The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:55 am

As per Spencer at http://www.agesthreeandup.com, also frontpaged at TFW2005.com, news team here is a bit slow aren't they????

So I just got some good/bad news this evening, depending on how much of a supporter you are.

As many know, competition in China is fierce for KO companies and to compete against eachother is commonplace. I have receintly been contacted by a different company than the first who is also doing KOs of G1 figures. Their first release - METROPLEX! I am told this is done is high quality and will come in a G1 style of box with styrofoam insert, instructions, catalogue and sticker sheets. I don't know what they will have for copyrites, this will be found out when they come in stock. The retail on this figure will be $124.99 US which I find is much more reasonable than $80 for a Dinobot considering the size and complexity of the figure. (a good portion of the cost is in the shipping as well)

We are going to be bringing in a limmited number of these to try out and can be preordered from our site at $109.99, saving $15 on this trial run. These will be shipping to us early to mid December so we hope to have these all out for the Holidays.

News Credits: 129 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:02 am

This is going to get bad folks.

One or two KOs was cute. Now the vintage market is going to get very tricky for those who want legit originals...

Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:05 am

It's gonna mess things up, since peole will pass them off as the original vintage ones....

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:06 am

KO packaging is getting better and better...

News Credits: 4 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:13 am

Oh man, I am glad i just got my original chrome one.

I wouldn't mind a knock off fort max, as i will never buy an original

lol

News Credits: 9 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:39 am

This is the one of the reasons why I collected the Canadian boxed G1 figures in the first place. These KOs experts seem to only be KO'ing the US boxed ones. I know what I have is genuine by default since they were all bought way before any of this KO'ing was done.

I do feel for those collectors that are now looking for vintage G1 items though. It will get harder and harder. I still need to get a Gnaw so I am screwed on that front since he is being KO'ed. What a world! What a world!

News Credits: 7 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:41 am

Seriously not cool. :cry:

Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:59 am

Be nice if we got Metrotitan.

News Credits: 5 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:32 am

Just more fuel for my hate fire for my parents throwing away my stuff. Not only do I have to buy G1's that I had, now I have to worry about them being KO's :BOOM:

THANKS!!!

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:32 am

I already ordered mine.

These KO's are no different than Hasbro reissuing the originals. Metroplex is a hard to find MISB figure.

Plus, since Hasbro and Takara are unwilling to give us Mirage, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Metroplex, and the Dinobots I say let those who are willing to reissue them reissue them.

I'm not talking about those cheap combiner KO's of Devastator or Superion that obviously are low quality crap. These are figures that once removed from their package, much like official reissues, are nearly impossible to tell they are KO's.

Who cares???

I am glad these companies are reissue these figures. And that's really what they are, reissues, not KO's.

News Credits: 5749 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:49 am

I have a question about all these KO that are coming out, for example Mirage and the recent Dinobots. These appear to be high quality as do the boxes, so my question is what is the quality like? If Takara won't reissue them I see this as a reasonable alternative if the quality is good. I bought some of the KO Aerialbots at Biglots just for kitbashing purposes and they went straight in the trash. Another thing is the price, these go for about 80.00 to 90.00 on ebay, why so high?

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:52 am

At this point, Hasbro really needs to step in and take care of this legally.

Like CP said, one or two is cute but now we have the dinobots, gnaw, mirage, streaker, all the gestalts, alternators, minibots like beachcomber and Seaspray... the list goes on and on, and now Metroplex of all things!

This needs to end or in 5 years, the vintage market is going to be almost impossible to navigate

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:55 am

bookofjunon wrote:I already ordered mine.

These KO's are no different than Hasbro reissuing the originals. Metroplex is a hard to find MISB figure.

Who cares???

I am glad these companies are reissue these figures. And that's really what they are, reissues, not KO's.

This is also dangerous, not only is hasbro not doing anything, but I have seen opinions sliding on whether or not it matters if the bot is legit or not.

This is going to get very slippery for Hastak when their Encore lines stop selling because KO companies are doing it faster, cheaper and with no loss of quality to the average eye.

Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:58 am

i for one can't stand all this ko garbage coming out. guys, these things really could be the start of something bad for the hobby and us "true" collectors. i really hope somone can put a stop to all this but i don't know how it can be done.

News Credits: 150 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:00 pm

bookofjunon wrote:I already ordered mine.

These KO's are no different than Hasbro reissuing the originals. Metroplex is a hard to find MISB figure.

Plus, since Hasbro and Takara are unwilling to give us Mirage, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Metroplex, and the Dinobots I say let those who are willing to reissue them reissue them.

I'm not talking about those cheap combiner KO's of Devastator or Superion that obviously are low quality crap. These are figures that once removed from their package, much like official reissues, are nearly impossible to tell they are KO's.

Who cares???

I am glad these companies are reissue these figures. And that's really what they are, reissues, not KO's.

These are not reissues. They are often lesser quality and there are mold changes. Mirage is not identical to Hasbro's original Mirage.

News Credits: 6 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:03 pm

Why don't you just report them to HasTak themselves then?

Make a list, send it to HasTak's legal departments.
Maybe they'll reward you for your service. Who knows?

If the Metroplex is high quality, I may buy it.

Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:09 pm

GetterDragun wrote:
bookofjunon wrote:I already ordered mine.

These KO's are no different than Hasbro reissuing the originals. Metroplex is a hard to find MISB figure.

Plus, since Hasbro and Takara are unwilling to give us Mirage, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Metroplex, and the Dinobots I say let those who are willing to reissue them reissue them.

I'm not talking about those cheap combiner KO's of Devastator or Superion that obviously are low quality crap. These are figures that once removed from their package, much like official reissues, are nearly impossible to tell they are KO's.

Who cares???

I am glad these companies are reissue these figures. And that's really what they are, reissues, not KO's.

These are not reissues. They are often lesser quality and there are mold changes. Mirage is not identical to Hasbro's original Mirage.

like what

News Credits: 150 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:15 pm

bookofjunon wrote:As per Spencer at http://www.agesthreeandup.com, also frontpaged at TFW2005.com, news team here is a bit slow aren't they????

Do not insult our staff. We have no pictures of this figure, all we have is one store saying that a new company in China will make Metroplex. When we get more of a confirmation, we will post it.

News Credits: 129 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:21 pm

I'd Narc on these companies if it would matter.

If they placed a very distinct copy-right stamp that made it clear that these were KOs, I'd be alright with it.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:40 pm

GetterDragun wrote:
bookofjunon wrote:I already ordered mine.

These KO's are no different than Hasbro reissuing the originals. Metroplex is a hard to find MISB figure.

Plus, since Hasbro and Takara are unwilling to give us Mirage, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Metroplex, and the Dinobots I say let those who are willing to reissue them reissue them.

I'm not talking about those cheap combiner KO's of Devastator or Superion that obviously are low quality crap. These are figures that once removed from their package, much like official reissues, are nearly impossible to tell they are KO's.

Who cares???

I am glad these companies are reissue these figures. And that's really what they are, reissues, not KO's.

These are not reissues. They are often lesser quality and there are mold changes. Mirage is not identical to Hasbro's original Mirage.

These horribly overpriced KO's, is the plastic thin and bittle like other KO's?

It's bad enough that people try to pass of these as "offical reissues", but it's even worse that others pay what these, essentially scam artists, are asking.

I don't blame A3U. They aren't the ones making these, and he makes sure everyone knows they are knockoffs.

News Credits: 4 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:48 pm

I'll never understand why someone would be $100 plus for a knock off, even if you get a "box and form insert" and it's "minty fresh".

You can go on ebay and get an official metroplex with rubber wheels and shiny unscratched chrome with all his pieces for $100 which is what I did.

Well, I guess I CAN understand. Maybe someone just likes to display the boxes, or they demand a super white clean and new toy for display. I guess I"m a different collector. I'd rather have a slightly (and only slightly) dirtied original metroplex then to have some brand new knock off version, same mold or not, whatever.

For some reason I went and spent $90 on an original sky lynx that was pretty darn white, good stickers, working electronics, and tight joints, when I could have waited awhile for that reissue to come out. Why don't I wait? I think because I wanted an original, just feels.. more special or something

. THough I probably could be a bit more "rough" with the reissues and knock offs, compared to the amount of time i spend transforming sky lynx

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:57 pm

Now don't get me wrong, I also believe this could be a problem when it comes to identifying originals, but I am completely okay with "KO Reissues," so long as they tell you it is not an original. I see them as an easier way to get original molds, even if they are changed a bit.

News Credits: 129 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:02 pm

Repair Bay wrote:Now don't get me wrong, I also believe this could be a problem when it comes to identifying originals, but I am completely okay with "KO Reissues," so long as they tell you it is not an original. I see them as an easier way to get original molds, even if they are changed a bit.

It's not the production companies I'm worried about.

It's Joe Jerk on eBay who buys his KO Wheeljack for $60 and then turns it around as a mint original out of package for $120.

So long as the companies place an obvious trade mark with a 2007 or 2008 date on the toy, we're still ok.

Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:18 pm

I probably won't be buying any of the Dinobot or Metroplex KO's. I already have an original Metroplex and I'm happy with it.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:08 pm

Sid Burn wrote:At this point, Hasbro really needs to step in and take care of this legally.

They have no legal rights in China, they don't have Copywrite laws there.

Kimmer wrote:i for one can't stand all this ko garbage coming out. guys, these things really could be the start of something bad for the hobby and us "true" collectors. i really hope somone can put a stop to all this but i don't know how it can be done.

There is no such thing as a TRUE Collector. I am as true a collector as you, I just refuse to pay 200 plus for a MISB Metroplex dated from 1985.

GetterDragun wrote:These are not reissues. They are often lesser quality and there are mold changes. Mirage is not identical to Hasbro's original Mirage.

Not enough to worry about. These are essentially Reissues. After all one could say the exact same thing about Hasbro's Reissues, or the way they've altered G1 Jazz.

GetterDragun wrote:
bookofjunon wrote:As per Spencer at http://www.agesthreeandup.com, also frontpaged at TFW2005.com, news team here is a bit slow aren't they????

Do not insult our staff. We have no pictures of this figure, all we have is one store saying that a new company in China will make Metroplex. When we get more of a confirmation, we will post it.

I didn't insult the staff at all, I made an observation. I simply found it odd we didn't have this frontpaged when TFW2005 did. If you wanted a pic all you had to do was post one from Spencer's site. Or link to it.