The Energon Pub

Moonshot wrote:Cant wait for the Ramjet gallery. When is he shipping out? Anyone hear anything about it yet? I know I have asked a couple times in the last few weeks but he is much anticipated.

He's still delayed, but Ryan got an pre-release specimen for the galleries:


Transformers Club Exclusives Ramjet Gallery

Keep in mind, this is the one without the modifications to the head.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Keep in mind, this is the one without the modifications to the head.

The one in my gallery that Pete loaned me to photograph had the correct head modification so that the head could do the fin in jet mode. Just confirmed with Pete that it was the corrected one.

Ah, ok, I stand corrected.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Moonshot wrote:Cant wait for the Ramjet gallery. When is he shipping out? Anyone hear anything about it yet? I know I have asked a couple times in the last few weeks but he is much anticipated.

He's still delayed, but Ryan got an pre-release specimen for the galleries:


Transformers Club Exclusives Ramjet Gallery

Keep in mind, this is the one without the modifications to the head.

Sweet thanks, I must have missed the gallery for him some how. Hate that he is delayed.

Got ruckus in the mail today. Heh. Tiny box compared to needlenose.

I like him a lot. Because RUCKUS. He unfortunately simply has too much paint. The yellow paint especially on his outer truck shell just looks too thick and glossy, and kind of cheap, doesn't quite go with the really nice colors of the blue plastic. I totally understand the need to work with the mold stories and it looks right onto the character,just looks more like a custom than a high-end collector item.

Love the little details like the spring eco on his hood, the yellow connector chest port. He's really cool but just not as nicely done as needlenose or my previous sub figures (thrustinator, circuit, jackpot).

While still part of the beast world of alt-modes, the latest addition to the Seibertron.com galleries lives in a crossworld of Transformers Collectors' Club Exclusives and a direct G1 redeco, as a set of figures that was supposed to be a retail exclusive, but made it into Timelines in 2008 instead!

Let your eyes float over the full Seacon team, including Nautilator, Overbite, Seawing, Skalor, Snaptrap, and Tentakil, and their combined mode Seacon Superwarrior Piranacon. The fun fact about these dangerously reused molds, is that each component is drowning in playability: they can be a robot, an aquatic monster, and a Targetmaster with their weapon mode, plus the combining mode! Surf the galleries by clicking on any of the images below.

Club Exclusives Piranacon (135 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons


















Club Exclusives Snaptrap (105 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons








Club Exclusives Tentakil (103 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons, Targetmasters










Club Exclusives Skalor (107 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons, Targetmasters










Club Exclusives Overbite (97 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons, Targetmasters










Club Exclusives Seawing (104 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons, Targetmasters










Club Exclusives Nautilator (91 images) - Combiners, Exclusives, Seacons, Targetmasters

SEACONS WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

These guys look cool. Can't wait for them to get a modern update eventually, cause that is a good look

Perhaps I missed something, but how are these 'dangerously reused molds'?

Dagon wrote:Perhaps I missed something, but how are these 'dangerously reused molds'?

They're reused much much later than the first time the mold was intended, and it shows.
Perhaps bad phrasing on my part, here.

Dr Va'al wrote:

Dagon wrote:Perhaps I missed something, but how are these 'dangerously reused molds'?

They're reused much much later than the first time the mold was intended, and it shows.
Perhaps bad phrasing on my part, here.

Also, hadn't the molds somewhat degraded by the time this set was issued?

And just to be kind of nitpicky, the King Poseidon version of Tentakil is actually Scylla, who's a fembot, not just a version of Tentakil.

Bounti76 wrote:

Dr Va'al wrote:

Dagon wrote:Perhaps I missed something, but how are these 'dangerously reused molds'?

They're reused much much later than the first time the mold was intended, and it shows.
Perhaps bad phrasing on my part, here.

Also, hadn't the molds somewhat degraded by the time this set was issued?

I own the set, but haven't looked at it for quite a while, so maybe I'm not as aware of this mold issue as it apparently warrants. This is kind of a head-scratcher remark to me though, as no one ever seems to be critical of the trillion Combaticon reuses in such a way. The Seacons have only been reused three times, or four total times if that sounds better, so I guess i don't really associate 'mold overuse' or degradation with them.
Ultimately, I think I just misunderstood what the good doctor wrote.

Bounti76 wrote:And just to be kind of nitpicky, the King Poseidon version of Tentakil is actually Scylla, who's a fembot, not just a version of Tentakil.

I wouldn't call this a nitpick at all.

For whatever reason though the Combaticon molds hold up. In terms of number of uses, you're absolutely correct --- the Seacons have been used far less.

Couple years ago I got the BBTS shared exclusive reissue of the Seacons and I was TERRIFIED to transform them. The plastic felt brittle and it felt like every part was going to snap at the slightest movement. I did a full conversion ONCE, returned it to combined mode (and clicking the heads into the ports was the worst), and stuck it back in the box. I had similar, but not as severe, issues with the TRU reissue Insecticons from about five years ago. I couldn't speak to the quality of the current (overpriced) platinum set of Insecticons.

I think "dangerously reused" is fair to say with respect to the quality of the toys.


When WAS the last Combaticon reuse? RID? They were great, at any rate. But that's already 15 years ago.

Bounti76 wrote:

Dr Va'al wrote:

Dagon wrote:Perhaps I missed something, but how are these 'dangerously reused molds'?

They're reused much much later than the first time the mold was intended, and it shows.
Perhaps bad phrasing on my part, here.

Also, hadn't the molds somewhat degraded by the time this set was issued?

Yeah, that is also what I was referring to.

I've got an original G1 set, the God Neptune set, and the TFCC rerelease, and have never had any mold issues. I remember hearing the BBTS/TRU reissue set had a lot of QC issues, but have never handled it, so I can't speak to that one. I guess I'm just surprised to learn that there are such issues associated with these figures.

As for the Combaticons, the original Universe line had two Ruinations, and I think that was a year or two after RID ended. Still a long time back regardless.

Dagon wrote:I've got an original G1 set, the God Neptune set, and the TFCC rerelease, and have never had any mold issues. I remember hearing the BBTS/TRU reissue set had a lot of QC issues, but have never handled it, so I can't speak to that one. I guess I'm just surprised to learn that there are such issues associated with these figures.

As for the Combaticons, the original Universe line had two Ruinations, and I think that was a year or two after RID ended. Still a long time back regardless.

None of these sets have as bad of mold degradation as people suggest. They feel about the same as the original G1 version. The primary issues I had with my reissue and Club sets were pegs being a little loose in peg holes, which was fixed by adding a dab of superglue to either the hole or the peg (which was determined by plugging in other accessories from the set as well as the original G1 set). Everyone's guns fit fine now. The rest of the issues also seem to be similar to issues that the original G1 toy set had with paint issues (which some people might not be as picky about). They have some issues, but I would consider most of the issues to be minor with quality control. However, truth be told, there was a slight delay on me finishing the gallery for my Club set because it was missing the card for Skalor as well as having two left fists for Piranacon. I ordered a second set off eBay after discovering the two left fists (I wasn't too worried about the missing bio card, but was really frustrated about the missing right fist). I'll relist the other set on eBay (though I'm unsure if I'll sell it as an entire set or piece it apart to help people out who might be looking to replace something that broke or is missing on their set).

As much as I like how unapologetically '80s the originals were, I think I like the deep sea colors of this version even more.

Dagon wrote:As for the Combaticons, the original Universe line had two Ruinations, and I think that was a year or two after RID ended. Still a long time back regardless.

Just one: the grey Urban Camo was still RiD2001, albeit at the advent of Universe 2003.

Speaking of mold degradation, the Combaticons do suffer from it visibly, especially Onslaught who's been retooled the most times (FYI Blast Off having a rounded nosecone was an intentional tweak). Look at Encore Bruticus closely for plastic marring.

Fellow Seibertronians, we have an update to our early access Ramjet gallery, as well as a sneak peek at the upcoming TFSS 4.0 Spinister gallery, in the form of their bio cards and art. So check them out and let us know what you think in the comments below.

I wish I could get Collector's clubs bots. I would really like that Spinister.

Just an FYI for all of you folks wondering who Shrute is, its the new name for Hairsplitter.

What is a Shrute anyway?

I wrote the bio and tech specs for Ramjet.

Randy

Powered Convoy wrote:I wrote the bio and tech specs for Ramjet.

Randy

You don't say.

Heh, cute that Spinister getting a release as a Targetmaster for Nemesis Prime got a mention in the bio. (I wonder if that would've lead to something more if the club's original plan to have Nemesis as the torso for Wreckage went through.)