The Energon Pub

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Probably the best approach in that situation, honestly.

Regarding Hot Rod...
WFC and Studio Series Deluxes are $20 and have molding gaps and other hollows, especially the taller molds like SIEGE Ironhide/Ratchet.
Filler kits for said Deluxes are usually $5-$10.
SS86 Hot Rod is as tall as Titans Return Hot Rod, putting him more in the SIEGE Ironhide height category. His robot mass includes the spoiler for his vehicle mode, which while not grossly huge is not exactly a negligible amount of mass either, and he uses the more expensive universal joints in his shoulders and hips instead of cost-saving ball joints; there's also a further level of complexity to give him the G1 toy/cartoon boxy waist without inhibiting his leg articulation. The faux-parts chest is the only cheat he's got going on, and it's the kind of cheat that makes a figure more complicated engineering-wise because of having to stash the real hood.

He has all of this while having none of the molding gaps that normal WFC and SS Deluxes have, so he's comparable to a particularly high-end one of those plus a very thorough filler kit.

[Sowndwave76]

Yeah, I remember not getting anything other than a few mini bots as a kid because my parents just couldn’t afford anything more... Which is also why I ended up am with a pretty large He-Man collection.

But I also remember when deluxe figures were around $8-$11. I specifically remember TRU having a couple if not a few sales of Buy 2 get 1 free...
It felt awesome walking out of there with 3 figures for roughly $22.
So, no, deluxes have not always been $20.
Voyagers have not always been $30...
I don’t remember the exact cost, but my Universe Onslaught (larger than Voyager class) was not $30.
I believe it was $24-$28.

[LinaNui]

I'm interested in what those Studio Series assortments are from the leaked listings!

I wonder if these are listings for the next wave after Dino, possibly with ROTF Sideswipe, ROTF Bee, Jolt, and Grindor since we got all those listings last year. (I'd say the individual listings are pretty much confirmed since we know SS-74 is ROTF Bee w/ Sam)

We don't have any voyager listings for that wave, so it's news if this listing is for that wave. Could be 86 for all we know, I guess.

So far the figures for SS that have been rumored or mentioned (that I have heard/seen so far) are:

Deluxe: the ones you have listed, Gnaw
Voyager: Wreck-gar, Swoop, BB starscream repaints for thrust, thundercracker, and skywarp. The seekers are all exclusives to different stores.
Leader: Grindor and slag

With those we pretty much have all of the SS that are coming out and it is severely lacking in some good Bayverse figures. I am hoping in 2022 we go back to how it should be, I need a leader class Fallen and twins!

[LinaNui]

Ok I can not be the only person getting sick of all this pointless fighting over hot rod and figure prices.

Just stop fighting over it, the prices are never going to go back to what they once were. Also, if you don't like a figures price, then don't buy it. That should be the end of the story, there is no reason you need to come cry about it here.

This has been bugging me for a while now and I just felt like it needed to be said.

[chuckdawg1999]

Ok I can not be the only person getting sick of all this pointless fighting over hot rod and figure prices.

Just stop fighting over it, the prices are never going to go back to what they once were. Also, if you don't like a figures price, then don't buy it. That should be the end of the story, there is no reason you need to come cry about it here.

This has been bugging me for a while now and I just felt like it needed to be said.

To err is human, to complain is Fanboy. I've been waiting years to use that line, thank you.

[Sabrblade]

But I also remember when deluxe figures were around $8-$11.

When the Deluxe class was first introduced in Beast Wars, it was $10 USD, and has only ever gone up since then.

[Emerje]

But I also remember when deluxe figures were around $8-$11.

When the Deluxe class was first introduced in Beast Wars, it was $10 USD, and has only ever gone up since then.

And probably not as much as it could. A $4 figure from 1984 (Mini Cars and the like) would be $10 today after inflation which is what the much more complex Core class goes for today. A Beast Wars Deluxe in 1996 would be roughly $17~ today depending on where you were buying them (if Walmart, $9.96, then maybe a little less, if KB, $11.99, then quite a bit more) and today you can buy modern Deluxe figures at Walmart and occasionally Amazon for $18. Hasbro doesn't raise prices just out of greed, it's almost always out of necessity.

Emerje

[Sowndwave76]

Look, not sure where you all live, if you took a hiatus from collecting around 2007-2011, but I bought multiple figures from multiple stores including Target, Walmart and TRU, and deluxes were $8.99-$11.99 for both Universe and the 2007 movie lines.
Again, TRU had at least 2-3 sales of buy two get one free; I'd walk out of there with 3 deluxe figures for somewhere between $19-$22 after tax.

I'm also wondering why this is so unbelievable, and at the same time, why anyone would think someone would make this up.

[sol magnus]

Look, not sure where you all live, if you took a hiatus from collecting around 2007-2011, but I bought multiple figures from multiple stores including Target, Walmart and TRU, and deluxes were $8.99-$11.99 for both Universe and the 2007 movie lines.
Again, TRU had at least 2-3 sales of buy two get one free; I'd walk out of there with 3 deluxe figures for somewhere between $19-$22 after tax.

I'm also wondering why this is so unbelievable, and at the same time, why anyone would think someone would make this up.

I don't think you're making it up.

I think you live in an area where the prices were depressed for one reason or anotber.

[Evil Eye]

I did some measurements on SS Stinger, Brawl and Thundercracker using a scale calculation website and discovered something rather interesting- if you're a little bit liberal with scale, they fit quite nicely into popular model scales! Stinger is about 1:35 scale (same as many model tanks) whilst Brawl is almost precisely 1:56, AKA 28mm, a popular scale for wargamers- so you could display him next to Space Marines and he'd be roughly to scale. Thundercracker is kind of difficult to calculate as he's not a real jet, but if we say he's about the size of an F-4 Phantom (which he almost resembles if you squint) he's nearly 1:72, one of the more popular plane model scales. So whilst completely out of scale with each other, they are to scale with something!

[Sowndwave76]

Look, not sure where you all live, if you took a hiatus from collecting around 2007-2011, but I bought multiple figures from multiple stores including Target, Walmart and TRU, and deluxes were $8.99-$11.99 for both Universe and the 2007 movie lines.
Again, TRU had at least 2-3 sales of buy two get one free; I'd walk out of there with 3 deluxe figures for somewhere between $19-$22 after tax.

I'm also wondering why this is so unbelievable, and at the same time, why anyone would think someone would make this up.

I don't think you're making it up.

I think you live in an area where the prices were depressed for one reason or anotber.

I also specifically remember when I bought the Terrorcons (all from Walmart) & thinking, “Damn, since CW prices have gone up from $14.99 to $17.99??!?!!!”. I think Hun-Gurr was just over $30, but pretty sure I bought him online, so I may be thinking about the cost with shipping.

[ZeroWolf]

The prices had crept up from CW, to TR and then to Power of the Primes

[Sowndwave76]

The prices had crept up from CW, to TR and then to Power of the Primes

Sure. My point was that just like those lines were cheaper than the most recent ones, back in '07-'08 the prices were even lower than CW, TR and PotP.

[william-james88]

Fellow Seibertronian JTPrime17 has some new product codes to share. Three of these are for the Studio Series line.
We have Studio Series 86 voyager class Sweep and Wreck Gar. Wreck Gar being a voyager class is rather interesting but then again remember that the class now refers to the price point and not the size, meaning that Wreck Gar can be as big as the voyager Hot Rod we got earlier this year if he proves to have more parts than regular deluxe toys.

Tra Gen Studio series 86 voyager Wreck gar
Product number: F0792

Tra Gen studio series 86 voyager Sweep
Product number:F0793

We also have Bumblebee Movie Thrust which was part of the rumours (same as the other two) but as an exclusive. Turns out that, according to JTPrime, this would not be an exclusive:

He popped upped under the regular retail voyager assortment product number across various retailers and distributors.

Tra Gen studio series Tf6 voyager Thrust
Product number: F0791

Also remember that Thrust in the Bumblebee movie was not red, but green. You can see an image of him below. Of course, we have no clue what this toy's colors will ultimately be and if he will have the slight remolding to homage the conehead look.



Lastly we have another product coming to the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line. This is an Evergreen 4 pack which makes sense given how Evergreen Bumblebee is pictured on all this subline's boxes. While there is no indication of what exactly this contains, the $50 price point and title could reffer to a reissue of warrior toys in the Cyberverse line or figures from the Authentics line, or both, since both use the Evergreen design.

Tra BB Evergreen Warrior Multipack

EAN: 5010993891610
MSRP $49.99

[Quantum Surge]

I'm still waiting for non-BB/non-86 stuff though to the credit of Thrust he isn't just some G1-esque snore guy and at least homaged Armada.

[Rodimus Prime]

If that green guy really is Thrust, he looks like a straight repaint of Blitzwing.

I wonder about the SS86 TF:TM Sweep. Didn't the Sweeps looks just like Scourge? Would this be some retool of Scourge then? Obviously it's meant to be a troop builder, so I'm not sure if Voyager class was smart. Deluxe would have been better.

[william-james88]

If that green guy really is Thrust, he looks like a straight repaint of Blitzwing.

But his alt mode is completely different.

[sol magnus]

If that green guy really is Thrust, he looks like a straight repaint of Blitzwing.

I wonder about the SS86 TF:TM Sweep. Didn't the Sweeps looks just like Scourge? Would this be some retool of Scourge then? Obviously it's meant to be a troop builder, so I'm not sure if Voyager class was smart. Deluxe would have been better.

I already bought three Scourges!

[Sowndwave76]

I wonder about the SS86 TF:TM Sweep. Didn't the Sweeps looks just like Scourge? Would this be some retool of Scourge then? Obviously it's meant to be a troop builder, so I'm not sure if Voyager class was smart. Deluxe would have been better.

I’m thinking the face sculpt will be different. I’m also hoping for some other differences... While I think you’re right that they should basically look the same, I’d be okay if Sweeps was a slightly darker/deeper Blue color.
Otherwise, what, a different shaped blast effect??
Either way, I won’t be surprised if I get a couple.
Displayed with Scourge, Cyclonus, & hopefully an awesome Galvatron...
That will be a sweet little shelf display!!!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I wonder about the SS86 TF:TM Sweep. Didn't the Sweeps looks just like Scourge? Would this be some retool of Scourge then? Obviously it's meant to be a troop builder, so I'm not sure if Voyager class was smart. Deluxe would have been better.

Gonna be cheeky and suggest either just a moustache:



... or a head based on Devcon:



Nah... if anything just lighter colors (maybe an alternate color model?) and a new Effect Part.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

I don't think anyone's in the hole for buying multiple Scourges to be Sweeps, that's still valid. Especially since this is probably going to be a redeco and thus a bit less screen-accurate.

Wreck-Gar being a Voyager makes sense to me. There's parts count to think about with his G1 design, and it would put him at a good size compared to SIEGE Springer.

If that green guy really is Thrust, he looks like a straight repaint of Blitzwing.

I wonder about the SS86 TF:TM Sweep. Didn't the Sweeps looks just like Scourge? Would this be some retool of Scourge then? Obviously it's meant to be a troop builder, so I'm not sure if Voyager class was smart. Deluxe would have been better.

Easier to afford for troop-building certainly, but it would have made Scourge come up short next to Galvatron as the Titans Return mold does, and making a separate Deluxe mold for the Sweeps wouldn't milk the Scourge mold further.

They might be thinking a redeco is a better way to get more sales from the mold than just repacking Scourge, given his shelfwarming during Titans Return.

I would bet on them using this deco:


And a new head with a face based on this:


Honestly though with Voyager-size (or larger) army-builder types, I think it would be good if HasTak made cheap model kit counterparts.

On the subject of figures we already know things about, I'm guessing that SS86 Blurr cannot use the prow of his car mode as a shield.

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

If Thrust is the green guy, I may pick it up to go with my Bayverse Decepticons. It's kinda cool looking, we'll see.

It does seem like we won't have any Bayverse voyagers in 2021 though, which is really a bummer. We do have Dino coming, so that's good.

In other news, I just finished painting the Arcee triplets! I actually really like these figures, they're small but very detailed.

[Mindmaster]

Not sure how I’d feel about Wreck-Gar: I like the 2010 Deluxe and how it can ride itself, so this one would have to be able to replicate that in order for me to buy into it.

Wonder how different they’d make the Sweeps, hopefully not too different.

I’ll always welcome more Seekers, and Thrust will be no different.

[sol magnus]

Not sure how I’d feel about Wreck-Gar: I like the 2010 Deluxe and how it can ride itself, so this one would have to be able to replicate that in order for me to buy into it.

Wonder how different they’d make the Sweeps, hopefully not too different.

I’ll always welcome more Seekers, and Thrust will be no different.

Good point on Wreck-Gar, he did indeed ride himself in the Movie.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

I'm sure they'll have taken that into account.