The Energon Pub

by **gothsaurus** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:23 am

Yeah, that's another burning questions in my mind. What, pray tell, could Hasbro have been intending with that head sculpt? They obviously had some character in mind, and it likely wasn't Ultra Magnus. Any other truck characters from history come to mind with a similar head? Japanese, micromaster, actionmaster....

I like the idea of it being a Guiltar, but head sculpt doesn't fit.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:32 am

gothsaurus wrote:Yeah, that's another burning questions in my mind. What, pray tell, could Hasbro have been intending with that head sculpt? They obviously had some character in mind, and it likely wasn't Ultra Magnus. Any other truck characters from history come to mind with a similar head? Japanese, micromaster, actionmaster...

Not every secondary head was designed with the intention of being someone specific. Vortex wasn't. Space Case wasn't. Lugnut's other head wasn't. This head probably wasn't either.

by **gothsaurus** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:41 am

Wow. Interesting point, Sabrblade. Hadn't heard any of this behind-the-scenes info. Given most of those are movie characters, which has been mostly original characters. I would expect HasTak — when dealing with the Classics line — to have some real forethought. (As they have with Sunstreaker/Sideswipe, etc.) Throwing in a random character when we're expecting a Hoist out of Trailbreaker would upset the balance.

What did Lugnut's unused head look like?? Hadn't heard of that one. Any others you can share or describe?

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:42 am

Sabrblade wrote:
gothsaurus wrote:Yeah, that's another burning questions in my mind. What, pray tell, could Hasbro have been intending with that head sculpt? They obviously had some character in mind, and it likely wasn't Ultra Magnus. Any other truck characters from history come to mind with a similar head? Japanese, micromaster, actionmaster...
Not every secondary head was designed with the intention of being someone specific. Vortex wasn't. Space Case wasn't. Lugnut's other head wasn't. This head probably wasn't either.

But aside from Junkheap, every Classics-style alternate head has been based on another character so far:

Tracks - Wheeljack
Jazz - Kick-Off
Cybertronian Bumblebee - Cliffjumper
Straxus - Skullgrin
Thunderwing - Black shadow
Drift - Blurr (IDW)
Warpath - Hardhead (possibly)

We still have yet to see Lugnut, Kup, Scourge, and possibly Perceptor however, so anything's possible.

News Credits: 1235 · by **LOST Cybertronian** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:47 am

gothsaurus wrote:What did Lugnut's unused head look like?? Hadn't heard of that one. Any others you can share or describe?

It can be seen here.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:49 am

LOST Cybertronian wrote:
gothsaurus wrote:What did Lugnut's unused head look like?? Hadn't heard of that one. Any others you can share or describe?

It can be seen here.

Could that be Wirl?

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:55 am

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:We still have yet to see Lugnut, Kup, Scourge, and possibly Perceptor however, so anything's possible.

They actually showed the alternate head for Perceptor at BotCon 2010 and mentioned him as a possible Reflector. I forget if any of the others were mentioned.

by **gothsaurus** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:56 am

Thanks for that! Hadn't gotten to see that one of Lugnut.... cripes. What's going on there??? Ha ha.

If Perceptor is being redone as Reflector... they better have an AMAZING Classics Soundwave on the way.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:59 am

Delicon wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:We still have yet to see Lugnut, Kup, Scourge, and possibly Perceptor however, so anything's possible.

They actually showed the alternate head for Perceptor at BotCon 2010 and mentioned him as a possible Reflector. I forget if any of the others were mentioned.

They did? I thought they only mentioned that it would be G1 Perceptor toy accurate?
But anyway, I'll get it, that mold just kicks ass.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:02 pm

Dead Metal wrote:
Delicon wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:We still have yet to see Lugnut, Kup, Scourge, and possibly Perceptor however, so anything's possible.

They actually showed the alternate head for Perceptor at BotCon 2010 and mentioned him as a possible Reflector. I forget if any of the others were mentioned.

They did? I thought they only mentioned that it would be G1 Perceptor toy accurate?
But anyway, I'll get it, that mold just kicks ass.

They just mentioned the head being toy-accurate, including face-plate. Reflector's a possible contender, because the Viewfinder component has roughly the same design.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:04 pm

gothsaurus wrote:What did Lugnut's unused head look like?? Hadn't heard of that one. Any others you can share or describe?

This

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:But aside from Junkheap, every Classics-style alternate head has been based on another character so far:

Tracks - Wheeljack
Jazz - Kick-Off
Cybertronian Bumblebee - Cliffjumper
Straxus - Skullgrin
Thunderwing - Black shadow
Drift - Blurr (IDW)
Warpath - Hardhead (possibly)

We still have yet to see Lugnut, Kup and Scourge however, so anything's possible.

Kup's is also pretty generic looking.

And RtS Mindset's new head looks like no one.

And even if RtS Optimus Prime is made in the Classicverse style, all RtS toys are part of the same toyline as the so-called "HFTD" toys, all of which are collectively identified as "Autobot Alliance" toys, as referred to both by Hasbro and store computer listings.

by **gothsaurus** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:06 pm

For Kup, I'd love to see an Orion Pax. Any guesses for Scourge? Good matches?

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:10 pm

gothsaurus wrote:For Kup, I'd love to see an Orion Pax. Any guesses for Scourge? Good matches?

O brother, I reopened the can of worms and they're still alive and kicking #-o

I will agree on the toys being in the same line, but the fact they're not the same overall style (Movie vs. Classics) makes the difference.

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:10 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:They just mentioned the head being toy-accurate, including face-plate. Reflector's a possible contender, because the Viewfinder component has roughly the same design.

I generally have an excellent long-term memory and I'm 99% sure that's what they said. Can anyone else who was actually physically in the panel verify that? It wasn't a guarantee of a Reflector but just that it was considered as a possibility for such. This was a year and a half ago so maybe my memory faltered slightly.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:15 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
gothsaurus wrote:For Kup, I'd love to see an Orion Pax. Any guesses for Scourge? Good matches?

O brother, I reopened the can of worms and they're still alive and kicking

I will agree on the toys being in the same line, but the fact they're not the same overall style (Movie vs. Classics) makes the difference.

Even still, his secondary head was among those not designed to resemble anyone specific.

Delicon wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:They just mentioned the head being toy-accurate, including face-plate. Reflector's a possible contender, because the Viewfinder component has roughly the same design.

I generally have an excellent long-term memory and I'm 99% sure that's what they said. Can anyone else who was actually physically in the panel verify that? It wasn't a guarantee of a Reflector but just that it was considered as a possibility for such. This was a year and a half ago so maybe my memory faltered slightly.

I was there. They did say Reflector with a toy-accurate Perceptor head, but they showed no pics of said Reflector toy.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:18 pm

Good question for the Hasbro Q&A panel?

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:20 pm

Sabrblade wrote:This

Given the direction that Hasbro has been going, I would not be surprised if this head was used as a homage to one of the Pretenders.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:27 pm

Mkall wrote:Given the direction that Hasbro has been going, I would not be surprised if this head was used as a homage to one of the Pretenders.

Who did you have in mind?

News Credits: 1082 · by **Tigertrack** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:38 pm

Definite two thumbs down.

Want only Overlord, Treadshot, Road Rage, and Metalhawk. And if the extras pan out probably Kickoff.

But really only RR and Metalhawk are must haves.

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:48 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
Mkall wrote:Given the direction that Hasbro has been going, I would not be surprised if this head was used as a homage to one of the Pretenders.
Who did you have in mind?

Not sure, but the helmet shape seems to line up with the Autobot Pretenders' shape.

Also new from the WTF department:

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:55 pm

Mkall wrote:Also new from the WTF department:

Bah, I can't place this head and it's driving me bonkers! :BANG_HEAD:

News Credits: 22 · by **Rodimus Prime** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:58 pm

Sabrblade wrote:And even if RtS Optimus Prime is made in the Classicverse style, all RtS toys are part of the same toyline as the so-called "HFTD" toys, all of which are collectively identified as "Autobot Alliance" toys, as referred to both by Hasbro and store computer listings.

They're in AA. :lol:

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:59 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Mkall wrote:Also new from the WTF department:

Bah, I can't place this head and it's driving me bonkers!

I'd have to go back and look but maybe one of the faces Rodimus Prime sees when he enters the Matrix in FFOD?

News Credits: 11 · by **kirbenvost** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:59 pm

I'm glad I'm not attending Botcon this year, because I would be disappointed. As it is, I'm glad I don't have to spend any money on these! I feel the Shattered Glass idea is getting pretty played out. Or they're just not coming up with very good ideas.

News Credits: 1082 · by **Tigertrack** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:59 pm

Mkall wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Mkall wrote:Given the direction that Hasbro has been going, I would not be surprised if this head was used as a homage to one of the Pretenders.
Who did you have in mind?

Not sure, but the helmet shape seems to line up with the Autobot Pretenders' shape.

Also new from the WTF department:

That's our special present, I guess. From the artwork I was getting sort of a Bludgeon/Jhiaxus vibe from it. I guess.