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The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next


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From Botcon I heard some mention a new Whirl being worked on, but no pics so far. Is there any truth to that?

Lot's of comments to that effect over at TFW2005, so I guess it's coming. I hope it's close to the original, and I also hope they make a faithful update to Roadbuster as well. I've always wanted a nice poseable transformable Mugen Calibur toy, and a Generations update might be the best low cost option.

Rhinox looks amazing, and to a lesser degree, so does Waspinator (bot mode great, wasp meh). HasTak did a good job with Skids, Cosmos, and Swerve, although I'm holding out for the eventual Gears repaint. Seeing this Cosmos, I'm almost sad that I shelled for IGear's UFO, but he's still a nice version of the character. Although Hasbro pretty much disregards the G1 storyline from their new canon, I'm pretty stoked to see G1 still influencing the toys.

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If Hasbro gives a a Whirl, dollars to donuts says he's based on the current IDW version.

Which, honestly, would be awesome. He's one of the best characters in IDW's More than Meets the Eye ongoing.

As for Rhinox, I don't really give a flip. Yeah, Beast Wars was good and all, but I'm not into Beast Wars toys. I skipped Classics/Universe/Generations/Whatever Cheetor and Dinobot, I'll skip Rhinox too. Waspinator, though... I could always use more Decepticons, and I can rationalize him as there being more Insecticons than Sharpnel, Bombshell, and Kickback...

Skids I might buy. I think he looks kind of terrible, but we're getting closer to getting all of the Autobot cars. Maybe we can Talk Hasbro into doing Deluxe versions of more of the mini cars?

Which reminds me, I was kind of excited about Cosmos and Swerve until I realized they're Legends, not Deluxe.

As for stuff we already knew was coming, I'm still waiting for Trailbreaker/Trailcutter, Hoist, IDW Bumblebee, Orion Pax, and Stealth Megatron. Nothing new about that. But the repaints... not sure about Doubledealer, and I think I actually strongly dislike that Dreadwing. And I can't get excited about a FoC Thundercracker when I never found a FoC Starscream. But Goldbug... Goldbug is awesome. So awesome that I might skip IDW Bumblebee and keep Classic Bee on my shelf, then get Goldbug so that Goldbug and Bumblebee have different molds.

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DAT WASPINATOR...

I'm kind of on the fence about rinox, I've got nastalgia for beast wars and it looks good as a toy, but I've never cared much for Rinox as a character.

also, what the frakking frakk are they doing down at hasbro:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/transformers-prime-beast-hunters-deluxe-botcon-2013-reveals-177891/

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Heh! That's kinda fantastic! Which GI Joes did you cannibalize for that?

Thanks! His torso and arms are from jungle Wayans-cord from the first movie line, and the legs are from the current Joe Trooper. The hands are the current movie Cobra Commander, but they've been ball jointed on Lego levers. The head is a casting of War for Cybertron Optimus Prime. Made the jacket out of vinyl tape. The AA12 is from marauder Gun Runners.

Gakken85, you're not the first one to point that out.

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So, I guess Hasbro MP Soundwave is on TRU's website... but you can't actually order him until the 18th. So I guess that gives me about two weeks to drive around stores looking for one, only to get up extra early on the 18th (after staying up and realizing that they weren't going to start selling him at midnight EDT) and trying to order one before the scalpers get 'em all.

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Tell me about it <_< Also, his MSP is $119.99, quite a bit higher than previous non-Optimus releases. I think they've wised up to who's popular and who's not.

That's pretty fair, though, considering that he comes with five cassette-bots.

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I see eBay listings for Comic-con exclusive releases of Acid Storm and Soundwave. There's nothing special about those right? They're just the same thing but available at Comic-con?

Gakken, there's no Grimlock actually being reissued is there? Just a dream?

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No dream. it's real. Just a limited asian exclusive.

Just bought mine.

"The Transformers China Exhibition, named "Cybertron Annual Exhibition" starts on August 15 in Beijing. The theme is Contemporary Chinese Transformers so the idea is going to be displays that integrate Transformers into traditional Chinese motifs. So the very Chinese looking box for this issue of Grimlock is just part of that event. "

Edited by Gakken85
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I really want one of those one day. I love the color on it. I would have paid $250 all day long haha.

From what I hear this version is the takara mold with the pointy feet and teeth, but comes with the crown from hasbro.

Not sure if the colors will be any different.

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Yup. He secured a few because he knows people in china. Quite a coup for a small store in the states, and considering the toy show isn't for a month!! haha.

I talk to the guy all the time so he hinted at this a few weeks ago but wouldn't tell me what it was until today.

My guess is you'll see these in Ebay for 400-500 right off the bat. I could be wrong, but I doubt their will be a huge stock of them.

Edited by Gakken85
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Ok, the Alternators Prime I ordered arrived. For everyone who was into Alternators back in the day, you probably know all about this stuff. But since he's my first, I'm going to give some impressions.

On the plus side, vehicle mode is great. The size is just right. Everything fits together better than even some recent masterpieces. Tailgate opens, cool. Hood opens, but not as much as I like, to reveal half an engine. Still pretty cool. The interior is especially impressive. Steering wheel with a molded Dodge logo, gear shift on the floor, molded dashboard including gauges, stereo, and vents, and a center console with molded cup holders that folds up into a third seat. Even if it didn't transform, it'd be a nice toy of a Dodge Ram, and it reminds me a little of a Jada Toys Mustang I have.

Transformation is pretty simple. The resulting bot, while definitely Optimus Prime, is a little on the crappy side. For one, he's got kibble everywhere, from the front bumper folded onto his shoulders to the doors hanging off of his arms to the roof and the back of the cab folded onto his back. There are two tabs on the bed that fold back to give his knees some decent range, but his thighs are pretty short. He can raise and lower is arms at the shoulders, but he can't rotate his arms at the shoulders, only swing his whole shoulder back. His hood folds over his front, but doesn't actually peg into anything. And the directions call for the front grill to flip out into a cover for his pelvis that isn't painted, doesn't peg into anything, and generally looks way worse than leaving the grill folded up.

Oh, and oddly enough, the one I got is missing a screw in his right shoulder.

If Optimus is indicative of Alternators in general, I have to say I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is extremely cool to have detailed, licensed cars with trunks, hoods, and doors that open and detailed interiors and what have you that turn into recognizable robot characters we love. On the other hand, it seems pretty obvious that you really have to fudge on the bot mode to get such an awesome alt mode. As someone who generally displays his toys in bot mode, I'm not entirely comfortable with those sacrifices.

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Prime is probably an example of one of the bad Alternators. He wasn't even intended to be Optimus initially, but Takara twisted arms because a pickup truck wouldn't sell in Japan. I'd say the Silverstreak mold is one of the best and Hound is middle-of-the-road.

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Only Alternators I ever owned was Grimlock, because it was Grimlock. He's kind of OK, feels very early 2000's in terms of design, has a crap gun made of an engine block and a giant butt flap from the underside of the car.

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For all their flaws, binaltech is probably my favorite TF line but I display TFs in alt modes most of the time.

Yeah, if you display your TFs in alt mode Alternators/Binaltech is probably the best. I'm not a fan of pickups, and even I'm digging Prime's alt mode.

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