Transformers: Energon & Beyond

Sounds expensive. Very expensive. And with the 4th movie on the horizon, who knows what Hasbro will do with those figures.

Soundwave in DOTM turns into a stock Mercedes SLS, the one with gull wing doors. The scale would be 1:24th to fit HA. If that's what it is, you might as well buy 1, if it's anything like this one then the only differences are the silver secondary inlet grilles instead of black: http://www.diecastcars.tv/product_in...ducts_id=15303

I didn't even know there was a 3rd party LC Blackout until your post. I looked it up, it looks... very hollow from the back, and very rough in design: http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...ackout-174257/
still, if they can keep working on it and get it looking better as it goes along, they could really have something here. This is another case where I really want to support Hasbro's rights to defend their IP, but they are simply ignoring the pleas made by the market leaving many fans unfulfilled, and show no interest in listening or compromising with their market, making it easy for the fan base to turn a blind eye to the company complaining about others violating their rights.

I bought my deluxe Soundwave a couple of months ago. It was just before the Hasbro announcement that we would not see him (or deluxe leadfoot or HA soundwave) here in the states. I paid close to $40 for mine, but now I can only imagine that price has gone up.

I have noticed that HA Barricade is going for a good amount on ebay. I have an extra one MISB, and I am considering offering it as a trade to someone that might have a HA Soundwave. The problem is, I don't know of anyone that has one.

I was able to buy a HA Barricade w. Frenzy for $40 and shipping. (Loose, Mint)

I am looking for one more, but of course I don't have Soundwave.

JediTricks, yeah, that car that CVS Pharmacy carries would work for Soundwave in vehicle mode (HA scale). But no Laserbeak. Hmmm.

I think I also need 2 Laserbeaks at that scale. One is perfect to perch on Voyager Class Megatron's arm. One use I have for one of them.

I think the other is to attack HA sized Autobots like the Wreckers. (I believe I have enough Bumblebees in every scale - which probably includes 3 HA Bumblebees for other "scenes" I want to pose my figures in).

Another thing, I distinctly recall that you were against Hasbro making the Leader Class Blackout for lack of demand before. Have you reversed your position?

In defense of your previous stance, the 3rd party company might do a great job and price him much higher than Hasbro sells their toys, suitably costing what could be supported by a limited market for this toy. However, it might just catch on and leave Hasbro behind without a paddle. I think the product looks better than other 3rd party items like the City Commander Ultra Magnus, which was like a LEGO kit assembler versus a true Transformer (converting parts on connected hinges, versus add-on stuff you assemble). If they handle Blackout well, perhaps they should do an Ultra Magnus as well - based off of that Titanium design I bought and like so much (about a Voyager Class size)?

Another 3rd party product that's awfully tempting is the Devastator that I think is dubbed Hurcules. In all green like the G1 Devastator, this beast is comprised of all 6 original Constructicons - each sold separately. And they look to be Voyager Class sized by themselves! Then they both transform into robots, AND combine into Devastator (cough - Hurcules).

I don't really need this after purchasing the largest Devastator from ROTF that Hasbro made - it's sort of a similar size - but would have rather waited for this 3rd Party product, had I known better. But maybe they could issue a repaint in the ROTF mismatched colors? I love G1 nostalgia, but sometimes I prefer the movies more. It's got that real-world feel to it The construction vehicles would not all be the same color. That's not much of a disguise in the real world.

By the way, SOMEONE ANSWER ME THIS: why are these being called 3rd party products?

My thoughts: Takara Tomy makes these as the first party. Then Hasbro buys them as the 2nd party, actually. (Convoy or Optimus Prime, right?) So now these are then 3rd party. Right? The description is accurate?

Tycho, if you want another HA Barricade, I am willing to offer it to you. Have you got anything you are looking to trade?

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Originally Posted by JetsAndHeels

I bought my deluxe Soundwave a couple of months ago. It was just before the Hasbro announcement that we would not see him (or deluxe leadfoot or HA soundwave) here in the states. I paid close to $40 for mine, but now I can only imagine that price has gone up.

I have noticed that HA Barricade is going for a good amount on ebay. I have an extra one MISB, and I am considering offering it as a trade to someone that might have a HA Soundwave. The problem is, I don't know of anyone that has one.

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Still going for $35-$40 shipped on ebay.

I just checked, HA Soundwave is down to $65 shipped. I guess the Japanese releases are hitting big over there. Still too much bread for me though, especially with that figure's bad proportions from upper body to lower.

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Originally Posted by Tycho

Another thing, I distinctly recall that you were against Hasbro making the Leader Class Blackout for lack of demand before. Have you reversed your position?

In defense of your previous stance, the 3rd party company might do a great job and price him much higher than Hasbro sells their toys, suitably costing what could be supported by a limited market for this toy. However, it might just catch on and leave Hasbro behind without a paddle. I think the product looks better than other 3rd party items like the City Commander Ultra Magnus, which was like a LEGO kit assembler versus a true Transformer (converting parts on connected hinges, versus add-on stuff you assemble). If they handle Blackout well, perhaps they should do an Ultra Magnus as well - based off of that Titanium design I bought and like so much (about a Voyager Class size)?

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I wasn't AGAINST Hasbro releasing LC Blackout, I was only explaining why they wouldn't, and likely never will. Hasbro missed the curtain for maximizing profitability on a LC Blackout figure back in '07/'08, unless the character shows up big in the next film or there's a re-release, there's not going to be another good window to convince them that there's a reason to spend their budget on doing that figure. Blackout was a big part of the marketing for the first movie, without that there's not as much audience recognition and desire for a big $50 figure of him, and every day that passes he gets more forgettable. The 3rd party companies don't need to make a big profit because they don't have the corporate overhead like a staff design team, executives, shipping, legal, testing, etc., and those 3rd party companies may not even want to make any profit at all, so their version may not affect Hasbro's choices whatsoever.

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By the way, SOMEONE ANSWER ME THIS: why are these being called 3rd party products?

My thoughts: Takara Tomy makes these as the first party. Then Hasbro buys them as the 2nd party, actually. (Convoy or Optimus Prime, right?) So now these are then 3rd party. Right? The description is accurate?

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Hasbro is not 2nd-party, they are co-producers with Takaratomy on the toys, and they hold the rights to the characters I believe. Takara doesn't make the product and sell it to Hasbro, they share the venture.

3rd party means they are not directly involved, they are not an active party in the brand's business, they are neither official producer nor consumer, they are outside the licensed transaction, hence "third party". It's like narrative:
first person - "I took the gun in my hand and squeezed the trigger, the recoil flung my arm back and cut my thumb open. I went to clean the wound with iodine, its stench and color turned my stomach. Afterwards, I grabbed more shells from the box and could feel my face tighten as I loaded each one, knowing what each one could be fated for."
second person - "You walked down the hall, the shackles around your ankles chafed with every step, each one produced a rhythmic clanking which was music to your ears - the last music you'd ever hear. A priest stopped you and performed last rites. You looked into his dead eyes and knew that he would have to suffer a thousand more deaths, while you were on your way to your final one. They shaved your head and off you went to the chamber, you couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces."
third person - "He watched as the woman left the club and walked hurriedly to her car. As she scanned the surroundings, he ducked down under the sill of his DeSoto and listened until he heard her door slam and motor turn over, then he popped back up. Quickly he hit the starter and pulled out of the space with his lights still off to avoid catching her attention. His target wasn't going to lose him so quickly, even if she was being careful. That money was going to be in his hands in only a few hours, he could already feel each bill."

Notice that first person narrative speaks as the protagonist, the second person narrative speaks to the protagonist, and the third person narrative speaks of the protagonist - while remaining outside the parties those involved in the story.

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Originally Posted by Tycho

Another 3rd party product that's awfully tempting is the Devastator that I think is dubbed Hurcules. In all green like the G1 Devastator, this beast is comprised of all 6 original Constructicons - each sold separately. And they look to be Voyager Class sized by themselves! Then they both transform into robots, AND combine into Devastator (cough - Hurcules).

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I've always said Hasbro missed the boat on the G1 Devastator. Seemed to me that Voyager Class Constructicons at 24 dollars would sell. Hurcules is 100 dollars a vehicle! I would have bought it but not at 600 bucks. 120-150 for sure...

I only own a couple 3rd party products. While they are nice, I just can't buy many of these. Money is the issue.

Money is all I can offer for human alliance barricade by the way.

What third party products to you own?

Thanks for your information and opinions jt. It was interesting.

The Easter Bunny brought my daughter an Arcee. All in all, quite a nice figure. Easy to transform, superb poseability. My only complaint is minor; I've not followed the show, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't use a gun that's almost as long as she is tall.

Hercules looks awesome but wayyyy too high a pricetag to complete the gestalt.

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Originally Posted by El Chuxter

The Easter Bunny brought my daughter an Arcee. All in all, quite a nice figure. Easy to transform, superb poseability. My only complaint is minor; I've not followed the show, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't use a gun that's almost as long as she is tall.

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I hope she enjoys it! I think I actually that mold of TFP Arcee to the First Edition mold. I wish they would have packed a second arm blade instead of that huge gun which I ended up giving to TFP Voyager Optimus.