The Energon Pub

Okay, fellow Seibertronians, this is a serious question of mine. Some of you may be aware that I currently only collect Optimus Prime/Primal/Convoy/3rd party not-Prime toys. As such, I am in need of your collective knowledge about the various Optimus toys that exist (or will be existing) out there. If there is an existing thread on this matter, then I apologize, for I did use the "search" function and the "toy galleries" section to gather what it is I currently know. However, I believe I may be missing a few.

Things I take into consideration include:

- Poseability (which rules out figures like G1 Prime, MW "Prime," or God Ginrai)
- No basics/legends
- No towering beasts (a la MP-01)
- No repaints/retools of the same mold
- Likeness to the character (which rules out TFTM leader Prime)
- Similarity to other molds (TFP FE Prime vs. TFP RID Prime)
- Coolness (which rules out Leo Prime)
- Must transform
- No Kreo for me!

What I currently have, in no particular order:

- Universe Beast Primal
- Big Convoy
- Lio Convoy
- TM Primal
- OpOp
- Anniversary Deluxe Primal
- BM Deluxe Primal
- Blast Punch Primal
- Galaxy Force Convoy
- Xovergen Grand Patriot
- Classics Deluxe Prime
- Classics Voyager Prime
- Protoform Prime
- Alternators Prime
- RTS Prime with Battle Tanker
- Deluxe Fireburst Movie Prime
- WFC Prime
- FOC Prime
- MMC Knight Morpher
- DOTM Lunafire Voyager Prime
- Battle Hooks Voyager Prime
- Earth Mode Voyger TFA Prime
- Cybertronian Mode Deluxe TFA Prime
- WWI Prime
- RID Prime
- Energon Prime
- Armada Prime
- TFP RID Prime

I concluded that I am missing these such figures:

- TW-02 (awaiting his eventual release)
- Masterpiece Prime (awaiting his US release)
- Alternity Convoy
- Bat Primal (an exception to my "size rule," since he looks like a bad-ass robo ninja)
- Robot Masters Convoy
- G2 Prime/Scourge (but which one to buy?)

...Any others??? Thanks for taking your time to read and respond!

G2 Prime and Scourge are both worthy of your buck.

Also- When is something a 'Prime'? Primal? Optimal Optimus? Vector Prime? Horrible questions to ponder.

RhA wrote:G2 Prime and Scourge are both worthy of your buck.

Thanks! I'll probably track down the one that's easiest to procure, which will likely be Scourge.

RhA wrote:Also- When is something a 'Prime'? Primal? Optimal Optimus? Vector Prime? Horrible questions to ponder.

Touché! It really boiled down to expenses, what with the wife being so strict on me these days. Even though Optimus Primal isn't really a "Prime," I really enjoyed the Beast Wars series and the fact that he was (at one point) meant to be the actual Optimus Prime. This alone made me decide to collect Primal along with Optimus Prime. As for Big Convoy and Lio Convoy, their close resemblances to Primal and Prime encouraged me to buy them, even if they were never meant to be "alternate universe" versions of either Prime or Primal.

I'd discount Vector Prime, as cool as he is. He's not the "Prime" of his series, despite holding the title, and being one of the Thirteen. I'd assume that similarly, Rodimus, and all of his incarnations would be excluded too? Have to admit, I can't immediately think of any/many that fit the criteria that aren't already listed.

Kinda hard to give you a count when you have so many arbitrary and subjective rules about what "counts" and what doesn't.

GuyIncognito wrote:Kinda hard to give you a count when you have so many arbitrary and subjective rules about what "counts" and what doesn't.

My point exactly, even the Fallen could count.

I started a similar thread a while back
http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/one-optimus-for-every-continuity-t84537.php

The gist of that thread is that there are eight different characters named Optimus out there;
-G1
-Beast Era
-RID
-Unicron Trilogy
-Movieverse
-Animated
-WFC/FoC
-Prime

and then some oddballs like Kre-O and Bot Shots, which according to your criteria, don't count.

Of the above eight Optimii, only G1, Beast and UT Optimus drastically change their bodies, so you could get Powermaster, Star Convoy and G2 Laser or Hero Prime. Oh, and Ultimate DotM Optimus. Other than that, your list seems pretty complete.

roBROmanceFTW wrote:Touché! It really boiled down to expenses, what with the wife being so strict on me these days. Even though Optimus Primal isn't really a "Prime," I really enjoyed the Beast Wars series and the fact that he was (at one point) meant to be the actual Optimus Prime. This alone made me decide to collect Primal along with Optimus Prime. As for Big Convoy and Lio Convoy, their close resemblances to Primal and Prime encouraged me to buy them, even if they were never meant to be "alternate universe" versions of either Prime or Primal.

So basically, given the fact you have 3rd party figures there, you're after anything that ...

• Resembles Optimus Prime / Convoy
• Is named Optimus Prime / Convoy
?

Lio Convoy is on the list too. I'd say that looking like Optimus Prime, and likely being in that sort of position in the fiction is enough. I still think G1 Prime has enough poseability and playability that he's still a good toy. Also, maybe a tad small, but what about the Hybrid Style Convoys?

Here's a couple from the top of my head that you may be missing out on:
Reverse Convoy
Combat Hero Optimus

Mkall wrote:Here's a couple from the top of my head that you may be missing out on:
Combat Hero Optimus

Hero Optimus is a great piece, you should really pick him up! He's easily my favorite non-traditional Optimus design.

Also "Combat Hero" Optimus is the unreleased redeco of that mold. In dark blue and red. They are planning to release the RtS G2 style deluxe Optimus in that deco in a box set along with a G2-ish redeco of RtS Jazz, legends Motormaster and Thundercracker (I think it's Thundercracker at least). I love how they've been reviving G2 so much lately!

Thanks for the input, guys, whether positive or negative!! Looks like I will hunt down Scourge and Hero Prime for now..."scribbles down all the other names..."

In regards to 3rd party figures meant to resemble Optimus Prime, I am fairly new to the 3rd party market so I am open to the possibility of there being more unofficially licensed versions of Optimus Prime...

There's a third party OP that transforms in a Rolling Thunder truck from GI Joe. It's called Xovergen Grand Patriot and it's available in both GI Joe green and traditional red/blue.

Rushie wrote:There's a third party OP that transforms in a Rolling Thunder truck from GI Joe. It's called Xovergen Grand Patriot and it's available in both GI Joe green and traditional red/blue.

In all fairness, I've heard mixed things about it, especially when it comes to solidity and plastic quality. Tabs breaking and such.

RAcast wrote:

Rushie wrote:There's a third party OP that transforms in a Rolling Thunder truck from GI Joe. It's called Xovergen Grand Patriot and it's available in both GI Joe green and traditional red/blue.

In all fairness, I've heard mixed things about it, especially when it comes to solidity and plastic quality. Tabs breaking and such.

I have the green one. As a display piece, it's not bad, but it's not something I want to play with often. The trailer is pretty much pointless IMO.

Ouch - How can you not include the original G1 that started it all? I know it's an unpopular opinion around here but I dont understand how anyone can collect the Transformers brand and not be interested in G1......actually I collect GIJoe but dont have any interest in the original 12", which I consider to be dolls...what with all their cute little pants and such....so I take that back....carry on, although you really should give a G1 Prime a chance he's a wonderful toy.

JackStraw wrote:Ouch - How can you not include the original G1 that started it all? I know it's an unpopular opinion around here but I dont understand how anyone can collect the Transformers brand and not be interested in G1......actually I collect GIJoe but dont have any interest in the original 12", which I consider to be dolls...what with all their cute little pants and such....so I take that back....carry on, although you really should give a G1 Prime a chance he's a wonderful toy.

With all due respect, I am 25 right now and it was Beast Wars that first drew me in to Transformers. I am only now able to watch the original series on Netflix, but I have become so spoiled with toys that have high levels of articulation that I can't see myself buying a G1 toy. Besides, I believe Hasbro's release of MP-10 is a better depiction of the cartoon character. Thanks for your advice nonetheless.

roBROmanceFTW wrote:

JackStraw wrote:Ouch - How can you not include the original G1 that started it all? I know it's an unpopular opinion around here but I dont understand how anyone can collect the Transformers brand and not be interested in G1......actually I collect GIJoe but dont have any interest in the original 12", which I consider to be dolls...what with all their cute little pants and such....so I take that back....carry on, although you really should give a G1 Prime a chance he's a wonderful toy.

With all due respect, I am 25 right now and it was Beast Wars that first drew me in to Transformers. I am only now able to watch the original series on Netflix, but I have become so spoiled with toys that have high levels of articulation that I can't see myself buying a G1 toy. Besides, I believe Hasbro's release of MP-10 is a better depiction of the cartoon character. Thanks for your advice nonetheless.

No, I hear ya....Like I said - I had the same experience with GIJoe - grew up on the little guys in the early 80s and I cant get into the original 12" guys, so I can understand your position.

I totally missed out on Beast Wars, I'm a little older and they came out when I was right about the age where I was no longer interested in toys and cartoons. Over the past few years I started collecting again, and lately have been hearing a lot of good things about Beast Wars. Would you be able to recommend some entry level Beast Wars toys that might appeal to a G1/Classics collector?

Good luck with your collection. Do you have any pics of all your Optimii online?

Rushie wrote:There's a third party OP that transforms in a Rolling Thunder truck from GI Joe. It's called Xovergen Grand Patriot and it's available in both GI Joe green and traditional red/blue.

read the list in the OP again.

I have a European G2 Hero Optimus Prime at home in case you're interested.

JackStraw wrote:Would you be able to recommend some entry level Beast Wars toys that might appeal to a G1/Classics collector?

The Beast Wars series is interesting in the way that toys from seasons 1, 2, and 3 tend to differ immensely from one another. In the first few waves of the series, transformation was fairly simple and the contrast between "organic matter" and "robotic parts" was more noticeable. Then things kind of got bizarre with Transmetals, Transmetals 2, Fuzors, and those weird ones where an animal transforms into another animal (forgot its sub-line, but a stupid idea nonetheless.) Even so, these toys might interest you:

- Optimus Primal bat
- Optimus Primal gorilla
- TM Optimus Primal
- Silverbolt
- Waspinator
- Terrasaur
- Depthcharge
- Rampage
- Ravage (super rare)
- Cheetor
- TM Cheetor
- Airazor
- Tigerhawk
- Megatron T-rex
- TM Megatron
- TM 2 Megatron
- Rattrap
- Rhinox
- Dinobot (really love this character)

JackStraw wrote:Good luck with your collection. Do you have any pics of all your Optimii online?

Sure do! Here is the most up-to-date snapshot of my Optimus Collection:

Quite frankly, I think RID Optimus is the tallest figure I am willing to collect, because relatively taller toys tend to stick out like a sore thumb.

Deruji wrote:I have a European G2 Hero Optimus Prime at home in case you're interested.

I was going to PM you to express my interest, then I learned (through browsing the Interweb) of Destructicon Scourge! So I managed to procure both RID Scourge and Destructicon Scourge on eBay! Pretty exciting, I think, considering they will both look nice next to one another. Thank you though for helping me expand my collection.

THANK YOU ALL!!!