The Energon Pub

[william-james88]

Nice pics, Sabre. Can you do the rest of the Aerialbots as well?

I isn't mine. I merely found it.

But rest assured, Takara did indeed make all of the others more show-accurate as well.

Especially Superion himself (with those white hands).

[william-james88]

Prowl being a Streetwise retool would go to explain the latter's blue deco, which the G1 figure did not have...

why would the deco on one figure come into play on another if the other is a redeco?

Prowl and Streetwise, being police cars, share the same basic colors of black and white. Making one blue and the other black goes a long way of differentiating them on first glance.

@Wolfman Jake: Fireflight and Dead End effectively "stole" the alt mode of the guys that have been replaced: the Harrier and the Ferrari respectively.

I get it, thanks Jelze!

[Dagon]

Who wants representations of two robots who were reduced to quivering piles of slag?

Brake Neck, Wildrider, whoop dee doo.......who cares? The only people who are picking these two up are the people who cried rivers of tears when they found out that they had been replaced due to death in G3 fiction. Crushing their dreams of shoehorning these next generation figures into their "geewun classics" collection, right next to their HFTD Seaspray and FOC Shockwave.

Oh, good. I was hoping that I hadn't missed out on the Alpha Bravo fanboys getting rekt'd over the presence of members of a combiner team that weren't exactly what they wanted. Butthurt, all your tears, etc. You know the rest, since it was flung so freely at people who didn't immediately wet themselves over Alpha Bravo.

[Cobotron]

So I only spent a few bucks more and got figures with superior deco.

Don't you mean Superion deco?

[william-james88]

So I only spent a few bucks more and got figures with superior deco.

Don't you mean Superion deco?

I knew someone would make that joke, glad it was you.

[Cobotron]

So I only spent a few bucks more and got figures with superior deco.

Don't you mean Superion deco?

I knew someone would make that joke, glad it was you.

I'm always here to help.

[william-james88]

So I only spent a few bucks more and got figures with superior deco.

Don't you mean Superion deco?

I knew someone would make that joke, glad it was you.

I'm always here to help.

Help giving me nightmares...

[Wolfman Jake]

@Wolfman Jake: Fireflight and Dead End effectively "stole" the alt mode of the guys that have been replaced: the Harrier and the Ferrari respectively.

It's quite easy to see with the planes, the CW mold is a Harrier, through and through, but the cars are another matter. Although the shared mode is a "Ferrari", the curves evoke G1 Dead End's altmode look rather well, whereas for Wildrider, the CW mold lacks the harder angular look of the G1 altmode, despite both technically being Ferrari-based. Pretty clever of Hasbro and Takara, actually. Dead End isn't a "Porsche", but still has the right look, and Wildrider looks a bit different, but is still the right kind of car. Compromise!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

@Wolfman Jake: Fireflight and Dead End effectively "stole" the alt mode of the guys that have been replaced: the Harrier and the Ferrari respectively.

It's quite easy to see with the planes, the CW mold is a Harrier, through and through, but the cars are another matter. Although the shared mode is a Ferrari, the curves evoke G1 Dead End's altmode look rather well, whereas for Wildrider, the CW mold lacks the harder angular look of the G1 altmode, despite both technically being Ferrari-based. Pretty clever of Hasbro and Takara, actually. Dead End isn't a Porsche, but still has the right look, and Wildrider looks a bit different, but is still the right kind of car. Compromise!

The more I look at Combiner Wars, the more I appreciate what could be going through their heads during the design phase, and them putting experience gained from "experiments" (pretooled heads and other various parts) into practice.

[hinomars19]

Tongue-in-cheek jokes about Alpha Bravo aside, how can a situation that makes everyone happy be creating arguments and insults?

Love G1 exclusively? Here's Slingshot and Wildrider.
Love G1, but also love new characters? Here's Slingshot and Wildrider, and you already have Bravo and Off-Road.
Hate G1 and need to rebel? You already have Bravo and Off-Road.
Love IDW and consider Sling shot and Wildrider dead? You already have Bravo and Off-Road.
Like something new to mix things up? You already have Bravo and Off-Road, with a bonus of Slingshot and Wildrider for more options.
Never heard of Slingshot and Wildrider? You already have Bravo and Off-Road.
Scared of Burn? Just wait for Slingshot.
Even though these are new toys and representations of old characters, you still stand them on your neo G1 shelf? Here's Slingshot and Wildrider.
Never heard of Alpha Bravo and Off Road? Here's Slingshot and Wildrider.
Alpha Bravo is too slow be an SpeedARIELbot? Here's Slingshot.

Not even going to say what camp I'm in, because it's irrelevant. What I want will be on the shelf, because all 4 characters will be available now.

I'd rather be a 34 year old man who won't let go of an 80's cartoon than be the people who antagonistically and childishly attack people they don't even know over a non-issue. The toys are there. Pick what you want and leave the next fan alone.

Disclaimer: This post is purely my opinion, and I am aware I am forcibly suggesting that someone is wrong for posting flaming, childish posts. How dare I restrict what people think.

[veldrane]

Looking at Firefly, I think he can be modded to be closer to original F-4 Phantom plane mode. Looking on google, Harriers and Phantom have similar styling in the tail and nose. The biggest difference is that the wings harrier come out at the top while the Phantom comes out from below. Since the hinge on the wings of Firefly extends to the arms in plane mode, I think a different wing which comes down around the arm and then sticks out would mirror the shape of the Phantom closely. Hopefully a Third Party company can use this idea to make a mod for Firefly.

[Cobotron]

So I only spent a few bucks more and got figures with superior deco.

Don't you mean Superion deco?

I knew someone would make that joke, glad it was you.

I'm always here to help.

Help giving me nightmares...

[Cobotron]

The monkey is also applauding what hinomars said.

[shajaki]

Bravo Hinomars.

If everyone is getting what they want...
-G1'ers getting their proper teams
-the rest wanting some new blood
... then whats there to complain about?

Is there a third group out there getting screwed somehow over this?

[TimothyR]

Because Alpha Bravo has ALWAYS BEEN AN AERIALBOT.

Funny. I just watched The Key to Vector Sigma last night, and I could swear there were five jets, including some guy named Slingshot who was kind of a jerk to Ironhide, and in fact the most prominent member of the team in their introductory episode aside from Silverbolt. And I didn't see any Alpha Bravo anywhere...

So, er, define "always," please. Because the way I understood the word, it was not a subjective word.

Lies. Alpha Bravo has ALWAYS BEEN AN AERIALBOT.

I know it's a Photoshop. I just find some of the venom directed at Alpha Bravo a little ridiculous, and the idea that he has retroactively been made a G1 Aerialbot to destroy the childhood of his naysayers strikes me as funny.

QUIT DESTROYING MY CHILDHOOD MRBLACK!!!

it has nothing to do with destroying anyone's childhood.. it has to do with the fact that it's been thirty years since we've gotten proper combiners. to make them the right way now, but just decide to completely change a member of each team for absolutely no other reason than them being greedy IS a problem.. it's not ruining my childhood, but it's crushing my faith in hasbro which has already been squashed enough as it is.

it's great that they are releasing both slingshot and wildrider.. but it doesn't look like we'll be getting a proper groove. so, that sucks.

it'd be like starting a generations line and not including an optimus prime, but instead, they just out of the blue invent a brand new autobot leader.. so, you'd have all of the other classic autobots being lead by a brand new leader for absolutely no reason. it's just not right and it's easy to see why it would piss some people off.

if they really wanted to add a new member, they should've started with the proper teams first, then introduce the new characters later.

i'm all for new characters, bulkhead, lockdown, the movie decepticons, all really cool. adding a helicopter to a team of combining jets is stupid. adding an SUV to a limb team of sports cars is stupid. now.. had they released the original team first, then in a later wave introduced the new characters in the pack in comics, that would've been pretty cool. but that's not how it went down.

it's a clear money grab. wait until both alpha bravo and offroad had sold a bunch, then reveal slingshot and wildrider online.. that's pretty low.

[shajaki]

Is the order of there release really relevant? Theres a lot of people here that didn't buy AB or OR because they were dead set on being G1 instead of having a complete combiner.

And have you considered that this "money grab" is what helps fund further combiner teams?

[Editor]

Hasbro secret plan to make you buy two sets of Stunticons.

Release Dragstrip & Optimus Prime. (1/5)
Release Motormaster. (2/5)
Release Offroad, Breakdown, Dead End and Blackjack. (5/5 + bonus)
Hey you have a full set. But here is Break Neck err Wildrider. (5/5 + bonus & new 1/5)
Put Offroad aside. (new 1/5)
Combine parts from Prime & Motormaster release as Scourge (new 2/5)
Redeco Dragstrip and release as Crasher/Fracture (new 3/5)
Redeco Dead End and release as Lockdown (new 4/5)
Redeco Breakdown and release as Rage. (G2 character) (new 5/5)
Redeco Huffer as Toxitron (new 5/5 + bonus)
Call new 5/5 Ultra-Scourge or Nemesis.

Boom, two sets of Stunticons.

[hinomars19]

Bravo Hinomars.

If everyone is getting what they want...
-G1'ers getting their proper teams
-the rest wanting some new blood
... then whats there to complain about?

Is there a third group out there getting screwed somehow over this?

Probably, I coudln't think of one on the fly...oh wait;

if they really wanted to add a new member, they should've started with the proper teams first, then introduce the new characters later.

i'm all for new characters, bulkhead, lockdown, the movie decepticons, all really cool. adding a helicopter to a team of combining jets is stupid. adding an SUV to a limb team of sports cars is stupid. now.. had they released the original team first, then in a later wave introduced the new characters in the pack in comics, that would've been pretty cool. but that's not how it went down.

it's a clear money grab. wait until both alpha bravo and offroad had sold a bunch, then reveal slingshot and wildrider online.. that's pretty low.

That last part is a good point. The fact that Sling Shot and Wildrider are being restricted sales wise is a bit rough. Sadly, (and whilst I don't always agree with it, I can't deny it's existence) that's marketing. It's common knowledge that to appease the 'perceived' mentality of western shores (stores, parents buying habits) a helicopter and an SUV were introduced to spice up shelves. I can understand that, and at least some fiction was created around it. Hasbro tried to cover both angles, and the 'correct' members are now available; albeit through more exclusive, elusive or expensive methods. That does sting a bit, I'll agree.
But still, everyone has an option.

[veldrane]

Looking at Firefly, I think he can be modded to be closer to original F-4 Phantom plane mode. Looking on google, Harriers and Phantom have similar styling in the tail and nose. The biggest difference is that the wings harrier come out at the top while the Phantom comes out from below. Since the hinge on the wings of Firefly extends to the arms in plane mode, I think a different wing which comes down around the arm and then sticks out would mirror the shape of the Phantom closely. Hopefully a Third Party company can use this idea to make a mod for Firefly.

[Dagon]

Bravo Hinomars.

If everyone is getting what they want...
-G1'ers getting their proper teams
-the rest wanting some new blood
... then whats there to complain about?

Is there a third group out there getting screwed somehow over this?

Yes. The people who basked in some false glory that people wanted Slingshot and instead got Alpha Brave, only to come to the realization that now, their fleeting and fake superiority complexes have been ruined by the inevitable tendency of a toy company to release as many toys as possible since that is a major way that toy companies make money.
Essentially, people feel silly for promoting the idea that AB was some kind of moral victory over people who didn't want a helicopter in a group of jet planes, only to learn that there will now be another plane, rendering AB irrelevant to people who don't care about AB.
As an aside, AB is still my favorite CW deluxe figure, but I can't tell you how happy I am that there will be a proper fifth Arialbot, because that is what I would prefer. I have nothing against AB and his fans, but I do find the unrest Slingshot has caused to be so, so very satisfying.

[hinomars19]

On a side note, this all reminds of the people who bemoaned the creation of MP 10, because it somehow made MP 01 invalid. Shockingly, it was possible to own and appreciate both, or, OR, choose which you preferred and ignore/ sell the other one.

IKR? Crazy!

It's my understanding Hasbro/ Takara make toys, sell said toys to stores, who then hang them somewhere for me to choose from. Aside from the postman with a package from Kapow!, to this day, nobody has ever knocked on my door and insisted I take a Transformer toy. Neither have they taken any of my old ones away.

Marketing can be a nasty beast sometimes, but so can the mentality of consumers. The good thing is, each of us still has our free will.

[Allenspurs]

Is Bruticus next?

No, next is Ultra Prime with Mirage, Ironhide, Prowl and Sunstreaker. And that will be it for 2015 (aside from Devastator of course).

I'm curious.. Would this combiner have access to...

Prowls data comprehension skill

Ironhides ability to produce various liquids

Mirage's cloaking ability

And errrr Sunstreakers arrogance???

[DMSL]

They look awesome, but that weapon Wildrider has....just horrible.

[Wolfman Jake]

Adding an SUV to a limb team of sports cars is stupid.

Team of sports cars? The original line up of Stunticons had only three sports cars, plus an F1 racecar and an 18-wheeler truck as the LEADER of the whole group. The diversity was always there. Swapping in a pickup truck for one of the three sports cars is just furthering the diversity that had always been a part of the team.

Also, a helicopter isn't THAT weird of an addition to a team called the "Aerialbots." They aren't the "Jetbots," for one. It's not like Slingshot was replaced with a car or a submarine. For two, how diverse can you really make such a team? There aren't a lot of different vehicles that fly beyond airplane and helicopter, unless you want to delve into blimps or hot air balloons. Hey, at least Alpha Bravo is an attack helicopter and so fits with the fighter jets that make up the rest of the limbs. The leader of the outfit is a commercial airliner. How does that make sense for a combat team?

[william-james88]

it'd be like starting a generations line and not including an optimus prime, but instead, they just out of the blue invent a brand new autobot leader.. so, you'd have all of the other classic autobots being lead by a brand new leader for absolutely no reason. it's just not right and it's easy to see why it would piss some people off.

You mean like what they did with the season 3 toys and the movie, replacing the legendary leader, Optimus Prime, by a brand new bot we had never seen before? Called Hot Rod?

Nothing anyone can complain about Hasbro doing these days, has not been done by them before.