The Energon Pub

I was looking around my meager collection, and found that this is kind of a trend with me.

I recently acquired "Energon" Ultra Magnus, which is just a repaint of Armada Overload. Looking at Magnus made me realize how much I despised Overload. I like the mold well enough, but the solid red just makes it so boring. I know it has a few black and yellow spots, but it's mostly red. The Magnus version at least has color variety and is much more pleasant to look at. I sold Overload after I got Magnus.

Same with Classics Rodimus. You'd think it would be a favorite of mine. For some reason, I never liked any version until I received my TFCC Sideburn. I had the Rodimus from the Battle in Space 2-pack, and the powder blue window was just Ever since I got Sideburn, I keep wishing Shadow Scyther wasn't so damn expensive. I'd get it for Sideburn. The black and blue would complement each other very nicely. I also sold my Battle in Space Rodimus after Sideburn arrived.

Generations Thunderwing was another figure I wasn't impressed with. I liked it OK, but then I got Sky Shadow and found myself liking it much more. I won't get rid of Thunderwing, though, as he is one of my favorite comic characters, and the toy was also a gift.

I bought Armada Jetfire when he first came out, and I really loved the mold. I also like both comic and cartoon characters, so as far as I was concerned Hasbro really hit it out of the park with this one all around. It has been a favorite figure of mine since 2002. Never owned the Powerlinx version, but it looked good. Then at last year's BotCon I purchased the Astrotrain version of the mold, and now I love it even more.

I got Energon Tidal Wave, because I really like the 3-in-1 gimmick, and at first I thought the color was great, even better than Armada. But for some reason when I got it in hand, it was a total turn off. So I purchased the Armada version to go in my Armada collection, and got rid of the Energon repaint. I still want to get the Japanese all-purple cartoon-accurate version.

Generations Bumblebee was another figure I liked OK, and I got it as a gift for a friend. I was impressed with the mold in hand, and bought a Cliffjumper. At first, I loved it, but then the red got to be too much and I had to get rid of it. Not before I bought a Bumblebee for myself.

Animated Voyager Optimus was a figure I got just for the sake of collection, so my TFA bots would have a leader. I wasn't really impressed with it, but it was a shelf-filler. Then I got my set of Stunticons at BotCon, and thought Motormaster was just awesome. Made me appreciate the mold much more. I got Toxitron, but I hated the color so I got rid of him. But Optimus looks much better now, especially in robot mode.

In the same vain, G2 Laser Optimus Prime was absolutely unimpressive to me. The color was ugly, the stickers on the chest were just off-putting. Then Robots in Disguise came out with Scourge, and the mold improved 1000 times, as far as I'm concerned. Of course, G2 Prime found another home.

So, you got any of these?

Not a fan of Cybertron Jetfire , but I love Cybertron Sky Shadow and had to get 2007 Movie Jetstorm. I still have yet to get Jetfire and probably won't , since I don't like what he looks like( I thik it's all the green). I have always been more into the Decepticon toys than Autobots though, so that probably plays a big role in the reasoning.

I love Generations Drift (why must you be so expensive!), but I want NOTHING to do with the Blurr version of the mold! I mean, I hate everything about g1 Blurr to begin with (so bloody annoying), but the deco is so...bland. Drift may be a Japanophile, but at least he's got a sense of style!

This is a lesser extent of the case with PRID Bumblebee. I don't hate it, but I have no interest in picking one up, at all. I'm quite happy with my FE Bumblebee. However, the Hot Shot version of the mold is something I very much plan to pick up on sight. My interest in Transformers died away after Armada, so I don't have any fond memories of a blue Hot Shot. I only remember seeing a few episodes of Energon and immediately hating it when I was...13/14. As a result, I never go to see Cybertron, which I've watched a few bits of and I think it's actually not bad. Most of the toyline is pretty slick too, Downshift has a well-respected place on my computer desk, albeit in vehicle mode. But holy crap I got sidetracked.The short and sweet is that Prime Hot Shot's deco and head are great! I love the lightpiping and that the goggles both move and are made of translucent plastic!

The spoiler tags just hide a rant that is utterly unnecessary to the rest of the post, read it if you like, lol. I got a touch carried away.

Universe Powerglide reeked of udder crap with the primarily white paint job, and though the black repaint was tempting I couldn't get behind the reference enough to be bothered with it. Then the Wal-mart red repaint occurred and I felt good enough to go after it... though at that point I was just looking for all the Universe molds I missed out on anyway. Actually most of the first released molds of the Universe and later Generations line had some very uninspiring decos compared what came later.

Smokescreen > Prowl > Silverstreak
Red Alert > Sideswipe > Sunstreaker

I could care less about PRiD bee too, but I really miss Hot Shot right now and blue is a welcome change, so if I see one I may snatch him up.

I'll just start by saying I think every Optimus Prime mold looks better in black. But I'm a pretty big Nemesis Prime/Scourge/Black Convoy fanboy, so take that as you will.

That aside, here are some of my nominations:

Universe Devastator > RID Build Team

Costco Metallic Bumblebee > Battle Ops Bumblebee

Hasbro MP Starscream > Takara's 1st MP Starscream (The teal one)

Henkei Dinobot > Universe Dinobot

10 Anniversary Dinobot > Original Dinobot

Universe Skywarp > Beast Machines Jetstorm

Armada Skywarp = King

RotF N.E.S.T. Dirge isn't too bad and the G1-licious colour scheme makes him desirable. The HftD Jetblade is awesome however. Light grey for the jet body, ice blue lining, dark purple robot body and silver and bright red to make him pop.

HftD Rescue Ratchet is far superior to the original Deluxe. Since the alt mode is so different from the actual movie vehicle, the Rescue colours make him look like a whole different character. Mine got RotF Swerve's head and serves as Movieverse Red Alert alongside Voyager Ratchet.

Legends Tankor is awesome compared to the drab Brawl, as are Cyberfire Bumblebee and Specialist Ratchet to the DotM originals. And even though it is the original, Dropkick dropkicks (haha) the behinds of Salvage and Blowpipe.

I don't generally buy a toy if it's just bad mold, but there are ones I skipped out on because I was waiting for better paint job. On top of that, anything that is intended as a G1 character but not painted as such looks so much better in G1 colors, because that is the purpose of my collection. So therefore, Henkei & United Megatron look much better to me than Nerf Megatron.

I really want to get a Botcon Sharkticon, originally skipping out on the Energon version.

RiD Scourge is of course way cooler than G2 Prime.

Amazon/TRU Unicron is 100 times better than the orignial Armada and Energon versions, and even preferable over the Takara 2010 version to me.

I'm still waiting for a Scourge/Nemesis Prime repaint of RTS G2 Prime, even though I went and bought it anyway.

There are probably more, but those come to mind first.

I'm really getting behind the TF Prime RID Disco-Force repaints of show characters into G2 wannabes. Hot Shot was the first one, and now Dead End continues the trend. Yes the new heads help, especially with the BB mold, but its the way the new colour schemes manage to disguise the fact that these are quite clearly toys of very specific characters that makes me like them. I don't want or need another Bee or Wheeljack, but the toys themselves look quite good, so the off the wall repaints are perfect for me to get a chance to buy them, and get some new characters for my collection.

Darksteel.
I'm putting him out there because, if you take an inaccurate mold of a character, and re-arrange it to be a new character, these inaccuracies no longer exist. I can display Sidearm Sideswipe, DarkSteel, and Swerve, as three different characters, under three different molds. a repaint of a crappy figure into a new figure can work well. RiD BB Sucks, but HotShot's a unique twist. That being said, displaying him next to FE BB wouldn't feel at all strange. That's kind of how my collection works...

EDITED GRAMMAR TO AVOID BEING EATEN ALIVE

Inaccuracy is a single word, btw. I hate having to be a grammar-sharkticon here, but it makes no sense otherwise.

craggy wrote:Inaccuracy is a single word, btw. I hate having to be a grammar-sharkticon here, but it makes no sense otherwise.

I fixed it you nitpick

I WANT cyberfire Bumblebee. The DOTM Bumblebee I have now looks like a foot. It hurts my face, I really hates it. But Cyberfire Bumblebee looks like a horrible murderer and I want it!

Current repaints I love are actually Cybertron Repugnus who's a repaint of Undermine. The green was kinda lacking with me, but I loved the orange and black scheme very much.

There are a few things repaints can make much better. Like turning a snot like Drift into a snot like Blur!

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:I WANT cyberfire Bumblebee. The DOTM Bumblebee I have now looks like a foot. It hurts my face, I really hates it. But Cyberfire Bumblebee looks like a horrible murderer and I want it!

I felt the same about Cyberfire Bee. I passed on the original version cause I knew we'd get a repaint, but I'm happy it's an awesome repaint. I wish I had picked up more of them, I really want to do repaints with green Cyberfire and Allspark Blue Cyberfire.

I also couldn't get into the 2007 Voyager Prime mold, until he came out as ROTF Defender Prime. I don't know what it is, I love the color scheme(and the toy's fun too )

Good topic.

For me, Classics Mirage just never looked very Mirage-like, but Dragstrip and Fracture/Crasher kick ass.

Speaking of G1 characters, when it comes to Smokescreen, Prowl and Bluestreak, I always liked them in that order (meaning Smokescreen was my favorite) but when they did the Universe versions Smokescreen was now my least favorite and Silver(Blue)streak was now the one I liked most.

I wouldn't say I hated Tracks, but the redeco into Wheeljack was like a thousand times better, I thought.

ROTF Dead End. Thought he was very bland but then we got Nightbeat. Head is still terrible but the car is the coolest repaint ever.

Classics Starscream. Thought he was utter tripe and an insult to the Robotmasters Seeker mold. Paint was poorly applied and the colours were terribly bland and unfitting of a notably vain character. Acid Storm turned me around. I can't resist new Seekers. I've since got the 2nd Starscraem and Thundercracker and I love the mold now.

Universe Ultra Magnus > Armada Prime

Universe Devesatator > RID Landfill? Seconded.

Robotmasters Mirage > Machine Wars Mirage. Great mold. Colours make it cartoon accurate and the silver rifle harkens back to the glory days of G1.

Henkei Megatron > Classics Megatron

Universe Frostbite > BW Cackle

RID Blue camo Armourhide > G1 Brawl

Ironworks > Powertrain

Didn't actually hate most of these but I did feel the repaints were amazing improvements.

The Bruticus/ruination in desert and arctic camo are worth a fair mention here.

Hmm..let's see..

RTS Gold Bumblebee(Goldbug) I got because of the deco. I have Classics Bee, but no Goldbug, and it suffices nicely. It's not a bad mold, but not too enticing when I have the character ya know.

Remember ROTF Springer? The Legend that never appeared in the movie? It's not that great, but the K-Mart 4 pack Blades is awesome. I really like the idea of him as a field medic.

Spinister from the same pack? Awesome cause it's a new character(and I didn't have the mold). Ditto for Thundercracker, who has a really nice paint aps. Jetfire is...meh. All in all, glad I got it on clearance.

Continuing with the Legends vibe, Target exclusives! First Shadow Striker(Legends Wheelie repaint). It's a female Transformer, so that makes it cool, and the deco isn't bad either. I would have bought it even if I had Legends Wheelie(which I never found....)

Okay, there was a ROTF Five pack that had Runnamuck(Legends Movie Jazz repaint) and Sparkcrusher(Legends Warpath repaint) that are really cool too. Sparkcrusher is a nice homage to a forgotten Actionmaster. Runnamuck is cool because even though it's homaging a Stuniticon, the weird forks/heelspurs on the front of the car actually work for the character, as does the robot chest sticking out the top of the car.

Ah heck, more Legends! I missed out on Legends Beachcomber, but the Sandstorm repaint is really good. It doesn't really look like the G1 character, but the scheme and paint aps are good enough to stand on it's own.

Finally, one of my fave Legends that I wish they'd do more like is ROTF Tankor. It works so well, and I would buy a repaint four pack of the remaining Vehicons. Plus, I didn't have the mold otherwise.

So moral of the story: if it's a smaller version of a character I have, not much interest. If it's a new character though(or homage), my interest is piqued!

One last note, the BBTS/Ollie's DOTM Mini-con Dinobots: Not great figures, but the G1 color schemes make them very appealing.

Rushie wrote:RotF N.E.S.T. Dirge isn't too bad and the G1-licious colour scheme makes him desirable. The HftD Jetblade is awesome however. Light grey for the jet body, ice blue lining, dark purple robot body and silver and bright red to make him pop.

I agree on Jetblade too, very nice grey and light blue colour sceme. Its one of the few transformers I actually have on display in alt mode (although his robot mode is ok, his face reminds me of squidward for some reason).

Generations Darkmount aka Straxus. Not having read the old comics, I'm not nostalgically attached to the character, and I hate unrealistically colored military alt modes. Hated the head sculpt as well.

The gray-colored Skullgrin retool was more to my liking, although I'm still not a fan of the goat-man head sculpt. Would have bought him, but there were a few other TF's I liked a lot more being released near the same time and I didn't want to spare the cash for him.

I'll second Skullgrin. I only ever read Straxus as a head in a jar, so the toy was 95% excess for what I wanted out of the character. When I saw the repaint though, the colours are great, nice and Decepticon-y, and the character gets a good update in a big strong looking body. It's a fun toy too, with a fairly complicated transformation and some lovely posing potential. My favourite one is him dragging the axe behind him like it weighs a ton and he's running about to swing it up and into some poor bot's chestplate.

Classics Tank Megatron got a great upgrade in a hideous colorscheme as United Tank Megs. I'm one of the few who liked the orignal, but the repaint is just awesome!

Delicon wrote:
Speaking of G1 characters, when it comes to Smokescreen, Prowl and Bluestreak, I always liked them in that order (meaning Smokescreen was my favorite) but when they did the Universe versions Smokescreen was now my least favorite and Silver(Blue)streak was now the one I liked most.

I also got Bluestreak, and him alone. Darn, should have gotten prowl and smokescreen... I saw prowl loads of times for $8 on clearance, and i still refused to buy it. I'm now kicking myself for that.

gavinfuzzy wrote:

Delicon wrote:
Speaking of G1 characters, when it comes to Smokescreen, Prowl and Bluestreak, I always liked them in that order (meaning Smokescreen was my favorite) but when they did the Universe versions Smokescreen was now my least favorite and Silver(Blue)streak was now the one I liked most.

I also got Bluestreak, and him alone. Darn, should have gotten prowl and smokescreen... I saw prowl loads of times for $8 on clearance, and i still refused to buy it. I'm now kicking myself for that.

missed out on all of them. only ever saw bluestreak in shops