believe was the actual motivator behind the extreme demand on opening night /morning. I'll say it again- I despise exclusives, and this set in particular should never have even been considered to be an exclusive, given its popularity. I think LEGO, and the fans, would have mutually benefitted from the System set's wide release, and I hope the amount of demand and subsequent depletion of stock of the smaller set on opening night sends a clear message to LEGO, and they make the thing available to all eventually. As to the large Batmobile canopy piece, it does indeed correspond to the basic shape of the Animated Series' Batwing canopy. Worth a shot. Y'know you'll have to post some pics of that, right? You mentioned how much the current System Batwing set, and too, the current Batmobile, resemble their relative '89 counterparts. I wonder, especially in regards to the Batmobile, if that was a purposeful design choice knowing that the actual '89 System set was going to be an add-on exclusive, and they wanted to put something similar out there for mass consumption. Homages, if you will. It's bittersweet consolation, if so. I have both of those sets, and while they're both pretty well done, and do indeed hearken to the '89 Batman designs, the Batmobile is close but certainly no cigar. I think the Batwing skews much closer to the source. I hope, since the '66, the '89, the live action BvS/JL, the Beware the Batman Batmobiles and the Tumbler have all been done in System scale, that the BTAS Batmobile is next on the list to receive official set treatment. I just love the look of that car, and it'd be another dream set realized if they did.

Exactly why it's a concern. From the beginning in the current MP line, scale should have been predicated on alt mode rather than bot, as these things look awkward next to each other if displayed in alt modes. But then again, you have a Walkman, a big purple laser pistol, and a Walther P-38 that are bigger than the cars, so what do I know? So yeah, way-undersized trains is likely what they'll be. I guess it's no different than Astrotrain, who can carry a fully formed Devastator in his cargo bay, but stands about as tall as Starscream in bot mode. Scale was just all over the place in Transformers, which is why I guess, until recently in the Siege line, HasTak just never gave it much credence. I appreciate that they're trying with Siege, though. Sometimes it's the thought that counts. When I made my last post, I was a bit irritated that this was the next MP when so many more popular characters had yet to be made; I've had time to rethink it, however, and given the latest design direction and the overriding adherence to toon accuracy, an oxymoron if ever there was one, and finding neither MP-44, the new MP Bee, nor the upcoming Hound to my liking, perhaps something out of left field is a refreshing change. These will represent the first official combiners in the MP line. In my mind that's fine; before they attempt a potential Devastator, or any other of the more well-known combiners, let them cut their teeth on these guys. I'm curious to see how they turn out.

Up front, I'm not at all a fan of the Bayverse Devastator design. However, I must confess to being impressed at the level of engineering being brought to bear with these figures. I still don't care for the aesthetic, but I can certainly appreciate the amount of realism attempted with the alt modes (I have, for as long as I can remember, been fascinated with construction equipment. They're just things of beauty to my eyes), the amount of articulation given to the oft unconventional bot modes, and finally to the three-way transformations from bot to vehicle to body parts without the apparent necessity of add-ons. Bay's Devastator poses a lot of challenges for a toymaker, and I tip my hat to Devil Saviour for thus far creating an interesting set of Bayverse Constructicons that, it would seem, meets all requisites.

Now with even bigger backpack, more panels, and cell shading for the ultimate cartoon look! Seriously, though, I guess they could do one of the Japanese Primes. I know they've gained popularity here in the US, but I'm not really a fan of the more Super Robot look of many of the Japanese TFs. That's more Kuma's territory. One of the most appealing aspects of Transformers from the start was their apparent realism, and the whole 'robot in disguise' theme that drove at least first season. Now the idea of a series of train cars and engine that can become a gestalt is interesting, but I think it would be better served at the CHUG scale. At the MP scale, how would they scale train cars and an engine to the carbots? Are they going to come as a set? If so, they'd likely topple Unicron, by a fair margin, as most expensive TF to date. Would they be a Takara exclusive? Most likely in my mind. lots of things to ponder with this announcement. As I mentioned, I wouldn't mind seeing them done as part of Siege. They'd still be expensive, but not nearly so much as MP scaled figs.

Thanks for the review, Mike. Honestly, I'm having an extremely hard time getting past that unfinished shuttle mode, and, like you, wondered why they didn't integrate some covers to finish the shuttle into that backpack. It seems like a no-brainer move to me. I was pretty excited to learn that an Astrotrain was coming in this line, especially given the overall quality of the rest of the line so far, for the most part. I figured this would be the definitive Astrotrain I've been waiting for, and it comes close, minus the various flaws you pointed out. The too- wide train mode I can live with, but the unfinished shuttle just kills it for me, especially for $50. I might pick it up if I find a sale for $30, like I eventually did with Shockwave. However, I'm also holding out hope that a third party, like Dr. Wu, will indeed make covers or go further and make all new parts that can be substituted, to improve the shuttle mode. It smacks of lazy engineering, and I wish they'd eschewed the accessory box in lieu of just making a better figure. Grrr I love this hobby, but sometimes it frustrates. On that note, I hope FT's Thomas ends up being one of their better figures, as it looks to be the best version I've seen thus far, and I want it, and maybe a shrunken version for the ole CHUG shelf. What an odd, out-of-left-field choice, if, in fact, that's the next MP. Still no Jazz, no other minibots except two versions of Bee, no Trailbreaker, no Mirage, a Seeker mold that's well due an update, and that's just to complete the '84 lineup. There are plenty of other more popular and well known figs that have yet to get the official treatment- Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge, for starters. Looking at the pics of the train dude, I happened across some of those at a hobby store outside Kadena when I was stationed in Okinawa back in '90-'92. I had no idea what they were, but they were in Transformer boxes, so I assumed, correctly in hindsight, that they were Japanese only releases. I didn't pick any of them up- kinda wish I had now, as their rarity in the States would have made them unique and valuable. Alas, hindsight.

It's been many a year since I had mine built, and unfortunately, I had it displayed near a wall where the baseboard heating was located and it actually caused some of the structural Technic beams towards the nose to soften and bend. It's been in storage since about 2008, and I'm not sure how much of it I would have to replace . However, I do remember how arduous the build was, even moreso since I lived in a small apartment and basically built it from the bags all still nestled in their big box. The entirety of the lower fuselage panels were held in place with magnets, and a slight jarring would cause them to come undone. the engines were made of big tires, and many of the wedge plates and slopes available now didn't exist. So, having watched the designer vid, and by looking at pics, much effort was put into making it a much more solid build, one that can be picked up and moved with relative ease, which wasn't really the case with the original. Moreover, many of the smaller details have been picked out using new elements which are more accurate. The engines are now entirely brick-built, with additional details that weren't possible with the original. If it's a set you really want, the new one, by all estimates, is far superior to the original. Bear in mind, when the original came out, LEGO still didn't have much experience with large production models, and at the time, the Star Destroyer was the largest ever produced. So, in a sense, they were on terra incognita, but I think they did an admirable job given what they were trying to do. However with eleven years and much, much more expansive experience with large complex models, and a palette that offers far greater options to the designers, the new SD outclasses the original by a wide margin. Man Kanedaestes, I'm jealous of how quickly you got your Batmobile. Mine's due on Friday, which still isn't too bad, but with a set like this, sooner is always better. I'll be getting the same three sets, and I can't wait-- but I have to. I'm thrilled that they made a System compatible version to go along with the large, but I wish they hadn't resorted to making it an exclusive, as it's still one of the most popular Batmobile designs ever, recreated by countless fans on Flickr and elsewhere, and IMHO, should have been made available as a wide release so everyone had a chance to get it. I hope it'll happen at some point, as I'd probably pick up another copy. The one positive is that it'll likely be easy to replicate through Bricklink. I appreciate that LEGO made a new cape/cowl piece that's specific to Keaton's Batman, but I wish they'd made the cape out of the soft material that they've been using of late, only make the cape wider to replicate the Movie look. It would have made the Batman figure that comes with the large Batmobile more serviceable with the smaller Batmobile. As it is, the cape/cowl piece need to be removed for him to fit, which kinda defeats the point. It's a minor, but fair, gripe, but at the end of the day, I'm just glad that both of these sets have finally been produced, and that they turned out as well as they did.

Concerning those old hinges, I'm sure you're right, but I hold out hope that the production of retired parts, with enough feedback supporting it, might move LEGO to give it consideration. It's worth noting that many of the set designers today are fellow AFOLs who turned their hobby into a profession, and I would think that they'd have a voice when it comes to the production of new or modified parts, and perhaps the resurrection of old ones if there is suddenly a platform available to them. All I can do at this point is hope. So, I managed to get the new '89 Batmobile after about an hour or so's worth of refreshing and clicking the 'add to bag' button, and then again on the 'place order' button, and yet again on the Paypal return to merchant screen, which repeatedly failed to go through- until it finally did. Frustrating, to be sure. I'm in WA, so I started trying to get my order placed a few minutes after 9PM local (midnight on the east coast where LEGO is based in the US), and already the site was intermittent, and attempts to just get the Exclusives or Batman screen to populate were met with partial success. I think they grossly underestimated the demand for this thing, as they certainly did not bolster their servers to meet it. I really wanted that free System set that accompanies the large version, so I persisted, but man, it was a real PITA. Anyway, to those who want this thing, good luck, and I hope they still have the smaller set in stock, as, if my experience is any indication, demand is high and LEGO's bandwidth seems to be maxed out.

Your examples, David, are what I hope will be addressed as a result of the acquisition. If they only use it as a monitoring tool to look at trends and to solicit feedback without addressing some of the AFOL requests in the form of tangible product, IMHO, the acquisition was fundamentally pointless. Now obviously they won't be able to make every part requested, but I think if they look at the numbers, or they do something like IDEAS where suggested parts must meet a certain number of votes, or even a certain preorder goal, kinda like Hasbro Pulse's Unicron, then once a goal is reached, the part will see a limited exclusive production run. I kinda like the backing idea- if folks are willing to pony up, then it becomes much less of a gamble for LEGO, as limited runs are undoubtedly more expensive than a regular production run. As for my personal wishlist, I'd love to see them reissue these wonderfully useful old hinges 4275 and 4276, especially if they were issued in a number of modern colors, especially light and dark bleys. I'd also love inverted versions of any number of hinge plates, also any number of slopes which do not at this time have an analog. For addressing some of these exclusive runs, utilizing SohoBricks' capabilities might prove advantageous, provided their QC is up to snuff with the rest of LEGO's parts. Right now, LEGO doesn't even have a plan for them, but IMO, that would be a fitting function.