The Energon Pub

gothsaurus wrote:Yeah, I'll admit they're unlikely for these sets. Maybe while the molds are on the presses they can squeeze out something for the main line or subscription that fits the bill.

Red Mirage could be a new G1 character for the main line... plus Skid-Z and Machine Wars Prowl for a club store exclusive and the subscription service.

(Skid-Z can hang out with the new versions of Scourge, Side Burn and SkyByte.)

Just sayin'.

Hey, they did MP Tigertrack. Anything can happen

I wouldn't be interested in these at all, as Astrotrain, Galvatron, Ironhide, and Octane-Kor were some of the least impressive CHUGGUR molds (though Octank was a nice try that could've worked even better as a voyager than Galvy), but there's one issue no one's mentioned:

Does a Hound reissue automatically = a Ravage reissue, as was evidenced in G2 redux? If they are gang molded OSLT, and Ravage is repainted into Howlback or Stripes, I'm gonna' hafta' fork over as much as it takes to get this set, if that's what it takes to convince HasTak to never ever stop with new Masterpiece cassettes. Once we've gotten new molds of every last cassette, down to the 4 combiner pair and an official Autoscout, I might actually forgive the neutering of KOTOYS.com. I'd much rather buy a purple MP Soundwave than those 3 Autobots again, but I'll purchase ANY new cassette-related item, official or otherwise, just to send them the right message.

Bumblevivisector wrote:I wouldn't be interested in these at all, as Astrotrain, Galvatron, Ironhide, and Octane-Kor were some of the least impressive CHUGGUR molds (though Octank was a nice try that could've worked even better as a voyager than Galvy), but there's one issue no one's mentioned:

Does a Hound reissue automatically = a Ravage reissue, as was evidenced in G2 redux? If they are gang molded OSLT, and Ravage is repainted into Howlback or Stripes, I'm gonna' hafta' fork over as much as it takes to get this set, if that's what it takes to convince HasTak to never ever stop with new Masterpiece cassettes. Once we've gotten new molds of every last cassette, down to the 4 combiner pair and an official Autoscout, I might actually forgive the neutering of KOTOYS.com. I'd much rather buy a purple MP Soundwave than those 3 Autobots again, but I'll purchase ANY new cassette-related item, official or otherwise, just to send them the right message.

I wouldn't count on Ravage getting repainted into a new character. In fact, he may as well be completely omitted, despite being gang-molded.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bumblevivisector wrote:I wouldn't be interested in these at all, as Astrotrain, Galvatron, Ironhide, and Octane-Kor were some of the least impressive CHUGGUR molds (though Octank was a nice try that could've worked even better as a voyager than Galvy), but there's one issue no one's mentioned:

Does a Hound reissue automatically = a Ravage reissue, as was evidenced in G2 redux? If they are gang molded OSLT, and Ravage is repainted into Howlback or Stripes, I'm gonna' hafta' fork over as much as it takes to get this set, if that's what it takes to convince HasTak to never ever stop with new Masterpiece cassettes. Once we've gotten new molds of every last cassette, down to the 4 combiner pair and an official Autoscout, I might actually forgive the neutering of KOTOYS.com. I'd much rather buy a purple MP Soundwave than those 3 Autobots again, but I'll purchase ANY new cassette-related item, official or otherwise, just to send them the right message.

I wouldn't count on Ravage getting repainted into a new character. In fact, he may as well be completely omitted, despite being gang-molded.

Also- CHUGGUR!

Aw. I liked Astrotrain. He looked pretty good in each mode.

But yeah, same here. You give me a Ravage recolor and I'll be knocking down the door to buy the set.

I like Octane! I even like Astrotrain (who, aside from meh knees) looks amazing, and I like Galvatron too, even if it could definitely be better.

On the flipside, Mirage and Hound are the masterpieces here. Damn are these 2 great, even if Hound's gun is loose'ish.

Well, that is to say, even the worst molds from Classics and Universe 2.0 were at least okay. I have the first Hasbro versions of these 6, but really don't need more than that. Even the awesome Mirage I would only want another of for the purpose of kitbashing him into Tornado (Enemy Within guy who fought Earthquake), and I'd only want to destroy a knock-off for that purpose.

I agree Astrotrain is nice in and of himself, and it is neat how much longer he becomes in train mode, but to me he always stood out as the one guy in the first wave of Classics who was just a lateral-move from his original toy without any major improvements. Maybe it was that his gun didn't store properly, or that he should've been bigger, but even with an improved deco he's a pass for me.

Actually, the common theme for the three 'Cons seems to be that they all would've worked better as voyagers instead of deluxes!

True about them being larger! Galvatron and the triple changers need to get upsized.

Got any pics of Tornado? I'm wracking my brain to place the story and characters. Sounds familiar.

gothsaurus wrote:Got any pics of Tornado? I'm wracking my brain to place the story and characters. Sounds familiar.

RhA wrote:Also- CHUGGUR!

...is, like it or not, technically the most-concise term to convey exactly what I meant there, since this thread did inevitably require a reference to "Classics" as the one-year subline that it was, and therefore cannot be used as an umbrella term for the continuing trend that it started in this context, since I've yet to hear a better collective term for all of those sublines that actually sticks in fandom's consciousness.

...is the end of that sentence.

It's all semiotics. The exclusion principle is a natural law of how language evolves. It's the same reason "seeker" kept persisting when it was thought to be a fan term despite the number of fans who adamantly refused to use it. There are hundreds of TFs with aircraft alts who aren't that body-template, so any synonym that included "jet", "plane", "sky", "flight" etc. couldn't effectively stick, leading to seeker becoming THE term by process of elimination.

If you've got a better term that's usable when one's discussing a group of toys that hail from more than one of those sublines, I'd love to hear it. I don't like being reminded of that Thomas rip-off when discussing TFs either.

Bumblevivisector wrote:

RhA wrote:Also- CHUGGUR!

...is, like it or not, technically the most-concise term to convey exactly what I meant there, since this thread did inevitably require a reference to "Classics" as the one-year subline that it was, and therefore cannot be used as an umbrella term for the continuing trend that it started in this context, since I've yet to hear a better collective term for all of those sublines that actually sticks in fandom's consciousness.

...is the end of that sentence.

It's all semiotics. The exclusion principle is a natural law of how language evolves. It's the same reason "seeker" kept persisting when it was thought to be a fan term despite the number of fans who adamantly refused to use it. There are hundreds of TFs with aircraft alts who aren't that body-template, so any synonym that included "jet", "plane", "sky", "flight" etc. couldn't effectively stick, leading to seeker becoming THE term by process of elimination.

If you've got a better term that's usable when one's discussing a group of toys that hail from more than one of those sublines, I'd love to hear it. I don't like being reminded of that Thomas rip-off when discussing TFs either.

"Classics-style"?

Did it ever reference what Tornado transformed into? Or were you just going basically on shape?

Thanks for beating me to Tornado Sabrblade. I checked TFWiki, but I still prefer this site:

http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/ ... ornado.htm

It's not so much that Classics Mirage looks like Tornado beyond being skinny and blue, as that if you untransform his back a bit, he spins around easily at the waist, sort of emulating his power.

Was he given a distinct alt in Last Stand? I had planned to mostly slice Mirage's wheels off, repaint, and say he's some sort of spinning rocket plane...kind of like FoC Blast Off now that I think about it. So yeah, not worth destroying an unbroken official toy for, but I'll get around to it someday.

Metrosuplex wrote:So what's the asking price? $120? Or is that too optimistic?

I like the reissues, but the prices are just exorbitant. It's really too bad Hasbro doesn't release a version of these for around $60-80. But I guess the predominant mindset among collectors is, "Screw the deluxes! I'm selling my collection and getting all MPs!!! "

Bleh. MPs are too big.

I agree. MP's are too big. I just cant get into the Barbie doll sized scale. I like classics. Keep em coming.

gothsaurus wrote:Red Mirage could be a new G1 character for the main line... plus Skid-Z and Machine Wars Prowl for a club store exclusive and the subscription service.

Movie Dino.

I'm Happy. I do have most of these molds.

Courtesy of the TakaraTomy Mall we have some new images of the Asian Market Exclusive Autobot Specialist Three Pack. This set contains reissues of the Deluxes Universe Ironhide, Universe Hound, and Classics Mirage. Check out the updated images below:

Oh look....another Panelhide...yay...

So I guess no Ravage?

Transformerasia has unveiled a new promotion for the upcoming Autobot Specialists set. While supplies last, the set comes with a free Autobot symbol earphone cap plug available at select stores in Asia. No word on what retailers will be getting the earphone cap plug or whether there will be one available for the Decepticon set.

megatronus wrote:So I guess no Ravage?

Ravage is there - http://www.transformersasia.com/exclusive/exclusive_detail/3/228

Is there any precedence to Hound having yellow eyes?

Shadowstream wrote:Is there any precedence to Hound having yellow eyes?

Maybe he has cirrhosis. Does Hound drink a lot?

Wait wait wait... what about Ratchet, Kup and Perceptor? Different set altogether?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Wait wait wait... what about Ratchet, Kup and Perceptor? Different set altogether?

Yes, different set scheduled to release later this year.