The Energon Pub

I bet TT could do a nice job sculpting a G1 cartoon/comic styled Masterpiece Shockwave that's similar to but more substantial than the G1 toy.

Any particular reason we haven't seen much attention for Shockwave over the years other than a couple divergent Movie-related bots?

Seems like he'd be pretty high on the list of popular but underserved G1 Decepticons.

Shockwave's been rumored for the MP line for a long time now. Feels like at least three years of chatter about how he's the next one. I think at some point he was going to happen and happen soon-ish, then plans changed. When they'll get around to him is something that probably no one outside of Takara really knows, but it wouldn't be at all shocking for this to happen whenever a new-mold Decepticon gets done again.

jay5 wrote:I bet TT could do a nice job sculpting a G1 cartoon/comic styled Masterpiece Shockwave that's similar to but more substantial than the G1 toy.

Any particular reason we haven't seen much attention for Shockwave over the years other than a couple divergent Movie-related bots?

Seems like he'd be pretty high on the list of popular but underserved G1 Decepticons.

Perhaps it's time to be a praying person? Really! I'm serious. We never knew then it hit us like lightning that a 1986 Trypticon would be released. Maybe if we all pray enough then an opportunity may open the way Skylynx and Omega Supreme got re-issued.........unintended consequences of the Tomy/Takara merger.

Maybe somewhere along the road, the license of ToyCo for the Shockwave mold would be cleared up (so long as it isn't a battery powered MP. I hate battery gimmicks!

fenrir72 wrote:Maybe somewhere along the road, the license of ToyCo for the Shockwave mold would be cleared up (so long as it isn't a battery powered MP. I hate battery gimmicks!

Here's hoping. I'm not a fan of electronics myself (not even lights).

But at this rate, I'll have to make peace with the fact that a CW leader class Shockwave with a mobile artillery mode or whatever, might be the closest stand-in to a proper modernized Shockwave I'll ever get. I mean, given the chances of Takara actually acquiring the rights to the ToyCo design....

Ohh, so it's a licensing issue? Didn't know that. =\

Agree on no battery-powered gimmicks.

I see some people's collections have what looks like a nice Shockwave figure... is this third party?

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/s57 ... 913C78.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/261/18038 ... fed1_h.jpg

Yup. 3rd party. Wish TT would make a miracle and iron out the legal details.(seems ike no one knows who actually holds the legal ownership or something to that effect.

jay5 wrote:Ohh, so it's a licensing issue? Didn't know that. =\

Agree on no battery-powered gimmicks.

I see some people's collections have what looks like a nice Shockwave figure... is this third party?

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/s57 ... 913C78.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/261/18038 ... fed1_h.jpg

Yes, it's a 3rd party Shockwave figure from a company called Fans Toys. It's official name is FT-03 Quakewave.

fenrir72 wrote:Wish TT would make a miracle and iron out the legal details.(seems ike no one knows who actually holds the legal ownership or something to that effect.

Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

william-james88 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

Good point.

I mean, HG is notorious for its protectiveness of anything even remotely related to their Robotech IP, and if Hasbro can still release a leader class Jetfire toy, Shockwave should be a cinch.

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

Good point.

I mean, HG is notorious for its protectiveness of anything even remotely related to their Robotech IP, and if Hasbro can still release a leader class Jetfire toy, Shockwave should be a cinch.

Ironically, the "geniuses" at HG didn't notice how the latest iteration of Jetfire infact borrows it's new transform sequence from the Legios aka the Alpha Fighter.

fenrir72 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

Good point.

I mean, HG is notorious for its protectiveness of anything even remotely related to their Robotech IP, and if Hasbro can still release a leader class Jetfire toy, Shockwave should be a cinch.

Ironically, the "geniuses" at HG didn't notice how the latest iteration of Jetfire infact borrows it's new transform sequence from the Legios aka the Alpha Fighter.

I didn't notice this before, but you're right! Too late for HG's overpaid lawyers now.

Seriously, though, I wonder if you can actually patent a transformation design. I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnut holes that certain Gobots and G1 TF's would have shared at least 60% of their transformations (car bots, in particular).

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

Good point.

I mean, HG is notorious for its protectiveness of anything even remotely related to their Robotech IP, and if Hasbro can still release a leader class Jetfire toy, Shockwave should be a cinch.

Ironically, the "geniuses" at HG didn't notice how the latest iteration of Jetfire infact borrows it's new transform sequence from the Legios aka the Alpha Fighter.

I didn't notice this before, but you're right! Too late for HG's overpaid lawyers now.

Seriously, though, I wonder if you can actually patent a transformation design. I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnut holes that certain Gobots and G1 TF's would have shared at least 60% of their transformations (car bots, in particular).

Which goes to show what "ambulance chasers" their lawyers are.

fenrir72 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Yup, the biggest headache is the fact that ToyCo went under ages ago. I'm not too sure about the details, but I remember reading that the rights to the design is basically in "limbo" right now.

So the question is, who the heck does TT buy the design from? Is it now "public intellectual property"? Pretty sure TT would never risk it, though.

I heard that too but then again, its onl the original toy who's licensing is in limbo. They own the name and likeness to the G1 cartoon so I dont know why they cant do something similar to what they did with the classic Jetfire molds (both of them) and walk around the licensing issue.

Good point.

I mean, HG is notorious for its protectiveness of anything even remotely related to their Robotech IP, and if Hasbro can still release a leader class Jetfire toy, Shockwave should be a cinch.

Ironically, the "geniuses" at HG didn't notice how the latest iteration of Jetfire infact borrows it's new transform sequence from the Legios aka the Alpha Fighter.

I didn't notice this before, but you're right! Too late for HG's overpaid lawyers now.

Seriously, though, I wonder if you can actually patent a transformation design. I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnut holes that certain Gobots and G1 TF's would have shared at least 60% of their transformations (car bots, in particular).

Which goes to show what "ambulance chasers" their lawyers are.

Truth be told, anyone working at HG who's involved with their Robotech IP have been chasing shadows and making empty promises to keep their jobs. Basically because the IP is on life support, and depends solely on a possible live-action movie to give it the kiss of life.

All I can say is, good luck on that.

Isn't his gun mode an issue too?

Isn't that why why haven't had a second Megatron MP? After the debacle with people needing to have a licence to own him in certain parts of the world, and certain stockists outright refusing to import him?

MemphisR56 wrote:Isn't his gun mode an issue too?

Isn't that why why haven't had a second Megatron MP? After the debacle with people needing to have a licence to own him in certain parts of the world, and certain stockists outright refusing to import him?

Frankly, that depends on the current firearm laws, as well as the particular country, and in Australia's case, which part of the country you live in. IMO, Shockwave isn't quite as bad as Megatron, who transforms into the likeness of an actual gun, and has realistic metallic colors. Shockwave is a "generic" laser gun that looks nothing like an actual firearm, and has toy-ish colors.

Of course, alarmists might argue that it resembles a Taser gun, though it really depends on the willingness of the parties involved to see it one way or the other.

If we can't get a Masterpiece, I'd be happy with a Leader-class figure a la Combiner Wars Leader Megatron.

GuyIncognito wrote:If we can't get a Masterpiece, I'd be happy with a Leader-class figure a la Combiner Wars Leader Megatron.

What alt mode would you be comfortable with?

william-james88 wrote:

GuyIncognito wrote:If we can't get a Masterpiece, I'd be happy with a Leader-class figure a la Combiner Wars Leader Megatron.

What alt mode would you be comfortable with?

A laser gun would be ideal, obviously, but I've come to terms with Megs being a tank now, so I could deal with Shockwave being some sort of futuristic laser cannon. For me, the most important thing would be that the bot mode resembles G1 SW, since that's the mode he's be in most of the time anyway. And in a way, a cannon might be better than a gun, since a gun alt mode doesn't really fit into a display with a bunch of tanks and trucks and cars.

MP Shockwave is my #1 must have. If he were never to be made I'd be pretty sad. I don't think I could say that about any other character.

A leader class would be cool too. If he was g1 looking that would be cool. I love his FOC design alot. It was just too small.

If he was a tank it needs to be a lot better than Transformers Prime. It was kind of a lazy alt mode to me.

If people are fearing that the gun issue may be to blame for an MP Shockwave not being made, hold that thought until the (possible) release of CW Shockwave. Even then, it would only affect countries outside of Japan depending on gun laws as explained before. Japan did get an MP-5 Megatron re-release in gold, remember?

Just how popular is Laserwave over there anyway? Or rather, how popular are those old geezers (as he was portrayed as in the Japanese G1 dub) in anime?

I can't see how a purple space gun would be an issue.

And the license for the original G1 toy is different than a brand new toy that homages the actual cartoon character that HasTak owns rights to I would think.

I'd be okay with a different alt-mode too, as long as it is a suitably cool and complex vehicle transformation of some sort. Making a big deal out of the alt mode being a gun is silly of whoever does that, especially a laser gun that doesn't even resemble real guns, so that's probably not the issue, but at the same time it's not a piece of self-propelled, mobile equipment so it's a bit of a wasted alt mode for a major Transformer like Megatron or Shockwave. Giving them something useful as an alt is actually a decent idea, and as noted it helps them fit in better with their peers in the display case. As long as the robot looks accurate to the cartoon/comic that would be good enough for Shockwave, imho. Scaling him on the level of Soundwave and similar-sized Masterpiece models would be perfect.

To me, any theoretical Shockwave alt mode should most importantly meet one particular criteria. Not something you'd see on Earth. More than anyone, he needs to remain Cybertronian to his core. Space gun, space tank, flying space cannon, whatever, just no truck or van or earth tank, please.

I hope we can get an MP especially if it beats Quakewave

I'd say it's more a cost issue. Shockwave, like Megs and Soundwave, don't exactly have much in the way of repaint potential. In fact, outside the seekers, none of the cons do. Whereas the Autobots are full of repaints. Coupled with the fact Autobots sell better in Japan, I think Takara work by creating a base of Autobots that get the hell repainted out of them, then that gives them a nice foundation of money to create the castings for the next Con. That's why we have large gaps between each con release. That's my personal take on it anyway.