The Energon Pub

Repaints and retools have been part of the Transformers toy landscape for as long as the brand has existed, but the concept of pre-tools is a more recent development. What got me interested in the subject was how Hasbro, TakaraTomy and occasionally 3rd party companies would release a toy or character in a mould that was clearly designed to later accommodate a better known or more popular character. It’s the more extreme cases that got my attention, where the first release is significantly less associated with a particular look in the Transformers universe than the eventual repaint or retool. Looking into it, and some of the most recent examples, I found that as with most things there was more to it than that.

Pre-Tool | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ




All the best
Maz

When I first saw the reveal of Titans Return Sky Shadow, I wondered to myself "Did I miss the Overlord reveal"? It also seems like an odd choice, as Sky Shadow had a Generations figure a few years ago, and his buddy Blue Bacchus is nowhere in sight. If it had been Thunderwing it would have made a little more sense, as he has been portrayed as a bigger, more powerful character at least in the Prime Video game and Stormbringer comics. A leader could be considered a warranted upgrade.

I also think it's a bad idea to release the less obvious choice first because what if it doesn't sell? The figure shelf warms, stores don't order future waves(or order less stock), and it makes it harder to find the figure you do want.

Duke of Luns wrote:When I first saw the reveal of Titans Return Sky Shadow, I wondered to myself "Did I miss the Overlord reveal"? It also seems like an odd choice, as Sky Shadow had a Generations figure a few years ago, and his buddy Blue Bacchus is nowhere in sight. If it had been Thunderwing it would have made a little more sense, as he has been portrayed as a bigger, more powerful character at least in the Prime Video game and Stormbringer comics. A leader could be considered a warranted upgrade.

I also think it's a bad idea to release the less obvious choice first because what if it doesn't sell? The figure shelf warms, stores don't order future waves(or order less stock), and it makes it harder to find the figure you do want.

Sky Shadow was chosen because they wanted to complete a line of IDW's group of Phase Sixers - that being Sixshot, Overlord and Black Shadow. They were already doing Sixshot and Overlord so might as well chuck the other one in there.
What you're saying is perhaps true, but what if they were sold after? Then it'd be even harder to sell them. If you brought out Astrotrain first much less people are gonna want Sentinel Prime.

Kurona wrote:

Duke of Luns wrote:When I first saw the reveal of Titans Return Sky Shadow, I wondered to myself "Did I miss the Overlord reveal"? It also seems like an odd choice, as Sky Shadow had a Generations figure a few years ago, and his buddy Blue Bacchus is nowhere in sight. If it had been Thunderwing it would have made a little more sense, as he has been portrayed as a bigger, more powerful character at least in the Prime Video game and Stormbringer comics. A leader could be considered a warranted upgrade.

I also think it's a bad idea to release the less obvious choice first because what if it doesn't sell? The figure shelf warms, stores don't order future waves(or order less stock), and it makes it harder to find the figure you do want.

Sky Shadow was chosen because they wanted to complete a line of IDW's group of Phase Sixers - that being Sixshot, Overlord and Black Shadow. They were already doing Sixshot and Overlord so might as well chuck the other one in there.
What you're saying is perhaps true, but what if they were sold after? Then it'd be even harder to sell them. If you brought out Astrotrain first much less people are gonna want Sentinel Prime.

I haven't been following the comics so I must confess ignorance on Sky Shadow's part. Sounds cool they're using him though.

And while Sentinal Prime is a good example, if a figure is wanted it won't sell regardless of when it's released. I myself don't really have an interest in Sentinal Prime so I've passed on it, but I will get Astrotrain because I wouldn't mind upgrading the character.

A similar point is the Generations Voyager Doubledealer from a couple years ago. I bought Blitzwing(despite knowing he had some flaws) because I wanted an "Classic" version of the character. Doubledealer, while being at least a somewhat clever repaint(the teeth on the jet mode are nifty) didn't catch my interest, so I passed on it. If it had been released first I most likely still would have passed.