The Energon Pub

News Credits: 12 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:08 pm

Barricade is cool, agreed that alt mode is a bit wonky

Bumblebee I like the alt mode and weapons, chest is a little weird though with the wheel cavities just sitting there

Optimus is the one I'd have wanted the most but he's just not doing it for me. Love the weapons and alt mode, and it's cool that he's bulkier. But I liked the way the deluxe looked a little more. Maybe the paint just looks too bright idk

News Credits: 61 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:35 pm

Hey guys, just as a heads up I've created a seperate discussion thread for the Gamer Edition subline. I'll let the mods decide if it's ultimately warranted, but considering the different box style and its' own numbering system I figured it was appropriate.

studio-series-gamer-edition-discussion-t119457.php

News Credits: 10 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:06 pm

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:Hey guys, just as a heads up I've created a seperate discussion thread for the Gamer Edition subline. I'll let the mods decide if it's ultimately warranted, but considering the different box style and its' own numbering system I figured it was appropriate.

studio-series-gamer-edition-discussion-t119457.php

Cool deal.

News Credits: 14 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:52 pm

Prime looks fantastic, leagues better than the Original, and I own the original. The transformation definitely looks less fiddly and annoying.

Barricade looks awkward in both modes, but not terrible.

Bumblebee... ooohhh boy..... hope that is mistransformed. Even the original with the super fiddly transformation did it better overall. They can't possibly have left the front of the "bug" mode just hanging off his chest like that. It definitely looks like the front fenders need to fold away somehow, and the bumper folds down to make a more streamlined chest. That definitely looks wrong on so many levels.

Looking at the back of the box for Bee you can see the out of box example is definitely mis-transformed. The end look is not a whole lot better, but at least the fenders aren't just sitting there, and the torso seems to be a bit less compressed. Not great, but not as terrible.
Somehow the original still looks better.

News Credits: 1646 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 7:43 pm

While I really did not want the SS line diluted even further, I like how these look, especially Barricade.

I also really like how the forearms are properly replaced by the guns like the game, nice touch.

In live action news, Bee is pretty damn good. Bee-asts are rising.

News Credits: 61 · Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:39 pm

My SS ROTB Bumblebee arrived today back home, very excited to check it out in about a month! Looking forward to painting it up as well, I think it'll be fun.

News Credits: 1646 · Thu Mar 09, 2023 8:39 pm

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:My SS ROTB Bumblebee arrived today back home, very excited to check it out in about a month! Looking forward to painting it up as well, I think it'll be fun.

that is a long wait

News Credits: 61 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:20 am

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:that is a long wait

It is, but I have a few bots to paint up in the meantime! NEST Bonecrusher is nearly done, then 07 Megatron (The DNA upgrade kit for which arrived today) and The Fallen!

News Credits: 101 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 1:36 am

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:that is a long wait

It is, but I have a few bots to paint up in the meantime! NEST Bonecrusher is nearly done, then 07 Megatron (The DNA upgrade kit for which arrived today) and The Fallen!

That DNA kit for 07 Megs shouldn't have been a thing at all. That was one weird decision to remold almost everything but that chest. It cost me MORE than the actual toy itself at normal price...
...And I regret NOTHING!

The irony is my 07 Megs is displayed in spacecraft mode in front of the MPM who is in bot mode. But at least, I know his chest is now right.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:19 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:
EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:that is a long wait

It is, but I have a few bots to paint up in the meantime! NEST Bonecrusher is nearly done, then 07 Megatron (The DNA upgrade kit for which arrived today) and The Fallen!

That DNA kit for 07 Megs shouldn't have been a thing at all. That was one weird decision to remold almost everything but that chest. It cost me MORE than the actual toy itself at normal price...
...And I regret NOTHING!

The irony is my 07 Megs is displayed in spacecraft mode in front of the MPM who is in bot mode. But at least, I know his chest is now right.

It really was a weird decision. I wouldn't even call that Megatron a remold: The whole toy is new parts except for that damn chest.

News Credits: 1646 · Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:32 pm

Sharing over here too for this thread, it's kinda funny that Legacy and SS had a simultaneous wave that included a voyager class kitty and a goon with a face that is his faction badge

Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:43 pm

I found TLK Hot Rod last night at a few of my local meijers of all places! Hes really neat, looks sharp and Im in love with the transformation, unfortunately the copy has some defects

He'll have to get swapped out later tonight. On the rear of the car mode, the two tiny fold out panel things that for the exhaust are two of the same piece AND there is a big white stress mark in the plastic of the rear body! Not even where there is a joint either

News Credits: 61 · Mon Mar 13, 2023 9:29 pm

While I won't have SS ROTB Bee yet, I've had Clunker Bee on my desk recently and I still really like this figure! Once the roof is pinned it's very fun.

Clunker Bee bot 1.jpg

News Credits: 1 · Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:55 am

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:While I won't have SS ROTB Bee yet, I've had Clunker Bee on my desk recently and I still really like this figure! Once the roof is pinned it's very fun.

Clunker Bee bot 1.jpg

Excellent custom fading. This has always been my favourite Bumblebee design, I love transformers who turn into beat up cars.

News Credits: 4880 · Tue Mar 14, 2023 1:11 pm

Ok, so I've gotten a few SS figures lately and I want to talk about SS 100 Bee and SS86 Ironhide.

While Ironhide is fantastic, and I like the bot mode here even better than the MP, I do not find the price/pricepoint fair at all. I can often understand or see where Hasbro is coming from with their price points but here he is not more complex or bigger than other deluxes. It's actually impressive how not complex he is and yet solves so many issues every Ironhide (including the MP) has had in the past. It's a great feat of engineering, just like some one steps or three steps that fully convert so seamlessly in so few steps, but that doesn't warrant a higher price than a deluxe for me.

I also handled the SS 100 ROTB Bumblebee. I actually much preffer this mold over all the previous Studio Series Camaro (and VW) Bees. Like with Ironhide, it looks great in bot mode, feels solid, is not fiddly and not overly complex. By contrast, he's pretty simple and I am willing to bet has just as many steps as the other Offroad Bee just revealed yesterday in the main line. Of course, that more streamlined transformation does make me find the toy very pricey, but that's a me thing. It's like I can't just enjoy the toy.
The toy does have an issue with the head feeling very loose but the rest is fine.

News Credits: 1646 · Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:34 pm

Core Arcee is really fun

News Credits: 101 · Thu Mar 16, 2023 12:26 am

Her only flaw is that her bike mode is still to big compared to the other SS vehicles. But other than that, she's neat.

News Credits: 61 · Fri Mar 17, 2023 1:14 pm

Rtron wrote:Excellent custom fading. This has always been my favourite Bumblebee design, I love transformers who turn into beat up cars.

Thank you! While it doesn't look like it'll be this year, I really hope to see an MPM of this version of Bee!

Also finished painting up NEST Bonecrusher! I appreciate the mold much more now in this color scheme, Would really like to see a NEST Brawl or Starscream in the future!

NEST Bonecrusher bot 5.jpg

NEST Bonecrusher bot 4.jpg

NEST Bonecrusher alt main.jpg

News Credits: 332 · Fri Mar 17, 2023 2:54 pm

News Credits: 2 · Fri Mar 17, 2023 3:27 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:

This is my favorite Bee figure so far. Good review, bro.

News Credits: 42 · Fri Mar 17, 2023 9:36 pm

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:Would really like to see a NEST Brawl or Starscream in the future!

Oh god, yes, both please!!!!

News Credits: 4880 · Sun Mar 19, 2023 11:34 pm

Americans across the country are reporting sightings of the Rise of the Beasts deluxe figures from the Studio Series line. Bumblebee and Airazor are being spotted at Walmarts from Florida to New York. We have video reviews of those toys for you below in case you are curious about them and want to know more before buying them.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:This is the best Studio Series Bumblebee figure I've ever handled, period.

Remember Kingdom Airazor? Did you wish it was bigger and looked more like a steampunk bird? Let me introduce to you ROTB Airazor! Bigger with a few new parts and detailing, ROTB Airazor looks really good and makes me curious to see how it'll be used in the new film. Not much to say since it's basically the same figure but if you're a diehard Airazor fan, this figure is for you!

Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:07 am

I bought rotb bee in nova Scotia just the other day at Walmart, almost all walmarts I've seen are really low on selection, was real surprised to find him, airazor too, it's pretty cool seeing this bee next to SS01 bee

News Credits: 11 · Mon Mar 20, 2023 5:06 pm

After a while of putting it off, I decided to buy the 2007 Movie 15th Anniversary box set. The package is due to arrive on Wednesday, for those who have this set, what am I in for? Are they better or worse than the originals, or a mixture of the two?
I sold a lot of my Bayverse Studio Series toys on Ebay a while ago, as I was working out my new downsized "Less is More" Transformers collection, so now the Movie shelf now consists of only DOTM Optimus and Bumblebee, ROTF Megatron, and 2007 Starscream, Blackout, Brawl and Barricade. I intend on adding the Ironhide, Ratchet and Jazz from the box set to complete this shelf, and maybe display the Optimus and Bumblebee on my writing desk or book shelf. I still haven't decided if I'll get any ROTB figures, most likely not, but we'll see.

News Credits: 61 · Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:16 pm

Munkky wrote:After a while of putting it off, I decided to buy the 2007 Movie 15th Anniversary box set. The package is due to arrive on Wednesday, for those who have this set, what am I in for? Are they better or worse than the originals, or a mixture of the two?
I sold a lot of my Bayverse Studio Series toys on Ebay a while ago, as I was working out my new downsized "Less is More" Transformers collection, so now the Movie shelf now consists of only DOTM Optimus and Bumblebee, ROTF Megatron, and 2007 Starscream, Blackout, Brawl and Barricade. I intend on adding the Ironhide, Ratchet and Jazz from the box set to complete this shelf, and maybe display the Optimus and Bumblebee on my writing desk or book shelf. I still haven't decided if I'll get any ROTB figures, most likely not, but we'll see.

It varies between figures, Jazz and Ratchet are upgrades from their originals, Ironhide and Prime are probably sidegrades (about the same amount of paint, but the paint apps are different), and Bumblebee is unfortunately a downgrade with respect to both paint and QC (missing paint, brighter gray plastic, and door wings cracking more frequently)