Munkky wrote:I wouldn't necessarily say the Deluxe Insecticons are "irrelevant", just not a very high priority for Hasbro and not a priority at all for Takara. From what I understand the original toys were licenced out from Bandai, one of Takara's biggest competitors, so they were left out of tie-in fiction because Takara also used the G1 cartoon to promote the toys and they didn't want to give their rival free publicity. This kind of corporate red tape is also why Jetfire was heavily redesigned and re-named "Skyfire" for the cartoon and Whirl and Roadbuster were also left out.
Munkky wrote:I think you're really underestimating the importance of both the cartoons and the comic books. It's much, much easier to get attached to a character when you see them having adventures and going through character arcs in narrative stories.
Munkky wrote:Bumblebee certainly wasn't "nothing" before 2007, he was one of the most prominent characters in the show's first two seasons.
Munkky wrote:Whirl and Roadbuster may not have been in the cartoon, but they were added to the original line-up of the Wreckers, one of the most popular things about the UK Marvel comics, and Whirl went on to become a breakout fan favourite in recent years because of his role in the newer comics.
Munkky wrote:I grew up with Beast Wars in the 90's, my first Transformer toys were Snapper and Armordillo, both of which I have a lot of nostalgia for, but I know that there'll likely never be new toys of them because neither have ever had major roles in any kind of fiction.
Nemesis Reformatted wrote:And remember, before the 2007 movie, Bumblebee was nothing. We never heard anything about Bumblebee.
TF-fan kev777 wrote:Unfortunately you are going to have to face the reality that the only way the deluxe insecticons are ever going to be made is likely to be just as repaints/retools of the original 3 at deluxe scale, likely in the Selects line, with Venom possibly coming from a repaint/retool of a BW figure from Kingdom or whatever is coming next. They just aren't going to get a set of 4 new molds. So while at this point you may hate anyone's focus on the original 3, they are likely your best bet at getting the 4 you really want.
We have bug designs coming in Kingdom and hopefully more from whatever is next. The original 3 insecticons are very likely to come in the SS86 line since the current design team only got to do 2 of them at legends scale. It is likely only a matter of time before there are 4 "good enough" molds to redeco/retool into the deluxe insecticons. Because of the liscensing issues with Takara, Hasbro Selects is likely the best route to getting them made, but completing a team would require either 4 deluxe slots or some pairs or even a 4-pack.
Because of the obscurity, I can actually see something like this being really good as an SDCC exclusive or something similar.
So there is potential, but it is going to take a while. "Good enough" molds for other characters are going to have to come first.
Nemesis Reformatted wrote:So that's all they need to do with Ransack, Barrage, Venom & Chop Shop. Stick'em in the comics & BOOM! Instant popularity & new toys.
Nemesis Reformatted wrote:My favorite Beast Wars will probably never be made again. Cybershark, Bonecrusher, Jetstorm, Manterror, Rampage, Depthcharge. The only one that might have a chance is Inferno.
Nemesis Reformatted wrote:But the deluxe Insecticons are needed to complete the 1985 G1 lineup. I can't believe all the "geewunners" out there aren't pushing for these guys.
Jelze Bunnycat wrote:Venom would be really hard to properly pull off compared to the other three who have proper insect counterparts (Rhinoceros Beetle for Bombshell and Barrage, Stag Beetle for Shrapnel and Chop Shop, Grasshopper for Kickback and Ransack. All three common bugs in Japanese pop culture if I may add). The closest Venom got was the original deco plan for T30 Venin, a redeco of tiny Waspinator. News flash: Cicadas and Wasps are not the same, it'll take a lot more than switching out legs, mandibles and heads.
Rodimus Prime wrote:Like you said, the cartoon was basically a toy commercial and you were/are a toy collector. So were a lot of others. When it comes to these characters it's all about appeal. We're the 3 main Insecticons very good sellers? Did kids want them? Just because you did, doesn't mean others did. If the Insecticons had sold like Optimus or Starscream, they would have bern mass-produced and had more options, such as the 4 you mentioned. They were all different and colorful, so they should have appealed to children. Maybe if they had been Autobots in opposition to the Insecticons, they would have sold better.
Evil Eye wrote:A big part of the problem of course was the horrendously bloated cast of the cartoon resulting in everyone who wasn't a "regular" fighting for any limelight at all as the writers attempted to squeeze as many toys in as possible. So the S3 Minibots showing up to be trounced by Trypticon in one episode and then doing nothing else at all. For all of Armada's flaws, I actually feel the smaller cast was a good idea as it at least avoided "Hi, buy my toy kthanxbai!" to some degree.
It's also a shame a lot of the B-listers, when they DO get an appearance, get their OG toy bios ignored or overlooked. Case in point, Tailgate thinking mundane cars are sentient would be a great starting point for some hilarious antics. But in IDW that got overlooked entirely for, uh, making him gay for Cyclonus?
Nemesis Reformatted wrote: Pretty much every Transformer figure they make sells. Everybody is buying up Transformers like there's no tomorrow.
This is a big reason why shows from Beast Wars-onward have largely stuck to the small "core cast" model. This also extended to other Hasbro franchises like MLP.Evil Eye wrote:A big part of the problem of course was the horrendously bloated cast of the cartoon resulting in everyone who wasn't a "regular" fighting for any limelight at all as the writers attempted to squeeze as many toys in as possible. So the S3 Minibots showing up to be trounced by Trypticon in one episode and then doing nothing else at all. For all of Armada's flaws, I actually feel the smaller cast was a good idea as it at least avoided "Hi, buy my toy kthanxbai!" to some degree.
In fairness, some of those OG toy bios feel like Budiansky & co. were throwing stuff at a wall to see what stuck. Plus, while it has humorous moments... the 2005-2018 IDW continuity is all too often like most 21st-century live-action DCU films; it tends to take itself too seriously for its own good, and has gratuitous edge (and some dark things that seem about as mature as the Animated creators' attitude towards Beachcomber). So... gags like Tailgate thinking mundane cars are sentient would not have really fit unless IDW had its own version of Robo-Capers. I can see the Marvel comics (which could be guilty of gratuitous edge and darkness in their own right, but were not nearly as allergic to silly. "Bonk!" anyone?) using that gag, but not 2005-2018 IDW.Evil Eye wrote:It's also a shame a lot of the B-listers, when they DO get an appearance, get their OG toy bios ignored or overlooked. Case in point, Tailgate thinking mundane cars are sentient would be a great starting point for some hilarious antics. But in IDW that got overlooked entirely for, uh, making him gay for Cyclonus?
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