The Energon Pub

I took the plunge and got myself Chromedome. Gonna play with him tomorrow and share some thoughts, but I took a look at the instructions because, well, if the box is G1-style, are the instructions? Without spoiling it, I can tell you someone had fun with the design with the pose on the cover page

Ok, played with him a little bit, my thoughts:

Paperwork
- As mentioned before, the designer had fun with the Instructions. Not G1-accurate, but more inspired by G1 with a hint of RiD 2001. The cover has Chromedome in the same pose as in the G1 Instructions, nice touch. The RiD-inspired part comes with the layout, with the twist that it points in both directions: from vehicle to robot, and back.
- The box is what you'd expect, with the 1987 mural... edited to replace the (more obvious) G1 heads with the Legends one.

Figure
- Joints are more than tight enough, no worries about him being a floppy mess... The rivets in the elbows however are more loose than I'd like. Rivets seem to be a hit-and-miss with TR molds, but on Retro Chromedome they're tight enough to hold his weapons up. Nothing heavier.
- Colors are decent, there is a bit of a discrepancy between the clear black of the windshield, and the obviously lighter paint in the back. Seen it before though.
- What I do have a hard time getting used to is Chromedome's stark white painted head. True, he had a white head with other figures, but in certain lights it stands out without other bright spots to offset it. At the very least the silver isn't bright or reflective enough for the white to blend in with.

Is it worth getting? Yeah, can't beat the price if you originally missed him.

I might have to get him the next time I have cash to drop. I am loath to spend money at that store, but the eBay prices on the TR version are being obnoxious right now.

A photo of a nicely stocked Walmart made the rounds on Facebook. While the shelves weren't overflowing, there was lots of new stock like the latest Cyberverse deluxe toys, the Netflix figures, SS86 Grimlock and the second wave of Headmasters. These are redecos of headmasters we got in Titans Return using the Japan exclusive heads the Takara versions had. And they come in G1 packaging. Wave 2 consists of Weirdwolf, Highbrow and Skullcruncher. There is no word yet if Weirdwolf has been fixed or not (both the Hasbro and Takara version had major breakage issues).

This sighting comes from California but these are apparently making their way across the US.

Well, if he hasn't... shaving off the outermost millimeter or so on either side of the hinge portion of the glazing should do the trick.

Hoping to find the two Decepticon Headmasters. Highbrow I can take or leave, the American headsculpt isn’t too different from the Japanese one.

Wave 2!? Wave one hasn't even hit my area. The distribution of these figures are a cruel joke.

"a nicely stocked Walmart"

Only in Atlantis and El Dorado

soundwave765 wrote:Wave 2!? Wave one hasn't even hit my area. The distribution of these figures are a cruel joke.

Agreed. I live in the same state as this sighting (although Northern CA and Southern CA might as well be different countries) .

I saw a single Chromedome ONCE, and that's it.

I just need Mindwipe from Wave 1... hoping they fixed the tolerances on his rubbery bits. All 3 of Wave 2 are on my list, Highbrow top priority (just to finish the Autobot lineup).

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I just need Mindwipe from Wave 1... hoping they fixed the tolerances on his rubbery bits. All 3 of Wave 2 are on my list, Highbrow top priority (just to finish the Autobot lineup).

Highbrow and Hardhead for me to finish the Autobots, outside of Fort Max who I ain't buying at eBay prices. I have the TR Mindwipe but one of the batwing tips broke off.

My Walmart had one each, Chromedome, Hardhead, Mindwipe, Brainstorm, and Weirdwolf. I got my Hardhead.

aronjlove wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I just need Mindwipe from Wave 1... hoping they fixed the tolerances on his rubbery bits. All 3 of Wave 2 are on my list, Highbrow top priority (just to finish the Autobot lineup).

Highbrow and Hardhead for me to finish the Autobots, outside of Fort Max who I ain't buying at eBay prices. I have the TR Mindwipe but one of the batwing tips broke off.

Wait, Fort Max is actually expensive now? I remember him being worth less than retail once.

william-james88 wrote:

aronjlove wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I just need Mindwipe from Wave 1... hoping they fixed the tolerances on his rubbery bits. All 3 of Wave 2 are on my list, Highbrow top priority (just to finish the Autobot lineup).

Highbrow and Hardhead for me to finish the Autobots, outside of Fort Max who I ain't buying at eBay prices. I have the TR Mindwipe but one of the batwing tips broke off.

Wait, Fort Max is actually expensive now? I remember him being worth less than retail once.

Yeah, he is in the $300 range from what I have seen.

I already had Skullcruncher, but I needed all the others. Just waiting for Weirdwolf and Highbrow.

Maybe they'll do a re-issue of Fortress Maximus. Maybe I'll buy it if they do.

Holy crap, it's my lucky weekend. I've now seen all of wave 1 and 2, and I got my Hardhead and Highbrow


This Walmart was stocked today, rather surprised.

hausjam wrote:"a nicely stocked Walmart"

Only in Atlantis and El Dorado

There's one pictured right above this comment

Well, these two Autobot Headmasters keep the skies and ground clear of Decepticons.


I own TR Quake so I knew what to expect with Hardhead and my only complaint is the mount for the tank cannon is pretty loose compared to Quake. And Highbrow still has the neck issue, the mount for the Headmaster/Titanmaster sits high and is a little loose so the head is a little floppy.


Even with these two complaints, I am very happy with my purchase and I now have all four warriors from the sky.

aronjlove wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

aronjlove wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I just need Mindwipe from Wave 1... hoping they fixed the tolerances on his rubbery bits. All 3 of Wave 2 are on my list, Highbrow top priority (just to finish the Autobot lineup).

Highbrow and Hardhead for me to finish the Autobots, outside of Fort Max who I ain't buying at eBay prices. I have the TR Mindwipe but one of the batwing tips broke off.

Wait, Fort Max is actually expensive now? I remember him being worth less than retail once.

Yeah, he is in the $300 range from what I have seen.

Damn... I'm glad I got mine back in 2018 for $109 then.

I wonder if perhaps Scorponok has driven Fort Max's price up.

A few years ago, I was having dreams of shelves full of G1-style boxes containing superior versions of familiar Transformers. It was very pleasant. These Headmasters look like those dream models.

Man, I saw Hardhead and Mindwipe... If I see Skullcruncher I think I'm going to have to get him.
He'll be my one and only Headmaster figure in my collection.

I never had a problem with my Skullcruncher, do we know yet if this one was fixed?

Sowndwave76 wrote:Man, I saw Hardhead and Mindwipe... If I see Skullcruncher I think I'm going to have to get him.
He'll be my one and only Headmaster figure in my collection.

Why? I think the Autobot headmasters from TR were some of the best pieces in Prime Wars, especially Highbrow.

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Sowndwave76 wrote:Man, I saw Hardhead and Mindwipe... If I see Skullcruncher I think I'm going to have to get him.
He'll be my one and only Headmaster figure in my collection.

Why? I think the Autobot headmasters from TR were some of the best pieces in Prime Wars, especially Highbrow.

A large part of the appeal with TF for me is the nostalgia... So G1, even with all its flaws, is what I’m interested in.
Headmasters are probably very cool... However I’m just not that interested.

But, I still got Skullcruncher yesterday!!!!

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Sowndwave76 wrote:Man, I saw Hardhead and Mindwipe... If I see Skullcruncher I think I'm going to have to get him.
He'll be my one and only Headmaster figure in my collection.

Why? I think the Autobot headmasters from TR were some of the best pieces in Prime Wars, especially Highbrow.

A large part of the appeal with TF for me is the nostalgia... So G1, even with all its flaws, is what I’m interested in.
Headmasters are probably very cool... However I’m just not that interested.

But, I still got Skullcruncher yesterday!!!!