The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:59 am

First off I guess I'll come clean. The last movie toy that I bought was either Brawn, Bludgeon, or that Deluxe Ratchet, either way a movie toy hasn't progressed into my collection for a very long time.

Despite the lack of activity with movie toys I still have quite the pile from the entire 2007 and ROTF lines. And I know it'll stop there. Even if we have a second trilogy I simply can't put myself through collecting another movie cast and getting what I want by digging through the aisles of Bumblebees. Even if I stumble upon a small fortune of money I can`t find myself backtracking into DOTM or whatever lies ahead for us in this genre of Movie Transformers.

Yet with the properties of the Unicron Trilogy and Beasties being absent for years I wonder why I don`t feel disenchantment with the majority of toys that I have of them.. and I guess there`s two things;

1) Did I really like movie toys? - A ton of people, and not just myself, were thrust back into collecting during a time when the only thing that we could collect back in '07 was movie toys. We needed that fix and while eBay and BBTS may have been alluring there's nothing faster than picking up toys at retail. Looking back that happiness and ecstasy of collecting toys clouded my judgement, I remember I made a thread about how '07 Voyager SS was the best Transformer ever. :michaelbay:

2) Never having the perfect toy - You buy Armada Deluxe Blurr and you're done with that character for the rest of your life. You buy '07 Voyager Prime? Well he's going to be upstaged months later in a bigger class, and then a few months later in a Premium subline and then two years later he'll get redone in both classes. It's exponential for all of these movie characters. I'm stuck with a bunch of figures that are rejects compared to their ROTF/DOTM brethren and I just don't have the effort or time to go through the process of selling them and buying character mold upgrades. I'm not willing to own two or three versions of a character and mix and match parts for the perfect version. Just not me. o>:oP

Being a toy collctor, when I watch, read, play or think about a series, such as Gundam, Transformers, Halo or what not - always in my mind there has to be some sort of toy attached to my thinking. With Transformers Prime, and past cartoons - I can always go back and watch the cartoons and feel nostalgic about the series and appreciate the toys. With the movieverse, I can't backtrack. I'm not in the camp where I thought the movies were batshit terrible, I did enjoy them from a Transformers fan standpoint, but from a Transformers fan standpoint I'll take watching a cartoon like Animated or Prime than having to go through the movies again.

I'm well behind alot of you in bringing down the guillotine with movie toys in a collection, but I just haven't though about detaching myself from Transformers that I owned. Perhaps that's all I need to do - just forget about Transformers movie toys and turn that plastic back into cash.

So, I guess a question I'll throw at you guys is what has become of your Transformers Movie toy collections? Have you sold it all on eBay or are you still going strong? And if you are going strong, how do you do it?

News Credits: 1 · by **njb902** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:13 am

I bought the ones I liked and just passed on those I didn't. I didn't bother buying every retool or upgrade of every toy either, just to much money for not enough return.

News Credits: 1 · by **SKYWARPED_128** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:06 am

After ROTF, I started getting tired of buying that "better" version of Bee, or "the upgraded Sideswipe with the guns." By the time the DOTM line appeared, I was pretty much ready to call it quits.

Kind of off-topic, but Takara wasn't doing me any favors either with their "rebooted" MP-10 Convoy.

News Credits: 6188 · by **Va'al** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:35 am

njb902 wrote:I bought the ones I liked and just passed on those I didn't. I didn't bother buying every retool or upgrade of every toy either, just to much money for not enough return.

Agree on this.

I really like my movieverse figures, and three shelves of my display cabinet are mostly those (plus the odd crossovers like Brawn, Banzai-tron, Terradive, Hailstorm and Lockdown). One shelf is just Generations/RTS, and all Autobots (Wreckers-ish, plus Seaspray, Jazz, Warpath and Guzzle).

I don't really follow the line anymore, and didn't really pick up that much from DOTM, although I did buy Leader Sentinel last week, as it was on sale.
In terms of doubles, I own Recon Ironhide and the DOTM Voyager, and the ROTF and HFTD Sideswipe (ROTF was my first figure, with Sideways, whom I still adore). I carefully waited for the 'better' options, so as to get Battle Blades OP and Battle Blade BB, for example.

I'd say it was nice until it lasted, but I'm not a completist, and happy with going on with Prime and Generations now.

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:43 am

I love the designs, mostly so I still love my Movie collection. As for figures being released in different classes, that suits me fine as my collection falls into different scales. Displaying leader OP next to voyager Blackout looks terrible so they go on different shelves. I don't need to buy the new repaint of the same mold cos they added shiny silver bits cos I can do that myself.

As for your question "are you still going strong? And if you are going strong, how do you do it?" the answer is 'just cos I love them!'. I'm not forcing myself to!

by **RAcast** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:25 am

Mykltron wrote:I love the designs, mostly so I still love my Movie collection. As for figures being released in different classes, that suits me fine as my collection falls into different scales. Displaying leader OP next to voyager Blackout looks terrible so they go on different shelves. I don't need to buy the new repaint of the same mold cos they added shiny silver bits cos I can do that myself.

As for your question "are you still going strong? And if you are going strong, how do you do it?" the answer is 'just cos I love them!'. I'm not forcing myself to!

I agree with your sentiments.

I don't have a ton of movie stuff, but what I have I really like. I still can't get over how good Laserbeak looks combined with Dotm voyager OP!

News Credits: 33 · by **Genocide G2.0** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:15 am

I too still love having my movie figures i pretty much have every figure from first 2 movies and i have no regrets

As for DOTM i picked up all the new characters the last i got was Soundwave and i just bought Wheeljack and i would still buy Leadfoot,Vortex and Skywarp

For me there was a couple of great figures in the DOTM line but there was just no excitement collecting it were as i loved collecting ROTF from the first to last wave i was obsessed 8-}

i just got the last 2 scout repaints i needed.

News Credits: 127 · by **Counterpunch** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:19 am

My movie toys are nearly gone.

I realized that while I enjoyed collecting them during the films, there's no staying power in these figures for me.

News Credits: 33 · by **Genocide G2.0** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:40 am

Just out the 3PF Headrobots makes movie figures exciting to have nothing better than and upgrade.

by **dinojack86** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:14 am

My judgment became clouded as well during the first film. It was the first time since I was a kid that I started buying Transformers again. Of course I didn't have any kids at the time and the figures were a little more reasonably priced so it wasn't AS big a deal. I ended up getting all the main Autobots and Decepticons. I rarely buy two of the same character regardless of class- saves money for different characters. However with today's prices I find myself really having to discern between what is something I really want and something that is cool in the moment but has no staying power. It's what I wrestle with when it comes to TF Prime. They're just not the be all end all versions of these characters. This is wy I've pretty much widdled it down to MP. DOTM was really disappointing for me- Shockwave was really the only one I wanted. Today I have no movie figs whatsoever and I really don't care. Maybe if TF4 fixes some things the DOTM got wrong (like maybe a new Leader Prime that improves on the ROTF one) I might pick it up. But other than that- US release of MP 10 is what I'm saving for.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:29 am

I just own only one fig. The first release Leader (?) Optimus Prime with the short ear antenna and rubber tires. No more, no less.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:32 am

Not a fan of the overall movieverse look, so it was pretty easy for me to stay away from most of the toys. I have a handful, though:

- original deluxe Barricade
- premium deluxe Barricade
- DotM Barricade
- That kiddie "deluxe" Barricade
- HA Barricade (see a pattern here?)
- 07 Bumblebee
- RotF Leader Prime
- the blue Fallen
- voyager Bludgeon
- voyager Seaspray
- real gear "Lazerbeak"
- RotF Recon Ravage
- Leader Brawl
- deluxe Sideswipe

The one I regret buying are Leader Prime, that was mostly due to hype and my collection was always WAY too crowded to find room for the guy, nice as he is. I was tempted by Leader Sentinel Prime, but knew I didn't have any room for him (and he didn't fit in regardless). Most of these guys are in storage now, even my squad of Barricades save for HA Barricade. The only new movie toy I'm tempted by is Mindwipe thanks to the upcoming Headrobots release.

News Credits: 1 · by **MightyMagnus78** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:54 am

I did enjoy the movies but the only Movie figure I own is ROTF Legends Jetfire. He was a Christmas present from my mother in law. Needless to say he is still MOSC.

Having said that, I actually now regret not getting some figures when I had the opportunity. Striker Optimus/Buster Prime spring instantly to mind.

News Credits: 7 · by **TulioDude** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:44 pm

I like the designs,i like the characters and i like the toys.
They are staying.

by **RAcast** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:54 pm

I actually picked up 07 voyager Thundercracker the other day for about $5, missing two missiles but in otherwise great condition, and I really like him. I love how heavy and chunky he is, the quality of the figure is just spot on. I think I'm going to paint over his mouth-piping though...having a glowing mouth works on only a very few heads (here's looking at you, Prime Dead End, you grotesquely amazing thing).

by **MGrotusque** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:52 pm

I only picked up a handful of figures from the entire movie line. I only have two left. The rest i gave away or threw into the recycling bin.
I'll keep the two i do have left because they aren't overly prevalent in my collection and are interesting to me.

I'm very glad i didn't get into the movie line at all. The two i have is more than enough.

I'm not looking forward to the 4th movie or the accompanying toyline at all. Our darkest hour is nearly upon us.... :-s

by **quickmixed** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 6:22 pm

I didnt buy a single figure from the first movie in 07. Not one. I was adamant that I wasnt going to buy any of the movieverse figs at all. Didnt like the aesthetic. But then in 09 when rotf came out I ended up purchasing the entire Autobot onscreen cast. I think it was a quiet year for tf's. I then added to that last year with Leader sentinel and the three wreckers. I'm only missing Que. If he ever sees a cheaper more accessible release then I will pick him up and complete my collection. But thats all.

They stand on a shelf now, a plastic reminder of a 6-7 year period of restrained collecting. I'll hold on to them.

by **Arcadia** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:38 pm

I love movie verse toys. Better than that Beast Wars crap.

by **Dagon** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:39 pm

I bought most of the 07 line, little of the ROTF line, and hardly any of the DOTM line. I have sold off more movie figures than any other style of TF I have. I used to be somewhat a completist, so I'd get everything: main cast, repaints, off screen characters, I bought that stupid Real Gear BS, hell, I'd buy anything except the Legends class figures.
Between Cybertron and now however I started to exercise much more restraint in my buying, so when the need to complete lines faded, so did the need to have things I no longer felt a real attachment to.
That opened the floodgates for the soulless, empty movieverse designs to be eBayed. I've held on to a handful; I kept the Seekers and the LEader Brawls from movie 1. I've got all the Starscreams and a Leader Sentinal Prime. I am honestly having a difficult time remembering what else. Oh, an ROTF Swerve, because I bought him when we moved my brother to college. ROTF Bludgeon and Mindwipe, DOTM Skyhammer. I don't think of the ROTF splinter lines like RtS or HfTD as movieverse-proper figures, but rather as somekind of Generations extension, so I don't count those as movie figures. I know that technically they are, but I do not care.
Most of the movie toys were not even fun. The standard cry baby answer is always that they're made for kids, but I can't see how kids would really have enjoyed these. I appreciate the engineering that went in to the movie lines, but they just don't spark any interest in me. Animated bored me, Prime figures are neat but I'm not sure that I'll always enjoy them or their look.
One this is for sure, DOTM seemed to just disappear from stores. Not like it sold out hyperfast, because every retail store in my area still has BBs (kidz luv hym!!!!!!!!), but it was not nearly as expansive a line as ROTF was.

In the end, here's to hopes that the future brings us better toys.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:43 pm

I went into Transformers collecting at the very end of the RotF line, when the HftD line was already out.

And you know what? I LOVE the movie toys. Better than G1 or even the Unicron Trilogy in fact. Why? masterful engineering, incredible designs, awesome articulations, impressive and challenging transformations...

Hey, I traded a original and complete Doubledealer plus a MIB Seacon reeissue set for around 300$ worth of '07 movie toys. And this was without regrets.

I really hope for a "Movie Trilogy" line where the'll release a DotM Leader Megatron.

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 3:24 am

It's crazy how we're all spread out about this.

For those who have sold your movie toys, have their prices spiked or are they still worth retail?

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:04 am

I geenrally just picked the ones that appealed to me and stayed away from repaints or new upgrades characters/ toys.

I haven't bought many DOTM toys, just Skyhammer, Guzzle, and Cranckase.

I've come to the conclusion that while I like the designs and aesthetics, the non-movie toys (like Landmine Brawn, etc) appeal to me more. Adding to that, the last half of the movie lines are mostly Classics figures sold under the Movie tagline anyway.

by **MINDVVIPE** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:53 am

The movies DID somehow give us a few character figures that I relish to this day. '07 remade Blackout for instance, even with all his backpack issues, haha. Incinerator is still in my collection as a no-hands killing machine. Finally, I have the brown repaint of Brawl who I consider to be Obsidian.

I had SS, sold it to a local store, same with a few others. I still wish I had a decent Barricade that didn't have no head articulation or poopy ass legs.
Bonecrusher got sold too, in fact a whole ton of TFs were sold to get funds to get the Bruticus crossfire set and ROTF Bruticus. I amputated 07 prime's arm for energon shockblast's left arm replacement. They are both in my box of store-aways right now. I gave Jazz to a lil kid, haha. Even he didn't seem to like it much without the movie hysteria to cloud his judgement. All in all, glad the movie figures are mostly done for now, but I actually do have some movie figures in my (only) collection, and their different looks add a nice variety to the cybertronian race upon my shelves.

Most of the movie toys seemed to have decreased in value, but I haven't been up to date. Usually, we can just gauge that from how much the fans on the forums speak highly of such figures. Almost forgot, I have movie Arcee as my Elita-1. :grin:

She was more expensive that I thought.

I thought we were only speaking about the first movie figures. I have a bunch more from the later movies:

Bludgeon
Mindwipe
Shockwave
Demolisher
Sonar
Hatchet
Lockdown
Oilpan
Skystalker
Skyhammer
Sentinal Prime
Stockade (Trailbreaker for me)
Brawn

Website · by **Flux Convoy** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:02 am

I picked up a few things from the first movie and felt like they were pretty crappy toys. The Primes and bees were all fairly decent to good. I bought a few other things for ROTF and I really enjoyed the Human Alliance figures. Aside from the HA Wreckers, I have nothing from the last movie. Not a single figure. I kinda hate those two as well. There are a few that I'm keeping because they're just nice pieces. Most of it is getting sold off though. Movie toys have never been an interest to me, in this franchise or otherwise.

by **Breakdown 2099** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:49 am

TulioDude wrote:I like the designs,i like the characters and i like the toys.
They are staying.

2nd that statement.
Movie toys are like these message boards, some you enjoy and dedicate your time to, others you just look over once, laugh and walk away.