Transformers: Energon & Beyond

[JediTricks]

Target has the wave 2 Cyberverse Commander w/ Base sets $2 off right now. I saw a few Megatrons and 1 Optimus Prime, but the Prime has really bland paint, and the trailer is truly cheapo in design, so I went with Megs.

CyCmdr Megatron is alright, they got detail in and a fairly nice transformation for a small figure. Paint is blah. He towers above Cmdr Optimus.

The trailer actually has much more going on than Hasbro seems to realize, the little guns link at the ends suggesting another shape, the "wings" are really mech arms that the instructions don't understand, and so on. Not fantastic, and the line is a ripoff at $15, but fun if you have imagination to figure out the trailer better than the Hasbro folks.

Wait, what's one per case? Grapple, Windcharger, or both?

I'm complaining about Windcharger being 1 per case, but I believe the Voyager case is 1 per case for each figure as well.

That makes perfect sense. I mean, really. Who would toss in some low-demand classic character reissue and expect him to be nearly as popular as a random, made-up repaint of Seaspray?

Yeah, gotta make sure a mold that's pegwarmed hard can pegwarm hard in new colors rather than move one that's been hot every iteration of the mold's release. It's about focus, son!

I've got a feeling I'm just going to pick up every one of each I see (assuming I do see any), and find the extras nice homes among the folks here.

Damned right.

The scout cases I've seen are 2 figure per case so far. I'm still hunting for a Windcharger myself, all but given up. I haven't seen any new Star Wars or Transformer figures (Barring the movie garbage) in several months, just kind of depressing. Hope you guys have better luck than me!

The scout listings for the Windcharger case are 1 per case for each character, including the physical case they had on display at Botcon that the official store was selling for $48. Total jerk move on Hasbro's part. I've also all but given up, and Hasbro's boys toys lines are depressing right now, total distribution failure for the last 6 months.

I can't say they were here in abundance, but I just found Thundercracker, Wheeljack, and Warpath at Wal-Mart as well about a half hour ago. I wasn't even looking for toys, or planning to go out, but the handle on the toilet broke and, well, we must have two functioning toilets.

Ugh, so frustrating to hear that after dropping $20 on HTS for Warpath (stupid expensive shipping).

BTW, the toilet can still flush without the handle, though your ladies might not be interested. Either manually move the flush mechanism, or bypass it by pouring a lot more water into the bowl very quickly (a toilet system is a siphon, adding more water raises the water level causing the siphon to draw it all out, you don't even need the tank portion really).

[Chaddymac]

The scout listings for the Windcharger case are 1 per case for each character, including the physical case they had on display at Botcon that the official store was selling for $48. Total jerk move on Hasbro's part. I've also all but given up, and Hasbro's boys toys lines are depressing right now, total distribution failure for the last 6 months.

Oh that's why you're confused! The Botcon store (as well as other online retailers) are selling half cases. The actual full retail case has two of every figure (including Windcharger) with the exception of two figures (I can't remember the other one, but one is Insecticon) of which there is only one in each case. It LOOKS like they are offering two different case assortments because those two figures are different, but it's actually the same assortment split in half.

So, everyone's right! And NO ONE gets a Windcharger. yay.

[El Chuxter]

Warpath. Is. AWESOME!

Wheeljack is also nicer than Tracks by a slim margin. Thundercracker, well, someone mentioned something about the mold getting soft earlier, and I think I can see what whoever it was meant. He's not bad, but something about the details and overall definition is starting to look knockoff-y. I'm not complaining, but, if they ever decide to take a crack at Sunstorm or any of the other "generic" Seekers, they might need to update something in the production process.

[figrin bran]

Patience. Sometimes they're slow to hit. I read reports of the Target-exclusive GIJoe mini-vehicles hitting Ross and had to scour every Ross within 50 miles for a while before I found them. Once they showed up, no problem at all.

I have seen some stuff I'm pretty sure are remnants of both the Scout and Voyager cases, though.

Chux is right...even here in Los Angeles, I've been able to find multiples of the Target exclusive Joe vehicles. You figure that the production run on those has to be less than the production run for the "lost" Reveal the Shield toys.

That being said, I'll pick up extras if/when I come by them.

[AFCollector]

Warpath. Is. AWESOME!

Wheeljack is also nicer than Tracks by a slim margin. Thundercracker, well, someone mentioned something about the mold getting soft earlier, and I think I can see what whoever it was meant. He's not bad, but something about the details and overall definition is starting to look knockoff-y. I'm not complaining, but, if they ever decide to take a crack at Sunstorm or any of the other "generic" Seekers, they might need to update something in the production process.

Gotta echo all of this. I'm so glad I found a Warpath. Thundercracker was never my favourite Seeker, but I kinda had to have all three. The mold does appear to have lost some of it's detail and the plastic on mine feels a bit brittle in a few places, but it's just standing with Starscream and Skywarp so...I'm not too worried about him.

[JediTricks]

I got Warpath in the mail last week, and yeah, he's awesome. The tank mode treads don't line up right, but the rest is golden.

Got Voyager Battle Blades Prime on clearance from HTS for $10, it's a really good figure, even improves in a few ways on the LC version it's aping. The back panels are the one area it doesn't do as well though, they're too big. But his smaller size makes him a good compliment to the DOTM Voyagers (better than that line's tiny, solar-paneled version).

Got LC Ironhide too, a very big figure, some flaws, but overall a good entry.

[figrin bran]

I searched 3 Ross locations this weekend and found no TF's whatsoever.

I did get the WM repaint of deluxe DOTM Optimus. And I saw but passed on Voyager Sentinel.

[Tycho]

I think I'm in the market for 1 more Voyager Sentinel Prime. Leonard Nimoy voiced a great character. I've requested that spoilers be discussed - they will impact the toys most certainly. But I will hold back to see if anyone objects first.

[Darth Metalmute]

Did they make the Predator SUV yet?

[JediTricks]

Have you guys noticed that nearly every figure in the DOTM line for dlx and voyager is super bland? Bland colors, lacking details, lots of neutral tones, even lazy executions on existing colors, that's what it seems like to me. I would bet the problem is either lack of inspiration or a heavy effect of cheapness on Hasbro's part. Even the figures I like from this line are pretty bland or just monotone.

I did get the WM repaint of deluxe DOTM Optimus. And I saw but passed on Voyager Sentinel.

AFAIK, there is no repaint of dlx OP yet, WM has the original, the repaint rumor was only just leaked a couple days ago.