The Energon Pub

[-Kanrabat-]

Greetings Seibertronians!

TonTon Review just posted his video review of the deluxe class SS-78 RotF Sideswipe!
Last time we saw a Movie Sideswipe release was for the SS-29 DotM version from 3 years ago back in 2019. So that version was long overdue.

This is a repaint/retool of the previous DotM version, but this time Sideswipe has a roof in car mode. Of course, this results in a heavier backpack. The paint job is also very different from the previous version with more paint than ever before. SS-78 comes with all the accessories SS-29 had.

TonTon also provided us with an extensive comparison with SS-78 and SS-29.

See the review below:



So what do you think of this version?
Please leave a comment!

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Jolt is looking great, very excited to get ahold of it. Sideswipe looks snazzy too, I like the darker plastic color with the added silver paint in bot mode. The lack of headlights is pretty weird though.

[william-james88]

Is that a new headsculpt on Sideswipe?

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Is that a new headsculpt on Sideswipe?

I think it’s the same sculpt but with some new silver paint. The paint does make a lot of difference, though!

[-Kanrabat-]

Is that a new headsculpt on Sideswipe?

Same head, but differently painted.

[blackeyedprime]

Kinda prefer the original, probably because of the smaller backpack and a spoiler on the car -plus I'm using it as WFC Rid steeljaw anyways.

[JazztfLaw]

As much as I love the ROTF vehicle mode, it still suffers from past figures of this form... the ugly backpack. Best thing that could've happened to, Sideswipe, was becoming a convertible.

[william-james88]

As much as I love the ROTF vehicle mode, it still suffers from past figures of this form... the ugly backpack. Best thing that could've happened to, Sideswipe, was becoming a convertible.

Agreed

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Man, Jolt looks incredible! He looks so much better than that first image made him appear.

Sideswipe is also really well done, like the new paint on the head to improve it.

Looking forward to both of these figures

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Jazz really does make the best travel companion. this little dude is still my favorite SS figure. and he has the honor of maybe being the highest in altitude transformer ever photographed? 41,000 feet!

[TF-fan kev777]

That is pretty awesome D-Max! And inspiring, the family is having Christmas in St. Thomas, I gotta start thinking about which bots get to come with for some photo fun.

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Great pics, D-max! Really like the outdoor pics.

Brought a few figures with me to my new place, Evasion Prime isn’t Studio Series but he does scale nicely with them! These are some of my favorite figures:

6B0C61F8-D34B-4FD5-B0A9-FB302819E687.jpeg

I also brought Thundercracker and Scrapper as future customs projects while I’m here.

I’ve been looking for Grindor around here but have been unsuccessful so far. Haven’t seen any Studio Series between 3 Targets and 3 Walmarts now. . .

[Autobot Roadburn]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

[TF-fan kev777]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

[Ig89ninja]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

It’s actually easier than that to open SS boxes, you just have to carefully unfold the flaps at the bottom and then fold them back when you’re done (not a toy swapper, just like reusing boxes for cityscapes.)

[TF-fan kev777]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

It’s actually easier than that to open SS boxes, you just have to carefully unfold the flaps at the bottom and then fold them back when you’re done (not a toy swapper, just like reusing boxes for cityscapes.)

Oh duh, how could I have forgotten that. I learned that the hard way paying extra for a packaged version of Ratchet from a Chinese eBay seller last year, when it was obviously a factory defect shoved into a new box. That was the 1 and only time I tried a Chinese eBay seller.

[LinaNui]

Hey IG89ninja. Looking at your banner, have you completed the SS Devastator yet?

[Autobot Roadburn]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

I’d assume that’s most likely what happened. Either way if it was replaced it was really well done and I’m surprised they bothered leaving Ravage in the box. Oh well, I’m probably gonna return it then and try to find an actual Grindor

[TF-fan kev777]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

I’d assume that’s most likely what happened. Either way if it was replaced it was really well done and I’m surprised they bothered leaving Ravage in the box. Oh well, I’m probably gonna return it then and try to find an actual Grindor

I bet we'll eventually see someone even more skilled and shady leaving behind a Grindor with Blackouts hands after doing a hand swap instead of the whole figure.

[Autobot Roadburn]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

My bet is on a toy swap. If you are careful enough you can cut a piece of tape the same size to go over the one you cut when opening. In theory the ties can be removed carefully with tweezers from the back of the clamshell to free the figure and in theory replaced the same way from the front but it is REALLLY hard to do.

Now, to be clear, I am not some shady toy swapper. I'm just OCD and at one time (years ago) tried saving all the packaging, even the ties to be able to put them back to almost new condition. The difficulty of messing with those ties changed my thinking really quick. So my bet is on a toy swapper with an incredible amount of patience and skill.

I’d assume that’s most likely what happened. Either way if it was replaced it was really well done and I’m surprised they bothered leaving Ravage in the box. Oh well, I’m probably gonna return it then and try to find an actual Grindor

I bet we'll eventually see someone even more skilled and shady leaving behind a Grindor with Blackouts hands after doing a hand swap instead of the whole figure.

Oh dear god I hope not lol. I’ve had a hard enough time finding these things as it is. I did manage to find the Netflix Primal and Rattrap set though so it wasn’t a total bust.

[Ig89ninja]

Hey IG89ninja. Looking at your banner, have you completed the SS Devastator yet?

I actually have, but the sheer size of the team made the aspect ratio look ridiculous.

E21B0B62-FA7A-4B53-A1F9-F60E2E315335.jpeg

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Had a really weird find at Target today - I finally tracked down a Studio Series Grindor today and only realized after I picked it up - it wasn’t Grindor. As far as I can tell, the box is still sealed, the plastic ties are still in place and the tray has Ravage in his spot, so this is either the most skilled and elaborate toy swap I’ve ever seen or the factory tossed an old wave one Blackout in the box. I’m still pretty confused right now

That is ridiculously odd.

I find it so funny and sad that people (not me yet, can't really afford to yet either) are finding Grindor before he's even been officially revealed. 2 months after the SS86 guys, and no reveal for the live action ones, their wavemates no less.

I would like to get a Grindor right now purely to say I got a figure before it was even revealed, but for money just yet.

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

About time, Hasbro officially revealed Grindor, Jolt, ROTF Bee, and Thrust:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CReDOF3hl1J/?hl=en

They gave Jolt a DOTM background though xD

[Bounti76]

Thanks to Seibertronian EvasionModeBumblebee, we've been alerted to Hasbro's social media channels and their (finally) official reveal of the remaining Studio Series Wave 3 figures for 2021! These images come to us from the Transformers Instagram page, where the reveals have been dubbed #StudioSeriesSunday. We have official pictures of Studio Series 73 Leader Class Grindor and Ravage; Studio Series 74 Revenge of the Fallen Bumblebee with Sans Witwicky; Studio Series 75 Revenge of the Fallen Jolt, and Studio Series 76 Bumblebee Voyager Class Thrust! While these figures have been leaked for a while now (and even found in stores), we now have official confirmation and photos. Check out the photos below!



















While they're all transformed correctly, it appears that Jolt has been given a background for Dark of the Moon, or perhaps the first live-action movie, rather than the one for his big scene during the battle of Egypt. Hopefully, Hasbro will rectify this before the figure is released.

So how that we have the rest of Wave 3 officially revealed, do you plan on picking up any of these figures? Grindor will be shipping in cases with Studio Series 86 Leader Class Slug; Thrust will be packed with Studio Series 86 Voyager Wreck Gar; and Jolt and Bumblebee will be shipping with Studio Series 86 Deluxe Class Gnaw.

Let us know what you think about these figures below!

[Munkky]

So why does Jolt have a Dark of the Moon Chicago battle backdrop when he wasn't in Dark of the Moon? Wouldn't the Egypt battle backdrop that Bumblebee has be more fitting? Either way, Jolt himself looks pretty good, and I will be getting him.