The Energon Pub

[Carnivius_Prime]

Found Thundercracker in Forbidden Planet (still with Toys R Us sticker on it). Fun figure (wish they'd put just one extra little joint in this tail bit to fold it up into the backpack but eh) and nice colour scheme. Excuse crapness of photo. My phone is away for repairs and this temp one I had to buy for £69 (which i get refunded when i return it within 14 days) is appalling.

But yeah totally did not expect to find Thundercracker in a store but here we go.

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[Autobot Roadburn]

So I just bought a junker Beast Wars Rampage to complete one I found at goodwill a couple years ago for $5 (minus the big gun), and he just got here last night. Found something bizarre that I didn’t notice in pictures online though - his crab shell is a completely different color! I’d chalk it up to fading from sunlight but it’s on the inside of the shell too, and I’d imagine it would be strange for 2 of the exact same toy to age so differently. It’s also definitely not the Takara version, all the robot mode parts are the same as my first Rampage. Any ideas? The new one from eBay is on the left, the paler, almost pink shell.

[Cobotron]

Interesting Roadburn.

Was there a Universe release of that fig?

[Autobot Roadburn]

Interesting Roadburn.

Was there a Universe release of that fig?

I don't think so, but the color does remind me a lot of Universe Depth Charge. I checked the wiki and outside of Takara Rampage having different red plastic in robot mode (which this definitely doesn't have) and the silver paint variant that happened at one point (also definitely not, I needed his robot leg to complete my first figure and they match perfectly) I have no clue what this could be. My best guess is still fading since literally everything else is the same between the 2 Rampages, it's just a surprising difference in color. I also got him off eBay for like $16 so I can't imagine it's very rare unless the seller had no clue what he had.

[no-one]

So I just bought a junker Beast Wars Rampage to complete one I found at goodwill a couple years ago for $5 (minus the big gun), and he just got here last night. Found something bizarre that I didn’t notice in pictures online though - his crab shell is a completely different color! I’d chalk it up to fading from sunlight but it’s on the inside of the shell too, and I’d imagine it would be strange for 2 of the exact same toy to age so differently. It’s also definitely not the Takara version, all the robot mode parts are the same as my first Rampage. Any ideas? The new one from eBay is on the left, the paler, almost pink shell.

This maybe?

Rampage was available with either orange or more show-accurate silver paint applications on his head and chest, but it is presently unclear which variant came first; contradictory anecdotal accounts are all we have to go on. Curiously, it took about fifteen years before the silver variant was widely known about

More info: http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vbeast.html#ramp

[ZeroWolf]

Interesting, is it possible that someone painted the silver themselves?

[no-one]

Interesting, is it possible that someone painted the silver themselves?

I added a second link above. Seems that is a known variant.

http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vbeast.html#ramp

[ZeroWolf]

Interesting, is it possible that someone painted the silver themselves?

I added a second link above. Seems that is a known variant.

http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vbeast.html#ramp

Ah thanks cary

Well Autobot Roadburn, your course is clear, you need to get a third rampage to fix that one up after you fix up the first one You can never have too many BW Rampages

[Autobot Roadburn]

Interesting, is it possible that someone painted the silver themselves?

I added a second link above. Seems that is a known variant.

http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vbeast.html#ramp

Ah thanks cary

Well Autobot Roadburn, your course is clear, you need to get a third rampage to fix that one up after you fix up the first one You can never have too many BW Rampages

I was actually considering that at this point! Regardless as I mentioned in my first reply to Cobotron it is definitely not the silver variant - that only affects the robot mode, not the crab shell, and I mentioned the robot parts don't have the silver paint.

r_takara-rampage-130.jpg

My best guess at this point is just particularly awful fading, maybe this toy had some bad chrome or something, or some really bizarre paint error that got into the chrome.

[no-one]

Got me? I'm not personally familiar with that line of toys.

Rampages.jpg

[william-james88]

yeah, I think its fading, maybe heavy exposure to light.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I got the same problem with my RiD Ultra Magnus, where the chrome loses its color. Surprise, it's not actually Chromium, but most of the time a thin layer of Aluminium, at times painted over:

Vacuum Metallizing on TFwiki

Paint on metal fading is something uncommon to my knowledge, but it still happens. The most recent figure to suffer from it is Binaltech Bluestreak.

[Autobot Roadburn]

I got the same problem with my RiD Ultra Magnus, where the chrome loses its color. Surprise, it's not actually Chromium, but most of the time a thin layer of Aluminium, at times painted over:

Vacuum Metallizing on TFwiki

Paint on metal fading is something uncommon to my knowledge, but it still happens. The most recent figure to suffer from it is Binaltech Bluestreak.

Well there you go, makes sense to me! Either way I’m really happy to have this guy (nearly) complete. He’s absolutely back heavy and one of his shoulder pads can’t quite hold up with the crab leg segment attached but I moved one of the crab claws underneath to help support it so it’s fine for now. Might take the second one and turn him into essentially an Action Master so I can have one without the backpack of death.

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C3F35835-6219-4986-B997-7952E5D93388.jpeg

A0E2F112-D971-4E9A-90CB-4078ECEE238B.jpeg

282222AB-ECFE-4EEE-8BBE-945E3299BF52.jpeg

Also picked up my G1 Tailgate order from Walmart today, he’s adorable! Haven’t decided if I’m gonna open him yet, I love that packaging.

[Emerje]

My best guess at this point is just particularly awful fading, maybe this toy had some bad chrome or something, or some really bizarre paint error that got into the chrome.

It looks identical to the pink shell variant, though, which is a different thing from the silver paint variant. The one in that Seibertron picture with all the silver is the Japanese version, the silver variant looks like this:



It would be weird for chrome to fade consistently on all sides. All sides wouldn't have the same light exposure and places where the chrome (really just special paint over chrome as JelZe pointed out) color is thickest like in crevices or where the legs connect wouldn't fade the same color. Plus if this was UV fading then enough sunlight to do that to the chrome would most definitely turn the gray plastic yellow. I think if this was fading then we'd see a lot more of them, not just Rampage, but the whole Transmetal range. This may not be a common variant like some of the others (purple Primal, blue Megs, teal Rhinox), but it feels more like a rarely seen factory error.

Emerje

[nycPrime]

Just received Novastar. Not familiar with the character but it looks weird to me. The odd proportions reminds me of Elena from Street Fighter.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but Walmart actually sent me a few of the G1 reissues. Have Devy, SS, and HR. Swerve is supposedly on the way.

[-Kanrabat-]

Just received Novastar. Not familiar with the character but it looks weird to me. The odd proportions reminds me of Elena from Street Fighter.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but Walmart actually sent me a few of the G1 reissues. Have Devy, SS, and HR. Swerve is supposedly on the way.

I won't consider the main 3 big ones to be "a few".

[X3ROhour]

No that's for Volcanicus.

Huh. I didn't know he was getting a kit. Volcanicus isn't very appealing to me as he is, so I might pick that up, depending on how it looks.

i am thinking about getting the Weijiang KO Over-sized Volcanicus.
if they EVER get around to actually doing it.

they had them up on display at some Con a few months back
(anyone recall that conventions name?)

so far,
all we got was this puke-asaurus rex

7a2b6f4dgy1fr68be21kjj20zk0k044x.jpg

but the size diff is cool!

7a2b6f4dgy1fqpul3pignj20ki0hqaci.jpg

but i DO NOT want to repaint!


i hope that when they do come out in proper colors
they also get an UP-SIZED add-on kit.


oh, well
patiencepatiencepatience...

[X3ROhour]

and
today
when i took my wife to work
i found
POTPourri
INFERNO!!!!!!

transformers-power-of-the-primes-inferno.jpg

woot! indeed.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I think if this was fading then we'd see a lot more of them, not just Rampage, but the whole Transmetal range. This may not be a common variant like some of the others (purple Primal, blue Megs, teal Rhinox), but it feels more like a rarely seen factory error.

Emerje

It may have something to with the clear protective coat being inferior, or applied too thin. Without a sealant, the paint could just evaporate or otherwise diminish without anything stopping it. Mind you, just a guess.

Right, the real reason I'm here: I got the final three Terrorcons!

PotP Sinnertwin
PotP Terrorcon Blot
PotP Terrorcon Cutthroat

My second Combiner completed!

Deluxe Wave 3 started showing up at both Target and Walmart (again), I even spotted Inferno. The Legends tho... Wave 2 got over-ordered at Walmart, so Battletrap is shelfwarming. Imagine that.

[X3ROhour]

5acd450c4ff54_41166n.jpg

boom, indeed.




well...
it ain't perfect, accurate or too scale
AND
its missing a hand, a staff/club weapon and tongue
but
DANG, ITS COOL!

[william-james88]

I agree, despite all its obvious flaws, I think its freaken awesome!

[-Kanrabat-]

AN ACTUAL HAUL FOR ONCE!

After struggling through the endless forest of "wave 1 everything" at TrU, I went to the barren desert of Walmart's TF section. But lo and behold, a G1 oasis! I never thought I'd ever come across G1 Hot Rod live in store so I grabbed two before the scalper roaches come crawling in. One for me and one for my friend who is too busy on week days to do anything. So we have our G1 Hot Rods secured!

[william-james88]

I thought 40$ was too expensive, 50$ is terribly expensive for starscream

[-Kanrabat-]

I thought 40$ was too expensive, 50$ is terribly expensive for starscream

Your loss if you skip, man. Comparing to what I paid for some of my reissues through the net, those are especially cheap. Yes, even Starscream compared to the 70$+ I had to pay for my Takara Encore.

[Sjeng]

Got my Generations Springer in the mail yesterday!
And Sandstorm is currently at AutobotDad's place awaiting a big shipment with other stuff, so the 3 autobot triple changers are complete!

Movie-wise I have a few bots now, as I thought I'd get a few cool ones for a Bot vs Con display:

Evasion Mode Voyager O/P versus DotM voyager Megatron (he gets Prime's shotgun) (the leaders)
TLK Voyager Hound versus DotM voyager Shockwave (the big guns)
RotF Deluxe Cannon Bumblebee versus TLK Deluxe Barricade (the scouts)
TLK Deluxe Cogman versus TLK Voyager Nitro (the headmaster scene that never made it)

I still need to find Nitro though. Hoping he'll be cheap in the SF area.

And maaaybe I'll keep my eyes open for:
TLK Voyager Ironhide versus TLK Voyager Starscream (the plain grey version) (the lieutenants)

I do kinda like Grimlock, he'd have to be leader class I think. But who to put him against?

I also have a TLK Leader Megatron, who's awesome, but no Leader Prime to deal with. The movie toy Leader Primes are expensive, almost as much as the MPM-01, so might eventually get that one. I hope he scales well with Megs... Anyone got comparison shots?