The Energon Pub

For what it's worth, I enjoy these articles. They often spotlight more obscure toys I'm not familiar with, and they do lead to some interesting conversations regarding the relative merits of certain toys.

As far as the Big Convoy mold is concerned, he's easily better than any of the figures on this list. The kibble is obvious on the figure, but integrated as weapons, and he ends up having a cool silhouette with the tusks sticking out of his back.

His trunk weapon, on the other hand, is awful.

MrBlack wrote:As far as the Big Convoy mold is concerned, he's easily better than any of the figures on this list. The kibble is obvious on the figure, but integrated as weapons, and he ends up having a cool silhouette with the tusks sticking out of his back.

Agreed. As Will said, He wears it proudly.

william-james88 wrote:
Yeah he wasn't super obvious to me as a shellformer either. BUT my number 1 pick is along the lines, a shellformer with 0 backpack, can't wait to share it.

Also, from the comments I get, people seem to just look at the picture and read the names rather than read the selecting criteria or what the list is about. Because then I dont think Big Convoy (and AOE Galvatron) would be mentionned as often. Yes, they are the biggest shellformer offender but are they bad shellformers/transformers? This list is only about the bad ones, not the most obvious ones. Someone mentioned G1 Scourge, WHAT!? Why would I put him on the WORST list? He's a fun toy and does his job well. Doesnt mean he's the all time best, but I see no reason to put him on a list next to DOTM Voyager Sentinel Prime.

So in the end, this is about bad toys and I really don't see Big Convoy as a bad toy, at all. I think he wears his shell in a very mighty fashion and the fact that most becomes a giant F**K OFF GUN means he has no backpack. It's also one of the best sculpted toys to ever come out of the brand. Once again, it would kill me to see him next to any of these.

While I wholeheartedly don't think your articles are bad and time wasters, I do think that some of your articles can be improved -i.e. a bit more research for the topic at hand, be more objective about the topic at hand, and try to focus the Transformers universe in its entirety, not just what is available in North America (this is the internet, after all, and people from all over the world - the U.K., PRC, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, for example, may have a richer knowledge than the fans in North America (think NFL - for a good sports analysis, you need to talk about the entire NFL, not just AFC south, or AFC north).

The reason why I bolded G1 Scourge in the excerpt above is because when you look at that particular toy, all it is is just the hovercraft sides/wings covering 80% of the toy, while the lower legs is slightly reconfigured to form the hovercraft's front. The head and hovercraft back is then tilted forward. That's it. G1 mini-spy Bumblebee and Cliffjumper is more involved in their transformation schema at 1/3 of the price. But that's not the offending attribute of this toy - the lack of kibbles in the way presented many articulation allowances. Instead, all the articulation you get is the shoulders/elbows/wrist, and partial hip movement. You can argue that the head and legs can bend a bit due to its transformation, but having only 8 points of articulation is just a poor design when its contemporary toy, G1 Cyclonus, had hip articulation when it wasn't even a necessary part of its transformation schema. You can argue it being more fun, and you may be right. I never had more fun trying to stand G1 Scourge more ramrod straight than my neighbor next door, and having a bricky hovercraft mode to fly around the house is just gravy on top of it all.

Which brings me to my next point - Beast Wars Neo Big Convoy is argued to be a better toy, more "fun" because of the weapons it comes with. If that's the case, none of the figures on your list should be there because they all either have special features (BW Neo Break is a Targetmaster that can interact with other figures), playable features in their alt mode (Sentinel Prime is a great fire truck with features that a kid can role play when using it in a fire fighting play scenario), or weapons/combat features (the remaining figures you've listed) very much like BW Neo Big Convoy. The latter compounds to its poor design in that in its mammoth mode, you cannot move the legs or head without having its shell crack open and ruining the disguise (something you can't say about the rest of these figs when you try to pose it/play with it), and the mammoth panel kibbles just gets in the way of posing when it is in robot mode (something you can't say about Thunderblast or Sentinel Prime, for that matter), and the gun is too heavy for the bot to hold without it having to have a cheaty way of supporting it or have it drooping on you.

That's my critique based on your criteria. Again, I like most of your articles, but I have to side with primalxconvoy on this particular article because of the reasons I stated in my first paragraph of this post.

Otherwise, keep up the good work!

Super Megatron wrote:
While I wholeheartedly don't think your articles are bad and time wasters, I do think that some of your articles can be improved -i.e. a bit more research for the topic at hand, be more objective about the topic at hand, and try to focus the Transformers universe in its entirety, not just what is available in North America (this is the internet, after all, and people from all over the world - the U.K., PRC, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, for example, may have a richer knowledge than the fans in North America (think NFL - for a good sports analysis, you need to talk about the entire NFL, not just AFC south, or AFC north).

Thanks for the feedback. These articles are all works in progress. The only point I wont really be able to improve on in the one in bold. I am limited to what I know and had experience with. It doesn't apply to this article since we do mention the japanese exclusive stuff but there are certain areas where I simply cannot afford to get every toy to make the ultimate judgment. Must I wait to buy all the action master elite toys before I can make a top 10 G1 toy list? Because then, I wouldnt have the money or time to write such lists and that would be the end of it. And that's not how it should be either. If I give you not just my list but the ultimate true unbiased list, then it's no longer a conversation starter. I prefer to make things less daunting and more open that way for people to contribute. People have different opinions and taste and I prefer people know mine as to see how a list makes sense and then they can build upon it as you are now. For instance, thanks to your opinion, people can see if Big Convoy or G1 Scourge are worth looking into.

william-james88 wrote:

Super Megatron wrote:
While I wholeheartedly don't think your articles are bad and time wasters, I do think that some of your articles can be improved -i.e. a bit more research for the topic at hand, be more objective about the topic at hand, and try to focus the Transformers universe in its entirety, not just what is available in North America (this is the internet, after all, and people from all over the world - the U.K., PRC, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, for example, may have a richer knowledge than the fans in North America (think NFL - for a good sports analysis, you need to talk about the entire NFL, not just AFC south, or AFC north).

Thanks for the feedback. These articles are all works in progress. The only point I wont really be able to improve on in the one in bold. I am limited to what I know and had experience with. It doesn't apply to this article since we do mention the japanese exclusive stuff but there are certain areas where I simply cannot afford to get every toy to make the ultimate judgment. Must I wait to buy all the action master elite toys before I can make a top 10 G1 toy list? Because then, I wouldnt have the money or time to write such lists and that would be the end of it. And that's not how it should be either. If I give you not just my list but the ultimate true unbiased list, then it's no longer a conversation starter. I prefer to make things less daunting and more open that way for people to contribute. People have different opinions and taste and I prefer people know mine as to see how a list makes sense and then they can build upon it as you are now. For instance, thanks to your opinion, people can see if Big Convoy or G1 Scourge are worth looking into.

That's reasonable. Most likely there will be a lot of the TFs some people won't ever get their hands on due to their rarity or the reader's financial situation. Perhaps you should put a caveat that the top ______ list is only limited to a certain market (this would also help you void a lot of flame wars).

Super Megatron wrote:
That's reasonable. Most likely there will be a lot of the TFs some people won't ever get their hands on due to their rarity or the reader's financial situation. Perhaps you should put a caveat that the top ______ list is only limited to a certain market (this would also help you void a lot of flame wars).

Thanks for understanding. People have been kind and level headed so far, such as yourself, so there haven't been any flamewars. And in most cases, the toys I don't have are rare enough that many others wouldn't have them either. But yes, a caveat in the cases where it applies works, I could add it to where I say it is only my opinion. Like saying that stalker and the predator jets wouldn't be on the best G1 list (to Burn's dismay) since I have never handled them.

But in general it should be fine. I do want to keep it to the more generally accessible toys not only for my ease but also to reach as general an audience as possible. Hence why I prefer to discuss molds rather than deco, for instance. At least for my lists. Guest writers that are more aware of the exclusive stuff can always help out with a list of the more exclusive items.

Thanks again for your feedback and your understanding. And I hope you won't dislike my Top 5 Best Shellformers too much

LOL I am not a big fan of shellformers, so "worst shellformers", to me, seems redundant.

Super Megatron wrote:LOL I am not a big fan of shellformers, so "worst shellformers", to me, seems redundant.

Consider it a 2 part worst shellformers then. With this being the 5 worst and getting 6-10 in two weeks Cheers!

To be honest I don't actually own the Big Convoy mold (I do have the trunk gun thanks to an eBay parts lot), my criticism is based on images and old reviews from back in the day. If it's a great figure then that's fine, I have no personal grudge against it.

This guy on the other hand is so bad he's good and I would never sell mine for all his terribleness:



Emerje

I still think Big Convoy should not have been included

fenrir72 wrote:I still think Big Convoy should not have been included

Dont worry, he wasn't

Why this thing is not in this poll . . .
(Transformers 4 Lost Age Battle Command Optimus Prime)

WOW! I think this is the first time I've taken a look at that Prime. That thing is awful!

NooSem wrote:Why this thing is not in this poll . . .
(Transformers 4 Lost Age Battle Command Optimus Prime)

Probably because it's really more like a playset than a normal Transformer.

Emerje

NooSem wrote:Why this thing is not in this poll . . .
(Transformers 4 Lost Age Battle Command Optimus Prime)

fenrir72 wrote:

NooSem wrote:Why this thing is not in this poll . . .
(Transformers 4 Lost Age Battle Command Optimus Prime)

It's a simplified toy, really. It's an oversized Power Battler meant as a replacement for Stomp & Chomp Grimlock in Japan, as such the fun is in the lights and sound, not in the articulation. That doesn't make him "bad" in my eyes. Here's a video showing him off in stop motion fashion:



Courtesy of YouheiDX

Cobotron wrote:

Nemesis Primal wrote:The Tamagoras molds were also used for the Meteorbs from Mattel's "Masters of the Universe" line.

Ah ha. Muy interesante!

You know those 'OMG I HAD THAT AS A KID'-moments? This is one of those moments.

Having looked at the responses, I have a few things I'd like to add.
1) I never got leader Sentinel so i got the voyager. Good thing I don't like the character that much, cause that toy sucked. I keep him in firetruck mode.
2) AoE Galvatron and Crosshairs work for me cause Galvs needed to do that because he parts-forms and the only visible vehicle parts are the tiny blue lights. And Crosshairs: only the doors and maybe the very front of the car were the only parts not used for the trenchcoat, so for me it worked and was pretty badass.
3) Surprised no one brought up pretty much any Silverbolt, Aerialbot or Jetfire.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:3) Surprised no one brought up pretty much any Silverbolt, Aerialbot or Jetfire.

Thanks for your response. As for those three, I think its because a shell implies the robot bits are being covered by a shell and not left hanging under the jet

william-james88 wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:3) Surprised no one brought up pretty much any Silverbolt, Aerialbot or Jetfire.

Thanks for your response. As for those three, I think its because a shell implies the robot bits are being covered by a shell and not left hanging under the jet

OK, i will give you that. Do a list like that: Top 5 robots hiding under the vehicle!

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:3) Surprised no one brought up pretty much any Silverbolt, Aerialbot or Jetfire.

Thanks for your response. As for those three, I think its because a shell implies the robot bits are being covered by a shell and not left hanging under the jet

OK, i will give you that. Do a list like that: Top 5 robots hiding under the vehicle!

Haha, I like it. I already have a Top 5 best disguised robots. I could do a Top 5 least disguised robots and one of those would be on it (or all of the planes in an entry).

I wont count these though:



Actually come to think of it, those are pretty well disguised

william-james88 wrote:

Haha, I like it. I already have a Top 5 best disguised robots. I could do a Top 5 least disguised robots and one of those would be on it (or all of the planes in an entry).

I wont count these though:



Actually come to think of it, those are pretty well disguised

HA! Do it! RPMs should not count considering they are a hot wheels car with a picture of a bot on the bottom. I think you could have fun with a list of least disguised robots (RotF Jetfire, any Silverbolt, Transformers 2007 Starscream, etc and etc) Dont use Leader generations Jetfire though, He looks beautiful and actually manages to hide his bot parts pretty well

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:HA! Do it! RPMs should not count considering they are a hot wheels car with a picture of a bot on the bottom. I think you could have fun with a list of least disguised robots (RotF Jetfire, any Silverbolt, Transformers 2007 Starscream, etc and etc) Dont use Leader generations Jetfire though, He looks beautiful and actually manages to hide his bot parts pretty well

I was just making a joke of course, and thanks for the enthusiasm and support. We think similarly so dont worry, I will do it justice. I might lump all the silverbolts together though they are essentially the same design in different toy eras. Is there anyone else you can think of that looks just like his finished robot form when you look under the vehicle?

Good List Will! When I first saw the list and saw that Beast wars big convoy wasn't on the List I had a little question mark go up in my head but after reading everything you're totally right. Big Convoy wears it well and is in no way a bad shell former at all.

william-james88 wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:HA! Do it! RPMs should not count considering they are a hot wheels car with a picture of a bot on the bottom. I think you could have fun with a list of least disguised robots (RotF Jetfire, any Silverbolt, Transformers 2007 Starscream, etc and etc) Dont use Leader generations Jetfire though, He looks beautiful and actually manages to hide his bot parts pretty well

I was just making a joke of course, and thanks for the enthusiasm and support. We think similarly so dont worry, I will do it justice. I might lump all the silverbolts together though they are essentially the same design in different toy eras. Is there anyone else you can think of that looks just like his finished robot form when you look under the vehicle?

Prime BH Dreadwing and Starscream to an extent, AoE Strafe, and CW Cyclonus to name some off the top of my head. There are so many more that I have never seen though, so it could get interesting!