Considering the amount of hassle that Runabout took to get hold of, I thought I should review him. You can see my review below, and the rest of my stuff at
http://teletraan2.blogspot.com/ Enjoy...
Figure DetailsAKA 'Over-Run'
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Transformers Collector's Club
Additions/Mods:
- Added a large Decepticon symbol to the roof, covering the rubsign
ReviewAppearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
Runabout, Runabout, Runabout. Bringer of chaos. Responsible for Thousands of pounds of credit card fraud. Despite all the trouble this pesky Decepticon has caused, I was really looking forward to finally getting him - and I'm not disappointed. Essentially a black repaint of Wheeljack, Runabout has a brand new headsculpt which is very nice indeed. No light-piping unfortunately, but the red eyes have been picked out perfectly. Like Wheeljack, his legs are transformed from the front of the bonnet, rather than the rear, and for some reason this makes him a bit stumpy. A real shame beacuse his big chunky feet are great.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
I really love this alt mode. Runabout's black deco actually is a very dark grey, which is speckled with reflective material. The result is a snazzy metallic finish, which looks way better than plain old black. The red areas are also very nicely painted, although unfortunately they are not actually red plastic, so I fear that over time, paint wear may become an issue. The huge decepticon badge on the bonnet looks brilliant.
Transformation 7/10
Tricky and seems impossible until you have successfully transformed him a few times, then everything clicks into place. The automorph feature worries me slightly, because the arms and head are both slid into position by the roof, which feels a bit flimsy for me. I don't extend the 'wings', because I want to distinguish the figure a bit from Wheeljack.
Poseability 8/10
Nice long feet coupled with multiple points of articulation make this guy a pleasure to pose, but he looks a bit squat in some poses, owing to his inexplicably shorter legs.
Durability 8/10
This mould feels well thought out and put together. My only concern is the automorph feature, as I worry about the stress put on the roof.
Overall - 41/50
For all of the problems associated with actually buying this guy, it was essential that Fun Publications really did a good job here, and, luckily, they did. Runabout really is exquisite, and will be perfect when his fellow Battle Charger arrives. Hopefully Runamuck's arrival will be more straightforward than his brother's!
