The Energon Pub

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

It's not the style that I prefer, but I've put up with much worse.

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

Optimizzy wrote:I dont think I know how this works. Why are they limited on what molds they can use? Which molds can they use?

At this point, anything up to (and most likely including) the first series of Classics molds are too old and worn to produce reliable figures from.

Many of the molds used for movie figures, such as Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron etc are licensed by Paramount Pictures, meaning that while The Club could use the molds, they will p[ay a substantial fee to Paramount for the privilege. How far this extends into non-movie-character molds is debatable, for example the Osprey mold. While the Osprey vehicle was seen in the movie, it was not shown as a Transformer. So does that mean the license applies? We don't know.

Molds that Hasbro is currently using to produce new figures through repaints are also off-limits.

Hope that helps!

News Credits: 1 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:00 pm

Dreadwing´s mold would make an impressive Jhiaxus.

Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:06 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
Rated X wrote:If they were going to draw Obsidian with propeller hands, they should have just went with the Incinerator mold.
Not when Paramount holds (part of?) the license to that mold.

Rated X wrote:And sombody please photoshop a Megatron head on that Megaplex drawing and tweet the crap out of it. If the fans give them hell, maybe by June theyll have some Megatron heads made like they did green headbands last year.
I'd agree if this was meant to be the same guy as the 1997 Megaplex.

2013 Megaplex and 1997 Megaplex will both appear in the story as two separate individuals from each other. 1997 Megaplex is still Megatron's decoy clone, but 2013 Megaplex is... a new guy with his own purpose for existing.

I would think the Incinarator mold would be open, since he was not a robot character in the movie. Sure the vehicle was used in the backround for humans. It was a military vehicle, not an endorsement for GM. I also feel the Wreckage mold would have been better for Strika.

On Megaplex, the clone concept was what made him cool. Im not appreciating Funpub changing his purpose in the storyline just because they were too cheap to order a 5th custom head. The "4 head rule" must be Brian Savages budget. I dont think Hasbro gives a crap how many heads they use as long as Funpub forks over the cash to make it happen.

News Credits: 241 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:12 pm

Mkall wrote:
Optimizzy wrote:I dont think I know how this works. Why are they limited on what molds they can use? Which molds can they use?

At this point, anything up to (and most likely including) the first series of Classics molds are too old and worn to produce reliable figures from.

Many of the molds used for movie figures, such as Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron etc are licensed by Paramount Pictures, meaning that while The Club could use the molds, they will p[ay a substantial fee to Paramount for the privilege. How far this extends into non-movie-character molds is debatable, for example the Osprey mold. While the Osprey vehicle was seen in the movie, it was not shown as a Transformer. So does that mean the license applies? We don't know.

Molds that Hasbro is currently using to produce new figures through repaints are also off-limits.

Hope that helps!

The club is also trying not to reuse molds, meaning once a mold is chosen for a convention it can't be used for a later one. The exception seems to be the Classics Seeker mold, which was used for 2007 and 2011. And currently they also refrain from anything lower than Deluxe.

In a nutshell, molds from these lines are fair game:

- Classics (depending on condition)
- Universe 2.0
- Generations (first-year or "Series 0")

- Animated

- Revenge of the Fallen (non-licensed and non-movie only)
- 2010 line (including Hunt for the Decepticons and Reveal the Shield. Again, non-licensed and non-movie only)

- Prime (First Edition and Robots in Disguise)

Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:21 pm

Is it too late for them to rename it "Beast Machine Wars: Termination" given that two Beast Machines characters are in this set?

Yeah, I know, they won't.

Next year they should give us "Animorphs: Shelf Warmers Revisited"

News Credits: 462 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:22 pm

Rated X wrote:I would think the Incinarator mold would be open, since he was not a robot character in the movie. Sure the vehicle was used in the backround for humans. It was a military vehicle, not an endorsement for GM. I also feel the Wreckage mold would have been better for Strika.

Paramount's licence extends to ALL of the 2007-2008 Movie 1 molds, not just the the onscreen characters, since they helped to create the designs for that whole toyline's array of new molds.

Hasbro was smart enough to avoid this happening again with the ROTF and DOTM toys, by having several molds created without Paramount, leaving Paramount's license to only apply to the ones they specifically helped to make (like onscreen characters and ones like Breakaway) and letting most (but not all) non-screen ROTF and DOTM toy molds free for easy reuse.

The Paramount-owned molds would likely cost a much greater sum to use than the ones fully owned by Hasbro. It stinks, yes, but it's what everyone's stuck with.

Rated X wrote:On Megaplex, the clone concept was what made him cool. Im not appreciating Funpub changing his purpose in the storyline just because they were too cheap to order a 5th custom head.

They kept the original Megaplex's purpose. This new Megaplex will be another, different clone. There will be (at least) two guys named "Megaplex" featured in this story.

News Credits: 25 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:23 pm

Can't tell if funpub gave up trying to make a decent box set, or if they are content with pissing people off.

All kidding aside this is not the best artwork produced for a boxset, but it's still far from the worst :lol:

News Credits: 462 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:24 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:In a nutshell, molds from these lines are fair game:

- Classics (depending on condition)
- Universe 2.0
- Generations (first-year or "Series 0")

- Animated

- Revenge of the Fallen (non-licensed and non-movie only)
- 2010 line (including Hunt for the Decepticons and Reveal the Shield. Again, non-licensed and non-movie only)

- Prime (First Edition and Robots in Disguise)

And Dark of the Moon (non-licensed and non-movie only)

Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:27 pm

Janus Prime wrote:Dreadwing´s mold would make an impressive Jhiaxus.

Cheetimus Primal did a custom to that effect:

I'm more inclined to go with the current thinner, shorter version of Jhiaxus rather than his bulky G2 body, so if he's getting a new mold, I'd rather a lanky robot mode, such as ROTF Mindwipe.

I gotta say, I like the art of Megaplex. It makes him look far more Megatron-ish than the figure does. Definitely gonna have to read the comic.

News Credits: 241 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:29 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:In a nutshell, molds from these lines are fair game:

- Classics (depending on condition)
- Universe 2.0
- Generations (first-year or "Series 0")

- Animated

- Revenge of the Fallen (non-licensed and non-movie only)
- 2010 line (including Hunt for the Decepticons and Reveal the Shield. Again, non-licensed and non-movie only)

- Prime (First Edition and Robots in Disguise)
And Dark of the Moon (non-licensed and non-movie only)

Which only Skyhammer and (Seeker) Air Raid fall under, anything else is either licensed or has appeared in the movie :lol:

Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:29 pm

Henry921 wrote:
Janus Prime wrote:Dreadwing´s mold would make an impressive Jhiaxus.

Cheetimus Primal did a custom to that effect:

I'm more inclined to go with the current thinner, shorter version of Jhiaxus rather than his bulky G2 body, so if he's getting a new mold, I'd rather a lanky robot mode, such as ROTF Mindwipe.

I gotta say, I like the art of Megaplex. It makes him look far more Megatron-ish than the figure does. Definitely gonna have to read the comic.

I've always thought that Thunderwing's G1 Pretender shell would have made a good Jhiaxus...

News Credits: 1 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:13 pm

buddhaquest wrote:
Henry921 wrote:
Janus Prime wrote:Dreadwing´s mold would make an impressive Jhiaxus.

Cheetimus Primal did a custom to that effect:

I'm more inclined to go with the current thinner, shorter version of Jhiaxus rather than his bulky G2 body, so if he's getting a new mold, I'd rather a lanky robot mode, such as ROTF Mindwipe.

I gotta say, I like the art of Megaplex. It makes him look far more Megatron-ish than the figure does. Definitely gonna have to read the comic.

I've always thought that Thunderwing's G1 Pretender shell would have made a good Jhiaxus...

And I've thought that Armada Jetfire would make a good Jhiaxus, possibly with a modified Armada Overload head on top, for almost a decade now. And weren't there once plans to redeco Go-Bots Aerobot into Jhiaxus? So many interesting options, and yet his only official toy is still Beast Machines Sunstorm that KB exclusive orange Jetstorm.

News Credits: 3 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:01 pm

buddhaquest wrote:Next year they should give us "Animorphs: Shelf Warmers Revisited"

THIS^

I would totally buy the crap out of this!

Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:17 pm

Manterax Prime wrote:
buddhaquest wrote:Next year they should give us "Animorphs: Shelf Warmers Revisited"

THIS^

I would totally buy the crap out of this!

Seconded. That'd be a fun line to collect. Too bad so many of them have crumbled to dust by now.

News Credits: 3 · Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:42 pm

Mkall wrote:
Optimizzy wrote:I dont think I know how this works. Why are they limited on what molds they can use? Which molds can they use?

At this point, anything up to (and most likely including) the first series of Classics molds are too old and worn to produce reliable figures from.

Many of the molds used for movie figures, such as Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron etc are licensed by Paramount Pictures, meaning that while The Club could use the molds, they will p[ay a substantial fee to Paramount for the privilege. How far this extends into non-movie-character molds is debatable, for example the Osprey mold. While the Osprey vehicle was seen in the movie, it was not shown as a Transformer. So does that mean the license applies? We don't know.

Molds that Hasbro is currently using to produce new figures through repaints are also off-limits.

Hope that helps!

Yes it does! Very much actually. Mold degradation and licensing problems. Huh. I'm passing on this set (no characters I like) but I'm eager to find out what they will do next year for the 30th!

News Credits: 462 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:34 pm

Oh hai, Thundercracker.

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/bc13exclusives.cfm

If the image doesn't show up, try this:
http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/images13/2013BChatMOCKweb.jpg

News Credits: 241 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:04 pm

Sabrblade wrote:Oh hai, Thundercracker.

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/bc13exclusives.cfm

That was pretty much a given, really. Still, FunPub isn't doing a good job keeping other characters hidden via other merchandise

News Credits: 5749 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:13 pm

The official website for this year's BotCon has been updated with some of the exclusive apparel available for this year's convention. Among the items is a ball cap that features an alternate deco version of Machine Wars Skywarp from the Machine Wars: Termination box set. Is this possibly our first look at Machine Wars Thundercracker? Check out the image mirrored below.

News Credits: 6188 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:20 pm

Their official Twitter account just made a bad wordplay, which seems to confirm the rumour.

Transformers: BotCon wrote:Who needs one AWESOME BotCon 2013 hat? It's Thunderiffic!

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

I'm guessing he'll be this year's "free" attendee figure.

News Credits: 25 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:44 pm

How subtle Funpub.

News Credits: 462 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:49 pm

And now, Jet Mode Megaplex - http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/bc13megaplex.cfm

News Credits: 241 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:57 pm

Emblem on the starboard wing is off:

Minor nitpick though.

News Credits: 5749 · Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:28 pm

And in our second piece of BotCon 2013 news for the day we have the official reveal of Machine Wars Megaplex in alt mode. The figure is redeco of the Transformers Prime Robots in Disguise Dreadwing/Skyquake mold. Image mirrored below.