Transformers: Energon & Beyond

[Darth Metalmute]

I have Cyberverse Shockwave and I was like him a lot.

I finally found him again at TRU, so I bought it. I cannot transform him well into the tank. did you have the same problem?

[figrin bran]

I picked up TF Prime Ratchet and Legion Class Evac over the weekend.

Ratchet may be one of the best Ratchets ever produced but that's not saying a whole lot. Bot mode is pretty good, however alt mode has too many unsightly seam lines though not nearly as bad as on Classics Ratchet. I think I'd give him a B/B- overall.

[JediTricks]

Very didactic (and the Continental Op would be pleased by the examples). You know, JT, in the teaching profession, we're always looking for a few good men (and women) to help indoctrinate the youth of this country.

Ha! Thanks, especially from The Op. I've thought about teaching before, but the sizes of classrooms isn't really the way I work with information, it wasn't when I was a student either, I'm a more small-groups sort of person. Also, not having any college definitely doesn't help.

Cool.

I wished I had something else to say about Transformers right now.

Oh, I actually do:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...ormers-174774/

This article from TFW2005 is an interview with the guys who actually invented Transformers.

How cool is that?

Well, the foundation was a collaborative process. One of these guys did actually design Reflector and Perceptor, however.

I think Transformers are cool. I always did. I liked Ironhide when I was a kid. Still do. I think his G1 toy looked good in the packaging. But it was disappointing when you opened him up.

Optimus Prime is usually always the best toy: G1 was an awesome figure and today's Masterpiece has not yet been outdone.

And I would wear a t-shirt with a picture of a Peterbuilt truck in red and blue with the license plate "F*RODMS" on it.

They didn't technically invent Transformers, nor did they invent the Microman line from which the majority of the toys came from, they were on the teams that created the concept. Technically, Hasbro invented Transformers by creating GI Joe which was imported to Japan and had Henshin Cyborg character added to it, which took on a line of its own offshooting Microman which offshot its own sub-line of Diaclone which Hasbro then brought into the US alongside other Japanese transforming robot toys and gave a new brand as The Transformers (although they farmed out the character and story aspects to Marvel).

Yoke-san was at Botcon last year and seemed like a pretty cool guy and was always smiling.

Something they don't mention in that article is that Takara tried to market Diaclone in the US without Hasbro as a competitor for Tonka's Go-Bots line, but they didn't get very far (except with Chrono-robo, which were the wristwatch transforming robots, those were ubiquitous for like 2 years when I was in grade school).

Their comments about the post-TF The Movie figures looking like middle-aged men is hilarious and true. Funny how they blame Hasbro when it's really all Floro Dery's fault. (Hasbro did hire him though.)

Interesting how they started on TF:A and then Movie 1's design came in, that's unusual timing.

Speaking of Masterpieces, I really want MP-11.

I scored PRID Arcee yesterday at Walmart. I was not going to get this version originally since I already have the FE, but I am glad I decided to get her. She's a really cool figure, although a bit smaller in proportion to the FE design.

MP-11, the coronation set? How much is that going for as an import?

I've been worrying about finding Arcee, I don't think I'll buy her due to being small with a giant gun, but it's been a while since I've found anything new to get so I will be tempted.

Did anyone find/purchase Cyberverse Shockwave? I found him once but didn't buy him due to being out of state. Haven't seen him since. Now the price is ridiculous and I'm curious if its worth the money.

The single-carded figure or the one with the tank vehicle? I found the one with the tank vehicle back when it came out a few times at Target, along with the Ratchet set, and occasionally still see the Ratchet set show up at TRUs in the area, but haven't seen the Shockwave one in a while.

I'm sure you're NOT in the market, but I wanted throw fuel on the fire of the debate for whether MP-1 Prime has been eclipsed. Not even sure where I fall, but here's a link: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...55&mode=retail

It's a great-looking piece but the smaller size combined with higher pricepoint keep me from saying definitively that it's going to eclipse MP-1, even if it does have a Spike figure and Roller. Design-wise, it definitely has a better sculpt though.

I finally found him again at TRU, so I bought it. I cannot transform him well into the tank. did you have the same problem?

Glad you got him, but asking Tycho about transformation is barking up the wrong tree, he's afwaid to twansform his toys.

I picked up TF Prime Ratchet and Legion Class Evac over the weekend.

Ratchet may be one of the best Ratchets ever produced but that's not saying a whole lot. Bot mode is pretty good, however alt mode has too many unsightly seam lines though not nearly as bad as on Classics Ratchet. I think I'd give him a B/B- overall.

What about the paint, or rather lack of paint, issue? The US release's paint has kept me from hunting it down so far.

[Chaddymac]

MP-11, the coronation set? How much is that going for as an import?

It's a great-looking piece but the smaller size combined with higher pricepoint keep me from saying definitively that it's going to eclipse MP-1, even if it does have a Spike figure and Roller. Design-wise, it definitely has a better sculpt though.

It's a higher price-point, but it is a superior figure. I just opened mine and love him. I also got MP-11. really cool changes to an already pretty cool figure. I think I prefer the 3rd party cloth cape, but the plastic cape is pretty phenomenally designed. It may grow on me. The one thing I worry about on the mold is the sliding tail fin pieces. Sliding them out into jet mode isn't that big of a deal, but it's tough to get them to slide the other way without putting pressure on a decidedly weak access point, where the wing meets the fin. There may be a better place to put pressure, but I haven't found it yet so it's just standing in (gorgeous) robot mode.

[JediTricks]

I paid $55 for MP Prime back when it came out, the MP-10 set is 5 times as expensive and the figure is 1/4 smaller, without a light feature in the Matrix, no less. I'm not trying to badmouth the piece, just pointing out what mitigates it in my eyes. Glad you got one and dig it though. How does it scale to MP-11 there?

[Chaddymac]

I paid $55 for MP Prime back when it came out, the MP-10 set is 5 times as expensive and the figure is 1/4 smaller, without a light feature in the Matrix, no less. I'm not trying to badmouth the piece, just pointing out what mitigates it in my eyes. Glad you got one and dig it though. How does it scale to MP-11 there?

A little taller, but not by much - maybe 1/4 - 1/2 an inch. Good scale, I think. And scales very well with MP Rodimus. I'm looking forward to seeing Sideswipe, because he should be about 3/4 the height of Prime. And this makes me very interested in a new MP Megatron. I have the original, which was fine when I thought we'd never get anything better, but if there's a chance they'd like to make one that works better as a toy and has better proportions, count me in.

[Tycho]

I would like the movie megatrons specifically the truck from michael bay's last movie.

They could do the same with shockwave, and include an off-scale giant snake.

And of course black out since the third party company is already doing him.

Bonecrusher is a candidate it as well

[Tycho]

Ok and galvatron cyclonus and scourge. Plus ultra magnus and springer.

[JetsAndHeels]

It's a higher price-point, but it is a superior figure. I just opened mine and love him. I also got MP-11. really cool changes to an already pretty cool figure. I think I prefer the 3rd party cloth cape, but the plastic cape is pretty phenomenally designed. It may grow on me. The one thing I worry about on the mold is the sliding tail fin pieces. Sliding them out into jet mode isn't that big of a deal, but it's tough to get them to slide the other way without putting pressure on a decidedly weak access point, where the wing meets the fin. There may be a better place to put pressure, but I haven't found it yet so it's just standing in (gorgeous) robot mode.

You just sold me!! Did you get yours from BBTS?

[Chaddymac]

yeah, BBTS.