The Energon Pub

[Emerje]

I don't think Hasbro really cares if they're specifically decapitated or just have their faces removed in the movies. By making the faces removable it spares the ball joint from wearing out, or worse, breaking. Leaving the eyes behind just makes them easier to paint, and they don't really look like eyes on their own anyway and it makes the faces look properly lifeless.

Emerje

I agree, the only way we'll ever know for sure is if the question was put to the studio series designers.

@Deadput it's okay to say that there's other ways to do it, but it doesn't change the point that this method is an inefficient way to construct a head. There's no point I can see, no benefit, to having the head built this way compared to normal style

Lightpiping maybe? If it wasn't for just the pupils being translucent (in addition to other parts that may impact other modes), I'd say that's a possibility.

I would like to think that sometime during production these experienced designers would have noticed that the part with the eyes on it is right up against they're hunchbacked body and there's no possible way for it to draw light and never would have let it go that far into the process. Plus it's not like any other light piped figures have readily removable faces, they're always screwed or glued on. The two guys that have their heads removed in the movies have their faces removable on their figures, that can't be a coincidence.

Emerje

[Jeddostotle7]

If the faces being removable were intended in the sense of displaying the figure without the face, I would expect there to be at least some trivial amount of sculpted detail underneath, since Hasbro/Takara seem to put at least small details in every surface meant to be normally visible, but instead, it's just a smooth slab of plastic aside from the eyes poking up. However, that is exactly like Bumblebee movie Bumblebee, who had swappable faces.

[Randomhero]

-cough-

https://twitter.com/peaugh/status/1160624080359481345?s=21


Did you guys know that Hasbro and Takara knew starscreams fate in the movie years before it happened and hid it in the toy!? It’s true!!!

As peaughs tweet shows, you can disassemble him and recreate the scene where Galvatron blasts Starscream to pieces! Talk about foreshadowing!!!

Also did you guys know that Siege shockwaves arm is on a mushroom peg making it easy to pull off recreating the scene in IDW when his gun arm was removed! What an amazing undocumented feature!!!

[ZeroWolf]

Aren't all the limbs designed to be easy to pull off and reattach, so they don't break when excess force is used? I think it's a safety feature for when kids play too rough with their toys this head thing though, is very inefficient to me when the entire head construct would just be two halves screwed together on a peg.

As I said earlier though, only way to one hundred percent put this to bed would be to ask about it

[Deadput]

Unless a designer comes out and says it then I refuse to believe that this was intentional and is not news worthy and that the shark was jumped on the assumption that it was intentional.

If it was just on Bonecrusher then maybe but it's on Long Haul as well who was never seen getting decapitated, unless their planning on retooling him into Onslaught then I only think this is a coincidence, and who knows what other figures have this feature?

Their heads are on balljoints in the first place and you need to put in effort to take the faces off anyways, it doesn't make sense especially since in the movies Bonecusher's whole head was lost not just his face, and even in the case of Igor/Onslaught it was whole heads and not faces.

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

A lot of Transformers have removable faces/heads that disassemble that allow the eyes to be painted independently from the rest of the face. Beast Hunters Bumblebee and SS Starscream are a couple examples that I've worked with, I'm sure Bonecrusher is in the same boat. They are usually secured by screws, But I'm guessing the unique way Bonecrusher's head attaches to his torso prevented a screw from being used.


Anyway, here's the Autobot group shot I mentioned a little ways back!

[ZeroWolf]

End of the day, what's the harm in believing its intentional? Let those who wish to believe, believe. If it allows them to get even more enjoyment out of the figure then so be it.

Thats a nice group shot EvasionModeBumblebee!

[Deadput]

A lot of Transformers have removable faces/heads that disassemble that allow the eyes to be painted independently from the rest of the face. Beast Hunters Bumblebee and SS Starscream are a couple examples that I've worked with, I'm sure Bonecrusher is in the same boat. They are usually secured by screws, But I'm guessing the unique way Bonecrusher's head attaches to his torso prevented a screw from being used.


Anyway, here's the Autobot group shot I mentioned a little ways back!

Autobots.jpg

That's a great group shot including some of the best movie Autobots, add Dino in there and it's the perfect Autobot roster to me.

What are you using for Evac's shoulder minigun? It looks good.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

The amount of Snark in here gave me a headache.

I'm looking forward to Long Haul. I think he might be my most anticipated SS figure for the wave, followed by Dropkick and Hightower. Not sure if I'll get Drift yet.

And this also means that there are only 3 or 4 bots left who can dethrone Rampage as my SS figure of the year

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Thats a nice group shot EvasionModeBumblebee!

That's a great group shot including some of the best movie Autobots, add Dino in there and it's the perfect Autobot roster to me.

What are you using for Evac's shoulder minigun? It looks good.

Thanks, guys!

I agree, Dino would be an awesome addition! I’m hoping we’ll see him and a bunch of other DOTM characters in 2021 for the 10th anniversary of the movie.

Evac’s minigun is actually made of the ball joint/clip piece from HFTD Breacher’s gun and an arm from this guy, one of the PCC minicons.

EE3FF9F6-E462-484D-A866-0F83EE22E155.jpeg (30.8 KiB) Viewed 72781 times

Here’s a better view of it:

Speaking of Evac, I wonder if we could see an update of him to go with the new exclusive Megatron? Probably not a new mold, but possibly with a new paint scheme since the CG model is blue/black while the toy has a blue/green deco.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I doubt we'll see a newly painted Evac, but dang if he isn't a fun little mold himself. I love the ride and Evac! Great stuff

[Deadput]

Thanks, guys!

I agree, Dino would be an awesome addition! I’m hoping we’ll see him and a bunch of other DOTM characters in 2021 for the 10th anniversary of the movie.

Evac’s minigun is actually made of the ball joint/clip piece from HFTD Breacher’s gun and an arm from this guy, one of the PCC minicons.

EE3FF9F6-E462-484D-A866-0F83EE22E155.jpeg

Here’s a better view of it:

82CC7259-F9D1-44DB-BC50-B4F81B8FE347.jpeg

Speaking of Evac, I wonder if we could see an update of him to go with the new exclusive Megatron? Probably not a new mold, but possibly with a new paint scheme since the CG model is blue/black while the toy has a blue/green deco.

Huh I have both of those pieces actually, didn't recognize them because they were painted.

Thanks for the images again Evac looks good.

I think 2021 would be a good year to get the rest of the DOTM characters, hopefully including a proper Crankcase.

[ZeroWolf]

I'd like to see them tackle the other Dinobots, didn't really care much for the DotM movie, so don't have much of a connection to its cast. Other then what toys I've handled from the toyline of course, like Lazerbeak

[SpikeyTigertron]

Unfortunately I won't be getting DOTM Prime in time, so I'll be working on painting/modding it around Christmas later this year.

However, I did have something else arrrive!

"Ironhide, catch!"

Intro1.jpg

"Wha-"

intro2.jpg

*THUD*

intro3.jpg

I'm working on adding some paint, but I'm having a blast with the new parts!

Mexican Standoff.jpg

IronhidevCrowbar.jpg

I mainly got the kit for the rifles, but the other parts are also very welcome. The only issue I'm having with it is that the back of the truck doesn't want to tab together anymore, so I'll have to look more into that.

doesn't that require a pin-tap to get that bumper off? how exactly does one go about that (if you don't have a tool)?

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

doesn't that require a pin-tap to get that bumper off? how exactly does one go about that (if you don't have a tool)?

Yes, but the kit comes with one. The only difficult part was making sure that the new bumper lined up with the pin (I actually took the screws out of the torso to make sure I had the parts lined up), but it really only took a few minutes.
Before the kit, I used a really thin screwdriver as a substitute, and it worked pretty well.

[Prime Target]

Pretty sure you broke him

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I'd like to see them tackle the other Dinobots, didn't really care much for the DotM movie, so don't have much of a connection to its cast. Other then what toys I've handled from the toyline of course, like Lazerbeak

I'm really surprised we have not gotten another attempt at Strafe or Slug. those are really the only 2 we need

[FrankTheJohnson]

Well since it's the same figure as the SS ROTF Megatron, I'll check out that one to determineif it is.

[Sentinel_Primal]

I'd like to see them tackle the other Dinobots, didn't really care much for the DotM movie, so don't have much of a connection to its cast. Other then what toys I've handled from the toyline of course, like Lazerbeak

I'm really surprised we have not gotten another attempt at Strafe or Slug. those are really the only 2 we need

I'd love a new Scorn/rerelease of the TLK Scorn. Preferably a new leader class one so beast mode can be bigger than Grimlock's, but a smaller robot mode

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I'd like to see them tackle the other Dinobots, didn't really care much for the DotM movie, so don't have much of a connection to its cast. Other then what toys I've handled from the toyline of course, like Lazerbeak

I'm really surprised we have not gotten another attempt at Strafe or Slug. those are really the only 2 we need

I'd love a new Scorn/rerelease of the TLK Scorn. Preferably a new leader class one so beast mode can be bigger than Grimlock's, but a smaller robot mode

Scorn was basically perfect. That was an incredible toy

[o.supreme]

So, it appears walmarts in my area are resetting their toy department, or at least part of it. The fun thing with this however, is there is always some item, that gets put out, that was *found* (was probably lost in the stockroom for several months), but because WM inventory system, is...insufficient, as are most of their employees, I find things like...

SS Leaders for 2019 at a Walmart (first time ever), as well as a freshly open case of wave 5 deluxe (which I had only seen once before). I thought about purchasing the wave 5 bots because I know they came-and-went pretty quickly, but decided against it, I'm sure they are already gone.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Edinburgh Fringe birthday trip was fun.

But no Transformers at all in the Forbidden Planet International store up there (which apparently is a whole different business than Forbidden Planet itself... weird) other than one of them simply Barricade figures from the Beewun film. No Siege, no Studio, no lingering shelfwarming PotP or Titans. And I asked in another nearby comic store about Transformers figures and they directed me to... a mug with the decepticon symbol on it.. um yeah I have birthday money and i wanted to buy cool TF toys damn you...

My frustration channeled into Optimus and he went on a bit of a murder spree...

[TF-fan kev777]

SS Leaders for 2019 at a Walmart (first time ever), as well as a freshly open case of wave 5 deluxe (which I had only seen once before). I thought about purchasing the wave 5 bots because I know they came-and-went pretty quickly, but decided against it, I'm sure they are already gone.

Good choice on passing especially if you were thinking of reselling to make a few bucks. I've seen wave 5 all over the place looking for Hightower. Walmart must have had a large stock buried in a warehouse that they just set loose.

[SGMLordMirage]

Found these at a Walmart in Chesapeake, VA! Here is a couple of pics with him and Shatter. Both car modes look great together. My opinion, in robot mode this is the better of the two versions.
Last note, transformation is a crap ton better than Shatter.

SGM

[Jelze Bunnycat]

SS Leaders for 2019 at a Walmart (first time ever), as well as a freshly open case of wave 5 deluxe (which I had only seen once before). I thought about purchasing the wave 5 bots because I know they came-and-went pretty quickly, but decided against it, I'm sure they are already gone.

Good choice on passing especially if you were thinking of reselling to make a few bucks. I've seen wave 5 all over the place looking for Hightower. Walmart must have had a large stock buried in a warehouse that they just set loose.

Right after the reset no less. Though, while I have the Japanese version of the first Movie Bumblebee (clear windows!) and thus have a representation of the classic Camaro, Clunker keeps calling to me.