M'Kyuun

You're not wrong! The Gunstar is a lovely design. What's really cool about it is that it was rendered entirely in CG, as were many space shots in that film, giving it an otherworldly yet oddly realistic look that early CG had. I've not seen The Last starfighter in some time, but I remember being enthralled by it when I saw it so many years ago. Not sure if it has held up, especially with all the 80s cheesiness, but the premise was fantastic as were so many of the themes within. I was also enthralled with Centauri's transforming space car. An oldy but goody. I wasn't familiar at all with this. I've always like insectile features transposed to mechanical vehicles and mecha, so I can understand the allure of the carrier ship. Pretty neat history, especially the involvement of two of Rock's most notable guitarists. Speaking of insectile inspirations, I'm reminded of the Jigabachi helicopter from GitS: Stand Alone Complex. I bought a model of it some years ago and have yet to build it. It's a neat design, though.

I appreciate the compliment, but these guys are so far beyond my meager talent. Trotta's stuff just boggles my mind. He designs and builds on a whole other level that few others I've seen can match. It's art.

I'm still quite partial to the Bubbleship from Oblivion. It's such a sublime design. It also reminds me of Kawamori's Variable City Police Machine, a mecha that deserves a toy, IMHO.

No worries. I try to shine a light on these builders when they pop up, as they and their work deserve recognition, appreciation, and a wider audience beyond just the LEGO nerds. A couple others you may like are Bob DeQuatre, Big Planes, and the late incomparable Nate Nielson, AKA nnenn, whose brilliant and prolific spacecraft, especially the Vic Viper from Gradius, created a movement that continues to this day. Nnenn wasn't always celebrated in the LEGO community, as he was an artist first, and LEGO happened to be a handy medium. He had no qualms about taking sandpaper to parts to smooth out straight edges, painting parts, or otherwise modding them to his liking. The LEGO purists weren't down with this molestation of the Sacred Brick when the community first became aware of him. He didn't really care- he built for himself and his two small sons. Ultimately, however, a number of more prominent builders began to celebrate and even mimic his style, and AFAIK, a couple reached out to him personally. I only found out shortly after his death in an auto accident that he lived rather close to me and I wish I'd met him. Perhaps I passed him at Toys R Us at some point. I'll never know. There's a fitting tribute to Nate on the Brothers Brick and his Flickr page remains open for all to enjoy thanks to LEGO community members. Few builders that I'm aware of have had the impact that Nate has had within the community, and there are still Vic Viper contests happening to this day due to his influence. He wasn't looking to become a legend, but he became one nonetheless, deservedly so. RIP nnenn

I think he just took the usual Gundam crest and moved it down, probably as a signature difference since all the other suits kept the crest up on top of the head. While Superheroes aren't generally considered Sci-fi, in my mind they fall into the bucket more often than not. Batman, with all his gadgets, is a particular favorite and I wanted to mention the late Anton Furst for his iconic Batmobile design, followed by Chris Nolan's and Nathan Crowley's Tumbler, still one of the most unique rides for the Caped Crusader, as well as Rocksteady's car-cum-tank Batmobile in Batman: Arkham Knight, to Patrick Tatoupolos', Ed Natividad's and Dennis McCarty & Team's Batmobile design for Batman vs Superman. The Batmobile for me is a star unto itself whenever it's featured, and while there have been countless versions of it over the decades, these particular designs stand out for me. Of course, I grew up watching the old '66 Batman show, and that Batmobile, the iconic heavily modified Ford Lincoln Futura, still stands out as well, although I prefer the more modern takes. I've also been a huge fan of the S.H.I.E.L.D. flying car since first seeing it in a friend's comic book back in the 80s focusing on breakdowns and cutaways for a plethora of Marvel Comics gadgetry. That image burrowed itself into my psyche, and I still think it one of the coolest bits of hardware in a vast universe of interesting and cool hardware, including my other favorites, Tony Stark's many Iron Man suits. I was really pleased when the flying car was featured in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Coulson's cherry red convertible, L.O.L.A. LEGO even made a set of it, much to my joy. As the LEGO Speed Champions Team seem to be exploring more media as fodder for sets, I hope LOLA get the treatment eventually. Since I'm talking about flying cars now, I have to mention the Delorean from Back to the Future Part II, which gave an already cool sci-fi vehicle, a sporty time machine, a flight mode with tires that curl under nigh parallel to the road, a look I've dug since seeing the old SHIELD car in that aforementioned comic. Staying with the car theme, I'll wrap up with the Mach 5 from Mach GoGoGo, or more famously known as Speed Racer. Much like many Batmobiles and James Bond vehicles over the years (another worthy mention), the Mach 5 blends style and gadgetry to create a formidable sci-fi vehicle wielded against the forces of evil. Ironically, I'm not a car guy by any stretch, but I'm enamored with cars with secret transformations, hidden weapons and functions, and other capabilities beyond those of normal cars. Guess I need to throw the whole inventory from M.A.S.K. in there, too. So much goodness. I'd love to see MASK make a comeback in a grittier show in the vein of G.I. Joe Resolute with both the old vehicles and new ones. It's such a great concept: it deserves a good show and some really badass toys, models, etc.

Yep, and I figured if I waited and tried to get it from BBTS, one, I'd have to compete against all the TF fans who want it as a Roadbuster stand-in, and two, BBTS always has a bit of a mark-up on their stuff, so that along with tariffs might mean a far steeper price than just ordering from the source and paying a little more for shipping. Incidentally, they wanted $53.99 for the kit and $34 for shipping, which honestly, didn't seem too bad. I've been wanting a good version of this thing forever, and I love how the finished kit looks, probably more than all the other toys that have released over the years, so yeah, I'm resting easy with having secured a preorder at the price I paid.

I figured about the same regarding price, so I just said the heck with it and ordered.

Nick Trotta and Blake Foster are two builders renowned for their savant-like abilities to achieve incredible and intricate angles seamlessly in their builds. Moreover, both have an incredible talent for design on its face, as well as intricate detail work. IMHO, they are two of the best MOC builders out there, and that's no small praise considering just how many really talented MOC builders there are. When it comes to Sci-fi designs, though, these guys stand out. I wish I had just an ounce of their talent.

While sharing our thoughts about the late Gil Gerard of Buck Rogers fame, I thought @electric indigo made an interesting post citing guys like Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and Syd Mead, among others for their contributions to sci-fi design. I'm sure there are any number of idea guys at ILM today that come up with designs, and sites like ArtStation exist as a marketplace for such folks. As a huge Sci-fi fan, I'm not only interested in the designs themselves, but the people and the stories behind those creations. I wasn't sure there was a generalized place to talk about that here, so I figured I'd make one. If I'm wrong, Moderators, do your thing. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to the conversation.

POed this guy this morning on Good Smile's JP site. Came to $87.99 USD after shipping. After repeatedly checking with their US site and partner sites (BBTS), no one else had it but AmiAmi, who had it for 10% off, but I couldn't figure out their checkout system- it kept routing me back to inputting my email and password in an endless circle. Fortunately, Good Smile's JP site was much easier to navigate and my PO is secured. Can't wait to get this thing.

My Target had nada as far as new releases. I was surprised to find a few at my local Wally last night. Unfortunately, someone had already snagged Soundwave. Typical. TBH, I'm not over the moon with this new Soundwave, and lesser so with his new cassettes. Ravage was close to good, but they screwed it up by partsforming his tail and rockets. His neck is also more akin to a bulldog's than a lithe panther's. It's like he swallowed an oversized can of tuna and it got lodged in his throat. I'm inclined to think the Siege/Er condors look better in both modes. The only real improvement with the SS86 condors is the more accurate set of weapons and slightly more wing articulation. I can't believe they recycled the shitty Netfix/Siege toy's transformation rather than revisiting the OG G1 toy's superior schema, especially given all new tooling and a leader budget. Like, WTF Takara? Even the LEGO version got that right. Sheesh!

Well, it's definitely on brand for the pilot. Gives it character, but I don't remember it. Had I seen it, it probably would have stayed with me, as it's almost a mech, especially if it could flap or fold its wings. Kinda reminds me of this gem from LEGO Chima, my favorite set out of the whole theme.

I'm not sure what you're referring to, unless the character Hawk had a shop. I vaguely remember the character let alone much else about him. I know the actor who played him, Thom Christopher, passed away in 2024. RIP

Given that ILM, or former members thereof, worked on the models, they shared a lived-in, used aesthetic that gave them a realism never before seen in previous sci-fi, Kubrick's 2001 : A Space Odyssey notwithstanding. Too, I think a lot of ILM's other tricks were used, or copied, to make the motions of the ships look more realistic and dynamic. I don't recall any space fighter scenes from Buck Rogers (I may have missed the eps when they occurred, but I've seen pics of Rogers' ship over the years- it is cool). However, the Viper launch scenes from BSG are forever etched in my memory- happily so.

Sad news. While I never watched it, or much of anything else zealously with any regularity as a kid, I'd tune into Buck Rogers from time to time. Gil Gerard came across as affable and roguishly heroic, a perfect fit for the role. Of course, my eye was usually on Col. Deering, but the show on the whole was fun and inventive, like so much sci-fi from that era. Thanks for the memories, Captain Rogers! RIP

That's great for the accomplished kit builders, but some of us lack the the skills to imbue the polish that a finished toy provides. I'm an untalented painter, so I'd rather pay for a finished toy that looks good.

I wonder if they and Bandai would ever consider a partnership. Bandai obviously has the finances, and Arcadia has the passion for Macross. If Bandai absorbed them and let them do what they do, that'd be a win for everyone. I appreciate that they were a nice bit of competition for Bandai, but with their offerings coming at a glacial pace these days, I'd prefer to see them come under Bandai's umbrella rather than their becoming insolvent and merely remaining one of the greatest footnotes in Macross toy history. One way or the other, I hope they find a way to produce the VF-5000. I'd rather have the VF-500B in M+ game colors over the G's teal and yellow, but I'd rather have a VF-5000 toy than not, and since Arcadia has had the design lying around since about 2022, they've had plenty of time to tweak it so that if the means to produce it come about, it should be a well-studied design by this point. But I'd also be happy if they licensed or outright sold the design to Bandai; if nothing else, I'd love to have it in HMR scale.

Any word on POs for AotP Swindle?

Stylized stuff is hit and miss for me, but I do like the look of Iron Factory's older stuff. Their latest Samurai-inspired figs don't really do it for me. Unfortunately, they never re-release their figs, as I'd love the chance to pick up some of the older figs I missed out on before I started collecting legends. I thought I'd missed my opportunity to own their Bruticus, but then the Pocket Toys KO version popped up and it was one of those 'holy crap' moments that don't come along too often. As I mentioned, the individual figs aren't without their flaws (some due to IF's designs, some due to molding/other), but after watching a pretty in-depth critique of the OG IF set, and learning that Pocket Toys actually fixed a couple of issues, I'm glad I got them. War Giant looks awesome in all his chonky goodness, and I like the looks of the individual bots as well. As is endemic with their figs, the articulation is lackluster, especially in the arms, but I dig the way they look. It's a nice addition to my small IF collection.

I was recently pondering getting Siyang Culture's legends scaled train bots when a blast from the past popped up: Pocket Toys' KO of the Iron Factory Combaticons/Bruticus. I was still trying to avoid jumping down the legends rabbit hole when these originally came out, and I've harbored a small pang of regret every time pics of it pop up. So when this appeared, and at a decent price (guess it's actually sold even cheaper, but I wasn't aware of that until I'd already bought it), I gave a few minutes consideration before lobbing it into my cart. I didn't end up getting the train bots, though. War Giant Not without its flaws, but it also has its charms. I love the chonkiness of both the individual bots and the final combined mode. What's more, unlike Hasbro's Bruticus, no frame necessary.

Lucky! Not only that you have a local shop that sells the official stuff, and early no less! but that they sell third party stuff. The closest thing I have to that is a little mom and pop collectibles store that happened to get their hands on a local collector's estate sale. I bought FT's Brawn from them. We have a couple vintage toy sellers that also sell current stuff, but they don't deal with any third-party wares, unfortunately. I'd love it if we had a store akin to BBTS here in town. There's always a mark-up, but you also get the instant gratification.

Good to know, thanks!

I bought the Long Haul kit, Long Haul being my fave of the Constructicons. However, I really want those improved arms for Bonecrusher, but without all the other stuff. The detachable shovel upgrade definitely benefits his articulation and aesthetics over the stock model and I was initially excited for it, but I developed reservations that the shovel tab, the only thing keeping it on his chest with the upgrade, would wear out over time and just fall off. That and removing pins is a PITA. Honestly, if I had my druthers, I wish they'd just issue an arms kit with all the arm upgrades and nothing else. I'd buy that in a heartbeat. However, I do kinda like how the Long Haul kit shifts the mass of his legs north on Devy's back and fills in all that empty space behind Hook. I dislike the superfluous butt flap that only serves to make the combiner leg kibble look more trailer-like, but honestly, I don't care. I'd rather it just wasn't there on Devastator. I am a tad concerned, however, pending any reviews, how securely all that back kibble will tab in the upgrade configuration. One thing I'll give Takara, Devy doesn't suffer from a lack of locking points, and that, unfortunately, includes the damnable butt plate, but also relies on the stock configuration for Long Haul's legs. Guess we'll see. Points to Takara's designers for coming up with something as inventive as Quintus Prime. I don't plan on getting him, but I appreciate the imaginative approach to the character's design. While it might be a bit simpler in its overall execution, to create a new alt and have it fit the character is notable. I've not seen most of Earthspark, so I wasn't aware of the character's presence in the toon (I plan to watch it, have started it twice, but quit for one reason or other. I do like it, and I need to just dedicate myself to watching it from start to finish eventually). I looked up the Earthspark version for reference, and I'm impressed by how much of a departure the AotP version is by comparison. Actually, the Earthspark version gives me Kaminoan vibes, especially with the floor-length robe. It's good, I think, that the two versions are visually distinct as befitting the differences in each line's overall aesthetic.

Well, the trickiest bit on the Calibur is the hip extension mechanism for transformation, which one hopes will work well, but also tab securely, at the very least, in robot mode. If the legs use sliders instead of a Combiner Wars trapeze extension mechanism, the hope is that those, too, will work well without degrading or losing friction and just collapsing on themselves over time as any number of OG Transformers did, mostly due to all the die-cast weight they had to support. At least here, the joints are only supporting all-plastic structures and perhaps a metal pin or two (not sure if Moderoid uses them, but I certainly wouldn't fault them for doing so). Still, I think my preference would be for the CW method, but I guess we'll see. I just hope it turns out to be a very high-quality model and a really good representation of a mecha that gets way too little representation in toy form. Moreover, I hope it remains available long enough for me to get my mitts on a copy. I have a feeling this will be a good seller given the dearth of Dorvack toys and models available.

Bing Videos So cannot wait for this to be available. I've not built a Moderoid kit before, let alone one that's transformable, which by its nature, introduces multiple potential points of failure due to all the internal hinges and such. Any feedback as to the quality of their kits, especially durability, and most certainly as it pertains to transformable models, would be most appreciated. Curious if they'll do Oberan's Gazette next. Ssems a huge missed opportunity not to.