The Energon Pub

[Wolfman Jake]

It would have been nice if the Slug, Strafe, and Scorn (and Slash) figures released for the TLK Premier Edition line had muted gray/black with light "patina" coloring like this special edition Snarl. Instead, they were pretty much just as vibrant with screen inaccurate color as before with the AoE regular retail toys, only this time, Slug is yellow instead of purple. Here's hoping for better versions of at least the rest of the on-screen Dinobots for the Studio Series beyond Leader Grimlock.

[Ultra Markus]

why dont they just release all the dinobots in the studio series as leader class like grimlock
how cool would that be

[william-james88]

why dont they just release all the dinobots in the studio series as leader class like grimlock
how cool would that be

I put my leader grimlock next to my TLK voyager Scorn and it looked pretty good

[-Kanrabat-]

why dont they just release all the dinobots in the studio series as leader class like grimlock
how cool would that be

I put my leader grimlock next to my TLK voyager Scorn and it looked pretty good

In an ideal world, the movie dinobots would all be at least in screen accurate colors and be voyager or leader depending on the dino.

In reality, a 3P/KO company will do just that if it's not already done.

[shajaki]

why dont they just release all the dinobots in the studio series as leader class like grimlock
how cool would that be

I put my leader grimlock next to my TLK voyager Scorn and it looked pretty good

I dunno, TLK Scorn is still pretty bright. I'd settle for a straight repaint more matching to SS Grim

I'm happy about this though. I'd been eyeballing this guy on eBay, best price was triple this. So this is obviously bought!

[Wolfman Jake]

why dont they just release all the dinobots in the studio series as leader class like grimlock
how cool would that be

I put my leader grimlock next to my TLK voyager Scorn and it looked pretty good

Even Studio Series Grimlock is undersized for true screen accuracy at Leader scale, but realistically, it's the best we're gonna get. To keep the rest of the Dinobots in scale with each other, at least, Scorn would need to be a Leader class figure too, and just a bit bigger than Grimlock even in robot mode. Slug should either be a very large voyager (bigger than even Starscream) or a smaller Leader (like Blackout). Strafe should be a larger voyager and just a bit smaller than Slug, whichever size class Slug would fit into.

[kriksix]

[Wolfman Jake]

I know I'm way late for this party, but WOW! TLK Nitro Zeus is AMAZING! He looks great in both modes. The transformation is VERY clever, but still intuitive. I was able to figure out almost everything without checking the directions. The figure itself is a nice big size for the Voyager class. All the plastic feels durable, and there is some good heft to the figure. The joints are tight and (almost) nothing pops off randomly during transformation. The only thing I'd knock it for, and this may just be an issue with my copy, is that the Titanmaster tech for the head doesn't seem to secure it very well. It's wobbly and pops out of the neck socket too easily. Otherwise, it's a great figure that reminds me more of the best of the RotF era of movie toys.

[-Kanrabat-]

I know I'm way late for this party, but WOW! TLK Nitro Zeus is AMAZING! He looks great in both modes. The transformation is VERY clever, but still intuitive. I was able to figure out almost everything without checking the directions. The figure itself is a nice big size for the Voyager class. All the plastic feels durable, and there is some good heft to the figure. The joints are tight and (almost) nothing pops off randomly during transformation. The only thing I'd knock it for, and this may just be an issue with my copy, is that the Titanmaster tech for the head doesn't seem to secure it very well. It's wobbly and pops out of the neck socket too easily. Otherwise, it's a great figure that reminds me more of the best of the RotF era of movie toys.

Right with ya, buddy!
He's also one of the most customisable TF around, especially because of the headmaster gimmick and the fact that he's barely painted.
Me and countless others have turned him into Thunderwing after all.

By the way, if you love the mold but want better colors, try to get SS Thundercracker. He's one SEXY MOFO.

[Bounti76]

It's no secret that Transformers: The Last Knight figures didn't enjoy great distribution- Wave 1 figures can still be found on shelves at retailers, and some waves either showed up briefly or not at all in many places. One figure whose distribution changed from original plans is Deluxe Class Hot Rod, originally slated to be part of Autobots Unite, a Walmart exclusive subline of the Last Knight toy, focusing mostly o on various versions of Hot Rod, who Walmart had exclusive rights to use in marketing as part of that line.

Unfortunately, plans changed, and the Deluxe Class version of Hot Rod was only ever available at a hefty markup from online retailers, and for a short time, for regular retail price at Walmart's own website, meaning many fans had a hard time finding the figure.

That may change now, thanks to a tip from fellow Seibertronian Casey280, who found the elusive figure at a Ross store in Novato, California, for the very agreeable price of $8.99, with photo evidence below. This marks the first confirmed sighting of Hot Rod at U.S. retail. Happy hunting to all of those who missed out on him before!

As always, if you see a new or sought after figure, please let us know along with sending photo proof.

[-Kanrabat-]

I'd like that Hot Rod. Especially at that price. So if I come across it at Winners, I'd grab it. But I will NOT import it.

[william-james88]

I'd like that Hot Rod. Especially at that price. So if I come across it at Winners, I'd grab it. But I will NOT import it.

No need to import

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0197596838

[-Kanrabat-]

I'd like that Hot Rod. Especially at that price. So if I come across it at Winners, I'd grab it. But I will NOT import it.

No need to import

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0197596838

Oh? Interesting.

[-Kanrabat-]

I'd like that Hot Rod. Especially at that price. So if I come across it at Winners, I'd grab it. But I will NOT import it.

No need to import

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0197596838

Oh? Interesting.

Well, I checked and I'm not buying. I'll need to find it in store and to impulse buy. Because online, I have to add 31$ of more stuff for free shipping and I find nothing. Plus, I must use my credit card and I'm tired to shovel my dept in front of me. So, skip.

Eh, maybe some will find their way in store. We never know.

[william-james88]

I'd like that Hot Rod. Especially at that price. So if I come across it at Winners, I'd grab it. But I will NOT import it.

No need to import

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0197596838

Oh? Interesting.

Well, I checked and I'm not buying. I'll need to find it in store and to impulse buy. Because online, I have to add 31$ of more stuff for free shipping and I find nothing. Plus, I must use my credit card and I'm tired to shovel my dept in front of me. So, skip.

Eh, maybe some will find their way in store. We never know.

They have been found in store for a few months now.

[-Kanrabat-]

They have been found in store for a few months now.

But never at my local Laval Walmart. Mine suck for TFs. There's barely anything in the display and it's always in a ranshaked state. It's been like this for some years now.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

while it is not much of an improvement, Hot Rod definitely looks better with a time blaster:

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

A little late to the party, but TLK voyager Megatron recently arrived. He's really cool! Transformation is fun, and the kibble management in robot mode is very impressive, particularly with the wings and engines. Looks good with my TLK cast thus far!

TLK Cast.jpg

A side note on Hot Rod, the third party companies totally dropped the ball on him. Those lower legs he took straight from Lockdown are just on mushroom pegs, so it seems like it wouldn't be too hard to make and attach some film-accurate lower legs for him.

[william-james88]

Jada got the Transformers license for The Last Knight and has since then moved onto including the Transformers brand as part of their Hollywood Rides line. So in the same line as Deadpool's Taco Truck and Kitt we get Bumblebee and Optimus in both their movie and G1 selves. Interestingly enough, we had not known that Bumblebee's Camarro alt mode would also be included in this line and yet it was found at a Walmart in Canada.

This is the first sighting of the Hollywood Rides line which is also subtitled as Studio Series. The line will also be including smaller reproductions of Transformers vehicles which you can see here and we have recently seen the final product for the G1 Optimus Prime alt mode which can be seen here.

This sighting comes to us from Yonoid on the Cybertron.ca boards.

[-Kanrabat-]

What? THAT was a news-worthy sighting? 2 days ago when I was disappointed that my Walmart had NOTHING, I found a box full of those diecast cars and thought "OF COURSE they have those..." It was TLK's Bee and Optimus and that's it. Oh well.

[Qwan]

What? THAT was a news-worthy sighting? 2 days ago when I was disappointed that my Walmart had NOTHING, I found a box full of those diecast cars and thought "OF COURSE they have those..." It was TLK's Bee and Optimus and that's it. Oh well.

Anything's news if it's new! But are you sure it was these Hollywood Rides ones and not just the other, more common versions? Those are indeed around pretty much everywhere, IIRC.

[-Kanrabat-]

What? THAT was a news-worthy sighting? 2 days ago when I was disappointed that my Walmart had NOTHING, I found a box full of those diecast cars and thought "OF COURSE they have those..." It was TLK's Bee and Optimus and that's it. Oh well.

Anything's news if it's new! But are you sure it was these Hollywood Rides ones and not just the other, more common versions? Those are indeed around pretty much everywhere, IIRC.

I didn't really paid attention.

On a side note, my local TrU is FILLED TO THE BRIM with TLK deluxes. Preventing any new Studio series from being placed on the shelf. The even opened new cases of TLK deluxes recently. As if my local Laval TrU is the dumping ground for the old stuff. Sigh... Sooner or later, they will be on clearance at 15$CAN so I may take one or two at that time.

[Bounti76]

As often happens with the final waves of Transformers toylines, Wave 4 of the Last Knight toys (consisting of Cogman and repacks of previous Waves' figures) never showed up at U.S. retail. While he could be found online (usually for a significant markup over his $19.99 MSRP), we now have great news for those who couldn't bite the bullet on a $30 deluxe. Fellow Seibertronian Emerje found Cogman for a very agreeable $9.99 at a T.J. Maxx store in Augusta, Maine, and sent us photo proof below.




Are you going to be on the hunt for this elusive figure? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to send us photo proof of any hard to find figures if you think you're the first to sight them. Good luck!

[Emerje]

Ross

T.J.Maxx, but close enough. This and a Wave 3 Bee were the only Transformers I found there and it looks like they've done their holiday stocking already (toy section was packed) so that doesn't bode well for Transformers.

Emerje

[Bounti76]

Ross

T.J.Maxx, but close enough.

Fixed.