The Energon Pub

william-james88 wrote:So many retailers get Transformers exclusives in some shape or form, from Costco to the Universal Studios gift shop. And Macy's will be getting in on the action too with this new Super 7 Optimus Prime figure. The listing on Macy's website states that this figure was created for Macy's. It is the special VHS edition which is a new subline of the ReAction line. Soundwave is also getting a VHS edition, but is an Amazon exclusive, we have images of both these figures below.

Ultimates, not ReAction. And removing virtually all of the accessories and knocking off $15 doesn't feel like a great savings on what was already pretty overpriced figures.

Compare:

$55


$40


$55


$40


Yeah, no thanks. These are a bad deal. Stripped down to one accessory and in packaging that probably didn't cost as much to produce as the regular releases.

Emerje

And most of the OG Ultimates are discounted to prices below these new VHS releases.

A listing had shown up for an Arc Playset from Super 7, the company that makes the ReAction figures. At $75, we couldn't expect too much, but it turns out people had to set their expectations real low. The "ark" element of the playset is just a piece of carboard for the background, no different than what comes free with Studio Series figures. The bulk of the $75 goes to the Megatron and Optimus figures that come in the set along with the base acting as terrain. This is similar to previous Super 7 playsets, being a callback to toys from the 70s. It is currently available for preorder on Walmart.com.

You can check it out below.

At that price, might as well make the playset yourself.

Well it's more accurate than Hasbros ark toy wakka wakka wakka

Tbf I'll be buying this as I didn't get optimus or megatron in the uber cheap load of reaction transformers I picked up a long while back. I'm under no illusion it will look as good as the hasbro/kenner star wars display stand looks or have that nostalgia.

transformnerd114 wrote:

At first, upon seeing the "diorama", I was dismayed by the absurdity of its price. But when I thought about the set's individual components, it started to make quite a fair bit more sense.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Optimus Figure = ~$20

Megatron Figure = ~$20

Diorama Itself = ~$35*

(*Higher price resulting from 2 backdrops and inclusion of 3D "terrain".)

There is only one double sided backdrop

The terrain mold is a reuse from other sets, iirc the Planet of the Apes set

In case anyone was wondering
I just thought it was funny seeing ape dudes on this exact terrain too lol

william-james88 wrote:

transformnerd114 wrote:

At first, upon seeing the "diorama", I was dismayed by the absurdity of its price. But when I thought about the set's individual components, it started to make quite a fair bit more sense.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Optimus Figure = ~$20

Megatron Figure = ~$20

Diorama Itself = ~$35*

(*Higher price resulting from 2 backdrops and inclusion of 3D "terrain".)

There is only one double sided backdrop

Plus they've proven they can sell the figures for $15 through their blind boxes bringing the diorama to $45 for a sheet of printed cardboard and a cheap vacuform base.

It's less of an Ark playset and more of a mountain playset. To me an Ark playset would have been orange floors and walls and maybe some computers.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

transformnerd114 wrote:

At first, upon seeing the "diorama", I was dismayed by the absurdity of its price. But when I thought about the set's individual components, it started to make quite a fair bit more sense.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Optimus Figure = ~$20

Megatron Figure = ~$20

Diorama Itself = ~$35*

(*Higher price resulting from 2 backdrops and inclusion of 3D "terrain".)

There is only one double sided backdrop

Plus they've proven they can sell the figures for $15 through their blind boxes bringing the diorama to $45 for a sheet of printed cardboard and a cheap vacuform base.

It's less of an Ark playset and more of a mountain playset. To me an Ark playset would have been orange floors and walls and maybe some computers.

Emerje

Yeah, that's what I wanted to get across by posting the news. It's not that this ark set is expensive for what it is, it's that the Arc element (what the title advertises) is just a sheet of printed cardboard

william-james88 wrote:

Emerje wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

transformnerd114 wrote:

At first, upon seeing the "diorama", I was dismayed by the absurdity of its price. But when I thought about the set's individual components, it started to make quite a fair bit more sense.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Optimus Figure = ~$20

Megatron Figure = ~$20

Diorama Itself = ~$35*

(*Higher price resulting from 2 backdrops and inclusion of 3D "terrain".)

There is only one double sided backdrop

Plus they've proven they can sell the figures for $15 through their blind boxes bringing the diorama to $45 for a sheet of printed cardboard and a cheap vacuform base.

It's less of an Ark playset and more of a mountain playset. To me an Ark playset would have been orange floors and walls and maybe some computers.

Emerje

Yeah, that's what I wanted to get across by posting the news. It's not that this ark set is expensive for what it is, it's that the Arc element (what the title advertises) is just a sheet of printed cardboard

Ah. Well. That changes things a little. Firstly, I should probably clarify that I never intended on purchasing this set, but I still wanted to try putting some minds at ease if anyone was on the fence. And while I don't want to seem as though I'm defending the price, having so much more information on the set as a whole is making more and more sense.

The figures are probably still around $20 USD to compensate for licensing fees due to their respective legacy media roots (by which I mean "brand-recognition/notoriety").

And while the backdrop may be a singular piece, you still have to account for the cost(s) of design(s), printing fees, material, ROI, IP fees, and one I think we can ALL relate to if nothing else: the ink.

Regardless, with all that being said, I still can't justify buying this for that price, not only because I know that I could definitely get something better for the same price, but also, because it doesn't factor in the added cost of shipping, sales tax, potential customs inspection fees, ect.

Well forget SS86 Optimus, this right here is Toy of the Year!

Okay don't care for Super 7's prices either, but the point of reaction is to give other franchises the feel of the original Kenner Star Wars line and that line has a lot of playsets that where in this plastic base with cardboard backdrop style. So this is doing what it Reaction was always meant to do. I do think they maybe should looked into the direction of like the Star Destroyer playset where it is more of a solid piece, but I get them doing this instead.

Super 7 will have a reveal today for 6 new figures and this will probably be one of them. Found through Diamond by Crazybarkz, we have our first good look at what appears to be Diaclone Devastator. What makes him Diaclone as opposed to G2 is the fact that not all Constructicons are yellow. We have an image of the artwork for the original Diaclone figure for you to compare.

The other reveals we should get later are
Rumble (red)
Ghost of Starscream
Grimlock Metallic
Arcee (prototype)
Optimus Prime (Nucleon Quest Special Mission)

I wonder if metallic Grimlock is the exclusive that BBTS is revealing tomorrow.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:I wonder if metallic Grimlock is the exclusive that BBTS is revealing tomorrow.

Emerje

Almost definitely just another batch of the SDCC one that's been out for months.

I'm still gonna activate wishful thinking and hope for turquoise G2 (it won't be)

Despite Proto G1 Arcee getting the Missing Link treatment, I'm down for a small ReAction figure of her on card.

Someday I'd really wish to see the Diaclone Constructicons being officially integrated within the Transformers' franchise. I'd even stick to past incarnations of the Constructicons, back from the day when they were BFF with Omega Supreme... although that would kind of make pointless Load Hauler's color scheme. So having some "Constructibots" would definitely be better (and they could be used to introduce G1 counterparts of characters such as RiD's Wedge, Hightower and Heavy Load).

ScottyP wrote:

Emerje wrote:I wonder if metallic Grimlock is the exclusive that BBTS is revealing tomorrow.

Emerje

Almost definitely just another batch of the SDCC one that's been out for months.

I'm still gonna activate wishful thinking and hope for turquoise G2 (it won't be)

Turns out we were both right and wrong at the same time. It's both the Metallic Grimlock and SDCC Prototype Unicron, but in G1 style boxes.

Emerje

All through October Big Bad Toy Store has been celebrating their 25th anniversary with a month of weekly exclusives ending on the 25th. There have been silhouettes teasing some obvious Super7 ReAction figures for today in the even more obvious shapes of Unicron and Grimlock on the site all month. The reveal is at once disappointing and intriguing.

Grimlock is the same metallic Grimlock that was revealed this week as part of the regular retail line while Unicron is the same figure released at this past SDCC. The catch here is that both figures come in G1 style boxes that look pretty nice compared the usual card backs. Grimlock is $25 and Unicron is $30, both are available right now. It is kinda cute that they think if Unicron was released in 1986 he'd come in a window box.

Also, following up with the previous story on new ReAction figures we now have pictures to go with the listing.

• Rumble (red)
• Ghost of Starscream
• Grimlock (metallic)
• Arcee (prototype)
• Optimus Prime (Nucleon Quest Special Mission)
• Ultra Magnus

Prototype Arcee is just a repaint of the normal Arcee.

"Me Grimlock finally big enough to kick your butt!"

"BBTS Exclusive" and they're the same toys in the same boxes that were sold at this year's SDCC and afterwards on Super7's own web store