The Energon Pub

Most of you will probably remember my vehement dislike for KOs- be they of official figures or 3P pieces. I've always maintained they're bad for the business and shouldn't be supported.

However, somehow, something changed.

Now to clarify: I'm not interested in the Takasa Tony style "Totally just the official but cheaper!" counterfeit KOs that try and mislead you into thinking you've bought the real deal. I'd never buy a "straight" KO of an official MP figure.

That being said, I'm actually deeply intrigued by what I like to call "4th party" figures- that is, KOs (of official or 3P) that either greatly enhance mediocre figures or do something completely different with the figure that the original manufacturer can't or won't do for whatever reason. So basically, KOs that are better or otherwise different to the original.

Case in point: Remember PerfectEffect Leonidas? Remember how he was a gorgeous looking figure with glass joints that broke if you breathed on him? Well, NeoArt Toys made a drastically improved KO of him which apparently fixes all his problems to the point where there is literally no reason to buy the original.

There's also various KOs of the latter end Movieverse figures that greatly improve them, notably the work of Black Mamba, who not only made a rather spiffy looking (though sadly oversized) Nitro Zeus KO with lovely paint and a choice of heads, but also appears to be working on a Leader Brawl with better articulation, improved proportions and actual working tracks.

Am I going mad, or are KOs becoming worthwhile purchases now?

Both. Mwa ha ha ha haaa...

Glarryg