The Energon Pub

All the figures I collect are loose and displayed on my shelves. I like to take them down and transform them from time to time, or re-pose them in different ways.

I have the feeling, however, that the movie figures are not going to last as loose collectibles. By this, I mean that I think the quality of the paint, plastic, and other mechanisms are not built to last.

Already, the paint is starting to rub off my real gear Spyshot, I'm noticing a lot of scuffs on my Leader Prime, the spring inside the left foot of my Leader prime that keeps the toes extended is starting to get weak, there are stretch marks in the plastic of my voyager Blackout and deluxe Brawl, not to mention a host of other small defects or suspicious parts I worry will degrade. I think, for loose collectors, in the next couple years, these figures are going to be visibly coming apart at the seams. Many of them are complex transformers, but if, like me, you handle your figures on a weekly basis (not roughly, mind you) I don't think they're going to last for very long.

Anyone else feel the same way or have any other observations of how the lasting quality of movie figures is showing to be short-lived?

I agree with you, the plastic should be made better, I wonder how long before we are at ko plastic.

I agree. It seems as if Hasbro went with a cheaper quality production method with this line. There has been an overall decline in the "feel" of Transformers over the years. Most Armada figs were rather solid (although ugly), as were many of Energon. Cybertron figures seemed hit and miss (for example Crumplezone was solid, Thundercracker cheap and flimsy). The movie toys feel less solid (at least to me).

I don't know if the plastic quality went down, but there's a rushed feel to it. I think they had to try and hit this thing head on, and in very little time.

The movie was originally due out around Summer 2006, then Christmas 2006, and then pushed back to July 4th (it was either then or no dice.)

I'm guessing the toys weren't even close to being finished on their designs and mockups.

I don't know if these will disintegrate, but I'd keep an eye on them.

It's the darn Automorph. This gimmick has made the toys naturally weaker thanks to the restricted mechanisms.

I guess I'd put clearcoat. Otherwise, well, we'll just have to take care of em as best we can.

Raymond101 wrote:It's the darn Automorph. This gimmick has made the toys naturally weaker thanks to the restricted mechanisms.

I guess I'd put clearcoat. Otherwise, well, we'll just have to take care of em as best we can.

I agree, the durability is lost for the movie accurate designs. the loose parts are made to change with more complexity.

you just have to be careful.

MISB, baby

Yeah, cheap materials for higher profit margins... *sigh* Movie merchandise
Although it's a mixed bag, my Movie Ratchet(Hate that toy) has horrible sort of pearlescent looking, brittle feeling green plastic and flimsy soft black plastic - Whereas my Deluxe Wreckage is totally mustard, material quality wise(both the look and feel).

I think Swindle is the best example of the low quality plastics they used for this line, and 08 Bumblebee is the best example of the lack of painting quality and QC.

The automorphs will die fairly quickly, especially in comparison to the mini-con/cyber key gimmicks of recent years, which can last a damn long time.

i_amtrunks wrote:I think Swindle is the best example of the low quality plastics they used for this line, and 08 Bumblebee is the best example of the lack of painting quality and QC.

The automorphs will die fairly quickly, especially in comparison to the mini-con/cyber key gimmicks of recent years, which can last a damn long time.

Bumblebee's going to be this generation's G1 Mirage toy. Broken at the waist. Even though it's on a ball joint, I'm afraid that the ball (not the socket) will snap off of the post if not handled carefully. =\

Wow ****, I should be more careful - my toy seems reasonably okay with his waist. But from the poor QC reports coming in, I guess I shouldn't relax vigilance.

Well i certainly have maintained my store bought Movie toys as MISB, for now.. but my brother has the movie toys opened and displayed on his desk, he went transformers nuts when the movie came out.. the Barricade figure feels very weak especially around the doors, I like the Jazz figure but feel around the shoulders he's pretty weak...the Leader Class Optimus Prime is a nice figure, but for some reason I feel that the feet are really gonna be an issue down the road...they should have made him have ratcheted joints on the feet, and left out the automorph gimmicks..

I don't think that making these transformers complex is the issue.. I mean they could have strengthened the plastic with those extra kibble parts and the joints that hold them in place, but as it was said earlier, I think they were just rushed into production to meet the movie deadline.. give it time, by X-mas we will see some real gems of quality movie figures to coincide with the X-mas rush and DVD release..

Bonecrusher has a great solid feel to him, Bumblebee I am scared to breathe around..Blackout feels like an ERTL Model...that one is very light and brittle...Ratchet is pretty solid , and so is Ironhide, except his doors and feet feel very weak as well..

Overall, I think MISB is the best thing for my Movie collection thus far.. I don't want to have to worry too much about breakage issues.. and besides my Brother is kind of a finicky sort of person, some day soon he'll want to give up his out of Box Transformers to me.. which can go to my display, if I ever get one... but for now its nice to play visitor during the work week..since I work close to him..

Leader Brawl is soooo cool, but he scares me as being very very breakable.. like holding him to show some one, and if you accidentially brush him past a door frame or desk or something, it'll snap off a vital piece like a mast off a Model Boat!!

The plastic is certainly a lot thinner and there are far more hollow castings on the movie toys.

All of this servest to make the toys feel inferior in your hands.

I don't think anyone can handle Swindle or Delux Brawl and argue otherwise.

Counterpunch wrote:The plastic is certainly a lot thinner and there are far more hollow castings on the movie toys.

All of this servest to make the toys feel inferior in your hands.

I don't think anyone can handle Swindle or Delux Brawl and argue otherwise.

Ohhh Deluxe Brawl is atrocious!!!! they should call them all ERTL-formers.. cause they feel like plastic models from the American Modeling company ERTL, chances are if you ever did a model you had an ERTL, which if any of you have built a car or plane, or Star Trek model knows, are very, very fragile and breakable!!!

I haven't been real thrilled with them. Of the ones I have the only ones I'm happy with are Jazz and Dreadwing, and the latter wasn't even in the movie. These were the first TFs I bought in forever and at first the cheapness didn't bother me, I just thought that's how toys are being made now. Then I went out and started collecting some of the Classics and Alternators and realized how wrong I was. I'd still like to pick up the G1 Jazz repaint and 08 BB but they aren't as important as some of the Classics and Alts I want.

yea as I posted elsewhere, this is my concern about the movie TF's. Mine wouldn't be MISB, and I really don't want to see them in 2 years and have them be in peices. oh well looks like I will be passing on them.

Maybe it's just me but I don't think the movie toys will be worth much of anything even if they are MIB. I just think there will be a whole lot of them produced.

i wouldnt worry about them breaking or degrading at all.Ive put the movie toys through the ultimate test;my 6 year old son Lemme tell ya hes rough with these buggers and so far no breaks or scuffs,the only one im worried about is the '74 BB his hips are looser than a two dollar whore

Between this comment and the one I posted today, it really feels like Hasbro totally blew this movie release. The quality stinks compared to previous generations of toys and they're impossible to find anywhere.

Yeah, these plastics are brittle. Oil Up at $73 a barrel and this **** sure to happen. Maybe the most sensible thing to do is not to buy these fragile toys in the 1st place.

It makes sense to me now: Why throw lots of cash on toys that are very fragile? A few toys are ok, but buying so many of these fragile toys are simply not worth it.

Plastic quality hasn't changed, it's the complexity of the toys that changed, requiring more and smaller/thinner parts to achieve transformation. Back then, you would transform a huge solid block of the same plastic 1-2-3, but now it's more 1-2-3-4-5-...-20.

megatroptimus wrote:Plastic quality hasn't changed, it's the complexity of the toys that changed, requiring more and smaller/thinner parts to achieve transformation. Back then, you would transform a huge solid block of the same plastic 1-2-3, but now it's more 1-2-3-4-5-...-20.

Then why don't Alternators suffer this same problem? Sure some of them have spots that feel like they'll snap in half during transformation but on the whole they are pretty solid. Overall they are just as complex yet still feel more durable than the Voyager or Deluxe movie toys.

Magnimus wrote:All the figures I collect are loose and displayed on my shelves. I like to take them down and transform them from time to time, or re-pose them in different ways.

I have the feeling, however, that the movie figures are not going to last as loose collectibles. By this, I mean that I think the quality of the paint, plastic, and other mechanisms are not built to last.

Already, the paint is starting to rub off my real gear Spyshot, I'm noticing a lot of scuffs on my Leader Prime, the spring inside the left foot of my Leader prime that keeps the toes extended is starting to get weak, there are stretch marks in the plastic of my voyager Blackout and deluxe Brawl, not to mention a host of other small defects or suspicious parts I worry will degrade. I think, for loose collectors, in the next couple years, these figures are going to be visibly coming apart at the seams. Many of them are complex transformers, but if, like me, you handle your figures on a weekly basis (not roughly, mind you) I don't think they're going to last for very long.

Anyone else feel the same way or have any other observations of how the lasting quality of movie figures is showing to be short-lived?

i'm feeling the same way as you are with your figures...

lanzajr26 wrote:

megatroptimus wrote:Plastic quality hasn't changed, it's the complexity of the toys that changed, requiring more and smaller/thinner parts to achieve transformation. Back then, you would transform a huge solid block of the same plastic 1-2-3, but now it's more 1-2-3-4-5-...-20.

Then why don't Alternators suffer this same problem? Sure some of them have spots that feel like they'll snap in half during transformation but on the whole they are pretty solid. Overall they are just as complex yet still feel more durable than the Voyager or Deluxe movie toys.

I wouldn't say so (and I have all Alternators released to date here on my shelf). Alternators are bigger than deluxe figures and overall are not as complex as they look. Actually, most of them suffer from poor poseability in the name of detailing. Most movie figures have better and more original transformations than Alternators, not mentionning superior poseability and gimmicks.

megatroptimus wrote:

lanzajr26 wrote:

megatroptimus wrote:Plastic quality hasn't changed, it's the complexity of the toys that changed, requiring more and smaller/thinner parts to achieve transformation. Back then, you would transform a huge solid block of the same plastic 1-2-3, but now it's more 1-2-3-4-5-...-20.

Then why don't Alternators suffer this same problem? Sure some of them have spots that feel like they'll snap in half during transformation but on the whole they are pretty solid. Overall they are just as complex yet still feel more durable than the Voyager or Deluxe movie toys.

I wouldn't say so (and I have all Alternators released to date here on my shelf). Alternators are bigger than deluxe figures and overall are not as complex as they look. Actually, most of them suffer from poor poseability in the name of detailing. Most movie figures have better and more original transformations than Alternators, not mentionning superior poseability and gimmicks.

We're not just talking about Deluxe figures here though. While posability may be a bit lacking for a few of the Alternators you can't say that they are any less complex than the movie toys, especially the Deluxes. Perhaps the Voyagers are comparable with their transformations (and it's obvious Hasbro learned quite a few tricks from Alternators).

Compare Grimlock, Mirage, Skids, Jazz or Ravage to any movie toy and they are just as complex yet feel much more durable.