The Energon Pub

I have been reading the various threads and polls about BotCon and the exclusive set that has been announced. I must say that I am really bother by some of the comments.

I agree with alot of people concerning the expense and exclusivity of the set. Due to those reasons alot of fans cannot get the set and will not be able to complete their Classic Seekers. On that note I understand alot of people's anger.

What really bothers me though are comments like these;
"egos of simpering elitist fanboys who will pay any price to feel special."
"G1 fanboys that have nothing better to spend their money on."
(These comments are from boards on other TF sites, not Seibertron.com)

I'm a 33yr old collector and yes I grew up in the G1 era. I've been with Transformers since the beggining and have an appreciation for all the different incarnations since G1. However, I also have a wife and twin 4yr old boys to support. As some people would like to think not all of us "G1 fanboyss" have money to "throw away" or to "make us feel special". And I really resent the viciousness of that kind of attitude.

I am very fortunate to at least have the money for the Iacon package. I am also fortunate that my wife does not mind since it is for a hobby I really enjoy. So yes, I will be paying the $329 for the 5-figure set and completing my Classic seekers even though others unfortunately can not.

I think it should be kept in perspective that this was Hasbro's decision. G1 fanboys like myself had nothing to do with it. Anger regarding this should be kept in the proper direction (Hasbro) instead of at fellow TF fans that are lucky enough to go to the convention or at least buy the 5-figure convention set.

I apologize if I offened anyone but I felt a burning need to defend myself or at least other fans in my same circumstances.

$329!!! At that price to get them I would want them to be able to cook and clean my house for me too, not just stand in a display!

Ultra Prime is right. Attacking other fans doesn’t do any good, nor does it add to the discussion. No one should be made to feel guilty because they enjoy their hobby. (Unless your hobby is kicking puppies, in which case, you're a monster. A horrible, filthy, repulsive monster. Feel guilty yet?)

The biggest area of sore feelings should come from the decision Botcon made, that fans have to ‘prove’ they are loyal to the G1 characters by shelling out the big bucks to get them. When someone questions your loyalty to something you care about, the natural reaction is to get defensive. But the only people who *might* be doing that is the Club, not anyone one else who buys, enjoys, and posts about transformers.

If you are angry about the decision, e-mail Hasbro or the club and constructively argue your point. Ask if they have any plans down the road to release a different set of molds to help complete the Seeker set for those people who can’t afford the Botcon prices, or if any stores would be willing to carry an exclusives Seeker Set down the road. Will it do any good? Who knows, but it’s a sure sight better than attacking fellow enthusiasts. (Unless they kick puppies. Then you can call them whatever you want.)

I contemplated locking this topic, since we have the original thread, the "I'm happy about BotCon" thread, and the "I haven't gotten my receipt for BotCon yet" thread.

So please keep it civil and you can discuss maybe non-antedee stuff, or people who plan on going but aren't sure and want to see what additional events occuring might entice them.

While I certainly agree that hostilities/resentment towards those who are willing and able to purchase the convention set is completely misdirected, I also think it's a predictable result of the circumstances. Up until now the brand has always done a fairly good job of pleasing both the casual collectors, by making primary characters available at retail along with homages and repaints so that they can pick and choose, and the hardcore collectors who can afford to collect entire series and have no qualms about paying for rare figures of obscure characters. By making popular well-known characters into premium-cost convention exclusives they've set the two demographics on a collision course. There are going to be those casual collectors who either can't afford the set or can and simply refuse to pay that much out of principal that blame the more serious collectors for creating a market in which 6 $10 toys can be sold for upwards of $300. Of course nobody is really to blame but Hasbro, and in time they're going to be the only ones at a loss as a result of casual collectors getting fed-up and investing in other hobbies.

GetterDragun wrote:I contemplated locking this topic, since we have the original thread, the "I'm happy about BotCon" thread, and the "I haven't gotten my receipt for BotCon yet" thread.

So please keep it civil and you can discuss maybe non-antedee stuff, or people who plan on going but aren't sure and want to see what additional events occuring might entice them.

No problem GetterDragun. I just wasn't quite sure if what I had to say fit into the other threads. I will make a point of keeping this topic constructive vs. derogatory.

Zombie Starscream wrote:$329!!! At that price to get them I would want them to be able to cook and clean my house for me too, not just stand in a display!

Yeah, but it's either pay the $329 or pay from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times more later on ebay if I really want them.

I gave up complaining it does nothing and things won't change

I figured I just buy 2 more Ramjets and another Starscream and repaint them instead and it will cost me a hell of alot less then $329

I have started I recently picked up another Ramjet

Now I need to see the pictures of the exclusives as a guide for me

The only way I would get that set is if it came with Sunstorm.

If people want to buy them, I don't blame them. I get angry when someone one tells me I have no right to complain about it if I'm not willing to pay the price for them. If others are, that's their business. But don't tell me what to do with my opinions, or my money.
That's all.

MagnusPrimal wrote:If people want to buy them, I don't blame them. I get angry when someone one tells me I have no right to complain about it if I'm not willing to pay the price for them. If others are, that's their business. But don't tell me what to do with my opinions, or my money.
That's all.

That's a fair stance to have. I wouldn't be very keen on other people telling me how to spend my money or what opinion to have either. The viciousness of some people's opinions just borders on attacking everyone else and that doesn't make for good comradry among fellow fans.

Vile MK III wrote:The only way I would get that set is if it came with Sunstorm.

You know, with the choices for the convention exclusive set I'll bet the suprise figure for the convention goers that show up will be Classics Sunstorm. If I'm right that will just drive some of the fandom right off the deep end. Man, that won't be pretty!

Ultra Prime wrote:

Vile MK III wrote:The only way I would get that set is if it came with Sunstorm.

You know, with the choices for the convention exclusive set I'll bet the suprise figure for the convention goers that show up will be Classics Sunstorm. If I'm right that will just drive some of the fandom right off the deep end. Man, that won't be pretty!

It would be pretty for me. I would mind scoreing a CLassics Sunstorm off Ebay. Heck, that Tigertron from last years botcon was kinda easy and cheap to get off ebay.

Vile MK III wrote:

Ultra Prime wrote:

Vile MK III wrote:The only way I would get that set is if it came with Sunstorm.

You know, with the choices for the convention exclusive set I'll bet the suprise figure for the convention goers that show up will be Classics Sunstorm. If I'm right that will just drive some of the fandom right off the deep end. Man, that won't be pretty!

It would be pretty for me. I would mind scoreing a CLassics Sunstorm off Ebay. Heck, that Tigertron from last years botcon was kinda easy and cheap to get off ebay.

I don't know about that though. There's been alot demand for Sunstorm to be made out of the Classics mold. I think it would end up being exspensive if Sunstorm is the suprise figure. Me personally, I'm just stoked that I can afford the 5 figure convention set to begin with even though I can't go to Botcon.

wow, I didn't know Sunstorm had fans.

Ultra Prime wrote:What really bothers me though are comments like these;
"egos of simpering elitist fanboys who will pay any price to feel special."
"G1 fanboys that have nothing better to spend their money on."
(These comments are from boards on other TF sites, not Seibertron.com)

While people may be offended by those comments, the fact of the matter is, there are some people in the "fandom" that actually deserve it.

Seibertron.com is fortunately free of such elitism but I know that if you say ANYTHING bad about Hasbro or Master Collector they'll jump on you like unpaid sycophants.

Why?

Because they're selfish and ignorant. They only look at their own collection, they don't give a fudge about the average every day collector who can only afford a figure every couple of weeks.

But that doesn't matter to these "elitists", they have the money to spend, so why should they care if a fellow fan can't afford it?

THAT is the attitude that pisses me off. Admittedly it's NOT a common attitude on this site (thankfully. In fact most BotCon attending members here have been more than willing to help others who can't attend by grabbing a second set) but it's the Hasbro and Master Collector butt kissing over-rich sycophants that makes me disappointed to be associated with this "fandom".

Oh and if you're sick of the complaints, don't read them. The BotCon stuff is NOTHING compared to what a pro-movie supporter like myself has seen and read over the last year.

Also the other complaint should be how hard it's going to be for people not in the US to get the blasted plastic planes, especialy when the person on the reigns of the money doesn't like eBay too much.

There is an oucry from collectors for Thundercracker, hasbro anwered this in an awful way to the poor and the non-us citizens, there is no excuse, to be honest, they should make a line like Kiss players is in Japan, for collectors, not kids, pitty that shops like price hykes and emplying morons.

Burn wrote:

Ultra Prime wrote:What really bothers me though are comments like these;
"egos of simpering elitist fanboys who will pay any price to feel special."
"G1 fanboys that have nothing better to spend their money on."
(These comments are from boards on other TF sites, not Seibertron.com)

While people may be offended by those comments, the fact of the matter is, there are some people in the "fandom" that actually deserve it.

Seibertron.com is fortunately free of such elitism but I know that if you say ANYTHING bad about Hasbro or Master Collector they'll jump on you like unpaid sycophants.

Why?

Because they're selfish and ignorant. They only look at their own collection, they don't give a fudge about the average every day collector who can only afford a figure every couple of weeks.

But that doesn't matter to these "elitists", they have the money to spend, so why should they care if a fellow fan can't afford it?

THAT is the attitude that pisses me off. Admittedly it's NOT a common attitude on this site (thankfully. In fact most BotCon attending members here have been more than willing to help others who can't attend by grabbing a second set) but it's the Hasbro and Master Collector butt kissing over-rich sycophants that makes me disappointed to be associated with this "fandom".

Oh and if you're sick of the complaints, don't read them. The BotCon stuff is NOTHING compared to what a pro-movie supporter like myself has seen and read over the last year.

Point taken. I have a nice amount of money to spend on my TF hobby quite regularly but I don't kiss Hasbro's or Master Collector's but. (Keep in mind that I recognize that these opinions and comments aren't meant towards me directly)

I just wish that some people would recognize that there are very diverse fans in this fandom. There's the type you mentioned, the committed fans like myself that have the money to spend but are very humble about it, the more casual fans that maybe can afford the exclusive set, the rabid fans that can't afford expensive exclusives, well I'm sure you get the idea.

I think it's important for all of us fans to keep in mind that this bad fandom dividing decision was made by Hasbro & Master Collector. If a fan obviously developes a big ego about being able to afford it then they deserve exactly what you said.

yeah I give props to the Seibertron community at large. Tend to be the most balanced and doesn't take itself too serious.

I think that's when things get crazy when most folks accept only one thing and that's it.

The TCC people do seem really nice though I'm noticing a few are too much of a "fan" for me. One thing I do like is the enthusiasm, too much and I go elsewhere.

the Botcon set is really a FanPub thing and ultimately Hasbro can just do their own thing so never know what we will see.

I can tell one thing I've noticed from both sides is alot of people don't want the classics line to end.

Ultra Prime wrote:(Keep in mind that I recognize that these opinions and comments aren't meant towards me directly)

Good man. Because I found your initial post to be balanced anyway. At no point did you come across as an elitist to me.

I think it's important for all of us fans to keep in mind that this bad fandom dividing decision was made by Hasbro & Master Collector. If a fan obviously developes a big ego about being able to afford it then they deserve exactly what you said.

I know who made the decision. Personally I think it was a piss poor decision and nothing more than a cash grab by a company who has made so many promises and failed to deliver.

The fanbase is diverse, and in addition to what you said, I can add "those who can afford and think Hasbro and Master Collector can do no wrong and will attack anyone who thinks otherwise", "those who can afford, know it was a bad decision but instead of saying anything simply try to help out other fans" and "those who can't afford and will jump up and down and scream blue murder about it because they see it as a bad decision".

Guess which one I fall into.

I don't know of anyone blaming the FANS, but yes, I'll agree don't blame fans who will pay this outrageous price. I blame Hasbro for being fools. I think they are betting all their money on selling movie toys, and nothing else, and it's going to be as overblown as all those Superman toys (what were there 20 different Superman action figures?) and they'll all end up on clearance by the end of the year.

Meanwhile they could have made some money on a general release of the Seekers and other Classics. Shame really.

Burn wrote:

Ultra Prime wrote:(Keep in mind that I recognize that these opinions and comments aren't meant towards me directly)

Good man. Because I found your initial post to be balanced anyway. At no point did you come across as an elitist to me.

I think it's important for all of us fans to keep in mind that this bad fandom dividing decision was made by Hasbro & Master Collector. If a fan obviously developes a big ego about being able to afford it then they deserve exactly what you said.

I know who made the decision. Personally I think it was a piss poor decision and nothing more than a cash grab by a company who has made so many promises and failed to deliver.

The fanbase is diverse, and in addition to what you said, I can add "those who can afford and think Hasbro and Master Collector can do no wrong and will attack anyone who thinks otherwise", "those who can afford, know it was a bad decision but instead of saying anything simply try to help out other fans" and "those who can't afford and will jump up and down and scream blue murder about it because they see it as a bad decision".

Guess which one I fall into.

I can tell you this Burn, you and alot of other people may be right about one thing. Hasbro has screwed themselves on the Classics line to some degree. They've taken a line that even though was a filler line was also OBVIOUSLY a nod to collectors and tanked themselves by releasing some highly demanded characters as expensive convention exclusives. I just thank God that I can at least afford one Iacon package for myself.

But here's the real question. If Hasbro continues the Classics line will the fandom as a whole embrace it again as when the line was first released? Time will tell.

I've heard people say they were giving up collecting Classics, since they can't get a Thundercracker any more. This may have killed the Classic line, or at least put the brakes on it.

Well I wish I could finnish my seeker set but ah well, Hasbro has priced me out of it, their loss.

Scaleface wrote:I've heard people say they were giving up collecting Classics, since they can't get a Thundercracker any more. This may have killed the Classic line, or at least put the brakes on it.

Doubt this was it but more due to the fact that Hasbro not making anymore classics is what killed the line.