Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

what was Searchlight's g1 car type? Rolls Royce?

I consider "neo" to be more of a fan made term than anything else. I never heard the term used other then on TF boards and also to describe Nazi skinheads. But honestly for me, the real "neo" is improved articulation, ball joints and G1 cartoon accuracy. All the stuff about changing the alt modes started with Hasbro, and whether I like it or not I know it is good for business. Obviously a fake microscope, boombox, or camera isnt going to wow todays kids I understand. The same is true with 80's cars and trucks. Hasbro's target audience is kids, and kids like what they see on TV, not some 25 year old relics. But when you start getting into the mind of a 30 something year old collector who is buying the classics line to re-live his childood passion, it's a toss up whether or not they will appreciate "neo" vehicles. I guess I just dont. All I see is a vechicle that will be considered outdated in 10 years and ready for the next "neo" upgrade. With that being said, Id rather just get back to the basics. If I wanted something new (what neo translates to) I would just collect Bayformers. (Or TF Prime which is basically watered down animated Bayformers) But isnt the whole idea of calling something "classics" a concept of homaging G1 in it's entirety, or just their robot modes ? The words "classic" and "neo" mean the exact opposite of each other ? It's almost hypocritical to use them in the same title and call it "neo classics". Youre basically saying the "new old" line. Sounds pretty stupid when translated to lamens terms, huh ?

Oh yeah, back to Searchlight. I dont know what kind of car he was in G1. I do know he was a sports car with what appear to be fog lights.

Classics is more a nod to the characters from the G1 where as Neo introduces a revamped aspect. Like New Optimus Prime, New Starscream and so on. Whats more, the gimmick behind Transformers was always 'Robots in Disguise'. A robot isn't necessarily blending in with the year 2008 and up when Bumblebee still transformers into a 1984 Volkswagen Beetle. I respect your enthusiasm and loyalty to G1, but sometimes we have to adapt and just... 'roll with it'? *rimshot*

In any case, I'm still pleased with the figure even if I'm not partial to the alt mode. Eagerly looking forward to the rest of the Throttlebots, but even more so their plans for the Dinobots. At least with them we can rest assured we won't be getting Slag in a Prius Hybrid or Sludge as a Hummer Limousine.

Neo is another word for "new". Neo Nazis are "new Nazis". But there are other places you can find the word. In Megaman, Megaman Legends was once called Megaman Neo - New Megaman. I remember Sailor Moon has Neo Tokyo - the future version of Tokyo.

The place I get stuck on for the term "classics" is that we have an entire line called "classics".

X, I think you should just speak for yourself. I don't think many other 30 year old collectors feel the same way about the revamped alt. modes. I definitely don't mind revamped alt. modes myself. I think it's a nice treat if they retain their old 80's alt. modes, but it isn't something I prioritize for TFs that were always supposed to represent current, modern, vehicles. There's other reasons not to like this alt. mode.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:Neo is another word for "new". Neo Nazis are "new Nazis". But there are other places you can find the word. In Megaman, Megaman Legends was once called Megaman Neo - New Megaman. I remember Sailor Moon has Neo Tokyo - the future version of Tokyo.

The place I get stuck on for the term "classics" is that we have an entire line called "classics".

X, I think you should just speak for yourself. I don't think many other 30 year old collectors feel the same way about the revamped alt. modes. I definitely don't mind revamped alt. modes myself. I think it's a nice treat if they retain their old 80's alt. modes, but it isn't something I prioritize for TFs that were always supposed to represent current, modern, vehicles. There's other reasons not to like this alt. mode.

It’s one thing to swap out a Countach for a Murclelago. It’s another thing to swap out a Porsche for a Mini SUV. That’s not neo, that’s rape. Not trying to say I speak for the entire 30 something crowd. But Id like to think there’s a bunch out there just like me due to the success of the following:


• IT Arcee and Delicate Warrior
• Igear Mini-bots
• Art Feather Bumblebee
• Survival Specialist Wheelie
• X-Transbots Powerglide
• Igear Ironhide and Ratchet
• TW Hegemon

All these figures have been pretty successful. So there is a market for updated non-neo G1 figures. And let’s not forget the Masterpiece line. Just because they’re upsized doesn’t mean they escaped neo-izing without a reason. The reason is because fans want them old school. They’re out there, trust me on that. If fans were really that fond of neo, the MP line would have flopped from the very beginning.

Firstly, Hegemon's alt. mode is NOT a Walther P-38 and the iGear minibots DO have different (albeit similar) alt. modes than their G1 counterparts. They're as different from G1 as Classics BB. Artfire's BB does have a vintage VW bug as it's alt. mode, but it does NOT have a very true robot mode unless you remove a lot of parts and do some modding to the back. So these examples right here are flawed.

That said, there's other reasons not to like the alt mode OTHER than it not being "G1 enough". Yeah, we all love us some G1, but I think it's more of an issue for you personally with the alt. mode than the entire 30-something crowd.

NOS wrote:Classics is more a nod to the characters from the G1 where as Neo introduces a revamped aspect. Like New Optimus Prime, New Starscream and so on. Whats more, the gimmick behind Transformers was always 'Robots in Disguise'. A robot isn't necessarily blending in with the year 2008 and up when Bumblebee still transformers into a 1984 Volkswagen Beetle. I respect your enthusiasm and loyalty to G1, but sometimes we have to adapt and just... 'roll with it'? *rimshot*

In any case, I'm still pleased with the figure even if I'm not partial to the alt mode. Eagerly looking forward to the rest of the Throttlebots, but even more so their plans for the Dinobots. At least with them we can rest assured we won't be getting Slag in a Prius Hybrid or Sludge as a Hummer Limousine.

You make a very good point about “robots in disguise” which is 1000 times better than everyone’s else’s argument that I should just accept neo and get with the times. Only thing about that is, robots in disguise is a theme better suited kids for playing with the toys and acting out the storyline. The concept of robots in disguise is not as important to an adult collector displaying the figures from a nostalgic point of view and wants a pure homage. When you look at my shelf I want you to be able to travel back to the 1980’s cartoon, not bring the 1980’s storyline into today’s times.

I think fans are generally ambivalent about whether alt modes are authentic or not. I honestly think that most people don't care, provided that the alt mode makes sense for the character and bears some relationship with the original. Then there are those that don't at all. Perfect Effect's versions of Rumble/Frenzy and Eject/Rewind are great little figures but do not change into cassettes, and yet there is no better homage to the characters out there, IMO. RTS Perceptor no longer becomes a microscope but does anyone really care? Who would choose to display an alt mode like that over the robot mode anyway?

The throttlebots are hardly fondly remembered anyway so who cares if an ungainly Choro-Q blob of an alt mode with zero poseability in rovot mode is re-interpreted differently? Half the people wouldn't remember the Throttlebots were it not for the IDW representation of them. Goldbug was vaguely memorable but the rest were seen in the cartoon for all of about 2 seconds, and in the about 2 panels of a comic. X, very few people on here are as reactionary as you, and you speak for a miniscule minority of the fandom in the same way that suicide bombers represent a tiny proportion of Muslims.

Plus you win the award for the most hyperbolic use of the word 'rape' on the entire internet today. Have a Kremzeek

I just don't like you speaking for me, X. I am a 30+ year old collector and do not share your views.

Rated X wrote:

Gauntlet101010 wrote:Neo is another word for "new". Neo Nazis are "new Nazis". But there are other places you can find the word. In Megaman, Megaman Legends was once called Megaman Neo - New Megaman. I remember Sailor Moon has Neo Tokyo - the future version of Tokyo.

The place I get stuck on for the term "classics" is that we have an entire line called "classics".

X, I think you should just speak for yourself. I don't think many other 30 year old collectors feel the same way about the revamped alt. modes. I definitely don't mind revamped alt. modes myself. I think it's a nice treat if they retain their old 80's alt. modes, but it isn't something I prioritize for TFs that were always supposed to represent current, modern, vehicles. There's other reasons not to like this alt. mode.

It’s one thing to swap out a Countach for a Murclelago. It’s another thing to swap out a Porsche for a Mini SUV. That’s not neo, that’s rape. Not trying to say I speak for the entire 30 something crowd. But Id like to think there’s a bunch out there just like me due to the success of the following:


• IT Arcee and Delicate Warrior
• Igear Mini-bots
• Art Feather Bumblebee
• Survival Specialist Wheelie
• X-Transbots Powerglide
• Igear Ironhide and Ratchet
• TW Hegemon

All these figures have been pretty successful. So there is a market for updated non-neo G1 figures. And let’s not forget the Masterpiece line. Just because they’re upsized doesn’t mean they escaped neo-izing without a reason. The reason is because fans want them old school. They’re out there, trust me on that. If fans were really that fond of neo, the MP line would have flopped from the very beginning.

That's rape... Yeah, they're not 100% accurate to toylines from nearly 30 years ago. And no, you do NOT speak for me, either.