The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:09 pm

I'm a bit of a thinker when it comes to toy lines; their popularity and how they trend with the community. As I was packing a bunch of my toys to move into a bigger room in my house, I stumbled upon a box full of toys that I just didn't have room to shelf, old BW toys, junkor Universe '03 toys, PCCs and.. Robot Heroes.

We've been far detached from the now defunct Robot Heroes and I still wonder why it even existed, and am quite happy that it's now dead. As much as I respect the fans who like that style of Rescue Heroes with their toys, I just didn't think it fit with Transformers at all.

The Star Wars heroes makes sense, toddlers aren't likely to have the motor skills to keep track of all the small and delicate pieces in those 3"-5" figures. The Jedi are mostly molded the same, as well as the Droid units, and they also interact with Star Wars heroes sized vehicles and ships - it's a nice playset line that I might even be interested in if I were a big SW fan.

The DC heroes are also interesting, regular DC toys are notorious for neglecting the rather enormous cast list that they have, and these heroes, whether through customizing or general release, will likely fill the role that the larger figures may not. A quick look at the majority of molds show that there is severe recasting of molds in these figures.

And then we go to Transformers/Robot Heroes and it's like... what? They don't transform at all. That's just an aspect that needs to be incorporated with Transformers. Their molds are all original, which in comparing to their SW/DC brethren, is quite expensive to produce. The movie line was alright considering they had a small cast, but with G1 there was no way they were capable of completing the cast unless they went to Wave 24. For the youth, I think the regular Transformers would be fine, and if they can't handle the complexity then there would always have been Activators, Scout or Legends class figures.

I can't rail on Bot Shots because at least they transform and it looks like they are aiming at completing or atleast rounding out a good amount of the main Transformers cast. The fact that they have a game incorporated into them is also a unique aspect. I also can't diss Mighty Muggs - they were always going to be a more adult cult thing, much like the current Pop Bobbleheads that are being released.

But Robot Heroes? I'm not trying to sound like some geezer but when I was younger I could deal with the regular sized Beast Wars transformers. Sure I might not have been able to transform some of the bigger ones like Tigerclaw or Rampage but with a help from an adult or my siblings I learned it through time. Robot Heroes just feels like a dubbing down of things, and I know our youth are better than that.

From the collectors side of things, RH aren't exactly cheap either. As I said before, they don't transform, and what are they to you guys, other than just office desk fodder? There were much better things to collect than RH that it baffles me that the series was even green lit.

I just don't think Robot Heroes should be on anyone's shelf anymore. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

by **Screamfleet** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:23 pm

So wait, you get why they did it for SW and DC, but not transformers? It's the same reason, just, different characters.

I don't understand....what you don't understand...

News Credits: 7 · by **Noideaforaname** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:56 pm

Trying to tell people what not to put on their shelves? How rude.

Super deformed is, needless to say, an incredibly popular style, and the Marvel Super Hero Squad has been a success for Hasbro. Transformers characters are popular themselves for more than just the fact they can convert into a vehicle/beast/etc., so applying a successful style to a successful series is just plain business sense.
For what it's worth, they are effectively kibble-free and pretty show-accurate. They are also undoubtedly cheaper for Hasbro to produce than the 'real' thing.

That being said I don't actually own any, mostly because they came attached with another figure I wasn't really interested in.

News Credits: 4 · by **craggy** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:16 pm

To be fair, no Transformers version of these came close to the awesomeWTF-ness of a very VERY kids aimed line putting out a 2 pack of Ghost Rider - who sold his soul to the devil and Punisher - who is a Vietnam vet whose family were killed by the mob, who now slaughters criminals. The Star Wars line and it's pro-terrorist sympathies needs no explaining.

Sadly, TFs can't compare to those levels of depravity. I agree with Blurrz. If the Robot Heroes line had been incredibly subversive in it's choices of characters I might have got some, but they were all too cutesy.

Seriously though, if they'd put out some slightly more Classics-y looking figures of characters who didn't really need to transform, I'd probably have picked some up. A set of Soundwave's tapes in that size, with the same levels of articulation would work. As would exo-suited Spike/Daniel. Even Wheelie with his catapult aimed right.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:10 pm

Blurrz wrote:I'm a bit of a thinker when it comes to toy lines; their popularity and how they trend with the community. As I was packing a bunch of my toys to move into a bigger room in my house, I stumbled upon a box full of toys that I just didn't have room to shelf, old BW toys, junkor Universe '03 toys, PCCs and.. Robot Heroes.

The reason they were made is because even people that thought they were pointless and stupid still apparently bought them...

News Credits: 10 · by **gavinfuzzy** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:09 pm

Hmmm... I always disliked, or rather, not see the point of them back in movie 1/ ROTF. They always ended up being shelfwarmers, and then shops would not restock their mainline deluxes, since the robot heros were taking up all the pegs.

1 don't own a single one, but I have been to some collector shops that have a whole carton of loose robot heros, for $2 each. :lol:

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:35 pm

Kibble wrote:
The reason they were made is because even people that thought they were pointless and stupid still apparently bought them...

Only bought two two-packs, can't analyze without testing the waters.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:37 pm

When they came out was around the time the likes of Palisades Statues stopped putting out their busts?

Had to keep up the tradition of non-transforming junk some how.

But I guess it was Hasbro's idea for the youngins, but then they introduced the likes of Cyber Slammers, which quite frankly, when you have a three year old in the house are, as my now six year old nephew would so eloquently put it, "FRIGGIN' AWESOME!"

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:43 pm

They made them for the same reasons as Action Masters or the non-Transformable Titaniums or the Heroes of Cybertron line or any of the other non Transforming TF lines. Marvel and Star Wars sold well and they probably figured it's make a buck.

I liked seeing them online; they were nice enough. But I never cared to buy any. Unless it's Daniel or a Quintesson or something, my TFs need to Transform.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:57 pm

Is this a bit like why the Action masters (non transforming Transformers) ever been given a green light?

News Credits: 1 · by **njb902** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:15 pm

I made all of them into Christmas ornaments, they look pretty good on our tree every year.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:16 pm

njb902 wrote:I made all of them into Christmas ornaments, they look pretty good on our tree every year.

WIN!

News Credits: 5 · by **zodconvoy** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:54 am

I liked 'em. I still have Optimus with the Matrix, Megatron, Starscream and the Seekers, Jazz, Rodimus and Grimlock all on their respective character shelves and BW TM Megatron is just plain cool. But then again, I also have the Optimus Prime Mr. Potatohead on my DVD case so whatever. I think I have enough Masterpieces, G1, region free DVDs of series not released here, Third Party, original comic art and ultra rare Japanese chotchkies like exclusive '07 premier Legends and transforming pens and the like to balance out these and any other childish things that this toy line has to offer.

That said: I need more Kreons.

News Credits: 1 · by **RhA** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:03 am

I'm trying to wrap my brains around why you can state that Mighty Muggs ARE cult and Robot Heroes are not. If I switch these words around in the original post... There's no difference in meaningfull argumentation.

My guess is that it's a lenghty way of saying 'I didn't like 'em on hindsight'.

News Credits: 7 · by **waaaaghlord** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:25 am

Well, since nobody seems to like them then I'm sure somebody will be happy to sell me Prowl, Laserbeak, Slag, Gnaw, Star Sabre, Deszarus, RiD Prime and RiD Megatron on the cheap...

I liked these from the get go, and I've still got mine out now when space is an issue and many other items are packed away. I never thought the movie designs worked well in this style, but I'm not really a fan of those designs anyway. For the G1s and BW characters the SD style worked really well. My collection also includes a lot of Decoys, a handful of other TF keshi, SCfs and 3" Tits though so small non transforming figures are quite welcome as far as I'm concerned. Small is good. I can fit a lot more small toys on my limited shelf space than I can big ones.

by **Valandar** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:53 am

The only ones I got were the two - pack of Prowl and Blitzwing. And, honestly, I only got that pack to cut off Prowl's head, and use it (with some additional detailing on the helmet) as the head of a conversion of Gen Prowl into Omnibot Overdrive...

News Credits: 2 · by **paul053** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:39 am

I, too, have the same doubt why those toys exist. But don't really care since I have the choice not to buy them. Eventually I did run across two of them. They aren't really good for either playing or displaying but I found them a pretty good and fun pieces for play games. For example, when we play Monopoly, I sometimes use them as the player (token).

News Credits: 1 · by **Atomatron** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:34 am

someone sell me their Laserbeak and Prowl ones!!

News Credits: 7 · by **waaaaghlord** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:18 pm

Valandar wrote:The only ones I got were the two - pack of Prowl and Blitzwing. And, honestly, I only got that pack to cut off Prowl's head, and use it (with some additional detailing on the helmet) as the head of a conversion of Gen Prowl into Omnibot Overdrive...

Um, Hound rather than Prowl surely?

by **MGrotusque** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:04 pm

I always liked them. They are really the only Super Deformed TF's i ever liked. I only have a G1 Megatron and i rather like it. I regret not getting a Soundwave .

But they kinda reminded me of M.U.S.C.L.E figures from way back in the day, of which i was BONKERS for when i was a kid.

RH's isn't incredibly collectable for me but i like the particular super deformed aesthetics of the line more so than other lines of that ilk.

I think they're kinda neat really. I was hoping for the Skullcruncher one with Grax riding him to be released but the line got cancelled.

News Credits: 4 · by **craggy** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:17 pm

more like that and I'd have been more likely to buy a few.

basically, they should have made 3D lilformers

News Credits: 15 · by **PrymeStriker** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:45 pm

In my younger days, I used to collect a small amount of Robot Heroes. They're not terrible. They're not great. Don't like 'em, don't buy 'em. Like 'em, buy 'em. Simple as that.

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:51 pm

Would any more Seibertronians who actually have more than a pair of these care to actually defend against my accusations?

Noideaforaname wrote:Super deformed is, needless to say, an incredibly popular style, and the Marvel Super Hero Squad has been a success for Hasbro. Transformers characters are popular themselves for more than just the fact they can convert into a vehicle/beast/etc., so applying a successful style to a successful series is just plain business sense.
For what it's worth, they are effectively kibble-free and pretty show-accurate. They are also undoubtedly cheaper for Hasbro to produce than the 'real' thing.

That being said I don't actually own any, mostly because they came attached with another figure I wasn't really interested in.

While it may be SD, it still doesn't validate it for me. I have SD Gundams and they are fun - they are always a nice alternative to the rather expensive Gundam kits. The only difference is the smaller scale and the bigger heads, but it's far from a downgrade, they actually come with everything that the Gundam would have, articulation, weapons, etc. RH can't even match up to it.

Burn wrote:
njb902 wrote:I made all of them into Christmas ornaments, they look pretty good on our tree every year.

WIN!

Very creative! :APPLAUSE:

RhA wrote:I'm trying to wrap my brains around why you can state that Mighty Muggs ARE cult and Robot Heroes are not. If I switch these words around in the original post... There's no difference in meaningfull argumentation.

My guess is that it's a lenghty way of saying 'I didn't like 'em on hindsight'.

My bad, I should have said I have nothing better to say about MM either

PrimeStriker wrote:Don't like 'em, don't buy 'em. Like 'em, buy 'em. Simple as that.

Obviously I don't like them and I'm not going buy them. Reaffrirming that to me isn't simple - it's nothing, it does nothing for this discussion - fan non-support isn't going to do anything for a toy line that's already dead.

News Credits: 7 · by **waaaaghlord** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:26 pm

Blurrz wrote:Would any more Seibertronians who actually have more than a pair of these care to actually defend against my accusations?

While I've already done my bit for standing up for the little guys I think it's worth noting that a lot of folks who've said they only picked up a couple seem to have grabbed packs from the later Universe releases and the sculpting on these kind of went downhill as the series progressed. The G1 figures from the initial line up are, to me at least, a lot nicer than the later figures. I'm not sure if it ever became public knowledge as to who was responsible for the sculpting, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts (I think that's the right expression, I'm English don't you know) that the sculptor changed between the first series and the subsequent releases. I guess if the style really doesn't do anything for you then a better execution on those early ones won't make much odds, just thought I'd make the observation.

by **tentagil** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:44 pm

I have all of the G1 and BW figures from the line. I skipped the movie line figures only because I never liked the movie designs. Otherwise I love the line, just like I loved the Decoys when I was a kid.

They serve a different purpose then a standard transformer. They aren't even action figures like the Action Masters were supposed to be. They are little pocket toys, a kid might fit a single transformer in his pocket, he can grab a handful of these little guys and go. Its the same reason they exist for the the SW and Super Hero lines.

I keep several on my desk at work pretty much all times to fiddle with.

They weren't a mainline, they were never going to replace standard Transformers. I love them though and I'm happy they made them. They had their moment though, and then Hasbro moved onto other things. The Rattrap figure alone was enough to make me love the line.