The Energon Pub

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:49 pm

I recently got Classic Pretenders Grimlock and Jazz. How are they? Read on.

Grimlock is AMAZING. Many people hate him for some reasons that I don't get.

The human face look like a "uncle Garry" rather than a fierce warrior.

The dino mode is also perfect for it's size. He hold up pretty well in fact. Sure, the front is a bit hollow but I forgive it.

It even look nice from the back.

As for the robot mode, it's PERFECT. All the right colors and proportions scream "Grimlock".

Jazz, on the other hand, is the WORST of ALL the Pretenders. It's also the cheapest, even complete. Too bad I'm missing a few stickers here.

His human face is pretty generic.

At least, the car is not too bad.

Dat robot mode...
Sigh....

I mean, look at that. Have that the front of his car not as a chest, but as a COLLAR.

Still, I'm glad to have him for my Jazz collection.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:07 pm

Autobot Pretenders!!

: The Shandling Shell <3

They definitely look like fun, Kanra - perhaps I may be more of a Decepticon loyalist than I thought, though...Carnivac and Snarler say they on their way.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:24 pm

bodrock wrote:Autobot Pretenders!!
IMG_6748.JPG

They definitely look like fun, Kanra - perhaps I may be more of a Decepticon loyalist than I thought, though...Carnivac and Snarler say they on their way.

Find yourself a Pretender Grimlock. He's awesome, cheap, and I see meme potential galore! Seriously, look at him. He have the face to be someone who'll invite you over to share a cold one and watch football.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:54 am

Agreed, Kanra -- he's definitely meme-material!

: 'Bot Runner

And Pretender-shell Jazz could have been awesome -- if he looked like Scatman Crothers.

: The One & Only; IMG_6753.JPG (84.61 KiB) Viewed 68456 times

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:04 am

I also happened to be patching up my only G1 Jazz in working order (loose, to say the least), the kids had left Lifeline stranded and I had brought Submarauder to admire -- so naturally, this happened.

: Weird place, wrong time

: They just don't give a Pho

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:19 am

bodrock wrote:]And Pretender-shell Jazz could have been awesome -- if he looked like Scatman Crothers.

It may had happen if the designers were Americans. The Japanese, however, made everyone look "Japanese" because they do not knew nor cared about the English cast.
Also, they lived (and still are) into a pretty much mono-racial society so the thought never crossed their mind. And finally, the Japanese are PROUD to be Japanese. They are not filled with "yellow guilt". Japan is free from identity politics cancer and that's a good thing.

Still, it won't stop a customiser to do a custom Pretender Jazz. Like me for example. Just take a shell without inner robot nor gun. Find a figure with a decent head of a black character that come equipped with a removable helmet with visor. Do the head-swap and it don't matter if the head don't separate nor rotate. And as for the inner robot, a legion classic Jazz will do the job.
:-?

Eh, I might just do it. Sound like a very interesting project to make.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:27 am

Tie dying MAY be a good way to recolour a Pretender head.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:40 am

Burn wrote:Tie dying MAY be a good way to recolour a Pretender head.

Oh HELL no.
Because it will result in a very distasteful "blackface" effect.

The head MUST be changed because black-African people have some distinct facial features.

The hardest part of such a custom will be to find the right head of the same size as the pretender head. It can be done, if one hunt into thrift shops and dollar stores. Really, I WANT to do it. Simply because it will be an original challenge and the base materials will be dirt cheap.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 5:57 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:
Burn wrote:Tie dying MAY be a good way to recolour a Pretender head.

Oh HELL no.
Because it will result in a very distasteful "blackface" effect.

I'll just assume that you've never actually done tie dying then?

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:07 am

Burn wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:
Burn wrote:Tie dying MAY be a good way to recolour a Pretender head.

Oh HELL no.
Because it will result in a very distasteful "blackface" effect.

I'll just assume that you've never actually done tie dying then?

Never done it, but Google show me it's a technique for fabrics. Dunno how it will go for plastics.
Anyhow, the real issue here is not the color, but the shape of the face.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:30 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:Dunno how it will go for plastics.

Works best with translucent plastic. The trick is to get it out of the boiling water before things warp.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:36 am

Burn wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:Dunno how it will go for plastics.

Works best with translucent plastic. The trick is to get it out of the boiling water before things warp.

Interesting...
That, I take note. It may give some pretty interesting results if done in the right places.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:38 am

It really does!

More so when you completely **** it up! :lol:

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:42 am

Man, it's a shame about Jazz -- I was thinking for a bit about getting him for a Legends collection but he looks just dire.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:23 am

I'd -love- to see that Jazz shell-mod, Kanra.

I still wish HasTak or a 3P would pump out a Masterpiece Pretender....

: Custom Iguanus; IMG_6758.JPG (43.37 KiB) Viewed 68355 times

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:54 pm

Mount up, mechs!

: Pretender BEASTmasters

Nauti-Dogg & Warrin' Cee came to regulate, atop "Faux-Fur" (Carnivac) and "Piggyback" (Snarler).

: A Wolfpack (of one)

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:29 am

The Devil Inside....

: TEH SHINY

: Bot's Best Friend

: O I C

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:07 pm

Just in case anyone is looking for a complete Finback at a decent price!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122602175567

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:18 am

bodrock wrote:Just in case anyone is looking for a complete Finback at a decent price!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122602175567

That IS nice, but it look like it's one of those "usa only" seller.

On my end, I think I have enough Pretenders with 12 I guess? And for G1, I have enough Headmasters with 8 and enough Scramble City combiners with 2. And Action Masters? 2... missing to have the ENTIRE collection. But that said, I still have some more wants. Maybe some Micro Masters and other random characters.

...

Well, I said I was done with Pretenders, but only the regular ones. I still have two wants. Two Holy Grails that are both almost impossible to find 100% complete and definitely out of my wallet's reach:

G1 Sky/black Shadow:

And G1 Metalhawk from Transformers Masterforce:

2000$... EACH! :shock:

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 12:36 pm

At least you got the Mega Pretenders, including Thunderwing, Kanra!

But yeah, space gangsta looks cool, and I'd also love to obtain DAT METALHAWK

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:33 am

ULTRA Beast Pretenders Return!

: Vac, Block & Snarler

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:42 pm

Bodrock, here's something special just for you.
:michaelbay:

HULK SMASH! :michaelbay:

You may wonder why a toy that is NOT a transformers in on this thread?

It's easy. It's because this Hulk...

...Is a PRETENDER!

The "Inner robot" is Bruce Banner himself.

I don't remember the exact name of the toy but it give a great idea on how much Bruce grow when he get angry.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:02 pm

That's AWESOME Kanra! Was that Hulk made, circa 1987?

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 11:30 pm

"Transformers Toys Discussion"

You know better Kanra ...

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 12:49 am

Burn's right, Kanra -- you should have Pretender Hulk face-off against the Mega Pretenders...or Mayhem Attack Squad!

I was looking for the Japanese checklist/poster, and finally found the ones from Super-God Masterforce -- did Japan not get all the Pretenders we did?

: Metalhawk!

: Japanese Mayhem Attack Squad

Sure, they got plenty of exclusives, but it seems Takara didn't go there with the Pretender Beasts....a shame, imho.....and no signs of Roadblock or Iguanus.

As a collector, the Pretenders have been great to hunt -- they almost make better statues than toys, but as I've mentioned before, I love the Decepticon designs.