The Energon Pub

Though I don't yet own any of the BotCon 2006 figures, I'd vastly prefer the original MW Thundercracker/Skywarp mold over the ROTF Dirge mold for pre-Beast Wasp, since the former is a far better and more fun mold than the latter mold ever will be. The best thing about BotCon 2013 Skywarp and Thundercracker was the new headsculpt they shared, but nothing else below the head was any good at all. The ROTF Dirge mold is just plain awful.

Fender Bender wrote:If you have $500 to spend, are you gonna buy some awesome original mode 3rd party Masterpiece figures or some limited release repaints from the main retail lines?

I believe that this is an apples/oranges argument. The Club has never shown an inclination in the MP line of figures. The Club is working on filling gaps and providing those "far out" characters that may never see the light of day even in unofficial form.

Heck, that's a big reason I didn't even track Battletrap down from the box set, as that was the only figure that kind of interested me. For the price people were selling him for, I'd rather take my chances and wait for a 3rd party to do him right as an actual Duocon rather than a Springer repaint. For the same price, why not get the better, more accurate toy?

No argument here. It may take a couple years though. Some are patient, others are not.

Either way, I miss that Flywheels wasn't done too

...and that's where we are at with Fun Pub toys. They should be focusing on lowering prices and expanding lines with either repaints that actually homage repaints, or all new original characters.

Is that not what they're doing with TFSS and their GI Joe crossover figures? As for lowering prices... well unless they come forward with all their earning figures and sales projections, it's all guessing at the wind. I will say that their recent TFSS and Crossover figures cost roughly what I thought they would be and even exceeded expectations.

It may have worked in the collector market 8 years ago to release a figure that was missing a key element of the original (such as Dreadwind from BC07 not being able to combine with Darkwing, or Club Exclusive Astrotrain not being a triplechanger), but that doesn't fly today.

The Club today and the figure selection is also not what it was 8 years ago either. For the most part, they're hitting more nails on the head than misses these days. You may think Battletrap wasn't done right, but the final result was pretty good, and the double pretender was a pretty cool concept.

That's the big reason there are figures still left in the store. Not the late registration. Not the fandom's frustration with Fun Pub's mistakes. Not because the figures weren't marketed correctly to emphasize the Diaclone connection. Not because Botcon was in an old dilapidated hotel. It's simply because the dynamic of the market has changed and competition from 3rd Parties is making Fun Pub's business plan for the last 10 years obsolete and unable to compete.

Sorry, but I disagree. 3rd Parties and Fun Pub are different niches catering to the same group of fans and they can coexist peacefully. Would we have ever gotten a CarZap or a Nacelle from any 3rd Party? I highly doubt it. The Mayhem Attack Squad might have come at some point, but that's several years off. I've said it to Pete and Brian both at one Botcon or another that I love it when they tackle niche characters that will never be brought to light through the normal channels. It's what makes my collection 'fun' for lack of a better word.

I've been keeping track as a 'Classics' collector, and between Unofficial and Official channels, there's not a lot of holes left to fill in the 1984-85-Movie rosters anymore, assuming you've started at the beginning or have the resources top go back and grab whatever was missed. What's left? 86-and onward, which doesn't hold as widespread interest to even parts of the TF Collectors market. So what's left to do? Sure 3rd Parties could swoop in and make the most awesome figures of the Sparkabots ever, but they may not do well because collectors may not spend that much money on it. HOWEVER if The Club put out a three-set of repaints with a decent mini-comic, I'm betting there will be interest, because it's niche enough to be of interest to enough people that fall into The Club's demographic - those who like "niche" stuff.

So.. Looking at this thread title... The club figures are at their best when they do off the wall obscure characters.

What could be more obscure AND be relevant at the same time? Sure, by the time they (would theoretically) come out, CW would be long over, but still...

I was looking at my CW shelf and thinking how much I like the idea that classic combiner teams got new members. Then I thought, hey, it's not the first time... So I would LOVE for the club to do:

Heatrock from Rook
Skyfeather from Fireflight
Barrel Roll from Air Raid
Airazor (Universe) from Skydive

Mkall wrote:I believe that this is an apples/oranges argument. The Club has never shown an inclination in the MP line of figures. The Club is working on filling gaps and providing those "far out" characters that may never see the light of day even in unofficial form.

It may be apples to oranges, but the market is based on fruit in general. For every dollar not spent on apples, it's spent on oranges. That's the problem. 8 years ago, people could only buy apples. Now we can buy oranges too.

You can deny it if you want, but it has split the market. If you have the means and buy both or just skip 3rd party, then you probably don't believe this. But all the proof I need is that none of this year's exclusives sold out. 8 years ago, none of this year's exclusives would still be for sale online, especially with the reduced batch sizes this year.

Fender Bender wrote:

Mkall wrote:I believe that this is an apples/oranges argument. The Club has never shown an inclination in the MP line of figures. The Club is working on filling gaps and providing those "far out" characters that may never see the light of day even in unofficial form.

It may be apples to oranges, but the market is based on fruit in general. For every dollar not spent on apples, it's spent on oranges. That's the problem. 8 years ago, people could only buy apples. Now we can buy oranges too.

You can deny it if you want, but it has split the market. If you have the means and buy both or just skip 3rd party, then you probably don't believe this. But all the proof I need is that none of this year's exclusives sold out. 8 years ago, none of this year's exclusives would still be for sale online, especially with the reduced batch sizes this year.

You can't take the evidence of this one year and extrapolate that to the entire market. The common wisdom is that the theme was off, and people just aren't into Diaclone. Which is fine. If this were a trend over the past 8 years, then you'd have a point. Until then, your 'proof' is just speculation.

Also, if you're going to take the apples/oranges colloquialism and expand it to the notion of a market, you can't just ignore the fact that Hasbro's been stepping up their game over the last few years, and there is a decently sized population of collectors who are shunning 3rd Parties for official product, not just officially licensed TFCC product. It's not a matter of splitting the market; it's a fairly fragmented market.

I wonder if the club can get a hold of the recently unreleased legends class Brawn and Gnaw molds? They could get an Outback and Fastback with a new head and/or redeco. And Gnaw is an easy troopbuilder.

Blackscorpinok75 wrote:I wonder if the club can get a hold of the recently unreleased legends class Brawn and Gnaw molds? They could get an Outback and Fastback with a new head and/or redeco. And Gnaw is an easy troopbuilder.

There's no signs of said molds having even been made, particularly in Gnaw's case. Chances are Brawn was just gonna be a straight redeco of Gears.

Blackscorpinok75 wrote:I wonder if the club can get a hold of the recently unreleased legends class Brawn and Gnaw molds? They could get an Outback and Fastback with a new head and/or redeco. And Gnaw is an easy troopbuilder.

If Gnaw exists, yes, that would be great. Hopefully it got past the Resin model phase but I'd be surprised if it did. Probably would have seen a planned use of it by now if so.

I do already have the 06 Waspinator but I'd like to see him come from the Dirge mold too. I actually really like the mold a lot. Botcon MW Thundercracker is one of my favorite figures, hands down. It just hits a lot of points for me. I've wondered about Gnaw for a long time now.

Redwing !!!

Keep using the classics seeker mold until it cracks in half ! Hell do a seeker subscription service and give us better quality versions of all the CHMS decos....Ill buy them.


Also more Diaclone ! Black Ironhide and Blue Trailbreaker and Black Tracks !

Rated X wrote:Redwing !!!

Keep using the classics seeker mold until it cracks in half ! Hell do a seeker subscription service and give us better quality versions of all the CHMS decos....Ill buy them.


Also more Diaclone ! Black Ironhide and Blue Trailbreaker and Black Tracks !

The Club said G2 Screamer and Nacelle were the last uses of the Seeker mold, alas

Well, maybe we'll get Seeker army-builders from the FOC Starscream mold.

Okay, know who I'd like to see?

Nancy.



A new head and paint job and another female character!

I'd love to see a comic-accurate G2 Jhiaxus, but from the leader class Megatron of the 2007 movie line. Yes, I realize it will never happen. The most I can hope for is a repaint of the Generations toy. But that leader class mold, with the feet and wings, was made for Jhiaxus. The hands and head would have to be redone, but everything else can stay the same. Also, I would like to see some humans, namely G.B. Blackrock, Circuit-breaker, Brick Springstern and Bomber Bill.

Rodimus Prime wrote:Also, I would like to see some humans, namely G.B. Blackrock, Circuit-breaker, Brick Springstern and Bomber Bill.

They already made G.B. Blackrock.

And Circuit Breaker's owned by Marvel.

With the Platinum Edition Seekers just being released, how about G1 versions of Bitstream, Hotlink, Nacille, Red Wing and/or the Rainmakers?

Sabrblade wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Also, I would like to see some humans, namely G.B. Blackrock, Circuit-breaker, Brick Springstern and Bomber Bill.

They already made G.B. Blackrock.

And Circuit Breaker's owned by Marvel.

They did Kreo Blackrock. You know damn well that isn't what he meant. Circuit Breaker is still a possibility from the smaller Marvel figures, however unlikely.

Give me Dominus Trannis!

I definitely want the RID Bullet train molds from the club but that is boring. Give us something more like Webdiver Gradion with lime green windows. I wouldn't be able to throw my money fast enough.

Flux Convoy wrote:I definitely want the RID Bullet train molds from the club but that is boring. Give us something more like Webdiver Gradion with lime green windows. I wouldn't be able to throw my money fast enough.

Agreed, this is rather dull as done up in the image. Give it a metallic finish and some good paint-apps and it might be pretty good.

I would've loved that much-rumoured Raiden homage that never panned out from these guys though.

Wreckgar wrote:With the Platinum Edition Seekers just being released, how about G1 versions of Bitstream, Hotlink, Nacille, Red Wing and/or the Rainmakers?

I'm genuinely curious why G1 molds are never used for Club toys. We got one, with the Universe Seacons. Can't be mold availability vs idea availability, right? Nacelle seems like a good example here, where in the same year reissues of the original Seeker mold came out. Same curiosity applies for other characters based on "unreleased" toys, like this year's General Optimus Prime and Sergeant Hound, though it's very believable in those cases that the molds aren't available for use. Regardless, point is, I'd rather see unreleased stuff come to fruition in as close to its original form as possible through a club exclusive (like Oilmaster) rather than just seeing unreleased "characters" in a new form.

Hot Wheels Collector's Club did something like this in the past few years with some surfboard carrying car. Was made as just about a replica of the original, supposedly very hard to find or canceled (I don't remember which) toy, and wasn't just a new vehicle that looked similar painted up to invoke it.

Put yet one more way, in my book, a Nacelle/Thunderclash/Scorch/Pyro made from a G1 mold is more appropriate Collector's Club toy material than what we got, and outside of mold availability constraints I don't understand the hesitation.

ScottyP wrote:outside of mold availability constraints I don't understand the hesitation.

I'm not 100% convinced on releasing G1 molds. At first blush this seems to be one of those 'vocal minority' situations, where G1 collectors are chomping at the bit for it.

megatronus wrote:

ScottyP wrote:outside of mold availability constraints I don't understand the hesitation.

I'm not 100% convinced on releasing G1 molds. At first blush this seems to be one of those 'vocal minority' situations, where G1 collectors are chomping at the bit for it.

Fair point, but the one time it's been done seemed to be a great success, from an outside observer's point of view. Didn't the Seacon set sell out rather quickly?

ScottyP wrote:

megatronus wrote:

ScottyP wrote:outside of mold availability constraints I don't understand the hesitation.

I'm not 100% convinced on releasing G1 molds. At first blush this seems to be one of those 'vocal minority' situations, where G1 collectors are chomping at the bit for it.

Fair point, but the one time it's been done seemed to be a great success, from an outside observer's point of view. Didn't the Seacon set sell out rather quickly?

Club Piranacon is a special case, because he's based on a planned Energon exclusive set which went unreleased (the co-current Universe 2003 waning may have had something to do with it). The Club saw fit to release him, before they got into their current groove. The same can be said for Club Astrotrain, based on the unreleased Universe 2003 Spacewarp:



And SG Sideswipe, based on the unreleased Universe 2003 Drench:



The latest G1 mold used by the club was Cerebros for Olin Zarak, made possible by Encore Fortress Maximus making the mold readily availble.

As someone who is 40 years old and has been with Transformers since day one, I know I wouldn't buy G1 molds again. I was all into the reissues 10-15 years ago. They were nostalgic but that's about it. I'd much rather have new versions of characters. The only G1 reissue I truly wanted was Fort Max and I got him.

I'd love a Spacewarp. There are tens of complete sets floating around out there. Had an opportunity to buy one of the four Mini-cons once but declined, that would drive me nuts since it was one of the Requiem Blaster guys.

thundershot wrote:As someone who is 40 years old and has been with Transformers since day one, I know I wouldn't buy G1 molds again. I was all into the reissues 10-15 years ago. They were nostalgic but that's about it. I'd much rather have new versions of characters. The only G1 reissue I truly wanted was Fort Max and I got him.

This is fair, but just for the heck of it, what about the opposite case - new characters as G1 toys? For instance, Barricade from the original Prowl based on Guido Guidi artwork: