The Energon Pub

BBTS has posted a preorder and pics for a new MakeToys 3P offering, Thunder Erebus

MakeToys MTCD-03 SP Thunder Erebus $99.99











This is very sexy, and I believe how Takara should have done the feet on their Legends Ginrai... I have a preorder in for now, but I don't know if finances will hold up for me.

This might sound strange, but that Cybertronian alt-mode gives off an Animated vibe to me. And I adore it.

I'm confused... is this standard scale or legends?

shajaki wrote:I'm confused... is this standard scale or legends?

There isn't a size listed on the site, so I am unsure. It looks similar to Takara-Legends Ginrai, but without a frame of reference, it could actually be MP sized. I'm making my guess based on the price since this would be an extremely expensive Hasbro-Legends sized piece and a really, really cheap MP sized bot. I don't recall MakeToys making Hasbro-Legends sized bots.

This is cool and all; it's interesting that they don't appear to have an Optimus-colored version on the way (not that those aren't already available elsewhere).

It's be nice to see a robot that isn't a truck get a set of power armor some time. Other vehicles can tow trailers, too. I mean, I get that these legacy characters are the bread and butter of third party manufacturers; I'm just making a general statement: it seems like the guys that are already big and imposing are the ones who get the cool upgrades.

Glarryg

It's listed as part of their Cross-Dimension line, so I'd guess a similar size to their Megatron and (non-powermaster) Optimus.

Ok.... they make their own PM Prime right on the heels of a pretty formidable official product. And then their first version is Black Convoy and not in proper Prime colors? So bizarre.

3P parties still made Devvies and Brutici after very good official products of them came out ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Honestly PM OP seems like the next Dinobots/Devastator/Predaking in terms of just how many of them are put out in the 3P world.

Kurona wrote:3P parties still made Devvies and Brutici after very good official products of them came out ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fair point

I wanna say Maketoys is putting out Thunder Erebus before Thunder Manus using the same line of thinking as to why we had TR Megatron before Blitzwing. Put out the repaint before the intended character so people are tempted to get the new mold.

I'd like to say I'll get Erebus, keep up that Cross Dimension mold completion, but it probably won't be fore several months after release. I want too many $100+ TFs right now and I can't afford any of them.

SureShot18 wrote:I wanna say Maketoys is putting out Thunder Erebus before Thunder Manus using the same line of thinking as to why we had TR Megatron before Blitzwing. Put out the repaint before the intended character so people are tempted to get the new mold.

I don't think this is a good strategy for a 3P....

It works for official products, because they can go to the shelves of brick and mortar stores. TR Voyager Prime and Megs for example, how many people would have skipped those figures had they not physically found them in store? That coupled with the average cost of a 3P piece, I don't think releasing this Black Convoy version first will change the amount of units they'll move overall.

shajaki wrote:

SureShot18 wrote:I wanna say Maketoys is putting out Thunder Erebus before Thunder Manus using the same line of thinking as to why we had TR Megatron before Blitzwing. Put out the repaint before the intended character so people are tempted to get the new mold.

I don't think this is a good strategy for a 3P....

It works for official products, because they can go to the shelves of brick and mortar stores. TR Voyager Prime and Megs for example, how many people would have skipped those figures had they not physically found them in store? That coupled with the average cost of a 3P piece, I don't think releasing this Black Convoy version first will change the amount of units they'll move overall.

There is one particular reason it has in common with TR -- people wanna try out the mold first.

Sure third parties more than official toys do rely on you really liking the character to buy it, but there's also quite a fair number of people - some of which are on this very forum - who just want neat toys and would jump at the first use of the mold no matter who it is. And then for the character it's actually meant for, the third party can of course rely on the crowd who want that character. It's a pretty fine strategy. Otherwise repaints - most especially in third parties - would go ignored, but now everyone's paying attention to Nemesis whereas if Optimus was released first we wouldn't really care that much and would just expect it.

It's anecdotal, but I plan on buying this version and passing on the Prime colored version. I'm already at risk for owning about 55 PM-Prime/Ginrai from HasTak, so I don't need a 3P version.

I don't know... it's kinda growing on me, but not to the tune of $100 just yet. If it had some more paint accents in robot mode I'd be more tempted. If there was a promise of some sort of Nemesis Godbomber to go with this I'd be tempted. As it is now I'm going to wait and see what the reviews say about it first.

Glarryg

Thanks to Peaugh's review, the question of scale is finally resolved -- he's a little bigger than the rest of the cross dimension line; basically Ginrai-sized.

Seriously.... Jobby shoulda posted the actual review DAYS ago...

Yeah Jobby said on twitter that he didn't have enough time to get it done for Wednesday so he's posting the review today.

By the way thanks for posting the MP-36 review in the Youtube Reviewers thread and getting me into his stuff.

SureShot18 wrote:Yeah Jobby said on twitter that he didn't have enough time to get it done for Wednesday so he's posting the review today.

Sweet!

SureShot18 wrote:By the way thanks for posting the MP-36 review in the Youtube Reviewers thread and getting me into his stuff.

Haha no worries. I'll forever preach the words of Jobby and Thew

Boom!



Funny as always, glowing recommendation, but honestly I'm not sold. 99% chance I'ma pass

I picked him up. Of course, he finally came in at BBTS, the day my POL shipped...

Digibashed into Energon Ultra Magnus. Now that, I'd buy!

Okay, so I'm guessing the reason why Erebus came first is because Thunder Manus has GODBOMBER.

https://tfsource.com/make-toys/thunder-manus-divine-suit-set/

I am so glad I waited, and I want this so badly...!!