The Energon Pub

I hope that this wont be a rollercoaster ride for the Drift fans out there. I'm praying that what Chris Ryall reported back is accurate 'cause otherwise the only bright point in this thread is seeing Highbeam describ Movie Starscream as "Dorito Starscream" which, I must say, is the most original and freaking hilarious description of that figure that I have ever seen. Way to go Highbeam!

"Dorito Starscream"

I thought he was referring to the Sunstorm repaint. Or maybe it's that when you dip move Starscream into salsa he snaps in half? Heh heh heh...

Sledge wrote:Of course he's obscure! He's a character that's only appeared in a comic series. That puts him on a par with Flame. Even within TF fandom he's obscure.

He's obscure just because he's only appeared in a comic? Does that mean Sunstorm is obscure just because he's barely (if at all) appeared outside toy form? Still an unfair argument, IMO.

Bumblethumper wrote:Probably in a couple years time, he'll be obscure, but not right now. There's been much controversy and publicity around Drift. I haven't bothered with the comic, but still know of the character.

Kids and fans who've been out of the loop since G1 won't know who he is, but it's not like attractively designed Transformers ever needed much name recognition to sell.

A better response, and closer to what I feel I'm getting at, than what I could have come up with. Acid Storm is an example of at least the later part of this. I mean...I wasn't aware of him before he was confirmed for U2.0, and I think Acid Storm and his fellow Rainmakers at least briefly appeared in the G1 TV series. Wouldn't this make him a far more obscure character than Drift? I knew I was gonna grab Acid Storm when I first saw the figure was coming, though. This, I think, may be an example of well-designed characters not needing much name recognition to sell...

ShGarland_1383 wrote:He's obscure just because he's only appeared in a comic? Does that mean Sunstorm is obscure just because he's barely (if at all) appeared outside toy form? Still an unfair argument, IMO.


A better response, and closer to what I feel I'm getting at, than what I could have come up with. Acid Storm is an example of at least the later part of this. I mean...I wasn't aware of him before he was confirmed for U2.0, and I think Acid Storm and his fellow Rainmakers at least briefly appeared in the G1 TV series. Wouldn't this make him a far more obscure character than Drift? I knew I was gonna grab Acid Storm when I first saw the figure was coming, though. This, I think, may be an example of well-designed characters not needing much name recognition to sell...

Sunstorm is a comic character, a cartoon (sort of) character and toy character, but most importantly he's a REPAINT. Also true of Acid Storm. So making toys of these guys costs only a fraction of what it would cost to develop a whole new mould. It doesn't matter if they're more or less obscure, they're cheaper.

The main issue that a lot of fans have is that Drift is a cynical Mary-Sue of a character. He's being cynically marketed as Transformers' Wolverine (which is rubbish because Grimlock is Transformers' Wolverine, and sometimes Wolverine is Transformers' Wolverine.) A lot of fans of a series don't like having the new badass character shoved down their throats. It rankles. If they released the toy and called it Boss: Drift mode, everyone would be happy.

ShGarland_1383 wrote:He's obscure just because he's only appeared in a comic? Does that mean Sunstorm is obscure just because he's barely (if at all) appeared outside toy form? Still an unfair argument, IMO.

Yes, that's why he's obscure. One of the problems with TF fandom is it assumes that the proportion of itself that hangs around on message boards represents the whole thing. Look at it this way: go up to a regular member of the public and ask them to name some TFs. You'll get a few. Try the same thing with someone who's "into" TFs, but doesn't hang around the internet or red the comics. You'll get a lot more. But they won't have a feckin' clue who Drift is. Hell, I hang around message boards and all I know is he's called Drift, he turns into a car and he's an Autobot. That, my friend, is obscure. I'm not putting myself as a "true fan," but I am a pretty dedicated TF fan and I know bugger all about the character. Why? Because he's only appearing in a few issues of a comic I don't read. That is what we call "obscure." Or would you claim that Flame is not obscure?

Sledge wrote:One of the problems with TF fandom is it assumes that the proportion of itself that hangs around on message boards represents the whole thing.

Amen. Now try and convince the movie forum of that.

My money is still on Drift being a fan-created corpse (and/or a traitor) by the end of the series. He's only viewed as 'popular' due to the controversy surrounding his addition to the AHM line up at the cost of Springer and Blurr's screen time and so 'obscure' isn't the word to describe him, 'totally unknown outside of internet nerds like us' is more like it.

Why do you think I don't go in the Movie forum?

Apart from not being willing to spend the rest of my life arguing with people so disturbed they think a Michael Bay film is good.

On the major Hasbro toy lines only Hasbro US has any say over whats produced. Although each of the Hasbro divisions round they world have their own 'local' Brands (eg Hasbro Uk has Action Man. Hasbro Us does not)
Other than that kind of thing. most of the Hasbro divisions are mainly used for distribution

Sledge wrote:Why do you think I don't go in the Movie forum?

Apart from not being willing to spend the rest of my life arguing with people so disturbed they think a Michael Bay film is good.

I vaguely resemble that remark! I'm only disturbed enough to think that a few of them were good. I've been totally digging your remarks about the utter obscurity of the Drift character even though I am one of the guys seriously begging for the release of this figure.
The thing that really excites me the most about it is that he will be a first-of-his-kind figure. One that has appeared ONLY in a comic and gotten no other exposure. And in all reality he probably deserves the treatment more than half of the figures from the first Movie line. Several of those were produced just because they appeared in the Video Game, which I don't have and have never seen in person, so these characters mean less than squat to me in all reality. They were never in any other medium but nobody bitched about them because they were released with the movie line. At least Drift, obscure as he may be, will have someting more to his back-story other than "he was in a video game for 20 seconds til I blew him to bits".
This is why I have been so excited about him. In a sense, he will be the first non-convention exclusive, truly "U.S." figure to hit global production. Everything else has just been adopted, latched onto or whatever but isn't really our own. A chance to show the world that those "damn yanks" can do more than just swagger in and take stuff.

I think the main thing counting against Drift is the idea of putting him in the Universe line. With the Movie toys, it was always obvious we were going to get a LOT of non-movie characters to pad out the line. With Universe, a line that covers the full 25 year history of Transformers... I'd be kinda annoyed if some obscure comic character got a new mold ahead of Soundwave, or Tracks, or Trailbreaker, or... well, the list is almost endless. And that's just in G1.

Sledge wrote:

ShGarland_1383 wrote:He's obscure just because he's only appeared in a comic? Does that mean Sunstorm is obscure just because he's barely (if at all) appeared outside toy form? Still an unfair argument, IMO.

Yes, that's why he's obscure. One of the problems with TF fandom is it assumes that the proportion of itself that hangs around on message boards represents the whole thing. Look at it this way: go up to a regular member of the public and ask them to name some TFs. You'll get a few. Try the same thing with someone who's "into" TFs, but doesn't hang around the internet or red the comics. You'll get a lot more. But they won't have a feckin' clue who Drift is. Hell, I hang around message boards and all I know is he's called Drift, he turns into a car and he's an Autobot. That, my friend, is obscure. I'm not putting myself as a "true fan," but I am a pretty dedicated TF fan and I know bugger all about the character. Why? Because he's only appearing in a few issues of a comic I don't read. That is what we call "obscure." Or would you claim that Flame is not obscure?

The best case for Drift being obscure I've seen. And I wouldn't claim that Flame isn't obscure. I know less about this character than either of us know about Drift (which, I have to admit, is roughly the same).

I'd still make the case for Drift being made though. They shouldn't track down each and every character considered obscure and make them into toys. There are some, however, that I feel should get figures, and Drift is an example of this.

T-Macksimus wrote:The thing that really excites me the most about it is that he will be a first-of-his-kind figure. One that has appeared ONLY in a comic and gotten no other exposure.

While I would agree with your statement,this scenerio has already happened, in the form of Titanium "The Fallen":

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/toys/titanium/the-fallen/1126/

I haven't read War Within Vol. 2 yet so he doesn't mean anything to me, but the point is still vaild.

Also "The Fallen's" Titanium figure predates even the first Transformer live action movie(I think), so whether or not this entity appears in "Revenge of the Fallen" is a moot point.

Anyways, I hope Drift does get a figure. Transformers with swords has been a bit of a rarity since Beast Wars, and let's face it, just look cool. I've been enjoying AHM for the most part, and while Drift doesn't have any personality other than cooly chopping off an Insectiswarm's head(haven't gotten #7 yet), I think a new character that isn't meant to be superpowered or take center stage is a nice addition.

Well, I feel a bit foolish especially considering the fact that I just re-read the series with the Fallen 3 days ago when I was sorting out some boxes. I totally forgot that he had a Titanium figure made. I wouldn't exactly consider that a mass release item however since every collector in my neck of the woods had to hunt like mad to even find a rumor of his exisistence. I personally have not seen the toy in person outside of 1 convention and 1 local collectors shop, both several months after the figures release. It's also not like I would consider getting the Fallen for my kids as I would consider the 6" Titanium line to be for collectors, not for everyday play. Drift is supposed to be hitting the mass market line (from what I've heard) which is what makes him more unique. To me, the Fallen ranks up there with convention exclusives since he is such a pain to find.
Oh and for ShGarland_1383, Sunstorm has had a run in the comic series and definitely made quite an impression...and explosion! He's gotten more than just the toy treatment and it was too long in coming. I definitely would not have placed Sunstorm in the obscure category even before he had his comic appearance.

Yeah, the Titaniums were very much a collector-oriented line. Hence why there were so many comic-exclusive versions of characters (Seekers, Prime, Megatrons, etc). I'm not against new characters, it just seems shame to release a minor, obscure character into a line celebrating the history of Transformers.

History is made in the present....

(oh i like that, I should use it for a HMW motto)

I'll laugh it ends up that Drift is a Botcon exclusive robot hero packed with Sunstorm.

There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.

Sledge, You are wise beyond your post count.

Editor wrote:I'll laugh it ends up that Drift is a Botcon exclusive robot hero packed with Sunstorm.

You are a mean spirited, bad person! Worse part is, I can't decide whether to applaud you or whack you upside the head, so what does that say about me??

T-Macksimus wrote:

Editor wrote:I'll laugh it ends up that Drift is a Botcon exclusive robot hero packed with Sunstorm.

You are a mean spirited, bad person! Worse part is, I can't decide whether to applaud you or whack you upside the head, so what does that say about me??

That your opinion of me is no worse than that of my friends.

While I'm not crazy about the character, I would buy it. The design should make for a pretty decent toy.

Maybe they could do it as a retool of Hotshot or something. If there's already a design worked out, it'd make a nice farewell to Universe. Or they could always dump it in one of the later ROTF waves.

To be honest, the character is a bit questionable. I have absolutely no problem with new characters, but the last thing that's needed is a new Autobot sportscar mold. There's no shortage of them whatsoever.

I don't mind the exclusion of Jazz, Wheeljack, Tracks, Windcharger and others at this point. That just means that there'll still be plenty of major characters to do an awesome phase 3.0 of Classics/Universe when the time is right.

grimlockprime108 wrote:

Highbeam wrote:Whaaaat?!?! Noooooo!!!!!!!! I was hoping for a Drift figure!

They can make 101 repaints of Dorito!Starscream but they can't make even one Drift? *sad face*

uhmm...dorito starscream?

Every time I look at the movie Starscream toys on my desk, all I see is the triangle shaped body that just reminds me of a Dorito for some reason

ShGarland_1383 wrote:I'd still make the case for Drift being made though. They shouldn't track down each and every character considered obscure and make them into toys. There are some, however, that I feel should get figures, and Drift is an example of this.

Why? What's the reasoning behind this? He's barely been seen, and yet he's deserving of a figure? I don't get it.

O.K. It's time to come clean...the only choices we were given were either have a figure made of Drift OR, since Wheelie had his own Spotlight comic, we would get a Deluxe class version of G1 Wheelie with an irritating voice chip and a mail away voucher for a "Daniel" figure.

Of course you all realize I'm joking! I mean, seriously, who would waste paper on a voucher for a "Daniel" figure?

MagnusPrimal wrote:

ShGarland_1383 wrote:I'd still make the case for Drift being made though. They shouldn't track down each and every character considered obscure and make them into toys. There are some, however, that I feel should get figures, and Drift is an example of this.

Why? What's the reasoning behind this? He's barely been seen, and yet he's deserving of a figure? I don't get it.

I acknowledge there hasn't been much seen of Drift; I simply feel that what little I have seen is strong enough that it deserves to be made.

T-Macksimus wrote:Of course you all realize I'm joking! I mean, seriously, who would waste paper on a voucher for a "Daniel" figure?

People who will buy TFTM Voyager Bumblebee because it comes with a Shia LaBeouf figure?

Ooh, do you think he'll come with a replacable injured arm and a can of beer to drink whilst driving?