The Energon Pub

DeathReviews wrote:... I think I'll keep my TFA Leader Bulkhead, thanks.

If you conveniently forget the fact that it's too small, I think the voyager is superior.

But the true king of the hill for any Bulkheads remain the stellar Prime First Edition.

This Legacy Bulkhead feel WRONG on so many levels. The round head just don't fit on that ridiculous totally not transformed at all torso. Energon Fatimus Prime made more efforts.

Autobot N wrote:

Flashwave wrote:Wait, where is everyone seeing a BeastOotimus Prime? I can see it from Bulkhead but I don’t see a listing. Just Laser Prime.

There was a rumor a while back that Bulkhead is the way he is because he shares tooling with a Prime Optimus Prime.

Makes sense, Bulkhead's tooling just screams Optimus repaint incoming

grimdragon2001 wrote:

Autobot N wrote:

Flashwave wrote:Wait, where is everyone seeing a BeastOotimus Prime? I can see it from Bulkhead but I don’t see a listing. Just Laser Prime.

There was a rumor a while back that Bulkhead is the way he is because he shares tooling with a Prime Optimus Prime.

Makes sense, Bulkhead's tooling just screams Optimus repaint incoming

Correction. Makes NO sense whatsoever. Prime Optimus is a cartoony Bayverse Optimus. It's his iconic look. Beast Hunters Optimus on the other hand, would be quite feasible because the truck cab remain basically untransformed in bot mode.

Another possibility is a surprise Energon Optimus.

Just commenting for updates

I'm a staunch supporter of giving characters faithful updates, but honestly... I'm fine with this Bulkhead. Unlike some other characters (like Knockout, or even Skids), Bulkhead already has a number of good, accurate toys, so I'm fine with some creativity this time around. Goodness knows this brand could use some creativity. As for the figure itself, it's ok. His vehicle mode looks pretty good, if a bit stubby. His headsculpt is great. The biggest issue for me is that his proportions aren't very traditionally Bulkhead-esque, which kinda makes him feel a lot less unique.

As for Skids, he looks mediocre, I guess. He just looks kinda... flimsy. I'm not sure how to describe it. Maybe I'd feel different about in person, but right now it just looks meh. I just hope I can snag a Generations Skids once people start dumping them on ebay.

You know, I look at Skids and I can't help but have the bitter thought that, as a fandom, we're getting what we deserve.

Once upon a time, CHUG figures were high-quality toys that, sure, maybe took some liberties with the characters' G1 appearance for the sake of what the designers felt would be more generally appealing. It felt like the designers were implicitly telling us stuff like, "Look, we know you want Kup, but kids won't know what that to do with his weird 80s alt-mode. How about we make him a modern pickup truck? Don't worry he'll be gorgeously painted and really evoke the character."

And clearly what we have said over time with our wallets is: "Listen, we just want these things to look G1 accurate, and we'll forgive any amount of cost-cutting BS as long as you give us that."

So here we have this Skids. He's definitely, undeniably G1 accurate.

Also he looks like butts, and there isn't an ounce more plastic on him than was absolutely necessary.

Obviously the trend of hollowing out figures has been going on for a while now, but as I gaze into those empty legs and empty thighs and that bare suggestion of a torso, I can't help but feel like we've hit some kind of new low here. Especially for what's supposed to be the reveal that hypes us up for the new line. I suppose it's not that much worse in terms of hollowness than the WFC Datsun design, especially the Siege version, and like those toys, it looks like Skids will have a lot of paint apps to compensate. But idk. The combination of rampant hollowness and "accurate but ugly" is really striking me here. This thing looks cheap in a way that the WFC figures rarely did.

These days I feel like what the designers are saying is, "This is what you nerds want, right? Well here ya go. No accounting for taste."

I got nothing negative and Skids seems more impressive than the so called Thrilling 30 release...I will probably get both and give them a home...'nuff said!

Wow, that is a ridiculously bad reveal.

Skids is the easiest to discuss. The legs look really bad on him, he just doesn't look any good. My T30 will remain my Skids, which also helps because that is the version of Skids I most like.

And then there is Bulkhead. Wow, what the actual hell were they thinking? That is TERRIBLE. They took my lovable round boy, given that look by 3 cartoons and some comics, and made him a militarized Grapple with a boxy body and thin and long limbs. That head is the only Bulkheady thing about him.

That's just bad. Like, really bad.

Skids looks great, and he'll probably hold a pose--scratch that, he'll probably BE ABLE TO STAND compared to the dire Thrilling 30s mould. Can't give any less of a damn about Bulkhead though.

Skids looks cheap as hell. Almost Cyberverse level. Hasbro has gone completely cheap & greedy. Plastic prices might be up but there is no way in hell they are up that much. Other companies are still kicking ass. Hasbro seems to be aiming for the totally insane prices they charge for the new Diaclone line, Chogokin, Macross & 3rd party. While getting worse & worse as far as quality goes.

I'm almost done with Transformers. I can't support this anymore. It's only going to keep getting worse. Greed ruins everything & once it gets out of control there is no stopping it.

Unfortunately, most of you won't say it or admit it. You'll just keep making excuses & justifications & buying any overpriced garbage they toss your way. And then the reviewers like PrimevsPrime will gush & rave over every release no matter how crappy it is. Most of them won't dare say anything negative about anything.

Nemesis Reformatted wrote:Skids looks cheap as hell. Almost Cyberverse level. Hasbro has gone completely cheap & greedy. Plastic prices might be up but there is no way in hell they are up that much. Other companies are still kicking ass. Hasbro seems to be aiming for the totally insane prices they charge for the new Diaclone line, Chogokin, Macross & 3rd party. While getting worse & worse as far as quality goes.

I'm almost done with Transformers. I can't support this anymore. It's only going to keep getting worse. Greed ruins everything & once it gets out of control there is no stopping it.

Unfortunately, most of you won't say it or admit it. You'll just keep making excuses & justifications & buying any overpriced garbage they toss your way. And then the reviewers like PrimevsPrime will gush & rave over every release no matter how crappy it is. Most of them won't dare say anything negative about anything.

If you're not happy with the toys, you should totally stop buying them. I'm very happy with them, and you're welcome to shake your head at me and say I'm lying to myself, but I don't derive my happiness from the approval of randos.

TheForgottenTaxi wrote:You know, I look at Skids and I can't help but have the bitter thought that, as a fandom, we're getting what we deserve.

Once upon a time, CHUG figures were high-quality toys that, sure, maybe took some liberties with the characters' G1 appearance for the sake of what the designers felt would be more generally appealing. It felt like the designers were implicitly telling us stuff like, "Look, we know you want Kup, but kids won't know what that to do with his weird 80s alt-mode. How about we make him a modern pickup truck? Don't worry he'll be gorgeously painted and really evoke the character."

And clearly what we have said over time with our wallets is: "Listen, we just want these things to look G1 accurate, and we'll forgive any amount of cost-cutting BS as long as you give us that."

So here we have this Skids. He's definitely, undeniably G1 accurate.

Also he looks like butts, and there isn't an ounce more plastic on him than was absolutely necessary.

Obviously the trend of hollowing out figures has been going on for a while now, but as I gaze into those empty legs and empty thighs and that bare suggestion of a torso, I can't help but feel like we've hit some kind of new low here. Especially for what's supposed to be the reveal that hypes us up for the new line. I suppose it's not that much worse in terms of hollowness than the WFC Datsun design, especially the Siege version, and like those toys, it looks like Skids will have a lot of paint apps to compensate. But idk. The combination of rampant hollowness and "accurate but ugly" is really striking me here. This thing looks cheap in a way that the WFC figures rarely did.

These days I feel like what the designers are saying is, "This is what you nerds want, right? Well here ya go. No accounting for taste."

G1 Skids was one of the first Transformers I ever got, and also one of the first to break. I've wanted a G1 Skids ever since, and though I love the IDW Skids character, I was never interested in the T30 version. This is what I've wanted, blocky legs and spacey chest and all. So I can't really disagree with your position, except to say that this *is* what I want and I don't feel any need to apologize for it. These are plastic toys made on a budget, I expect them to have hollow parts. For those that really care, Nonnef and others make gap fillers. For me, Skids is finally coming home.

Someone said Skids looks "POTP-ish" in its design, and I kinda agree with that, but I also kinda love him already. About time Skids got some more love.

I'm not crazy about Bulkhead, and I get that people were expecting a new version of the Prime figure, but the front cab chest and vaguely troop carrier/SWAT feel actually remind me of Animated Bulkhead more than anything. If nothing else, I think he's a decent "G1-ing" of the character.

Immortal Starscream wrote:

Honestly I wish they had made the vehicle look more like the oshkosh there, would make him looks rounder. The issue for me is bulkheads shape. geewun-ified or not, Bulkhead has always been a big roundish boy with stumpy/stocky build. here he is a big box with long legs. literally reminds me of the time for Halloween where I cut a head hole and arm holes out of a carboard box and wrote robot on the front of it in black marker. It just feels wrong for Bulkhead. Again, sumo prime it kinda works, though still too square

I completely agree. The roundish look of that Osh Kosh truck seeems like it would be perfect for the look and shape of Bulkhead. Or maybe this was done because of licensing? Or maybe they're planning an Animated Wreck-Gar retool? Who knows! Just doesn't look like Bulkhead to me. Seems like a really odd choice.

Skids looks off as well. Doesn't look like he has pins for wheels either.

Both kind of look like a step backward from what we've been getting. I feel bad sounding like a debbie downer about this. Hopefully they both grow on me!

Seibertron wrote:Skids looks off as well. Doesn't look like he has pins for wheels either.

Pinned rear, clipped front. At least the clips at the front are doing the Hoist thing where they've put 5mm ports in as well.

Seibertron wrote:Skids looks off as well. Doesn't look like he has pins for wheels either.

The back wheels are riveted, but the front "wheels" are of the rolling outer ring kind: the rivets in the shoulders are for articulation.

Just me? I might get him, he looks like a fine figure even if it doesn't fit him so great. Not sure what version of Prime it'll be repurposed as, Prime Optimus is a long nose truck so it would be just as much or an even bigger departure than Bulkhead.

Wolfman Jake wrote:Those transparent plastic weapons look like a nod to Energon/Super Link to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they interact with the leaked “Energon Monster” figures as the unifying gimmick of the line.

I'm wondering the same thing about the Energon Monster, can't be a coincidence that all of the figures come with energon weapons AND there's a couple monsters that are either made of energon or that eat energon. Maybe we're getting a transforming Kremzeek.

Anyone else find the peg holes on the wheels a little odd? What could their purpose be on a freely moving part?

RIP weapon effect parts.

Emerje

In terms of real world look, I've heard some fans say Legacy Bulkhead resembles this vehicle most M1078 LMTV Light Utility Truck

Emerje wrote:Anyone else find the peg holes on the wheels a little odd? What could their purpose be on a freely moving part?

RIP weapon effect parts.

Emerje

I feel like their point is less "port on this moving part" and more of just "we want him to have ports on his legs like most of WFC did and this was the easiest way to do that with the wheels there".

Also why RIP weapon effects? Every gun in this reveal looks like it would still be compatible, it doesn't look like that's going anywhere, and all they would have to do is keep packing them in with figures that have the budget for them like SS86 Hot Rod and Scourge/Sweep.

william-james88 wrote:Honestly, they both look like a pile of ass. So glad I didn't sell my Gen skids yet, man I would have regretted it.

Let's get to Bulkhead, that figure looks super simple for a voyager and while I can understand the use of fake parts, it looks really bad when you can see his fake wheels right there in truck mode



I also hate the overall look of the robot mode but I can understand the appeal of having G1ified versions of characters from other eras but since I have my own Prime collection, this is not needed. I will say this is making me **** scared about Knockout.

As for Skids, ooof, not great. Reeks of cheap corner cutting. Like that rectangle behind his head. It's not even incorporated into the design, it's just there as a lazy bit. The G1 toy didn't have that. And usually Hasbro is able to hide unflattering gaps in their product shots, but I guess that's not a possible task here.



Won't be getting either of these.

Thank you for saying what I was thinking. Scrolling through and saw rave reviews on these two. Thought I was going crazy!

Flaming.

Piles.

Of crap.

Emerje wrote:
Just me? I might get him, he looks like a fine figure even if it doesn't fit him so great. Not sure what version of Prime it'll be repurposed as, Prime Optimus is a long nose truck so it would be just as much or an even bigger departure than Bulkhead.

…
Emerje

Cough…cough….


Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Optimus Prime Gallery

I like these figures but I know most Prime fans aren't going to be happy but think for a moment, how much better can Bulkhead get between the First Edition figure and even the mainline PRID release? Skids is Skids and I think it's kinda cool.

One more thing on Bulkhead, A slight retool of the vehicle mode can give us the APC from GI Joe, crossover line maybe?

So basically we’re out of ideas, let’s do that thing we did 15 years ago. I see much silver and black spray paint in this line’s future.

Overcracker wrote:

Emerje wrote:
Just me? I might get him, he looks like a fine figure even if it doesn't fit him so great. Not sure what version of Prime it'll be repurposed as, Prime Optimus is a long nose truck so it would be just as much or an even bigger departure than Bulkhead.

…
Emerje

Cough…cough….


Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Optimus Prime Gallery

Now if only Bulkhead's cab had been curved like that, it would look much better. And if Beast Hunters Prime is indeed coming from the mold, they wouldn't even have to remold the cab at all. Just paint it and put some useless crap on the front like that Prime has.

Bleh. Nothing personal to anyone who likes these, but both Bulkhead and Skids look kind of terrible to me. And the energon weapons gimmick...meh.

Really hoping the remaining Beast Wars characters that are supposed to come out in this line look better than that.