The Energon Pub

by **Swerve** » Tue May 01, 2007 11:40 am

Every once in a while I happen to see some custom Alts or BTs for sale on ebay. Some times the customs look really good, other times they look like the equivalent of a child coloring horribly in their coloring book and then trying to sell it to you at a garage sale.

The really good ones make me wish that Hasbro had released the Alt just like the custom. They almost look like they came from the factory that way.

The horribly messed up ones can be enjoyable as well to come across. They make me think that the customizer really feels they have a talent for the "work" that they do, and it is so good that they will do the world a service by allowing you to buy it.

Then there are ones that I run across and it just makes me wonder...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alternators-SMOKESCREEN-Custom-BATTLE-DAMAGE-Binaltech_W0QQitemZ120113605267QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4696QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

At a glance at the first picture, I thought a dog had gotten a hold of it. I then noticed it looked melted. To be honest I don't know what to think. I've never seen a "battle damaged" Transformer before. They probably will get damaged in the movie but this is weird.

by **Dagon** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:04 pm

You know, I think that things like this arise out of learning how to customize. I've never done it, but am planning a project or two, and I'm sure I'll end up with a handful of 'battle damaged' figures until or if I ever get good enough to get it right. This DOES look like a dog chewed it up.

News Credits: 23 · by **Prime Evil** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:18 pm

I wouldn't buy it, but the battle damage does look pretty good.

I actually had a BS Joe when I was little. I actually burnt him by accident, but when the mini fire was done, I had a scarred Joe and he looked pretty good. Smokescreen kinda reminds me of that.

by **Swerve** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:20 pm

The best way to learn how to customize and kitbash is to follow someone else's instructions until you feel comfortable enough to try to make your own. I helped a friend do the kitbash for Trailbreaker from Alt Nemesis Prime from Reprolabels. The instructions were really great and gave us some experience in kitbashing without us trying to figure out what to do next. I don't really mess around with customizing but my friend still does every now and then. He basically followed instructions and got tips from forums. He's really good at it now and can make his own customs without instructions on occasion. The hardest part is actually the paint job.

I'm not knocking the figure in the auction but I definitely had a, "What the hell is this?" reaction to it. "Battle Damage" is definitely a unique way to handle customs gone bad if that is the case.

News Credits: 15 · by **Ravage XK** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:09 pm

Looks like somebody tried to pass it through a garden shredder! Maybe they attacked it with a soldering iron.

Its not badly done. Some of the damage looks like bullet holes and some looks like claw marks.

by **Godmodule** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:24 pm

Sweet...

by **Wolfspiritzero** » Tue May 01, 2007 4:35 pm

I like how at the very bottom after all the pictures it say "DID I MENTION THIS IS (and always will be) ONE OF A KIND ?....." I guess thats true, no one is going to be able to burn and melt it the same way.

News Credits: 10 · by **JazZeke** » Tue May 01, 2007 5:42 pm

Well, it is... interesting. But a battle-damaged Wheeljack would have made more sense.

by **Homer** » Tue May 01, 2007 5:49 pm

That is bad as hell. I'd definitely buy that at a decent price.

News Credits: 1 · by **Redimus** » Tue May 01, 2007 5:57 pm

heh, that looks quite well done.

by **Swerve** » Tue May 01, 2007 6:08 pm

Its kind of grown on me. Definitely not in the norm when you think of a custom though. The close up picture of Smokescreen's face was the picture I saw when scrolling through Alt listings on ebay.

As I said, at first I thought a dog chewed on it or something and I noticed the sellers name was gettingridoftoys so I thought they just intentionally trashed it and then thought it would be cute to sell it. It wasn't until I clicked on the link that I then noticed what the auction was all about and then the melted look of the front.

I'd never given any type of thought to a battle damaged Transformer figure. They had that Battle Damaged Prime figure but you normally don't think of Transformers getting damaged. It made me think that we will most likely see battle damaged Transformers in the movie. It's an interesting concept to say the least. There are a few other lines that sell battle damaged toys, most noticeably those targeted to a little older audience and are usually based on movie licenses like the old Terminator toys. I wonder if Hasbro will be releasing any battle damaged Movie Transformers down the line?

News Credits: 2 · by **CyberTooth** » Tue May 01, 2007 7:23 pm

From what I've read on the TFW Boards, this was intentional. And very well done. Though battle damaged should be more like KIA Smokescreen as I wouldn't expect him to live through that beating.

Personally, I have my own dead Alt, but I used the knockoff Smokescreen. I just got bored and started burning what ever would take the flame.

I'd never given any type of thought to a battle damaged Transformer figure. They had that Battle Damaged Prime figure but you normally don't think of Transformers getting damaged.

Did you sleep through the Movie? Man they cleaned out 90% of the season one/two characters in 10 minutes.

News Credits: 3 · by **Emperor Galvatron** » Tue May 01, 2007 9:45 pm

I find it odd that all that metal was damaged but none of the glass was affected in the slightest.

Check the windows to see what I mean.

News Credits: 668 · by **Autobot032** » Tue May 01, 2007 9:51 pm

Nice battle damage.

Love the seller's name...

Gettingridoftoys

by **Bonger** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:59 am

Nice one.

However, I think this might be quite easy to do at home with a sander, a lighter and a hammer. :lol:

News Credits: 1 · by **Leonardo** » Wed May 02, 2007 2:59 am

Interesting. I personally wouldn't pay for it, though.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:40 pm

I like it but I woulden' buy it, I made my owne Batledamaged Optimus Prime with the G2 prime with black trailer, I bugt it of a carbut sale for 1 pound and it had now extras and dameged so I burned it, I'm still working on it I may post it once I'm finished

by **Ramrider** » Sat May 05, 2007 11:06 am

I like it. I think he's actually done a pretty good job on most of the damage; I like things like the wires hanging out of the arm, and the missing eye's a nice touch. I think for the most part the paintjob's pretty good too. Emperor Galvatron's right though; seems odd that he hasn't damaged the windows at all.
Personally I don't really go in for battle-damaging TFs much myself; only certain customs that I think really warrant it, like my Fusion Ironhide and Ruckus.