The Energon Pub

The 4-pack is up on Target.com and they have a spend $75, save $20 Target Circle offer, so a great deal and pre-ordered.

https://www.target.com/p/transformers-l ... A-89629499

Got one on Pulse just in case since it was listed there first at 9am.

Still got it on Target (at 9:20 when it went up) though because it's $20 off as the $20 off a $75 toy purchase coupon worked for it. I also used my Red card and had $19 saved up on rewards. So I got the set for only $41.78.

Which means that they'll be sure to cancel my order first chance they get even after I approve the preorder delay. They seem more likely to cancel the preorders when they were put up during a sale. Or rather, that's what it seems like to me anyway.

I've been wanting Squeezeplay forever. That was one of my favorites way back when. It's going to be amazing to finally get a real update that's not just that little T-Rex to wyvern Titanmaster Crashbash from Titans Return or the redecoed Titan/Headmaster Cancer from Takara. Just one more now. Hopefully it won't be two years away again.

The rest are fine I guess.

While I did see why people thought Chase would be used for Prime Cliffjumper, I don't much care for it. It's fine and all, I just though this would make a better RotF Lockdown with how the weapon system works, how the legs work, the parts layout for robot mode, the transformation and so on. Hasbro seems to know that the Star Seekers Lockdown isn't perfect though so maybe it's still in the works. That Chase mold just screamed Lockdown to me when I first got it in hand.

Tarn is Tarn I guess. I have retail Tarn. I now have Cyberverse Tarn. Two if I don't cancel the Pulse preorder which I will as it gets closer to release. I was kinda hoping for RiD Blastwave or Banzaitron from Bludgeon or RiD Megatronus from Tarn or as another retool. Blastwave in particular for this set so Cliffjumper isn't the lone Autobot again.

Tarantulas is cool. Almost looks like Drill Bit or Drillnuts in that shade of brown/orange. Which could work from that mold if they retooled the beast head, the beast legs and swapped the mandibles/robot arms for the horn and drill. Swap another few pieces to get Insecticon and Beetle.

Bumblevivisector wrote:No one on Seibertron wanted an updated Squeezeplay more than me, but sweet Primus, how did he end up looking so much better than his original toy in bot mode, but like some sort of giant custom Kreon in creature mode? Oh well, you can't have everything.

And I am suddenly so happy I never shelled out for Tarn online after never seeing him in store. Not as happy as the Cybertronian grunt last year made me though; nothing will likely ever top that Target-exclusive 4-pack, the most Buzz-worthy of all time.

CJ is oddly the one I'm most meh about. Legacy screwing the pooch on the aesthetics of Prime characters up until now means that even when Hasbro does one right, it just makes me want to shell out for vintage stuff I never got. Legacy would seriously have to start churning out new Arms Microns to make me give a crap at this point. But he looks good.

Now, as for alternate-reality Tarantulas...does anyone else ever find their mind instantly projects a persona onto a new toy at first sight, and then you can't shake it, no matter how little was ever backing it up? Whatever this Tarantulas's prowess in ninjutsu is, I can't see him as having any of his cartoon counterpart's genius. In fact, he looks so dim-witted that I pity him, and yet IDK why I'm jumping to this conclusion. I think the two factors at play are the similarity to Scorponok's prototype color scheme, and an issue of the unofficial G2 Continued comic that depicted him as wandering the wasteland apparently brain-damaged or something. I'm sure I'll get some other random impression of him once his toy's in hand, and that really will take me back to the good ol' Beast Wars days, when some toys simply exuded personality when handled, most notably both versions of Spittor.

Tarantula's toy DID have an intelligence of FOUR on his tech specs back in the day. Ninja Tarantulas and Mutant Tigatron! Iconic boxart that never happened duo.

Lmao those last two images of Magmatron look like some kind of ungodly f-ck train.

Yet another character that I want trapped in a 5 pack. I think Hasbro is really trying to bankrupt us all. I might just bite the bullet, I need that Squeezeplay. So glad they kept him a Headmaster, makes me a little saltier about Minerva but whatever.

Is that Tarantulas based on the trading card art, or the Tarantulas seen in the pre-show commercials? I hope they release a Blackarachnia in his mold as well.

Stormshot_Prime wrote:Yet another character that I want trapped in a 5 pack. I think Hasbro is really trying to bankrupt us all. I might just bite the bullet, I need that Squeezeplay. So glad they kept him a Headmaster, makes me a little saltier about Minerva but whatever.

Is that Tarantulas based on the trading card art, or the Tarantulas seen in the pre-show commercials? I hope they release a Blackarachnia in his mold as well.

Pre-show commercials as mentioned by the guys during the stream, even though it's not translucent.

I had completely forgotten about Squeezeplay as a G1 Headmaster (1988). I like the general shape and colors (needs an ink wash...) of this version, but the tiny Decepticon sigil on the lower edge of the chestplate is disappointing. This sometimes happens with recent toys -- oodles of molded detail but a paucity of flat surfaces in the usual positions (upper-center chest, shoulders) for tampo'd badging. I suspect lack of coordination between design teams.

The beast mode could make a fun cosplay: boxy, bright colors, an obscure character so you can take liberties to make the design wearable, no worry about articulating a humanoid mouth-plate.

(FWIW, the head design with cobra-hood curving like a cowl over the shoulders resembles the the Invid Regent from Robotech: Sentinels; just add a couple of nose-tendrils and de-emphasize the mouth.)

Grahf_ wrote:
Which means that they'll be sure to cancel my order first chance they get even after I approve the preorder delay. They seem more likely to cancel the preorders when they were put up during a sale. Or rather, that's what it seems like to me anyway.

We should be just fine in this case. The cancel after approval seemed like it was most prominent for ER and back then the release date was more than 6 months away. The 6 month mark appears to be something in Target's system that jettison's the orders. Since these are due in July, we shouldn't be anywhere close to the 6 month mark

I ordered the troop builder 4 pack last year with a similar sale and that came out just fine.

Stormshot_Prime wrote:Is that Tarantulas based on the trading card art, or the Tarantulas seen in the pre-show commercials? I hope they release a Blackarachnia in his mold as well.

They said in the stream that this Tarantulas is meant to go with the Blackarachnia we already got in the previous 4-pack.

Squeezeplay is the only 1 I really want, though I would take either Cliffy or Tarantulas as well, if someone wants to split a set.

Just wanted to point out that if you have Target Circle, there's a deal right now for $20 off a $75 toy purchase. And if you have a Red Card, that's another $3 off... So it's possible to get this 4-pk for basically $62.
Not too shabby.

Dammit. I'm getting that four pack.
Tarantulas I'll rename and make him a star raider or something

Squeezeplay will go straight to Mayhem for me

Cliffjumper will be the prize

Tarn... I'm just gonna foolishly hope there's an alt head or something

Razorbeast88 wrote:Dammit. I'm getting that four pack.
Tarantulas I'll rename and make him a star raider or something

According to JTPrime, this Tarantulas was originally going to be in the main Legacy Evolution line before Hasbro decided to just go with a straight rerelease of the normal Legacy Tarantulas, and it would have been a new character named Chimeracon.

Not entirely sure how that name fits since spiders aren't chimeras, but whatever.

Razorbeast88 wrote:Tarn... I'm just gonna foolishly hope there's an alt head or something

We've seen the mold's alternate head. It's Bludgeon, remember?

I honestly wonder if someone at Hasbro saw Spetre Creatives video when I was asking about the 4pack with Fangry a couple of years ago ( why it was a store exclusive instead of a selects release, which he totally botched btw)...and said....yeah well do that again with Squeezeplay. . I'm glad I don't want these guys, but I feel sorry for those trying to complete them. I guess we'll get Horri-Bull in 2026.

Squeezeplay and Cliffjumper look pretty good.

Really dunno on this one. Squeeze play for sure. titan masters are a must for me. Tarn looks okay but IDW stuff is stuff I really dont need at all even under the cyberverse label. Cliffjumper looks fairly good for a modern carbot other than his bots forearms and orange tarantulus is just something I can leave despite wanting toy colours blackarachnia.

Oof, Squeezeplay looks rough, being based on Mindwipe... Yeah, I may have to get him as a replacement for the TR Crashbash I lost. Missed out on Fangry tho... Calling Skullcruncher into Horri-Bull/Terri-Bull right here.

Sabrblade wrote:Not entirely sure how that name fits since spiders aren't chimeras, but whatever.

There is an extinct genus of arachnid called Chimerarachne, basically looks like a spider with a tail. Wait a second...

Sabrblade wrote:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Does anyone remember the last time they saw a complete wave, core through leader, at retail at the same time?

Sure. Legacy Wave 1.

Really? All at once, not trickling out?

Only one I'm not too crazy about is Tarn but that's only because I already have the standard release - still will definitely get this for the other figures, especially Squeezeplay. Kinda unfortunate the extra Decepticon Headmasters have been confined to sets but that's probably the best way to keep them from shelfwarming lol.

I think that Squeezeplay may possibly be mistransformed in that pic- he's got the little blue monster legs on his back that look like they could fold down like the G1 toy, and the robot arms could be moved out of the way, maybe.

None of these are my ting, especially a 4-pk. I might have considered Cliffjumper had it been a solo release just cuz I like the alt mode and CJ in general. Though admittedly not the biggest fan of this iteration of the character.

Till-all-R1 wrote:None of these are my ting, especially a 4-pk. I might have considered Cliffjumper had it been a solo release just cuz I like the alt mode and CJ in general. Though admittedly not the biggest fan of this iteration of the character.

Not a fan of Dwayne Johnson, I take it.

Sabrblade wrote:

Razorbeast88 wrote:Dammit. I'm getting that four pack.
Tarantulas I'll rename and make him a star raider or something

According to JTPrime, this Tarantulas was originally going to be in the main Legacy Evolution line before Hasbro decided to just go with a straight rerelease of the normal Legacy Tarantulas, and it would have been a new character named Chimeracon.

Not entirely sure how that name fits since spiders aren't chimeras, but whatever.

Razorbeast88 wrote:Tarn... I'm just gonna foolishly hope there's an alt head or something

We've seen the mold's alternate head. It's Bludgeon, remember?

Chimeracon.. alright I'll go with it, doubt I'd come up with anything better myself

Ahhhh true true. Guess I'm SOL on that one then

Sabrblade wrote:

Razorbeast88 wrote:Tarn... I'm just gonna foolishly hope there's an alt head or something

We've seen the mold's alternate head. It's Bludgeon, remember?

Given the extortionate price of Tarn at the moment. This one appeals to me. Another (cheaper) Tarn for my Bludgeon-led army building!

Sabrblade wrote:

Till-all-R1 wrote:None of these are my ting, especially a 4-pk. I might have considered Cliffjumper had it been a solo release just cuz I like the alt mode and CJ in general. Though admittedly not the biggest fan of this iteration of the character.

Not a fan of Dwayne Johnson, I take it.

I actually don't really have any feelings either way. He's a decent showman, but not that great of an actor. He's okay in some movies I've seen though, problem is he's basically the same character in every one of them which means you seen one then you've seen em all. lol

Why, was he the inspiration for this version of Cliffjumper? it's been a very long time since I watched an episode of this particular show and didn't watch again because it didn't appeal to me.