The Energon Pub

They definitely have Bludgeon down, they just need to expand it.

I need to take a picture of my RotF Bludgeon, Generations Skullgrin, and TR Metalhawk together.

Stickered up Jazz, and hot damn does he look great. they did a pretty damn good job with this Classic pretender!

Jazz looks great, D-Max! Your figure is in wonderful condition, too. I only wish the humanoid shell had been modeled after Scatman Crothers.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Stickered up Jazz, and hot damn does he look great. they did a pretty damn good job with this Classic pretender!

Are these actual reproduction or metallic updated stickers?

They are brand new Toyhax stickers, really helps spruce him up.

He even went to work today!

Two-fisted ACTION, Jazz!! Love it

Li’l Jazz’s alt mode is perfect, too.

bodrock wrote:Two-fisted ACTION, Jazz!! Love it

Li’l Jazz’s alt mode is perfect, too.

It is! this whole set is really neat, makes me want to find the other 3 Classics

You know, I kinda wish the BotCon Bludgeon from Onslaught had ditched the slightly odd Thunderwing idea and based his torso mode on his pretender shell. I wish I had the resources to make an upgrade kit for him that would turn his vehicle mode into something closer to a tank (even if it was a rather long, archaic looking tank ala the Char B1 Bis), replaced the toy accurate but eye-searing purple guns, and gave him a combiner head and chest that resembled his spooky scary skeleton samurai shell. I could do it myself with modelling know-how but I'm not risking ruining an expensive con exclusive for something that might not work!

Also, you know which Autobot Pretender could do with a (full sized) update? Cloudburst! I've always loved his armour design, and if he got the "de-shelled" treatment ala ROTF Bludgeon or Gen Skullgrin, he could make for a really nice futuristic, Studio Artmic styled bubbly jet thing.

Of all the original humanoid Pretenders, Cloudburst was my favorite too! I only have his Prime Master incarnation, but came so close so many times to getting the G1 original...

I haven't taken the steps toward customizing figs either — I always enjoy seeing others’ work, however! Especially when it comes to custom Pretenders.

The closest I’ve ever gotten is buying 3rd party add-ons; like my RotF Bludgeon and his Perfect Effect heads. I just have no love for the original head....

A few of my Pretenders got some toyhax insignia updates. still love all 3 of these so much

LOVE all 3!!! I still want a MunkyTrukk Op!

bodrock wrote:LOVE all 3!!! I still want a MunkyTrukk Op!

I still do too! and I forget, do you have Oilmaster Bod? It's a fantastic thing!

I wish I had Oilmaster, D-Max!! But I did get a Pretender accessory today: Carnivac’s tail. Now he’s 100% complete!

Him and chainclaw are the 2 beast Pretenders I most want to get!

I don’t have Catilla, but of the other three, Carnivac & Chainclaw are easily the favorites.

Awesome pics! We need updates of the beast pretenders, they need more love

HAPPY NEW YEAR Pretenders fans!! I recently acquired a personal G1 grail figure — the genius behind Pretender tech himself, Scorponok! Here’s a taste from the set — more to come!

I got some ideas for base mode next, but not many for scorpion mode (besides general, giant terror lol)....

Love it can't wait to see what hijinks you get up to with Scorpion mode!

Thanks Zero! I had to do a Pretenders shoot with him, no doubt.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:I do like the idea of the shell and inner bot being sold separately, but I would do it the other way.

I wouldn't. I prefer the idea of their true form being the same size as their peers, and the human (or animal, or humanoid monster) disguise being smaller.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose/function of a pretender?

Rodimus Prime wrote:Make the shell deluxe and the bot legends class. Or if it's financially feasible, the shell voyager and the bot a deluxe, and have the smaller bot actually fit inside the bigger one, like an actual pretender.

The problem with that is that unless the shell was done as multipart armor or a vinyl-and-fabric costume, it would be just as bricky as the shells of old.

Multipart armor that can be put together would work. It worked for Godbomber, and that was 30 years ago. Engineering and design has advanced since then, I'm sure it could be done. Start with the inner bot and build the armor around it.

Rodimus Prime wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:I do like the idea of the shell and inner bot being sold separately, but I would do it the other way.

I wouldn't. I prefer the idea of their true form being the same size as their peers, and the human (or animal, or humanoid monster) disguise being smaller.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose/function of a pretender?

It does defeat it except narratively, but the tradeoff is that it A. prevents the robot and the disguise from impairing each other's functionality, B. Potentially better conveys the idea that that's an actual human/animal/monster the robot is disguised as, and C. Prevents any silly misconceptions about gratuitous giant humans. *looks pointedly at Budiansky*
I suppose another thing you could maybe do would be to invert the way Pretender gimmick works and have the human/monster/animal be a small action figure that tucked inside the torso of the now-outer robot, the conceit being that they're "growing" into their true form.

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Make the shell deluxe and the bot legends class. Or if it's financially feasible, the shell voyager and the bot a deluxe, and have the smaller bot actually fit inside the bigger one, like an actual pretender.

The problem with that is that unless the shell was done as multipart armor or a vinyl-and-fabric costume, it would be just as bricky as the shells of old.

Multipart armor that can be put together would work. It worked for Godbomber, and that was 30 years ago. Engineering and design has advanced since then, I'm sure it could be done. Start with the inner bot and build the armor around it.

Oh, it absolutely could be done - just look at SIEGE Ultra Magnus. But you'd have to do that rather than a traditional shell if you wanted articulation while keeping things all-plastic. Of course, it would undercut the disguise factor....

Honestly, the Pretenders concept is interesting, but it's something that's awkward to translate into toy form.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:I suppose another thing you could maybe do would be to invert the way Pretender gimmick works and have the human/monster/animal be a small action figure that tucked inside the torso of the now-outer robot, the conceit being that they're "growing" into their true form.

That would make it easier to design the figures, because it's easier to put a robotic armor around a non-robotic base figure. The problem with that is that it would no longer be faithful to the source material. Transformer Pretenders are inner robots with outer non-robotic shells, for the expressed purpose/function of pretending to be something else. If that's inverted, it becomes confusing and kind of against the grain. And don't rag on ol' Bob, he did what he could with what he was given by Hasbro. Cloudburst and Landmine were in Masterforce before they made it to the comics, so Budiansky didn't really have a choice. Now, if you want to talk about them being with the giant amazon women, that's different. But who's to say they don't exist out there somewhere in the cosmos? Bob was a pretty creative guy.

Oh, it absolutely could be done - just look at SIEGE Ultra Magnus. But you'd have to do that rather than a traditional shell if you wanted articulation while keeping things all-plastic. Of course, it would undercut the disguise factor.

I don't know if Magnus is a great example, his armor does nothing without the inner bot in either mode. Yeah, he might be the closest to the concept, but it's still no cigar.

Honestly, the Pretenders concept is interesting, but it's something that's awkward to translate into toy form.

Well, they managed it 33 years ago, and it worked well enough. I would think they could do the same now, except make the shells more articulate instead of just hard single pieces, (all it takes is hinges in the knees and elbows) and make the inner robots a bit more detailed, but honestly they would work just the way they are, if the outer shells are improved upon.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Make the shell deluxe and the bot legends class. Or if it's financially feasible, the shell voyager and the bot a deluxe, and have the smaller bot actually fit inside the bigger one, like an actual pretender.

The problem with that is that unless the shell was done as multipart armor or a vinyl-and-fabric costume, it would be just as bricky as the shells of old.

Sure ... if you're thinking with 1980's engineering.

Modern engineering could see the upper body split forward and backwards allowing the inner robot to be inserted removed that way. The shoulder joints stay attached to either the front or the back half, while the hips down remain in one piece and articulated.

The articulation in the legs wouldn't be as great as other figures (unless you fold the inner robot in half so it fits in the upper part of the body completely) but it would be a step up from both the original G1 release and that pathetic attempt they did in PotP.

Multi-part armour could work to, I mean no one seems to have a problem with Weaponizers and their multi-parts.

Yes, I was going to bring up PoTP, they got the closest with Optimus and Rodimus. Now if only the outer armor didn't look incomplete without the inner bot, it would be passable. Not perfect, but definitely a big step in the right direction. And weaponizers are also another way to get there, but I think that fits more in principle than actually practicality.