Sabrblade wrote:Mindmaster wrote:MetroSUplex wrote:As much as I like seeing it used for Magnus like this, would it be too much to ask for a trailer??? Optimus seems half-finished without his trailer...
1) Optimus has only used a trailer
once, in MECH's debut episode.
2) Ultra Magnus will probably go the same route and pull a very Ultra Magnus-y trailer only
once in the series.
Why make a trailer when it doesn't even appear in fiction more than once, compared to the daily happenings with
Generation One Optimus Prime?
Optimus also had a trailer in episode 20.
As for making toys of one-time things, Takara's TF: Prime toyline had toys for Cylas and Nemesis Prime, both one-episode guys. And both Hasbro and Takara made a Terrorcon Cliffjumper toy, as well as toys for pre-zombie Skyquake, who both also only appeared once. And Hasbro's Beast Wars 10th Anniversary line had parts for a Transmutate figure. And the Animated toyline had toys for one-timers Waspinator, Blackout, Electrostatic Soundwave, Laserbeak, Ratbat, Wingblade Optimus Prime, etc. And all Movie toylines have toys for characters who only lasted for just one of the three films. And then there's G1 Skids who was only in two episodes of the cartoon. And G1 Runabout, who also only appeared once in the show. And so on and so forth.
Thank you, Sabrblade!
I'd also like to add that kids like trucks. And trucks have trailers. How exciting is it to see a trailer-less truck on the road? Not very. A truck without a trailer is a loss - these guys get paid to haul, so I imagine they don't to a whole lot of trailer-less runs.
Plus, look at MP Optimus: he can fit autobots in his trailer!!! THAT. IS. BADASS. (But I suppose if he only did that ONCE in the cartoon, Hasbro/Takara has no business in introducing that feature).
Seibertron wrote:MetroSUplex wrote:Ironically, I AM ordering more online because of what I mentioned: store inventory is unpredictable and I'm learning that entire waves (the end ones) usually don't make it to stores at all.
Really, it's a bit of a revelation to learn so many of you guys buy online. So I might pose the same question to you: Why do you buy online and not local?
Gas being around $4 a gallon makes hunting for hours on end an expensive venture, not to mention that my time is money as well and now that am married, have a 4 year old daughter, and own a business, my time is very limited. You might save a few bucks buying in store, but after sales tax, your time hunting, and gas are you really saving anything?
The nice thing about ordering at BigBadToyStore.com is if you find the newest figures at your local store when you're out and about (or really want a figure like I did when Springer and Blitzwing came out a few weeks ago and I spent 4 to 6 hours hunting for them), you can just go cancel your preorder at BBTS. You can't beat it! They don't ask any questions and don't give you a hard time at all. In fact, the process is all done through your order history ... you don't have to contact them at all.
Great points, and I must admit I was pretty moved by your query. I'm more and more in line with your thinking, as I've got a 2 yr old myself. $4 gas is the real killer. Plus how IL has one of the highest sales tax in the country (higher than NY and CA!). But tax-free online shopping is an endangered species - Senator Durbin (IL) is behind a bill to bring taxes to the internets! And good ole Amazon is with him 100%!
So in the end, you're really saving time and gas, and will likely pay more than local (as BBTS and TFSource both charge a little higher). Money is tight these days, so these things factor. But you're right: online is easier and a safer bet. My wife said that when I find just one figure at the store, I don't really get to choose the better paint job anyway... so my point about picking the best figure is becoming more and more moot as the distribution gets worse and worse...