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sol magnus wrote:

Tuned Agent wrote:

alekese wrote:Further info about the '85er has been shared, and it is a new version of motormaster tentatively penciled in for sometime in 2022. One leaker had heard leader class, another confirmed motormaster but said leader class didn't match what they'd heard, and neither had solid info on whether updates to the rest of menasor were coming, or if it was just MM.

Maybe it's a new CW-compatible Motormaster whose torso mode doesn't suck.

Motormaster isn't from '85. Didn't debut on the show in '85. Wasn't sold in '85.

And yet, straight off TFWiki:
The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 (episode entirely about the creation/debut of the Stunticons)
Airdate: November 25, 1985

While the Stunticons debuted late in season 2, the toys themselves didn't appear until the 1986 toyline (were released early in 1986). "Animated Series" season, and "Toy" season didn't always match. Trust me, having lived through it, it was a tricky time. Of course the toys were always developed first, but sometimes, the episodes were broadcast before the toys were released, and sometimes after.

case in point..... The Beast Wars Toys Rampage & Depthcharge came out at the same time in the same assortment (Summer of 1998) I remember gleefully getting both upon first sight of them.

Rampage's premiere episode "Bad Spark" aired (Coincidentally) 2/22/98 (toward the end of season 2, but almost a full 6 months before his toy was available), while Depthcarge's first appearance was "Deep Metal" the 2nd episode of season 3 which aired 11/1/98, and the toy had been available for 3-4 months by that time.

Interesting rumor about MM...
I thought the CW version was pretty solid considering the design obvsly had to accommodate the combining feature.
What will be really interesting (if this rumor ends up true) will be if the new version is still compatible with CW figures...
I would probably still get a new MM, especially if he's legitimately improved in some ways, but isn't designed to combine with older CW/UW figures.
Doesn't seem likely, but then I think back to Universe Onslaught.

Yeah Universe Onslaught and Silverbolt to me were pointless. I know there are a niche of the fandom out there that would like toys that were originally combiners to have more details, better engineering not hindered by the Combiner Mechanism. However, I don't think this will be the case moving forward. There are enough characters from the 1985 line on there own that could use a good update without going back to redo MM. Sure the Combiners from CW & PotP weren't perfect, but no need to reinvent the wheel just yet.

If a new Motormaster toy is on the horizon, I think it will still be capable of combination with the Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors Stunticon limbs. Hasbro and Takara love the new combination system they developed for CW/UW, and want to use it for years to come. It's the same with the Titans Return Headmaster system they developed. It's still being used in the War for Cybertron Trilogy in characters like Apeface in Siege and Snapdragon in Earthrise. There's no reason that CW/UW connection system can't re-appear in a current toyline.

That said, here is what I envision. We get a Leader Class (or maybe Commander Class?) figure. The core robot figure is Voyager class and roughly the size of the Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors Motormaster. It will convert into a truck cab and a torso for Menasor, complete with CW/UW compatible sockets. It will additionally come with his iconic double trailer assembly to complete his vehicle mode. Those boxes may or may not themselves reconfigure into some new accessories for Motormaster, the rest of the Stunticons, and/or the combined form a Menasor.

This is an interesting rumor, and not too out there to be true, especially since, of all of the Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors updates, Motormaster's truck mode looks the most off model, especially considering that it was serving double duty as the basis for an Optimus Prime pre/re-tool. Silverbolt, Hot Spot, Onslaught, and Scattershot all look fine as is.

Nemesis Primal wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Tuned Agent wrote:

alekese wrote:Further info about the '85er has been shared, and it is a new version of motormaster tentatively penciled in for sometime in 2022. One leaker had heard leader class, another confirmed motormaster but said leader class didn't match what they'd heard, and neither had solid info on whether updates to the rest of menasor were coming, or if it was just MM.

Maybe it's a new CW-compatible Motormaster whose torso mode doesn't suck.

Motormaster isn't from '85. Didn't debut on the show in '85. Wasn't sold in '85.

And yet, straight off TFWiki:
The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 (episode entirely about the creation/debut of the Stunticons)
Airdate: November 25, 1985

Okay, I had the show date wrong. Sorry, my kid memory isn't perfect.

sol magnus wrote:

Nemesis Primal wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Tuned Agent wrote:

alekese wrote:Further info about the '85er has been shared, and it is a new version of motormaster tentatively penciled in for sometime in 2022. One leaker had heard leader class, another confirmed motormaster but said leader class didn't match what they'd heard, and neither had solid info on whether updates to the rest of menasor were coming, or if it was just MM.

Maybe it's a new CW-compatible Motormaster whose torso mode doesn't suck.

Motormaster isn't from '85. Didn't debut on the show in '85. Wasn't sold in '85.

And yet, straight off TFWiki:
The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 (episode entirely about the creation/debut of the Stunticons)
Airdate: November 25, 1985

Okay, I had the show date wrong. Sorry, my kid memory isn't perfect.

Offically, the Scramble City combiner toys are placed in the 1986 range I believe, with Computron and Abominus in 1987, and Piranacon in 1988.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Nemesis Primal wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Tuned Agent wrote:

alekese wrote:Further info about the '85er has been shared, and it is a new version of motormaster tentatively penciled in for sometime in 2022. One leaker had heard leader class, another confirmed motormaster but said leader class didn't match what they'd heard, and neither had solid info on whether updates to the rest of menasor were coming, or if it was just MM.

Maybe it's a new CW-compatible Motormaster whose torso mode doesn't suck.

Motormaster isn't from '85. Didn't debut on the show in '85. Wasn't sold in '85.

And yet, straight off TFWiki:
The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 (episode entirely about the creation/debut of the Stunticons)
Airdate: November 25, 1985

Okay, I had the show date wrong. Sorry, my kid memory isn't perfect.

Offically, the Scramble City combiner toys are placed in the 1986 range I believe, with Computron and Abominus in 1987, and Piranacon in 1988.

Yeah. I know what year they were released, but the Key to Vector Sigma episode could have (and evidently did) debut in 1985 even if there weren't figures to go with the characters yet.

sol magnus wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:Offically, the Scramble City combiner toys are placed in the 1986 range I believe, with Computron and Abominus in 1987, and Piranacon in 1988.

Yeah. I know what year they were released, but the Key to Vector Sigma episode could have (and evidently did) debut in 1985 even if there weren't figures to go with the characters yet.

I still find that a bit puzzling, really. First on TV, and no toys until like 6 months later.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:Offically, the Scramble City combiner toys are placed in the 1986 range I believe, with Computron and Abominus in 1987, and Piranacon in 1988.

Yeah. I know what year they were released, but the Key to Vector Sigma episode could have (and evidently did) debut in 1985 even if there weren't figures to go with the characters yet.

I still find that a bit puzzling, really. First on TV, and no toys until like 6 months later.

They were highly anticipated, that I remember. But like you said, categorically, the Stunticons are 1986 characters along with the other 'Scramble City' combiners as they'd later be called.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I still find that a bit puzzling, really. First on TV, and no toys until like 6 months later.

It happens often (see my example above), especially in the pre-internet days, before leaks, etc... it was a wild and fun time, to see characters onscreen and not know if they were going to appear in toy form or not, or to see toys (jumpstarters, deluxe insecticons etc...) and wonder if they would make it in the show or not.

IIRC, the leaker said that all of Menasor is coming for 2022, and if he's successful, Defensor would be 2023.

Autobot N wrote:IIRC, the leaker said that all of Menasor is coming for 2022, and if he's successful, Defensor would be 2023.

I could believe it as by that point combiner wars was 7 years ago, and can get pricey for new fans to acquire second hand. Of course, I wonder if the success over SS Devy has tempted them to spread the purchases out over the entire line they appear in.

Autobot N wrote:IIRC, the leaker said that all of Menasor is coming for 2022, and if he's successful, Defensor would be 2023.

The leaker specifically noted he didn't know if they were redoing the limbbots or not, I thought (nor, if they were, whether they'd be new molds or CW reissues in some way).

EDIT: nevermind, it was just the point I parenthesed that he was unclear on.

Personally, I'm willing to bet for the limbdudes they'll just redeco the CW figures, maybe with new heads, and put them out either through Selects, or as a store exclusive in retro G1 packaging like the Headmasters.

My logic being: if the next line, as the leaker has stated before, is going to be half-G1/half-BW again, with some UT focus as well, I'm not sure they'd want to use so much space/slots and resources of the G1 half on the Stunticon limbdudes again.

Sometimes, Hasbro just likes to have the cartoons advertise new toys in advance of their release. Remember how the G1 cartoon had Shockwave, Jetfire/Skyfire, the Dinobots, the Insecticons, and the Constructicons all appear in Season 1 during 1984 when none of them would see release until 1985 (the year that Season 2 aired)? This practice goes all the way back to the very beginning of the brand.

obly thing if they do a new MM and he gets the shrinkage to be inline with Primes cab mode, vehicle and bot modes going to be out of scale and likely uncompatable with CW type sockets from being smaller. Same with the limb bots too.

blackeyedprime wrote:obly thing if they do a new MM and he gets the shrinkage to be inline with Primes cab mode, vehicle and bot modes going to be out of scale and likely uncompatable with CW type sockets from being smaller. Same with the limb bots too.

I'd hope they do something kinda like what FansToys' third party MP Motormaster did: make the trailer largely hollow and fold up/compress, so the both the truck/trailer mode and robot mode are roughly in scale.

blackeyedprime wrote:obly thing if they do a new MM and he gets the shrinkage to be inline with Primes cab mode, vehicle and bot modes going to be out of scale and likely uncompatable with CW type sockets from being smaller. Same with the limb bots too.

It could work depending on size. Remember on the G1 toy the cab became Motormasters feet.

Really interested in this Menasor rumor... Mainly because while I know it's possible that all new figures could be involved, I wouldn't doubt if the reality is that the limb bots are re-issues with possibly something new like improved weapons... Nothing crazy, but maybe just a little something to make them slightly more enticing.
I just really think the CW/UW figures are pretty good for what they are.
But maybe by using the old limb figure molds it makes a new Motormaster possible.

Does anyone know, was Menasor one of the top selling combiners in that line?
Don't get me wrong, I love anytime Decepticons get some love... Just curious as to why this group was chosen (again if this is all true).


Edit:
Is anyone else surprised at all the G1 Insecticons haven't been given any attention in these recent lines? I get they're not in the Netflix series... And no, they're not nearly as popular as the Dinobots, right? But the scout/legends class figures of the past really aren't that great either...
Why not make them roughly Cliffjumper/Bee scale deluxes?
I know it was years ago, but a few people on here on the forums said, "Hasbro just isn't ready to throw beasts/creatures back into the mix yet"...
Clearly Hastak is okay with beast/insect-type alt modes now.
Just a thought... If anything similar to the SS86 line continues in the future, we have 3 characters from the movie ready and waiting that could use a good G1-accurate update.

Sowndwave76 wrote:Really interested in this Menasor rumor... Mainly because while I know it's possible that all new figures could be involved, I wouldn't doubt if the reality is that the limb bots are re-issues with possibly something new like improved weapons... Nothing crazy, but maybe just a little something to make them slightly more enticing.
I just really think the CW/UW figures are pretty good for what they are.
But maybe by using the old limb figure molds it makes a new Motormaster possible.

Does anyone know, was Menasor one of the top selling combiners in that line?
Don't get me wrong, I love anytime Decepticons get some love... Just curious as to why this group was chosen (again if this is all true).


Edit:
Is anyone else surprised at all the G1 Insecticons haven't been given any attention in these recent lines? I get they're not in the Netflix series... And no, they're not nearly as popular as the Dinobots, right? But the scout/legends class figures of the past really aren't that great either...
Why not make them roughly Cliffjumper/Bee scale deluxes?
I know it was years ago, but a few people on here on the forums said, "Hasbro just isn't ready to throw beasts/creatures back into the mix yet"...
Clearly Hastak is okay with beast/insect-type alt modes now.
Just a thought... If anything similar to the SS86 line continues in the future, we have 3 characters from the movie ready and waiting that could use a good G1-accurate update.

I think it's cuz of the popular consensus that Motormaster was the worst combiner torso in CW. He definitely got the most complaints, not only regarding design/aesthetics but also stability, on account of the wonky hip joints.

As the almighty Counterpunch mentioned on Twitter, with the re-release of Devastator we should expect new combiners coming soon. CW was great, but the molds got old real quick before the line was over quick. The arms can barely hold the included weapons let alone the Legends Targetmaster figures, and the ratchets in the legs have too large of a gap between "Clicks" so you end up with the combiner lean. Any improvement is an improvement.

Sowndwave76 wrote:
Edit:
Is anyone else surprised at all the G1 Insecticons haven't been given any attention in these recent lines? I get they're not in the Netflix series... And no, they're not nearly as popular as the Dinobots, right? But the scout/legends class figures of the past really aren't that great either...
Why not make them roughly Cliffjumper/Bee scale deluxes?
I know it was years ago, but a few people on here on the forums said, "Hasbro just isn't ready to throw beasts/creatures back into the mix yet"...
Clearly Hastak is okay with beast/insect-type alt modes now.
Just a thought... If anything similar to the SS86 line continues in the future, we have 3 characters from the movie ready and waiting that could use a good G1-accurate update.

I’d love if they did the Insecticons properly, especially since the last iteration had them in 3 separate lines where they didn’t match. Right now I don’t even know where Hasbro is going after the kingdom line so it does make me wonder if they will continue putting out G1 bots that weren’t in the Netflix show.

I've been contemplating that the re-release of the TR figures in the G1 packaging might be a test-run by Hasbro to see if the Prime Wars figures would still sell. If those move quickly, I think we will see the CW teams re-released as well, with or without updates. (Though MM definitely needs it.)

The legends insecticon were fine and still good figures, a repainted set might do rather than new figures. The clone rereleases etc just make it surprising it hasn't been done already but maybe they were saving it for ss86.

I'm hoping the deluxe netflix waves stays at five figures for more variety especially for the Kingdom part of the show so that show characters don't get used for select figures, giving selects more room for crazy repaints (or even just full color matched versions of figures like sunstreaker).

blackeyedprime wrote:The legends insecticon were fine and still good figures, a repainted set might do rather than new figures. The clone rereleases etc just make it surprising it hasn't been done already but maybe they were saving it for ss86.

I'm hoping the deluxe netflix waves stays at five figures for more variety especially for the Kingdom part of the show so that show characters don't get used for select figures, giving selects more room for crazy repaints (or even just full color matched versions of figures like sunstreaker).

Well, we already know from various leaks, including actual Walmart listings, that with Wave 3 it's moving down to just 4 Deluxes, so... sorry.