The Energon Pub

Just a couple observations after reading this topic so far.

1) I have G1 Superion. It was my first complete combiner team, and all bought individually. All in all something I am very happy to have collected. But it bugs me to this day that all four limbs look like they designed one and phoned in the rest. That bugs me more than any G1 repaint.

2) If G1 was last for repaints, take a look across the hall at G.I.Joe, not only chockful of repaints, one of their biggest offences was the release of Tiger Force and Python Patrol. Clearly the fans hated these..... seeing the collectors club still produces new members.

3) Hot Wheels, if you want to complain about repaints, ask them why they have the DeLorean DMC-12 repainted when it was only released in steel? Why have they released the Lamborghini Sesto Element in anything but silver to mimic it's carbon fiber body?

Like it or not, whether you look at facts or a rose-coloured haze of memories, Hasbro just as any others will always operate not by what fans want, but by,as to borrow from HHH, "what's best for business." That's what they did in the early 80s buying existing molds, in the 90's shifting to Beast Wars, in the 00's when Takara copied Gundam in Japan by giving each new series a complete reboot, and now in CW trying to cash in on something Fans have repeatedly asked for.

You don't have to like it, just let them know with your wallet. That is the only barometer of success that matters.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Dude, you said that youself:

Rated X wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Rated X wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Rated X wrote:I dindnt know that. But you still sidestepped my question. Why is it that transformers the only brand of action figures that abuses the repaint ?

What? Hotwheels constantly does repaints, so do all the Marvel Iron Man/War Machine figures, as well as the Mattel Batman figures over the years. And so did some turtle toys for their torso and legs over the years. The ninja turtles themselves are just repaints of one another by principle. They all had red bandanas in the comics but when they had to make a television show, they needed them to look a little different so that kids would want to buy all four. Hence why they had different colored bandanas.

Hot wheels, really ? Toy cars are not action figures. If that was the case then Chevy, Ford, and Lincon all do repaints. I did mention that other non robot action figures often retool torsos. But no other action figure based franchise is guilty of making repaints for the sake of making repaints like transformers. I remember back in th. G1 days, during season 3-4 there were no repaints. Every character got its own mold. WTF happend? Some would argue hasbro got smart. I would argue that they got stupid.

Dude, you say I cant compare TFs to Hotwheels, but you cant compare TFs to other standard non transforming figures either. You know why? because they are totally different. For one, they dont transform. And why can't I compare TFs to car toy lines, its as different from a tf as a star wars action figure is, and plus toy cars was the initial origin on the diaclone line (they just happened to transform too). Its really all apples and oranges. Those other action figures find another way to recoup costs by having many of their figures just be retools of one another, and have a totaly different development cycle than TFs. If you preffer the way other toy lines recoup their design costs, then just collect those instead. Whining without understanding the differences amongst toylines and toys in general is just pointless.

Cars get repainted in real life. If youre going to use hot wheels as your star example, you might as well use cabbage patch kids and call different ethnic backgrounds and nationalities "repaints".

And to add to your Micromaster argument: only 3.5 out of 16 teams total got redecoed for play sets (not counting Japanese variations), which is almost 1 in 4, not as large as you claim.

I never claimed to have exact numbers. I just didnt see any repaints produced as new characters in the US market from 1986 on. Im sure theres a few, but not many. Even the original headmaster heads and targetmaster guns each got their own unique mold. Sandstorm and springer werent repaints in G1. Neither was Blurr. Nor Hot Rod or Rodimus. Not even ratbat was repainted as a new character. Each throttlebot got their own mold. Same with the firecons. Even runamuck and runabout got individual molds despite the fact they were brothers. What hasbro started doing in the 1990s is a bunch of cost cutting, lazy, nonsense. I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Rated X wrote:... have exact numbers. I just didnt see any repaints produced as new characters in the US market from 1986 on. Im sure theres a few, but not many. Even the original headmaster heads and targetmaster guns each got their own unique mold. Sandstorm and springer werent repaints in G1. Neither was Blurr. Nor Hot Rod or Rodimus. Not even ratbat was repainted as a new character. Each throttlebot got their own mold. Same with the firecons. Even runamuck and runabout got individual molds despite the fact they were brothers. What hasbro started doing in the 1990s is a bunch of cost cutting, lazy, nonsense. I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

Man you just don't quit!

Rated X wrote:Theoretically you might be right in terms of plasticButnt ethnic repaints were not made to be considered new "characters" based on their skin color like transformers repaints are. Thats some semi-racist thought there bro, but im sure you didnt mean it that way.

It's racist to think that we are all made of the same heavenly designed mold and are all equal no matter what our skin color is?

william-james88 wrote:

Rated X wrote:Theoretically you might be right in terms of plasticButnt ethnic repaints were not made to be considered new "characters" based on their skin color like transformers repaints are. Thats some semi-racist thought there bro, but im sure you didnt mean it that way.

It's racist to think that we are all made of the same heavenly designed mold and are all equal no matter what our skin color is?

Let's drop the discussion about race and skin color guys. This discussion will only lead to something unnecessary in this topic. Please keep it to toy discussions only. No need to bring race into this. Thanks.

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Bought on site I would also settle for a repaint of six builder

ZeroWolf wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Bought on site I would also settle for a repaint of six builder

I'd be thrilled with it, along with a G2 version and a Diaclone version, but the Car Robots version needs to have a new head.

Rated X wrote:

leokearon wrote:

Rated X wrote:

gothsaurus wrote:Also... some really great points by Seibertron above. Repaints are what fund this whole franchise... and pay for all the safety testing, research and development, expensive molds for the toys, copyright and trademark purchases...

This is at least a fresh way to throw us the ball regarding repaints. It's a fun notion.

Hasbro/Takara have also done a great job working in some heavy retools to make the "repaints" that show up something more exciting. Sandstorm/Springer are some of the best examples. Huge props for the design team for planning that so well. Hoping they keep some of that coming for these combiners. (And seeing a comparison between Motormaster and Prime, I have full faith that they will.)

While I can understand some of the repaints are done for so called "funding" people forget hasbro is a lot bigger thab transformers. If im correct, isnt TMNT owned by hasbro too? Over the years how many TMNT figures have been straight repaints? (maybe a few retools here and there but definitely not the abuse the TF brand has endured) You dont see a TMNT fan poll to create a fan made fifth turtle ? Choose the color of his headband, weapon, personality, etc. You dont see it because it would be really stupid and the fans would blast it to hell. So why is the same concept so embraced by TF fans ?

TMNT is owned by Playmates

I dindnt know that. But you still sidestepped my question. Why is it that transformers the only brand of action figures that abuses the repaint ?

Compared to the batman toylines where every wave has batman with a new accessory even though it is the same toy, hasbro does not abuse the repaint as much.

And to answer your question, the reason hasbro releases repaints/retools is due to the fact that making new molds cost money. As such, when they do make a new mold, they often plan its retool in advance. In short, they invest in the mold and the repaints allow for them to earn back their investment. More money= new toys.

skidflap wrote:
And to answer your question, the reason hasbro releases repaints/retools is due to the fact that making new molds cost money. As such, when they do make a new mold, they often plan its retool in advance. In short, they invest in the mold and the repaints allow for them to earn back their investment. More money= new toys.

I like your attitude bro!

Seibertron wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Bought on site I would also settle for a repaint of six builder

I'd be thrilled with it, along with a G2 version and a Diaclone version, but the Car Robots version needs to have a new head.

Is the G2 version the orange one? Or the yellow one

ZeroWolf wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Bought on site I would also settle for a repaint of six builder

I'd be thrilled with it, along with a G2 version and a Diaclone version, but the Car Robots version needs to have a new head.

Is the G2 version the orange one? Or the yellow one

Orange

ZeroWolf wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if they retool titan class Devy into some weird unicron trilogy inspired character. Who would buy that ?

No such Unicron Trilogy character exists for them to turn Titan Devastator into.

But if they were to make an Autobot version out of it made up of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower, Grimlock (possibly renamed), Quickmix, and Scoop, and call the combiner Landfill, I and several others on both this site and another site have made it clear that we all would buy the slag out of that!

Bought on site I would also settle for a repaint of six builder

I'd be thrilled with it, along with a G2 version and a Diaclone version, but the Car Robots version needs to have a new head.

Is the G2 version the orange one? Or the yellow one

Both. G2 had a yellow one at mass retail, and an orange one seemingly as a KB Toys exclusive.

Though, some European markets also had two other yellow G1 versions both in 1986 and in 1992.

william-james88 wrote:

skidflap wrote:
And to answer your question, the reason hasbro releases repaints/retools is due to the fact that making new molds cost money. As such, when they do make a new mold, they often plan its retool in advance. In short, they invest in the mold and the repaints allow for them to earn back their investment. More money= new toys.

I like your attitude bro!

I do what I can.

Guy's the only thing everyone can agree with is that we need a combiner wars version of this guy



BIG RESCUE FORCE!!!

Thanks guys I'm currently trying to get a complete set of 1992 European G1 constructicons so a yellow devy would be right up my street

skidflap wrote:

Rated X wrote:

leokearon wrote:

Rated X wrote:

gothsaurus wrote:Also... some really great points by Seibertron above. Repaints are what fund this whole franchise... and pay for all the safety testing, research and development, expensive molds for the toys, copyright and trademark purchases...

This is at least a fresh way to throw us the ball regarding repaints. It's a fun notion.

Hasbro/Takara have also done a great job working in some heavy retools to make the "repaints" that show up something more exciting. Sandstorm/Springer are some of the best examples. Huge props for the design team for planning that so well. Hoping they keep some of that coming for these combiners. (And seeing a comparison between Motormaster and Prime, I have full faith that they will.)

While I can understand some of the repaints are done for so called "funding" people forget hasbro is a lot bigger thab transformers. If im correct, isnt TMNT owned by hasbro too? Over the years how many TMNT figures have been straight repaints? (maybe a few retools here and there but definitely not the abuse the TF brand has endured) You dont see a TMNT fan poll to create a fan made fifth turtle ? Choose the color of his headband, weapon, personality, etc. You dont see it because it would be really stupid and the fans would blast it to hell. So why is the same concept so embraced by TF fans ?

TMNT is owned by Playmates

I dindnt know that. But you still sidestepped my question. Why is it that transformers the only brand of action figures that abuses the repaint ?

Compared to the batman toylines where every wave has batman with a new accessory even though it is the same toy, hasbro does not abuse the repaint as much.

And to answer your question, the reason hasbro releases repaints/retools is due to the fact that making new molds cost money. As such, when they do make a new mold, they often plan its retool in advance. In short, they invest in the mold and the repaints allow for them to earn back their investment. More money= new toys.

But why didnt hasbro do this redundant repainting in the 1980s ? Seems like it really started in excess in the 90s...

Rated X wrote:But why didnt hasbro do this redundant repainting in the 1980s ? Seems like it really started in excess in the 90s...

They had resources back in the 80s that they didn't have afterward. Like, all the Diaclone, Micro Change, Takatoku, and Toy Box molds were already preexisting, so they had those toylines as resources to pull molds from. They didn't have preexisting toylines to take more molds from in later years.

Though, the first redundant repainting was in 1984 with Red Bumblebee and Yellow Cliffjumper.

Looks like someone doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Maybe Alpha Bravo can help!

I'm kinda glad we're getting a car and plane in the new combiner. Means we can swap it into Superion & Menasor for grins.

gothsaurus wrote:I'm kinda glad we're getting a car and plane in the new combiner. Means we can swap it into Superion & Menasor for grins.

Hmmmm a flying Autobot for me to head canon as an Aerialbot that combines into someone else's combiner.



He shall go well alongside Alpha Bravo and a custom CW Barrel Roll.

Here are some examples of vintage 1980s Masters of the Universe (Mattel) mold reuses with arms, legs, armor, heads, torsos, etc.

Man, a lot of those He-Man toys could pass for Power Rangers/Tokusatsu monsters.