The Energon Pub

Here are the extra pics from the updated official images article











Also, I thought year 2 would have more than just a few new molds in the first half of the next year for Combiner Wars. At first I thought retooling was smart, but them doing it non stop is not fun for me. I feel Hasbro got totally beat by Takara this week-end.

I just had a thought for people who are all, "Man, what is with these Autobot car repaints? These figures have already been done! And they were never meant to combine, anyway!"

Well, it has been years since many of these figures got their already existing Classics style figures, so this is a great way for newer collectors to get their chance at them. Would I prefer newer characters who haven't been done yet? Sure! But we're also still getting those, too. Seems a nice mix, to me.

And hey, there is a G1 precedent! At the tail end of G1, many older characters got reissued as new toys. (Although I do trust that this analogy doesn't carry all the way through, and mean that we're at the tail end of Classics style toys...)

So just think of these as Action Masters! Action Masters that can still actually transform. And without stupid extra accessories or pointless vehicles to sit in because they can't now just become vehicles themselves. And that can (completely optionally) be combined to form gestalts.

You know, just like Action Masters! Except that they're actually cool toys to play with.

Yotsuyasan wrote:I will take this moment to point out, though, that this means that Trailbreaker is a more extensive remold then just sticking a new head on a preexisting toy. Between that, and Mirage's getting a bit of work to his vehicle's front end, I guess the Autobot repaints may be a little less lazy then some people are complaining they are.

Mirage is a simple headswap, nothing else's been changed:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Yotsuyasan wrote:I will take this moment to point out, though, that this means that Trailbreaker is a more extensive remold then just sticking a new head on a preexisting toy. Between that, and Mirage's getting a bit of work to his vehicle's front end, I guess the Autobot repaints may be a little less lazy then some people are complaining they are.

Mirage is a simple headswap, nothing else's been changed:

Oh, whoops. You're right. Why did I think that the spoiler thingy on Drag Strip's front was a little different?

Still, it is odd (in a good way) to see a change like that for Trailbreaker. It was completely unnecessary on their parts, as no one would have complained if he had two fists. I wonder if they did this since, unlike many of the others, his pre-existing toy isn't that old? So maybe they thought they'd do a little extra to make him stand out?

Wolfman Jake wrote:

Stuartmaximus wrote:So yet another heavy retool from the Silverbolt mold! like they did for Cyclonus! but this time.....as Sky Lynx, I'm actually quite liking this one, I'm just wondering somewhere down the line....what they'll retool Leader Class Megatron & Ultra Magnus as? If anything.

What makes you think Sky Lynx is a retool, of Silverbolt at that? Looks like an all new mold to me, honestly.

Have you even SEEN his alt mode? http://www.collectiondx.com/files/cwskyreign2.jpg

Clearly a very heavy retool, + your willing to accept OTHER retools & remolds that are coming out....but cannot accept the fact that Sky Lynx MAY be a heavy retool of Silverbolt!(like they did with Cyclonus) + other people have made the same claim! so where's your definitive proof that this is an original mold? listen! maybe your right! Or maybe I am! We won't know until we hear something definitive.

but in the meantime....he deffo looks like a heavy retool to me.

Yotsuyasan wrote:Still, it is odd (in a good way) to see a change like that for Trailbreaker. It was completely unnecessary on their parts, as no one would have complained if he had two fists. I wonder if they did this since, unlike many of the others, his pre-existing toy isn't that old? So maybe they thought they'd do a little extra to make him stand out?

Maybe it's to throw us an extra bone? It's indeed an unnecessary, but appreciated detail.

Stuartmaximus wrote:

Wolfman Jake wrote:

Stuartmaximus wrote:So yet another heavy retool from the Silverbolt mold! like they did for Cyclonus! but this time.....as Sky Lynx, I'm actually quite liking this one, I'm just wondering somewhere down the line....what they'll retool Leader Class Megatron & Ultra Magnus as? If anything.

What makes you think Sky Lynx is a retool, of Silverbolt at that? Looks like an all new mold to me, honestly.

Have you even SEEN his alt mode? http://www.collectiondx.com/files/cwskyreign2.jpg

Clearly a very heavy retool, + your willing to accept OTHER retools & remolds that are coming out....but cannot accept the fact that Sky Lynx MAY be a heavy retool of Silverbolt!(like they did with Cyclonus) + other people have made the same claim! so where's your definitive proof that this is an original mold? listen! maybe your right! Or maybe I am! We won't know until we hear something definitive.

but in the meantime....he deffo looks like a heavy retool to me.

Not a retool, if you compare the undercarriage and how it transforms:

If this is honestly a retool then at that point can't we just call it a new mould? There's so many differences between the two that the only similarities are the tail fins and the under kibble. To me it seems like it would've just been easier to use a new mould instead of doing this much retooling.

Stuartmaximus wrote:Clearly a very heavy retool, + your willing to accept OTHER retools & remolds that are coming out....but cannot accept the fact that Sky Lynx MAY be a heavy retool of Silverbolt!(like they did with Cyclonus) + other people have made the same claim! so where's your definitive proof that this is an original mold? listen! maybe your right! Or maybe I am! We won't know until we hear something definitive.

but in the meantime....he deffo looks like a heavy retool to me.

Sorry, but no, Sky Lynx is a whole new mold. Oh no, he's an aircraft with a lot of folded up junk underneath!* That describes a lot of aircraft based Transformers, not just the Combiner Wars Silverbolt. Are all such figures retools of one another? Does that mean that Combiner Wars Silverbolt was a heavy retool of Dark of the Moon Jetfire? It's so obvious! Just like it is with Silverbolt and Sky Lynx!

We'll just ignore the fact that they look completely different, have zero obvious parts in common, transform completely differently, and don't even transform into remotely the same thing. (A robot vs. a four legged bird-ish beast.)

They are so obviously the same toy!



*Although at least, for once, the junk underneath the aircraft is supposed to be there!

Delta Magnus wrote:Yeah, this combiner-mania has to calm down a little.

Also for god's sake Hasbro STOP USING THE SAME MOLDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IT'S GETTING SILLY ARGHARGAHGARH

(Seriously though, with Alpha Bravo, Blades, Vortex and the 2 helicopter limbs on Victorion, that's 5 uses of the AB mold.)

I'm with you on this. I see the merit in some of the retools, but they're going over the top now. It really should be no more than 2 characters per mould. Ideally one on each faction.

I kind of accepted it with Superion, because there's only so many ways to do a jet really, and all 3 are ever so slightly different to one another. Then comes Menasor who has 3 distinct limbs, as well. I get the reasoning therefore to add Alpha Bravo and Offroad into the mix to change things up. I like the figures and have bought them, however I will display the combiners with Slingshot and Wildrider. I don't mind these 2 guys being retools either, because I get that they weren't originally intended for the series, so Takara decided to retool the closest moulds. It's fine by me.

Then you get Defensor. I actually don't have a problem with the Blades and First Aid retools because, as far as I'm concerned, Offroad and Alpha Bravo won't feature in my combiner line ups. So in a way they're like the original moulds to me. Streetwise is a little annoying as I've already got both Dead End and Wildrider in that mould, however again you have to consider that Wildrider wasn't orginally intended for the line at retail.

Most of Bruticus is good. Onslaught and Swindle are really clever retools and Brawl is a nice new mould. However I look at Blast Off and Vortex and start getting fed up with the retools. If they hadn't have done Alpha Bravo, I would've been okay with another helicopter mould. Unlike Wildrider and Slingshot all 3 helicopter moulds have been part of the main line, and that just feels like laziness on Hasbro's part to me. A new chopper design would've been great, or perhaps something different for Alpha Bravo. Blast Off being a jet doesn't bother me (I'm more bothered by his face being wrong), but it's just that I'm fed up of jets now. Yes, it's only the 2nd version of the Skydive jet, but these jets are so similar that I feel like we're getting jets coming out of our ears! This is part of the reason why I'm sticking with my FoC Bruticus (with 3P add-ons), just to change the scenery up a little. The only time I'll have more than 2 moulds will just have to be Streetwise/Dead End/Wildrider.

Then you have all the extra Autobot combiners. Nothing more than a gimmick really, and it's quite frankly frustrating to see such overkill in the use of these moulds. Also, you've got Victorion. I really think Hasbro should've done something special here and make brand spanking new moulds, like with Windblade, just to get people invested. I don't think fans are excited to simply pick up even more retools, even with the unique selling point of it being a female combiner.

Syn_13 wrote:

Delta Magnus wrote:Yeah, this combiner-mania has to calm down a little.

Also for god's sake Hasbro STOP USING THE SAME MOLDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IT'S GETTING SILLY ARGHARGAHGARH

(Seriously though, with Alpha Bravo, Blades, Vortex and the 2 helicopter limbs on Victorion, that's 5 uses of the AB mold.)

I'm with you on this. I see the merit in some of the retools, but they're going over the top now. It really should be no more than 2 characters per mould. Ideally one on each faction.

I kind of accepted it with Superion, because there's only so many ways to do a jet really, and all 3 are ever so slightly different to one another. Then comes Menasor who has 3 distinct limbs, as well. I get the reasoning therefore to add Alpha Bravo and Offroad into the mix to change things up. I like the figures and have bought them, however I will display the combiners with Slingshot and Wildrider. I don't mind these 2 guys being retools either, because I get that they weren't originally intended for the series, so Takara decided to retool the closest moulds. It's fine by me.

Then you get Defensor. I actually don't have a problem with the Blades and First Aid retools because, as far as I'm concerned, Offroad and Alpha Bravo won't feature in my combiner line ups. So in a way they're like the original moulds to me. Streetwise is a little annoying as I've already got both Dead End and Wildrider in that mould, however again you have to consider that Wildrider wasn't orginally intended for the line at retail.

Most of Bruticus is good. Onslaught and Swindle are really clever retools and Brawl is a nice new mould. However I look at Blast Off and Vortex and start getting fed up with the retools. If they hadn't have done Alpha Bravo, I would've been okay with another helicopter mould. Unlike Wildrider and Slingshot all 3 helicopter moulds have been part of the main line, and that just feels like laziness on Hasbro's part to me. A new chopper design would've been great, or perhaps something different for Alpha Bravo. Blast Off being a jet doesn't bother me (I'm more bothered by his face being wrong), but it's just that I'm fed up of jets now. Yes, it's only the 2nd version of the Skydive jet, but these jets are so similar that I feel like we're getting jets coming out of our ears! This is part of the reason why I'm sticking with my FoC Bruticus (with 3P add-ons), just to change the scenery up a little. The only time I'll have more than 2 moulds will just have to be Streetwise/Dead End/Wildrider.

Then you have all the extra Autobot combiners. Nothing more than a gimmick really, and it's quite frankly frustrating to see such overkill in the use of these moulds. Also, you've got Victorion. I really think Hasbro should've done something special here and make brand spanking new moulds, like with Windblade, just to get people invested. I don't think fans are excited to simply pick up even more retools, even with the unique selling point of it being a female combiner.

Except it would be a bad business decision to only use each mold once or twice.

steals_your_goats wrote:If this is honestly a retool then at that point can't we just call it a new mould? There's so many differences between the two that the only similarities are the tail fins and the under kibble. To me it seems like it would've just been easier to use a new mould instead of doing this much retooling.

Look! I can't set it in stone that it's a remold, it just looks very much like one to me, plus if the undercarriage part seperates....then my theory goes straight out of the window!

Well, there’s certainly a lot of figures to comment on, so I’ll break it down by wave

2015 Wave 4

Optimus Maximus: Nope. Not Thunderclashy enough in colours for me (Leg’s need to be maroon) and I don’t get the head sculpt. Who is this actually supposed to represent? Can’t justify it atm.

Sunstreaker: Redeco of Breakdown. Alt mode suits perfectly, bot mode can even simulate the engine behind the head” that the G1 & Universe versions achieve.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Universe version wins me over on bot mode design. Hard to have Sunstreaker not having the Windshield chest (a recurring “issue” with this line.)

Ironhide: Redeco of Off-Road. Alt mode matches movie-verse character more than the boxy van traditionally representing this version of the character. Head sculpt is a perfect match, but like Sunstreaker, I feel he needs the Windshield chest.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Universe/Generations GDO Ironhide bot mode sucks, but still has the classic Windshield chest and van alt mode. On character accuracy I still have to go with the pre-existing version, though this one does add much better articulation.

Prowl: Redeco of Streetwise. Surprisingly different compared to Streetwise considering the lack of retooling. Lacking the bonnet-chest and door/wings the character traditionally has, but is still very recognisable due to the colour scheme and head sculpt.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Tough. Universe version is still more character accurate, but the bot mode is a little awkward at best - sure it’s a little more articulated (has actual feet) but the Streetwise mould is pretty solid. I think I’m still going to give this one, but a small margin, to the Universe release for pure accuracy to the original design.

Mirage: Redeco of Dragstrip. Not much to be said here, head sculpt and colour scheme is a dead match to the character. Alt mode might actually be a little more G1 accurate than the Universe/Generations GDO release due to the slimmer spoiler and open cockpit.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Alt-mode is 50/50 - both the Dragstrip mould and original Universe Mirage F1 cars are spectacular in design, I’m giving this one to the Universe mould solely due to the fact that the front of the car ends up on Mirage’s chest, not back.

Recommendation: Unless you either don’t have (or don’t like) the earlier Classics-verse versions, or want to combine these guys, I’d say pass. And if you do want to combine, use the 2015 W1 Optimus for fiction accuracy. This white guy I don’t know…

2016 Wave 1

Onslaught: Retool of Hot Spot. Well that was expected. And also unexpected in that Hotspot’s rear end is now Onslaught’s vehicle mode front end. Sufficient amount of retooling to significantly differentiate all modes, especially the chest-plate in torso mode. Head sculpt is a perfect match to the character, as are the back-mounted canons.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Never owned the mould, but the Universe Ultra Onslaught does look pretty solid, but is a SWAT assault vehicle, not a long, flat truck with heavy weaponry. So CW Onslaught wins in my book. Don’t get me started about the FOC version….

Vortex: Let’s get this out of the way, obligatory Alpha Bravo repaint, probably the character the mould was designed for. Colours seem a little bright in comparison to the rest of the team, but that’s the G1 accuracy in there., and pulls it off quite well.

Compared to Classics-verse version: There is no proper G1 Vortex in the classics verse, at least to me. The Energon repaint doesn’t count, neither does the FOC version.

Blastoff: Redeco of Firefly/Quick Slinger. Disappointedly not a space shuttle, but more in “scale” and combat vehicle appropriate here. Colour scheme is sweet.

Compared to Classics-verse version: See Vortex’ entry.

Brawl: New mould. Sweet new mould. Looks basically like an update from of the G1 version in both bot and tank mode.

Compared to Classics-verse version: See Vortex’ entry

Swindle: Retool of Rook. Most surprising of the wave (to me at least) - I figured he’d be an Off-Road repaint, but this retool basically take his G1 form and updates it (like Brawl) and I like it. Alt-mode gun is a little smaller (more in scale now) and the bot mode chest is a little different (pseudo vehicle mode bits) to make him a little more interesting, but that headsculpt is spot on, and make him look less like the Brain in a body suit.

Compared to Classics-verse version: See Vortex’ Entry

Bruticus: This is the combiner I’ve been waiting for since Combiner Wars started. Maybe because he’s the only combiner in the FOC game, and that’s what triggered my adult collecting, but I digress. As a whole, I am not disappointed. I would have liked Blastoff to be a shuttle, maybe a heavy retool of the A/B mould, but I’m glad he’s still part of the team.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Ok, now I’ll talk about the FOC version, who currently stands with my other CW releases. Based on the height of Defensor, this guy will be a centimetre or so taller than the FOC Bruticus, but much sturdier and more solid. Plus the colours are more G1 accurate - now I’m not too fussed if I get the brown cartoon accurate version, or the grey toy accurate version, I’ll probably just get whichever one comes out first. (Brown probably looks better.) I am looking forward to this.

Recommendation: for me, it’s a must buy. For G1 Classics-verse collectors, also, a must buy. For those only collecting new moulds, or retooled versions, it’s 3/5 must buy. Or even just character fans, it’s Swindle. After how much trouble he’s gotten into in the IDW-verse I’ve needed a representation of him for a while.

2016 Wave 2.

Skylynx: New mould. What the f*ck? The most ridiculous toy/character from G1 reborn, minus one parts-forming, split-personality gimmick, but replacing it with another parts-forming, multiple-personality gimmick. It’s a shuttle with a weird box underneath that turns into a freakin’ robotic dinosaur thing with a very high opinion of itself. How can I not buy this? On a more serious note, I like how even though there’s no longer separate “bird” and “lynx” modes, the “lynx” head is still present in combined form.

Compared to Classics-verse version: There is none.

Wheeljack: Retool of Breakdown. Probably the most G1 accurate of the eight “Autobots that weren’t combiners but now are for some reason” due to the retooling involved, just need a little black paint or some Reprolabels on that chest to fill in the “window” sculpting and the paint job on the legs does a good job of pretending to be the bonnet of the alt mode. Still lacks the signature wings and shoulder cannon, but still a surprisingly good figure. Alt-mode is spot on.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Less “stocky” than the Generations version, still has a bit of a backpack, but while it’s a little slimmer, it’s not as well fitted into the design. Painting the inside of the upper arms to simulate his wings doesn’t work as well as it should, but the effort is appreciated, however the winner is still the original Generations release.

Smokescreen: Redeco of Streetwise/Prowl. Most of what I said about Prowl relates to Smokescreen as well, except that Smokescreen’s alt mode bonnet looks a little “boring” in solid red, and he’s still got the light-bar moulded in (but painted all in red.)

Compared to Classics-verse version: As for Prowl, the Universe Smokescreen still wins here, but by a slightly larger margin than Prowl.

Trailbreaker/cutter/whatever: Redeco of Off-road. Makes me think of Botcon’s Machine Wars Hoist for some reason. Colours invoke Trailbreaker, as does the pipe/weapon for one hand, but without the bonnet for a chest and the searchlights over the head, it just does’t seem like him.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Generations Trailcutter is probably the best representation of the character, especially for MTMTE fans in recent times, if only a little small (10% bigger or so would have been great) and with another release of the character is such a short time, there hasn’t really been any improvement - it just looks like Trailbreaker’s head and colours on another bot’s body. T30 Trailcutter wins here in my books.

Hound: Redeco of Swindle. I suppose the mould had to be reused for someone, and I guess Hound is as good a bot as any for a military style off-road Jeep, though I can see a potential Beachcomber here. Now I can see why Swindle has the pseudo vehicle bits on his chest, so Hound could more closely emulate his G1/classic design, and like Wheeljack, does a pretty good job of it. Alt mode is not Hound’s traditional form, but it’s not too far from it either.

Compared to Classics-verse version: Probably the second closest to tough after Wheeljack, the Universe/Generations GDO version does such a good job at recreating the G1 version of the character that this one is just a little superfluous. Owing to a slightly less accurate alt mode, CW Hound comes off a little short compared to the original Classics-verse release(s.)

Recommendations: Same for 2015 Wave 4. Except Skylynx. He’s a must buy.

Leaders:

Starscream & Skywarp: Obligatory redecos of Thundercracker, being a remould of Jetfire. Unnecessary for my collection, but still great representations of the characters. Starscream has his crown as an official accessory which is pretty cool.

Legends:

Rodimus: Why? That is all I can say about this one.

Skyward: Another Skywarp in a smaller size class? It’s Thundercracker all over again?! In all seriousness, it’s a pretty sweet mould for the size class, one of the better since the Legends class rebooted in 2013, so while he’s not required for my collection (I have the DLX Classics Seekerama) I have no problem recommending him.

Buzzsaw: What? Pretty cool idea for the character, hopefully it signifies a pending Laserbeak and Soundwave, along with the other minions.

Chop Shop: Redeco of Skrapnel/Shrapnel. Not a surprising reduce, but works pretty well. Tempted to track down Legends Megatron to give Chop Shop himself as a weapon, but I’m strange like that.

Pipes: After Huffer, we knew it was coming. Too bad there are no actual pipes, but it’s good to have the character nonetheless. We’re slowly getting to the point where there are no more S1/2 characters remaining, and that’s pretty cool/scary.

Shockwave: YES. Time to recreate Bruticus’ rampage across Cybertron! Or just give FOC Shockwave himself as a weapon. Yes I think I have a weird complex, as I’ve given Botcon Spinister his Targetmaster version from Nemesis Prime as well, but that’s another topic. Probably the first time we’ve had Shockwave turn into a weapon since G1, and while he’s a smaller size class, that’s still pretty cool. Translucent plastic is also a nice addition, it’s been sorely missed by me in the CW line… I miss my light-piping.

Wreck-gar: Had to repaint Groove into someone I guess, colours and head sculpt are good enough match, if a little too orangey, but won’t replace my DLX version of the character.


Overall: I might have sounded a little negative, especially on the Autobot repaints, with good reason I believe, as I’ve already got every one of them as previous releases, most of which are pretty damn good, BUT releasing said characters in this line is a GREAT way for newer collectors to pick up classic and popular characters at an affordable price, and the combining gimmick is just icing on the cake, so I’m all for it, even if I don’t buy them all myself. (Who am I kidding, if I can afford to, I probably will.)

prjkt wrote:Optimus Maximus: Nope. Not Thunderclashy enough in colours for me (Leg’s need to be maroon) and I don’t get the head sculpt. Who is this actually supposed to represent? Can’t justify it atm.

Star Convoy.

Yotsuyasan wrote:

Stuartmaximus wrote:Clearly a very heavy retool, + your willing to accept OTHER retools & remolds that are coming out....but cannot accept the fact that Sky Lynx MAY be a heavy retool of Silverbolt!(like they did with Cyclonus) + other people have made the same claim! so where's your definitive proof that this is an original mold? listen! maybe your right! Or maybe I am! We won't know until we hear something definitive.

but in the meantime....he deffo looks like a heavy retool to me.

Sorry, but no, Sky Lynx is a whole new mold. Oh no, he's an aircraft with a lot of folded up junk underneath!* That describes a lot of aircraft based Transformers, not just the Combiner Wars Silverbolt. Are all such figures retools of one another? Does that mean that Combiner Wars Silverbolt was a heavy retool of Dark of the Moon Jetfire? It's so obvious! Just like it is with Silverbolt and Sky Lynx!

We'll just ignore the fact that they look completely different, have zero obvious parts in common, transform completely differently, and don't even transform into remotely the same thing. (A robot vs. a four legged bird-ish beast.)

They are so obviously the same toy!



*Although at least, for once, the junk underneath the aircraft is supposed to be there!

First of all...a heavy retool doesn't HAVE to take on a two arms & legs form(yes...in much the way Cyclonus has) there's no law that governs that a heavy retool HAS to look like that from it's original mold(in this case...Silverbolt), but as I stated before....you could be right....or maybe I could....We won't know til we hear from the officials! & whether it turns out to be a heavy retool or not.....it's not gonna stop you buying the bloody thing! when it comes out

Obviously the heavy retool theory goes out the window if the base seperates(of yet we've to find that out too!).

Stuartmaximus wrote:First of all...a heavy retool doesn't HAVE to take on a two arms & legs form(yes...in much the way Cyclonus has) there's no law that governs that a heavy retool HAS to look like that from it's original mold(in this case...Silverbolt), but as I stated before....you could be right....or maybe I could....We won't know til we hear from the officials! & whether it turns out to be a heavy retool or not.....it's not gonna stop you buying the bloody thing! when it comes out

Obviously the heavy retool theory goes out the window if the base seperates(of yet we've to find that out too!).

Sadly, as I pointed out in this post, it very much looks like the shuttle and the wheeled carrier will not be able to separate. That being said, it is still already extremely obvious even in the absence of official statements that this is a new mold and not a retool. For example, if you look at the back of Silverbolt's undercarriage, and compare it with the back of Sky Lynx as seen in the images I included in the post I just referred you to, you will see that the construction of the undercarriages are entirely different. So if your argument that Sky Lynx might be a retool boils down to, "They're both aircraft on boxy undercarriages!" then such an argument, I am sorry to inform you, holds no water.

I shall gladly eat my hat if a Hasbro rep pops out of nowhere and says, "Yes! Sky Lynx is a retool!" (And said rep is not only just saying that because he or she wishes to see me eating my hat.) I don't think I shall be shopping for new headwear anytime soon.

Stuartmaximus wrote::HEADHURTS:

Yotsuyasan wrote:

Stuartmaximus wrote:Clearly a very heavy retool, + your willing to accept OTHER retools & remolds that are coming out....but cannot accept the fact that Sky Lynx MAY be a heavy retool of Silverbolt!(like they did with Cyclonus) + other people have made the same claim! so where's your definitive proof that this is an original mold? listen! maybe your right! Or maybe I am! We won't know until we hear something definitive.

but in the meantime....he deffo looks like a heavy retool to me.

Sorry, but no, Sky Lynx is a whole new mold. Oh no, he's an aircraft with a lot of folded up junk underneath!* That describes a lot of aircraft based Transformers, not just the Combiner Wars Silverbolt. Are all such figures retools of one another? Does that mean that Combiner Wars Silverbolt was a heavy retool of Dark of the Moon Jetfire? It's so obvious! Just like it is with Silverbolt and Sky Lynx!

We'll just ignore the fact that they look completely different, have zero obvious parts in common, transform completely differently, and don't even transform into remotely the same thing. (A robot vs. a four legged bird-ish beast.)

They are so obviously the same toy!



*Although at least, for once, the junk underneath the aircraft is supposed to be there!

First of all...a heavy retool doesn't HAVE to take on a two arms & legs form(yes...in much the way Cyclonus has) there's no law that governs that a heavy retool HAS to look like that from it's original mold(in this case...Silverbolt), but as I stated before....you could be right....or maybe I could....We won't know til we hear from the officials! & whether it turns out to be a heavy retool or not.....it's not gonna stop you buying the bloody thing! when it comes out

Obviously the heavy retool theory goes out the window if the base seperates(of yet we've to find that out too!).

As a rule of thumb, Combiner Wars retools share transformation and some minor parts. Obviously, neither applies to Sky Lynx when compared to Silverbolt.

There's also a Megatronus 5 step changer coming out! But I'd rather wait for the Warrior Class version

amazing!

Yotsuyasan wrote:

bvzxa wrote:So the same seven molds...so the same seven molds...so the same seven molds...so the same seven molds

Delta Magnus wrote:Also for god's sake Hasbro STOP USING THE SAME MOLDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IT'S GETTING SILLY ARGHARGAHGARH

So basically, what you're saying is that you want to get less toys, then? And for the ones we do get to possibly be more expensive?

Yotsuyasan you seem to have a habit of taking umbrage at people with different opinions than yours and then put words in their mouth. No, they would not WANT them to be more expensive, nor would they WANT them to not exist. They would simply like the most logical thing, which is the same number of toys released while using unique molds for the ones that should not simply be re-treads of existing molds. We know the realities of costs and marketing, but it is still a valid opinion to hold to desire something better. The way you come across when you challenge someone's opinion by asking if they want something completely other than what they clearly mean, is like you have a cognitive dissonance. As if I were to ask why you WANT these Combiners to be re-treads. A reasonable person would assume you don't WANT them to be re-treads, you'd prefer like any reasonable person that they were unique molds that allowed them to more accurately model their namesakes from the G1 cartoon and toy line. So please stop assuming people who are disappointed at these Combiners being re-treads would WANT them to not exist at all or would WANT them to cost more. It's simply not the case.

jay5 wrote:

Yotsuyasan wrote:

bvzxa wrote:So the same seven molds...so the same seven molds...so the same seven molds...so the same seven molds

Delta Magnus wrote:Also for god's sake Hasbro STOP USING THE SAME MOLDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IT'S GETTING SILLY ARGHARGAHGARH

So basically, what you're saying is that you want to get less toys, then? And for the ones we do get to possibly be more expensive?

Yotsuyasan you seem to have a habit of taking umbrage at people with different opinions than yours and then put words in their mouth. No, they would not WANT them to be more expensive, nor would they WANT them to not exist. They would simply like the most logical thing, which is the same number of toys released while using unique molds for the ones that should not simply be re-treads of existing molds.

I am not saying people are not allowed to have differing opinions to me. Heck, I am of the opinion that it would be awesome if every new toy could be a unique mold, and somehow still cost the same while still being profitable for Hasbro. But they cannot all be new molds, still cost the same, and still be profitable for Hasbro. So, forgive me if it seems like I am taking umbrage again, but I fail to see how wishing for that is, as you put it, a logical thing.

jay5 wrote:We know the realities of costs and marketing, but it is still a valid opinion to hold to desire something better.

So, if you know the realities of costs and marketing, again, how is wishing for something in defiance of those realities logical?

jay5 wrote: The way you come across when you challenge someone's opinion by asking if they want something completely other than what they clearly mean, is like you have a cognitive dissonance. As if I were to ask why you WANT these Combiners to be re-treads. A reasonable person would assume you don't WANT them to be re-treads, you'd prefer like any reasonable person that they were unique molds that allowed them to more accurately model their namesakes from the G1 cartoon and toy line. So please stop assuming people who are disappointed at these Combiners being re-treads would WANT them to not exist at all or would WANT them to cost more. It's simply not the case.

The disappointment they were expressing just seemed rather disproportionate to me. Simple statements along the lines of, "Oh look, more repaints, how droll," seems to completely ignore that there are also some new molds, that many of the reuse molds also feature extensive retooling, and that many of the ones who are just straight-up repaints aren't figures that are part of pre-existing combiners, but are rather just fun reuses of existing figures to make new versions of some of the older Autobots. Not the most exciting toys to be sure. Also not essential, and I feel that Hasbro is putting out enough other content to still have an exciting line-up.

I have also been clear in other posts that I am disappointed in, for example, Blast Off just being a lazy repaint. So it isn't like I give every repaint in the world an easy pass. I'd love a new mold, or at least a more extensive retool of an existing mold, for Blast Off, and I am quite disappointed he didn't get that. But I'm not going to translate one or two disappointing figures to, "Man, what is up with Hasbro and all these bloody repaints?"

And if someone does... Well, this is a discussion forum, is it not? Are we not supposed to discuss our opinions with one another? I thought that was what I was doing.

With regards to the autobot cars, the kids will love them. I do have to wonder if these will have any effect on fiction or if that is over and done with (as sub par as it turned out)

skylynx is cool not happy about being voyager size though,
should be at least a leader or bigger, hes supposed to be predakings adversary

Yotsuyasan wrote:And if someone does... Well, this is a discussion forum, is it not? Are we not supposed to discuss our opinions with one another? I thought that was what I was doing.

Constantly challenging others' opinions is not healthy discussion, it's creating conflict where there often needn't be. By all means share your opinion, but when it comes to directly quoting others and challenging their opinions, how things are worded matters. Putting words in their mouth will not be appreciated. I understand that certain folks have disabilities that get in the way of recognizing how they come across to others, but if they want to get a better idea of how their posts are perceived, they could try a forum like reddit where one can actually get feedback on their posts (upvotes/downvotes). People who post there quickly learn how to communicate in a way that gets their point across without coming off like a jerk.

jay5 wrote:Yotsuyasan you seem to have a habit of taking umbrage at people with different opinions than yours and then put words in their mouth.

Clearly he has decided to take umbrage with me! on another thread! about my vagueness of questions

Alright kids, let's try to keep this on topic.

Sky Lynx is almost certainly not a retool (every visible part appears to be from a new mold) but he might share some engineering decisions with the Silverbolt mold.

Yes, it would be awesome if more unique molds appeared but as has been drummed out before retools and repaints don't prevent original molds from happening, or "take their place", they help finance them happening in the first place. Since these are mostly characters that have existing toys anyway it's not like anyone's missing out on getting a decent Hound or whatever.

Yes, it's a bit mad that all these 1984 guys are being made into combiners but the likes of Prowl would be getting another new toy soon enough anyway, and making it do something more than just be a police car or robot keeps it a little fresher.