Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Starseeker wrote:Is anyone else unable to switch out the heads on the troop builders? The instructions say they are supposed to pull off forward but mine at basically sealed on.

I've only switched the head on one of my Allicons; the Autotrooper and G2 Trooper are being sold off, so I almost literally haven't touched those.
For the Allicon, I thought I pushed the guard's head backward as I pulled up... Can't remember for sure, but at least on that figure I didn't have any sort of issue.

I would doubt you're going to break anything, so unless you've given it a ton of force already, I'd try again with a bit more leverage. Good luck!

Locally, I saw the AoE Grimlock reissues.

They were at 77$CAN plus taxes.
Years ago, I bought my original at 79$CAN plus taxes.
So this mean that for some reasons, the reissue is much, MUCH cheaper, considering inflation.

Starseeker wrote:Is anyone else unable to switch out the heads on the troop builders? The instructions say they are supposed to pull off forward but mine at basically sealed on.

All of mine worked good.

For the autotroopers, you need to rotate the head to the side, otherwise the articulation can be a problem.

G2 trooper has a similar situation too.

Thanks guys, I was able to finally switch them out.

I was thinking it would be cool if they released this 4 pack in different colors. That way when you troop build they would really look like the generics in the cartoons.

Man, that SS102 Prime toy might probably be the most hubub made for such a mid toy. Maybe it's time to revise my most overrated Transformers list.

Also, with hasbro so enamored with their new way of having Optimus' gas tanks flip out in alt mode and then receed back into his things in robot mode, they should really add a locking mechanic to it.

william-james88 wrote:Man, that SS102 Prime toy might probably be the most hubub made for such a mid toy. Maybe it's time to revise my most overrated Transformers list.

I think what really makes it "special" and desirable is how badly distributed it is. I just got mine so I'll judge how the toy itself is tonight.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Man, that SS102 Prime toy might probably be the most hubub made for such a mid toy. Maybe it's time to revise my most overrated Transformers list.

I think what really makes it "special" and desirable is how badly distributed it is. I just got mine so I'll judge how the toy itself is tonight.

Ha! We got ours the same day

william-james88 wrote:Ha! We got ours the same day

The day it was stocked?

Anyway, I played with mine and here's my TlDr thoughts:

The bot is damn beautiful and pose superbly well. He's also the RIGHT size compared to the "deluxe" mainline version.

The transformation is more intuitive than the previous SS38 Bee Prime, but it's still fiddly for the legs.

The truck mode is just... meh. The cab part is nice, but the rear part is a mess. Plus, NO TRAILER HITCH. Unforgivable.

So, overall, if I consider the looks and the fun factor, the mainline ROTB Optimus is the superior one. I'll look up the DNA Design kit to see if I can salvage the very average SS102BB.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Ha! We got ours the same day

The day it was stocked?

Anyway, I played with mine and here's my TlDr thoughts:

The bot is damn beautiful and pose superbly well. He's also the RIGHT size compared to the "deluxe" mainline version.

The transformation is more intuitive than the previous SS38 Bee Prime, but it's still fiddly for the legs.

The truck mode is just... meh. The cab part is nice, but the rear part is a mess. Plus, NO TRAILER HITCH. Unforgivable.

So, overall, if I consider the looks and the fun factor, the mainline ROTB Optimus is the superior one. I'll look up the DNA Design kit to see if I can salvage the very average SS102BB.

Our thoughts are the same then.

To be fair, most of us are after him because he's the "right one" not because he's necessarily good. The retail ROTB versione is too small and too bland IMO, his torso is just too much gray.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:To be fair, most of us are after him because he's the "right one" not because he's necessarily good. The retail ROTB versione is too small and too bland IMO, his torso is just too much gray.

Emerje

The size, that can't be fixed, but the lack of colors can be with that excellent Reprolabels set.

Actually parts don't just slide out of the mold they are ejected with air

If I recall wasn't Origins Wheeljack rumored for a December release? I'm curious if we'll hear/see anything soon.

Till-all-R1 wrote:If I recall wasn't Origins Wheeljack rumored for a December release? I'm curious if we'll hear/see anything soon.

He hasn't even been revealed yet.

So, next year.

Till-all-R1 wrote:If I recall wasn't Origins Wheeljack rumored for a December release? I'm curious if we'll hear/see anything soon.

No, he was on a list for Legacy United exclusives, so definitely next year.

There's been a lot of grief over Earth Mode Hound appearing in a multipack rather than an individual release but it turns out that he was originally cancelled. Similarly to when Walmart chose to back out on wanting toy deco voysger Hot Rod in their Velocitron line, Target backed out on wanting more individual deluxes in their Buzzworthy line.

So yes, the reason why you initially saw renders but then heard no news is because Hatchet and Hound were canceled. And since Hasbro already had all their other lines planned out, there was no place to release these toys. However, Hasbro has since found a way to bring us Hound (or at least this is what is assumed) in the upcoming Autobot multipack. So while Hatchet is still cancelled, the toy may resurface through another release.

Looking at this, while the multipack release may be annoying, this is a second resort and it's basically either that or no release. Also, the original Buzzworthy release would have of course been exclusive while this Gen Selects multipack is not said to be so yet (most Gen Selects releases have not been exclusive and can easily be bought from online retsilers). So you tell us which is your preferred option in light of these cancelled plans.

If you are curious as to why Target backed out, JTprime17 states that it's due to poor sales of the previous deluxes in the Buzzworthy line, which they later clarify to be the Cliffjumper/Kup/Bee wave which are currently being found at Ollie's and other liquidators. So if any fans were looking for proof as to the downside of hoping for clearance and liquidation finds, well the cancelation of these individual releases is a clear consequence.

JTprime17 wrote:Target backed out due to poor sales of the first deluxe wave [Cliffjumper/Kup/Bee wave]. It is what it is.

Don't know the rest of the context as there doesn't seem to be a conversation above it referencing Hound, but either way, as long as we're getting him I'm happy.

sol magnus wrote:Don't know the rest of the context as there doesn't seem to be a conversation above it referencing Hound, but either way, as long as we're getting him I'm happy.

Here.

Sabrblade wrote:

sol magnus wrote:Don't know the rest of the context as there doesn't seem to be a conversation above it referencing Hound, but either way, as long as we're getting him I'm happy.

Here.

Yes. I went to the home page looking and found it, but thanks for looking out - a lot of people didnt get Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker, so that's good for those collector's as well!

Hound was canceled because of poor sales of the first wave of Deluxes? Yet we got Tow-Line and a Ratchet redeco after that? That doesn't quite make sense.

If poor sales were the reason, then maybe a better mix of product would have prevented that. We got cartoon deco Cliffjumper (who I only spotted once or twice in the wild); cartoon deco Kup, who's regular release had already been shelfwarming hardcore; car-mode Shatter (with her notoriously poor QC); and a bunch of redecos of previously released Bumblebee Movie figures. Frankly, Hound and Hatchet should have been released first to drum up buzz for the line.

So, what will happen to Hatchet?

One more 200$ multi-pack?

But if they could make a 3 pack of the DOTM Studio Series Dreads with Crowbar, Crankcase, and the new Hatchet, I'd buy it for sure.

This Autobot 'multi-pack' gimmick to bundle in Hound? Well it's annoying, but hopefully the effort to balance things out will be minimal. What will it mean for my collection? It'll mean selling ER Wheeljack, and Sunstreaker, then rotating the multi-pack versions in to take their place.

My G1 collection of Autobots was missing Jazz, Trailbreaker and Hound. So 3 of the 5 are figures I'd have an eye on. Selling the other figures will keep it even. But I'll have to see how easy the set is to get ahold of. It wouldn't be the first time that Hasbro made figures impossible to find. ER Trailbreaker and Sunstreaker are two figures that were extremely difficult to get ahold of, depending on where you dwell...

makes a lot of sense TBH, Origin Bumblebee, and then Jazz after him, really got overstocked and Jazz is still shelfwarming.

Bounti76 wrote:Hound was canceled because of poor sales of the first wave of Deluxes? Yet we got Tow-Line and a Ratchet redeco after that? That doesn't quite make sense.

I feel like something didn't quite get conveyed right. Instead of first wave maybe they really meant previous wave? These were supposed to be next after NEST Ratchet and Bonecrusher, right? Those didn't seem to sell well at all. Hound probably got axed because he was supposed to be in the case with Hatchet so I could see why they would sour on obscure movie stuff and Hound became a casualty by association. I mean, we still have more Target exclusives coming this year though they've dropped the the Buzzworthy branding so it isn't like they've abandoned exclusives all together.

Emerje

I'd bet that Hound being in Buzzworthy was supposed to help the overall, individual deluxe releases sales... Which imo now makes sense why Detritus was picked to be in Legacy Evolution.

I don't mean this aggressively, but I really think people need to be more careful about using "shelf-warming" as a broad term that always applies for everyone; it truly depends on the area your in.
Neither Origins Bee nor Origins Jazz "shelf-warmed" in my area... In fact, I've never seen Jazz at any of the three Targets I've regularly checked for TF. I only have him because my wife snagged the one she found at a Target in the Omaha, NE area while on a work trip.

I said this in the Selects thread; Both Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker are a part of this 5-pack because Hastak either knows via their own research, and/or has heard enough from consumers that these two figures were difficult to get ahold of.
Then why are Wheeljack and Jazz included? Past re-packs show Hastak favors having Wheeljack on pegs. Idk why. I also can't put reason as to why Jazz is included; imo it seems that mold has been used enough.
I would've picked Sideswipe, Bluestreak, or Red Alert since those were past exclusives.
But if these are made of all solid plastic, this set is just all the better.