o.supreme wrote:Gears
So, I think I can actually explain this.
1) we are on a forum, same as TFW, same as other TF sites. Forums have become a more outdated source of online community, even if they are still used and are useful. And as a result, a majority of forum users tend to be people who have been online long enough to have been part of them when they were still the main thing. In simpler terms: a majority tend to hedge more towards middle age. Younger onliners tend to hedge towards reddit, twitter, etc.
2) as a result of point 1, excitement tends towards a middle-aged demographic, which for us more hedges towards G1 and maybe Beast Wars. My age demographic for instance should hedge towards Unicron trilogy, but actually hedges towards movi/Animated/Prime, my main timeline.
3) Gears was on the Kingdom art, he was for the line, and was cancelled. This is one of those cases where a cancelled figure actually ends up coming out years later, a rarity, hence additional interest from multiple demographics. In a similar vein, if say Animated Marauder Megatron was somehow actually released today, it would be a huge deal for all sorts of people, even if they aren't a big Animated fan.
4) Gears is a case of being one of the few needed to complete a cast in the same design era/style. For many of the Legacy lines outside of Beast Wars, they are starting anew with a new design team, so it's naturally a little harder/more limiting when you have smaller numbers. Many are starting new; Gears is nearing the end of another group.
5) There was no "G1 universe" figure in united wave 1, so it's also a case of some excitement for having one in the next wave.
Just my observation as well. Being part of 3 different TF communities (seibertron, Twitter, in-person friend groups), you notice some of this as well, including the diverse range of excitement. I have one buddy for instance who loves Gears because he collects almost exclusively in the 84-86 range, plus a love of RiD2001. I have another who is indifferent, because he is a Soundwave lover of all shapes and sizes, and cares little outside of that and the Prime show. Another buddy yet is a lover of Diaclone and things that scale with 3-3/4" figures, so he is also a case of "cool", but indifferent. Just as a for-instance.