The Energon Pub

News Credits: 22 · Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:37 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
First-Aid wrote:
Till-all-R1 wrote:I don't know about a Titan Astrotrain. lol
But I would certainly entertain the idea of a Commander version if it delivered.

I don't see either happening. I just don't think the engineering is possible for HasTak to do what people want. That's the science-fiction aspect in force...like a 35 foot tool tyrant transforming and shrinking into something a human could hold.
And in a previous fan stream, Evan said that if they were to do a SS86 Astrotrain, it would just be a more cartoon-accurate redeco of Siege Astrotrain.

Really? Ugh. Is that a result of little faith in their design team, or the character's appeal? Because that mold for that character was trash. It might have worked better for Galaxy Shuttle, but Astrotrain needs a new mold. Especially a SS86 version.

News Credits: 101 · Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:42 pm

Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
First-Aid wrote:
Till-all-R1 wrote:I don't know about a Titan Astrotrain. lol
But I would certainly entertain the idea of a Commander version if it delivered.

I don't see either happening. I just don't think the engineering is possible for HasTak to do what people want. That's the science-fiction aspect in force...like a 35 foot tool tyrant transforming and shrinking into something a human could hold.
And in a previous fan stream, Evan said that if they were to do a SS86 Astrotrain, it would just be a more cartoon-accurate redeco of Siege Astrotrain.
Really? Ugh. Is that a result of little faith in their design team, or the character's appeal? Because that mold for that character was trash. It might have worked better for Galaxy Shuttle, but Astrotrain needs a new mold. Especially a SS86 version.

Indeed.

Reusing the Siege version as-is would make ZERO sense.

They could use the Siege as a base be removing the tender parts and doing some severe remolding on the main toy. That would still be a brand new mold overall.

Astrotrain deserves it.

News Credits: 2 · Mon Mar 18, 2024 2:57 pm

Only ones I was interested in were Lockdown and Sandstorm. But that is not the Lockdown I was looking for. I do like the head sculpt, but, like a lot of people, I thought it was gonna be on the Chase mould. Guess I will wait for that Lockdown, seems like its still coming and maybe its Animated Lockdown? Lockdown was dragging Chase in one of those pics, hehe. Sandstorm is my only buy out of this wave and he looks awesome. The back of the legs and feet could be better though. Also it gives me a bit more hope for the SS86 Springer. :TAKARATOMY:

has been nailing it with figures last 2 or 3 yrs.

Cybertron Starscream does look amazing, but I dont need it. Ferak is quite tempting with the new parts and all, but without Tornado I am a bit letdown. I liked those TFCC comics.

News Credits: 2 · Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:59 pm

Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
First-Aid wrote:
Till-all-R1 wrote:I don't know about a Titan Astrotrain. lol
But I would certainly entertain the idea of a Commander version if it delivered.

I don't see either happening. I just don't think the engineering is possible for HasTak to do what people want. That's the science-fiction aspect in force...like a 35 foot tool tyrant transforming and shrinking into something a human could hold.
And in a previous fan stream, Evan said that if they were to do a SS86 Astrotrain, it would just be a more cartoon-accurate redeco of Siege Astrotrain.
Really? Ugh. Is that a result of little faith in their design team, or the character's appeal? Because that mold for that character was trash. It might have worked better for Galaxy Shuttle, but Astrotrain needs a new mold. Especially a SS86 version.

Really??? I'm fine with the current AT we got though it could have been better it's acceptable for me in my Neo G1 fold. But I felt that Galaxy Shuttle got the Dk-move and SHOULD have gotten a new mold!

This Lockdown is cool even though I didn't care for the previous figures and that line.

I did get Axor and with time I lost interest and chose to part ways all cause of the crappy soft plastic that was used. So I think we should get another repaint from this mold on the horizon...'nuff said! :VEHI:

Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:23 am

GIMME!

News Credits: 30 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:41 am

Uh.... no. Just... no. I'll leave "Origins" Wheeljack to other collectors who can turn a blind eye to all this.

News Credits: 1 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:46 am

The backpack. The kibble.... those were instant passes. But he's a voyager?! What? No way.

Makes it so much easier to pass

News Credits: 4880 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 9:04 am

This is actually good news. Many fans bemoaned the idea of having open windows since it would lead to theft or missing accessories and Hasbro is answering one particular concern with how Gears is packaged. His chestplate is not pinned and so can be detached. So, what Hasbro did is have it stored in a bag within the box instead of affixed on the chest where it might be removed.
Also, we are letting you know so that you don't think the toy is missing its chest when you see it at retail.

The wave 2 toys have been found in Singapore in a collector shop by Jhund the Jester, as well as other areas in Asia, and should be hitting North American distribution next month, at least online.

News Credits: 2 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 9:26 am

william-james88 wrote:This is actually good news. Many fans bemoaned the idea of having open windows since it would lead to theft or missing accessories and Hasbro is answering one particular concern with how Gears is packaged. His chestplate is not pinned and so can be detached. So, what Hasbro did is have it stored in a bag within the box instead of affixed on the chest where it might be removed.
Also, we are letting you know so that you don't think the toy is missing its chest when you see it at retail.

The wave 2 toys have been found in Singapore in a collector shop by Jhund the Jester, as well as other areas in Asia, and should be hitting North American distribution next month, at least online.

Isn't that slot where his "special Circuit" went in the episode "Changing Gears"?

News Credits: 22 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 10:39 am

If I find Wheeljack in a Target store, I'll pick him up and probably keep him in vehicle mode. That backpack is atrocious and I have other Wheeljacks for the robot mode. Just like with Jazz and Bee, I like the vehicle mode much better anyway.

And Gears needs to show up on Amazon soon...

News Credits: 462 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 11:42 am

Oh how easily folks forget:

The wing shield is a removable accessory, not a permanent fixture.

News Credits: 22 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 12:05 pm

The rest of it still looks bad.

News Credits: 462 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 12:29 pm

Rodimus Prime wrote:The rest of it still looks bad.

Jazz and Bumblebee's entire backsides were all kibble too:

That's what it takes to make them show-accurate.

If anything, blame the original animators for giving them all such un-orthodoxically-designed Cybertronian altmodes with robot modes that already sported their Earth altmode kibble, which no one back then ever imagined that future iterations of the Hasbro brand would ever try to recreate into toy form some four decades later.

News Credits: 332 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 12:40 pm

I think in the in-hand pics Wheeljack's backpack isn't folded up all the way and can sit more flush.

News Credits: 1 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:29 pm

First-Aid wrote:Isn't that slot where his "special Circuit" went in the episode "Changing Gears"?

And good on them for homaging one of his two most iconic stories. I prefer his team-up with Spider Man in Marvel US #3, but homaging that would mean designing a Gears toy that can shatter when dropped from the scale-height of Fortress Sinister and somehow just pop back together again good-as-new, meaning all kinds of parts could be shoplifted through the open window.

Hmmm...there've also been a few Matrix accessories small enough to fit in there, right? Gearimus Prime would then have not only the voice and color scheme, but finally the responsibilities and wisdom of PAPA SMURF!

News Credits: 2 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:59 pm

Bumblevivisector wrote:
First-Aid wrote:Isn't that slot where his "special Circuit" went in the episode "Changing Gears"?
And good on them for homaging one of his two most iconic stories. I prefer his team-up with Spider Man in Marvel US #3, but homaging that would mean designing a Gears toy that can shatter when dropped from the scale-height of Fortress Sinister and somehow just pop back together again good-as-new, meaning all kinds of parts could be shoplifted through the open window.

Hmmm...there've also been a few Matrix accessories small enough to fit in there, right? Gearimus Prime would then have not only the voice and color scheme, but finally the responsibilities and wisdom of PAPA SMURF!

With Great Power comes Great ReSmurfability.

News Credits: 4 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:17 pm

This talk about Gears in Marvel G1 is reminding me to find a good Marvel Legends Symbiote Spider-Man figure for photoshopped comic panel recreations

Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:30 pm

Given the present state of society, this is wise.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Tue Mar 19, 2024 7:04 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:I think in the in-hand pics Wheeljack's backpack isn't folded up all the way and can sit more flush.

Only slightly more. The spoiler prevents it from folding as far as we'd all like and it tabs into the hood below the windshield when folded, but isn't tabbed in that image. The image Sabr posted tabs the spoiler correctly, but the hood section isn't pushed to his back like the new image.

Does it make a big difference? Probably not much, but it's better.

Emerje

News Credits: 9 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:00 pm

That backpack on Origins Wheeljack is unfortunate…
But was anyone buying this for the bot mode???
I’m certainly not. And the front view is really pretty good.
I’m still looking forward to adding this figure to my collection.

News Credits: 332 · Tue Mar 19, 2024 11:43 pm

Sowndwave76 wrote:That backpack on Origins Wheeljack is unfortunate…
But was anyone buying this for the bot mode???
I’m certainly not. And the front view is really pretty good.
I’m still looking forward to adding this figure to my collection.

I was. Like Bumblebee and Jazz if you look at this figure straight on it's one of the best animation accurate Wheeljack's we've gotten.

News Credits: 101 · Wed Mar 20, 2024 4:39 am

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Sowndwave76 wrote:That backpack on Origins Wheeljack is unfortunate…
But was anyone buying this for the bot mode???
I’m certainly not. And the front view is really pretty good.
I’m still looking forward to adding this figure to my collection.

I was. Like Bumblebee and Jazz if you look at this figure straight on it's one of the best animation accurate Wheeljack's we've gotten.

Beside, that's a regular voyager. It's not a 200$ Masterpiece figure. So of course some sacrifices must be made. For me, that's pretty acceptable for a mainline toy.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Wed Mar 20, 2024 7:33 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Sowndwave76 wrote:That backpack on Origins Wheeljack is unfortunate…
But was anyone buying this for the bot mode???
I’m certainly not. And the front view is really pretty good.
I’m still looking forward to adding this figure to my collection.

I was. Like Bumblebee and Jazz if you look at this figure straight on it's one of the best animation accurate Wheeljack's we've gotten.

Beside, that's a regular voyager. It's not a 200$ Masterpiece figure. So of course some sacrifices must be made. For me, that's pretty acceptable for a mainline toy.

It also still has to maintain bot mode scale, there's only so much they can do to hide panels on a fairly small bot, still make it the minimum size to fit BB inside him AND be structurally sound (look at all those rivetted joints in the backpack!). This was as good as it was going to get at $35.

Emerje

News Credits: 2 · Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:23 am

Yeah this Wheeljack does look good from the very front in bot mode and awesome in vehicle mode. It is just all the rest that is bad. Like others said; this is acceptable for 35$. Glad I dont need them.

I imagine :TAKARATOMY:

are thinking after putting these out, "Here they are fans, all the near impossible figures combining earth bot modes and Cybertronian alt modes. Now leave us alone about it!". lol

Also, Origin Wheeljack is up for pre-order right now on Pulse.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:27 am

Couple small things mentioned in the stream today:

- Shard is female (I think we knew that already) and made of Death Crystal and inspired by Rocklord Solitaire (somehow).
- Cybertron Starscream shares joints with Siege Tetra Jets.
- Hasbro allowed Takara Tomy to show off Silverbolt early.
- They're looking into a way to get the unmasked head out there for Sandstorm.
- Next livestream is going to be another random one (merch, publishing and whatnot)

Again, nothing we haven't seen before.

Oh, and Wheeljack is live on Target.com and 20% off in Circle (have to apply the coupon to your account first). https://www.target.com/p/transformers-o ... A-89230403

Emerje