The Energon Pub

Welcome to the latest episode of the Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast. For your listening pleasure we have our host, ScottyP, along with "The man who finally got a deluxe of his namesake", Megatronus, and our "Two podcasters from the Great White North who couldn't make it to TFCon", xRotorstormx and RodimusConvoy13. Listen as they give you their takes on the latest and greatest in Transformers news.

Episode #130 "Retools" is available directly and in our RSS Feed and should appear on iTunes and Stitcher Radio within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.

Starting off in the exciting world of comics, we discuss Transformers #46. Learn who is a fan of Blackrock and what we think of Uncomfortable Prime. All that plus some thoughts on the Mistress of Flame and what she represents await in our discussion of this (mostly) new release.



Transformers: Redemption comes up after that. Between some cool crossover pages, story development, and new characters, there's a lot of cool that the cast found in this new release. There's also an intense discussion on Mad Max: Fury Road, so do remember to tell Scotty why he's wrong about it in the Energon Pub by replying to this post.



We move on to a new masterpiece reveal: Masterpiece Ramjet! We dive right into Takara Tomy's first MP Conehead and discuss the intricacies of the head transformation, if we think he's too much like the cartoon, and cheekbones. Yes, cheekbones. You'll want to tune in for this oddly complex tale of speculative reverse engineering.



Next up is Combiner Wars Wave 4, specifically, concerns about Wheeljack. Is a Transformers/Powder crossover coming this many years after that movie you forgot about? No, but it's fun to kid around with this (we hope) early test shot.



That's not all for re-painted and re-tooled toy reveals, as we next look at e-Hobby Legends Deadlock. Do we like him? Is he purty? Yes. Yes.



Had enough toy talk yet? Good! Because there's more. The conversation moves on to the Transformers Collectors' Club Subscription Service Krok and the bonus "mystery" figure, which we completely spoil if you've somehow managed to avoid that reveal so far. What works about this figure? What doesn't? What is the mysterious origin of Shakar? Do we still care now that we know?



Botcon 2016 is next, and we give our thoughts on the soon to be revealed (as of the recording) Sea Clamp. Do we think he's the best torso bot to use? We also share our feelings on his boxset-mate Cicadacon. Tune in before the crippling blow of reality swayed our opinions in other directions (or not).



After the toy talk we move on to a listener question. WilliamJames88 asks how we feel when a less expensive, possibly better version of a character is released after we've gotten the more expensive exclusive. We tell you what to think!-- oh wait, what we think. Sorry.



We finish out with some bragging rights. What did we get? Were they Transformers? Of course they were!



With that we wrap up another episode, and we'll see you all again in a couple weeks.

Don't forget, the show only gets better if you tell us how. Drop us a review on iTunes and be sure to tell us what you love, what you hate, and what you want to hear!

Not on the show to give your take? Probably not, so don't forget to keep the discussion going on the Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums by simply replying to this post!

Got a question for the Twincast? We take all of them, we just don't take them all seriously! Leave a question in the Ask the Twincast thread and, if it makes the cut, it may get read and answered on the show.

Great podcast guys! Just one thing I wanted to add.

It was metioned that the Krok mold was originally made for Megatron and while he was issued first, it really seems it was made more for Dreadwing, principally, with Megatron as a perfectly fine retool to have a far more popular character on the shelves as well (tied to the comics). These toys have a 2 year production cycle, so I think its more Hasbro gving the designs for Nick Roche to incorporate rather than his design inspiring the toys. The feet are the biggest indication that this mold is initially designed to be for Dreadwing since they are spot on the feet of the original G2 Dreadwing they are trying to homage:


Transformers Generations Dreadwing Gallery


Transformers Generations Dreadwing Gallery

Also, can someone explain to me how Sky Lynx would have worked as a Torso fo Sea Clamp if he doesnt have a bipedal robot mode? He has no robot head.

william-james88 wrote:These toys have a 2 year production cycle, so I think its more Hasbro gving the designs for Nick Roche to incorporate rather than his design inspiring the toys.

Stealth Bomber Megatron was first seen in the comics in November 2010, in issue 13 of the then ongoing series. The design allegedly originated from a sketch Don Figueroa made that Andy Schmidt (then the main Editor at IDW for Transformers) rejected at some point. That puts Roche's work drawing that version of Megatron mid-Summer to Fall 2010? That's roughly 3 years before the toy came out, and a lot of IDW/Hasbro brand team shifting came in between. Very safe to say that the design was not intended to be made into a toy when it was initially used.

ScottyP wrote:

william-james88 wrote:These toys have a 2 year production cycle, so I think its more Hasbro gving the designs for Nick Roche to incorporate rather than his design inspiring the toys.

Stealth Bomber Megatron was first seen in the comics in November 2010, in issue 13 of the then ongoing series. The design allegedly originated from a sketch Don Figueroa made that Andy Schmidt (then the main Editor at IDW for Transformers) rejected at some point. That puts Roche's work drawing that version of Megatron mid-Summer to Fall 2010? That's roughly 3 years before the toy came out, and a lot of IDW/Hasbro brand team shifting came in between. Very safe to say that the design was not intended to be made into a toy when it was initially used.

Thanks for clarifying Scotty! Thay makes it pretty impressive that it was such a good fit for Dreadwing as well then. Had me fooled

william-james88 wrote:Thanks for clarifying Scotty! That makes it pretty impressive that it was such a good fit for Dreadwing as well then. Had me fooled

It definitely works for Dreadwing, especially since Megatron doesn't have that body anymore. Still, I really like this Dreadwing best:

Those 2 molds are amazing Megatronus, and a great way to homage how G2 Dreadwing and Smokejumper merged together to make one beautiful ship (though I feel the end result of that combination is better on G2, than the Mindwipe/Skystalker combination).

Also since we are on the subject, is it safe to assume that the current Dreadwing design is based on the toy ? Or is that also not the case?


One last thing, did you know of the fan modes to combine the two molds above together?

The IDW design is 100% based on the toy... IDW's all about the cross-promotion these days!

Not sure about that fan mode though...

....have you actually been to an Irish Nude Beach???


The Problem I find with Optimus Prime in any of the new continuities, is that in the Original versions Optimus was always riding this huge guilt trip of bringing the war to Earth, he doesn't have that anymore.

william-james88 wrote:Also, can someone explain to me how Sky Lynx would have worked as a Torso fo Sea Clamp if he doesnt have a bipedal robot mode? He has no robot head.

Missed this earlier. I don't know, but it just feels like it could have been fun. Not too fussed about it though.

lonrac wrote:....have you actually been to an Irish Nude Beach???

No. Should I? I mean, if it's a party, it's a party, right?

lonrac wrote:The Problem I find with Optimus Prime in any of the new continuities, is that in the Original versions Optimus was always riding this huge guilt trip of bringing the war to Earth, he doesn't have that anymore.

IDW Prime is riding a guilt trip of bringing it basically everywhere right now, so it's compelling to me. You're right though, it's a little weird how some of the other recent fictional Optimus Prime iterations are kind of like eh whatever, let's blow stuff up (but do protect the children!)

I like the Takara Ramjet offering more than the iGear version.

We'll see if they can top the very outstanding Dirge and Thrust versions later down the road.

Counterpunch wrote:I like the Takara Ramjet offering more than the iGear version.

We'll see if they can top the very outstanding Dirge and Thrust versions later down the road.

There are parts of Takara's I like better, but something about iGear's is just so sleek and pretty. The metallic maroon on the wings, the non-gigantic weaponry, the crisp white, the hint of a sneer - Ramjet is probably my second favorite of their's behind Thrust, and was also the first one I had so the longer attachment period surely colors my view of Takara's effort.

I'm just glad we're finally getting on the business of official MP coneheads. I think what they're putting out is great, despite flaws. Considering I would have bought Ramjet even if it was average or poor (looking at you, Ironhide), the promo pics are a relief.

ScottyP wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:I like the Takara Ramjet offering more than the iGear version.

We'll see if they can top the very outstanding Dirge and Thrust versions later down the road.

There are parts of Takara's I like better, but something about iGear's is just so sleek and pretty. The metallic maroon on the wings, the non-gigantic weaponry, the crisp white, the hint of a sneer - Ramjet is probably my second favorite of their's behind Thrust, and was also the first one I had so the longer attachment period surely colors my view of Takara's effort.

Does the I-Gear also use a fake nosecone for the head? This was what displeased me the most about Takara's. They are doing so much more tooling, why not do a new mold? Or find a way to retool it so that he doesnt have 2 nosecones in robot mode? The classics toy found a way, why not the MP line? The Masterpiece line is not just about being as cartoon accurate as possible but also about advancing the envelope for design and technology (though in the cartoon, he doesnt have a nosecone between his legs in robot mode, so I guess he isnt too cartoon accurate either).

william-james88 wrote:The classics toy found a way, why not the MP line?

I find this unfair.

megatronus wrote:

william-james88 wrote:The classics toy found a way, why not the MP line?

I find this unfair.

Yeah. Classics was able to get away with having the nose of the plane be shorter than it actually would be if it was a real vehicle. Since Masterpiece goes for a much more realistic look for their alt modes, have the nose of the plane actually be Ramjet's head would make it way to tall. Think about your G1 Boneheads when you put them in robot mode. They have giant heads!

I think that Ramjet looks great and if I collected Masterpiece, I would totally get him and be very happy.

megatronus wrote:

william-james88 wrote:The classics toy found a way, why not the MP line?

I find this unfair.

There is no one who's opinion I value more than yours, so I am curious to know why you find it unfair. Is it about the planes no longer looking the same as the other seekers? Because the conheads were never the same planes as the other seekers, due to their different wings. And while the nosecone is a bit shorter in the classics coneheads, they look damn fine to me all together nonetheless. I think its a small price to pay for engineering perfection and ameliorated show accuracy.


Transformers Generations Thundercracker Gallery

I would say the Classics solution is a quick and dirty fix - shorten the nosecone, flip it back. It's that simple. I don't think applying a quick and dirty fix to a line that is supposed to be all about accuracy in engineering is fair. Yes, the line has compromise, but often those are well thought out. The Classics solution is fine for what is and what it is meant to do, but applying that to the MP line would be a cheat or copout in my book.

william-james88 wrote:There is no one who's opinion I value more than yours

You rogue, you!

megatronus wrote:

william-james88 wrote:There is no one who's opinion I value more than yours

You rogue, you!

Put your re-tools away gentlemen.

megatronus wrote:I would say the Classics solution is a quick and dirty fix - shorten the nosecone, flip it back. It's that simple. I don't think applying a quick and dirty fix to a line that is supposed to be all about accuracy in engineering is fair. Yes, the line has compromise, but often those are well thought out. The Classics solution is fine for what is and what it is meant to do, but applying that to the MP line would be a cheat or copout in my book.

Interesting, that is pretty much my argument for this retool. I find a fake cockpit to be a copout and a quick fix to be able to still keep this decade old mold.

But like Scotty says, we have different opinions and thats ok (you sure you guys arent Canadian?).

william-james88 wrote:

megatronus wrote:I would say the Classics solution is a quick and dirty fix - shorten the nosecone, flip it back. It's that simple. I don't think applying a quick and dirty fix to a line that is supposed to be all about accuracy in engineering is fair. Yes, the line has compromise, but often those are well thought out. The Classics solution is fine for what is and what it is meant to do, but applying that to the MP line would be a cheat or copout in my book.

Interesting, that is pretty much my argument for this retool. I find a fake cockpit to be a copout and a quick fix to be able to still keep this decade old mold.

But like Scotty says, we have different opinions and thats ok (you sure you guys arent Canadian?).

My best friend's a Canadian! He was very sad about the Jays not making it to the World Series.

The MP Seekers aren't cheating on the cockpit, but rather the nosecone, specifically for the coneheads. Which I'm OK with because, sure, the visual implies the nosecone becomes the head... but what if they just have pointy heads???

Indeed, when I said fake cockpit, I meant front of the plane, but I should have been more clear by simply saying nosecone. So to rectify, I believe a fake nosecone is a copout, especially on a masterpiece toy, and it could have been rectified by making a new mold. Sure, it could be that they just have pointy heads, but then in that case, we still shouldnt see another nosecone between his legs. Kinda like how at least with MP 10, we dont see his alt mode grill on his back somewhere.

Mad Max Fury Road is one of the best movies of this decade...... You don't need a lengthy exposition to have a great movie there's a lot going on here that breaks away from the common structure of movies today....

padfoo wrote:Mad Max Fury Road is one of the best movies of this decade...... You don't need a lengthy exposition to have a great movie there's a lot going on here that breaks away from the common structure of movies today....

Thank goodness, a Seibertronian who agrees with me!

megatronus wrote:

padfoo wrote:Mad Max Fury Road is one of the best movies of this decade...... You don't need a lengthy exposition to have a great movie there's a lot going on here that breaks away from the common structure of movies today....

Thank goodness, a Seibertronian who agrees with me!

I just didnt want to annoy Scotty by talking more about it, but I love that film too. You get a great sense of the world by getting that slice of it, I wish more movies were that way. Probably the best film this year.