The Energon Pub

News Credits: 14 · Tue Feb 17, 2026 3:16 pm

Pre-Orders are up.

Pre-ordered Astro Train, Shockwave and Sunstreaker.

Still wrestling with wether to get Kranix or not, just for the novelty.

Wheeljack only if he goes on sale, already have Siege, and don't really need a second one in bright white and minimal paint apps.

Also, Snarl will also be a pass. Don't really need him. Alreayd have Grimlock and Sludge so that's enough for me.

News Credits: 332 · Tue Feb 17, 2026 6:12 pm

I always remember Astrotrain as thin and lanky, with a big chest from certain angles.

News Credits: 462 · Tue Feb 17, 2026 6:15 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:I always remember Astrotrain as thin and lanky, with a big chest from certain angles.

Here's his character model for reference:

Just now realized that he has no feet.

News Credits: 332 · Tue Feb 17, 2026 6:21 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:I always remember Astrotrain as thin and lanky, with a big chest from certain angles.
Here's his character model for reference:

Just now realized that he has no feet.

Funny thing, a lot of them don't have defined feet.

News Credits: 42 · Tue Feb 17, 2026 7:15 pm

I pre-ordered Astrotrian and Skywarp from Amazon and will wait for a sale on Kranix. Siege Shockwave is good enough for me and I have all the rest.

Then I also found both Astrotrain and Skywarp on Walmart for the old leader and voyager price and pre-ordered there as well. I'll be keeping both as I learned my lesson with Soundwave when Walmart cancelled me at the last minute and I had to scramble.

News Credits: 4 · Wed Feb 18, 2026 6:44 am

Only ones I want are Skywarp and Kranix. Everyone else I either already have (Sunstreaker, Snarl, and Wheeljack), would be easier to stomach at a way cheaper price (Shockwave), or looks plain laughable (Astrotrain)

Wed Feb 18, 2026 10:34 pm

What is the appeal of Kranix? Sure the bot mode is more or less representative.
But I don't recall in the cartoon he transforms/convert??? My memory is hazy at best.

News Credits: 22 · Wed Feb 18, 2026 11:41 pm

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Honestly have no idea how anyone can say, at first glance, this could be better than Siege.

Matter of taste and perspective. To me the Siege figure is a failure in both vehicle modes, with only the robot mode getting a pass, but it's nothing spectacular. This new one, at first glance as you put it, outdoes Siege in both vehicle modes, especially the train. The robot mode has a few concerning issues, but again as you said, until we see a video review or something concrete with proper transformation, it's hard to tell. But also as I said in a previous post, for me this figure already looks superior to the Siege disappointment, but it's not a high bar to clear.

What does seriously disappoint me is that we didn't get a new Shockwave figure. He's at least as tall and bulky as both Megatron and Soundwave, he deserved a new leader class figure, even if his movie appearance is only a few seconds of screen time and one line. And the new figure isn't even accurate, he didn't have a gray barrel turning into his backpack, he was fully purple. Repacking the Siege figure without its extra junk would've made more sense.

News Credits: 462 · Thu Feb 19, 2026 1:02 am

megatran wrote:What is the appeal of Kranix? Sure the bot mode is more or less representative.
But I don't recall in the cartoon he transforms/convert??? My memory is hazy at best.

He was only in the 1986 movie and never transformed. His altmode is from the Marvel Comics adaptation of the movie because the comic was based on an earlier script draft of the movie in which he did transform.

His mold also opens the door for more potential reuses for other Lithone-based characters, such as Kranix's companion Arblus who was sentenced to death by the Quintessons right before Kranix himself was, or Wreck-Gar's lady friend Nancy from the Season 3 episode "The Big Broadcast of 2006".

Thu Feb 19, 2026 10:30 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
megatran wrote:What is the appeal of Kranix? Sure the bot mode is more or less representative.
But I don't recall in the cartoon he transforms/convert??? My memory is hazy at best.
He was only in the 1986 movie and never transformed. His altmode is from the Marvel Comics adaptation of the movie because the comic was based on an earlier script draft of the movie in which he did transform.

His mold also opens the door for more potential reuses for other Lithone-based characters, such as Kranix's companion Arblus who was sentenced to death by the Quintessons right before Kranix himself was, or Wreck-Gar's lady friend Nancy from the Season 3 episode "The Big Broadcast of 2006".

Okay that explains it. I'm not into comics.

News Credits: 462 · Thu Feb 19, 2026 11:38 pm

megatran wrote:Okay that explains it. I'm not into comics.

His altmode was also displayed more clearly in his official profile published in the Marvel Comics character profile mini-series The Transformers Universe.

Arblus, too, received a Universe profile, showing off his altmode as well:

News Credits: 2 · Sun Mar 01, 2026 3:15 pm

I don't know if anyone else got it, but I received an email this morning that SS86 Hound was back in stock and available to order.

Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:46 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
megatran wrote:Okay that explains it. I'm not into comics.
His altmode was also displayed more clearly in his official profile published in the Marvel Comics character profile mini-series The Transformers Universe.

Arblus, too, received a Universe profile, showing off his altmode as well:

If I'm following things correctly, Kranix's alt made never made it past a draft in the '86 movie. Rather retcon later in a comic. So how is it SS 86 line? #-o

News Credits: 462 · Sun Mar 01, 2026 10:49 pm

megatran wrote:If I'm following things correctly, Kranix's alt made never made it past a draft in the '86 movie. Rather retcon later in a comic. So how is it SS 86 line?

Because he has to transform into something if he's going to be sold in a main Transformers toyline. Remember the failure that was Action Masters? "Transformers that don't transform when sold in a main Transformers line" is kind of one the most hated things in this brand. Altmodes are a necessity and requirement for mainline Transformers toys.

And Studio Series has had concept-only designs in it before.

So why not use the altmode that was designed for Kranix even though it didn't appear in the movie? That's like getting mad at the Studio Series 86 toys of Brawn, Wheeljack, Windcharger, Hound, Sunstreaker, the six individual Constructicons, and Shockwave for all having altmodes despite none of them ever transforming into their altmodes in the movie.

Mon Mar 02, 2026 10:12 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
megatran wrote:If I'm following things correctly, Kranix's alt made never made it past a draft in the '86 movie. Rather retcon later in a comic. So how is it SS 86 line?
Because he has to transform into something if he's going to be sold in a main Transformers toyline. Remember the failure that was Action Masters? "Transformers that don't transform when sold in a main Transformers line" is kind of one the most hated things in this brand. Altmodes are a necessity and requirement for mainline Transformers toys.

And Studio Series has had concept-only designs in it before.

So why not use the altmode that was designed for Kranix even though it didn't appear in the movie? That's like getting mad at the Studio Series 86 toys of Brawn, Wheeljack, Windcharger, Hound, Sunstreaker, the six individual Constructicons, and Shockwave for all having altmodes despite none of them ever transforming into their altmodes in the movie.

Your logic with Kranix transforming makes sense. Hence why Hasbro made the decision for SS '86 Megatron to transform.

I don't have any qualms with Action Masters. Ahead of it's time. I own a Megs with neutro fusion tank. And yes, that 3P fusion cannon accessory.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Mar 02, 2026 10:30 pm

megatran wrote:And yes, that 3P fusion cannon accessory.

Ooh, that's rare! One of those "single-day licensed products" that Takara does at Japanese conventions. Nice score!

News Credits: 2 · Mon Mar 02, 2026 10:42 pm

I like the semblance of Kranix can be seen in both comic panels in his alt mode! :-P

Wed Mar 04, 2026 9:19 pm

Nemesis Destron wrote:I like the semblance of Kranix can be seen in both comic panels in his alt mode!

Lol. Can't unsee.

News Credits: 332 · Thu Mar 05, 2026 7:18 pm

News Credits: 2 · Sun Mar 08, 2026 6:46 am

Okay so if this has already been covered and commented on then my apologies for asking again!

Is this new Hound identical to the one that came in the

set or are there some variances involved? :VEHI:

News Credits: 14 · Sun Mar 08, 2026 11:48 am

Nemesis Destron wrote:Okay so if this has already been covered and commented on then my apologies for asking again!

Is this new Hound identical to the one that came in the set or are there some variances involved?

Pretty much identical.

You can see official promo shots in page 202.
studio-series-86-discussion-t116421s5025.php#p2195591

News Credits: 332 · Sun Mar 08, 2026 5:02 pm

News Credits: 2 · Sun Mar 08, 2026 9:08 pm

Overcracker wrote:
Nemesis Destron wrote:Okay so if this has already been covered and commented on then my apologies for asking again!

Is this new Hound identical to the one that came in the set or are there some variances involved?

Pretty much identical.

You can see official promo shots in page 202.
studio-series-86-discussion-t116421s5025.php#p2195591

Indeed....thanks for commenting Overcracker! :BOWDOWN:

News Credits: 332 · Mon Mar 09, 2026 3:49 pm

News Credits: 22 · Sun May 03, 2026 12:22 pm

So apparently there is an official listing for SS86 Rodimus Prime for 2027, according to jtprime17. I really hope it's not just a repaint of the Kingdom figure and we get a new mold where the trailer is integrated into the robot mode. Otherwise Rodimus will be out of scale with Optimus, Megatron and Galvatron. They did it with Magnus, they can do it with Rodimus. Even if it makes him a bit taller and beefier than the other leaders. He was a bit taller than Galvatron anyway.