The Energon Pub

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:01 pm

Thanks for the tips, Kanra! That's the thing with buying virtual - you kinda know what you're getting from the pics, but it's nothing like holding a figure in your hands.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Wed Jun 14, 2017 7:25 pm

I know this forum is about the toys .

But how about...

AN ANIME GIRL ACTUALLY BEING A PRETENDER? :shock:

Sorry, I just had to share! :lol:

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:47 am

Talk about junk in tha trunk! Kanra, it looks like they went kawaii over kaiju! :lol:

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:05 pm

Are they really Pretenders though? Pretenders hide the robot within, unless they have a humanoid style robot then they're just vehicles that turn into something psuedo-organic.

Heck, with a bit of a stretch then if these are Pretenders, then so are Beast Wars characters.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:54 pm

Burn wrote:Are they really Pretenders though? Pretenders hide the robot within, unless they have a humanoid style robot then they're just vehicles that turn into something psuedo-organic.

Heck, with a bit of a stretch then if these are Pretenders, then so are Beast Wars characters.

Hmmmm... You got a point there. Especially Season One Beast Wars because they NEEDED that "organic hide" to protect themselves from the land's overflowing energon radiation.

And based on that commercial collection:

The pretender shells can move around independently once the inner bot is out.

Weird...

Anyway, stay tuned for tomorrow. I'll add a few in my collection and I'll provide some pictures. ;)^

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:04 pm

A lot of backstories for Beast Wars pin down a combination of Pretender and Micromaster technology as the progenitor of the BW characters' transformations.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:26 pm

I wouldn't mind seeing a modern take on Pretender shells as mobile CR Chambers.

-Kanrabat- wrote:The pretender shells can move around independently once the inner bot is out.

Weird...

The comics (from memory) had the shells as an extension of the main robot. Bumblebee's shell took a massive blow (like blasted through) which caused feedback to Bumblebee and took him out of action for a while.

It was one of the later Marvel comics, don't ask me which one though.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:35 pm

That makes sense, Kurona. ;)^

And I loved watching those Pretender commercials! The song was absolutely atrocious.

I like the thought that true Pretenders can separate completely from their shells -- and could play couch co-op on a beat-em-up.

: Lemme at 'im!

by **Optimum Supreme** » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:57 pm

Apropos of nothing but does TM Repugnus give any one else Pretender vibes? (or Mega Pretender, I suppose) I guess that could go for a few TM's but he's the one that it struck me with.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Fri Jun 16, 2017 11:22 am

No worries, Optimum - we were talking about Repugnus earlier! But yeah, I can see how he could be a micro-Pretender (!), and Shuffler a micro-Pretender Beast!

Speaking of Pretender Beasts, I gotta say Carnivac looks all sortsa cool. No luck finding him for a decent price yet tho

: Splitting Hairs; IMG_6290.JPG (64.96 KiB) Viewed 47307 times

Roadblock should be here next Wednesday! Can't wait....

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Fri Jun 16, 2017 7:49 pm

Went to the local geek shop and I made a TRADE.

Vroom, Octopunch, Bumblebee, Roadblock and Carnivac! :michaelbay:

Vroom have the worst motorbike mode ever found in any transformers. It's so ridiculous and clunky... That I can't help but love it! :lol:

Octopuch have a face only a mother can love. And that crab is ADORABLE!

Carnivac have a very, very BAD robot mode. But the wolf modes are too awesome to pass on him.

Bumblebee is WAY better than anticipated. That's one solid (all terrain) Bettle mode here. Also, those black stripes on the hood... Did they inspired the modern Bees, or is it just a coincidence?

Also, that bot mode is pretty solid. Amazing for a pretender.

And finally, here's Roadblock. Perfect example of Russian dolls! Also, the inner bot is perfect and UNBROKEN despite the GPS risks. It also transform and articulate very well! :shock:

I don't know if I'll ever get more pretenders. But so far, I think I have the best ones.

Including Starscream that I got ages ago.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:47 pm

You have pretty much ALL TEH AWESOME, Kanra!! Amazing trade and Pretender collection.

I spent $16 on Skullgrin, but he's missing both guns. Your local geek store had the muthaload! ;)^

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:06 pm

bodrock wrote:You have pretty much ALL TEH AWESOME, Kanra!! Amazing trade and Pretender collection.

I spent $16 on Skullgrin, but he's missing both guns. Your local geek store had the muthaload!

He have them ALL!
But My space and budget have limits unfortunately.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:14 pm

Not bad for a 100% complete Octopunch ($69):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/222551577933

I'm still kinda-sorta looking for the crab legs....but am also fine with my a shapeways versions. The only Pretenders I will have 100% complete are the incoming Skullgrin & Roadblock; and with those, I had to hunt for the weapons separately! It was fun bargain-hunting, but if I had walked into Kanra's store, I'd totally JUST DO IT :ic$:

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:25 pm

It's always a pain when you thought you had a deal with a G1 figure. only to pay 10 times more just to get the accessories separately.

I'm really lucky that my store got most of his G1 from a hardcore collector who kept EVERYTHING.

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:23 pm

The aftermarket for G1 accessories is undoubtedly the worst! And I never used to be OCD about them -- I remember bringing home the old school Stunticons, but rarely ever equipped them with any of their guns -- simply cuz they had nowhere to put 'em in alt mode. But now?

It's like a gaping 3mm peghole that needs filling, thanks to our shared hobby/addiction.

Of course, nowadays I tend to pose them and take pics, make memes, etc., instead of really playing with them like I used to (I no longer launch them from across the room into a toy bin, aka Cybertron!). :saint:

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Wed Jun 21, 2017 2:10 pm

Roadblock arrived!

: Thick as Thieves

: Boo!

: For Justice!

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:28 pm

SOON!

: Skullgrin

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:11 am

At $30 total for both, I could not say no to Iguanus & Groundbreaker!

: King Con & Groundbreaker

: My Left Foot

Iguanus was on my list, thanks to the Marvel comics (King Con!!) -- I had to buy a standalone inner-Iggy for $5 to make up for the missing foot!

: Iguanus loves all the lizards

But Groundbreaker is missing his helmet, blaster base & blaster. He'll be my first Autobot Pretender, and I like his bio.

: G1

: G1.5

I would've preferred Doubleheader, but the price was right! :ic$:

I'm still casually hunting just about all the Pretender 'Cons....and here I thought I'd stop. :p

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:28 am

If you noticed it, the armor design of the second Autobot Pretender wave (Sky High, Groundbreaker and Splashdown) looks animalistic, wouldn't you say?

News Credits: 3 · by **bodrock** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:51 am

True dat, Jelze -- the second wave tried to get a bit crazier with the Autobot Pretenders

: Sky High Ginger; IMG_6398.JPG (84.12 KiB) Viewed 46470 times

....but not Longtooth crazy!

: IMG_6399.JPG (93.08 KiB) Viewed 46470 times

I know Kanra recently got him, so I'm hoping he posts more pics.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 5:57 am

That was an awesome find, man! Finding a Pretender that is almost complete for so cheap, AND finding the missing part for dirt cheap also is nothing short of a miracle!

I'll have a bit of fun with some pictures this morning. Stay tuned!