Transformers: Energon & Beyond

[JediTricks]

So while some of you are discussing your high-end 3rd party pieces, I will continue to stay on the cheap end of the fandom.

Amazon had a special on the KO Ravage usb drives. I got one for $10.47 shipped. Anyone else here have one?

I feel ya there, I'm only speaking academically on the high-end stuff as there's no way I'm spending that much coin for ANYTHING Transformers.

I see that price on the KO Ravage, it's a cute idea but it's like double the size of the real one, and I barely use flash drives anymore, and I have G1 Ravage re-release, Classics Ravage, Alternators Ravage v1, Energon Ravage, and ROTF Legends Ravage, so I have plenty of him. Also, the software on the real version seems like a must-have if one gets the drive itself.

Amazing how all these third parties can make obvious knockoff Transformers that are better than what Hasbro makes itself, but Hasbro usually doesn't seem to give a $%^&.

I can't fathom Warner Brothers being cool with, say, IDW or Image making Batman comics that are better than Grant Morrison's and Scott Snyder's bizarre crap.

(For the record, I love both those writers on other books. I friggin' hate them both on Batman. Of course, even Larry Hama didn't get a pass from me when he wrote substandard Batman comics. Guys like Alan Grant set that bar way, way too high.)

Hasbro gives a huge care on the matter, they've been doing quite a bit to stem the tide of KOs and 3rd party, and have had angry words. They barred all 3rd party from Botcon this year. Why Hasbro doesn't just defeat them at their own game by playing to that market though, I can't answer, it's like Hasbro is intentionally throwing away money - I think the recent slate of Masterpieces is them trying to address that aspect though.

I don't think its a case of them not caring, its just there's not much they can do about it at this point since all of these third party groups are based in China.

They have a team in China working on it finally, but this is a symptom of Hasbro doing business with China - they hire unscrupulous factories over there to make their toys, train them on designing TF product, it's too far for them to have enough oversight, so eventually when a market demanding related product appears and Hasbro doesn't respond to that market, it leaves Hasbro open to all these contractor factories and designers and such cashing in on those markets. Hasbro really should have kept a tighter rein on them from the beginning with heavier oversight, now the horse has left the barn and they're just now gathering parties to close the barn doors.

Anyone thinking about going for "Hegemon?" I'm thinking about it after my finances recover a bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1qwi...layer_embedded

I hadn't heard about that one, I like the thought behind it, but at $100 it looks too fiddly for my tastes, I'd consider it for $50 though. I don't know why these companies bother putting the blaze orange caps on the barrels, the law in the US says they have to be PERMANENTLY AFFIXED to be legal, so they will not pass inspection anyway.

[Chaddymac]

So while some of you are discussing your high-end 3rd party pieces, I will continue to stay on the cheap end of the fandom.

Amazon had a special on the KO Ravage usb drives. I got one for $10.47 shipped. Anyone else here have one?

I have one. He's pretty neat. Doesn't have a high capacity and the you have to be careful with the mouth joint, but otherwise, he's the shizzle.

[Chaddymac]

I agree with JT on Hegemon, but not even for $50 is he enough for me. These 3rd party products can be really disappointing in hand. A few are extraordinary, but mostly they are over-priced and not satisfying. The fact that Hegemon's plastic "feels cheap" makes it a no for me. HasTak will release a better MP eventually, and that will be enough.

I'll tell you, the MP's Takara is releasing this year? I want and need to be patient for a domestic release. But every time I look at a picture, my resolve is weakened just a little more. By December, I'm pretty sure I'll have ordered Red Alert, Sideswipe, Soundwave, and the Cassette Armada. And THEN I'll be happy...

[JediTricks]

I have one. He's pretty neat. Doesn't have a high capacity and the you have to be careful with the mouth joint, but otherwise, he's the shizzle.

I saw your first post just before mine without the quote and couldn't figure out what you were talking about! I was trying to find a mouth joint on Hegemon.

I agree with JT on Hegemon, but not even for $50 is he enough for me. These 3rd party products can be really disappointing in hand. A few are extraordinary, but mostly they are over-priced and not satisfying. The fact that Hegemon's plastic "feels cheap" makes it a no for me. HasTak will release a better MP eventually, and that will be enough.

I'll tell you, the MP's Takara is releasing this year? I want and need to be patient for a domestic release. But every time I look at a picture, my resolve is weakened just a little more. By December, I'm pretty sure I'll have ordered Red Alert, Sideswipe, Soundwave, and the Cassette Armada. And THEN I'll be happy...

I noticed the trigger area on Hegemon was REALLY cheaply made, one side displays hollows, that is always a bad sign. Cheap plastic definitely would doom a piece like this, and it's shocking to see cost-cutting measures on an item selling for $100.

I have to wait on MPs, the import prices are simply too steep for me to enjoy those figures.

[Chaddymac]

I saw your first post just before mine without the quote and couldn't figure out what you were talking about! I was trying to find a mouth joint on Hegemon.

That's why I'm trying to delete it! I was like, "Oh, no - now that's not going to make any sense at all."

[Darth Metalmute]

I'm not seeing the issue with the cement mixer shape, care to elaborate? I hadn't noticed the more generic look of the Maketoys head, I suspect they were trying to be more cautious about stomping on the Hasbro/Takara IP.

It's probably nothing, but I don't care for the look of the cement mixer cab. The windows are too small and the cab is too rectangular. The maketoys version is better, but still not right.

Amazon had a special on the KO Ravage usb drives. I got one for $10.47 shipped. Anyone else here have one?

I bought the real one a couple of years ago and love it. Never used it in the computer yet. However I did grab a piece of shale from a bridge site I was working on and made a nice, small diorama. The price I paid was way too much for 2g though. I might have to pick up the KO one for 10.

[JetsAndHeels]

I'm glad to hear those of you that have the Ravage usb drive like it. I should have mine soon, so I'll post my thoughts on it once it gets here.

JT, speaking of the legends Ravage, that is by far one of my favorite figures in that scale. It definately beats the deluxe one.

Also a random thought: it does not matter what pose or situation you have ROTF Ejector in...the dude just looks like he's upto something.

[JediTricks]

That's why I'm trying to delete it! I was like, "Oh, no - now that's not going to make any sense at all."

Ha! Awesome.

It's probably nothing, but I don't care for the look of the cement mixer cab. The windows are too small and the cab is too rectangular. The maketoys version is better, but still not right.

Oh! I was looking for problems with the mixer drum, I do see what you mean about the cabs on both, both scale wrong - the MT makes the truck too small, the Herc makes the truck too big.

JT, speaking of the legends Ravage, that is by far one of my favorite figures in that scale. It definately beats the deluxe one.

I remember seeing and experiencing the Deluxe at Botcon '09, and then seeing the Legends in the case, and it was an easy choice to make - the Legends scaled to the figures, had darker colors, and even a better alt mode. Up until then, I had been prepared to buy the Dlx because of how decent the Movie 1 Scorponok was.

Also a random thought: it does not matter what pose or situation you have ROTF Ejector in...the dude just looks like he's upto something.

That figure is crazy, his face is hilarious. ROTF got by far the best Scout-class line of the movies.

[Adam]

Fan's Project's next release is finally up for pre-order on their website.. fansprojectcore.com. It's an original character with a powermastery theme, the "heart master" that was shown at botcon last year.

[JediTricks]

Fan's Project's next release is finally up for pre-order on their website.. fansprojectcore.com. It's an original character with a powermastery theme, the "heart master" that was shown at botcon last year.

"Steel Core" is the name? That figure looks good, if it had been $40 I think I would have bought it, but $80 is too rich for my blood. I appreciate how much thought went into that design, I'd like to experience it, but I just can't see paying that much for a relatively modest-sized figure (it looks Voyager-class), nor a figure that has exposed screwheads.