The Energon Pub

So bios your saying that Octone kills Autobots with his farts?

Dear Hasbro and/or Takara,

Can we get the other two animated heads for blitzwing and the goofy marvel comics goggle eyes version of octane? That would be fantastic! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ryan

Seibertron wrote:Dear Hasbro and/or Takara,

Can we get the other two animated heads for blitzwing and the goofy marvel comics goggle eyes version of octane? That would be fantastic! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ryan

Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

Kurona wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Dear Hasbro and/or Takara,

Can we get the other two animated heads for blitzwing and the goofy marvel comics goggle eyes version of octane? That would be fantastic! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ryan

Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

A cool way to combine both powers would be something like.

"Decepticon Hazard gives Blitzwing the ability to take over the system's of other Bots and cause them to either super-heat their processors to self destruct or to overload their cooling systems freezing their sparks cold."

Something like that I bet someone could write that better.

About that voyager soundwave...

Anyways I can't tell you how good these look to me, I can't wait to reprint Blitzwings purple smirk to a more g1 accurate gray.

Octone looks suspiciously like Cyclonus. Wonder why they didn't just call him Octane?

Good alternate heads for Blitzwing:

Skytread: http://amzn.to/2q6XZa2

Crashbash: http://amzn.to/2ppLlUj

Apeface: http://amzn.to/2q9QBbK

Links given so you can check how they would look.

WreckerJack wrote:Octone looks suspiciously like Cyclonus. Wonder why they didn't just call him Octane?

They can't for legal reasons; presumably for the same reason they can't just call Jazz Jazz or Ratchet Ratchet without a prefix - it's too general of a name and is what a specific real-life thing is called rather than having a made-up or mixed name like Optimus Prime or Starscream. Hence why in recent years he's been called Tankor more often than not in both toys and IDW. I suppose this design team wanted to be more accurate so much they found a name he's been called by that's one letter off.

Deadput wrote:

Kurona wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Dear Hasbro and/or Takara,

Can we get the other two animated heads for blitzwing and the goofy marvel comics goggle eyes version of octane? That would be fantastic! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ryan

Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

A cool way to combine both powers would be something like.

"Decepticon Hazard gives Blitzwing the ability to take over the system's of other Bots and cause them to either super-heat their processors to self destruct or to overload their cooling systems freezing their sparks cold."

Something like that I bet someone could write that better.

That would be pretty cool too

o.supreme wrote:I haven't checked my local TRU yet, but the one I went to in AZ, the "Brand New" display for TLK was pretty unimpressive...I remember AoE had the shelves bursting with toys, maybe Hasbro & TRU are being more conservative thinking they overproduced last time, which they did...The only reason why I am mentioning TLK here is I am curious if/how it may choke out TR for a while. I hope not, but in 2014 I wasn't collecting and cant quite remember how T30 fared when AoE was dominating the shelves that summer and into the end of the year.

I admit that's something that had been on my mind for quite a while. My fears are still not quite fully assuaged but the fact that TR Wave 4 Legends just turned up near me, about two weeks after TLK stuff hit the same store, helps me feel like a lot of these stores do have a fair idea what they're doing.

In fact, as frustrating as the "premium" price hike is for TLK stuff, chances are it helps too - two different price points of Transformers are probably more likely to both get put out, than two Transformers products with the same price but just a different prefix (in their eyes).

Kurona wrote:

WreckerJack wrote:Octone looks suspiciously like Cyclonus. Wonder why they didn't just call him Octane?

They can't for legal reasons; presumably for the same reason they can't just call Jazz Jazz or Ratchet Ratchet without a prefix - it's too general of a name and is what a specific real-life thing is called rather than having a made-up or mixed name like Optimus Prime or Starscream.

Sometimes that's it, but as often as not, it's not that they can't use the name, it's that they can't secure the trademark for the name and keep others from using it. That's why the prefix loophole is used so often. Anyone might be able to call a toy Jazz or Ratchet, but add the already trademarked Autobot and it's clearly Hasbro's toy.

Optimum Supreme wrote:

Kurona wrote:

WreckerJack wrote:Octone looks suspiciously like Cyclonus. Wonder why they didn't just call him Octane?

They can't for legal reasons; presumably for the same reason they can't just call Jazz Jazz or Ratchet Ratchet without a prefix - it's too general of a name and is what a specific real-life thing is called rather than having a made-up or mixed name like Optimus Prime or Starscream.

Sometimes that's it, but as often as not, it's not that they can't use the name, it's that they can't secure the trademark for the name and keep others from using it. That's why the prefix loophole is used so often. Anyone might be able to call a toy Jazz or Ratchet, but add the already trademarked Autobot and it's clearly Hasbro's toy.

I should've included that, yeah. You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

Kurona wrote:

Optimum Supreme wrote:

Kurona wrote:

WreckerJack wrote:Octone looks suspiciously like Cyclonus. Wonder why they didn't just call him Octane?

They can't for legal reasons; presumably for the same reason they can't just call Jazz Jazz or Ratchet Ratchet without a prefix - it's too general of a name and is what a specific real-life thing is called rather than having a made-up or mixed name like Optimus Prime or Starscream.

Sometimes that's it, but as often as not, it's not that they can't use the name, it's that they can't secure the trademark for the name and keep others from using it. That's why the prefix loophole is used so often. Anyone might be able to call a toy Jazz or Ratchet, but add the already trademarked Autobot and it's clearly Hasbro's toy.

I should've included that, yeah. You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

O RLY

Deadput wrote:

Kurona wrote:Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

A cool way to combine both powers would be something like.

"Decepticon Hazard gives Blitzwing the ability to take over the system's of other Bots and cause them to either super-heat their processors to self destruct or to overload their cooling systems freezing their sparks cold."

Something like that I bet someone could write that better.

Blitzwing, the Decepticon triplechanger brings three times the threat with his trio of Titan Masters!

In jet mode, Blitzwing is piloted by the cold-blooded and aloof Titan Master Overchill, who arms him with dual thermal reductor cannons, allowing him to ice over the wings of flying Autobots! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Overchill saps the willpower of their enemies by draining the energy from their processors!

In tank mode, Blitzwing is commanded by the brutal Hot-Tread, who vents Blitzwing's excess heat energy through the Decepticon's armor plating, melting anything Blitzwing's treads don't crush! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Hot-Tread overloads the processors of their enemies, causing blind rage!

Perhaps most powerful of all is the Titan Master Hazard, who triggers unpredictable, spontaneous upgrades in either of Blitzwing's alternate modes, and when combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, sews confusion across the battlefield by injecting a stream of random data and codes into the processors of anyone nearby!


Also, Octovirate Forge on Shapeways has had all three of the Animated faces up for Titan Master Blitzwing for a good long while, so it's totally doable if you don't mind sacrificing a few of your Titan Masters.

Kurona wrote:You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

That's not how trademark law works.

Words found in the dictionary are sometimes more difficult to defend as trademarks, but you absolutely can trademark them. The trick is to use the word in a unique and distinctive way. This is why you can have Apple brand computers, but not Apple brand apples.

Bowtech, Inc. currently uses the trademark Octane for a brand of archery arrow. That's the only reason Hasbro isn't able to currently use the name for Transformers (toys and sporting goods equipment are lumped together into one trademark category).

Caelus wrote:

Deadput wrote:

Kurona wrote:Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

A cool way to combine both powers would be something like.

"Decepticon Hazard gives Blitzwing the ability to take over the system's of other Bots and cause them to either super-heat their processors to self destruct or to overload their cooling systems freezing their sparks cold."

Something like that I bet someone could write that better.

Blitzwing, the Decepticon triplechanger brings three times the threat with his trio of Titan Masters!

In jet mode, Blitzwing is piloted by the cold-blooded and aloof Titan Master Overchill, who arms him with dual thermal reductor cannons, allowing him to ice over the wings of flying Autobots! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Overchill saps the willpower of their enemies by draining the energy from their processors!

In tank mode, Blitzwing is commanded by the brutal Hot-Tread, who vents Blitzwing's excess heat energy through the Decepticon's armor plating, melting anything Blitzwing's treads don't crush! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Hot-Tread overloads the processors of their enemies, causing blind rage!

Perhaps most powerful of all is the Titan Master Hazard, who triggers unpredictable, spontaneous upgrades in either of Blitzwing's alternate modes, and when combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, sews confusion across the battlefield by injecting a stream of random data and codes into the processors of anyone nearby!


Also, Octovirate Forge on Shapeways has had all three of the Animated faces up for Titan Master Blitzwing for a good long while, so it's totally doable if you don't mind sacrificing a few of your Titan Masters.

That is... incredible. Of course, it'd require more than two and a half sentences to print that on the back of a box so of course it wouldn't happen, but it's some totally fantastic bio work! Makes me want to buy those Shapeways faces now, even though I don't even have Blitzwing yet...

Zobovor wrote:

Kurona wrote:You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

That's not how trademark law works.

Words found in the dictionary are sometimes more difficult to defend as trademarks, but you absolutely can trademark them. The trick is to use the word in a unique and distinctive way. This is why you can have Apple brand computers, but not Apple brand apples.

Bowtech, Inc. currently uses the trademark Octane for a brand of archery arrow. That's the only reason Hasbro isn't able to currently use the name for Transformers (toys and sporting goods equipment are lumped together into one trademark category).

Huh, interesting. Shows what I know

Kurona wrote:

Zobovor wrote:

Kurona wrote:You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

That's not how trademark law works.

Words found in the dictionary are sometimes more difficult to defend as trademarks, but you absolutely can trademark them. The trick is to use the word in a unique and distinctive way. This is why you can have Apple brand computers, but not Apple brand apples.

Bowtech, Inc. currently uses the trademark Octane for a brand of archery arrow. That's the only reason Hasbro isn't able to currently use the name for Transformers (toys and sporting goods equipment are lumped together into one trademark category).

Huh, interesting. Shows what I know

And sometimes Hasbro's legal team likes to err on the side of caution, hence Outback hasn't been used for years because of Outback Steakhouse, if I recall that reason from Hasbro or Fun Pub at a Botcon at some point in the past 12 years.

Seibertron wrote:

Kurona wrote:

Zobovor wrote:

Kurona wrote:You can easily trademark Starscream as that's a made-up nonsense word that isn't the name of a real thing; but you can't trademark Octane as that's a word of a real thing you can't claim ownership of.

That's not how trademark law works.

Words found in the dictionary are sometimes more difficult to defend as trademarks, but you absolutely can trademark them. The trick is to use the word in a unique and distinctive way. This is why you can have Apple brand computers, but not Apple brand apples.

Bowtech, Inc. currently uses the trademark Octane for a brand of archery arrow. That's the only reason Hasbro isn't able to currently use the name for Transformers (toys and sporting goods equipment are lumped together into one trademark category).

Huh, interesting. Shows what I know

And sometimes Hasbro's legal team likes to err on the side of caution, hence Outback hasn't been used for years because of Outback Steakhouse, if I recall that reason from Hasbro or Fun Pub at a Botcon at some point in the past 12 years.

Outback Steakhouse have their name trademarked in most, if not all, categories available, just 'cause they can. Kinda like how Hasbro trademarked "Machine Robot Rescue" back in 2003, in case Bandai decided to import that line (they never did).

I'm toying with the idea of recording trademarks over the years actually, what's no longer viable, which have replacements and the like.

And curious that Sky Shadow is on the Wave 5 box instead of Overlord. That could mean he'll be released a bit later, in between Waves 5 and 6. Expect a Tail-ender Syndrome sufferer.

Qwan wrote:

Caelus wrote:

Deadput wrote:

Kurona wrote:Talking of Animated, I'm surprised the bio didn't give him the Ice/Fire powers he's had since Animated and even got transplanted onto the G1 version in Devastation. I'd be disappointed, but his new power is so awesome I don't find myself minding that much.

A cool way to combine both powers would be something like.

"Decepticon Hazard gives Blitzwing the ability to take over the system's of other Bots and cause them to either super-heat their processors to self destruct or to overload their cooling systems freezing their sparks cold."

Something like that I bet someone could write that better.

Blitzwing, the Decepticon triplechanger brings three times the threat with his trio of Titan Masters!

In jet mode, Blitzwing is piloted by the cold-blooded and aloof Titan Master Overchill, who arms him with dual thermal reductor cannons, allowing him to ice over the wings of flying Autobots! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Overchill saps the willpower of their enemies by draining the energy from their processors!

In tank mode, Blitzwing is commanded by the brutal Hot-Tread, who vents Blitzwing's excess heat energy through the Decepticon's armor plating, melting anything Blitzwing's treads don't crush! When combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, Hot-Tread overloads the processors of their enemies, causing blind rage!

Perhaps most powerful of all is the Titan Master Hazard, who triggers unpredictable, spontaneous upgrades in either of Blitzwing's alternate modes, and when combined with Blitzwing in robot mode, sews confusion across the battlefield by injecting a stream of random data and codes into the processors of anyone nearby!


Also, Octovirate Forge on Shapeways has had all three of the Animated faces up for Titan Master Blitzwing for a good long while, so it's totally doable if you don't mind sacrificing a few of your Titan Masters.

That is... incredible. Of course, it'd require more than two and a half sentences to print that on the back of a box so of course it wouldn't happen, but it's some totally fantastic bio work! Makes me want to buy those Shapeways faces now, even though I don't even have Blitzwing yet...

Thanks. I used to write Transformer bios all the time for Heavy Metal War, but I think this has to be the first time I've fiddled with doing that sort of thing in a year or two. I kind of miss it.

And i'm still here waiting for an Animated Shockwave Mold for Titans Return

I picked up Topspin on my way to work this morning. He's so frakkin' awsome! They had all the others, but I couldn't get them all right now. Kup looks so much better in person than in pictures.

RodimusConvoy13 wrote:I picked up Topspin on my way to work this morning. He's so frakkin' awsome!

RIIIIIGHT?

They had all the others, but I couldn't get them all right now. Kup looks so much better in person than in pictures.

DING DING DING DING! We have a WINNER!

RodimusConvoy13 wrote:I picked up Topspin on my way to work this morning. He's so frakkin' awsome! They had all the others, but I couldn't get them all right now. Kup looks so much better in person than in pictures.

What store did you hit up to find those?

Disregard that, I checked the sightings area

mordhelm wrote:

RodimusConvoy13 wrote:I picked up Topspin on my way to work this morning. He's so frakkin' awsome! They had all the others, but I couldn't get them all right now. Kup looks so much better in person than in pictures.

What store did you hit up to find those?

It was a Meijer in Ypsilanti, MI.

But I've also seen reports this morning that Walmart and Targets in Michigan are getting them too.