The Energon Pub

It’s no secret I can’t stand Alpha Bravo. I hate the concept. I don’t care about IDW’s new wave storyline. Slingshot is alive and well in the minds of many G1 traditionalists. Obviously Takara seems to agree. And according to alleged TRU listings, Hasbro might be rethinking their decision and offering us a proper Slingshot and Wildrider too. So this thread is to spur a little debate about the character and his existence in the first place. This thread is not to talk about the quality or enjoyment of the toy. My whole beef with Alpha Bravo is the fact that he is replacing Slingshot. I would have no problem with him being introduced as a separate character. Hasbro could have saved Alpha Bravo, Offroad, Rook, etc. for their fan made combiner. But replacing the only Aerialbot that actually had a unique personality to accommodate a comic book storyline is a stupid move in my opinion. Every time Hasbro/designs a combiner, they always go one off with a limb just to piss off G1 fans. Last time for Bruticus we got puke and period blood colored Vortex. Even TF wiki doesn’t list which alleged IDW comic book the Alpha Bravo storyline can be found in. A few Alpha Bravo supporters list a particular issue, but flat out refuse to take some pictures of it or provide a link that show its contents. Why isn’t it in TF Wiki already ? If these Alpha Bravo fanboys love him so much, why don’t they add his back story and comic book pics to his bio ? Instead they try to legitimize Alpha Bravo by photoshopping him into G1 cartoon screenshots. WTF ?

So this is the place for Transformers fans to discuss how they feel about Alpha Bravo. Is he friend or foe ?

transformers-generations-combiner-wars-discussion-thread-t102338s4000.php#p1653727

transformers-generations-combiner-wars-discussion-thread-t102338s4000.php#p1653732

Also:

Rated X wrote:Even TF wiki doesn’t list which alleged IDW comic book the Alpha Bravo storyline can be found in.

RiD Issue #33: The World of Tomorrow. How do I know, despite not reading the comics? I followed the grey boxes at the end of section . He also appeared in the Transfomers Legends game in The Key to Vector Sigma pt. 1.

If these Alpha Bravo fanboys love him so much, why don’t they add his back story and comic book pics to his bio ? Instead they try to legitimize Alpha Bravo by photoshopping him into G1 cartoon screenshots. WTF ?

It's called a joke.

Va'al wrote:http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-discussion-thread-t102338s4000.php#p1653727

transformers-generations-combiner-wars-discussion-thread-t102338s4000.php#p1653732

Also:

The links you provided do not show any pictures or information of the IDW bio or storyline for Alpha Bravo.

But special thanks to Jelze for providing the EXACT comic book reference. Feel free to scan some pics and upload the storyline to TF Wiki.

And remember, the topic of this thread is not "combiner wors" and is not related to the toys. The topic is the character "Alpha Bravo" and his back story and if it's existence was a total failure or not.

Rated X wrote:
The links you provided do not show any pictures or information of the IDW bio or storyline for Alpha Bravo.

But special thanks to Jelze for providing the EXACT comic book reference. Feel free to scan some pics and upload the storyline to TF Wiki.

And remember, the topic of this thread is not "combiner wors" and is not related to the toys. The topic is the character "Alpha Bravo" and his back story and if it's existence was a total failure or not.

From my first link: RID [Transformers: Robots in Disguise] #33. The image on TFWiki is the only panel he shows up in. As many of us, me included, have said multiple times.

Addition: The entire backstory is that he shows up in one panel in that issue.


As JelZe said, that information *is* on the Wiki.

Someone took the time to make a butthurt thread about a toy.

Va'al wrote:

Rated X wrote:
The links you provided do not show any pictures or information of the IDW bio or storyline for Alpha Bravo.

But special thanks to Jelze for providing the EXACT comic book reference. Feel free to scan some pics and upload the storyline to TF Wiki.

And remember, the topic of this thread is not "combiner wors" and is not related to the toys. The topic is the character "Alpha Bravo" and his back story and if it's existence was a total failure or not.

From my first link: RID [Transformers: Robots in Disguise] #33. The image on TFWiki is the only panel he shows up in. As many of us, me included, have said multiple times.

Addition: The entire backstory is that he shows up in one panel in that issue.


Ok so now that I have found the comic link, lets move on to the meat and potatoes of this thread...

Why do you love Alpha bravo ? What is wrong with Silverbolt ?

Others feel free to chime in and voice your like or dislike for the character, the concept, etc. Just please explain why.

As JelZe said, that information *is* on the Wiki.

A haiku:

Silverbolt still lives,
Slingshot no longer functions -
Alpha Bravo reigns.

Just wanna get this out there:

Personally, I have no problem with Alpha Bravo's existence, and this is not my bias towards helicopters talking. Bottom line is, he is both a necessary evil, as well as an opportunity for expanding the lore.

Let's get rid of the necessary evil first: Slingshot was the very first Aerialbot to be nixed from the team back in 2009 with the release of Universe 2008/Revenge of the Fallen Superion. The reason? Loss of trademark. So he has been replaced with a new character called Airazor, who was created "in memoriam of Slingshot" according to Hasbro:



Where's Slingshot?

In short, Slingshot's been considered "dead" since that time. Sure, we have "Quickslinger" for both Kre-O and Bot Shots, but I'm not sure if "Quickslinger" can be used for Action Figures which Kre-O and Bot Shots do not fall under when it comes to Trademark Categories. This also applies to Wildrider, whose name has been lost for a lot longer (BotCon shouldn't really count given FunPub's tendency to use names that haven't cleared legal).
The ommission of Slingshot provided a chance to make a new character, something that hasn't really been done that often. So why a helicopter and not a jet. I'll point to variety in the stores ("dearie, you already have that jet. Why would you want 5 jets if you can have a car?"), plus he's hardly the first Superion(-homage) to have a helicopter in the team:



From l. to r.: Ro-Tor, Storm Jet, Silverbolt, Air Raid, Fireflight, Skydive

...even though Ro-Tor ends up on his butt:



Superion's got copter back

The "toy first, fiction later" does work against Alpha Bravo I admit. He's a basically blank slate compared to established personalities and that may seem jarring. He already has an edge against Airazor though".

Again, do I have a problem with Alpha Bravo, or replacement members like Offroad and Rook in general? No. Would I have liked to see all original members reunited and updated? Yes. We hare TakaraTomy for that though with their Unite Warriors line, and hopefully Hasbro will find a way to get Slingshot back in, we have that TRU listing after all along with Wildrider's.

Another haiku:

Alpha Bravo lives,
not everyone is happy.
Must suck to be them.

Rated X wrote:And according to alleged TRU listings, Hasbro might be rethinking their decision and offering us a proper Slingshot and Wildrider too.

rethink their decision? to what... make more money? a lot of people who werent sold on the concept of AB bought him to complete their CW superion. and if theres a hasbro slingshot (which is an extremely a simple retool) down the road, i bet a lot of those AB owners will still buy slingy. see how all those things means $$$ to hasbro?

Rated X wrote:This thread is not to talk about the quality or enjoyment of the toy.

oooookaayyy... y'know it'll head there anyways right?

Rated X wrote:My whole beef with Alpha Bravo is the fact that he is replacing Slingshot.

i dont really understand the whole point of this thread anyways. is it that you hate the fiction for killing slingshot? or is about the toys? cause there IS a takara slingshot (in a giftset mind you) you can buy, and probably a hasbro one coming down the pipe. sooo.... why you mad?

also dont you have uranos anyways?

Rated X wrote:But replacing the only Aerialbot that actually had a unique personality to accommodate a comic book storyline is a stupid move in my opinion.

you realize its IDW that accommodates hasbro right, and not the other way around?

Rated X wrote:Every time Hasbro/designs a combiner, they always go one off with a limb just to piss off G1 fans.

im a G1 fan, so speak for yourself. hasbro made us a new superion. how much do they need to do for you to see their commitment to the G1 fans? sometimes i wonder why they cater to us at all.

Rated X wrote:So this is the place for Transformers fans to discuss how they feel about Alpha Bravo. Is he friend or foe ?

friend. he's cool. and traditionalists still have options for slingshot.

Let's please all make sure that this doesn't turn into a slinging match, we all have a shot at diverging opinions.

I kinda wish they made 2 new replacements, because it's annoying they went almost completely G1 expect they changed just one guy, and because having two "reserves" feels more like actual reserves and less like a lonely reject.

Powerglide sort of fits in the 'reserve' category too, at least in the same one panel from RID#33. Not as much with the toys, I'll give you that.

Friend. Simple answer: because he's new. Long answer: Slingshot meant nothing to me, and I'm will to bet he doesn't to a lot of others as well. also like others said, slingshot just can't be trademarked anymore. So a new character gets created and the tf universe gets that little bit bigger.

I've asked you before rated about why you weren't happy with this turn of events and you replied that you didn't like it that the comics were infringinfringing on the toyline. Yet you still bought Alpha Bravo. You're still supporting hasbros decision to create a new aerialbot. How do you feel about offroad and Rook?

Guess end of the day, more people will like AB then hate him for replacing a character that hasn't appeared anywhere for over twenty years. Move on.

Damn you Hasbro for coming up with new characters! Why after 30 years must you expand the franchise! *sniff* *sob* *wail* *boohoo* *childed rapehood*

Well I for one admire Alpha Bravo both as a toy and as an autonomous living robot. Live and let live you fascists!

Down with the Slingshot Nazis!

ZeroWolf wrote:Friend. Simple answer: because he's new. Long answer: Slingshot meant nothing to me, and I'm will to bet he doesn't to a lot of others as well. also like others said, slingshot just can't be trademarked anymore. So a new character gets created and the tf universe gets that little bit bigger.

I've asked you before rated about why you weren't happy with this turn of events and you replied that you didn't like it that the comics were infringinfringing on the toyline. Yet you still bought Alpha Bravo. You're still supporting hasbros decision to create a new aerialbot. How do you feel about offroad and Rook?

Guess end of the day, more people will like AB then hate him for replacing a character that hasn't appeared anywhere for over twenty years. Move on.

This pretty much sums it up for me too. I got into TF from watching the G1 cartoon and toys I had when I was a kid. When the series stopped, I stopped. I had no interest in Beast Wars, I thought it was crap at the time, and I don't really care for it now. However, I will fully accept that it's a part of the universe, and that people will cherish those characters as much as I cherished G1. It's been 30 years, and we've got to the point where kids today don't even have a damn clue about the G1 cartoon. My 10 year old cousin didn't understand what I was on about when I told him I liked Transformers, but not the movies. He was trying to explain to me that that's what Transformers was. That's his world now and he loves it, even if I don't. I'm now an avid IDW fan and I'm finding myself replacing the G1 canon with IDW canon as my own personal head-canon, simply because I can. I don't care if the purists think it's stupid, I'm the one investing in the damn thing, and it's there for my pleasure as far as I'm concerned.

I've seen comments on this site and others stating that Rook is more acceptable because he makes more sense than Groove in terms of scaling, yet at the same time Offroad and AB are imposters and should be burnt at the stake. Ridiculous! They're expansions to the TF universe, just like characters from Beast Wars, Prime, Energon, IDW, Marvel et al are. If you don't want to include them, cool, don't. It's your collection, it's there for your pleasure. If like myself, you don't have a problem with HasTak daring to introduce new characters to old teams then that's great too. New characters are not a bad thing. G1 finished years ago. Just because Generations is generally a modern adaption of old continuities doesn't mean it has to slavishly remain faithful to the old continuities. I've always seen them as being homages, and not direct updates. Megatron is rarely a gun these days, and Ultra Magnus now has a little dude inside of him. If you want accuracy, stick with MP and Third Party MP offerings (albeit one could argue that 3P stuff shouldn't even count since it's not official, yet some people who dislike changes like AB/Offroad/Rook will still buy into Third Party).

Excellent post Syn_13 Just to clarify, I had Slingshot as a child, I knew what he was supposed to be like, I never cared for it then and I don't care now

I don't read iDW, so I'm not familiar with the character. But a helicopter doesn't belong in a group of jets. And he's ugly.

Slingshot was the only Aerialbot that had any chaisma in the G1 cartoon. We know Silverbolt was afraid of heights but he had the personality of a lamp shade. And the other 3 had generic personalities almost as indistinct as the coneheads. We did not need Alpha Bravo. He was a lame gimmick and he is like the Justin Beiber of Transformers. He is really annoying and you just want to see him get punched in the face for thinking he belongs with the Aerialbots.

And you don't see Takara running to give all of Japan an Alpha Bravo, do you ? Takara hates IDW so much they didn't even bother doing a Skids for fans. They turned the mold into a character that wasn't even a transformer in the movie. And even that's better than Alpha Bravo...

perhaps someone other than myself should tackle that.

shajaki wrote:perhaps someone other than myself should tackle that.

I was going to but it hurt my brain to read such childish fanboy rage.

Alpha Bravo is
not an option in Japan?
Let me ship some there.

Rated X wrote:Slingshot was the only Aerialbot that had any chaisma in the G1 cartoon. We know Silverbolt was afraid of heights but he had the personality of a lamp shade. And the other 3 had generic personalities almost as indistinct as the coneheads. We did not need Alpha Bravo. He was a lame gimmick and he is like the Justin Beiber of Transformers. He is really annoying and you just want to see him get punched in the face for thinking he belongs with the Aerialbots.

And you don't see Takara running to give all of Japan an Alpha Bravo, do you ? Takara hates IDW so much they didn't even bother doing a Skids for fans. They turned the mold into a character that wasn't even a transformer in the movie. And even that's better than Alpha Bravo...

Crosscut?