Transformers: Energon & Beyond

[JediTricks]

Technically, it's the hatchback that's opening wrong, at least in the pictures on the back of the box, since the hatchback is supposed to hinge from the rear. It doesn't say the hood opens at all...

But whatever. I'm looking forward to a new alternator anyway.

Chaddy, it's a rear-engine, the thing in the back *is* the hood. A "hatchback" means there's a rear hatch that accesses a rear cargo space. The, er, "trunk" on the GT is the small space in the front of the car between the airflow channels.

[Chaddymac]

Okay, we were talking about the same thing.

[JediTricks]

Just wanted to be sure that anybody reading understood as well.


Alt Camshaft photos: http://www.tfans.com/talk/index.php?showtopic=49163

His licenseplate says "BLU STRK" and it's from Hasbro's home state of Rhode Island.

[Tycho]

What's the deal?

When (and what make / model) will become of an Alternator Bumblebee and Ironhide? How about Blaster (Broadblast?) or on the Decepticon side: Soundwave?

What's the planned release time for the MP Starscream? Is it close to being Alternator Scale? Will Hasbro repaint it and switch heads to make Skywarp and Thundercracker?

You know, a Q&A with Hasbro on Transformers for ActionFigs.com would be wonderful, in the same vein as the Star Wars team has been doing for the fan sites in the galaxy far, far away.

[Dominic Guglieme]

Tycho has a point there.

I am curious about the new Demolishor. How much of the old molding has been sacrificed for the newer one? I know SSG submits questions to Hasbro, any chance of us submitting TF questions?


On the Titaniums front: Interesting that 2 of the toys (Megatron the Ark) make direct references to the Generation 2 comic. That kind of fanwank is usually reserved for conventions, not general retail.

[JediTricks]

I will look into Hasbro taking questions for Transformers, it'd be separate from these SW ones because the SW ones are going to the SW brand PR guy, each brand gets its own team for that stuff.

The bio on 6" Megs being wrong, I'm wondering if perhaps the other bios may also be stuff they aren't sticking with. Then again, isn't that Ark shuttle from the comics only?

[Adam]

JT, you will be the awesomest person on the entire globe if you can arrange a Q&A dealie like the Star Wars one for TF's.


Anyway, according to TFW2005, there are TWO new 2-packs on the horizon, one looks to be a Target exclusive the other a TRU one. Target's is supposed to be G1 Prime Vs Megatron (Green Tank) according to an annonymous Hasbro source. $19.99. No idea on the Prime. TRU's is Primal and Megatron, not sure here either. Could the new mold Primal and Meg's not be getting a mass release? I sure they do.

[JediTricks]

Don't expect miracles, it's still Hasbro.

I can't say I'm totally surprised that the Beast Wars Anniversary new molds might get released only through TRU, the first 2 waves of BWX aren't selling around here very well.

My guess is the Target set is either a naming mistake (it happens) and it's the Titaniums, or it's Classics Optimus vs... Armada Megs?

[Dominic Guglieme]

Generation 2 Megatron was also a tank. By the by, what is wrong with the bio on Titanium Megatron JT?

If the BWX leaders areTrU exclusives, that will make my life needlessly difficult. (Good job Hasbro!)


Oh, here are some reviews:



Swindle:
This is a recolor of the mold used for Hardtop a few months back. While the toy is not greatly improved over the previious, it is a bit better, and it retains the virtues of the previous use of the mold. The vehicle mode fits neatly together, an the bot mode is poseable enough. The transform is better engineered and executed than many toys 2 or 3 times lager.
While the name is re-used, the profile indicates this Swindle is a new character.
Grade: B Worth picking up.

Wave 4 Minicons:
Street Team:
Over all, these are better than the originals. But, the bulk of the flaws from the old ones carry over. The real improvements are paint based, and there is an interesting bio note on the profile for Sureshock to sweeten the deal. Highwire is the weakest of the bunch, retaining the fragility of the previous uses of the mold, and benefiting the least from new paint. Grindor is about the same, while Sureshock's new paint work is fantastic. The merged form looks fantastic, and is the best of the variants (US and Japanese) I have seen thus far.
Sureshock's bio note inidcates the character is male, in contrast with the old Dreamwave sourcebook. It looks like Cybertron the toyline has retconned another point of plot.
Grade: B Not perfect, but worth considering. The problem is that the above are packed with the recolored Space Team.
Space Team:
This set is easily superior in terms of paint to the previous uses of the mold set. But, these toys are at least as fragile (if not more so) than the originals. (The combined rifle form fell apart several times while I was assembling it.) Scrapiron benefits the most from the new paint. But, Backblast does not look too shabby either.
Grade: C/D Good paint, applied to mediocre molds, and avoidable fragility. Be wary.

[JediTricks]

A scan of MP Starscream, looks like this is a new prototype, now he has that lame hip armor going on, but the alt mode is greatly improved, especially the underside.
http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=6127&mode=flat

Generation 2 Megatron was also a tank. By the by, what is wrong with the bio on Titanium Megatron JT?

The Titanium Series website refers to him as War Within Megatron, which he isn't, I believe every single word of the bio online differs from the bio on the actual packaging, which refers to the figure as Megs from the TF/GI Joe crossover.

If the BWX leaders areTrU exclusives, that will make my life needlessly difficult. (Good job Hasbro!)

I doubt it, TRU exclusives for Transformers have never been that much of a problem, you have Starscream/VP if I remember correctly.

Your review of Swindle is pretty generous.