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Haven't spent enough money on your massive TF Hercules yet? TFC announced 007 - Hercules upgrade at this years Animation On Demand. This set will trump other 3rd party products currently under development by offering several products in one kit. This set will include:
-a new, G1 influenced head
-an optional "rage" face
-a battle damaged visor
-a new rifle with combining features
-new shoulder extensions that will add even more girth
-new forearms that not only appear more G1, but allow the treads to fold up to the body and seem more reminiscent of the G1.

This set is scheduled for a May release but no information on price has been made available.

And here I thought I was done with Hercules.

Oh well, At least there's a little time before this comes out.

If it is less than $40 then I will pick it up, otherwise, I'm fine with how my Hercules looks right now. I do hope there is a TFC - 008 with G1 style heads for the individual bots and a purple mixer barrel.

I confess, I'm quite happy with Hercules' head the way it is, but WTF?! They actually go to the bother of designing a more G1 accurate head and don't build a visor into it. I lack the words to express my disbelief at that.

Would like to get the new gun, but I don't really care about anything else in the set. A proper G1 head might have swung me, but then again those shoulder extensions will probably allow for a greater range of movement.

Will hold final judgement for when we get a price.

It's like they just 3rd Partied themselves!

Kinda at a loss right now, I really like the gun, definitely think anything they could add to Mad Blender's arsenal is welcome. Don't really need/want a new head. I will agree that the shoulder extensions are needed!

I hope the price is decent.

If the price is decent, i.e. under 40ish, I'll get it.

I only really want the shoulder addition though, the rest isn't all that interesting to me.

I'm ashamed to admit that I will buy this. I don't care if it's another 100 bucks. Those treads on the shoulders, wider, bigger gun, G1 forearms, optional faces and head. Throw in the reprolabels stickers and....With what I will end up spending on this guy, I could have bought a Star Saber in the box....

Sorry, TFC. CAll me when you get those Dinobots ready.

The only decent thing here is the gun. G1 Devy is awesome but ole Herc doesn't need to be that close to it. If I wanted an oversize G1 Devy, I probably would have went with Giant. I love the tread arms, gives him more of a classics look.

Ill get it for the arm and shoulder pieces, hoping they address the possible stripping of the pegs for the arms. But, I still will be buying the Crazydevy head since this one seems kind of weird. Maybe color will do it some justice. Is it too late to ask for some G1 guns for the individual bots and a gun cannon that plugs into the screw holes above Mixmasters head to make him look more G1 ???

It's getting kinda out of hand with the third party upgrades.

Absolute Zero wrote:It's getting kinda out of hand with the third party upgrades.

Dude, out of hand is the 7 upgrades I have on my Classics Magnus!

-City Commander
-tfx-03 missles and rifle
-PFX-03 backback
-PFX-05 eject
-PFX-06 rewind
-PFX-07 sun
-PFX-08 moon

I can even add the iGear or Dr. Wu face and a God sword for 9 upgrades on one figure! THAT is out of hand!

And yet it is not a cartoon accurate head. Why bother?

I might just get this. If only for kicks.

Here are my thoughts on the kit's components, in order of how I rate each components' awesomeness:

1. Gun: is awesome. The problem with the original combined gun is just that - the combination, though very, very good, looks a little gimmicky. This remedies that. Verdict: Want it.

2. Shoulder Extensions: are awesome. Hercules has decent shoulder articulation, but as anyone who owns it can attest to, there is much to be desired in that arena. This remedies that. Verdict: Want it.

3. Rage Face: pretty cool. I honestly like the Dr. Wu design better, since it has the wide open mouth versus and allows for light piping to show through the mouth. But Dr. Wu "borrowed" the design, and I'm wary of them. TFC's design is one of more controlled rage, and I though I like Wu's design better overall, the subtlety of TFC's design is growing on me. I wouldn't buy it outright, but as part of a kit, I'll take it. Verdict: Want it.

4. Head/Visor: 'Meh'. The thing TFC did very well with Hercules was walk the tightrope between the blocky, retro design that is a G1 transformer and the smoothly integrated modern styling that collectors have come to expect. The new head is therefore a backwards step. It's blockier, less elegant, and though styled right, I don't think it fits with the overall aesthetic as well as the original head does. And the visor? No thanks. I like my Hercules without it. Verdict: Don't want them.

5. Forearms: NOOOO!!! Again, it's the tightrope (see 4). I love the Hercules arms because the whole toy is perfectly integrated, with the treads as forearms. One reason I bash MakeToys' Giant is because I hate the look of just sticking the vehicles on as shoulders and adding separate mechanisms for the forearms. I know it's more G1 accurate, but I feel it's too clunky. On the flip side, there are peg holes that might allow for Exgraver's shovel to be used as a melee weapon, and the design may give better arm articulation. But those positives don't outweigh the negatives to me. Verdict: Don't want it.

Overall: I would get this at a decent price point. The overall package is nice, and I might change my mind on a few of my more negative assessments. Plus, I totally respect the fact that TFC is preempting efforts to '3rd Party' their own 3rd Party product. Honestly, it's what Hasbro/Takara should have been doing all along.

That said, TFC, you're breaking my heart. Stop stealin' my money!

Interesting.

It puts the combined form of Herc directly against the combined form of Giant.

It is also smart to put out many of the upgrades people have been asking for.

While I'll probably get this set simply for completeness, I doubt I'll use any of it.

I like the current head and gun design.

I may prefer the added shoulders, but how I have him on the shelf, he looks fine the way he is.

Toss in the purple barrel though, and I'll definitely get this!

Make a barrel upgrade that can stay in bot mode and Devastator and all his parts will be perfect IMO.

You know, I just realized that if they colored that head right you could slap the visor on it and make a good cartoon head. Maybe that's what they're thinking? Because I'd buy the entire set just for that. Yes, I throw away my money like that!

Someone's bound to make a purple barrel. You wouldn't even need to make an entire barrel either, the "skin" is just screwed in.

Head aside one other thing I'd want ... is a reworked HL hip. From somebody else, prefferrably. I applied the hip fix and lubed it, but ... I don't trust it to work, so I haven't pressed my luck.

Woah, nicely done. Though I think TFC's "forearms from treads" design is genius and don't really need the more G1-accurate arms as separate pieces.

Anyway, I'm interested, but it depends upon the cost and seeing the final colours.

I would definitely be interested in more G1-accurate heads for the individual bots though. I'd happily pay $20 for a 6-pack of heads.

good effort from TFC, but i'm not interested in this
though he could use some better shoulder acticulation, i think hercules looks fine the way he is, especially with the tread-forearms. the whole combiner is just perfectly integrated

TFC Toys have posted official images of their recently announced TF-007 Rage of Hercules upgrade set. The display at AOD listed a May release date, their facebook page states "Product will be release on 20th". A May 20th release date perhaps? No information on pricing.

• new design head sculpt with replaceable "rage" face
• battle damaged visor
• new design laser cannon
• new design forearms
• new shoulder attachments for increased width and enhanced articulation
• bio card for Hercules
• A3 size poster

Thats all I can really come up with right now...

I will say my FP Bruticus is now officially...

Interesting, but I'm not going to get too excited about this until we see the price and the set in color.

I do wish TFC would have given us a redesigned head that was a bigger departure from the original. And the rage face make me think he needs more fiber.

They are listening to their customers which is awesome but i for one don't care for this set. I do like the gun though so i hope they will have it available seperately to buy.

It's nice but I don't think I need it.

I'd love to see some in-between images, i.e. Hercules with the shoulder extensions but with the normal tread forearms. I wonder if it would look good that way.

This made me go out and impulse buy the entire Hercules set...
There goes my tax return.
At least I got the YaHobby 15% discount.