The Energon Pub

Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:27 pm

And to think I almost bought the set.. Oh well. This add on set just made it impossible for me to but it (not that I could right now anyways), and I don't like K.O.'s so I'll just settle for next years set........

News Credits: 1235 · Sun Jul 31, 2011 2:30 pm

G1Uppers has revealed a little more information of their upcoming Animated Menasor combiner set called Menace. Originally revealed here, this set takes the base figures of the Botcon 2011 Stunticon job set and combines them into Animated Menasor. The set also forms a trailer for stunticon leader The Motormaster.

At TFcon 2011, they revealed a work in progress digital mockup of the head of Menace. They stress that this an early WIP and there will be changes. They also revealed this set will be limited to 1500 and Seibertron sponsors Bigbadtoystore and Toyarena will be their US distributers. A full prototype should be ready in October.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:06 pm

When it was confirmed that there would be no official means to combine the Animated Stunticons, I KNEW there would at least be a 3rd party alternative. Boy am I glad I bit the bullet and bought the Stunticon set. I can't wait to see pics of the prototype. The head along looks pretty awesome to me. :APPLAUSE:

News Credits: 187 · Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:57 pm

Same here Wolfdawg! I hope these G1uppers guys are not all talk though. An early WIP head and a prototype in 3 months? I might be calling shenannigans! (or however the hell you spell that :lol:

) I'm thinking they had the same idea as half of the people with this box set and are claiming it early with no idea how long it will take to produce.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:34 pm

It's just too much for me now. Over the last year there's been too many third party things, for too many exclusives or now hard to find figures, all of it with huge pricetags, heavily limited numbers, and no recovery time for the wallet between preorders for this & that. I'd say I need a comprehensive list of all the third-party items out there with pricing & preoder/release dates, but I'm so far behind I just don't have the cash to catch up at all.

I guess I'll have to settle for being happy there's fellow TF fans out there that have the money & pre-odering-hair-trigger to nab this kind of stuff.

Awesome head for Menace, btw.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:53 pm

Thats what Im talking about !!! Thats why I bought that set !!!

News Credits: 13 · Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:17 pm

i think ill be preordering as soon as it becomes available, hope its not too expensive

News Credits: 5749 · Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:01 pm

G1Uppers has updated their blog with a few MENACE concept head designs and are looking for fan input.

Tue Aug 02, 2011 3:57 pm

Top left, or top middle.
Although someone is going to want a mouth to resemble G1, so bottom right.

News Credits: 5749 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:04 am

As most of you probably know by now a new third-party company calling themselves G1Uppers is planning to release an upgrade set for the BotCon 2011 Animated Stunticons that will allow them to combine. During the third-party panel at last weekend's TFcon they revealed a concept sketch for the combined mode head, then followed up by posting several other concept head designs on their blog asking for fan input. Now Derrick J. Wyatt, the mastermind behind the Animated world and the BotCon set, has tweeted his take what Animated Menasor's head design would look like. Considerably different from any of the concept designs currently up for display. The various Animated Menasor heads are mirrored below.

Derrick J. Wyatt Design

G1Uppers TFcon Design

Addional G1Uppers Concepts

Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:20 am

I'm digging DJW's design a lot more than the G1 Uppers'. I mean, all the designs are cool and I'd be pretty happy with any of them, but I still prefer DJW's. Plus, using that head would make the gestalt sort of official.

News Credits: 10 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:33 am

I like the Wyatt design best.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:18 am

The concept designs are WAY better than Derrick J. Wyatt's.

Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:25 am

I wouldn't say those are better than Derrick's. They're more detailed, but not sure I like the style better. More simple looks more "animated" style. Adding a whole lot of rivets and detail will step away from the aesthetics of the set. Hmmm.

I WOULD like to see those pokey side 'horns' from the Derek design brought over to the toy. The curved helmet doesn't look as Menasor to me. Those look more like a mean Prowl or Ratchet helmet.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:31 pm

I prefer DJW's take on the design.

It fits better with the overall animated aesthetic (as you would expect) and still retains the characteristics of Menasor.

The TFCon design is probably the next closest tp the TFA style.

The others would be more appropriate for a different character.

News Credits: 12 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:45 pm

All Wyatt is doing is influencing how the 3rd party design will look so it will ultimately end up fitting into his Animted universe.

I like his deisgn, but I think it looks too much like Motormaster's head. I would prefer if the new trailer upgrade went for something a little more out of the box.

The head Wyatt made also seems like it will make him more on the fat side. I kinda see this combiner being a little more slim after all is said and done. Seeing how the Stunticons are performers, I would only naturally assume that Menasor is just as agile in the combined mode.

NOTE: I have not read the comic. All I know is that they do a circus act.

News Credits: 462 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:20 pm

Now the question remains. Will G1UPPERS take this design a reflect it in their product?

News Credits: 1 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:14 pm

WolfDawg wrote:I'm digging DJW's design a lot more than the G1 Uppers'. I mean, all the designs are cool and I'd be pretty happy with any of them, but I still prefer DJW's. Plus, using that head would make the gestalt sort of official.

That's what I was thinking! It would make it a little more legit. Probably encourage him to use it if they ever do a Season 4 comic, too.

If I had the Stunticon set and they went with Wyatt's design, I'd totally buy it.

Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:16 pm

I am seriously loving the Atilla the Hun Mongolian warrior references in DJW's head. I think it provides what the G1UPPERS designs lacked, a healthy dose of character!

Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:19 pm

Marcdachamp wrote:If I had the Stunticon set and they went with Wyatt's design, I'd totally buy it.

I think you hit the nail on the head. If it seems official, I'm going to get it. If not, gonna pass. :-?

Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:07 pm

IMHO, the head got a prominent chin with a Cybertronian beard (robots with mouth reach the maximum point).
2 days ago, I tried to design something different :

http://chogoking.com/post-57-animated-menasor.html

Enjoy ^__^

Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:16 pm

Hey.

I'm actually really liking that. It has the Animated nose, the big side points. Nods to the G1 and Animated.

Looking at the old G1 animation model (and Derricks)... those depict the points coming out of the SIDE of his head. The G1 toy design (and these sketches) show a front crest like Prowl/Ratchet... with exaggerated points.

I'm debating which I like best... and which embodies Menasor better.

Either way, I think it's going in the right direction. I can give or take the goatee. (Can always sharpee that on later. LOL.)

Nice job. And thanks for giving the fans a chance to chime in. Hope it doesn't come across to negative getting all this blast of input from all these peeps.

News Credits: 5749 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:56 pm

I guessing the reason DJW's head design is so wide is so it could slip over Motormaster'ss blockly head.

News Credits: 6 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:58 pm

Well, The motormaster facial hair looks more like attilla the hun, or however you spell it, on menasor. IDK If it works that much for me. you know, if the show was ever continued, and I saw him in episodes, then maybe my opinion would change...?
*SIGHS*
wishful thinking

News Credits: 32 · Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:41 pm

LEJAM wrote:
http://chogoking.com/post-57-animated-menasor.html

OK. I think that's my favourite so far. I can actually look at that and see Menasor. The G1uppers guys' sketches all kind of look like what would happen if Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl, Smokescreen, and Bluestreak had a big orgy and nobody brought condoms. Derricks kind looks like Motormaster wearing some sort of samurai or something. Still not 100% perfect though. Something still bugs me about it. It kinda looks like the Cybertron Starscream head with a crest added. But I think this is definitely a case where I'd prefer a comic inspired head than a cartoon styled head. Even though that goes against Animateds origins. I can't help but wonder if it would look better if the Menasor head was a mix of the 5 Stunticons heads. Like if you were to overlap all the head designs and then erase bits, maybe add the antennas, until you have a Menasor looking head. Take Arcee's forehead, Motormaster box, Wildriders jaw, etc.