Transformers: Energon & Beyond

**Chaddymac** · 02-27-2005

Originally Posted by JediTricks

I hadn't heard that it came from the con, I heard that they WANTED it to be said at the con. I could be wrong though, it's hard to have sources on rumors like this that get around so much.

Chaddy, I can't get that link to load, can you give us the rundown?

It didn't come from the con. It was unfounded rumors. In a telephone panel discussion following the con, that a few lucky transfans were able to participate in, a few questions were asked that implied that Hasbro was exploring a number of possibilities for expaning the Transformers brand. One was regarding interest in different price points for Alternators to use different types of vehicles. Another was interest in a G1 themed line in the same vein as the SW VOTC line. But in the end, they were just questions, not promises, and since then there have been rumors flying about them. But they've always just been rumors.

You should really try opening the links again, but since you asked, BT Ravage's back story is that a human organization collecting alien artifacts ever since the discovery of Transformers on earth find a device (named, humorously for a reason you'll learn in a minute, "Shroedinger's Box"). Research reveals that it's a data flight recorder from a crippled Cybertronian space craft buried since prehistoric times...one that contains the recorded memories of Agent X-9 (Beast Wars Ravage). X-9, realizing that the conflict on earth is proof positive that his efforts in the past were useless, he convinces the group to build him a new body. They give him a Corvette. Only, to operate, he needs a spark. So they put G1 Ravage into stasis lock and shove him into the car tape deck. And thus, BT Ravage is born.

**JediTricks** · 02-27-2005

Thanks for the lowdown on the rumors and on the BT Ravage background, that's pretty cute actually, a good tie-in with the BW side of the equation.

**darthvyn** · 02-27-2005

so, i randomly went into a TRU today, and scored windcharger! finally, i'm seeing some of these guys up to date! either my wal-mart sucks, or i just never go at the right time...

WC is pretty cool, he's kinda a mix between tracks and sideswipe - swipe legs, tracks arms. overall, the effect creates a very unique bot mode. only complaints are that they chopped the gun barrel off, and his arms have little shoulder articulation, but whatchagonnado? they also had swindle, but i didn't want to spend too much money, and i already have hound. so far the only redeco i have is silverstreak.

i really need to get some decepticons, though. deadend is getting HTF. i like what i've seen of shockwave/blast, and ravage looks pretty cool to me. i'd say so far hound is the weakest link, so swindle might be a stretch for me to purchase, but i'm quickly becoming a completist with this series, so i'll probably pick him up.

somewhere i saw that they're already going to do a redeco of 'charger. anyone know who it's gonna be?

**Tycho** · 02-27-2005

Dragstrip. It's actually a cool, yellow and smoke-damaged effected resculpt of Windcharger with a huge racing spoiler on the back. There are pictures at:

my most-often-consulted Transformers page

I'm not interested in Windcharger myself as it's another red car and I like Sideswipe to stand out. I'll buy red again if it's Ironhide in a pickup, or HotRod and all-new.

Since I'm not getting Windcharger though, Dragstrip won't be a resculpt of something I have for me. So he may be my first Decepticon, though I'm really holding out for jets (and dying for Starscream!)

Meanwhile, Ravage is really tempting me, as is Shockwave when he comes out.

**Chaddymac** · 02-28-2005

Originally Posted by darthvyn

so, i randomly went into a TRU today, and scored windcharger! finally, i'm seeing some of these guys up to date! either my wal-mart sucks, or i just never go at the right time...

WC is pretty cool, he's kinda a mix between tracks and sideswipe - swipe legs, tracks arms. overall, the effect creates a very unique bot mode. only complaints are that they chopped the gun barrel off, and his arms have little shoulder articulation, but whatchagonnado? they also had swindle, but i didn't want to spend too much money, and i already have hound. so far the only redeco i have is silverstreak.

i really need to get some decepticons, though. deadend is getting HTF. i like what i've seen of shockwave/blast, and ravage looks pretty cool to me. i'd say so far hound is the weakest link, so swindle might be a stretch for me to purchase, but i'm quickly becoming a completist with this series, so i'll probably pick him up.

somewhere i saw that they're already going to do a redeco of 'charger. anyone know who it's gonna be?

Darth, I'm not sure what you mean by limited shoulder articulation on WC, but if your talking about the rotation on the shoulder joint, I thought it was limited too. I couldn't get the arm to rotate out (so that he could aim out with his gun). It turns out that joint is just really tight. The arm should make a complete circle. The arm can pretty much make any pose you want. However, it's not the most elegant design, to be sure. If THAT'S what you mean by limited, you're absolutely right. But if your talking about the shoulder rotation, go ahead and give it a little more go.

I know someone in Orange County who's making repros of the WC barrel. I got one in black dyed plastic that looks pretty good. It's not as perfect as I imagine the original proto's barrel was, but it's pretty good. Kinda like comparing an MP3 to the original CD track. I can't get the CD, but I'm still having a great time with the MP3, if you know what I mean.

Don't know if he's still producting them, but if there's any interest, PM me and I'll see if he can help.

**darthvyn** · 02-28-2005

holy crap, dragsrip looks cool!

chaddy, yeah, the rotation of the entire rear quarterpanel, is what i'm talking about, and on your word, i forced it through. you're right, it just took some pressure (that i wasn't confident in giving last night

i broke my "snarl" dinobot's leg off doing that like, 14 years ago, and to this day i'm squeamish about forcing things...)

and you will shortly have a PM...

EDIT: why does prowl look like such crap here?

http://www.binalternators.de/prowl_english.html

i was looking forward to a prowl, since that's my car's name. (it being an ex-police car and all that...) and even though it's cool to see a new mold (finally...) he really should be a 'screen/'streak brother... they could at least make him transform the same way. they do have a lot of guys with the "front end chest" (hound, meister, screen, streak, and any 'cep redecos of those guys...) oh, well, here's hoping it's just a bad pose job in the photo...

EDIT # 2: i want them to make alts of any of the new cadillac cars/suv's!

http://www.cadillac.com/home.html

the xlr, or the srx would be cool.

and i still think that trailbreaker should be the chevy trailblazer,
http://www.chevrolet.com/trailblazer/

ironhide should be the chevy avalanche,
http://www.chevrolet.com/avalanche/

and rodimus prime should be the chevy ssr,
http://www.chevrolet.com/ssr/

**Tycho** · 02-28-2005

You inspired me to do a quick photoshop:

**JediTricks** · 02-28-2005

Tycho, you forgot to mention that since Dragstrip is a racing car, he has a hardtop rather than a softtop up and down the way Windcharger does, I think the hardtop on Dragstrip looks pretty cool.

On my Windcharger, the issue isn't that the shoulder is tight, it's that the shoulder catches on the body early in its rotation, but if you tilt the shoulder back slightly it lets it continue past this catch point. So then you have full rotation, tilting forward and back, and limited swiveling out to the side, that's pretty good shoulder rotation to me.

I fear Alt Prowl looks kinda crappy like that for real, the way his chest is so oversized and his shoulder are so high up, it reminds me of an RID Spychanger (yes, I know their design concept came from G1 Red Alert/Sideswipe, but that mold was far more elegant than this look).

**darthvyn** · 02-28-2005

nice, tycho, but i'm not a big fan of "realistic" flames on cars... the ssr is just DYING for a true '50's style flame job.

JT, i fear that as well, although i still hold out hope. i'm glad that they're trying to branch out into different looking alt modes (like i said, a lot of the "front end chest" design) but i'm not sure that i like this attempt. and i was really looking forward to a cool new prowl. oh, well. can't all be winners.

**JediTricks** · 03-06-2005

I'm not a big fan of realistic flames on cars either, they don't impress me when I see 'em on the street the way the classic look does.

I found Alpha Quintesson and Energon Starscream at Target on Friday, passed on Alpha Q, apparently this Quintesson only has 3 faces! That's not right.

Energon Starscream is pretty awesome. Colorscheme is light years beyond original despite NO translucents, G1 effect is great but unified gray colorscheme would have worked here no matter what; also, not having the paintwash from the original works in this one's favor I think. Opaque weapons way better than originals. One of the shoulders is different colors from the other, but it's barely noticable. Bot mode looks fantastic, lighter body colors help bring the face to life, though the real hero there is the non-translucent red eyes. On mine, one of the shin-wing units pops out and has to be manually popped back into place, the right shoulder is waaaay too tight, and the right elbow is too loose, but in general this is a great figure.