The Energon Pub

Yay, a question! Not recording until next week but that should be a fun one.

I actually have a few I would like to ask and hear discussed if possible!

1) Now that the entire IDW Version 1. Run is done, what were your favorite individual issues, series/collection of issues (Like Remain in Light), and who were your top 3 favorite characters from the entire run?

2) Going back to G1, which toy would you most like to see visited again from each major US cartoon series (and Japanese if you would like to go there) and whether that would be a new toy of said character or a reissue? This would include G1, Beast Wars, Beast Machines, RiD 2001, the Unicron Trilogy, Animated, Prime, and RiD2015. You can add the Japanese exclusive ones to each saga if you so choose (like BWII and Victory for instance).

3) Would an Action Master-esque subline separate from the main Generations figures but still under generations, fully posable like the Flame toys statues but at worldwide retail, with partners or vehicles, interest you at all, or would you rather see the Action Masters Done as proper transforming figures?

4) Which Supreme Commander and Emperor of Destruction (of any faction or point in time) is your favorite outside of the standard OP, Rodimus, OG Megs, and OG Galvatron?

Thanks guys!

Recast the following Japanese continuity characters with modern updates (in the way IDW made Star Saber and Deathsaurus new personalities):

Black Zarak
Victory Leo
Great Shot
Violen Jiger
Galaxy Shuttle
Grandus
Sky Garry

Bonus challenge...do it in the order presented, with each cast member taking one character and having to build on the previous person's story.

Maybe this has been asked, maybe not, but what are your hopes and thoughts on the upcoming Netflix series?

I had a couple questions I wanted to ask.

1. In the previous IDW continuity, which character(s) do you wish had more character development/ appearances? For example, I wish they did more with Sixshot, and not have had him killed off panel.

2. I don’t remember if it was asked already, but what could be an interesting transformers crossover IDW or the movies and tv shows could do?

So, in the last 'cast, CP kinda alluded to how Masterpiece changed the fandom. How before MP, most collections looked the same, and collectors would be seeking/looking for the same things.

My question may actually be more of a request. Could you guys expand on that? I know I have my thoughts on it, but would love to hear you guys tackle that one a bit more.

Ironhidensh wrote:So, in the last 'cast, CP kinda alluded to how Masterpiece changed the fandom. How before MP, most collections looked the same, and collectors would be seeking/looking for the same things.

My question may actually be more of a request. Could you guys expand on that? I know I have my thoughts on it, but would love to hear you guys tackle that one a bit more.

I agree with this, but to expand on it a bit more, you said if I remember correctly that 2007 was the split off year where collections started going wildly different ways. Can you incorporate that on top of the MP angle?

In the old IDW continuity I really enjoyed the focus on giving the Combaticons a role and actual character. After seeing the news about the new continuity having a spotlight on the Constructicons to give them some backstory, what other transformers team (combiners, triple changers, bot special teams, or groups) would you like to get a spotlight and more character than they may have had before?

Not so much a question as a suggestion. Maybe separate Unicron from SDCC and let him have his own cast, so the other convention news doesn't get overshadowed?

Of course, as I write this, I'm realizing there isn't a whole lot of other news to talk about, so maybe that won't work.

This question is more for Scotty but of course anyone who has the toy is more than welcome to answer. How do you find the Cyberverse Ultimate Grimlock, both in comparison to other big toys from previous cartoon lines and other toys within the cyberverse line? Is it still subpar to what a collector would want from a TF toy? And as a Grimlock fan/collector, did you see it as a proud addition to your shelf or just another toy to complete a collection?

I’m squirreling away dollars for Omega Supreme but I’m wanting to get into the Transformers TCG. What would you suggest is the most cost effective way to get a good set to start with? Do you guys just get a few packs at a time or cases of packs?

Stargrave wrote:I’m squirreling away dollars for Omega Supreme but I’m wanting to get into the Transformers TCG. What would you suggest is the most cost effective way to get a good set to start with? Do you guys just get a few packs at a time or cases of packs?

Oouu, I have a question to go with this. Are the cards/packs that come free with the comics any good?

Good stuff here all around, one from late last month is being held back for reasons As far as a standalone Unicron show, hmm, I like it but might be outta content and at the point of letting Hasbro's PR do their thing.

On the cards - the free packs in the comics are just wave 1 boosters. Still a nice freebie since the retail price of one pack and one comic are equal otherwise!

OK, questions incoming.

1) This year, I've noticed a heck of a lot more toy swapping than previous years. Can you folks touch on toy swapping, your thoughts, examples you've seen, and the most egregious you've heard of happening.

2) This is the 2nd IDW continuity that had a beast combiner as the first combiner, and that combiner was regarded as a terror, insane, and a monster. Is this a plot point that should have been duplicated with 2 of the 4 beast combiners we have gotten, or are you folks OK with it? i like Abominus getting back into comics, but I'm still not sure how i feel about him basically being this continuity's Monstructor.

As someone who is really excited about a lot of the card Arts in the TCG I have to ask the hsrd hitting question

How does one work a Metal Detector... On a planet made out of flippin metal and held by a user MADE OUT OF METAL?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Wheeljack: Hey! I found some- oh, that was a my foot.
Wheeljack: "Oh Boy! Buried Treas- oh, nope. Foot again.

Been meaning to write this question for a while, but since we have had the time to process it, my question is:

Brainstorm vs. Shockwave: what was the better time travel story? The better "this caused this in history" moment.

also, how did you feel about Kup living out 14 billion years in the Dead universe and Information Creep? He lived longer than any other Transformer by a long time, was he just immune to information creep? Or was it DU related?

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Been meaning to write this question for a while, but since we have had the time to process it, my question is:

Brainstorm vs. Shockwave: what was the better time travel story? The better "this caused this in history" moment.

also, how did you feel about Kup living out 14 billion years in the Dead universe and Information Creep? He lived longer than any other Transformer by a long time, was he just immune to information creep? Or was it DU related?

I look forward to hearing more about this on the Podcast, but my take:

Brainstorm, by a Loooooooooooooooooonnnnnggggg Shot. It was more impactful emotionally, it added to a plot, and it felt new and fresh.

Shockwave felt like an uneeded retcon and did more to undermine the religious pantheon as established as well as his character arc frim the last big event, and for all its effort the payoff didnt really feel worth it to me in future stories. True, we didnt hear much about Brainstorm's time travel stuff (I would argue that the by-product Functionist Universe was a stand-alone sequel and notban extension), but it wasn't a huge, license-carrying event like Shockwave was supposed to be for IDW and its dividends paid out in scale.

EDIT: I am all for the Cybertronian pantheon beibg "just guys elevated by memory". That makes sense to me in a techno-society that Religion is grounded by Practicality in some way. The "Knights of Cybertron" being the first explorers and got it very... VERY wrong works well for me. But I was really excited when we got one of the Original Primes and was let down by "It's Shockwave IN DRAG."

Kup: correct me if I am wrong, but I understood Information Creep as a byproduct of new, possibly conflicting information input and changes in search queries. Its rose-colored glasses or hindsight. Kup spent 14 billion years in the Dead Universe (better question: why did it have to be that specific timeframe?) But did he experience anything new that would have influenced existing knowledge or was the Dead Universe filed away in the memory as its own distinct thing?

My question might, once again, be more of a suggestion. Have any of you ever thought about going back over the older podcasts and seeing what predictions you got right and wrong?


I'm doing that right now, and finding it kind of fascinating.

Got a possibly good question for you.

Have any of you ever left, or thought about, leaving the fandom? If yes, why? what contributed to it?

Why do you guys think we have not really heard any news about the new Transformers series on Netflix.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Been meaning to write this question for a while, but since we have had the time to process it, my question is:

Brainstorm vs. Shockwave: what was the better time travel story? The better "this caused this in history" moment.

New episode going up in an hour or two, so to give a short heads up that you probably saw coming: you will hate our answers to this Still fun to talk about!

ScottyP wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Been meaning to write this question for a while, but since we have had the time to process it, my question is:

Brainstorm vs. Shockwave: what was the better time travel story? The better "this caused this in history" moment.

New episode going up in an hour or two, so to give a short heads up that you probably saw coming: you will hate our answers to this Still fun to talk about!

Considering I loved Shockwave but think Brainstorm was better, i doubt I'll hate it! Just have some differing opinions as to why Shockwave was good!

Looking forward to listening to this tomorrow. I love Podcast Mondays!

Can't remember if I posted this here or not, so here it is:

I would like to request a retrospective for the Unicron Trilogy toys, maybe 3 episodes, 1 for each part? I would love to hear more about this era of toys

Since Hasbro has kind of started a trend where they'll put a smaller size class figure with extra weapons/accessories (ie Earthrise Cliffjumper, the Siege Leaders) at a higher price point to fill the cost with the accessories, is there any figures you'd be interested in them doing this way?

Who would you guys like to see as the next Commander class figure?