The Energon Pub

[william-james88]

Odd choice by the designers, but I mean, sure?

Still a better mode than the spider tank.

I disagree, the spider tank can work well, if done properly. And the "voyager" sized shockwave from Cybervers was pretty good.

And I don't remember anyone hating this toy when it came out

[Fires_Of_Inferno]

Odd choice by the designers, but I mean, sure?

Still a better mode than the spider tank.

I disagree, the spider tank can work well, if done properly. And the "voyager" sized shockwave from Cybervers was pretty good.

And I don't remember anyone hating this toy when it came out

I like these guys though!

Just not Shockwave's one.

[william-james88]

The authentics line gets very little attention and that's kind of the point. They are meant to simply be exist and be available at stores that don't often carry Transformers. Be it Dollar General in the US or Canadian Tire in Canada or a myriad of other shops in South America and Asia. They are just affordable Transformers toys of classic characters and now we have a first look at two more, Wheeljack and Arcee. Wheeljack takes a major cue from his Earthrise toy while Arcee has a rather neat transformation giving it a lot more alt mode integration in robot mode, the most we've ever seen for a toy basing itself on the G1 character model. These images are from ACD distribution. There will be no further reveal than this from Hasbro and you will find them this year in any store that stocked the previous releases. Arcee is 4.5 inches tall while Wheeljack is 7 inches tall.

[Bumblevivisector]

WOW, a decent-to-good Arcee that's actually affordable and plentiful enough to show up at any store from the 5-Below in every other large stripmall to the last dollar store you stumble across in the middle of nowhere. The kind of thing so many of us have dreamed about since '86.

Now I can add her to my 3rd cousins' TF box in Illinois this summer instead of the rereleased Cyberverse Arcee (starting to think it's impolite to horde that toy since the new open-window packaging has cursed her with disappearing-head-syndrome; saw it first hand in a Target last week - tragic)

[D-Maximal_Primal]

First, Wheeljack has no business looking that good. Wow.

Second, an Arcee with little back kibble and integrated alt mode parts? Wow!

[william-james88]

First, Wheeljack has no business looking that good. Wow.

Second, an Arcee with little back kibble and integrated alt mode parts? Wow!

They are both wows from me as well.

[Fires_Of_Inferno]

Why does this discount arcee look better than the kingdom one?

[Bumblevivisector]

Are 'Cee and 'Jack's handguns a sort of first for the Evergreen lines? Jetfire had his weapons, but they were sort of vestigial null-rays included as essential for Starscream's vehicle mode.

[SpaceEagle]

You're telling me HasTak knows how to make a decentish looking Arcee toy that DOESN'T have an alt mode growth on her spine?
Please sprinkle this magic onto other Arcees, I'm so tired of having what is basically a feminine human with metal skin and a whole sedan exploding from their back.

[Gauntlet101010]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind it at all if they took that Arcee design and made a mainstream release of it in Generations. Just have the back kibble raise up a bit and split (and paint the interior at least), lengthen those forearms, and you have a really solid design that still looks like G1 Arcee.

[Burn]

I've left this little line alone for the most part because of a)- Lack of availability and b)- just bad.

But Wheeljack and Arcee are pretty cool looking. Not sure if I want them for the collection but wouldn't mind playing with them that's for sure.

[Emerje]

Arcee is probably the closest we'll get to a Core figure and at half the price to boot and probably better than an actual one would turn out. Really looking forward to finding her!

Emerje

[Overcracker]

Wow!, Actual ankle tilts on an Authentics figure. Who would have guessed.

[-Kanrabat-]

Arcee have the "hollow legs" syndrome, but it free her back a lot.

I'm looking forward finding her at my local Canadian Tire.

[chuckdawg1999]

These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

[primalxconvoy]

Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

[-Kanrabat-]

Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

The lack of paint is a shame, but unavoidable for the price point.

I do have that Ratchet and he's pretty good for what it is.

[Glarryg]

I've got the Shockwave, Ratchet, and Barricade figures. Shockwave is pretty good; if the aesthetic wasn't so obviously Cyberverse-inspired, he could fit in all sorts of collections. That Ratchet looks a tad better if you fiddle with the shoulders a little. Barricade is essentially perfect for the size and price.

I'm definitely looking for that Arcee, and would certainly buy an upscaled version in a more mainstream line; perhaps the only improvement that would be needed would be fixing the forearm proportions.

And I'll probably buy that Wheeljack, even though I don't really need a Voyager-sized 'Jack. What I need is a proper Cyberverse Deluxe Wheeljack.

Glarryg

[william-james88]

What I need is a proper Cyberverse Deluxe Wheeljack.

Glarryg

We all need that.

[Emerje]

These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

I get this feeling like they designed Prime and Bumblebee first and then realized they could do a lot more at this price point articulation wise. If I'm not mistaken they're the only ones that don't have elbows which is odd considering their popularity.

Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

Ratchet is a figure that would be incredible at a larger size with a few more moving parts, but is still pretty neat for a $5 figure. His leg transformation is nothing short of genius for how effective it is and should really be replicated in a future figure. Basically the whole top of the rear van pops off and folds around and inside the bottom of the van hiding it completely and filling in all the lower leg gaps. He doesn't have knees or proper feet, but that could easily be fit into a larger figure. Chuck did a review that shows them well. There is definitely a "shell" around the legs, but again at a higher price point they'd be able to do more with them.



Likewise Barricade has basically the same leg transformation as Kingdom Tracks, but it's much better done despite being simplified. That is a great figure right there, all the art details are present and he's a fun figure to mess around with, just needs a lot more paint to really do the mold justice (and fill in his windshield "eyes").

Emerje

[TulioDude]

People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

Barricade is decent. I like him. I wish more toys used that design though, I love his Evergreen design

[chuckdawg1999]

These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

I get this feeling like they designed Prime and Bumblebee first and then realized they could do a lot more at this price point articulation wise. If I'm not mistaken they're the only ones that don't have elbows which is odd considering their popularity.

Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

Ratchet is a figure that would be incredible at a larger size with a few more moving parts, but is still pretty neat for a $5 figure. His leg transformation is nothing short of genius for how effective it is and should really be replicated in a future figure. Basically the whole top of the rear van pops off and folds around and inside the bottom of the van hiding it completely and filling in all the lower leg gaps. He doesn't have knees or proper feet, but that could easily be fit into a larger figure. Chuck did a review that shows them well. There is definitely a "shell" around the legs, but again at a higher price point they'd be able to do more with them.



Likewise Barricade has basically the same leg transformation as Kingdom Tracks, but it's much better done despite being simplified. That is a great figure right there, all the art details are present and he's a fun figure to mess around with, just needs a lot more paint to really do the mold justice (and fill in his windshield "eyes").

Emerje

Ratchet is surprisingly heavy too.

[Fires_Of_Inferno]

People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

I DO want that Barricade, but the cartoony "eyes" on the vehicle mode windshield kinda kill it for me.

[Gauntlet101010]

I like the ideas on that Barricade, but not the execution.

A big part of Barricade, for me, is the vehicle mode. And this just misses the mark in every way. From the font on the doors to one gold window with holes in it. To no painted car applications. It gives me nothing to like.